March 5, 2021
 

Welcome to March, Everyone!
 
Cardinals are perched way up high in the neighbourhood trees singing their cheery songs, reminding us to enjoy more daylight hours. 
 
Meanwhile, this Sunday after the service we are invited to be part of a Conversation that Matters about new small groups at First. What might appeal to you or maybe someone in the community? Come join the chat!
 
Next Sunday come and celebrate National Affirming/Pie Day. Wear some wonderful colours and have a special snack ready for Coffee Time! 
 
Lynne

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Important Information
Registering for vaccine – over 80
To sign up, click on the link below. 
https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/covid-19-vaccination-pre-registration.aspx#

Safe Start Team

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WEEKLY WORDS FROM THE PART-TIME MINISTER OF WORSHIP AND  PASTORAL CARE
SUNDAY WORSHIP: March 7 at 10:30 on ZOOM ~ Home Communion.
Prepare a space for a candle, some bread, and a cup of juice or wine.
Sunday's theme is TURNING THE TABLES: how bread can be a sacrament of transformation. You may want to look at this video about HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES to provoke your own reflections on the healing power of spirituality here
 
Register in advance for Worship + Coffee Time + Conversations that Matter here
For further information about this event, click here
 
LENTEN SERIES: Wednesday, March 10 at 7 PM on ZOOM
This week's theme is Resilience.
Register in advance for this gathering here
 
LECTURE, Friday, March 5 at 7 PM: An Address on Becoming the Beloved Community: A Call to Transformative Discipleship by the Rev. Michael Blair, General Secretary of the United Church of Canada's General Council. Register in advance for this FREE event here
 
Notes from the Caring Community Gathering on March 3 After we watched a video about the book, Love You Forever here , we shared our thoughts about people in our lives who embodied these traits and we wondered what made them that way. We based our reflections on how love is described in 1 Corinthians (patient, kind, generous, compassionate, etc.). Do come to the next gathering on April 21 at 10 AM on Zoom.
 
HAVE YOU SENT ME YOUR MARCH BIRTHDAY? If not, please do.

Blessings.
The Rev. Rose Ann Vita (rose.ann.vita2@gmail.com and 647-763-0101)
 

UCW Meeting

The UCW meets Monday March 8 at 1:30. Our guest speaker is June Dryer from New Life Prison Ministries.
Please join us for this interesting presentation. All Church members are welcome.

For information contact Marg Colmer Shantz at 519-884-2525 or Edith Coyle at 519-744-9066.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85348532372?pwd=a2xtcFVad2RwdytFT1BQMFJqOTFLdz09
Meeting ID: 853 4853 2372 

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Noon Hour Concerts at First - Live streamed

This past Tuesday, Wendy Wager (flute) and Beth Ann de Sousa (piano) performed a spectacular concert, including DEEP BLUE by Ian Clarke which imitated whale songs and the sounds of the ocean. I hope that you were available to watch it. Other musicians’ renditions can be found on YouTube. Beth Ann & Wendy were most appreciative of the opportunity to perform, of everyone involved at First United, and of Paul Mitchell’s efforts with the Music Performance Trust Fund.  Please remember that in order to watch the Noon Hour Concerts, you must have a Facebook Account since these concerts will not be available on any other platform or at any other time (https://musicpf.org/mptf-live-streams/). Once on this site, scroll down to EVENTS and click on our concert.
 
OR…Greg has created a short video that shows how to access the concerts on the church’s website.  Simply click on the Noon Hour Concerts under Upcoming Events and follow his instructions.
 
The Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) is paying 100% of the fees and live streaming is one of their stipulations. If a recording were to be made, we would lose this very generous contract, and more importantly, the musicians would lose their fees after rehearsing for many hours.
 
Here's the Schedule:

March 9 - Peter Shackleton (clarinet) & Stephanie Mara (piano)
March 16 - Gallery Chamber Players (Quintet) - James Mason (oboe), Peter Shackleton (clarinet), Julie Baumgartel (violin), Margaret Gay (cello) & Anna Ronai (piano)
March 23 - Penderecki String Quartet - Jeremy Bell  & Jerzy Kaplanek (violins), Christine Vlajk (viola) & Katie Schlaikjer (cello)
March 30 - Larry Larson (trumpet) & Lori Gemmell (harp)
April 6 - Springdale Trio - Wendy Wagler (flute), Ben Bolt Martin (cello) & Boyd McDonald (piano)
April 13 - Ian Sadler (pipe organ)

Enjoy the learning curve!  Sharon Gowland
 
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Celebrate National Affirming/PIE Day on March 14, 2021!
 
Why PIE? PIE = Public. Intentional. Explicit. Those are the standards we hold ourselves and our welcome to when we seek to live into being Affirming, Welcoming, or Inclusive people and communities.
 
On March 14, 2021 in our (online) Coffee Time let's eat PIE (or cake or cookies or biscuits or pizza (!)) together!
 
Wear your most fabulous colours and let's celebrate PIE day at First United.
 
For more information about PIE Day and Affirming United please check out http://pieday.ca
Greg
 
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First United Book Club
The next book club meeting is March 27 at 9:00 a.m. The Book selection is The Nightingale—by Kristen Hannah 

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France—a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women.
 
Gordon Wray

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Worship in Coming Weeks

Sunday, March 7, 2021          – 10:30 a.m.  Rev. Rose Ann Vita  
Sunday, March 14, 2021        – 10:30 a.m.  Rev. Harry Disher  
                                                        Celebrating National Affirming/Pie Day
 

Past Worship Services
For those individuals that may have missed worship services in previous weeks or want to replay a particular service, the 2021 videos are posted here
 
If you would be interested in leading a worship service or in participating in some way please let me know at gregjcase@gmail.com.
 
For Pastoral Care needs please email the church (office@firstunitedchurch.ca).  For our Minister of Pastoral Care call Rose Ann Vita 647-763-0101 (cell) or rose.ann.vita2@gmail.com (email).
  
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“WHO IS OUR CHURCH?”  In mid-January there was an exercise during worship in which participants created a profile of First Untied Church as if our church was a person.  Our Transition Team has created a composite version using input from six profiles.  To view the composite version click here

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STEWARDSHIP/FINANCE
     February        Year to Date
General Fund Local                   $12,394.38    $24,837.38
Wage Subsidy Grant     2,087.47       3,060.36
Other Operations                               7,361.25     17,586.92
Mission & Outreach                           2,909.00       6,063.00
TOTAL INCOME                            24,752.10     51,547.66
TOTAL EXPENSES                       34,287.46     66,754.97
EXCESS INCOME\EXPENSES                    ($9,535.36)  ($15,207.31)
Capital Income                               $45,560.84  $102,346.68
Capital Expenses                                   56,286.49    106,931.07
CAPITAL EXCESS INC\EXP          ($10,725.65)    ($4,584.39)
     
 
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Westminster Online Silent Auction

Westminster United's (Waterloo ) Online Silent Auction is up and running until 12 noon Sunday, March 14! To check out items, click on https://www.32auctions.com/westminsterunitedchurch. Pick your favourites and bid!
                  
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Waterloo's on the lookout for its 2021 Senior of the Year!
 
Help the city out by nominating a special resident senior over 65 who has made a significant contribution to the community as a volunteer. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2021.
Nomination forms and details are available at www.waterloo.ca/agefriendly.
Forms can be mailed to:
 
Waterloo's Senior of the Year Award,
Wing 404 RotaryAdult Centre,
510 Dutton Drive,
Waterloo, ON N2L 4C6
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St. Matthew’s  and First have agreed to promote each other's concert series so  their Radio Concert Series can be found at: https://stmattskw.com/music-at-st-matthews-concert-series-2021/
 
Sharon Gowland
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CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
The Church office will be closed from Monday, March 8th to 15th inclusive.
Voice messages and emails will be checked daily.
 
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Hear ye, hear ye!
Wednesdays at Noon is our new deadline for sending in articles and messages for our First's Friday Letter! 
 
Thanks in advance.  Sheena and Lynne.
Together We Stand, but Apart