A letter from the Board Chair:
The summer holiday season has come and gone and the kids are back in school. Time sure flies by! Now it is time for us at Essex United to look ahead for the fall season. Many of our church groups will getting back into full swing so take a look and get involved if you are not already doing so. Many exciting things are happening as we try new ways to involve the youth of our community in our church family. The discussions with St Pauls are moving along, with committees being set up to iron out the arrangements of this undertaking to insure it benefits both our congregations. I am sure there will be a great deal of give and take before we work out the final details, but with God’s help we will succeed. There are some new events this fall so take at look and support them, and enjoy our community of faith.
Morley Bowman
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FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK:
Happy Thanksgiving 2017
Thanksgiving is almost here again. We try to always have an attitude of gratitude but sometimes we fall short. I want to take a few minutes to share some thoughts about Thanksgiving. Will you allow me a few minutes of your time?
There is something healthy about giving thanks. Notice that I did not say there is something healthy about Thanksgiving meals. Most of us will overindulge this Thanksgiving, just as we do every Thanksgiving. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad Thanksgiving meal. The danger isn’t that the meal won’t be tasty. The danger is that we will consume too much. Thanksgiving meal may not be too healthy for us, but the act of giving thanks is one of the most spiritually beneficial exercises we can perform.
Giving thanks reminds us how blessed we are. As some anonymous author has written: If you woke up this morning and were able to hear the birds sing, use your vocal cords to utter human sounds, make it to the breakfast table, and read the newspaper… you are more blessed than millions of those who could not do these simple things.
Giving thanks also reminds us of the source of our blessings. Giving thanks reminds us how much God loves us. One year for Christmas, Phyllis Wohlfarth’s husband gave her a gold lapel pin. Phyllis said she only took a second to thank her husband for his gift. A week later, as she put on the lapel pin to wear to an event, she reflected on her husband’s thoughtfulness. With more sincerity, she thanked him again. Her husband explained that the pin had belonged to his grandmother, so it was very special to him. Phyllis noted that if she hadn’t offered the second “thank you,” she might have never learned the significance of the pin. It was only when she took the time to reflect on the gift and offer a more sincere “thank you” that she really learned to appreciate her husband’s gesture.
And one final thing...
When we give thanks we are reminded to share with others what the Lord has done for us. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man who has been possessed by a demon. Afterward, the man begs
Jesus to let him come with him. He wants to be one of Jesus’ disciples. So, Mark tells us, “The man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.” If you are truly thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon you, then share that story with others. Of course, the best way to share the story is to share the blessings.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Give thanks for the Creator and all the gifts given to us!
Blessings
Pastor Jim
FOR YOUR MEDITATION:
Saying the Right Thing: True Thanksgiving
Luke 19:1-10
One of my favorite Peanuts comic strips is the one that came out some years ago just a few days before Thanksgiving. Lucy's feeling sorry for herself and she laments, "My life is a drag. I'm completely fed up. I've never felt so low in my life."
Her little brother Linus tries to console her and he says, "Lucy, when you're in a mood like this, you should try to think of things you have to be thankful for; in other words, count your blessings."
To that, Lucy says, "Ha! That's a good one! I could count my blessings on one finger! I've never had anything and I never will have anything. I don't get half the breaks that other people do. Nothing ever goes right for me! And you talk about counting blessings! You talk about being thankful! What do I have to be thankful for?"
Linus says, "Well, for one thing, you have a little brother who loves you."
With that, Lucy runs and hugs little brother Linus as she cries tears of joy, and while she's hugging him tightly, Linus says, "Every now and then, I say the right thing."
Well, we have a God who loves us, and if that doesn't make us sing the song of thanksgiving, I don't know what would. That's what Zacchaeus realized that day in Jericho. He realized that God loved him, even him.
There is something healthy about giving thanks.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation . . . you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death . . . you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep . . .
you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish some place . . . you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you are over thirty and either of your parents is still alive you are very rare. Over a billion people are orphans by then.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful . . . you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
Giving thanks reminds us how blessed we are. This is not to say that you and I do not have problems. We do, but for most of us, our blessings far outweigh our burdens.
Thanksgiving: Don't Dine Like a Dog: Read Psalm 107
In his book FOLK PSALMS OF FAITH, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited his to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?" Ironside replied, "No, I don't." The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" Ironside replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."
The man said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!" Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!"
Ray Stedman, Folk Psalms of Faith
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FROM THE EDITOR:
For many of us the summer seemed to fly by. The children are back at school and Autumn is about to begin with cooler days, the trees will be showing the beautiful fall colours and the farmers will be reaping their crops. This year I have concluded that I don’t have a favourite season because every season has special moments for me be it a beautiful sunset, new growth, a colourful bush or a gentle snow fall.
Thank you to all who sent me material for the newsletter. I will be starting to collect items for the next one right away.
Blessings,
Arleen
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WORSHIP:-
During our worship meetings, we discuss upcoming services. Pastor Jim has been diligently planning special services. In the coming months, look forward to Blessing of the Backpacks, Bring a Friend Sunday, Communion, Thanksgiving, Baptism Renewal, First Nations Sunday, and many others. Anniversary Sunday is October 15th. Pastor Jim will conduct the service and Deb Kigar, daughter of Mary Webb, will bring us her message. There will be other activities that weekend also. Rylee Livingstone with her harp will also be joining us one Sunday. These are exciting events that are coming. Please join us!
We had another hymn sing on Sunday, August 27th. As I prepared for this service, I found some very interesting information on the song “The Church in the Wildwood”. It turns out that this church does exist and still conducts services. The funny thing is, this song was written long before the church was built! William Pitts was travelling through the area in a stagecoach and he stopped in a little village in Iowa. He saw an empty lot and wrote a song about how this would be the perfect spot for a church (The Church in the Wildwood). He put the song in his drawer and forgot about it. Much later, the people of this little village were getting tired of meeting in different places and decided to build a church of their own. It was built of wood and limestone from the area and was painted brown because that was the cheapest paint they found. They also added a bell. Meanwhile, Mr. Pitts returned to the area with his wife and was hired to teach music at the Bradford Academy. He was very surprised to see a little brown church on the lot where he had stood years before! Pitts had written a song for a church that wasn’t there! He remembered the song he had written and the rest is history. This little church closed for a number of years but reopened in 1914. Services are still held there and in August of 2014, the 74,000th wedding was held at this historic church site. It remains, as it was founded, a Congregational Church. Isn’t that a neat story? Karen Arnold
THIS WAS IN THE LAST NEWS LETTER BUT THINK IT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO REPRINT --
TO THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN MAY WE SUGGEST……
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Relax! God put the wiggle in children; don’t feel you have to suppress it in God’s house. All are welcome here.
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Sit toward the front where it is easier for your little ones to see and hear what’s going on at the front. They tire of seeing the backs of other heads.
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Quietly explain the parts of the worship service and actions of the pastor, service leaders, choir etc.
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Sing the hymns, pray and voice the responses. Children learn liturgical behavior by copying you.
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If you need to leave in the service with your child, feel free to do so. But please do come back. As Jesus said “Let the children come unto me.” (Please feel free to go to the nursery when you leave as there are books etc for the children and then to join us after the service for coffee hour.)
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Let the children know they are at home in God’s house.
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There are bags with some activities for the children to use during church at the entrance to the sanctuary.
TO OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH
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The presence of children is a gift to the church and they are a reminder of our committment to nurture and share the love of Jesus with our children.
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Please welcome the children and their parents and give a smile of encouragement.
JR. CHOIR: We will begin meeting on Thursday afternoons at 3:05. [21st this week].Tell anyone you know who wants to share their gift of voice with the congregation. They will sing on the last Sunday of the month.
We always enjoy hearing them sing.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: Kayla Hills is our new church school teacher. She is there every Sunday no matter who is there to be part of our church school. She is following the curriculum that is laid out for our church schools.
FRIENDS OF ESSEX UNITED CHURCH:
Summer Vacation Time has come and gone. Teachers and students are back in the classroom and Moms are busy packing lunches once more. We at FEUC have also taken a short break but come September, we are busy gearing up for the Fall Church Season. We are excited to be preparing for a "Celebration of Baptism" to take place on Sunday, October 22, 2017.
A special invitation will go out shortly to all children and adults who have received the Sacrament of Baptism since 2008 at Essex United Church. Adorning the front of the invitation is a copy of a watercolour print depicting "Mother and Babe" beautifully created by our own Rev. Margaret. Our Nursery has found a new home and will soon be ready for any child or parent wishing to use it.
The Visitation Team continued faithfully over the summer to visit personally or by phone. We trust you had a pleasant summer and like the rest of us, are looking forward to a season of Thanksgiving and Praise.
Cherie Farquharson, Chair
DID YOU KNOW;
We are offering rides to persons using walkers and any others who would like to attend services at any time.
Please contact the church office. Susan will forward the request. We hope this opportunity can be helpful.
OUTREACH:
A great big thank you to everyone who supported our recent Food Bank Fundraiser at A1 Chinese restaurant. As of now, we don't know the total of the proceeds but we'll report that information when it becomes available.
Keep an eye on our church front lawn. We've invited the community to enter a
Thanksgiving display. Displays should be set up between September 22nd and October 2nd. Projects will be judged and prizes awarded. We hope to see the area full of great presentations.
We're planning a Trivia Night for later this fall. This will involve formation of teams and will be lots of fun. Watch the bulletin for details.
We are pleased to have reached our goal for the Mission & Service portion that is forwarded to the United Church of Canada. Our hope is that the amount designated to Local Mission and Service givings will increase. To date, we are falling short of our $8,000.goal.
Thanks for your continued support.
Your Outreach Committee
Pearl Cunningham/Holly Boyle, Co chairs
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NOTES FROM THE FUTURES COMMITTEE:
The committee has been relatively quiet over the summer. We have had two meetings during that time both spent in reviewing and discussing articles from the Observer. We looked at three articles from the July/August issue, the first titled “Does the church really need to attract millennials” (page 41), the second Titled “Reversing the decline” (page 44) and the third in the section “Verbatim” profiling a young minister Rev. Esther Baerends (page 46). If you get a chance re-read the articles and let me know your thoughts on how these articles relate to the churches future.
There are a couple of other initiatives that we have started involving planning. As part of our review we have developed some preliminary planning documents that attempt to help committees review their current role and look forward to see what, if any, changes might be beneficial. Two of these documents have been provided one to the Stewardship committee and the other to the Worship committee.
Stewardship is being asked to review our current funding sources, determine which are growing, which are static and which are shrinking. With this benchmark hopefully some way ahead can be planned to ensure our financial stability.
Worship is tasked with reviewing all elements of our worship service, such as, time and length of service, place of worship, use of electronic media, style of music and many more. The underlying purpose is to recognize what elements are working, what are not and thus determine a way ahead.
The next Futures Committee meeting will be Monday September 25th at 7:00 PM. We would be pleased if you would join us.
Derwin Spencer
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STEWARDSHIP:--
Statements will be coming out first of Oct. to let people know where they stand so far in 2017. We encourage people to continue to support the work of the church, the operation and upkeep of building with their givings and help and attend church. Deb Salter, Chair
UNITED CHURCH WOMEN:
Our meetings are resuming on the third Thursday of the month at Iler Lodge. We meet there so that residents can join us in our meetings. All women are welcome. Our meetings always have a short meditation and a program followed by refreshments. We share laughter and fellowship. If you would like more information or a ride please call Arleen Hatt or Holly Boyle.
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WE REMEMBER:
Garth Ramsay who passed away on September 5th at age 84. Gareth was the beloved husband of the late Mary (2014). He was the dear father of Gary and Deb and loving grandfather of Gavin and Eliza . He will be missed by many nieces and nephews. Garth was co-owner of the Essex Free Press for many years. He was involved in many service clubs in Essex and also had served on Essex Council, the P.U.C., Essex Fire Department and called bingo for the Huntington Society.
Our thoughts and Prayers are with the family as they continue on
their life journeys.
CELEBRATIONS:
We welcomed 3 little ones by baptism into our church family since the last newsletter.
--- on July 16th – Payton Alice Brinacomb born January 6/17 daughter of Brent
Brinacomb and Kaytee Lauer. Payton is the great – granddaughter of Eleanor Baxter
--- on July 23rd-- Isla Michele Dawn Rowe born March 27/17 daughter of David Rowe and Shannon Barron Rowe
--- on September 10th-Ryleigh Rose Beverly Culp born November 13,2016 daughter of Jeffery Culp and Chelsea Stecher.
It is always a blessing to have these families join us for worship.
Betty Goodburn welcomed her 23rd great grandchild to her family. Wyatt Cameron was born on August 10th.
Alaina May Hillier and Jason Eric Schmenk were married on September 2 at GessTwood Camp in the outdoor chapel . Our congratulations to them.
Wilma Fawdry celebrated her 80th birthday on September 12. Her family held an open house on September 16th.
Helen Birch celebrated her 99th birthday September 16th.
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CONGRATULATIONS:
Grace Wijngaarden completed 14 projects for entry in the Harrow Fair. They were from Arts and Crafts –ages 9-12, Jr. Needle Arts – ages 9-12 and Needle Arts Jr. 9-12-Special. She has talent in many areas.
She received a number of Firsts ,Seconds and Thirds after they were judged and received $51.00 in prize money.
Well done, Grace !!!
Also Grandma Judi won with several of her projects too and received $72.00. Talent must run in the family!
Grace with her ribbons
Lisa Naylor daughter of Dorothy Naylor Crowder is off on a wonderful adventure. She was chosen as one of the participants of the Canada C3 project which is for the first time ever sailing from coast to coast and sharing it the entire journey with the rest of the country. The journey is being divided into Legs with each Leg having different participants from our diverse cultures, backgrounds and traditions – diverse ages, occupations etc. Lisa’s experience is to the Arctic.
On Face Book Lisa writes “ While some parts of the world are burning or drowning and my community (Winnipeg) is rallying together right now to fight hatred and racism … I am so lucky to be going off to the arctic … ice bergs and open skies. Also going to be seeing how climate change impacts the far north and discussing so much about how we are connected on this planet and especially across this continent and across generations. For moments of hope and beauty in your day, I encourage you to follow along this journey with me.
Facebook page is Canada C3, Twitter is @canada_c3 or explore the website. You can follow the expedition map here: https://canada3.ca/en/expedition/expedition-map/ (click Leg 12 for a close up view) or check out all the amazing videos at https://canadac3.ca/en/newa-or-media/videos/ on the various themes of the expedition or just click on “Leg Recaps” for some brief and beautiful footage of this gloriously beautiful country. #Canada C3
SMILE TIME:
There is a humorous story that actress Helen Hayes used to tell on herself. As she retired to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to a Thanksgiving dinner she was preparing, she warned her family: “This is the first turkey I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t right, I don’t want anybody to say a word.
We’ll just get up from the table, without comment, and go down to the hotel for dinner.” She returned some ten minutes later to find the family seated expectantly at the dinner table--wearing their hats and coats.
Hallowe’en is coming. This is in keeping with that—
A YOUNG AMERICAN TOURIST goes on a guided tour of a creepy old castle. At the end of the tour, the guide asks how she enjoyed it. She admits to being a bit worried about seeing a ghost in some of the dark,
cob-web filled, rooms and passages. “Don’t worry,” says the guide.” I’ve never seen a ghost all the time I‘ve
been here. “How long is that?” asks the girl. “About three hundred years.”
SOME THOUGHTS:
from a little notebook Eleanor Dietrick (Wilma Fawdry’s aunt) had kept little sayings -- Smiles make friend
Scowls make wrinkles
There is a world of difference between free speech and loose talk
Better than counting your years is to make the years count
Karen Arnold sent me this “kind of 10 commandments”
Someone has written these beautiful words. It's a must read. Try to understand the deep meaning of it. They are like the ten commandments to follow in life all of the time!
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Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout the journey.
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So why is a car's WINDSHIELD so large & the Rear View Mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.
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Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes a few minutes to burn, but it takes years to write.
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All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.
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Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold!
Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!
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Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!
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When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.
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A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"
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When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
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WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.
AND ALSO --
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
THIRD ESSEX SCOUTING NEWS:
Fill Yer Boots – 13th Canadian Jamboree Report – July 2017
The 3rd Essex Scout Troop (comprised of 5 youth members between the ages of 11-15 years and two Scouters) traveled to Camp Nadooae near Halifax, NS to join 6,000 of their soon-to-be newest friends at the 13th Canadian Jamboree.
The journey started with three separate airplane rides, where many of the Scouts earned their First Time Flyers wings. ‘Boy! Were their arms tired’ by the time they landed, hiked their equipment to their campsite and set-up for the first night of their nine day trip.
Nova Scotia greeted them the following morning with a Northeaster so powerful that four other sub-camps had begun to float away. Scouter Malak awoke to find herself on a waterbed, the water trapped between the ground and the tent floor. After a lot of trenching and a little bit of Scoutcraft their site soon became cozy and welcoming. Acadian Cooking was the first activity of their great exploit and where they heard “Fill yer boots”. An eastern expression the locals use to tell someone to do the things that will make them happy.
They learned how to make trail mix - Atlantic style, they won the Golden Spoon from the Cape Breton Master Chief Challenge and cooked authentic fish cakes using salt cod. Many of the Scouts were pleasantly surprised at how delicious the cakes tasted and recreated the recipe using the fish they caught from their fourth day’s Deep Sea Fishing expedition and downtown Halifax self-guided tour.
The next day’s events had them on-site climbing and crawling through an obstacle course twice the size of the church gym. Scouter Matt got tangled up is the netting so badly he nearly needed the Troop to rescue him. That afternoon they rolled around in two types of giant inflatable plastic balls and cooled off with a water slide at the Water Olympics event.
It was all good practice for the following day’s bus trip to Ontree Park located 45 minutes away from camp in Windsor, NS. After a detailed safety course, the Scouts were thrilled to practice their vertical skills on 11 different high ropes and zip line courses 3 to 50 feet above the ground.
Day seven they celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday with STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics), badge trading, visiting the RCMP mobile Headquarters, birthday cake and of course red and white fireworks.
On their last day they played games, crafted a white Birch woggle, and learned about the skills and traditions of the Mi’kmaq First Nations people. Then it was off to the Lunenburg Ship Yard were they transformed two canoes into a catamaran and battled an opposing Patrol to win the title of Top Ship of Brown Lake.
Every day they would tell their Scouters “This day was better than the yesterday”, or “I cannot pick a favourite day, ask me tomorrow”. On the plane ride home, one young Scout was heard saying “I think we filled our boots”.
As remembered by Margaret Ann Montgomery 3rd Essex Scout Troop, Sept 2017
SCOUTING PROGRAM:
The Scouting Program for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts has started again for the 2017-2018 year.
The Beavers (ages 5-7) meet Wednesday evenings 6:30 pm-7:30 pm in the lower hall. During these meetings the youth play games, craft, tell stories, and learn about/discuss the theme for the night. Our Beaver Scouts are now able to earn personal achievement and outdoor adventure skills badges within the new Canadian Path Program. Camping and other activities are planned for this scouting year. If anyone is interested in joining our Beaver Colony, as a Beaver Scout please feel free to contact Heather Allison - 519-567-3186 or heather.allison_29@sympatico.ca.
The Cubs (ages 8-10) meet Wednesday evenings 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the gym. Our focus like the Beavers is on earning personal achievement badges as well as outdoor adventure skill badges. Our Cubs thoroughly enjoy camping, playing games such as dodgeball and floor hockey as well as building their Kub Kar racers.
We are currently seeking new members and if you wish to join please contact Matthew Allison – 226.280.1453 or matthew.allison@sympatico.ca
The Scouts (ages 11-14) meet Wednesday evenings 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the gym. The scouts enjoy camping (in all seasons) working on outdoor adventure skill and personal achievement badges, cooking, as well as enjoying vigorous outdoor activities such as canoeing and high ropes climbing. Anyone wishing to join Scouts is encouraged to contact Margaret Ann Montgomery - 519.979.8954 or mam.montgomery@gmail.com.
We are seeking volunteers for leadership positions at all levels of the program as well as to join the Group
Committee. Anyone interested should contact Matthew Allison 226.280.1454 or matthew.allison@sympatico.ca
YARD SALE:
Dates for Fall Yard Sale are October 27th and 28th.
Don’t forget to remember the fall yard sale when you are cleaning out shelves etc.
VOLUNTEERS:
Wilma thought this was worth printing again and I agree. We are blessed by all our volunteers.
Volunteers Matter!!!!
Just Rewards
Many will be shocked to find
When the day of judgement nears
That there is a special place in Heaven
Set aside for volunteers
Furnished with big recliners,
Satin couches and footstools,
Where there is no committee chairperson,
No group leaders or car pools,
No eager teams that need a coach,
No bazaar and no bake sale,
There will be nothing there to staple,
Not one thing to fold or mail,
Telephone lists will be outlawed,
But a finger-snap will bring,
Cool drinks and Gourmet dinners, And rare treats fit for a king.
You ask, who’ll serve these privileged few And work for all they’re worth? Why, all those who reaped the benefits And not once volunteered on earth. Anonymous (submitted by Wilma Fawdry)
DID YOU KNOW:
--- The Essex Rotary Club is holding their Monday meetings at EUC
--- Rev. Deb Kiger who will be our guest speaker for anniversary Sunday is Mary Webb’s daughter and grew up in our church family.
---AA meets here every week
---We have been volunteering at Downtown Mission for Prep and Serve for 8 years
---Also a group help by preparing lunch at the Salvation Army in Essex for their Tuesday program.
--- At our Canada Day Celebration lots of fun was had at the bouncy castle that McDermott
Party Rentals let us use. We appreciate this very much
---Vacation Bible Camp was full with 35 children attending and we had a waiting list. Some of the children wanted to sign up for next year before leaving the last day and one child wondered why it had to end.
---We are having our Spooktacular again this year. It will be on Friday, October 27th at 7 pm.
Get your costume ready!
---We are having hosting the Windsor Symphony on Friday March 23rd at 7 pm as part of their neighbourhood concert series. Tickets will be $20. Students $10. Mark your calendar. ---That we owe Jan and Doug Rounding a big thanks for lending us all their equipment for our successful Canada Day party.
GESStWOOD NEWS:
What’s Happening at Gesstwood!
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Ontario Trillium Fund recognition event is booked for September 22. At 11am. MPP Taras Natyshak is attending along with an OTF representative. All are welcome to attend.
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A company that will be holding a camp at Gesstwood next summer is proposing to winterize/beautify 5 cabins ($25,000 budget) for Gesstwood camp.
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We had 253 overnight campers and 30 day campers for 2017 season
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Summer camp overall was very successful. Staff had a great season and about 70 percent plan to return next summer.
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We granted 21 bursaries, eight of them were in addition to the Kids in camp funding the families also received.
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Aviva Community Grant is Open at the beginning of September. Bre and Karen continue to work on the submission for this grant.
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Ontario Trillium Fund Capital Grant deadline is October 25. If we would like to submit another grant, we need a visioning meeting to decide what path we want to take next. (Canopy tour, Pole Barn, lodge renovations etc.)
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Summer staff have a dance booked for November 16, 2017 at Essex United.
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One of my goals for the next fiscal year to is to get our name out in the community. Therefore, with this in mind Gesstwood Camp (summer staff and I) will be entering the Kingsville and Essex Santa parade. We are in need of a hay wagon or trailer to use for our float. Brunch with Santa is scheduled for December 17, at the camp. We are still in need of “Santa”.
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Halloween is coming to Gesstwood Pavilion on October 21 from 10-2pm. We will have face paint, pumpkin painting, hotdog roast, apple cider, games etc. This will be a free event again to create awareness, the food and drinks will be for purchase.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
We are going to celebrate our 143rd anniversary this year. That is a long time. We hope to have a wonderful time doing that. This is a rough schedule of what is happening.
Thursday, October 12: Trivial Pursuit night
Friday, October 13: Meditation through Music with Ron Dossenbach, Festival of Flavours Saturday, October 14: Anniversary Chicken Dinner, 4:30 to 7 Sunday, October 15: Rev. Deb Kigar, Guest speaker. Special Music.
Save that week end to enjoy our life together!
ESSEX UNITED CHURCH
53 Talbot St. S., Essex, ON N8M 1B1
Phone: 519-776-5121 Fax: 519-776-4145
Web page: www.eunitedchurch.wixsite.com/eunited
Email:eunitedchurch@bell.ca
Ministers: Congregation of Essex United
Pastor: Rev. Jim Hatt
Minister Emerita: Rev. Margaret Spencer
Chair of the Board: Morley Bowman
Organist: Diana Dennis
Office Administrator: Susan Tuck-Sweetman Bookkeeper: Wayne Hyland. Caretaker: Ron Wijngaarden
Youth Staff: Anita Schafsma
Stewardship [Grants]: Qian Cheng
Newsletter Editor: Arleen Hatt
Thanks Colin for your poster!
ESSEX UNITED CHURCH
GIVES THANKS and INVITES THE COMMUNITY AS WELL!
THANKSGIVING DISPLAYS WILL SHOW OUR GRATITUDE TO THE CREATOR!
INDIVIDUAL/FAMILY BUSINESSES GROUPS/CLUBS DISPLAYS ARE WELCOME!
PRIZES WILL BE OFFERED.
DISPLAYS SHOULD BE SET UP BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 22 AND OCTOBER 2. CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE FOR MORE INFO! 519 776 5121
Prizes will be given as follows:
Individual/Family First prize $150
Second prize $100
Business First prize $75 to a food bank
Second prize $50 to a food bank
Groups/Clubs First prize $75
Second prize $50
Each display area will be 4 m x 4m [12 ft x 12 ft.]
Judging will be done and winners announced on October 13, 2017 at 5:30 pm at the Festival of Flavours. More info to follow!
We hope to illuminate the displays during the time leading up to and after Thanksgiving.
THANKS BE TO GOD!
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