Announcements  

  Prayer Shawl April 27^th 7p at Manse

April 28 Euchre 7pm in the Hall

Cooking with the Saints April 29^th 1pm sign up sheet in the Church Hall or Call the Manse. 

There will be a brief meeting after Church to discuss final plans for the May 6^th Catering. 

There will be a planning meeting after Church May 7^th to discuss the Dessert Buffett on May 27^th. 

There will be a planning meeting  Tuesday April 25 7pm at the Manse to discuss and plan the Market and Antique sale on June 17^th 

   Studies and Studies is pleased to present on May 7 2023 at 2pm at Freelton Strabane United Church 1565 Brock Road Strabane.   (how to register at bottom)

SoulCollage®    Rise Up!

with

The Rev.Allison Playfair

Spring is here – finally! All around us there is new birth and rebirth in creation. If you are like me, you may be rediscovering where those bulbs were planted (or moved by squirrels) in your garden. After sleeping underground over winter, our friends, the perennials emerge. Birds return and begin building nests. Everywhere are signs of new life rising up. So too, in our lives, there may be parts of our inner life ready to rise up.

In our time together, we will open ourselves to the spirit within. Using meditative reflection, poetry and creation of a SoulCollage® card, we will explore and give expression to an aspect of ourselves that may be ready to Rise Up in our lives. 

What is SoulCollage®?

SoulCollage® is an expressive arts practice done individually or in community. Founded by Seena B. Frost, the method develops creativity and intuition, encourages self-discovery, and provides personal guidance.
SoulCollage® meets you wherever you are on this journey called life. You don’t have to be an artist to make SoulCollage® cards. Anyone can create and enjoy this powerful practice. In this practice, we cut out images that speak to us and create a collage that will give expression to an aspect of your inner life and bring inner wisdom and discovery to the surface.

Cost: $10. To cover the cost of materials. Allison is donating her time and expertise 

What we will provide

We will provide a blank card, a frame, glue stick and many illustrations and images to choose the pieces to create your own card as well as light refreshments. 

What you need to bring

A pair of sharp scissors and/or a fine point exacto knife, a journal (any kind will do) and a pen/pencil for writing.

Who is the facilitator?

Allison Playfair is a United Church Minister who is a certified SoulCollage®   facilitator, Labyrinth facilitator and experienced workshop leader who is open to the Spirit. She worked as a server and bartender in the first half of her working life and brings all her life experience, compassion and sense of humour to her leadership. Allison is on a journey of reclamation and creative restoration of her body, mind and Spirit. In her workshops, she holds inclusive and affirming space for safe and creative exploration. 

To Register please call the Manse at 905 659 3380 Payment can be made through E Transfer, or cash the day of. 

Call To Worship

  One: Let the people assemble God calls each one of us by name.                                                                              

All: The promises of God are to us and our children, and to sisters and brothers near and far.                                     

One: May our eyes and ears be open to the special message this hour holds for us.                                             

All: We will listen for God’s living and abiding Word and strive to be obedient to the truth.   

Prayer of Approach



Loving God, who raised Jesus Christ form the dead to be our Saviour, we gather for this venture of worship, opening ourselves to your surprises. Meet us here and grant us courage to accept new possibilities for our lives.. Grant us again a fresh sense of the risen Christ among us, a new wonder that he has so generously given us such grace, a new dedication to be about his work in the world in his name. 

     He has used DNA Genetic markers (long before 23 and Me ) to trace the family back before time

 18,500 years ago our family ancestors were living on the Steppes of Asia northeast of the Caspian Sea.  14,000 years ago our ancestors were living on the Iberian Peninsula (present day Spain). They were prevented from migrating northwardly due to the glaciers that covered most of Europe and the British Isles. This group of people represent what later becomes known as the Celtic Culture.  I have a long history you can see of kilt wearers. As the glaciers began to melt and recede from Europe some 12,000 years ago, our ancestral , as part of the Celtic Culture, began to move northward and populate all of Western Europe all the way up to the southern part of Scandinavia (present day Norway and Sweden).   Then it was on to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In time brought us here to Canada via the United States.  It would seem that all the branches of my family shrub come to Canada via the United States. I would not go so far to call them Empire Loyalist more than likely Empire Opportunists. I have since done my own DNA testing and know that the road my DNA has travelled has been interesting.   

It is exciting to discover what road your ancestors walked. I think it’s important. It helps us to appreciate the journey. To see we how we are rooted.  There is a theory that our DNA has a memorial link to our ancestral lands. 

     We are a people with deep ancestral connection to those that said yes to following Jesus. We are a part of the whole Christian family. A family of faith that has a very complex family tree starting with early church, then the great schism between the Rome and Constantinople, I could go on. But I won’t  Our Christian family heritage is complicated. A lot of underbrush.  A heritage we will come to appreciate more as we prepare to welcome our distant cousins in the faith in Freelton.

What we do all share in common is that we are rooted in a deep faith and love of God.   A faith and love that are affirmed in the Easter event.  The journey of faith is one where we are changed in such a way that we have to see life in a new way.  We gain that new understanding of our roots and appreciate our journey. 

The Easter event, if we accept it, causes us to see life in a new way.  It gives us new understanding. Easter helps us to see our Christian family connections to see our roots. 

 There is a story of a clergy doing a children’s time and he, in great detail, describes a squirrel and asks the children did they know what he was describing. One lad pipes up. “I know the answer must be Jesus But it sounds an awful much like a squirrel.”

 Jesus never said that he was the answer he said he is the way. The difference between being told and discovery. Sure we can look at the facts of Christian heritage, but really it is something that we experience.  Faith is something we discover.

As Jesus opened up the scriptures for the two on the Emmaus road so Jesus through the love of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit opens up our minds and thoughts to consider the direction the road which we will travel. 

We are family and the blood of Christ is thicker than water. We travel together. We are bound together in our baptism one family. Blest be the tie that binds. A tie that strengthens our courage on the way. That helps us share each other’s burdens remembering each other in prayer. Blest be the tie that binds

Jesus meets us on the Road.  Jesus knocks on the door, Jesus sits with us here and now. Jesus is willing to open us to the wondrous possibilities of a new life.  To new ways of thinking. To new beginning. Empowering us in our lives to dare be a part of family of faith. A family that can trace its origins back over 2000 years. With an even older ancestry branch that predates time itself. A family whose strength comes in a shared history, shared faith and shared love.   A faith that reminds us that we are not alone.  Thanks be to God. 

Prayers of the people 

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God. 

Blessed God as we once more live in the light of the Easter Promise we see that as we journey forward that we are heirs of a tremendous family legacy of faith. We give thanks for all those faithful that have gone on before us. You have been their strength, Christ their teacher and the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit their inspiration. We call on your strength to be with all those in the world who long for a new day that sees them lifted above their present trials.  We hold them all in our prayers.   We hold up to you the names of those who we are called to walk with. 

We trust that your strength will empower their courage.

We pray that we will have the wisdom to look always to Christ for guidance.  May he be the example that we follow. We pray that we may continue to be open to the Action of the Holy Spirit as we continue to work and grow as a family and community of faith.  We offer you our own personal prayers trusting that in your time and way they will be answered.  We offer the prayer that you gave us saying…

Offering

 In gratitude and humble trust

We bring our best today

To serve your cause and share your love

With all along life’s way

O God, who gave yourself to us

In Jesus Christ, your Son,

Teach us to give ourselves each day

Until life’s work is done.

Prayer In the name of Christ whose gave himself for our redemption we bring these tokens of our intent to share. We offer what we can and bring our time and gifts to offer as well. We are glad for the opportunity to give and ask your blessing upon these gift.

After some prayerful thought we have decided to combine Art for the Soul and Tech Tuesday for seniors on the same day.   Starting at 1pm on April 18th



Prepare ye the way to Sing

We are planning a Spring Concert for Sunday, April 30, at 7 PM.

There will be a variety of musical spots including the choir presenting selections from Godspell.

Anyone interested can join us for practices at Freelton Strabane Wednesday afternoons, starting at 1:30 PM.

Studies and Studies is pleased to present on May 7 2023 at 2pm at Freelton Strabane United Church 1565 Brock Road Strabane.   (how to register at bottom)

SoulCollage®    Rise Up!

with

The Rev.Allison Playfair

Spring is here – finally! All around us there is new birth and rebirth in creation. If you are like me, you may be rediscovering where those bulbs were planted (or moved by squirrels) in your garden. After sleeping underground over winter, our friends, the perennials emerge. Birds return and begin building nests. Everywhere are signs of new life rising up. So too, in our lives, there may be parts of our inner life ready to rise up.

In our time together, we will open ourselves to the spirit within. Using meditative reflection, poetry and creation of a SoulCollage® card, we will explore and give expression to an aspect of ourselves that may be ready to Rise Up in our lives. 

What is SoulCollage®?

SoulCollage® is an expressive arts practice done individually or in community. Founded by Seena B. Frost, the method develops creativity and intuition, encourages self-discovery, and provides personal guidance.
SoulCollage® meets you wherever you are on this journey called life. You don’t have to be an artist to make SoulCollage® cards. Anyone can create and enjoy this powerful practice. In this practice, we cut out images that speak to us and create a collage that will give expression to an aspect of your inner life and bring inner wisdom and discovery to the surface.

Cost: $10. To cover the cost of materials. Allison is donating her time and expertise 

What we will provide

We will provide a blank card, a frame, glue stick and many illustrations and images to choose the pieces to create your own card as well as light refreshments. 

What you need to bring

A pair of sharp scissors and/or a fine point exacto knife, a journal (any kind will do) and a pen/pencil for writing.

Who is the facilitator?

Allison Playfair is a United Church Minister who is a certified SoulCollage®   facilitator, Labyrinth facilitator and experienced workshop leader who is open to the Spirit. She worked as a server and bartender in the first half of her working life and brings all her life experience, compassion and sense of humour to her leadership. Allison is on a journey of reclamation and creative restoration of her body, mind and Spirit. In her workshops, she holds inclusive and affirming space for safe and creative exploration. 

To Register please call the Manse at 905 659 3380 Payment can be made through E Transfer, or cash the day of.