Did you know? Days of thanksgiving in Canada originated in the colonial period, arising from European traditions of celebrations held in gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests. The earliest recorded thanksgiving celebration in Canada was in 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in present-day Nunavut to give thanks for the safety of its fleet. In 1879 Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day on November 6 but that date shifted until 1957 when Thanksgiving Day was made the second Monday in October. Though the announcement in regard to greater measures to address COVID will impact our traditions and plans for the thanksgiving weekend, we can still embrace the spirit of the holiday by giving thanks for safe journey thought the pandemic so far, the harvest of our gardens and…well…everything we have in life.
Remembering God is often easier to do when things are not going well, for some reason calling out for help comes easily. When we have a bounty and are riding high it is easy to forget to give thanks and remember that all we have is gift and grace. Saying thank you often takes effort and intention. Yet Gratitude is a powerful practice. It that can lift downtrodden souls, adjust our vision, redirect our purpose and bring us peace. This weekend, even if this thanksgiving is not how you imagined it would be, I invite you to intentionally take time to thank God for the blessings in your life. Take note of the big and little things that you have to be grateful for. With joy, remember times from this past year and lift your heart to God in praise.
This weekend I am thankful for my family, remembering especially the blessing of Reid’s birth 6 years ago this Saturday, the blessing of Melissa in the office, for the flexibility in this work that allows me to care for the kids when they are sick, for the privilege of journeying with you and hearing your stories and for God’s gift to Christ who came to bridge the gap between us and God, who came to love us and set us free. So what are you thankful for?
Let us pray
Dear God,
You are worthy of my praise even when we don’t understand Your ways.
Turn our gaze from our frustrations to Your faithfulness.
Shift our sights from our hurt to Your hope.
And grow in us a heart of thanksgiving as we seek to know You more.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
1) Worship announcements / Covid-19 Update
2) New Hire
3) Sound System Operators
4) Sanctuary Cleaning
5) FundScrip
6) Laminated Vaccination Cards Fundraiser
7) Brown Bag Lunch Donations
8) Bible Study
9) Wilmot Church Upcoming Events
1 – This Sunday worship starts at 10:30am. YES WE ARE WORSHIPING IN PERSON following the same covid-19 protocols as last week.
Can’t join us in person we hope to see you on Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86854718551 Passcode: 165090
Our services are also uploaded to our youTUBE channel so you can view them anytime, at your convenience.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Just a reminder that, as of September 24th, to attend in-person worship here at St. Paul’s United Church you must show proof of vaccination. We will also be following the same protocols as previous weeks
– Wearing a mask at all times
– Sitting in marked pews
– Singing while masked is permitted
2 – New Hire: St. Paul’s United Church is pleased to welcome Russell Blakely as our new hire to fill the role of Church Custodian. His first day on the job was Monday, October 4th. Please join us in welcoming Rusty to St. Paul’s.
Ministry & Personnel Committee (Lois Walker, Blaine Irving, Ann Krause)
3 – Sound System Volunteers: St. Paul’s needs volunteers to help with operation of the sound system for Sunday Services. The goal is to have 4-5 people on a rotation so that each person would be required for an hour about one Sunday morning a month. The schedule is flexible. No experience is necessary and training will be provided. If this interests you, or if you know anyone who might be interested, please contact the church office at 458-1183 or email stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com
4 – Sanctuary Cleaning: The date is set! We are planning to come together Saturday, October 16th from 10 – 12 to clean the sanctuary. We’d love your help! You can let us know ahead of time or we welcome you to just show up next Saturday Morning 😉
5 – FundScrip: October deals are out – Ultramar, Pizza Pizza, Home Hardware, Boston Pizza have all increased their donations for the month of October! These cards make great gifts and are such an easy way to donate to St. Paul’s. You get the full face value of each gift card and the retailer donates a percentage to St. Paul’s – so it’s a win-win!
The deadline for October orders is Sunday, October 17th.
We will have the cards for you the following Sunday. Order forms are available in the office, the Narthex or click here. We’re here to answer any questions or help you fill out the form so please don’t hesitate to contact either Carole Peacock directly or the office at 458.1183.
6 – Vaccination Card: We are offering to laminate immunization documents at the church during office hours Monday thru Friday. This is a little fall fundraiser so the cost for this service will be $5. How it works: We’ll resize the original down to the size of business card and laminate it so you can easily store it in your wallet.
7 – Brown Bag Lunch Program: Our shelves are getting low again, and we are in need of drink boxes, canned meats (those with flip tops only), desserts (pudding, fruit cups), and granola bars for our brown bag lunch program. Drop off anytime during the week or on Sunday before worship. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
8 – Lectionary Bible Study: Join Rev. Michelle Wednesday at 11:11am in the Lady’s Parlor for bible study. No experience is necessary just an open heart and mind. Come and have your questions and insights inform Sunday worship. The reading for next week’s study will be 1 Samuel 3:1 -21.
9 – Wilmot United is having a couple events this month!
Book Sale at Wilmot United Church On Thurs Oct 14 and Fri Oct 15 from 10-6, hundreds of used books will be for sale at Wilmot United Church. Fiction and non-fiction titles for all book lovers! Priced to sell! Corner of King and Carleton Streets, downtown Fredericton. Please wear community mask and bring proof of full vaccination.
Rummage Sale At Wilmot United Church On Fri Oct 22 from 9-6 and Sat Oct 23 from 9 – noon, Wilmot United Church is holding their annual fall rummage sale. Dozens of tables will be stacked high with used fall and winter clothing, footwear, kitchen ware, bedding, Christmas decorations, books, toys and more! All priced to sell! Corner of King and Carleton Streets, downtown Fredericton. Please wear community mask and bring proof of full vaccination.
As always, if you have any questions, comments, or want something featured in the weekly e-news please contact the office at 458-1183 or stpaulsoffice224@gmail.com.