Message from Our Minister Reverend Mary White
Good Day and Blessings,
Today we celebrate Earth Day. Following are some ways that the United Church Of Canada suggests how we can show our appreciation for the earth, the sea, and the sky.
One Earth
Offer a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving for the precious gift of Earth—and your small part of it.
Apologize for any thoughtlessness that has scarred its surface.
Act to restore some damaged space: remove garbage, plant something, change some harmful behaviour—of yours or of your community’s.
One Sea
Reflect on the gift of the global ocean, teeming with life but filled with pollution and turning more acidic every day.
Research what happens with the water you use daily as it finds its way through the lakes and rivers into the sea.
Ask how you can help to clean up the waters and prevent further harm to this source of life.
Write a message to the ocean—but don’t put it in a bottle!
One Sky
Breathe deeply and feel your lungs fill up. Exhale a prayer of thanksgiving for the sustaining gift of air.
Reflect on the gases that make up the atmosphere and how important it is that they stay in balance. Ask yourself and your church how you can reduce the greenhouse gases that we emit by using energy from fossil fuels for heat, light, and transportation. Take action!
Join with others in your community by writing letters to urge politicians to make choices that curb global warming.
We are all one and interconnected with one Earth, one Sea, one Sky—God’s wondrous gifts for life.
With Love,
Rev. Mary White
Theresa enjoying visits with family and friends.
To sponsor Sharlene on her May 30th 5km walk in support of the Alzheimer's Society, and or to arrange a visit with her and Theresa, please email Sharlene at hockeynut@telus.net.
Reading excerpt from Christ of the Celts
One of the most ancient symbols of Christ in the Celtic world is the salmon. We find it in the earliest strands of Celtic Christian art and poetry. Even in the pre-Christian Celtic world, it is a favourite image, associated especially with true knowledge and wisdom. Of course, the fish had been a symbol of Christ in the earliest centuries of the church, but in the Celtic world it specifically became a salmon. So the ancient symbolism for wisdom merges with the Christian symbolism for love, and love and its longings are viewed as the deepest expression of wisdom. The salmon, strong and glistening with vitality, swims hundreds of miles in the open sea and climbs thousands of feet in the torrents of mighty rivers to give birth to new life. And in spawning new life, it dies. Christ, the Salmon of Wisdom, the One who gives himself for the birthing of new life.
When the great fish came, it came freely in unbounded desire to spawn new life. There was no other reason for it to swim against the tide. There was no other reason for it to give all its glistening strength to the journey. It came unbidden, with unbounded longing. In the Celtic world, Christ is this bright, blessed, beautiful Salmon. Love comes freely from the heart of life, with costly longing.
An excerpt from J. Philip Newell, “Christ of the Celts.”
Message for Young Families from Brenda Pielle
Dear Families and Friends:
Today is Earth Day!! It is wonderful to see so many community members taking their recycling items and compost gatherings to the depots here in our region. The depots are always busy and I think it is a great sign. Another thing I feel thankful for this Earth Day is that so many families are outside involved in activities in our beautiful natural surroundings. I see families out cycling, hiking, playing on the beach, playing softball, playing frisbee golf, and more. Helping our children and youth gain appreciation for the Earth and the many ways we can enjoy the outdoors is a wonderful way of also helping our young people grow in their desire to take good care of the Earth. I invite you to have a look at the Family Fun video from last week, if you have not already had a chance to do so. As well as the story about the Orangutan and the cat, there is a bit of discussion about creatures that are starting new life at this time of year in ponds. The song repeating the line, “This land needs care from you and me” will give us all a reminder for Earth Day, today. Let’s all keep up the good work of taking care of God’s awesome creation!
Sincerely,
Brenda Pielle
Reaching Out to Families
Powell River United Church
Happy Birthday this week to Ian “Big Mac” McKenzie. May the world be your oyster.
Earth’s Wisdom by Rebeca Maples
She gave us all she could;
it was enough from where she stood
but not enough to feed our greed.
Earth’s wisdom could not hold;
there was nothing left when all was sold;
beauty and grace
abandoned at bargain prices,
now they stand
monuments to high rises.
She sent messengers with
warnings of destruction;
drowned by other sounds
her words were ridiculed and denied;
science was her guide
and love her navigator;
she cries now,
only empty platitudes to liberate her.
Dressed in his formal jammy shorts, and Grant is ready for a Zoom meeting.
PRUC Online Worship Service
Please join us this Sunday, April 25th.
Shepherding Resources Quarterly Update
Counting our blessings in the first quarter of 2021. We give thanks:
Our Faith Lutheran friends have continued to contribute monthly for maintaining the building that both congregations hope eventually to use again;
In the face of reduced local donations and income from user groups, we have been able to access federal wage subsidies that have enabled us to stay afloat;
Phyllis and David have graciously accepted a reduction in their hours, and Lance has willingly agreed to be on stand-by only, lessening the burden on our expenses;
The timely availability of the ProVision grants that funded our Communications and Reaching Out to Young Families projects has allowed us to develop on-line and social media connections with younger families, the general congregation, and the wider community just in time for the restrictions on in-person gatherings. Though these grant funds have now been used up, we hope to continue these very vital projects as long as we are able.
Thank-you to the many faithful people who continue to serve with love, and to support the ongoing ministry of Powell River United Church.
Wendy Barker
Treasurer
PS — If you like the convenience of automatic payments, you might want to call Donna Lloyd at (604) 487-9500 to set up a pre-authorized remittance (PAR) for your regular offering. ❤️
PRAYER
You, Love, are our rock
our sure foundation
our solid ground
You are our strength
You, Jesus, are our bread
our death and resurrection
our common ground
You are our hope
You, Holy Spirit, are our wildness
our loving wisdom
our holy ground
You are our joy
You, Triune One, are the power
and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen
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Printed versions of our 2020 Annual Report are available upon request at the Church office. Please call 604-485-5724 to request your copy.