Harcourt Herald

The Harcourt Herald

The life and work of the Harcourt Memorial United Church community Guelph, Ontario Octobe r, 2014

HOLY HEADWAR! A view from the top

In this issue:

Worship Schedule 3 Men’s Breakfast 9 Council News 4 Caroline Harcourt Women’s Fellowship 26 Committee and Group News 7 Announcements 23 Community 15

Harcourt Memorial United Church An Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Canada

We are a people of God called together and sent forth by Christ to Rejoice... Renew... Reach Out

Our Mission:

Inspired by the Spirit, we participate in Christian practices that strengthen us in the building of just, compassionate, and non-violent relationships

Our Vision Statement: To be an authentic community of spiritual growth and service

Our Core Values: Risk...Respect...Responsibility...Vulnerability...Trust

Our Purpose: To welcome and strengthen in community all who wish to serve God and

follow the way of Jesus

Harcourt Memorial United Church Harcourt Herald 87 Dean Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 1L3 Published 10 times each year Office Hours: by the Monday to Friday, 9am-noon; 1pm-4pm Communications Committee Phone: 519-824-4177

Fax: 519-824-9448 Email: [email protected] Web: www.harcourtuc.ca Your contributions are welcome! th Deadline: 20 of each month Ministers: The People with Sept-June Reverend Wendy Brown (ext. 222) Editor: Gillian Joseph [email protected] [email protected] Reverend Jim Ball (ext. 223) Printer: Anne Purkis [email protected]

Director of Music Ministry: Alison MacNeil (ext. 225) [email protected]

Church Administrator: Anne Purkis E-Comm Coordinator: Nick Swan [email protected] Custodian: Darko Cikovic

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Oct. 5 – Creation 5 – “RIVER/HUMANITY” Worldwide Communion Sunday

9:00 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Sanctuary

Nursery care available.

Oct. 12 – Creation 6 – “HARVEST” Thanksgiving Sunday

9:00 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Sanctuary

Nursery care available.

Oct. 19 – Creation 7 – “SABBATH REST”

9:00 in the Chapel

10:30 in the Sanctuary

Nursery care available.

**Looking ahead – Be sure to mark Sunday, November 16 on your calendar now!

The 2nd annual Guelph United Ministries Joint Worship Celebration,

with a special program for children and nursery care.

10:30 a.m. at John F. Ross CVI

No worship service at Harcourt that day.

COUNCIL NEWS by Kathy Magee, Chair of Council

Greetings from you Council as we begin this Season of Creation. It seems an appropriate context as September brings a surge in activities and opportunities at Harcourt and with the wider community. We are a busy and involved people as we live out God's call to us to the best of our individual and collective ability.

Council's time together on September 17th began by meeting with Committee Chairs to review and plan for the coming year. It was a wonderful time of sharing ideas, curiosities, joys and challenges of being your leadership team. The energy and dedication to Harcourt were palpable. We are blessed to have these dedicate people who express their call to Discipleship with such faith, insight and determination. Each committee plays an integral role in making Harcourt the vibrant and diverse community it is. The Organizational Chart (available on our website or through Anne in the church office) shows clearly the interconnections and opportunities for involvement. We will be continuing with our Ministry Moments the 4th Sunday of each month so that you have the opportunity to hear stories from each committee.

In compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ministry and Personnel committee has drafted policies dealing with Violence and Harassment, based on the United Church of Canada's template. Council reviewed and approved these policies which will now be sent to Hamilton Conference and Waterloo Presbytery offices. We are so grateful to the M&P committee for their attention to this on our behalf.

The Narrative Budget team presented a first draft of the narrative budget to Council. The team will consider some suggestions for refinement and return to Council with a final draft. Narrative Budgets provide an exciting opportunity to tell the story of who we are, what we do, and how we use our resources - human and financial. Stay tuned for more!

Council is very aware of the increasing and wide ranging demands that are being made on the time and energy of our ministerial staff. Wendy and Jim provide inspired and

4 inspiring leadership and care for our Harcourt family in so many ways, some known and some unknown to us. We are truly blessed to have a ministerial team that is so talented, so dedicated and so respected in the wider community. As we make our way through these exciting and challenging times, as we live out our call to Discipleship, it becomes imperative that we take up our responsibility, indeed our privilege to be part of the support for new initiatives and changing expectations. Worship and M&P committees are developing a cadre of lay people, similar to the model we used during Jim's sabbatical, to take on liturgical leadership (scripture reading, announcements, prayers etc.). We need you! It is up to all of us to be part of this on-going team to help

balance the shifting roles and expectations that we as a congregation have identified as priorities. Please watch for and respond to information about these opportunities. As my very wise mother says, "many hands make light work". We need to work together to bring our vision to reality.

There are many opportunities for us to gather to have important conversations - and fun - together. We identified the significance of this at our June Congregational meeting. The Congregational Retreat, the variety of small groups that are available, sacred listening circles, youth activities, Fellowship activity evenings are all happening this autumn. I encourage you to talk to people involved in the activities, and to join in the conversation. I would welcome your ideas for other opportunities to get together as community.

Yours in God's grace

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT....  Toronto’s New Ismaili Centre Museum Hoping to Dispel Stereotypes About Islam

The country’s first museum of Islamic art opened on September 18th in downtown Toronto. Prime Minister Harper and the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims, attended a ceremony inaugurating the $300 million complex, which sits on 17 acres of lush gardens and parkland. This museum will house more than 1,000 artifacts spanning a millennium of Islamic history. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/22/toronto-ismaili- center_n_5836482.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

 Former Controversial Minister Gerald A. Larue Dies at Age 98

An ordained minister who became an agnostic, archeologist, religious scholar and debunker of claims, Gerald Larue recently died of a stroke at age 98. During an academic career spanning five decades, Larue wrote or co-wrote a dozen books, including the provocatively titled "Sex and the Bible" (1983) and "Playing God: Fifty Religions' Views on Your Right to Die" (1996). In 1980 he became founding president of the Hemlock Society, a right-to-die movement aimed at providing information to the terminally ill and to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The son of a salesman, Larue was born in Calgary, Canada, on June 20, 1916. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Alberta in 1943 and was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1945. http://www.dailypilot.com/news/la-me-gerald-larue-20140921,0,348292.story

 September Interfaith Summit on Climate Change

The World Council of Churches (WCC) held an Interfaith Summit on Climate Change on September 21-22 in New York City. At the summit, organized together with Religions for Peace, more than 30 religious leaders took a united stand to encourage international and political leaders to address concretely the causes and consequences of climate change. http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2014/09/religion-and-climate- change

NEW TO HARCOURT???

We are so pleased that you’re here!! Please give the Church office a call at (519) 824-4177 so we can make your visit to Harcourt a great one...

COMMITTEE AND GROUP NEWS

NEW IN THE LIBRARY by Mary Lou Funston

 Feisty and Fearless – Glimpses into the Life of Lois Wilson Biography

 The Age of the Spirit: How the Ghost of an Ancient Controversy is Shaping the Church 231.3

 From Teilhard to Omega – co-creating an unfinished Universe 261

 Now That You Know – A Parents' Guide to Understanding Their Gay and Lesbian Children 306

 A Church With the Soul of a Nation – Making and Remaking the United Church of Canada 287.9

 Sabbath as Resistance – Saying No to the Culture of Now 263.1

If you have never visited the Library, here is a bit of a road map:

When you go in the door, the computer is on your immediate left. If you know the title or author of a book you want, but don’t know where to find it, you can look it up – instructions on the wall above.

When you look at the shelves, on the left wall are the shelves of fiction and biography; straight ahead, starting on the left is the reference section. All the other books are numbered.

Every book has an ID label on the spine. It may be a series of 3 letters (e.g. FIC for fiction, BIO for biography) or a number. The books with numbers are shelved according to the numbers, then alphabetically by author within the numbers.

So when you want to find a book, find the number and look for that number on the shelves. Easy when you know what you are doing!

We would love to see YOU enjoying our Library!!

THE PROPERTY COMMITTEE REPORT by Ben Fear

The Memorial Garden (Celebration Garden and the Edna Boyce Garden): During the summer we had 18 members who had agreed to do some gardening over designated portions of our gardens and it was suggested that they do so on their own time, in other words if their portion needed attention they would try to keep it looking well groomed. This plan although seeming effective on paper was not quite what we had imagined in our dreams. We forgot that weather does not conform to any schedule and matter of vacations and holidays cannot be co-ordinated with gardening or weather. Nevertheless we believe that because of their efforts the gardens appeared to the casual observer to be well maintained most of the time. To supplement the work of the volunteers we had two Whine and Weed Events hosted by Sarah Lowe and these two events brought some concentrated effort at the end of July and the end of August. They were both fun nights and all members of the congregation were invited to Weed and Whine. The Property Committee extend a wheel-barrow full of thanks to Sarah Lowe for her hospitality and to those who helped with added snacks. We were encouraged enough to try again next year. This was an Olympic Year for gardening, everything grew FASTER, HIGHER, GREENER.

The Property Committee will consider some additional help for another year, perhaps a student volunteer. We extend our thanks to the volunteer gardeners who have worked this summer maintaining their special sections: Catharine Stephenson, Sarah Lowe , Marta and Malcom Coutts, Lisa Mactaggart, Peter and Jean Jackson, Dave and Helen Mowat, Steve and Marilyn Fraser, Frank and Janet Webster, Anne and Gary Parsons , Ben and Norma Fear and Anne Purkis.

The inventory of Harcourt 's church and organization property ground to a halt during the summer months now will be given some added emphasis to complete.

The report received by us on the first fire drill indicated that it had required 2 minutes and 30 seconds to empty the building. A future drill, unannounced, will be held on some unspecified date, so no drowsing during the service please.

It was a poor summer to test the efficiency of the rain barrels. Gary Parsons reported that we had enough rain to keep them full but the gardens received the rain as well , so the need was limited. Nevertheless what was used was unmetered . We hope everyone has noticed our level sidewalk on the north side parking lot walk and then the smooth railings up the steps courtesy of Mark Sears. We're still working on the doors. The we have the new floor tiles inside the west entrance. We too are working on leaks, but ours are unhacked, currently our street sign is under investigation and then some mystery leaks over the choir's heads which are apparent when a certain amount of rain is falling propelled by a certain speed of wind blowing in a certain direction and occurring approximately at three year intervals.

It was a busy summer and we are now beginning to prepare our budget for 2015

MEN’S BREAKFAST by Ross McKenzie

Next meeting Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Dave Mowat will be

leading this meeting. Steve Dyck will be our speaker. He will be speaking about “Solar in Ontario - the current status”. All men are welcome to attend and we invite you to bring a friend or a neighbour who would enjoy this meeting. Coffee will be ready at

7:15 a.m. with breakfast to follow sharp at 7:30.

EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR WORSHIP PLANNING! by Gay Slinger

As Albert Einstein once said, “Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” Well, the Worship Committee is hoping to provide just such an opportunity and is now actively seeking all those who are interested in sharing and growing their creative gifts and talents in a congregational Lay Worship Planning Team! Can’t you just feel those juices already flowing?!

Response to lay leadership during Jim’s Sabbatical was overwhelmingly favourable as people experienced the richness of the varied contributions made by many within our congregation who shared their personal faith and creativity in assisting with liturgical leadership during our Sunday services. Many of the leaders themselves expressed how meaningful it was for them personally to have the opportunity to learn and grow in their own faith and to share in the planning and fellowship of worship. A win-win for all concerned!

As Harcourt has shown its enthusiastic support and encouragement for a Lay Worship Planning Team during sabbatical times, Worship wants to keep that going! And we also very much want to support the new Manna service which began in September on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am, developed particularly for young families and those wanting a new worship experience. Jim has taken on a very active role with Christian Formation in planning and participating in that service which means, on the Sundays he is not preaching, he hopes to be able to be present in Manna – a presence Worship very much supports. He just will not be able to be present in two services at once and Wendy, with all of her other roles and responsibilities among us, just will not be able to plan and present the other two services all by herself.

SO … Worship is looking to grow a Lay Worship Planning Team who will be able to assist Wendy or others to plan and write and, if desired, present the liturgical readings needed on certain Sundays. We’re inviting all who want to get their creative juices flowing and are interested in writing Calls to Worship or Prayers or Readings or Blessings or whatever may be needed to meaningfully help express the Sunday Message. You can work individually or with a friend or family member. You will work with staff to help plan the service for a particular Sunday. Planning and writing resources can be suggested. Wendy may even be able to do a Worship Planning 101 workshop if enough interest is expressed. No need to forego your holidays or time away – lots of 10 opportunities available throughout the year. Does one Season of the Church Year have particular meaning for you? If so, choose a Sunday during that Season. Some of you may have assisted as lay leaders in the past or may already be assisting as lay liturgical leaders during Wendy’s upcoming sabbatical time in early 2015. All wonderful – but no prior experience is required for our Team as you will learn as you go – as we all have! You may feel you wish only to write. You may feel you wish only to read what others have written. You may feel you want to do both! All good! You will not be alone – but no group meetings will be required – unless you want them! See how wonderfully flexible it can be! Just remember what the ever creative Dr. Seuss once wrote: “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

It is our very sincere wish to have the Lay Worship Planning Team up and running as soon as possible particularly to help support the Manna worship experience which is now underway. If you wish to join the Team or need more information, please contact Gay Slinger of Worship at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

INTERESTING AND MEANINGFUL SMALL GROUPS THIS SEASON by Andre Auger, Adult Christian Formation

One Small Group is already underway. Four more start in October. These provide a unique opportunity to grow in the faith in small, safe communities, and to explore new horizons. There is no cost for these groups, but pre-

registration is required. Spac e is limited to 8 participants for each group. Please contact Marion Auger ([email protected]) for more information or to register.

 Writing as a Spiritual Practice

Dates: Begins Tuesday, October 7 at 7pm, and continues weekly until October 28 Facilitator: Lisa Browning, One Thousand Trees

 The Enneagram

Theme: Discover ways to use the Enneagram as a tool in your spiritual practice. Dates: Begins Wednesday, October 15 from 7-9:30 pm, and continues weekly to Nov 9 Facilitator: April Burrows, FLOW Office Wisdom

 An Introduction to Poverty

Topics: Poverty and Dignity, Living in Poverty and Accessing Food, Living in Poverty and in Need of Housing, Bridges Out of Poverty & Circles Program, Guaranteed Living Wage Dates: Begins Monday, October 20 at 7pm, and continues weekly until November 17 Facilitator: Diana Sterenberg, Chalmers Community Services Centre

 Our Images of God

Theme "How We Perceive God", or "Our Images of God", past present, and possibly future … a discussion where we share our own ways of imagining, and being with, our creator. Other beliefs about God we may have read or heard about from others. And where does Jesus, or Christ, fit into this for us? Dates: Begins Thursday, October 30 at 7pm, and continues weekly until December 4 Facilitator: Bernard McNamee

YUM! IT’S LGBTQA POTLUCK TIME by Julie Glass-Ashley, Harcourt LGBTQA Committee

All are welcome to the LGBTQA Potluck that Harcourt LGBTQA committee is hosting for the wider LGBTQA community. Bring your favourite dish to Parkview Terrace (281 Bristol Street), Party Room on the 9th Floor. Accessible and street parking available plus it’s near the Waterloo Avenue bus stop. A great chance to share in some food and fellowship and make new friends! For more information, call Julie Glass-Ashley at 519-841-1924 or email Stan Bunston at [email protected] Hope to see you there. RSVPs are encouraged!

BUILDING BRIDGES WITH THE JUSTICE AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE by Norma Fear

Once again, on October 23, we will be providing food for 30 people for the Bridges Out of Poverty Circles meeting at Hope House (formerly Norfolk United). We will need donations of juice, rolls. salads, main course and dessert. Our menu has not yet been set but we will be letting you know what is needed in the Sunday bulletin.

This program is growing in Guelph and already more than 25 people have completed the course and some are now working.

If you are willing to contribute to the dinner to support this project, please let Hugh Whiteley , Earlla Vickers or Norma Fear know by phone or e-mail as soon as possible.

Hugh Whiteley e-mail [email protected] phone 519 824 9345 Earlla Vickers e-mail [email protected] phone 519 820 0153 Norma Fear e-mail fearbeno@sympatico,ca phone 519 767 9060

SABBATICAL COORDINATING TEAM UPDATE by Esther Devolin

In the September Herald, you read an update of questions and answers from the Sabbatical Coordinating Team. We continue our planning task with hopefulness and energy. We expect that Harcourt will build on our 2013 success during Jim’s sabbatical, with a similar enthusiasm for active congregational participation during Wendy’s sabbatical in 2015. We will continue to provide updates through the coming months.

WHAT IS THE SABBATICAL COORDINATING TEAM?

The ad hoc Sabbatical Coordinating Team includes representatives from some key committees. Our task is to develop a plan for appropriate coverage of ministerial duties and to support Jim during Wendy’s sabbatical. Our target date to complete the plan is late October.

Team members include: Lorraine Holding (Chair); Andre Auger (Christian Formation; Spiritual Life); Esther Devolin (Pastoral Care); Bill Lord (Spiritual Life; Voluntary Associate Minister); Gay Slinger (Worship); Sandra Welch (Ministry & Personnel).

WHEN IS WENDY’S SABBATICAL?

Wendy will take her sabbatical from February 1 to April 30, 2015, preceded by her annual week of study leave at the Epiphany Conference in Victoria and a week of vacation. She is discerning her plans and will share some tidbits with the congregation this fall … around the theme of “joy”.

HOW CAN LAY LEADERS GET INVOLVED?

There are opportunities for lay leaders to participate in planning for and leading worship. This is our 2nd call for individuals, couples or small groups to be liturgical leaders during Sunday worship services. Feedback from lay worship leaders who participated during Jim’s sabbatical revealed a nurturing of their personal growth and increased confidence. Jim has identified the worship themes and lectionary readings for January to May. You will work with Jim or a guest preacher, and Alison, to plan “your” Sunday. “Planning and Leading Worship at Harcourt”, a guide prepared by Wendy, is an excellent resource to assist you. We encourage you to get involved, knowing that you will be able to get help with your writing/involvement if you require it. Please contact any member of the Team to discuss your interest and availability. 14

WILL THERE BE GUEST PREACHERS?

Yes. We are in the process of inviting some guests who will speak on Sundays when Jim is providing liturgical leadership, supporting the new “Manna” gatherings for children, youth and young families, or on scheduled leave.

WILL THERE BE SOMEONE TO PROVIDE A “MINISTRY OF COMPANIONSHIP & PRESENCE”?

Yes. We are very pleased to announce that Elizabeth Eberhart-Moffat and Peter Moffat have agreed to return for part of the time. While they are away during March, other backup will provide this important support. These folks will work up to ten hours/week to support Jim and the congregation with pastoral care assistance.

Big Bubbles at Harcourt!

COMMUNITY

SHRINKING YOUR HOUSEHOLD FOOTPRINT by Peter Jackson

The time is now! You can participate in Guelph’s Project Neutral! This program will measure your household’s footprint for energy, transportation, food, water and waste, and provide suggestions on how to shrink that footprint. This is an exciting opportunity for us at Harcourt to join with other people in Guelph in taking local action on this global imperative.

You can register for information at http://emergeguelph.ca/pathways/projectneutral-guelph. Once the online questionnaire is actually launched (scheduled for early October) you will be able to log in at projectneutral.org. The questionnaire takes about 20-30 minutes to complete, and you don’t have to do it all at one sitting - you can save your work and return to complete it later.

When entering the questionnaire, you should be able to indicate Harcourt as the community through which your participation came about. We hope to get a running count of participation by Harcourt members as things go along.

Participating in this program is a small act of love for the world. As theologian and poet Sallie McFague says in her book Rethinking Theology And Economy For A Planet In Peril1:

There is only one world, a world that God loves. Since God loves it, we not only can but should. In fact, loving the world (not God alone), or rather, loving God through loving the world, is the Christian way.

If you’d like to know more, contact Peter Jackson.

1. Fortress Press 2001.

DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

Please find a list of Harcourt's forms of communication as follows.

Form of Who to Contact Due Dates Communication Facebook Alice Carey - ASAP [email protected] GUM Calendar Anne Purkis - ASAP [email protected] Harcourt E-Weekly Anne Purkis - Thursdays at Noon [email protected] Harcourt Herald Gill Joseph - 20th of each month [email protected] Harcourt Website Anne Purkis - ASAP [email protected] Life & Works Anne Purkis - Wednesdays at 4pm [email protected]

Please be very clear about where you would like the info posted. Not sure? Ask Anne for assistance. Be concise or be edited. We reserve the right to edit as needed.

DESIGNING TOOLS FOR THE WILDERNESS: A REPORT ON THE HARCOURT RETREAT by Andre Auger

From Friday Sept 19 to Sunday afternoon, Sept 21, 24 members of the Harcourt congregation went on retreat at Loyola House. The topic was “Designing Tools for the Wilderness.” The premise was that, along with all mainline Protestant and Catholic churches, Harcourt is experiencing something akin to the time in the wilderness which the Israelites experienced upon leaving Egypt and which Jesus experienced after his baptism. A “wilderness” time is one where old ways no longer work and new ways have not yet been figured out.

Time at the retreat was well-balanced between times to learn, times to pray and reflect, times to share with others, and simple leisure time. As had been promised, the food was outstanding, rooms were comfortable, and the grounds were beautiful. Some commented that it felt as if they were at a resort, and that it felt good to have time for oneself. Even the times of silence were generally appreciated.

Members of the Transition Team, whose mandate it is to support Council through a time of change, made presentations on two tools that we might use to help us navigate through the wilderness: one tool focussed on helping us understand how the culture in which we find ourselves has shifted; and the other helped us distinguish between “problems” that are amenable to “solutions,” and complex, adaptive “situations” where solutions are not the answer but where personal transformation is required in order to modify the situation itself.

We spent considerable time reflecting upon the Exodus story and trying to tease out of it what tools we might use for our own situation at Harcourt. We discovered that the message behind the “manna” was to live for the day, because long-range planning when you don't know where you're going simply doesn't work. We were reminded that the Decalogue was God's way to provide some guidelines for living in community. We remembered Debbie Shank's sermon a few months ago on the daughters of Zelophehad, and noted that, in cases of conflict, Moses tended to take the matter to God and discern whether a traditional rule had to be changed – in this case, the age-old law of male succession for inheritance was overturned. The story of the Golden Calf reminded us that, when we are impatient, we tend to fall back on old ways, and they rarely help.

On the Sunday morning, at the urging of some participants, we decided to make one big circle and to share what the retreat had meant to us – what we had learned, what had touched us, and what we were prepared to work on, on behalf of Harcourt – the sharing took over an hour, and was mightily powerful. We ended with a sharing of bread and wine in communion.

As Bill Lord reminded us, taking a saying from the Tavistock Institute where he had studied, the retreat was over, but the learning will continue.

“ADOPT-A-BULLETIN” PROGRAM STILL UNDERWAY! by Gay Slinger

The Worship Committee is continuing to offer an opportunity to all in our congregation and to the community at large to dedicate a Sunday bulletin in memory of a loved one or in honour of a special occasion. Special anniversary or birthday, perhaps?

All that is required is a minimum donation of $50 to the Church for which a tax receipt will be issued. If you wish to participate, please contact the Church Office at least one week in advance to request a date for dedication and make your donation. Reserve your week early to avoid disappointment! A brief dedication note will then appear in that week’s bulletin, reading “This Bulletin has been sponsored by ______in celebration/memory/acknowledgement of ______.” Space in the bulletins is very limited but we want to honour the dedication respectfully by placing it in the actual Bulletin and not in the announcement pages – hence, the brevity.

What a great way to remember that special person or event in our lives and help our congregation financially at the same time. We look forward to hearing from you! Thanks!

DID YOU KNOW....that the second Sunday in October is

Clergy Appreciation day?!

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of

double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

Take a moment on October 12th to say:

SATURDAY NIGHT SUPPER by Jill Gill, SNS Coordinator

Sincere thanks go out to the many folks who volunteered to serve and prepared food for the Saturday, September 13 supper at Royal City Church. We served more than 200 plates of delicious food to the guests who were very appreciative.

Please mark November 15th on your calendar as Harcourt’s next opportunity to provide and serve Saturday Night Supper at Royal City Evangelical Church, 50 Quebec Street. We will require twelve volunteers to serve the meal, as well as many folks to provide the food for those in need in downtown Guelph. The menu will include pasta casserole (recipe provided), Caesar salad, rolls, pickles, cheese, assorted fruit pies, vanilla ice cream, milk, juice and coffee. Cash donations for food purchases will also be gratefully received.

I will be implementing a new digital means for signing up to volunteer and provide food, entitled “Sign Up Genius”. This will be in place for the beginning of October in order to make it easier for you to volunteer, without needing to physically be at the church sign-up sheet. You can access this by going to the Harcourt website and clicking the button for Sign Up Genius – SNS (Saturday Night Supper). A sign-up sheet has also been placed on the table in the Greeting Place for you to indicate where you’d like to help if you prefer not to do this digitally. Volunteers and food should be at the church (backdoor entrance), at 50 Quebec Street by 5p.m. Servers will be needed until approximately 8 p.m.

Your continued commitment to this worthwhile outreach project is greatly appreciated. A sneak preview of the 2015 schedule for SNS has Harcourt hosting on January 15, May 9, September 5 and November 21.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE “ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS” HAPPEN! by Joan Barham

November 29th, 2014, 10am – 2.30pm

Contacts:

- Judi Morris [email protected]

- Janet Webster [email protected]

If you would be interested in sharing your gifts and talents by participating in the following :

 Story Telling – stories are told at scheduled times  Music - there is ongoing live music; the public love it!  Cookie Sales - making cookies, receiving them, organizing them, selling them.

o PS. Special Jams, chutneys etc are also welcome. Last year the homemade baked items and special preserves etc. were very hot sales items.

 Item Sales – donate items, help set up, price and sell donated items  Wreath Sales - assist in selling wreaths  Wreath Making – assist with organizing the greens, wreath making supplies and wreath making and decorating. o PS. Don’t worry if you have never made wreaths before – this is a skill you will learn.  Arrangement Making – make table and other arrangements for sale. o PS. Don’t worry if you never done this before – this is a skill you can learn.

 Outdoor Sales – Selling greens, dogwood branches etc. outside the gym. o PS. We schedule a team so that the no one gets frozen.  Volunteer Carer – looking after volunteer needs – breaks, refreshments. o PS. We all love the carergivers.  Advertising - puts this Harcourt Fundraising Sale “on the map” using the information (which you can receive by e-mail) that is available in the Harcourt Office . There are more than 87 places to advertise in Guelph. We need the whole of Guelph to know about this fundraising event!  Working in the kitchen and Tearoom – lunch, beverages, cookies. This is such a fun spot to be because you work with John Phelps!!!

HARCOURT COMMUNAL GARDEN by Jill Gill

So far this summer, as of September 20th, 2014, the Harcourt Communal Garden has yielded just about 400 kgs of fresh veggies, fruit and herbs that have been donated to guests at Chalmers Community Services Centre food pantry at 40 Baker Street. This goes a long way to expanding the basket of nutritious foods received by those in need in

22 our city and is very much appreciated by the recipients. The garden beds have been maintained by fifteen dedicated volunteers this year, working each week in teams of four.

Sadly, the growing season will be coming to an end soon, and we are planning a final tidy up work party on Saturday, October 18 from 9 a.m. – noon. All are welcome. If you are unable to be there all morning, feel free to join us for as much of that time as is possible. Please bring your favorite fork/spade, gloves, hat, etc. and join in the fun!

MINUTES FOR MISSION September 21, 2014

Some people might think it was an odd request. In the days after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Methodist Church of Haiti asked the United Church for support in buying a new printing press. Didn’t they need other things? Like tents, water, or food?

For our partners in Haiti, this printing press is a vital source of income as well as the main print shop in the country. As schools lay in rubble and children wandered the streets, there was an urgent need to get schools running again. But they needed books in French and Haitian Creole. Methodist Church schools across Haiti educate thousands of children. Even if the post-earthquake facilities were makeshift, classes needed to resume to help the children cope with the catastrophe. So, with the United Church’s help, a new printing press arrived within a few months. The staff had work again, and the books started rolling off the press and being shipped to the schools.

Four years later the printing shop is a going concern. Not only does it print textbooks and Sunday school curricula, but it also serves business clients in the community printing custom business forms, from invoices, receipts, letterhead, and envelopes to brochures and posters. The shop provides jobs for 20 people, and the income goes back into the Methodist Church’s work in education and development.

Thank you for supporting the long-standing partnership between our United Church and the Methodist Church in Haiti. Your gifts for Mission and Service help educate thousands of children. Please give generously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Passing:

Viola (Bailey) Mainland, a member at Harcourt since 1970, passed away peacefully at John Joseph Place, Owen Sound on September 15, 2014 in her 99th year. Viola was for many years a resident of Guelph and earlier of Arthur. Loving wife of the late Kenneth Mainland (1970). Beloved mother of Norman (Mary) of Owen Sound, Helen McQueen (Jim) of Guelph, and Marian George (Ray) of Sylvan Lake, Alberta. Loving grandmother of eight grandchildren and their spouses and 21 great-grandchildren. Memorial donations to the Arthritis Research Foundation or to the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated by the family in lieu of flowers.

Other Announcements:

 MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2014 7:00 p.m. DUBLIN ST. UNITED CHURCH SANCTUARY. The Care Team of Dublin St. United Church invites you to a viewing of the documentary "Smiling at Death: A Closer Look at Dying", shown earlier this year to a sold-out house at the Bookshelf. It tackles a sensitive topic with insightful interviews of people who were with someone at the moment of their death. This 45-minute documentary offers a new perspective and a positive outlook on a subject that has long been avoided or sidestepped. The viewing of this documentary helps to create a safe place to explore one's own feelings about death and dying. The director, Alberta Nye, will be present to host a question and answer session afterwards. Tickets will soon be available through Trinity, Harcourt, Three Willows and Dublin. Advance tickets $10. At the door $15. For further information, call Emmy at (519) 821-1744. Esther Devolin

 POTLUCK & GAMES NIGHT - The next Potluck and Games Night is scheduled for Saturday November 1st. Excellent opportunity to enjoy an evening of conversation and entertainment. Bring an entree [ hot or cold ] or a salad or a dessert of your choice. Dinner begins at 6:00 pm followed by cards and games around 7:00. There are usually several tables of euchre plus assorted board games such as Scrabble. Feel free to bring one of your favourites. Everyone is welcome. John Phelps.

 Do you enjoy being greeted on Sunday morning? One of the welcoming symbols people find endearing at Harcourt is being greeted on Sunday mornings as they enter the Church. We are in need of more greeters to continue this tradition. It would be greatly appreciated if you could speak to John Phelps, call 519-837-1241 or send John an email at [email protected] and confirm you would be willing to be a Sunday Greeter. John Phelps.

 HARCOURT ANNUAL TURKEY DINNER: The Harcourt Turkey Dinner is going to be held at 6:00 on Sunday, November 30th. Further details and ticket information will be announced in the Sunday Bulletins during November. John Phelps.

 Dying With Dignity's upcoming event is called THE ROAD TO DIGNITAS. One of the few people to have actually experienced accompanying someone to Dignitas is Doug Thomas. He is a resident of Waterloo Region. He accepted his friend, Henry’s, surprise invitation. Henry had chosen to hasten his death after many years in a nursing home, while he was still able to act. Doug has agreed to come and speak to us about all aspects of this trip, including the preparation required, the actual procedure followed, the feelings of Henry as he took this significant step and the impact on Henry’s family and friends. Dying With Dignity extends a warm invitation to come and hear Doug share this moving experience on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 from 1:30 to 3:30 P.M., at Grand River Unitarian Congregation, 299 Sydney St. South, Kitchener. It is a good news story. Come and hear why. All are welcome! Norm Robertson.

DON’T WANT TO DO THE HALLOWE’EN THING

THIS YEAR?

As an alternative to Halloween, consider offering a Noah's Ark party. This can either be a church-wide event or you might consider hosting your own party for neighbors and friends. Read the Genesis account of Noah's Ark and the ideas for planning will be numerous. Food choices could follow a "pet food" or "feed store" theme. For more Noah's Ark party games and entertaining ideas check out http://www.ehow.com/how_2194122_throw-noahs-ark-birthday-party.html.

 Five Oaks has some exciting Programs this Fall and Winter.

 Fall Work Camp. Are you looking for a way to give back while making new friendships? Why not participate in our Fall Work Camp? Work camps can be an exciting prospect. It is an interesting and meaningful way to make new friends, give back and gain new skills. Your time, energy, and enthusiasm can make a difference in areas where help is really needed. There is no cost, meals and accommodations are included.

 Courage & Renewal® Retreats. Participants seeking personal and professional renewal will expand their capacity to listen and be present, improve their ability to build trustworthy relationships, and find the courage to live authentically.

 Sound and Silence Mindfulness Retreat. A weekend retreat to allow ourselves to delve deeply into the world of mindful listening. It is one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves and to each other our ability to listen unconditionally. We will listen through practicing mindfulness: through periods of silence and through sound making. For more information on these programs or to discover more programs visit www.fiveoaks.on.ca for more information .

THE CAROLINE HARCOURT WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP

The Caroline Harcourt Women’s Fellowship embarked on a new organizational pattern at the September meeting: during the coming year, each month’s meeting plans will be carried out, in turn, by the various members of the five phoning groups. Christmas and June will continue to be organized by specific overall leadership.

The September 8th meeting featured Esther Devolin, Chair of the Pastoral Care committee of Harcourt, who gave an informative talk about the goals and activities of the lay-membership Pastoral Care Committee: volunteer “Friendly Visitors” from the congregation go in pairs to visit members or adherents who have requested regular, trained women or men to visit them in their homes. Frequently, long-term friendships develop between these shut-ins and their regular visitors. An ongoing confidential “log” of the visits is kept by the coordinator, and is very useful in assessing future needs.

The October 20th C.H.W.F. meeting will feature Anne Piper describing the history and religious significance of all the hanging tapestries in the Harcourt sanctuary and meeting rooms. (The October meeting is delayed until the Monday after Thanksgiving, at 11:45 A.M. in The “Friendship Room”, so-called because if its “friendship” wall-hanging, made by several Harcourt members more than 40 years ago). Bring your own sandwich; tea and dessert supplied. Every woman always welcome.

BEHIND THE SCENES

HOLY HEADWAR! by Gillian Joseph

Last week the International basketball federation (Fiba) decreed that players would now be allowed to wear religious head coverings such as the turban or hijab, but only on a trial basis and only in some competitions. Currently, players are allowed to wear wide sweat bands on their heads without question, so understandably there was a great deal of protest from religious communities about the “trial basis” ruling that restricted the right to wear other more personally meaningful types of headgear on the court. However, the battle over what is or is not acceptable regarding headgear in our society went way over the line for many last year when the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Pastafarianism as it is also known, began to make headlines. This group initially started as a protest by a Kansas citizen named Bobby Henderson who in 2005 wrote a letter to a local school board satirizing the teaching of creationism and intelligent design. In his letter, which was apparently widely viewed on the internet at the time, Henderson professed his belief in an invisible and undetectable Flying Spaghetti Monster which he claimed created the universe. Furthermore, he suggested that the decline of Pirates, who are considered to be the original Pastafarians, is the cause of global warming. Henderson wrote this letter to adamantly argue that his beliefs were just as valid as those associated with intelligent design, and he called for equal time in science classrooms alongside intelligent design and evolution to make his point.

But that wasn’t the end of it. This past August, 36 year old B.C. resident Obi Canuel made the CTV news with his protest against the Insurance Corporation of B.C. and his fight for the right to wear a colander, a symbol of his Pastafarian beliefs, on his head in his driver’s licence photo (Wintonyk, 2014). You may be surprised to learn that a photo of Canuel wearing the same strainer on his head was approved for his new B.C. Services card, but the Insurance Corporation wasn’t having anything to do with it. According to the CTV report, at least four countries, including the U.S., New Zealand and the Czech Republic (shown above), allow Pastafarians to wear colanders in their driver’s licence photos. 29

It took a little time for the sympathetic laughter to subside, but criticism of these pointed actions began to emerge on the internet. A group called “Ethics Alarms” (2013), for example, commented that Pastafarianism “is not a religion, but a joke, a parody of religion created to mock the advocates of ‘intelligent design.’ It’s a good joke, but like any joke, it becomes an annoyance when it stops being funny. When it has stopped being funny and it is inflicted on an audience without good reason or its consent, it is irresponsible conduct.” Furthermore, Ethics Alarms’ comment on wearing a colander for driver’s license photos was that “Pastafarianism is satire, but the DMV is not a comedy club”. Others suggested that the actions of Pastafarians can also be interpreted as racist and closed minded, replicating the very attitudes and actions that it so vehemently criticises in others.

Yet as ridiculous as this whole concept may seem to some, it underscores a fundamental question that continues to baffle us, and that question is: why are some Canadians so obsessed with and angry about what others want to wear on their heads in public? Indeed, like some other groups, we have our own cultural and religious history of wearing what could be interpreted by others as unusual headgear in the Christian church. Christian women of the past few cohorts, for example, will remember the perceived obligation to cover one’s head in church as nothing new. Some denominations cite 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 as the basis for this practice. In the United Church of Canada in the 1950s and 60s many women wore hats to church – with the Easter ‘bonnet’ being a big highlight for me personally in those days! For Catholic women, it is interesting to note that the requirement that they cover their heads in church was introduced as a universal law for Dutch Restored Reform Church the Latin Rite of the Church as late as 1917; a

30 rule that was overturned by 1983. Styles and ideas change. Indeed, for several decades it has been unusual to see a woman wearing a hat in a regular United Church Sunday service, although I do fondly remember Harcourt’s Ellie Phelps wearing her beautiful collection of hats to an otherwise hatless church on many Sundays a couple of decades ago. Today, head covering for women during worship services and sometimes in public is still promoted or required in a few Christian denominations, particularly among some more traditional groups including the Amish, Mennonites, some Pentecostal and Lutheran churches, and the more conservative Scottish and Irish Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed churches. In addition, in places such as India or Pakistan, nearly all women wear head coverings during Christian church services. For Protestant men, however, it is the exact opposite – taking your hat off is considered to be a sign of respect, although baseball caps have crept into church on occasion as worn by some younger members.

When it comes to many denominations of Christian clergy, however, hats are part of an important religious heritage. For example, Roman Catholic and High Anglican clergymen wear camauro or zucchettos, a small red, white or black skullcap. The zucchetto was adopted around the Middle Ages. Bishops and Abbots wear ceremonial hats called a mitre. Orthodox Christian clergy wear a skufia, a kamilavkion, or a klobuk, which can vary depending on the minister’s country of origin. In fact, religious headgear is so interesting to entrepreneur Dieter Philippi, the CEO of a German telecommunication distributor, that he has created The Philippi Collection of over 500 items of headgear gathered from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Caodaism, Shinto, Buddhism, Sikhism, Free Churches, Sufism, Anabaptism and other communities of faith. It is an amazing grouping of holy hats! Yet since, in Christianity’s case, ritual headgear is mostly worn during church services and not so often worn in other public spaces, one might wonder if this is where the distinction lies. Is it the wearing of religious headgear in public and not just within the confines of the church that offends some people?

In an experiment prompted by the United Church Observer, Rev. Michael Webster (2012), a minister at St. Martin’s United Church in Saskatoon, was challenged to wear a clerical collar every day for a month. This public symbol of ministry was something he had worn on Sunday mornings when he was first ordained and something that was commonly worn by many Christian ministers in public some time ago. Reflecting on his 31 experience, Rev. Webster wrote that the attention he received when wearing the collar in public outside of the church both puzzled him and made him feel uncomfortable. He felt overdressed and constantly on display – “more formal on the outside than I felt on the inside”. He became apologetic to people, and wondered why he felt this way, stating “Are we so uncomfortable in the United Church with ministry — and ordination in particular — and whatever authority may be attached to it, that ministers can no longer look like ministers? “ Finally he observed that “Muslims acknowledge their faith with prayer five times a day. Jews make faith decisions every time they choose kosher. Catholics wear a crucifix. United Church people, like other mainline Protestants, don’t have a practice that sets us apart as people of faith. We don’t wear anything that identifies us as followers of Jesus, don’t put ourselves on display so that others can see what faith in action looks like. I began to think we’re missing out on something.”

Perhaps our fellow sports men and women who wear turbans and hijabs have understood this for some time.

Ethics Alarms (2013). Ethics Dunce: Aaron Williams–Pastafarian, Jerk. http://ethicsalarms.com/2013/02/21/ethics-dunce-aaron-williams-pastafarian-jerk/

Webster, Michael (2012). Collared. The UC Observer Online. http://www.ucobserver.org/features/2012/02/collared/

Wintonyk, D. (2014). ‘Pastafarian’ fights to wear colander in B.C.’s driver license photo. CTV August 14, 2014. http://bc.ctvnews.ca/pastafarian-fights-to-wear-colander-in-b-c-driver-s-licence-photo- 1.195970

Harcourt Calendar – September 2014 Updated September 18, 2014–www.harcourtuc.ca for most up-to-date information Wednesday October 1 6:45pm Beavers [G] 9:30am Lightshine Singers [F] 7:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] 1:00pm Still Point Worship [C] 7:00pm Ministry & Personnel Committee [L] 1:30pm Tai Chi [F] 7:00pm Property Committee [Ch Rm] 6:30pm Guides [F] Thursday October 9 6:45pm Beavers [G] 8:45am Mindstretch [C] 7:00pm Fellowship Committee [L] 12:00pm Ministry & Personnel Lunch [F] 7:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] 6:30pm Zumba [G] 7:00pm Spiritual Life Committee [C] 7:30pm Choir Practice [M] Thursday October 2 Friday October 10 8:45am Mindstretch [C] 7:30pm Flute Choir [M] 2:00pm Pastoral Care Committee [C] 6:30pm Zumba [G] Saturday October 11 7:30pm Choir Practice [M] 9:00am Zumba [G] 10:00am Sacred Circle Dance [G] Friday October 3 10:30am First Light on Jesus -- Borg/Crossan 7:00pm Youth Group (Offsite) Series [F] 7:30pm Flute Choir [M] 8:00pm KW Symphony [S] Sunday October 12 – Creation 6 “Harvest” Thanksgiving Sunday Saturday October 4 9:00am Worship [C] 9:00am Zumba [G] 10:30am Worship [S] 10:30am First Light on Jesus -- Borg/Crossan Nursery Care and “Manna” Series [F] 1:30pm Little Kickers [G] 7:00pm Coffee House [G] Monday October 13 Sunday October 5 – Creation 5 “River/Humanity” Thanksgiving Day --Church Closed World Wide Communion Sunday 9:00am Worship [C] Tuesday October 14 10:30am Worship [S] 11:30am Staff & Admin Meetings Nursery Care and “Manna” 6:30pm Communications Committee [L] 11:00am Congregational Pasta Lunch [G] 6:45pm Cubs [G] 1:30pm Little Kickers [G] 7:00pm Worship Committee [C] 7:00pm Handbell Choir [M] Monday October 6 7:00pm Writing as a Spiritual Practice [F] 1:30pm Civic Affairs [C] 7:30pm Finance Committee [O] 1:30pm Prayer Shawl Group [202] 7:00pm Scouts [G] Wednesday October 15 9:30am Lightshine Singers [F] Tuesday October 7 1:00pm Still Point Worship [C] 11:30am Staff & Admin Meetings 1:30pm Tai Chi [F] 6:45pm Cubs [G] 5:30pm Pride and Prejudice [Nursery] 7:00pm Handbell Choir [M] 6:00pm Preschool Toy Wash [K] 7:00pm Writing as a Spiritual Practice [F] 6:30pm Guides [F] Wednesday October 8 6:45pm Beavers [G] 9:30am Lightshine Singers [F] 7:00pm Council Meeting [C] 1:00pm Still Point Worship [C] 7:00pm The Enneagram as a Spiritual Practice 1:30pm Tai Chi [F] [202] 6:30pm Guides [F] 7:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] 33

Thursday October 16 Thursday October 23 8:45am Mindstretch [C] 8:45am Mindstretch [C] 6:30pm Zumba [G] 6:30pm Zumba [G] 7:00pm Scouting Committee Meeting [F] 7:30pm Choir Practice [M] 7:30pm Choir Practice [M] Friday October 24 Friday October 17 4:30pm OUNRA--Halloween Party [F/G/L] 7:00pm Youth Group 7:30pm Flute Choir [M] 7:30pm Flute Choir [M] Saturday October 25 Saturday October 18 10:30am First Light on Jesus -- Borg/Crossan 9:00am Zumba [G] Series [F] 10:30am First Light on Jesus -- Borg/Crossan 1:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] Series [F] Sunday October 26—Remembrance 1 Sunday October 19—Creation 7 “Sabbath Rest” "Remembering Loves" 9:00am Worship [C] 9:00am Worship [C] 10:30am Worship [S] 10:30am Worship [S] Nursery Care and “Manna” Nursery Care and “Manna” 1:30pm Little Kickers [G] 1:30pm Little Kickers [G] Monday October 20 Monday October 27 11:45am Carolyn Harcourt Women's 9:00am Municipal Elections [G] Fellowship[F] 9:30am Quilting Group [F] 1:30pm Prayer Shawl Group [202] 1:30pm Prayer Shawl Group [202] 6:45pm Women's Spirituality [C] 6:00pm ARCH Men's Group [202] 7:00pm An Introduction to Poverty [F] 7:00pm An Introduction to Poverty [C] 7:00pm Scouts[G] 7:00pm Scouts[F] Tuesday October 21 Tuesday October 28 11:30am Staff & Admin Meetings 11:30am Staff & Admin Meetings 11:30am Stroke Recovery Lunch [F] 6:45pm Cubs [G] 6:45pm Cubs [G] 7:00pm Writing as a Spiritual Practice [F] 7:00pm Handbell Choir [M] 7:00pm Handbell Choir [M] 7:00pm Writing as a Spiritual Practice [F] Wednesday October 29 9:30am Lightshine Singers [F] Wednesday October 22 1:00pm Still Point Worship [C] 9:30am Lightshine Singers [F] 1:30pm Tai Chi [F] 1:00pm Still Point Worship [C] 6:30pm Guides [F] 1:30pm Tai Chi [F] 6:45pm Beavers [G] 2:00pm Adult Christian Formation Committee 7:00pm The Enneagram as a Spiritual Practice 6:30pm Guides [202] 6:45pm Beavers [G] 7:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] 7:00pm The Enneagram as a Spiritual Practice [202] Thursday October 30 7:00pm Rainbow Chorus Rehearsal [S] 8:45am Mindstretch [C] 6:30pm Zumba [G]

7:00pm Our Images of God [202]

7:30pm Choir Practice [M]

Friday October 31 Flute Choir [M]