October 12, 2014 - Last Sunday in Creation Time in the Season of Pentecost - Thanksgiving

Greetings,

Sunday Worship
This is Thanksgiving Sunday in Canada, a festival that owes more to the English Harvest Festival than to the (much later) American Thanksgiving.  It almost goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, that the theme of the service will be thanksgiving.  Of course for a minister it is extremely hard to come up with something new, earth-shattering or mind-blowing when talking about thanksgiving.  We have had such well worn phrases as “the attitude of gratitude,” and “thanks giving-thanks living.”    In the United Church worship magazine Gathering, points out the relationship between thanksgiving and remembering, and in particular remember our relationship with God.  I am trying to come up with something.

I have included three of the Lectionary readings this Sunday,  Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 and Luke 17: 11-19.  The Time for All Ages Story is “It’s not just about the stuff” and the Sermon title is “To give thanks is to remember.”

COMING EVENTS

Fall Supper and Silent Auction

Our annual Fall Supper and Silent Auction will be held on Sunday, Oct 26 at 5:30 pm in the Lower Hall (starting time to be confirmed.)  Mark it on your calendar and come out for a great meal and a fun time for the whole family.  We are looking for items for the Silent Auction.  Letters of introduction to use when approaching businesses are available at the back of the church.  Among the items that have been donated so far for the Silent Auction are:  a Starbucks gift basket, ATB golf shirts, a Safeway gift card and a Lighted Miniature Snow Village.  If possible, please obtain the value of the donation from the donor. Tickets are Adults - $25, Youth (12-18) - $15, Children (7-11) - $10 and Under 7 – free.  You can purchase tickets from Janice, at church, or by calling the church office to reserve.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Join us in using cunning, stealth and covert organization, to surprise our phenomenal Spirit West chefs.  Only at the ring of their doorbell, should they discover who will join them for dinner on their chosen night of gastronomical delights!! This fund-raiser for the church will take place during the month of November! It is a terrific time to enjoy a fabulous meal and fellowship. Those who wish to host a dinner are asked to contact conveners Bill Callas at 780-481-2662 or Sheila Hoy at 780-960-3878 by Wednesday, Oct. 15^th. Hosts need to indicate the dates and times of their dinners and the number of guests they will be hosting. If there is a theme for the evening, this should also be provided.  Guests will have the opportunity on Oct. 19^th to select where they will dine and to provide any dietary restrictions to the conveners (who will secretly pass on the information to the hosts).  A free will offering, in envelopes, will be collected by the host.  A minimum offering of $25.00 per person is suggested.  Please plan on attending one of these sensational evening parties and generously supporting our church.

The Spirit West Official Board and Committees

As many of you know, our Church does not operate by divine intervention alone, we need people to be the hands and feet of Christ.  For our church that can include being on the Official Board or serving on one of the Church’s committee.  At the fall Congregational Meeting which will take place after Church on Nov. 16, we will be electing and appointing those who will serve on the Official Board.  The committees of our Board are Communications, Community Care, Operations, Faith Formation and Education, Membership and Hospitality, Ministry and Personnel, Outreach, Stewardship, and Worship.  People are needed for these committees.  If you are currently not on the Board or a committee, please give your prayerful consideration to how you can share your gifts and talents in the congregation.

Spirit West Prayer Chain
Spirit West has a Prayer Chain, a group of people who have committed to continue our prayers of concern from Sunday through the week.  To be part of this ministry, email your request to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com .  You may also email a request for prayer to the same email address.  If you would prefer to talk to someone, you can call Marian T. at 780-487-2851 or Bonnie C. at 780-444-2230.

Office Hours
-  Monday to Friday 9:30 – 2:30
-  Norma => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday to Thursday
-  Larry => 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday

See you on Sunday!

 Larry

(Rev.) Larry K. Wright, CD, BA, MDiv

Minister

Spirit West United Church

780-481-1406

Spiritwest.minister@telus.net

Spiritwest.org