Faith in Action – June 3, 2025

Garden cleanup – Thank you to June, Catherine, Gwen and Laura for planting new flowers in the  front, side and memorial gardens. The gardens are looking great!  We even had a mother mallard with 4 eggs using the grasses as a nesting habitat!

Urgent Need for Watering Crew!  To keep our gardens looking their best there is an urgent need for more people to join our watering crew!! The gardens are watered 3 times a week and you sign up to take care of a week at a time.  Please call the office (204-256-8792) if you are able to help and share the weeks you are available – in this hot and windy weather, our plants will thank you!

100th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada – Please join us on Sunday, June 8 as we celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of the United Church of Canada in worship!

100th Anniversary Colouring Contest: Get out your crayons, markers, paints…to Celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada. There will be a different colouring pages each week until the end of June. This week’s picture will be available on Sunday.  Everyone is welcome to participate!

Covenanting Service – There will be a special covenanting service for Minister Candidate, Diane Meredith, Windsor Park United Church, and the Prairie to Pine Region on Wednesday, June 11 at 7 p.m.  Please join us as celebrate the beginning of our faith journey together!

NO Worship Services in July – Please note that we will be continuing our tradition of giving our staff and volunteers a time to rest, recharge and catch-up on work behind the scenes by not having Sunday services during the month of July.  The last service in June will be on June 29 and the first service in August will be on August 3.  The office will be closed from June 16-August 18, but the answering machine and e-mails will be monitored – please don’t hesitate to reach out as needed.

Soup Lunch – Thank you to everyone who set-up, cooked, served and cleaned up for our recent Soup Lunch!  Thank you as well to all who attended to enjoy a lunch together and raise funds for the church!

Pastoral Care Group – If you are aware of anyone from our church community who might benefit  from Pastoral Care support, you can speak with Sue Turley  (office@windsorparkunitedchurch.com or 204-256-8792) to share discreetly. If you have some time in your schedule to connect with a shut-in or hospitalized individual from our church community by phone or in person, please reach out to Pat Lumsden (lumsdenpa@mymts.net or 204-254-6301) for more information.

After church coffee – Thank you to those who have hosted coffee time after church and also to those who have donated treats and helped out with serving!  If you’d like to be involved in helping with coffee time, just sign up on the sign-up sheet by Sue’s office – you can sign-up on your own, with a friend or with a group!

Speaking of Coffee… Don’t forget that the Holy Grounds Café Coffee Group meets every Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m.  This group will also continue to meet throughout the summer months.  Come out for a coffee and a visit!

Emergency Food Cupboard – As was announced during our recent Worship Service, we have decided to keep our Emergency Food Pantry open during the summer months. Even as we are enjoying a break from some of our usual routines, the needs of some of our neighbours will not disappear. We need volunteers to work a shift (or more) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on any given Wednesday between June 18 and August 31, 2025 (except for July 2, when the church is closed for stripping and waxing the floors).

Volunteers will work in pairs to greet guest who come by and give them a hand accessing the items in the pantry, as well as re-stock the shelves if necessary. Further information will be shared with volunteers who express interest in taking on the task. **Please contact the WPUC office as soon as possible to add your name and contact information to the volunteer list and let us know what date(s) you would be available.  We would like to have a schedule prepared for early next week. 

As well, we will continue to collect donations of food items (particularly PASTA SAUCE, protein, soup, canned fruit/vegetables, pasta/rice, tomato sauce and small jars of PEANUT BUTTER) while the church is open in June and August. Thank you in advance for any support that you can offer. Together, we can ensure that members of our community have access to some basic items at a challenging time.

Summer Book Sale – Our next used book sale will take place on Sunday, June 22, before and after worship.  Cash only – payment by donation.  Stock up for the summer!

Funeral Reception Committee:  This valuable ministry serves at receptions following services in our building as required.  We currently have an urgent need for people to help set-up and take down the tables/chairs and help with clean-up (dishes) at 2 upcoming events.  If you can help, please call the church office (204-256-8792) or Margo (204-253-9693) for details.

Taking care of our Building:  Once again, the floors in the church will be stripped and waxed.  There will be no access to the basement from Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, June 29. There will be no access to the whole building from Monday, June 30 to Saturday, July 5.

Beyond Our Walls:

Spread the word!  WPUC has space for rent!  Thank you to everyone who has been sharing suggestions and information on our rental spaces.  For more information on spaces and fees, please visit http://www.windsorparkunitedchurch.com/services/  or call the church office!

SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE – Our very successful Second Bed Build was held on Saturday, May 31!

Three cheers for our church members, family and friends who supported the WPUC Bed Build in support of the Sleep in Heavenly Peace Foundation. Novice and skilled carpenters alike rolled up sleeves to sand, pound, drill, stain, and brand components for bed frames. In impressive time (approximately 2½ hours), they successfully constructed 38 bed frames and then helped take down and move tables to help the organization with their upcoming move. BRAVO, Team!

Thanks to….

…everyone who donated bedding for this project. Over 180 items including sheet sets, pillows, and comforters/blankets were presented to SHP chapter co-founder, Jim Thiessen, for use when the beds are installed.

…our neighbours from Alpha Lodge Unit #92 for generously contributing $500 towards the cost of bedding.

…UCW for graciously providing funds for (meal) supplies again this year.

…Sue T. for masterfully handling paperwork, advertising, and scheduling along the way, as well as providing information to all who had questions about the event.

…the WPUC kitchen crew who gathered on Friday to prepare a delicious meal that was much-enjoyed by all who participated.

…the WPUC bakers who stirred up oodles of tasty muffins and cookies for snack time.

…the servers who worked in an unusual (and decidedly warm) setting this year to ensure that everyone enjoyed equal helpings of good food and cheerful hospitality.

…Laura S. for taking photos at every turn AND for helping us locate a site where fire evacuees are being sheltered and delivering extra food to the site.

…the 25 builders who diligently worked under the supervision of the SHP volunteer crew to build 38 beds.

…Deanna K. for being our liaison with SHP and for proposing that we undertake this project again. She has put tremendous time, thought, and energy into the planning required for us to venture out of our church neighbourhood to accomplish this good work.

…Gwen P. for offering assistance anywhere needed and taking care of some of the many details involved in a project like this.

(photos coming soon!)

Change happens one helping hand at a time. Countless folks lent a hand to ensure the success of this Bed Build. The beds you helped build and linens you provided will be delivered to needy families in the coming weeks. You have brought comfort, security and hope to many little people in our city. May those thoughts enable you to sleep well yourselves in the coming days and weeks!  Pleasant dreams!

CALL TO SUPPORT THOSE AFFECTED BY WILDFIRES!!

Many communities around our province have been forced to evacuate due to intense wildfires. Our regional council of the United Church of Canada has asked members to hold in our hearts and prayers all of our neighbours who are affected by this crisis. We are also encouraged to provide support for these people as we are able at this time and over the longer term, as the reality of trauma and destruction make themselves felt.

At the time of writing, communities facing evacuation or stand-by orders included:
The First Nations of Pimicikimak Cree Nation, Pukatawagan (also known as Mathias Colomb Cree Nation) and Marcel Colomb First Nations; Flin Flon, Sherridon and Lynn Lake.

Norway House First Nation and Chemawawin Cree Nation (Easterville) are also under an evacuation notice. A wildfire is moving toward Tataskweyak Cree Nation, also known as Split Lake, Fox Lake Cree Nation and York Factory.

With the approval of the WPUC Executive Council, we have decided to collect some specific physical items currently needed by the evacuees. The items listed below can be dropped off in the lobby of the church during office hours or on Sunday mornings. We will begin accepting donations this week and continue to do so throughout the month of June. Please limit your generosity to the items listed here. Items should be clean and new or gently used. Encourage family, friends, neighbours to support if they wish.  As items come in, volunteers will sort, box, and transport everything to one of the designated depot sites around the city. Should needs change, we will share the updated information. If you would be interested in assisting with this project, please contact the office.

 Concrete demonstrations of care give us hope.  They give us courage to trust that the Spirit is at work through our responses. Thank-you for caring for your neighbours in whatever ways you can. (Prairie to Pine, May 31, 2025)

Needed items

• Summer clothing, socks, hats (all ages)
• underwear (new items only)
• Baby clothes, formula
• Combs and brushes
• Colouring books and craft supplies for children
• Kleenex, toilet paper, Wet Ones
• Towels and face cloths
• Blankets and sheets (sized to fit a cot)
• Pillows
• Toiletries:  bars of soap, deodorant/antiperspirant, lip balm, menstrual products, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, shampoo
• Pet supplies (including wet/dry cat/dog food, leashes, kennels, tarps, pet bowls, treats)

The Red Cross is accepting donations: Manitoba Wildfires Response 2025 – Canadian Red Cross
Donations will be matched by Provincial and Federal governments until the end of June.

Prayers:

• Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those who are impacted by the extreme heat/weather changes we have been experiencing in Manitoba, particularly those without indoor shelter and those attempting to care for their health and safety needs;
• Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those whose lives and property have been affected by fires in these extremely dry conditions; those who have experienced evacuation and those attempting to meet their needs for hospitality, and those involved in firefighting and fire prevention measures across the province and the country.
• Please pray for all God’s creation; for the safety and spiritual and mental health of those evacuating or awaiting such orders and of all first responders and leaders. Through our prayers, may we be moved to offer whatever help we can in this moment and over the longer term, as the reality of trauma and destruction make themselves felt.
  Here is a prayer from the Aboriginal Ministries Circle in 2019.Prayer also guides us into renewed commitments to address climate change. This can be a hard and transformative conversation. Here is one prayer to draw on.

  In this time of increasingly devastating fires, we often wonder, “Why is this happening?  What can be done?” We know climate change is one of the contributing factors behind these fires. Climate models have long predicted that wildfires in Canada will increase in frequency and severity because of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

  Naming climate change is an important part of naming our grief and fear, and of having conversations about the positive change we can create. What is our faithful response, at a time when even talking about climate change causes conflict and political division?

  The call to love our neighbours transcends division. May we pray, speak, have courageous conversations, and act with love for neighbour and love of all that God has created.

  (Source:  Prairie to Pine Regional Council)

Windsor Park United Church is a busy place and there are many needs at this time, both within and beyond our walls!
Please help where you can, when you can.
“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something!”
Thanks!