A personal message from Jeff and Carol
Thank you TMUC! Thank you for your expressions of sympathy and support following the death of Jeff’s mom, Joan Cook. The celebration of Joan’s life was held on Tuesday at McCleisters Funeral Home in Brantford. The obituary is on their website and the recording of the service is still available today. During this time of mourning Joan’s death and celebrating her life and all that she has meant to us, our family has deeply appreciated being held in the love of TMUC, our church family.
Church and Home:
Our ears have been ‘popping’.
During the past few weeks, we have driven up and down a mountain in British Columbia.
In the past few weeks, we have flown on airplanes.
We have been up and down. We have experienced changes in atmospheric pressure, creating unequal pressure on both sides of the eardrum.
So, we found ourselves ‘swallowing’ to relieve the pressure. We experienced our ears ‘popping’.
That’s what happens and that’s what we do when we go up and down, when we go from highs to lows, from lows to highs.
Lent is a time of spiritual ups and downs, highs and lows.
Lent is a time for spiritual ear-popping.
During Lent the pressure changes. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem the sense of danger grows. Jesus experiences the unequal pressure between God’s way of compassion and non-violence and Rome’s way of conquest and domination.
In this Sunday’s story of Jesus and Martha, Mary and Lazarus, we experience the lows of death and grief, and the unexpected, rapid change as we are raised to the height of a life restored.
In the weeks to come, Jesus will ride into Jerusalem, share a meal with his friends, be arrested, tried, tortured, executed….and then comes the empty tomb and resurrection.
Highs and lows, ups and downs…we can expect some spiritual ear-popping!
We again invite you to in-person worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. If you cannot be present, you are invited to join in the livestream.
Here’s the ZOOM link for TMUC:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7538449219
and, if you want to just listen, you can join by phone: 204-272-7920
Meeting ID: 753 844 9219
As part of our worship we will be reading selected verses from John 11 and the music includes:
“God Whose Almighty Word” – Voices United #313
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGmORBn04mQ
TMUC Church News:
Book Group meets on ZOOM on Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. We are discussing The Sentence by Louise Erdich. All are welcome!
Children’s Palm Sunday Choir: Crystal Schau is directing a Children’s Choir that will sing during the Palm Sunday worship service. All children ages 5-12 years are welcome to sing in the choir. Practices are on Tuesdays from 6:15- 6:45 p.m..
TMUC’s Glenlea Greenhouse plant sale fundraiser is now available for online shopping until April 15, 2023. Get growing with us by supporting the online plant sale by clicking on the link and selecting Transcona Memorial United Church in the drop down menu at check out.
There are bedding plants, hanging baskets, hanging bags, vegetables, and herbs for sale with 20-25% of profits being returned to TMUC. The more we sell, the more we get back. Please see the link for more information.
https://www.glenleagreenhouses.com/collections/2023-spring-fundraiser-home-page
The plants will be delivered to TMUC on Friday May 12 and pick up starts at 3 pm. If you require delivery, please contact tmucflowers@gmail.com and we can make arrangements with you.
Easter Messy Church is on Good Friday, April 7 at 1:00 p.m.
Office Hours: TMUC’s office will be open Tuesdays from 9 to 2 and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 to noon!
Come for conversation! Tuesdays from 1:15-2:15 and Thursdays from 6-7pm we welcome people to gather in conversation. Those learning English are eager to practice! Come and join us in the Multi-purpose room to chat! All are welcome!
Thanks to everyone for your ongoing support of TMUC’s ministry. Donations online can be made through CanadaHelps:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/14890?v1=true
We are still collecting pop cans for recycling (so far we have raised $244.30) and partnering with TruEarth for fundraising:
https://fundraising.tru.earth/tmuc
Dinner Theatre News:
TMUC’s Caught in the Act Co.’s (CITAC) Dinner Theatre’s ‘Borrowed Time’ is April 20-23. Tickets are $50 each (purchasers receive a $20 donation receipt). Tickets are available through the office.
Many volunteers are needed to produce the Dinner Theatre. We have major roles associated with the production and all casting complete; we are now looking for someone to coordinate the serving staff. This person coordinates the many volunteer servers required to serve dinner and dessert to all the guests.
We have clear descriptions and instructions for this role. Please contact Kathy Antymis through tmuc@shaw.ca, if interested.
Prairie to Pine Regional News:
The Regional Annual Meeting will be held June 1-4 at the United Church in Meadowood. Details of volunteer opportunities have been circulated – please check previous messages for more details.
We keep you in our prayers,
again, with deep, deep thanks,
Carol and Jeff