Weekly Newsletter from Rev. Mary: March 16, 2023

---

Good morning,

I hope everyone is having a nice week. We're having fun with the Lenten Challenge, which is to attend worship for the Season of Lent, aiming for participation not perfection. Not to worry if you can't make it, but if you can we would love to see you!
Keep reading to learn more about:
1. What's Happening This Sunday? 
2. Annual Meeting - April 2nd 


1. This Sunday is the fourth Sunday in Lent. Our Scripture Reading will be 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 the story of Samuel anointing David. Following the service there will be a time of coffee and fellowship. 
2. Annual Congregational Meeting- Our Annual Meeting is going to be on Sunday, April 2nd following the Sunday morning service. This is a important meeting, as we have not gathered in person for a full meeting for several years. It is an opportunity to be together for conversation and questions about the current status of the church. We will approve the budget for 2023 and appoint some new people to the Church Council. This meeting is for everyone connected to AUC in any way, there is no requirement to be a member or an active participant. Please let me know if you will be attending. 


Thanks for reading, See you Sunday,
Mary  

Good morning,

I hope everyone is having a good week. We had such a great time last Friday at the World Day of Prayer. It was great to be able to open the church up to the community for an eccumencial event. 
Keep reading to learn more about:
1. What's Happening This Sunday?
2. Save the Date - Spring Plant Sale 
3. Lenten Challenge. This Sunday- Is the third Sunday in Lent. Our scripture passage is John 4: 5-42 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well. Following the service there will be a time of coffee and fellowship. 

2.Save the Date for the Spring Plant Sale- We will be having a Plant Sale on Saturday May 20th. We will be looking for donations of plants to sell as well as some volunteers to help with the sale. 

3. Lenten Challenge- Our challange for Lent this year is to (as far as possible) join in worship on Sunday mornings for Lent and then Good Friday and Easter morning. Thank you to everyone who is joining in the challenge! The idea is to aim for participation not perfection. It's been wonderful to see some familiar faces in the pews and to have that noisy buzz before the service begins when everyone is gathering together. 

Thanks for reading, See you Sunday,

Mary 

Good morning,

I hope everyone is having a nice week. Adam, Maria and I had a wonderful time on our family vacation to Mexico. Maria spent the whole week swimming, which is her favorite thing to do. 
Keep reading to learn more about:
1. What's Happening This Sunday?
2. World Day of Prayer 


1. This Sunday we will be celebrating Communion together. Our Scripture Passage will be John 3: 1-17 the story of Jesus and Nicdemous. Following the service there will be a time of coffee and fellowship in the social hall. 


2. World Day of Prayer- The Almonte World Day of Prayer service is happening here at Almonte United Church tomorrow at 1:00. This is an international eccumenical event open to everyone and hosted each year by a different local church. There will be light refreshments following the service. Eleanor Rintoul and I are organizing the service and we need a few helpers to pass out bulletins as folks arrive. If you can help, just let me know. 


Thanks for reading, See you soon,
Mary