Trinity - Unified Board Meeting notes

An update on the manse was given: a buyer has been found with the deal closing in the new year. The Trustees accepted a cash offer that had fewer conditions of sale than other offers and the manse has been rezoned from "Institutional" to "Commercial/Residential Non-Conforming".

During the Stewards report, we wondered how we might meet the projected increase in monthly expenses next year (approximately an $1000 per month). While interest from investment arising from the manse sale funds will offset some of this, more needs to be done.

This naturally led to the question of how to attract more people to church. The metaphor of a marketing campaign, of energetically promoting a quality product, was mentioned. (Might we even call such a venture "evangelism"?)

What if everyone connected to the church showed up one Sunday? It would be energizing for people to see how valued and important the church is in the community. How could we make this happen?

As an aside, I commented that the church needs to let go of trying to do everything for everyone, which is a discouraging exercise of trying to reclaim the glory years of the church, and focus its ministry – find its niche. It would be more fruitful to identify what is it that we do well, and concentrate on really developing that aspect of our being.

I encouraged people to consider attending The Swell, an "alternative" youth-oriented worship service, to see what attracts young people from all over southwestern Ontario to spend a Friday night in church, seeking the front and centre pews for a 90-minute to praise God.

Initial planning and consultation about Confirmation Class will begin in the new year. I'd like to use mentors in the congregation to match up with confirmation candidates to provide a further degree of connectedness and support.

I'll post an update about hosting a mission trip from South Korea later.

for Dec. 9 – Isaiah 11: 1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

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What feelings, questions, thoughts and prompts to personal action arise from this scripture? Share them as Comments below or in an email, and help shape Sunday's worship service.

The Real Gift

As a worshipper and secondary announcement-maker and pray-er for the White Gift Sevices, I came to the realization that one unmentioned gifts is the fact the children have been given leadership and a place in the church.

If we really believe there is a future for the church, we need to embrace this notion that the church space belongs to the kids. What difference does it really make if the worship service had some snags and imperfections? (Honestly, what Sunday service doesn't have its miscues?)

How freeing it must have been to have permission to make noise in church or run down the aisle like a thundering angel or to preside from the pulpit!

My congratulations and thanks to the Sunday Schools for a job well done and worship services that remind us of why we make all this fuss every year at Christmas.

SMUCKY reschedule

Just a note that tomorrow's Sr. SMUCKY youth group meeting is rescheduled for December 16, in conjunction with the Jr. SMUCKY group.

EDITED to add: seeing as the topic was World Hunger, in the meantime we can donate free rice to those in need while building our vocabulary by clicking here.