The Quarterly News-Letter
Christmas Edition December 2009
Trinity-Providence United Church Pastoral Charge
How to reach us.
Mailing address
40 William Street P/O box 426
Bobcaygeon K0M 1A0
Office phone 705-738-5135 Fax 705-738-1894
Minister’s Phone 705-738-5136
Church phone 705-738-6887
Editor phone 705-738-3689
e-mails and website
Allan Reeve allan@trinitybobcaygeon.ca
Sue Zilke Ward mailto:07sue@trinitybobcaygeon.ca
Editor bmboysen@sympatico.ca
info@trinitybobcaygeon.ca
www.trinitybobcaygeon.ca
From Allan’s desk:
Taking the Wheels off
There is a tradition practiced all over the Northern Hemisphere. A series of five candles will be lit in the weeks leading up to the celebration of the birth of a poor indigenous child in a land conquered by a foreign Empire.
The Advent Wreath comes to us from the time of the horse and wagon. As the story goes…after the first heavy snow fall, country dwellers would take the wheels off their wagons and put sleds on them for the winter season.
One of those large wagon wheels was brought into a central place in the parlour and decorated with garlands of greenery. Four candles were placed at the four directions with a single white candle at the centre to represent the Light of the World.
In a world before snow ploughs, choices had to be made about travel priorities. Things naturally slowed down with the snow. People had time to consider in the candlelight the weight of life’s burdens. Time to consider where their thanks and loyalties lay - for what had made all the effort light and worthwhile.
Today, our choices are multiplied exponentially. Our choices are what makes us a culture. Our choices can bind or free us. Can we choose to reduce our choices to within a sleigh ride – just for a season? Taking the wheels off can create found time. Time to consider. Time to bake up new hopes. Time to craft presence. Time to look to neighbours and local storefronts and the needs of those found in the heart of the babe born to bring light into dark places.
Yours in the spirit moving – slowly,
allan
UCW CHRISTMAS PLANNING
November 15th. - Trinity Hall and the Sanctuary were decorated in red and green, people were lined up outside the doors waiting to get in, Christmas baking was for sale, homemade items from woodwork to soup mixes to fine knitting were on display to tempt potential buyers and a new luncheon menu awaited hungry ticket holders. It was once again the day of our annual Bazaar. We are happy to say that it was a big success with Trinity UCW raising approximately $5000, and Providence UCW over $600 to support our Outreach and Mission and Service projects. Thanks are owed to all the people who supported our efforts, including our competent conveners, and most of all to Bev Francis and Colleen Gilpin who coordinated the event. We are deeply appreciative of their efforts.
Christmas is a time to remember the less fortunate. To bring cheer to those in poor health, we will again deliver poinsettias. We will continue our long tradition of hosting a special luncheon for the volunteers and participants in the Community Care Respite Programme. At this time of year we enjoy the sociability that comes with belonging to a UCW Unit. Each Unit will have either a Pot Luck or catered luncheon and make a contribution to a local charity. All women in Congregation are welcome to join us in any of these activities.
On behalf of all the UCW members, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Amelia Torrie
Worship Committee Report November 2009
Our committee continues to be actively involved in all aspects of worship.
The sanctuary was beautifully decorated for Thanksgiving Sunday, and we want to thank all of those who participated in any way. Special thanks to Jean and Ross Pogue for the pumpkins, squash, gourds etc.
We celebrated our 149th Anniversary on Sunday 1 November. Rev. John Patterson delivered an uplifting message, and a pot-luck lunch was enjoyed by all following the service.
Upcoming special services include
29 November to 20 December -4 Sundays in Advent with special readings and candle lighting.
6 December— White Gift Sunday with presentation by the Children Church.
13 December— Choir Christmas Cantata @ 7.00pm followed by a reception
24 December—a service of music, readings and Communion @ 7.30pm
We wish you a Joyous and Blessed Holiday Season
Carol Young and Sandra Keevil Co-Chairs
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
We continue to focus on the local food movement to honour the founders of Trinity (1860), most of whom were pioneer farmers. Many of our first members, including the village folk, cultivated gardens the produce from which they processed and prepared themselves. No doubt this kept them in harmony with nature and ever grateful for God’s bounty in the new land and it gave them sustenance to do the Lord’s work in Bobcaygeon and beyond.
Our Local Harvest Supper on November 7th was a success with over 90 people enjoying
Food produced in our area of Ontario. Local beef, vegetables and fruit were used to prepare the meal. We made the point once again that God has blessed us with the opportunity to access local produce. We must endeavour to do so regularly. This not only reduces the eco-footprint left by long-distance transportation, but supports the livelihood of local producers of fresh, tasty, nutritious food. Lloyd Wicks, from Grass hill
Farms spoke after the meal about a variety of informative issues, including the critical need to read labels and the importance of buying, preparing and consuming the good food of our region. A two page information sheet prepared by the Outreach Committee was
distributed.
We have recommended that the special offerings from Anniversary Sunday in November and White Gift Sunday (December 6) be distributed to the local United Way and to Missions and Services Fund or Bobcaygeon Food Bank respectively. We appreciate the
Generous ways that Trinity members reach out to our needy sisters and brothers both here and abroad.
John Bick
News from Art Experience
As most of you know Robert Milner was a successful candidate for the Royal Winter Fair's "Show Case" in Toronto. The piece of work he entered was much sought after and had calls from as far away as PEI. The work was sold to a client in Toronto. Robert looks forward to entering again in 2010.
We have pre Christmas sale happening, with reductions of 15% off - water colours, photographs and cards.20% 30% off - oils and acrylic 30%. reductions on all LE Prints.
Workshops will resume the last weekend in January, with workshops continuing the last Friday and Saturday of every month.
Paint along with Robert, meet new friends and developed new skills
Also enjoy a relaxing three course lunch by Kathleen.
Enquiries: call 705 738 5451 or call into the gallery at:
Art Experience, 18, King St W. Bobcaygeon.
Come into the gallery and look around, the work is here to be enjoyed.
LIBRARY NEWS
We have a good selection of Christmas and Advent material for programming. We also have some skits. Some of our Christmas fictions are
The Christmas Box, Finding Noel and The Gift by Richard Paul Evans.
The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado plus others. These are all found under Seasonal which is on the bottom shelf under the window on the right.
We still have books you may take, these are located in boxes in the library. Help yourself.
To borrow a book from our library, sign the card in the back of the book and place in the basket by the door and return the book in the same basket.
We also have some videos, music CDs and cassettes to borrow on the side by the windows.
Merry Christmas from the library staff
Lillian Partridge and Sandra Keevill
Church in the Hall/Children's Church News
The children are doing a Christmas Fundraiser Calendar again this year. With the money collected, they will be buying something from the World Vision Gift Catalogue to help a families and children around the world. Calendars are available for anyone who would like to participate with us. Please bring the accumulated money to church on Dec. 13th. Or, if you are unable to bring it that Sunday, please drop it off Monday or Tuesday at the church office. Thank you!
Dec. 6th, the children will present their Christmas puppet play before the entire Trinity congregation.
Dec. 13th - our Christmas service/party, starting with a light breakfast at 9:30.
Dec. 27th - Church in the Hall. All welcome.
Re: Zoning Amendment, 40-44 William Street, Bobcaygeon
This is an extract of a report written by Jim Young to the architect and is for your information only.
This report is being submitted in addition to the previously submitted letter recognizing the reduction of the apartment from 4-storeys to 3-storeys and from a yield of 32 units to 25 units. Trinity Providence Seniors Housing Corporation (TPSHC) is submitting this report to address further concerns specific to garbage, curbing, snow storage and parking.
On October 14, 2009 a public meeting was held in the City of Kawartha Lakes to discuss the zoning and official plan amendment applications submitted by TPSHC for their proposal for a 4-storey, 32 unit apartment. Prior to the meeting, comments were received by both City of Kawartha Lakes staff and Board members expressing concern for the height of the building and insufficient parking.
Nearby residents expressed concern for the existing parking situation especially on days when the Church holds events. Existing parking overflows onto the sides of the road and nearby commercial parking lots due to inadequate parking. The second concern is regarding the building height. Residents have requested that the apartment be reduced from 4-storeys to 3-storeys. In light of these comments, TPSHC have agreed to comply with a reduction in height and yield.
PARKING SPACES
Currently, there are 37 existing parking spaces on site. TPSHC is proposing 25 new apartment units and 23 new parking spaces. TPSHC intends to maintain the construction of 23 new parking spaces despite the reduction in density. Given the nature of the proposed use and based on the existing affordable apartment in Fenelon Falls where a little less than half of the parking is used (of the 25 units, only 12 tenants own cars), TPSHC feels the proposed 23 will more than satisfy the parking demand generated by the new apartment building.
The Bobcaygeon Zoning By-law requires 1 space per unit or 25 parking spaces. At the time of the zoning amendment application submission, TPSHC requested parking be reduced to 0.72 spaces/unit. If this were applied to the new concept (3-storeys, 25 units), a total of 18 spaces would be required. An additional 5 spaces could be allocated in favour to the church.
The parking spaces will conform to the dimensions applied by the Bobcaygeon Zoning By-law: 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) in width and no less than 17 square metres (182 square feet) in area. The Bobcaygeon Zoning By-law does not provide regulations for drive aisle width but TPSHC will ensure that drive aisles are designed so that adequate visibility is ensured for pedestrians and motorists when entering and exiting parking spaces, circulating within the parking facility and entering or leaving the parking facility.
PARKING SURFACING AND CURBING
40-44 William Street is located in an established residential area, TPSHC will ensure the impact placed on offsite runoff will be minimal and existing drainage patterns will be maintained where possible. Storm water runoff from the apartment and parking lot will be channelled through a porous material to minimize external impact.
Continuous curbing will surround the property to manage the runoff and redirect it into the ground. Offsite runoff will be kept to a minimum through the retention and management of overflow internally.
Wheel stops will be installed at each parking space to prevent cars from running over the property line.
SNOW STORAGE
Currently, snow removal and storage is conducted on site by Hillside Landscaping. TPSHC would negotiate a contract with Hillside concerning the removal of the snow offsite if storage space is not available. Currently, there is sufficient space to accommodate snow storage in 4 separate areas on site: North-East corner of the parking area, rear corner of sanctuary and 2 spaces at the entrance.
GARBAGE
It is anticipated the garbage area will be located indoors. This is preferred over an outdoor location to avoid encroaching upon tentative snow storage. The garbage area will be enclosed with roll-up doors. The loading space will be located at the rear.
MECHANICAL UNITS
TPSHC confirms that the mechanical units will be screened and/or muffled to prevent disruption.
TPSHC is excited to see the project at 40-44 William Street move forward. As you are aware, 40-44 William Street was submitted to the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program Rental and Supportive Housing in winter 2009. The province has established a set of criteria to assist with the selection of projects suitable for funding. One of these criteria is a strong emphasis on construction. Specifically, the Province is seeking projects which can begin construction within three months of signing a Contribution Agreement.
In light of this, TPSHC is taking steps to ensure 40-44 William Street presents itself as an attractive development to the province. Coupled with the strong need for affordable housing in Bobcaygeon, TPSHC is confident 40-44 William Street is in good standing. The next round of funding requests will occur sometime in February.
Don't Forget Joseph
Hospital chaplains are more alert than you might think. When I visited the Trillium Hospital in Mississauga on a regular basis--back in the 20th century!--the chaplain there knew that Daniel Rubinoff and I were working on a new Christmas musical called "Bethlehem." He asked how it was going and I replied we had completed 12 new songs--a holy number. He asked, "Among the solos, have you done one for Joseph?" "Aaaaah, no." I replied. To which he offered this comment: "No great surprise there. Joseph never gets much profile. In the Christmas stories he is a simple carpenter, but he listens to his dreams--his angel. He is willing to marry Mary even though she is pregnant. Later, he is willing to take the family as refugees into Egypt. He always tries to do the right thing, even when he doesn't know where it will lead. Maybe he represents the human race at our struggling, frightened, faithful best; maybe just as well as Mary."
I didn't argue with the chaplain. I went back to my church study and wrote a 13th song. Soon Rubinoff composed music for that 13th song: Joseph's Song. Here are the words:
1. How do these hands that hold hammers
cradle a baby at birth?
How can this voice that just stammers
sing to a child of its worth?
My eyes are so blinded
from sawdust, soot and sand,
how can I behold you
or touch your tiny hand?
2. How do these hands that grip lumber
touch the smooth skin of a child?
How can this voice deep as thunder
sing to a child meek and mild?
I've been used to hearing
the buzz of saw and drill.
how can I interpret
my dreams about God's will?
3. How do these hands that make mangers
dare hold a child on this night?
How can my life as a looser
do for this babe what is right?
Yet I sense the message
that each child born on earth
brings hope in darkest places
no matter where that birth.
4. (Joseph looks down at the child)
How do these hands dare to hold you?
You are so tiny at birth.
How can these arms dare enfold you?
You are God's Dream for the earth.
Yet I long to lift you (lifts baby)
and gaze upon your face.
My voice now falls silent.
I am the human race!
This year Providence United Church asked me to help them with their Christmas service on Friday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m. Without even a choir we are going to attempt a very mini version of "Bethlehem," the musical. Many of the songs will be missing, but I hope Joseph will he heard from. Got to keep that hospital chaplain happy!
Composer Daniel Rubinoff, noted above, will be here at Trinity playing his saxophone in March as part of the series sponsored by the Bobcaygeon Musical Council Keep tuned in for his classical, jazz and religious offeirngs.
Walter
Volunteer Associate Minister
For your considerations and prayers during our budgeting for 2010 offerings
We have gone and are still going through difficult and turbulent times.
A mortgage and depression time in the USA and Canada
Meltdown of the world stock exchanges and slowly recuperating
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But life goes on, and all of us at Trinity-Providence United Church are looking forward to all the events before and during Christmas and the New Year 2010, which is our 150th Anniversary, and we are hoping and praying for better things to come.
The Council and the Stewards have a major concern for the remainder of this year and for 2010. Are we fulfilling our financial commitments for the remainder of this year? Are we able to do better in 2010?
Has God been faithful to YOU this year? Are WE faithful to God next year?
We have reviewed the church financial activities as shown here.
Statement of Revenue and Expenses as of 31 October 2009
Revenues as of 31Oct Y.T.D. 31 Oct Annual budget
General Revenue $14916 $127457 $174658 External Mission $3742 $37831 $47100 Total $18658 $165289 $221758
Operating Expenses
Ministry/Personnel $9639 $95015 $120065 Christian Development $107 $741 $1860 Outreach $92 $850 Communications $71 $1195 $1700 Pastoral Care $72 $147 Property $1597 $20107 $27800 Stewardship $3801 $5529 Worship $930 $3752 $5470 Finance $37 $414 $584 Office Expenses $1282 $10419 $11450 Total Expenses $13738 $135686 $174658
External Mission $3742 $37831 $47100
Total expenses $17480 $173518 $221758
Net revenue/deficit $1178 $(8228)
Our deficit is caused mainly due to the roof repair which was not anticipated and unavoidable.
This statement show that the church is in a deficit condition and that we must be very careful with our expenses for the last 3 months of 2009, and we must also consider our pledges or promises, so that we will finish this year in a positive/favorable position.
This is the status of the church finances for 2009.
But what will happen in 2010?
This is the perennial question that all of us are asking, and nobody can give an answer. We can only hope and pray for the best.
Ask yourself a few questions about the church. Have you felt the energy and support of Trinity-Providence? Do you see your money at work in the community? Do you support through the Mission and Services Fund and the charities of your own choice to help the needs of people and countries?
Are you able to contribute more to God’s work than you have been able to do in previous years?
The cost of heat, hydro and operating cost continues to increase, can you help us with this?
As members of our church you make donations to our church, either by using the PAR system or using weekly envelopes or making a cash donation on the offering plate at the Sunday services.
We appreciate the donations we receive, so that we can provide all the services of the church and the generous donation we make to the Mission and Services Fund we make on your behalf.
The cash donation or the envelope donations that you make have some drawbacks in the processing.
Cash Donations. The recording secretary will on Monday morning collect the monies, count them, roll the coins and prepare a deposit slip for the bank and make a deposit.
This has the disadvantage to you that the donation you gave does not allow us to give you receipt for Charitable Donations for income tax purposes. We also can’t pass the money you intended for the Mission and Service Fund since we don’t know what your intentions were.
Envelope donations. The Recording Secretary will on Monday morning open all the envelopes and verify that the funds you donated agree with the statement on the envelope. The Recording Secretary then records all the donations to the designated recipients, prepare a deposit slip for the bank and make a deposit. The recorded statement on the envelope are credited to your personal register so on the end of the year you will receive a Charitable Donation receipt for income tax purposes. Do you know that a donation of $1000.00/year to the church actually cost you $710.00 depending of course on your income and tax rate.
There are a number of disadvantages to this method.
For the church it means that the secretary spends a morning a week to prepare the bank deposits and update the registers. If you are not in church, we cannot count on your donation and we may run in a shortfall and run into trouble.
The disadvantage to you is that you have to keep track of your giving’s on a weekly basis.
The advantage to you is that you are very much aware how much you give on a Sunday and put your envelope on the offering plate and see that the donations are accepted and blessed.
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There is also the method of PAR (Pre-Authorized- Remittance) from your bank account.
The advantage is that both you and the church have less work, and won’t forget.
Once you have submitted this form to the Envelope secretary of the church, you have no further worries. The church will look after the rest and you can change the information any time by increasing/changing the amounts by giving the secretary a phone call.
If you are interested we will gladly send you the form and assist you in completing the form. Using the monthly PAR donation or weekly offering envelope allows us to issue a tax receipt, since we can track your weekly/monthly offerings. Revenue Canada audits our tax receipts issued on a regular basis
In short.
If you sign up for the PAR method we will be delighted and we will send you a tax receipt yearly.
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If you would like to participate in offerings using PAR we will send the form and assist in the completion.
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Yours in Jesus name,
For the Stewardship Committee
Mike Boysen.
Trinity Memory Book
The Mural Group is compiling a Memory Book relating to Trinity United Church to celebrate our 150th Anniversary. We hope that many members of our congregation will want to contribute by sharing their memories and experiences, past/or present.
Please give it some thought. Detailed information will follow at a later date.
This looks intriguing, maybe I should write my memories, but I have only been in this church for a few years. I should wait, but “Hold it” why should I wait, I have a lot of memories about myself and churches!
Question, how long have I been going to a church? Many years and my parents had me and my brother baptized.
Question, what do I know about my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents?
And what was their church affiliation?
Since I have been working on my family tree I know a lot, I can go back to 1640 when my first ancestor lived on the island of Sylt which is in Germany near the Danish border.
Long before that in about 800 the Frisians got converted to Christianity by a bishop called St Willibordus. This was in the times of the Romans. Of course the conversion was to the Catholic religion.
They and the later ancestors stayed as Catholics until 1517 when Martin Luther renounced the catholic dogmas. My ancestors in North Germany got converted to Lutheran and that is still true today.
The island of Sylt is not very fertile, with lots of dunes and bogs, and therefore the people fished in the shallow tidal waters between the island and the coast.
Many men were fishermen or seafarers in wooden sailing ships and all over the world and also whale fishing in the North Atlantic.
My great-grandparents, lived in a little village where they were very active in the Lutheran church St. Severin, which still stand today. We were fortunate to be able to visit about 10 years ago. My great-grandfather was an innkeeper in the main city Westerland, where he had a hotel for tourists and he donated a piece of property to the Lutheran church St Nicolai.
My grandfather became a seafarer and traveled as far as Australia and Indonesia, until he emigrated to the Netherlands. He got married and became a harbour master in Rotterdam where he stayed the rest of his life.
I have never known my grandparents since they died before I was born. They had 5 children and the oldest died very young of typhoid fever, the next boy traveled and lived in Shanghai and Bombay, the youngest boy lived for awhile in Indonesia and my Dad’s sister became very involved in the Dutch reformed church. That became a Remonstrant congregation, much like a United church here.
My father and mother who were both born in Rotterdam married there and moved to Eindhoven in south Netherlands. Now I will tell you about my story
I immigrated to Canada in 1951, a year after my younger brother. We lived in Toronto, and my wife Liesbeth followed me a half year later. We married in 1953 in the United church in Mimico and lived there for about 4 years. At that time we were not too active in the church, but when we wanted to go to church on a Xmas day we found it was closed. A bit of a disappointment but different countries, different customs.
While we lived in Toronto we moved a few times and ended up in Scarborough where our 3 children were born and we went to Victoria Park United Church, where we became active and our children were baptized and we became part of the church community.
In 1968 we moved to Montreal. Again a major upheaval but not a different lifestyle, we moved there to an English community. We lived in Baie d’Urfe on the West Island, a community 75% English, 10% French and the rest Dutch and other nationalities.We went to the Presbyterian Church across the road which made it so much easier to go to church and the children to Sunday school and choir.When they grew up and left home, we went back to Union United Church in the next village. This church was started by professors and members of MacDonald College, the agricultural school of McGill University. Not an easy task in a total catholic environment.
We enjoyed this church very much, because the people came from all over the world to study at the college.
After my retirement we moved again to St John’s United church in Brockville, and then we moved to our cottage in Lansdowne in the Thousand Islands and went to the Anglican Church in Lyndhurst.
That was not the best move we made, we decided to move the Lansdowne United church with a very different congregation of descendants of the United Empire Loyalists who came from the States in 1820.
They built about 12 wooden churches, just like we had here. The members of the congregation almost all were related and had lived in the area all their lives.
It was interesting for us as again, be immigrants and come to a church like this, strangers in a new community and readily accepted..
To repeat the saga we moved again and came to Bobcaygeon 3 years ago.
Our congregation have members, who came here many years ago and from the smaller churches around here or people who moved from many places of Southern Ontario.
We are pleased and proud to be part of a vibrant church congregation which works in the community and who welcomes all who come from away.( we went to Newfoundland this summer)
Thanks for having us
May God bless this congregation of Trinity-Providence United Church.
Mike and Liesbeth Boysen