Dalston-Crown Hill United Church

The autumn of 2017 has been filled with a multitude of opportunities to connect in community and build relationships at both Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home United Churches.  We want to let you know that we would love to welcome you over the season of Christmas and beyond!

This fall people have responded to invitations to gather for the Men’s Breakfast to greet, meet and eat; the 4F Program which is an evening of fun, friendship and food on a Friday for kids and their adult(s); Chit-Chat, Sip ‘n Snack which is a time of conversation for women; the Fall Feast; a Meditation Circle which just keeps growing as people invite friends.

We invite you to check out the list below to consider opportunities that would be life-giving for you over the season of Christmas and into the New Year!

Naomi Bristow shares a Christmas Concert Friday December 1^st 7:00 p.m. at Forest Home United Church. Tickets are $15 and children under 12 are free. For tickets please call Bonnie at 705-325-8384 or Phyllis at 705-326-0766.

Come and be part of the Mediation Circle for a time of pausing in the midst of busy lives and a busy season. Anyone is welcome on Mondays December 4^th, 11^th and 18^th at 7:30 p.m. at Forest Home United Church.

The children of Forest Home are hosting a Christmas Pageant with a pancake breakfast to follow on Sunday December 10^th. Come and be part of the fun! The pageant begins at 9:30 a.m. This is a wonderful time of celebration for people of all ages with lots to delight children.

A family event for the whole community….A Country Church Family Christmas which is led by a cast of all ages happens on Sunday December 10^th at 2:30 p.m. at Dalston-Crown Hill! It is a great event for everyone including families with young children. You are invited to stay for refreshments after.

A special Christmas Service of Carols and Readings is on Sunday December 17^th at 9:00 a.m. at Forest Home and 10:30 a.m. at Dalston-Crown Hill.

A special time to light candles for those we miss at Christmas will be happening at both churches. The service is called Candles of Remembrance and Love. It includes lighting candles in memory of loved ones we remember at Christmas. It is offered twice; Sunday December 17^th 7:00 p.m. at Dalston-Crown Hill and Wednesday December 20^th 7:30 p.m. at Forest Home. If you have questions please call Karen at 705 325 7998 or email her at karenhm@sympatico.ca.  Please invite others who miss someone at Christmas.

On Christmas Eve there will be two services, at Forest Home at 4 p.m. that is a family service designed to engage children, and at Dalston-Crown Hill at 7 p.m. that is a Christmas Eve Communion Service for all ages. There will be no Sunday services in the morning.

In the New Year we plan to invite our neighbours and community to celebrate the newly installed lift which is enhancing accessibility at Dalston-Crown Hill. We encourage people to think of this newly accessible space for community events.

Watch for dates in the New Year for: Meditation Circle; Men’s Breakfast; ‘Chit-Chat Sip ‘n Snack’; 4F on January 19^th; the Ham Supper in May; Community Forums to respond to interests and to engage in conversations that matter.

Below are glimpses of activities this fall that will continue in the New Year.

Dalston-Crown Hill United Church has been hosting a women’s gathering called ‘Chit-Chat Sip ‘n Snack’. This is an open gathering for the women of the community to enjoy each other’s company and share a cup or two together. There is no agenda. There is simply an open door, a chair ready for you, a warm cup of welcome and simple conversation with your neighbours. Call Janet at 705-835-2750, if you would like to come to our next event. Call if you need a ride or want more information. We look forward to welcoming you.

In October the men of the community joined together at the church to share a men’s breakfast and see the workings of our new lift first hand. This event happens throughout the year and we will keep the community posted as to when the next gathering is happening.

At Forest Home we had our first 4F gathering for families, children and friends of children on October 27 with the theme of Welcome. Look for the colourful Tibetan Prayer flags we created to blow in the wind outside both Forest Home and Dalston United Churches as a reminder of our prayer that you experience welcome and a sense of belonging in your life. You are always welcome in both congregations. Our next 4 F Gathering is January 19 at Regan House which is fully accessible. If you are interested in learning more about this event please contact Ruth at 705-229-6513.

Dalston-Crown Hill congregation is delighted to be supporting a mission trip to Nicaragua with Open Hands United with 14 youth and 4 adult leaders from 7 different United Church congregations that will happen in the summer of 2018.  A youth from Dalston-Crown Hill, Nicholas Butler, will be participating. Some of the projects the Open Hands Youth Mission has funded in Puerto Cabazas include  building a community library, filling the library with books and computers, purchasing a school bus for the high school, supporting water projects, buying musical instruments, and beginning to build an elementary school. The congregation is committed to helping Nicholas raise money to cover participant expenses as well as to support projects. If you would like to help sponsor Nicholas you can attend a lunch after church on December 17^th at 11:45 a.m. The free-will offering will go toward the trip and projects. Call Bev Butler at 705-487-1874 for details.

We were pleased to welcome many of you on November 4^th at the church in Dalston for the Fall Supper to share the feast and the variety of homemade pies! We would love to see you again for the Ham Supper in May.

For more information about the two congregations you will find Forest Home United Church and Dalston-Crown Hill United Church on Facebook. Or go to the websites dalstoncrownhillunitedchurch.net  and foresthomeuc.ca. The community gathers on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. in Forest Home and at 10:30 in Dalston. The doors are open to welcome anyone who would like to come.

DALSTON-CROWN HILL UNITED CHURCH
“Growing Spiritually while Celebrating Diversity”
&
FOREST HOME UNITED CHURCH
“A Little Church with a Big Heart”

Dalston-Crown Hill United Church (DCH) and Forest Home United Church (FH) are nestled into the rural landscape of North Simcoe. Both congregations celebrate their rural roots and their love of community.

A particular goal for their ministry in the coming year is to reach out to the wider community through programs and opportunities that provide connection and meaningful engagement. Two events that have already been planned include a special Friday evening event for Families, and Monday evening Meditation Circles for six weeks this fall.

DCH and FH have an ongoing and unique cooperative partnership.  They have welcomed two new ministers this fall – Karen Hilfman Millson and Ruth McDonald who have taken on different rolls that draw on their unique gifts.

A bit about Karen….

Karen Hilfman Millson

Karen values the opportunity to have meaningful conversations in order for the wisdom and creativity within us and amongst us to emerge so that our life together in community can be inspired and enhanced by all who gather.  Her role in the new team as Coordinating and Vision Minister will focus on enlivening and supporting the congregations’ vision of reaching out to the community in creative, life-giving ways. In these very early days of her ministry, one event that has been planned is a Meditation Circle in response to a longing that people have identified for nourishment in the midst of busy lives.  The Circle will be on Monday evenings at 7:30. There will be six open sessions between September 25^th and November 13^th (not on Thanksgiving or October 25^th). The location is in the main floor Hall at Forest Home United Church.  For more information please contact Karen at 1 800 446 4729 ext 6233 or karenhm@sympatico.ca.  Karen has lived in Orillia since 1996, raised her kids here, loves the opportunities to direct musicals and be part of so many of the amazing events of this area. She delights in the fact that her kids and young grandkids all live in this area.  She and her family enjoy being close to lots of provincial parks where Karen and her husband Alan head out to camp as often as they can.

A bit about Ruth…

Ruth McDonald

Ruth values contemplative, creative and joyful worship and has a passion for pastoral care and godly play storytelling. As such she has taken on the role of Minister of Worship and Pastoral Care. She leads a weekly reflection group called Engaging Worship and Wonder to look at scripture and connect it to life experience and world events.  Another regular event she is part of is called 4F (Fun, Food, Faith on Friday). It is a gathering for children and their families (including grandparents and grandchildren) that meets 4 times a year in Forest Home. It is a community oriented event meant to care for and nurture busy families and includes a shared meal, some “get to know you” games and a child-friendly and playful discussion about living God’s way. The first 4F gathering is October 27 from 5:30-7:30 pm. If you or your family or someone you know might be interested in exploring more about either event please contact Ruth at 705-229-6513. Ruth is also a trained Spiritual Companion which allows her to journey with people who want to listen deeply within for the Spirit’s movement in all aspects of their life. This side of her ministry is done on her own time along with her other joys which include beekeeping, singing and tandem bicycle trips with her husband Todd.

It’s Fall and that means our Annual Dalston Fall Supper will take place at the Dalston United Church at 1734 Penetanguishene Road (County Road 93) on Saturday, November 4th. This is a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings and home-made pies. There are only two sittings this year, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., so you will want to reserve your tickets early, Adults are $20 and children under 12 $8.  Starting in October, you may call Joe and Susan at 705-722-6965 to reserve your tickets.

Dalston church hall and sanctuary are now wheelchair accessible, with the installation of a lift (elevator style) from the hall to upstairs taking place this summer.  We can now accommodate you and your mobility device, through our accessible door going into the kitchen, where a ramp will take you into the hall, and from there can transport you upstairs. At time of writing, we await the required TSSA inspection of the lift before it becomes operational. Our downstairs washroom has also been upgraded to meet accessibility code.

The congregations each have two special events to celebrate Christmas. Sunday, December 10^th at 9 a.m. at FH is a Christmas Pageant led by children and youth followed by a pancake breakfast. Later that same day at 3 p.m. is the Christmas Pageant at DCH in Dalston led by multi-generations. FH will have a 4 p.m. Christmas Eve service. DCH will have a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve service. Everyone is welcome.

For more information about the two congregations you will find Forest Home United Church on Facebook and Dalston-Crown Hill United Church on their website – just type in their name to search. The community gathers on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. in Forest Home and at 10:30 in Dalston. The doors are open to welcome anyone who would like to come.

DALSTON-CROWN HILL UNITED CHURCH
“Growing Spiritually while Celebrating Diversity”

Great things are happening at the Dalston-Crown Hill United Church.  We are looking forward to welcoming our new supply ministers – Rev. Ruth McDonald, and Rev. Karen Hilfman-Millson, who will share the ministry not only with us, but also with Forest Home United Church for the next year. Rev. Tim Dayfoot, our interim minister, completed his contract at the end of June. A farewell joint service with Forest Home United Church was held on June 18^th at Scout Valley, near Orillia, with worship in the log cabin, followed by a barbeque and picnic lunch.  We wish him well in his next contract.

Our renovations for accessibility are ongoing, with a lift to be installed this summer, making the sanctuary accessible from the hall. This now makes the whole building wheel-chair accessible. In the first phase, an accessible washroom, ramp, and automatic doors were installed in the basement, and now the next phase is proceeding.

As we celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, we are also celebrating a new life opportunity for many refugee families that have come during this past year.

Members of the Dalston-Crown Hill community donated funds to help settle a young Syrian family……two parents and five children arrived in Canada on February 28th. In four short months they have experienced a snowy Canadian winter, a wet Canadian spring, and a FEW days of our short Canadian summer!

The two youngest children participate in the new Canadians’ day care centre while parents attend daily English classes at the YMCA Immigration Centre, and the three older children attend elementary school. Our language is very difficult for them. Even the tracking: left to right, top to bottom, that we use for reading, deciphering calendars etc. is new……and the letters and numbers do not match at all!

Ventures to grocery stores, doctors, dentists, pharmacy all needed drivers, translators, and the support of a whole team of volunteers. Summer activities include family literacy day camp, YMCA week long camps for soccer, art, and crafts, swim lessons, catch-up for doctor and dentist appointments, learning to navigate the Barrie transit system, and learning to ride bikes! Vacation time!

The challenges ….for the family, and for the volunteers, are many.

As we celebrated Canada Day, it was heartwarming to hear: “Canada is so young…..but so welcoming…..we are thankful that you are helping us….that you have invited us into your safe country…..it is truly the best in the world”.

It is easy for us to become discouraged. Daily we see pictures and hear news reports of the conflict, the wars, and the devastation around the world. Many of us have fears and challenges that sometimes consume and overwhelm us…….life is not always easy.

In Canada, we have family issues, health concerns, financial demands……and we also have crazy weather!

We celebrate diversity. We are free. We are loved. Canada. Home.

“Chit –Chat Sip ‘n Snack” Women’s Group

• There isn’t a chair person
• There isn’t a secretary
• There isn’t a treasurer
• There is TEA/COFFEE, TREATS AND GOOD CONVERSATION

In November of last year, we held our first women’s get-together.  Due to the winter weather and other activities at our church, there has been a delay in re-starting.  Our plan is to begin again this fall.  Our gathering involves conversation, snacks, and beverages.  Hence the name ‘Chit – Chat Sip ‘n Snack.  On researching the word ‘Chit –   Chat’ we found that it means ‘inconsequential conversation’.  We beg to differ.  When is any conversation ‘inconsequential’?  Ahhh – possibly a topic of conversation at our next get-together.  Refer to the next edition of North Simcoe Life for the date of our next gathering.  Hope to see you there. (Held at Dalston-Crown Hill United Church – 1734 Penetanguishene Rd., Springwater)

Mark your calendars:        DALSTON FALL SUPPER – Saturday, November 4 – more details in the next issue.

 Worship and Contact Info: 

 Dalston-Crown Hill U.C. –  Worship Time:  10:30 a.m.

www.dalstoncrownhillunitedchurch.net   or    Janet Panting – Secretary  705-737-2552

Forest Home U.C –  Worship Time:   9:00 a.m.

www.foresthomeuc.ca        ww.facebook.com/foresthomeuc

DALSTON-CROWN HILL UNITED CHURCH
“Growing Spiritually while Celebrating Diversity”

Hopefully, by the time this is published, the weather will have warmed up, and our new flowers won’t need to be protected from the overnight frost! Right now, it still feels more like March than May.

A new church season, Pentecost, starts on the first Sunday of June.  And that is very appropriate for the congregations of Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home because in the months of June and July we are going to see some new things happening. You may have noticed some excitement around Dalston-Crown Hill United Church on the first weekend in June. That was our open house, when we invited everyone to take a look at the physical changes to the building. These renovations are making it much easier for people of all abilities to enter and to move around our building. If you see this before or on June 3, please join us for our “Open House” in celebration of our Phase 1 renovation from 1 – 4 p.m. There will be music, food, photo displays along with fun and fellowship. If the weather is good, please bring a lawn chair, as the music will be outside. If June 3 has passed, please feel free to come and check out these changes during any upcoming church events.

The Dalston Union Cemetery Memorial Service will take place on Sunday, June 4^th at 3 p.m. (please note change of time), at the cemetery/church.

Then, on the second Sunday in June we celebrate Communion. You are welcome to join us at 9:00 a.m. in Forest Home United Church or at 10:30 a.m. in Dalston-Crown Hill United Church.

On June18, do not look for us in our buildings at the usual time. Instead, we are joining together for an outdoor worship service at 10 a.m. at Scout Valley on the east side of Line 15, between Old Barrie Road and Hwy #11.  All are welcome to attend this joint outdoor service and pot-luck church picnic.  This get-together will also be a time to say goodbye to Rev. Tim Dayfoot who will be moving to another ministry position in July.

You will soon be hearing about who the new minister in Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home United Churches will be. We are looking forward to welcoming him or her into our two churches on July 1^st and to enjoying together the summer worship services and activities that are coming up.

We have exciting news about one of our youth members. Clinton Todd, a local Oro-Medonte artist, is hosting a solo art exhibition entitled “Since 1949” about Camp Simpresca.

Clinton Todd and one of his paintings

In Clinton’s words….”It is my greatest honour to host an exhibition at Camp Simpresca this summer. The United Church of Canada camp has been an important part of my life, from camper to staff, 16 years running. Close friendships were cultivated, lifetime memories were made, useful life skills were learned and a positive outlook on life was achieved. For these reasons and many more, 50% of the sales from the art pieces will be donated to Camp Simpresca so positive experiences, growth and well being of future campers can continue.

This show will consist of an abstract landscape oil painting collection created from photo reference and memory, capturing symbolic areas, outdoor environments, and activities displaying a Camp Simpresca that has been evolving, inviting, and accepting of all “since 1949.”

Please join us from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Camp Simpresca for the exhibition and sale of Clinton’s art work! (What a wonderful gift this could be for someone who has been involved with Camp Simpresca)

“Camp Simpresca Open House” is also on Saturday, June 17th from 1 pm – 4 pm. The staff will be giving tours where you may check out the camp, meet some staff, the rock wall will be open, canoe paddles along the shore of Georgian Bay (weather permitting). We hope to see you there!

Directions to Camp Simpresca: drive north on Highway #93 past the main exits into Midland; at Vinden Street (5th stoplight), turn right off Highway #93, follow the ‘Simpresca’ signs to Simpresca Road and follow to the end, where the Camp is located. Website:  www.simpresca.net

We held our annual Ham Supper at the Dalston-Crown Hill church, and are very appreciative of the support of the community. It was a great evening, with delicious food and fellowship. Mark your calendars now for our annual Fall Supper, which will take place at the church on Sat., Nov. 4^th.  This is a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, including home-made pies.  We hope you can join us.

Ham Supper May 6, 2017

We look forward to welcoming our new minister in July, with worship continuing at 10:30 a.m.

Worship and Contact Info: 

 Dalston-Crown Hill U.C. –  Worship Time:  10:30 a.m.

www.dalstoncrownhillunitedchurch.net   or    Janet Panting – Secretary  705-737-2552

Forest Home U.C –  Worship Time:   9:00 a.m.

www.foresthomeuc.ca        ww.facebook.com/foresthomeuc

Rev. Tim Dayfoot – Interim Minister, can be reached at (705) 794-9718 or tdayfoot@sympatico.ca until June 18^th.

DALSTON-CROWN HILL UNITED CHURCH
“Growing Spiritually while Celebrating Diversity”

Easter is at the heart of the church year.  And even though we celebrate Easter in some way every Sunday morning, we are always able to learn something new about this mystery that is central to our faith.

Easter is about surprise.  When all that we can do is to expect the worst; when all that we can imagine is the same old disappointment that we are convinced will always surround us – that is when Easter is given.

Easter does not mean that our lives will be blissfully free of hardship.  And it is not guaranteed that we will recognize the change that is happening around us and within us right away.  But Easter does mean that God will not leave us alone in the face of difficulties.  And when God surprises us with new life in times of fear and anguish, it may first appear to us as mystery and as confusion, like it did to the disciples in front of the empty tomb on Easter morning.

We invite you to come and explore the wonder of Easter with us in Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home United Churches this year.  Holy Week begins on April 9 with Palm Sunday celebrations at Forest Home at 9:00 a.m. and at Dalston-Crown Hill at 10:30 a.m.

We join together for a Good Friday service at 10 a.m. at Forest Home UC on April 14.

Easter morning is celebrated with communion in each church at our regular times of 9:00 a.m. in Forest Home and 10:30 in Dalston-Crown Hill.  Everyone is welcome and we will be delighted to see you.

May our times of gathering during Holy Week and Easter deepen our awareness of God’s spirit around us and within us.  May God bless us with life-giving growth in that spirit.

In our last news article, we talked about the renovations taking place at the Church to make the lower level meet current accessibility standards. The finishing touches are being put on that phase one project and it should be completed in the very near future. Approval has been received from both Living Waters Presbytery and the Dalston – Crown Hill congregation to move ahead with phase two. This phase is the installation of a lift between the lower level and the sanctuary. Quotes have been received and hopefully this contract will have been awarded and possibly started by the time you are reading this. Come join us for a Sunday 10:30 a.m. worship and see our progress in making Dalston – Crown Hill fully accessible.

The month of May will be here soon, and that means that the Dalston Ham Supper is coming. It takes place on Saturday, May 6^th at Dalston United Church (1734 Penetanguishene Rd., Dalston) from 4:30 – 7 p.m. Supper includes locally raised Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Vegetables, Coleslaw, Home-made Pies.  Adults – $18, children under 12 – $8.  For Tickets Please Call – (705) 722-6965. All Welcome!

 Naomi Bristow is a young cowgirl with a great love and talent for singing, who has traveled across the countryside in Canada and the United States performing for thousands. Naomi’s love for old time traditional country music lead her to self-taught yodeling, which she incorporates into her performances. A proud Canadian, Naomi has received awards from Municipal, Provincial, and Federal Governments for her outstanding achievements in music. We are so fortunate to be able to see Naomi Bristow in concert – Friday, April 28^th at 7 p.m. at Forest Home United Church (165 Line 15 North, Orillia). Adults $15, children under 12 free.  For more info or to order tickets, please call Bea at 705-326-2370 or Phyllis at 705-326-0766. For more information about Naomi, go to her website: www.naomibristow.com

Reflection by Rev. Tim Dayfoot (January 29, 2017)

Matthew 5:1-12

Their excitement took me by surprise.  A group of us who lived together in residence at university were having supper together in the cafeteria.  We were talking about this and that until one person said with excitement, “Are you going to watch The Wizard of Oz on T.V. tonight?”  A few said yes; others no.  As for me, I had to confess that I was not even aware that The Wizard of Oz was going to be re-run, for the umpteenth time, on T.V. that night.  Yet, for some of my fellow students, the re-showing of the old movie was an exciting event.  It was so exciting that it was even able to pull them away from their studies for a few hours that evening.

When the crowds came to hear Jesus there must have been excitement in the air.  Matthew’s gospel says they came because Jesus` fame had spread throughout a large region.  They had come to catch a glimpse of someone who was famous for his teaching, preaching and healing.  Jesus saw a crowd gather around him and he must have put some thought and care into what he chose to say to them.  He spoke about many things.  And he began by holding up for them a marvellous picture of God’s blessings.  And as he spoke Jesus turned around the way that the crowd was accustomed to looking at God’s blessings.

While we are busy working for and dreaming about a better world the gospel invited us to know that we are blessed here and now.

I’m sure you are all familiar with the story of The Wizard of Oz.  Dorothy is a happy, well loved and carefree little girl.  But she is plunged into a frightful search for a way to get home by a tornado that has taken her, house and all to the land of Oz.  Home, for Dorothy, is a quiet farm in the mid-West where family and aunts and uncles make her feel wanted and loved.  Once she is in Oz, she is told that the wizard is the only one who is powerful enough to help her get home.  So Dorothy sets out in search of the wizard.

On her way, she is joined by three others.  Like Dorothy, these three are also desperately searching for something they think they don’t have.  For the Scarecrow, it`s a brain.  The tin-man wants a heart and the lion thinks he has no courage.

We all know what it is like to be Dorothy, or to be the scarecrow, the tin-man, the lion, or, to be in the crowd that gathered to hear Jesus when he preached on the mount that day.  We have something in common with all of them.  What we have in common is a search.  Dorothy and her companions were searching for a number of things.  Jesus must have seen that many, if not all of the people that gathered to hear him were searching also.  They were searching for God’s blessings.

How about you?  What are you searching for?  What is your idea of the good life?  Does it have to do with a secure income – a high-paying job, a secure job, or, for the unemployed, any job at all?  For some, the good life is a one-in-14 million chance at the jackpot numbers of Lotto 6/49.

But your idea of the good life may not involve money at all.  For you, it may be inner peace – freedom from grief, guilt, or loneliness.  Your idea of the good life may have to do with gaining a sense of your own importance, your own worth, and that you are loved and wanted.   But whatever our idea of the good life is, all too often it is something that is out there, just out of reach.  It is hard to get.  The good life eludes us.  The best we can do is to capture it briefly, maybe during vacation packages or some other brief adventure.  The good life never seems to be fully ours.

For the crowd, God’s blessings were also just out of reach.  Those who heard Jesus speak were probably already familiar with what their religious leaders taught about God’s blessings.  The Hebrew scriptures contain many pronouncements about blessings, and the Jews of Jesus’ day would have been instructed by their religious leaders on how to obtain blessings.  They were accustomed to hearing that blessings were available to those who followed certain rules.  Blessings would be awarded after a degree of righteousness was achieved.  There must have been many among the crowd who had given up hope of ever being blessed.  The religious rules of the day were not easy to keep.

So, when Jesus began speaking about blessings the people must have wondered what new rule he would place on them.  But as they listened, something was different.  They were surprised to find that when Jesus spoke of God’s blessings he did not sound like the religious leaders they were used to hearing.  Matthew tells us, at the end of the Sermon On The Mount, that when Jesus finished speaking “the crowds were astonished at this teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Mt. 7:28-29)

What was so different?  How did Jesus reverse the crowd’s idea of God’s blessings?  How does the gospel free us to the good life?   Let us take another look at the all too familiar beatitudes to find out.

 “Blessed are the poor…..

Blessed are those who mourn…..

Blessed are the meek……

Blessed are those who hunger…..”

Jesus was saying that all the broken and hurting people of the world are blessed.  It was not a blessing that would only be theirs sometime in the future, always just out of reach.  Receiving God’s blessings did not demand that they first obey a long list of strict rules.  Those who heard Jesus were able, perhaps for the first time, to think of themselves as blessed, right then and there.  And I can imagine how they felt when Jesus asked them to look at themselves and to call themselves blessed.  “You are blessed.”

After many adventures, Dorothy and her companions arrive in the Emerald City and are standing in presence of the Wizard of Oz.  As it turns out, the wizard is an imposter.  But at least he is smart enough to realize right away that the scarecrow, the tin-man, the lion and even Dorothy already have what they are searching for.  The scarecrow had shown tremendous intelligence during the journey.  The tin-man is in fact a warm and loving person.  The lion had already showed great bravery.  And Dorothy?  Dorothy was at home all along.  It was all a dream.  Three clicks of her magic shoes and there she was, back at home.

For us, the good life is here, right now.  This is the message of the gospel.  The good life has been ours all along – a gift freely given.

There were not many whom Jesus left out when he spoke about blessings – the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace-makers, the persecuted.  He called them all blessed.  And he called them blessed for the very reasons why they may have thought God had forgotten them.  Jesus did not tell the crowd to forget about their poverty or their grief in order to feel God’s blessings.  He did not even say that they were blessed in spite of their brokenness.  He told them that God blessed them because of their hurt.

Life, in all its goodness, is ours.  It is ours here and now.  It is ours together with its brokenness, its sorrow and its incompleteness.  The good life is not what is found at the end of a search.  The good life is not what you will get if you make it to your 90^th birthday, or your 65^th, or your 30^th.  The beatitudes invite you to look at whatever circumstances you live in right now, and to call yourself blessed by God in the middle of those same circumstances.

I remember hearing a lottery ticket buyer being interviewed on a T.V. news show.  It was just a quick interview where the reporter was going from person to person while they were lined up waiting to buy their ticket.  This fellow was asked what he would do if he won a million dollars.  He sounded completely serious when he said that he would get himself a basement apartment somewhere, shut himself in, and live on Kraft dinner for the rest of his life.  I hope he never wins.  Even if he wins and does not actually follow that plan, it seems to me that his idea of the good life is life-destroying.

At the beginning of his sermon on the mount, Jesus asked the crowd to look at God’s blessings in their lives in a new way.  While we are busy working for and dreaming about a better world, and happier lives for ourselves, and while we think, as we so often do, that these things are somewhere out there just out of reach, the gospel invites us to see that our lives are good and truly blessed, here and now.

Article Written by Janet Panting for North Simcoe Life

On Saturday, November 5th the Dalston Crown Hill United Church held their Annual Fall Supper.  Once again it was well attended with two “Sold Out” sittings.  Over one hundred and seventy patrons were able to enjoy a delicious Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings.  This also included a great variety of homemade pies.  This was certainly an inspiring and uplifting experience for our Church Community.  We would like to thank members of our community and especially members of Forest Home United Church for their support.  It was greatly appreciated!

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 6th when once again Dalston-Crown Hill United Church will be holding their annual Ham Supper.  This will be a “Continuous Seating” Dinner where we will be serving locally raised Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Veggies, and Home-Made Pies. Further information will follow in the next edition. Stayed tuned!

“Chit Chat, Sip ‘n Snack” is a Women’s Group that we’ve just started, where we go to talk while having a cup of tea/coffee and treat.  It was started as a means of meeting our friends and meeting new people just to chat.  As we all have a lot of commitments, it is nice to have a time where we can meet with a group that doesn’t have a chairperson, secretary and/or treasurer.  An invitation was extended to those attending the church, which was held on Thursday, Nov. 10^th with an attendance of 11 people.  The second one, held on Wednesday, Nov 23^rd invited people who do not attend, but have a connection to the church.  There was an attendance of 13 people.  We will advertise more for our next get together in February when we will extend an invitation to the community.  We would like to establish the best morning of the week to meet.  We are not sure how this group will grow but it has been an interesting start.

Our Christmas pageant was well received.  We appreciate all the efforts of everyone who participated in, or helped with, the “Quiet” Christmas play written by Cathy Todd.

A small group of nine songsters provided wonderful choir music during our Advent season.  This enthusiastic group of singers has committed to providing special music during the season of Epiphany ……we are choosing ‘golden oldies’ so that the congregation ……and maybe even YOU…..can sing along with us!…Sundays at 10:30!

On Wednesday, January 11th, despite the weather conditions, the men of Dalston- Crown Hill United Church held a “Meet, Greet, and Eat” Men’s Breakfast.  This was an opportunity for men of the Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home churches and the community to meet, socialize and enjoy a fabulous breakfast. Over 25 men of all ages attended.

Great News!

Renovations are taking place in our kitchen and washroom areas at the church. Phase One includes installing a wider automatic entrance door to the lower level, building an indoor ramp with handrails and guards, installing a Universal Washroom with call system, automatic lighting and barrier free push button. These changes will make the lower level meet current accessibility standards. Once these renovations are completed, we hope to install a lift between the lower level and the sanctuary. We are truly thankful to have the funds to make our little country church in Dalston fully accessible…for both community events and for Sunday worship…..it’s at 10:30…. please join us!

Now that our celebrations of Christmas are behind us, we are invited to continue to focus on our growth in faith, and on the challenges we face when we try to put that faith into practice.  The faith communities of Dalston-Crown Hill United Church and Forest Home United Church seek to be places where everyone is welcome to explore the many ways in which God is inviting us to grow.  We seek to be places where we can grow with the support and companionship of other fellow travellers.

In the month of February, our worship services will take another look at how much the followers of Jesus learned about God’s love and God’s presence in the world through the work and teaching of Jesus.  That is the work we are invited to do during the season of Epiphany.  Then on the first Sunday of March, the season of Lent begins.  Lent is the time in our Church Year that we set aside to get ready for Easter.  We do not rush through these preparations.  We take six and a half weeks to reflect, to explore, and to ask faith-filled questions.  Lent, of course, does not end, and our preparations for Easter do not end until after Holy Week which, this year, is in the middle of April.

Dalston-Crown Hill and Forest Home churches send out our very best wishes to everyone for a happy and a healthy winter season.  May your patience with the cold and the snow be rewarded with renewed energy and new life as the days get longer and as the earth, once again, supports the growth of life all around.

Reflection by Rev. Tim Dayfoot on January 8th

Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew’s story about the wise men who travelled a long way from home to visit the baby Jesus, tells us that the birth of Jesus was something very special.  And it was not just special for Mary and Joseph and the people of their own country and the people of their own faith.  The birth of Jesus was going to affect the lives of people in all parts of the world.  Despite the 2000 years that now separate us from the birth of Jesus, and despite the great distance between us and where that birth took place, this baby can change lives.

I have always found it difficult to answer the question, “Do you like to travel?”  I remember being asked this question a long time ago in the middle of a job interview.  The job that I wanted was teaching people to drive.  When my interviewer asked me, “Do you like to travel?” I had to stop and think.  I could not, at first, make a connection between travelling and teaching people to drive, and so I was not sure what the interviewer wanted me to say.  I still don’t know for sure how I should have answered that question.  My honest answer would have been, “Yes, and no.”

One of the reasons I cannot easily say that I love to travel is because I have done so much travelling in my life.  For me travelling is much more than just visiting other places to take a quick look.  I remember hearing a minister colleague of mine talking about his summer holidays.  He and his family had driven through the eastern part of the United States.  And while he was telling me this he was saying that they did New England, and they did New York State, and I thought to myself, “How can you possibly ‘do’ a place in such a short space of time.  Surely to “be done” with a place would take a lifetime of living there.”  For me, travel is nothing short of a live changing experience.  That is what real travel is.

The first time I travelled was when I was taken away from the place where I was born and the country that I called home.  I was two years old.  I was brought to Canada, to Toronto, to live for a year, and then back we went to my birth home in Trinidad, in the West Indies.  That was a pattern that I would follow until I was sixteen years old.  I would live for three or four years in Trinidad, and then a year in Canada.  Then, when I was sixteen, I came to Canada to stay for good.  That is what life was like for me in a United Church missionary family.

Travelling was exciting.  As a child I used to secretly feel sorry for friends who lived in one place all the time, or for my classmates who had never been on an airplane.  I got to experience all kinds of amazing things because my family moved around a lot.  But there were many down sides to travelling as well.  Travel meant saying “Goodbye” to friends, and even leaving family behind for long periods of time.  Travel meant, sometimes, putting plans on hold until after you were going to be settled down some time in the future.

But for all the travelling my family did, I never thought of ourselves as tourists.  I think that tourism is what most people think about when they ask the question, “Do you like to travel?”  They are talking about going somewhere for a quick look, and coming home refreshed, but essentially the same.  For me, travelling was not about looking at the sights.  Travelling was not something that was done primarily for the fun of it.  Travelling was about growth.  It was about expanding your horizons, growing in your understanding of what it would mean to live in a different culture, a different environment, a different way of life, and becoming, for a period of time, a part of another place in the world.  So, my answer to the question, “Do you like to travel?” is, “Yes, I like to travel, but I know that travel may disturb and disrupt my normal, comfortable way of seeing the world and of seeing myself.”  Growth and travel go together, and they can both be painful and fun.

When the gospel writer, Matthew, tells us that the wise men, or the magi – which is a word from which we get the English word, magician – when the magi left their home countries, and set out towards Judea, they were not tourists.  They were not out on a little travel junket.  They did not start out on their journey because they wanted to have some fun, or to get away from a cold Canadian winter season.  Now there is a real motivation for travel – to get away from winter.  But it is not the kind of travel we are hearing about in today’s gospel story.

The journey of the magi is described as following a star – a bright light far off in the distant sky which is neither very precise, nor is it very reliable.  Its light is likely to disappear just when you need it the most.  So the decision to follow a star is fraught with danger.

And yet the light shines down on you, and you cannot help but look up to it and imagine in your mind what it might mean and how things might be different if you were to follow.

What are the stars which compel you, the people of Forest Home United Church/Dalston-Crown Hill United Church, to look up?  What is it that draws you forward as a church congregation?  What are the ideas and the hopes that are being born today in your midst that you want to encourage and honour, even worship, as a potential for new life in the future?

I am sure that I don’t have to tell you that there are many churches, United Churches and churches from other denominations as well, whose primary goal is keeping the doors open.  That is their star.  And they follow that start with enthusiasm until, well……….. until either the doors close, or, until they realize that God has put many other bright lights up high which can guide them on their journey.

What about the bright light of spiritual growth?  What about the light that draws us together into a caring community, a lively community, a comforting community of faith?  What about the bright light of faith exploration with young and old together?  What about the light of pastoral care and outreach being done by all members of the congregation?  If we were to spend less time dwelling on the survival of our congregation and more time focusing on the kind of community we want to be, where would our journey take us?  Who else might we draw to that light?  Will others join us on our journey because they too can see a light of promise and purpose that is guiding us forward?

The magi were following a brilliant light.  The light was far away and not always reliable.  They wanted to follow the way that they were being shown, even though they did not have a clear idea of where it would take them.  After all, they had to stop and ask for directions.  It sounds an awful lot like where we often find ourselves, doesn’t it?  We have some idea of where we would like to go as we look to the future.  We know what kind of changes would make our lives better, and our world better, but we have no clear idea of how to get there.

And in the middle of all of this, Christ is born.  And Christ evades death at the hands of Herod.  And Christ grows through pain and joy, and Christ would, in a short time, teach us more than we ever knew before about hope and love and about what God is doing in the world.

May the lights that draw us forward on our travels through this world be the lights that help us to set life-giving priorities.  May we not be deterred when our high hopes and our dreams carry us off into unfamiliar territory, and on journeys that ask us to search for the true light of our lives, the light of the world, Jesus Christ.  Thanks be to God.

                      A Reflection by Pat Hastings delivered on July 3^rd

Like the disciples in the boat we have been given a task to perform. Over many months (and for some of us, years) we have been praying for guidance, discussing, soul searching with worship and work, listening circles, menus of options, etc., in order to discern our way forward as followers of Jesus.  The result is that we have been led to keep our community of faith, as a witness of God’s power and presence in our lives, in our local community.

Now, after some of those we love have left, we may feel much like the disciples when they did as Jesus asked and went into the boat to go to the other side. However, when the storm arose, they became worried, afraid, anxious lest the boat sink. Jesus was unaware of their concerns   He was fast asleep.  Finally, the disciples became so frightened they called on Jesus, woke Him and alerted Him to their plight.  His response?

Jesus calmly rebuked the wind and the sea calmed down. Then he asked “Why were you afraid? Have you no faith?”

Well, here we are and yes, we miss those who have left but we have stepped out in faith. Now it is necessary that we trust God to continue to guide us.  Our experience as God’s community of faith in Dalston-Crown Hill over the years has proven that God cares for us and puts people in place when we need them.

I have been a member of this community of faith for 62 years, since 1964, when I married my first husband Jim Kenny of Crown Hill. The changes I have seen have been many and varied.

It is in looking back that I can see God at work. He put people in place who had the talents which proved to be what was needed at the time, sometimes for the congregation as a whole and sometimes just the right gifts that were needed when a member of the congregation was experiencing a difficult trial.

One personal example:  One year Dalston congregation were unhappy with our young minister and as a result he was leaving. Those at Crown Hill were not very happy about the change, and I was firmly among them. However, the minister that followed proved to be a godsend to me. She was minister at the time my husband who was totally blind became ill and died.  This minister walked alongside me at that time giving me support and understanding on a difficult journey. I thanked God that she was there. It was as if God knew she was the one I would need at that time – so he arranged for the change.

Another example:  Our minister had a recurrence of her cancer. Dalston-Crown Hill needed someone to take over when our minister could no longer continue. Rev. Susanne Vanderlugt “just happened” to be available. She had the strengths and talents that were needed by our congregation at that time. She guided us over a very difficult time of loss and strengthened us in preparation for a new beginning.  A coincidence? … NO.  A  Godincidence!

I do not pretend to know all the ins and outs of God’s plans but there are some generalities that I can make from my experiences which help me to trust that God is working and will continue to be working even when, like the disciples in the boat, we do not feel His presence and it doesn’t seem to us that God has everything under control.

Over these past 62 years, ministers have come and gone members of the congregation have come and gone. The congregation has experienced mountain top times and valley times. We have mourned together, laughed together, cried together, agreed or disagreed with each other, made pies and served meals together, worshipped together in many different ways and even in different places. And yet through this myriad of changes:

•  my faith in our loving God has been nurtured,
• my understanding of the width and depth of God’s love has grown,
• and my knowledge of the importance of God’s word has increased.

This rural church community of faith has helped me realize that no matter what is happening in the world around me I am loved by God. God loves me unconditionally, just as He loves each of you. I can have God’s peace in my innermost being no matter the struggle or chaos around me. If I just seek Him out, read His Word, talk to Him (after all, prayer.is just talking to God – like a good friend, pouring out my hopes, dreams, troubles) and I know that God is in control and all is well with my soul.

I want others in our local community to be able to experience this quality of fellowship and love. That is the reason I am still here. I believe that this is why God has led so many of us to choose to stay as a community of faith in our local community. There are many people in our local community who are hurting, facing trials, job loss, family breakups, loss of loved ones. I would like them to have the benefit of a local church community where they can be “family”, they can learn about the love of Jesus, they can experience the loving support of a faith family, they can experience God’s love and grow in their understanding and relationship with God.

We have put our boat out into the water trusting that God is putting His plans in motion. Already we have seen our summer schedule fill up, our Conference liaison person for the Search Committee for a new minister is in place, Our supervising minister has been appointed. Sometimes we may face winds and waves but we must remember God is at work behind the scenes. We must trust in our God. God is at work even when we can’t see him, even when nothing seems to be happening.

Honourable David Onley, former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario who is disabled and in a wheelchair (and served his term as Lieutenant-Governor while in a wheelchair). was interviewed recently on 100 Huntley Street. When asked how he had been able to adjust to his life as a disabled person, he answered with Isaiah 43 verses 18 and 19.”Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. Behold I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert.”  The Honourable David Onley said that verse guided him to look ahead, trusting in the Lord to find his way, not looking back with regret at how things were in the past.

Let us remember to pray regularly and often to our God. We need to thank Him for His Care. We need to ask for His Guidance. We need to ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen our Leadership Team and the Search Team for our new minister and to give them wisdom.

Let us repeat together our New Creed, savouring the power in the words:

We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.

We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
          God is with us.
We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.