Roadwork to affect SouthWest Church

SouthWest has been informed by the Borough of Verdun that the street in front of our church, as well as several other blocks in Crawford Park, will be dug up for at least three months. We are assuming that SouthWest United will not be accessible for at least part of that period, set to begin around June 15th. We are actively looking for alternative spaces to hold worship: church is not cancelled! Below is the text of a letter inviting concerned citizens to an information meeting at the Borough Hall on June 6th. We will keep you updated as we know more.

INVITATION to an information meeting
The Borough of Verdun, Ville de Montréal and the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys invite you to an information meeting on the road and water main rehabilitation project that will be carried out this summer on several adjacent streets in the Crawford Park sector. 
The streets concerned by these work operations are as follows: Clemenceau, Lloyd-George and Leclair, between Churchill and Ouimet, as well as croissant Foch and rue Churchill along its entire length. The meeting will take place on:
Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. 
in the Council Meeting Room of the Borough Hall
4555, rue de Verdun
Given the scope of the work project and the fact that it will be undertaken at the same
time as the construction of the new school (within the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys), which is already under way, the Borough would like to present its residents
all of the work operations as well as the measures it is taking to reduce their impact. The
Borough would also like to set up a Comité de bon voisinage to promote good relations
among neighbours in the entire sector. This committee will provide you with an
opportunity to voice your concerns and suggestions on reducing the impact of the
various work projects and coordinating them as well. 
If you have any questions regarding this invitation, please call the Borough of
Verdun at 311. 

Ordination accomplished!

Congratulations to newly ordained Reverend Joëlle Leduc. Here she is with Aline - who was one of Joëlle’s mentors - serving communion to Theo Barratt-Lamey at Saturday’s ordination ceremonies at Wyman United Church in Hudson. SouthWest was well represented at these ceremonies. Thank you Shirley Stark for organizing SouthWest’s gift to Joëlle, the beautiful red stole that she is wearing. We are proud of you Joëlle! 

Minister's Message: Happy Birthday Church

At Meli-Melo this Sunday, we will be celebrating the birth of the church at Pentecost  (see below). The coming of the Spirit onto the rag-tag group of early disciples, facing fear and reprisal from established Religion and Empire, was a turbulent and chaotic time. Jesus their Leader was gone and they were alone. As people from many nations gathered in Jerusalem the Spirit descended with 'fire', imbuing Jesus' disciples with the courage and ability to communicate good news to all assembled. They spoke words of gospel and continued Jesus' ministry by healing the sick and building a vibrant community of faith which met in homes. Pentecost 'fire' ignited a movement that continues into our time.

How appropriate that, as we celebrate the birthday of the Christian Church at Pentecost, we also have the opportunity this Saturday to be part of the ministry celebration of Montreal & Ottawa Conference and participate in the ordination of Joëlle Leduc. She will be ordained into the ministry of preaching, sacrament and pastoral care. Her journey of many years is one of growing in faith, learning, leading worship, being an elder and a student. Much work, many joys, great challenges.

Joëlle is 'homegrown': over the years she led our breakfast club, organized our office, was our youth group leader and moved into places of youth ministry in Presbytery, Conference and with the wider United Church. When Joëlle joined us we were still Verdun and Crawford Park. Her arrival coincided with our amalgamation and mission plan. SouthWest, through transition and transformation, birthed vocation and ministry. When she is ordained Saturday there will be great shouts of joy, I anticipate your shouts being added to mine: Alléluia! Alleluia!! Alléluia!!!

The Christian Church is alive and well all around the world as a witness to a living faith; we too are followers of Jesus' way. The apostle Paul writes that while there are many members of the body there is but one Body of Christ. In another passage he says Christ is the Head of the Church.

Wherever God is leading SouthWest we have the assurance of Spirit present in our midst:

Spirit who imbues with courage to face all challenges.
Spirit who calls into ministry Joëlle, Beryl, Marco and so many more.
Spirit who helps us to be a vibrant ministry and church amid transitions and change.

Thanks be to God!
Amen. 

Rev. David

Join us Sunday May 27th at 12:30 at the Mission, 631 Melrose. All are welcome!

Health and Wellness Fair May 31

LE FRANÇAIS SUIVRA

SouthWest representatives will be on hand this Thursday for the Health and Wellness Fair in Verdun. We will share a table with our partners from Un plant de tomate à la fois so people can learn about our programs. We will be offering apples from our Mini-market in the interest of keeping the doctor away! Please note the following details from our partners at CCS:

This Thursday, May 31st, CCS and the Anglo Family Council will be hosting our fourth annual Health and Wellness Fair at Epiphany’s green space – 4322 Rue Wellington. Come check out the fun as Promenade Wellington kicks off it’s Sidewalk Sale!

Between 1pm-4pm we will have hourly demos, raffle draws, healthy snacks and tables full of information regarding local health and social services. All are welcome – free admission. Please note the change that Zumba will be at 1pm and Chair Yoga will be at 2pm.

Drop by Epiphany a bit early, and catch their community lunch from 12pm-1pm – a yummy pasta dish will be served up by the awesome teams at Epiphany and Reclaim Literacy, for a suggested donation of $2.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Le jeudi 31 mai, CCS et l'Anglo Family Council accueillerons notre quatrième salon de la santé et du bien-être, dans l'espace extérieur de l'Épiphanie, au 4322 rue Wellington. Venez nous visiter dans le contexte de la vente trottoir printanière de la Promenade Wellington.  

Entre 13h et 16h, nous présenterons des démonstrations à chaque heure, des tirages au sort, des collations santé et des tables pleines d'informations sur les services sociaux et de santé locaux. Tous sont les bienvenus. Activité gratuite. S'il vous plaît noter le changement que Zumba sera à 13h et le yoga sur chaise sera à 14h.

Vous êtes invités à venir visiter l'Épiphanie un peu plus tôt et ainsi participer à un dîner communautaire entre midi et 13h, où un succulent repas de pâtes vous sera servi par les impressionnantes équipes de l'Épiphanie et de Reclaim Literacy. Une contribution de 2$ est suggérée.

Au plaisir de vous y rencontrer!

Jillian Ritchie
Manager - Network and Community Social Health
CCS Collective Community Services
451 Ave De L’Église, Suite 200
Montreal, QC, H4G 2M6
(514) 937-5351, ext 245

Félicitations/ Congratulations Joëlle!

We are so proud of Joëlle, whom we have watched grow in faith and ministry these last eleven years. For those who don`t know her, a short bio is printed below. Hear her testimony about the transformation of the church on the Conference website by clicking the button below.

On est tellement fier de Joëlle. Nous avons été témoins de sa croissance en foi et ministère depuis onze ans. Écoutez son témoignage sur la transformation de l'église sur le site web du Synode Montréal et Ottawa en cliquant le bouton. Pour ceux qui ne la connaissent pas, vous pouvez lire une courte biographie en bas de cette page.

I am a francophone Québecoise from a non-practicing Catholic family.  I discovered the United Church in my mid-twenties when I was looking for an open and welcoming milieu to explore my faith.  I rapidly felt home at South-West United (in Verdun).  I became involved first in the choir, and then in the youth group where I discovered my vocation.  My partner and I met at a United Church Youth Forum, when we were both animators for our respective churches.  We are now married and mothers of a one and a half year-old little girl.

Je suis une Québécoise francophone issue d’une famille catholique non pratiquante. J’ai découvert l’Église Unie à la mi-vingtaine alors que je recherchais un milieu ouvert et accueillant pour explorer ma foi. Je me suis rapidement sentie chez moi à l’Église Unie du Sud-Ouest (à Verdun). Je m’y suis impliquée d’abord dans la chorale, puis dans le groupe de jeunes où j’ai découvert ma vocation. Ma conjointe et moi nous sommes rencontrées dans un Forum jeunesse de l’Église Unie, alors que nous étions toutes deux animatrices jeunesse pour nos églises respectives. Nous sommes maintenant mariées et mères d’une petite fille d’un an et demi.

Markers at the ready: it's Bingo time!

Get ready for Bingo next Saturday, June 2nd. They'll be serving hotdogs. Cost at the door is $5, which gets you your first bingo card and a ticket for the (cash) door prize. Additional bingo cards can be bought for 50 cents. Doors open at 12:00, play begins at 1PM. Please note that this is in the basement of the church, at 1445 rue Clemenceau in Crawford Park. This will be the last monthly Bingo game until September, so don't miss it!

Invitation from our Muslim Neighbours

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during which most Muslims fast during daylight hours and break their fast with celebratory meals after dark, began on May 16th and continues through June 14th. Our Verdun Islamic Centre is inviting us into one of these celebrations during Ramadan. All are welcome. Let's live our diversity as community together. 
The food is provided but we can contribute desserts for this event.
Please circulate the  invitation below and ask people who wish to attend to confirm their presence by calling 438-936-3038

David Lefneski
President, Anglo Family Council
Minister & Community Leader

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Invitation: Celebrate Iftar with us

Each year the Muslim community all over the world celebrates the month of Ramadan with spiritual activities that encourage people to exercise values in their lives and to apply it among themselves. What’s special about this month is that rituals are not performed by people alone, but  rather it brings people together to share good feelings. It brings to Muslims state of peace and love like your Christian Christmas. We gather at the main meal when we break the fast after sunset each day in Ramadan, and we make sure to share these happy hours with the ones we love and care for the most.

As a united community, as family and friends, it is our pleasure to invite you to our community dinner (Iftar) on Saturday, May 26th at 8:45 pm in the Islamic Centre of Verdun.

We hope that you would come to our Iftar, as your presence would add happiness and joy to the event and sharing together these occasions, that are originally a family gathering, would make us a real family.

Yours,

Ayman Abouseada
Administrative coordinator
MAC-Islamic Center of Verdun
4538 rue de Verdun, H4G 3G3
Next to Metro station Verdun
438-936-3038

Mini-market May 23rd

The next Mini-market is from 10:30 to 3:30 next Wednesday, May 23rd. The best way to get the fruit and veggies you want at affordable prices is to pre-order by phone or using the attached form. Your order will be set aside for you on the day. If you can, stay for community lunch at 12:30! Download the pricelist below to see what will be on offer:

Le prochain Mini-marché sera mercredi prochain, 23 mai de 10H30 à 15H30. Pour s'assurer d'avoir les fruits et légumes que vous voulez veut, vaut mieux pré-commander par téléphone ou courriel en utilisant le formulaire ci-joint. Télécharger la liste de prix pour savoir ce qui sera offert:

Victoria Day

Victoria Day in the Point in years past

For some, Victoria Day is a sign that summer is just around the corner. The holiday, which is only celebrated in Canada and Scotland, began as a celebration to honour Queen Victoria’s birthday. The British queen was born on May 24, 1819 and became Queen on the 20th of June, 1837 at the age of 18. Remaining on her throne for 63 years, 216 days, she was the longest reigning British monarch, until Queen Elizabeth II surpassed that record on September 9th, 2015.

 In Quebec La Journée nationale des patriotes is celebrated on the same day. But in “the Point” and Verdun, Victoria Day was also known as “fire cracker day”. My Grandfather told us stories of Irish families throughout Griffintown,  Point St. Charles and Verdun that would light up the sky with fireworks. Entire blocks of kids, some wearing pajamas, would watch from the front steps of their brick row houses. When the neighborhood finally depleted its arsenal of roman candles and bottle rockets, the bonfires would begin.
Kids would grab anything they could: a loose section of fence, an old sofa and tires. Some of the fires would be in a field, some would be right there in the middle of Wellington St. The fire department would put one out only to see an even bigger fire pop up a few blocks over.

Of course, on a quieter note, there were also church picnics and field days to celebrate the Queen’s birthday!

Whether you’re celebrating Victoria Day, La Fête des patriotes, or just the warm weather, have a “firecracker” of a looonggg week-end!

-          Darlene

Community Notes

Scottish history in Quebec:

The Sons of Scotland are planning a Bus Trip to Gould Quebec in the Eastern Township on July 11th. Tickets are $30.00, which includes a Scottish Buffet Lunch  and a Guided Tour of Gould.

200 Scottish immigrants arrived from the Isle of Lewis in 1838 and settled in the Village of Victoria near Gould, so the tour should be very interesting.

A Buffet Lunch of Scottish Cuisine will be served at the Gould Rush Inn at 12:30.

The Bus leaves at 8:00 A.M. from the Champlain Mall near Tim Horton's and will arrive at Gould

at 10:30. Leaving Gould around 2:30 P.M.

If anyone is interested please contact Lorna Joannette at 514-761-1342. Cut-off date to purchase tickets is June 1st.
 

Spring Fling wrap-up

Last Saturday's Spring Bazaar made over $1,000.00 Thank you to all who helped by donating items, time, money and energy.

Sharron O’Reilly was the lucky person to take home the Pantry Basket prepared by Kathy O’Halloran that was raffled off, raising $118 for Benevolence! Thanks Kathy for your creative contribution!  Sharron 's name was also drawn for the chiffon citrus cake! Margaret Mercer's name was drawn for the surprise bucket! See photos of the day below.

Drivers wanted!

In the interest of spring cleaning at the Mission we are looking for people with cars to help take things to Renaissance on Wellington. Ten people doing one trip each would be a lot easier than one person doing ten or more loads! Call the office ahead of time to make sure someone will be here to help load up your vehicle. Thanks!