Westbank United Church

West Bank United Church News Update

Greetings

And we thought the church flooding was inconvenient, this COVID is a whole new level of inconvenience! With that in mind, we should tap ourselves on the back that as a congregation we continue to keep an active church.

The Management team continues to ensure the congregation remain spiritually satisfied and the church business and activities continue. We work closely under the advice of UCC, and the provincial and municipal health authorities to ensure the safety of all.

Brown Road Interim Housing is still leasing space at the church and we continue with an open dialogue to maintain that agreement. The Boys and Girls Club has been unable to meet however Shelly Marks has seen to it they are not forgotten and will make sure they each receive a voucher for Christmas. Thank you, Shelly for all your hard work.

Seniors that do not have access to the internet are placed on a call list and are phoned on a regular basis by the Worship committee and others. They also receive mailed newsletters. We have a plan to improve this as you will read below.

We had engaged Reverend Ian McLean to provide Pastoral care to the congregation during this time and are so thankful for his service. Ian has also provided us with his participation at the Management Team meetings.

ZOOM who knew how much of a role it would play in our lives! We are so very thankful that Judi Ritcey, Summerland United has undertaken to organize and provide Zooming worship to WUC and Summerland congregations. She also performs joint worship 2 times a month. It has been great getting to worship with our United Church neighbors in Summerland and now one might say from all over. This will continue forward in 2021.

Reverend Donald Schmidt will continue to provide worship services for the congregation forward in 2021. His bible study on Revelations Finished up this week. Great Job, personally I gained a larger understanding of Revelations with a great group of people. If you are interested in following more of his online bible studies, follow him. revdonald.ca

Wonderfully we are pleased to announce beginning January 1st, we have hired Reverend Linda Ervin. Linda will function as the WUC Ministerial Leader. She will work to maintain communication with those unable to Zoom to participate and be engaged in the congregational aspects of the Church. She will work 15 hours a week with some hours spent in the church.

The church has still not received an offer and the Trustees keep up to date with our Realtor.

The Communications Task Force participated in the North Task Force and a report was presented to the Management Team. The Mgmt. Team decided to explore the South Lake Cluster we await feedback.

A huge thankyou to Saibun who has continued to work hard but always greets everyone with a warm welcome. Saibun can be reached at 250-768-4426 or wuc@westbankunitedchurch.ca

The MGMT Team wishes everyone A Very Merry Christmas

Let Peace, fill our hearts, our world, our universe

Judy Nagus, Lois Jefferis, Pam Hopkins, Shelly Marks, Diane Hayman, Bev Kolosoff, Helen Reid, Rev. Ian McLean, Linda McCall, Wanda Colvin

Introduction from the new minister

Now let me introduce myself. I am Linda M. Ervin born in Nova Scotia. Worked for the Royal Bank of Canada in Halifax for a few years and then went into ministry, Diaconal Ministry, specializing in education, pastoral care and outreach. Soon I began to do other work in the United Churches being in solo ministry, meaning adding Sunday worship services to my resume. I am also a trained intentional interim minister or as some call it a Transitional Minister. I have served in Vancouver, BC at First United Church in Outreach ministry which included housing development and advocacy for those on the streets as well as training volunteers to do Outreach ministry. Following First United Church and the completion of a degree at Simon Fraser University I began work at Kitsilano United Church in solo ministry then in team ministry as we began an amalgamation project between Kitsilano United Church and St. James United Church. I initially began my ministry in Calgary, Alberta then migrated to Vancouver BC. From Vancouver, BC I worked at St. Stephens College coordinating a program in Social Ministry and McDougal United Church in Edmonton. From there I served in Japan and learned to speak Japanese. After Japan I worked again in Calgary, then Penticton, BC and then Red Deer, Alberta, then Claresholm, Alberta and then I retired after 43 years in active ministry. But that did not last long. I have been working at Rutland United Church and as of January 1, 2021, I will be working part time at Rutland United Church and Westbank United Church. I will be with Westbank Untied Church until Dec. 31 2021. My focus as I consult with Westbank United Church Board and Ministry and Personnel Committee will be working with the Board, connecting with the Westbank Shelter Agency and pastoral care as well as developing worship services for those of you who do not use social media. Within the next few weeks, I hope to make contact with all the members and adherents of Westbank United Church. Also please call me. Because we do not meet it is hard to know if someone requires pastoral care or have gone into hospital so I need to hear from you, or if you just want to talk. My numbers are below. I do live in Penticton so it will be a long-distance call unless we can figure out something differently.

Each month you will all receive a letter from me and worship services in a package for those who do not have a computer. For those of you who have a computer and would like a copy of the weekly service, please let me know and each week you will be sent a worship service.

So, who receives these services? People at Rutland United Church and people at Zion United in Ashcroft. The services will follow the lectionary of the church and I am trying to find creative ways to deliver the message to you.

I would like to say I look forward to meeting you in person but that will not happen for a while. If you have any questions please be in touch.

With God’s great blessings, may you know you are not alone, yes God is with you. May you know that while apart we still remain blessings to one another. And remember this: You are God’s beloved.

Sincerely,

Linda M. Ervin

Transitional Minister

Diaconal Minister Westbank United Church

Diploma CCS, BGS (SFU), MTS (St. Stephens)

Companion: Centre For Christian Studies

“Sunday worship is currently held via Zoom. See below.”

Westbank United Church. Open hearts, open minds, open doors

Welcome to the website for Westbank United Church. Our church is located just off Main Street on Brown Road. This new mission statement describes who we are and how we seek to live as a community of faith.

Here you will find people with a keen interest in exploring questions of faith and a strong sense of compassion both in their life together and in the way they serve the wider community. We take the Bible seriously but not literally, and we draw our strength from God who breathes life through all of creation, known to us in Jesus Christ.

Westbank United Church is inviting you to join an online or zoom meeting every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM Pacific Time.

Topic: Sunday, Joint Worship, Summerland & Westbank United

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83971543383

Meeting ID: 839 7154 3383
Passcode: 487991

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Please contact the Church Administrator via email at: wuc@westbankunitedchurch.ca or phone 250-768-4426 for any further inquiries.