40 ACTS Lenten Activity

Written by Unity United Church. Posted in News

CropperCapture[5] Sylvia van der Weg asked that the 40 Acts web site be posted on Unity United Church web site. Traditionally, Lent has been viewed as a season of giving up.  A time to sacrifice.  40acts was envisioned to take that one step further.  Just as Jesus surrendered his life to atone for our sin, we give up in order to put others first.  But in order to bless others, we must plan ahead.  So, whether you have 5, 10 or 60 spare minutes, start now.    CLICK  

ASH WEDNESDAY

Written by Unity United Church. Posted in News

CropperCapture[7] Many Christians in Canada mark Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent. It is the beginning of the Lenten fast and is the day after Shrove Tuesday. Many churches in Canada hold special Ash Wednesday services for their congregations. It is a time when people who seek penitence for their wrongdoings are marked with the sign of the cross, from blessed ashes, on their forehead. This symbolic occasion reminds people of their mortality and sorrow for sins, as well as the will for change and the hope of forgiveness. Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity. It occurs 46 days (40 weekdays plus 6 Sundays) before Easter and can fall as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation  by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday was seen as a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate. Accordingly, Christians fasted from Monday to Saturday (6 days) during 6 weeks and from Wednesday to Saturday (4 days) in the preceding week, thus making up the number of 40 days. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.  

Unity United Church Leadership Team 2015

Written by Unity United Church. Posted in News

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  • At the annual meeting on Sunday, February 8, 2015, members of the congregation approved the following slate of candidates to form the Unity United  Church  Leadership Team for 2015
  • Past Chair – Brian Stanley
  • Chair – Carol Galbraith
  • Vice Chair – George Dawson
  • Secretary – Elaine Jones
  • Treasurer – Gerrit van der Weg
  • Member at large – Cindy Pearson
  • M & P – Bruce Wood