Weekly Announcements
Work and Witness of the Church
Sunday, November 7, 2021
While we cannot be together in body, we can continue to be together in spirit. We encourage you to reach out; call a friend; call a neighbour. Share Kindness, Justice and Hope wherever you can. Below are some ways you can keep in touch with the Cummer Community while we are physically separated.
Today at Cummer Avenue
Newsletter Deadline: Sunday, November 7, 12:30 pm. Please submit articles to Andrea Journeaux and to Becky Coulter Mistele. If your submission is more than a page please give us a “heads up”. Planning the layout is important. Articles in legible handwriting are also welcome. Deliver to Andrea.
Opportunities to Foster Spirituality
Advent Reflection Series: Tuesdays, November 23 – December 14, 6:45 – 8:00 pm. Join Karen and Heather for an opportunity to explore the Christmas story as found in the Gospel of Luke, chapters 1 and 2. We will consider both the textual context and the message for us today. Materials will be provided. Contact Heather to register.
Did You Know? 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Poppy in Canada. Madame Anna Guérin, later christened "The Poppy Lady from France", inspired by John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields", had an idea: to adopt the distribution of the Poppy on Armistice Day as a way to raise money for Veterans' needs and to remember those who had given their lives during the First World War. In July of 1921 the Great War Veterans Association (which in 1925 would unify with other Veteran groups to form the Canadian Legion) adopted the Poppy as the flower of Remembrance. Since then, the Legion and its members have upheld this tradition of Remembrance. For more information, visit: https://www.legion.ca/remembrance/poppy-100-anniversary
Opportunities to Work for Justice
Christmas Food Drive: Saturday November 27, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon. The on-going health situation has impacted many people in our neighbourhood, particularly those who are most vulnerable. But you can help. We will be available to collect your gift of non-perishable food items in the parking lot of 53 Cummer. All food collected will be donated to the North York Harvest Food bank. Particularly needed: rice/pasta/grains, canned tomatoes, canned vegetables cooking oil and canned fish.
Balsam Lake Honey: We still have some jars of honey available: $10 for a small jar and $20 for a large jar. Proceeds go to the Don Valley Refugee Resettlers (DVRR). Please contact Jim Acheson to place your order: Current orders will be available for pick-up / delivery soon. New orders will be available in December.
Cheese Sale: Continuing with a Christmas fundraising tradition orders are being taken for Empire Cheese. The funds raised will support the Drop Inn program for the homeless. Despite the fact that we were unable to operate the Drop Inn after March of 2020 there have been ongoing costs to store equipment and there will be additional costs when we start up again in 2022 for things like additional personal protective equipment and cleaning. In 2021 we contributed some of the money from the cheese to the Food Bank and we will being doing that again this year.
There are a large variety of cheeses and they are very high quality, comparable to what you get from a delicatessen and are competitively priced – just check the deli in your local grocery store. The cheese is made in Northumberland County east of Toronto by one of the few remaining independent cheese factories in southern Ontario. The cheese freezes very well; the cheddars are just a little more crumbly after being frozen – we mention this as due to the upcoming price increases in milk/cheese coming soon some of you may wish to stock up a little more than usual.
The cheese is sold in blocks which are nominally 12 oz except for the Parmesan wedge and smoked gouda. The actual price of a given block depends on the exact weight and so will vary slightly from that listed here. Like last year the price is not printed on the label making it more suitable for gift giving.
If you are interested in getting some cheese this year, please fill out the order form and send it to Elizabeth Mistele. The orders must be received by end of day November 25. The cheese arrives on November 30. You will be emailed with the exact amount owing – which won't be known the cheese arrives because the cheese is priced according to the actual weight. You can pay by cheque made out to Elizabeth or e-transfer.
You can pick up the cheese from the Coulter-Mistele home on the evening of November 30 or have the cheese delivered to you on December 1 or 2. Alternately contact Elizabeth to make other arrangements. The cheese curd will be taken fresh from the factory on the afternoon of November 29 – so if you pick up your order on the 30th, it will be just over 24 hours old.
Thank you for your consideration. It is a good cause, good cheese and a good price.
Opportunities to Build Community
Daily Coffee Klatsch: Weekdays at 10:00 am. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join the staff and other members of the congregation for a chance to connect and chat. If you can’t access the Zoom platform, you can still dial in for a chat.
Online Office Hours for Rev. Cheryl-Lynn: Tuesdays at 1pm and Thursdays at 9am. Drop in on Rev. Cheryl-Lynn via Zoom. If you can’t drop in during the day, evening hours are available by appointment. As always, if you have a private matter to discuss, please contact her to find a mutually convenient time to talk. Contact the church office for the links (also published in the Monday Highlights).
Keeping It Together Team (KITT): Wednesday, November 10, 6:15 pm
Joybook 2021! Reminding everyone to update their contact information (form was previously provided with the Monday Highlights – if you need us to resend it, please contact the church office) and take a picture if you can and forward them both to CummerJoybook@gmail.com. As well, everyone gets their own page to draw a picture, tell a joke, share lyrics to a song or just let us know what you had in your Joy suitcase this past year to bring a smile to your face. Also, what are you looking forward to when we return to our church building together? Any questions? Email CummerJoybook@gmail.com or phone Barbara Puckering and leave a message and she will get back to you. Please have your submissions in asap. We hope to have the Joybook ready before we return to 53 Cummer.
General Announcements
Executive Board: Wednesday, November 11, 7:15 pm. Executive Board Meetings are open to everyone. If you would like to attend, please contact Angela at cauc.chair@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
Sneak Peek at 53 Cummer: Tune in to the service on November 21 for a virtual tour of our renovations!
United Church Calendars: We will once again be ordering United Church Calendars. Enjoy stunning photographs of United Churches across the country while keeping track of liturgical seasons and colours, significant United Church days, and lectionary dates. Please contact Heather to place your order. Cost is $7.00 each.
Offering: Even though we cannot gather physically for Sunday worship, you can still support the church financially, through a variety of options:
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Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR): specify a set amount to be deducted from your bank account on a monthly basis. Contact Sally Hogarth to enrol or change your donation amount.
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Interac-email money transfers. You may send transfers through your on line banking to donations@cummeravenueuc.ca . In the comment box please include your envelope# (or other contact info) and where the funds are to be designated (ie. General fund, M&S, Renovations, DVRR, Drop-Inn, etc.).
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Mail your offering (cheque) to the church office. We generally pick up the mail on Wednesday morning. The mailing address is:
Cummer Avenue United Church
c/o Willowdale Emmanuel United Church
349 Kenneth Avenue, Toronto, ON M2N 4V9
Upcoming Worship
Next Sunday (November 14):
Theme: Encourage Love and Good
Text: Hebrews 10:11-25
Future Dates:
Sunday, November 21: Guest Preacher: Rev. Warren McDougall
Sunday, November 28: Advent 1 (Hope), with Communion