Texada Island United Church

December 2020

21/11/2020

Church Notes December, 2020
Be kind Be calm   Be safe
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Focus on Spirit! A weekly reflection is posted on the church website. Links can be found on the churches Facebook page (sometimes there are extra posts there so check it out ) and Texada Message Board.
Church Reopening:  With the recent restrictions put on gatherings because of COVID all church gatherings are suspended until we can do so safely. If there is anything that we can do for you please contact Rev. Gayle Chouinard.
Energy Healing Sessions… are suspended due to COVID-19
Prayer Group: Please call Rikki Kooy, 604-243-8097 for prayers or information
Weekly Services: 10:30 Sundays…are suspended until further notice.
Please note that your donations or tithes are more important than ever right now, and can be mailed to “Texada United Church, Box 23, Gillies Bay, BC V0N 1W0.

Minister’s Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursdays, at the church, 1-3 pm.
Minister: Rev. Gayle Chouinard, 604-414-7309
trollhollow123@gmail.com
Board Chair: Dale Rinehart, 604-486-0050
Legion Chaplain:  Karen May, 604-413-0994
Website: www.texadaunited.ca
Facebook: Texada Island United Church

November 2020

1/11/2020

Church Notes November 2020
Be kind Be calm Be safe
“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile and sometimes your smile
is the source of your joy.”
Thich Nhat Hahn (Vietnamese Buddhist monk & teacher)
Focus on Spirit! Published each Sunday on the Texada Island United Church website. Usually there is a message posted on Facebook on the Texada Message Board and also the Texada Island United Church Facebook page. Sometimes other things are posted on the church’s Facebook page so become a follower and don’t miss out.
Energy Healing Sessions… are suspended due to COVID-19 concerns until further notice.
Prayer Group: Please call Rikki Kooy, 604-243-8097 for prayers or information
Weekly Services: 10:30 Sundays…ARE SUSPENDED until further notice. We are complying with regional church direction, to limit our activities at this time. Please note that your donations or tithes are more important than ever right now, and can be mailed to “Texada United Church, Box 23, Gillies Bay, BC V0N 1W0.

Minister’s Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursdays at the church, 1-3 pm.
Minister: Rev. Gayle Chouinard, 604-414-7309
trollhollow123@gmail.com
Board Chair: Dale Rinehart, 604-486-0050
Legion Chaplain: Karen May, 604-413-0994
Website: www.texadaunited.ca
Facebook: Texada Island United Church

October 2020

1/10/2020

Church Notes October 2020
Be kind Be calm Be safe
Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.
Thich Nhat Hanh

We are still in strange times and it seems like we will be in them for a long while. So my question for you is how are you in this moment? Is everything OK right now? Are you alright for today?
Fear is a crazy thing! It keeps me up at night and preoccupied during the day. My mind looks for things to worry about. Last week I worried for two days that I would be missing a Zoom conference (which went fine by the way) What a waste, I could have worried about something else!

Except all our worries, fears, doubts, anger aren’t crazy or as foolish as mine. They are real as we face COVID 19 not as happening somewhere outside our communities but now it’s here. Does the Now What? or What’s Next? scare you – me too. But it doesn’t paralyze me! I’ll be doing the same things we have all been doing these past months – washing hands, not touching people or things unnecessarily, limiting where I go and who I see, wearing a mask, trying to be kind as Dr. Henry suggests. Yes I am boring! But I also see this time as an opportunity – an invitation to live fully in the moment. Moving the fear into anticipation and even joy.

Am I still afraid about what tomorrow may bring. Yes! And then I come back to the moment and I am OK right now. How are you?
Blessings,
Gayle

Focus on Spirit! Posted every Sunday on the Church web site – link to which is posted on Texada Message Board and Texada Island United Church Facebook page.

Church Reopening: Nothing definite to tell you yet, but plans are being made to have worship services resume in the future. Watch the Texada Message Board and Texada Island United Church Facebook page.

Milestones:
Kathleen (Kay) Hagman (Nov 26, 1931 - July 26, 2020) of Enderby, B.C..She and her husband Bob lived on Texada from 1988 to 2005. They were very involved in many aspects of life on Texada and were a very well known and respected couple.

Gerald Doherty (Nov. 4, 1934 – August 6, 2020) Long time resident of Texada, predeceased by his wife, Joyce, Gerald will be missed by his many friends and neighbours. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Rev Jim Erb (July 17, 1933 – Aug. 22, 2020) Jim was ordained by the United Church in 1959 and served several parishes in British Columbia over the next 50 years, including Texada Island from 2000-2003 and Powell River from 2006-2010. He is well remembered for the time he spent ministering on Texada.

Prayer Group: Please call Rikki Kooy, 604-243-8097 for prayers or information re prayer group.
Minister’s Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3 pm. at the church.
Minister: Rev. Gayle Chouinard, (B.A., B.Th., M.Div., S.T.M.)
604-414-7309. email: trollhollow123@gmail.com
Board Chair: Dale Rinehart, 604-486-0050

Website: www.texadaunited.ca (recently updated, please check it out!)
Facebook: Texada Island United Church

August 2020

19/7/2020

Church Notes: August 2020
Remember…as things gradually open up and return to some semblance of normal, to continue to be careful, respectful, and calm.
Minister’s Update: Hi This is a little weird! I’m the new minister at Texada United Church but I’ve lived here with my husband, Ryk Allen (and dog, Squish) for five years. I hope over the next few weeks to be contacting people and getting to know some of you a little better. If you want to want to know more about the church, have any suggestions or ideas or just want to talk contact me ( trollhollow123@gmail.com or 604-414-7309) and we can set up a time.
Blessings, Rev. Gayle Chouinard
Focus on Spirit! Every Sunday we publish a short reflection based on a scripture reading on our website with a link posted on the Texada Message Board. Check it out.
Worship Services The United Church in B.C. is still in Stage 1 which means that there are no worship services in the church because of the vulnerability of our congregations. We hope that we will be able to reopen for worship soon so don’t despair we will get there and will let you know via the Texada Message Board.
Milestones: Died: Lydia Butt on July 4, 2020. Our condolences to her family and friends.
Energy Healing Sessions… are suspended due to COVID-19 concerns until further notice.
Prayer Group: Please call Rikki Kooy, 604-243-8097 for prayers or information re prayer group.
Weekly Services: 10:30 Sundays… ARE SUSPENDED until further notice. Please gift yourself with a short daily period of spiritual reflection and/or prayer during this time of social distancing, while we protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID - 19 .
Please note that your donations or tithes are more important than ever right now, and can be mailed to “Texada United Church, Box 23, Gillies Bay, BC V0N 1W0.

Minister’s Office Hours: Thursdays, at the church, 1-3 pm – Sorry you have to bring your own coffee for now and we must physically distance but the door is open. So come on in.
Minister: Rev. Gayle Chouinard, 604-414-7309, trollhollow123@gmail.com
Board Chair: Dale Rinehart, 604-486-0050
Legion Chaplain: Karen May, 604-413-0994
Website: www.texadaunited.ca (updating slowly, please check it out!)

Church Notes July, 2020

1/7/2020

Church Notes July, 2020
Remember…as things gradually open up and return to some semblance of normal, to continue to be careful, respectful, and calm.
Minister’s Update: This will be the last time I, Karen May, write “Church Notes”. I am handing over my duties as the Minister of Texada Island United Church to Rev. Gayle Chouinard as of July 1, 2020. It has been my honour and privilege to serve this church and this community for 14 years now, and I am looking forward to retirement here on Texada.
Introducing Rev. Gayle Chouinard – our new Minister! In her own words:
“Hi Texada. I am excited to be starting as the new minister at Texada United Church. My husband, Rev. Ryk Allen and I are United Church ministers who have been enjoying our retirement here for the past five years. We have five children and eight grandchildren who are scattered across Canada. We feel we have been blessed to be living here and I hope that my service at the church will continue Karen’s faithful and stellar leadership.”
Blessings,
Gayle (Rev. Gayle Chouinard, B.A., B.Th., M.Div., S.T.M.)
Focus on Spirit! My series is complete – Gayle will take a little time to figure out what she will do in terms of community outreach – please watch Texada Message Board for updates. Her office hours will be on Thursdays, 1-3pm at the church. Please drop in to say hello! (appropriate distancing is still in place)
Church Reopening: Nothing definite to tell you yet, but plans are being made to have worship services resume in the near future. Again, please watch the Texada Message Board.
Energy Healing Sessions… are suspended due to COVID-19 concerns until further notice.
Prayer Group: Please call Rikki Kooy, 604-243-8097 for prayers or information re prayer group.
Weekly Services: 10:30 Sundays… ARE SUSPENDED until further notice. We are complying with Public Health Authorities, and national and regional church direction, to limit our activities at this time. Please gift yourself with a short daily period of spiritual reflection and/or prayer during this time of social distancing, while we protect ourselves and our loved ones from the ravages of this pandemic. Please note that your donations or tithes are more important than ever right now, and can be mailed to “Texada United Church, Box 23, Gillies Bay, BC V0N 1W0.

New Minister’s Office Hours: Thursdays, at the church, 1-3 pm. Please call ahead if you would like to talk to Gayle – bring your own coffee, and we must physically distance appropriately for this time.
Minister: Rev. Gayle Chouinard, 604-414-7309, trollhollow123@gmail.com
Board Chair: Dale Rinehart, 604-486-0050
Legion Chaplain: Karen May, 604-413-0994
Website: www.texadaunited.ca (recently updated, please check it out!)

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