Palm Sunday
This Sunday is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week as we lead up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Sunday Worship: We are currently gathering for online Services on Sundays at 10 am. This can be accessed on the Worship page of the church website. pentictonunitedchurch.com/worship/. Services will be recorded and posted on the website if you want to watch at a later time.
If you are joining the online service on Sunday (April 5), there are a couple of ways you can participate in the welcoming of Jesus during the service:
- Cut a branch from a tree or plant that you can wave
- Make a palm branch using paper and a stick or wooden spoon
- Use something else that you can wave like a scarf or ribbon.
For all the services, you can take part in the ritual of lighting the Christ candle. Have a candle nearby that you can turn on or light when we light the Christ candle at the start of the service, recognizing that where ever we are, Christ is with us.
We are going to create a photo montage of ‘signs of spring’ for an upcoming service. Take pictures of signs of spring that you see. Email your photos to Joanne by April 8 at noon.
Upcoming Services
| April 9 | 10 am | Maundy Thursday Taize Service |
| April 10 | 10 am | Good Friday Service |
| April 12 | 7:30 am | Easter Sunday Sunrise Service – The service will be followed by a time of fellowship in our virtual space. Bring your hot cross buns, cinnamon rolls, or breakfast goodies! |
| April 12 | 12 pm | Easter Communion Service – Led by United Church of Canada’s Moderator the Right Rev. Dr. Richard Bott (* See link below) |
| April 19 | 10 am | First Sunday after Easter Guest speaker Rev. Donald Schmidt |
Sign on information for all services can be found on the PUC website: http://www.pentictonunitedchurch.com/worship/
* Easter Communion Service This service will be led by UCC’s Moderator. It is a chance to join in an Easter celebration with people from across Canada. “Bring bread (or crackers, or muffins, or tortilla, or more!) and juice (or wine, or water, or more!), a candle, and anyone in your household who wants to celebrate Easter with folks from across The United Church of Canada.”
The service can be found on the United Church of Canada’s youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/unitedchurchofcanada?fbclid=IwAR2Vd-WO3rKW9pFfLPLiUyiQCcg6muxnaAqnoVR8DXd1Dr18vRkCLsz015Q
We will be sending out information on these services during next week.
A written copy of the Service is available on the website on the Blog page. If you would like a hardcopy and can’t access the website, please let the office know.
Contacting the Church: Staff are regularly monitoring the church mail, email and phone messages. The best way to get in touch is via email:
Church office: punitedc@telus.net
Joanne: joannescofield@telus.net
We will post updates on:
Website: pentictonunitedchurch.com/blog/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PentictonUnitedChurch1/
(please note: we had to start a new Facebook page so be sure to go to the page and click “like” to see updates)
Study Group: the fourth and final session will meet on Tuesday, April 21 at 1:30 pm.
Don’t forget Coffee and Chat: Monday and Wednesday at 9 via Zoom. Access this through the website under Covid19 Response/Virtual Coffee Break. This will be cancelled for Monday April 13 and Wednesday April 15.
Candle lighting Let’s join together in a ritual of pausing, lighting a candle and saying a prayer or meditation every day at 8 pm. It’s a way for us to connect as a community, in spirit. A number of congregations across the country have started this ritual so we can think of our own family and friends, the PUC family as well as the broader church. Here is a suggested prayer we can use:
You never sleep, God.
You are always awake, always willing the world and its people
towards wholeness and healing.
So tonight, will you comfort those who cannot sleep
because of illness
or worry,
or fear;
or for reasons they cannot understand.
And tonight will you be close to those who wait
patiently or impatiently
for a birth or death,
or for pieces of their life’s jigsaw to fit together.
And God, listen to us
as we share with you
whatever joys or sorrows,
discoveries of questions
we will take with us into the night…
Into your hands we commit ourselves –
our souls, our bodies our minds, our futures –
for all things are best kept in your care. Amen. (Iona Community Worship Book)
Offering
During this time when we don’t have our usual weekly offering, people are encouraged to continue their givings as you are able. Thank you to everyone who has dropped off cheques to the church and signed up for PAR. It is much appreciated to maintain the work of the church. There are a number of ways to make your offering:
• Going on PAR. This ensures that we are receiving money regularly. If you are interested please contact the office.
• Mail your donations to the office 696 Main Street, Penticton, B.C. V2A 5C8
• By making a direct donation on the Canada Helps website: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/penticton-united-church/
Prayer list so that you can include these people in your prayers. Please notify the office if we can remove anyone or add to it.
We pray for all who face health challenges and treatment including: Ann, Evan and Brook Brunellse, Dave and Teri Brunelle, Elsie Butler, Shelly Campbell, Patti Craig, Susan Davies, Carol French, Bob Ireland, Eleanor Jones, Kim MacDonald, Marj Notenboom, Fern Gibbard (sciatica), Shannon Oliver, Gwen Owen, Charlotte P., John Roberts, Ray Sommer and Shirley.
In our Pacific Mountain Region we pray for Northwood United Church, Surrey, BC
Lockdown Yes there is fear. Yes there is isolation. Yes there is panic buying. Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM
March 13th 2020
Penticton United Church 
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