Author Archives: r.a. paterson

Healing Touch

By: r.a. paterson | June 9, 2009
Healing TouchHealing Touch

Date: Every Monday afternoon
Location: First†Metropolitan United Church

We believe that healing is a process guided by God to restore balance and wholeness of body, mind and spirit, not only within the individual but also within relationships, community and creation. Experience and research has shown that patients experience a faster recuperation with healing touch.

Healing Touch sessions are available by appointment on Monday afternoons on the hour from noon to 6:00 pm and other times by prior arrangement. To make an appointment, phone the First†Met office and leave a message in the Healing Touch voicemail box or phone Susan Walma at (250) 361-0694. A list of the healers is posted on the Wellness notice board. Each one can give information and healing.

On the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm, the healers meet to share our experiences and to practice new and old techniques. We welcome new healer members who have training in Reiki or Healing from the Heart.

  • Phone: (250) 388.5188, ext. 235
  • Fax: (250) 388.5186
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Our Mission Statement

By: r.a. paterson | June 7, 2009

We are a community called to live our lives as witnesses to God as known through Jesus. We invite others to share our Christian journey as we seek to be a transforming presence in our city and the world.

Our Values:

  1. To love one another unconditionally as God loves us.
  2. To value each person’s uniqueness and the gifts of community.
  3. To actively care for and live with respect in Creation
  4. To nurture Christian spirituality and justice-seeking in ways that foster personal growth and creative interaction.

Our Vision:

  1. To be an alive, welcoming and inclusive Christian community for all ages.
  2. To enter into worship that draws us closer to our Creator, enabling us to be active followers of Jesus in our communities.
  3. To nurture transformation through spiritual practices and learning that reconnect us to our Source and empower us to be salt and light in the world.
  4. To reach out with compassion and respect , seeking justice and healing within our church, our community and beyond.

Goals and Objectives for 2011 – 2013:

Our goals and objectives for these years are spelled out in detail in our strategic plan which outlines our vision to 2020. Ingeneral, our goals over the next years are:

  1. To promote ministry and programming that lives out our calling in Christ and meaningfully engages both our congregation and the broader community.
  2. To retain and recruit effective staff members and volunteers.
  3. To maximize resources so that we continue to be financially viable.
  4. To ensure that the building infrastructure meets the needs of our community.

 

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Music at First†Met

By: r.a. paterson | May 2, 2011

We at First†Metropolitan are especially proud of our Music Ministry. Services typically include the best of classical music as well as the newest hymns coming out of our church tradition. Hymns include old favourites and songs of celebration from other countries.

Accompanied by an Allen 4-manual digital organ, music soars to the heavens each Sunday morning.

Sanctuary Choir

 

 

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Social Groups

By: r.a. paterson | June 1, 2009

People new to the congregation will find that joining one or more of the social groups is an excellent way to begin to feel part of our community. Our groups include:

  • Acti-Mets
  • Ramblers
  • Merry Mates
  • Friendship Club
  • QVC, a social group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Christians and those wishing to explore their connection with God 
  • Craft and Smocking Group, bring your own craft or come and learn to smock. Phone Barb for more information – (250) 474.2098
  • Men’s Monthly Luncheon: No host luncheon on second Tuesday of month at Howard Johnson Banquet Room, 12 noon. Each luncheon features a guest speaker. Contact George Skelton at 250-727-0597 or Blain Thierry at 250-595-1932. Check the events calendar for dates and guest speakers.
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Inner City Dinners

By: r.a. paterson | January 3, 2009

First†Metropolitan United Church continues to serve over 240 roast beef dinners each month, for nine months of the year. All inner city people are welcome to our Fellowship Hall on the Friday before social assistance cheques come out.

Volunteers are always needed to help cook and serve these meals.  Call Robin Breckon at 250-472-3381 if you can help with these jobs or are interested in serving in other capacities.

Inner City Dinner PhotoVolunteers are always needed to help cook and serve these meals.
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United Church Women (UCW)

By: r.a. paterson | January 4, 2009
UCW Logo

The purpose of the UCW as stated in its constitution is to unite women of the congregation for the total mission of the church and to provide a medium through which we may express our loyalty and devotion to Jesus Christ in Christian witness, study, fellowship and service. The UCW supports and cares for the women within the UCW membership and also extends goodwill to all women of the Congregation.

The UCW has more than forty committed members, working within two units, namely:

  • Mildred Mossop
  • Unity

Each unit holds monthly meetings. Meetings include presentations by First†MetropolitanChurch staff and congregation members as well as by outside presenters. First†Metropolitan members attend Presbyterial meetings four times each year. A Presbyterial highlight of the year is the June event at Camp Pringle – Day Apart.

The UCW makes financial contributions to the First Metropolitan United Church’s Children, Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry, Outreach Ministry, Hospitality team, Health and Wellness Ministry, the Flower Committee, and the Grace and Howley James Fund. In addition, the UCW supports the United Church of Canada’s Mission and Service Fund, the Kitchen at George Pringle Memorial Camp, sponsorships of children to attend summer programs at Camp Pringle, and the UCW UCW Presbyterial and its Projects Fund.

Another function of the UCW is the continuing connection with the young children on the Cradle Roll. Birthday cards are sent to children ages one to three. In addition, cards are sent to UCW members on special occasions: 90th birthdays, Anniversaries, get well messages, thinking of you and sympathy cards.

We support events of the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada such the World Day of Prayer and the Least Coin Project. Many members attend and participate in these programs. Our members continue to share their knitting skills. We have given bags of knitting (socks, mitts, toques, little sweaters, and dishcloths) for the Knitters Group and Midwives in Africa to distribute.

It has become a tradition to hold a special inter-denominational worship services at Advent. Members of the UCW experience bonds of friendship, fellowship and pastoral care.

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Pastoral Care

By: r.a. paterson | June 3, 2009

Pastoral Care seeks to model the caring heart of Christ in our relationships with the members and adherents of First Metropolitan as well as those in the larger community. If someone is ill or hurting, the Pastoral team members will seeks to respond in a manner that best meets the needs of the individual.

A caring group of folk, with the assistance of the ministerial staff and our Health & Wellness Ministry:

  • Keep shut-in members of the congregation in touch by delivering bulletins, copies of sermons and other information on a weekly basis. DVDs of services are now also available.
  • Regularly update the Church membership list so that members and adherents are tracked as they move from home to hospital or care facilities.
  • Visit members of the congregation who are in hospital, care facilities or confined to their homes, bringing a small gift of a plant or home baking during special seasonal visits. Birthdays of those who are 90 years and up are remembered with special cards and visits.
  • Prepare and take communion to those in hospital or homebound.
  • Provide support and comfort to the bereaved.
  • Link with the team providing memorial/funeral receptions.
  • Hold an annual Spring tea for homebound parishioners.
  • Hold a variety of programs on such topics as grief and loss and spiritual care during the year.
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Spiritual Development and Nurture

By: r.a. paterson | June 7, 2009
Transformation through prayer image.

Our Vision:

Transformation through prayer, learning and service of many forms, thus encouraging the exploration, deepening and living of our Faith.

We offer a variety of programs throughout the year to explore our Christian heritage and deepen our faith through ongoing Bible study, movie/discussion nights, lecture series, study groups, concerts, workshops and other gatherings.

All faith events are open to all interested persons of any denomination.

The offerings change throughout the seasons, so please check our Events page for current programs.

Each Sunday, prayers of the people are offered by a member of the congregation. The following prayer, written by Terry Dance-Bennink for Sunday, August 26, 2007, is based on Jeremiah l: 4-10; Psalm 71: Part 1; Luke 13: 10-17:

Dear loving God,

How we long for freedom! We are all crippled, bent over, in one way or another, to a greater or lesser degree, and when moments of relief come our way, how we rejoice. We long for deep and lasting healing, as the woman in today’s Gospel experienced at the hands of Jesus the Healer.

Our burdens are many.

  • It can be grief – as those who’ve recently lost loved ones in a terrible fire or car crash must feel;
  • It can be pain – the pain that many who suffer from a chronic illness or an addiction must feel, being unable to “stand straight” physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually;
  • It can be anxiety caused by a craving for affection, esteem, and praise which makes us work too hard and burn out;
  • It can be resentment against someone who’s hurt us deeply, a hurt we just can’t let go of;
  • It can be anger, the anger many women feel as they continue to butt their heads against sexism in our society;
  • It can be guilt for not reaching out to help another because of our own preoccupations;
  • It can be fear, the fear that we’re just not good enough, despite our daily prayers and the good deeds we do; we’re crippled by a sense of our unworthiness.

So we pray today for deep and lasting healing. And for the wisdom to discern when and how we should build and plant, pluck up and pull down, destroy and overthrow. That’s the hard part. When is it right to call it quits and leave an unhealthy situation or relationship? When are we called to plant the seeds of a new dream in a new land, a new home, a new marriage, a new job or the new state of retirement? When should we be so bold as to overthrow an unjust policy or even a government for the sake of the planet and those who are oppressed?

We protest – not me Lord – I’m too young, too inexperienced, too old, too much of an introvert, too scared to take action. And yet You say: “Do not be afraid…I am with you…I knew you before you were even formed in the womb…and I have put my words in your mouth.”

And so we trust that we are indeed free, free to be God’s ears, eyes, and hands on this earth, and that we are infinitely loved no matter how crippled we may appear.

For this we pray. Amen.

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New Vistas

By: r.a. paterson | June 9, 2009

New Vistas is a series of ‘lunch and learn’ forums for older adults in Victoria, B.C.

Older adults are invited to explore spiritual issues from an interfaith perspective and connect with like-minded souls in a peaceful, scenic setting. It’s an opportunity to make new friends and renew old friendships through lively dialogue and over a delicious hot lunch at the church.

More than 65 people attended the inaugural program in Spring 2007 series on such topics as Becoming a Wise Elder, Forgiveness, Coming to Terms with Death, and What’s Your Story? Tools for Harvesting Life. Since then, the program has been offered each Spring attracting many participants from our congregation and the broader community.

Check the events page in January  for dates and topics. For more information, contact Ann affey at (250) 388-5188, Ext. 233.

Category: For Seniors, Health & Wellness | Tag(s): | Comments closed

Organizational Structure at First†Met

By: r.a. paterson | June 11, 2009

A process church uses a bottom-up organizational structure. It is much more intentional about encouraging every member and adherent in the congregation to share their spiritual gifts to enrich the worship and service life of all.

The Ministry Teams seek to draw on people’s spirituality and wisdom to help formulate church policies. To that end, anyone who wishes is invited to make their comments and suggestions known to the Council Executive that meets regularly each month or directly to one of the Ministry teams. One person may have an exciting idea for Sunday evening services, or another wants to encourage more interesting liturgy and a third has a vision of outreach in the neighbourhood. Ideas and concerns may also be brought to the church council which meets six times a year.

Team leaders and ministerial staff can help put flesh and blood on these bare-bones visions and bring together other interested and enthusiastic members of the congregation to make these ideas a reality. Teams are encouraged to be as creative and proactive as possible within the scope defined by the congregation’s mission, values and vision. In this way, we hope there will be a continual “bubbling up” of fresh, new ideas to enliven all aspects of our church life.

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