Pentecost

Called by the Spirit

In May and June, Bathurst will be dealing with the reality that our minister of 18 years will be retiring at the end of the summer. In our current series, we will be reflecting on Ralph Carl's years of service, and what we as a congregation need to hold, remember, and seek anew as we work through the changes in front of us.

The last service in this series is:

• Sunday, June 24
  Pride Service:
  The connection between Pride and the 30th anniversary of the decision to ordain gay and lesbian ministers
  (This is Ralph Carl Wushke's last service as minister at Bathurst United Church)
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

Previous services in this series included:

• Sunday, June 17
  Solstice Service: The Call of the Spirit in Baptism
  8:00 am, at Balmy Beach (Hubbard and MacLean)
  No service in the chapel

• Sunday, June 10
  What are we called to do? Where is the spirit calling us now?
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, June 3
  Being at Bathurst with Ralph Carl
  Members of the congregation
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, May 27
  My Ministry at Bathurst
  Ralph Carl Wushke
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, May 20
  Pentecost
  Ralph Carl Wushke
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

Easter

Worship that Colours Outside the Lines

Bathurst has a well-established "colouring book" for worship planning. We call it the service planning template and service leaders use it most Sundays. It’s a helpful tool, but this season the worship committee – taking a cue from Gordon Light and Andrew Donaldson’s song, “My Love Colours Outside the Lines, More Voices 138 - invited us to ‘colour outside the lines’ of the template, hoping to refresh our practice by exploring different types of worship and think about how our worship practice might evolve. 

We want to do and not just talk about what meaningful worship is for us. 

We are also wanted to engage the theological diversity that exists in the congregation, and this series offered the opportunity to talk about what we believe.

Services in this series included:

• Sunday, May 13
  Love one Another as I have Loved You
  Jasper Miller
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, May 6
  Bathurst Spring Retreat at Crieff Hills

• Sunday, April 29
  Theopolitics of Gregory Baum
  Sharon Goodier
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, April 22
  The Good Shepherd: Contextual Bible Study
  Ralph Carl Wushke
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, April 15
  Worship in the Style of Taizé
  Judi McCallum and Ken McEvoy
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, April 8
  Jesus Appears to the Disciples and Thomas: A contemplative and intergenerational service
  Lindsay Tyler
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Easter Sunday, April 1
  Resurrection and Healing
  Ralph Carl Wushke
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

Lent

Decolonization is a key theme in socio-cultural discourse and a foundation for Truth and Reconciliation work, anti-racism and eco-spirituality. As a congregation of The United Church of Canada, which has often reflected “the Christ of Culture”, this work is faith in action. Beginning on Sunday, February 4, and continuing through Lent 2018, Bathurst had a book study and series of services exploring how decolonization is a key to justice making. The saying “justice is indivisible” and “if one suffers, all suffer” are truisms, but a postcolonial analysis offers a lens through which to understand the interconnectedness of oppression in different contexts and a tool for de-constructing relationships where the abuse and misuse of power obtain.

Services in this series included:

• Sunday, March 25
  Decolonization in Prairie Perspective
  Lynn Caldwell
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, March 18
  Decolonization
  Ralph Carl Wushke
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, March 11
  Decolonization
  Caro Ibrahim
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, March 4
  Food Culture & Decolonization
  Pruneah Michelle Kim
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, February 25
  Annual General Meeting
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, February 18
  Decolonization in action: Anti-racism and White Allyship Workshop
  Tobias Wiggins, guest facilitator
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Transfiguration Sunday, February 11
  Transforming Promise
  The Rev. Dr. Néstor Medina
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, February 4
  Decolonizing Preaching
  The Rev. Dr. Sarah Travis
  10:30 am, Trinity St. Paul's, 427 Bloor St. W.

Epiphany

Epiphany starts after the Twelfth Night, in the new year. At this time we remember the visit of the Magi, and understand that with their departure, the work begins. Working as Jesus taught us, to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, take care of the sick, clothe the naked, and visit - and support - the incarcerated.

Our series starts with an Epiphany Party; we will take up a French Epiphany tradition in our own kind of way. We will have a procession of kings (possibly on horseback), with times of singing and times of silent reflection. On January 14 we will welcome Bri-anne Swan, Embedded Minister in East Gwillimbury, who will share her experiences on a different approach to ministry. On January 21 Frances will preach on privilege, and the series will wrap up on January 28 with our Joint Holy Land service with Trinity St. Paul's.

Services in this series included:

• Sunday, January 28
  Joint Holy Land Service
  10:30 am, Trinity St. Paul's, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, January 21
  Privilege
  Frances Combs
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, January 14
  Living Presence
  Bri-anne Swan
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.

• Sunday, January 7
  An Epiphany Party
  Kathryn Humphrey
  10:30 am, TSP Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W.