There is crispness to winter in St. Marys. It bites at your nose when you leave the house and hurries you along home to the warmth and love that resides there. At a time of year when nature is so dead, the weather itself is alive with whirling winds and brisk lake snow.

Winter is the time of year to watch and wait. To spend the time as best we can until the weather finally gives and those first sweet signs of spring break through. The cold of winter keeps us alive with the knowing that in just a few months more, there will be treasures all around. This is winter's purpose - to grace us with its own unique pleasures and remind us of what is to come.

Here is what is happening in our church and community:

 Minister:  Rev. Pirie Mitchell

Director of Music: Mr. Timothy Gilbert

Church Office Hours

The church office will be open Monday—Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pirie will be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings unless called away for meetings or pastoral care.  If you have an emergency or are in need of pastoral care, please call him at home (519) 284-4320 or on his cell phone (519) 639-0978.

Hospital Help

If you find yourself being admitted to any of the hospitals in the area, please try to let the receptionist know that you are from the United Church in St. Marys.  With the computer system being used, this would help our pastoral care people find you.

 Joys and Concerns

The following information has been provided to let you know what’s happening in the life of our congregation.  If you would like to see information in this space, please contact Jana at the church office (284-3016) by Wednesday 9:00 a.m. of each week.

Personal Prayer

Often people would like prayers said for a loved one, a friend, a relative or someone in a difficult situation. To insure Pirie includes them in the pastoral prayer, please print their first name in a book at the back of the sanctuary.

Grandmothers Alive

The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) helps to ease the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa at the grassroots level. It provides care to women who are ill and struggling to survive; assists orphans and other AIDS affected children; supports heroic grandmothers who almost single-handedly care for their orphan grandchildren.  By purchasing blank cards with beautiful African artwork ($10.00), you will actively help to make a difference.  The cards are available at the church office.  Thank you.

2020 Committee

Who are we?  What are we doing?  Where are we going?  What have we been challenged to do? Where will we be 10 years from now?  What are our goals for the long term?

These are questions the Church Council has been asking ourselves and in the future months we will be asking you.  A new committee has been formed called the 2020 Strategic Planning Committee.  We are in the very early stages with this major project and have a solid core of 6 members:  Brock Hueston, Tracy Aylward, Jim Tyler, Bob Doupe, Zack Longeway, and Golda Wilson

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Hello everyone,

Giving is how we move beyond ourselves and think about the needs and desires of other people.  This is important because our society is extremely self-centered and unbalanced.

Sure, it’s important to take care of our own needs and wants, and there is nothing wrong with that.  But while we are fulfilling our wants, we can get carried away in putting all of our energy into non-essential items when there are people close by who have nothing.  We’ve become desensitized to poverty, suffering, and neediness.

Giving is more than parting with our money - it’s also about becoming aware of the needs of other people less fortunate and making a few of them our priority.  I’m not talking about giving our time, energy and diners to helping the person who can help him/herself, but doesn’t. (There are lots of those people around also.)  I’m referring to the truly needy people living all around us. 

To give out your love, your trust, your acceptance, understanding, faith, forgiveness, friendship and so forth is to give what humans desire the most out of life.  To give out gifts of time and money are simply ways to show that one cares.

You see, when we give; both in time and love, money and friendship, gifts and acceptance what we truly are doing is building relationships.  That is why giving is so important.  To give is to give hope to those around you.

Here is what is happening in our church and community:

Minister:  Rev. Pirie Mitchell

Director of Music: Mr. Timothy Gilbert

Church Office Hours

The church office will be open Monday—Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Pirie will be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays mornings unless called for meetings or pastoral care.  If you have an emergency or are in need of pastoral care, please call him at home 519-284-4320 or on his cell phone 519-639-0978.

Community Supper

Monday, April 12 at 5 p.m.

Everyone Welcome! 

Please call the office if you can help: 519-284-3016

Hillcrest Rebekah Lodge St. Marys

Invite you to their spring

Soup and Sandwich

Monday, April 19th

11:30a.m – 1:30 p.m

Presbyterian Church

$ 6.oo per person

          Tales of a Lancashire Childhood”

Laughter and Afternoon Tea

with storyteller Joan Bailey

Sunday, April 11th at 2:00 p.m.

St. Marys United Church Hall

Tickets: $ 15.00

Thank You

St. Marys U.C.W. would like to thank all the

drivers and volunteers who delivered meals on wheels for the past five weeks.  It was greatly appreciated.

Thank You

The U.C.W. wishes to thank everyone who

supported our fundraiser

“Purseonally yours”.

Your continued support of our projects

is very much appreciated.

Special thank you to all who worked so hard

to make it a success.

Stratford - Perth MS 

Stratford, Ontario

Sunday, April 18th

Last year approximately 350 walkers

raised $80,000.00!

Funds are used to benefit residents of Stratford,

St. Marys and PerthCounty who are living with MS.

Cindi Jones is walking the walk and

any sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.

Crutches for Haiti

We are collecting crutches in our church hall for the people of Haiti. If you have old canes or crutches please bring them to church.  For more information please call the office: 284-3016

Camp Bimini Clean Up Day
April 24, 2010 9 a.m. - ?

Come out and help get Bimini looking great for the upcoming season.  If your church sponsors a cabin, this is a good time to clean it up.  Soup & beverages are provided.  Lots of jobs including carpentry, raking, cleaning, sweeping and more.  Bring rakes, gloves, cleaning supplies, friends, family. 

Have a great week,

Jana