Archive

SPECIAL NewsFlash- Thursday, June 11, 2020

June 11, 2020 12:49 pm Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

ONGOING

• To join the online service on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions.  For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
• Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified.  The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts.  Latecomers will not be admitted.
• If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
• If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
• Please ensure that you are using Zoom version 5.04 if you logon using a computer, tablet or iPad.  The system should prompt you to do an automatic update if you log on using version 4.0.  For more information on this updated version please visit the Zoom website at zoom.us.
• The bulletin for the service is attached to this email or can be found at https://stpaulsajax.org/worship/
• Jean S has made and donated masks for distribution through the church.  If you would like a mask please contact the church office at 905 683 4740 or by email at office@stpaulsajax.org
• SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website.  You can participate by clicking HERE.
• Please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
• A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.  

• • If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.    
• Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
  • If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door.  The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
  • Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.
• This is a challenging time as we all continue to navigate our way through our shared response to the pandemic and the directions from health officials and the government.  No one is alone in this struggle and resources are available if you need help.  Please connect with Rev. Cordelia via the church office or click on any of the resources posted on the SPUC Staying Connected page found at https://stpaulsajax.org/covid-19-staying-connected/

SPECIAL NewsFlash – Thursday, June 4, 2020

June 4, 2020 12:34 pm Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

ONGOING

• To join the online service on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions.  For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
• Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified.  The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts.  Latecomers will not be admitted.
• If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
• If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
• Please ensure that you are using Zoom version 5.04 if you logon using a computer, tablet or iPad.  The system should prompt you to do an automatic update if you log on using version 4.0.  For more information on this updated version please visit the Zoom website at zoom.us.
• The bulletin for the service is attached to this email or can be found at https://stpaulsajax.org/worship/
• Jean S has made and donated masks for distribution through the church.  If you would like a mask please contact the church office at 905 683 4740 or by email at office@stpaulsajax.org
• SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website.  You can participate by clicking HERE.
• Please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
• To join the meeting please contact the church office to be sent the link.
• After one year of use the Worship Committee is reviewing the Narrative Lectionary and we’d like your feedback. Please click on the link below to give your feedback or contact Rev. Cordelia at revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org.

• • https://doodle.com/poll/8ebkwfs88rwb73eg
• Starting June 14th the All Request Sermon Series is returning and Rev. Cordelia wants to know what you want to hear a sermon about. Send your requests to revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org or call the church office.
• A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.  
  • If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.    
• Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
  • If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door.  The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
  • Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.

Online Bible Study – Day of Pentecost (A) – May 31, 2020

May 29, 2020 1:23 pm Leave a Comment

The Episcopal Church in the United States has a great Bible study this week on all four Revised Common Lectionary Readings.

Click on https://episcopalchurch.org/library/bible-study/bible-study-day-pentecost-may-31-2020

You are invited to visit their website  to read the Bible study, consider the questions and reflect on what it means to you as a member of SPUC.

Enjoy!

 

 

SPECIAL NewsFlash – Friday, May 29, 2020

8:58 am Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

• Please join us online for our May 31st Sunday Service.  The service starts at 10:30 a.m. but the room will be “opened” at 10:15 a.m. for a time of fellowship and connection.  
• To join on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions.  For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
• Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified.  The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts.  Latecomers will not be admitted.
• If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
• If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
• Please ensure that you are using Zoom version 5.0 if you logon using a computer, tablet or iPad.  The system should prompt you to do an automatic update if you log on using version 4.0.  For more information on this updated version please visit the Zoom website at zoom.us.
•  The bulletin for the service is attached to this email or can be found at https://stpaulsajax.org/worship/
• Jean S has made and donated masks for distribution through the church.  If you would like a mask please contact the church office at 905 683 4740 or by email at office@stpaulsajax.org

 

ONGOING

• SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website.  You can participate by clicking HERE.
• The Men’s Group will be holding their breakfast meeting via Zoom on Saturday, June 13th at 9 a.m.  All men welcome.
• Please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
  • To join the meeting please contact the Church Office 24 hours in advance to receive the link.
• After one year of use the Worship Committee is reviewing the Narrative Lectionary and we’d like your feedback. Please click on the link below to give your feedback or contact Rev. Cordelia at revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org.
  • https://doodle.com/poll/8ebkwfs88rwb73eg
• Starting June 14th the All Request Sermon Series is returning and Rev. Cordelia wants to know what you want to hear a sermon about. Send your requests to revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org or call the church office.
• A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.  
  • If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.    
• Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
  • If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door.  The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
  • Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.

Reflections from the Minister

May 22, 2020 12:24 pm Leave a Comment

One of the unexpected upsides of life in the Covid-19 lockdown is that I’m getting to experience and participate in things I haven’t had the opportunity to before. My favourite music festival is going online, which means I’ll get to take part even though it happens at a time of year when I’m not generally able to take time off. I’ll have to wait until October for that festival but I’m got to take part in a completely different kind of festival this week.

Every year Luther Seminary put on a massive conference called the Festival of Homiletics. It is a week long gathering on preaching that brings people together to worship together, hear some of the world’s best preachers and to learn more about the art of preaching in workshops and lectures. I’ve never been before for a number of reasons but many of my colleagues have and they always come back raving about it.

This year, due to Covid-19, the Festival has moved online.

Since it was all happening via live stream the sessions are being recorded, allowing me to watch some live and watch those that I miss later. Thus far it has been inspiring.

On Wednesday I watched a lecture titled “Leading with Preaching: How to Craft a Faithful Sermon.” It was a great talk that inspired me and there’s one piece of it in particular that I wanted to share with you.

The speaker, Karoline Lewis, talked about how a faithful sermon is a theological one. That is it contained good, solid theology but that it also helped the listeners with their own theological thinking.

What is theology?

It is often described as faith seeking understanding. I tend to think of it as bringing my faith and my experience of the world into conversation with each other. That is, I take what I know about God from prayer, reading the Bible and the learning I have done and I ask questions about how it applies to the world around me and the things I see there. Theological thinking is something I think we’re all doing a lot of right now even if we don’t realise it. Times like these can make us rethink what we know, what we know about God, how God acts in the world, and how God demands we act in the world.

This is normal.

When what know about the world is upended, we have to bring our faith into conversation with the new reality. And in doing so we can learn new things about God, our faith and our role as disciples. I recognize that this kind of grappling can be hard. We don’t want to have to question what we know about our faith along with everything else. But I think it is a good thing. Our faith should be something that is growing. Our faith should be something that challenges us even as it comforts us.

I want to encourage you as you grapple with what faith, God, and a faithful life looks like in these times.

If want to have a conversation about it, please reach out to me. I’m always happy to talk. These are tough times but I’m encouraged by the thought that good things can grow in the midst of it.

SPECIAL NewsFlash – Thursday, May 21, 2020

May 21, 2020 12:25 pm Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

• Please join us online for our May 24th Sunday Service. The service starts at 10:30 a.m. but the room will be “opened” at 10:15 a.m. for a time of fellowship and connection.
• Please ensure that you are using Zoom version 5.0 if you logon using a computer, tablet or iPad. The system should prompt you to do an automatic update if you log on using version 4.0. For more information on this updated version please visit the Zoom website at zoom.us.
• The bulletin for the service can be found at https://stpaulsajax.org/worship/
• Long time SPUC member Mabel S will be celebrating her 90th birthday on Tuesday May 26th. You are invited to help her mark this milestone by sending her a card.  Please contact the church office to obtain her address.
• The Men’s Group will be holding their breakfast meeting via Zoom on Saturday, June 13th at 9 a.m. All men welcome.

ONGOING

• Once again our Sunday worship service will be offered on a software platform called ZOOM which a number of Canadian churches are using as their communities of faith come together to worship using their computers or their devices.
  • For links to the Zoom room and the bulletin, please visit the Worship page on the SPUC website
  • ZOOM has added a number of security features to their software platform to ensure your privacy. To learn more, please click HERE.
  • To join on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions. For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
  • Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified. The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts. Latecomers will not be admitted.
  • If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
  • If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
• SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website. You can participate by clicking HERE.
• Please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
  • To obtain a link to the weekly drop in, please contact the church office.
• After one year of use the Worship Committee is reviewing the Narrative Lectionary and we’d like your feedback. Please click on the link below to give your feedback or contact Rev. Cordelia at revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org. https://doodle.com/poll/8ebkwfs88rwb73eg
• Starting June 14th the All Request Sermon Series is returning and Rev. Cordelia wants to know what you want to hear a sermon about. Send your requests to revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org or call the church office.
• A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.
  • If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.
• Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
  • If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door. The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
  • Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.
• Do you or someone you know need support with accessing affordable food services during the pandemic? With the challenges of COVID-19 and the public health directives for social distancing, Community Care Durham is delivering nutrition to the tables of its clients and other vulnerable residents of Durham Region through a new service called the Community Food Box. With the support of local businesses and farms, CCD is currently assembling more than 170 food boxes, each containing the essentials for healthy eating. Food Boxes are delivered to clients by CCD volunteers and staff every Friday. Community Food Boxes can be purchased for $30.00. Order on Monday with free delivery of your Food Box to your door on Friday. Please call 1-888-255-6680 to order.
• Are you making masks? As the Province and local public health officials provide direction on lifting the lockdown, the need for masks is increasing. We are looking for people who may be able to make masks that we can sell or donate to congregation members and other local residents who may require one. Please contact Catharine via the Church Office if you are able to help out.

IMPORTANT LINKS

Following and obtaining direction from accredited, factual and reliable sources is key to our shared response to this evolving situation. The following links are provided for your information:

 

• Public Health Agency of Canada – federal
• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – provincial
  · includes a link to a self-assessment tool
• Durham Region Health Department – local

If you are in crisis there are places you can call for help:

Mental Health Helpline 1-866-531-2600
Durham Mental Health Services 1-800-742-1890
Ontario Shores Crisis Line 1-800-263-2679
Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
Distress Centre Durham 1-800-452-0688

A REMINDER

Please do your part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve. Stay home. Stay safe.

SPECIAL NewsFlash – Friday, May 15, 2020

May 15, 2020 12:33 pm Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

• Please join us online for our May 17th Sunday Service. The service starts at 10:30 a.m. but the room will be “opened” at 10:15 a.m. for a time of fellowship and connection.
• The bulletin for the service is attached to this email or can be found at https://stpaulsajax.org/worship/
• Thank you to everyone who attended last’s week Congregational Meeting. Based on approved motions the Finance Committee is continuing to manage our revenue and expenses and steps are also being taken to resolve our water challenges.
• After one year of use the Worship Committee is reviewing the Narrative Lectionary and we’d like your feedback. Please click on the link below to give your feedback or contact Rev. Cordelia at revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org.
  https://doodle.com/poll/8ebkwfs88rwb73eg
• Starting June 14th the All Request Sermon Series is returning and Rev. Cordelia wants to know what you want to hear a sermon about. Send your requests to revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org or call the church office.

ONGOING

• Once again our Sunday worship service will be offered on a software platform called ZOOM which a number of Canadian churches are using as their communities of faith come together to worship using their computers or their devices.
  • For links to the Zoom room and the bulletin, please visit the Worship page on the SPUC website
  • ZOOM has added a number of security features to their software platform to ensure your privacy. To learn more, please click HERE.
  • To join on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions. For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
  • Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified. The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts. Latecomers will not be admitted.
  • If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
  • If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
• SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website. You can participate by clicking HERE.
• Please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
  • To obtain a link to the meeting, please contact the Church Office.
• A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.
  • If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.
• Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
  • If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door. The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
  • Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.
• Do you or someone you know need support with accessing affordable food services during the pandemic? With the challenges of COVID-19 and the public health directives for social distancing, Community Care Durham is delivering nutrition to the tables of its clients and other vulnerable residents of Durham Region through a new service called the Community Food Box. With the support of local businesses and farms, CCD is currently assembling more than 170 food boxes, each containing the essentials for healthy eating. Food Boxes are delivered to clients by CCD volunteers and staff every Friday. Community Food Boxes can be purchased for $30.00. Order on Monday with free delivery of your Food Box to your door on Friday. Please call 1-888-255-6680 to order.
• Are you making masks? As the Province and local public health officials provide direction on lifting the lockdown, the need for masks is increasing. We are looking for people who may be able to make masks that we can sell or donate to congregation members and other local residents who may require one. Please contact Catharine via the Church Office if you are able to help out.

IMPORTANT LINKS
Following and obtaining direction from accredited, factual and reliable sources is key to our shared response to this evolving situation. The following links are provided for your information:

Public Health Agency of Canada – federal
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – provincial
· includes a link to a self-assessment tool
Durham Region Health Department – local

If you are in crisis there are places you can call for help:
· Mental Health Helpline 1-866-531-2600
· Durham Mental Health Services 1-800-742-1890
· Ontario Shores Crisis Line 1-800-263-2679
· Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
· Distress Centre Durham 1-800-452-0688

A REMINDER
Please do your part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve. Stay home. Stay safe.

Online Bible Study – Job 1:1-22

12:08 pm Leave a Comment

Scripture: Job 1:1-22

Commentary:

Our Bible study today is the first in a six week series on the Book of Job. We begin, appropriately, at the beginning. Even in Biblical terms this first chapter can be a little strange to read.

It starts off by introducing us to Job. Job’s name is in some ways a summary of the book we are about to read. The name “Job” is a play on words. In Hebrew it has similarities to two different words. One can be translated as “where is the (divine) father.” The other is “the persecuted/hated one.” One the one hand, his name is an affirmation that God is a divine parent who cares. On the other hand it reflects the difficulty that Job is about to face and his perspective on himself as events unfold.

The text says that Job is from the land of Uz. Neither modern Biblical scholars nor the people of ancient Israel had any idea where Uz was. This detail, along with the double meaning of Job’s name, are good indications that we are not to read what follows as history. They act as the Biblical equivalent of “long ago and far away.” This allows the reader to explore the questions that Job presents with a certain amount of distance which would not be possible if the book was a history.

The remainder of the first five verses give us a picture of Job and his life. He is an extremely prosperous man. These verses emphasize not only his prosperity but also his piety. It is notable that the last verse in this section shows Job making offerings to God on behalf of his children in case they have sinned.

At verse six the scene shifts. We are now in the heavenly court where we are presented with the two central questions of the book. It is important to note here that the Satan we see in this section isn’t the Satan of the Book of Revelation. The word Satan is best translated as accuser and he acts as the prosecuting attorney in God’s court. This figure is not an enemy of God but rather a part of the court that has a job to do.

We are all familiar with Job as a book about the causes of human suffering but this section presents a second central theme. Why worship God? When God points out Job’s piety, Satan points out that God has so protected and blessed Job that it is no wonder that Job is faithful to God. Would he still find God worthy of worship if he were deprived of all of the blessings that have been showered upon him? God agrees that Satan has a point and allows the Satan to do whatever he likes to Job’s family and possessions although he is not to harm Job himself.

It is important at this point that we shouldn’t take this scene as literal truth. Human suffering doesn’t happen because God and the Satan design an experiment or make a bet. Rather this scene is used to set up the rest of the story which will allow for a broader consideration of the two main themes.

The final section of this chapter shows disaster falling upon Job, who loses everything at one fell swoop. As the chapter closes we see Job continuing to bless God in spite of his misfortune, showing us a glimpse of his reaction through the rest of the book.

Questions for Reflection

1. What does it mean to worship God?
2. What is difference between worshipping God and believing in God?
3. Is it possible to believe in God and not worship him? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever asked the questions that the Book of Job asks? What conclusions did you come to?

SPECIAL NewsFlash – May 8, 2020

May 8, 2020 4:22 pm Leave a Comment

SPECIAL NewsFlash – Friday, May 1, 2020

May 1, 2020 6:38 pm Leave a Comment

As we continue to collectively respond to the COVID-19 situation, please see below new and ongoing information on SPUC’s response:

NEW

• Please join us online for our May 3rd Sunday Service. The service starts at 10:30 a.m. but the room will be “opened” at 10:15 a.m. for a time of fellowship and connection. This week we will be celebrating Communion.  Please feel free to have juice, fruit, a cracker, bread or something else available as we take the elements together.
• The Men’s Group will be meeting online on Saturday, May 9^th at 9:00 a.m. for an hour of fellowship. All men are invited to bring their own pancakes and coffee and hang out on Zoom.  To access the link, please contact the Church Office 24 hours in advance.   See you there.
• Materials to support your attendance at the May 10^th CONGREGATION MEETING (see #3 below) have been posted online. To access these materials please contact the Church Office..
  • Water Issues  We continue to experience water issues at St. Paul’s. As previously advised, the approved residential development on the adjacent property has resulted in our storm sewer system being disconnected from the Town’s main storm line. This has resulted in ongoing ponding and flooding in our parking lot and the seepage of water into the church.  This problem has to be fixed. At the congregational meeting scheduled for May 10, 2020, we will be providing an update on the current situation along with recommendations for the construction and connection of a new storm sewer. This will include a discussion around the costs and required financing. As this is a very important issue for the church, we encourage everyone to participate in the meeting.  Submitted By Dave E

• Do you or someone you know need support with accessing affordable food services during the pandemic? With the challenges of COVID-19 and the public health directives for social distancing, Community Care Durham is delivering nutrition to the tables of its clients and other vulnerable residents of Durham Region through a new service called the Community Food Box. With the support of local businesses and farms, CCD is currently assembling more than 170 food boxes, each containing the essentials for healthy eating. Food Boxes are delivered to clients by CCD volunteers and staff every Friday. Community Food Boxes can be purchased for $30.00. Order on Monday with free delivery of your Food Box to your door on Friday. Please call 1-888-255-6680 to order.

 

ONGOING

1. Once again our Sunday worship service will be offered on a software platform called ZOOM which a number of Canadian churches are using as their communities of faith come together to worship using their computers or their phones.
   1. For links to the Zoom room and the bulletin, please visit the Worship page on the SPUC website.
   2. ZOOM has added a number of security features to their software platform to ensure your privacy. To learn more, please click HERE.
   3. To join on Sunday via your computer, simply Join Zoom Meeting by clicking on https://zoom.us/j/213251299 and follow the directions. For best results, please load Zoom via a CHROME browser.
   4. Please note that, again for security reasons, you will be placed in a Waiting Room when you first log on and brought into the call as your identity is verified. The chat feature on the call has been disabled and the meeting locked after 10 minutes after the service starts. Latecomers will not be admitted.
   5. If you don’t have a computer but you want to hear what is being presented, you can listen in by dialing 647-374-4685 or 647-558-0588 and enter Meeting ID: 213 251 299.
   6. Please remember to mute your audio once we start recording the service.
   7. If you aren’t able to join in, the services will be recorded and a link will be posted later in the week on the Worship page.
2. SPUC Bible Studies are posted to the website. You can participate by clicking HERE.
3. CONGREGATION MEETING – Sunday May 10th, immediately following the Sunday Worship Service, using the same Zoom connection.
   1. We will be hosting a very important congregation meeting immediately following our Worship Service on Sunday May 10th. So we’re hoping everyone will be able to just stay on the line after the Worship Service and we’ll try to keep the Congregation Meeting as short as possible. But we do have some important updates to share, and we need to get your approval on an urgent matter. So hopefully everyone is able to attend. Blessings, Stuart McLean, Chair of Congregation
4. Starting May 1st please join Rev. Cordelia for a weekly drop in social time via Zoom every Friday between 1:30 and 2:30 pm. All welcome.
   1. To join the meeting please call the Church Office 24 hours in advance to get the logon information.
5. SPUC’s Book Club is also using Zoom to meet each month. Please visit the Calendar page on the church website for information on all of these events.
6. A reminder that the church building is CLOSED.
   1. If you need to enter the building, please call the church office 24 hours in advance and arrange a time so that we can ensure everyone’s safety by confirming that the building has been sanitized before you enter and after you leave.
7. We are closely monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.  The health and safety of everyone at St. Paul’s United Church Ajax is our highest priority and primary concern.
8. We are using the church website – www.stpaulsajax.org – and SPUC social media pages – Facebook/Twitter – to provide updates and more information on the status of church events.
9. Rev. Cordelia is always available to offer pastoral support and guidance via the church office or email at revcordelia@stpaulsajax.org. 
10. Rev. Cordelia has written a pastoral letter on coping with the isolation we may be feeling as we collectively follow the direction of public health leadership. To view the letter please head to the website and click on the Blog button.
11. Even though the church building is closed, our shared responsibility to support the church through regular donations is still very important.
    1. If you are not on PAR, you can mail in a cheque or drop off you donations in a sealed envelope through the church mailbox on the south door. The mailbox is emptied on a daily basis.
    2. Or you can click on the Support St. Paul’s box on the home page and donate via our PayPal account.
12. We have suspended production and distribution of The Epistle for the present time and will continue to use these SPECIAL NewsFlashs, the website, the phone tree and our social media accounts to share information.
13. Do you have a facebook account? Have you joined the St. Paul’s United Church private facebook group yet? Look for https://www.facebook.com/groups/2355189071/ and send us a membership request. We’d be happy to have you join us in that space to share news and updates.
14. You can always reach SPUC via the office at office@stpaulsajax.org or by leaving a message at 905-683-4740.
15. The phone tree volunteers – Linda W, Helen D, Colleen M, Bernie R, Janette S and Diane F, Jeff and Katie W, Heather O, Dorothy W, Brad S and Grace S – are continuing to make weekly calls to share information and check in on people to see what support they need to stay healthy in their own homes.

IMPORTANT LINKS

• Following and obtaining direction from accredited, factual and reliable sources is key to our shared response to this evolving situation.  The following links are provided for your information:

• Public Health Agency of Canada – federal
• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – provincial

• includes a link to a self-assessment tool
• Durham Region Health Department – local

• If you are in crisis there are places you can call for help:

• • Mental Health Helpline 1-866-531-2600
  • Durham Mental Health Services 1-800-742-1890
  • Ontario Shores Crisis Line 1-800-263-2679
  • Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
  • Distress Centre Durham 1-800-452-0688

A REMINDER

Please do your part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve. Stay home. Stay safe. Only go out once a week for essential items such as groceries or medications or have someone bring them to you. When you do out, stay at least 6’ away from people that you don’t live with. Listen to the direction from our health care professionals. Together we will get through this. Take care everyone.