Contents

•  Calendar

•  Summer at St. Matthew's

•  Refugee Family Update

•  Thanks to  ...

•  General Council 43 meeting July 21-17, Oshawa

•  In the Community

Calendar

Sunday schedule:  Breakfast at 8 am, Choir gathers at 9:45 am; Worship service at 10:30 am

Every Tuesday                   12:15 pm, lunchtime  SummerSounds@Barrington concerts

Sun. July 15                         Jazz Festival Service

Sat. July 21                          Halifax Pride Parade, 12:30 pm for 1 pm

Sun. July 22                         Pride Week Service

 

Summer at St. Matthew's

Summer Office Hours – The church office is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8 am to noon.

Pastoral Emergency – Call the church office at (902) 423-9209. Phone messages are checked regularly.

Sanctuary open Tuesdays-Saturdays – Matthew Fraser is our summer tour guide, thanks to student employment funding from the federal government. In July and August the church will be open for visitors from 9 am-4 pm Tuesday through Saturday. As our student organist, Matthew will spend some of his time practising and playing, so bring your guests to see historic St. Matthew's and enjoy some music.

SummerSounds@Barrington concert series – Lunchtime concerts are on Tuesdays from 12:15-1 pm at St. Matthew's, sponsored by the church and the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. Bring your lunch and enjoy the performances.

July 03                   The Maudes (Catherine Little, cello, and Anna Wedlock, violin)

July 10                   Thistle Scottish Country Dancers

July 17                   MaRISco Trio (Margaret Champion, Rick Gunn, Scott Taylor)

July 24                   Lorna MacDonald, voice; Lynette Wahlstrom, piano

July 31                   Brogue Saxophone Quartet

Aug. 07                 Shawn Whynot, organ

Aug. 14                 Karen Myatt, voice; Scott Taylor, piano

Aug. 21                 Nicholas Higgs, voice; Tara Scott, piano

Aug. 28                 Second Chances Show Band with Matthew Snow and Perla Isabel Canales

Halifax Pride Parade Sat. July 21 – Folks from St. Matthew's are invited to bear witness to God's expansive love by walking in the parade with our neighbors from St. David's, First Baptist, St. John's, and Bedford United. Meet at St. Matt's at 12:30 pm to walk down to the CFB Marshalling Grounds on Lower Water Street. The parade starts at 1 pm.  If you prefer, you can join the parade as it continues up Spring Garden Road. If you'd like to participate, speak to Wayne Rogers, Minister of Music/Organist or Matt Fraser, organ student/tour guide.

Refugee Family Update

Now that the Al Saghrji family have begun to settle in, and they have acquired considerable English skills, father Saeed is eager to find meaningful work so he may earn a living in Nova Scotia and make a real contribution to their adopted country. He has many years of Middle Eastern work experience in both Syria and Lebanon as a full-cycle accountant. Even if you have no employment opportunities at your own business, you may know of a position coming up elsewhere.  If you would like to consider his resume, or share it with business contacts, please email Saeed at saeedsag73@gmail.com . Blessings for your continued support of “our” New Canadians!

Thanks to ...

Terry Hurrell, presider; Molly Austen, preacher; and student organist Matthew Fraser for providing worship leadership on July 1.

General Council 43 meeting: July 21-17 in Oshawa, Ont.

This is likely to be the final meeting of the General Council of the United Church of Canada, as the restructuring remits that passed will presumably be ratified, and it will become the National Council. Approximately 450 clergy, lay and youth representatives from across Canada will gather for the week to shape and direct out church's mission.

The worship and plenary sessions of General Council are on live feed throughout – at generalcouncil43.ca – including a live chat for people watching across the country and in Bermuda. Updates on the proposals that will be debated can also be found on the web page.

Do consider checking it out, if you'll have web access wherever you are that week. It is interesting to be reminded of the breadth and diversity of our church and its mission across Canada. The minister will be on holiday so she can watch obsessively without guilt!

In the Community

St. Mary’s Basilica Organ Recital Series – On select Tuesdays at 7 pm at St. Mary's Basilica, corner Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street, there will be 30-minute organ recitals. Admission is by freewill donation (suggested $5) and free parking is available in the Cathedral parking lot off Grafton Street. July 3 – Diemo Landgraf; July 17 – Matthew Fraser; July 31 – Kim Tan MacNeill; Aug. 7 – Robert Summerby Murray; and Aug. 28 – Patrick Salah.

Bereavement Support – Bereavement counselling is offered every Saturday from 10–11:30 a.m. at the temporary offices of Halifax Hospice, 1471 Carlton Street at Spring Garden Road. It operates on a drop-in basis; there is no need to sign up. Sessions are peer-led, with counsellors who guide discussion as desired. For bereavement support at times other than Saturday mornings, call the Hospice Society of Greater Halifax at 902-446-0929.