South West Norfolk Pastoral Charge

     Come to  Coffee & Conversation:)  

Join Pastor:   Rev. Ted Smith   WEDNESDAY'S at 10:00am , bring your coffee for great conversations on ZOOM

Click on the ZOOM MEETING Link Above

ANNOUNCEMENTS

A WELCOME INVITATION TO ALL WOMEN OF THE CHURCH to U.C.W. Meetings

Meeting Dates for 2026:   Meeting the 1st Wednesday at 1:00pm at Courtland United Church

October 7, 2026

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                                                                                                       Called to Love Recklessly

 On June 10, 1925, the United Church of Canada was born at her inaugural meeting at Mutual Street Arena in Toronto. After over three decades of conversations among the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist Churches of Canada union became a reality.  Reflecting on our history I am amazed at the courage and faith it must have taken for the three founding churches of our present United Church to leave their "comfort zone" and enter into new territory, new relationships, and new ways of experiencing God. This call to faith remains and is even more important in today's world than it was 98 years ago. I believe the message for us is that the world and the church are always in transition. But even as history unfolds, the church's faith remains grounded and timeless. Our church has, to that end expressed its collective faith several times throughout its history in an effort to reflect current times with an active, engaging God. This was reflected in 2006 in our most recent statement of faith of The United Church of Canada entitled "A Song of Faith". I would like to share the first words of this statement.

            "God is Holy Mystery, beyond complete knowledge, above perfect description. Yet, in love, the one eternal God seeks relationship."

I just love those words, revealing to us God as Holy Mystery, but also as Love and most important, seeking relationship with us, God's beloved. And so, we carry on in these times, some 101 years since the birth of the United Church with the ever-present gifts of mystery and love.

As we consider the anniversary of the United Church of Canada, I am delighted to advise that this Sunday June 7 we will be celebrating 165 years of faith community at Courtland United Church with a joint service that starts at 11:00 am and potluck lunch to follow.  

As we celebrate our history may I remind us that the Gospel directs us to reckless love for God, for one another and for our planet. Open and reckless love such that we hold nothing back. When we can do this, we will be fulfilling God's vision for us and realizing ourselves as being fully alive and fully human. And so, as the United Church celebrates 101 years, and Courtland celebrates 165 years and prepares to continue on our collective journey with our hybrid ministry of live, in person/zoom experiences, my prayer is for us continue to pursue this reckless love for one another, facing the challenges of our times, and knowing God is with us in everything.....                                      Yours in reckless love... PT