We hope that 2023 has been good to you so far.

Worship this week is led by the Reverend Fred Monteith who is asking us to "Come and See" in Worship (both in-person and online).

Please contact Rev. Fred Monteith:

• Fred's Office – 519-745-8487 Ext 208
• Cell - 519-575-6407 
• Email:  fwmonteith@gmail.com

Or call the office  at 519-745-8487 ext. 201 

Your Church Board met for the first time in 2023 via Zoom on Tuesday, January 10th.

We continue to oversee the activities, finances and property of the church on your behalf. 

Click below to get the full Board Update 

Dear First United Friends,
 
The Board of First United Church invites you to join us as we spend a day together seeking to discern where God is leading us as a congregation in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

WHEN: Saturday, January 21, 2023
TIME: 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM
WHERE: HILLIARD HALL 
 
The day will be facilitated by our Supply Minister, Fred Monteith. Fred has many years of experience in assisting congregations in such times of discernment in a safe and respectful environment.
 
Our hope is that by the end of the day we will have identified some next steps and individuals or groups of individuals who are passionate about those next steps and who are willing to get us working together on them.
 
There will be a light lunch served as part of our day. 

We hope to see you there. Please see the signup sheet on Sunday morning or email  office@firstunitedchurch.ca or phone the office 519-745-8487 to let us know you will be there.

PREPARATION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT

All for the Annual Meeting on February 26, 2023, are due NOW!

All written reports are to be sent electronically to the church office. office@firstunitedchurch.ca

Please submit Financial reports to treasurer, Andy Yuan  lyxyuan@yahoo.com

Book Club - See No Stranger:A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valerie Kaur

See No Stranger is a practical guide to changing the world, a synthesis of wisdom, a chronicle of personal and communal history—all joined together by a story of awakening. Revolutionary love is medicine for our times. 

Click below to get more details (including the Zoom link)

I wanted to report some really good news. Our Thank Offering
this year, which was divided between Vera’s Place and Shalom
Counseling Centre, totaled $1,635.00 and our Christmas Offering,
which is going to World Development and Relief, totaled $1,765.00!
Thank you!!

We also received a $5,000.00 grant from the Up Fund, which we
applied for from the Extension Council to help us replace the projector
in the sanctuary. This brings the total up to $6,313.96 on hand. We
need at least another $7,000 before we can put the order through. We
hope we can count on your continued support so we can get this done.
Again, a big THANK YOU!

Nancy Lennox

Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring a writing contest for children in grades 4,5 and 6 in support of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region.

The contest is called “The Meaning of Home” where children have the opportunity to write a poem or essay sharing what home means to them. For every entry, $10 is donated back to their local Habitat for Humanity organization. There is also an opportunity for a first place entry to receive $30,000 to their local organization. 

We thought this may be a fun and interactive way for your children ministries to participate and learn more about the need of housing for families here in our community.

The contest begins Monday January 9th and runs until February 24th.

You can submit all entries online or there is also a mail in option and a form can be provided if needed.

For additional information please visit www.meaningofhome.ca

Or you can reach out to me anytime and I would be happy to support in anyway,

Thank you for the consideration of support.

Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to call home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Gu0tT3kJw

Jennifer Peacock
Marketing and Communications Manager, Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region
C: 226.749.4797 |  E: jpeacock@habitatwr.ca  |  W:  www.habitatwr.ca

2023 Offering Envelopes
In preparation for the coming year.  Please contact the office 519-745-8487 Ext 201 or office@firstunitedchurch.ca as soon as possible if you would like 2023 Offering Envelopes.

You can get your offering to the church office in several ways:

  You can use PAR, or

  E transfer to firstunitedchurch@rogers.com, or

  Website donation to www.firstunitedchurch.ca, or

  Send a cheque to First United Church, 16 William St. West, Waterloo ON N2L1J3, or

  Drop a cheque into the mailbox located at the Entrance on William St. side.

**Just a reminder- credit card companies have a fee of around 3-5%. If you wish the church to get the full amount, then please add that % to your contribution. **