Wendy - Walton United Church

Help send a kid to camp

Over the years the Walton congregation has supported the Kerr Street Mission in sending children from low-income families to summer day camp.

To ensure that all eligible children are able to be a part of camp this summer we need your support. It costs $32 per day to allow a child to participate.

Please sponsor a day or two (or more!) and make a difference in a child’s life. This can be done online at the Walton website or through the church office

Your Outreach Committee would like to offer a different way to recognize the season of Lent. Starting Ash Wednesday we have prayer themes for each week taking us to Easter Sunday. Please join us in praying for these areas of concern. Each week there is a short scripture and prayer, please add your own as you feel guided to.

Week 6: Palm Sunday, April 2

We pray for our young people who are our future and have experienced the loss of community, social supports and face to face interaction in schooling during the pandemic.

Jeremiah 29:11
‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

Prayer
Loving Father, We thank you for young people, the energy, enthusiasm and potential that they have. We pray that the obstacles that can hold them back such as poverty, ill-health, and discrimination, will be removed. We ask that, inspired by your Spirit, young people will have courage to speak out for justice, find solutions to poverty and love their neighbours with word and action. May you strengthen them with joyful hearts, give them a vision of your Kingdom here on earth, and embolden them to act. Amen.

A prayer for young people – Our Coins for Care jar is located on the table at the back of the Sanctuary and coin donations received there are sent to Food for Kids (Let’s Feed Our Future – Food4Kids Ontario) which is a wonderful local charity supporting children in need.

Week 5: Sunday, March 26 – Peace and Disaster Relief

Ukraine and Haiti were top of mind when we started this project and now the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria have joined them in our concerns.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Let us pray for Ukraine, Haiti and all the places in the world where there is no peace and people live in fear with the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Walton is accepting donations for Disaster Relief through the church office and online if you are able to help.

Week 4 – Sunday, March 19 – Environment

Mankind has always damaged the environment through living but in the beginning, there was more nature than people and there was a better balance. After the Industrial Revolution populations grew and the use of coal and later oil increased the output of Carbon Dioxide. This has led to the warming of the planet which will affect our climate and food production and extreme weather events. Pollution of all kinds threatens our future. There are still steps that can be taken but it is up to us whether that will be done. We need God’s help to achieve this goal. Over 2,000 years ago, the prophet Jeremiah, made known what man could do to God’s earth:

Jeremiah 2:7
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.

Prayer
Lord, help us to take the steps that will be necessary for us to reduce the warming of the climate and the resulting changes on earth. Guide us to model the changes that need to be made.

This week we can observe Earth Hour: On 25th March 2023 at 8.30pm, as landmarks and homes across the world switch off their lights, we are asking everyone to spend 60 minutes doing something positive for our planet. It may not seem like much, but the magic happens when you, and those like you in Asia and Africa, North and South America, Oceania and Europe – supporters in over 190 countries and territories – all give an hour for our one home. Together, we can create a rare moment of unity that brings the world together, shines a spotlight on nature loss and the climate crisis on a global scale, and inspires others to act and advocate for urgent change. Take this hour to turn off as many lights as are safe and think of ways we can help here, to reduce usage and waste in our daily lives and also ways to respect and protect our green spaces. 9 things you can do about climate change

Week 3: Sunday, March 12

Health: Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being for us and for our world.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Prayer
Most gracious and loving Father, I want to thank You for all the blessings You’ve given me, my family and friends, and all those I hold dear. Many people are suffering from physical, mental and emotional illness and pain. Please strengthen them and provide the help needed to restore them to health. Amen.

If you feel called to help we can send donations to Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC) through the church office and online to help provide much-needed medicine to over 130 countries around the world. After their presentation on Outreach Sunday, we were overwhelmed by your generous support.

Week 2: Sunday, March 5

Affordable housing and homelessness. So many are struggling.

Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Prayer
Dear God, we pray for our neighbours in need of safe and affordable housing, and for the many families in danger of losing their homes. May we work to build communities that create space for all people to live with dignity and peace.

Our support for Wesley Mission and Kerr Street Mission through Sockfest, the Mitten Tree and White Gift Sunday helps to provide some hope and necessities to underserved people in our communities.

Week 1: Sunday, February 26, 2023 – Hunger

Matthew 25: 35-36, 40 – For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”.

Prayer: We pray for those among us in our wealthy country who do not have enough to eat. We ask our leaders to work towards a way for people to be able to provide for themselves or receive the help they need to meet their basic needs. Please guide us to help our neighbours where we are able. Bless all those who prepare meals and share food with those in need.

If you feel called to help we have Food Bank donation bins at each entrance and monetary donations are also accepted online or through the office.

Thank you for your interest. We have filled the position.

Do you take pride in a job well done? Are you looking for a part-time opportunity to serve your community?

Walton United Church is searching for a part-time weekend Building Superintendent / Custodian for our busy Oakville church located in the heart of Bronte.
This role is available as either a part-time employee position or as an external, independent contractor.

The Weekend Superintendent/Custodian is responsible for the weekend maintenance (Friday
– Sunday) of the church building and property to ensure they are clean, safe, and well-
maintained, as well as setting up / taking down rooms for scheduled activities and rentals.

The ideal candidate is:
– Able to communicate clearly and follow detailed instructions verbally, in writing, and by
text/email
– Able to lift heavy items and perform physical work, both indoors and out, in all seasons
– Reliable, energetic, and independent
– Flexible
– Organized and detail-oriented
– Handy with tools
– Takes pride in a job well done

Experience as a cleaner in a commercial environment is a definite asset.

This is a part-time position working Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and paid hourly. Hours are
flexible and will vary each week depending on events scheduled at the church – approximately
6-10 hours per week.

To apply for the position, please send a résumé and cover letter no later than
Friday, January 28 to office@waltonmemorial.com with the subject line CUSTODIAN.

Major change in accessing Walton’s parking lot for one day only, on Sunday, October 2nd due to the 2022 Nutrience Oakville Half Marathon and the ensuing road closure.

Arriving at Walton:
You must drive westerly on Lakeshore Rd from Bronte Rd and turn right into Walton’s parking lot on the east side.

If you get stopped by a race marshal at Bronte Rd and Lakeshore, please tell them you are gong to Walton and they will let you drive through.

Leaving Walton:
You will exit on the west side of the parking lot and turn right onto Lakeshore. Then travel west on Lakeshore Rd.