Today’s service will be offered in 2 formats – view the video below, read the text below or download and print the service from this document – link
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Blood Pressure Clinic – This morning, April 30th, there will be a blood pressure clinic following the 9:30 and 11:00 services in Rev. Gill’s office off of Bronte Hall. Drop by and have yours checked.
Spruce Up Day- If you have some time to spare on Saturday, May 13, between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm, help us keep Walton looking its best by volunteering for our annual Spruce Up Day. Come for the whole morning or just an hour – everyone’s welcome! We’ve got big and small jobs to suit everyone. Tasks include raking, trimming, weeding, sweeping, scrubbing, painting, staining, minor repairs, and more. Please contact the church office to sign up.
Change to one service on Sunday, May 21 – Sunday, May 14th is our last Sunday of two services at 9:30 & 11:00. Starting May 21st we will begin our summer schedule of 10:00 services (with Sunday School and Youth Groups) through the end of September.
Mother’s Day Tea – Mark Sunday, May 14th, on your calendar, not only is it Christian Family Service, but it is our annual Mother’s Day Tea at Walton. Come join us between services to celebrate all the wonderful people at Walton.
Are you aware? Something shocking is happening in our town. Children, as young as 12, are being lured, groomed, sexually exploited, and trafficked by predators right here in the Halton region. “Hidden in Plain Sight” Jennifer Potter will teach us the basics of trafficking, the stages of grooming and how to recognize it, the work being done locally by front-line agencies, and what You can do to help prevent and respond to this terrible crime. Join us on Wednesday, May 10th at 7:30 pm at Glen Abbey Church, sponsored by United churches in Oakville.
Register now for VBS! – Registration is now open for Galactic Starveyors, Walton’s Vacation Bible School day camp running July 10-14, 2023. This fun-filled week will be jam-packed with music, crafts, games, Bible study and adventures all designed to teach kids that there’s nothing in the entire universe greater than Jesus’ love. Walton’s VBS is open to campers from SK – Grade 5 (select grade entering in Sept/23), junior leaders in Grades 6-8, as well as high school and adult volunteers.
Transfer of membership (live or virtual), Sunday, May 28 at the 10am service – If you are a confirmed member of any Christian denomination and would like to transfer to Walton from another congregation, we’d be pleased to arrange the transfer. Please contact the Church Office or Rev. Jim jamescgillwuc@gmail.com for more information.
Would you like to learn how to record a service? We would love to have you join the team! Training and practice are unlimited and we would love to have you take part, or watch to see how it all happens. Please contact Wendy Silva through the church office or email socialmedia@waltonmemorial.com
New to Walton? Are you visiting today? Welcome! Please feel free to ask the ushers if you have any questions during the service and we invite you to fill out a welcome card in the pew racks and leave it in an offering plate at one of the doors. Please join us for coffee, tea or cold drinks and conversation in Bronte Hall after the 9:30 service ends and before the 11:00 am service begins. There you’ll also find the Welcome Centre with information about Walton and someone to chat with. Walton nametags, hats, pickles etc. are also available for purchase.
Rooms for rent – Looking for somewhere to host a meeting, bridal shower, birthday party, or music recital. exercise classes, sports groups, craft lessons or more? Walton has room for you! We have a number of rental spaces to accommodate groups large and small, for a one-off event or weekly sessions. Contact the church office for more details. See photos on our website – https://www.waltonmemorial.com/room-rentals
Children and youth are invited to view this week’s virtual Sunday School lesson online.
Walton’s prayer chain is open. Confidential prayers requests can be sent to office@waltonmemorial.com
If you need Rev. Jim for a pastoral emergency, please email him directly at jamescgillwuc@gmail.com.
As we gather today on these treaty lands, we are in solidarity with Indigenous brothers and sisters to honour and respect the four directions, lands, waters, plants, animals and ancestors that walked before us, and all of the wonderful elements of creation that exist. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for being stewards of this traditional territory.
One: Good morning. I love that song!
Two: Every day is the day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in it!
One: You are so right. Let us rejoice this morning in worship. Let us join together and sing “Sanctuary.”
(inspired by Acts 2:42-47)
We are God’s church:
We come together to worship.
He has given us his Word:
We come together to learn from him.
He has filled us with his power:
We go out to bring others to him.
He has called us into his family:
We come together to share our lives.
He has put his words on our lips:
We go out to tell the world about him.
He has given us his Spirit:
We come together to celebrate.
He has showered us with his riches:
We go out to share his goodness with others.
He has freed us from our past:
We come together to move forwards.
He has planned for us a glorious future:
We go out to live our lives to please him.
We are God’s church:
We come together to worship.
copyright © John Leach/The Jubilate Group
“And all the believers met together constantly, and shared everything they had….” Acts 2:44
One: May the God who is community,
All: be with us as we seek to be a community.
One: May God bless our dreams,
All: and may God shatter our dreams.
One: May God help us to be real,
All: and to find depth in weakness and brokenness.
One: May God help us to face and grow through conflict,
All: rather than pretend by being nice.
One: May we look at each other through soft eyes,
All: and truly respect each other as human beings.
One; May God help us let go of control,
All: and the need to fix one another.
One: May God help us discover we are needy in our own souls
All: and give attention to our own hearts.
One: May God grant us the gift of an extraordinary love,
All: that flows from the heart of God, that covers a multitude of wrongs. Amen.
adapted by Anna, and posted on the Grace website worship archive
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Check it out – Val and Alison are wearing matching shirts today. These are Walton shirts that say “Giving, Caring, Sharing” on them, and they were created for Walton’s entry in the Santa Claus Parade a few years ago.
Look around; can you spot any others? I think we started a fashion trend! What else is a trend right now? (Suggestions from kids)
Trends are funny. Something can become popular almost overnight, and suddenly it’s everywhere you look. And then just as fast, it falls out of fashion and you don’t see it anywhere. Or worse, people make fun of you for wearing it. Can you think of something that used to be really popular that’s now really embarrassing? (Suggestions from kids)
And trends come back over and over again. Look at this little guy (Alison holds up a stuffed toy). Does anyone know what this is? A Care Bear! When I was little, Care Bears were so popular. They even had their own TV show and everyone wanted a bear. I sure did, but I never got one. I’d forgotten all about Care Bears until last year. What a surprise when my big kid teenagers asked for Care Bears for Christmas! And an even nicer surprise – they got me one too.
They are such a great toy because they teach an important lesson. The Care Bears’ mission is to spread caring, sharing, love, friendship, acceptance, fun, and happiness. That’s Walton’s mission too – it’s written right here on our T-shirts!
Caring, giving, and sharing will never go out of style.
The Fellowship of the Believers
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This may be a first. A sermon idea was given to me by someone in a local hospice. A Walton member suggested from their hospital bed that I speak today on this topic. The message is not about facing illness and saying goodbye. Nor is it about looking back over your life and seeing what is really important, though those would be very beneficial themes for a sermon. No, this Walton person wanted me to talk to you about Duty of Care. That is right, Duty of Care.
Right here in front of me taped to the pulpit, there is this message entitled, “When an event is identified.” We do not have as many of these “events” now that we have air conditioning for the sanctuary in those dog days of summer. But we still do have medical incidents from time to time at any time during the year.
This is what we are to do according to this message on the pulpit. The person in charge of the service is, from the pulpit using the pulpit mike, to clearly assign one person to assess the situation and take the lead. Often one of those who are medically trained within the congregation offer to help quickly as they see the situation developing.
• One person is to call 911 when necessary
• One person is to bring the defibrillator and the wheelchair.
• Two people are to go to the Allen Entrance door to direct the emergency personnel and/or prepare to use the elevator
We also have a policy that if someone goes unconscious, is unresponsive, or is exhibiting the symptoms of heart attack, or stroke, or allergic reaction, then we call 911. This is not debatable. We just do it. EMS will then decide, not us, what is best for the person involved in this medical event. Also, the Walton policy is to continue the church service if possible, making sure recording cameras are turned away from the person involved if they are within camera range.
Today for the first time since 2019 we have a blood pressure clinic in my office, off Bronte Hall. We used to have these regularly before Covid so it is great to see them returning today. You see both these pulpit instructions I just read and the blood pressure clinics are part of Walton’s duty of care to the congregation. They are what this person in hospice asked me to share with you today, because they want us to know how much we care for one another in ways often never seen by others until they are needed.
Our Bible reading today describes the life of the very early church right after the Resurrection, which we celebrated earlier this month. There is a word in that biblical description I want to focus on. It is the word, “Together.”
The reading today says, “ And all that believed were together.” Hear that again, “All that believed were” what? “Together!” “Not in one place” as the scholars tell us, “for no one house could hold them all, their number was now so large; but they ‘agreed together’ as the Arabic version renders. All these believers were of one mind and judgement. As to doctrines, they agreed in their sentiments and principles of religion; and they were of one heart and soul. They were cordially affected to each other, and mutually were assisting one another in temporals, as well as in spirituals.” In short, they were there for one another. They looked out for one another. They had a duty of care to each other. This is the root of the early church. This is how those that actually knew Jesus chose to do church.
Do you know what this is? It is a Naloxone kit. Naloxone is a safe antidote for emergency treatment of known, or suspected, opioid overdose. It is safe for everyone and simple to use. Each kit contains 2 nasal sprays. We have three Naloxone kits at Walton, with one kit in the kitchen, directly above the first aid kit. The second kit is in the office and the third kit is with the defibrillator, beside the elevator. This is part of our duty of care too. Together looking out for each other.
The United Church of Canada has an official policy called The Duty of Care. It is for all congregations, staff and clergy. It says, “We take seriously our obligation to provide a safe and nurturing environment to our communities engaged in study, service, worship and personal growth. The church has a legal, moral, and spiritual obligation to care for and protect all individuals who receive services in the United Church.”
This policy is a guiding cornerstone around here week in and week out. So often we ask ourselves, “what is our duty of care in this or that situation?” It is not always easy to discern that answer. Too often, we can be tempted to confuse duty of care with personal preference. They are two distinct things. For example, preference is not to go up Bronte Road to the police station and get a police check to serve with children or vulnerable adults, but for the duty of care for everyone it is important I do regular police screening. It is a huge job for us to maintain all the confidential police checks in the congregation that are needed, but it is about caring for us being safely “together.”
Fulfilling the duty of care can also just be plain hard work, and it can also be expensive. One small example: we provide exterior lighting around the whole building from sunset to sunrise for safe walking and driving on church property in the dark. Many other congregations have all their lights shut off at 10:30 pm to save money. Duty of care is also about paying to have our elevator inspected and serviced every three months. We want people going up or down on the four-stop elevator to be safe and secure. We are grateful we have volunteers who check the fire alarm system every month and inspect the fire extinguishers. But once a year we pay for a licensed company to inspect it. We also pay for 24/7 alarm monitoring. We pray we never have fire issues, but we want people to be safe and be able to get out of the building if needed.
Duty of care can also be about saying “no” to people of all ages. No, you cannot hang off the balcony. No, you cannot play on the stage in Bronte Hall and no, you cannot play soccer anywhere but the mini gym. It can cause upset feelings, especially around the new commercial kitchen. The kitchen is not a walk-through between the office hallway and Bronte Hall during coffee hour. Yes, you have to wear closed-toe shoes and wear a hat or hair net to work in the kitchen for church events. The serving counters are not storage space for your event or activities and no you cannot sit on the counters and visit. The only people in the kitchen should be those doing the actual food prep. There are all safe food handling practices and procedures required in a licensed commercial kitchen such as ours.
Duty of care is a lot different now than in the early church we read about today in Acts. So much of Walton’s life now takes place in the cyber world. Trustees and staff have over the last year or more have done an ongoing cyber security check and review to safeguard your privacy and personal info. We have added new best practices, bought programs for added protection and purchased cyber insurance. Walton truly cares about our life here in the building, but also our cyber life of worship, pastoral care, mission and outreach.
Recently we added 10 exterior security cameras through a provincial government grant. Not only is this for the security of the building but security of people using facilities and their vehicles. Staff who are alone in the building can also see who is at the doors before answering during non-office hours. We created a strict privacy policy regarding access to security footage to protect us in being “ together.” Only three staff have access to the cameras and there is also a policy on how recordings can be used. These cameras go hand in hand with our policy to keep doors locked and use doorbells, to especially protect kids, staff and the facility. Times have changed in our world and we have to react accordingly.
We truly appreciate what our neighbours and Walton folk do to keep an eye on the church every day. People in the 2511 Lakeshore Road West condo have my cell # on their speed dial. Not just to protect the facilities, but to protect people in our parking lot. A number of years ago police were called and the police were actually able to protect a couple of minors.
Duty of care is about practically living out our faith. It is showing ways to be the Good Samaritan, to be the servant washing the feet of others, to be the one going the extra mile, or be the one turning the other cheek.
Walton’s leadership team continually assesses the risks when providing a safe environment for the congregation and community. We purposely want to fulfil our spiritual, legal, ethical and moral obligation to provide a safe place. We ask ourselves every day how we can meet that duty of care. We walk daily around the building, both inside and outside, to see if there is an emergent situation we need to address.
Duty of care is about many other actions you might just take for granted. It may be providing and maintaining a defibrillator by keeping the pads and battery up to date, and providing multiple freshly stocked first aid kits.
It may be training people how to safely light the new gas range or to run the elevator.
It may be about painting some exterior steps and the drainage basins with yellow caution paint.
It may be having an aggressive snow-clearing policy.
Over these last 3 years, Walton was often the last local congregation to loosen Covid restrictions. We did it bit by bit, seeing first how it went for other congregations. Since March 2020 we have poured thousands and thousands of dollars into Covid protection. Staff and some key leaders lived and breathed Covid protection every week. We tried to do the best thing by following up on changing guidelines, the literature and the best practices.
Thanks to your generous financial gifts, your hard work with fundraisers like the Turkey Dinner and your donations of items and services, we have been able to fulfil our duty of care in a number of ways. A few examples are:
– Walton protects the church and people individually by following section by section the CRA rules for charities, especially with “gifts in kind.”
– The massive yearly charity report is religiously sent to the government.
– There are double approvals or even triple approvals on expenditures to ensure we maintain wise stewardship of your donations.
– Recently a colossal insurance review with an updated inventory was done as well as the cyber insurance mentioned earlier
– We provide a detailed annual report for the Annual Meeting, including a thorough financial report.
The Walton Council gets such a detailed report 5 times a year. The Treasurer, Chair of Stewardship and I get a similar report every month and we review those detailed statements. We try to honour the funds you have donated or helped raise.
Finally, I would add our duty of care in dealing with bullying and/or abusive behaviour. Many of the staff are often alone in the building and we want them safe. But we also want to protect them in other ways. They are not to be the brunt of others’ unhappiness, anger or angst in whatever way expressed or acted out.
I began this message talking about the early church and about what the Book called the Acts of Apostles described as “they agreed together.”
Duty of care is about agreeing together as this family of faith to provide a safe and nurturing environment to our community engaged in study, service, worship and personal growth. It is about Walton Church fulfilling our legal, moral, and spiritual obligations to care for and protect all individuals who receive services in this United Church congregation.
The member in a hospice who wanted me to talk to you about duty of care was so right. Why is this such an important message? It simply goes back to Luke 6:31:
“Do to others, as you would have them do to you.”
Loving God, Thank you for teaching us to care for one another. We ask you, Lord, to watch over each person who is lifting their hearts to you in prayer today. May they feel your love, comfort and support as they offer up the burden or burdens that they are struggling with today.
For one of your children, it might be an abusive relationship, physical or mental.
For another one of your kids it might be unemployment; for another it might be illness, or being exhausted as a prime caregiver to a loved one.
For one it might be waiting to get a test, for another waiting to get test results.
Whatever our burden is we lift to you, Lord. As we share it in silent prayer.
(a time of silent prayer)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love, peace, and hope that we can together come before you in prayer asking for your forgiveness, grace and mercy today and always..
Amen.
Funny story. The other day someone came to the back door asking for some help. There was a request for food, unfortunately, the food box had been emptied and taken to the food bank the day before. Then the person requested a food store gift card. Again, we had handed them all out. So I offered whatever cash I had in my wallet. I left the person and came in and was shocked to see I only had a few coins in my wallet. I pulled them out feeling embarrassed, then thought I must have something else I can give.
I remembered the coins that Stu kept in his desk in a little plastic bag.
Embarrassed, I went to the door with this little bag of quarters and my $2.85, apologizing and saying I could drive over to the bank if she wanted to wait. She took the bag of coins and said to me, ”Maybe you need it more than me.”
Wow, she actually said, “You may need it more than me?”
No, I said sheepishly. I know she needed it more than me, but she was ready to give it back, if I did.
She thanked me and pocketed the bag of coins and went on her way.
It took me a little while to get over that visit. Actually, here I am a week later talking about it.
Oh, how grateful and blessed I am, that I can give.
Our offering will now be received.
♥ by secure online payment from your debit or credit card. Click here to go to our donation page to make a single or recurring donation. Multiple funds can be included in one donation by using the “Add Donation” button
♥ by cheque through the mail slot at the Church office entrance or by Canada Post
♥ by monthly PAR payments. To sign up contact stuart@waltonmemorial.com
All: Together, we present to you our offerings, that we can take from our blessings you have given us, to bless someone else. What a gift that is and we thank you Lord for all that we have. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Go out into the world remembering our God who created, and still creates.
God isn’t finished, so neither should we be.
The son Jesus, who loves each one of us, no matter what we have or haven’t done.
And the Holy Spirit who lives in us and works through us to help one another by giving, caring, and sharing. Amen.
Here is Rev. Jim’s mid-week update for Wednesday, April 26th
