Back to School

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here.

Kids went back to school this week. I hope everyone paid extra attention when driving in school zones. The beginning of school also marks the beginning of sports season. More of our congregation is involved in senior-fit classes than playground sports, but we did have one representative on the soccer pitch. Joan's grandson, Miller, aged not quite three, took to the field for his first game on Saturday. Of course, grandma was there to cheer him on!

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We still have some hangover from the end of summer, namely the fundraiser food booth at the Saanich Fair. Plans are underway to send another mission team to the Dominican Republic this spring and that means we need money. As part of the fundraising effort, Diane, Irwin, Joan and Linda took a shift in the food booth.  Irwin on grill building poutine's, Diane on cash, Joan taking orders, Linda doing dishes. I don't know how the others fared, but Linda told me her hands looked like prunes after four hours of scrubbing pots.

Joan is still recycling bottles with the money going into the DR travel fund. Since the last trip in March, she has realized about $2300.00 and has her routine for collecting, sorting and taking to the depot down to a fine art. However, she does urge the congregation to drink more beer and pop, Those bottles have a better return than the wine ones.

So far Diane and Joan are committed to the trip but there is room for more. We hope for more! Anyone interested is encouraged to talk to Diane or Joan for more details.

Back in 2017 SPPC produced a cookbook as a fundraiser for the DR. The book sold out, but I thought I'd offer this recipe for Gingered Zucchini Soup. It will use up those extra zucchini lurking in the garden and can go into the fridge or freezer for quick lunches on busy school days.

1 T vegetable oil, (onion, garlic, salt, ginger, black pepper, to taste) 2c shredded zucchini 4 c. chicken broth.

Saute the onions and garlic in oil. Add spices, stir, add zucchini and saute a few minutes more. Add broth, cover and simmer 45-60 min. Puree. Garnish with chives or dill.

🌿 🌿🌿🌿🌿

We have one last chance to hear a summer concert. The Die Mahler String Quartet performs at SPPC, Sept. 14 (Saturday) at 6:00 pm. Admission by donation.

🎻🎻🎻

One more upcoming event confirms we are truly into autumn. On Thursday, Sept. 12, Friendship Coffee meets in the hall at SPPC. The weather is too unpredictable to plan for the rose garden. But, whatever the weather, the coffee is hot, the talk is engaging and the company is friendly. Come, bring a friend, and welcome the new fall term.                               ☕☕☕☕

For any who look forward to school or a return to work, the Bible offers this encouragement. 

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make  your paths straight.

Bang! It's September

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

And just like that, we're in "back to school" season. Where did the summer go? I remember when the holidays stretched out so far before me that I couldn't see the end. Every day seemed as long as a week. 

Summer visitors poured into our home through all the hot days of July and August. Farm work increased to fill the long daylight hours and Fall was a prospect so far in the future as to be irrelevant. My season of "re-creation" contained abundant time.

I guess I've grown up, because this summer has vanished in a flash. Was it the bad weather in the spring? The reluctant garden? The never-ending list of chores? I can't say. I just know that September is here and we're at the beginning of a new season. Session meets on Wednesday and choir practice starts on Thursday. 

We've fortunate at SPPC that the DieMahler string quartet is providing a bridge from summer to fall. They have played concerts at SPPC on the last two Saturdays of August and will play another on Saturday Sept. 14. You also have a chance to hear them on Sept. 7 at St. Paul's United Church in Sidney. All concerts are by donation and start at 6:00 pm. The program is Beethoven and Mozart. 

Beethoven and Mozart -- I think that's an excellent bridge from summer to fall. In my imagination Mozart's music sounds like summer while Beethoven signals the storms of autumn. 

Thank you Larry and Pablo and Kate and Hollis for bringing your music to our church.

♬♬

Next Friendship Coffee is Sept. 12 at 10:00 am

Long Bottle Drive

The link for this week's on-line worship service is here: https://youtu.be/81BPQYMX9dA

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A bottle drive is one of the mainstays of our fundraising for mission efforts at SPPC. Usually we pick a day (Saturday) and set up a sorting station in the parking lot, then send out cars and trucks through the neighbourhood to pick up donations from friends and family. As well, people can come by the church and drop off their empties.
Well, COVID, changed all that. Instead we're having a l o n g bottle drive. A plastic can in front of the church is a repository for drop-offs. Joan keeps it emptied out, taking the donations to her own backyard for sorting. 

What do the neighbours think!

Apparently, COVID has increased our consumption of all kinds of drinks. 

Before sorting

After sorting

Ready for Pickup

It's a lot of work, but so far over $500.00 has been added to the mission fund. Joan says she'll keep collecting, sorting and delivering to the recycle depot for as long as people keep leaving bottles. So, keep drinking folks and take your empties to Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church.

Thanks, Joan for all your work and also to Darlene for driving the delivery vehicle.

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Also happening this week: 

The DieMahler String Concert
Friday, September 18 at 6:00 p.m.
In the Sanctuary at
Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church

9296 E. Saanich Rd.
Admission By Donation
(Maximum 50 persons)