Food Bank Drive

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

The mission committee has launched a special drive for the food bank over the next six weeks. Of course, our congregation gives to the food bank on an on-going basis, but for the next few weeks we'll have some fun with it. 

We're having a draw. For every item you place in the collection boxes, either food or cash, you get a ticket to enter. The draw will take place on June 19 with two lucky winners. One will take home a planter. the other wins a  hanging basket.

You can also support the Food Bank by coming to a concert.

 Our organist, Larry Skaggs, belongs to a string quartet, the DieMahler Quartet. They are presenting a concert at SPPC on Saturday May 27, at 7:00 pm. Admission is by donation, and a portion of the proceeds will go to our food bank drive.

As they say on television, Not One but Two Great Chances to Win!

Speaking of television, did you see our own Gladys strumming her ukulele on Chek Upside?  Scroll down the list until you reach May 4 with Stacy to watch the broadcast.

Her segment is about 53 minutes into the broadcast so use the fast forward arrows and enjoy. Way to go, Gladys.

Sunday was Mother's Day so, as you would expect, SPPC celebrated with cake. Two beautiful cakes that were very well enjoyed by mothers and others.

Thanks to those who made it 

possible.

Thanksgiving 2020

 The link to this week's youtube worship service is https://youtu.be/yU7rzuxGRTw

a scaled down display, with zucchini

  

 Happy Thanksgiving!

 Many of us are finding it hard to get into a 
thanksgiving frame of mind in 2020. The newspaper this morning reminded me of the string of disasters that had overtaken our world this year, even before COVID--fires in Australia, the shooting down of a passenger plane, and the loss of beloved stars of stage and screen and sport. Now COVID has held us in its grip for seven long months and the end is not yet in sight. Thanksgiving?

Still, the harvest has been bountiful (especially my zucchini), we live in a peaceful part of the world, we have in-person services (under 50 in attendance) we can still serve at home and abroad and we have faith.

60 servings of zucchini soup, plus a dozen loaves

The proceeds from the soup sales go to support our special missions.

So, we give thanks.

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Grace Dodds, formerly of our SPPC congregation has feted on CHEK TV last week on the occasion of her 100th birthday!

We give thanks.

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On Friday there will be a concert at SPPC.

The DieMahler String Concert
Friday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m.
In the Sanctuary at
Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church

Admission By Donation
(Maximum 50 persons)

At a time when the world needs the healing of music, we give thanks that at SPPC we can host a concert. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our God is faithful. He will not let us go. 

 Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Many Gifts

This weekend we were blessed at SPPC with many gifts, but one spirit.

On Saturday night fifty to sixty people gathered for a late Thanksgiving feast.  Felicity and her friends prepared a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, mashed potatoes, yam casserole, dressing, gravy, green vegetable medley, and cranberry salad.  Followed by pumpkin tars with whipped cream, or apple crumble.  The dinner was sponsored by the Parking Lot Club and was a treat for us all.  More importantly it was an opportunity for members of the congregation to meet and mingle with families whose children come to the Parking Lot Club on Thursday afternoons.  SPPC likes to practice fellowship around a common meal, and in doing so we follow the practice of the early church.  A wonderful way to welcome others into our fellowship.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, a similar number of people had the pleasure of hearing the McKenna String Quintet in concert.  This remarkable family of five, talented siblings has been in Victoria for the past few weeks, studying with various teachers, including the LaFayette String Quartet.  During that time, they have attended Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church, much to our delight.
Their concert opened with Mozart's String Quintet in D Major, K.593.  
This was followed by a vocal duet, Al Shlosh D'varim arr. Allen Naplan and performed by Minja and Marja McKenna.  The piece is based on Jewish morality laws, translated to mean: "The world is sustained by three things: by truth, by justice, and by peace."  The number was a surprising and lovely addition to the concert.

Following intermission the quintet, slightly rearranged, played Vaughn Williams' lush and romantic "Phantasy Quintet."  I overheard someone remark that it sounded Irish, perhaps that's why the family chose it.  Their father's background is Irish.

We then had another vocal piece, this time with all five of the performers singing. Esto les Digo by Kinley Lange is based on Matthew 18:20  "Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I also in the midst of them."  

The concert concluded with Boccherini's "String Quintet in C Major," Op. 42 No.2, a lively and engaging finish to the afternoon.
Except it wasn't really the end, the quintet treated us to an encore, a vocal arrangement of "Loch Lomond."

We had a truly remarkable weekend at the church, because so many were willing to share their gifts in the Spirit of Christ.  Thank you to everyone.  To the McKenna's we wish you well as you return home to Calgary, and on your musical journey.  
To everyone who helped, set-up, cooked, took-down, offered the hand of friendship and prayed for the success of both endeavours, thank you.  God bless us, everyone.

S.P.R.I.G.

by Martha McCracken

Saanich  Peninsula Refugee Initiative Group (SPRIG)

"Syria's civil war is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Since 2011, it is estimated that 12 million people have been killed or forced to flee their homes, representing over 50% of the country's pre-war population. As of November 2015, over 4.2 million Syrians have registered as refugees, most of them women and children."   Inter-Cultural Association (ICA) of Greater Victoria, fact sheet. 
 http://www.icavictoria.org/

   We have all seen the horrific images stemming from the Syrian refugee crisis - it is a truly appalling situation.  So, back in November 2015, when I heard that interested people (more than 80!) here on the peninsula were getting together to hear an ICA presentation about the refugee situation, I knew that I needed to attend.  And I did.  Two community gatherings later, hosted by St. John's United Church at St. Paul's United Church, SPRIG came into being, and I found myself signing on to its fund raising working group and steering committee.
   So what has SPRIG been doing?  SPRIG's stated goal is to undertake the private sponsorship of a refugee family to settle here on the Saanich Peninsula.  To do this, SPRIG first needed to amass sufficient funds to prove that it could support a refugee family, at least one-third of an initial estimate of $40,000 for a family of four.  This has been done.  In fact, SPRIG has been overwhelmed by the kind and generous financial support so far, all coming through word-of-mouth.
    In the meantime, SPRIG is fortunate that St. John's United Church is continuing to  accept cash or cheque donations payable to St. John's United Church,  Refugee Sponsorship Fund, 10990 West Saanich Road, North Saanich BC V8L 5R9 and is issuing the related income tax receipts.  As well, on its website, St. John's United Church has established a PayPal account to accept credit card donations.  All these donations will be transferred to the ICA case-specific account once it is in place.
     Now, SPRIG is preparing to enter into a formal constituent undertaking with the ICA, which is a government-approved Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH). Once the undertaking is signed, a refugee family will be assigned to SPRIG and the ICA will set up a case specific funding account for SPRIG, to which tax receiptable donations can be made.      While a refugee family is not likely to arrive on the Saanich Peninsula for at least six months, there is a lot to be done.  To find the most recent information on how you can help, steering committee updates, and the progress of our community and refugee family, I would encourage you to visit: SPRIG website:  
SPRIG email:  sprig@gmx.com.
  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SaanichPeninsulaRefugeeInitiativeGroup

   

As for me, I am busy chairing the fund raising committee with the support of a great team.  Our first actual event is a benefit concert, featuring the West Coast Chamber Players and the Sooke Harbour String Quartet.  It will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at 3 p.m. at St. John's United Church, 10990 West Saanich Road, North Saanich.  Tickets are $25 and are available at Tanner's Books in Sidney.  I hope to see you there.