Bottle Drive

     

We expect the church to be busy on Sunday, but Saturday? Check your expectations.  This Saturday, we had a very active parking lot.

    The bottle drive was another fund-raiser for the mission trip to Dominican Republic.

 Young and old pitched in to help.  Some drove a truck.  Some sorted cans and bottles.

 Some made coffee and cookies for the volunteers.

    By the end of the afternoon, we'd collected a respectable outcome for our efforts, and then the bounty overflowed.  Just after closing time a truck, with a trailer full of bottles and cans made a drop off, and our "respectable" showing, became a "wow" showing.  Enough that the recycle depot waived their pick up fee.

 

     The final tally is not yet in, but we've raised over $600.00 through the bottle drive.  The good news is that it's not over yet.  As Rev. Irwin explained during the children't time on Sunday morning,

the church will continue to receive recyclable bottles up until the time of the mission trip, so if you have a few empties still sitting in the basement, bring them in.  If you see some empties in your neighbour's garage, offer to bring them in too.

 As Diane remarked, the big truck and trailer was a wonderful sight, but it is truly amazing how "a little" times "a lot" adds up to a big offering.  

   Our thanks to all the volunteers from the congregation for their contributions.  We also had help from a neighbouring congregation and personal friends, so thanks to them too.

    A few weeks ago, I mentioned "Faithlink" on this blog.  One of the goals of that group was to make our churches more visible in the community.  As well as raising funds for mission, the bottle drive made us visible to those outside our congregation.  Thanks be to God. 

Fellowship and Health

 A recent article in MacLean's laments the demise of neighbourly interaction.  According to studies, in Canada 30% of people feel they are disconnected from their neighbours.  In Britain, a poll showed one third of people said they couldn't pick out their neighbours in a line up and in Australia sociologists found that even in disasters, neighbours were loathe to help each other for fear of intruding.
   Even while technology and social media gives us the ability to connect with thousands and thousands of people, more and more we are living disconnected lives.  In her book, The Village Effect, Susan Pinker argues that this trend is alarming in many ways, not least in terms of health.  She argues that humans need face-to-face contact as we need air and water.
       Studies show that those who have tight-knit social groups live on average fifteen years longer than those who do not.  Friendship, community, face-to-face interaction strengthens the immune system, regulates hormones and increases the odds of surviving a heart attack, stroke, AIDS and cancer.  There is even evidence that it lessens the prevalence of dementia.

     Pinker's research convicted her so strongly that she has changed her own habits in order to widen her social circle,  increasing her opportunities for face-to-face interaction.
     Neighbourliness is also Biblical.  Psalm 133   speaks of the blessing of harmonious living together, Philippians 1:4 speaks of the apostle praying with joy, for his friends. And, of course, Jesus commanded His followers to "love your neighbour as yourself."
     The demise of neighbourliness is a disturbing trend in modern society, but not in the church.  Opportunities for for friendship and sharing of interests and stories and work and food abound in most congregations and particularly at SPPC.  We have coffee hour after worship every Sunday, often with a cake to celebrate a special event.

      We have choir for those who share a love of singing.  There is a genealogy group for those fascinated with family trees. We have Bible Study groups, a flower committee and a constant need for volunteers in the kitchen.  All of these segments of the congregation are an example of community.  

And we have Friendship Coffee.  The second and fourth Thursday of the month.

 Everyone and anyone is invited to drop into the church between 10:00 am and 11:30 am and share conversation,

laughter, news, troubles and triumphs over a cup of coffee.  

     We often refer to the congregation as our church family, but we're your neighbours too.  Feel free to drop by.