Refreshed and Reconnected - Rev. Alison is Back in Yellowknife!

[Rev Alison Mock]

Dear YKUC Friends,

I feel positively sun-drunk after spending the last two days back in Yellowknife. EIGHTEEN HOURS of sunshine! I barely recognize the place. Maybe it's the change of season, but it feels like I've been gone for a year instead of five weeks!

It's been a rich and busy time for me, full of wider-church gatherings, professional development, spiritual retreat, and lots and lots of travel. For the record: four trips in five weeks is TOO many! But, they were all excellent. I visited our friend Bev Brazier in Whitehorse, caught up with my son Alex and his friends in Vancouver, gathered with Northern Spirit Regional Council in Grande Prairie, and met 35 of my United Church clergy colleagues in St. Albert. All of these things were great -- and I'm really, really happy to settle in ONE place for the next month.

A couple of special upcoming events to tell you about:

Membership Sunday: On May 31st  at 11 am (Trinity Sunday), we will receive new members into our church family. What does this mean? If you have been active in our congregation for awhile, but not formally received into membership, you might consider if this is the time. Perhaps you have found the church after years away, or you have spent most of your life in a different denomination, or you've never been baptized. Perhaps you were baptized and then transitioned to using a new name or gender identity, and you'd like to honour that shift. Perhaps you have never been baptized, and have found the church for the first time. If any of these scenarios describe you, please be in touch with me, and I'll walk you through what is involved.

Covenanting Service: on June 7th at 10am, I'm so excited that we will celebrate our covenant together. Who's we, you ask? Our ministry together is a three-way covenant between the congregation, the regional council, and myself, all making promises to God. Even though I've been back with you (in some form or another) for nearly two years now, my "call" has only just been made official. So, we celebrate and seal our intentions with a covenant. It will be a special day, and we will welcome special guests Bev Brazier and Shannon McCarthy to be with us. 

YK Pride Parade: we'll be marching in the Pride Parade again this year! Please save the date for June 14th. There will be a short worship service before heading down to the park. 

The Return of Wednesdays at the Manse: the next three Wednesdays, please feel welcome at the Manse at 7pm for times of small group ministry. I love Wednesday nights, because we try all kinds of spiritual practices in a laid-back, cozy space. You don't need to have any experience -- just bring yourself and a willing spirit. 

May 20th at 7pm - Introduction to Spiritual Journaling (if you HAVE a journal and a favourite pen already, bring it, if not, one will be provided to you.)

May 29th at 7pm - Faith & Film night. In preparation for the summer of Pride, join me to view 1946: the Mistranslation that Shifted Culture. This is a really interesting film about homosexuality in the Bible, and a great introduction to the study of biblical manuscripts. We are hoping to show this film to a wider community audience over the summer, but we're starting with a small-screen watch party. 

June 3rd at 7pm - Death Cafe Returns! Far and away, the most popular Wednesday night so far has been our Death Cafe. I've had so many requests to offer another one, and now's the time! Come on out with your questions and hopes and fears, and we'll talk about death in a positive, judgement-free space.

Finally, a reminder (you'll get lots) that worship will shift to Sundays at 10am, starting June 7th. 

It's SO good to be back! See you SOON!

Alison

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Rev. Alison Mock

Minister, Yellowknife United Church

5403 - 50 Avenue (Franklin Ave)

Yellowknife, NT

Mobile: 647-287-4489

Church Phone: 867-873-6291