What's New
In-Person Services Have Resumed
Glen Cairn United has resumed limited in-person services. Click here to register.
Our service experience is different than before COVID-19. We have put in place measures so that, together, we can protect each other. The number of worshippers in the sanctuary is restricted by physical distancing. Depending on how many people attend together in each family bubble, a service can accommodate from 30 to 60 people.
Attendees must pre-register, must arrive in time before the service for the available seating options, must be checked off upon entry for possible contact tracing, and must wear masks. The Church will have enhanced cleaning between services. Sanitizer and masks will be available (but we hope you will bring your own mask).
There is no congregational singing, no children’s activities, no after-church fellowship, no visiting in the foyer, no food or coffee, and no Bibles, hymn books nor bulletins. Your children are welcome to attend with you. They must remain in your care for the entire service.
Should I come in person?
In order to make the Church worship services as safe as possible for everyone, please take a self-assessment of your own risk in attending public gatherings, using the Ontario Public Health online tool https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/.
The online service stays the same. Please continue to attend online if you are at risk or if you feel more comfortable staying home. We completely understand if you don't feel you can attend in person. You are part of our community whether you attend online or in person.
Please stay home if you are feeling ill. By staying home you protect others.
Preparing to return
Registration is required each week. Registration is open Sunday afternoon until Friday at noon for the next week's service. Click here to register. You may also call the church office at 613-836-4756 to register. If you leave a message, a staff member will call to confirm your reservation.
Masks are required in all indoor public spaces in Ottawa. Wearing a mask is a way of caring for others and ourselves. Please bring your own mask if you can. If you cannot wear a mask, we recommend you not attend.
Service Time
The service starts at 10:00 AM. Please arrive at 9:40 so you can be seated.
Entering the Building
Put on your mask when you arrive on the property or before leaving your vehicle. You must wear a mask to enter the building. A mask will be provided for you if you forget your own.
Please enter from the parking lot side of the building. On arriving you will be greeted outside under the portico. The greeter will check if you are registered and ask you several health questions.
Use the hand sanitizer station at the door to clean your hands.
An usher will show you to a seat. Chairs have been removed from the sanctuary to maintain physical distance. Please remain in the seats provided to you by the usher, and refrain from moving the chairs.
Persons with special needs may park in the handicapped parking spaces on the Abbeyhill Drive side of the building, and enter by the Abbeyhill Drive doors. These doors will be locked. Please ring the bell for assistance.
Please do not enter by the doors at the main hall end of the building. The main hall, kitchen, and classrooms are closed during services.
Outreach Donations
You may drop off donations for the monthly outreach appeal before the service. Please place your items in the donation the bin, which is located by the door.
Gathering the Offering
The offering will not be gathered during the service. An offering plate is available at the entrance. Please place your offering envelopes into the plate as you enter.
During the Service
There is no congregational singing. Soloists are safely separated from the congregation in the fishbowl at the back of the sanctuary.
Please keep your mask on during the service. Worship leaders will not wear masks while at the front of the church. This is the only exception.
We wish to limit movement in the sanctuary. We encourage you to remain seated until the end of the service. Should you need to leave during the service, please maintain a distance of 2m (6 ft) from others as much as possible.
We're all still learning how to live safely, and understand completely if your experience is different. If you do feel the need to leave, please contact us afterwards and let us know how we can do better.
Washrooms
One washroom is available. Use of the washroom is limited to one person at a time. An usher will guide you and indicate when it is safe to enter the washroom. Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the washroom.
Leaving the Service
At the end of the service those seated at the back exit first so we can maintain physical distance. Please remain in your seat until the usher guides you. Maintain a distance of 2m from others as you leave. Please proceed directly to the exits. Keep your masks on until you reach your vehicle or leave the property. Sanitize your hands before removing your mask.
There is no fellowship time at the church after the service. The after church Zoom meeting will continue. Hurry home or you will miss it.
OFFICE CLOSED
The church office is closed. We are checking messages regularly.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious and need to speak with someone please, call the church office at 613-836-4756. If you prefer to speak to Rev. Elaine directly you may call her cellphone number 613-240-9388. Our pastoral care team are willing to be listening ears. You may leave a confidential message at 613-435-4500, and someone will call you back as soon as possible. You are not alone; we are here for you and we are here for each other. This is one of the joys of being a community.
Announcements
Updated September 10
Please contact the office for the contact information of our many volunteers.
Glen Cairn United offers limited in-person services
We have put in place measures so that, together, we can protect each other. The number of worshippers in the sanctuary is restricted by physical distancing. Depending on how many people attend together in each household, a service can accommodate from 30 to 60 people.
You must pre-register for the service. Please go to our website at https://www.gcuc.ca and follow the link there to register. Registration will be open until Saturday or all places are filled. You will be contacted to let you know if your request has been accepted.
The online service stays the same. Please continue to attend online if you are at risk or if you feel more comfortable staying home. We completely understand if you don't feel you can attend in person. You are part of our community whether you attend online or in person.
September Monthly Outreach
For the month of September we will be collecting items for Shepherds of Good Hope -- Hope Living. Hope Living is a 92-bed supportive housing program with a focus on formerly homeless and/or vulnerably housed individuals, many of whom are elderly and/or live with complex mental health challenges. It offers a variety of on-site amenities, including a full-service dining hall, activity room and expansive outdoor area. Hope Living provides its residents with comprehensive health and wellness support, enabling them to maintain their independence while developing life skills and integrating into the community. Eight additional units are currently under construction at Hope Living thanks to the federal government’s Rapid Housing Program. This will bring the program’s capacity to 100 in early 2022.
Hope Living is currently in need of the following items: shampoo, body wash, bars of soap.
Donations will be collected outside the church (in the back parking lot) on Sundays from 1pm to 2pm, Sept. 19 & 26. We will be following physical distancing rules. If you are attending church in-person, please leave donations in the Outreach Bin. Please do not leave items outside the church at other times. Thank you for supporting monthly outreach.
Interested in Church Membership?
On Sunday, October 10th we will be welcoming new members into the United Church of Canada and specifically Glen Cairn United Church. We will celebrate Confirmation (for those previously baptized); Confirmation by Baptism for those who are of adult age and never baptized; Membership Transfer from another United Church; and Reaffirmation of Faith, for those of adult age but have been baptized.
Please make your intentions known to Patricia Will, Chair of Membership, Please contact Patricia by September 26 at the latest. There may be one meeting with Reverend Elaine prior to October 10th.
On Sunday, September 26th we will celebrate Orange Shirt Day and Every Child Matters
If you can, please wear an orange shirt and “take a photo”. Email them to me at elaine.beattie@gcuc.ca so we can make a collage and share our photos on our on Facebook page.
Pastoral Care Team
“Reach out and connect in Christ’s name”:
Members of the Pastoral Care Team continue to offer their care and spiritual compassion to those who request them on a confidential basis. We can now have visits within the protocols for COVID 19 and can also connect by phone, e-mail, cards, and through prayers.
Our contact person for September is Brenda Carr or you can call our confidential number (613-435-4500) and leave a message which will be returned promptly. For more supportive information about living in COVID times, see our website link at https://www.gcuc.ca/what-we-do/care
Healing Pathway Team
The GCUC Healing Pathway Team is offering a modified ministry of healing and prayer within the church and community. Monday mornings, we gather via Zoom technology with anyone who wishes to receive a distance healing session, pray and meditate together. We are inviting anyone who would like to join us in these Zoom meetings on Mondays at 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. to experience Healing Pathway in a new way. Please contact our Coordinator, Nancy Kerr at healingpathwaygcuc@gmail.com to be invited or to give us names whom we can include in our healing prayers. Alternatively, you can call our confidential number (613-435-4500) and leave a message which will be returned promptly. We can still connect heart-to-heart in faith and hope!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Outdoor chat time on Wednesday at 11:00am.
Please RSVP to Rev. Elaine, elaine.beattie@gcuc.ca , by Tuesday afternoon if you wish to attend.
Morning Prayers on Facebook will continue
At 10:00am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings
Please note that there will be NO Morning Prayer time on Tuesday, September 14th.
Coffee n Conversation
Every Friday at 11:00 am by Zoom.
Beginning on September 24th, in-person Coffee ‘n Conversation will return! Registration will be required and more information will be provided next week. Please note that these will be ‘BYOC’ (Bring Your Own Coffee) gatherings.
Wednesday, Afternoon Craft Group
Resumes on Wednesday, September 8th at 3:30 pm by Zoom
Thursday Evening Craft Group
Resumes on Thursday, September 9th at 7:30 pm by Zoom.
Book Club - September 14th at 7:00 pm (Zoom)
We will be discussing “From the Ashes” by Jesse Thistle.
All are welcome
Wednesday evening Bible Study by Zoom 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Recommencing on September 15th from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
All are welcome to join this Zoom group, and we look forward to having you with us to share the companionship of studying God's Word. We will pick up again at Acts 20 and continue with Luke's account of the early church. Interestingly the book of Acts is sometimes referred to as the Acts of the Apostles but could equally be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit as that is what drove the apostles and early church in their work. In either case it is a fascinating account of these brave and 100% dedicated men and women shortly after the resurrection of Christ.
Please contact Kevin McComas for the Zoom link.
Adult Fellowship Games Night – September 17th
Time for another adult fellowship games night! Do you have unique ideas? Can you come out with outside of the box solutions? Bring your pen and paper to this week’s Adult Fellowship Zoom Scattegories game night. Friday September 17th we will meet on zoom at 6:30 for a fun evening of finding unique answers. Come join the fun, no need to preregister. Please contact Vida if you have any questions.
2022 United Church Calendars
Would you like to have a 2022 United Church calendar? Please contact Martha by October 12 to place your order. The cost will be $10, exact change please or a cheque made out to Glen Cairn UCW.
Continuing Events
Glen Cairn United has suspended many in-person gatherings. Church continues through:
Personal prayer and meditation
Checking on our friends and neighbours
Sunday worship on YouTube.
Prayer broadcast on Facebook, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 AM
Friday morning coffee time on Zoom - contact the office for details
Online bible study - contact the office for details
Online book club - watch for announcements below or contact the office
Newsletters
2021 GCUC Summer Reach Out Newsletter.pdf2020 Advent Reach Out Newsletter ONLINE.pdf2020 Fall Reach Out Newsletter.pdfSolar Panel Output
Find out what's new with the solar panel output here.