What's New
In-Person Services Return September 27
Limited in-person services start on Sunday, September 27, 2020. Click here to register.
Our service experience will be 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 will be 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, we suggest that you 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
You'll have to register each week. Registration will be open Sunday afternoon until Friday at noon for the next week's service. Click here to register. If you do not have internet access 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 will be safely separated from the congregation.
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 will be 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 will 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.
Reopening Plan Approved
On September 4, 2020, the Eastern Ontario and Outaouais Region (EOOR) approved Glen Cairn United's plan to reopen. Download the plan to learn more.
Continuing Events
Glen Cairn United has cancelled 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
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.
In Person Gatherings CANCELLED
Glen Cairn United has cancelled in person gatherings in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Announcements
Updated September 19Please contact the office for the contact information of our many volunteers
Upcoming Worship Services
Next week, Sunday, September 27th, is the beginning of our hybrid worship, in person and online. You are invited to a masK-erade on September 27th, please dress up, dress down....for worship... if you are at home send photos... and we will include them on October 4th.
On Sunday, October 4th, we will celebrate worldwide communion. Those at home please have bread and juice available. Those who will be in church, please bring your own gluten-free option. Others will be supplied.
Monthly Outreach is Back!
For the month of September we will be collecting items for the Kanata Food Cupboard emergency food hampers. They are currently in need of the following items: Dry spaghetti, Rice, Pancake mix, Canned meats, Canned diced tomatoes, Canned baked beans (no pork), Canned pasta sauce, Bars of soap, and Toilet paper.
Approximately 10 ‘hampers’ (boxes and bags) are given to each family coming to pick up food. Since March, over 1000 families have been served. The Kanata Food Cupboard has seen an 86% increase in new families. Donations will be collected outside the church (in the back parking lot) on Sundays from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, Sept 13, Sept. 20 and Sept. 27. We will be following physical distancing rules. If you are attending in person on Sunday, September 27, please leave donations in the Outreach Bin by the door. Please do not leave items outside the church at other times. Thank you for supporting monthly outreach.
Children’s Choir
The children of the GCUC Children's Choir (K to Grade 6) are now meeting online on Zoom every Thursday evening at 6:30 pm for 40 minutes of song, storytime and arts and crafts. If you think your child would like to join the fun please contact Dianne Hough or Jennifer Yeates. Jennifer will be hosting the meeting.
Come and join the activities! We would love to have you!
Wednesday Evening Bible Study – 7:00 – 8:00 pm by Zoom
All are welcome. No experience necessary. No need to leave home as we go through Zoom. For details contact the GCUC office or Kevin McComas.
Morning Prayer with Rev. Elaine - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 am on Facebook live!
Are you feeling sad because you haven't been able to donate to UCW?
Not even giving to the birthday/anniversary can? Faye is coming to your rescue with an answer to that problem. She is preserving jars of Holy Crab Apple Jelly (from our church property). And later in September she will be pickling beets. If you would love to purchase either of these products please call Faye directly and place your order. You will arrange with her to pick up the jars from her front step or she will deliver them to you. Do you think this is a great idea and you would like to sell jars of homemade jams or pickles to raise money for our church? Please call Martha and we will talk.
Weather permitting, Rev Elaine would like to host a chat time outdoors on the patio near the lounge on Wednesday, September 23rd at 11:00 am. Bring your lawn chair and your own beverage. Only 9 people can attend each chat.
Please RSVP elaine.beattie@gcuc.ca if you would like to come to this chat.
2021 United Church Calendars
Would you like to have a 2021 United Church calendar? Please contact Martha
Book Club
The next meeting of the Book Club will be Wednesday, Nov. 4th at 7:00 pm.
We are reading “Five Little Indians” by Michelle Good. All are welcome.
Wednesday, Afternoon Craft Group every Wednesday at 3:00 pm by Zoom
Thursday Evening Craft Group every Thursday at 7:30 pm by Zoom
Please contact Vida Johnston if you have any questions.
Knitting Squares for Prayer Blankets
I have had a couple inquiries about the squares we are making to make prayer blankets. If anyone is interested in doing some squares either during our prayer times on Facebook or during the Sunday Youtube service (or any time crafting might help decrease the stress), your squares will be greatly appreciated. Any knitting or crochet pattern can be used. We are hoping for 7 inch (18cm X 18cm) squares. Anyone looking for the patterns that we were using in church, please feel free to contact me. Take care. Vida
Please place your completed squares in the bin outside the door to the back parking lot.
Coffee n Conversation
Friday mornings at 11:00 am by Zoom
For those of you who enjoy coffee and still want to support Glen Cairn United Church, we are pleased to announce that you can still order coffee and as a bonus, your order will be delivered to your home! Please note orders placed before 10:00 AM on the Monday will be delivered on Wednesday of the same week. We have coffee, tea, hot chocolate and chocolate bars that are supplied by Equator Roasters in Almonte and are fair trade. If you wish to order, please send an email to Anne McEwen with the details of your order and a phone number that we can contact if necessary.
Pastoral Care
“Love your neighbour as yourself.” As Jesus taught us, we are all called to care for one another. Working closely with the Minister, the Pastoral Care Team members support the congregation’s ministry of caring by focusing on responding to the pastoral, spiritual and emotional needs of the members of GCUC. Once we know of these needs, we can offer a confidential, caring visit or call at home or hospital, and prayers as requested. Please advise one of the Team members if you, or anyone you know of in our church family, would appreciate receiving pastoral care.
The Pastoral Care contact for September is Joy Craigie. Alternatively, please leave a message at the NEW confidential Pastoral Care/Healing Pathway number: 613-435-4500.
COVID-19 Resources
These pages have information and advice about COVID-19.
Ottawa Public Health - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ontario Ministry of Health - The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Health Canada - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
United Church of Canada - Faith Communities and COVID-19
Caring For Caregivers
This flyer produced by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre contains useful information not only for caregivers, but for everyone during the COVID-19 crisis.
2020 Newsletters
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2019 Spring Easter Reach Out WEB.pdf2019 Fall Reach Out web.pdf2019 WinterAdvent Reach Out Web.pdf2018 NEWSLETTERS
2018 Advent Reach Out WEB.pdf2018 Fall Reach Out web.pdf2018 Summer Reach Out Web.pdf2018 Easter Reach Out web.pdfSolar Panel Output
Find out what's new with the solar panel output here.