Robertson-Wesley United Church

Have you always wanted to work at R-W?
We are currently looking for an Affirming Ministries Coordinator to join our team!
The Affirming Ministries Coordinator of Edmonton would work to continue the mission of helping congregations become affirming while providing programming, support, resources and pastoral care to LGBTQ2S+ and allies on their spiritual journey.
... https://www.rwuc.org/careers/
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There is still time to Register for tomorrows After #metoo circle talk.

God on Tap is a gathering of people ages 18 years and up, who would like to engage in conversation about who God is, and how God is working in the world and in our lives. This is a great way to explore faith with others over a beverage of your choice (beer, wine, coffee, pop.) This is an open space for people with no faith, and those with an inquiring mind, and those who wish to deepen their understanding of faith. Held at The Nook Café on 10153 97 St. from 7:00 - 8:30 PM.

Continuing our theme of Acceptance, this week’s sermon focuses on multiplicity. Paul writes that there is a variety of gifts but the same Spirit! How best can we celebrate the variety that God made from the first days of Creation? How can we see through our instinctive fear of new and different, and our love of binary (two distinct) categories to make sense of things? How can we encourage one another to see the wonderful diverse ways we express our personalities, genders and cultures? We will be joined by the joyful voices of the Cantilon Kindersingers. See you there! Sunday at 10:30 am

We will be joined by Jessie Lipscombe, the man behind the “make it awkward” movement. He will share with us his journey in his call to respond to everyday injustices, as we journey to we.
Jesse Lipscombe is an actor, producer, entrepreneur and activist based in Edmonton, Alberta. Born and raised in St. Albert, Jesse started his acting career at age 14 alongside Sidney Poitier in the Calgary-shot film Children of the Dust. At 18, he received a full track-and-field scholarship ...to Martin Luther King Jr.’s alma mater, Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia. Jesse went on to win multiple national high-jump championships in both Canada and the U.S., and was ranked 6th in the world in his sport. Back in Edmonton, Jesse launched a full entrepreneurial and artistic career, opening fitness studios and restaurants, while continuing to act and produce in award-winning film and television productions. Jesse has been nominated for several Canadian Screen Awards and Alberta film and television awards. This year, Jesse was the recipient of the Obsidian Award for Top Business Leader in Western Canada, and he was named Community Man of the Year by Diversity Magazine. Through it all, Jesse’s top priority has been giving back to his community, which he’s done through multiple annual fundraisers and partnerships with Edmonton charities such as WIN House and iHuman. In September, Jesse and his wife Julia launched the #MakeItAwkward campaign to combat racism, misogyny, homophobia and hatred of all kinds. Jesse and Julia are parents to three young boys, aged 10, 9 and 2.
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THIS SACRED PLACE
There is a place near here I like to sit, a place where the slanted rays of winter sun
... warm the bare trees; where water drips into the pond trickling notes of a wordless song.
Sitting with silence, the mind begins to quiet and breathing settles. Thoughts come, then disappear,
and equanimity envelops me with a healing spirit, the soul of this bare winter woodland.
Mary Kendall
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Do you love coffee, chocolate and music? Join the Robertson-Wesley Music Society for Coffee Cantata with a coffee, tea and chocolate tasting by Credo! ☕️🍫🎼

Do you want to work at R-W? Check out our new job listing below! www.rwuc.org/careers

See you this Sunday Jan 13 for Worship at 10:30 am.
Our Sermon this week: Born this way Lady Gaga’s song Born this Way has inspired and encouraged many people in the world to a place of acceptance. She writes: “I’m beautiful in my way, ‘Cause God makes no mistakes, I’m on the right track, baby I was born this way.” On this day when we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, we are reminded by the prophet Isaiah that God said “Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” Being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus is a seal of love and belonging in God’s realm. We all have a place and we are all loved for who we are. How do we live out this radical welcome and acceptance today?

GENDER AND SEXUALITY 101🧠🚻❤️ Sunday, Jan 13 from 12 noon - 2:00 pm. RWUC presents a workshop that aims to discuss and breakdown modern thinking around Sexuality and Gender. We want to create space for people to learn concepts that might seem daunting around these subjects, so our community can be more inclusive and understanding. Some distinct and intersecting topics we’ll discuss are LGBTQ2+, pansexuality, asexuality, gender binary, cis-gender, transgender, gender expression, etc. Presented by Jessica Blake and Brooke Leifso.

we see you. we love you. we accept you

For Wider Church Wednesday we share this Epiphany Prayer.
https://www.united-church.ca/prayers/thre shold

Recently, we were lucky to be the backdrop to a gorgeous wedding fashion shoot for Avenue Magazine! Check out the article below and see if you can spot our historic building.

Our Sermon last Sunday focused on an Epiphany moment for our congregation, when we became an affirming church! Check out our sermon blog below to understand how becoming affirming transformed R-W. We update the sermon blog weekly so you can follow along with our January sermons, all focused on Acceptance!

Our January display window illustrates our theme of Acceptance and highlights the differences between gender identity, gender expression, sex, physical attraction and emotional attraction.
As God says, “every expression of gender, every exploration into our imperfections and wondrous-ness is good.”

Our January theme is Acceptance! As a Christian community we are called to explore what it means when God said and still says: IT IS GOOD! God says, “every expression of gender, every exploration into our imperfections and wondrous-ness is good.” All is whole when perceived through God’s heart. How can we encourage one another to witness as Christ witnessed?

This Sunday, Jan 6 is Epiphany Sunday! Our Sermon this week focuses on our own Epiphany moment at R-W.
Becoming an affirming church was an epiphany moment in the history of this congregation. It was the moment when everything changed and we began to rethink our way forward, we set off in a new direction. It is time again to reaffirm this direction and journey even further to the light, the light of acceptance. Stephens G. Lytch proclaims that “God restores us to wholeness within the community of faith so that we can take our place in the procession and make room for others to join us.” It is time to remove the wall that divides us and them and live in the world of we.
See you at Worship! 10:30 am

Join us for Mom & Dads Group on Monday, January 7 at 9:30 am. Moms, Dads and their babies and toddlers are invited to gather in the Clubroom between 9:30 am and 11:00 am. This is an informal group where we gather to talk about the joys and pains of parenthood. It is also a chance to have some adult conversation, and for your babies and toddlers to socialize. Don't worry if you are a bit late and it is okay if you have to leave early, we totally understand the reality of being a parent. Feel free to bring your friends and invite other Moms or Dads. This is an open group.

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