Toronto United Mennonite Church

Ginny Reimer has volunteered to lead a pie-making bee at the church for the Black Creek Sale.  She needs helpers. Please sign-up on the sheet which will be posted on Sunday.  Pies are a big seller at the Black Creek MCC sale!! The Black Creek sign-up sheets are posted.  Get your preferred time slot early.  There is a place for everyone who wants to help and you get to visit Black Creek Pioneer village for free that day if you do sign up.  If you want to help, but aren't in church to sign up, call Ed Heese at 416-532-0432 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Luella Burgetz, mother of Bruce Burgetz, passed away early Friday morning, Aug. 27.   She was almost 95 years old.  She'll be missed by all of us, but we are thankful that she was able to be a part of our annual summer family long weekend together at our cottage, on the August long weekend. Bruce and Emily, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Stephanie Burgetz and Stephen Beneteau and sons Cayle and Quinn, Ingrid Burgetz and Christopher Porter and daughter Cordelia, and Kristen Burgetz

Bibles for Grade 3s. It is the TUMC tradition to give children in grade 3 a Bible of their own. If your child is entering Grade 3, please email the church secretary with the child's name as you would like it to appear in her/his Bible.

PLEASE NOTICE: CHANGE IN WORSHIP SCHEDULE: Beginning September 12th, 2010, Gathering Sunday, there will be a new Sunday Morning worship schedule for TUMC. After much discussion amongst the TUMC Board, the Christian Education Committee, the Worship Committee, and the Congregational Life Committee, as well as other members of the community, and ongoing consultation with the Toronto Mennonite New Life Church, the consensus is that the following changes will help TUMC succeed in working towards its identified Initiatives of Action: hospitality, Christian formation, and wise stewardship of space.

Prior to 10:00am – Sanctuary is available for music preparation, etc., as usual

10:00am – Sunday School will start for all ages. Children in their regular classrooms, adults in the sanctuary. Snacks for the children will be served at the end of Sunday School.

10:45am – Children’s Singing and Gathering

11:00am – Gathering Song and Worship Service Begins. Young children will be invited down to activity period following the Children’s story.

12:15pm – End of Worship Service, Coffee Time

12:35pm – Coffee Time wraps up

We recognize that this is a significant change in the life of TUMC. With all change comes some adjustment; however, we feel confident and excited about this shift and the opportunities for increased fellowship and spiritual development that it offers us as a community. The change will make it easier to enjoy a relaxed and quiet start to the education hour, and to invite others to share lunch after the service.

We hope that everyone will approach this change with an open mind, in good faith and with flexibility as new challenges arise, recognizing that no schedule will be perfect.  We will review how it's going at our November Congregational Meeting and February Annual General Meeting and make adjustments as needed. We hope that Adults and children will see this as an opportunity to renew their involvement with Christian education. If transportation is a factor for the participation of either adults or children from TUMC or TMNLC, we are happy to help with carpool arrangements.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact any member of the Christian Education or Worship Committees.

Basement Renovations: Work continues on the basement renovations. Ceiling work is underway and flooring will begin soon. This will involve the kitchen and washrooms at times.  Please wear shoes if you go in the basement. Painting the kitchen and washrooms will begin soon. Volunteer painting times are Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Call Peter Dick if you can volunteer during August for painting.

"Let's make a generous statement that we love our neighbours in Pakistan!"  Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is inviting your donations for our neighbours in Pakistan devastated by catastrophic flooding. Funds will be forwarded to trusted and experienced agencies who are already working there as MCC does not have its own staff in Pakistan.  Donate online at mcc.org or call 1-800-313-6226. Mark cheques as  Pakistan Flood Relief and send to 50 Kent Ave. Kitchener ON N2G 3R1 or  your nearest MCC Thrift Shop. MCC is eligible for Canadian Government matching funds.

Christian Formation ministries of Mennonite Church Canada devote staff time and resources to helping our congregations as they address the challenge of integrating older and younger adults in meaningful ways in the ministry of the local congregation. Thank you for the many prayers, expressions of affirmation and financial gifts that enable this work and help strengthen the ability of the church locally, regionally and nationally to respond to this pressing need.

If you missed Assembly 2010 or would like to review the highlights, check out daily reporting in The Roundup at www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1249. Other Assembly-related materials are also available there, such as photographs, worship resources, bible studies and an audio recording of the Assembly theme song specifically written for the event, Reclaim the Name.

Explore Burkina Faso in a way that no tourist could and experience the life and witness of a developing church community. A Mennonite Church Canada Learning Tour to Burkina Faso will take place Feb. 17 – 28, 2011. As they become available, more details will be posted at www.mennonitechurch.ca/getinvolved.

Employment Opportunities: Rockway Collegiate is seeking a Director of Communications & Marketing (half-time), as well as a Business Manager (half-time) to commence in January 2011 or earlier. Depending on qualifications and expertise, these positions could be filled with one full-time person. Detailed information is available at www.rockway.ca or call the school at 519-743-5209 for further information. Please respond with cover letter and accompanying resume sent to the school, or electronically to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by September 30, 2010.

TUMC AND OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS