Pacific Mountain Region

Ice Cream Sandwiches @ SFU
2021-09-15 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | BC
Calling all students!
We’re handing out 50 Ice Cream Sandwiches on the second week of classes. Look for a tallish, chubby guy, named Daniel in a “Campus United” shirt pulling a cooler.
Feel free to stay and chat about campus life, spirituality, best nap spot on campus or just grab the treat and run.

Simon Fraser University Prayer Walk
2021-09-15 18:00 - 19:00 | BC
Join in with fellow United Church of Canada congregations as we walk the campus, bless the school, and see what college life looks like for our local students.
Meet at the SFU Transportation Centre.

Young Adult Gathering - Game Night
2021-09-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Pizzeria Ludica, 601 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Games Night at Pizza Ludica (New West)
It has been TOO LONG since we saw each other! Let’s gather together for a couple of hours, eat some lovely woodfired pizza and play some games (they literally have a WALL of board games for all ages and all levels of fun!). This restaurant is really close to Columbia Skytrain station.
Join Event Leaders: Pamela and Jake 🙂
DATE: Sunday, September 19th, 2021
TIME: 6:00 PM – 8PM
LOCATION: Pizzeria Ludica (New Westminster location) 601 Carnarvon Street ​(Near Columbia Skytrain station.) Details here

Leaders Online Gathering: First Third Ministry
2021-09-21 14:30 - 15:45 | BC
Hosted by Rev Mary Nichol, First Third Ministry Staff, for all those in leadership with Children, Youth, Families, Young Adults in a United Church setting – whether paid or volunteer in dedicated ministry with children and families, or a piece of your ministry.

Young Adult Gathering - Mug Painting
2021-09-25 15:00 - 17:00 | FirstMetropolitan United Church, 932 Balmoral Road, Victoria, BC, Canada
Mug Painting Night at FirstMetropolitan United (Victoria)
It’s time to get together with other United Church YAs in the Victoria area – for community, connection and FUN. We’re serving drinks and snacks, sharing a short time of worship, and … painting mugs from FiredUp! Ceramics Studio! (Once painted, your mug gets dropped off to FiredUp! to get sealed with a food-safe clear glaze. About a week later First Third Staff will pick up your fired mug and drop it to you!).

Leaders Online Gathering: First Third Ministry
2021-09-28 14:30 - 15:45 | BC
Hosted by Rev Mary Nichol, First Third Ministry Staff, for all those in leadership with Children, Youth, Families, Young Adults in a United Church setting – whether paid or volunteer in dedicated ministry with children and families, or a piece of your ministry. Free. Register for the Zoom link here.

Town Hall - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
2021-09-29 11:00 - 12:30 | BC
Elder Alberta Billy
We will be joined by a very special guest, Elder Alberta Billy, who was one of the first voices calling for the United Church of Canada to apologize for our Indian Residential School legacy. We are grateful for Alberta Billy being able to spend this time with the gathering Town Hall community. We hope that you can join, if able.
Topic: PMRC Town Hall Meeting
Time: September 29, 2021 11am Pacific / 12pm Mountain
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://united-church.zoom.us/j/95084573416?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 950 8457 3416
Password: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+17789072071,,95084573416# Canada
+14388097799,,95084573416# Canada

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
2021-09-30 | BC
The office of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council is closed.

The Gathering Place - A Time for Ministry Personnel
2021-10-12 10:00 - 11:30, 2021-11-09 10:00 - 11:30 | BC
The Gathering Place a time of online, Mini-Retreats for United Church Ministry Personnel. Happening 10-11:30am PT/ 11am-12:30pm MT on the 2nd Tuesday of each month via Zoom, Ministry Personnel are invited into 90 mins of being in community. You can expect practices with colleagues such as check-in, pray, laugh, share sacred stories and maybe even singing a little — together.

The Gathering Place is Free and Drop-In Style.
Registration is Required for the Zoom access. Register here.
Hosted by the PMRC’s Ministry Personal Support Team, contact Karen Millard or Marc Coulombe for more information.

Leaders Online Gathering: First Third Ministry
2021-10-12 14:30 - 15:45, 2021-10-19 14:30 - 15:45, 2021-10-26 14:30 - 15:45 | BC
Hosted by Rev Mary Nichol, First Third Ministry Staff, for all those in leadership with Children, Youth, Families, Young Adults in a United Church setting – whether paid or volunteer in dedicated ministry with children and families, or a piece of your ministry.
New for this Fall – Guest Speakers once a month beginning in October

Faith Leaders For Such A Time As This
2021-10-13 10:00 - 11:30, 2021-10-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2021-11-03 10:00 - 11:30, 2021-11-10 10:00 - 11:30 | BC
Offered by LeaderShift
“Faith Leaders for Such a Time as This” is designed to invite participants into the Christian faith’s essential practices:
To attend to the life and faith of our community,
To listen for the Spirit within the challenges and opportunities of our context,
To honour the wisdom of our traditions.
Expect to start with story – exploring who we are, and where we are as leaders and as individuals – and expand from there. Beautiful, strong women leaders, Cheryl Bear and Kim Uyede-Kai, are facilitating this series. They bring to it deep experience in living into right relations, and experience across a diversity of communities. Previous Faith Leaders For Such a Time As This participants have been moved and encouraged in their call as leaders in this time, by the power of community and reflection in the intentional group setting.

October 13, 20, November 3, 10 (4 sessions. No gathering on October 27)
10-11:30am PT / 11am-12:30pm MT
Online via Zoom
Free. Space is limited to 18

Planning for First Third - A Way Forward
2021-10-13 17:30 - 18:30, 2021-10-20 17:30 - 18:30, 2021-11-03 17:30 - 18:30, 2021-11-10 17:30 - 18:30 | BC
Offered by First Third Ministry
This cohort series for First Third Ministry will be facilitated by two of our First Third Ministry Regional Staff, Rev. Mary Nichol and Chris Mah Poy. The theme is “Planning for First Third – A Way Forward”. The goal is for the small group to hear and learn from each other, and support one another in their own context. The topic of re-opening is relevant and a part of the conversation but will vary depending on the provincial health guidelines and communities of faith decisions. We will journey together in groups of five.

Four Sessions: Wednesdays October 13, 20, November 3 and 10 (no gathering on October 27)
5:30pm-6:30pm PT / 6:30pm-7:30pm MT
Meeting Online, via Zoom
Free. Space is limited to 10 participants.

This event is an Online Event. The Zoom Link will be emailed to the address provided on your registration.
Participants are requested to commit to attending all 4 sessions.
Questions? Email Mary or Chris. We hope that you can join us.
REGISTER HERE

Town Hall Gathering on Church Starts / Plants / New Communities of Faith
2021-10-20 13:00 - 14:00 | BC
Friends, come gather with Regional Minister Rev Rob Shearer (and church planter with Emmaus Community and AbbeyChurch) and the following church planters and innovators in our PMRC! Hear about and celebrate the creative ways God’s people are coming together in faith, story and community. The church is constantly changing, even without the pandemic we have been adapting and innovating. This week’s town hall is an opportunity to hear about some of the ways people are innovating and testing new models of ministry – we’re excited to come together and think about fresh expressions of church.

Rev Ingrid Brown with Weird Church
Rev Greg Powell with Westshore Community of Practice
Rev LeAnn Blackert with Wild Church
Rev Karen Millard Sumalileng with Centre United People
Rev Stevan Mirkovich with Feast and Fallow

You can see more here on the New Communities page on the PMRC website.
PMRC Town Hall Meeting
1pm Pacific Time / 2pm Mountain Time
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://united-church.zoom.us/j/96382077594?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 963 8207 7594
Password: [REDACTED]

November 3 Town Hall
2021-11-03 13:00 - 14:00 | BC
This November 3 Town Hall will have two parts:
– COVID program updates and assessments with Erik Mathieson (15 minutes)
– The remainder of the Town Hall will welcome PalNet guests and focus on the proposal that was passed at our last General Meeting regarding Palestine. “Cry from Bethlehem (The Kids Are Not Alright)”. Come hear about the PMRC proposal that was passed, about the “Canada, Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights” campaign, and the national “Unsettling Goods” campaign and other resources for congregations.
Topic: PMRC Town Hall Meeting
Date: Nov 3, 2021
Time: 1pm Pacific / 2pm Mountain
Join Zoom Meeting
https://united-church.zoom.us/j/91732458792?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 917 3245 8792
Password: [REDACTED]

How to Lobby Your M.P. - Workshop
2021-11-05 13:00 - 14:00 | BC
Offered by the PMRC Justice Network!
This FREE online workshop with Libby Davies will give you hands-on tools for lobbying your federal Member of Parliament, to advocate for a Special Envoy appointment to Israel.

Register here!

Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories live under a military occupation. This means that Palestinian children are subjected to night raids, detentions, interrogation and imprisonment in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Canada, Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights Campaign is asking the Canadian government to appoint a special envoy to investigate the treatment of Palestinian children by Israeli military authorities.
Visit the Justice Network’s Palestine page for more information.

Imagine Family Retreat at Camp Fircom
2021-11-05 13:00 - 2021-11-07 13:00 | Camp Fircom, Gambier Island, BC, Canada
A retreat for families of all makes and shapes across the Pacific Mountain Regional Council – on Gambier Island! REGISTER HERE!
Scroll down to get a sense of the roll of the weekend. Bursary funds are available if that helps you family be able to attend! Please don’t let the retreat fee keep you from participating.
Imagine Family Retreat at Camp Fircom

November 5-7, 2021
Program leadership is by Regional Council First Third Staff (not the Camp Fircom folks)

Retreat Draft Schedule
Friday, November 5

Head over on the water taxi to Gambier Island with your family!
Dinner will be in Family Bubbles (all meals will be this way!)
Gathering/Worship will happen COVID Protocol Style (CPS) with options for Later Evening Activities

Saturday, November 6

Early Morning Worship
Breakfast
Theme Exploration CPS
Lunch
Choose-your-Own Camp Activities – Swimming, Crafts, Archery, Hiking, Naps, Reading…
Dinner
Gathering/Worship with options for Later Evening Activities

Sunday, November 7

Breakfast
Clean Up of Spaces
Closing Celebration
Lunch
Heading Home!

Retreat Fees
Registration fee includes all meals (starting Friday dinner and going to Sunday lunch), accommodation, program costs, and water taxi fees to and from Gambier Island and Horseshoe Bay.​

Adults – $130
Child/Youth (ages 4-18) – $105
​Child (3 and under) – Free​

There are bursaries available – please don’t let the cost be a reason to not attend. There are discount codes right in the registration for that you can apply yourself: 100, 75, 50, or 25% off.

Indigenous Veterans Day
2021-11-08 | BC
Indigenous Veterans Day is November 8. It’s the season of remembering, though the path of truth and reconciliation is one we walk year round.

Deepening Pastoral Practice Amidst Continuing Pandemic Realities with Dr Julie Clayton
2021-11-10 10:00 - 12:00 | BC
This four-week workshop equips participants with a framework to assess and evaluate where they currently find themselves in pastoral practice – and determine what is needed to address the ongoing traumatic waves that impact pandemic-ridden congregations.
Specific attention will be given to understanding the complex nature of family systems and how they impact an individual, a family unit, and the larger congregational community.
Participants will leave these sessions empowered to respond with deepening holistic healing strategies that are trauma-informed and trauma-oriented.
Facilitated by Dr Julie Clayton. Hosted by LeaderShift Director, Allison Rennie

Remembrance Day
2021-11-11 | BC

Young Adult Supper Social
2021-11-14 18:00 - 20:30 | BC
SUPPER SOCIAL
This is time for Lower Mainland young adults and a leader or two to gather IN PERSON with Regional Staff Pamela Evans, eat a great meal, and share conversation about what is important. All are warmly welcome! Vaccine passport required. Register here.
In-person in New Westminster (exact location will be shared after registration). Sunday, November 14 from 6-8:30pm.
Can’t make it? This event is also happening on Sunday, December 12, from 6-8:30pm.

Love and Justice and Beyond - Discussion
2021-11-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
From the Justice Ministry
This online gathering is open to anyone in PMRC who participated in the national Love and Justice Gathering (November 3-7, 2021), wants to know more about it, and/or is interested in connecting with others about the justice work happening in the Pacific Mountain Region and beyond. All are welcome!
This is the first in a series of online region-wide conversations to support and encourage each other in deep spirituality, bold discipleship and daring justice.
Register at this link, and then check your inbox for a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting
Hosted by: Pacific Mountain Regional Council Network, Jane Dawson, Minister of Justice
