WELCOME TO ROCKINGHAM UNITED CHURCH!

   443-2947(o) 9-noon    www.rockinghamunited.org

 * The Elevator (on your left) makes our facility fully accessible to our Hall. * Pew Cards are available for visitors and newcomers; please fill in and place it in the offering plate. *Activity Bags for young children are at the back and sides of the Sanctuary. Please return all items and bag at the end of worship. *Cup and Conversation, a time of fellowship, takes place following the service downstairs in the Hall.  Listen-FM Receiver Devices:  4 FM receivers are available to be worn to assist hearing of Worship Services. To sign one out for a service please direct your inquiry to the Ushers.      LIFE AND WORK OF THE CHURCH   ---------

***TO VIEW  OUR  WEEKLY BULLETIN & ANNOUNCEMENTS PLEASE GO TO WWW.ROCKINGHAMUNITED.ORG

Date                  Welcomers                   Ushers       

OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION: A message can be left for Rev. Debbie Aitken at the office@ 443-2947 Mailbox # 1,  for emergencies, @ 225-0864, Mailbox #2 for the General Office.

2012 GIVING ENVELOPES are now in the sanctuary lobby.  Please pick yours up today. If you would like to sign up for PAR givings or givings  envelopes, contact the office @ 443-2947.

 YOUTH CONFIRMATION CLASSES  youth  ages 13 and up,  and their parents who are interested in information on confirmation classes please meet  with Rev Debbie Aitken in the Rainbow room today  Sunday Feb 5 @ 2:30pm.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  Sheila McGinn& Alan Schnare, co-chairs,  John Dow,  Victoria DeVita,  Doug Chaytor,  Lynn Knapp,  Kim Silver,  Fran Paton,  David Martin,  Brenda Munro,  Minister, ex officio (Debbie Aitken),  Council chair, ex officio (Bruce Russell)  Meeting Feb 6 @ 7pm.

WORSHIP COMMITTEE  will meet on Tues. February 7^th @7pm

GUEST SPEAKER ANNIVERSARY: Feb12-  Rev. Dr. Jody Clark

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY OFFERRING ENVELOPES ARE  AVAILABLE IN THE LOBBY TODAY.

RUC MEN’S CHOIR CONCERT Anniversary Sunday Feb 12th at 7pm in the Church. Reception to follow. Also featuring 'The Gospel Four (New Glasgow), Peter Bowden, St Andrews Kilted Choir (Dartmouth) Retiring offering to the work of the church.

SCRIPTURE READINGS Feb 12 2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30-VU757,  Mark 1:40-45.

Stewardship Committee FUNDRAISING IDEA MEETING  Sunrise Room on February 15^th at 700 PM  this meeting is open to anyone interested in exploring some innovative Fundraising ideas as well as the representatives of Worship, Membership Relations, Pastoral Care, Outreach, Building & Property Committees and representatives from  UCW, Men’s Group, Women’s Spirituality, Youth Group, and Sunday School

The Women's Spirituality Group will meet for a movie night on Sunday Feb.19th. at 7pm. in the Sunrise room.All women of the congregation are invited.  In recognition of Black History month, we will show the NFB movie "Loyalties". This is the story of two women, one descended from slaves, and the other from slave owners. Their meeting at the Hallifax museum, and return trip to South Carolina in search of their family connections. All W.S.G members will be called if there is a storm, anyone else please call 445-4977.

Men's Group Pancake Supper...Feb 21st from  5pm -7pm .... featuring "Claude's" original recipe Pancakes, with Sausage, Home Baked Beans, Dessert, Tea, Coffee, Milk or Juice..Adults $7, Children $5, Families $20 ...Tickets go on sale Sunday Feb 5th!!....we also welcome any other men that want to join us in our fun!!...Ken Mcleod 457-2713, or email..khmcleod@eastlink.ca..

UCW BAKE SALE - The UCW will be having a bake sale on Tuesday, February 21st 5 - 7pm in conjunction with the Men's Group Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Come stock up on some goodies and enjoy supper and some social time. There will be some individual size items available. Donations are appreciated and may be delivered to the church from 10:30- 3:30pm on the 21st.

2012 BULLETIN DEDICATION POSTER is now up in the hall on the furnace room door.  Please sign up to dedicate a bulletin or two to a loved one or to celebrate a special event. Once you have chosen a date contact the office to advise the wording of your dedication.  Dedication donations are used to offset the cost of buying and printing the weekly bulletin.  Suggested donation per dedication is $50.00. All donations accepted.

LIBRARY UPDATES Recently added to the Library for your reading pleasure for one month at a time: Feb 5-Feb 26/2012
"The Cellist of Sarajevo", Steven Galloway-  A Moving Portrayal of the survival of the human spirit in times of Conflict in Sarajeno
"A Long Way Home", Ishmail Beah-   Memoirs of a Boy Soldier in Siera Leone
"Millions of Souls", Philip Riteman-   A Holocaust Memoir
"Growing Up with God", Nancy Cocks-   Using Stories to Explore A Chile's Faith and Life

 Worship Calendar of Events   * indicates a non Sunday event

February – Black History Month

February 5 – 5^th after Epiphany – Sacrament of Holy Communion

February 12 – 6^th after Epiphany – Anniversary Sunday-Guest Speaker, Rev. Dr. Jody Clarke

February 19 – Transfiguration Sunday

*Wednesday, February 22 – Ash Wednesday@ 6:30pm

February 26 – Lent I

 *Wednesday Feb 29- Lenten Series @ 7:00pm

March

March 4 – Lent II

*Wednesday March 7-Lenten Series @7:00pm

March 11 – Lent III (Time change Sunday)

*Wednesday March 14- Lenten Series @ 7:00pm

March 18 – Lent IV

March 25 – Lent V

April

April 1- Palm Sunday

*Maundy Thursday April 5@ 6:30pm

*Good Friday, April 6  @11:00am

April 8 - Easter Sunday @ 6:30am & 11:00am

April 15 – 2^nd of Easter

April 22 – 3^rd of Easter

April 23 – 4^th of Easter

UCW SUGGESTED FOOD Take the February challenge to pick up an item or two extra when you are doing your weekly shopping and then remember to bring the item to church with you on Sunday.  Please bring a food item or a “loonie” to Worship Services. Place the food item in the Feed NS food hamper in the Lobby and the loonie in an envelope marked Food Bank and place in the offering plate. Here are some suggested items, but other items are always accepted. Items & money received will be delivered to the Feed NS Food Bank location in our Area. 

Canned Meat & Fish                    Canned Pasta & Soup
Pasta/Meat Sauce      Dried Pasta, Noodles & Rice  
Canned Fruit                      Breakfast Cereal
Baking Supplies                 Peanut Butter
Baked Beans                       Canned/Powdered Milk
Macaroni & Cheese            Canned Stew

Tea, Coffee, Juice               Cookies & Crackers

Canned Hams                              “Loonies”

With the colder weather setting in,  think of some packaged      oatmeal.  It’s a great way to warm some tummys in the morning as they head off to school. Or maybe some hot chocolate that they can warm up with when they arrive home from school or come in after playing outside in the cold.  Watch for the BOGO’s and consider giving the extra item to the Food Bank. Items are delivered to the  local food bank location on Thursdays.

Ecumenical Worship Service in honour of AST’s 40^th Anniversary

Friday, February 10 at 7:30 pm,Cathedral Church of All Saints, 1330 Martello Street

Halifax, NS

·         Choral music to be performed by the King’s College Chapel Choir under the direction of Paul Halley

·         The AST story to be narrated by Adrian Hoffman, Former CBC Radio Host/Producer

AST 40^th Anniversary Gala Dinner, Mark it on your Calendar and make plans to join us for this celebratory event! Friday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m., Reception & Dinner, Pier 21, Halifax, NS

·         Guest Speaker: Brian Stewart, an award-winning foreign correspondent during his career with CBC.

·          Watch the AST website for more details and ticket information, to be posted by mid-February: www.astheology.ns.ca

The Halifax Chapter of the Women’s Interchurch Council of Canada will hold their 2012 World Day of Prayer Service at 2:00pm on Friday, March 2 at the St. James Anglican Church located at Joseph Howe Drive at the Armdale Rotary, Halifax, N.S.  The service this year has been written by the women of Malaysia with the theme “Let Justice Prevail”.  Our guest speaker will be Reverend Kimberlynn McNabb, Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Halifax.  A reception will follow the service.  All are Welcome.  An evening World Day of Prayer service will also be held at 7:00pm at Mulgrave Park Baptist Church, 5676 Sebastian Street, Halifax NS.   Please plan to join with our fellow Christians in more than 170 countries around the world and 2,000 communities across Canada as we gather on the World Day of Prayer to pray and act in solidarity with the people of Malaysia.”

HIKE FOR HOSPICE  the date for this year’s Hike for Hospice.  We hope you will mark your calendars and plan to attend, it is Sunday, May 6^th, 2012.  We held a preliminary meeting last week and will be sending out more details as they evolve.  We will have the on-line website available soon, as well as posters, registration forms and pledge sheets, and will forward all of this information to you as it becomes available.  If you would like to help with the planning….we would love to have you on the committee…or just your help on the day of the event.  If so please contact Marguerite at the office by Phone – 446-0929 or e-mail.

St. John's United Church, Halifax, is hosting it's monthly Taize Prayer this Sunday, Feb. 5th - 7 p.m. inStudio 3 in the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Chebucto Rd. Please use St. Matthias Lane entrance.

All are welcome.

On Sunday, Feb. 12th - 7 p.m., the Choirs of St. John's United, Halifax, are presenting "Music For A Winter's  Evening", a program of music, readings and visuals for the winter season. Admission $15 at the door. Reception to follow  The Lilian Piercey Concert Hall at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Chebucto Rd., Halifax

ROCKINGHAM HERITAGE SOCIETY  COME ONE COME ALL! The 23^rd annual dinner will take place in the hall of St Peter’s Anglican Church on Saturday Feb 25@5:30pm.  For tickets- $16.00 call 443-2076.  “Rev Andrew Brown and the History of Acadia” is the topic of Guest speaker Sara Beanlands.  For more info call 443-2064.

Halifax Women’s Connection will meet on Wednesday, February 15^th, from 9:30 – 11:00 at Rockingham United Church, 12 Flamingo Drive, Halifax. Lana MacLean, a foot care nurse, will discuss ways that we can all have “HAPPY FEET”, special songs by Deborah Beck; and Special Speaker, Frances McGrath, a retired nurse, will relate how to “Live a Life that Reads Like a Good Book”. To reserve please call 443-1975. Cost $7.00. For more information visit: www.stonecroftcanada.org.

Halifax Presbyterial AGM will be held on Saturday, February 28,2012 at St. John’s United Church in Fall River from 9am to 3pm [snow date March 3, 2012].

A memorial service will be held in the morning, before the business meeting, at which Doreen Plummer, Glenora Baney and Olive Tingley will be remembered.

Lunch will be soup, biscuit and dessert – cost $7.00. Guest speaker in the afternoon will be Heather Kellerman on “ How to encourage members to take positions in UCW”. You can attend all or part of the day.

Camp Kidston Reroofing Project --- They will be putting a new roof on Wilson Lodge and an anonymous benefactor has agreed to match donations, marked for the Roof, until April 12, 2012. The total cost of the work is estimated to be $30,000. For those who have enjoyed Camp Kidston in past years this is an opportunity to preserve it for future generations to enjoy. Donations can be made quickly and easily through Camp Kidston’s new website, www.CampKidston.com, by clicking the “Donate Now” icon.  Contributions also can be made by directing cheques payable to Arthur Kidston Memorial Camp, PO Box 38153, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X2.  Your gifts can be given as a memorial, or on behalf of someone else.  A charitable receipt will be issued.

The Music Committee of St. John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg will be holding a “Souper-Market” in the Parish Hall on Saturday, February 11 from 11 am to 2 pm to raise funds for the music ministry. Come by to enjoy a hearty bowl of homemade soup with fresh rolls, delicious desserts, tea and coffee; our market also includes a wonderful assortment of household goods, books, treats, and treasures available for sale.

Black History Month!  Explore Sankofa: The Histories and Heritages of Black Peoples in The United Church of Canada.   The webinar will take place, in English, on Mondays, February 6, 13, 20, 27 at 8:00 p.m., E.S.T.  Full detail about the webinar is in the attachment  To register as an individual or in groups, please visit:www.united-in-earning.com/blackhistory The Staff Team of Communities in Ministry / Communautés et ministères.  Toll Free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4046  Phone: 416.231.7680 ext 4046  Fax: 416.231.3103 (attn: Terry) tbeaumon@united-church.ca, www.united-church.ca