Worship This Sunday
Sunday, May 5th, is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) in Canada, also known as Red Dress Day.
A day about building awareness of this ongoing harm and honoring those lost and their families. You can honor this day by wearing a red or hanging a red dress in your window or your yard. We invite you to wear red to worship on Sunday. 
Our Ministry
Bridges to Hope: The suggested food item of the month for May is Kraft Dinner. Other non-perishable food items are always welcome and appreciated.
Celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries: This Sunday, May 5, we will celebrate birthdays and anniversaries during worship. If you have a birthday or anniversary in April, you are invited to bring a donation to World Development and Relief as we celebrate together.
A Gala Concert to celebrate The GYB/GCB 50th Anniversary featuring special guest Mike Herriott, trumpet 7:30 pm Saturday, May 11, 2024 D.F. Cook Hall, MUN School of Music $25 general; $20 students & seniors. For tickets, contact roncollins@bellaliant.net
The Anchorman Barbershop Chorus invites you to "You're As Welcome As The Flowers In May, Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 in the Cook Hall at the MUN School of Music. Entertainers include the Anchorman Chorus, Holy Heart of Mary Low Notes, Close Quarters Women's Quartet and two Anchorman quartets. Doug Dunsmore (conductor) invites you all to join us in this family fun evening with songs from past to present. Tickets $25.00 are available at the door.
Asian Heritage Month: May is Asian Heritage Month. The United Church of Canada celebrates the long, rich, and continuing contribution of Asian heritage, which has been a significant part of United Church life since Church Union in 1925 and even longer. We invite you to join an online discussion with Filipino ministers in The United Church of Canada to mark this celebration. "Stories and Narratives: God-Talks from Diasporic Filipino Ministers in The United Church of Canada" will explore the experiences of Filipino ministers. These stories and narratives shed light on being immigrants and in diaspora contributing to diversity and inclusion in The United Church of Canada. Find out more and register for this webinar on CHURCHx
May is PAR month: Pre-authorized remittance is a method of giving that allows you to set up a monthly contribution that will continue to fund amazing work all year long. PAR is a way that your monthly gift to Gower and to the United Church’s larger work through Mission and Service can be automatically withdrawn from your bank account to fund the ongoing work. If you are interested in signing up for PAR or adjusting the amount you presently give please contact SuAn in the office.
GIVING TO GOWER – HOW TO DONATE TO GOWER?
Ways to maintain your financial support of our church, there are a few options available:
- Sign up for PAR (Pre Authorized Contributions), or if you are already on PAR, then maybe consider increasing your contribution. This can be done by calling the office (709-753-7286) or by email (office@gowerunited.com)
- You can also click the donate button above
- We also accept e-transfer. Just send it to gsuc@nl.rogers.com
- You may also send a cheque via mail or drop it in the dropbox accessible to the right of the office entrance. Our mailing address is 99 Queens Road, St. John's, NL, A1C 6M6..
This Week At Gower
Office Hours:
Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday Worship:
May 5: Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 12: Seventh Sunday of Easter, Christian Family Sunday
Weekly Activities:
Wednesday, May 8: Gower Youth at 5:30 p.m., Gower Community Band at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 9: Pause for Prayer online at 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 11: The GYB/GCB 50th Anniversary Concert at 7:30 p.m. at D.F. Cook Recital Hall
Upcoming Youth Meetings and Events.
Youth Group Meetings:
The next meeting is Wednesday, May 8, at 5:30 p.m.
As we near summer, We share information about summer opportunities for Youth. With Rev. Rebecca we will start fundraising to cover the costs of those interested in any of these opportunities so please email here if your youth is interested in any of these and if they are which ones. Also feel free to reach out with any questions.
FDEE Regional Youth Forum
June 7th -9th at Memorial University
Grades 6 to 12
Cost $100.00
Registration is now open and closes May 17th
Register here
Audacious Hope
Event for Youth, Young Adults and Those Who Lead Them, July 3-6, 2024, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON. UCC and the Presbyterian Church of Canada\
$425.00 April 15 – May 15 and $500 May 15 -May 31 (does not include flights)
Formally Rendezvous – National UCC Youth, Young Adult Gathering.
Youth entering grade 9 in September 2024 and older
Learn more here
The Go Project
Youth ages 12-16
Two locations: July 6 -14 Kingston Road United Church, Toronto, ON and July 27 – August 4 at Gower Street United Church, St. John’s, NL
9-day overnight camp with mission and discernment experience with international living in the community of faith.
Cost $499.00 (does not include flights)
Happening in various forms since 2007, with a break due to COVID
Registration Now Open
Learn more Here
2024 Indigenous-Racialized Youth Retreat
This event will occur at Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre in Manitoba, August 26–30, 2024, for young people between 16-25. In forming a youth-oriented community of faith, eight (8) Indigenous and eight (8) Racialized youth applicants will be selected to create a space where they can demonstrate how racial equity can lead toward affirming different cultural and spiritual heritages as a worshipping youth community within the United Church. This retreat-event will also contribute to the commitment of The United Church of Canada toward becoming an anti-racist denomination. Learn more about the Retreat and how to apply here: https://united-church.ca/opportunities/indigenous-and-racialized-youth-retreat-sandy-saulteaux-spiritual-centre-2024
Gower Learners:
Gower Learners begins Sunday's at 10:45 a.m.
Family Events:
Stay Tuned!
Gower Young Peoples Choir:
Weekly during 11:00 a.m. worship
Gower Handbell Choir:
Taking a break until May 15th.
Our Community
Topsail United Church will host an Afternoon Tea Party and Bake Sale on Saturday, May 4, from 2 until 4 P.M., with Special Musical Guests Avalonia. Tickets are $ 12 for Adults and children under 12-$6. Please remember your Fascinator. To reserve your tickets, please call the church office at 709-834-4567. No Tickets at the Door.
Bridges To Hope Food Drive at First United: We are planning a food drive in the parking lot of First United Church on Saturday, May 4th from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Please mark the date on your calendar. All donations are greatly appreciated! Help us feed the hungry!
World Labyrinth Day (WLD), May 4, comes just a month after the installation of a new labyrinth, dedicated to Ocean Health which been laid in the South Transept of the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. We invite you to join us on May 4th, World Labyrinth Day (WLD), for our first public event. You'll have the opportunity to walk our new labyrinth in the South Transept. If the weather permits, we also hope to have our outdoor labyrinth open. This natural garden labyrinth, located just outside the crypt and east of the greenhouse, offers a unique experience and is visible from the parking lot. So whether you choose to explore the indoor or outdoor labyrinth, World Labyrinth Day at the Cathedral will be a memorable experience for all. Saturday May 4 Time: 1:00pm – 3:30 pm Enter through the stone porch doors off Gower St.
First United Church Women Morning Coffee and Cake Walk: The UCW of First United are sponsoring a Morning Coffee Saturday, May 11th in Trinity Hall from 10:00 - 12 noon with the doors opening at 9:30. Tickets will be $8 each and are available through UCW members, and at the Church Office (709-368-2194) weekdays Wednesday - Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 noon until May 8. Tickets WILL NOT be sold at the door so please purchase them by May 8th. Come sit, have a cup of coffee or tea and of course a sweet or two with your family and friends and participate in our Cake Walk which will take place during the Morning Coffee. Bring along a few toonies for your chance to get a wonderful cake!
Cowan Heights Hot Turkey Dinners: The Men’s Club are holding their Take-out Hot Turkey Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, May 25th. Pick up your meal between 4:30 and 5:30pm. Your meal includes fresh Turkey (White and Dark meat), Dressing, Potatoes, Carrot, Turnip, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Roll and Butter Pattie, and of course, dessert! Only $25.00 each! Deadline to order: Tuesday, May 20th. To place your order, contact the church office at 709-745-2871 or by email at office@cowanheightsunited.ca.
Revival at Cowan Heights: Join us for a Live inspirational performance on Sunday May 26th at 7pm under the direction of Jason March. Also presenting a solo performance by Tyler Young. Serving tea/coffee after the show. All proceeds are in support of Cowan Heights United Church. Tickets are $20.00 each. If you’re interested in attending the Concert, please contact the Church office at 745-2871 or Ros at 745-1345.
Cowan Heights Men’s Club Draw: Cowan Heights United Church Men’s Club are selling tickets on a beautiful Hand-Built Newfoundland Rodney (Rowboat), Hand-Crafted by a congregation member-Retail Value: $2,000. Tickets are $5 each and the draw will take place on July 7, 2024. If you would like to help sell tickets you can pick them up at the church office. Thanks in advance for your support!
Special Events
“The Voyage of the Bronze Shoes” 10 May 2024
Members of Gower are invited to two special events in honour of the “The Voyage of the Bronze Shoes” and the launch of the Global Irish Famine Way, Canada. The events are sponsored by the Irish Ambassador to Canada in cooperation with the Basilica Heritage Foundation to commemorate the great Irish famines of the 1840s, which resulted in the emigration of up to a quarter of the Irish population to other nations. St. John’s is the first landing place for the “Voyage” as it travels across Canada.
The Events:
May 10, 2024, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. John the Baptist: Public Liturgy of Thanksgiving. Ambassador Eamonn McKee, speaker.
May 10, 2024, 1:30pm – 3:00 pm at the Basilica: Public Historical Symposium: The Great Irish Famine in Historical Context, New Research, and its Implications for Today.
Both events will also be livestreamed at www.thebasilica.net/live/
It was recorded in the newspapers of the day that the Gower Street Wesleyan congregation was one of the largest local contributors to the funds collected “for the Relief of the Destitute in Ireland”.
For more background:
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2024/0501/1446832-famine-shoes/
https://ntv.ca/ambassador-of-ireland-to-canada-event-comes-to-st-johns-in-may/
