Calendar of Events:

Monday, April 8

6:00 p.m. Social Justice Committee – Music Room

Tuesday, April 9

7:00 p.m. Worship Committee – Board Room

Wednesday, April 10

2:00 p.m. Community Café – McClure Hall

5:00 p.m. Lectionary – Narthex

7:00 p.m. Refugee Outreach – Music Room

Thursday, April 11

8:15 a.m. Lectionary – Board Room

7:30 p.m. Choir – Music Room

Saturday, April 13

10:30 a.m. Congregational Care Meeting – Music Room

Sunday, April 14

10:30 a.m. Worship – Sanctuary

After worship Conversation Hour – McClure Hall

Blood Pressure Clinic – McClure Hall Lounge

12:15 p.m. Togogo Grannies – Upper Club Room

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CONGREGATIONAL CARE TEAM

Will meet Saturday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m.

in the Upper Club Room

We will have updates from the visiting team, a time to

exchange ideas about what initiatives and responsibilities the

Committee might undertake next fall, and a discussion led by

Martha about the role of prayer in congregational visiting. If

participating in the care and support of the congregation is of

special interest to you, please join us April 13th.

Anne Farquharson, Chair, Congregational Care Committee

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC

Nancy Gordon, Parish Nurse, will be holding a blood pressure

clinic in McClure Hall Lounge after worship on Sunday, April 14th.

Everyone welcome. If you want to contact her, please email

nancy@bloorstreetunited.org or you may leave a confidential

voicemail message at 416-924-7439, ext. 29.

BOOK CLUB

The next book selected for discussion on Tuesday, May 7th

is Cool Waters by Dianne Warren. We’ll meet in the Board

Room at 10:00 a.m. Everyone who has read the book is

welcome.

COME SING IN OUR CHOIR!

Join us on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Room! For more

information, please speak with David Passmore at 416-924-7439,

ext. 30, email david@bloorstreetunited.org

KIDS CLUB

Kids Club meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary.

After children’s time we head upstairs for: games, crafts,

stories, Kids choir. For more information, contact Evan

Smith, Community Builder.

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LECTIONARY

Lectionary groups meet every week on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. in the

Narthex, and Thursday at 8:15 a.m. in the Board Room. Everyone welcome!

Church and Community

SUMMER CAMPING FOR REFUGEE FAMILIES

It may be only the first few weeks of spring but it's

already time to think ahead to summer fun! The

Refugee Outreach Program is once again

requesting your donations for summer camp sponsorships for refugee kids

and their moms. We have reserved some places in the family camp and

kids camp programs at Lake Scugog, one of our United Church camps that

has welcomed campers with open arms since the 1920's. Our goal this year

is $7,000 which will provide 6-7 refugee families with a great opportunity to

develop new friends and new skills to help build new lives in Toronto.

Donations of all sizes will help meet this goal, and cheques can be made out

to Bloor Street United Church with Summer Camping in the memo field.

For more information, speak with Sue Kaiser (kaisersue@hotmail.com) or

Francisco Venegas at 416-671-6970.

TORONTO CASINO

The news has been full of arguments, pro and con, for the development of a

casino in Toronto. Consequently, the Social Justice Committee wanted to

remind the congregation of the United Church’s long opposition to

gambling, gaming, and lotteries. The Church’s position, which is outlined

in a 1998 policy document called The Gambling Economy, emphasizes that

gambling: (1) exploits the vulnerable (problem gamblers and those affected

by their behaviour); (2) feeds addictive behaviours; (3) reinforces a vision of

a society made of “winners” and “losers”; and (4) increases economic

inequality. While the City of Toronto’s formal consultation process on this

issue held between January 3rd and 25th, 2013 has concluded, based on news

reports the debate, including lobbying of city councillors, appears to be just

getting started. The United Church policy can be found at

http://www.united-church.ca/economic/gambling

 Building closures due to holidays are as follows:

2012:
Monday July 2 
Monday August 6 
Monday September 3 
Monday October 8 
Tuesday December 25 
Wednesday December 26

2013:
Tuesday January 1
Monday February 18
Friday March 29 (building open for worship services only)
Monday April 1
Monday May 20
Monday July 1
Monday August 5
Monday September 2
Monday October 14
Wednesday December 25
Thursday December 26