admin – Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church

Special Weather Announcement – March 29 and 30

Dear GCPC Friends,

Due to the freezing rain warning over the weekend, we are making these changes:

Movie night Saturday, March 29 postponed

Movie night, originally planned for tonight, will be postponed to a later date (TBA).

Sunday, March 30, Worship Service

Rev. Dr. Bob Smith’s service—a celebration of his dedication and faithfulness to Christ and our denomination—will now take place on Sunday, April 6, instead of Sunday, March 30.

This Sunday, March 30, Rev. Moon will preach and lead the entire service. We will offer both in-person and online worship from the sanctuary. Please prioritize safety and use your best judgment when making travel plans. Sunday School will be offered online.

We also warmly welcome Dr. Hanné Becker as our interim music director for the next three weeks. Please keep Brooks Gorst in your prayers as he takes time to recover and focus on his health.

Sunday, April 6, Worship Service

On April 6, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, with Sunday School baking the bread to deepen the meaning of the sacrament. Rev. Dr. Bob will preach.

Blessings,

Chuck

Rev. Moon’s Message for March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday in Lent

Dear Friends,

Celebrating and remembering faithfulness

Our congregation is truly blessed by the prayers, service, and wisdom of the respected retired ministers who have faithfully served our denomination and Christ throughout their lives. The GCPC session seeks to remember and acknowledge their ongoing faithful service to Christ through our congregation, encouraging one another to serve Christ as well. Once a year, we dedicate a Sunday to expressing our joy and appreciation for their journey with us, recognizing their servant hearts and lifelong commitment to Christ and the community.

Sunday, March 30 – Rev. Dr. Bob Smith
Sunday, June 15 – Rev. Helen Smith
Sunday, September 28 – Rev. Dr. Ian Morrison

Upcoming Events

Sunday, March 23 – Annual Congregational Meeting following the service
Saturday, March 29 – Saturday Night at the Movies at 6:30 PM

Helping Our Own

We cannot help everyone in the world, but we can support those around us as much as we can. At times, our own church members face difficulties and may not know where to turn for help. When I hear such requests, I try to connect them with other members of the congregation, inviting prayers and doing whatever we can. If you would like to receive emails about the needs of our community or be part of a group committed to helping and praying for others, please let me know your email address.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

Photo credit: Wolfgang Sauber, 23 August 2016; Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International; taken from the Wikimedia Commons.

A version of this message appeared in the Friday, March 21, 2025, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for February 23, 2025 – Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Dear Friends,

Self-giving, selfless, and unconditional love is one of the core values of our Christian faith and humanity. We witness this core value being tested and challenged by an aggressive, self-serving capitalistic attitude that prioritizes profit over every other human need—our need for compassion, justice, relationships, fairness, and the well-being of all.

It is our prayer that we are not consumed by the darkness of the world but continue to pray and follow Jesus and his Spirit faithfully.

We are looking forward to a wonderful Family Night tonight (Saturday)! Please come even if you haven’t signed up.

May this Sunday’s worship be an opportunity for personal renewal and for strengthening our connection with one another in Christ.

May God bless you throughout the month ahead. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, February 22, 2025, edition of Tidbits.

Congregational Annual Meeting (AGM) – Mar 23

The annual meeting of the congregation will be held after church on Sunday, March 23. Its purpose is to receive committee reports and financial results for 2024, and to approve the annual budget for 2025. All are welcome.

— Bruce Morrison, Clerk of Session

Rev. Moon’s Message for February 9, 2025 – Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Dear Friends,

It is our prayer that we are not consumed by the darkness of the world but continue to pray and follow Jesus and his Spirit faithfully.

This Sunday, we celebrate Communion—a sacred time to gather in unity and reflect on Jesus’ profound sacrifice and love. The Mission and Outreach Committee has invited a special guest from LOFT to share about the important community work their organization is doing. This will take place in place of the sermon. A short homily will be given during the opening part of the Communion invitation. Following the service, the Craft Club is hosting a lunch to raise funds for the church’s sound and A/V system.

We are looking forward to a wonderful Family Night on February 22. Please sign up in the church hall so we know how many to plan for!

May this Sunday’s worship be an opportunity for personal renewal and for strengthening our connection with one another in the body of Christ.

May God bless you throughout the month ahead. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, February 8, 2025, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for February 2, 2025 – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Dear Friends,

As we step into February, may we be a reflection of God’s love, joy, strength and light in all that we do. Let us be reminded of the new and continuing opportunities we have to serve one another and grow in faith together.

I would like to invite anyone interested in helping with our new monthly Pre-school Drop-In group to join us for a meeting this Sunday after the service. This is an exciting initiative, and we’d love for you to be part of it as we seek to support and connect families in our community.

We are anticipating a wonderful Family Night on February 22; please sign up in the church hall so we know how many to plan for!

This Sunday we are blessed to have the Bells of Guildwood performing in our service. Their music will surely inspire and uplift our spirits.

May God bless you throughout the month ahead, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Thursday, January 30, 2025, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for January 5, 2025 – Second Sunday After Christmas Day

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year to you and your family!

As we bid farewell to 2024, we open our hearts to embrace the new opportunities and challenges that 2025 will bring. May this year be a time of renewal, growth, and joy for each of you.

May God grant us the strength to let go of the burdens and regrets that no longer serve us, and the wisdom to cherish and nurture the relationships, dreams, hopes, and moments that truly matter.

Wishing you a year filled with peace, love, courage, and laughter.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, January 4, 2025, edition of Tidbits.

Rev. Moon’s Message for December 15, 2024 – Third Sunday in Advent

“Happy Christmas” (1891) by Danish painter Viggo Johansen (1851–1935); from the Hirschsprung Collection, Copenhagen; taken from the Wikimedia Commons.

Dear Friends,

Christmas is near. In a capitalistic society, we often act as consumers, and every event tends to become a transaction of buying and selling. We are aware of how the Christmas season has become commercialized. Yet, the true spirit of the season is to remember the birth of Jesus and the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that God has blessed us with, despite the hopelessness, violence, darkness, and suffering we witness in the world.

Christmas is a season that reminds us—and each other—that we are not alone and that God has not given up on us. Christ invites us to be followers, pilgrims, and disciples, pursuing and seeking the ways of God’s love and compassion. During this season, let us pause and reflect on who we are and what we do.

I am fully aware of the challenges many of us are facing, but may we never lose the gifts of courage, love, resilience, hope, and kindness that God has planted in our hearts. We are God’s people. During this Christmas season, may we celebrate who we are in the eyes of God.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. May God’s peace dwell in our hearts and in the world.

Some events in December to help deepen our connection with Christ:

Sun., Dec. 15	3rd Advent Sunday (Celebrating the Gift of Joy)
Wed., Dec. 18	Caregiver Support Group at 10 AM
Wed., Dec. 18	Grief Support Group at 7 PM
Sat., Dec. 21	Longest Night Service, 7:30 PM
Sun., Dec. 22	Lessons & Carols with Sunday School Participation
Tues., Dec. 24	Christmas Eve Celebration (Choir, Bells, Prayers, Scriptures, and Candles), 7 PM

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, December 14, 2024, edition of Tidbits.

The Heart Garden – December 2024

white sign with black lettering and an orange heart. Feathers hang from the heart — Heart Garden sign in December 2024

In the summer of 2020, Maggie Donnelly was looking for possible opportunities for community service. The Session granted permission for her to create a Heart Garden, a project that could be carried out within the restrictions of pandemic times.

The concept of the Heart Garden came from The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. It encourages people of all ages to plant Heart Gardens in memory of children lost to the residential school system, to honour residential school survivors and their families, and to support the legacy of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Many Heart Gardens have popped up all over Canada. Some are as simple as paper hearts on popsicle sticks inserted into soil in a flower pot. Maggie wanted something a little more permanent.

painted small stones on the ground with wintering low plants behind Above a sign on a brick wall. Small tree trunks at left — The Heart Garden in December in 2024 with the painted stones in the foreground

First Maggie did her research on the residential schools run by the Presbyterian Church in Canada. She compiled a list of names of children who had died at the schools. With help from her sister Miriam, she collected rocks and they painted them, writing the name of a child who had died on each one. Elders Sandra Robertson and Kay Galbraith weeded and prepared the soil. With the help of Elder Cindy Similas, Maggie planted white sage, bee balm, bleeding hearts and other native plants. Steve Lynette built two signs so the neighbourhood would know what the garden was about. Each rock was carefully placed in the garden. Maggie also gave a reflection in worship on working on the garden and wrote an article about it for Presbyterian Connection.

In 2022–23, the Youth Class gave the garden a touch up, repainting some of the rocks that had faded, and rewriting the names which Maggie had carefully recorded. This year Otto Pallek created a new sign to replace the originals which had deteriorated.

The Heart Garden is on your left as you approach the Guildwood Parkway main doors of the church. We hope you will visit it and remember the children.

— Rev. Helen Smith

Rev. Moon’s Message for December 1, 2024 – First Sunday in Advent and Communion Sunday

Dear Friends,

Sometimes, in our busyness of “being church”, we forget to nurture our spiritual hunger and desire for growth. Small groups within a church offer numerous benefits, fostering deeper relationships, spiritual growth, and community engagement. We invite you to join one of these monthly groups our church offers. If you are interested, please speak to Rev. Chuck Moon or email [email protected].

Group	*Monthly Date & Time**	Description
*Mind and Heart* Bible Study	2nd Wednesday 7–8 PM Dec 11, Mar 12, Apr 9, May 14, June 11	A study of the Gospel of John for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the Bible
Caregiver Support Group	3rd Wednesday 10–11 AM Dec 18, Jan 15, Mar 19, May 21, Jun 18	A support group for those on the caregiving journey
Grief Support Group	3rd Wednesday 7–8 PM Dec 18, Jan 15, Mar 19, May 21, Jun 18	A support group for those who have lost loved ones
*Read and Pray* Book study & sharing on prayer	3rd Friday 1–2 PM Mar 21, May 16, Jun 20	A study group for those who wish to deepen their understanding of prayer
*Read and Discuss* Virtual book study	3rd Sunday 1:30–2:30 PM Jan 19, Feb 16, Mar 16, Apr 20, May 18, Jun 15	An online book study for those interested in exploring different spiritual approaches (Leaders: Cindy & Maureen)
*Listen and Listen* Contemplative Prayer and Communion Service	Last Wednesday 7:30–8:10 PM Joining The Longest Night Service on Sat. Dec 21, Mar 26, Apr 30, May 28, Jun 25	A quiet prayer service for those to deepen their listening and silence in prayer

*Dates are subject to change due to inclement weather/other reasons. Please check with Rev. Chuck or the church office if you have a question.

—Rev. Chuck Moon

A version of this message appeared in the Saturday, November 30, 2024, edition of Tidbits.