The “KUC LINK” is the weekly newsletter of upcoming events and general information.

 This week:
     Monday, August 22: 10:00 a.m. Vision 421
     Tuesday, August 23: 11:30 a.m. Ministry Management Team
     Wednesday, August 24: 4:30 p.m. Council Circle
     Friday, August 26:  9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.   KUC Excursion
     Sunday, August 28: 10:00 a.m. Worship
                                        4:00 p.m. Taize Worship

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NEXT WEEK’S SCRIPTURE’S – August 28th, 2011
     Exodus: 3: 1-15 Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45b (VU 828 Parts 1 & 3)
     Romans: 12: 9-21
     Matthew 16: 21-28
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KAMLOOPS OKANAGAN PRAYER CYCLE
This Sunday we pray for all Candidates for Ministry.
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Homecoming Sunday Newsletter Deadline – Sunday Sept. 4
Homecoming Sunday is September 18. Our KUC Homecoming Fall Newsletter will be available for pick-up on Sunday September 11 and will also be sent to those on the church email list. (If you would like to be on the church email list, contact the church office (250) 372-3020.) If you or your group would like to submit an article to the Homecoming edition about an upcoming church event please send it to Ron Routledge, editor by midnight Sunday September 4. Submissions are preferably received by email ronr92@shaw.ca or they can be dropped off at the church office.
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MINUTE FOR MISSION
2010 will be remembered as a year of natural disaster: in the first half of the year there were major earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and China; during the summer of 2010 relentless monsoons caused devastating floods in Pakistan and India.

Some of these disasters received a great deal of press, and people donated large sums of money toward relief. The nearly $3 millian dollars raised by United Church folk for Haiti was a United Church record for a disaster appeal. For other situations, the response was much slower.

The United Church sets aside 15 percent of all money raised in emergency appeals. This money becomes a reserve fund, available immediately – because disasters usually occur without warning. Because of your generosity to special appeals, and because of your gifts to the Mission and Service fund, significant grants were made to our partners in Haiti, Chile, China, India, and Pakistan within hours of disasters.
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DOWNSIZING ! CLEARING ! Give your items NEW LIFE – NEW PURPOSE
Artwork / Jewellery / China & Pottery / Giftware / Accessories / Small appliances and Kitchenware /    Like new Games & Books / New Fabric / YOU NAME IT !
All proceeds to the MAKING ALL THINGS NEW Campaign. Silent Auction to be held in October.
(Your treasured items could receive tax receipts.)
For further information or pick up of items, please email Ingrid van Tamelen ingruss@telus.net or phone her at 250-314-1021 or Mary Ann Milobar mamilobar@shaw.ca  /phone 250-374-6585
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USHERS – GREETERS – SCRIPTURE READERS WORKSHOP
If you are presently an usher, a greeter, and/or a scripture reader – or if you are able to assist with any of these important Sunday tasks – please mark your calendar for an important workshop to be held on Saturday, Sept. 17th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Since our services will be in the gym for a time while renovations take place it is important for us to review and update our knowledge for ushers and greeters especially and training for scripture readers is always important. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Baird at 250-376-6919.
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Update on Redevelopment
Vision 421 is waiting for the City of Kamloops to approve the Development Permit Application. Once approved the application then goes on to a public meeting regarding the rezoning for the housing component. This process did not occur in July as hoped but is currently slated for August. Provided there is no public opposition to the rezoning request, and with the understanding that the City may require still further changes, we anticipate receiving the Development Permit in September. 

Concurrently, we have been pursuing financing for the total project (both Phase I and II) through BC Housing and conventional lending institutions. This has been a slow process, but we are optimistic that we can secure the financing this fall, which will allow construction to begin in early 2012. 

Given both of these time-frames, we anticipate that Services will continue in the Sanctuary and the office will remain in its current location until the New Year. We appreciate the support shown to us and the patience demonstrated by everyone in the congregation as we work to bring this project to “life”. As we have stated before, if anyone has any questions or wishes clarification on what is happening, please contact any of the Directors of Vision 421.
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A Note of Gratitude
KUC Family, Pastoral Care and friends – thank you so much for remembering me in your prayers, visits at the hospital, cards and phone calls in the last six weeks. I do so appreciate it all.
I am now at home and starting to feel more like myself.
Blessings to all.
Sincerely, Ishbel Elliot
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“End of Life Series”
Coming in October 2011, Tuesdays at 6:30-8:30 (Oct 4,11,18,25). Come explore Legalities, Finances, Representational Agreements, Medical Questions, Funeral Planning and Psycho-Social-Spiritual Issues. Come to all sessions or the ones you are interested in. Keep your eyes open for more information coming your way.
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“Homecoming Sunday”
 September 18, 10AM. Mark your calendars now. Don’t miss it or we’ll MISS YOU. Bring your summer stories of adventure, rest, reunions and more. After worship, come into the Hall (with its shiny newly waxed floors) and see what your church family is up to.
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“Ministry of Mindful Meandering”
September 18, after church. Are you interested in exploring local walking and hiking trails; paddling rivers and lakes, with a group of like-hearted, spiritual seekers? Is there a place you would like to explore, but would love to go with friends, and take God along for the journey? Do you have a favourite spot you’d like to share with others? Would you like to come along with a group, discovering and rediscovering new places? Join us for our first meeting to coordinate dates, explore places and shared leadership. Each spiritual journey will include a time of centering prayer and reflection at the midway point. Lead or co-lead one or more spiritual adventures; or just come along to find God in Creation; and find each other in God. Weekly or bi-weekly, it is up to you.
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Reconnect with yourself, God and God in Creation
KUC Spiritual Retreat and Family PICNIC September 23-24, Camp Grafton.

SPIRITUAL RETREAT 3:00 Friday to 12PM Saturday. A time of spiritual renewal, reflection and fellowship for anyone serving on a KUC leadership/ministry group. Overnight space is limited so sign up in the Office. Carpooling will be coordinated.

FAMILY PICNIC Noon to 5PM Saturday. Join us for Community LUNCH, a time of play, paddling, walking, worship, and spiritual nurture.

The whole weekend will close with a camp fire & short worship. Stay for the Spiritual Retreat or the whole event; or come just for the Family PICNIC.
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Autumn Book Selection: Wednesday Afternoon Study: “Friedman’s Fables” (c) 1990 – most Wednesdays between September 14 and December 21.
Fables, short stories with a message, thus, you don’t have to attend every gathering. We will explore two fables per week. Written by Edwin Friedman, “These 24 mischievous (and some serious) tales capture the outrageous, the fantastic, and the paradoxical side of the human dilemma. Characters include flowers that wilt because they don’t appreciate their own beauty; spiders that get caught in the symmetry of their own web; birds that refuse to learn to fly ‘just ‘cause their parents want them to’; fellow creatures that criticize a lamb for not standing up to a tiger; and people…who are constantly controlled, if not tyrannized, by the sensitivities of others. What is most uncanny about these tales is that they are equally relevant to marriage, therapy, pedagogy, theology, medicine, motivational seminars, and raising children.” A list of the Fables and their Focus will be posted in September.
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Autumn Book Selection: Thursday Evening Study: “A Geography of Faith: An Altar on the World” ~ Barbara Brown Taylor (c) 2009. 6:30-8:00: 12 wonderful chapters over 6 weeks between September 15 and Oct 27. From her introduction: “I have no idea what you will see when you look at your life-but if you are tired of arguing about religion, tired of reading about spirituality, tired of talk-talk-talking about things that matter without doing a single thing that matters yourself, then the pages that follow are dedicated to you. My hope is that reading them will help you recognize…some of the altars in this world.” Chapters include: The Practice of Waking Up to God; The Practice of Wearing Skin; The Practice of Living with Purpose; The Practice of Saying No; The Practice of Pronouncing Blessings…
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Winter Book Selection: Thursday Evening Study: “12 Steps to a Compassionate Life” – Karen Armstrong. 6:30-8PM, 12 engaging chapters over 6 weeks between November 3 to December 15.
From Amazon.ca: “In November 2009 Armstrong and TED launched The Charter of Compassion, which states that “We call upon all men and women to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion…to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings — even those regarded as enemies.” To date, it’s been signed by over 48,000 people on the Web, including such figures as The Dalai Lama and Queen Noor, Dave Eggers and Meg Ryan. (www.charterforcompassion.org) Out of the ideals of that Charter has come this humane, accessible, indispensable short book for our times.”

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