The kids and youth of Leaside United Church had a lot of fun learning and exploring the theme of “Finding Home” through the meaning of “welcome”! This play was an adaptation of Jean-François Dumont’s book of the same name. A big thank you to Tanya Wiles-Bell, Emily Pollock and all the participants for a great show and reminder of radical hospitality!
It was a sea of plaid from the kitchen helpers to the over 140 attendees at our Pancakes & Plaid Fundraiser for Camp Scugog on Shrove Tuesday this week. Our special guests included Councillor Jon Burnside and our Member of Parliament Rob Oliphant. Both caught up with neighbours and got their fill of pancakes before #Lent.
Guest Speaker Emily Clark, the Development Coordinator at Camp Scugog and other staff members were on hand to answer any questions about the programs being offered at the Port Perry camp. A special thank you to Bill Kinnear for sponsoring a special Adult Camp opportunity at Camp Scugog this summer through the Give & Go program.
Over 500 pancakes were consumed in the course of an hour. We enjoyed litres of REAL maple syrup tapped in Ontario by Larry Allcorn and Graham Lute aka ‘Mosher Maple’.
Many thanks to all the volunteers who made this wonderful supper possible and all the guests who raised $1,230 for Camp Scugog!
Co-chairs Barbara Kinnear and Brenda French
Leaside United Church has magnificent stained glass windows. On Saturday, February 18, the Spirit Alive group undertook a tour of the windows, reflecting on the artistry of each window and its significance in the history of Leaside United Church. Most of the windows date from the 1950s and 1960s and were developed according to a plan prepared under the ministry of Rev. Charles Murray, Leaside’s Minister from 1949 to 1964. These sixteen windows depict the life of Jesus in a clockwise arrangement around the sanctuary. Many of these windows are dedicated to parishioners who were active in the congregation at that time. More recent windows are dedicated to former Leaside United Church ministers, Orville Hossie and Norman Mackenzie and their wives Greta Hossie and Dorothy Mackenzie. The most recent window is dedicated to the memory of Patricia Fitzpatrick by her family.
Of particular note is the spectacular Memorial window overlooking the chancel. 
This window lists the names of nine very young men from Leaside United Church families who perished in World War II. This window was dedicated at Leaside on November 6, 1955 – the Remembrance Day service that took place ten years after the end of the Second World War. Also of note is the large window at the back of the church acquired from Eglinton United Church when that church building was closed following its merger with St. George’s United. The window depicts Christ as “The Light of the World” and replicates a famous 1854 painting by the British pre-Raphaelite artist Holman Hunt.
The tour by the Sprit Alive group gave us a greater appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us at Leaside United Church. For those who are interested, there is a very informative book in the church pews about the windows titled “Windows of Leaside”.
David Phillips
Spirit Alive meets to explore matters of spirituality, meditate, and reflect together. Save the second Saturday morning of the month to meet at 10:00 to noon. Spirit Alive begins with coffee, snacks and fellowship followed by a period of led meditation, music, quiet time and reflection to deepen the sense of the spiritual at the center of one’s life. For more information contact Bea Lawford.
You must be logged in to post a comment.