Online Gathering

Open Hearts – Mother’s Day – Christian Family Sunday May 8th, 2022

This Sunday Morning we have two different opportunities to gather:

9:30 – All Ages Story Time (church lawn)
10:30 – Worship (in-person, Zoom, and YouTube)

This Sunday our Junior Choir will be singing the anthem “Listen to the Music” and our Chancel choir will sing “In Time of Silver Rain.” Our hymns include “In the Bulb There is a Flower.”

Our scripture and reflection turn to one of the women in scripture: Lydia, who appears in the Acts of the Apostles and is considered the first Christian convert in Europe. Lydia responds with hospitality – open hearts lead to open doors.

The story offers us a touchstone for our Mother’s Day and Christian Family Sunday worship.

Remember that you are invited for Story Time on the church lawn at 9:30am – picture books often have values, themes, art, and spiritual practices that can speak to old and young alike.

Looking Ahead

Sunday, May 15 is our next In the Wild gathering at 9:15am, followed by our weekly worship service at 10:30am: “The Beginning and the End.” We will hear some verses from Revelation, as well as some of Jesus’ words about love.

Come and Have Breakfast – Sunday May 1st, 2022

Join us this Morning for some or all of our Community Breakfast, Worship, and Annual General Meeting!

10:00 – Community Breakfast (church lawn and Zoom)
10:45 – Worship (in-person, Zoom, and YouTube)
11:30 – Congregational Meeting (in-person and Zoom)
11:45 – Desserts and Conversation (church lawn)

10am Community Breakfast – In addition to breakfast, we will have cards for the congregation to sign, chalk to decorate our church sidewalks, and an opportunity to discuss and offer feedback on church priorities and a Leaside Community Prayer (more information below). All ages very welcome – come to the church lawn or Zoom, even if you cannot stay for worship.

10:45am Worship – We’ll hear a story of Jesus sharing a meal with the disciples, as we think about what our Mission is as a church. Our music includes the beautiful anthem “For the Beauty of the Earth” and the hymn “Now the Green Blade Rises.” We will also mark Mental Health Sunday with a Litany of Naming and another Small Spiritual Practice.


AGM – Directly following worship we will hold our AGM. Those participating on Zoom will be able to relay questions or comments. You are also welcome to send us any ahead of time (emily@leasideuc.com)


Dessert – Following the Meeting join us on the Church lawn once again for continued conversation and a sweet end to the morning!


Looking Ahead
Sunday, May 8 will be our first Story Time at 9:30am on the church lawn. There are some beautiful picture books that can be enjoyed for both their art and their message by all ages. Come for this all ages gathering before our 10:30am Mother’s Day service, featuring our Junior Choir as well as our Chancel Choir!

In the Wild and The Wounded Christ

There will be two times of worship this Sunday:

At 9:15am on the church lawn join us for our April In the Wild gathering, as we plant seeds together, and then take them home. All ages and levels of gardening interest welcome!

At 10:30am join us in-person, on Zoom, or on YouTube as we continue our Healing Series during the Season of Easter.

Today we continue our last Sunday of the month Healing Series with the theme “Wounded Christ” as we hear the story of Jesus appearing to the disciples staying in a locked room after his death. The story draws attention to Jesus’ wounds as a part of his resurrection. How might this story change how we think about our wounds and scars? Could this story bring new insight to the idea of healing?

We will be lighting candles for joys and sorrows as we have been doing throughout this Healing Series. If you have any candles you would like lit, please email Emily at emily@leasideuc.com (and include any words you would like spoken) by Saturday evening, or write them down as you arrive if attending in-person.

Our music includes the beautiful anthem “I Choose Love,” which will be sung live during the service, as well as the sung blessing “A Celtic Prayer.”

Once again, we will have colouring pages that connect to the story, for anyone who is young, young at heart, and/or finds colouring and movement a meaningful part of your spirituality.

Looking Ahead

On Sunday, May 1 will be our Annual General Meeting Sunday. We will begin with a Community Breakfast on the church lawn at 10am, with the opportunity to share in conversation and activities from reflecting on future directions, to signing cards, to create some sidewalk chalk art. The service will begin at 10:45am and will be followed by a short meeting. The morning will conclude with desserts.

Sunday, May 8 will be our first Story Time at 9:30am on the church lawn. There are some beautiful picture books that can be enjoyed for both their art and their message by all ages. Come for this all ages gathering before out 10:30am Mother’s Day service.

Easter Sunday – The Voice of Love

Sunday April 17th at 10:30am join us in-person, on Zoom, or on YouTube for our Easter Sunday worship.

Our Easter Sunday service features the Junior Choir singing live, and our joint Leaside and Northlea Easter Choir with our Introit, two beautiful anthems, and the Hallelujah Chorus to complete our service. The joint choir has been busy rehearsing and recording this music in preparation for this Sunday. We will open with the hymn “Who is there on this Easter Morning” and close with a new hymn text “Jesus is risen! Radiant as the sun” written to the familiar tune of “Thine is the glory.”

(note: this video starts at about 6 minutes into the service while we were rebooting the cameras, sorry for the inconvenience)

On Palm Sunday our service was “Voices of Hope” and on Good Friday “A Voice of Grief.” Today our service is “The Voice of Love.” Where do you hear the voice of love? How do you listen?

Following the service, if you are worshiping in person you are invited onto the church lawn for coffee and tea outside (and pick up some treats from the bake sale). If you are watching on YouTube, join in on Zoom for Easter conversation time following the service.

The children’s area is ready with colouring bulletins, stickers, tables and chairs big and small for Easter Sunday. If a little one is coming with you, don’t worry about the noise – it doesn’t get picked up by the microphones and won’t be heard online.

Thank you to everyone who spent time after the Good Friday service to set up and everyone who will be arranging flowers Saturday morning so that we are ready for Easter!

Looking Ahead

On Sunday, April 24 we continue our monthly healing series with the theme “Wounded Christ.”

We will also have our April In the Wild gathering (a time for spirituality in nature for all ages) on the church lawn at 9:15am. We will be planting and taking home seeds.

Then, on Sunday, May 1 will be our Annual General Meeting Sunday. We will begin with a Community Breakfast on the church lawn at 10am, with the opportunity to share in conversation and activities from reflecting on future directions, to signing cards, to create some sidewalk chalk art. The service will begin at 10:45am and will be followed by a short meeting. The morning will conclude with desserts.

Sunday, May 8 will be our first Story Time at 9:30am on the church lawn. There are some beautiful picture books that can be enjoyed for both their art and their message by all ages. Come for this all ages gathering before out 10:30am Mother’s Day service.


Today after the service: