St. Mary's Pastoral Charge

Welcome

2007-01-31T12:55:00.257-04:00

Welcome to St. Mary's Pastoral Charge!

Our Mission Statement

"To express the Good News of the Gospel as a faith community, desiring to follow Christ and proclaim Him to the world!"

Our Vision Statement

"We will carry out our mission by seeking to be a welcoming community of faith, a place where all people can experience friendship, spiritual growth, fulfillment and faith in Jesus Christ through worship, study, fellowship, service to the community and mission to the world at large."

Our Minister
Derek G. Elsworth (Student Supply)
Pictured with his wife Amanda and children Joshua, Zachary & Julia

Our Church Contact Information
RR#1 Aspen
Guysborough County, NS
B0H 1E0
P/F 902-833-2920
email stmaryspastoralcharge@ns.aliantzinc.ca

Weekly Activities

JAM Club – Jesus And Me (Our Charge’s Program for children and all ages Sunday School) 2pm, every second Sunday at Kirk... next time is... Sunday, January 22!

JAM Sessions (Our Charge’s Program of Adult Fellowship and Exploration of the Christian Faith) 2pm, every second Sunday at Kirk (During JAM Club)... next time is... Sunday, January 22!

Youth Group (Our Charge’s Program for ages 12, or in grade seven and up) 7pm, every second Monday at Kirk.... next time is... Sunday, January 23!

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service... Monday, January 23, 7pm at Sonora Baptist Church. All are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Annual Meetings... will be held on Saturday, February 11, beginning at St. John’s in Sherbrooke from 9:30am – 11:00am, Kirk in Glenelg from 11:30am – 1:00pm, and Bethany in East River-St. Mary’s from 1:15pm – 2:45pm. A meeting of the Combined Session will then take place at 2:45pm followed by the combined pastoral charge meeting at 3:00pm and a potluck supper, all at Bethany. Storm date will be Saturday, February 18.

A Word From The Minister

2007-01-30T17:13:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,
It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to the website of St. Mary's Pastoral Charge!
You will find here our Monthly Worship Schedule as well as the dates and times for various events in the life and work of the church. Whether you are new to the area, have been attending regularly, or maybe you have not attended for some time, know that you are welcome! We would love to have you join us!
Since arriving here on November 19, 2006, my family and I have been blessed to experience the warm welcome and loving support of the people of St. Mary’s.
This pastoral charge has been on a journey. A wonderful journey built on a foundation of hope, marked by deep faith in God, love for one another, and a abiding commitment to work, witness and worship. Together they have experienced the joys of the mountain top and have persevered through the difficulties of the valley. Throughout, God has been present and His Spirit has been evident, and yet, God never stops calling us to new things, new experiences, new journeys.
And so, we continue to journey together, full of hope, grounded in faith, committed to our mission of "Expressing the Good News of the Gospel as a faith community, desiring to follow Christ and proclaim Him to the world!"
God is with us, leading the way... exciting things are happening, thanks be to God!

In Christ’s Service,
Derek G. Elsworth

Monthly Worship Schedule

2007-01-30T12:59:00.021-04:00

Sundays in January

9:30am St. John's, Sherbrooke
11:00am Kirk, Glenelg
6:30pm Bethany, East River - St. Mary's

Sundays in February

9:30am Kirk, Glenelg
11:00am Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
7:00pm St. John's, Sherbrooke

Sundays in March

9:30am Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
11:00am St. John's, Sherbrooke
7:00pm Kirk, Glenelg

Sundays in April

9:30am St. John's, Sherbrooke
11:00am Kirk, Glenelg
6:30pm Bethany, East River - St. Mary's

Sundays in May

9:30am, Kirk, Glenelg
11:00am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
7:00pm, St. John's, Sherbrooke

Sundays in June

9:30am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
11:00am, St. John's, Sherbrooke
7:00pm, Kirk, Glenelg

Sundays in July

July 1, 11am, St. John's, Sherbooke
July 8, 11am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
July 15, 11am, Kirk, Glenelg
July 22, 11am, St. John's, Sherbrooke
July 29, 11am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's

Sundays in August

9:30am, Kirk, Glenelg
11am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
7pm, St. John's, Sherbrooke

Sundays in September

9:30am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
11:00am, St. John's, Sherbrooke
7:00pm, Kirk, Glenelg

Sundays in October

9:30am, St. John's, Sherbrooke
11:00am, Kirk, Glenelg
6:30pm, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's

Sundays in November

9:30am, Kirk, Glenelg
11:00am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
7:00pm, St. John's, Sherbrooke

Sundays in December

9:30am, Bethany, East River - St. Mary's
11:00am, St. John's, Sherbrooke
7:00pm, Kirk, Glenelg

Our Community

2007-01-29T12:59:00.003-04:00

Guysborough County occupies the south-eastern section of mainland Nova Scotia, being bounded on the North by Antigonish and Pictou Counties, on the west by Halifax County, on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by Chedabucto Bay and the Strait of Canso. The county has an area of 1,049,491 acres and is the second largest county in the province. The county is divided into two Municipalities, Guysborough to the east and St. Mary's to the west along with two towns, Canso, east by Chedabucto Bay and Mulgrave on the Strait of Canso. The majority of the pastoral charge is located in the Municipality of St. Mary’s, which was incorporated in 1870. Bethany United Church in East River - St. Mary's is located just past the county line in the Municipality of the County of Pictou. The general area has a population of 2,500 people and is largely rural, with farming, forestry and fishing being the traditional industries. Tourism also is a major factor to the economy, and the historic Sherbrooke Village draws thousands of visitors from around the world each year.

For detailed history visit:
Phyllis Blakeley's "The History And Development of Sherbrooke In Guysborough County, Nova Scotia".

St. Mary’s River

Picture borrowed from Sherbrooke Now website: www.sherbrookenow.ca
Information taken from the Municipality website: www.saint-marys.ca

Our History

2007-01-28T13:00:00.003-04:00

The Presbyterian heritage began in this community about 1810, when the great Nova Scotian Presbyterian pioneer Rev. James MacGregor was the first minister to preach in the St. Mary’s River Valley area. He came to Upper Crossroads during one of his missionary tours through Eastern Nova Scotia. He followed the riverbed upstream from Sherbrooke. The first wheeled vehicles were used to convey the ministers from the community Garden of Eden to the St. Mary’s Valley. In 1818, Rev. Alexander Lewis came to preach in the area. He was succeeded in 1838 by Rev. John Campbell. Eventually, St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge formed with congregations in Sherbrooke, Glenelg and Caledonia. In 1861, with the influx of gold, Sherbrooke became a separate charge, keeping Rev. Campbell as their minister, with Glenelg and Caledonia calling Rev. Charles Pitblado in 1865. Records indicate that there was a separate congregation in East River, with ministry, shared with Barney’s River and Lochaber, by Rev. D. McGillvary from 1833-1835, Rev. Donald McConochy, 1835-1839, Rev. Hugh MacKenzie, 1842-1845 and Rev. Alex Campbell 1846-1863. Then East River joined the St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge with Glenelg and Caledonia. Rev. Pitblado was minister until 1872, then Rev. Robert Cumming from 1875-1881 under whose ministry the Glenelg Church, now Kirk Memorial, was built, being dedicated on February 5, 1878. Rev. John Ferry served from 1884-1887, Rev. Andrew Boyd from 1889-1892, Rev. John MacFarlane, 1893-1901 and Rev. Alexander Stirling from 1901-1904. In 1903, Caledonia became a separate congregation. In 1906, Rev. William Macdonald was called to the charge, being succeeded in 1913 by Rev. Joseph Howe Kirk.

Methodism in the area began around 1808 when the pioneer preacher James Mann formed a class at Guysborough. Mr. and Mrs. William McDiarmid who had moved to Liscomb from The United States, began a congregation there in 1892. The first clergyman, Rev. Clayton A. Munroe served the area from 1894 to 1896, when Rev. J. A. Hart took over the pastorate. The church in Liscomb, St. John’s, was dedicated on January 30, 1898 under his ministry. Rev. A. Lund succeeded Rev. Hart. A new church was dedicated on September 29, 1946.

On June 10, 1925 the Congregationalist, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Canada united and became The United Church of Canada.

Individual congregations voted whether to join union or not. In this area, the part of the congregation which had the highest number of votes remained in the existing church building while the other part of the congregation would build a new church. The Presbyterians in Sherbrooke kept their church, with those who had voted to become United building the present church of St. John’s. It was dedicated on November 13, 1927. In East River, those Presbyterians who voted to become United met in the Lodge Building until they built the present church of Bethany in 1956. In Liscomb, the Methodist Church voted to become United. In Calendonia, the new United congregation held services in the old schoolhouse. In Glenelg the majority voted to become United, with those wishing to remain Presbyterian building a new church right next door.

St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge then consisted of three points, including East River, Glenelg and Caledonia.

The present manse was built in Aspen in 1936.

Another charge consisted of the St. John’s congregations of Sherbrooke and Liscomb, under the ministry of Rev. Donald Fraser, Rev. J. A. MacKenzie and Rev. M. Linton until 1927 and then Rev. H. Hamilton until 1930. Rev. A. H. Dyment served from 1930 until 1933, Rev. J. G. Russell, 1933-1938, Rev. William Roger 1938-1942, Rev. Alexander Firth 1942-1943, and Rev. Alexander W. Robertson 1943-1948. Sherbrooke and Liscomb then joined the St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge.

The United Church congregations in Loch Katrine, Lochaber and Country Harbour also shared in the ministry of this charge for a period between 1973 and 1978, under the name Loch Haven Pastoral Charge.

The difficult decision was made to close the Caledonia congregation in 1969 and the Liscomb church on October 16, 2000, due to the decline in population within those communities.

Today, the charge includes St. John’s United in Sherbrooke, Kirk Memorial United in Glenelg and Bethany United in East River - St. Mary’s.

Ministers who have served the St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge since 1925, as The United Church of Canada, include;

Rev. Joseph Howe Kirk 1913-1935
Rev. Thomas Humphrey 1935-1938
Rev. Thomas N. Mitchell 1938-1941
Rev. Warren Dickson 1941-1944
Rev. J. F. Rowley 1944-1946
Rev. James W. Howe 1946-1949
Rev. Phillips B. Chisholm 1949-1951
Rev. Ralph Webber 1951-1955
Rev. Lloyd Salsman 1955-1958
Rev. Jack D. Hicks 1958-1962
Rev. Robert Stevens 1962-1966
Rev. John Powell 1966-1969
Rev. Waldo Grandy 1969-1975
Rev. Gordon Fraser 1975-1977
Rev. Harry Disher 1977-1981
Rev. Keith Lewis 1981-1987
Rev. Stephen Mills 1987-1990
Rev. George Micklethwaite 1990-1996
Rev. Ross Hamilton 1996-1999
Rev. James Forbes 1999-2001
Rev. Cornelia van Bentum 2001-2005
Annika Sangster (Diaconal) 2005-2006
Derek G. Elsworth 2006-Present

Our Three Churches

2007-01-27T13:01:00.020-04:00

"Kirk, Glenelg"

"Bethany, East River - St. Mary's"

"St. John's, Sherbrooke"

The United Church of Canada

2007-01-26T13:02:00.008-04:00

St. Mary's Pastoral Charge is a member of the Pictou Presbytery of Maritime Conference and is part of The United Church of Canada, which is Canada's largest Protestant denomination. In the United Church, we follow the Reformation principle of "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity." St. Mary's Pastoral Charge generally celebrates a more historic faith, but you will find each United Church congregation has their own unique character. We are truly blessed to be part of such a rich and diverse denomination!

The Crest

The crest is the official signature of The United Church of Canada, placed on legal documents, ordination and commissioning certificates, and licences to perform the sacraments. Designed by the Rev. Dr. Victor T. Mooney (a treasurer of the United Church), it was officially adopted in 1944 by the 11th General Council. For our church members, this insignia is a spiritual and historic reminder. Its oval shape is derived from the outline of a fish, a symbol of identity by early Christians. The initials of the words "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour" spell the Greek word for fish.

The crest is designed in the form of a St. Andrew's Cross with an insignia in each of the four corners. The "X" at the centre, the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, is a traditional symbol for Christ. In the four corners of the crest are symbols, three of which are particularly associated with the three communions—Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian—that united to form The United Church of Canada in 1925.

The open Bible represents the Congregational Churches with their emphasis upon God's truth that makes people free. From this communion we have a heritage of liberty in prophesying, love of spiritual freedom, awareness of the creative power of the Holy Spirit, and clear witness for civic justice.

The dove is emblematic of the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:10) whose transforming power has been a distinctive mark of Methodism. Here our heritage is one of evangelical zeal, concern for human redemption, warmth of Christian fellowship, the testimony of spiritual experience, and the ministry of sacred song.

The burning bush is the symbol of Presbyterianism. It refers to the bush that burned and was not consumed (Exodus 3:2), and symbolizes the indestructibility of the church. From Presbyterianism we have received a heritage of high regard for the dignity in worship, the education of all people, the authority of scripture, and the church as the Body of Christ.

The symbols alpha and omega in the lower quarter are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They symbolize the eternal living God, in the fullness of creation (Revelation 1:8).

The Latin words ut omnes unum sint that surround the symbols on the crest mean That all may be one and are taken from John 17:21. They are a reminder that we are both a "united" and "uniting" church.

A New Creed

We are not alone,
We live in God's world.

We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.

We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

Information taken from the United Church website: www.unitedchurch.ca

Holy Week 2011

2007-01-01T23:34:00.002-04:00

Christmas 2010

2007-01-01T23:32:00.001-04:00

JAM Camp - 2010 VBS "Fun in the Son!"

2007-01-01T23:30:00.002-04:00

Holy Week 2010

2007-01-01T23:29:00.001-04:00

Christmas 2009

2007-01-01T23:28:00.014-04:00

JAM Camp - 2009 VBS "Out on the Range"

2007-01-01T23:27:00.002-04:00

Holy Week 2009

2007-01-01T23:26:00.001-04:00

JAM Camp - 2008 VBS "The Amazing Race"

2007-01-01T23:25:00.007-04:00

Maritime Conference & Youth Forum 2008

2007-01-01T23:24:00.002-04:00

Holy Week 2008

2007-01-01T23:23:00.001-04:00

Christmas 2007

2007-01-01T23:22:00.002-04:00

Youth Group

2007-01-01T23:21:00.049-04:00

JAM Camp - 2007 VBS

2007-01-01T23:20:00.001-04:00

UCW

2007-01-01T23:15:00.001-04:00

Maritime Conference & Youth Forum 2007

2007-01-01T23:00:00.001-04:00

JAM Club - Jesus And Me - Sunday School For All Ages

2007-01-01T22:59:00.003-04:00

Holy Week 2007

2007-01-01T17:50:00.001-04:00

Covenanting Service February 18, 2007

2007-01-01T12:10:00.000-04:00

Christmas Eve 2006 St. John's, Sherbrooke

2006-12-24T19:31:00.000-04:00

2006 Christmas Pageant at Kirk

2006-12-17T13:08:00.000-04:00

2005-12-30T09:17:00.000-04:00

this was good for a few laughs

2005-12-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

aren't they sweet?

2005-12-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

no....it wasn't an earthquake

2005-12-29T09:26:00.000-04:00

More Youth Group Party Pics.

2005-12-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

Youth Group Christmas Party Pics

2005-12-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

Merry Christmas!