Here is the short video to accompany this message: https://youtu.be/XgKscs3R3a0
Because of the Provincial Health order on October 30th, the Executive decided to continue to postpone in person, indoor worship, and close the building to all user and church groups; staff will be in for specific tasks but mainly working from home; all home visits are postponed until further notice. Be safe and be well.
The Outreach Committee has sent out some ideas for Christmas giving; we hope you consider giving in these ways rather than in the building as we have always done. If you’d like to donate and need some help, please be in touch. Thank you!
Please include in your prayers, Terry DeLong and his family on the death of his brother-in-law in the Ottawa area.
Advent is right around the corner! We are continuing our tradition of lighting the Advent candles in the wreath and need volunteers to record at home. If you and your family or any two (or more) of you who can do this safely would like to take part, please be in touch with Elizabeth or Irma. If you’ve never done this before, we can help you navigate the technology; you can record at any time for any Sunday.
If you have an idea for a place/thought/conversation for the “Moment”, please be in touch.
Mary sends pictures of one of the quilts made for the St. Boniface Hospital “Family bundles” which are sent home with families when they leave the hospital.The Sew and Sews place mat sale is still on! go to our website: trinityunitedwinnipeg.com, click on “Adult Activities” and scroll down to see the pictures of these beautiful creations; then call Mary with your choice!
Bev writes and sends this story that she felt was special:
My lead flight attendant came to me and said, “We have an H.R. on this flight.” (H.R. stands for human remains.) “Are they military?” I asked. ‘Yes’, she said. ‘Is there an escort?’ I asked. ‘Yes, I’ve already assigned him a seat’. ‘Would you please tell him to come to the Flight Deck. You can board him early,” I said…
A short while later a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us. ‘My soldier is on his way back home’ he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words. I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military, and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers.
The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the Flight Deck to find his seat. We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight, I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. ‘I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is also on board’, she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home.
The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. ‘I’m on it’, I said. I told her that I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me. Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update.
I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text: ‘Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now, and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal, where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks. I sent a message back, telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father.
The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, ‘You have no idea how much this will mean to them.’ Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us. ‘There is a team in place to meet the aircraft’, we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane.
As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller, we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, ‘Take your time.’ I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said: ‘Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking: I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’
We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft. When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later, more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of ‘God Bless You’, I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one. Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
Here are the readings for this Sunday November 22, 2020, the last Sunday of the church year, and the one we’re focusing on is in bold: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46.
Broadview Magazine: It’s time to order or renew our subscriptions – $25 for one year. Please drop off cash or cheque payable to Trinity United Church or mail to 933 Summerside Ave. Winnipeg, R3T 4Y1
We are collecting fruit and granola bars for West Broadway Community Ministry. The cart will be outside to collect items Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 9-11am.
Activities to note:
Bible Study: Monday evenings 7-8pm on zoom
Holy Yoga: Saturdays at 10am and Mondays at 3pm on zoom
Youth Group: Sunday November 22 at 11am hosted by Leslie Johnson on zoom
Trinity Walkers: this group has suspended its activity because we are under provincial health orders. Be well and be safe everyone!
Stewardship packages have been emailed and sent by mail to everyone without email. Please consider your commitment to Trinity and return the form either by email, mail or phone. If you have envelopes left over from this year, you can scratch out the date and continue to use them or contact Irma (irma.tuc@mymts.net) if you need more envelopes. If you’d like a 3/4 statement of your givings, please contact the office (tuc@mymts.net) or leave a message on the phone (204 269 1632).
Scripture for the day: (Matthew 25:24) “Whenever you did this for the least of these, members of my family, you did it for me.”
Prayer for the week: Loving God, you call us to live out our faith and we try out best to figure out what that means for us. You love us unconditionally and that inspires us to share love with others. As we participate in acts of kindness, justice, compassion and love, may people know your love in all we do. Amen.
May blessing, peace and the knowledge that we are not alone on this journey; may God be a part of our week as we wander through our challenging days and evenings, knowing the spirit of God is part of all our experiences! May we all remember God in a way that keeps us going and be strong and be kind, loving and compassionate.
Elizabeth
Trinity United Church 