Sunday service

April 28 – 9:30am

Rev. Rita sabbatical

Rev Rita will be on study sabbatical from April 22 to September 4th. When a United Church minister has continuously served a congregation for 5 years, they are to take step away from their everyday congregational duties and spend time renewing their ministry skills.
Rev Rita has continuously served Balzac for 10 years and this is her second sabbatical. Her research project will explore the following question: What are simple, manageable, and cost effective strategies that will help Balzac United Church sustain longevity as a community of faith?
She will be attending conferences, online conversations, webinars and reading research data and books.

During her absence, you are asked not to contact her. Hazel Mountford and the Worship Committee as well as Angela Burford and the Ministry and Personnel committee have organized Sunday Worship services and pastoral care coverage during her absence. If you require the help of a minister, please contact Pat Koosey or any board member.

Lenten Sermon Series

(This series is based on the books: An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor and Deepening the Colors: Life Inside the Story of God by Syd Hielema as well as the worship themes created by New Life Christian Reformed Church in Guelph, Ontario and published in Reform Worship Magazine No 130)

Soap For Hope

Soap For Hope YYC is an Airdrie based non-profit group who provide basic hygiene kits to individuals and families. Soap for Hope YYC welcomes donations of soap. Soap For Hope YYC is in need of clean, empty shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, & body wash bottles with lids. High demand items include: razors, shave cream, feminine products. Always needed are 1 litre bottles of dish soap and laundry soap as well as diapers, wipes, nail clippers, and Kleenex. Donation box is in the entrance way.

More Details are on the Outreach page. Donation box is in the church entry way. The new Address for Soap For Hope YYC is 5120 6th NE just off Deerfoot and McKnight. We hope to be open to the public by next week. Can’t wait to see you. New phone number is 587-352-9500

Veterans’ Food Bank

This month we are collecting donations for the Veterans’ Food Bank. In addition to non-perishable items, socks, toques, and personal hygiene items are always needed.

Airdrie food bank

Go to the Outreach page to see what is needed at the Airdrie food bank.
Did you know that for every $1 that the Airdrie Food Bank receives they can purchase $3 worth of food items? If you choose to support them in this way, please mark your donation clearly, and BUC will submit all monies received, to the Food Bank.

Donna Watt

Donna Watt sends cards to our BUC church family. If you know someone who is ill, is celebrating a birthday, is grieving, or just needs a thank you or a bit of encouragement, please email Donna at donnamwatt34@gmail.com

Veterans Food Bank donations

At this time of year, we support the Veterans Food Bank run by the Calgary Poppy Fund that assists veterans, ex-service, widows & dependents in Calgary & area. Donations of food, socks, mittens, gloves, & toques are needed & can be left in the church food bank bin in the entranceway.

Thank you

Thank you to Hazel, Maurice, Sophie, Gail and Tyler for decorating and un-decorating the Christmas decorations.

Thank you to Ruth Unser and Angela Burford for spending last Monday attending a fluorishing congregations national gathering at Ambrose University in Calgary, then spending the evening attending a Foothills Presbytery event about the art of clustering. Your insights will help BUC to move forward.

Thank you to Ruth Unser for being our Foothills Presbytery rep for the past 3 years. With the restructuring of the United Church, congregations will no longer be grouped in presbyteries. In the future, Balzac will be a part of a cluster(s) and the Chinook Winds Region. For more info about the new look of the United Church go to: www.united-church.ca

Thank you to Clark Spencer (chair of property) and Angelina Pennell (member at large) for serving on the church board. They are no longer able to continue because of other personal commitments.

PAST EVENTS:

Airdrie Music Festival

You are all invited to come to the Airdrie Music Festival, Tuesday, March 26th, at the Bert Church Theatre between 6 and 9pm. Please see the bulletin board for the schedule. Hope to see you there!

Michelle will be singing 4 songs:

• Non Giova il Sospirar
• Music, when Soft Voices Die
• Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes
• ‘Cross the wide Missouri

‘A n L Show’

Do you like Dinner Theatres?? Want to see Kirsten’s husband Grant make a fool out of himself on stage? Grant is Andi in the Play this year. It’s very similar to Monty Python type humour and then ACTS then returns the money back into the Community Hall for upgrades and renovations in Crossfield. Tickets are still available for ‘Not Suitable for Primetime’. For the ‘A n L Show’ on Friday 90 tickets are left and 2 Randoms on Saturday. Shows are on Friday March 29th & Saturday March 30th after 6 pm. Tickets are $50 per person (adults only) and it includes your meal, dessert, coffee or tea. Drinks are extra (cash only).

Progressive Supper

March 22nd  5:30pm –  7:30pm
Airdrie Starbucks (by Safeway)

Grade 4-6 and Youth meet at 5:30 at the Airdrie Starbucks (by Safeway) for an evening of Progressive supper, followed by dessert and debriefing activity at the church.

Ash Wednesday Pancake supper

March 6th at the church

Supper is served from 5:30 to 6:30 pm
The service starts at 7pm.
Cost is by donation.

Balzac Movie Flicks

Hidden Figures

February 24th – After Service at the church
Hot dog meal $5.00
Movie is rated PG. There will be an activity for the kids upstairs

The Balzac Diner

The Balzac Diner will close permanently on Sunday, March 3. A “garage sale” will be held Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Everything must go. Bonnie McDougall and her diner will be missed.

Youth and upper room evening.

Friday, February 22   Grades 4-6 from 6-7:30 pm, and youth group from 7-10 pm. Come enjoy a fun evening of friends, fellowship, laughter and fun.

Open Heart Therapy Open house

Open House at Open Heart Therapy (Transpersonal Counselling Services) on Saturday, February 23 from 12 – 5pm on Range Road 12, Balzac. Drop in anytime to this free family friendly event that will include, live music, handmade healing totems for sale and a
1pm talk about “Perfectly Imperfect”.
RSVP or for more information, contact Trinity Nina Nathoo at www.openheartherapy.ca/contact

BUC Annual General Meeting

February 10,  BUC annual meeting immediately following the service. Please plan to attend.
*During the meeting there will be activities for the kids in the upper room, led by the youth group.

Valentines’ Day candy-grams

Beginning Jan. 20th, the Sunday school and youth group will be selling candy-grams for $1.00 each. You will be given a small valentine to write a personal message, and on February 10 before the start of the annual meeting, the kids will deliver your message along with a candy-gram to the recipients. This is a great way to let a neighbour, friend, loved one know that you think they are “sweet.”  

Quilt Raffle

Thank you to everyone who supported the quilt raffle. Debra Jepson was the winner.

Groundhog Day event

7:00 – 9:30am  February 2,  Blue Grass Nursery, Sod & Garden Centre

Join us in welcoming Balzac Billy from out of his burrow to make his annual prediction? Will spring come early? We’ll have to wait and see. Free Pancake Breakfast, Live Entertainment and Balzac Billy emerging from his burrow around 8:00am (sunrise). The Balzac Business Community Association and Blue Grass staff look forward to seeing you bright and early on Groundhog Day!

BUC fundraising brainstorming meeting

Tuesday, January 29 @ 7pm
Everyone welcome. We need your ideas for a spring event scheduled for May 31/June 1. For more info, please speak with Angela Burford.

Family movie and hot dog lunch

January 20,  Following coffee time we will have a hot dog lunch followed by the family-friendly movie “Paddington.” For $5/person, you will receive lunch of a hot dog, pop and bag of chips. Everyone welcome!

A Choral Christmas

Love listening to Christmas Carols? Come and hear four different choirs, with guest musicians, sing a variety of Christmas Carols, all in one spot. Thursday, December 13 @ 7:30 pm. St Andrew’s United Church, Cochrane.

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Breakfast with Santa

Saturday December 8th, 9am to 11am. Come and get your photo with Santa along with a side of pancakes. Cost is $5 per person or $20 per family.