Around and About Stamford Presbyterian Church...plans for us and our futures, and looking forward to a lifetime of relationship with us. May your summer be filled with blessings of

MINISTER’S MESSAGE

For now we see only a reflection in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

I Corinthians 13:12

This is one of those passages that stay with you for a long time. In seminary we had to pass a Bible Knowledge Test on the computer before we could graduate and that test caused a lot of anxiety, especially because a pass meant better than 80%!! One section, the hardest section for most of us, was Bible Quote Identification. The computer gave you a quote and you had to type in the Book, chapter and verse correctly to get the point. This is a verse you had a chance to get correctly! But why? Is it because it follows the very popular 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind”? Or is it because it speaks to a future that God is bringing to fruition throughout time, for all people? This week in the Globe and Mail I saw a picture of a father holding his tiny premature daughter, weighing in at just over a pound, sleeping on his chest. What incredible medical advances have been made in the last 2000, 3000, 4000 years! We fly airplanes around the world, talk to our out-of-town children from a touch pad held in our hand, and transfer organs from one human to another. What wonders are there still coming for us to learn? I can’t imagine, but I know God has some great things in store. The question is will we use the knowledge that is being revealed to us day by day to reflect the love God has for Humanity? Use it to give life and to honour creation? Be moved to give thanks and praise to God the Creator for all that we have known, and all that we will know? If we consider the tiny preemie, who doesn’t know her devoted father is holding her yet, we can understand that God has us in the palm of His hand, knowing us, loving us, and delighting in us, with plans for us and our futures, and looking forward to a lifetime of relationship with us. May your summer be filled with blessings of all sorts. Peace and joy, Pastor Anita

Around and About Stamford Presbyterian Church

Volume 7, Issue 7

July 2018

Saturday, August 25th

Welcome and Table Activities - 5:30 pm

Supper and Campfire - 6 pm til the S’Mores are gone!

PRICE:

Adults - $12 Youth 12 & Under - $6 Kids 5 and Under – FREE

Cottage Fare for Supper

Cottage Games and Activities

Indoor Campfire with Skits, Songs, Games and Stories

Complete with S’Mores!

Stamford Presbyterian Church, 3121 St. Paul Avenue,

Niagara Falls, ON

FAMILY NIGHT

AT THE COTTAGE

SUMMERTIME…………AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY…… It’s an old song, but not much has changed. The kids are out of school; it is vacation time; and, the weather is wonderful and we can once again enjoy the outdoors. Yep…the livin’ is easy! Things have slowed down at the church as well. The groups have stopped their meetings for the summer and the choir is on hiatus. Pastor Anita will also be taking some well-deserved vacation time. During the summer months, attendance is usually a little lower at church due to family activities and vacations. That is one reason why submitting your givings by the PAR system is beneficial to both you and the church. By signing up with PAR, your givings are automatically deducted monthly from your bank account. This way, you are never behind, the finances remain stable and the bills and salaries are all easily paid. PAR is definitely worth considering. For more information, speak to Bob Bailey.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Volunteers are needed for the After-Church Coffee Hour for the summer months. Please contact Rita Lane if you are able to help.

OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!

~Note from Judy Smith At my follow-up appointment to the doctor in Toronto this week, he informed me that my cancer is in remission. That word we have all be waiting and praying to hear. I want to thank you all for your kindnesses and prayers during my time of treatment and recovery. Prayers are a very powerful defence. Thank you all. ~Update on Rev. Graham Kennedy Rev. Graham Kennedy has reached the stage in his recovery from a stroke where he has returned home from the Shaver Hospital and will continue his rehabilitation on an out-patient basis. Now he can enjoy the comforts of home and family. If you would like to send Graham a card, his address is 42 Forest Hill Road, St. Catharines, ON L2R 3T9. Graham, we wish you all good things and we will continue to pray for you!

CELEBRATIONS ARE IN ORDER!

HANK AND WILLIE WIEBE ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH OF THEIR GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER, .

We’d like you to meet Layla Grace who was born on May 30th and weighed 6 lb. 10 oz. She is the daughter of Courtney and Jesse St Onge, granddaughter of Dan and Diane Moretton and great granddaughter to Hank and Willie Wiebe Big brother Landen is over the moon.

VICTOR SAMMURTOK SCHOOL UPDATE! There are 5 graduates this year! Special mention: Adam Nattar - he completed school in Chesterfield Inlet and was accepted into the Arctic College in January 2018 where he is studying to be a mechanic. He will be attending his high-school graduation ceremony in his home town of Whale Cove. Adam was recipient of the English award and the good citizen award. Please keep them all in your hearts and prayers! I am SO proud of them!!!! ~Submitted by Leila Paugh.

Great Grandpa Hank snuggles the baby.

The four generations.

Front seated: Delilah Issaluk (recipient of the math award and the regional science award). From Left: Ana Leishman (teacher, founder of breakfast club program, co-founder of qajaq program), Todd Sammurtok, Troy Issaluk, Qimmialuk Ipkarnerk, Kris Ippiak and Glen Brocklebank (teacher, breakfast club volunteer, co-founder of the qajaq program).

CHRISTINE BAILLIE CREATES A MASK TO CELEBRATE BRAIN INJURY MONTH!

As many of you know, Christine Baillie has suffered several devastating concussions that have left her with a brain injury. But being the amazing woman that she is, she has not given up or given in. Despite constant migraines and seizures and often isolation, Christine tries to live her life to the fullest and is an active member of the Brain Injury Association of Niagara (BIAN). As her church family we pray for Christine every week in church and of course in our private prayers at home. June was Brain Injury month and Christine has agreed to share the mask that she designed. “Unmasking the Brain Injury” is a North American event for those who have survived a brain injury to tell their story. The masks from the BIAN and the BICR were located at the Mah Tay Cafe in St Catharines for the month of June. Christine said, “I had so much fun creating my mask. It was so emotional and self-healing! I look forward to making another one next year!!!”

The words on the mask show the loss of career, friends, sports, PTSD, headaches, depression, anxiety seizures, loss of income. But also the blessings of family, BIAN, BICR, and faith. Thank you for sharing Christine. We continue to pray for you.

GUEST CHOIR DIRECTOR Over the past while, the choir has noticed that Allison MacDonald has been directing them from her seat in the Sanctuary. So, in order to take a break, Director of Music, Jackie Grant invited Allison to be the guest conductor for the anthem on Sunday, June 23rd. Thanks Allison. You did a great job!

APPRECIATION OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BY WARREN TRICKIE…..

STAY FOCUSED

One test we face as we try to achieve what God has called us to do, is cultural distractions. Things like:

Popularity: We don't need to always be worried about what other people think.

Pleasure: We should have fun and enjoy life, but pleasure shouldn't be the prime focus.

Profits: Making honest money is good but shouldn’t be the main goal or ambition.

Possessions: Things are good, but Judging success by how much stuff we acquire, is not. In the end, the one with the most toys doesn't always win.

Stay focused on the most important things in life, loving God, serving others, building relationships, becoming more like Jesus.

These activities last forever.

Proverbs 4:5a says, “Get wisdom; develop good judgment.”

..............Warren (Inspired by Richard Warren)

At Stamford, we are blessed to have people who are willing to lead the Christian education activities. The Christian educators were honoured at the Heritage Day Sunday Service. These are the people who lead the Sunday school, Bible Study, and the Men’s Breakfast. Many thanks to all the people who give so much of their time and hearts to these activities!

WE WELCOMED SARAH EMILY DOIG TO OUR CHURCH FAMILY!

On Sunday, June 23, we welcomed Sarah Emily Doig to the family of Christ and membership of Stamford Presbyterian Church. Sponsoring Sarah were her aunt and uncle, Joanne and Roy Vacca. Many of Sarah’s family members and friends attended this wonderful rite of baptism and membership.

Sarah...

Your Stamford Church family

welcomes with loving open arms!

Watching out for Scammers and Fraudsters – The Romance Scam Fourth in a 5-part series

~Cheryl Olsen Throughout history, poets, singers, and writers have explored the mystery that is love. Four thousand years ago, “Love Song for Shu-Sin” was recorded. In more recent history, The Beatles told us “All You Need is Love”, while the J. Giles Bands says “Love Stinks”. Either way you look at it, we’re fascinated by love. And this can make us vulnerable to The Romance Scam. The scam starts online, sometimes through online dating, or just by going on Facebook. The scammer will initiate contact by sending a friend request or just an email. They will come on strong, declaring love rather soon in the relationship. They’ll send very attractive pictures of themselves, which have usually been stolen from someone else. They’ll try to show they’re trustworthy by saying they’re in the military, or an aid worker, or a highly paid professional. And they’ll always be working somewhere far away that makes visiting difficult. The scammers will start to gain trust by sending little gifts. They may even make plans to visit their new love, but the plans will always fall through. Then the requests for money start – they’ve been mugged, they need money for airfare to visit, a family member desperately needs an operation. And the requests will keep coming, as long as they think there is money to still be had. The financial losses from this scam are staggering. According to an online article by CHCH, in 2017 alone, $18 million was lost to romance scams in Canada; in the U.S., $220 million was lost. There are stories littering the news media of men and women mortgaging their homes and plundering their retirement savings to send money to their “loves” overseas. In Texas, a woman in her mid-fifties was defrauded of $2 million over the course of two years. A devout Christian, she had prayed online with this man and fell in love. The first ask was for $30,000. And then more requests followed. When her financial advisor noticed the drop in her account balance, he had her contact the FBI. She had given away all her money and had nothing left for her future or to leave to her daughter. She even contemplated suicide. Despite all this, the desire to believe in her scammer is still strong. She states in an audiotape she made for the FBI, “Part of me thinks that he’s going to come through and pay me back what he owes me and, you know, swoop in here, be the knight in shining armor.” (July 2017, Huffington Post). So how do you keep from being scammed? Here are some warning signs to watch for:

Someone professes love for you, and you’ve never met.

An in-person meeting never happens.

You’re asked to accept money transfers or goods to send to someone else (money laundering).

Photos of an intimate nature are requested – these can be used for blackmail later on.

You’re asked to send money for an emergency. And if you comply, additional requests quickly

follow.

(Cont’d next page)

Watching out for Scammers and Fraudsters – The Romance Scam (Cont’d) Other things you can do:

Do a google image search on their photo to see if it’s a stock image or from someone else’s profile.

Watch for inconsistencies in their story.

Check out the Canadian Anti-Fraud website: http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/fraud-

escroquerie/romance-rencontre-eng.htm

http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/fraud-escroquerie/romance-rencontre-eng.htm Next month: Phishing Fraud

JAM MAKING HAS STARTED!

On BEHALF OF THE NIAGARA MEN’S CHORUS allow me to express our sincere appreciation to you and your congregation for making us feel so welcome at Stamford Presbyterian Church. We truly appreciate the generosity in providing us with a “home” to rehearse on a weekly basis and for allowing us to store some of our equipment on site. Tony Jamesty, Niagara Men’s Chorus

The strawberries are in and jam making has started on Thursday mornings. We start at 9:30 and finish up by sipping tea and sampling our morning’s work. We would love to see you there! Donations of jars, fruit, pectin, sugar are especially welcome. This year we would like to thank Lantic Sugar for their generous donation of coupons. We were able to redeem these coupons for 1/3 of the sugar that we will be using throughout the summer. We thank this company for their generosity and ask you to support them when you can. For more information on the jam making, call Joyce Gotts or Joan Hunt.

TEA AT McFARLAND HOUSE Please join us for tea on Thursday, July 26th at 2:30 at McFarland House your order. There are 11 spots reserved this month, first come, first served. If this is a popular event, we will make reservations for August. If you are interested, please call the office.

When a young minister was still single, he preached a sermon he entitled, "Rules for Raising Children." After he got married and had children of his own, he changed the title of the sermon to "Suggestions for Raising Children." When his children got to be teenagers, he stopped preaching on that subject altogether.

A pastor was speaking to a group of second-graders about the resurrection of Jesus when one student asked, "What did Jesus say right after He came out of the grave?" The pastor explained that the Gospels do not tell us what He said. The hand of one little girl shot up. "I know what He said: He said, 'Tah-dah!'"

STAMFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

3121 St Paul Avenue, Niagara Falls, ON L2J 2L8

905-356-2750

Email:

[email protected] Website:

www.stamfordpresbyterian.com