Christ United Church, Lyn
Final Summer Devotion for September 6, 2026
“How Were You Blessed This Summer?”
We asked folks to send us pictures and stories of how they were blessed this summer, and as usual you delivered! Following you will find heartfelt examples of God’s work in us, through us and around us, and how our lives and our faith are so much bigger than our church walls can ever hold. We look forward to seeing everyone back inside those walls next Sunday, the 14th of September, as we resume our regular Sunday morning services together once again.
Song of Solomon 2:11-12 “For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”
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Liz Healy
This is our Canadian Flag that we have flying by our pool and this is my summer blessing. I thought and thought of what I could submit as a blessing. I am fortunate and have so many blessings in my life; my husband, my daughter and her family, my extended family, my friends, my church family, my quilting friends, fairly good health etc. I could go on and on. It came to me the other night when Len and I were discussing events south of the border when I said to Len, “Aren’t we blessed to live in Canada?” Politics aside, we really live in a great country. It is beautiful from coast to coast and I have had the privilege to see both coasts and provinces in between. We have such freedoms in Canada, and despite problems we have good health care. Our country is respected around the world. We have great hockey teams and our own Blue Jay baseball team. We have four seasons to enjoy and commiserate about. Yes, Canadians love to talk about the weather. I love being a Canadian, I love the province of Ontario, I love Brockville and the mighty St. Lawrence. It still amazes me that the St. Lawrence is a tourist destination. We really take that for granted. I love the community of Lyn with its fascinating history. And so, my being a proud Canadian is my summer blessing.
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Judy Pearson
I didn't have to think very hard about what I would send for the last summer message about finding blessings in unusual circumstances! We spend several weeks a year, some in winter, some in summer, at our condo in Kimberley, BC to be close to our son and his family, and this summer, for the first time, we experienced the reality of being in close proximity to out-of-control wildfires.. Kimberley is situated in the Southeast Kootenay region of the province and on a Sunday evening in July the town received an evacuation alert as there were 3 growing wildfires within 10-30 km of us, part of a complex of 17 fires in our region. We packed a ‘go bag’ of critical items -- passports, meds, phone charger and day planner (always an essential for me!) and made an evacuation plan with son Dave and family. Over the next several days we refined our plan and got used to carrying our ‘go bag’ everywhere, while closely following the ongoing communication about further developments. In most ways we carried on as usual, but our eyes and ears were always focused on ‘what if’ and ‘when’. Thankfully, 7 days later at 1:00 Saturday afternoon, the evacuation alert was lifted. The closest fire was under control and the next nearest was noted as being managed. Such a huge relief! It's hard to express how impressed and grateful we are for the incredible professional response at all levels to this frightening event -- the Incident Commander, Mayor, Communication Officer and the amazing people on the many response teams -- all wonderful. Challenges met, and a happy outcome. Prayers continue for those still facing danger.
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These are sunflowers planted yearly on the sixth-generation dairy farm” Lean Haven Farms” for the birds, the bees and the highway #2 travelers to enjoy. Brenda has been busy harvesting flowers on Fridays and selling the beautiful bouquets at the market on Saturdays throughout the summer! Brenda Cartwright
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Barb DeJeet
I was a guest at the Catholic Women's AGM in Halifax, bringing greetings from our UCW Nationally.
There were 400 women in attendance and we were entertained by Scottish dancers and danced to a fiddling band. Even the priests danced and learned how to use the spoons!
A delicious lobster supper was the highlight of the day.
Edit from the Council Chair: We are so proud to have Barb representing our congregation and our denomination as National President of the United Church of Canada Women!
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Lee Ann Irwin and Barb DeJeet
This summer Barb and Lee Ann had an amazing time when they attended the First Nations Cultural Expo held at Upper Canada Village in August. The Expo brings together Indigenous artists, performers, artisans, storytellers, knowledge keepers and community members showcasing the rich heritage and living cultures of Indigenous Peoples. Rooted in the spirit of Indigenous gatherings, where teachings, stories and relationships are shared across generations, the Expo invites visitors to experience cultural performances, storytelling, traditional arts demonstrations, indigenous food and an artisan marketplace, while celebrating the creativity, knowledge and traditions that continue to thrive across indigenous communities today. Barb and Lee Ann found the PowWow profoundly moving, they had fun exploring the art installations at the Sandhill Nursery in Huntsville and basked in the serenity of nature while hiking in the Eau Claire Gorge in Calvin. We do live in an amazing province!
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JoAnne Fletcher
Like Liz, I am so grateful to have many blessings in my life. I count among my summer highlights watching my granddaughter learning to swim in the spacious farm pool, her third birthday party, playing with balloons with her cousins in a kiddy pool in her tiny Toronto back yard, and her pleas for me to stay for “one more sleep”. The contrast between the big concrete pool on the spacious lawn and the little plastic pool in a postcard-size cobblestoned yard was like night and day, but the amount of fun had in both of them was equally delightful. It reminded me how little we need to be happy and content as long as we have people we love to share them with. Which brings me to my own summer blessing entry, which is another delightful event involving water, this one a warm day in August, at the Lyn Pit (Conservation Area), picnicing with the choir. The choir members try to get together every summer, and this year it was a bit of a challenge due to the ever-changing weather forecasts. We finally decided to stick to an ‘iffy’ weather day most of us could fit into our busy summer schedules, but moved the venue to ‘The Pit’ in case it rained and we needed to hightail it to Fellowship Hall for shelter. As it turned out, there were no lessons that week and with rain threatened in the forecast we had the sandy beach virtually to ourselves except for three young lifeguards and a couple of families with little children who came and went over the course of the day. The water was warm, the sand was soft, the food was delicious and the company was stellar. We swam, we ate, we visited, we laughed, we talked. We didn’t even sing, just enjoyed each other’s company on a lovely day that was cloudy enough to protect us from a blistering sun yet never threatening to rain on our fun. I feel truly blessed to count this talented group as friends, and from the laughter and conversation shared that day, I am confident that the rest of the choir feels the same way.
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Genesis 8:22 “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”
Now, with an evening chill in the air, fields being harvested and leaves ready to turn, we return to our weekly church services to worship and enjoy fellowship together once again.
Blessings to all, see you Sunday!
"A Village Church With A Heart For The World"
Christ United Church
12 Perth St., Lyn, ON, K0E 1M0
(613)498-0281 (Phone) (613)498-2589 (Fax)
lynunitedchurch@cogeco.net www.lynunitedchurch.com Follow on Twitter: @Ch1United