HELLO!

Bethe, June and Fay. Repeat these names after me, they are my mantra of gratitude on this sunny morning. Why those names you ask (I can hear that tone which betrays your ever-present caution of “fairness”)? Well, let me explain. There are many people working on our upcoming Dinner Theatre “Lost in the 50’s” but let’s be very clear, without Bethe, June and Fay there would be no production. End of story. Bethe wrote and is directing this musical. June is directing ALL the songs (musicians and actors) and Fay coordinating the full course meal on Friday April 17 and Saturday April 18. Without these three, none of this would be possible.

Given these two nights were sold out faster than you can say “the Leafs have been eliminated” there was a request for a third performance. Last week we offered a Dress Rehearsal date on Wednesday April 15^th at 630 (you must be in your seat by 6 pm). In place of a full course meal, there is cheesecake, thus the price has been dropped to $15. There are now 85 tickets remaining out of a total of 200. If you want tickets, please call the office asap. As you likely know two neighbouring UCC churches have a long history of offering dinner theatres, this is a relatively new venture for Woodlawn (although I am sure someone will correct me, we did this in the 50’s…). There is A LOT of work that has gone into this production. If you see Bethe, June and Fay this coming week, make sure to thank them.

June is taking a short break after the musical has been completed for a much-deserved break. When I watch her direct the choir, with joy, Spirit and passion, I am inspired. We at Woodlawn are so blessed to have her in our midst. Witness our large and talented choir. June is a blessing.

On another note, I began serving our faith community 21 months ago and since then I have been spending my Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun afternoons out visiting. My priorities were those not able to worship with us on Sundays and new people who filled out our Welcome form. Obviously, funerals take up a lot of visiting time, meeting with the families to ensure the service is meaningful. But I have been able to visit others as well. Many of my visits in these 21 months were with people who have since died. Of the current 490 households in our directory (thank you Joan for keeping this up to date) I have visited with 200 (mostly in their living rooms, though some prefer coffee shops and my office). That’s 40%. I wish it were higher, but various other Woodlawn commitments do take time. If you have not yet been visited and would like me to see you sooner than later, please let me know asap. My goal, stated when I arrived in July 2024, is to visit all households in our Directory by the time I leave in October 2028. I am thoroughly enjoying these visits. I had one tonight with a new young family, just after they got home from work. If you live within 2 miles of the church, I will walk to your home. It’s healthy and gets me out and about in our Woodlawn neighbourhood. Peace, Kevin