Crosstalk — January 2023

Crosstalk

DOUG MORRIS

Affordable housing: overcoming challenges in 2023

BY DAVID HUMPHREYS

There is good evidence that 2023 will see positive progress for all the diocese’s five affordable housing projects.

The last two years have been challenging. The cost of building materials has risen sharply. Supplies have been delayed. The trades have been stressed. Much but not all of the problems can be attributed to the pandemic.

Without exception, sponsoring parishes and the diocese have remained committed to seeing

projects through to completion, albeit later than hoped.

“It’s important to anticipate challenges and delays and to have a conviction and resolve to stick with it,” comments the Rev. Canon Dr. PJ Hobbs, director general of Community Ministries. “In all our affordable housing cases perseverance will bode well for future success.”

“I’m so proud of the Diocese’s ongoing commitment and incredible achievements in the fight against homelessness,” says Sue Garvey, chair of the Homelessness and

Affordable housing Working Group. The group continues to look for ways to support parishes in their engagement, she says. “We know that faith communities like ours have the capacity to deliver high quality, affordable housing supported by the caring communities that we all want to live in.”

The following is a realistic look at the status and outlook for the five parish projects in varying states of development:

Hollyer House at Christ Church Bells Corners (CCBC) has a move-in

Five new members of the clergy ordained

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

On Nov. 19, clergy from across the diocese, family and friends gathered at Christ Church Cathedral to rejoice with five new members of the clergy at their ordination service. Bishop Shane Parker ordained one new deacon and four new priests. the Rev. John Holgate as deacon, and the Reverends Bob Albert, Claire Bramma, Thomas Hubschmid, and Stephanie McWatt as priests.

The Rev. Canon George Kwari delivered the homily, sharing a bit about the diverse experience the candidates for ordination brought with them into their new ministries:

“Our five candidates have accumulated amongst themselves years of experience in the high-tech senior management, in research, in tutoring, in non-profit organizations, in farming, in teaching horseback riding, in the army, in social work, so Bob, Stephanie, Clare, John and Tom, tell us, what on earth are you doing here?...

Ordination, p. 3

date for its 35 units of early spring.

 Affordable housing, p. 4

THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF OTTAWA | SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL | JANUARY 2023

PHOTO:

Prayers for the Rev. Thomas Hubschmid, on the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood at Christ Church Cathedral, November 2022.

When the prayers of our hearts cannot be put into words ...

to appreciate marking time by witnessing the life cycle of these lodges and ponds.

BY THE RIGHT REVEREND SHANE PARKER

There are 800 hectares of forest in the Gatineau Hills that are very familiar to me. I lived on the edge of this forest for five years when serving as the Incumbent of the Parish of Chelsea-LascellesWakefield in the early 1990s and have spent many hours in it since. It is a place of deep familiarity and comfort.

There are no official points of interest in this part of the Gatineau Park and, until recently, no marked trails. The forest is bordered by three roads, giving it an elongated triangular shape. The roadways have no places to park, serving mostly to get people to other destinations— such that the forest has only a few human beings in it at a time. Wildlife sightings are common, and I have frequently encountered evidence of deer, porcupine, bear, fisher, weasel, rabbit, and other small rodents—including flying squirrels. There are also many birds, big and small, hunters and hunted, and lots of woodpeckers—especially the large and noisy Pileated Woodpecker. After a snowfall, I

CLERGY NEWS

enjoy following the trails left in the snow by forest creatures, just to see where they lead.

There are steep cliffs and a winding ridge that reaches up 250 metres along the eastern section of the forest, and it takes some work to get to the top of it. The ridge winds its way southward, broken by a creek valley before it reaches the southern point of the triangle.

When the temperatures are low and the wind comes from the east, this unprotected ridge can get very cold, and snow can form into deep drifts and crevasses.

To the northwest, there are a few smaller hills and valleys, interspersed by brooks, springs, ponds, and the occasional craggy cliff. Over the years, beavers have modified this part of the forest, and I have come

There is a substantial pond in the central part of the forest, nestled between the tall hills and winding ridge to the east, and the round, undulating hills to the north and west. The pond flows eastward over a robust beaver dam and forms into a brook, twisting its way through a marshy area before trickling downward and mysteriously disappearing into a subterranean passageway. Steep drops and crags make it difficult to trace its pathway from there, making the portal where the water disappears seem kind of mystical—the kind of place that ought to be named after a Celtic saint.

To the west of this large pond is a tall, graceful, white pine, which stands alone, keeping watch over the sanctuary of the forest. Every time I return, I visit this old friend, who has silently listened to the cares of my heart over the years. I call it the Vigil Tree.

The Vigil Tree seems to know that sometimes the prayers of our hearts cannot be put into words. Some things feel too big, or complicated, or painful to express in prayer. Sometimes there is nothing to say. The Vigil Tree seems to embody the words of Saint Paul, who taught that when we cannot pray or cannot find the words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays for us, interceding for us “with sighs too deep for words.”

Sometimes it is enough to go to a place that is familiar and safe, be it a forest, a church, a chair, or a window, and open your heart to God, wordlessly. And God, who searches your heart, will hear the prayer of the Spirit within you.

FROM OUR BISHOP

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

The Rev. Stephanie McWatt has been appointed the Incumbent of the Parish of North Dundas, effective Dec. 1, 2022.

The Rev. Dr. Mary-Cate Garden has been appointed the Incumbent of the Parish of Huntley, effective Jan. 16, 2023.

The Rev. Bob Albert has been appointed Incumbent of the Parish of Lower Ottawa Valley (formerly the Parish of Prescott-North Glengarry), effective Dec. 1, 2022

Archdeacon Chris Dunn will retire, effective May 1, 2023.

The Vigil Tree

“Many of you have heard the Lord’s call into his service have had to leave behind a profitable career or business, some of you have to leave behind your vocation that in this world’s eyes is far more respectable and desirable….We want to say thank you for your affirmative response to the call of Jesus, that God put in your hearts and you followed…..

Kwari reassured them of the rich and joyful experiences that await in their new careers:

“The reality is that when you give up your life for the sake of Jesus Christ, you have unspeakable joy and delight. This is an amazing and joy-filled vocation you have chosen. The lives of priests and deacons revolve around people. You accompany people in unforgettable moments in their lives, the birth of a child, a wedding, birthday celebrations, anniversaries and graduations, at Eucharist you will be the voice of Jesus when we say in his own words “Take, eat this bread, it is my body broken for you.” That’s not a trivial thing. It is a matter of awe and wonder and deepest humility. You accompany people in their last moments. When you stand by the bedside sharing pain and hope and

fear, and then you draw them all into the presence of God, through gentle and heartfelt prayers. There is a saying, ‘What a person does or goes through in a lifetime, a deacon or a priest goes through in a day.’

“The writer of Ephesians reminds us that we must be gentle, humble, and patient. We must bear with one another in love,” Kwari said. “I pray that you will be gentle pastors, wise leaders and faithful stewards of the mysteries of the ordination of the service for all God’s people”

The Rev. John Stopa has been appointed to be the Incumbent of the parishes of Emmanuel Arnprior and St. Paul’s Renfrew, effective Jan. 10, 2023.

PHOTOS: DOUG MORRIS

The Rev. Nicholas Forte has been appointed Associate Incumbent in the Parish of the Valley, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

The Rev. Mark Lewis was inducted as the Incumbent to the Anglican Parish of South Dundas on Nov. 20. The service was conducted by Archdeacon Peter Crosby and the homily was given by the Rev. Pat Martin and the Rev. Bob Albert. Members of the local ministerial friends and family were in attendance.

(L to R) The Rev. Pat Martin, Deacon Peter Cazaly, the Rev. Mark Lewis, Archdeacon Peter Crosby, and the Rev. Bob Albert.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

The Rev. George Kwari reassured them of the rich and joyful experiences awaiting.

The candidates take their vows.

Bishop Shane Parker introduced the newly ordained priests and deacon.

 Affordable housing, from p. 1

Construction is well under way at Carebridge Community Support’s 28-unit project in Smiths Falls, with St John the Evangelist parish as a partner and key donor of $500,000. Completion is expected in late 2023.

The Ellwood House extension at St Thomas the Apostle is completing pre-development work and preparing to apply for building permits so that construction of 39 units can start in 2024.

Julian of Norwich parish will be submitting a rezoning application for its two-and-a-half acre property on Merivale Road with a view to creating its vision of affordable housing, community and sacred space.

The steering committee established by St James Perth is working with the newly elected town mayor and council to secure a promised parcel of town-owned land for its affordable housing project.

This means that while 2023 will be a year of significant progress the Diocese won’t be celebrating the successful completion of its anniversary campaign until at least 2024 or perhaps later.

The campaign is the flagship undertaking to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Diocese by creating 125 affordable housing units.

The opening of 42 units at Cornerstone Housing for Women’s Princeton Avenue residence provided the first milestone. The opening of Hollyer House and the Smiths Falls project will add 63 units for a total of 105. The remaining 20 units will be easily realized as Ellwood House Extension, the Julian of Norwich and St James Perth projects are completed. But it will take time.

The creation of affordable housing remains a diocesan priority as the need continues to grow. Bishop Shane Parker renewed the mandate

of the Homelessness and Affordable Housing Working Group (HAHWG) for its work in engaging with the wider community.

It has always been recognized that many parishes are not in a position themselves to create housing and that advocacy and prayer are equally recognized pillars of the campaign.

Archdeacon Kathryn Otley, incumbent of CCBC, says fundraising for Hollyer House has continued apace, with the fundraising team (Cath Seguin, Victor Wehrle, Margaret Thomas and Sue Garvey) giving presentations to parishes around the diocese. The campaign was closing in on the $1 million mark at year’s end. (Goal $1.6 million).

The Rev. Canon Catherine Ascah, outgoing incumbent of St John the Evangelist Smiths Falls, says building permits for Carebridge’s building on Chambers St were issued in November.  The excavation had already been done, so when the

permits came through construction began. (Canon Ascah assumes her duties as incumbent of St Bartholomew’s Ottawa in March).

The Rev. Monique Stone says Julian of Norwich parish and its partner Multifaith Housing “continue to be committed to creating a vibrant housing community on the Merivale/ Rossland property.” She added that patience will be required to deal with unforeseen consequences.

It’s fortunate that St James Perth has a determined and passionate outreach group spearheading its project. It’s key objective for the year is to secure ownership of a parcel of town-owned land. The property will be turned over to Carebridge Community Support as owner and developer.

The Ontario government’s Bill 23, More Homes Built Better Act, streaming the planning approval process, isn’t seen as helpful. The town must declare the land surplus

at which point it is open for bids. The Act, eliminating one planning hurdle, could work to the advantage of competition from developers. The community team is working closely with a supportive mayor and councillor to maximize its chances of success.

Correction

In the December 2022 issue, the caption for a front page photo of St. Thomas Silver Creek misidentified its deanery. The parish is located in the Deanery of West Quebec.

In the same issue, the caption for the p. 11 photo of Karen Davie was incorrect. The correct caption is “Karen Davie, one of the successful bidders, with her oil painting of Nova Scotia Harbour by Warren Blackburn.

Crosstalk sincerely regrets these errors.

Crosstalk is published 10 times a year (September to June) and mailed as a section of the Anglican Journal. It is printed and mailed by Webnews Printing Inc., North York.

Crosstalk

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The Rt. Rev. Shane Parker Bishop of Ottawa Publisher

Leigh Anne Williams Editor

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Crosstalk acknowledges that we publish on traditional Anishinàbeg Algonquin territory. We recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries.

Hollyer House at Christ Church Bells Corners is nearing completion and should be ready for its residents to move in in the early spring.

A fond farewell for Heidi

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

There was bittersweet news at the November meeting of Diocesan Council when Bishop Shane Parker let council members know that events and communications co-ordinator Heidi Fawcett would be leaving the Diocese in early December to take a new job at Ottawa’s Shaw Centre.

There was a warm round of applause and appreciation for all of Fawcett’s stellar contributions contributions to the work of the Diocese, particularly bringing events such as Synods, clergy conferences, and Bishop’s Galas together and for the sense of fun she brought to it all. The bishop congratulated her on the new opportunity to grow in her career but expressed the sentiment that will undoubtedly be shared throughout the diocese that she will be missed.

Fawcett came to the Diocese early in her career in 2012, after completing a degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing and working for several years at a communications firm and then a non-profit organization. When the non-profit closed and she was looking for work, her father suggested that she send her resume to the Diocese. A few months later, she was hired as an administrative assistant. She began her work as administrative support for five standing committees and a few staff members. But before long, she began helping in other areas. “I got on the Bishop’s Gala committee, I started planning the Christmas party, a lot of stuff I just picked up because I liked to do it. Bishop John [Chapman] figured out that I liked to do events, so then in 2015 he made me the events co-ordinator, so I looked after all of the events – the Bishop’s Gala,

Farewell, Jane!

Fawcett,

diocesan events maven

PIZZUTO

and told all my friends.”

She had gathered about 10 or 15 purses when she got a call from a contact at the Ottawa Police Service, where she was a long-time volunteer. The woman offered to share her poster within the police service, but asked if Fawcett was ready for the response, which would “not be small.” Fawcett said yes.

Synod, Diocesan Council, clergy conference, clergy day.”

She and Heidi Pizzuto, executive assistant to the bishop, worked closely, notably on the Bishop’s galas and became affectionately known as “the Heidis.”

“Her good cheer and sense of humour are pretty much unmatched, and she has been a wonderful colleague-turned-friend,” said Pizzuto.

“I always liked planning Synod and the Bishop’s Gala, anything where the whole Diocese came back together,” Fawcett told Crosstalk. “It’s a lot of work leading up to it …. but then when you get there and you see everyone, the energy just completely fills me and fills the room and then you think this was worth it.”

One highlight was the Women’s Conference in Jerusalem, she said. “It was fun to organize, fun to go on,

to meet the women, actually get to go to Jerusalem and see everything,” she said.

One of Fawcett’s extracurricular activities demonstrated her talent for making good use of social media for social justice. In the fall of 2015, she came across a magazine article that highlighted the struggle women have accessing sanitary products when they are homeless. Soon after, someone posted an idea about filling purses with essentials to give vulnerable women. She put the two ideas together. “I had seen so much of the ministries through [Canon] PJ [Hobbs] and what these women go through, so I thought ‘I want to get 50 purses together before Christmas and I’m going to take them around and just hand them out to women downtown’… So I made this little poster and put it up on Facebook

“A few days later I got a call from one of the stations and they had 25 purses for me. …And then another station called me, and they had more, and then it got spread all over Facebook and radio stations were talking about it.” A media company also donated products and a video. Purses started piling up in her apartment, her parents’ basement, police stations, the diocesan office…. By the week before Christmas, they had collected 4,000 purses. Fawcett says she was grateful that the police got so involved, offering her a room to sort purses and loading up cruisers to help her and her then boyfriend [now husband] Shane deliver purses to community ministries, women’s shelters and every agency that served women in the city. She continued the campaign for two more years, but then stepped back to let the police carry it forward.

In 2017, she took on managing social media for the Diocese, and in 2020, Bishop Shane appointed her events and communications co-ordinator.

Although Fawcett said she is sad to leave friends at the Diocese, she is excited about the challenges of her new job where she could be planning large events such as conferences and trade shows. She will be one of seven event services managers and there should be room for her to learn and grow in her career. Best wishes, Heidi!

PHOTO: HEIDI

There was a lively lunchtime gathering at Ascension House on November 30, as diocesan staff bade farewell to Jane Scanlon, director of communications and stewardship.

Jane Scanlon receives a floral tribute from Heidi Pizzuto. Diocesan staff gathered included (front row l to r) Patricia Myles, Jane Scanlon, Heidi Fawcett, Ishita Ghose, Archdeacon Linda Hill, Ringo Morella. (Back row) Sanjay Grover, Canon PJ Hobbs, Petra Ghazleh, Joel Prentice, Bill Gilbert, Sandra Purdy, Heidi Pizzuto, Bishop Shane Parker, Glenn Lockwood, Titilayo Oyefi, and Safiyah Rochelle.

PHOTO: RINGO MORELLA

Diocesan solicitor Robin MacKay retires

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

Canon Robin MacKay has retired from his position as diocesan solicitor, which he has held since since 2019. Prior to that he was chancellor of the Diocese for many years and will continue to serve as chancellor emeritus.

“I’ve been mixed up in this work for decades, and to my surprise, I have quite a bit of the corporate memory,” he told Crosstalk

Bishop Lackey first recruited MacKay to be a vice-Chancellor at an outdoor meeting when the Chancellor and vice-chancellor at the time were not present. “The bishop asked me how long I had been a lawyer, and I had just passed the 10-year anniversary, which is the minimum requirement to be a chancellor or vice-chancellor, so I was appointed on the spot as vicechancellor and remained so until the other vice-chancellors resigned or died,” he explained.

Bishop Shane Parker paid tribute to MacKay describing him as, “a humble, faithful, and highly intelligent man, who readily shared his extensive legal knowledge with our diocese for over four decades. His deliberate choice to become a general practitioner early in his career made him perfectly suited to advising on the surprisingly wide range of legal matters we face as a diverse, active diocese. From relatively simple property matters to complex and difficult issues, Robin invariably speaks from the experience he gained as a lawyer who served people from all walks of life.”

MacKay also retired from his law firm in December due to some health issues.

The bishop went on to add, “Robin moves easily from attentive listening to astute advising, and his sense of humour is never far beneath the always-respectful surface of his personality. I will always be grateful for the many times I worked with Robin over the years, and for all I learned from him.”

MacKay said he was first drawn to law as a career because he saw

it as a helping profession. For the most part, it fulfilled that aim, he said. “But my practice has been unconventional. It was mainly driven by whoever came in the door. My only specialty has been non-profit housing. I have quite a few clients who are housing co-ops or nonprofit housing providers.”

He was on the founding board of Cornerstone Housing for Women. “That was when we incorporated. We formed a corporation to own the new building. It is pretty unusual to have that kind of

ministry operated directly by the Diocese,” MacKay really wanted Cornerstone to incorporate because “the liabilities were scary,” he said. “Initially, there was a lot of resistance to that idea….The advantage of corporation is that it comes with a ready-made legal structure that donors and lenders recognize….You have two separate entities, if one gets in trouble it doesn’t drag the other one down with it.” His idea prevailed and had served both organizations well. MacKay added that it was “a real

treat to work with [Canon] Sue Garvey.

As chancellor, MacKay worked closely with Bishop John Chapman, who said people in the church might only see the chancellor answering the occasional procedural question at Synod, but that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The church, “both budgetary wise and structurally is a huge institution.

There’s so much activity happening under the surface and it’s the kind of activity that more often than not requires legal expertise. That’s the work nobody ever gets to see… regarding employment or institutional change or institutional structures, and so the hours and hours that he has given to that work is beyond description really…. His devotion to the life and vitality of this diocese is unparalleled.”

MacKay helped guide the Diocese during the difficult times when some parishes left the church over the issue of blessing same-sex marriages and the related issue of church properties. Both he and Bishop Chapman were sued personally.

“We formed a committee and we decided what principles are we trying to defend,” MacKay recalled.

“One of them was that we wanted Centre 454 to be permitted to return to St. Albans. St. George’s really wanted their building. They had money so we set a price, and they purchased it from the Diocese. So, in a way, it seemed to satisfy everyone.” MacKay said helping the Diocese resolve that problem without going to court is one the parts of his work of which he is most proud.

MacKay grew up in the Presbyterian Church, but his wife, the Rev. Canon Rhondda MacKay (retired), introduced him to the Anglican Church when they were in university. “I loved the Anglican liturgy, the seasons, the formal prayers,” he said. Another highlight of his time serving the church was when he was appointed as a lay canon. “Rhondda is a canon, and we were able to sit beside each other in these special seats in the cathedral,” he said.

PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

Robin MacKay has brought his intelligence, questioning spirit and quiet humour to many annual synods and challenging negotiations. By nature collegial, a churchgoer and a clergy spouse, he has enhanced parish life in many locations and is a friend to innumerable Anglicans across the diocese.

Sharron Hamilton retires from the Day Programs management board

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

Sharon Hamilton is stepping down from her position as chair of the management board for the Anglican Day programs.

“Sharron has been a key person in the process that has brought the three Anglican Day Programs of Ottawa under one management board and one executive director, which will bode extremely well for the future of these programs,” the Rev. Canon Dr. PJ Hobbs, director general of the Community Ministries, told Crosstalk. “She has managed the change with remarkable calm, critical questioning and an undying commitment to the work of the ministries.”

It was Hobbs who first asked Hamilton to apply to join the management board of The Well in 2015 when he heard she had retired. “Sharron was a parishioner at Christ Church Bells Corners, where I served as Incumbent for 12 years… It was very evident that Sharron had great leadership ability but also had the respect of so many people in the parish, and I think that has come to be true in the Community Ministries and the Day Programs,” he said. “When I came into this office and we needed members for the management board for The Well, I immediately thought of Sharron because I knew what a difference she could make.”

At that time, The Well was

planning some strategic planning, “Strategic planning was one of the things I did at work as well as project planning, so having just retired I was looking for volunteer work,” she said. “It was such a good fit.”

Then in 2017, the chair of management board of The Well stepped down and Hamilton became the new chair.

Not long after, however, the executive director of St. Luke’s Table left. The Well’s executive director Rachel Robinson was asked to be an interim director for St. Luke’s while the Community Ministries Committee set up a task force to determine whether they should hire a new director or merge the two agencies under one executive director and management board. When the board decided in favour of the merger, Robinson stayed on as executive director of both The Well and St. Luke’s Table.

At the time, Canon Monica Patten chaired the management board for St. Luke’s Table, so she and Hamilton worked together to merge the two management boards. “We had two separate strategic plans and different priorities, so we had to work together and determine a way forward that still met the needs of The Well and St. Luke’s Table,” says Hamilton. When Patten stepped down at the end of that year, Hamilton became the de facto chair for both “The Well and St. Luke’s Table.”

It was only about a year after that when the executive director for Centre 454 left to take another position, and the committee had to decide between hiring anew or merging Centre 454 with the other two agencies. “We had proved that merging two day programs worked really well,” Hamilton said. The committee decided to merge all three day programs. For a time, Hamilton co-chaired with Centre 454 chair the Rev. Rhonda Waters until Waters too stepped down, making Hamilton the chair for all three agencies.

And then there was the pandemic to contend with. Hamilton points out that typically when

organizations merge, time is needed for planning, prioritizing and organizational development, but there was no time for any of that because when the pandemic hit, Robinson and the staff suddenly had to figure out how to care for participants and provide food outdoors. Hamilton has high praise for Hobbs, Robinson and all of the staff. “They rented a van and went out and delivered the food to our participants on the street and in their homes, still serving those most vulnerable in our city,”

When asked what she has enjoyed most in her roles, Hamilton says it is the opportunities to see the ministries in action first-hand.

“When I was working on the board at The Well… I loved to go in, especially at Christmas time, and serve lunch to the participants, … talk with them, be of service and have a meal with them…. learning more about what each of the day programs offer to each of the participants and how much it is needed and how much it is appreciated.”

Hamilton said this is a good time for her to step down. “The board is in a really good place. They have a really good plan to move forward, so I feel good knowing that I did my part and it is in good hands.”

Hamilton continues to volunteer at Christ Church Bells Corners, her parish for almost four decades, and she has agreed to be assistant lay director for the Cursillo Movement.

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Sharron Hamilton first helped to manage The Well in 2015.

PARISH NEWS

St. Bart’s restored Geddes window rededicated

Remembrance Sunday Nov. 6, 2022 in the Guards’ Chapel — On Remembrance Sunday in 2021, St. Barts launched a two-part capital campaign to restore the Geddes “Ottawa” Window, a memorial of the First World War, and to upgrade aspects of the Parish Hall and link. A year later, after much effort by the parish and support from the wider community, the restored East Window was rededicated at a very moving Remembrance Sunday service.

This service took place almost exactly 103 years after the original unveiling. On Nov. 9, 1919, the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) unveiled this war memorial for members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). His great uncle, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, had commissioned the window in 1915 to commemorate members of his household at Rideau Hall who died in the First World War.

This year the restored window glowed once again in its original magnificence. The subject is The Welcoming of a Slain Warrior by Saints, Champions and Angels. The young Irish artist Wilhelmina Margaret Geddes (1887-1955) completed the design and making of the window in Dublin; it was then exhibited there and in London prior to its installation above the altar in St. Barts. Striking colours and strong figures, unlike the usual stained glass of the day, set this work apart from the very beginning. Having completed a documentary video of the work and the context within which it was produced, we now know a great deal more about the artist and the themes and methods she used to produce this stained glass masterpiece, her only work in North America.

Since its original dedication in 1919 the ensuing century had taken

its toll on the window. Plans for its restoration began several years ago with studies to determine its condition and the work needed to ensure its integrity for the next century. Our fundraising campaign, spearheaded by our Honorary

Foot Guards. After reaching our funding goal, work could begin! In early September, the window was carefully dismantled and taken to Montreal, where artisans at Studio du Verre expertly cleaned and restored the glass and the other

generosity of certain parishioners. While external scaffolding still remained, in the sanctuary all was ready for a service of rededication at our Remembrance Sunday held on Nov. 6, 2022. The Reverend Canon David Clunie officiated at a very special service attended by many parishioners and by a large number of guests. General John de Chastelain laid the wreath, music featured the Governor General’s Foot Guards brass quintet, our own piper, Dr. Dan Cameron, and of course our director of music, Tim Piper, with the St Barts Choir. Following the Act of Remembrance, the rededication of the window and the conclusion of the service of Choral Eucharist, the Ambassador of Ireland, Dr. Eamonn McKee, spoke to the congregation of the importance of remembrance and the significance of the Geddes “Ottawa” Window as a special monument which is sure to draw many viewers to our small church.

We are grateful for the generous support we have received to carry out this important restoration project, especially during this last year of our rector’s ministry, as he retires after 14 years as our rector and 40 years as a priest in this diocese. His leadership and enthusiasm helped made this happen.

If you would like to see the restored window, please come and join us for a service at St. Barts. Service times are listed on our website at stbartsottawa.ca. Also, please watch the website for a

PHOTO: BARRY WALKER

Area Parish of the St. Lawrence in action

When Kathy Lucking, a Canadian elementary school teacher, volunteered in an orphanage in Madagascar in 2007, she was struck by the number of children who seemed destined to repeat a cycle of malnutrition and poverty because their families couldn’t afford to send them to school.

She came home to Canada and founded the Madagascar School Project. She gathered a community of friends, colleagues, business people, and church members, and started raising money to build a school.

In October of 2008, 65 children aged four to six years old began their studies in Lova Soa, a twoclassroom school in the highlands of central Madagascar, staffed by Malagasy teachers. Lova Soa means “School of Good Inheritance.

In January 2010, MSP opened the second school, Sekoly Tenaquip, with 126 students and seven staff. This school is named for the Tenaquip Foundation in Canada, which has supported the cost of constructing all buildings associated with MSP.

The Tenaquip School now has a student population of over 800 students studying from Junior Kindergarten up to high school graduation. The project has grown and now has many other aspects to increase project’s self-sufficiency, including solar power, farming, water conservation, and medical services.

On Nov 5, 2022 Christ Church Seaway, Long Sault had a table at the Trinity Fall Market in Cornwall, Ont. The following day Kathy Lucking, founder of the school, attended Christ Church to provide an update on the progress of the Madagascar School Project, which hopes to be self-sufficient in the next few years.

Christ Church presented her with a cheque from both their year-

long Madagascar Table as well as the money made at Trinity for the ongoing support of this project.

The following Saturday, St. John the Evangelist in Lancaster held their annual Madagascar tea and Karen Davison Wood presented Gail Wells, (standing in for Kathy Lucking) with a cheque from St. John’s for their contribution to the scholarship fund for students taking post-secondary education. The tea was a huge success, raising more than $10,000 for the Madagascar School Project.

This was truly a “mustard seed” project, and we are so pleased to be a small part of their success.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

Submitted by Lynda Delorme, Beth Helmer and Karen Davison, Area Parish of the St. Lawrence

(Above) The Long Sault Crew at the Trinity Market table

(Left) Karen Davison Wood presenting a cheque to Gail Wells.

Making a difference one bag at a time

BY GRACE JONES

“So this is what is going on at the church in Greely on Tuesday nights,” was one of many comments heard at All Saints Greely’s information booth at the Metcalfe Fair this fall.   It began as a simple question in the spring of 2022. Did I know anyone who made milk bag mats? It has evolved into a multifaceted outreach initiative with three arms of goodness: providing sleeping mats and sit-upons for the homeless and less fortunate, keeping milk bags out of the landfill, and receiving offers of help and wonderful community support from so many people, of all ages, who want to help make a difference.

The situation that was brought to our attention was that Earthub, an organization whose mission is to keep certain items out of the landfill, had stopped collecting milk bags as they did not have an end user to pass them on to.  After just a little research and the building of a large loom, one sleeping mat was woven on a kitchen table and it was a go.  But, this then raised more questions.  Wanting them to stay local, what would we do with them?  Where would they go?  Was there a need?   Connecting with

Kim of our diocesan Community Ministries Day Programs, we were quickly introduced to Shawna Thibodeau of Shawna’s Outreach, and soon after connected with JFS Streetsmarts, Inner City Ministries, Ability First Ottawa, and House of Lazarus.  They quickly confirmed that the need for these mats was very real, great, and unfortunately growing all the time.  All Saints Greely now had another outreach ministry which very soon became a weekly Tuesday evening event. The mats provide a waterproof

spot to sit or sleep on. They add a little bit of cushioning and do not require cleaning or drying like regular beds, sleeping bags and blankets, so they can be used more than once.  They are even used as pillows or canopies from rain and sun.  One has also been taken to replace someone’s bed as it provides protection from bedbugs. We have begun to include handles on them making them easier to carry when they are rolled up.

To date 47 large sleeping mats and 57 sit-upons have been distributed to those in need. About 30 people have been involved in the weaving and preparation of the bags.  We continue to receive many milk bags from the community and Earthub with approximately 23,250 milk bags used so far and kept out of the landfill. Add to that the many words of encouragement and thanks for what we are doing, and there is no question that we belong to a caring and loving community of people who understand and are acting to make a difference for people in need.

Everyone is welcome to help. Together we are sharing our time and talents, (not that it requires much talent), and putting our love for our less fortunate and struggling fellow brothers and sisters into action.  The stories I have heard, and all I have learned about life on the streets, is overwhelming at times.  And at the same time the amazing community we live in, so many people who have supported and assisted in so many ways by donating milk bags, their time cutting, looping, and weaving, has also been overwhelming in its own way.

We hope that someday there won’t be a need, or as much need, but in the meantime, we have heard the call to make a difference and will do what we can, weaving one bag at a time.

Grace Jones is Peoples' Warden at All Saints Greely.

(Above) Grace with the loom and plenty of weaving to do.

(Right) Lynn preparing the bags for weaving.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

St. Stephen’s provides Inuit drums for the children of Iqaluit

BY FRANCES MACDONNELL

A long relationship has existed between St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Ottawa and the people of Iqaluit, Nunavut. Many of the congregation, from teenagers to grandparents,  have visited Iqaluit in our several visits there in recent years, and many lasting friendships have been made.

In June 2021, during the pandemic when it was impossible for the congregation to travel to Iqaluit, the Rev. Canon George Kwari suggested that the congregation of St. Stephen’s might follow up with the people of Iqaluit by asking if there was some project the congregation could assist them with. Frances Macdonnell contacted her friend Darlene Nuqingaq, the co-ordinator of the Iqaluit Music Society, to ask about such projects, and Darlene came back to us at once to say that one thing there was a great need for — but never any money for — was the provision of child-sized Inuit drums for the children of Iqaluit.

All the children of Nunavut aspire to be drum-dancers when they grow up! But because of the expense and the scarcity of materials, Inuit drums have only been built in adult sizes, and so the children have had to wait years before they were tall enough to be able to learn the ancient Inuit skill of drum-dancing.  “Could the congregation perhaps provide some funds to pay an Inuit craftsman to build such in smaller sizes for the children?” asked Darlene.

This fall we thought it might be fun to make larger quilts (46” x54”) for young children. Each quilt was based on a story book and the book was included with the quilt. Two big suitcases of quilts and the accompanying books were shipped to Iqaluit late in November, and we hope that they will bring smiles to some of the school children at Joamie School!”

— Ann McLean

“Of course!” replied St. Stephen’s, and a fundraising drive began, raising approximately $6,000 from within the congregation. The craftsman in question was to be David Serkoak, a very well-known elder, drum-dancer, and craftsman; David has drummed in Iqaluit for the Pope, and in Ottawa for GovernorGeneral Mary Simon.

In October, the parish has received a letter from Charlene Paterson, the vice-principal of

Joamie School in Iqaluit (the Inuktitut-speaking Junior school), saying: “It was our honour the week before last to have our beloved friend, cultural advisor and former school leader, David Serkoak, come to Joamie School. I want to thank St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish, Ottawa, for this wonderful gift of music and cultural sharing between a muchrespected elder and the youth of Joamie School. Our new drums are hung in each of the K-5 homeroom classes to be integrated into daily programming when possible.  Please come visit us next time you have the chance, and thank you for bringing us this good fortune and showing generosity and action towards reconciliation. It is through these friendships we forge a new path.”

David Serkoak has initially made 12 of these smaller-sized drums for the children and will make more. It is important to remember is that these drums are not toys; they are hand-crafted musical instruments, and they will last the children of Joamie School for many years. In the pictures below, you can see how much smaller the new drums are than the adult-sized drum David himself is playing.

As Charlene Paterson said, this is another way of expressing friendship and action towards reconciliation.  And as the world opens up again, the congregation of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Ottawa, look forward to another Arctic visit soon!

Richmond Quilters Guild and The Country Quilter (both with many Anglican

have been sending quilts and baby items to the hospital in Iqaluit regularly, all inspired by the trip to Iqaluit in 2018 by a group from St. Stephen’s Anglican Church.  The groups were able to make contact with one of the air crew who flew north regularly, and she was happy to deliver the baby quilts to the hospital.  Last June, we had a baby shower and collected clothing and other baby needs that she delivered — about five suitcases of goodies.

Quilters send more gifts north

PHOTOS: ALISON TRANTER

The

members)

Elder, drum-dancer and craftsman David Serkoak teaching the children at Joamie School in Iqaluit.

(Left) Child-sized drums made by David Serkoak.

ALL MY RELATIONS CIRCLE

AMR’s presence at Synod draws interest and ideas

“I stopped by the All My Relations Circle’s display table at Synod 2022, and I’m glad I did! I learned about the range of resources and educational programming available through AMR and about their desire to reach out and encourage learning,” said Randi Goddard of St Matthews. She added, “All of these activities help to increase our understanding of how we, as single parishes and a Diocese, can build relationships in new and meaningful ways with Indigenous peoples.”

While visiting AMR’s table, Randi also sought ideas about how to display their ceramic feather in the church.

The items from Larry Langlois’s (Huron – Wendat) medicine bag attracted a lot of interest from visitors to the table. The display allowed people to touch and closely examine items such as an ulu — a traditional Inuit knife, a talking stick and a smudge bowl with the four medicines tobacco, cedar, sweetgrass and sage.

Meg Sinclair of Church of the Good Shepherd, Wakefield, was impressed by the resources such as The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and A Disciple’s Prayer Book from the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples. An avid reader

Ceramic Feathers

The ceramic feathers presented to parishes at the 2019 Synod were highlighted by Bishop Shane at this Synod, and he himself fixed one of the feathers to his microphone on head table. The feather, which carries special significance in most First Nations’ traditions, represents a commitment to building relationships in a new way with all Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) through a journey based on truth, justice, and reconciliation.

AMR last fall invited all parishes to share how they have displayed their feathers along with any written text that accompanies it. Here are four responses.

Send photos!

We would like to continue to share the ways in which parishes have displayed their ceramic feathers and/or reflected on them. Please send your photos to the All My Relations Circle and Crosstalk

All

who participates in the AMR Circle’s diocesan book group ‘Journeying as Allies,’ Meg said, after visiting the

table, “I began to think about the possibility of having a book club in our area where we might discuss

Indigenous literature locally and get to know others with similar interests.”

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Katheen Johnson, director of the Anglican Studies Program at Saint Paul University commented: “The presence of the All My Relations table and leadership at Synod provided an opportunity to learn more about important reflection and action taking place in the Diocese. It also raised the possibility of connection between AMR and the work of the Centre on the Churches, Truth, and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in the Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University.”

Looking Ahead

In June, during National Indigenous History Month and on Indigenous Day of Prayer (the Sunday closest to June 21) parishes offer prayers, readings, music and/or reflections as part of their journey of truth-telling and reconciliation. As this new year begins, we believe there are many benefits to thinking ahead to June and invite you to contact AMR Circle to share ideas, comments or questions.

Submitted by the All My Relations Circle

St. James the Apostle, Manotick

To our people, the ceramic feather represents a commitment to honour the Indigenous Peoples of this land. In doing so, we support the work of the church to establish the National Indigenous Anglican Church and Sacred Circle, as well as demonstrate support for the 94 Calls to the Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Calls for Justice of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

As a sign of respect and welcoming, the St. James Indigenous Relations Circle, which includes Indigenous and non-Indigenous voices, has displayed the feather on the Medicine Wheel, an important unity symbol for many Indigenous Peoples. The four directions are represented through the colours yellow (east), red (south), blue (west) and white (north). The Medicine Wheel is displayed so that these four cardinal points correspond with this church’s physical orientation. It stands as a sign of moving forward in right relationship with all Indigenous Peoples.

St. John’s, Van Kleek Hill

The inscription below the feather reads: Along with this feather comes a hope that our congregation will be a part of a journey that includes an inward promise and an outward, demonstrable commitment to embracing the uncomfortable truth of our history with Indigenous peoples and taking a personal step toward change.

St. Aidan’s, Ottawa

St. Aidan’s has mounted the white feather in a shadow box on a backing of black velvet. The land acknowledgement is included in the frame: We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. It hangs in the Narthex, beside the window looking out onto our garden, the land we are trying to be good stewards of. The beauty of the feather is a gentle reminder to pause and remember where we are.

St. Michael and All Angels, Maxville

This is a photo of our shadow box (including an image of church windows) with the feather and info, under HOPE.  Fitting.

Members of St Aidan’s parish should be very aware of the land on which we stand, for we are all newcomers to this beautiful area. The church and the surrounding neighbourhood were built in the late 1950’s. Prior to that development, the area was all farmland. The allocation of the land as a farm would have only happened in the 19th century. Before that, it was wilderness, walked on only by the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people. The history of our presence on this land is very short. The history of the land is long. We must not forget that. —

Nancy Gover

PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

My Relations co-chair Audrey Lawrence at the table display at Synod in October 2022.

YOUTH MINISTRIES

Young adults shine bright at Synod 2022

BY DONNA ROURKE

This year I was invited to gather a group of young people to be observers at our diocesan Synod. This allowed them to participate as members without voting privileges, and on the second day of Synod, time was allotted for them to share their thoughts with the members of Synod. They were offered a unique opportunity to meet with both our Bishop Shane and the Primate for about 45 minutes and ask them questions, which they all said they deeply appreciated.

The Rev. Dr. Mary-Cate Garden, who is part of our Youth Internship Program (YIP) team of advisors, offered this proud reflection:

“The YIP representatives ‘won’ this year’s Synod. In a year which saw a very full Synod—a very mindful Synod—where delegates had worked hard on the Diocesan discernment process. In a room full of people continuing to work together, thoughtfully and faithfully, the YIP representative stood out. In a room full of delegates who brought their A game, the YIP folks brought their A+ game.

As I listened to the thoughtful, loving, challenging reflections that each of these young(er) Anglicans offered I was in awe. A group that is so often labelled as ‘youth’ and so often thought of as an homogenous group called on the Church to be their best selves and begin to listen to younger voices. To recognize the diversity of experiences that the youth bring to us and to make sure that not only were they invited to the table but that they were invited as full participants.

The YIP presentations were brave and hopeful and full of promise If this is what lies ahead and if the church is wise enough to listen to these voices, then it is a church that will be in good and exciting hands for a long time to come.”

Here’s a sampling of the thoughts they shared with Synod or reflections on the experience afterwards.

Deborah said that she was born and baptized in Geneva and confirmed in Ottawa in the Evangelical Lutheran Church. … As an artist, she created a piece of art Friday night to reflect on Synod and the church. It spoke to her desire to feel like she belongs; that there were people who look and sound like her.

“Thank you very much for letting me come to my first synod. My message to you is ‘Try something new.’ Try new music or a new prayer

in service because you don’t know how much that means to [a person who might be new to the church or to Canada].

She shared a moving story about her mom, the Rev. Chung Yan Lam. “Something special about my mom. She’s a priest here… She sings a beautiful Mandarin song at the end of her services…My grandma always asks her ‘Why do you sing in Mandarin? ‘Nobody understands.’ It’s so that she also feels like she is wanted in that service, that she has a part of herself in that service. …I hope that in the future we continue to grow and we continue to make our church like a home because it is not only a house of God, it is a home with God.”

Maritsa wrote that “as a new Canadian, she thinks that the Diocese is heading in the right direction with Motion P3A and P3B and welcomes the idea of creating new worshipping spaces particularly for Global Christians. She feels very strongly that creating spaces where new Canadians feel welcome and included and can feel like they belong is so important. She would like to be able to hear the language and music of ‘home.’ She also feels that anti-racism education at a parish level is crucial. She understands that many people don’t realize their words are unwelcoming to people who are new to Canada and she would like to see everyone working towards self-awareness.

Learning about the National Church’s plan to have an Indigenous church under the umbrella of Anglican Church of Canada, she was concerned that the Anglican Church will still have the final say,

which would defeat the point. She is proud, however, that we are moving in the right direction and that we seem to have an open mind about this issue.

Rebecca is a member of Synod for St. John the Evangelist, a YIP intern, and the General Synod youth delegate from the Diocese of Ottawa. Hearing the aim of engaging more young people in Anglican communities discussed, she offered this advice: “Youth and young adults …are people like everyone else and we have the same core desires including to belong, to be respected and to become our best selves. But we are different in one key way: We are figuring out who we want to be and what we can do for the first time in our lives. We need spaces to learn and grow through new experiences and opportunities. We need to feel that who we are, our ideas, knowledge and perspective, is respected and valued. This is not achieved through token gestures and acknowledgement but through deep engagement and connection. A starting place for this is having youth members of Diocesan Synod. This is far from a token gesture, youth member votes have equal weight to every other member of Synod; equal standing, equal voice. She added that the work that the Indigenous church is doing to make the gospel explicitly part of their founding documents is a model that we should all think about when we make policy and documents within the church.”

Aimerance and Alexis were unable to attend all of Synod because of exams and assignments, but they

both said they liked what Deborah had shared about incorporating different kinds of music to allow the church to feel like home. They are both in favor of Motion 3A and encouraged everyone to seriously consider global worshipping spaces.

Robert wrote: “I was really happy to hear about the pathway that our diocese is looking to follow. I think that the focus on new parish structures is an excellent opportunity to use our creativity to help restructure. I am happy to see that parishes will be guided to make the changes that are in the best interest of their parishioners and communities. Robert also wondered what more could be done to help guide younger people in their own personal spiritual development within the church.

Robyn, a young adult member of Synod for St Albans, said the Shape of Parish Ministry motions fill her with hope; especially motion three….Robyn feels that we must learn to trust our abilities and trust that the Holy Spirit is working in us and our parishes.

Robyn admired the Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls’ willingness to candidly address tensions at the Lambeth Conference regarding same-sex marriage. “She provided some helpful context and reminded us that we are part of the wider Anglican Communion. Being part of this Communion, like being part of a diocese, means that we choose to come together and acknowledge our connection in Christ, despite the many differences we have. This is a beautiful thing. However, we are also in communion with all the many LGBTQ+ folks around the world who are continuously harmed by our religious leaders, and I think that the Primate could have been a bit more pastoral toward these people. I am thankful to be part of an affirming Diocese that is relatively safe for LGBTQ+ folks, but it can still be so painful and heartbreaking to see this fight still being fought in other places around Canada and the wider Communion. I want to remind all members of the LGBTQ+ community within the Anglican Communion that they are beloved even when their leaders fail them.”

Heather Maclachlan, a member of Synod from Trinity, echoed the Archbishop Nicholls pronouncement: “These youth are not the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today.”

Donna Rourke is Animator of Youth Ministries and YIP.

(Back row) Youth animator Donna Rourke, Robert, Maritsa, Deborah. (Front row) Alexis and Jane. At Synod, in October 2022.

PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

CLERGY REFLECTION

We have seen a star at its rising

BY THE REVEREND CANON JOHN WILKER-BLAKLEY

The Feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6 represents the continuation of the Christmas feast as we celebrate the arrival of the Magi to visit the babe of Bethlehem. Epiphany, also called “Little Christmas,” is frequently lost to corporate observance because it often falls in a mid-week when it is much harder to gather as a community. As well, in modern consciousness Christmas, at least for the world around us, (but not for our liturgical year), ends on December 26th with the Boxing Day sales. (Actually Dec. 26 for us as Christians is not Boxing Day at all, but historically the feast of St Stephen and is an important and grounding time of remembrance of the cost of discipleship, in the midst of the Christmas feast. But that is another article for another time.) In the ancient practice of the Western Church, Christmas was celebrated with 12 full days of scriptures, music, prayer and commemoration and the feast of Epiphany itself was not so much an end as a transition in the Christmas celebration into the Epiphany season. In the Epiphany season, we explore the meaning of the Birth of the Christ as that message goes from the Baptism of Christ to the choosing of the Disciples and out into the world from there.

The biblical story which gives us the feast of Epiphany is found in the second chapter of Matthew’s gospel. It tells of Magi, or Wise Ones, from the east who come searching for the Christ child and end up in Jerusalem saying, “We have seen his star at its rising.” Herod, ever jealous, pretends to be helpful, all the while planning harm for this newborn “king.” The magi, after consulting with Herod’s scholars leave to find the child, but warned in a dream not to return by the same route, leave by another road. This leaves Herod none the wiser as to where they found the child, and leads him, in the story, to hold a pogrom to kill all the boy children two years old or under.

While modern biblical scholarship will tell you that the story was likely Matthew’s way of identifying the birth of Jesus with the birth of Moses, and is a kind of Midrash on the Moses story as seen through the eyes of the fledgling Christian faith, there are wonderful teachings in this passage which are worth a look and a commemoration.

First of all, it appears that the visit of the Magi is Matthew signalling to us that the birth of Jesus was a universal event. Matthew writes, likely for a Jewish or Jewish Christian audience, the Magi are not Jews. They are, as represented in the text, more likely envisioned to be Zoroastrians from Persia or some similar land. This means that they represent God’s proclamation and revelation to peoples of other faiths. Having been our interfaith officer for some years, I have always felt that this story reminds us to be deeply respectful of other religious traditions. The story of the Magi tells us about God revealing the Christ to people from another faith

and culture. Having the humility to see that God is able to work among peoples of many lands and nations, goes a long way to overcoming religious bigotry and bias.

Second, the phrase “we have seen his star at its rising” is interesting.

Each year there seems to be some article trying to show or prove what star was seen by the Magi. Was it Halley’s Comet or some conjunction of stars that stood out? But the phrasing is interesting. It is not about a star that moves and leads. Rather it seems that it is about a star that is simply noticed “at its rising.” I suspect that the pageant idea of a star moving across the sky is what we would call a pious custom, or love song sung by believers. However the language that “we have seen his star at its rising” does speak to a special birth.

I bumped into a wonderful insight about this in a book called The Syrian Christ. The author Abraham Rihbany comments, from his youth in the Middle East, that it was (and at least until recently) believed that every child has a star at their birth. For the Magi to say that they have seen “his” star at its rising is not to say that there was some strange star that suddenly appeared, but that in reading the stars they noticed this child’s star. I have always felt that the subtext to this story is: What will we make of our star? How will we make our star, seen at our birth, echo that of the Christ’s?

Third, the jealousy of Herod led him to turn on the children of his time with the killing of the “Holy Innocents” commemorated, by tradition, on Dec. 28. This biblical

reference, falling within the 12 days of Christmas, reminds us that the birth of Jesus is also about the innocent victims created by the jealousy of rich, famous, and powerful people. We continue to see that reality in situations like the war in Ukraine, where it is the innocent who suffer most grievously, and in places of famine around the world, where children are the most obvious victims.

Finally, there are some wonderful house blessing traditions attached to the Feast of Epiphany.

One I like is where chalk is blessed and sent home with parishioners at the worship nearest to Epiphany. The faithful are invited to take the blessed chalk and mark the date on or near their entry doors with three crosses interspersed with the date. So for this New Year it would be 2+0+2+3.

Another Epiphany tradition is to take, on the day itself, an alternative route home from work, shopping or church to remember how the Magi, listening to the voice of God in their dreams, took an alternative route home to protect the Christ.

An Epiphany tradition observed in some parts of the church is to leave the crèche up with the Magi in it, until Candlemas on Feb. 2. This reminds us that Christmas is not just a day but a season that includes Christmas and Epiphany; it lets us reflect on the mystery of the Magi attending the Christ’s birth well into the New Year. May this Epiphany be a deep continuation of our Christmas celebration and a source of blessing for your New Year.

Epiphany scene, Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa

PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

Archbishop Linda Nicholls and Bishop Shane with youth delegates Rebecca and Maritsa at Synod.

PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

DIOCESAN ARCHIVES

New meaning for the word vernacular

BY GLENN J LOCKWOOD

Neither the place name Bangor nor Purdy appears in traditional accounts or maps of the parishes and missions of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. It is as if the Purdys of this world exist in order to test the resources of an archives for determining when and where they existed. Let the hunt for information begin.

Purdy (also known as Bangor) is first mentioned as an outstation of Combermere in the 1886 Synod Journal of the Diocese of Ontario. In the Ottawa Synod Journal of 1899, we learn that services were being held in the schoolhouse at Bangor. While the Reverend James D. McCallum was the Incumbent at Combermere from 1897 to 1900, we learn that a house of worship began construction at Bangor.

In 1901, Bark Lake and Bangor were transferred to the Mission of Killaloe, however the following year they were transferred back to Combermere.

It was not until 1909 that we are able to surmise the patron saint of this worship community, for in the 1909 Synod Journal mention is made of a Saint Peter’s Church in the Parish of Combermere. By a process of elimination, we must conclude that that was the name of the church at Bangor. It had taken over a dozen years for this small worship community to complete their house of worship at Bangor, as the Synod Journal reports that it “was almost finished” by 1913.

And here we see it, as photographed a century later. The initial impression is of a vernacular structure, an impression that is created by the ordinary double-sash

Saint Peter’s, Purdy Pembroke Deanery

is tempted to ask if there could possibly be a more vernacular house of worship in the history of the Diocese, a few details force us to take a second look.

First, for all its apparent simplicity, Saint Peter’s, Purdy is not simply set down foursquare with the closest road, but instead is located in a picturesque hillside setting as was becoming a notable feature for many rural churches at the turn of the nineteenth century. Second, the fairly steep pitch of the roof was a major indication of its purpose as a house of worship.

Perhaps the most significant exterior detail was the relationship

of the entrance porch at one end of a low wall as had become standard Anglican design for most churches from the 1860s to the turn of the century. The width of the doorway in the entrance porch anticipated the holding of community funerals here.

Equally telling is the gable wall we see here. The shingles used in the gable are a form of enrichment for the chancel end of this humble house of worship, distinguishing it from the clapboards used in the rest of the walls. As simple as the window above the altar may seem to us, it hearkens back to the Palladian or Venetian windows set above the altars in the earliest

churches of the Diocese of Ottawa, with their central light normally featuring a rounded arch.

In 1931, the house of worship at Purdy, as it came to be called, was sold due to the removal of Anglican inhabitants from that neighbourhood. After that year, it ceased to be recorded in the pages of the Synod Journal.

If you would like to help the Archives preserve the records of the Diocese and its parishes, why not become a Friend of the Archives? Your $20 membership brings you three issues of the lively, informative Newsletter, and you will receive a tax receipt for further donations above that amount.

Week

of

Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an annual ecumenical celebration. Christians around the world are invited to pray together, reflect on scripture, organize or participate in ecumenical services and share fellowship.

In the northern hemisphere, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is usually held between Jan. 18 (the Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter) and Jan. 25 (the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul). In the southern hemisphere, it is often celebrated during the Pentecost season.

This year’s theme is Do good: seek justice

Based on Isaiah 1:12-17, the international theme and materials call Christians to recognize that the divisions between our churches and confessions cannot be separated from the divisions within the wider human family.

For more information on how to mark this important event, check out the Canadian Council of Churches website: https://www.weekofprayer.ca/ week-prayer-christian-unity

R e l a t o n s : a l l m y r e l a t i o n s @ o t t a w a a n g c a n c a

o n o u r m a i l n g i s t t o r e c e i v e u p d a t e s b e f o r e t h e b o o k d s c u s s i o n s

R o s s l a n d A v e n u e ( a t M e r i v a l e R o a d ) .

M e e t i n g t i m e s a r e 2 p m4 p m a t J u l i a n o f N o r w c h A n g l i c a n C h u r c h

The Ottawa School of Theology & Spirituality Winter Semester 2023 (online)

The five-week courses run in two sessions. The first is from Jan. 9 to Feb. 6 and the second session is Feb. 13 to Mar. 20

OSTS has this special offer: Buy one, get one free –register a friend for free. Some restrictions apply.

The first session courses

Six key beliefs: what are the tenets of Jewish faith ~Rabbi Steven Garten

Discovering the Gnostic Gospels ~ Tim Pettipiece

The Rebel Christ ~ The Rev. Michael Coren

Second session

Introduction of North American Evangelicalism ~ The Rev. Dr. Frank Emanuel

Journeying as A

Jesus and Christian Ethics ~ Fr. Mark Slatter

The Biblical & Historical Israel ~ Fr. Elias Ayoub

Join us to read and discus Indigenous authors All w

25, 2022

Please check the website for course descriptions: www.osts.ca

January 29, 2023

Saqiyuq: Stories from the Lives of Three Inuit Women by Nancy Wachowich Apphia Agalakti Awa Rhoda Kaukjak Katsak and Sandra Pikujak Katsak

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PHOTO: LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

The Indian Act

Bob Joseph

November 27, 2022 Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

2023

Saqiyuq: Stories from the Lives of Three Inuit Women by Nancy Wachowich Apphia Agalakti Awa Rhoda Kaukjak Katsak, and Sandra Pikujak Katsak

March 26, 2023

The Great Bear: The Misewa Saga, Book Two by David A Robertson

Join us to read and discuss books by Indigenous authors All welcome!

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September

21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act by Bob Joseph

Nove Moon o by W