Spring is certainly in the air in and around the Cathedral.
The Fair Trade Kiosque Commerce Equitable, this Sunday 19th April, 11:30 – 12:30 is inspired by the Easter hymn ‘Now the Green Blade Riseth’ and will feature spring planters on special offer (herb trio was $24 now $15, a small, colourful planter was $30 now $10) along with new coconut products. Be inspired to grow plants the fair trade way this spring! While they can not accept credit cards, they do take cheques made out to Christ Church Cathedral with Fair Trade Kiosque written on memo line.
Our Eastertide retreat (“Living the Life of Prayer”) is approaching quickly now, offering a full menu of spiritual nourishment. Maybe it’s the ‘deep cleanse’ your soul has been craving! Feel free to bring a friend or recommend it to someone. Don’t delay, because registration is now open beyond the parish. And if you want to come for the quiet day, the organizers need to let the kitchen know on April 26. For more information, consult the poster & the registration form or write to cccretreat@gmail.com
Mile End Mission is encouraging people who are spring cleaning to donate accessories, gently used clothing and small working appliances to sell at their Mother’s Day Bazaar May 9. Call 514 274-3401
You can celebrate spring in a weekend of music – three terrific concerts on Saturday and Sunday and of course our always beautiful choral Eucharists and Evensong on Sunday.
The Oasis Concert on Saturday at 4:30 will be given by the HATO piano duo in a recital entitled La Valse.
Then at 6:30 Jonathan Bailey will be performing with The 21st Century Flute Ensemble, also featuring Sarah Gates, Cécile Poirier, and Jeff Stonehouse. Their very varied programme includes the famous Samuel Barber Adagio (for strings) played by flute quartet (including alto and bass flutes), a fun suite of Celtic-inspired music by Catherine McMichael called Children of the Wind, a flute duo, Antics by contemporary American composer Katherine Hoover; and a rather extraordinary piece by Derek Charke entitled Raga Cha (again featuring alto and bass flutes).
On Sunday, Musica Orbium, Patrick Wedd’s secular choir, presents Romantiques Allemands, featuring lieder by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Friede auf Erden by Arnold Schoenberg and Deutsche Motette by Richard Strauss. The pianist is Anne-Marie Denoncourt. If you go to http://cccchoirnotes.blogspot.ca and follow the link to Christ Church Cathedral Choir notes you can read some interesting comments and follow links to listen to some of the music.
All kinds of exciting news has been pouring out of the Diocese!
Donald Boisvert has been appointed the new principal of Diocesan college.
Three Cathedral members, James Duckett, Jean-Jacques Goulet and Josée Lemoine will be ordained as transitional deacons on May 24th.
Bishop Barry, who is marrying the Rev’d Canon Janet Griffith this Saturday, has announced that he will retire at the end of August. Election of a new bishop will take place on June 6.
Meanwhile Paul will be celebrating the Wednesday 12:15 Eucharist from now until June 6 with a special intention for the discernment of the Holy Spirit as the diocese prepares for this election. He asks that we all offer our own prayer between 12: 15 and 12: 45 each Wednesday, that with God’s help the electoral college will find the right person to be the new Bishop of Montreal. Please pray for all these people as they follow their new paths.
One consequence of the Bishop’s retirement is the cancellation of the Diocese of Montreal Pilgrimage with Bishop Barry Clarke scheduled for September 5 to 21
However, the first annual Bishop’s Bowling Bash, scheduled for Sunday, June 14th will go ahead. This event replaces the annual golf tournament. The diocese hopes to draw a big crowd for this fundraising party which will be held at Rose-Bowl lanes on St Jacques in Montreal from 2pm-5pm.There will be games, food, prizes and a silent auction! The lanes are for duckpin bowling, which means the balls are small and light – especially easy for beginners and the less hearty among us.The cost is $50 per person (half price for kids under 12), which includes bowling, shoe rental, light dinner and tax receipt. All proceeds go to mission work of the diocese. Not being a golfer this sounds to me like a lot more fun! If you are interested in joining the planning team please speak to Sophie in the Diocesan Office.
We may be feeling light-hearted because it’s spring, but a lot of serious issues are on our minds also, including questions about the rightness of war and a discussion about sponsoring a refugee family.
The Public Theology Group has organised a series of four colloquies What Shall We Say to War? on Wednesdays, 7-9pm in Fulford Hall (1444 Union Avenue). Please put the dates in your diaries and invite your friends to attend. This series is open to anyone interested in the topic.
April 29 – When Christians Say Yes to War – with Dr. Marc Lalonde, Department of Religion, Concordia University
May 6 – When Christians Say No to War – with Dr Vern Neufeld Redekop who teaches at the School of Conflict Studies, Saint Paul University
May 20 – Panel: Diverse Voices Respond to War
May 27 – Workshop: What shall we say to war?
Refugee sponsorship will be on the agenda for Forum next Tuesday. All Cathedral members are invited to attend the meeting. It is only necessary to send regrets to the office if you are an elected or ex-officio member. Of course, all elected and ex-officio members are urged to attend.
In June the Cathedral book group will read a most unusual book, Thaliad by Marly Youmans, published by Beth Adams, Phoenicia Publishing. Thaliad, a blank verse epic set in a post-apocalyptic age, is a plea to stop violence both against people and against nature and so addresses some of the community’s concerns. Accordingly, the book group is planning a wider meeting than usual. Beth will be joining us both to talk about the book and its author and also to give us insight on what it means to be a small independent publisher. Books are available from Jane Aitkens or Ann Elbourne for $10. Our proposed meeting date is Monday, June 8. All are welcome.
The book group will also meet on May 24 at 7 pm to discuss Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.