This week, your prayers can make an enormous difference. Please pray for the Electoral Synod that will take place on Saturday: for the candidates and their families, for the synod delegates, for our diocese as a whole. Details regarding the synod, including vision statements and responses from the candidates may be found here.
We are praying also for healing and reconciliation between the churches and the survivors of the residential schools.
Lee Greyfeather will be our guest preacher on Sunday at the 8 am and 10 am services. He is a survivor of the residential school system, Mi’kmaq shaman and graduate of the Education for Ministry (EfM) program. He will be accompanied by drummers and other guests from the Mi’kmaq and Mohawk communities. Prayers during the Eucharist will acknowledge the injustices and harms experienced by the First Nations and Inuit peoples and ask forgiveness and reconciliation between the Indigenous peoples of this country and the Anglican Church.
After the10:00am service, you are invited to a short interactive presentation by Taddy Stringer and Brenda Linn, who have just returned from the closing events of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Ottawa. Brenda and Taddy fly regularly to the many Cree and Inuit communities of James Bay, Hudson’s Bay and the Ungava coast, where they work as psycho-educational consultants in the day schools that have replaced the residential school system in these remote communities. In the course of their work, both Brenda and Taddy have been deeply impressed by the beauty and strength of the land and its people. They look forward to sharing some of their impressions and experiences, and to responding to your questions.
Each Wednesday in June, starting at 2 pm (not 3:30 as previously advertised), our bell will toll 1122 times to sound out our solidarity with those who mourn the 1122 missing and murdered aboriginal women. You can hear Paul’s interview on CBC’s Home Run here. The twittering of birds can be heard over the solemn tolling of the bell, symbols of sorrow and hope.
Next Sunday, June 14, between 5:30 and 7:00 pm, please join Mohawk elders and church leaders for a Gathering of Friends in Wallenberg Square (behind the cathedral) as they bless this new beginning, celebrated with drumming, dance, and refreshments.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Ian Stuchbery, Vicar at the cathedral from 1969 to 1973 and we extend our condolences to his grandchildren Ben and Jonathan who are very active members of the Cathedral community.
An excellent preacher and accomplished musician, Ian was involved in many aspects of the Cathedral’s ministry. He was responsible for the smooth running of the Sunday School, oversaw the creation of a new servers guild and its expansion to 20 men and boys (no girls yet!). He was part of the editorial committee of More Brief, the monthly parish newsletter. In the 1973 Annual Report the wardens noted that Ian’s work had been very effective in involving the laity in the life of the cathedral and bringing the congregation closer together. He will be particularly remembered by current old-time cathedral members for creating a summer ministry to transient youth which began in 1971 and lasted for 3 years until problems grew and the money ran out. I am reprinting a description from the 1972 Annual Report.
“’The Anglican Church Welcomes You’. That’s what the sign says and during the summer many hundreds of young transients took us at our word as they made the cathedral grounds their temporary home. With the aid of a grant from the Federal Government under the Opportunities for Youth programme, we were able to invite a social worker and two young graduate students to staff a project working out of the cathedral. The basement of the Parish House became an office, coffee bar, information centre and store for belongings. The “Trio”, as Laurie, Dan and John came to be called, spent most of the daytime and evening working amongst the young people, seeing over 200 a day during August, while at night the Cathedral grounds were covered with sleeping bags and tents.
Naturally there was criticism. Passersby objected to “hippies” on the Cathedral grass and there were inevitably occasions when their criticism was justified. But the project as a whole was a remarkable success.” (Annual report 1972)
This was an interesting project but, alas, more than 40 years later we still haven’t solved the problem of the people who sleep in the grounds.
Other dates for your agenda
Outdoor Eucharist and Parish BBQ Sunday, June 7.Join us at 6pm for an informal Eucharist followed by a BBQ – both to be held outside.
Two Oasis Concerts :
- Saturday 6th June at 4:30pm pianist Viktor Lazarov presents a concert entitled “Bach in the French and Italian manner“.
- Wednesday, 10th June at 6:15 Horns-a-Plenty .A Sextet of horns, calling themselves Cortet: Allison Duff, Margaret Gundara, Laura Heino, Judith Leblanc, James Roberts Angelica Tombs – present works by Dauprat, Mahler and Shaw. James will soon be leaving us to live in Vancouver so do come to hear him in concert this last time before he moves away. Details here.
Monday, June 8, the Book Group will discuss Thaliad by Marly Youmans. One copy of the book left, $10, from Ann or Jane. It is a quick read so you could buy it on Sunday.
Tuesday June 9 after evensong, silent meditation
Also Tuesday, poetry workshop with Jeffrey Mackie, 7 pm Undercroft
Wednesday, June 10 Hungry Minds. Young adults meet for supper and bible study. Undercroft, 6-9pm
Thursday June 11th at 5:30pm, the PWRDF Annual Dinner at St James the Apostle with guest speaker Carolyn Vanderlip, Director of PWRDF’s Canadian Anglican Partnership Program. Tickets $15. All proceeds go to PWRDF earthquake relief in Nepal. Call 514-843-6577 to reserve your seat.
Friday, June 12, The Montreal Welsh Male Choir with the St. Barnabas Handbell Choir present a Celtic Spring Concert at St.Barnabas Church
Sunday, June 21 Farewell dinner for Bishop Barry Clarke. Tickets $100. RSVP by June 11. Please call Mary at 514 843 6577/235.
Finally an appeal from Mile End Mission. They have recently received much smaller quantities of food from Moisson Montreal due to shortages on their end. As a result, their reserves are very low and they are appealing for help. The basket of food collected in the Cathedral on Sunday normally goes to St Michael’s Mission, but (with their permission) the food will be sent to Mile End for the next few weeks.