Dear Friend of the Cathedral,
Summer – an excellent time to relax with a good book or, if you’re in town, attend a beautiful concert at the cathedral. We have suggestions for both activities.
Episkopé has put together an excellent reading list with a mixture of fiction and non-fiction books. The list is attached below. It is suggested that you choose a book from the list and arrange to meet informally with a small group of people reading the same book. There will be sign-up sheets in the baptistry on Sunday, one sheet for each book. If you won’t be in church you can email your preference to the cathedral office. Name the book and indicate what days and times are good for you to meet fellow readers.
The Cathedral reading group also has a suggestion for your summer reading – The Dust That Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernières. This will be discussed in early September at our usual chattily discursive monthly get-together. So many books – so little time!
As for music – what a rich cornucopia of concerts will be presented all summer in the cathedral on Saturdays at 4:30 and Wednesdays at 6:30 and in St George’s on Sundays at 2 pm as an overflow from the cathedral oasis concerts.
This Saturday 25th June at 4:30pm pianist Ronée Boyce presents a recital entitled “Calm and Civil Unrest”, featuring works by Beethoven, Chopin, Janáček and Albeniz, compositions from contrasting ends of the musical and political spectrum https://www.facebook.com/events/538609862984869/
The new series, L’Oasis Musicale at St Georges, continues this Sunday 26th June at 2pm with a concert entitled ” Chants perpétuals (Everlasting Songs) ” presented by Anna Frances Meyer, soprano, Rose Naggar-Tremblay, mezzo-soprano, Chris Stork and Frédéric-Alexandre Michaud, violins, Lauren Tyros, viola and Genevieve Mays, double-bass. They will perform a selection of true treasures from western musical literature; songs that resonate through us perpetually. https://www.facebook.com/events/1043302969073788/
Then on Wednesday June 29, at 6:30pm, Jazz à la cathédrale: From standards by Gershwin, Jobim and Rogers & Hart to traditional folk songs from the east coast, join us for an unplugged set in the cathedral. Amélia McMahon, voice, Chad Linsley, piano, Scott Kingsley, bass.
Summer is also a time to enjoy gardens. Our new vegetable garden was blessed at the beginning of the picnic last Sunday. It was a beautiful sunny day and a large crowd enjoyed the food, the ambience and the good company. Thank you to Vivian and the team of organisers.
By the way, if you missed Paul’s sermon last Sunday do look for it on the web site. He had some important things to say about demon words as he reflected about Legion, the man possessed by demons and the pigs which fled in a panic when the demons entered into them.
Another important event last Saturday was Diocesan Synod. Please take a few minutes to read the Bishop’s charge by going to http://www.montreal.anglican.ca/latest-news/ The main purpose of the synod was to discuss the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In her charge Mary asks us to understand why truth and reconciliation should matter to us and what we are prepared to do in response to the recommendations and calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. She also referred to the upcoming General Synod and expressed her support for the move to revise the Marriage Canon with a view to allowing same sex couples to be married.
Bishop Mary also presented three awards recognising the dedication and generous hard work of the recipients in their fields of ministry. We are delighted that one of the awards went to Marjorie Sharp who has jogged the social conscience of the cathedral community for many years. She is one of the moving spirits behind the social service society which in recent months has made a generous donation to the garden project, supported the refugee sponsorship group and, this Sunday, will provide a healthy meal for nearly 200 needy people. By the way, Marjorie is in urgent need of volunteers to help with the lunch.
If you like volunteering please consider three other urgent requests. One is for Sunday stewards – please speak to Bob King who is looking for people to be on duty one Sunday a month at the back of the church.
Another is for people to act as greeters during summer weekdays – please speak to Vivian.
A third volunteer opportunity is new. It is a chance to interact with the crowds in front of the cathedral on July 15, 16 and 17 during the St Catherine street festival. We will have a booth under a tent with information about the Cathedral’s many activities. In particular we will be highlighting Call 62 of the TRC. Jan Jorgensen writes: “We are looking for numerous volunteers who could commit to sharing information about Call 62 with the public for 2-3 hour shifts between July 15th and 17th. Friday 11 am to 9 pm, Saturday 9 am to 9 pm and Sunday 9 am to 7 pm. We would like a minimum of two people per shift, who, between them, are able to speak French and English. The information to be shared will be prepared and fairly self-explanatory. Shift coordinators will provide some guidance and would be the one to communicate with in case of an emergency change in availability. For questions or to sign up please contact Jan Jorgensen before July 3rd: 514 725-5047 or . “
Dates for your diaries:
Tuesday, July 5 Lunch n’Chat, a pot luck lunch at noon in the Hollis Lounge of fulford Hall. Please contact Janet King.
Sunday, July 10, a short General Vestry meeting in the church immediately after the 10 am Eucharist, to present the financial statements for 2015 for approval.
Sunday, July 24, 2 pm to 4 pm Pain Partage et Prière – lunch and bible discussion in French. This is the last session before September 11.
Happy reading, happy volunteering, happy concert attending. And happy holidays.
Ann
Summer Reading 2016
For children (babies to school-aged) and people who like to read to them:
Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval, illustrated by Barbara Nascimbeni, 2010 (Jen Bourque)
Non-fiction
Accidental Saints: Finding God in the all the wrong people, by Nadia Bolz-Weber (Amy Hamilton)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, 2014 {Jen Bourque)
Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith, by Diana Butler Bass (Jane Aitkens)
God’s Voice Within: The Ignatian Way to Discover God’s Will, Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ (Paul Kennington)
Grounded: Finding God in the world-A spiritual revolution, by Diana Butler Bass (Amy Hamilton)
Leaving Church: A memoir of faith, by Barbara Brown Taylor (Amy Hamilton)
Not In God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence by Jonathan Sacks (Jane Aitkens)
Available in hardcover or ebook – paperback isn’t out until February next year.
Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber (Jen Bourke & Amy Hamilton)
Post-Capitalism – A Guide to Our Future, Paul Mason. FSG (Peter Huish)
Seamless Faith: Simple Practices for Daily Family Life by Traci Smith 2014 (Jen Bourque)
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi (Donna Riley)
Fiction
Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese. Vintage (Peter Huish)
The Heart Goes Last, Margaret Atwood, 2014. (Jean-Jacques Goulet)
Islands of Decolonial Love, by Leanne Simpson, 2013. (Vivian Lewin). Available at the McGill Bookstore.
The Orenda, Joseph Boyden. Penguin (Peter Huish)
The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley (Donald Boisvert)
Sweeter Than All the World, by Rudy Wiebe, Vintage 2002 (Jean-Jacques Goulet)
A Wild Swan and Other Tales by Michael Cunningham (Donald Boisvert)