Dear Friend of the Cathedral

We are delighted to announce that last week our director of Music, Patrick Wedd, was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, joining some very distinguished musicians, including a previous Cathedral organist, Alfred Whitehead, and Derek Holman, composer of the setting for the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis which our choir will sing this Sunday evening. Recipients of honorary fellowships are awarded to “those who have achieved national or international eminence in the field of music”. Fellows are entitled to wear a special hood. But, which hood will Patrick wear? He also has an honorary doctorate in divinity bestowed by the Montreal Diocesan Theological College so faces a difficult sartorial choice. It was great to hear Patrick display his virtuosity in the Oasis concert on Wednesday. Adrian Foster also played superbly in the same concert. We are so lucky to have such a talented music staff at the cathedral.https://www.rcco.ca/honorary-awards

As you know, Mary our bishop, attended the recent General Synod which we referred to last week. Her pastoral letter, describing her impressions of the Synod and giving her comments about the issues, is attached in English and in French.

I know many of you are concerned with the problem of homelessness in the city. The cathedral belongs to RAPSIM, an umbrella organization representing over 100 community groups offering services to the homeless. Janet King suggests you might like to read their recent on-line communication <http://tracking.funio.com/c/443/3ab9faba756862e5fced9683a5e7aeea4b9a62d2e21482bf070b58fade75e5eb> AU-DELÀ DE LA RUE, MAINTENANT EN LIGNE

Janet has also passed on a message from Emily Woods, Sponsorship Programme Officer at Action réfugiés de Montréal (ARM) which might be of interest to some of you while we wait to receive the Syrian family we hope to sponsor. The Refugee Sponsorship Training Program is offering a few webinars this summer on Supporting Settlement and Integration, covering topics such as expectations, communication, cultural awareness and ethical considerations in settlement.  Janet attended a webinar on Tuesday. Speak to her to get details or call Emily at 514 935 7799. Although it is not posted yet, there should be another webinar on the same topic on Wednesday August 3rd, from 1:00pm to 2:30http://www.rstp.ca/en/training/webinars/

There are some special events and services coming up at the Cathedral. I want to highlight two events which are happening at the end of next week

1. cooking with local food workshop Saturday July 30, 12pm to 1pm in the Undercroft kitchen. Help cook a community meal with food from our vegetable garden and eat it outside with our neighbours on the lawn. The event is free, but donations are welcome to cover costs and ensure we can continue to have a community garden and hold workshops. Please speak to Anika Gerols or Tala Strauss or email .
2. Followed at 4:30pm by a special concert being given by the Southend Choir, an internationally acclaimed touring youth choir from England which will perform choral works both sacred and secular, from opera choruses to spirituals. The Southend Choirs regularly perform in major UK and European Festivals, and broadcast on BBC Radio and TV. Their web site is <http://www.southendchoirs.org.uk/> http://www.southendchoirs.org.uk/

For details of all other Oasis concerts visit http <file:///C:\Users\cathoff\Documents\2014%20Worship\Bulletin%202014\Bull%20Jan%202014\2%20after%20Christmas%20-%20Jan%205\FINAL%20JPK%20FILES\http%20:\www.oasismusicale.blogspot.ca\> ://www.oasismusicale.blogspot.ca/

And make a note of some special services

1. The feast of the TRANSFIGURATION of the LORD: Saturday, August 6th Choral Eucharist 12:15.
2. DIOCESAN PRIDE MASS: Friday, August 12 at 7pm. Celebrate the gifts the LGBTQ community brings to the Anglican Church in Montreal. Presider: Elizabeth Welch.
3. THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: Monday, August 15 Choral Eucharist at 12.15pm

Now for flowers and books –

Rob is looking for flower sponsors from September onwards. The Cathedral reading group is reading The Dust That Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernières for discussion in September. The book after that will be Bodies of Light by Sarah Moss. Other summer reading groups are being organised by Episkopé. Please see the list of books attached. The idea is that several people might read the same book and then get together for a spirited discussion. There will be sign-up sheets in the baptistery on Sunday.

Moving to more mundane housekeeping matters: Ardyth is giving advance warning that the wood floors in Fulford Hall as well as the tiles in the kitchen are being refinished August 17-19. There will be no access to Fulford Hall, Hollis Lounge, the Chapel or the 2nd floor kitchen during this time.

If you are part of a team using the Fulford Hall facilities, please take note of these reminders:
Ø  Don’t drag tables and chairs across the beautifully polished floors.
Ø  After use chairs should be stacked in groups of 12 and tables placed with legs towards the wall in the small alcove by the main staircase.
Ø  Leave up the 4 tables along the windows in Fulford “A”; the table in front of the kitchen hatch as well as the 2 tables in front of the glass doors in Fulford “B”.

There is some fascinating stuff in our archives. Here to end this letter is a rather bad sonnet to the cathedral’s bell, written in 1865 by Charles Heavysege, who immigrated to Montreal from Britain and wrote typical Victorian verse which was highly regarded at the time. The bell must have been fairly new in 1865. Here is the poem for your delectation.

How often do I hear thee, Christ Church Bell,
Tolling the quarters through the busy day,
And with repeated monitory knell,
Announce, the moments still refuse to stay,
Till midnight, when the Hour-host hie away
Amidst the sound of thy Cathedral swell!
Then do I start from vigil, and essay
To catch these by the skirts who from me fly,
All spectral, fleeing in a wild array,
And to my hailing, give me but “Good-bye!”
Good-bye for ever Hours! But Christ Church Bell
Through hours, days weeks, and ages coming long,
May’st thou continue, day and night, to tell
Of Time’s soft flight, with thy loud iron tongue.

Suggestion – try your hand at a sonnet about some part of the Cathedral and we will publish it in the newsletter – with no editorial comment I promise. Meanwhile, please pray for the success of the capital campaign and the restoration of our beautiful cathedral. Some expensive repairs were recently made to the beam holding up the bell – it was close to collapse. Imagine what might have happened if it broke!

Ann Elbourne