Dear Friend of the Cathedral
You must have noticed that suddenly Christmas is in the air – literally with the stars in the trees outside the cathedral and with chocolate Santas in the grocery stores – but also on a more spiritual plane with Advent celebrations in the cathedral and Christmas themed community events.
The beautiful service of music and readings for Advent (traditionally known as the Advent Carol Service) will start the new liturgical season on November 27 at 4 pm. Let’s pack the church and raise the roof!
If you signed up to make Christmas cakes in the Undercroft this Sunday, don’t forget to bring your mixing bowl and all the other paraphernalia you might need. I believe sherry will be drunk in true Anglican fashion.
Looking ahead to Advent and Christmas, the fair trade kiosque of Sunday November 20th after the 10:00 am service will feature fair trade chocolate Advent calendars from the company Divine and selected artisanal fair trade gift items. This is a message from the Fair Trade Working Group, making ethical products available to you.
Our annual and very popular Sing-Along Messiah will be offered to music-lovers on December 10th at 4:30pm. Add your voice to many other community singers, with musicians and professional soloists, all under the direction of Patrick Wedd, crowd-pleasing choral conductor sans pareil.
The Cathedral Reading Group will meet on December 11 at 7pm to sip Jane’s eggnog (also sans pareil), watch a movie and discuss The Course of Love by Alain de Botton. All are welcome. Speak to Jane, Ann, or Diana.
You probably don’t need reminding that November 20 is the last Sunday we will have Paul and Jonathan with us. (I am tempted to write sans pareil again to describe all they have brought to the cathedral.) There will be two chances to say goodbye – between the two choral Eucharists in the morning and at a Diocesan Evensong and reception at 4 pm.
Please note that the French Eucharist next Sunday, November 20th, will be held at 1:15 pm, rather than at 12:45 pm. This is to allow for fuller participation at the farewell for Paul and Jonathan following the 10 am service.
Donald Boisvert writes that in this time of transition, it is good for us as a community to reflect on the meaning of priesthood. This three-part engagement with the work of Bill Countryman began with his public lecture in October. We will gather to discuss his book, Living on the Border of the Holy: Renewing the Priesthood of All on November 21 (Chapters 1-4) and December 12th (Chapters 5-8) at 7 to 9pm in Fulford Hall. Those interested in participating should order and read the book and speak with Donald to confirm their interest, or write to dboisvert@montreal.anglican.ca.
To hear more about past events and future plans please come to Cathedral Forum next Tuesday, November 15 at 6:30. There was no Forum last month because it was replaced by the Special Vestry to choose a search committee to find a new Dean. Please see attached the minutes of the September meeting, the agenda for Tuesday and minutes from the coordinating committee and Episkopé. Corporation minutes will be available at the meeting.
There will be a fabulous concert Friday evening at 7:30 in the cathedral followed by a reception in Fulford Hall. Please round up all your friends and be part of the audience. Tickets are very cheap for a fund raiser – $30 regular, $25 seniors, $10 students. The choirs of Cathedral Singers and their guests invite you to join them for an evening of dramatic readings, dance and instrumental and choral music written or inspired by William Shakespeare. “If music be the food of love…” is a celebration of the life of Shakespeare in music, dance and drama. Through his poems, plays and vivid imagination, William Shakespeare found unique and colourful ways to express hope and despair, sorrow and rage, love and lust. 400 years after his death, his influence continues to live on in our music, theatre and everyday language. Excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet will be performed alongside music by Benjamin Britten, William Walton, Vaughan Williams and others who have been influenced by the Bard of Avon.
You are invited to a special Eucharist this Sunday evening at 4 pm. The bishop will install Pamela Yarrow as archdeacon, and David Sinclair and Keith Schmidt as Canons of the Cathedral Chapter and she will ordain Jean Daniel Williams to the diaconate. There will be a reception afterwards in Fulford Hall.
STEWARDS URGENTLY NEEDED FOR 3 EVENING SERVICES
- Ordination Nov 13
Farewell to Paul & Jonathan Nov 20
Advent Carols November 27
Please sign up at the back of the church on Sunday or email the cathedral Office.
Very important – please don’t reply to the newsletter when you want to email the office; create a new email message with a new subject line and address it directly to cathoff@bellnet.ca. When people contact us by replying to the newsletter it clogs up our inbox and upsets searches.
Our bookkeeper Ros Kasner is retiring and plans to spend the next few months in Florida. We welcome our new bookkeeper Elizabeth Shama. She will be in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays
The programme for the Oasis Concert this Saturday at 4:30 pm is called Trio Grand-Duc : Piano trios from folklore to nobility. Justine Pelletier, piano, Julia MacLaine, cello, and Victor Fournelle-Blain, violin, present works by Haydn and Beethoven. For details visit http://loasismusicale2.blogspot.ca/
Pain, partage et prière, the French Bible study and prayer group, meets at 2pm this Sunday in the Hollis Lounge.
Hungry Minds: Bible study and supper for students and young adults meets every Wednesday from 6-9 pm. in the Undercroft.
The next LGBTQ+ event will be a movie night at Festival Images & Nations. The selection is not out yet so please stay tuned for more information about the date & time! Questions? See Louis Grondin.
This is a reminder from the Diocesan Office to please RSVP soon for the Bishop’s Annual Dinner! Final Deadline is November 11th . See details in earlier newsletters.
I’m sure almost all of you have been riveted by events in the US so Vivian’s suggested spiritual practice is both timely and encouraging. It should probably have been at the top of this letter.
Spiritual Practice: Whether in the wake of the US election, or in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti (commentary here by our student Jhon Steeker Saint-Clair whose home is the devastated city of Jérémie) the question arises: “When will God do something? Why doesn’t God answer our prayers and act?” Pray As You Go offers a guided meditation on Luke 17:20-25 (click on Thursday November 10).
With best wishes
Ann Elbourne
PS Two psalms offering comfort and wisdom:
“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save… Blessed are those whose … hope is in the Lord their God.” (Psalm 146:3, 5)
“My hope is in You, Lord.” (Psalm 39:7)