Contents: Anticipating 2017… Call for memories of CCC in the ’60s … Parish consultation about search for new Dean … Coming Events … Epiphany Celebrations … Meditation on the meaning of Twelfth Night … Parking passes … Flowers

Dear Friends,

A very happy New Year to you all as we look forward to an exciting year when we will proceed towards restoration in the Cathedral, and anniversary celebrations in Montreal and Canada. You will soon see scaffolding around the crossing arches, first on the pulpit side from the middle of January until the end of February and then on the Baptistery side during Lent.

One anniversary celebration in which the Cathedral will be involved takes place on March 4, the evening of Nuit blanche. The theme this year is memories of the Sixties, particularly Expo ’67. We have an elaborate programme planned which will gradually be revealed (keep reading the newsletter for updates!) but this week I’m asking for your help in finding material for a small exhibition being mounted by Peggy Simpson and Sandra Koiku. Peggy hopes you have memories, photographs, and memorabilia from the Sixties which you would like to share. She is particularly interested in details about Expo 67 and the Cathedral. I understand the diocese had a stand in the exhibition. Did anyone see it? Help with it? I know that the Cathedral allowed visitors to stash their backpacks in our building. Does anyone have photos or memories of this? Were there special events you attended? Please contact Peggy Simpson (mlsimpson [at] bell.net) with your memories of the sixties at Christ Church Cathedral.

Unfortunately restoration of the building will have an impact on our celebration of Nuit blanche because the scaffolding covering an arch will block the flow of visitors, but we will try to make creative use of the tarpaulin covering the scaffold to project either pictures or possibly a movie.

An important feature of 2017 will be the search for a new dean. The search committee has sent this important notice about a parish consultation:

On Sunday, January 15, a questionnaire will be distributed at the 8am, 10am and 12:45 services to gather parishioners’ views regarding our strengths, challenges, needs, and future goals as a community. This consultation is an important step in the process of seeking a new dean and rector. All parishioners and friends of the Cathedral will be invited to participate.

Comité de sélection – consultation paroissiale : Le dimanche 15 janvier, un questionnaire sera distribué lors des services de 8h, 10h et 12h45, afin de saisir les perspectives des paroissien(ne)s à l’égard des points forts, des défis, des besoins et de la vision de notre communauté. Cette consultation est une étape primordiale du processus de recrutement d’un doyen et recteur. Tous les membres de la paroisse ainsi que les ami(e)s de la cathédrale seront invité(e)s à y participer.

Please make a note of this important consultation and also add some other dates to your calendars  – there’s something here for everyone!

1. The Annual General Vestry on February 19. Reports are due by Monday January 9.
2. Lunch N Chat potluck fellowship lunch has been postponed from its usual first Tuesday to the second Tuesday of January, January 10, noon till 1.30 pm. Not just for seniors, all are welcome.
3. Hungry Minds: Bible study and supper for students and young adults Wednesday January 11 at 6pm. in the Undercroft.
4. Pain, partage et prière : The French sharing and Bible study group will meet on January 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Hollis Lounge
5. LGBTQ+ event –  a movie night will be held on Saturday, January 28th at 7 p.m. in Hollis lounge on the 2nd floor of 1444 Union Street.
6. The Cathedral Reading Group will meet January 15 at 7pm to discuss Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave. Speak to Ann, Jane or Diana
7. Oasis Musicale concerts resume this Saturday and continue every Saturday in the Cathedral at 4:30 and every Sunday in St George’s at 2 pm http://www.oasismusicale.ca/ This Saturday Projet iso, whose members are Mary Chalk, bassoon, Jeffrey Stonehouse, flute and Robin Best, harp, will play music by Philips, Morlock, Cherney and Jolivet
8. New members welcome lunch Sunday, January 15 at noon. If you are new to the Cathedral community, please join us for a time of fellowship and a time to learn more about who we are as a community.

This Friday is the feast of Epiphany. There will be a special choral Eucharist in the cathedral at 12:15.

Epiphany will also be marked by a Baptism at the 10 am Eucharist and celebrated by a glorious service of readings and carols at 4 pm on Sunday evening. You can learn more about the music for these services here.

The bulletin for next Sunday morning includes a paragraph which can springboard a useful meditation for the coming week. Here it is:

Twelfth Night is not the end of Christmas but the beginning of Epiphany.  The weeks after January 6th celebrate the Manifestation of God among us, with the arrival of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus and the first miracle of water and wine at Cana in Galilee.  At today’s feast, the Baptism of Jesus, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are revealed and the feast is called the Theophany in Orthodox Churches, meaning not just manifestation, but manifestation of God. This is the day when they traditionally bless holy water for use in churches and homes.

Wishing you the continuing joys of the season

Ann Elbourne

PS

Parking Passes: to park in the forecourt you must have a parking pass. Passes for 2017 will be available from the vergers. Starting February 1^st the parking policy will be strictly enforced.

Flowers to beautify the Cathedral: Flower sponsors needed for Sundays in January and February. (Cost approx. $60). See Rob Wells.