Greeters needed weekdays – Translator needed for scavenger hunt questions & answers – Some goodbyes and Godspeeds and requests for prayers – Cycling for refugees, an ARM fundraiser – Our sponsored family still waiting for clearance – LGBT Pride events – Sept 17 Middlemarch discussion – L’Oasis Musicale concerts – Flower sponsors – An important must read  Corporation announcement re Cathedral Grounds

Dear Friend of the Cathedral

I’m sure many of you are visiting friends and family or receiving visitors in your home as this lovely summer continues (I’m a fan of cool rainy days). Many visitors walk into the cathedral each day or join us at our Sunday services, so Amy is appealing for people to sign up as a greeter during July and August. There is a sign-up sheet in the baptistery where you can put your name down for one of two shifts, 11 am to 2 pm or 2 pm to 4:45. Janet King wrote an enthusiastic email about her experience. She counted 405 people coming through the doors, and commented that it was a slow day because it was a Monday with some rain. She had several interesting conversations, mostly en français, and met two potential parishioners. She challenged three teenagers, who looked disinterested, to count angels, and their father reported to her with a big smile that the family had enjoyed their visit and asked whether 71 was the correct answer Janet told him that she just had the question but not the answer. The rainbow flag was much appreciated, as was the fact that Mary is our Bishop. If you would like questions about the Cathedral with answers I have a scavenger hunt Joel and I used with a visiting school. Is there anyone reading this letter who would like to translate the hunt and the answers into French?It’s lovely to welcome people, but also of course sad to say good bye to friends. Donald Boisvert has been pastor, preacher and Interim Rector, lovingly serving the cathedral in spite of recent health issues. He is about to finally begin a well-deserved and long anticipated retirement at the beginning of September. His last official Sunday at the cathedral will be August 27 when he will preach and preside at all the services.

It’s lovely to welcome people, but also of course sad to say good bye to friends. Donald Boisvert has been pastor, preacher and Interim Rector, lovingly serving the cathedral in spite of recent health issues. He is about to finally begin a well-deserved and long anticipated retirement at the beginning of September. His last official Sunday at the cathedral will be August 27 when he will preach and preside at all the services.

We will also be saying Godspeed to the three members of our congregation, Tyson, Joel and Tania, who are on the path towards ordination. Tyson is going the furthest away, and to the most exotic location – Paris – for a year’s internship at the (Episcopalian) American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity where he will be assisting in the administration of youth programming, as well as functioning liturgically and getting involved in other areas of parish life. Tyson will preach in the cathedral on July 30. Joel’s last Sunday at the Cathedral will be September 3 when he will preach at 8 and 10. He will be doing his in-ministry year at St John’s Lutheran Church. Tania will be the Lay Assistant at the services on September 3. She is continuing her in-ministry training with Brian Perron at the Church of the Epiphany as well as completing her studies at Dio. We will continue to pray for all three of these special people.

Mary Eileen is another member of our congregation in need of a blessing as she takes up a new job in August with the American Embassy in Kabul where she will be working on refugee resettlement. We wish her health and safety in this dangerous part of the world.

The bishop has asked us to pray for our companion diocese of the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (this photo is by where many communities are being ravaged by wildfires. You can read their latest e-letter here.

Photo Credit: Chris Harris Photography

Are you an avid cyclist? Do you have a strong desire to support the excellent work of Action Réfugiés Montreal? Paul Clarke, their Director, is appealing for our participation in their one fundraiser per year: Ride for Refuge, Saturday, September 30. It will take place on Ile Bizard, with access from Pierrefonds. Individuals can sign up to ride a walk or bike and solicit donations or simply donate (click on this link).  He points out that if one member of each parish registered and raised $500 they could see $10,000 to help cover staff costs. It would be great if we could contribute one cyclist supported by the congregation. Contact the office if you’re that person!

Janet King has sent us another “still waiting” update about the family we are sponsoring. They are waiting for medical appointments, to be followed by interviews, to be followed by transportation arrangements. We are almost at the point where individual MPs can be contacted to put pressure on the federal government in order to improve the staffing of immigration people in Lebanon, since there has been an unreasonable delay in processing this application: their papers were received a year ago in Lebanon and the family is still in limbo.  Action Réfugiés is very aware of the process, and is keeping track of this application.

Saturday, September 30, the day of Ride for Refuge, is also one of the Journées de la culture being celebrated in the cathedral that weekend under the leadership of Amanda Van Oort and Sam Keuchguerian. Look for news about this event next week.

Saturday, September 30, the day of Ride for Refuge, is also one of the Journées de la culture being celebrated in the cathedral that weekend under the leadership of Amanda Van Oort and Sam Keuchguerian. Look for news about this event next week.Here are some other important dates for your diary

Here are some other important dates for your diary

1. LGBTQ pride events

Diocesan pride mass: Sunday, August 13, 6:30 p.m.  at the Cathedral.

Community day: Saturday, August 19, 11 am to 5 pm. Come volunteer at the Cathedral’s kiosque.

Pride parade: Sunday, August 20, 1 – 4 p.m.. Walk with Christ Church Cathedral to show your support for the LGBTQ community. Meet at the Cathedral at noon.

2         The Book Group will meet on Sunday September 17 to discuss Middlemarch by George Elliott

3         L’Oasis Musicale concerts

July 22^nd at 4:30 pm: De Carissimi à Glass: This summer concert presents a varied repertoire for soprano, flute and organ. You will hear baroque, romantic and contemporary compositions. Kimberley Lynch, soprano, Léa Weilbrenner, soprano, Lélia Lemay, flute, Adrian Foster, organ. Music by Handel, Bach, Hambraeus, Glass, Vierne, Alain, Pärt and Carissimi.

July 29^th  at 4:30 pm: Enjoy the Organ! Wim Does, organ, presents works by Bach, Handel, Gardoni, Rheinberger and Vierne.

You can find the August concerts here.

Flower sponsors are needed during August. Please contact Rob Wells if you would like to sponsor flowers to beautify the Cathedral in thanksgiving, in memory of a loved one, or for the joy of offering flowers to the glory of God. Suggested donation: $60-$80 or more; 2 or more sponsors may share the same date and flower cost.Finally, please read carefully the following communication from Corporation about the new policy of having a curfew in the Cathedral Grounds. It deals with some major concerns and presents a thoughtful solution.

Finally, please read carefully the following communication from Corporation about the new policy of having a curfew in the Cathedral Grounds. It deals with some major concerns and presents a thoughtful solution.

At the Forum meeting of June 20th, Corporation discussed with the community their decision regarding the Cathedral grounds, and specifically our front-porch guests. With the grounds soon becoming a construction site, the safety and security of all guests, visitors, and staff are a primary concern. 

Over the years the Cathedral has made significant efforts to accommodate the homeless and itinerant on our grounds, in a spirit of Christian hospitality, with mixed but generally positive results. Our vergers, in particular, have been challenged daily with balancing this hospitality with concerns for the safety of both persons and property – a challenge they have managed with grace, good sense, and respect for others.

However, recent incidents of vandalism, fires set on the front porch, increasingly open alcohol and drug use and trafficking, and other behaviours have raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of our site after hours, and more so when sections of the spire will be housed in temporary “sheds” on the lawn, beginning this fall and through the winter months.

At that Forum meeting, Corporation decided on a policy of closing the grounds at 6:00 p.m., when the vergers lock the building and leave for the day. However, given our location and the layout of our premises (stairs on Ste-Catherine, etc.), we are unable to fully gate the grounds. Forum supported Corporation’s decision to implement a 6:00 p.m. closing, and to explore how this can be enforced without putting our vergers into a vulnerable position. 

Members of the clergy team have since met with various authorities and persons involved with services to itinerants in Montreal. As such, police patrols will monitor the grounds between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., which will supplement any night patrols to be conducted by the contractors working on the spire over the months ahead. The vergers have informed our regular front-porch (day-time) guests of this policy and have already noticed a reduction in their numbers. Meanwhile, the Episkope team is considering how to respond in the future to the needs of this community.

Gracious God, we bow our heads in prayer and ask you to hear our concerns and grant our petitions.

Ann Elbourne

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