Rising Up interview with the Dean – AGVM – Easter Bunnies and Fair Trade at the Cathedral – Sunday evening services – Sharing thoughts at Forum – and on the web – Making palm crosses – Participating in the Passion narrative – Stewards and flowers for Easter – Maundy Thursday invitation to share a meal – news from Jane, Jonathan S., and Patrick – April events – Mile End Mission needs support
Dear Friend of the Cathedral
Our hearts were full of joy last Sunday when Bertrand Olivier was installed as Dean of Montreal and rector of Christ Church Cathedral. It was lovely to meet his husband Paul Keherly and some of his friends from his old parish in London. The service was followed by a very pleasant reception. A big thank-you goes to all involved in the service and the reception. The Rising Up blog which you can access from the Cathedral’s web site has a delightful interview with Bertrand which I’m sure we shall all enjoy reading (here it is in English, et en français c’est ici). And if you missed the earlier video interview with Lee Ann Matthews, you can watch it here.
This Sunday will be busy. The Annual General Vestry meeting will convene in Fulford Hall after the 10 am service (combined this week with the usual 12:45 service). The agenda and the budget for 2018 are attached. The Annual Report for the Cathedral parish was emailed to all parishioners last Monday.
Before the meeting starts in Fulford Hall, visit the Fair Trade Kiosque at the back of the meeting room. For the first time ever, the kiosque will feature fair trade certified chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs! Not only are they delicious, they an ethical choice—only available this Sunday and likely to be popular with all ages. A new type of fair trade coffee –Just Us—will also be available. Lisa Middlemiss reports that Dix Milles Villages Pointe Claire is now partnering with the Fair Trade Group at the Cathedral to make the monthly fair trade kiosque possible going forward, after the Dix Milles Villages shops on Monkland and Saint Denis close their doors. She adds that support for fair trade creates better conditions for farmers and producers in developing countries and brings improvements to health care and schools in their communities.
After the Vestry meeting, Pain partage et prière, the French bible-study group, will meet at 2 pm.
That evening, after the glorious traditional 4 pm Choral Evensong, La Cathédrale, le soir will offer an equally delightful bilingual informal Eucharist with a complete contrast in musical style. Jean Daniel Williams will officiate, Erica Stuchbery will be the homilist and Zach Ingles will lead the music. Jean Daniel invites us all to come and check it out!
You are also invited to attend Cathedral Forum on Tuesday, March 20, the first meeting with the slate of members elected on Sunday. The meeting is open to all parish members and is a very important way of both learning what’s going on and sharing your thoughts. Reports from Corporation and Episkopé were attached to the email version of this letter.
Another way to share your thoughts is by commenting on the Cathedral’s weekly Tuesday blog post with links to the Sunday Gospel. This week’s is found here in English and et ici en français (cross posted to Facebook in English here, et en français ici). In our Gospel for this Sunday, March 18 (John 12:20-33) Jesus speaks of his death and says: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” What does this say to you today? You are invited to read the passage slowly, perhaps more than once, and share your thoughts about it.
Now for some other opportunities to participate in the life of the church, starting with Palm Sunday/ Passion Sunday which will be celebrated on March 25. As is our tradition a group of people will meet in the Undercroft on Saturday March 24 from 10 am to make palm crosses. All ages and all genders are welcome. Instruction will be given.
Another tradition is the deeply spiritual performance of the Passion story directed by Rosemary Cass-Beggs which will be presented during the 10 am service on March 25. Rosemary is looking for “enthusiastic yellers” to participate, from the pews, as people in the crowd in front of Pontius Pilate who want to see Jesus crucified and Barabbas saved. It involves 2 rehearsals—one immediately after the 10am service this Sunday (March 18) and then a dress rehearsal at 9am on the day of the presentation. Please reply to Rosemary rcassbeggs@gmail.com
Holy Week follows Palm Sunday, so Bob King has a call out for stewards, particularly Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday. There will be a sign-up list available at the back of the church Sunday morning, and at General Vestry and Forum, or you can email the office.
Rob Wells is looking for donations for Easter flowers, a meaningful way of remembering our loved ones at this great feast of the Resurrection. Please speak to Rob, or email the office with your name and the names of the people you are remembering. You can put your donation in an envelope, marked Easter flowers, in the collection plate
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER.
The full schedule is here.
Jean Jacques is organising a meal before the Maundy Thursday service. Here’s his invitation:
LGBTQ+ EVENT: Maundy Thursday Meal (just like Jesus had with his friends)
ÉVÈNEMENT: repas du jeudi saint (comme Jésus avec ses amis)
WHEN: Thursday, March 29th 6 p.m., (Before the cathedral’s 7:30 service)
QUAND: jeudi , le 29 mars, 18:00
WHERE/OÙ: Il Focolaio Pizza Resto, Philipp’s Square.
Interested? RSVP, so I can reserve.
Intéressé? RSVP pour que je puisse réserver.
FOLLOWED BY: 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday service back at the cathedral.
SUIVI À 19:30 par l’Eucharistie du jeudi saint.
The final Lenten study group will be led by Ben Stuchbery this Monday at 7 pm on the topic of the Daily Offices. Soup and Cheese will be served at 6:30 in Fulford Hall (enter via Cathedral Place).
The Oasis concert this Saturday at 4:30will be Pergolesi’s “Stabat mater” performed by L’Ensemble Novello. Freewill offering.
NEWS FROM CATHEDRAL MEMBERS
- Jane Aitkens is retiring from her job as a librarian at McGill on Tuesday. We send her loving congratulations and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement.
- At the other end of the career spectrum, Jonathan Stuchbery will be giving two Graduation Recitals in Pollock Hall, the first on April 26 at 4pm titled Royal Winter Music, the second And Then There Were Lutes on Monday, April 30at 7 PM. Congratulations, Jonathan!
- Patrick Wedd’s other choir, Musica Orbium, will be performing Bach’s St Matthew Passion Saturday 21 April at 7 pm and Sunday 22 April 2018 at 3 pm. Rob Wells will be selling tickets during coffee hour. Details here.
MORE APRIL EVENTS
- Lunch ‘n Chat on the first Tuesday of April in the Hollis Lounge – potluck fellowship, noon till 2 pm
- The Cathedral Reading Group will meet on April 22, 7:00 pm to discuss A Map of Glass by Jane Urquhart. Speak to Ann, Helen or Diana
Finally, a plea for support from Mile End Mission who are trying to fill their worryingly bare cupboard. They offer 15000 free meals a year to 300 people in need and are supported by our own Social service Society who also feed the hungry each month. The poster on the left tells us that a donation of $50 will sponsor breakfast for a month, $100 lunch for a week.
Meetings, music, meditation and fellowship – a rich menu which I hope many of you will be able to enjoy in the coming weeks.
Ann Elbourne
To receive this Newsletter earlier by email, and with it, additions like the Forum agenda, financial updates, minutes and reports, posters, photos, etc., simply send your coordinates to the Cathedral office… the failsafe method is to email both Newsletter author and parish volunteer Ann Elbourne cath_communication@bellnet.ca and Parish Administrator Elizabeth Shama cathoff@bellnet.ca.
MORE WAYS TO KEEP IN TOUCH
Subscribe to the Cathedral’s weekly capital campaign blog, RISING UP, edited by Hélène Montpetit, a super variety of photo- and video- essays on the life of this place.
Souscrire à l’edition français VISER HAUT!
Subscribe to our diocese’s e-newsletter, published every two weeks.
LIKE the Cathedral’s Facebook page and if you want to spread the word, comment on posts and share them.