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		<title>Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea — Deanery of West Quebec</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/saint-mary-magdalene-chelsea-deanery-of-west-quebec/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Glenn J Lockwood]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:15:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diocesan Archives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saint Mary Magdalene Chelsea]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=181001</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea began as an outstation of Hull in the 1830s when the Rev. Amos Ansley, Incumbent of Hull, held services in local homes. By 1842, the Rev. Canon John Brock Glegg Johnston of Hull held services in the school. In 1875, Bishop Oxenden of Montreal created the Mission of Chelsea, Templeton &#38; Portland. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/saint-mary-magdalene-chelsea-deanery-of-west-quebec/">Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea — Deanery of West Quebec</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Saint Mary Magdalene,</strong> Chelsea began as an outstation of Hull in the 1830s when the Rev. Amos Ansley, Incumbent of Hull, held services in local homes. By 1842, the Rev. Canon John Brock Glegg Johnston of Hull held services in the school. In 1875, Bishop Oxenden of Montreal created the Mission of Chelsea, Templeton &amp; Portland. Building Saint Mary Magdalene Church began in 1875. In 1877, the new church was dedicated, but decades of struggle loomed ahead.</p>
<p>In 1878, Chelsea was served from Ottawa by the Rev. F.R. Smith. From 1879 to 1885, the mission was vacant and served only in summer in 1882 and 1883 by Mr. N.A.F. Bourne, a student from Montreal. By 1886, the mission consisted of one church, Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea and two outstations—schoolhouses at Templeton and Ironsides. In 1900, services were held every week at Chelsea and Ironsides and on alternate Sundays at Kingsmere and Kirk’s Ferry. At Kingsmere, the congregation met at the country house of a Mr. Bryson.</p>
<p>By 1910, Chelsea consisted of one church, Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea, and five outstations: a house chapel at Ironsides; the Union Mission Hall at Kirk’s Ferry; a schoolhouse at Cascades; another schoolhouse at Meech’s Lake (as it was then called) and cottages at Kingsmere. By 1924, the mission consisted of one church and outstations of Union Church, Kirk’s Ferry; Union Church, Cascades; and a house at Ironsides. The 1926 Synod Journal noted the effect of the Gatineau Valley power developments on local congregations.  The old settlement at Kirk’s Ferry was swept away by the flooding; however, there were hopes for a strong summer settlement to develop there, requiring priestly services.</p>
<p>In 1928, the mission included Saint Mary Magdalene’s, Chelsea; Saint George’s, Gatineau, a Union church at Cascades and a Union church at Kirk’s Ferry.  In 1929, controversy arose over whether the reopened church at Kirk’s Ferry would be a Union Hall or an Anglican Church. From 1935 to 1940, the Mission of Chelsea was a three-point mission consisting of Chelsea, Gatineau and Kirk’s Ferry, served from Ottawa by the Rev. W.B. Morgan. In 1935, the Union church at Cascades was transferred to Wakefield. In 1940, the mission of Chelsea consisted of Chelsea and Gatineau and an arrangement began where Chelsea was served from Hull, and Gatineau was served from Buckingham.</p>
<p>In the autumn of 1943, old Saint Mary Magdalene Church was demolished, partly because an error caused the old church to be built on two feet of land sold along with the rectory.  The congregation met in the school. In 1944, Gatineau was served from Aylmer. In 1947, Kirk’s Ferry became an outstation of Gatineau, also served from Aylmer. From 1950 to 1956, the congregation of Saint Mary Magdalene met in the United Church at Chelsea. On 24 May 1957, the cornerstone for a new church at Chelsea built of ashlar concrete blocks was laid by Bishop John H. Dixon of Montreal. From 1963 to 1965, the Mission of Chelsea &amp; Portland was established, until Clarendon Deanery was transferred from Montreal’s oversight to the Diocese of Ottawa. In 1971, the mission became vacant, and Chelsea was separated from Portland.</p>
<p><em>The Diocesan Archives collects parish registers, vestry reports, service registers, minutes of groups and committees, financial documents, property records (including cemeteries and architectural plans), insurance policies, letters, pew bulletins, photographs and paintings, scrapbooks, parish newsletters and unusual documents.</em></p>
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<p>Brian Glenn fonds CL06 E100</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/saint-mary-magdalene-chelsea-deanery-of-west-quebec/">Saint Mary Magdalene, Chelsea — Deanery of West Quebec</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">181001</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>He is risen, Alleluia!</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/he-is-risen-alleluia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The Rt. Rev. Michael Bird]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clergy reflection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reflection]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180996</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Many times over the course of my life and ministry, I have tried to imagine what that first Easter morning must have been like, standing just as the sun was rising and staring into the dark and empty tomb into which the body of Jesus had been laid. Most of us can recall a moment [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/he-is-risen-alleluia/">He is risen, Alleluia!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Many times over the course of my life and ministry, I have tried to imagine what that first Easter morning must have been like, standing just as the sun was rising and staring into the dark and empty tomb into which the body of Jesus had been laid.</p>
<p>Most of us can recall a moment in our own past when something that gave meaning and happiness to life seemed suddenly to have been taken away. Matthew’s Easter Gospel tells us, however, that early on that morning, the discovery was made that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and that this incredible, miraculous, life-changing news would turn that empty tomb into a profound sign of God’s love and transforming power to heal and restore and make all things new.</p>
<p>In the weeks that follow Easter Sunday, we hear in scripture how the appearances of Jesus after his death gave his followers a new confidence and conviction that the leader who they had placed all their hopes and dreams in would never be separated from them again. Their minds had been confused and their hearts broken. They had been devastated and paralyzed with grief and abandonment. Now, however, they were full of courage and faith. They were ready for the difficult task of sharing their Easter joy with others. Christ’s resurrection would change these men and women forever, and this miraculous and profound event would propel them forward in the days ahead.</p>
<p>My wife and I have been watching a British television program called “Long Lost Family” where family members are reunited after many years of separation and disconnection. In one episode, a man who had been adopted from birth, sat in a room waiting to be reunited with a mother he had never known and a family he had no idea he had belonged to. When they came through the door the expression on the man’s face was one of being reborn right on that very spot! It was an incredible scene as he learned that he had never been forgotten after all these years, never been unloved or unwanted, and now he was embraced and surrounded by a group of relatives that up until a few days before he didn’t know existed. You can tell that at that moment it was almost too much to take in. His heart was bursting with new life and a new sense of who he was and who he belonged to. It was clear that his life would never be the same again.</p>
<p>When I sat there and watched this moment unfold, it occurred to me that this is part of the joy and the overwhelming sense of love and transformation that comes to us at Easter. It is the glorious news that we have never been alone, that we will never be abandoned, unwanted, that we have always and will always be loved far more than we can ever imagine.</p>
<p>When I think about that family reunion on that television show, I also think about our congregations and our parishes as we gather each week as a family around the altar of the Lord. It is in these sacred gatherings that we are filled with the courage and love of Jesus and are empowered to bear witness to the presence of the risen Christ to those who experience the same situations of fear and doubt and abandonment wherever they may be.</p>
<p>In Matthew’s Gospel, the angel asked those who had gathered at the tomb to remember that Jesus had told them that he would rise again on the third day and soon the thoughts of abandonment and fear would turn to resurrection joy.</p>
<p>In this blessed Easter season, let us seek to express something of this joy and the transforming power of the resurrection, in prayer, song, sacrament and in our common life together. May we carry this good news with us and in us and through us as we journey together with our new bishop in the days and years to come.</p>
<p><em>Bishop Michael Bird is serving as diocesan administrator until the new bishop’s consecration on May 9.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/he-is-risen-alleluia/">He is risen, Alleluia!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180996</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Paul Weber Band performs benefit concert for Centre 454</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/paul-weber-band-performs-benefit-concert-for-centre-454/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Leigh Anne Williams]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:45:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Belong Ottawa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Centre 454]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180990</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>As people came hurrying into St. Albans Anglican Church in downtown Ottawa on the night of Feb. 7, the bitter cold was a sharp reminder of the important refuge that Belong Ottawa’s Centre 454 provides for vulnerable people every day from the basement of the church. A modest crowd braved the cold night to attend [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/paul-weber-band-performs-benefit-concert-for-centre-454/">Paul Weber Band performs benefit concert for Centre 454</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="xBody1113brandnoindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">As people came hurrying into St. Albans Anglican Church in downtown Ottawa on the night of Feb. 7, the bitter cold was a sharp reminder of the important refuge that Belong Ottawa’s Centre 454 provides for vulnerable people every day from the basement of the church.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">A modest crowd braved the cold night to attend a benefit concert for Centre 454 performed by the Paul Weber Band, and they were rewarded with great music and songs full of stories and the local history of eastern Ontario.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Mary Martha Hale, a retired former executive director of Centre 454, welcomed the audience and thanked the band for their generosity in doing the concert. </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Shauna-marie Young, the current executive director of Belong Ottawa, thanked everyone for coming. “Your presence is an act of solidarity, and it means more now than you may ever know and more than ever before.” Centre 454 faces opposition from businesses and residents in the area who want it closed or relocated. “This evening would not be possible without the ongoing support of St. Albans, and the leadership of the Rev. Michael Garner, and the legacy of Mary Martha Hale,” Young said.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_180992" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-180992" style="width: 241px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="180992" data-permalink="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/paul-weber-band-performs-benefit-concert-for-centre-454/centre-454-concert-shauna-marie-young/" data-orig-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305.jpg" data-orig-size="1545,2560" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Centre 454 concert &amp;#8211; Shauna-marie Young" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Shauna-marie Young is executive director at Belong Ottawa &lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-241x400.jpg" data-large-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-618x1024.jpg" class="wp-image-180992 size-medium" src="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-241x400.jpg" alt="Shauna-marie Young at the benefit concert" width="241" height="400" srcset="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-241x400.jpg 241w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-618x1024.jpg 618w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-768x1273.jpg 768w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-927x1536.jpg 927w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305-1236x2048.jpg 1236w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Centre-454-concert-Shauna-marie-Young-scaled-e1774858186305.jpg 1545w" sizes="(max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-180992" class="wp-caption-text">Shauna-marie Young is executive director at Belong Ottawa</figcaption></figure>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">“Every day, the people who walk through the doors of Centre 454 and all of the sites for Belong Ottawa face bitter cold, hunger, loneliness, and the uncertainty of simply making it to tomorrow. In fact, today, on King Edward Street, three of my team who work at 454 offered lifesaving overdose support and revived a gentleman who had stopped breathing and had turned blue overdosing.” By the time paramedics arrived, the man was up walking and refused the ambulance. </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">“The work we do saves lives,” Young said. Since June 2025, “our team has responded to more 2 ,000 incidents on the streets in this neighbourhood, and with today’s intervention, 27 lives have been saved from overdose,” she reported.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">“For more than 70 years, Centre 454 has been a place of refuge, offering warmth, nourishment, dignity, and human connection, said Young. “And the need continues to grow…. Since June of 2025, Belong Ottawa has served more than 56,000 meals from this site here, and 110 ,000 meals at all three drop -in day programs. …Beyond meals, we offer warm, clean, and safe places to rest, along with showers, laundry services, and a real sense of connection. Centre 454 is a doorway to support, and for many, a pathway to recovery. to healing, to employment, to income, and ultimately, it is sanctuary to all.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;">“Some of our participants recently shared with me at a town hall meeting what 454 means to them: ‘It’s like a second home.’ And another young man said, ‘I feel human again when I’m here.’ Another person responded, “You save lives.”</span></p>
<p class="xCaptionbrandCallunabold1214Crosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: normal;">Young thanked everyone “for believing in Centre 454 and Belong Ottawa, and most importantly, for believing in the people who rely on us. Everyone deserves safety, care, and belonging.”</span></p>
<p class="xCaptionbrandCallunabold1214Crosstalkbranded">
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/paul-weber-band-performs-benefit-concert-for-centre-454/">Paul Weber Band performs benefit concert for Centre 454</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180990</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Housing justice advocates welcome bishop-elect with a track record of action on the issue</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/housing-justice-advocates-welcome-bishop-elect-with-a-track-record-of-action-on-the-issue/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Humphreys]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Affordable Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing Justice]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180981</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In the run-up to the episcopal election, Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley underlined her commitment to bringing support and innovation to the Diocese’s 12-year-old mission to help reduce homelessness and expand the supply of affordable housing. Since 2014 when the Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop John Chapman, set up what became the Homelessness and Affordable Housing [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/housing-justice-advocates-welcome-bishop-elect-with-a-track-record-of-action-on-the-issue/">Housing justice advocates welcome bishop-elect with a track record of action on the issue</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the run-up to the episcopal election, Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley underlined her commitment to bringing support and innovation to the Diocese’s 12-year-old mission to help reduce homelessness and expand the supply of affordable housing.</p>
<p>Since 2014 when the Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop John Chapman, set up what became the Homelessness and Affordable Housing Working Group, the City of Ottawa’s wait list for affordable housing has ballooned by almost 5,000 to 15,000 at the end of last year.</p>
<p>Appropriately then, nominees in the episcopal election were asked a question about their views on the diocesan ministry to people who are vulnerable.</p>
<p>The bishop-elect is a founding and continuing member of the working group that was rebranded as the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice (BPHJ) in 2024. In her written response to the question she offered two suggestions.</p>
<p>“We can connect in a deanery forum,’ she said, “to share, inspire and brainstorm opportunities and creative solutions to the challenges encountered as we minister to those in our local context.”</p>
<p>She also wanted to explore the creation of an advisory panel to raise awareness of the root causes of the increasing need in the diocese. This could lead to advocacy, with partners, to all levels of government for measures to address root causes and reduce the numbers in need.</p>
<p>At one of the pre-election forums, Moira Alie, chair of the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice, asked specifically about the prevailing urban and rural urban housing crisis. “What is your vision for the Diocese,” she said, “when it comes to affordable housing and housing justice?”</p>
<p>Alie said that while each candidate offered a unique vision for the Diocese’s path, it was “deeply encouraging to see a unanimous consensus: the Diocese has a fundamental, undeniable role to play in housing justice.”</p>
<p>Responding to Alie’s question, the Bishop-elect said housing justice is a core personal passion. She emphasized that the Diocese needs to stay active.</p>
<p>She highlighted that when the Diocese lacks expertise, it must proactively seek out experts. She pointed to the development of Hollyer House, (the Christ Church Bells Corners project that became a community hub with 35 affordable housing units) where she collaborated closely with experts to bridge the gap between vision and execution.</p>
<p>Ultimately, Otley argued that faith communities possess something unique, through their land and through volunteer networks. By mobilizing every parish, participating in advocacy and spreading awareness, she said she believes the Diocese can make a transformative impact on affordable housing.</p>
<p>She provided leadership at Christ Church Bells Corners as the parish decided to use available land for the creation of affordable housing.  For eight years, she was the chair of the Affordable Housing Action Group of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.</p>
<p>In the written statement she saw brainstorming in deanery forums as way for every parish to be engaged, harking back to one of the goals of the original working group, the others being action, advocacy, learning and prayer.</p>
<p>Going forward, while the need has expanded, the Diocese is building on success that has come from the inspiration and dedication of parishes. The former working group established a campaign to create 125 new units with every parish engaged for the Diocese’s 125th anniversary in 2021.</p>
<p>With the opening of Hollyer House and Cornerstone Housing for Women’s Eccles Street residence 151 units were completed.</p>
<p>In 2024, then-Bishop (now Archbishop) Shane Parker renewed the working group’s mandate with the name change. Diocesan Synod endorsed new terms of reference that included providing advice to the Future Fund panel concerning grants related to affordable housing and homelessness and assisting parishes in reaching out to partners in their communities and working with them.</p>
<p>With construction under way on the Ellwood House extension at St. Thomas the Apostle Alta Vista and the Halton Street residence in Perth, led by St. James the Apostle, a further 50 units will likely be available by the end of the year. Both projects require fundraising that offers an opportunity for support.</p>
<p>With the exception of the Cornerstone residences, the efforts to create more affordable housing have been driven by parishes, with various forms of support from the Diocese such as seed money for feasibility work in Perth and fundraising for Hollyer House.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/housing-justice-advocates-welcome-bishop-elect-with-a-track-record-of-action-on-the-issue/">Housing justice advocates welcome bishop-elect with a track record of action on the issue</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180981</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Staff news — April 2026</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/staff-news-april-2026/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Perspective]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:50:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diocesan Archives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Staff new]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=181005</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Meg Stewart has joined the staff of the Diocesan Archives as Digital Records Archivist. Her main role will primarily be digitizing records of importance to the Diocese, migrating legacy formats, and modernizing systems within the Archives such as the Clergy Database and Register indexes. Stewart previously was a volunteer, summer student and contractor with the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/staff-news-april-2026/">Staff news — April 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="xBody1113brandnoindCrosstalkbranded"><b><span lang="EN-US">Meg Stewart</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> has joined the staff of the Diocesan Archives as Digital Records Archivist. Her main role will primarily be digitizing records of importance to the Diocese, migrating legacy formats, and modernizing systems within the Archives such as the Clergy Database and Register indexes.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Stewart previously was a volunteer, summer student and contractor with the Diocesan Archives between 2008 and 2015. Since then, she worked at the Provincial Archives of Alberta before moving back to Ottawa and working for Health Canada in regulatory affairs for medical devices. </span></p>
<p class="xCaptionbrandCallunabold1214Crosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal;">She says she “has been a church-mouse of all trades at the Cathedral since 2005.” She loves a records treasure hunt and reading, especially memoirs and biographies.</span></p>
<p class="xCaptionbrandCallunabold1214Crosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/staff-news-april-2026/">Staff news — April 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">181005</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Licensed Lay Readers receive newly created medallions</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/licensed-lay-readers-receive-newly-created-medallions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Leigh Anne Williams]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:45:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Licensed Lay Readers]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180975</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Licensed Lay Readers in the diocese will now be wearing newly minted medallions identifying their roles in parishes — which includes leading worship services and preaching, as well as other responsibilities such as pastoral care, education and administrative work. The Rev. Bob Albert, warden of lay readers, told Perspective that in the past, medallions were [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/licensed-lay-readers-receive-newly-created-medallions/">Licensed Lay Readers receive newly created medallions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="xCaptionbrandCallunabold1214Crosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Licensed Lay Readers in the diocese will now be wearing newly minted medallions identifying their roles in parishes — which includes leading worship services and preaching, as well as other responsibilities such as pastoral care, education and administrative work.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">The Rev. Bob Albert, warden of lay readers, told <i>Perspective</i> that in the past, medallions were worn by lay readers in the diocese of Ottawa, but in more recent years they have been wearing a blue scarf with their white albs (robes). </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Albert had been working with Bishop Shane Parker (prior to his election as Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada) to streamline the information and documents about training and becoming a lay reader, and in the process, they also discussed what lay readers wear. The bishop thought the blue scarves were too similar to the stoles that clergy wear with their robes and it might be confusing. He suggested that medallions would be more distinctive.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Albert started working on the concept and initial designs. The bishop had suggested that the design should incorporate the diocesan colours and ray logo, so Albert consulted with Carole Breton, diocesan director of communications, on ways to incorporate diocesan branding. Breton enlisted the help of Marcela Hurtado, who is the diocesan donor relations officer but also has a background as a graphic designer. She recently created the logo for the new diocesan Hearts of Compassion Fund.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">The result of their collaboration is now realized in medallions that Albert is distributing to incumbents to present to the lay readers. The design incorporates symbolic elements associated with lay ministry, including an open book and cross, representing scripture, proclamation, and service. These elements are framed by a laurel wreath, a traditional symbol of honour, dedication, and faithful service, reflecting the commitment entrusted to lay readers. </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">There are about 60 Licensed Lay Readers in the diocese. Albert explained the process of becoming a lay reader begins when an incumbent identifies a parish need for additional services that are not necessarily clergy-led and sends a request to the bishop for one or more lay readers. </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Historically, the next step would require a few years of training, but Albert says that people who are interested in becoming licensed lay readers have often already done quite a lot of educational work such as the Education for Ministry program or taken courses at theological schools, so there is now more flexibility for an incumbent to assess what training the individual still requires. </span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">Albert created training modules and checklists to help incumbents assess a person’s readiness to become a lay reader.</span></p>
<p class="xBody1113brandindCrosstalkbranded"><span lang="EN-US">The lay readers have gatherings every six months with a focus on supporting and learning from one another, he said. </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_180976" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-180976" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="180976" data-permalink="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/licensed-lay-readers-receive-newly-created-medallions/shawville-lay-readers/" data-orig-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690.jpg" data-orig-size="693,597" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Shawville lay readers" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;—The Licensed Lay Readers of West Quebec—Jean Macnab, Monica Dodson and Deborah Bergeron—with their new medallions.&lt;br /&gt;
Officially licensed in July of 2025, for the past year they have led services every second week at churches, chapels and cemeteries through the deanery.&lt;br /&gt;
Photo: Contributed&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690-400x345.jpg" data-large-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690.jpg" class="wp-image-180976 size-medium" src="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690-400x345.jpg" alt="The Licensed Lay Readers of West Quebec — Jean Macnab, Monica Dodson and Deborah Bergeron—with their new medallions. " width="400" height="345" srcset="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690-400x345.jpg 400w, https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shawville-lay-readers-e1774855541690.jpg 693w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-180976" class="wp-caption-text">The Licensed Lay Readers of West Quebec — Jean Macnab, Monica Dodson and Deborah Bergeron—with their new medallions.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/licensed-lay-readers-receive-newly-created-medallions/">Licensed Lay Readers receive newly created medallions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180975</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Col. the Rev. Canon Lisa Pacarynuk leads as Chaplain General</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/col-the-rev-canon-lisa-pacarynuk-leads-as-chaplain-general/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Leigh Anne Williams]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:40:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military chaplaincy]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180984</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In May 2025, Col. the Rev. Canon Lisa Pacarynuk was appointed as the Chaplain General for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). She is the first woman to lead the chaplaincy — which currently includes about 400 chaplains, 250 in full-time or regular force service and about 150 in reserve or part-time service deployed across Canada [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/col-the-rev-canon-lisa-pacarynuk-leads-as-chaplain-general/">Col. the Rev. Canon Lisa Pacarynuk leads as Chaplain General</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In May 2025, Col. the Rev. Canon Lisa Pacarynuk was appointed as the Chaplain General for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). She is the first woman to lead the chaplaincy — which currently includes about 400 chaplains, 250 in full-time or regular force service and about 150 in reserve or part-time service deployed across Canada and abroad. She kindly made time to with <em>Perspective </em>about the chaplaincy and her new role:</p>
<p><strong>How diverse are the faiths represented in the chaplaincy?</strong></p>
<p>In fact, we have people of no faith in our chaplaincy … humanist chaplains, Christians of all stripes, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, traditional Indigenous spirituality, and we are working on a training program for a Sikh chaplain and additional humanist chaplains.</p>
<p><strong>How closely do they work together?</strong></p>
<p>We have diverse teams and our motto is ‘Called to serve.’ The idea is that whatever the need is of the person in front of us, it could be expressed to any chaplain and that chaplain would be responsible for facilitating what that person requires. If they were asking for a particular religious service that was not the chaplains’ that they were speaking to, then either they ask a colleague on their team or they have relationships with those in the community to make sure that that spiritual need is provided for.</p>
<p><strong>What are some of the challenges and rewards of working together in this way?</strong></p>
<p>We’re really a model in the worldwide chaplaincies….This idea of chaplains of varying faiths and belief systems working so closely together is quite anomalous for other chaplaincies who are quite focused on the care of their own religious tradition. It’s really enriched all of us in ways that we couldn’t imagine. Starting just even from ecumenical relationships with other Christians. Our Protestant chapels … are an ecumenical group of all the Protestants, whether they be Pentecostal or Baptist or Anglican. It’s a joy and a challenge to work with people of diverse perspectives — finding common ground, finding a place of respect, being open to others’ joys and spirituality and how they express that…St. George’s Chapel in Petawawa is a really active chapel and a really great example of this ecumenical model.</p>
<p>…All of our chaplains are really guided, directed to stay firmly rooted in the tradition that they come from and represent. … So even as you are working closely with other people, you’re not there to lose yourself. You are there to continue to represent who you truly are in that group of people.</p>
<p><strong>When did you feel called to ministry and to the military?</strong></p>
<p>I grew up in Calgary…and in university I discerned a call to certainly greater theological studies. I wasn’t quite sure where it was going to take me, because I grew up Roman Catholic… but I wanted to study theology in a more in-depth way, and so I went straight over to Toronto School of Theology, University of St. Michael’s College after I finished my undergrad. I did a Master of Divinity where, again, as a Roman Catholic layperson, I wasn’t sure what the ministry opportunities were. I did placement work in prison and hospital settings.  I felt that institutional chaplaincy was something that I would be drawn to and would be very interested in, as opposed to just regular church work.</p>
<p>And then I saw a poster for Cadet Camp Chaplaincy [as it was called then], which is our cadet and junior rangers program….They were asking for theological students to go and spend summers on these training centres and … offer spiritual care…. I did that for two summers… the second of which was on a working military base where I talked to military chaplains… I really felt that this was a place where I felt called…. I was bilingual. I was adventurous, younger, and felt that having this take-the-church-to-the-people model, bringing the spiritual care to the people, which is kind of what chaplaincy is… was something that I felt really drawn to.</p>
<p>I was hired as a Roman Catholic lay pastoral associate. It’s almost a diaconal role. Pastoral associates had a kind of mandate from the bishop to provide care, help out at churches, bring communion, and do baptisms and weddings where they were required, but in doing that, I felt drawn to greater leadership and felt and saw myself in an ordained ministry position.</p>
<p>I had always dropped in and out of Anglican churches to experience the spirituality and the openness of the Anglican church. In 2008, I discerned that … I had to make the step towards being ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada and found great support from the Anglican Military Ordinariate of the time and Bishop Peter Coffin. Bishop John Chapman was the one who facilitated my training and my eventual reception into the ordination into the Anglican Church of Canada.</p>
<p><strong>What does being the first woman to be appointed Chaplain General mean to you? </strong></p>
<p>It’s always hard to answer because I spent 25 years in the chaplaincy…. You are conscious, as a woman, that you are in the minority. But there was always this growing number of women and a growing recognition that that’s part of our diversity that we really need to continue to foster. Our CAF is made up of men and women and diverse gender identities. Everybody needs somebody to be able to talk to. So, to be the first woman, in a way, you almost feel like it’s a bit late in coming…. But I’m really humbled. I’m really honoured just to be named Chaplain General…. Our motto is Called to Serve and I feel very much called to serve those who serve, and to do that in a way that represents a gender minority in our CAF as an example to all women, especially women of faith. We’ve often been in the minority in our faith communities as well, not recognized as spiritual leaders. So for me, it is a special recognition that women can be spiritual leaders and military leaders. And people have told me that it’s important for them to have that example, and so I honor that.</p>
<p><strong>What proportion of chaplains are women?</strong></p>
<p>About 10 to 15 % of our chaplaincy are women. We would love to have more. I would love to have more because to me that is still clearly not representative of Canadian society, and it is not representative of all of the richness of our faith traditions and their leadership either. And so that is continually [a goal], as we work on recruiting, maintaining a representative face of Canada. It’s really important to me, whether that be spiritual and faith tradition diversity, and certainly gender diversity as well.</p>
<p><strong>Aside from deployments abroad, the CAF often helps with wildfire and floods here at home. Those situations must also be challenging for chaplains.</strong></p>
<p>We’re spiritual first responders when we walk alongside a lot of these other first responders who are going into those disasters when the sensible people are leaving. And it’s a very particular calling to stand alongside people who are doing this difficult work for Canada at home and abroad.</p>
<p><strong>What else would you like readers to know about the work of CAF chaplains?</strong></p>
<p>The chaplains are there in the small times of life, and post COVID, I think we’ve realized that people look for and need connection. …The world is unstable, and so people are looking for grounding and meaning and purpose. I’m really proud that the chaplaincy serves in the Canadian Armed Forces to be that source of hope and inspiration and meaning for people. And as we’re sharing this with [a readership in] the Anglican Church, it’s a place where I think many of our clergy would flourish [serving] either on a part -time or a full -time basis. It’s a very meaningful ministry.</p>
<p>It’s challenging… This is the church that has been sent into this difficult setting&#8230; in different parts of Canada and around the world. So, I invite the prayers of our readers because I think our chaplains need prayer and spiritual support and really welcome that. When our chaplains show up in Anglican churches, they’re probably looking for a little bit of nourishment themselves. And so, [I] invite everyone to welcome them and hear their stories, because it’s a very powerful witness to spirit of goodness and hope in the world.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/col-the-rev-canon-lisa-pacarynuk-leads-as-chaplain-general/">Col. the Rev. Canon Lisa Pacarynuk leads as Chaplain General</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180984</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Parishes in Quebec amalgamate to become the new Parish of the Holy Spirit</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jean Macnab]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:30:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parish News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parish of the Holy Spirit]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180967</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Anglican Parish of West Quebec covers a wide geographical area. We have churches in Danford Lake, Radford and Shawville. We have chapels in Thorne Centre, Charteris, Greermount, Kazabazua and Wright. We also own several cemeteries where we hold yearly memorial services. For the past eight years, the Ven. Eric Morin has served our parish. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/">Parishes in Quebec amalgamate to become the new Parish of the Holy Spirit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Anglican Parish of West Quebec covers a wide geographical area. We have churches in Danford Lake, Radford and Shawville. We have chapels in Thorne Centre, Charteris, Greermount, Kazabazua and Wright. We also own several cemeteries where we hold yearly memorial services.</p>
<p>For the past eight years, the Ven. Eric Morin has served our parish. Last year, under the guidance of Executive Archdeacon Linda Hill and the direction of then-Bishop Shane Parker, our parish entered into amalgamation discussions with Christ Church Aylmer, St. Mary Magdalene Chelsea and Good Shepherd-Wakefield.</p>
<p>In the fall of 2025, all six churches passed a motion and agreed to amalgamate as one parish.</p>
<p>Our new parish is now called the Parish of the Holy Spirit.</p>
<p>In December 2025, our diocesan administrator Bishop Michael Bird announced that Archdeacon Eric Morin was appointed incumbent of the parish of St. Thomas Stittsville, effective March 23, 2026. Archdeacon Eric’s last Sunday in our parish is March 15, 2026.</p>
<p>In January, it was announced that the Rev. Dr. Sony Jabouin has been appointed as associate incumbent of our newly amalgamated Parish effective Feb 23, 2026.</p>
<p>For the last two years, under the guidance of Archdeacon Eric, we have had three lay people in training to become Licensed Lay Readers. — Jean Macnab, Warden</p>
<h3><strong>A multi-point parish</strong></h3>
<p>Parishes in the diocese located in Quebec have now officially amalgamated. The new parish has been named <strong>Parish of the Holy Spirit</strong><strong>/ Paroisse du Saint-Esprit.</strong></p>
<p>The new parish will be made up of the congregations of:</p>
<p>The former Parish of West Quebec</p>
<p>St. Paul’s Shawville</p>
<p>Holy Trinity Danford Lake</p>
<p>Holy Trinity Radford, with the chapels of:</p>
<p>St. George’s Thorne Centre</p>
<p>St. James Wright</p>
<p>St. Matthew’s Charteris</p>
<p>St. Stephen’s Greermount</p>
<p>St. Stephen’s Kazabazua</p>
<p>The former Parish of Chelsea-Lascelles-Wakefield</p>
<p>St. Mary Magdalene Chelsea</p>
<p>Good Shepherd Wakefield</p>
<p>The Chapel of Holy Trinity Lascelles</p>
<p>The former Parish of Christ Church Aylmer with the chapel of:</p>
<p>St. Luke’s Eardley</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<a href='https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/christ-church-aylmer-la/'><img decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Christ-Church-Aylmer-LA-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" data-attachment-id="180972" data-permalink="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/christ-church-aylmer-la/" data-orig-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Christ-Church-Aylmer-LA.jpg" data-orig-size="750,1000" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Christ Church Aylmer &amp;#8211; LA" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Christ Church Aylmer&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Christ-Church-Aylmer-LA-300x400.jpg" data-large-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Christ-Church-Aylmer-LA.jpg" /></a>
<a href='https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/good-shepherd-wakefield/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="150" height="150" src="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Shepherd-Wakefield-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail" alt="" data-attachment-id="180971" data-permalink="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/good-shepherd-wakefield/" data-orig-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Shepherd-Wakefield.jpg" data-orig-size="750,999" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Good Shepherd Wakefield" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Good Shepherd Wakefield&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Shepherd-Wakefield-300x400.jpg" data-large-file="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Shepherd-Wakefield.jpg" /></a>

<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/parishes-in-quebec-amalgamate-to-become-the-new-parish-of-the-holy-spirit/">Parishes in Quebec amalgamate to become the new Parish of the Holy Spirit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180967</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bishop-elect shares the gifts she brings</title>
		<link>https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/bishop-elect-shares-the-gifts-she-brings/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:15:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[April 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Episcopal election 2026]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/?p=180958</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>At all four of the public meetings leading up to the episcopal election, all of the nominees were given five minutes to answer this question: What are your God-given gifts and how do you see them being exercised through the ministry of bishop? Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley kindly shared her answer with Perspective. I am honoured [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/bishop-elect-shares-the-gifts-she-brings/">Bishop-elect shares the gifts she brings</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>At all four of the public meetings leading up to the episcopal election, all of the nominees were given five minutes to answer this question: <strong>What are your God-given gifts and how do you see them being exercised through the ministry of bishop</strong>? </em></p>
<p><em>Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley kindly shared her answer with </em>Perspective<em>.</em></p>
<p>I am honoured to have the opportunity to respond to the question. <strong>The first gift I will highlight is the style of leadership I practice: non-anxious leadership.</strong> In times of great change there is great anxiety, and people respond reactively, taking a defensive posture, stymying growth. A bishop, by setting a tone of calm composure, helps to settle the atmosphere, empowering people to react responsively, with thought. And an environment is created in which we are able to accomplish our tasks.</p>
<p><strong>The gift of working well with others</strong> — more than simply collaborative: as it says in Ephesians: God gives us grace… to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ. I “equip God’s people” by encouraging others to bring forward their ideas, and I recognize their contributions. A bishop celebrates this rich diversity of gifts — the abundance of God’s grace working through each of us. <strong>I have a gift of recognizing leadership qualities both clerical and lay.</strong> It is a Bishop’s role to raise up leaders- supporting and empowering their ministry.</p>
<p><strong>The gift of fostering partnerships</strong> is crucial in our changing context. In my service across the ecclesiastical province and the county, I developed a gift of connecting with other dioceses, bishops, clergy, and laity. I have partnered with non-profit and for-profit organizations, with ecumenical and interfaith partners, and municipal and federal organizations. As bishop, I’d offer the gift of experience in negotiating with prospective partners, communicating clearly our Anglican perspective, identifying our shared goals and learning from their experience.</p>
<p>God gives direction, we need to map the course. A bishop must keep the diocesan ministry direction aligned with its purpose, set clear goals, make decisions, be accountable.</p>
<p>When working with wider church councils, I learned to focus on what is most appropriate to address at each level. I share that gift here: there are so many tasks before us, without focus the result will be scattered, make no impact, we could become discouraged. <strong>I offer the gift of setting priorities at diocesan level; then empowering clergy at work in parishes, with their congregations, to minister in their communities.</strong></p>
<p>The bishop must carry out complex decisions and make hard choices which can result in conflict. An important part of healthy growth and change, conflict is not to be avoided. The gift of addressing conflict is necessary for bishop.<strong> I have the gift of experience in dealing with conflict</strong>; listening, reflecting with colleagues and then enacting decisions with compassion and firmness. I take responsibility for decisions and when I make a mistake, I learn from it.</p>
<p>Gift of perspective (two ways):</p>
<ol>
<li>In my various diocesan leadership roles, I developed a broad perspective of the many facets of our diocese: rural, suburban, village, town and city. This is an important gift for a bishop, who will face issues of employment, governance, finance, pastoral and property —and must deal with them contextually.</li>
<li>A bishop also represents our Diocese to whole church. While working at the provincial level I received the gift of perspective from outside our diocese — seeing us through eyes of wider church —learning what we, ADO [the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa], uniquely have to offer and how we can combine our strengths to drive change, through raising awareness, advocacy and action.</li>
</ol>
<p>It is the role of bishop to teach and there is a thirst for knowledge, for expanding our understanding of faith &amp; our call to serve God. As bishop,<strong> I would share my gift of the joy of teaching and learning</strong>. I would facilitate teaching, my own and others’, throughout our diocese.</p>
<p>The bishop is the chief pastor exercising gifts of listening, presence, prayer, and support. <strong>My pastoral support of parishioners and colleagues is a gift I offer</strong> and a key skill a bishop needs in navigating the often-delicate relationships in ministries. This includes the gift of setting boundaries — all living things have boundaries; healthy boundaries create an environment of safety and well-being that we require to thrive.</p>
<p>Our rapidly changing world tempts us to try to ‘hang on to what we have left’; that is operating from a model of scarcity. <strong>My gift is to remind us that as a people of faith, we are called to live from a model of abundance </strong>— to throw open our doors and, emboldened by prayerful reflection, risk new ideas and seek out challenges.</p>
<p>We can refresh and strengthen the things that traditionally define us — and then ‘widen our tent’ and be enriched by the ideas and gifts of those who are new and those who are our neighbours.</p>
<p>We are a diocese alive in hope, energized by the Spirit and gifted with talented, generous and faithful people. <strong>I offer my gifts of leadership as a candidate for bishop, together let us renew the ministry of the church.</strong></p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca/bishop-elect-shares-the-gifts-she-brings/">Bishop-elect shares the gifts she brings</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ottawa.anglicannews.ca">Perspective</a>.</p>
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