Many of us are much more comfortable praying in worship services, praying while moving, singing, and listening to sacred music, than heeding the words of Psalm 46: “Be still and know that I am God.” Being “Still” is not something I have been particularly good at, but the Pandemic has led me to reflect on these words and practise “Stillness” more intentionally.

I recently learned from the writings of Fr. Richard Rohr of a simple way of being Still and intentionally connecting with the Divine Presence. It goes like this:

1. Find a quiet place, gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, slowly breathing in and breathing out. Prepare to pray the Psalm verse in five consecutively diminishing sentences.
2. Either aloud or quietly to yourself, say the words, “Be still and know that I am God.”
3. Pause, and after taking several breaths, pray the words, “Be still and know that I am.”
4. Pause, and after taking several breaths, pray “Be still and know.”
5. Pause, and after taking several breaths, pray, “Be still.”
6. Pause, and after taking several breaths pray, “Be.”
7. Be quiet as long as you wish and when ready, pray, “Amen.”

This way of prayer is not only useful for individual prayer but can also be used when praying with a group either in person or virtually online. The facilitator leads with each phrase and the group repeats aloud after each consecutively diminishing phrase. The pause between each phrase can be lengthened depending on your need or the needs of the group.

Prayer resources at no cost

In addition to making its many pamphlets on different aspects of prayer free for download at www.anglicanprayer.org, the Canadian Anglican Fellowship of Prayer (AFP) is offering to provide paper copies of many of its pamphlets at no cost, with no shipping costs, to anyone who asks. These can be ordered either directly through the Resources section of the AFP website, or by contacting me at afp@ottawa.anglican.ca.

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The first services in Stafford were held in houses and barns by the Rev. Edward Hammond Massey Baker of Pembroke between 1854 and 1859.  In the latter year the Rev. Thomas S. Campbell came from Ireland under some ecclesiastical discipline.  He obtained permission from the Bishop of Toronto to do missionary work, establishing himself in Stafford.  In 1866 his parishioners signed a petition for his reinstatement, but instead he was removed.

Still, under Campbell in 1863 a missionary meeting was held, and by 1866 the Mission of Stafford & Douglas emerged.  From 1869 to 1876, Stafford No. 2—the future Saint Patrick’s Church—was an outstation of Pembroke until it was transferred to the Mission of Beachburg. In 1881, Beachburg was dissolved and the Mission of Stafford created, with regular services held at Saint Patrick’s, Stafford, Micksburg and a schoolhouse at Rankin.  In 1889, a Methodist church at Rankin was purchased for services there.  

Even so, there were signs of progress. In 1893, Stafford was removed from the Mission Fund, which meant it was considered self-supporting. A year later local Anglicans were reported raising money to build a new stone church. So good were finances that on 4 December 1895, Saint Patrick’s Church, Stafford was consecrated by Bishop John Travers Lewis.

Stafford had many settlers who were sons and daughters of Anglicans who first touched down in Canada in a military settlement at Beckwith. The choice of round-headed windows in their new house of worship is not surprising, given similar windows overlooking their parents’ worship at Saint James’s Church, Franktown. Perhaps there were other factors. The rock-faced stone in the new church’s walls and the semi-circular apse, however, suggest that either the rector or a prominent member of the building committee was familiar with Henry Hobson Richardson’s Trinity Church in Boston, and wanted that design reflected in the new church in Stafford.

The choice of Saint Patrick as patron saint also is an anomaly, it being the only church in the Diocese of Ottawa to be so named, despite the majority of Anglicans in the region before 1860 hailing from Ireland.  It may well be that the choice of saint’s name was made by the clergyman or the bishop in the same way that he chose to have graves in the churchyard oriented facing Jerusalem (anticipating the Parousia) whereas members of the congregation had insisted that the church itself be situated foursquare with the concession road on which it fronted.

The substantial buttresses, the flange to the lower roof, the octagonal spire and the rounded capstones at the corners of the tower add to the distinction of this house of worship. 

The Archives collects documents for parishes including parish registers, vestry reports, service registers, minutes of groups and committees, financial documents, property records (including cemeteries and architectural plans), insurance records, letters, pew bulletins, photographs and paintings, scrapbooks and unusual documents

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Here’s how to run a successful virtual auction. 

A virtual auction is different because it operates on a software platform.  I recommend 32 auctions because it is easy to use and cost effective. More information about this platform is available at https://www.32auctions.com/. As with any silent auction, you will need to dedicate time to soliciting silent auction items.  It is a good idea to work with a group of volunteers to do this so that you are tapping into as many networks for items as possible.  Provide each volunteer with a sheet describing your event to send to the people and businesses they will be soliciting. Instead of a live display of the items, you will enter photos along with text descriptions, including the dollar value of the items and the starting bids, into 32 auctions. 

Virtual auction pros and cons

Initially, setting up your virtual auction is time consuming; however, many of the tedious parts of running an auction are easy because they are covered by the software: tracking bids, enforcing minimum increases, and managing bidder activity. The software also manages winning bidder payments. There are advantages to going virtual, even when you have the option to do an in-person event:

Less hassle: You don’t have to haul auction items to a venue, make a display, keep track of bids on paper, or handle check out for prizes.

Larger audience: People can bid from anywhere, at any time, which gives you the opportunity to reach a wider audience.  

More options:  Usually a silent auction at an in-person event is limited to the beginning and end of the event.  With an online auction, it is possible to extend the bidding over a longer period and continue to highlight specific items through social media. You can also add new items or stagger bidding to keep people engaged and bidding.

The main con for virtual silent auctions is that it is challenging to match the excitement that is built into a live event.  

Promotion

In order to generate interest, it is very important have a clear plan and timeline for promotion of the silent auction. Your communications strategy could include posters around town, social media posts, eblasts, and advertisements in your parish’s newsletter and in any local publications. Here are more ideas to consider:

• A segmented email campaign to appeal to different groups of supporters
• A press release to local media
• An auction-specific landing page on your parish’s website

With planning, timeline, communications strategy, items, and platform in place, a virtual silent auction is well worth doing and often raises much more than an auction at a live event. If you have questions about online silent auctions, please contact Jane Scanlon at jane-scanlon@ottawa.anglican.ca, or Heidi Fawcett at heidi-fawcett@ottawa.anglican.ca.

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We had boarded the Queen Mary II a few days earlier. A 42-day journey would take us from Sydney, Australia to Southampton, UK, traversing vast oceans and seas while taking in the flora, fauna, and fine wines of southern Australia, the exotic lands of Mauritius and La Reunion, and the wilds of the African deserts and savannahs. It was, as the saying goes, a “trip of a lifetime.” Until that moment…

An urgent plea via email from our daughter in Ottawa implored us to come home. Five days into our epic journey, we heeded her call – and that of the Canadian government. Was it a coincidence that it was Friday the 13th of March 2020? COVID had arrived.

In that moment, everything changed. We isolated, we masked, we distanced. Lunchtime featured broadcasts with updates on caseloads, deaths, and where we were on a curve that never seemed to flatten. Reminiscent of those optimists who thought that the First World War would be “over by Christmas,” we too held onto that hope. But we had not counted on second and third waves, not to mention variants. But there was light at the end of the tunnel: vaccination trials were promising and soon, our anxiety shifted to “when will I get my jab?”

For many, this long and seemingly interminable pandemic has taken its toll – physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically, and socially. Social scientists will have much to say for years to come about the impacts of what we are experiencing. And we can only begin to imagine their longer-term impacts for our children and our grandchildren.

As we approach Thanksgiving 2021, a year and a half into this “new normal,” what are the silver linings from this pandemic for which we can give thanks? Recalling my Spiritual Director’s wise words from years past, the silver linings of such events lie in what we are meant to learn from them. 

So, what have we learned?

This pandemic has shed new light on the social and economic disparities not only within our societies, but throughout the world. While non-discriminatory in who it assails, the COVID virus nevertheless has affected the marginalized and the more vulnerable amongst us disproportionately. As for vaccine availability, we in the “western” world were more fortunate than those in poorer developing countries. Surely, this should give us pause. What does this say about our commitment to the Christian principles of justice and righteousness? Are we not called to share our abundance with others?

We have also learned just how interdependent we are, especially in a globalized world. Isn’t it ironic that at a time when we are called to isolate socially, our need for each other is greater than ever? Surely, this highlights the importance of those who are critical to our very survival – those in the service sectors, many of whom earn minimum wage and who place themselves at risk in order to ensure that we have food, health care, and doorstep deliveries of whatever we have ordered on-line! Are we not all thankful for their service and increasingly mindful of their value to our well-being? Will we remember their value when “things go back to normal”?

Necessity proved yet again to be the mother of invention. Faced with lockdowns, how were we to work, play, connect at a human level, and worship? Over the last 18 months, a proliferation of communications technology has responded through ZOOM meetings, YouTube broadcasts, and Facetime visits. What a gift for which to be thankful! And yet, there are downsides.

Perhaps one of the greatest “losses” we have experienced is the loss of human contact and a sense of community. Being aware of this is something which we need to incorporate in our way forward as we emerge from this time of social isolation. Do we not yearn to be in community? Do we not yearn for the table of hospitality where we celebrate our communion?

At the same time, we have also been given the precious gift of time, time that has afforded us an opportunity for self-discovery and to be still and welcome God’s presence in our daily lives. Our balcony became a sacred place of quiet reflection for me each day.

There are so many other “learnings,” these silver linings for which we give thanks in what we hope may be the “end of COVID times.” The challenge that lies before us, however, is to remember them and to incorporate them in the “new normal” to which we aspire. Life has changed and so must we!

A former Canadian diplomat, Canon Glasgow, who served for several years as the Anglican Church’s Government Relations Advisor, continues her ministry as Honorary Assistant at St. Bartholomew’s Church.

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What keeps her going? 

“A project of this nature, which provides positive income to both members – the Cathedral and the Diocese — is a gratifying thing to work on,” she said. “There are always issues that arise when you are doing anything of this type, but we have a good board in place, and we work through them.”

Thanking Barbara Gagné

Before she retired last year, Barbara Gagné chaired the Cathedral Hill Foundation for almost 15 years. She negotiated the land leases for both phases of the development. Her hard work and dedication helped make this project a reality. 

Gagné negotiated the land leases for both phases of the development.

Elizabeth Taylor, the secretary of the foundation board, said, “What comes to my mind is her expertise in negotiations that came from her work with NavCan that she was then able apply to negotiations that she did on behalf of the foundation…. I know that Gagné worked very, very hard, and we certainly benefitted from her experience, particularly around legal issues and labour negotiations issues. She was able to stand her ground and negotiate fulsomely on our behalf.”

In his remarks at the final board meeting that Barbara chaired, the bishop expressed thanks and noted her “intelligence, leadership, tenacity, humour, strength and spirit of solidarity.”

Also at that meeting, Gagné said: “The vision to be good stewards of these lands and to strategize how we could contribute toward the long-term financial stability of the Cathedral and Diocese drew me to the project.  The sense of team and partnership with all the talented people who served on CHF, as well as our two developers, nourished me for my nearly 15 year association. It is never work when you do something you passionately believe in.”

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Gwen Lévesque took over as chair of the Cathedral Hill Foundation (CHF) in June 2020 following the retirement of long-time chair Barbara Gagné. In an interview with Crosstalk, Levesque said the developer, Reichmann Senior Housing, had hoped to begin construction sooner, but like so many other things, it was delayed by the pandemic. “On the city side  you have the requirement to get many permits and various other legal things completed, it dragged on, so ultimately once we got into 2021,  a conditional permit was issued, but at least the work got started ,” she said.

The anticipated completion date is sometime during the year 2024. “But of course, no matter what the construction project is, that all depends on the availability of materials and contractors,” Lévesque cautioned. “As you probably know, because of COVID, things have been backed up and…materials can be in shorter supply than usual because distribution has been disrupted significantly. So, 2024 is the time frame they are expecting but that could change.”

Although people in the Cathedral parish and diocese may miss the parking lot and perhaps also the way the property used to be, the land leases and development provide compensations and benefits for Christ Church Cathedral and the Diocese, as equal partners in the Cathedral Hill Foundation. The development provides a guaranteed revenue stream.

The first phase of the development, the condominium tower on the west side of the Cathedral completed in 2015, included for the Cathedral the replacement of the Hall, the retrofit of the crypt, and for the Diocese the replacement of the Archives and repairs to JC Roper House. Payment for the first phase was taken as lump sum (with replacement and retrofits/repairs paid from the lump sum).  The balance of the lump sum was invested in the Consolidated Trust Fund (CTF) and dividend income received annually (50/50 to Christ Church Cathedral and Diocese).

Lévesque explained that the second phase development is again a land lease with the Cathedral Hill Foundation…but rather than a lump sum payment, it is for an annual rent. The Foundation will allocate money from the rent to the Cathedral and Diocese as the two equal partners.

She noted that the annual rent won’t be paid until the construction is finished and the City of Ottawa provides an occupancy permit. Prior to that, however, there is an annual amount of $30,000 being paid during the construction to replace lost parking revenues, which is allocated to the Cathedral. 

Once the seniors’ residence is complete, some underground parking will be designated for the Cathedral:

• 10 spaces on an exclusive use basis 24/7 plus 15 spaces on an exclusive use basis on weekday evenings (6 p.m. – 6 a.m.) weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays. Five (5) additional spaces for special events with notice

• There was also a lump sum payment as compensation for additional parking spaces sought, negotiated; under the terms of the lease payment anticipated in 2022.

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The former mansion at 71 Bronson Ave., named after the second bishop of Ottawa John Charles Roper, has been home to the diocesan offices since the 1950s, but the late Victorian heritage building built in 1893 was in need of major repair and restoration. The roof began to develop leaks. Sloping floors suggested structural problems. In the winter, Jane Scanlon, director of Stewardship and Communications, said her third-floor office was so cold she had to sit almost directly over a small space heater. 

Conventional wisdom predicted that it would be too expensive to restore the building, adding essentials such as an elevator to make all four floors accessible; the Diocese would do better to cut its losses and move to a modern building. 

An article by archivist Glenn J Lockwood in the May 2021 Friends of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa Archives newsletter captures some of the history of Roper House and tells the story of how it came to be saved and restored to its place and function serving the people of the Diocese:

“One factor that led to the restoration of 71 Bronson was the accessibility compromise and the funding surprise uncovered by the Real Estate Working Group of the Diocese as it pondered what to do. The funding surprise was that it actually would be less expensive to restore 71 Bronson Avenue than to find alternate quarters for the Diocese, provided that the main floor of the building where most meetings would take place could be made fully accessible. Accessibility for the main floor without disrupting the heritage look of the exterior could be accomplished by placing an access ramp under cover of a restored, rebuilt wrap-around verandah leading to the front door.

“This led to the contract for refurbishing, restoring and rebuilding 71 Bronson being given to Barry Padolsky Associates Inc., a firm with distinguished credentials in the field of heritage restoration…”

The work required was extensive — a new roof, windows, ventilation system, electrical system and plumbing. The basement was sealed to create useable storage space. New accessible washrooms and a small utility kitchen were added. Wood floors were refinished. A meeting room was created on the main floor from what was previously a mail room and washroom. The meeting room has been named the Akikodjiwan Room (phonetically A-kee-ko-gee-wan) which means ‘fast moving waters’, referring to the rapids known as Chaudiere Falls.

On the exterior of the building, the fire escape was fixed, the access ramp was added under the verandah, and the stone and brick were repointed.

Barry Padolsky Associates was hired to make the building safe, energy efficient and to restore its beauty in keeping with its history.

Sanjay Grover, director of financial ministry for the Diocese, described the work as “a major renovation for the purpose of good stewardship of this building, making it safe, energy efficient, and bringing it up to code, ensuring it will last for generations.”

The cost of these substantial repairs and renovation will be covered by revenues from the successful development of Cathedral Hill and will not affect Parish Fair Share costs.

With special thanks to the Friends of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa Newsletter and Executive Archdeacon Linda Hill

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In its 2020 report, The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) indicated that “Despite COVID-related movement restrictions and pleas from the international community for a [global] ceasefire that would facilitate the COVID-19 response, displacement continued to occur – and to grow. As a result, above one per cent of the world’s population – or 1 in 95 people – is now forcibly displaced. This compares with 1 in 159 in 2010.” 

Despite the growing numbers of those seeking asylum, the UNCHR also reported that “only 34,400 refugees were resettled to third countries in 2020…This compares to 107,800 the year before and marks a dramatic 60 per cent decline – at a time when 1.4 million refugees are estimated to be in need of resettlement.”

In mid-August, 640 Afghans crowded onto a U.S. Air Force CF-18 in a desperate attempt to find safety in another country. It was five times the plane’s passenger capacity. The image flooding news broadcasts and social media feeds was a searing definition of moving heaven and earth.

refugee (noun) … a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster (Oxford English Dictionary) … someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion  (1951 UN Refugee Convention)

Afghanistan Evacuation Air Traffic Control, August 16, 2021:  

“Okay, how many people do you think are on your jet?… 800 people on your jet? Holy f—, holy cow.” 

Here in Canada, there is a small group of Anglicans who, in less dramatic but no less committed ways, go about the work of moving heaven and earth to bring to Canada those who have lost their heaven on earth. They are the Refugee Coordinators for the 15 dioceses that hold Private Sponsorship Agreements with the federal government’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ministry. Some of them are lay people, others ordained, some are paid, others are volunteers. PWRDF provides modest networking and advocacy support to this group known as the PWRDF Refugee Network. Since COVID-19 hit, the group has gathered regularly on Zoom to check-in, offer mutual support and mentoring and to strategize.

In the Diocese of Ottawa, Ishita Ghose and Safiyah Rochelle are the Refugee Coordinators. Since 2015, parishes and families have welcomed 697 refugees to the diocese, none in 2021. 

When representatives of the Refugee Network gathered in July to discuss what key messages they would like to share with Anglicans in Canada, they talked about the enormous global need for refugee sponsorship; a need they are confronted with on a daily basis in the form of appeals for asylum. As Jane Townshend of the Diocese of Huron noted,  “During COVID, three or four parishes in my diocese have come forward to say they would like to consider sponsoring a refugee family. I have a waiting list of 300 refugee cases looking for a sponsor.”

The refugee coordinators also spoke about the complexity of the needs of those seeking asylum. No two cases are alike. This is compounded by a labyrinthine and painfully slow sponsorship process. “What is discouraging is the three-year wait that can be soul-destroying for family members and individuals overseas,” said Tony Davis, Diocese of B.C. Refugee Coordinator. 

Yet this moving heaven and earth, of welcoming the stranger, can be transformative for refugees and sponsors alike. “It is an opportunity to encounter ‘the other,’” explained the Rev. Scott McLeod, who coordinates refugee sponsorship in the Diocese of Niagara. The professional, cultural and other gifts that refugees bring to Canada, the group noted, are beyond measure. “Resilience,” said Townshend, “is a key word when it comes to refugees.” 

At the same time, they are keenly aware that some refugees arrive in Canada deeply traumatized and in need of large measures of compassion and practical support. This can make for some very challenging sponsorships, said McLeod. “But that does not negate the legitimacy of the refugee sponsorship program which is legitimate in and of itself.”

Indeed, long before the United Nations defined who is a refugee, Jesus’ Judgement of the Nations spelled out clearly what our response needs to be to those who have moved heaven and earth to begin anew in Canada: 

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me… Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25: 34b-36, 40)

To learn more about refugee sponsorship in your diocese, please contact Ishita at ishita-ghose@ottawa.anglican.ca and Safiya at safiya-rochelle@ottawa.anglican.ca.

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On Oct. 21, Anglicans and caring people in the broader community will have an opportunity to help support and change the lives of many vulnerable people throughout the diocese by participating in the second annual Building a Community of Hope virtual fundraiser.

What began officially in 2017 as a Breakfast of Hope event, supporting five community ministries in the diocese, evolved in response to the pandemic into an online event supporting seven agencies in 2020. It will continue as an online event and silent auction this year.

Switching to an online event did not harm the fundraising effort and may have helped it. The 2020 event raised $79,000, significantly more than previous in-person breakfast and silent auction events held at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa, which were limited to 150 attendees. Last year’s success was boosted by very strong and creative social media communications, which reached 1,000 people who were not part of the Anglican church but were interested in the community ministries’ work. 

Online or in-person, Jane Scanlon, diocesan director of communications and stewardship, says the event offers an important chance to raise awareness about the work of these ministries.

Cornerstone Housing for Women, which provides emergency and long-term housing for women [now an independent non-profit that began as an Anglican ministry and still receives funding from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.]

Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre, which provides counselling on a fee basis but also has a Counselling Support Fund for those in need who lack financial resources to access mental health care.

The Day Programs — St. Luke’s Table, The Well and Centre 454  provide for basic needs but also offer support to people who need to access health care and social services as well as a place to enjoy fellowship and connection.

Two more agencies have been added to the fold —  the Refugee Ministry, which has helped settle hundreds of refugees in Canada, and Centre 105 in Cornwall, Ont., which provides breakfast three days a week and helps provide for other basic needs (see story p. 3)

“Taken all together, this is not a small thing,” Scanlon told Crosstalk. “This is a serious piece of work that is being done in our community to serve vulnerable people. Building a Community of Hope is about raising the profile of these ministries, both within our church throughout our diocese and beyond.” 

She added, “I am really thrilled that we have so many voices endorsing what we are doing.” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson; Councillor Catherine McKenney; author, coach and broadcaster Kathie Donovan, and Bruce Nichol, president of Tartan Homes, will all be part of the event. 

Attendees will see a video that highlights the work of all of the ministries created by Ottawa-based Domino Creative, which Scanlon noted had very generously produced the video for a fee far below its normal rates.

Although the video focuses on people who are vulnerable in various ways, Scanlon said it is infused with hope. ”You can see it in people’s faces,” she said. “You can see throughout the video how uplifted they are because of being able to connect with all of these agencies who do so much to assist people, give them a helping hand, get them connected with housing, get them connected with social services that they need or medical support or making sure they have nutritious meals or a place to go for things that we take for granted like taking a shower or getting their laundry done or even access to hygiene supplies like soap and toothpaste. These ministries deserve so much credit for the ways that they adjusted and changed and grew throughout the pandemic.” Scanlon noted that there is a forward-looking focus on the changes that need to be continued into the future, post-pandemic.

The video also highlights that 2021 is the 125^th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa “It’s special for our 125^th year because part of it is also going to address the work that has been done to reach our goal of 125 affordable housing units,” Scanlon said.

This issue of Crosstalk includes a brochure insert with more details about Building a Community of Hope. 

https://www.today4tomorrow.ca/DONATE/Donate-T4T.html

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