Trinity House welcomes students into community

Trinity Church in Old Ottawa South celebrated the opening of Trinity House, its new intentional community for students and young adults on Sept. 18. 

The church owned Mabel Gordon House, which has served as a centre for student ministry in the past, but it had become merely rented student accommodation.

The Anglican Foundation of Canada provided a $15,000 grant to help renovate the house, and it was rechristened Trinity House with a new purpose to be home to an intentional community for young people. Foundation director Ron Brophy helped cut the ribbon on the front door.

Archdeacon Mark Whittall, Incumbent of Trinity Church, explained the concept of an intentional community. “The idea is that we have a group of people that come from all sorts of places, students and young adults, …who will support one another in their academic life in their work life, in their spiritual lives. And what that will look like, we are going to figure out together,” he said, noting that he would be taking all five residents on a day retreat the following Saturday, “That’s when we will develop what we call a rule of life, which is a monastic term, but it’s really just a rhythm of living, for each of them individually and for the house as a whole,” he said. 

The program will encourage them to explore their spirituality. “It has to come from them, but I would hope as part of the rule of life there would be regular prayer and worship and some time spent together,” he said. “They have chosen Mondays as they day they are going to eat together. It’s a great age to be engaging with your faith as an adult for the first time, to be exploring questions of spirituality, values. And the friends you make and the people you live with can be really important.”

The house is now home to five students. Simi Folarin, who is studying economics through an online program at the University of British Columbia, had just moved in the previous week. “It’s nice to be with community,” she said. I think that’s the most important thing. It’s been great meeting everyone.”

Rebecca Cowal is beginning a two-year Masters of Art program at Carleton. An Pham is in her third year of an industrial design program at Carleton. Alex Price is studying international development at the University of Ottawa, and Nischal Shrestha is in his first year of software engineering at Carleton.

Parishioner Judy Richardson, who has been closely involved with the project, said “It’s an old building with so much charm and so much love and so many years of Trinity in it…There are so many people at Trinity who have supported this project with love, I hope the residents feel 140 years of love in this building.”

Heather Maclachlan offered a special thank you to parishioner Myrna Rootham for all her work on the project. “You have exercised your knowledge and skills as site manager, the ultra trades negotiator, co-ordinator, employer, re-creator of plans that became too expensive, painter, carpenter, tiler, colour chooser, art hanger, furniture acquirer,” she said. “You have found extraordinary deals, you have adjusted the path for a 90-degree or even 360-degree turn has saved money, sheltered the budget and kept us on track. You have cared deeply about Trinity House and its incoming residents. Your care has brought a safe place, a safe space, a beautiful space. … Congratulations on a job well done.”