Parish Pulse

THE VAUDREUIL PARISH PULSE

MAY 2006

WHERE THE SPIRIT MOVES US: BY DIANE BRADSHAW-HOOPER

One of the speakers in our Lenten series at St. James was a prison chaplain who is involved in various programs to give a fresh start for ex-convicts. Accompanying him was a young man who had just been released after 18 years in jail. The challenge of re-entering society after so long was daunting.

Peter Huish is the Anglican chaplain who heads up this initiative. His message was that marginalizing and isolating former criminals often leads to their committing new crimes, despite their best intentions. He also said that in its own interest, society must welcome offenders back to the community upon their release and help them to overcome some of the difficulties they will encounter in finding a place to live, earning a living and establishing healthy relationships and a social life.

It’s a unique ministry, and undoubtedly not as appealing as causes involving people who are suffering through no fault of their own. Yet for some reason it tugged at my heart, and inspired me to take a personal interest. By strange coincidence, when a newspaper article appeared in May of 2004 about this program I was moved to clip it and file it away with the intention of volunteering at some point. The fact that the same people who were featured in the Gazette two years ago appeared on our doorstep suggested to me that it was more than coincidence.

Perhaps you share my experience of responding more emotionally to certain passages in the Bible than others. For me the clarion call has always come in the form of comforting and compassion. We are enjoined in Scripture to visit prisoners (Matthew 25:36), to forgive, to set the prisoner’s soul free (Psalm 142). These precepts are so important to me that the issue of whether prisoners should be punished, or rehabilitated is moot.

Southwest Community Ministries is in need of ongoing funding, and of volunteers for their program. In addition to a downtown drop-in center, and transition programs, they also need volunteers to go into the prisons to provide a caring visit. (You may be interested to know that the John Howard society, which serves English-speaking prisoners and their families in other provinces, does not exist in Quebec).

I am going to make a personal donation to their cause, and urge you to do so as well. Tax receipts can be issued if cheques are made out to the Anglican Diocese of Montreal, earmarked for Montreal-Southwest Community Ministries. For your own comfort, I will not see either the amount or the donor if you put your cheque in a sealed envelope and give it to Father John Bradley or Reverend Marsha Mundy. I will personally collect them and deliver them to Peter Huish. If you are interested in the volunteer work, please call me at 458-1334 and I will facilitate a contact with these good people.

God bless Peter Huish and his clients as they struggle with redemption.

PARISH FAMILY NEWS:

Marriage: Stella St. Amour and Lloyd Hogue were married on May 20th at St. Mary’s.
Hilary Powell and Bruce Albers were married on May 28th at St. James.

Baptism: Rowen Roderick Seguin-Goulet, son of Elisabeth and Roderick was baptized on May 21st at St. Mary’s.
Kayleigh Skye Paré, daughter of Karen & Denis was baptized on May 28th at St. Mary’s.

PARISH PEOPLE AND EVENTS PHOTO OPS:

The St James Church Family Hello all, I had a nice idea that I would like to do at St James and that is to put up a board of photo’s of everyone that is part of the church family at St James. The only thing I will need to ask all of you to do is to bring in a photograph, so if you are a family, couple or single person please bring in a photograph to the church. I will collect them all over a period of four weeks (just in case someone is on vacation and such like). Also include with your photograph your name, clearly written.

I will bring in a box to each Church service and put it in the small hall for everyone to put their photographs in or you can send them to the parish office attn. Elisa.

This is a great get to know you exercise; I have to say that even after two years at St James I still do not know everybody’s name! I hope you will all participate and make our board a success.

Thanks Elisa Proctor.

GREENWOOD SINGERS RETURN TO ST. MARY'S:
Wednesday June 7th, 7:30 pm.

The Greenwood Singers will be in concert with Songs for a Midsummer Night, presenting a mix of folk songs, spirituals, sacred pieces, hits from the 50’s and madrigals. They have been singing together for six years and are a special collection of local choristers who continue to make quite extraordinary music. Members include Sopranos: Dorothy Crofts, Phyllis Matte, Dolores Meade, June Parry, Lynn Poirier & Muriel Webster; Altos: Rosemary Angier, Marguerite King, Chris Merulla & Glenna Vipond; Tenors: Graham Campbell and Don Attwood and Basses: John de Sévigné & Frank Royle. Their sound and style are delightfully unique, and especially in the setting of St. Mary's Church, they are just the ticket to bring joy to a midsummer night. Following the concert, there will be a wine-and-cheese reception at Greenwood.

Tickets for Songs for a Midsummer Night at St Mary’s Church on June 7th at 7:30 PM, which include a wine and cheese reception at Greenwood after the concert, are $20.00 and may be purchased from Frank Royle (450-458-7316) May’s Studio, 459 Main in Hudson or by calling Greenwood at 450-458-5396. Proceeds will split between Greenwood’s capital campaign and St. Mary’s Church.

SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE:

July: 7:45 am service at St. Mary’s August: 7:45 am service at St. James

9:30 am service at St. James 9:30 am service at St. Mary’s

(outdoor service July 23rd) (outdoor service August 13th)

UPCOMING EVENTS

CONFIRMATION: Anyone who will be at least 13 by next November is welcome to join the classes which will start in the Fall. Please call Fr John at 458-5372 or Barbara at the office

458-5897.

THE ANNUAL ANGLICAN PARISH OF VAUDREUIL FAMILY BBQ & STRAWBERRY SOCIAL:

Sunday July 9th, 6:00 pm.

This popular event will be held on the grounds of St. James Church and the Parish Rectory. Hamburgers and hot-dogs will be served along with pot luck salads prepared by our guests. Then you will be treated to strawberries with toppings of your choice and this will be accompanied by huge bowls of the famous strawberry punches concocted for guests of all ages.

The entrance fee is a good-will offering and a bowl of salad sufficient to feed the number of folks in your own group. RSVP the Parish Office 458-5897. Mark this on your calendar!!!!!!!

SUMMER DAY CAMP:

Monday July 31st to Friday August 4th, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
All children aged 4 to 12 welcome. $20 per child, $40 max for family of three or more.
Prayers, songs, crafts, games and stories.

THE ANNUAL CONSIGMENT SALE: Saturday, September 16th, 10:00 to 2:00 pm

Take some time to look around your home this summer and see what things you would like to get rid of and something that you would like to have.

PULSE” CONTACT INFORMATION:

The Parish Pulse Editorial Team is actively looking for your articles. Please feel free to contact any of them with your ideas or suggestions for an article. (Patti Ann Gannon, 613-674-1376, pattiann@sympatico.ca; Paul Brierley, 450-458-1750, paul.brierley@future.ca; Wilf Hall, 450-458-7913, wghall@sympatico.ca). The deadline for the next issue is Wednesday, June 21st, 2006. The publication will be Friday, June 30th, 2006.

Submissions should be directed to Patti Ann Gannon through: pattiann@sympatico.ca, parishvaudreuil@ca.inter.net, drop off at the Parish Office, fax to the Parish Office at 450-458-8802, or mail to The Parish of Vaudreuil, 642 Main Road, Hudson Heights, Quebec, J0P 1J0.