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THE
VAUDREUIL PARISH PULSE
May 2007
PARISH CONFIRMATION AT ST. JAMES:
What a wonderful sight - a full church! And it was ‘Low Sunday”, so called because it’s the week after Easter, and less people generally come. Not only full, but it was full of families, with young people of all ages. A special anthem was sung by the choir, with Sian Nia Palmer on the flute. What a great service!
Why?
Well, Sunday was the Confirmation service when five of us - Valerie Cooper, Will Franklin-Thorpe, Allan Gannon, Jack Neilson, and Sherri Van Eyk - confirmed their commitment to God to grow in the Christian faith and became fully professed members of the Church. Our love and congratulations!
But there's more! There was a baptism when the congregation welcomed Benjamin Terrence Browitt as a member of Christ’s Church, and we, the Church, undertook to do all in our power to support him in his Christian journey.
And that's still not all! We were blessed and honoured to welcome Bishop Barry, Bishop of our Diocese of Montreal, and his wife, Leslie. Bishop Barry presided over the service, doing the confirmation (which only a bishop can do) and blessing the baptismal water (which the Chancel Guild carefully saved for blessings during the year). Father John even got to bless the bishop’s new portable crosier (using the newly blessed water)!
To end it all, there were photographs in the hall afterwards, thanks to Maurice Jefferies, and a buffet reception put on by the Church Women - great that was too, judging by the speed with which everything was devoured. Bless you, ladies.
Then we all went home.
Graham Campbell,
Rector’s Warden, St. James Church
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PARISH FAMILY
(Milestones of recent weeks)
BAPTISMS:
Benjamin Serge Terence Browitt, son of Isabelle and Paul, was baptized St. James on April 15th.
Katherine Lane Koberstein, daughter of Mary Arid and Chris Koberstein and Drew James Duval, son of Ashley Smith and Damon Duval were baptized at St. Mary’s on April 22nd.
DEATH:
Hugh Parsons, husband of Mary, died on April 3rd his Memorial Service was held St. Mary’s on April 14th.
A Memorial Service for Wendy Fox, wife of Bill, will take place at St. James on Saturday May 5th at 2 pm. A reception will follow in the church hall.
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YOUTH COORDINATOR APPOINTED FOR PARISH
On Sunday April 29th we will be welcoming Kelly Babbage-Morin as our new Youth Coordinator. Kelly was born in Montreal and at age of 6 moved to Ontario where she grew up in various border towns. Kelly is 24. She has a degree from Dawson College in Child Studies and is now pursuing studies at Concordia in the arts, with a double major in Psychology and Political Science. She has many interests, several of which revolve around the arts. She plays piano and trombone, did classical song for 7 years and has a diploma from the National Film Acting School in Montreal. She played many sports in high school and has coached soccer in Vankleek Hill. Kelly hopes to use her experience and skills in the arts and sports to develop an exciting and diverse program for the youth of this parish.
Kelly started attending St. James’ with her mother in the Fall of 2005 and found a home in our church community. Since then many of her questions about religion have been answered and her knowledge of God deepened. Meanwhile she also found a calling to help those troubled by mental illness and has volunteered at the Sunshine Reintegration Centre of the Douglas Psychiatric Hospital.
Our new Youth Coordinator professes a real love for kids of any age and her goals for the Youth Ministry are to give the youth of the parish and in the surrounding area a chance to find their place in the church and to examine their individual relationships with God.
Kelly will be commissioned for this ministry during the regular Sunday services at St. Mary’s and St. James’ on Sunday April 29th. I’m sure everyone will join me in making her welcome in her new role.
Alison Bentley,
Chair, Parish Youth Committee
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ST. MARY’S SPRING SALE: Saturday, May 5th, 10:00 am to noon
The Ladies of St. Mary's Sewing Circle in Como will hold their Spring Sale at the Parish Hall, 273 Main Road. Come for coffee and sweet breads and browse the wonderful Bake Table, outstanding Plant Table and Sewing Table, as well as the interesting Arts and Crafts Table. Their famous Chicken pies will also be on sale. A spring event you must attend!!
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ST. JAMES CHURCH WOMEN Wednesday, May 9th, 7:30 pm
What’s it like to make your home on a garbage dump?
Come to the St. James’ Church women’s Spring General Meeting and find out! Ann Cruickshank and Connie Middleton-Hope will talk about a ministry they experienced while on vacation in Mexico. Refreshments will be served.
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ST. MARY’S ANNUAL LOBSTER SUPPER: Saturday May 19th, 6:00 pm
Everyone welcome. RSVP Elizabeth Dempsey 458-4380
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NEWS FROM THE PASTORAL COMMITTEE:
We are pleased to announce a new initiative starting this year -- a visiting
ministry to the recently bereaved. Our goal is to offer pastoral care in any
way we can to parishioners from St. James’ and St. Mary’s.
Should you know of anyone who would appreciate a visit, please contact
Laverne at 458-2361 or June at 458-3142 or Muriel at 458-3326 or Isobel at 458-7355
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PARISH ORGANIST / CHOIR DIRECTOR.
As many of you know, after some 20 years as our “Minister of Music” at St. James, and about 6 as Organist at St. Mary's, Douglas Knight will be leaving us at the end of May.
The past couple of years have been particularly tough for Doug and his wife, Susan, as they have learnt how to come to terms with their son, Christopher's, condition. This has caused Doug to reassess his priorities and lead him to accept a similar position at Cedar Park United in Pointe Claire, closer to home and a church with which his family has become very involved .
It need hardly be said that he will be sorely missed, and we are very thankful for his great contribution to the music in our Parish over the years. The Choir is especially sad to see him go and will have a difficult time finding such an accomplished musician and good-humoured Choir Director as his successor.
To seek a replacement Choir Director and Organist to fill the positions at both churches, a Parish Committee has been formed, appointed by the two Corporations comprising:
Graham Campbell Chairman 458-2181
Glenna Vipond St. James’ Choir 4056
Gwen Heinrich St. James’ Choir 5827
Margaret Neal St. James’ congregation 7909
Ruth Lewis St. Mary’s congregation 4037
Advertisements have been placed in various newspapers and a poster has been prepared for display both in Hudson and many centres of music in the Montreal area. In the meantime, should you have any thoughts, particularly regarding possible candidates or leads that might be followed, please address them in confidence to a member of the committee.
We would not like to let Douglas go without a rousing send-off, so it is planned to hold a festivity after church at St. James on Sunday 27th May. As it happens, that Sunday is scheduled as a Family Service, so the celebration will begin at around 11:45 in the large hall. A light lunch will be provided by the St. James' Church Women and the St. Mary's Sewing Circle, and we are very much hoping to welcome a large crowd from both churches to that Sunday service, or at least to the celebration afterwards. If you have enjoyed Doug's music over the years, please make the effort to be there.
One last thing. It is suggested that there be some sort of presentation for Doug, so you are asked if you would like to make a donation towards a gift. Please put your donation in an envelope marked "Doug's presentation" and include it with the collection on Sunday, or hand it to one of your Church Wardens. For obvious reasons, no announcement can be made at the Sunday Services so we would ask you to mention this to members of the Parish who might not have read Pulse.
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COUNTRY HOMES TOUR: Thursday 7 June from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Tickets on Sale May 1st in Hudson at Emporium and Source Health Food Store. Tour Tickets $25 lunch tickets for St. James $10, two sittings 11:30 am and 1:00 pm.
St. Mary’s lunch $8, available between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm reservations not necessary but if you would like to make a reservation, please call 458-4380 or 458-5442.
Also coffee 9:00-11:00 a.m. and tea 2:30 pm - 4:00 p.m.
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SUMMER DAY CAMP: Monday July 30th to Friday August 3rd
Will take place on the grounds of St. James for children aged 4 to 12. Five fun-filled days (10:00 am to 3:00 pm) of prayers, crafts, games, songs and stories. Register at the parish office, Tuesday to Friday 9am to 1 pm or by calling 458-5897. $20 per child or $40 max per family of three or more.
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MEMORIAL TREES AT ST. JAMES’:
This spring we will be planting six trees to replace those lost due to disease and wind damage. On the advice of an arborist we are planting well established red oaks, crimson king maples and a white spruce. The cost for each of these trees will be in the region of $300 and we are offering members of the congregation the opportunity to plant a tree in the memory of a loved one. Please call or speak to one of the wardens if you would like to do this, indicating your preferred choice of tree. We expect to be planting the trees fairly shortly, as soon as the ground is workable.
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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).
Each month's publication is on the last Tuesday of the preceeding month.The deadline for each issue is the previous Tuesday, (a week before publication).
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.
WEB LINKS RECOMMENDED BY THE EDITORS:
http://www.montreal.anglican.org/index-01.shtml
http://www.alphacanada.org/
http://www.podm.net/po_how.htm
www.parishofvaudreuil.com