Bicentennial in Brockville
In the early 1800s, Rev. William Smart, an itinerant preacher with a Bible in his saddlebag, spread the word of God in communities scattered along the bank of the St. Lawrence River. His work would lead to the first recorded “Sabbath school” in Brockville, Ont., and the birth of a congregation.
Two hundred years and three buildings later, First is spending a year celebrating its heritage and enduring witness, bolstered by a $3,800 grant from the Government of Canada’s heritage department.
The year features concerts and local artists, historical Sundays, as well as a Sunday with the Empire Loyalists and a visit from former prime minister John A. Macdonald (thanks to a local impersonator). They will also honour the memory of Rev. William Smart with a summer graveside service.
But for Rev. Doug Johns, First’s minister, the celebration is a way of looking back in order to look forward.
“We’re recognizing that the past isn’t somewhere we want to go back to, but something that we can build on.” —C.Purvis
New Staff at National Offices
Rev. Ian McDonald will be taking the helm of the amalgamated Canada Ministries/The Vine department at national offices on Sept. 1.
The Halifax native currently serves at Calvin, Toronto, and previously spent two years heading Christian education at First, Chatham, Ont. He was also influenced by his time at Camp Geddie, N.S.
“This is an exciting ministry and I am eager to begin the work and to nurture collaborative relationships with people across the church. Hearing from congregations and presbyteries about their situations is a priority,” McDonald told the Record. —C.Purvis
Faris Leaves Council
“A lot of my time has been working out revisioning and restructuring,” said Rev. Dr. Bob Faris, who left his post as director of the Churches’ Council on Theological Education in May. “There were some attempts at that in the mid – 90s, and there was a sense that the CCTE had lost direction.”
Faris joined the CCTE in 2004, but was recently called to St. Andrew’s, Toronto, to become the downtown church’s associate minister. During his years at the Council, he has watched the ecumenical body re – shape and re – invent itself.
The predecessor to today’s CCTE was born in 1969 when six founding churches created the Consultative Committee on Theological Education, which aimed to find ways of doing theological education collaboratively.
In 1990, the Consultative Committee and the Ecumenical Foundation established by the United Church’s Henry Vaughn came together to become the Churches’ Council on Theological Education. Following a visioning process from 2006 to 2008, the organization shifted its focus to providing two annual conferences: one for theological students and the other for those interested in theological education in Canada.
“It took a long time for us to come to that decision and follow that path, but I think there’s an interest,” Faris said. “In a sense it’s going back to the kind of consultative work that was done in the 1960s with the six member churches, but expanding their table.”
For more information about upcoming conferences, visit
ccteconference.ca. —C.Purvis
A Future “Green” Parking Lot”
A piece of property adjacent to Mimico Presbyterian, Ont.—which was sold to become a hydro substation in 1940—came home on Jan. 27. The newly purchased land was commissioned at a service on May 1.
To keep the space versatile, the church plans to create a “green” parking area that would add an additional 60 parking spaces to its current 25 – car lot. The plan calls for a plastic grid to be placed across the area and then grass planted on top, creating a dual – purpose parking lot and yard.
“We made a list of ideas [of what we could do with the land],” explained Pastor Rob Howard, lay missionary at Mimico. “Then we applied financial pressures and the list got a lot shorter. We wanted to do something that would be useful now, but wouldn’t tie our hands so we can do something different in the future.”
The dedication day featured guest speaker Dr. Mark Durieux, a pioneer of social entrepreneurship and a Presbyterian World Service and Development committee member, and included entertainment and balloon animals by a local children’s entertainer, and a congregational lunch. —C.Purvis
Vancouver Helps Refugees
“I feel really good about the way this came about,” said Rev. Sylvia Cleland, whose church joined an ecumenical coalition to sponsor a family of Palestinian refugees to the Vancouver area.
The request for help originated from a United Church minister, and was passed on by Janette McIntosh, a Kairos representative for the B.C. synod and an elder at West Point Grey Presbyterian; Cleland, in turn, relayed it to other Presbyterian churches and her associates in the ministerial association. It resulted in the birth of a refugee sponsorship group made up of representatives from congregations that have committed to financial and social support for the family of five.
At their annual general meeting, West Point Grey members agreed to contribute $400 per month for one year, but have already exceeded the $4,800 required.
The Palestinian family fled Israel in 1948 during the Arab – Israeli War. They settled in Bagdad, but when they faced accusations of collaboration under Saddam Hussein’s regime, they left Iraq for Al Hol refugee camp in Syria. The United Nations is now working to close the camp and the remaining refugees must be relocated.
At press time, the churches hoped the family would arrive by the end of May and reunite with relatives in the Burnaby area. —C.Purvis
The Pines Opens at Crieff
The Pines—a brand new building at Crieff Hills Retreat and Conference Centre featuring cozy personal suites and a common area for day visitors—officially opened on May 14 with a ribbon – cutting ceremony and special events.
The Pines will enable more visitors to “enjoy God’s sanctuary at Crieff,” said David Phillips, convener of the Maclean Estate Committee, which oversees the retreat centre.
The day also featured bird banding demonstrations, guided hikes, and a ropes course.
Rooms at the Pines feature private patios overlooking a wooded ravine, fully operational kitchens, living areas, a queen or two single beds, private washrooms, and wireless internet.
Marylu Pentelow, coordinator of programs, volunteers and marketing, said the building’s design should satisfy common requests for more privacy, and for “quality but not luxury.” She hopes the suites will appeal to ministers on study leave, business people needing time to work and relax, or for anyone wishing to spend time in a quiet, rural setting.
Phase Two of the project is currently on hold until donations increase. The first phase carried a price tag of $600,000, and $460,000 was raised.
Visit crieffhills.com for rates at the Pines. —AM
Moose on a Mission
St. David’s, St. John’s, raised over $3,600 for a mission to South Sudan with some help from an antlered Canadian icon. The church hosted a fundraising dinner featuring moose meat.
The funds will help John Chol, a member of St. David’s and a native of the newly – born nation of South Sudan, during a trip to his homeland. He plans to visit refugee camps in Ethiopia and remote villages in the state of Jonglei, South Sudan, visit family and friends, and bring clothes, supplies, and Bibles for the churches in his hometown.
Two cheques were presented to Chol on April 3: one from the Atlantic Mission Society and one from the church’s session. —C.Purvis
Church Raises Funds for Japan
First, Edmonton, along with members of the local arts community, held a concert fundraiser for Japan on April 30. Together, they performed Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, for 150 people. They raised about $3,500.
First’s choir sang in the chorus, organist Marnie Giesbrecht was the pianist, and one of First’s choir members, Ron Long, was an actor and the main organizer. Rev. Henry Currie played the role of the Mikado.
“We were able to reach out into the community beyond the church and make a connection with people and get them involved in something worthy,” Currie said. “We hope something like this will be an ongoing thing.” —with files from First, Edmonton
Changes at GA
this month’s General Assembly will tinker with a consent agenda, a lumping together of similar or simple recommendations for approval as a block.
Commissioners can ask to have any recommendation pulled out of the group and debated separately.
Assembly will be able to provide feedback about the process. —AM
Looking Ahead at Renewal AGM
“As we examine where the church should be in 30 years’ time, if we place an emphasis on the institution we may be misleading ourselves,” said Rev. Dr. Rick Fee, general secretary of the Life and Mission Agency, during a panel discussion organized by the Renewal Fellowship. He spoke alongside Rev. Dr. Charles Fensham, associate professor of systematic theology at Knox College, Toronto, and Rev. Jeremy Bellsmith, a former staff person with the Vine, the national office’s congregational resource department, now serving his first charge at Burns, Ashburn, Ont. The trio was asked to address the question, “where will the church be in 30 years?”
“The issue facing us today is not necessarily decreasing membership,” Fee continued. “It’s our failure to recognize how our society has changed in seismic ways.”
The panel discussion was organized as a prelude to the March 5 annual general meeting of the Renewal Fellowship, an evangelical movement within the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
“Each congregation needs to accept wherever they are—their context—and accept that their mission may not look like the mission of the church down the street,” suggested Bellsmith. “This ‘creeping congregationalism’ that I’ve heard about may not all be bad. In fact, congregations remain the lifeblood of our church and the ways and the places through which mission happens.”
At the annual meeting, members heard from Rev. Calvin Brown, the fellowship’s 16 – year executive director, who will be retiring at the end of June but will continue his part – time pastoring at Knox, Palmerston, and Knox, Drayton, Ont.
“As I reflect on the time I have been executive director of the Renewal Fellowship I marvel at what God has done,” he wrote in his final annual report. “While much work remains, there have been significant blessings to rejoice in.”
The fellowship hopes to find a new executive director by Sept. 1.
The board also expressed thanks for the “faithfulness, mercy and generosity” of God in getting the organization through another financially difficult year. The board faced a possible $40,000 shortfall in revenue, but as in previous years, donations met their necessary expenses by the year’s end. —C.Purvis
Record Wins Awards
The Record picked up a total of 15 awards at the joint convention of the Associated and Canadian Church Press held in Chicago in April. The magazine’s writing and design were both recognized for excellence. Art director Caroline Bishop received two firsts for her work: one for the layout and design of the September 2010 edition, and another for the layout and design of the Malawi feature, which showcased the photographs of staff writer, Connie Purvis. Bishop received a second place award for the cover of the October issue.
Artist Michelle Thompson was given a first for her original artwork that accompanied the Global Christianity story in the July/August issue. Other firsts included Laurence DeWolfe for Easter in Epiphany? (February), David Webber for Who’s Driving the Truck? (July/August), and Elizabeth Albrecht – Bisset for her narrative, Goldilocks Goes to Church (July/August). That story also earned a third place for written humour.
Second place awards were given to the anonymous piece, This Is My Beloved Son … (December), for editorial courage; and the Theology 101 series was awarded in the department category.
Third places were given to senior writer, Amy MacLachlan for her news story, Churches Fuming Over Anti – Semitism Claim (February); and to Record editors for the Letters section.
Editor David Harris received a third for his editorial, Populist Thuggery in the March issue, and managing editor, Andrew Faiz earned a second place for his column, Pop Christianity.
The Record placed third for Best in Class, denominational magazine. —AM
