Elizabeth Adam’s affiliation, with the Presbyterian Church, began with an exotic story.
When Elizabeth’s father was seven years old his Jewish family converted, from Judaism, to Christianity. Jack Adam’s parents, immigrants from Eastern Europe, settled in Montreal where his mother became a close friend of a Christian family. Influenced by this friendship, the Adams family were baptized Anglicans. Predictably, this life-changing decision caused a rift with their Jewish relatives.
Jack took to the family’s new religion and, as a young man, enrolled at Montreal Diocesan Theological College. He also attended McGill University where he earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree. While at McGill, Jack met and married Margaret Blood, a student from Reading, Massachusetts. After his ordination, Rev. Adam’s first parish was in Cookstown, Ontario. By then Elizabeth, who had been born in Toronto, was six months old. The family soon took up residence at St. George’s Anglican, in Peterborough, and stayed there for 12 years.
“My father allowed us to play in the church and the church yard. But what I remember most was, after church, the A & P icing-sugar donuts, served with tea. I loved them,” says Elizabeth, who joined Beaches Presbyterian, in Toronto.
From her childhood, in Peterborough, Elizabeth also recalls singing in the Junior Choir, dressed in cap and gown. At the time her favourite anthem was Sweet Feast of Love Divine. (Perhaps this hymn influenced Elizabeth to become a gourmand and accomplished cook.)
Reverend Adam’s next pastoral charge was St. George’s Anglican Church, in Willowdale, which meant moving to Toronto. By then the family had grown to five children. Elizabeth was 15 and starting to fall away from the church and took a part-time job, at a restaurant that required working, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Sundays.
Rev. Cannon Adam next congregation was at The Church of the Holy Trinity, beside the Eaton Centre, where he stayed until retirement some ten years ago (now deceased).
Meanwhile after finishing university, Elizabeth intended to teach physical education, but ended up with a career in finance. Currently she is a consultant, with Investors Group, where she specializes in personal financial planning.
“ I have a holistic approach to people and their finances,” she says. “This involves long-term guidance and relationship building. I help people in a material way.”
At one period in her life, Elizabeth began investigating different churches and faiths. Then some 20 years ago, thanks to a friend, she found Beaches Presbyterian where she immediately felt at home and drawn in by the minister.
“There was an excellent minister, Rev. Drew Strickland. He delivered terrific sermons. They were relevant, creative and full of humour,” she says.
At Beaches Presbyterian, Elizabeth taught Sunday school, was a part of a building committee and also involved with the annual reading of A Christmas Carol, a fundraiser for the church. With the help of Tom Allen, a CBC Radio host and church member, celebrities, such as TSO conductor Peter Oundjian, Canadian rocker Feist, and actor Colm Feore have participated over the years.
Elizabeth loves the Beaches Christmas Eve service that habitually concludes with everyone holding candles and the singing of Silent Night until the last candle is extinguished. She also looks forward to Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday, commemorating The Last Supper) when the church organizes an annual soup, bread, cheese and dessert potluck. Elizabeth’s contribution is her fool-proof corn chowder.
Elizabeth’s Easy Corn Chowder
(Makes 10-12 servings)
I big cooking onion diced
I celery stalk chopped
4 strips bacon
Pinch of dried rosemary
1 large new potato diced (scrubbed, but not peeled)
1 litre Eden’s natural soy milk (regular milk will do)
1 ½ cup corn niblets (drained)??
Salt & pepper to taste
Nob of butter
Method
Cut bacon strips into small pieces. In a soup pot, saute bacon, onion, celery, rosemary, salt and pepper.
Meantime boil the potato, approx. 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potato with some of the cooking liquid to the pot.
Add soy milk, corn and butter. Cook for ten minutes. *Do not allow to boil.
(Option: Add clams or oysters)
