Incumbent’s Report, May 21, 2023
As I write, it’s ten days until I depart for a three-month sabbath leave combined with my regular vacation, which will take me out of the office until September 28. By the time I present this report at the meeting, it will be just a week!
I’m working very hard to check off the numerous bureaucratic tasks that need to be taken care of in these last few days, and to establish communication channels and ensure that everyone has the information and documents they need. It’s almost inevitable, though, that there will be something nobody anticipates, and so I trust in the levelheadedness and good sense of the staff, leadership, and people of All Saints’ to cope with whatever needs doing while I’m away!
Easter Season of 2023 has thankfully been far less dramatic than Holy Week. The last weekend in April, I spent 48 hours at the Manoir d’Youville with the Lay Readers of the Diocese, for my first annual retreat as their Warden.
The Confirmation Class has continued to meet and the confirmation service is officially scheduled for May 26 (Trinity Sunday), 2024. We also held an informal youth Game Night on May 12 – the adults brought lots of board games, but the weather was glorious and the kids mostly just wanted to run around outside!
On May 13, we had an excellent meeting to brainstorm our future kitchen-related needs and our wishlist for a possible renovation. The proposal to go forward with identifying and hiring an architect/designer is on the agenda for Sunday’s parish meeting. The Ginger Group has also continued to meet and began really zeroing in on some concrete plans to (re)connect with our neighbourhood.
On May 17, I dropped by Ullivik (the facility in Lachine where Inuit people stay when they come to Montreal to seek medical care) with Nancy Hamilton, and spoke to Rita, the director. She took my card and said they would soon be hiring a full-time staff person who would be responsible for pastoral care; we plan to try to get in touch with that person when they arrive.
On May 18, I went with Ros Macgregor and many others from the Diocese on a pilgrimage tour in Kahnawà:ke, organized by PWRDF. It was, as these things tend to be, both illuminating and heartbreaking.
On May 24, a Chapter meeting will be held. Chapter is a gathering of clergy and lay leaders in the deanery (regional grouping of churches). The Archdeaconry of St. Lawrence has not held a clericus meeting since before the pandemic. The particular topic of this clericus will be children’s and youth ministry. Anyone interested is welcome to attend!
On May 25, I will also be attended the diocesan-sponsored first aid training, which will make it much easier in the long term to ensure that we have a trained person at all church events.
I am looking forward to four months of much-needed rest this summer, but I will miss you all and look forward to returning at the end of September, reconnecting, and catching up! I pray that you too will have the chance for rest and reflection in this season of growth.
In God’s peace,
Grace+
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