Page 3 - Presbyterian Connection – Spring 2021

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completed in 2018. It felt as if this building had been built for this mo- ment, for this need. The Nest was able to comfor tably house the women, and our staff were able to provide this sanctuary to those who needed it most. Every guest had a room of her own with a private bath- room. Our kitchen staff prepared three meals a day, along with plenty of coffee and snacks. Shelter staff were always available for support to the women and camp staff. And af- ter a couple of days, the guests and staff had settled into a new routine.
The camp housed guests for over three months. During that time, regular overnight and day camps as well as the “Kintail on the Road” program were all cancelled. All our retreats and rental groups were can- celled. While we were making those sad decisions, we knew that minis- try was still taking place and that the Camp Kintail site was being used to share God’s love and welcoming embrace. It was a real gift for the camp to continue to provide minis- try in such a difficult time.
Even after our guests relocated to more permanent housing, our rela- tionship with the shelter continued to grow. The Interim Executive Director had been travelling weekly to Goder- ich, and she stayed at Camp Kintail while she was working in the area. We hosted shelter staff meetings, as our space allowed for physical distancing and outdoor meetings, which their building was unable to do safely. Likewise, we hosted the annual meeting for the shelter on the Bluevale Deck of Harmony House (the camp’s original dining hall). The Huron Women’s Shelter, and two other shelters, have since hosted retreats and respite for their staff at Kintail. We hope that this re- lationship and par tnership strength- ens and grows in the years to come.
While this was a year of global ca- lamity that we hope will never be re- peated, gifts and graces still abound- ed. The Interim Executive Director of the Huron Women’s Shelter, Corey
SPRING 2021
Connection
PRESBYTERIAN
3 Connection
Presbyterian Connection is a quarterly newspaper published by the national office of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Barb Summers, Editor
Sarah Curd, Managing Editor Heather Chappell, Copy Editor
Thank you to all volunteer contributing writers.
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Moderator of the
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The Rev. Amanda Currie ________________________
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The national office of The Presbyterian Church in Canada is on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Petun, Seneca and, most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit Indigenous peoples.
FEATURE
Camp Kintail is a place to grow and learn on Lake Huron. PHOTO CREDITS: HANNAH DICKIE & CHRISTIN GILLARD
Allison, wrote, “I think it is a special par tnership that happened, and re- flects a spirit of radical love that’s needed to transform the world. I feel really strongly about the kindness and generosity we as an organiza-
tion (and our women) experienced at Kintail.”
During a time when it was difficult to know how to help, it was won- derful to be able to provide a peace- ful and healing space, nourishing
food and Christian hospitality. The Nest became a home, a safe place to land, for women who needed it most. Camp Kintail was much qui- eter this year, but the ministry was just as life-giving.
PRESBYTERIAN
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY
The Connection Keeps Connecting
By the Rev. Ian Ross-McDonald, General Secretary,
Life and Mission Agency
Since the first edition of the Presby- terian Connection newspaper was printed in the spring of 2017, the distribution list has grown signifi- cantly. We now print nearly 17,500 copies for readers across the coun-
try. While the newspaper is for and about Presbyterians in Canada and our work with global par tners, it has gained a growing readership beyond the PCC.
In addition to widening its audi- ence, the newspaper has also more than doubled in length to accom- modate the increasing number of submissions we receive about the
creative and faithful work being done in the PCC. Unfortunately, we can’t print everything we receive, but we do what we can to include a maximum number of items from denominational committees, col- leges, missions and congregations across the country. We have taken a number of steps in this edition and in future publications of the
newspaper to maximize space for more stories from the church’s ministries and to present them in an integrated way that shows how connected our work is in service to the One who connects us.
If there are stories or topics you would like to see in the newspaper, please email me at imcdonald@ presbyterian.ca.
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