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PRESBYTERIAN
FALL 2018
presbyterian.ca
Connection
NEWS
Meeting the Neighbours on the Parking Lot
New President
of the Canadian Council of Churches
The Rev. Stephen Kendall leading in a Canadian Council of Churches worship service.
By Cathy Sosnowsky, West Vancouver Presbyterian Church, B.C.
The first-ever Parking Lot Party at West Vancouver Presbyterian Church emerged from two impetuses: one, a desire to invite the neighbours by, and; two, to celebrate a year of our chil- dren’s choir initiative.
Because we were throwing a neigh- bourhood party, two of our planning team members, Jean Lawrence and Joanne Wallis, were able to obtain a $500 grant from the West Vancouver Community Foundation, an organiza- tion that promotes neighbourhood relationships, especially cross-cultural events. The grant was used to help pay for our major expense: the renting of a Bouncy Castle, which, with supervision and insurance, cost $448. This feature was well worth it, bringing in children from neighbouring schools and enter- taining our own little songsters.
In reference to cross-cultures, we had our new minister, the Rev. Hein- rich Botha, flipping South African pan- nenkoek all day long. Besides the free pancakes, we offered free hot dogs (courtesy of a member, Doug Rosen- crans, president of 7-Eleven Canada). We know that we had at least 96 at- tending, as that was the number of hot dogs ordered, and eaten!
Another member, Randy Cun- ningham, got together a brass band for the occasion. Dancers learned Latin American dance numbers from Heather Dunn. We had a bake sale and
By Barb Summers, Communications Office
The Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) recently announced that the Rev. Stephen Kendall, Principal Clerk of The Presbyterian Church in Can- ada, has been elected and installed by the Governing Board as President of The Canadian Council of Churches for a three-year term.
“I am very honoured to be in this role,” Stephen said. “I think that the CCC is one of the places that gives
a good glimpse, a tangible experi- ence of the unity of the Christian Church, and this is a precious thing. I’m looking forward to nurturing this, working together with our Governing Board and our member churches to strengthen and deepen this unity... I count it a privilege, in my position with The Presbyterian Church in Canada, to have been involved with the CCC for 20 years.”
To learn more about the CCC visit councilofchurches.ca.
The Rev. Heinrich Botha expertly flips his South African “pannenkoek.” PHOTO CREDIT: NORTH SHORE NEWS
Members of the Sanctuary Choir and our community children’s choir perform a kazoo song.
Doors Are Open in Brockville
a plant sale (by donation). Beverages were served inside so guests could get some relief from the blazing sun of June 16. Face painting, children’s games and Pilates lessons were also offered in the lower hall.
This was intended to be a fun-raising, not a fund-raising event, but we were pleased to break more than even and have enough funds left to plan the sec- ond-annual Parking Lot Party in 2019. The neighbours will be expecting it!
By the Rev. Marianne Emig Carr, First Presbyterian Church
in Brockville, Ont.
First Presbyterian Church in Brock- ville, Ont., has participated in lo- cal “Doors Open” events for many years. This year, because of logistical challenges, the local event was not held. So, the Ontario Heritage Trust organized a smaller “pop-up” event in Brockville on June 23, consisting of eight historically significant sites. First Church’s building, constructed in 1879, and which is listed in the Ontario Registry of Historic Places, was one of the locations chosen.
While a steady rainfall kept num- bers down, enthusiastic volunteers from First Church welcomed 40 visi- tors to see the beautiful sanctuary and learn more about the history of the congregation, which was originally founded in Brockville in 1811. The current building is the third of its kind
From A Seed, A Tree May Grow
By Gary Schellenberger, elder at Avonton Presbyterian Church, Ont.
I remember back some 50 years ago having a conversation with the minister at Avonton Presbyterian Church (near Stratford, Ont.). We stood out on the lawn between the manse and the church building. It was a beautiful morning. During our conversation, the Rev. Bisset (our minister from 1960 to 1977) revealed to me that he felt most in touch with God in the early morning when he arose and looked out the back. He gestured toward the piece of property that was facing the sun- rise in the east. This bit of land had once been a gravel pit that was now growing scrub trees.
Over the years, since that conver- sation, some of those scrub trees
Worship in the Woods on May 13, 2018, at Avonton Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Catherine Calkin preaching.
have grown into a small grove of very large trees. Every time I look at this area, I’m reminded of that morning, many years ago, with the Rev. Bis- set. He planted the seed and the seed grew within me.
The congregation eventually helped to clean the grove up, and we have
been able to have that worship service in that grove and realize what he im- agined some 50 years ago. Not only that, but the bush area is now used for Vacation Bible School and Sunday school games, for a quiet area for visi- tors to sit for a moment, or to wander through and pray.
Doors are open at First Presbyterian Church in Brockville, Ont.
on the site, and the sanctuary seats 750 people. In addition to Sunday worship services, the sanctuary is a very popular venue for concerts and recitals in the community, as it fea- tures excellent acoustics and an 1894 Casavant Frères organ.