… that Cool-Aid, Victoria’s downtown shelter organization, was started by SJD parishioners?
… that a parishoner gave her 14th birthday gift of money towards the fall emergency night shelter at SJD. Harold bought a chocolate for each of our Cool-Aid guests – and the homeless guests were sincerely touched by the power of gifts. A bit of fish & bread indeed…
… that St John The Divine is often mentioned by name as an example of an active parish by the Primate?
… our Primate Andrew Hutchinson really does sing the praises of St.
John the Divine, Victoria, when he moves through our country? The Rev Karen
Fast: He said he did when he was here for his Noon Forum presentation last
March, but Catherine MacKenzie & I were witnesses to the fact a week
later in March when we were at National Church healthy parishes symposium.
The Primate and his wife Lois joined the seventy odd delegates for Friday dinner. Afterward we all sat in one large circle. With incredible memory Andrew, from his chair, spoke to everyone gathered, making connections with parishes & people he knew. When he came to Catherine & me he immediately spoke of St. John's strong connections with the greater community and held us up as a model for other parishes. He talked about how two years ago the Mayor of Victoria & City Council Members actually came to the Wed. morning 7:15 Eucharist & stayed on for breakfast & discussion. He praised us for our community outreach & social justice awareness & programmes. Obviously we were proud to be from St. John's, part of the Anglican family extended sea to sea to sea.
… The Reverend Eric Snider (worshipper at the 8 am service) has spent many years in service overseas in Central America, & in remote rural Canada (Labrador, northern Ontario) with shared ministries of the Anglican & United church
… Ralf Newton-White (of the 8 am service) has a fascinating presentation of his travels to our companion diocese of Burma/Myanmar. Do contact him if you missed his talk at St John’s in May and more information on how you can help the Nationality Children’s Orphanage of Mandalay.
