A Message from the Dean & Wardens (May 20)

THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES

Thank you to everyone who helped with our farewell to Vicar Louise Peters. It would have been wonderful to be able to do something in person, but these are strange days. A special tip of the hat to Sheila and Maurice Snelgrove for the beautiful job in assembling the Book of Memories for Louise.  Thank you also to those who sent in submissions for it.  We know it meant a lot to her.

Here is a parting message from Louise:

Dear People of St James Cathedral,

My heart is full. I am so very blessed and grateful for your kindness and prayers. I am so grateful for the loving support you have given to me as your Vicar, and for your trust in me as one of your priests in this holy place. It has been a privilege and an honour to serve Christ with you and to be your Vicar. I will always deeply treasure this time and this Cathedral. I promise to keep you in my prayers.

Thank you for the lovely Book of Memories and the many notes and cards sent. I am moved and humbled by your loving kindness. I am sad that we were prevented from seeing each other face to face, but I will savour these notes and memories shared. Thank you.

St James is a remarkable place. You are a remarkable community. God has done and will continue to do miraculous things through this Cathedral and the people of this place. I pray that Christ’s light will continue to shine here, and I pray that you may continue to be a “symbol of God’s presence and love in this city”.

Keep “proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, providing spiritual sanctuary and beautiful worship from the best of our Anglican tradition; offering welcome and radical hospitality, healing hope and faith formation.” Keep reaching out to the neighbourhood and world, that so needs the light and hope of the One whom we follow – Christ, who is our salvation. I pray that the Spirit equips you to continue in this vital mission and ministry.

Thank you. Thank God for you. It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve you and serve God in this place. My heart is full. My heart is grateful.

With love, your Vicar –
Louise

VICAR’S RESPONSIBILITIES MOVING FORWARD

We will not be moving to fill the role of Vicar until things become clearer after the pandemic has ended.  In the meantime, The Dean and Fr. Andrew have divided up the crucial responsibilities pertaining to that role. Any questions you would normally have asked the Vicar, such as liturgical or pastoral care inquiries, should be directed to amacdonald@stjamescathedral.ca and he will direct you accordingly. Please remember that we now have two clergy doing the work of three clergy, so please be patient and understanding. Many thanks to Fr. Andrew for taking on extra work at this time.

COFFEE AND DISCUSSION WITH THE DEAN

Beginning on Monday morning at 10:00am, the Dean will hold a discussion group on the Sunday homily.  You are most welcome to grab a coffee and bring your insights and questions as we open the word together. Please be sure to participate in the service on Sundays at 11:00am or watch it later at your leisure. To register for this Zoom gathering, please contact the office. An invitation will be sent weekly to link into the discussion group.

2020 VISION

We have decided to improvise! Since we cannot meet in person to begin initial discussions around forming our Cathedral Vision, we will use technology. If you would like to take part in these discussions, there are two options for you to choose from: either you can be part of a video conference Zoom meeting or you can be part of an audio conference call. To sign up, please email Carol Kysela at mckysel@gmail.com.  Once we have the names and how people prefer to participate, we will organize the participants into small groups and send you the questions for discussion. We hope you can be part of this exciting time in our common life at St. James! Many thanks to Carol and Ed McDonough for acting as our registrars for these “gatherings”.

STAYING CONNECTED

Thank you for your love and support during this period in the life of St. James. We invite you to continue to link to the Cathedral’s website and Facebook page for updates, Morning Prayer, service listings and inspirational messages. Please remember, you are not alone.

Blessings and peace to you all,
Dean Stephen and Wardens Don & Jayne
svail@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca