ST. ANDREW'S IN ACTION - Spring Edition, 2021 - St. Andrew's Ottawa
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LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA
CONFIRMATION REFUGEES MISSION COLDEST NIGHT
ST. ANDREW’S IN ACTION
Spring Edition, 2021
Allan M. walks 5 km through the streets of Alta Vista as part of the
Coldest Night of the Year walkathon for the Ottawa Mission on Feb. 20
LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA
Fellowship
In This Issue
Join Us at the Book Club! 27
Messages
St. Andrew’s Film Group 27
A Letter from Karen 3 St. Andrew’s Women’s Guild 27
Holy Week and Easter Weekend at St. Men’s Fellowship 28
Andrew’s 3
Greetings from the Kirk Session 4 St. Andrew’s in Action is the
A Message of Hope in Diversity 5 congregational newsletter of St. Andrew’s
Welcome our New Elders! 6 Presbyterian Church, Ottawa.
Christian Education and Youth Please email your articles and photos
(highest possible resolution, please) at any
Confirming Our Faith in a Pandemic 8
time to StAndrewsInAction@gmail.com.
Youth Confirmation (and Affirmation)
at a Distance 10 NOTE: In the case of adults, it is the
practice of St. Andrew’s in Action to use
Our Lenten Journey 10
the full name of those submitting material
Online Lenten Activities for Families 11 and those pictured. In the case of youth,
Faith Formation: only the initial of the last name is used to
A Discussion with Tori Smit 11 ensure privacy in the online edition. This
Vacation Bible School: August 16–20 13 practice can be adjusted for anyone who
does not want their full name used. Such
Tuesday Morning Visio Divina Prayer Time 13
requests should be sent to
Update on Church School 14 StAndrewsInAction@gmail.com.
Mission and Outreach
A Last Message from Kerry Kaiser 15
Rob Robertson — Editor
St. Andrew’s Refugees: StAndrewsInAction@gmail.com
Welcomed to Canada 15
Ken Young — Technical Support
Update on Refugee Sponsorship 16
Christmas Appeal 2020 18 The Rev. Dr. Karen Dimock — Minister
kd@standrewsottawa.ca
White Gift Sunday 2020 18
A Refugee Success Story 19 Thomas Annand, FRCCO — Director of
Music: music@standrewsottawa.ca
Coldest Night of the Year Walkathon 21
Community Laundry Co-operative— Sydney McIntosh — Christian Education
Looking to the Future 22 Co-ordinator: sj@standrewsottawa.ca
News from the Marco Depestre Vivian Leir — Church Office Administrator
Foundation of Ottawa 22 office@standrewsottawa.ca
Centretown Emergency Food
Centre Update 24
www.StAndrewsOttawa.ca
Pastoral Care
facebook.com/StAndrewsOttawa
Pastoral Care News 25
82 Kent Street, Ottawa K1P5N9
Love Is… 26
613.232.9042
LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA
follow him, Jesus had risen and returned and
Messages they would find him where they always had,
bringing the redeeming love of God to all
A Letter from Karen God’s people.
As we move through Lent towards Holy Week To live in Christ is to live in a world where
and Easter, I am particularly taken this year by reality is not what it would otherwise seem.
the image from the Empty Tomb that our Neither sin nor death have the final word in
graphic designer Kaitlyn has created for our our lives because in the darkness, before the
Easter worship this year. Very often pictures of dawn, Christ has risen and gone ahead of us
the Empty Tomb are either from the outside into the world. A new day has dawned and
looking into a dark hole or else they provide a wherever we go he will be there assuring us
view of the inside of the tomb bathed in light. that we are loved, we are forgiven and we need
Perhaps it is because of how much of the last not fear death.
year has been spent inside and shut away from As we see in Kaitlyn’s picture this is promise,
so many of you, that I see so much hope and this is invitation, opportunity and new
opportunity beckoning in this picture. Christ is beginning. Even as we enter into the second
risen and he has gone ahead of us into the year of pandemic and approach our second
world, there we will find him! Easter apart, the Good news of the Risen
Christ continues to greet us and welcome us
and invite us into the life of God’s own self.
Thanks be to God!
Holy Week and Easter
Weekend at St. Andrew’s
Day by Day: Check out the website during
Holy Week (from Palm Sunday to Easter
Sunday, March 28 to April 4) for an interactive
experience that takes us through the day-by-
day events of the last week of Jesus’ life.
Created by the Synod of Central, Northeastern
Ontario and Bermuda (Presbyterian Church in
Canada) and the Foothills Presbytery
This is the Good News that greets us as we (Presbyterian Church USA), this resource
come to the end of our Lenten Journey. In brings together devotions, storytelling, music,
Jesus, God has entered into human suffering crafts and meditations for all ages. With a
on the cross, he has taken on all the sin and simple “click” you will find yourself included in
brokenness of the world and entered into the cries of “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday, find
death itself and out of all of this something yourself seated at the table of the Last Supper
new has happened… with the Disciples, and brought into the
garden of Jesus’ arrest, his trial and
For the first disciples, resurrection was not
crucifixion. Finally we will arrive together at
what they were expecting when they went to
the day of “Alleluia’s” and the celebration of
the tomb that first Easter but it met them there
Jesus resurrection.
anyway. Regardless of their own failures to
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Worship Services It seems like an obvious thing to say: that hope
is important. But what happens when hope is
Palm Sunday: With a virtual Palm Parade we
hard to hold onto? When everything is turned
welcome Jesus, crying Hosanna and blessed is
upside down? When fear sits where hope used
the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
to? We adapt. We learn to live with fear and
Our Sunday service of worship is available
uncertainty because we have no choice. But as
from 9:15 onwards on YouTube.
I said to many of you on February 28, I pray
Maundy Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m.: that we do not learn to live without hope.
Remembering and celebrating the last supper
Holding onto hope doesn’t mean there aren’t
together. This is an event for all ages,
still bad days, and there aren’t still people
gathering on Zoom to remember the story of
suffering, grieving and struggling just to get
how the meal we call communion began with
through the day. It means that on those days
Scriptures, storytelling and music.
we have to make an intentional effort to turn
Good Friday, April 2: Service of music, towards God and place everything in God’s
Scripture and Prayer with Reverend Dimock hands, because that, I believe, is the power of
and Tom Annand. This service will be available hope: that the future you are entrusting to God
on YouTube from 9:15 onwards and for those is better than the present you hold in yours.
wishing to gather for this, we will do so on
I know for many of us, one of our hopes is to
zoom at 10 a.m.
be able to come together once again in the
Easter Sunday, April 4: Proclaiming the Good sanctuary of St. Andrew’s. Kirk Session met on
News of the Risen Christ! Our Sunday service March 1 and based on recommendations from
of worship is available from 9:15 onwards on PTI, has agreed that the following criterion
YouTube. must be in place before we consider opening:
that Ottawa must spend 3 consecutive
Greetings from the Kirk weeks in the yellow zone before PTI and
Kirk Session consider re-opening the
Session
sanctuary for worship. Once the decision is
Heather Pilkey, made to re-open the sanctuary, there will
Administrative Clerk necessarily be a period of time spent in making
sure the sanctuary is ready; however, it is
May the God of hope fill you hoped that by the fourth consecutive Sunday
with all joy and peace as you in the yellow zone, we could be open for
trust in him, worship.
so that you may overflow with Similar considerations will be followed
hope regarding programmes and rentals, but they
by the power of the Holy Spirit. will not resume at the same time as we re-open
Romans 15:13 the sanctuary for worship. It is hoped they will
In my annual message at the congregational follow some weeks later.
meeting I talked about the importance of hope. As we journey through Lent into Easter and
It helps us in the dark times, lifts us up and experience anew the power and promise of the
provides the strength we need to persevere. It resurrection, I believe there is much to be
is something we strive desperately to hold hopeful about, both in the wider world and
onto, and it can be devastating when we think here at St. Andrew’s.
it is lost.
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Hope is a small word, but it is powerful, and I The conversation with Dr. Augustine was very
pray that we continue to carry it with us rich and engaged. It mainly focused on: 1) role
always. models, inspiring hopes and passions; she
revealed to us who were the women who have
been her role models, who have inspired her
A Message of Hope in and gave her hope, including her grandmother
who had always encouraged her when she was
Diversity still a little girl. 2) Black History Month; being
Dr. Laurentine Mouchingam Mefire the mother of this event occurring annually,
In November 2020, the regular Women’s she walked us through the history of its
Breakfast at St. Andrew’s Church Ottawa creation and provided her thoughts on the
welcomed the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, potential benefits that the Black Lives Matter
the first Black woman elected to Parliament. movement could bring to it. 3) Women in
politics and leadership; based on her
experiences at the federal Cabinet table, it was
easy to understand that women bring different
thoughts and approaches to business and
politics and contribute differently to the
political discussions. Whether to embrace a
political career or not, she recommends that
every woman, indeed every person, choose the
cause she wants to fight for and keep her focus
on her goal.
After announcing St. Andrew’s Church
Ottawa’s donation to George Brown College
Jean Augustine Scholarship, the conversation
ended with a prayer; we thanked God on how
it had been a blessing for each member of the
congregation to listen to Dr. Jean Augustine,
hoping that God will allow other such
The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine
opportunities to hear such inspiring people;
Her participation reflected our theme of and also hoping that God will allow members
Finding Blessing in Diversity. Dr. Augustine is of the congregation to continue coming
an emblematic and inspiring figure for together to share experiences, to share ones
Canadians at a time when Kamala Harris selves, to share God’s love; and finally hoping
becomes the first Black and first Asian woman that God will help all members of the
Vice-President of the United States. Dr. congregation to remember that they are the
Augustine has held many posts and received light of the world and may this light continue
many honours, including her service as to shine forever for God’s glory.
Minister of State for Multiculturalism and the
Status of Women.
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Welcome our New Elders!
Heather Pilkey,
Administrative Clerk of Session
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Kirk Session, to introduce our six new elders: Elizabeth Phillipson,
Althea Williams-Goodman, Aisling Boomgaardt, Riley Brockington, Gail Bowes and Tim Patterson.
They have each provided a brief biography of themselves so that you may get to know them a little
better. Over the years they have all demonstrated their dedication and commitment to St. Andrew’s
and I am very excited to be able to welcome them all.
Aisling Boomgaardt
Aisling Boomgaardt grew up at St. Andrew’s, and as a teenager, was
baptized and confirmed. Since becoming a member she has stayed
involved with the life of the church, mainly through the Christian
Education Committee. Under Jeanie Hicks’ guidance, Aisling became a
Church School assistant, teacher, and eventually Superintendent;
currently she co-leads youth group with Sydney. Aisling has
appreciated creating relationships with other members during informal
times, such as organizing the annual retreat to Gracefield Camp, classes
on Wednesday Evenings and assisting at VBS. One of the formative
moments in her life was taking part in the PCC’s Youth In Mission trip
to India, where she created connections that extended to a partnership between St. Andrew’s and the
church in Amkhut. A highlight of her life within the congregation has been to lead trips to India with
members of St. Andrew’s in 2010 and 2013. Aisling is looking forward to chatting with (and
eventually meeting) the members in her district.
Althea Williams-Goodman
Althea Williams-Goodman has been attending St. Andrew’s since 1996,
along with her husband, Clark, and their two children, Nolan and Dana.
An active member of the church, Althea was a Sunday School teacher for
most of her time at St. Andrew’s, editor of St. Andrew’s in Action for
many years, and Superintendent of Church School; is currently co-
convenor of the Christian Education Committee. Althea is a policy maker
with the federal government. Thankful to have been called to become an
Elder, Althea looks forward to supporting the St. Andrew’s family in
charting and navigating the path ahead.
Elizabeth Phillipson
Elizabeth Phillipson was born and grew up in Montréal, and attended
Concordia University, earning a B.A. (Hons, Magna Cum Laude) in
Classics. She moved to Ottawa for graduate studies at Carleton
University in Aeschylean Greek tragedy, then had a 28-year career with
Scotiabank, ScotiaTrust & ScotiaMcleod.
A chance notice of a tiny advertisement in the Ottawa Citizen in 2007 led
Elizabeth to a ten-year stint as church office administrator at St.
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Andrew’s: a complete turnabout career-wise (but much more fulfilling than investment banking!).
She retired in 2017, then began her volunteer career with the church in various capacities: the
Women’s Guild (flower convenor, crafts), Memorials Committee, Worship & Music Committee,
church archivist & historian, VBS, Doors Open, and just recently was named to the Cutting Edge of
Mission Committee in the national church. She was honoured to take part in two trips with the PCC:
the Moment of Truth Middle East study tour in 2011, and the Healing & Reconciliation: Continuing
the Journey tour to western Canada in 2019.
Elizabeth has felt a call over the past years to the work of St. Andrew’s (beginning when she walked
into the office with her résumé all those years ago!), and was humbled to be nominated, then elected,
to eldership this past autumn.
Gail Bowes
I have been attending St. Andrew’s Church since the late 70’s, drawn here
initially by the wonderful music. I grew up in Halifax, attending St.
Matthew’s United Church. Over the years at St. Andrew’s, I have been
involved in a variety of committees and congregational activities, more
recently the Fair Trade Table and the handbell choir. My husband Bob and
I have 2 daughters, Kelly and Jennifer, and 4 grandchildren, living in
Denver and Toronto. During the past year, Zoom calls have had to suffice
for personal gatherings.
Riley Brockington
Riley was baptised in the United Church and was confirmed in the Presbyterian Church by Rev. Bill
McLellan at St. Giles (Ottawa) in 1999. In 2007, Riley and his family transferred to St. Andrew’s.
Riley serves on the Christian Communications Committee, attends the Men’s Fellowship and has
produced a number of Christmas pageants. He is the past Rentals Manager
for our church.
Riley firmly believes in expanding our footprint in the community,
welcoming new members and achieving long-term financial stability.
Although a few years away, Riley feels passionately about hosting a year-
long celebration to mark St. Andrew’s 200th anniversary in 2028.
Riley is the proud father to Hannah and Katie, and all three are lifelong
residents of Ottawa.
Tim Patterson
Tim Patterson grew up in the community of Harvey in SW New Brunswick.
As a youth he attended Knox Presbyterian Church and was very involved
with the youth ministry and music program. He obtained a BA from
Dalhousie University and a PhD in geology from the University of
California, Los Angeles. He joined the faculty at Carleton University in 1988
and is currently a full professor with a primary research interest in climate
change and the environment. Tim met his future wife Elizabeth in Ottawa
and during their 28 years of marriage raised their three children together.
The family made St. Andrew’s their new church home 10 years ago and have
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been involved in many church activities. Tim was previously ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian
Church and looks forward to continuing the role at St. Andrew’s. He plans to use his appointment as
elder to further grow in his Christian faith and to perform his duties to the best of his ability in the
service of the congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Christian Education and Youth
Confirming Our Faith in a Pandemic
Aisling Boomgaardt
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1
In February 2020, when Sydney, Scott Inrig, and
myself began planning and leading the youth
Confirmation Classes, we thought we would be
celebrating the introduction of new members at
Easter. As we are all aware, those plans changed.
Each youth had been partnered with an adult mentor,
who strived to provide loving and prayerful guidance
during a challenging time.
Last fall seven youth made the decision to affirm their
faith publicly. On the afternoon of November 29,
2020 we welcomed new members Andromeda, Charlie M., Hannah B. and Tyrese S.
Briana, Declan, Helaina, Myrina, Theo and Tyrese at
an online service.
The following are a few thoughts from four of the youth regarding what taking part in Confirmation
classes, as well as becoming a member of St. Andrew’s, meant to them.
Briana N.:
“The confirmation classes at St. Andrew’s church were a wonderful experience for me. The learning
environment was very welcoming and fun. The mentors guided us in our studies on the Bible and
were very involved in our growth as Christians. The confirmation classes helped me build more faith
in Christ and taught me about the love of God. It heavily impacted my life and I’m grateful to have
been able to share the experience with my peers.”
Andromeda B.:
“The confirmation classes are a great way to show our involvement in the church community. I
enjoyed spending time with my peers while learning more about God.”
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Theo P.:
“The activities we did together were fun during the Communicants’ class and it was fun to hang out. I
liked the Zoom service because lots of people were able to participate. My Gramma and Grampa
wouldn’t have been able to see it if it hadn’t been on Zoom.”
Declan S.:
”To me, the confirmation classes meant that I could finally be a part of the church community. I was
fortunate to make a lot of new friends and meet a lot of new people thanks to the confirmation classes
as well. The confirmation classes were also great opportunities to learn new things. I would never
have guessed that shortly after our classes were finished that we would be in a pandemic and doing
our confirmation online! It was still very special to me and meant a lot. I also wanted to thank
Minister Karen, Sydney, and Aisling, and my mentor Rob Sheffield for guiding us through, and to the
bigger St. Andrew’s community for welcoming us as full members.”
Briana N., Tyrese S., Theo P., Declan S. and Sydney
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“I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude
Youth Confirmation (and for all that God has given me, and
Affirmation) at a Distance especially as I have responsibilities in
relation to you. Living then, as every one of
Farid Ayoub you does, in pure grace, it’s important that
At the end of November last year, I was glad to you not misinterpret yourselves as people
be part of the Zoom confirmation service for who are bringing this goodness to God. No,
nine St. Andrew’s youth, likely the church’s God brings it all to you. The only accurate
first. Even though I couldn’t be there “live”, way to understand ourselves is by what
one of the upsides of the pandemic is that we God is and by what he does for us, not by
have become more resourceful and tech savvy. what we are and what we do for him.”
Can’t be there? Not a problem: record myself,
upload the video and a few clicks later, it’s as if Our Lenten Journey
I were there.
Laura McGregor
The journey to that confirmation service has
As we experienced last year, we are unable to
been a learning experience for myself, as much
journey together through Lent into the glories
as it was for the youth whom we mentors
of Easter but we have found a way to take this
accompanied. Indeed, it was an opportunity
journey virtually. For our Wednesday Evening
for me to re-discover my faith through fresh
Studies, we are contemplating a video series
and younger eyes, while fielding some
entitled The Walk: Five Essential Practices of
thoughtful questions from the communicants,
the Christian Life by Adam Hamilton.
especially on living one’s faith in the “outside
Hamilton is an engaging speaker who is
world”.
inspired to speak to us of five spiritual
Theo, the youth I was mentoring, set for us practices which will help us walk closer with
both the goal of reading the book of Job in its God. Each of these practices is intended as
entirety. Not an easy feat. The questions the part of our daily walk with Christ while also
book of Job raises are challenging. Why do being an essential part of growing together in
calamities befall God’s loyal and faithful the church.
servants? I won’t expound on the litany of
Ably led by Sydney, we start the evening with
interrogations here but suffice it to say that we
some catch-up conversation and prayer
wrestled with the same thoughts as every
followed by a video viewing. Week One spoke
reader of that book. In stark contrast with that
to the importance of Prayer in our daily
difficulty, it was affirming that although Theo
contemplations and encouraged us to pray five
already had a sense of what he was getting
times daily, once upon waking, once with each
himself/us into with the choice of this book, he
meal and once at the end of the day. This is a
didn’t blink. He was committed to the cause,
precious time alone with God to express our
even when we couldn’t meet in person
gratitude and praise, to speak of our worries
anymore. As we were able to connect on the
and cares and to pray for our friends and
phone, we continued discussing how we might
family and ourselves. Even if you don’t feel you
emulate Job’s qualities and nurture our trust
can express yourself as fully as you would like,
in God in the face of hardship.
a word of thanks always strikes the right note.
In closing, I am reminded of Romans 12:3, And prayer can give us the opportunity to walk
taken from Eugene Peterson’s The Message wherever Jesus wants to go.
version, which I discovered when reading
scripture at the confirmation service:
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Although by the time you read this, we will and GRANDPARENTS play an especially
have wandered down a few more paths with important role too!
Hamilton, I would encourage you to join us in
Following the workshop, Rev. Karen and I
this and in our upcoming studies. There’s
decided it would be lovely to provide families
always room on Zoom for you. For further
with a story bible that Tori recommended as a
information, visit the website
Christmas gift. We chose the beautiful story
(www.standrewsottawa.ca) or contact Laura
bible, Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible,
McGregor (laura.mcgregor@corel.com).
by Elizabeth F. Caldwell. We hope your
families have enjoyed using it as much as we
Online Lenten Activities for have.
Families Please find a list of resources she provided in
Go to the St. Andrew’s Website at her workshop below. They are excellent
www.standrewsottawa.ca and scroll down to resources for families to check out. I have
“Lenten Activities for Families” for fun added a “Sydney’s Pick” beside the ones I love
interactive stories, crafts, songs, and activities! to use.
Children’s Bibles
Faith Formation: A
Pre-school
Discussion with Tori Smit
The Beginner’s Bible for Toddlers, by Kelly
Sydney McIntosh Pulley (Oxford: Candle Books, 2007).
Christian Education Coordinator
The Beginner’s Bible: Timeless Children’s
This past October of Stories (Grand Rapids: Zonderkidz, 2005).
2020 we were blessed 365 Story Bible, by Meg Wang and
to welcome Tori Smit, Heather Stuart (Thorold, ON: Anno
who is the Regional Domini Publishing, 2010).
Minister for Faith
Early Primary
Formation. She ran a
very helpful Christian Spark Story Bible (Minneapolis: Augsburg
education workshop Fortress, 2009).
called, Please Pass
Early to Mid-Primary
The Faith: Best
Practices For Sharing Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible, ed.
Your Faith With Your by Elizabeth F. Caldwell and Carol
Children And Wehrheim (Louisville: Westminster John
Grandchildren. Knox Press, 2018). Sydney’s Pick!
The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories
Tori explored questions with us such as, “Are
(Oxford, England: Lion Publishing, 1995).
families sharing their faith? Are the kids
listening? Does your faith matter to them? Will Bibles for reading levels
they grow up with a faith of their own that
Grade Six - The Bible in Today’s English.
speaks to them and lasts a life-time?”
Another great one is Good News for
She ended the session by discussing how Modern Man: Today’s English Version
PARENTS have the MOST CRITICAL New Testament in Color, by the American
influence on the ongoing faith of their children Bible Society.
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Grade Eight - New Revised Standard Holly Catterton Allen ed. (Eugene, Oregon:
Version. A great one is Spark Bible NRSV Cascade Books, 2008).
by Augsburg Fortress.
Newsletters, Blogs and Apps
Great theory and practice books for
The blog Bread Not Stones: Feeding the
families
Spiritual Lives of Children is written by a
(These books increase in depth and from Presbyterian Minister in the US and is an
practical to theoretical as the list progresses). excellent resource for parents and
congregations of thoughts and ideas for
Everyday Family Faith: Simple Practices
connecting faithfully with children at home
and Activities for Building Faith at Home,
and church. www.breadnotstones.com.
Sandy Swartzentruber (Grand Rapids:
The blog Faith In Homes comes out of the
Faith Alive, 2019). Sydney’s Pick!
UK with lots of simple and enjoyable ways
Faithful Families: Creating Sacred
of worshipping and practicing our faith as
Moments at Home (previously Seamless
a family. www.faithinhomes.org.uk
Faith: Simple Practices for Daily Family
The Fuller Youth E-Journal is a bi-weekly
Life), Traci Smith (St. Louis: Chalice Press,
emailed resource for youth workers and
2017). Sydney’s Pick!
parents of youth focussing on no-cost
Prayers for Faithful Families: Everyday
resources and research and articles on how
Prayers for Everyday Life, Traci Smith
to make faith stick with youth.
(Minneapolis: Beaming Books, 2020).
Storypath is a blog out of Union
Dear Parent: A Guide for Family Faith
Theological Seminary connecting
Formation, Laura Keeley and Robert J.
children’s literature with our faith story.
Keeley (Grand Rapids: Faith Alive, 2019).
Wonderful recommendations for books
Homegrown Handbook for Christian
that make great gifts, library loans,
Parenting: 111 Real-Life Questions and
children’s stories in worship, and church
Answers, Karen DeBoer (Grand Rapids:
library purchases can be found here:
Faith Alive, 2010).
http://storypath.upsem.edu.
Shaped By God: Twelve Essentials for
Vibrant Faith @ Home has been created
Nurturing Faith in Children, Youth and
by a group of primarily mainline
Adults, Robert J Keeley, ed. (Grand
Protestant ministers, educators and church
Rapids: Faith Alive, 2010).
leaders who are passionate about
Dwelling: Helping Kids Find a Place in providing resources and ideas for life-long
God’s Story, Jessie Schut (Grand Rapids: faith formation. There is something for
Faith Alive, 2011). every age group at this website:
Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build www.vibrantfaithathome.org.
Lasting Faith in Your Kids, Kara Powell
Traci Smith: faith + family + spirit is a
and Chap Clark (Grand Rapids: website supporting family-friendly faithful
Zondervan, 2011). activities and practices. This is a good
Real Kids, Real Faith: Practices for companion to Faithful Families, and
Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives, Prayers for Faithful Families, her books
Karen Marie Yust (San Francisco: Jossey- listed in the bibliography. You can also
Bass, 2004). receive emails with seasonal ideas and
Nurturing Children’s Spirituality: activities as well as book and blog reviews
Christian Perspectives and Best Practices, by signing up for her weekly email called
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Treasure Box Tuesday found on the upper Tuesday Morning Visio
bar of the front page of her site. This
weekly email, great for parents and Divina Prayer Time
educators supporting parents, is filled with Sydney McIntosh
lots of fresh ideas for families. Sydney’s Christian Education Coordinator
Pick!
Join Rev. Karen and Sydney every Tuesday
Wendy Claire Barrie: Faith at Home is a
morning in Lent for Morning Visio Divina
blog of ideas, book reviews and seasonal
Prayer time. Running via Zoom every Tuesday
celebrations for families to practice at
in Lent till March 30 from 8–8:30 a.m.
home. This blog is a companion to her
book Faith At Home: A Handbook for
Cautiously Christian Parents. Wendy is a
parent and Episcopalian Christian
education professional.
Vacation Bible School:
August 16–20
Sydney McIntosh
Christian Education Coordinator
Get excited! Vacation Bible School is
happening this summer. Ages 4-12 welcome to
attend and volunteers of all ages needed. Save
the date! Please contact Sydney if you are
interested in volunteering at
sj@standrewsottawa.ca.
In Our Hands,
More details will be shared on the website by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman.
shortly. inspired by Genesis 9:8–17
You are invited to explore a new approach to
prayer through Visio Divina—exploring prayer
by mediating on scripture and a visual image.
God speaking through art. Visio Divina, Latin
for “divine seeing” is a method of meditation,
reflection and prayer through a process of
intentional seeing. You can attend one or all
sessions as every session is accessible without
prior attendance. Stop in for one session or all
of them. We would love to see you there.
Please contact Sydney, Karen or the Office for
the recurring Zoom link.
Looking forward to welcoming you!
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Update on Church School In March for Women's History Month we will
tell stories that focus on women in our lives
Koko Bate Agborsangaya and the Bible who inspire.
Superintendent of Church School
We started a Bilingual Church school in
Church school has been well attended. It's a November and have held 5 so far which have
chance to get together with friends and sing been very well received. We are always looking
songs, play games, craft and spend time with for volunteers to read stories, reach songs or
God. We have also started setting monthly just share about their lives. Please reach out
themes. In February church we learnt about and share your gift with the kids of St.
Black History Month, focusing on some Andrew’s. The next bilingual church schools
historical facts and learning about will be on April 11, May 2 and June 6.
accomplishments of past and present Black
trailblazers. Nous sommes impatients de vous voir.
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Mission and Outreach
A Last Message from Kerry Kaiser
In December the long-time Director of the Centretown
Emergency Food Centre passed away. For those who knew
her, she defined the term “good and faithful servant.” We
reprint her last message:
Dear friends,
My life has been truly blessed. I have spent almost the
last three decades surrounded by love, hope and
compassion at the Centretown Emergency Food
Centre. The joy that my career at the Centre has given
me has been a miracle and very few people experience
what I have on a daily basis. The volunteers and
donors lifted my heart every day. I was privileged to
work with the amazing volunteers who have become
my second family and whom I love dearly.
The hardest thing I have ever done was to retire; but, during this difficult journey that I am on,
you have all supported myself and my family. You have all given me comfort, thank you.
I am secure in the knowledge that the Food Centre is in good hands and the important work that
you are all doing will continue. The Centre’s most valuable gift is the volunteers who come
together to help those who need us.
Your work is not done yet, maybe one day.
Kerry
St. Andrew’s Refugees: Welcomed to Canada
Jeannette Logan, member of the refugee sponsorship team
How fortunate we are here in Canada to live where we are free of warfare which would threaten our
lives, and that of our children and families. Imagine how it must be to try and cope in such difficult
circumstances.
We at St. Andrew’s have a tradition and a mission to welcome refugees fleeing conflicts and climactic
situations beyond their control. Beginning with the Vietnamese in the 1970’s, known as the boat
people, St. Andrew’s entered into a series of formal undertakings to assist families resettling in
Canada. Thus began our abiding commitment to refugee sponsorship.
St. Andrew’s Ottawa has sponsored a total of between 90 and 100 refugees since that start 50 years
ago.
Skip forward to 2010. St. Andrew’s made a decision to sponsor a family who were Christian refugees
fleeing persecution in Iraq. The Saleems were displaced from their homeland twice before coming to
Canada. They had lived near Mosul in northern Iraq, in a predominately Christian community whose
practice dated back to early Christianity. The Saleems had fled to Syria for the first time in 2006, but
15LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA returned home when they thought it safer. Not for long though as the children were threatened and they fled again to Syria. At this point the family of five was recognized as refugees eligible for immigration to Canada. St. Andrew’s accepted this family for sponsorship. Then the Syrian war intervened and the Canadian Embassy in Damascus closed for 5 years! Members of the church resettlement team who spoke Arabic stayed in contact by telephone while they and we waited. The family finally arrived in 2014. Currently they live in Orleans, and attend a Chaldean Arabic-speaking church. Simultaneously the fate of people in Homs, Syria touched us at St. Andrew’s. I remember being at Gracefield Camp with Huda Kandalaft, our new Christian Education leader at the time. On Saturday evening she received a phone call from her family whose home in Homs had been invaded by fighters. Fortunately they were not hurt, although others in the city were killed. Shortly after, Huda’s parents and sister Nadia had to pack a suitcase and leave. St. Andrew’s assisted other members of Huda’s larger family to come to Canada. First the Al-Ajy’s, husband, wife and young daughter, who arrived in Ottawa in 2016. Rasha, Issa and Bushra have settled well to new life in Canada. Following this, within a year, St. Andrew’s entered into a shared sponsorship arrangement with Knox Presbyterian to welcome Rana Kanawati and her sister’s family, and then we assisted Rana to live independently in Ottawa. And now in 2021, we are preparing to welcome another family of three, a mother and 2 children, who have already fled their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to find temporary refuge in a camp in Uganda. Then COVID-19 hit, and the immigration process stopped once more. The children, now 14 and 17, are no longer in school, and the family and St. Andrew’s wait together for the authorities to complete their application process to allow their departure for Canada. Update on Refugee Sponsorship Nathalie Bradbury, Refugee Sponsorship Coordinator This year 2021 we are all so grateful for the arrival of vaccinations for the COVID-19 virus which bodes well for this pandemic to eventually subside. Like us, our latest sponsored refugee family, the Masanka Mubikayi family, currently living in a refugee camp in Uganda, is also affected by the pandemic. A year ago their refugee application process virtually ground to a halt, and the camp school closed, affecting the education of the two teenagers. We had a sign of optimism very recently when Mrs. Mubikayi was contacted by the Immigration Section at the Canadian High Commission in Tanzania for their childhood vaccinations. We hope that they will be in touch again soon to continue with the next stages in the application process. We continue to prepare for their arrival in several ways. The resettlement team is studying housing and schooling options for the family, and is putting together an inventory of material needs. In addition, church members have shown their great interest in increasing their understanding about refugees and sponsorship. In February, as part of Black History Month, the refugee sponsorship team partnered with the Wednesday Study Group to host an evening on the subject of contemporary Black history, the lived experience of Francophone Black Africans arriving in Ottawa, with two excellent speakers, Mr. Saint-Phard Desir, director-general of CESOC, an immigration resettlement agency specializing in assisting Francophone refugees and immigrants; and Mrs. Evelyne Ntibazonkiza, 16
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program analyst at the Department of Canadian Heritage. Our heartfelt thanks to Laurie McGregor
and to Rev. Karen Dimock for helping to organize an inspiring and well attended evening.
As the family from the DRC that we are sponsoring has two teenagers, I would also like to mention
the NFB documentary film entitled Everybody’s Children selected by Reverend Karen Dimock for
another BHM evening. It is about two young refugees who came to Toronto on their own, one of
whom came from the DRC. See link here to the NFB playlist for Black History Month (all NFB films
are free): www.nfb.ca/playlist/nfb_celebrates_black_history_month
Our next partnership is with the Film Club in early March about the classic film Casablanca, starring
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The film will be discussed from the perspective of the ethical
quandary facing a businessman, owner of a café-bar in wartime Morocco when a fugitive and his wife
visit him, and the conflicting pressures of responding to the demands of the Nazi occupying forces.
Contact Jenefer Curtis, or the St. Andrew’s office, to find out more about the film club. More
educational activities on the subject of refugees are being planned, so stay tuned.
In her article above, Jeannette Logan has spoken eloquently about the history and the tireless
commitment to refugee sponsorship at St. Andrew’s. Through Kirk Session, St. Andrew’s has
consistently demonstrated its support for refugee sponsorship, ever since first committing to respond
to the plight of the Vietnamese boat people in the early 1980s. Most recently, Kirk Session formally
committed to sponsoring a refugee family as often as possible, and more specifically to sponsor the
Masanka Mubikayi family from the DRC. To implement this direction, the mandate of the Mission &
Outreach Committee, and the refugee subcommittee, is to have a sponsorship on the go at all times.
We are required to fund a family for one year but after this we need to start preparing for our next
sponsorship.
Fundraising plays an important part of the sponsorship commitment, given the heavy costs to
provide for a family for one year as they establish themselves in Ottawa. We thank all those who have
contributed over the past year to refugee sponsorship at St. Andrew’s. We also particularly wish to
thank Gail Bowes for her work with the Fair Trade Table. Due to your purchases and her ongoing
efforts, the Fair Trade Table has raised $7,000 towards our current refugee sponsorship endeavour,
for which we are truly grateful.
We need to continue raising funds so that we can reach our target of $35,000 for the Refugee Fund.
There are many ways of giving as you know. Some church members might be in a position to reach
out to people outside the church—colleagues at work, friends and neighbours. Telling them about St.
Andrew’s and our latest refugee sponsorship can open up people’s hearts and their generosity for this
worthy cause.
Your donations can be mailed to the Church office and, by all means, include one of your regular
Sunday envelopes if you wish. Alternatively you may donate on-line through the Church’s website, or
by Interac electronic transfer to donations@standrewsottawa.ca and specify that the donation is
for the Refugee Fund. All individual donations over $20 (or combined with regular church giving)
will receive a tax receipt.
No matter which method you use, please be sure to specify, such as on the comment line, that the
donation is for the Refugee Fund.
In closing, I invite you all to pray for the health and wellbeing of Mrs. Mubikayi and her children as
they wait in the refugee camp in Uganda and work through the application process to come to
Canada.
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Christmas Appeal 2020
Rob Sheffield,
Co-chair of Mission and Outreach
On behalf of Mission and Outreach I would like to thank the
congregation and all individuals who contributed to our
Christmas appeal this year. I was blown away by the
$10,587.75 that was donated this year, surpassing our
previous totals by almost 4 times. The money has been
distributed to Gracefield Christian Camp and Retreat
$2,762.67, to the Kenora Fellowship Centre $6,042.66, to the
Marco Depestre Foundation $937.67 and to Centretown
Emergency Food Centre $838.75.
Because of COVID-19, we did not canvas for the Mitten Tree
this year. We were not in the sanctuary and were concerned
about articles being distributed to the Ottawa Mission and
Bruce House as they were not receiving articles of clothing.
Jacques Charles with Cacia
planted in 2019, in Vialet, Haiti
White Gift Sunday 2020
Jeanie Hicks and the Christian Education Committee
St. Andreans look forward to White Gift Sunday each December when we donate books (wrapped in
white paper) to the library of a community school. 2020 was no different! It was the second year of
our commitment to supply books to Cambridge Street Public School in Centretown.
Although many of its students were born in Canada, Cambridge Street Public School serves a
predominantly multicultural population of students and families originally from locations such as
China, Vietnam, Myanmar, South Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa and South America.
On January 19, 2021, it was my pleasure to deliver a cheque from the Christian Education Committee
of St. Andrew’s Ottawa. Principal, Richie Dosanjh, expressed his thanks for this donation to the
school library. He and Office Administrator, Lucia Chiriboga, were thrilled to be part of the White
Gift Sunday again this year.
18LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA
Additional cheques were delivered in
February and other St. Andreans made
personal donations.
It was such a different experience to visit
a school with no students pre-sent. There
was no noise and no laughter! Richie,
Lucia and staff were looking forward to
welcoming back the students. They all
expressed their sincere thanks for the
support of St. Andrew’s.
We look forward to celebrating White
Gift Sunday and Cambridge Street Public
School when we are back together again
in the Sanctuary.
Blessings, Jeanie
Lucia and Richie express thanks to Jeanie for the donation
to the school library
A Refugee Success Story
Forrest and Morag Livingstone
Two families from Kosovo were sponsored by St.
Andrew’s in 1999. The first family consisted of
Sylejman and Minire Berisha and their four
children: three daughters, Shyrete (11), Mergime
(7), Adelina (2) and a son Driton (5). The second
family was Sylejman’s uncle and aunt, Zahir and
Xhylferie Berisha.
We met the families for the first time at the Army
barracks in Trenton. At this point communication
was a challenge as Sylejman had limited English.
They arrived in Ottawa about two weeks later and
were met by a number of Church members who
helped take them to the accommodation that had Back row: Minire (Mother), Mergime,
been prepared for them. The first year was a busy Sylejman (Father), Shyrete
one for members of Mission and Outreach Front Row: Driton, Shypetim, Adelina
Committee and other supporting members of the Taken at their school in 2005
Church as they helped the families with medical Photo: Forrest Livingstone
and dental visits and other aspects involved with getting settled in Canada. In 2000, Sylejman and
Minire welcomed the birth of their son Shpetim. Zahir and Xhylferie moved after the first year and
we lost contact with them.
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Update on the Family – February 2021
Sylejman and Minire are still living in Ottawa. Sylejman was laid off recently from a construction
company after eighteen years of employment. The three younger children are still living at home.
Shyhrete graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Human Resources. She has been
leading large teams in retail in various roles. Currently she is working for TJX Canada as a Human
Resources, Operations and Customer Service manager. She is married and has two children, a 5 year-
old daughter and a two-year-old son. They live in Ottawa.
Mergime graduated with a Master’s degree in Journalism from Carleton University. Her first job
was working in Communications at the Ottawa Hospital. She married and moved to Toronto with her
husband. She worked as a Communications manager at the office of the Chartered Professional
Accountants of Ontario. She is now working for herself as a Communications consultant and has had
projects with various organizations including the Ontario Pharmacists Association. She has a one-
year old son and is expecting twin girls.
Driton graduated from the University of Ottawa
with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He
has worked as a Work and Safety representative for
JC Sulpher Construction Ltd as well as an assistant
roofing supervisor for TR Flat Roof Repair Ltd. He
is currently seeking a position that would lead him
to qualify as a Professional Engineer.
Adelina graduated from Carleton University with a
Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with a
concentration in accounting. Since then she has
worked with firms in the healthcare and intellectual
property industries. She is in the process of opening
up her own bookkeeping practice. Shypetim, Adelina, Shyrete, Driton
Shpetim is currently a student at Carleton Photo: Driton Berisha
University and is working towards his Bachelor’s
degree in Computer Science.
In June 2005, we attended a ceremony at Mergime’s High School to see her accept an Outstanding
Scholar Award. She is shown in the first photo together with her family. Driton sent us two photos,
the first one showing Shpetim, Adelina, Shyrete and Driton (no date) and the second one Sylejman,
Minire and Shyrete.
In conclusion, the family arrived twenty–two years ago as refugees and by hard work and careful
control of their finances, they are now well established in Canada with four children who have
graduated and one currently in University. The family have to be congratulated for overcoming their
initial difficulties and maintaining their strong family ties.
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Coldest Night of the Year Walkathon
Rob Sheffield
Twelve St. Andreans registered for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year Walkathon. To date we have
raised $2,910 from 40 donors to the Ottawa Mission. This year we all did virtual walks. A very big
THANK YOU to all who participated and all those who donated to the Ottawa Mission.
Some of the Coldest Night
Walkers:
Right: Gail Bowes, Peter Lamont,
Jeanie Hicks and Bob Bowes
Below: Richard and Jan Lauzon
Bottom: Rob Sheffield with Rathlin
the dog in Brewer’s Park
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Community Laundry Co-operative—Looking to the Future
Jeanie Hicks
We’ve received a news update from our CLC Board Chair, Margaret Fallis:
“The Community Laundry Co-operative is still in business and looking to the future.
The CLC started 2020 on a positive note with plans to expand the Social Enterprise Contract
Laundry Service and to improve fundraising and management capabilities. With the arrival of
COVID-19 the life of the Co-op and its many members changed.
The lack of ongoing operational funding and the interruption created by COVID-19 left us feeling
unable to continue operations despite our efforts to revitalize the organization and the real
potential for our Social Enterprise.
Luckily for us, the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Community Foundation, which have always
been strong supporters of the Co-op have stepped up and are making sure that we can stay open
in 2021. The Community Foundation is also looking for partners to help us get to the point that
our Social Enterprise and fundraising can cover all our costs in the future. There is even a bigger
vision of having Community Laundry Co-op outlets across the city doing just what ours is doing
right now.
If you haven’t been to the Co-op for a while, you may not know that we have a new Coordinator/
Counsellor. Yaneth Molano, our former Co-ordinator/Counsellor, made the very difficult decision
to take a new job with the Federal Government but the good news is that at our Member’s
Meeting we gave her a lifetime membership to the Co-op and elected her to our Board of
Directors. Beatriz Banos Matos has taken over her role and is busy supporting members as they
make their way through COVID. In addition, we are thrilled to have hired our first Executive
Director in several years, Phil Robinson, to lead us through the exiting changes that are to come.”
Thank you to St. Andrew’s for the ongoing interest and support. We are thrilled to be able to continue
serving others - One Load at a Time.
News from the Marco Depestre Foundation of Ottawa
Yvette Depestre
In as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to me.
Matthew 25:40
The Directors of the Marco Depestre Foundation of Ottawa (MDFO) thank the congregation of St.
Andrew’s for your generosity. You help us assist some of our sisters and brothers living in dire
circumstances in Haiti. The foundation supports the schooling of children, agricultural and forestry
projects, infrastructure improvements, and provides general humanitarian aid. The following are
some of the highlights of our achievements in 2020.
To begin on a personal note, we are all saddened by the death of our beloved friend Barbara Sawh,
who was a founding member and vice-president of our foundation. Thanks to her compassion and
care, and through the support of Friends of Serviam, six families receive vouchers for much needed
nutritious food. The children are healthier and their school results continue to improve.
22LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA
Generous donations from St. Andrew’s and others
helped finance the building of a cement slab cover
for the cistern and the repair of gutters for the
school at Savannah.
Covered cistern in Savannah. Oct. 3, 2020
MDFO sponsors 46 children with school fees, so that they
can attend school. In general, the children are healthy and
had a successful school year. As well, a total of 900 needy
students from kindergarten to high school benefitted from
a variety of school supplies. Both the children and their
guardians are most grateful for these tools so the students
can attend school.
Students wearing their masks,
holding school supplies at St-Martin
School on November 12, 2020
In spite of insecurity, nurseries in Vialet and Furcy, continued to
function as much as possible. Distribution to small scale farmers
totalled 21,525 seedlings: such as, cashew, avocado, pine, mango,
tamarind, cedar, coffee, cocoa, papayas, mahogany and cherry trees.
Mr. Herno, the agricultural technician, spends a week every month
in each nursery, and visits the beneficiaries of seedlings to provide
guidance and advice. The foundation is also involved with the
Passing-on-the-Kid Project in Fondoux. Children are caring for the
kids under their parents’ supervision.
Sessions on COVID-19 prevention were presented. Masks and flyers
were distributed. In Laboule12, hand washing stations were set up.
Soap and hand sanitizers were distributed. 600 beautiful hand-
made masks were very welcome and timely gifts from Rose Leblanc
A boy and his goat— and Canada Sews Eastern Ontario.
Fondoux, August 2020
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At Christmas, Julia Depestre and her team of volunteers
ensured that dinner boxes of chicken, rice, beans and salad
were distributed in a COVID-19 safe way. Over 1,660 children,
elders, teachers and community members, in five locations,
gave thanks for the food, toys, and toiletries joyfully received.
Briefings on health awareness took place where a doctor was
available.
It is by the grace of God and your goodwill that we achieved
all this in 2020. Please accept our sincere thanks!
An elderly friend enjoying her
meal. December 21, 2020 at
Église St-Pierre de Pétionville
Ladies with coffee seedlings in Furcy,
on July 28, 2020
Centretown Emergency Food Centre Update
Diana Mahaffy
Manager, CEFC
With Spring coming and COVID-19 vaccinations on the horizon, we are hopeful for what the coming
year will bring to the Centretown Emergency Food Centre.
We are still operating under COVID-19 protocols: masking, distancing and sanitizing; reduced
volunteer numbers and pre-packaging bags of food to distribute to the people who come to us for
help. This will continue until COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted from the community at large and
life gets back to ‘normal’ – whatever that is!
We are working with Centretown United Church and with Centre 507 to come up with a plan to use
one of the church’s main floor rooms for a new waiting room on a permanent basis. This will provide
an accessible, well ventilated, welcoming space for people who come to the Food Centre and to
Centre 507. In addition, it will allow us to reconfigure the basement space for more storage and easier
access. We are also looking forward to the day when volunteers are able to come back to work and we
are able to spend more time face to face with our neighbors.
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Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care News
Colleen Ferris,
Pastoral Care Convenor
The Lenten journey for me is one of growth and reflection. As we come upon the one-year
anniversary of the global pandemic being declared and moving to a predominantly virtual world, it is
hard not to reflect and give thanks for the work of many during this time.
Firstly, much gratitude and appreciation to the Pastoral Care Connectors. The Connectors came
together more formally during this period, though recognizing that many of these connections were
occurring pre-pandemic. Throughout this year this group, through virtual means and phone calls,
kept in touch with many of our St. Andrean’s family. Before the Christmas season, they also helped
drop off some treats or plant/flowers to bring some cheer.
Secondly, through the work and dedication of our minister Rev. Dimock, the Pastoral Care
Committee, Hugh Dimock for audio-visual and technology, and Gregory Schneider and Pat Beckett
for their musical talent, we were able to hold a virtual Blue Christmas Service on December 21 with
over 25 in attendance. This service has always been one that provides quietness and grace during
what can be a difficult time to many. Given the year that passed, the Committee felt it was important
that we found a way to offer this service and fellowship time.
While we continue to live in a physically-distanced world, we are working to keep the social
connections. Please know we always welcome St. Andreans to our pastoral work and if interested in
learning more would love to hear from you.
25LENT AND EASTER 2021 WWW.STANDREWSOTTAWA.CA Love Is… Dilys Williams This is a drawing I did in my virtual, grief art therapy session, moving a pencil randomly around on paper and finally used conte to bring out this image. 26
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