Crosstalk — November 2022

Crosstalk

Indigenous women and children lift their voices on September 30 on Parliament Hill

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

The autumn sun shone bright and warm on the second National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Ottawa on September 30. And for the second time, the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada, a non-profit run by Indigenous women, organized the “Remember Me,”gathering on Parliament Hill. Anglicans were among the crowd of thousands, largely wearing orange in support of Orange Shirt Day; they heard inspiring words from Indigenous women as well as songs and prayers from Indigenous children from several communities.

Thanking the many volunteers and donors who made the gathering possible, organizer Jenny Šâwanohk Sutherland described the group’s original vision.

“When we initially thought of this ceremony, we wanted it to be equivalent to Remembrance Day and the honouring of veterans. We’re here to honour and remember all of these children who we lost to the war against Indigenous people in the land. And so we wanted to do our version of a moment of silence, but we are decolonializing it, and we’re using our drums and the sacred heartbeat that we share with each other and with our

beautiful mother earth.”

Throughout the gathering, care and respect were shown to survivors of residential schools. The day included presentations of 40 eagle feathers.

Algonquin Elder Claudette Commanda of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation welcomed everyone:

“Today is a day to honour, to remember all those children, our relatives who did not make it home, who continue to lie in those unmarked graves,” she said. “But it is also a day that we show them love. …

“It is a day to honour survivors. It’s a day to remember. It’s a day to reflect,” she said. “It is a day for you Canadians

to listen, to learn, to understand, to have it in your heart and in your spirit to feel the beauty of Indigenous people, the strength and resilience of survivors, but to learn history…so take that truth, reflect on it and know that reconciliation is not only about Sept. 30, reconciliation is about learning about the impacts of colonization, the trauma of residential schools, day schools, child welfare system, murdered and missing Indigenous women, the loss of land and natural resources.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CANADIAN HERITAGE

On Sept. 19, Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa was at the centre of Canada’s commemoration of the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The ceremony, broadcast nationally, was attended by former prime ministers and many dignitaries. It Included speeches, prayers and music both sacred and secular. Pictured above is former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, who paid tribute to a woman she admired and praised as “the essence of equanimity.” Crosstalk’s Special Report starts on page 6.

FROM OUR BISHOP

Stay warm in heart and spirit when the chill winds blow

more vivid for we who live on land where November is so pronounced.

I am fond of November, a month when nature shifts from the richness of autumn, with its pungent smells, colourful leaves, golden days, and temperate weather, to a kind of stark, minimalist beauty.

The readings in our lectionary in this season before Advent frequently take on an urgent tone, reminding us of the need to attend to earthly things so we are ready for the heavenly things which will come upon us suddenly and unexpectedly. There are some spectacularly apocalyptic passages in the last Sundays after Pentecost, which often bring to mind some of the frightening scenes we recall on Remembrance Day (not to mention some of the current scenarios we hear of today, concerning climate, nuclear and economic threats).

But November in the land where we dwell is oblivious to all of these things. It is a month that prepares the earth for winter, slowly freezing the soil as it becomes covered in a new layer of leaves, under skies that are often solemn or bright with sunlight that comes from a sharper angle in the horizon. There is less shade without the foliage of deciduous trees when the sun is shining, and more sky to see on grey days.

I love cool, crisp, solemn November days when tree trunks stand tall and hoarfrost gathers on branches, dry leaves, needles, and the stalks of grasses and plants. Walking on such sombre days is invigorating, with little fear of overheating or sunburn. A nice roadway or forest path, even city sidewalks and parks, become a bit

magical and more contemplative with a touch of November frost. November is a pathway into winter, as the triptych of spring, summer and fall slowly closes, and we are drawn into the last days of the year. Perhaps that is why some of the lectionary readings which remind us of the shortness of life and the imminence of death become

In a reading from Luke that comes our way in mid-November of this year, we will hear Jesus speaking about apocalyptic things: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.” He speaks of many unpleasant scenarios (some eerily similar to things happening in the world just now), but he tells his followers to take heart, because challenging situations create opportunities to testify to God’s powerful love.

He tells his followers to be unafraid of moving forward—to move along the path of life with confidence and trust—even with curiosity and a sense of adventure, because “not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

At our baptism we were signed with the cross and made Christ’s own forever. When hoarfrost appears around us, when the skies are filled with solemn portent, when the air starts to bite the skin, it means a new season is dawning; and when the world seems to be filled with scary things, it means God’s love is needed.

Each one of us carries a spark of the fire of God’s love within us—a love that abides in us now and will receive us when we die. So, stay warm in heart and spirit when the chill winds of fear and foreboding blow against you, and steadfastly seek to share God’s love in all you think, all you do, all you say, and all you pray, every day of your life; and walk gently on the path God opens before you.

The Rev. Canon Catherine Ascah has been appointed as the Incumbent for St. Bartholomew’s, Ottawa, effective March 13, 2023.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

A November day in Meech Creek Valley.

Trinity House welcomes students into community

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

Trinity Church in Old Ottawa South celebrated the opening of Trinity House, its new intentional community for students and young adults on Sept. 18.

The church owned Mabel Gordon House, which has served as a centre for student ministry in the past, but it had become merely rented student accommodation.

The Anglican Foundation of Canada provided a $15,000 grant to help renovate the house, and it was rechristened Trinity House with a new purpose to be home to an intentional community for young people. Foundation director Ron Brophy helped cut the ribbon on the front door.

Archdeacon Mark Whittall, Incumbent of Trinity Church, explained the concept of an intentional community. “The idea is that we have a group of people that come from all sorts of places, students and young adults, …who will support one another in their academic life in their work life, in their spiritual lives. And what that will look like, we are going to figure out together,” he said, noting that he would be taking all five residents on a day retreat the following Saturday, “That’s when we will develop what we call a rule of life, which is a monastic term, but it’s really just a rhythm of living, for each of them individually and for the house as a whole,” he said. The program will encourage them to explore their spirituality. “It has to come from them, but I would hope as part of the rule of life there would be regular prayer and worship and some time spent together,” he said. “They have chosen Mondays as they day they are going to eat together. It’s a great age to be engaging with your faith as an adult for the first time, to be exploring questions of spirituality, values. And the friends you make and the people you live with can be really important.”

The house is now home to five students. Simi Folarin, who is studying economics through an online program at the University of British Columbia, had just moved in the previous week. “It’s nice to be with community,” she said. I think that’s the most important thing. It’s been great meeting everyone.”

Rebecca Cowal is beginning a two-year Masters of Art program at Carleton. An Pham is in her third year of an industrial design program at Carleton. Alex Price is studying international development at the University of Ottawa, and Nischal Shrestha is in his first year of software engineering at Carleton. Parishioner Judy Richardson, who has been closely involved with the project, said “It’s an old building

with so much charm and so much love and so many years of Trinity in it…There are so many people at Trinity who have supported this project with love, I hope the residents feel 140 years of love in this building.”

Heather Maclachlan offered a special thank you to parishioner Myrna Rootham for all her work on the project. “You have exercised your knowledge and skills as site manager, the ultra trades negotiator, co-ordinator, employer, re-creator of plans that became too expensive, painter, carpenter, tiler, colour chooser, art hanger, furniture acquirer,” she said. “You have found extraordinary deals, you have adjusted the path for a 90-degree or even 360-degree turn has saved money, sheltered the budget and kept us on track. You have cared deeply about Trinity House and its incoming residents. Your care has brought a safe place, a safe space, a beautiful space. … Congratulations on a job well done.”

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An open air celebration at Trinity House in Old Ottawa South launched the venture. Myrna Rootham, below, was site manager and “trades negotiator.”

(Above) Archdeacon Mark Whittall, Myrna Rootham, Simi Folarin (back row), Nischal Shrestha, Rebecca Cowal, Judy Richardson and An Pham (front) start their year off right with smiles. (Below) Ron Brophy, director of the Anglican Foundation, helps cut the ribbon to open the house.

PHOTOS CRYSTAL JOHNSON AND LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

COMMUNITY MINISTRIES

Day programs join forces as Belong Ottawa

BY DAVID HUMPHREYS

The three Ottawa day programs of the Diocese’s Community Ministries have merged to form Belong Ottawa with a new forward-looking strategic plan and a new logo. In a timely coincidence the new agency has benefitted from two bequests, each worth $50,000.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Peter John Hobbs, Director General of Community Ministries, says it’s major step forward for the day programs. “Belong Ottawa reflects a new era for the Community Ministries, which are so cherished by the Diocese and by the community.”

Belong Ottawa’s executive director Rachel Robinson says the experience of the pandemic demonstrated the power of the three programs pooling resources. They initiated outreach, delivering food to rooming houses and people on the street as well as helping them stay connected and offering showers, laundry, washrooms and social support.

As work progressed on a strategic plan, she says, it became clear that the programs needed an umbrella name and an identity. “We began to see ourselves as one organization operating out of three sites. The intention of the rebranding is to bring clarity for funders, donors, staff and participants alike.”

At the same time, it was important to retain the strong identities that had developed in each of the three programs. Belong Ottawa will continue to operate at the three sites of Centre 454, The Well and St. Luke’s Table.

The decision to merge was driven by three considerations:

• Having one instead of two

executive directors allowed more resources to be channelled to support workers.

• The desire to maintain the flexibility around food production that had been achieved during the pandemic.

• Staff appreciated being able to experience and learn from different sites, colleagues and communities.

Belong Ottawa’s professionally designed logo is intended to convey a sense of connection, safety and

inclusiveness. The symbol shows different paths connecting on a journey to wellness. It’s a visual projection of the agency’s mission.

The strategic plan, to be implemented over three years, covers five basic goals, to:

• work in partnership with participants to meet their needs;

• be a desirable employer that values and supports staff;

• support volunteers to contribute to the community;

• ensure financial health with adequate resources to adapt to changing need, and

• create neighbourhood partnerships.

One of the first initiatives, to identify the appropriate staff complement to support operations effectively, has been completed with an agreed total of 30.

In addition, Belong Ottawa will be counting on more than 100 volunteer hours a week. “Volunteers and participation from the people who use our services are essential,” Robinson says. “We could not run our programs without these additional workers.”

The strategic plan also calls for the creation this year of a fulltime position of fundraising and communications manager. That role is linked to developing a new fundraising strategy, including reaching out to enlist new donors.

The merger extends to streamlined governance. Instead of three separate management boards

Belong Ottawa will be reporting to one board composed of about nine individuals both from the Diocese and the community at large. The board, in turn, is appointed by the Community Ministries Committee of the Diocese.

Crosstalk

A publication of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa

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The Rt. Rev. Shane Parker Bishop of Ottawa Publisher

Leigh Anne Williams

Editor

Jane Waterston Production

Crosstalk is published 10 times a year (September to June) and mailed as a section of the Anglican Journal. It is printed and mailed by Webnews Printing Inc., North York.

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Next deadline October 31, 2022 for the December 2022 edition

Crosstalk acknowledges that we publish on traditional Anishinàbeg Algonquin territory. We recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries.

Rachel Robinson is the executive director of Belong Ottawa

Canon Dr. PJ Hobbs is director general of Community Ministries

Serving the World God Loves

Our Community Ministries are:

• Belong Ottawa

• Centre 105

• Cornerstone Housing for Women

Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre

Refugee Ministry

Individually and together, the five Community Ministries serve the most vulnerable people throughout the Ottawa region.

Together we can make hope a reality for so many people.

HOW TO GIVE

Canada pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in commemorative service at Cathedral

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

On Sept. 19, Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa filled with dignitaries and luminaries gathered for the national commemorative ceremony for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on Sept. 8.

Echoing the service at the cathedral for His Royal Highness Prince Philip in 2021, the Appleby College String Ensemble performed a moving rendition of Amazing Grace.

A military parade led by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through downtown Ottawa streets delivered the Queen’s folded personal Canadian flag to the Cathedral.

Pipe Major Alan B. Clark led the memorial procession in with the lament ‘To Thy Rest’ on bagpipes, her flag was placed beside her portrait, and the Cathedral choir sang ‘God shall wipe away all tears’ by eminent Canadian composer Eleanor Daley.

Dean Beth Bretzlaff welcomed everyone, acknowledging that the cathedral is on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin nation.

Then Algonquin traditional teacher and Ottawa poet laureate, Albert Dumont, who is also Algonquin advisor to Bishop Shane Parker, offered a poetic vision of the Queen’s entry into the spiritual realm:

From the deathbed, a young and vibrant Queen rose to mount the magnificent Burmese, who carried her to the side of a horseman, waiting to go with her to the oaks of Loch Lomond to reflect upon the years of her reign. In the spiritual world where the old are young again, the Queen and Duke rejoin, to continue, the unconditional love and support they nurtured for one another, while bringing culture and identity to the British people.

Physical death, the soul leaves it in the past and the amazing heart of the spirit begins its eternal life. A new world begins, where the fairminded and good-hearted among us will hear an honour song being sung for them after the transformation, from the physical life to the spiritual one, comes to pass.

The Queen is dead! In the land of the Red Maple Leaf, the

sorrow of many citizens fills the skies. The tears, the prayers of her admirers take flight, like the geese of spring and autumn, making their way to the Queen Mother who waits to hold her daughter close to her bosom once again. To the mourners, the Queen was as the grandest tree in a boreal forest. A tree, whose spirit and grace spread pride and comforting smiles to all around it. A tree, a “Mother to All”, whose commitment to duty brought emotional wellness to those standing in its shadow.

Addressing the complicated history of colonialism in this land, Dumont envisioned that The horrors committed against Indigenous Peoples of British colonized lands by past monarchs will be spoken about around the council fire of the Spirit Land. The Queen will at that time renounce the brutality of the past. Her good heart, the teachings of the Spawning Moon into which she was born, the Whitefish Moon into which her last heartbeat was captured, will direct her to do so.

The Queen, her gentleness, her ability to emotionally connect

with the common people, her desire to make the world cleaner and safer, are truths she carries with her now into the Great Land of Souls. She was a light to British subjects while she walked on this earth. To the people who love her, she continues to be a fire, now offering in its circle, a role model or the future generations of her bloodline to follow. May she rest in peace.

Dean Bretzlaff prayed, “God of all consolation, you turned the darkness of death into the dawn of new life.. Grant us grace to entrust Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to your never-failing love, which sustained her in this life. Receive her into the arms of your mercy…’

Donald Booth, Canadian Secretary to the King, read from Philipians 4:4-9.

Brigadier-General Guy Bélisle, Chaplain General of the Canadian Armed Forces, offered a prayer on behalf of the interfaith community.

“Remembering Elizabeth II’s service and her dedication to the cause of peace. We pray for a spirit of respect and reconciliation among nations and peoples. “

The Cathedral choir sang the 23rd Psalm, in a setting by English Cathedral musician Charles Hylton Stewart.

South-Korean born Canadian violinist David Baik played Nimrod from Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

Regina requiescit, composed by Master Bombardier Julien Simard and recorded by The Royal Canadian Artillery Band, played during a video retrospective of Queen Elizabeth’s life and her relationship with Canada.

Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson began her remarks by saying “I’m so happy to be in this Cathedral, which was my family’s parish church when we first arrived in Canada 80 years ago.

“In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II came and signed the patriation of our constitution for which Canadians

 continued on page 7

A bouquet left outside the Cathedral; and Queen Elizabeth’s folded flag was placed by her portrait.

Albert Dumont, Algonquin Advisor to Bishop Shane Parker

Dean Beth Bretzlaff

Bishop Shane Parker

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CANADIAN HERITAGE

had worked for decades. We gained our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadians will always remember the Queen for coming to sign over to us what is rightfully ours — our human rights, our human freedom. …It provides the light that exposes ignorance and bigotry.”

Clarkson shared a memory from one of her last visits with the Queen at Sandringham. “I shall never abdicate,” the Queen told her. “Although I suppose if I became completely gaga, one would have to do something,” the Queen said, in a glimpse of her renowned humour.

“But she held the course to the end,” said Clarkson. “Focused, dutiful, calm, the essence of equanimity. …. The life and reign of Elizabeth the II has been witness to our struggle to become what we are meant to be, the true, the north, the free.”

Actress and singer Patricia Cano sang ‘The Thank You Song,’ accompanied on piano by the song’s composer, Tomson Highway and saxophonist Marcus Ali.

Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney shared some reflections on his years serving as the Queen’s prime minister. “There were many issues on which we were keenly aligned, especially in relation to Canadian unity and the Commonwealth in the years when Canada was in the forefront of the

battle for the liberation of Nelson Mandela and the destruction of the evil system of apartheid in South Africa.” He noted that Queen Elizabeth’s “discreet, brilliant, and generous guidance and unerring instinct,” was instrumental in that effort and ultimate victory.

“I was often astonished by the interest and care she showed for Canada and its people which went well beyond the simple fact that she was head of state….She harboured a deep love for Canada, for its diversity, its geography and its history….To President Reagan in 1983 who asked as she prepared to leave California for British Columbia following a state visit to the United States, President Regan asked where she was going next, and she replied, ‘Mr. President, I am going home to Canada.’ ”

Singer, actress, author and composer Ginette Reno performed Ceux qui s’en vont accompanied by Pascalin Raynault on piano.

The last musical interlude Leonard Cohen’s iconic song “Hallejuah,” performed by singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, was followed by a moment of silence.

Then Bishop Shane offered the prayer of commendation: “Into your hands, O merciful saviour, we commend your servant, Elizabeth. Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your

own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

The choir sang ‘Yours be the glory, risen conquering Son’. Finally, actress and singer Kim Richardson sang the national anthem and Pipe Major Alan Clark led the recession playing ‘Be Still My Soul (Finlandia.)

Rufus

Wainwright

Patricia Cano

Tomson Highway

Ginette Reno

Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney reflects on the Queen’s quiet global influence.

Andrew McAnerney directs the Cathedral choir. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CANADIAN HERITAGE

Creating a service fit for a Queen

BY LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

After the National Commemorative Ceremony for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Dean Beth Bretzlaff spoke with Crosstalk and shared a few glimpses of what it was like to bring the whole service together at Christ Church Cathedral.

As might be expected with an elderly monarch, Dean Bretzlaff said that planning for such a ceremony had been in the works for about 10 years as a collaboration between the department of Canadian Heritage and Christ Church Cathedral. Nevertheless, the death of the Queen launched the partners into an intense time of working together.

“It was an amazing team from Canadian Heritage,” said Bretzlaff, “and they just kind of seamlessly moved into the Cathedral, and we worked together. Every little bit was negotiated, from where people stood to where lights went, to who said what and all that kind of stuff. It was an amazing experience and great privilege to do it,” she said. “That’s our role as the cathedral in the nation’s capital, that’s what we do,” she said. A similar service was held in the cathedral for His Royal Highness Prince Philip just last year.

“In my first two years as Dean, did I ever imagine doing those two services? No,” she said with a laugh.

“But what a great way to get to know the diplomatic world. I met all kinds of people, and a great way to marshal the cathedral forces to serve our country. Just a fabulous experience, I was in my element, really.”

Many others were also in their element, it seems. “That was the cathedral choir. We didn’t bring any ringers,” said the Dean. “Our cathedral flower guild did the flowers. The cathedral servers were there obviously. The cathedral sidespeople were on duty that day. We had about 100 people involved.”

James Calkin, director of music

added his reflection on the experience. “I was so very proud of the entire team which confidently represented our tradition of sacred music within the context of the National Commemorative Service: conductor and associate director of music Andrew McAnerney, newly appointed assistant organist Maria Gajraj, our lay clerks and, of course, our unique and cherished line of trebles.

“Our designated elements (organ voluntaries, introit, hymns, psalm and motet) were carefully selected to lift up the works of Canadian composers (women and men), both official languages, and (not least) the transcending beauty of uniquely Anglican forms of sung worship. That we were able to step to the plate at this important moment and execute our role so professionally after two and a half years of pandemic disruptions and less than two weeks into a fresh season is a credit to the support for our Cathedral’s music ministry rendered by clergy leadership, parishioners and the wider community as well as the dedication and hard work of our musicians themselves.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CANADIAN HERITAGE

Albert Dumont leads march to rename the parkway

On the morning of Sept. 30, Albert Dumont, an activist, Algonquin traditional teacher, and Ottawa’s current English poet laureate led a protest walk calling for the name of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway to be changed.

The sign for the name of the parkway was covered with an orange Every Child Matters banner and hundreds of protestors joined Dumont walking down one lane of the parkway as it follows the Ottawa river from the War Museum to Parkdale. On the other side of the sign was the suggestion for a new name Kichi Zibi Parkway/Promenade, the Algonquin Anishnaabe name for the Ottawa River, which the parkway follows.

The parkway was renamed to honour Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, in 2012.

Dumont and the protestors want that honour revoked because Macdonald’s government established the system of Indian Residential Schools with the intent to assimilate all of the children into white, European culture. Children were forcibly removed from their families and communities and forced to attend schools where they were forbidden to speak their own languages, often suffered from malnutrition, and many suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse. In the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission the system was deemed to be cultural genocide.

“Imagine living in a world where your children were taken from you by force and taken far away from you. Imagine what would be going on in your mind and in your heart. ‘Is my child safe? What’s happening to my child?’ Imagine the tears. You couldn’t count the tears,” Dumont said during the walk. “When I think of my grandchildren, only over my dead body would I allow anyone to take them from me. And more and more Canadians are understanding about the cruelty and viciousness of the architect of genocide, John A. Macdonald.”

Macdonald’s government ignored a 1907 report from Dr. Peter Bryce, who

was the chief medical health inspector for the department of Indian Affairs, that said that underfunding, inadequate sanitation, poor ventilation and overcrowding in the schools was leading to outbreaks of disease and a death rate of 50 percent. Bryce finally published the report he titled “A National Crime” himself in 1922.

In his book Clearing the Plains, historian James Daschuk has also detailed how the Macdonald government withheld food during a famine in order to force Indigenous people on to reserves.

Macdonald’s government also

introduced a pass system that meant that Indigenous people had to obtain a written pass from the local Indian agent in order to leave the reserve.

“The National Capital Commission didn’t want to give us a permit to walk today,” Dumont told those in the march. “The pass system ended in the 1950s when Indigenous people needed a pass to walk. John A Macdonald the policies and laws that he created pretty much paralyzed the Indigenous people of those times, but our muscles are coming back. We are able to walk and to stand up for our rights.”

Dumont added, “We are a people of peace, and we will do things peacefully…. It’s good to be in solidarity with you and to be in solidarity with these trees and with this river, the energy of the sun, the wind, the human heart, the human spirit.” He pointed to a hawk perched in a tree not far from where the walk paused by the covered parkway sign. “That means so much to me,” he said.

Bishop Shane Parker and several members of the clergy in Anglican diocese of Ottawa were with walking with Dumont, who is also Algonquin advisor to the bishop. Dumont asked the bishop if he would share his thoughts with those on the walk.

“Peace be with you all. My voice doesn’t matter today. I’m part of a church, which was part of the egregious colonial engine that participated in residential schools,” Bishop Parker began. “Everything changed for the Anglican Church of Canada when it began to listen. It became silent and began to listen to the voices of those who suffered horrific abuse, from the instruments of genocide in schools and

we listened to those voices.”

He recounted how Archbishop Michael Peers issued the first of the Anglican Church’s two official apologies to Indigenous peoples about 30 years ago. “The first apology was for the incredible harm caused by residential schools. The archbishop said we tried to remake you in our own image. That is a crime, that is theft. My church was arrogant enough to think that Creator was not on this land before Europeans came here. That is blasphemous,” Bishop Parker said. “And so my church went from being a perpetrator to being a reconciler, and that’s a journey many non-Indigenous people have to take and to own,” said the bishop. “And so today, the only voices that matter, especially on this place, are the voices of the Anishnaabe Algonquin, … and the voices of the children who were taken forcibly, without the consent of their parents, and stripped of their identity, their fundamental core identity. Those are the voices we must listen to, especially those that cannot be spoken to us on this earth at this time but cry to us from the Spirit World.” At this, the walkers observed a moment of silence for the children.

Dumont also asked his granddaughter, Kyrstin Dumont, to address the crowd.

“There should be no pride in genocide, no pride in the name John A. Macdonald,” she began.

Although Macdonald and the residential schools caused intergenerational trauma, she pointed to the intergenerational strength and love that is evident among Indigenous peoples.

Algonquin activist and advisor Albert Dumont talks with kids at he leads the protest walk.

PHOTOS ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

Algonquin leader and teacher Albert Dumont, with Dean Beth Bretzlaff and Bishop Shane Parker

“For the survivors to be here today, for the youth, knowledge keepers, to be here to walk on this parkway in solidarity, in resilience, that is intergenerational strength, the same intergenerational strength that my grandfather has passed down to me, and that I hope to pass down to my future children. Because if we don’t acknowledge the strength that we hold within us, how can we still be thriving and striving as Indigenous people within a colonial society that we still live in today?” she asked.

“When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t sure what to expect here today. I just came to support my grandfather, came to stand in solidarity with all of you. Arriving at LeBreton Flats and seeing hundreds of incredible faces, warming souls and magnifying attitudes, struck me in a way that I could never have imagined. Today is filled with commemoration, with celebration that we will no longer allow the continuous genocides to happen…. This is the end of genocide and this is the start of intergenerational strength. Megwetch.”

According to a report from the CBC, the National Capital Commission said in September that “a proposed review of the name of the SJAM Parkway is ongoing.”

Incumbents of parishes near the parkway took part in the walk. Pictured here are George Kwari (St. Stephens), Thomas Cormie and Rhonda Waters (Epiphany), Dean Beth Bretzlaff, Rosemary Parker (St. Aidans) and, below right, Mary Cate Garden (St Martins).

Below, Kyrstin Dumont (Albert’s granddaughter) addressed the

From the All My Relations circle came Debbie Grisdale with her daughter (right) and Gwynneth Evans (below).

the Rev. Canon Garth Bulmer

PHOTOS ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

Anglicans mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

“It also a time to remember that the First Peoples of this land … have been here since time immemorial, and we will continue to be here. And we have shared it with you, and we will continue to share. So, reflect on the truths, learn from the past, walk together in peace, understanding and healing, walk together on this journey called reconciliation. And the challenge I give each and every one of you is that every day is Sept. 30.”

Condoled Bear Clan Mother Louise McDonald Hearne of the Mohawk Nation Council. said,“It’s a painful day but we can take our pain and turn it into power for the future because I was thinking, ‘What will this look like in 10 years?” she said, adding that she was glad to see so many non-Indigenous people who were open to learning.

Struck by the power of their messages, the Rev. Canon Gary van der Meer, who was attending with some parishioners from St. John the Evangelist in Ottawa, told Crosstalk “the future of Canada is Indigenous women orators.” Autumn Pelletier, who came to national and international attention as a young Indigenous girl speaking out about the need to protect water and ensure that Indigenous people have access to clean water, was the featured speaker.

“The impact of the residential school system will forever be in our memory. The impact of Indigeous oppression will forever be in our memory. The impact of systemic racism of our people will also forever be in our memory….For many years, I have been considered to be the water protector or the water warrior, all starting at 8 years old, seeing post it notes in a washroom saying “Boil water advisory, do not use the water.” I couldn’t believe even at a young age that children knew that to be normal. … It shouldn’t be normal…”

Now that Pelletier is 18 and attending college in Ottawa, the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women has become all too real and close for her.

“Just two weeks ago, a young Inuk girl from my college in Ottawa was murdered…for no reason. I fear any time I walk anywhere. The feeling is so unnerving,” she said. “The message

surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women is too often not national news. Systemic racism is left to be talked about on Facebook. This cannot continue as we continue to step forward and work towards real reconciliation...I never planned to spend my life doing this, but I am committed, and I want our people to have access to clean water. I would love collaboration and more actions taken toward these inequalities. “

The Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada collaborated with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, which hosted a second event at LeBreton Flats in the afternoon.

One of the elements of that ceremony was the unfurling of a 50-metre long banner listing the names of hundreds of children whose deaths at residential schools across the country were recorded. There are still more to be found.

And survivor Dennis Saddleman read his poem ‘Monster’ about his experience in a residential school.

Šâwanohk Sutherland told Crosstalk that she was grateful that there could be a Sacred Fire at LeBreton Flats this year. Earlier in the day, survivors were given gift bags with tissues in them. Šâwanohk Sutherland said this should be an emotional day. She encouraged the survivors to take tissues that had dried their tears to the Sacred Fire.

“ I think that is a very sacred way to honour the emotion and the needed release of this grief that we have been carrying for so long….”

Kimberly Johnson-Breen was at Parliament Hill with the Rev. Canon Gary van der Meer and other parishioners from St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa. She is of Cherokee heritage and moved to Ottawa from the U.S. Since joining the parish of St. John the Evangelist, she has begun offering a smudge before most services and sometimes drums.

Johnson-Breen said she was deeply moved seeing the red banner with the children’s names.

“It really brought home the genocide,” she said. She also heard Indigenous poet and residential school survivor Dennis Saddleman read his poem ‘Monster.’ “I had read that poem before, but it was so impactful hearing it from the author and seeing that there was forgiveness from Indigenous people too. ...You can’t separate truth from reconciliation.

There can be no reconciliation without coming to the truth of what happened.

Johnson-Breen said she was deeply moved by the afternoon’s ceremony.

“I was grateful to have someone there who recognized and understood that it was painful so that I could smudge. It was emotional for me, but it also had an element of hope.”

Kimberly Johnson-Breen was at Parliament Hill with the Rev. Canon Gary van der Meer, the Rev. Canon Garth Bulmer and the Rev. Ed Stretch.

Beaded emblems representing Indigenous groups across the country.

Water protector Autumn Pelletier

PHOTO INDIGENOUS ART COLLECTIVE

PHOTO LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

PHOTO LEIGH ANNE WILLIAMS

Walking as an ally

Wearing an orange shirt on September 30 is an easy way to show support for survivors of residential schools and reconciliation work. As the crowd walked from the Remember Me gathering on Parliament Hill to LeBreton Flats for the afternoon’s program, I asked Kimberly JohnsonBreen, a Cherokee parishioner at St. John the Evangelist, about how to walk as an ally to Indigenous people and followed up to get a few more of her thoughts the next day.

“I am Indigenous, but I walk in two worlds because I have a European mother and a Cherokee father,” she explained. “I was raised by my Cherokee grandparents and my uncles on that side. And I have a baby sister who has dark hair, dark skin, brown eyes… She has been discriminated against, [has had experiences] where she has not gotten services, medically and in other forms. And I can be standing right beside her and because I am light-skinned, I have a certain amount of privilege she doesn’t hold, but we are sisters with the same parents.”

The first step in becoming an ally is to listen and to educate yourself, Johnson-Breen said, noting that she has often heard people proclaim themselves as good allies before they have taken the time to educate themselves and recognize their own privilege. “I’ve gone through ally programs for LGBTQ and two-spirit marginalized people because my daughter belongs to that [community]. And I wanted

to do it…. I did not ask them to educate me in that way. I educated myself, but as far as me saying ‘Okay now I’m trained, and I can be a good ally,’ that part’s not up to me,” she said. “You’re not the one who gets to stamp you as an ally. They are, those marginalized persons, those Indigenous people,” she said.

It is good to be willing to speak up and get involved if you see racism and injustice, but she advised that it is best to listen and to ask the Indigenous person involved “How can I come along beside you? What is it that you need?”

She added: “We know the basics. They need a place at the table. They need to be in those leadership positions….You can [look for ways to] use your privilege, so that you can be that placeholder in a way.”

— Leigh Anne Williams

YOUTH PROGRAM

Diocesan Youth Event Nov. 12

Kairos Blanket Exercise

Youth and young adults ages 14 to 25 are invited to join me in the Great Hall at Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a Youth KAIROS Blanket Exercise and Learning Circle.

Registration is required for all participants by Nov. 6. We will provide snacks, drinks and lunch. We must have at least 15 youth or young adults registered to participate and up to a maximum of 50.

A bit of background from Kairos: Developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and educators, the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) is an interactive and experiential teaching tool that explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada.

During this two to three-hour workshop, participants step on blankets representing the land and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. They are guided by trained facilitators, including Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, who work from a script that covers pre-contact, treatymaking, colonization, resistance and much more. Participants read scrolls and respond to cues in the script. The KBE concludes with a debriefing, conducted as a talking circle, during which participants discuss the learning experience,

Donna Rourke is Animator of Youth Ministries and the Youth Internship Program (YIP).

process their feelings, ask questions, share insights, and deepen their understanding.

For more information and to register for this event, please email Donna at donna-rourke@ottawa. anglican.ca

For more information about the KAIROS Blanket Exercise https://www.kairoscanada.org/ what-we-do/indigenous-rights/ blanket-exercise https://www.kairosblanketexercise. org/who-should-do-the-kbe/ We are so thankful to the ‘Say Yes to Kids’ campaign of the Anglican Foundation of Canada for their generous funding of this event. Youth Internship Program (YIP) Watch this space next month to be introduced to our 12 new interns and for some pictures of the ‘Welcome to YIP” gathering held Saturday Oct. 1 when our 12 new interns met each other, the Faith Formation Team and some of our amazing Leadership session facilitators.

Kimberly Johnson-Breen (left) with Remember Me organizer Jenny Šâwanohk Sutherland

DONNA ROURKE

Beyond COVID and back to our roots, a Harvest Supper with a twist

CLAIRE MARSON

St Paul’s in Almonte has a long history of hospitality going back more than 150 years and more recently, for about 40 years, we have prepared an annual Harvest Supper for the community. What began at the church eventually became so popular that it had to be moved to the local Civitan hall to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers, even reaching 700 dinners served one year! But then COVID came along and changed everything. Its impact touched each and every one of us, both at a personal and at a congregational level. Fellowship and welcoming people into our spaces all but vanished, replaced by the ubiquitous Zoom meetings and YouTube broadcast services.

less equipment and working in two separate locations for example, but the amazing kids at the MMYC, under Lilli’s guiding hands (boy is she amazing at managed chaos!) were invaluable. They cooked turkeys, did hours and hours of prep work, assembled ingredients, cut pies, made bean salad and stuffing, washed and chopped 120lbs of potatoes and packed over 100 takeout meals in 345 containers! They were ever so patient with my fine tuning the recipes that I have had in my head for years. A little bit of this and a bit more of that can be confusing. And when they needed a hand, St. Paul’s came through with an intrepid team of potato peelers

This year, as the summer wore on, Parish Council was faced with deciding how to proceed. Returning to the Civitan felt too risky. Not only did we not know if there would be another snap lockdown but our dwindling number volunteers were still very cautious about large gatherings. We were on the verge of cancelling the supper when I thought of the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre (MMYC) who had put together a cooking program during Covid, preparing and distributing around 20,000 meals.

Fast forward through hours of planning and meetings and more meetings along with the occasional gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair, and the sunny Saturday of the Harvest Supper rolled around on Sept. 17. There had been challenges we had not thought of,

(thank you Anne, Deane, Jane and Dan!) who spent hours joyfully working at a table outside in the sun.

Now, as the memory of tired feet and sore backs is fading, the heartwarmingly positive feedback is still ringing in our ears. “The food was so delicious…”, “the turkey was so juicy…”, “the mashed potatoes were the best ever, so buttery!”, “we loved the atmosphere in the church hall, so much nicer than the Civitan”, “it was so nice to see the youngsters helping out…”.

Having so much youthful energy in the church was truly a blessing all around. Whether serving pies, clearing tables, hosting guests upstairs or bringing them down our steep stairs to the hall, they quickly adapted, learning new skills along

with a broader understanding of who we were and what a church event actually entailed.

With God’s grace and a lot of hard work we served 275 meals, including 20 donated for Food Bank clients. St. Paul’s parishioners stepped up with their time and much of the food that was needed. A special thanks to Sandra who worked tirelessly on all the admin, sales and front of house details, to Wendy, Deane, Cathy, Karen M, Roger and Christy who all went above and beyond, and to Dan for all his support before, during and after.

At the end of the day, once all the tickets were counted and bills paid, there was a bit over $ 5,000 left. We had decided to share any profits with the MMYC and the Food Bank so about $2,000 went to

the former and $1,000 to the latter. We also support Interval House, an emergency shelter for women and children. We gave them 40 meals, extra cooked turkey and groceries.

Though finances are challenging for all churches post-Covid, at St. Paul’s we are feeling the pull more and more to share what we can with the most vulnerable in our community. For it is in giving that we receive…

St. Paul’s volunteers (including the author making the mashed potatoes) were back in action creating and serving the muchloved Harvest Dinner.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

CLERGY REFLECTION

Beyond the troubles of this present time

Anglicans and the remembrance of war

BY THE REV. DR. ALANA MCCORD

“Comfort, O Lord, we pray thee, all who mourn the loss of those near and dear to them… Give them faith to look beyond the troubles of this present time, and to know that neither life nor death can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” - Concluding Prayer from the service unveiling the Regimental Memorial Tablet dedicated to the Officers and Men of the Queen’s Own Rifles, 1921

Most Anglican parishes possess some form of memorial object, work of art, or architectural detail in their buildings commemorating the First World War – perhaps several. But for Anglicans, these visible, tangible items have not necessarily existed side-by-side with a great deal of theological or psychological analysis of our response to such wars.

In the century since the end of the Great War, there has been a great deal of discomfort with the roles which the Anglican Church played in the conflict – roles such as the sometimes-enthusiastic support of the war effort, or the statistical fact that more Anglicans volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary

Force than any other denomination. This discomfort has continued to exist throughout the twentieth century and its subsequent wars and conflicts, and beyond, as the hundred-year commemorations have come and gone.

How individual parishes have chosen to commemorate the First World War, any other war specifically, or the time of national remembrance in early November has varied – unsurprising in a denomination which revels in its liturgical multiplicity. And so, there are parishes which observe Remembrance Day with solemn and elaborate ceremonies, parishes

which have chosen to ignore it entirely, and everything in between. In Anglican congregations, veterans and the descendants of veterans coexist with ardent pacifists, and more recently, with refugees who have fled war and persecution. How is each individual parish supposed to respond to such diversity?

Meanwhile, there still exist those memorial objects, works of art, or architectural details, which, like all such things, are continuously subject to interpretation. The iconography of war has changed and evolved, been (sometimes unjustly) criticized, and (sometimes rightly) critiqued. We can lose the ability to recognize the original meaning behind these memorials, but we can also fail to perceive the ways in which they might be interpreted now.

The relatively simple Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa depicts the familiar trench helmet, maple leaves (symbolizing Canada), and laurel leaves (symbolizing both death and victory). The Tomb also depicts a sword – a Crusader’s sword. The sword itself, a sword at rest, becomes a weapon ready to be beaten into a plowshare. Yet it is still a Crusader’s sword, the weapon carried in those bloody, centurieslong struggles for dominance in the name of religion. It is a depiction which echoes the choice to bury the Unknown Warrior in Westminster

Abbey in 1920 with an actual Crusader’s sword from the King’s own collection. It encompasses multiple meanings.

What are we to do with our discomfort in reconciling the multiple meanings behind the commemoration of wars and conflicts, and the roles which Anglicans have played in them throughout history? If the wisest among us cannot fully define how a Christian is supposed to act in times of war, how can we know how to respond to it, even in times of peace?

First World War chaplains were, on the whole, horrified and outraged by what they witnessed. But almost all of them decided that their duty lay not in condemnation, but in care.

They chose to believe in both the inherent sinfulness of war, and the inherent goodness of the people caught up in it. They looked at soldiers and saw human beings, and not cogs in the political machine.

As human beings, and as Christians, we should continuously examine and re-examine our roles in past and current conflicts, but at the same time we can continue to follow the example of those First World War chaplains who offered comfort outside of the troubles of their present time, knowing that every victim of war deserves our care., deserves to be remembered.

The Rev. Dr. Alana McCord is Associate Incumbent of St. Paul’s Kanata

PHOTO ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN

PHOTO THE REV. DR. ALANA MCCORD

DIOCESAN ARCHIVES

A worm’s eye view

BY GLENN J LOCKWOOD

There could be no more appropriate image to illustrate church architecture in the Diocese of Ottawa in the 1950s than this one. If the house of worship we see here seems both huge and unfamiliar that is probably because of the unusual angle from which the professional photographer has taken this photograph.

This is what books on architecture describe as a worm’s eye view of a building, meaning literally a view taken from the level that a worm inching its way along the floor could expect to see things. Hence we can readily see the seam in the battleship linoleum. We leave to another day any discussion as to whether or not worms are interested in architecture.

Ostensibly, what we see here is a photograph of a wedding taking place in the new All Saints Church, Westboro soon after that parish built a large new house of worship in 1953. Up until 1950, everyone referred to this parish as All Saints, Nepean. But once Westboro was expropriated that year by an expanding City of Ottawa, it became necessary to refer to All Saints (Westboro) in Ottawa, as opposed to All Saints (Sandy Hill) which up until that time had been the only church of that name in the city of Ottawa proper.

All Saints (Westboro) was one of a dozen large new churches built in suburban Ottawa-Carleton in the generation from the late 1940s to the late 1960s. The perspective from a worm’s eye view can sometimes be distorted, and so it appears to be the case here, as the triangles of the beams in the ceiling appear somewhat

All Saints Westboro Ottawa Ottawa West Deanery

designed the first All Saints, Nepean, the Gothic Revival had gone from strength to strength. Much of this large church was illusory, with stones in the exterior drawn in concrete, the stone arches of the chancel arch and the chancel window we see here simply being trompe l’oeil effect done in plaster, and the ceiling beams simply being a wood veneer to mask the structural iron I-beams beneath. The stained glass in the chancel window was real enough, manufactured by Leonard Pike at Colonial Art Glass. Although the liturgical layout was designed to accommodate the high church liturgy of traditional Anglican worship, the design of the pew ends indicated that modern ideas were on the way.

There are various indicators of just when this was. The Union Jack at the front reminds us it was some time before a distinctive Canadian flag appeared. The Saint George’s flag reminds us that this photograph is documenting a parish of the Church of England in Canada, at a time when the ranks of Anglicans in the Diocese of Ottawa were being added to by a huge postwar immigration from England. The Anglican Church of Canada with its own flag was still a few years off. That every woman visible in the congregation was wearing a hat is a further reminder that even the recent “past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.”

flatter than the equilateral triangles that were planned to represent the Trinity.

This photograph was taken amid a baby boom, with the wedding shown here promising to add to the record numbers of births taking place in this

generation. This bold and dramatic photograph, if intended to document a particular marriage, appears also to have been used in a professional brochure used to raise funds to pay for this large new house of worship.

Ninety years after Thomas Fuller

If you would like to help the Archives preserve the records of the Diocese and its parishes, why not become a Friend of the Archives? Your $20 membership brings you three issues of the lively, informative Newsletter, and you will receive a tax receipt for further donations above that amount.

On Sept. 20, 17 parish adminstrators from across the diocese gathered for the first time since the pandemic at St. James, Carleton Place to reconnect, network and welcome newcomers. They enjoyed a workshop on mental health presented by Talk Tools Training.

Diocesan

PHOTO

CALENDAR

Nov. 5

Yuletide Bazaar at St. Aidan’s 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Aidan’s 934 Hamlet Road, Ottawa (behind Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre)

The in-person Yuletide Bazaar is back!

This year’s bazaar features Home Baking, a Silent Auction, Preserves, The Celtic Cross Café, The Boutique, Books & Puzzles, and more. Visit www.staidansottawa.com for further details.

Build-Your-Own Pasta Dinner and Silent Auction at St. Mary’s Navan

5:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Hall, Navan 1171 Smith Rd.

Let our chefs prepare the perfect plate of pasta just for you - with 3 pastas, 3 sauces, 4 meats, and 8 vegetables to choose from: a deconstructed Caesar salad bar and Italian bread to start, red and white wine to enjoy; and a dessert table to die for.

Get your tickets before they sell out. Call Anne-Marie at 873-288-8255 or email at amclysdale@outlook.com. Only $35 per person. Contact: Anne-Marie Clysdale by email at amclysdale@outlook.com or by phone 873-288-8255

Nov. 11

Remembrance Day

Nov. 12

Diocesan Youth Kairos Blanket Exercise and Learning Circle 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral (414 Sparks St., Ottawa)

article p. 12

goes

Nov. 26

The Cathedral Labyrinth Guild 9 a.m.to 2 p.m., with registration until the Friday before at the Cathedral A half-day introduction and experience into the mysteries of the labyrinth, followed by lunch. Fee: $30:00.

Nov. 27

Journeying as Allies Book Club

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Julian of Nrwoch Church, 77 Rossalnd Ave. at Merivale Rd.)

Discussing Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice. See notice p. 12

PHOTO THE REV. DR. ALANA MCCORD PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK