Reflections on the heritage, life & work of faith communities in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
God doesn’t forget us, even when we forget Him. These words are not about a loss of faith; they acknowledge the quiet suffering of those struggling with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other forms of memory loss. It was the first time I ever heard a hymn speak so explicitly and movingly to those losing their ability…
I visited Almonte United Church on a breezy, brisk Sunday and met Reverend Heather Kinkaid who took the time to greet every single person in the pews before beginning the service. Her interaction with the faithful was more than a passing hello. She exchanged a few sentences with everyone, she listened, knew about what was…
I will never look at pretzels the same way after my visit to St. John’s United Church in Kemptville on October 19 — an unseasonably warm day that was as bright as the mood of this cheerful congregation. Built in 1869 to serve as the spiritual home of local Methodists, a fire in 1888 destroyed…
The lyricism and aesthetic qualities of the Anglo-Catholic tradition, as seen in song and prayer alike, were on glorious display at the Church of St. Barnabas during Evensong on Sunday, October 19. Evensong — and the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament that followed — was an immersive experience at this downtown Ottawa church. The sense…
Parishioners at St. Clement’s Parish in Lowertown and St. George’s Parish in Westboro may have been exposed to measles, Ottawa Public Health warned on October 22 in a public service announcement. Those who attended St. Clement’s at 528 Old St. Patrick Street on Sunday, October 12 between 10:20 am and 2:00 pm are advised to…
Alexandria United Church in North Glengarry is precisely what this publication is all about: discovering historic churches about which there is very little information online, and encouraging our readers to explore these hidden gems for themselves. I visited Alexandria United Church on Thanksgiving Sunday and attended their 9:00 AM service. A plaque next to the…
The Centretown Churches Social Action Committee held its annual “Walk for the Centre” event on October 5, and with a thoroughly ecumenical group of participants raised $40,000 to help address food insecurity in the heart of the nation’s capital. All proceeds support the Centretown Community Food Centre, a food bank operated by the Committee at…
Language isn’t merely utilitarian — it has the capacity to be as beautiful as the most architecturally stunning building. The Dean of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral in downtown Ottawa, the Very Reverend Beth Bretzlaff, shared a Thanksgiving letter with friends of the Cathedral that captures, with lyrical language, the depth of the season and a…
Epiphany Anglican Church at 1290 Ogilvie Road is a truly twenty-first century church. The community celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall and the warm, welcoming building incorporates the colours of nature all around it, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows of its round sanctuary. I visited their 9:30 am liturgy on October 5th, the Feast of…
On Sunday, October 5th — as a rich, amber sun was beginning to set on an unseasonably warm fall afternoon — I had the chance to attend an Evensong service at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church at 217 First Avenue, in the Glebe. St. Matthew’s takes a high church approach to liturgy, which made Evensong —…