....OUR TEAM ..Notre équipe....
....DENNIS, Acting Council President, Clerk of Session ..DENNIS, commis de session....
….DOROTHY, Food and Hospitality Coordinator .. DOROTHY, coordonnatrice de la nourriture
....BERYL BARRACLOUGH, Designated Lay Minister ..BERYL BARRACLOUGH, Pasteure ....
....AMY, Office Administrator ..AMY, Adjointe administrative....
....SARAH, Music Director ..SARAH, directrice musicale....
....SUE & SHEILA, Breakfast Club Co-Managers ..SUE et SHEILA, coordonnatrices du Club des petits déjeuners ....
....JOYCE, Custodian Plus ..JOYCE, concierge ....
....DLM BERYL BARRACLOUGH ..PASTEURE BERYL bARRACLOUGH....
....I believe Creator has been with me from my earliest memories. However, being deposited in Sunday School (at All Saints Anglican) at the age of five brought a keener awareness of God’s presence. I began searching for God on church rooftops, under pews and even in the tree tops as I wandered the back lanes of Crawford Park. As a young child, I did not possess the language or wording required to describe this need to be close to God (or whatever it was which seemed to be calling me). Sunday School provided me with the images and the naming of that presence.
My experience with the Holy has been tumultuous. As a child of the 60’s and 70’s, there were times I lost faith, especially when the Kennedy brothers and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were murdered, innocent students were shot at and killed at Kent State University, and, of course, the war in Vietnam. These events, coupled with the poor choices I made in my own personal life, provided ample excuses and opportunities to ignore God’s constant urgings over the years.
After spending some 50+ years in the Anglican Church, in 2005 I snuck into the back pews of the then Crawford Park United Church, hoping no one would notice me, and the rest is history. I came for several reasons but, most important, I wanted to sing with its choir!
In 2006, Rev. David (Lefneski) asked me if I would be interested in the Licensed Lay Leadership Development Program. This was a two-year process, spread out over weekend retreats, where those interested in leading worship in their own communities (and as pulpit supply for other United Churches) would receive adequate training to enable them to lead worship, provide pastoral care and preside over funerals. Upon completion of the program, I was recognized as a Licensed Lay Worship Leader in 2008.
In 2012, I felt it was time to move forward. I approached SWU and asked for the discernment process. This was a year-long journey of meetings and specific UCC approved questioning by an appointed team – an Ordained minister and three members of my own congregation.
Upon their recommendation of my qualifications as a candidate for ministry, I was required to choose from three streams: Ordained ministry, Diaconal ministry or the Designated Lay Ministry program. For financial reasons and because of home obligations, I chose DLM.
DLM is paid, accountable ministry, under specific conditions and approved by the United Church. With a supporting member of SWU we attended a two day “evaluation” process with the then Montreal/Ottawa conference where I received approval to go forward.
When I retired from my job at Concordia in 2013, at the age of 67, it became obvious that all personal hurdles had been cleared and I had no more excuses to give. It was time, finally, to say yes to the calling. It seems that God is patient and willing to wait until you have nowhere else to run to.
In January, 2013, I made my first journey to the Christian Learning Center (CLC) in Fort Qu’Appelle Saskatchewan for a ten-day intensive learning circle.All learning circles are preceded by a two-and-a-half-month period of required readings and on-line submissions of assignments. Post-circle on-line submissions are a part of the self-evaluation process.
This process would continue twice a year (June and January) over a three-year period. In January 2014, the program moved to St. Andrew’s College on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan. It was from there I graduated in October 2016.
To date, I have been privileged to serve Lacolle/Clarenceville and Hemmingford pastoral charges from 2013-2016 (two services every Sunday) and, from 2016-2019, Kanesatake United Church in Oka. ..Nous sommes ravis d’accueillir Pasteure Beryl Barraclough à compter de juillet 2019. ....
....AMY, Office Coordinator ..AMY, Adjointe administrative....
....My grandfather came to Canada in 1926 as one of the first lay preachers sent over to serve in the newly-formed United Church. As a matter of fact, he was sent to Newfoundland, which was not even a Canadian province yet! I attended church with my grandparents occasionally as a child, but when I stumbled into SWU in 2010, I could tell immediately this wasn't my grandfather's United Church! Oh there are some wonderful traditions that have survived through the years (United Church people always show up with home baking, or a casserole, for instance) but this congregation has embraced me and my family in a way I wouldn't have believed possible in my youth. My partner Mary and I were married by Rev. David at SouthWest in 2012 (after what I like to call a 17-year engagement, that produced two kids)! My daughter discovered United Church Youth at age 13 and has been participating in and planning events with them ever since. Her younger brother is now following in her footsteps. ..Mon grand-père est débarqué au Canada en 1926 en tant que l’un des premiers pasteurs envoyés pour œuvrer au sein de la nouvelle Église Unie. À vrai dire, il a été envoyé à Terre-Neuve — qui n’était même pas encore une province canadienne ! Enfant, j’allais à l’église de temps en temps avec mes grands-parents — mais lorsque je suis arrivée par hasard à l’Église Unie du Sud-Ouest en 2010, j’ai vite compris que ça n’avait rien à voir avec l’Église Unie de mon grand-père ! De belles traditions ont traversé le temps (certains paroissiens se présentent toujours avec des plats cuisinés, par exemple), mais la congrégation nous a réservé, à ma famille et moi, un accueil que je n’aurais jamais cru possible. Pasteur David de SouthWest nous a mariées, ma partenaire Mary et moi-même, en 2012 (après des fiançailles de 17 ans qui nous ont apporté deux enfants !). Ma fille a fait la découverte du Groupe Jeunesse de l’Église Unie à l’âge de 13 ans et participe à l’organisation d’événements depuis. Son frère cadet poursuit la même voie. ....
....I have been working in the SouthWest office since 2013. I am also a real estate broker with Century 21 and I sing with Montreal Gospel Choir. ..Je travaille au bureau de SouthWest depuis 2013. Je suis également courtière immobilière avec la bannière Century 21 et je chante au sein du Montreal Gospel Choir. ....
....Sarah, Music Director ..SARAH, Directrice musicale....
....I got a phone call in August of 2006: would I be interested in playing the services for Crawford Park United and Verdun United for six weeks? Sure! ..Tout a commencé avec un appel téléphonique en août 2006 : serais-je prête à jouer de la musique lors des services des Églises Unies de Crawford et Verdun pour une période de six semaines ? Bien sûr !....
....Fast forward 13 years, and although the name has changed, many of the people who impressed me then are the people I still enjoy working with today. ..Onze années plus tard, bien que le nom de l’endroit ait changé, j’ai toujours le plaisir de travailler aux côtés de ceux qui ont su m’impressionner à l’époque. ....
....I was born and raised in Montreal. I studied piano, then organ and harpsichord at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal. I left in 1985 to study at the Amsterdam Conservatory in The Netherlands, and stayed in Europe for 14 years. I’ve played in churches both small and very large, and conducted choirs both small and large. I taught piano at the European School for many years and I enjoyed playing in many different towns and cities before I returned to Montreal. ..Je suis née et j’ai grandi à Montréal. J’ai étudié le piano, l’orgue et le clavecin au Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. Puis, j’ai quitté en 1985 pour poursuivre mes études au Conservatoire d’Amsterdam, aux Pays-Bas, et j’ai habité l’Europe pendant 14 ans. J’ai joué dans plusieurs églises — petites comme grandes — et j’ai dirigé des chœurs de toutes tailles. J’ai enseigné le piano à la European School pendant plusieurs années et j’ai eu la chance de jouer de la musique dans plusieurs villes et villages avant de finalement revenir à Montréal. ....
....SouthWest Church and Mission is continually evolving, which is its unique strength among churches in Montreal. As Music Director, I am expected to lead the choir for regular Sunday services and special holidays, which includes the annual Christmas music by candlelight. Over the years, I’ve organized many concerts from Jazz to classical at the church. More recently, I’ve had the huge pleasure of starting up a children’s choir at the Mission. Every November, we mark Remembrance with a special show put on by the SouthWest Musical Players with music from the 30s and 40s. Music never sits still, and neither do we at SouthWest! ..L’Église et la Mission du Sud-Ouest sont en constante évolution — une force remarquable parmi les Églises de Montréal. En tant que directrice musicale, je dirige la chorale lors des célébrations du dimanche, de même que lors des fêtes spéciales, comme la tradition des chants de Noël à la lumière des chandelles. Au fil des ans, j’ai organisé de nombreux concerts à l’église, du jazz à la musique classique. Récemment, j’ai eu l’immense plaisir de démarrer une chorale d’enfants à la Mission. Enfin, chaque novembre, nous soulignons le Jour du Souvenir avec les musiciens de SouthWest, faisant revivre la musique des années 1930 et 1940. La musique n’arrête jamais, tout comme SouthWest ! ....
....Dennis, Clerk of Session ..DENNIS, Commis de session....
....Currently I am Secretary of the Church Council of SouthWest United Church. ..Je tiens présentement le poste de secrétaire du Conseil d’Église à l’Église Unie du Sud-Ouest. ....
....I also keep the books as part of a three member financial team for the church and mission. I am retired and wondering how I ever found time for work. ..J’assure également la tenue de livres au sein d’une équipe de trois responsables de la planification financière de l’Église et de la Mission. Je suis à ma retraite et je me demande souvent comment je trouvais autrefois le temps d’avoir un emploi. ....
....Dorothy and I have been married for 55 years, we have two daughters and 6 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. We are into cruise vacations and are looking forward to our seventh cruise. ..Dorothy et moi sommes mariés depuis 55 ans. Nous avons deux filles, six petits-enfants et un arrière-petit-enfant. Lors des vacances, nous aimons bien partir en croisière — nous attendons avec hâte notre septième expédition....
....I am a woodturner currently making Christmas ornaments, toys and mentoring a novice woodturner. ..J’aime travailler le bois, fabriquer des décorations de Noël, des jouets et servir de mentor à un apprenti. ....
....I repair and rebuild computers and play about on line. ..Je répare et reconditionne également des ordinateurs et je m’amuse sur Internet.....