News From Summerlea

Summerlea United is the kind of active congregation that SouthWest used to be. We look forward to be surrounded by that kind of energy again, and to pitching in, as we are able!

Have a look at their Advent newsletter to find out what’s coming up there, including a Candlelight service, December 15th at 7PM.. Also check out their welcoming words for SouthWest.

One More Step

One more step along the world I go.
From the old things to the new
keep me traveling along with you.

So sang the congregation at the end of last Sunday’s Anniversary service. Since then, our next steps have become a bit clearer.

As Dennis informed us last week, the largest number of votes received at the meeting on November 6th opted for a merger between SouthWest and Summerlea United in Lachine. The second highest number were for SouthWest to remain independent but to meet in the Summerlea building at a different time (we have been offered 11:30). A number of people also expressed a preference for finding a space to rent closer to home (Verdun or Lasalle) but unfortunately, we have not found such a place, and at any rate, we cannot, as SouthWest United, choose multiple paths; we must settle on one.

Church Council met this past Monday, and some of the members of council attended a meeting at Summerlea on Tuesday where they were greeted with open arms. The path forward that emerged from these meetings is this: SouthWest will merge with Summerlea, but there will be a transition period of at least six months.

Those of you who have been in this place before know that amalgamation is not necessarily a quick and easy process. Just because we will leave our current building as of December 31st, doesn’t mean that SouthWest can be dissolved as of January 1st. We will still have to do financial and annual reports accounting for the past year. There is also the fact that SouthWest has a contract with Pastor Beryl until June 30th, 2023. Therefore, the ministry plan that will be presented to Regional Council will propose a merger with Summerlea, but allow for a transition period of 6 months or so.

Beginning in January, a SouthWest service, led by Pastor Beryl and Sarah, will take place at Summerlea at 11:30. As per her part-time contract, Beryl will lead worship three times a month. Where we have had lay leadership filling in once a month at SouthWest, we will instead suggest that on Pastor Beryl’s Sundays off, SouthWest people simply attend the Summerlea service at 10:00. This will allow us to get to know their minister and the congregation and should help smooth the way to eventual merger.

We know that some will not be willing to attend an 11:30 service, even temporarily. Some may make the jump to attending Summerlea’s service right away, or may opt for another church altogether. Of course we cannot force anyone to stay with SouthWest. At the same time, we do think of all of you as family and therefore want to make sure that the distance is not the thing keeping you away. It has not been formalized, but we will work on finding lifts for people who wish to attend the 11:30 service in Lachine.

SouthWest will continue to pay three employees for six months: Beryl, Sarah and me. Summerlea is offering us some storage space and even possible office space. The newsletter will continue to go out every Friday for the time being. Also it looks like our grand piano, and a few other treasures, will go with us!

We will keep you informed of any new developments. Meanwhile, the snow on the ground reminds us that in another week or so we will be in Advent. Let’s enjoy one last Christmas season in our beautiful church.

And it's from the old I travel to the new.
Keep me traveling along with you.

-  Amy

Friday Newsletter November 4, 2022

75th Anniversary Service

Our building is 75 years old, and has been a United Church for all of that time. Although the Crawford Park congregation was founded a few years earlier, the first service was held in what is now the hall of this church in November 1947. When the upper sanctuary was completed five years later, it was inaugurated in November of 1952. Our Nov. 13 service will be devoted to remembering our church history. All are invited to share a particular story or memory.

A Word from our Clerk of Session

Our pastor Beryl commented that the vote taken last Sunday was "disappointing". I am not sure which disappointment she was referring to. I found it disappointing that we only received 28 ballots, two by email, one by Canada Post and the balance of 25 in person.

 The totals for the 4 options were: no votes for closing down the ministry, 10 votes to rent space anywhere, 14 votes to rent space in a church and 17 votes to merge with another church. People had the option of making more than one selection.

 So, we have two strong options to manage. We, the members of the church council will do our best in the coming weeks to secure an arrangement that respects the wishes expressed by these ballots.

 In January we will be worshiping God together. At what time and where is still up in the air,

but we will be together. Thanks be to God.

Dennis Brown

Moving Sale: Saturdays in November

In the next few weeks, we need to clear a lot of stuff out of the building in preparation for handing it over to the new owners.

The plan is to put items out on tables and offer them for sale over the four Saturdays in November, from 9am to noon.

Over the next couple of weeks, Dorothy Brown and other volunteers will pitch in to pull things out of cupboards and sort through what we have.

For the eventual sale, rather than put price tags on everything, it will be a “fill a bag for $5” format.

Spread the word and get those five-dollar-bills ready. It could change, but right now the plan is to have the sale on November 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th from 9:00 to 12:00.

School Supplies for VES

We have been asked to donate some school supplies once again to the students of Verdun Elementary. Therefore, we are asking, if you are able, that you bring in any of the items listed below over the next three Sundays (October 16, 23 and 30). We will deliver them to the school at the beginning of November.

Scissors
pencils
crayons
glue sticks
binders

From Rockburn to Verdun and Back

Knowing that our beloved pipe organ would soon be leaving SouthWest, I had planned to share some pictures from the period when it was being assembled down near the U.S. border, and then installed. When I had not realized that this past Wednesday would be the day it would be taken apart. I’m not sure what will be left to greet churchgoers this coming Sunday. Over the next weeks, it will be reassembled at Rockburn Presbyterian Church. May it bring them joy. Here is the image that greeted me on Wednesday:

The process of getting it built and installed in the first place took almost two years and we have many many photos to tell the tale. Click below to see just a few. You might have to click “Join” to see them.

Memories and Mysteries

We have begun the somewhat melancholy task of going through all the moveable objects in the church (newsflash: there are a lot of them) and making decisions about where they will go. As mentioned before, if you or your family have dedicated hymn books or anything else to the church and would like to have them back as keepsakes, contact the office.

Other things are coming to light that have dedications, but the names don’t ring a bell. Pictured below is a silver vase for a flower arrangement with the following dedication: in loving memory of Mum and Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stevenson, from daughter, Mrs. G. Gellately, Crawford Park United Church. If anyone knows this family and has any idea how to contact them, please let the office know. 

There are also several original pieces of art on the walls that will be offered back to the artists, if we know them. There is a lovely scene with a sailboat that always makes me think of Newfoundland. The painting, which has been in the church for decades, is signed Dot McInnis. Does that name mean anything to anyone?

So much for the mysteries. Here’s a memory for anyone who once attended Chalmers United on Church Street. I found this photo of a stained glass window on the Facebook page of the Montreal Korean United Church, which of course is the current owner of that building. I love the brilliant reds and golds. It reads, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business”

Amy

Updates: The Pipe Organ

As mentioned last week, the church has been sold to another congregation. As the buyer was not interested in our wooden pipe organ, we wanted to find it a good home.
You will recall the organ was built for us between 2008 and 2010 by Wolf Kater of Rockburn, Quebec, (with some blood sweat and tears contributed by Dennis Brown and other SouthWest people). Rockburn is just a hop and a skip from the U.S. border, south of Ormstown. There is a little stone Presbyterian church there which dates from 1856. These days it is less denominational, seeing itself as a “Village church.” On Sundays they welcome a rotating cast of worship leaders including Stewart Burrows. You remember Stewart: he led worship at SouthWest several times, guitar in hand, back before the pandemic.

Anyway, it was decided to offer them the pipe organ, with the understanding that taking it down, transporting it and reassembling it in their church would be entirely up to them. Those present at the meeting following worship last Sunday voted unanimously in support of this plan. Wolf has been made aware and, what with living just down the road, he should be a great help in getting this done. No money will change hands between our two congregations (unless it’s a symbolic dollar) but we at SouthWest will have the peace of knowing that our organ, which we have enjoyed some twelve years, is still making a joyful noise unto the Lord. Sarah Fraser, who lives in that part of the world herself, says we should all go down for a service one Sunday once the organ has been installed. Chances are she will still have occasion to play it from time to time in its new home, which, when you think about it, is also its old home.

Rockburn Presbyterian Church