Birth Announcement!

Rev. Joëlle Leduc gave birth to a bouncing baby girl on April 18th. Jacqueline Lisa Owers-Leduc and mum were back home by Monday night and doing well. Our SouthWest community sends a big congratulations to Joëlle, Jen and big sister Katelyn!

Centenary News

The Centenary United Pastoral Charge is selling their building on Fortune Street in Point St-Charles, but the congregation will live on at St. Columba House.

The following is a brief history of this formerly Methodist, now United Church congregation (from the Société d’Histoire de Pointe-Saint-Charles).

“In 1864, Point Saint Charles’ first Methodist church opened on the corner of Wellington and Charon Streets. In 1891, a new, bigger church was built and given the name Centenary Church in honour of the centenary of the Methodist Church in Canada. It cost $32,000 and could seat 950. The congregation counted 400 families and its Sunday School was Montréal’s largest. The Hope Chapel on Ryde St was also built, served for ten years and, then was sold. It is still standing today.

Centenary joined the United Church of Canada in 1926.

In 1950, fire ravaged the church. It was rebuilt on a smaller scale, with only 250 seats and at a cost of $70,000.

The Mount Zion Seventh Day Adventists bought the church for $300,000 in 1990. The front and side walls date from 1891.

Since the church’s sale, Centenary United Church has been holding religious services in the presbytery at 585 Fortune St.”

A new chapter for Centenary began, appropriately, we would say, at Easter. Sunday services are now being held at St. Columba House, 2365 Grand Trunk in Pointe-Saint-Charles. SouthWest United wishes them all the best!

The Centenary we know on Fortune Street will soon be sold.

The congregation’s new home, St. Columba House on Grand Trunk.

Shots in the Arm

By the time you read this we’ll be nearly two weeks into the vaccination campaign for seniors in the general population. SouthWest people are eagerly signing up and the reports I’ve heard have been positive.

I personally accompanied someone with mobility issues to the Glen for her appointment. We were relieved to find wheelchairs available for anyone to use. As it turned out there wasn’t a lot of walking to do, or a lot of waiting, but the chair was very much appreciated nonetheless. People who have been to the Montreal General as well as to the Lasalle arena have also reported good experiences.

I had wondered if there would be any instructions regarding the second dose of vaccine. It turns out that when you go for your first appointment, they immediately book you for your second. Most people are getting appointments for the end of June, which fits into the 4-month window for getting your second shot.

Going into the second week, a few people reported problems booking appointments such as longer wait times, or having to go with a site further from home. We’re hoping that pharmacies will soon start offering the vaccine and that should help clear up any backlog.

As ever, we want to hear your stories, positive or negative.

In Memoriam: Beverly Page Ross

We are very sad to learn of the passing from this world of a lovely lady, Bev Ross.

Bev loved family, friends, animals, dancing, and travel - especially travel back to her childhood home in the Gaspé. Hope Town, Quebec is nestled next to the Baie des Chaleurs, a stone’s throw from New Brunswick. Bev always looked forward to trips back there in the summer.

Bev had beaten cancer more than once and fought through numerous other health problems over the years, always managing to stay upbeat. Maybe that’s how it is when you’re born in Hope Town. We don’t know details of this last illness, but it seems she had been in hospital for about a month before her death on March 4th.

Pre-deceased in 2007 by her husband Clyde, Bev was a loving mother to Harold, Heather and Glenn, as well as a grand-mother and great-grandmother.

Bev was on Facebook, where she kept in touch with many friends near and far. She will be missed by many at SouthWest United who enjoyed seeing her smiling face at services and events.

St. Andrew’s United Church in Hope Town, Qc.

“We line danced together for about 20 years,” recalls Helen Pantridge. “Our dancing group took two trips to Cuba.”

On Facebook, she liked to sign off at the end of the day with a “Good night, sleep well with sweet dreams”. We are wishing you the same, Bev.

Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign

Well, the vaccinating has begun. Here in the Montreal area it has now been made available to anyone 70 and over. We know a few SouthWest people have already had their appointments and others are scheduled.

The latest news suggests that pharmacies will be offering the shot within a couple of weeks. That could be a good alternative for anyone nervous about going to a large vaccination site. Some other provinces are offering at-home vaccination for shut-ins. So far there is no such offer from the Quebec government but it may come.

If you have been vaccinated for Covid-19 or have accompanied someone to their appointment we would love to hear about the experience, whether good or bad.

Contact the office by phone: 514 768-6231, or e-mail: southwestunited@gmail.com

NEW COVENANT WITH REV. JOËLLE LEDUC

The following is from the most recent Nakonha:ka Regional Council newsletter:

A special online service on Sunday, February 21, 2021 celebrated a new covenant between Rev. Joelle Leduc, Ste. Genevieve United Church and Conseil régional Nakonha:ka Regional Council. Lisa Byer-de Wever, member of the congregation and director of Maison Saint Columba House, offered an inspiring sermon about the nature of promise and finding wonder even in the midst of the wilderness. Rev. Linda Buchanan, president of the Regional Council, was present to lead reflection and preside over the covenanting. The congregation of Ste. Genevieve United Church was also delighted to welcome many guests from

Covid Vaccination Campaign for Seniors

You’ve surely all heard that Quebecers 85 and older are now eligible to get vaccinated, and that those between 70 and 84 will be soon. Still, being eligible and actually getting vaccinated are two different things. The hurdles in the way are not insignificant.

First there’s the fact that the government wants you to register for vaccination through a website. We know very well that many of you don’t have computers or internet. There is a phone number to call and we would be curious to hear if anyone has used it and had success registering that way. The number is:  
1-877-644-4545 (toll-free line from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday or 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday).

The Quebec government is not, at this point, offering to vaccinate people in their homes, even though many seniors have mobility issues. Seniors in Verdun keep hearing about the mass vaccination site at the Olympic Stadium and wondering if the government really expects them to go there!

On your behalf we tried going on the website first thing Thursday morning and by entering a Verdun postal code, we were able to learn that the closest sites to us are: the Glen; the Montreal General; and the Palais des congress. Those who live in Lasalle or elsewhere will likely get different recommended sites.

In order to register on your site you will need to provide your Medicare number, date of birth, and your parents names.

Many of you have some familiarity with the new hospital at the Glen, but that’s not to say getting there to be vaccinated will be a breeze.  There is some talk of opening smaller vaccination clinics in pharmacies and such, but that may not happen for weeks. So unfortunately if you want to be vaccinated sooner rather than later, a certain amount of travel will be required. We have drafted a letter* (signed by Pastor Beryl and Dennis Brown) to Isabelle Melancon, provincial  MNA for Verdun, gently suggesting that we need at least one site within Verdun - and we don’t mean Nun’s Island!

If you have any mobility troubles you should get someone to drive you and go in with you. (That person can even register to be vaccinated themselves if they are over 70). The good thing about a hospital setting is that you should be able to get hold of a wheelchair; take it, because chances are the vaccination site will be a trek from the parking garage.

There has been no suggestion that parking will be free at these sites (the Big O has given in to that demand, however). I would hold on to your receipt if you pay for parking because there may be some kind of reimbursement later. I would do the same if you end up taking a taxi: get a receipt!

If anyone reading this needs help registering or getting to an appointment, contact the office. We will do our best to help.

-      Amy

*click below to see the English version of the letter, which was also sent in French.

Time Change October 31st

Halloween is a Saturday this year, and it is also the night we turn our clocks back one hour. Officially the return to standard time from Daylight Saving time starts at 2am on Sunday November 1st, but we can cheat and make the change before bed on Saturday. Early risers will be pleased to see the sunrise by 6:30am the next day. The flip side of course is that sunset will come an hour earlier on November 1st.

Need Glasses?

The “nomadic opticians” are back at Verdun Elementary School, in the old SouthWest Mission space. Philippe Rochette, aka Bonhomme à lunettes and his team offer affordable eyeglasses at service points throughout the city, often located in community organizations. Currently, their clinics in the school are Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Their website says you don’t need an appointment but in these Covid times, I would call ahead just in case anything has changed. 514 303-4315.

Please note they are not optometrists. You still need to see one of those to get a prescription for glasses, and for most, there will be a charge for the visit. The Bonhomme a lunettes team is there to get you the best deal on lenses and frames.

Gifts With Vision from The United Church

The United Church of Canada developed Gifts with Vision in response to member requests to be able to give gifts to relatives, friends, and loved ones that are in direct support of the church's Mission & Service partners. Your loved one receives a card telling them what program or activity you have donated to in their name. Visit the Gifts With Vision website to learn about gifts addressing poverty and hunger, supporting education and healing, both here in Canada and around the world.
giftswithvision.ca