Breakfast Club 2021

Did you know that SouthWest United still provides financial support to the Breakfast Club at Verdun Elementary? There was some concern at Church Council that this was not known, in the wider community or even within our own church community. Council voted last Sunday to continue its support and subsequently, the following was sent to Sheila Morrison, co-coordinator of the program:

“…At the council meeting held today after church, council agreed to support Breakfast Club  for another year. Council would like a couple of things from you. Council would like you to speak to the congregation during a church service (both in the fall and the spring) about Breakfast Club and answer any questions they might have. Before every council meeting, council would like to receive a short written report from you about Breakfast Club. The report would be distributed at the meeting and maybe used in the Friday newsletter. One of the concerns that council had is how widely known is it that SouthWest supports the Breakfast Club now that we no longer have a presence at the school. Any comments on that question?  Any ideas how SUC can make its support known among the school and the wider community? “

The following response was received from Sheila:

“First of all I would like to thank you and the Council very much for supporting me for the Breakfast Club for another year. Much appreciated!

No problem speaking to the congregation both in the Fall and Spring. I will certainly write a report enabling all to read about the progress of the Breakfast Club and the direction it is taking.

As we all know the last 18 months have been a crazy time in our lives.  To make sure that all the children ate we had decided to feed the entire school which would leave no child hungry.

This new school year may find it repeating itself once again unfortunately with the highly contagious variant. Will we feed the entire school or just the children that register and pay a small fee? Who knows?

To be honest the last Principal at the Verdun Elementary School, Sandra Luther, knew about the involvement with SUC and the school. However, there's a possibility that the new one, Christine Dane, does not have all the facts. I will be speaking with her during the first couple of weeks explaining the involvement between the two.

Again I thank SUC for supporting the Breakfast Club.”

We at SouthWest thank Sheila for her dedication and wish the Breakfast Club team all the best in the upcoming school year.

Resilience Shelter Needs Our Help

Resilience is a new day shelter and wellness centre right across the street from Cabot Square. Open to everyone, providing food and shelter as well as mental health and medical support. They accept donations during opening hours (at the back door, please ring the bell). Here is what they particularly need this summer:

Resilience is located at 4000 St. Catherine West, corner Atwater, in a building that used to be a McDonald’s. Donations should be brought to the back door in the alley off Atwater. Opening hours are 8 am to 2pm Mondays to Thursdays, and 8 am to 11 am on Fridays.

Janitor Needed at St. Columba House

The candidate must be eligible for the wage subsidy program of Emploi Québec
Job Description: To provide oversight of building security; to ensure building cleanliness and organization; to supervise building maintenance and services.
Responsibilities:
-To ensure that the building is free of hazards and to report and delegate any repairs or corrections to the appropriate person.
-To provide thorough and consistent janitorial services following a routine list of tasks as well as occasional and seasonal tasks.
- To work in conjunction with and supervise field-work interns providing janitorial assistance to St. Columba House

Concerning the burning of churches

The following is copied from the E-ssentials newsletter from the United Church of Canada.

Editor's note: The Rev. Murray Pruden shares a statement in response to the news that two Indigenous United Church buildings were damaged by fire in the last several days.

I am devastated by the news from South Indian Lake, Manitoba of the fire at Angus Bonner Memorial United Church. And of similar news at Samson United Church in Maskwacis First Nation, Alberta. My prayers go to our membership and the many others these circumstances affect.

We are currently looking into the fires of these two Communities of Faith. Our office will continue to support them and the larger communities, to share information with the United Church as we receive updates.

Let Creator guide us to live in a good way.

[Photo credit: Murray Pruden]

Almost Like Old Times

Sunday, June 27th, our last service before taking a break for the month of July, Pastor Beryl brought cake and iced tea and lemonade to share after worship. There was talk of rain but in the end we were able to gather out in the sunshine and socialize a little bit. It was reminiscent of many St-Jean Baptiste barbecues of years past.

We don’t know what the public health situation will be when we return to worship on Sunday, August 1st. We just have to hope and pray that it keeps improving. Most of the people attending services are already fully vaccinated. We know that some others would like to come but are not quite ready for this level of contact.

Rest assured we will continue to follow guidelines from the government and our Regional Council to ensure the safety of our congregation. We look forward to seeing more of you as you feel ready.

Thanks to Sarah Fraser for organizing our Music Sunday on June 27th. Special thanks to soloist Howard Welburn. Congratulations to Douglas Hastie and Francine Couture who recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Sarah arranged a little serenade for them during the service.

Feeding Neighbours Experiencing Homelessness

Every Saturday for several months, Donna Cobb and Keith Wood have been dropping off sandwiches, or fruits and vegetables, or whatever they can manage that week, with a volunteer team that takes the food downtown to distribute to people experiencing homelessness. They are part of an effort started by Lisa Witt of Dollard-des-Ormeaux to distribute ready-to-eat food to people in city parks such as Cabot Square and Parc Emilie Gamelin, as well as to shelters like Benoit Labre House and Accueil Bonneau. Every week, a van arrives at pick-up spots in The West Island, Cote-St-Luc and Lasalle before heading downtown jam-packed with good things.

“We don’t have a lot, but we have enough,” Donna says. “It doesn’t cost a lot to make a tray of sandwiches.” When doing their grocery shopping, she and Keith keep their eyes open for bargains. They know where to get the best deals on things like bread and meat.

Donna found out about this initiative through a Facebook group called Montrealers Helping Montrealers. It is a group where people post about all kinds of things; most Saturdays, Witt posts photos and a brief description of the day’s rounds. Unlike food banks, which mostly collect and distribute non-perishables, this group is literally collecting perishables - fresh food items to be eaten the same day.

Witt, who has been doing this every week since last October, will be taking a well-deserved break for a few weeks as of June 12th, but plans to return to it later in the summer. That still leaves the next three weeks for anyone who is interested to get involved.

If you would like to donate sandwiches, baked goods, or anything that is ready-to-eat, the van will be doing pick-ups May 22nd and 29th and June 5th at 10:00a.m., in the parking lot beside 7040 Allard St. in Lasalle (it’s an apartment building just below Newman Boulevard).

image: Donna Cobb on Facebook

Montreal Gospel Choir Online Concert

A bit of shameless self-promotion from me. You’ve probably heard me sing at church, but did you know I’m also in a Gospel choir?

In the midst of Covid-19 restrictions, Montreal Gospel Choir, under the direction of Carol Bernard, has recorded a live concert featuring nearly 60 singers – myself included – and a band. We recorded the performance in a beautiful church outside Montreal and are feeling proud and excited to share it with you on Saturday, May 15th (tomorrow)!

Being in MGC has taken me out of my comfort zone in many ways: learning songs by ear instead of with sheet music, trying different vocal techniques, having to move!! – and for this concert, another first: singing into a microphone. I love it all and I especially love the people I’ve met.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop! will be streamed May 15th at 8pm Eastern time (Greenwich-5) but will remain available for another 48 hours. Tickets are $20 CDN tax included. I understand that money is tight for some people right now, so no pressure and no guilt if that is the case. I do feel confident that those who purchase tickets will feel they got their money’s worth. When you buy a ticket online you will be sent a unique link to watch the concert. Here is a short video from one of our concerts back when live audiences were a thing – as they will be again! Find ticket info at montrealgospelchoir.com

Amy

P.S. Our director, Carol, will be on All in a Weekend with Ainslie MacLellan tomorrow morning at 8:30 on CBC radio.



In Memoriam: Brian Carleton

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Brian Carleton on May 2nd. Brian was a familiar face at the Mission and at the church where he sang in the choir for many years. The following obituary that ran in the Gazette is a beautiful tribute to Brian by his sons.

CARLETON, Brian
February 22, 1936 - May 2, 2021

It is with heavy hearts that we announce today the passing of our dad, Brian Carleton. He left us on Sunday, May 2, 2021. His passing is not due to Covid, but simply to him deciding that it was his time to go. He was 85.

Brian was born in the city he loved the most, Montreal, on February 22, 1936. After surviving a difficult childhood, he broke out on this own, joining the Canadian navy before settling into a career in the printing industry. He married and had 3 sons, and, when this marriage ended he went on to meet and marry the love of his life, Colleen. His Irish rose. This marriage lasted until her death, and he carried her in his heart until the day he died.

Our father was a bon vivant in the best sense of those words. He loved all sports from watching to participating and coaching. His favorites were hockey (and his beloved Canadiens), golf, soccer, darts and essentially anything that was competitive. He sang in barbershop quartets, in choruses, he enjoyed travel but most of all he loved people. He squeezed every drop out of life. He was also a regular church goer with a deep faith in God.

We would like to thank our brother Craig for his devotion and in taking on the responsibility of caring for our father in his final years. They were a team. We would also like to thank the staff, doctors and nurses at Manoir Verdun, in particular our father's nurse Nathalie. You are all heroes.

He is survived by his sons, Craig, Jason (Julie) and Eric (Marie Eve and Chase) to whom he always gave understanding, love and compassion. He is also survived by his 3 grandchildren, Dana, Kyra (Michael) and Liam all of whom he loved with all of his heart.

Lastly, sometimes, at the end of our lives, we are stuck in bodies that just won't work any longer. We must remember, for our loved ones, that we know in our hearts that the mind is still there with all of its memories, feelings and passion, waiting for the day to be set free again. Well Dad, you are free now. Free to be with Colleen and all of the other loved ones you know. Now, you can go back to what you do best - laughing, loving and having fun. You will be missed, but we know you are in the best place of all. Heaven.

We love you.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Accueil - Fondation Champlain et Manoir-de-Verdun. Champlain-manoir.org

Published on May 8, 2021

On the Death of the Beloved

Those who attended or watched last Sunday’s service got to hear Aline Sorel read this poem, On the Death of the Beloved, by John O’Donohue. May 5th marked a year since we lost Steve Scales. It has been a hard year for many, with many losses. We print this here in hopes that it may bring comfort to others as it has to Aline.

On the Death of the Beloved

Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.

Your love was like the dawn
Brightening over our lives
Awakening beneath the dark
A further adventure of colour.

The sound of your voice
Found for us
A new music
That brightened everything.

Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.

Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.

We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.

Though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
We know our soul's gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.

Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.

When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.

May you continue to inspire us:

To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again. 

-John O'Donohue

Mental Health Sunday, May 2, 2021

Mental Health Sunday (the first Sunday in May) is part of the United Church of Canada’s effort to create communities of radical belonging for all people, including those living with mental health challenges. It ushers in Mental Health Awareness Week, May 2-9.

Below is an insert containing useful tips on how we as church can make the world a little better for our neighbours who struggle with mental illness. Find more resources on the UCC website.