“We really need something here,” she said. “St. George, St. Andrews – it hits close to home.”

She contacted the mayor of the town of St. Andrews, Brad Henderson, with an idea: a clothesline holding plastic zipper bags with items that could help marginalized and needy people cope with winter. The mayor thought it was a great idea, but the question then became location. He suggested she contact Archdeacon John Matheson, rector of the parish of St. Andrews.

Approvals in order, the clothesline is now installed on the lawn between the parish hall and All Saints Anglican Church on King Street, just a block from busy Water Street where everyone who needs something can easily access it.

“Single parents, community college students, exchange students, seniors – it’s there for everyone,” she said.

She started with hats, mittens, scarves and hand warmers, adding empty bags and clothespins so that anyone with donations could hang them on the line. The bags are important because they keep everything dry, she said.

The clothesline is accessible 24 hours a day, and if people want anonymity, they need only wait until supper time when it gets dark.

Within the first few days of the clothesline being installed, she noticed someone pinned a jacket, though Archdeacon Matheson agrees that larger items can be stored in the hall to keep them out of the weather. She also noticed someone had bagged and pinned a woman’s shirt, hand towels and a blanket.

It’s clear others have already joined her efforts to make the winter season a bit more bearable for those least able to afford it. “As soon as there’s an empty spot, it’s filled,” she said. “The word is getting out. It’s gone a bit crazy.” Television stations have already visited to broadcast stories about the clothesline.

Since the debut of the St. Andrews clothesline, Ms. Ross has gotten permission for and has installed a second one, this time in community garden in nearby St. George. “It began with me asking, how can I help somebody?” she said. “If you need it, then take it, and if you can donate it, donate it. Everything, everyone can make a difference.”

The New Brunswick Anglican

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Belong Ottawa, which has three locations in the city, was celebrating the 70th anniversary of Centre 454, the 41st anniversary of St. Luke’s Table and the 40th anniversary of The Well. All three offer compassionate care to vulnerable people who struggle with issues such as poverty, homelessness, mental health and addictions.

“Congratulations on achieving this incredible moment,” the mayor said. “Seventy years of Belong Ottawa helping the most vulnerable people in our community. That really is remarkable.”

The civic recognition was undoubtably welcome at a time when Centre 454 is facing intense pressure from some neighbours to move out of its long-time location in the basement of St. Alban’s Anglican church and to relocate.

Bishop Shane Parker thanked Mayor Sutcliffe for the honour and for his and the city’s support. Many years ago, the Anglicans who started what has now become Belong Ottawa “looked around them and saw other human beings who were experiencing distress or marginalization or poverty. And they saw it with their eyes and then they felt it in their hearts, and then they chose to act,” the bishop said. They invited other people of compassion to come and work with them, he said, and in doing so, they created a sanctuary where “everyone has the opportunity to be received, to be valued, to be seen as a whole person without judgment and made to feel that they belong. Thank each of you for participating with us in creating sanctuary. Thank you for your hearts of compassion, for your hearts of love, and thank you for sharing this wonderful celebration today.”

Perspective

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The objective is to enhance the cathedral for use as a holy place, while opening it up to new possibilities and providing financial security for the future, said Dean Kevin George. “We believe God is at work in the creatives in this city, so, to be able to bring creatives into the space who want to perform and express themselves with their music, for instance,” he said. “We want to be able to, yes, increase some revenue, but more than that, we want to be good stewards of the space.”

Of the roughly 27,000 square feet the cathedral occupies at Queens Avenue and Richmond Street in downtown London, only a portion is being used on a given day.

“That’s not good stewardship of space,” said Dean George. “We believe God is calling us to go into the neighbourhood, find neighbours who need to use this space and provide it at a reasonable cost so that there are different ways to express people’s spirituality.”

Built between 1844 and 1846, and expanded in the late 1800s, the yellow brick, red-painted St. Paul’s is London’s oldest church, and predates the municipality by nearly a decade.

For more than a year, the diocese has worked with non-profit Trinity Centres Foundation (TCF) to rethink how the three floors of the cathedral could be used into the future. A business case by TCF, tabled before London council last May, proposed using about 9,000 square feet as a creative sector incubator with workshop spaces, studios, music practice and recording areas. It also proposed turning an empty building next door that is owned by the diocese into affordable housing, a project now underway.

A main component will see the historic cathedral area turned into a 700-seat, multi-use space for church services as well as conferences and performances. It’s this work that’s beginning first. Into the spring, crews will reinforce the floor to handle the weight of movable seating, install air conditioning and improve ventilation.

A new accessible ramp will be added and existing tile flooring removed. New hardwood floors will be installed, covering existing hardwood underneath the pews, which is believed to be original. A labyrinth may also be added. The pews themselves will be replaced with durable oak plywood chairs that can be stacked and wheeled in and out of storage.

Dean George acknowledged the cathedral was sensitive to the fact the changes may not come easy to all parishioners. “I’m so proud of the people here for embracing the notion of change and realizing that they need to think about where future generations are and how they’re going to need to worship,” he said.

The main cathedral work is expected to cost more than $1 million, with about half covered by the diocese, Dean George said. The rest will come from fundraising. It’s unclear what the larger, complex-wide plans will cost.

The work is set to last until May and services will be held in adjoining Cronyn Hall until then.

The clock is ticking. The cathedral is hosting the Anglican Church of Canada’s triennial Synod meeting in June, during which a new Primate will be elected.

CBC News

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“The Brockville churches’ Sunday supper program is one of the places where a person experiencing hunger and homelessness can find a warm meal and fellowship,” said the Rev. Canon Michael Read of St. Lawrence Anglican Church.

The program is a shared venture of the town’s Anglican, United, Presbyterian, Baptist and Wesleyan churches. Every Sunday, the churches take turns providing a free supper to all who come.

“We are more and more conscious that people need this dinner,” said Canon Read. “We’ve gone from 50 or 60 people to 150 to 200 people, depending on the Sunday. It has become one of the most direct ministries of outreach to the community that we have.”

The Sunday suppers grew out of the need to help members of the community who experience food insecurity through the weekend, he said. The program marked its 17^th anniversary in February.

Brockville Recorder and Times

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Applications are encouraged from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience. Board member responsibilities include regularly attending monthly board meetings and important related meetings. Submit a letter of interest and resume to Mr. Squires at stan_squires@hotmail.com.

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Canon Walton, a member of Holy Trinity, Clearview, will continue in her role as the Canon Administrator for the diocese’s North archdeaconry. She has volunteered in the diocese for more than 20 years, assisting both large and rural parishes. She is also the prolocutor for the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.

“She brings extensive corporate and board-related knowledge and experience to this role in addition to her extensive insight into the Anglican Church,” said the diocese in making the announcement. “Her understanding of canonical obligations, diocesan policies and her ability to understand complex governance structures are some of the many strengths that she will bring to this role.”

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While Bishop Asbil is away, Bishop Riscylla Shaw and Bishop Kevin Robertson will lead the diocese in turn, assisted by other commissaries during their summer vacations. These commissaries and their dates will be announced in due course.

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