It’s Tubie Weekend!

 

The Seaway Valley Presbytery is the first presbytery in Canada to complete an en-masse restructuring.

In 2011, hundreds of church delegates voted to support a process that would support and encourage dialogue concerning the future of local United Churches.

The presbytery includes United Churches in the Seaway Valley from Prescott to the Ontario-Quebec border. 

The results of those dialogues are now coming to fruition, with many of the ongoing changes set to take effect July 1, 2013.

The basis of the restructuring is the pressure that all churches are facing due to increasing costs and declining membership.

The bold moves that this region has taken to facilitate change have garnered the interest of many across the country and across faiths.

“We get calls from right across the country, from people who are interested in finding out how the process is going,” said Rev. Wendy Wright-MacKenzie. She chairs the vision and transformation committee of the Seaway Valley Presbytery. “Many, including those of other faiths, are monitoring our model,” she said.

The discussions have been left with the congregations, rather than the governing body (the presbytery), to allow each area to choose their own path forward, explained Wright-MacKenzie.

Some churches, like Morrisburg’s Lakeshore United Church, have opted to remain a stand alone church. 

Change for that church will be minimal, however, their minister is moving on, so they will be seeking a new minister.

Others like Iroquois United and Brinston (pictured) -Hulbert Valley United have decided to amalgamate. Through this new union, they will become the Iroquois-Matilda United Church. 

It will be a two point charge, under one minister. The Iroquois-Matilda United Church is seeking a minister.

Other models being explored across the presbytery are a regional model and cluster model. 

A cluster model involves sharing one new governance. Churches at the west end of the presbytery are in the process of determining if they would like to follow this new cluster model.  

A regional model is a fresh start. “In a regional model, churches disband and close, and a new ministry is started,” explained Wright-MacKenzie.

Only one regional church has been formed in the Seaway Valley Presbytery: Christ  Church United.

This new ministry is located in the Chesterville United Church building, but the building has been completely changed in order to make it a new space to those moving there from the former Morewood and Chesterville area churches. 

Christ Church United is still in discussions with other area congregations, including the Williamsburg congregation, which presently holds services at the former Elma School location after selling their church building. 

Wright-MacKenzie explains that this regional model is one that is generating much excitement among its parishioners.

“The difference between amalgamation and what is happening here, with a new ministry, is that people are encouraged to get rid of the tangibles and to embrace letting go. Church is not the building,” she said.

“Churches generally have key leaders. When you go to a regional model, this puts all of their energy together. And, when you do that, something exciting blossoms,” said Wright-MacKenzie.

In a regional church model, one minister does two services on Sunday. 

There is more lay-leadership, pastoral care is shared with the people in the congregation, study groups are led by trained lay-leaders, and a central youth group is formed. Resources, such as music are shared.

“We are looking at ways to meet the needs of the community,” she said while the congregation explores new ways of worshiping differently, together.

[…]

 

Why it’s positively criminal how funny the upcoming Iroquois-Matilda Lions pro-duction of Monday Always Leads to Murder is!

Some of the characters die laughing.

Following in a tradition that dates back nearly 30 years, the Iroquois Lions (and friends) are taking to the stage at Upper Canada Playhouse this month with their latest theatrical offering, Pat Cook’s Monday Always Leads to Murder. 

These highly anticipated plays, which are presented every two years, are one of the major fund raisers for the Iroquois-Matilda Lions. 

Lions clubs have long been noted for their support of charitable organizations and works in South Dundas. The community often turns to area Lions for financial and volunteer support. 

Funds raised  by the productions at the Playhouse are invested right back into the South Dundas community. 

Ticket holders for the 2012 production can look forward to an evening of laugh-out-loud comedy and to ensuring that the Iroquois-Matilda Lions can continue to be a strong presence in the South Dundas community. 

The show’s volunteer cast has been in rehearsals since early February. As opening night gets closer, the production is transferring April 4 to the Playhouse.  Rehearsals  have been held at St. John’s Anglican Church, Iroquois, and the Iroquois United Church. 

The cast is having a lot of fun with the play, which is set in the seedy New York office of one Harry Monday, private eye. The year is 1939: Prohibition has lately been repealed, Humphrey Bogart is big at the box office, Al Capone is big in Chicago and women (at least where Harry is concerned) are still “stacked.”

Harry will certainly have his hands full coping with dames, would-be actors, cops, burglars, mysterious Egyptian professors and bodies that just keep popping up at the most inconvenient times when he takes on the sinister Barnstable case. 

The fantastic set for the show has been designed by John Thompson of the Playhouse and constructed by a crew under the leadership of Lion Jim Locke.  Sean Free, technical director of the Playhouse, is operating sound and lights for the show. Wendy Gibb is directing.

Tickets are $20 each for the evening shows, April 26-28, and for the Saturday matinee: they are going very quickly. Contact any Iroquois Matilda Lion, Mustard’s Variety or Upper Canada Playhouse for tickets to Monday Always Leads to Murder.  

[…]

 

The beauty of Christmas came alive at Upper Canada Village, Friday night, as the St. Lawrence Parks Commission opened its new gates in its new Discovery Centre to the 11th annual Alight at Night Festival.

Now recognized as one of the Top 100 events in Ontario by Festivals and Events, Ontario, Alight at Night has grown again with close to 1 million lights now lighting up the Eastern Ontario evening sky.

Visitors were welcomed to the official opening at Crysler Hall by Ron Eamer, Acting Chair of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, who claimed that snow has been ordered and is on its way.

“We owe a great amount of thanks to the staff,” said Eamer. “Their enthusiasm is what carries it off. This year, they have put up almost 1 million lights.”

Director of Marketing, Bryan Mercer highlighted the various additions to this year’s festival. They include new state-of-the-art LED wall washer lighting that sets the historic buildings aglow in colour, a new and convenient outdoor food court and more streamlined pricing to alleviate lineups and speed entry to the Village.

For one price, visitors now get admission to the festival, including a wagon and train ride.

Admission is $13 for adults (13 years plus), $10 for seniors (65 years plus) and $10 for youth (six to 12 years). Children five years of age and under will be admitted free. All admissions are subject to tax.

Returning to this year’s Alight at Night Festival is the very popular Sound and Light Spectacular which runs every half hour outside Crysler Hall. This year’s show is sponsored by Cruickshank Construction.

The third running of the Annual Canadian Gingerbread Competition was judged this past Saturday and the entries are on display at Crysler Hall and the carolling at nearby Christ Church has been expanded.

Mercer pointed out that the festival opened a few days later (than in the past) on Friday, December 2 but will operate through to January 7 this year.

Alight at Night is now open Thursday to Sunday until December 18 (closed Mondays to Wednesdays). From December 19 to January 7 it will be open nightly except for its closure on December 24 and 25.

“It’s our 11th year and Alight at Night has become the signature event for Eastern Ontario,” said Mercer. “It keeps growing and growing and getting better. Anyone who has been involved in it should congratulate yourself.”

[…]