The Summer Blur
getting to Labour Day Weekend.
It has been a super busy summer for me, and for the churches and people I work with on the Peninsula. In many church settings, summer is a time when life slows down. But when you live in “cottage country”, summer is the time when everyone comes to visit, laundry is being done constantly, and as church communities, we try to do some extra things to bear witness to our faith in this beautiful season.
Potlucks ABOUND :)
This summer has been full to the brim with these “extra things”. With regular weekly programming in Howdenvale and Lion’s Head and regular weekly events in Tobermory, along with summer worship on Sundays at all 5 locations. Our activity level at Cape Chin also increased, thanks to the energies of our summer placement student, Brent, who really went all out to share ministry gifts that woke up our love of scripture and prayer.
The ministry in Howdenvale grew so beautifully this summer. We had community members out working alongside church people (and organizing us from the church), so that we had a sequence of Wednesday afternoon “pop-up playdates”. From games to rock-painting, from scavenger hunt to soccer, from face-painting to hop scotch, from beading to sand-castle building - so many bases were covered.
The children were like butterflies, flitting in to play or craft for a while, then going for a dip, and circling back for some more playdate joy. I was so thankful for how the community and church worked together. I appreciated the deep compassion shown to me, when I was encouraged to get rest as I needed it on the days when the extra hands were not essential.
Perhaps most beautiful of all is how this ministry has helped to strengthen the bonds of friendship between those who live in Howdenvale year round. We closed August with a potluck lunch and tour of Yotza’s acreage, where the kissing bridge was put to good use :) AND a gracious letter from our Bishop, encouraging and affirming our hopes to slowly winterize the church hall so that its use as a community space can be (eventually) year-round. Year-round residents are now already planning for what they will do together in the fall!
Pop up playdates ran on Wednesdays afternoons followed by Summer in the Spirit in Tobermory in the evenings, so usually I sought to squeeze in visits before beetling back up highway six to get to the variety of activities. From forest bathing and Indigenous teachings, to Tobermory Camino, from Elbows Up (a night of Canadiana and singing together), to hearing from our Muslim friends, Haidy and Yehia about their recent Haj. What a rich time - and what a lot of running - this picture captures what it felt like for me :)
We gathered on Tuesdays to listen to the Gospels being read, all the way through. This exercise in communal listening enriched us and helped us to notice together things we often did not notice in regular Sunday lectionary reading. Thursdays provided Compline at St Margaret’s Chapel, with a final Celtic Evensong service where Brent’s friends came up to play harp, sing with us and teach. My heart has been filled with these ministries. My cup runneth over.
In the midst of the summer offerings to the various communities, we continued to worship faithfully on Sundays with so many hands on deck to lead services. We also encountered death, within and outside the parish as we continue to pray for Ruth and Carolyn and Gary’s family and loved ones, as well as the family of the young man who lost his life in the traffic accident on Highway 6. Prayer ministry has upheld me and so many others as we worked out way through many background challenges in our administrative life as church.
In an interesting way, I get to the end of summer here feeling like getting to Labour Day Weekend is crossing a finish line. One more busy season in the rear view mirror, and a chance to return to the care of souls in my charge year round. But as the sun sets on summer, I give deep and profound thanks for ALL of the gifts of the season that ushers us into fall. THANKS BE TO GOD.
PHOTO CREDITS
First Photo by Philippe Murray-Pietsch on Unsplash
Second Photo by Igor Kasalovic on Unsplash
Thank you Janaki