Parish Life

by Rev’d Canon W. David Raths, Associate Priest

A major fundraising event for the parish, the annual Christmas Bazaar will take place on Saturday, November 23, celebrating its 92nd straight year. 

The event will include the always popular Snowflake Café, a range of donated china, jewellery and other treasures, a busy book, CD and DVD table, as well as tasty, but limited, quantities of preserves, baking and deli treats. Arrive early to avoid disappointment! From 10 am to 2 pm. 

The Parish's November newsletter is available, hot off the virtual press. Read about the recent All Saints' Day party and more. 

by Brian Wehrle

May is Mary’s month, and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season –

- Gerard Manley Hopkins, The May Magnificat

The month of May has traditionally been a time of popular piety and devotion honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary, the “Queen of May”. This custom is believed to have arisen in the 13th century; Alfonso X of Castile acknowledges the tradition of honouring Mary in May, in Ben vennas, Mayo, one of his Cantigas de Santa Maria:

By Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St. Barnabas, Ottawa

(published in the February 2019 issue of Crosstalk)

By Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St. Barnabas, Ottawa

In the midst of a busy morning, sitting in traffic, I was behind a car with a wonderful collection of bumper stickers. They ranged from one proudly proclaiming “this car climbed Mt. Washington” to a collection of stickers on the back window showing a family of Star Wars fans with a mom, a dad, two children and even the dog depicted as stormtroopers! But one sticker, rather faded and torn read “Wise men still seek Him.”

By Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St. Barnabas, Ottawa

One of the great treasures of our Anglican tradition that I have rediscovered in the last few years is the Great Litany in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and the Book of Alternative Services (BAS). At one time it was common to find a copy of the Litany in a separate book on a prayer desk, called a litany desk, in the sanctuary or nave of most churches.

By Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St. Barnabas, Ottawa

by Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St Barnabas, Ottawa

On May 9 the parish will launch a new concert series featuring OrKidstra, a musical- and social-development program for children aged 5 to 18 living in under-served areas of Ottawa.

From the OrKidstra website:

OrKidstra is a social development program for children aged 5 to 18 living in under-served areas of Ottawa, Canada.

Our mission is to empower kids and build community through the universal language of music.