Pilgrimage and Journeying

The WindowFall 2012

Footsteps in the Holy Land

Seeking Sacred Places

Iona Pilgrimage

Turning Points

Pilgrimage and Journeying to faith

Life at CCCThe Dean’s MessageParishioner Profiles

Life at Christ Church Cathedral Victoria

The Window Fall 20122

The WindoW

Editorial AdvisorsLogan McMenamie

Janet DaviesWendy Clay

Contributors:Ann Barry

Nancy FordRuth MacIntosh

Logan McMenamieSheila Martindale

Barbara PittamMalcolm Read

Pauline SamoszynskiGene Sederstrom

Clementien WolferstanCCC Walking Group

Submissions:Submissions to the editor are welcome. Please keep entries

under 500 words unless a longer article is requested. Photos

should be in a high resolution digital format. Please include

captions.

Deadline for December issue: November 5, 2012

Christ Church CathedralQuadra St. at Rockland Ave,

Victoria BC V8V 3G8Office: 930 Burdett Ave phone: 250.383.2714

cccadmin@christchurchcathedral.bc.cawww.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca

Editor:Catherine Allen

callen@christchurchcathedral.bc.ca

From left: Karmen Legge, Eirike Lavergne and

Sonya Legge share their musical journey at CCC.

On the cover

Fall Highlights!Weekend Celebration of the 350th Anniversary of the Book of Common PrayerSaturday, September 8, 8:45am: Re-creation of 1662 Order of Service for Holy Comunion10:00am: Panel Discussion of BCPSunday, September 9, 11:00am: Celebration of Holy Communion according to 1962 Canadian Order of Service; 4:30pm: Festive Choral Service of ThanksgivingCommemoration of the Battle of Britain, Sunday, September 16, 11:00am serviceInvitation Sunday, September 23, all regular services Forum Sunday, September 29, 10:30am Holy Eucharist Guest Preacher/Speaker: Dr. David G. BennerWonder, Sign and Symbol Lecture Series, Tuesdays in October (2, 7, 16, 23 & 30) 7:00 - 8:30pm, featuring Ed Schaefer and Gregory Andrachuk. Blessing of the Animals Service, Thursday, October 4, 4:00pm Thanksgiving Sunday, October 7, Services of Holy Eucharist at 8:00am, 9:15am and 11:00am Choral Evensong at 4:30 pmJohn Bell of the Iona Community (with First†Met United)At First†Met United: Wednesday, October 10, 7:00 - 9:30pmAt Christ Church Cathedral: Thursday, October 11, 9:00 - 11:00ami girl Workshop for Parents, Friday, October 19, 7:00 - 9:00pmi girl Workshops, Friday, October 19 & Saturday, October 20, 11:00am - 4:00pm100th Anniversary of the Canadian Scottish Regiment with special guests, Sunday, October 21, 11:00am Morning Prayer ServiceIn the Fall of Our Lives, Tuesdays, October 23, 30, November 6 & 13, 2:00 - 3:30pm with The Rev. Canon Susanne HouseDealing with Child and Youth Anxiety Workshop, Wednesday, October 24, 7:00 - 9:00pmSolemn High Mass, Thursday, November 1, 7:00pmPrecinct Renewal Open House: Saturday, November 3, 9:00am - 3:00pmRemembrance Day Concert with CapriCCio Vocal Ensemble, November 11, 2:00pmParenting in the Cyber Age, November 21, 7:00 - 9:00pmChristmas Bazaar at CCC School Gym: Saturday, November 24, 12:00 - 3:00pm Mission and Outreach Fair: Sunday, November 25, following 9:15am & 11:00am services

CCC Children’s Choir

A great opportunity for children (grades3+) to sing together under the guidance of Michael Gormley!

The choir rehearses Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00pm . First rehearsal,

September 12

LUNCH TIME RECITALS

with OrganistMICHAEL GORMLEY

Pilgrimage and Journeying

The WindowFall 2012

Footsteps in the Holy Land

Seeking Sacred Places

Iona Pilgrimage

Turning Points

Pilgrimage and Journeying to faith

Life at CCCThe Dean’s MessageParishioner Profiles

Life at Christ Church Cathedral Victoria

The Window Fall 2012

The Dean’s Message

2 Fall Highlights

3 The Dean’s Message Logan McMenamie

4 - 5 Life at CCC

6 Journey of Faith Clementien Wolferstan

7 Seeking the Sacred on Vancouver Island Diana McNeil

7 Book Review Sheila Martindale

8 Turning Points Nancy Ford

9 Celtic Journey Gene Sederstrom

10 Footsteps in the Holy Land Barbara Pittam

11 Poet’s Corner Sheila Martindale

12 Peter Reid Profile Malcolm Read

12 Pilgrimage Books 13 Cathedral Journeys Iona Highlights Ann Barry

14 Family Life this Fall Ruth MacIntosh

15 Janet Davies Profile Catherine Allen 15 Be-Attitudes Pauline Samoszynski

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PilgrimageThere are a number of great journeys that we can take to holy places, sacred places, and thin places that we would name Pilgrimage. When we embark on these journeys, it is our hope that we as individuals might grow, might have an experience of God, might even, in some way, be transformed.

The stories of folk who travel to Rome, Chartres, Israel, Iona or the Camino de Santiago all speak of these as being times of growth, God moments or times of personal transforma-tion. As we prepare to go on Pilgrimage in 2013, it is our hope and prayer that, as we travel together, this might be our experience as individuals and as a community.Pilgrimage is usually described as a journey to a sacred space or place. However, that place does not need to be a physical place or space. The real experience of pilgrimage happens within the person and/or the community. The change that occurs when we commit our-selves to travel together outwardly is a change that moves deep within us as individuals.Another form of pilgrimage is walking the labyrinth. Walking the labyrinth is a symbolic pilgrimage that can be done at home or on the south lawn of the cathedral. To walk the labyrinth is to go on that journey inward to the sacred place in each one of us: a journey which is, in essence, one of discovery of self, a journey to the place where God resides in each of us.This edition of The Window contains stories of pilgrimage. As we read them, let us exam-ine in our own lives what pilgrimage we need to undertake. Let us also examine if this journey will be on our own or in the form of community.

You keep us waiting.You, the God of all time,Want us to wait for the right time in which to discoverWho we are, where we must go,Who will be with us, and what we must do.So, thank you…for the waiting time.You keep us looking.You, the God of all space,Want us to look in the right and wrong places for signs of hope,For people who are hopeless,For visions of a better world that will appear among the disappointments of the world we know.So, thank you…for the looking time.You keep us loving.You, the God whose name is love,Want us to be like you –To love the loveless and the unlovely and the unlovable;To love without jealousy or design or threat,And most difficult of all, to love ourselves.So, thank you…for the loving time.And in all this you keep us,Through hard questions with no easy answers;Through failing where we hoped to succeed and making an impact when we felt useless;Through the patience and the dreams and the love of others;And through Jesus Christ and his Spirit, you keep us.(Prayer of the Iona Community in Scotland)

ConTenTs

The Window Fall 20124

Above: The Rev. Scott McLeod with his wife, Su and son Theo. Right: The Rev. Ed Lewis with his wife, Phyllis.

Cathedral Clergy Update

The Rev. Scott McLeod joined CCC at the beginning of July as the new Associate Priest following the Rev. Ed Lewis’ retirement from the position. Scott will also work part-time at the Dioc-esan office. Scott’s wife Su works as Diocesan Family Ministry Coordinator and the two of them have a young son, Theo. The Rev. Ed, after a well earned vacation with his wife Phyllis, is now back in harness as an Honorary Assistant at the Cathedral. So it’s welcome Scott and welcome back Ed. A win-win situation for the Cathedral!

Flower Power at the CathedralThe talented duo of Norman Mercer and Elaine Ellison created two arrangements for Government House that were prominently displayed during BC Blooms Festival in June. Norman also ar-ranged all the flowers for the Shill/Watson wedding in May.

Above: Norman Mercer and Elaine Ellison preparing for the Shill/Wat-son wedding. Left: The arrangements they created for BC Blooms.

Cathedral Community FairThe first Community Fair was a resounding success. Coor-dinator Malcom Read and his team put on an event that in-cluded music, dancing, stalls, lots of foods and games, even pony rides; capped by a performance of HMS Pinafore by the Grade 5/6 Cathedral students. Even the weather most-ly cooperated. We’re lookling forward to next June already!

Forum SundaysForum Sundays are scheduled when there is a fifth Sunday in a month and a 10:30am Eucharist replaces the usual 9:15am and 11:00am services. A guest preacher/speaker is invited, the most re-cent being Dr. Farouk Mitha when it was ‘standing room only’ in the Chapter Room. Our next Forum Sunday will be on September 30. Join us to hear guest preacher/speaker Dr. David G Benner. The final Forum Sunday of the year will take place on December 30.

LIFE AT CCC

Left: Bill Milroy and Nancy Ford Above: The pony rides were a huge success.

Join the St. Christopher Singers!Every Sunday afternoon The St. Christopher Singers present

the unique Anglican Experience of Choral Evensong.

“It is a wonderful way to complete the week.”

“I am uplifted every time I sing for the Choral Evensong Service.”

Previous recordings of Evensong Services can be found on our website: www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca under Sermons and

Resources

If you are interested in joining this choir,Contact Brian: (bgroos@shaw.ca)

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The Window Fall 2012

Our seven-circuit labyrinth, located on the south lawns, is a spiritual tool designed for walking meditation. The labyrinth consists of a single path that leads the walker to the centre and back out again. More information on walking the labyrinth can be found on our website: www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca under the “About Us” tab. If you haven’t yet walked the labyrinth, you are encouraged to give it a try.

The labyrinth has also fulfilled many other needs. Some use it as a quiet space to sit and during our Community Fair the circular design of the labyrinth proved perfect for some inspired danc-ing and vocal performances. When the weather is fine it provides a fitting location for our Celtic prayer services on Wednesday evenings. Other uses of our outdoor spaces included two concerts given by the Raven Baroque group on the south lawn.

CCC Labyrinth and outdoor spaces

Walking group journeys on

LIFE AT CCC

The group took its first full day trip this summer to Botanical Beach. As well as providing exercise and great fellowship for group members, the walks have become part of the participants’ spiritual journeys. Speaking of the trip to Botanical Beach, Diana Kozinuk says, “This was a lovely place to view and be inspired by God’s handi-work.” Joyce Dreilich noted, “‘There is something about walking in the great outdoors, whether alone or with like-minded friends, that leaves me reassured that I am not on this journey alone.”Marion Carroll felt the following quotes best expressed her feel-ings: “Good company in a journey makes the way to seem the shorter” Izaak Walton. “Hold every moment sacred. Give each clarity and meaning, each the weight of thine awareness, each its true and due fulfilment.” Thomas Mann. More Walking Group info: pathways01@shaw.ca

Music and more music!Many gifted musicians performed at the Cathedral during July and August. The season kicked off with the Annual Organ Series and was followed by the Fiftieth Anniver-sary Season of our Summer Recital Series. Raven Baroque, a group of chamber orchestra players, gave two outdoor performances on the south lawn.

At the beginning of July, 35 chil-dren attended a choir camp organ-

ized by Michael Gormley and Ruth MacIntosh. The highlight of the week was a closing recital on the Friday afternoon.

This fall the Friday lunch time recitals return, and vocal ensem-ble, CappriCCio, will be performing at 2:00pm at the Cathedral on Sunday, November 11, Remembrance Day.

Performance on the south lawn by Raven BaroqueAbove: Mary-Ellen Rayner, soprano, who performed at one of the Summer Recitals and at the Raven Baroque concerts.

The Walking Group at Botanical Beach

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The Seven-Circuit Labyrinth

Dancing at the Community Fair

The Window Fall 20126

A Journey of FaithClementien Wolferstan

Clementien Wolferstan joined CCC in 1995. She is involved in many ministries and recent-ly served as People’s Warden. Here she talks about her spir-itual journey from her early childhood in Holland to her time at the Cathedral.I came to Canada in 1953 with my family after escaping

flood waters in Holland. We settled in Edmonton where I grew up and went to school. As my experiences in high school were rather unpleasant, I vowed upon graduation never to go to school again and quickly found myself a job with Alberta Government Telephones as a tracer. A tracer was the person who “traced” engineering drawings onto velum or mylar in ink ready for print-ing. This led to a job with a civil engineering firm and I worked in Edmonton, Toronto and Calgary. I was offered the opportunity to become a draftsperson and so, of course, I did go back to school! In 1974 I came to Victoria, met and married Bill and together we raised our four children, Jonathan, Matthew, Thomas and Elizabeth.I grew up in a Roman Catholic family. My parents had a strong prayer life and we attended Mass every Sunday and said the family rosary every night after dinner (on our knees!). It was common to see our parents, together kneeling beside their bed, saying their morning and evening prayers. Vatican II was a time of great anticipation and hope for changes. The liturgy in English, the great explosion of music, the swing away from an angry God to a God of love, hope and mercy was exciting and renewing. But real changes never came, and I became disillusioned. During my last couple of years in Calgary, I started to slip away from Roman Catholicism and during that time I was introduced to the wonderful world of English Church music. It was refreshing, renewing and soothing.

Shortly after I came to Victoria in 1974, I started attending St. Andrew’s Cathedral and joined the choir there. Not long after, through choir friends, I was introduced to Bill. Bill took me to the Advent Carol Service, my first experience at the Cathedral, and I remember being so impressed with the service, the music, the candles and the building! I eventually started attending ser-vices, and I was formally received into the Anglican Communion the Easter of 1995.I have met the most wonderful people through my volunteer work here. Hearing their stories, working alongside them and sharing their good and sad times has made me so aware that each one is created in God’s own image and therefore worthy of being treated with dignity, respect and kindness. In 2008, when we as a Cathedral community lost so many friends, I took part in an afternoon led by Juliet and David Benner on spiritual healing. We were challenged to do something spiritual for two weeks that we had never done before, and I challenged myself to go to one weekday service, every day, for those two weeks. Two of those services really spoke to me, and I have attended them ever since as well as joining a Bible study group. Being exposed to the les-sons, gospels, collects and the sermons of the day have given me a deeper understanding of my faith and a greater appreciation for the Bible.What had a very significant impact on my spiritual journey hap-pened when our son was hit by a car and very nearly died. The prayer support from this community and many, many others around the world sustained me (and my family) in a very tangible way those first numbing couple of weeks. As he began his amaz-ingly swift recovery, I could feel the power of prayer surrounding and healing us all. It took me back to my childhood days when prayer was a part of my daily life. My own prayer life has started to return, though not in the formal way of my parents. I love browsing through books of prayers and will choose one to say, or be particularly inspired by a collect of the day. I will go back through the week to read these, put them away for a while and find I will go back to them again and again.

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Fred Shill, Jane Colgan and Kelly Shill at Ed Lewis’ Farewell BarbecueBill Wolferstan and Bill Shand at the Community Fair

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The Window Fall 2012

Book Review Sheila MartindaleJourneying across the country and into the human heart.

The Whole Truthby Kit PearsonHarper Trophy CanadaISBN-10:1554688523

Kit Pearson is an award-winning author of novels for young people. This story is about Polly, who is nine when her father dies under mysterious circumstances, and she and her sister Maud are sent to live with their grandmother on Kingfisher Island in British Columbia.

In the novel, set in the dark days of the Great Depression, the girls make the transition from a life of poverty and

uncertainty in Winnipeg to one of relative wealth and comfort. Maud goes to board-ing school in Victoria, since there is no high school on the island, but Polly stays with her new family, and slowly learns to let go of what she has lost, and to adapt. She misses her Daddy terribly, and it takes her a long time to trust anybody in her new situation. But, bit by bit, the magic of the island in the North Pacific works on her young mind and body, bringing a measure of healing. Everybody is kind, and once she settles into her new school and makes a new friend, she begins to thrive.

But there are secrets which threaten her newfound peace. One of these is between Polly and Maud, sealed in a pact they made, and which is very hard for Polly to keep to herself. The other is something to do with her father, which no one will talk about, and which she finds very frustrat-

Sacred spaces on Vancouver IslandDiana McNeil

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I was fortunate to be able to participate in last year’s pilgrimage to Iona. The time I spent in the sacred places – the Kilmartin Valley, the island of Iona, the walk across the sands to Lindisfarne – had a profound effect on me. It was partly due to the his-tory of the places and their connection to saints and the spread of Christianity. It was also a deep connection to the places themselves – the geography and nature. They are thin places where the sacred and secular seem to meet.

I will return to Iona sometime, hopefully for an extended visit. In the meantime I content myself with “pilgrimages” of a sort to places closer to home which are sacred to me. These are places where I feel a sense of belonging and connection to nature, such as Tower Point in Metchosin where I can sit and listen to the waves and

beauty of nature, watch sandpipers run in and out of the surf and reflect on the gifts created for us to appreciate and care for.

In these, and many other places, we can step out of our busy lives and take time for peaceful reflection and prayer. Weather need not deter us. Nature’s power is even more evident in the wind and stormy waves, as the Iona pilgrims discovered dur-ing the ‘storm of the century’ last year.

ing. When will she grow up and be old enough to understand? Then something surprising happens, which puts Polly in a moral dilemma on her twelfth birthday.

As Polly matures, she experiences the pain of discovering that the people she loves are not perfect, and that good and bad are not as simple as black and white, but blurred with many shades of grey.

Kit Pearson seems able to get right inside the head and heart of a confused pre-ado-lescent. Her young characters are beauti-fully drawn, and very engaging. She also skillfully captures the social climate of the period, as well as the geography and way of life on the Gulf Islands.

Writing for children or youth is only good if it also appeals to adults. And this is good writing! I can’t wait to read Kit’s next book, a sequel – And Nothing But The Truth.

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Have you noticed the Robin Pillar? Watch this space for some interesting

developments around this bird.

the wind in the firs while I watch seals, herons, kingfishers and ospreys. I marvel at the wonders of creation. I may pray or read psalms. I feel a deep peace and come away transformed.

In Springtime I am drawn to Thetis Lake where I am surrounded by wildflowers – lilies, shooting stars, ladyslippers, camas- ‘All things bright and beautiful, the Lord God made them all.’

No-one can visit Cathedral Grove without awe and a sense of the continuity of nature. I think about the 800 years that these trees have known, and I feel connected to the past and the future through them.

And on the west coast of our island on Long Beach and the beaches of the West Coast Trail one can observe the power and

The Window Fall 20128

Pilgrimage is something which echoes with our growing under-

standing of addiction.

Turning PointsNancy Ford

View of the Nave from the Organ loft

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Pilgrimage contains moments of transfor-mation. It is a nomadic journey when one agrees to a search for the Holy. This may take the form of a great physical journey, or may simply be a step over a threshold. Whether or not people are members of a faith com-munity, many continue to be intrigued with the ancient tradition of pilgrimage.Hollywood has recently embraced the top-ic. In 2010 a movie entitled The Way intro-duces many to the 200 year old tradition of walking El Camino. The movie begins in a busy dental office in the USA. The re-ceptionist tells the busy dentist that his son has called from somewhere in Europe, “He sounded good!” she says. The father seems ambivalent about the message and hurries on to his next appointment. Next we see the father on a golf course with three fel-low doctors enjoying a regular game. The father’s cell phone rings. The call chang-es everything in his assumptive world.His only child, an adult son, has been tragically and inexplicably killed in a vio-lent storm as he began walking El Cami-no de Santiago de Compostello (the Way of St. James). His son’s impulse took him away from his job, friends, and fam-ily and the decision mystified his father.The Father’s intent when he flies in is to identify his son’s body and arrange to take the ashes home. He organizes to be away

from his practice for a brief time. He is given his son’s backpack and discovers he cannot let it go just yet. Despite him-self he shoulders the backpack and be-gins the pilgrimage his son had started. He carries his son’s ashes with him. He follows the ancient path of pilgrims. The walk is deeply transformational for him and those he encounters. The Divine One working is seen throughout the movie, and there is a sense of raw hope that seeps through the tightly scripted screenplay.Pilgrimage is something which echoes with our growing understanding of addiction. There is, at the base of all symptoms of hu-man struggle, fear, and its companion, shame. The father has had to face the reality his life had become unmanageable. He shifts from the pseudo atheism of a predictable manageable life into territory where a Pow-er greater than himself could no longer be ignored. Throughout the movie one can see a messy journey filled with anger, rejection, rage and stupefaction. The stages of this man’s pilgrimage have some similarity to the 12 steps. One wonders if it was intentional.A friend and member of AA observes that all Christians should go to an AA meeting just once to discover what church might be. For him AA represents community, unconditional acceptance, support, and

the humbling admission of struggle. He is well respected in our community for his social justice work, but his AA communi-ties take precedence over everything else. Every so often he will speak more of his pilgrimage, of the stopping places, and the points of transformation. He would say Di-vine Grace is found in church basements.Grace is present in the Recovery 12 Step service. Each week we say each of the 12

steps and pray with each one. Praying through the steps has been transformational. The phrase of de-

fects of character is not a slur but frames a realistic way of being in community. If one begins, not with the expected perfec-tion of self and others, but the fact of de-fects, everything changes. It brings one to a rare vulnerability that does not allow the comfortable collapse into a chair of inabil-ity and brokenness. It is a challenging place of healing, as God is invited in to work in our lives. It is the balance between defects and assurance of a place within the great-ness of God’s love. In that we acknowledge we are community, shaped by many things, one of which might be substance abuse.Some mistakenly believe the service is only for AA members. Each week there is a mix of those who are curious about the service, those who have discovered a spirituality of community, and those for whom this is a necessary life-line in their daily lives. There is always a mix. Many who weave AA into their lives find it affirming to be able to reflect on the steps within the liturgy and prayers of the church, others find for them a surprising depth of spiritual reflec-tion as we pray through each step, and as we see how the steps return us again and again to the love and wisdom of Jesus. Pilgrimage may mean walking the pilgrim’s way as in El Camino, it may be through retreats, and for some their pilgrimage is to journey in community on Tuesdays at 5.15pm in St. Christopher’s Chapel.

Tom (Martin Sheen) walks the Santiago de Compostela in the movie The Way.

The Window Fall 2012

Celtic journeyBr.Gene Sederstrom OSBCn

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A pilgrimage can be described as a jour-ney to a shrine or other holy place. In May 2011, I participated in such a journey while traveling with a group of fellow so-journers to Scotland, home of many his-torical shrines and holy places. With my Celtic blood pulsing through my veins, I luxuriated in scenic and spiritual delights that have left indelible marks on both my memory and spirit. Being part Irish (yes, the very best part), I have always felt a deep sense of connection with Celtic spirituality.

Going on this trip has intensified that sense in a way that actually makes the cells in my body vibrate differently than they did before. I noticed it first while atop the hill at Dunadd in the Kilmartin Glen of western Scotland, where the early kings of Scotland were crowned and where St. Columba (another Irishman, by the way) is said to have annointed King Aidan at his coronation. The spiritual energy of this place was palpable, as if all those having stood there before were offering greetings.

The colours and sounds of Iona were magi-cal for me. Sea, sky, landscape, and architec-ture exuded countless shades of blue, grey, green, and gold. The hauntingly melodious cooing of cuckoos, the sonorous bleating of sheep, the rush of wind and rain coalesced into a cacophony of sounds touching a place in me so deep I was astounded by its recog-nition. Having experienced this tiny island commonly referred to as a “thin place,” I can whole-heartedly attest to the truth of it and long to return to its thinness. It’s easy to understand why St. Columba was sure this was the right place for his monastery.

Standing amid the ruins of the12th century Gothic-style Melrose Abbey, I found myself inexplicably engulfed in a sweet sadness as tears slipped down my face. I had felt this same way before as I stood among similar ruins at Rievaulx Abbey on a previous trip to Yorkshire, and it wasn’t until much lat-

er that I learned Rievaulx was the Mother House of Melrose. What a connection for me on such an emotional level! If was as if the monks of ages past were there both welcoming and gently reminding me that I trod on precious, historic and holy ground.

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is another magical site of spiritual energy. Founded by Aidan (also an Irishman and monk from St. Columba’s monastery at Iona), it was home to both the Venerable Bede and St. Cuthbert. Only there for the bet-ter part of a day, I found myself entranced by the geography of the island and its protective isolation. The priory ruins seemed to whisper of the struggles and joys of the monks long since departed.

It was a grand trip, a marvelous jour-ney with a group of people I came to cherish as dear friends. As I reflect on its significance in my life, I find myself drawn to the realization that Celtic spir-

ituality is telling me that all places can be holy and that I meet saints daily. Even so, I’m planning to go again in 2013!

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Photos (clockwise) Gene with Molly Whan Tong and Sue Black; Iona Abbey, Melrose Ab-bey and (on opposite page) Lindisfarne abbey with labyrinth.

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An inveterate traveller, in May 2012 I joined a group bound for Israel and Jordan, led by the Rev. Richard LeSu-eur, priest at Cadboro Bay. It was an unforgettable journey.

We spent our first seven nights in Jerusalem. There was much to see, beginning with the view of the city from Mount Scopus, where we all stared in wonder at the Dome of the Rock, which dominates the city with its dome covered with gold leaf. What set this trip apart from a regular tour company, was that each morning, before the bus pulled away, we would have a Bible read-ing linked to what we would see that day, followed by a prayer.

Wherever we went, archeological digs are on-going as more and more history is unearthed. Most fascinating was the church owned by the Sisters of Nazareth. Sometime in the 1800’s, a paving stone gave way in the building and after ex-tensive work, a street, columns and buildings were found be-low from the time of Christ, including a large tomb with sev-eral niches and a large round stone standing by the entrance. These tombs, we learned, were only built from 50 BC to 50 AD.

Every significant event involving our Lord has a church or basilica erected on the site, sometimes on top of earlier buildings, long since destroyed by foes or earthquakes. Our travels took us to the Judean Desert, Jericho and Qumran, where we saw, at a distance, the mouth of the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We visited a

Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem, dating from the displace-ment of the Palestinians in 1948, and that same afternoon were taken to an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, which re-sembled the Uplands in comparison, well laid out, with wide, clean roads and plantings of shrubs and flowers. We swam in the Medi-terranean, frolicked in the Sea of Galilee, and floated in the Dead Sea. We gazed in horror at the mighty wall and watch towers as we approached Bethlehem, covered in graffiti with heartfelt messages, and walked the shore at Tabgha close to Capernaum where Christ would have walked. A boat trip on the Sea of Galilee was followed by a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes, and walking down an uneven farm road in the unforgiving heat, we stopped by a tree, in the shade of which was a circle of large flat stones and a rugged altar, obvious-ly used by many pilgrims before us. There we celebrated the Eucha-rist, gazing out over the Sea of Galilee. A humbling experience.

Travelling south with the Dead Sea to our left, we gazed in won-der as we approached Herod’s mighty rock fortress of Masada to our right. We ascended to the summit by cable car and in the intense heat followed our guide through the remains of build-ings and gazed from its heights to see the still-visible areas where the Roman soldiers had camped below, holding the fortress un-der siege for over two years before the walls were breached in AD73. The royal palace projected at one end on three levels from the top, and those with the courage leaned over the rail for a

closer look! Later we were told it was 40C that day.

Crossing into Jordan over the Allenby (King Hussein) bridge, our first stop was the baptismal site of Jesus in the River Jordan; then we rode to the heights of Mount Nebo, and later visited the ancient Madaba map mosaic in the church across from our hotel. Next day we headed to Wadi Rum where we spent the night in a desert camp. Evening Eucharist was cel-ebrated as we sat on colourful Bedouin mats under the overhang of a high curving rock. Our first task was to find large stones, which we stacked to make an altar, and from there we watched the setting sun.

The following day’s itinerary was headed “The Spirit-uality of the Desert,” which included silent meditation as the sun came up, before we headed to the Bedouin tent for breakfast. Leaving the camp in four jeeps, we raced across the red sand for miles, with ever chang-ing scenes of dunes, rocks and rugged cliffs and, to

Footsteps in the Holy LandBarbara Pittam

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Local transport, Petra, Jordan

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our delight, some camels. We saw the rubble of T.H. Lawrence’s house from his time in Wadi Rum, which may be familiar from “Lawrence of Arabia”, and were served lunch in the shade of a cliff, seated on the same colourful mats, by the young Bedouin drivers.

It is hard to describe personal feelings as we walked along the Via Dolorosa, or walked up a hillside and from the top saw the Judean wilderness of barren hills stretching out for miles be-fore us, or took the path that Jesus took riding on the donkey from the Mount of Olives on his descent to the city of Jerusa-lem on Palm Sunday and, of more recent years, saw the trench-es on the Golan Heights. Moved by much that we saw, the most draining afternoon was spent at the Holocaust Museum in Je-rusalem. Compare that to the Israel Museum with its display of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Our emotions were stretched every day.

Contrary to spoiling illusions, we saw and learned so much, mak-ing it easier to picture places as they really are. How could waves on a small lake give anxiety to fishermen? Our first evening stay-ing at a kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee was marked by rough waters and it was explained that occasional heavy winds were funneled through the mountains close to Tiberius on the other side of the lake. And I’m ashamed to say I thought the City of David was Jerusalem. Not so! The City of David lies but a short distance outside the city walls on a high rocky area with views down the surrounding valleys to spot approaching enemies. And did you know that the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, a massive, blank wall built of huge stone blocks, is divided into the men’s prayer section to the left and the women’s to the right? Conflicts arise over such issues as the relative size of the men’s and wom-en’s sections, the women’s being considerably shorter in length.

I have not mentioned the Holy Shrines of Christ’s birth or his death and grave. All are contained within churches, but the crowds who waited in line often more than an hour, took away from the feel-ings of holiness one anticipated. More moving, I found, was the Garden Tomb, another location outside the city wall, also claimed to be the burial site of our Lord, surrounded by a pretty garden.

Which brings me to a final comment. Sometimes there was dispute between religions where certain sites might be. One of our final destinations was Emmaus but no-one has definite knowledge of its location. We went to the Crusader church at Abu Ghosh, 13 km west of Jerusalem, considered by the Crusaders to be Emmaus. Built in the early 12th century, it stands almost complete in its orig-inal form. There we celebrated our final eucharist together. When it ended, we shared hugs and a few tears before we left for a celebratory supper in a restaurant, which had been part of a former monastery.

The Rev. Richard LeSueur led a fine trip with commentary and informational sheets along the way. His wife, Rhonde, acted as Den Mother, caring for our health and wellness, and Nedal, our Palestinian guide in Israel, was knowledge-able and personable. The Jordanian guide, Sammy, also kept us well informed and both local guides were Christian.

For anyone interested, there is a very good DK Eyewitness Travel book entitled “Jerusalem, Israel, Petra & Sinai”, giv-ing information and pictures, which can be purchased at Bo-lands Books. Also in 2013, the Imax film “Jerusalem” is to be released, and having seen the preview, it is not to be missed.A longer version of this article along with more photos can be viewed on our website www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca under ‘Sermons and resources.’

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem

Milky Way Camp, Wadi Rum, Jordan

POET’S CORNERNew FrontiersGod knows if I shall see this place againI must leave it in the hands of GodThe way ahead is long, there are no mapsTravel simply by the light of faith

I must leave it in the hands of GodI dare not turn to what is left behindTravel simply by the light of faithLook far ahead to what the future holds

I dare not turn to what is left behindWho could bear the weight of such regret?Look far ahead to what the future holdsMourn not for all the things that have been lost

Who could bear the weight of such regret?The memories may stay some little whileMourn not for all the things that have been lostNew frontiers appear I have not dreamed

The memories may stay some little whileThe way ahead is long, there are no mapsNew frontiers appear I have not dreamedGod knows if I shall see this place again

Sheila Martindale

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Following a thirty-two year career in a class-room most teachers are happy to “dust off the chalk,” learn to play golf, take long holidays on warm beaches or sit in the local coffee emporium and solve the world’s problems - but Peter Reid is not your average retiree.When the Victoria resident and Cathedral Verger sat down to tell stories from his life, it soon became apparent that he was a man of independent thought and action. His wry, self-deprecating humour, coupled with a myriad of life stories, led to the portrait of a man both interested and interesting.Peter was born and raised within the Dio-cese of Huron, Ontario and completed his education with degrees from both the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario. For thirty-two years he taught and administered a program in visual arts in a Toronto High School. This visual arts background also led him to the theatre and the creation of many stage sets. Theatre remains a passion for Peter.A summer spent in Banff as a working stu-dent (that included a trip to Victoria and

Peter Reid - the journey continues Malcolm Read

high tea at the Empress Hotel) made an impression on the young Ontarian and led to both world travels and a return to Victo-ria years later. Enjoying that early taste of adventure, Peter spent a year travelling the world visiting many countries in Europe, including Russia and Hungary, as well as visits to the U.S., Australia, Japan, Singa-pore, and India. A visit to Rome was timed to coincide with Easter and listening to Pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s Square. Later that year Peter cashed in his air ticket and sailed on a P. and O. Liner from Hawaii, through Fiji and on to New Zealand. This trip took eight days and included Christmas at sea. Peter’s affiliation with the Anglican Church shifted from that of parishioner to staff when, after his teaching career, he accepted the position of Sexton at the church of St. John’s York Mills, in Toronto – the church of the family of the Most Rev. Andrew Hutchison (retired Primate of the An-glican Church who now lives at Shawni-gan Lake). A few years later Peter heard again that call to “Go West young man” and applied for positions in British Co-lumbia. Fortunately for Christ Church Cathedral Peter accepted a position here-as a custodian more than five years ago. When asked why he continues to work

long after his retirement from teaching, Peter explains that he feels it is a form of giving back to the Anglican Church, which has been important throughout his life. Aspects of the job he most enjoys include being a part of a nurturing community, and people being both friendly and ap-preciative. Peter willingly takes on a broad array of tasks – cleaning, moving, greet-ing - but his favourite is to participate in services including Evensong as Verger. “It is thrilling to be part of the drama of services such as High Mass at Easter and Christmas” he explains. That sense of the dramatic, imbued with interest in the visual arts remain central to Peter.After a lifetime of engagement in the church Peter remains bemused that “we Anglicans have differing opinions about almost every-thing – from the colors of the Altar cloth to whether women should be ordained”. Peter greets us at Church each Sunday and is around the Cathedral most days. Stop him, share a joke, shake his hand, say “thank you” and chat about his up-coming trip to Mexico or his present ef-forts to raise funds for cancer or his in-terests in art history - especially across cultures. You will enjoy the conversation.

C. A

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Pilgrimage titles

The Art of PilgrimagePhil CousineauPaperback: 288 pagesPublisher: Conari ISBN-13: 978-1573245098

Sacred TravelsChristian GeorgePaperback: 179 pagesPublisher: IVP Books

ISBN-13: 978-0830835027

The Road to Emmaus: Pil-grimage as a Way of Life Jim ForestPaperback: 190 pagesPublisher: Orbis Books

ISBN-13: 978-1570757310 Sue, Kate, Janet, Sue and Sue at the Fair

The Window Fall 2012

Cathedral JourneysAnn Barry

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Journeys can be many things: a passage, a crossing, a voyage or a trip. Emma Watson (Shill), Eve-lyn de la Haye and Christine Wil-son all have roots at the Cathedral and look where their journeys have taken them!

Emma ShillEmma Shill and Matt Watson, who were married in the Ca-thedral on May 26, 2012, first met when they were students at Christ Church Cathedral School. They saw each other occasion-ally through school and Cathedral events but reconnected when they were both involved with post-secondary education. They became engaged on December 24th, 2010. On May 26, the wed-ding reception took place in Memorial Hall, which was decorated by Cathedral School students’ artwork. In lieu of gifts, Emma and Matt requested that their guests make a donation to the Mission and Outreach ministry. The monies raised went to support the Saturday Breakfast for the Homeless. Many members of the Ca-thedral community helped out on the day, from Norman Mercer who created all the floral arrangements to those who volunteered at the reception. It was a truly a memorable Cathedral occasion.

Eve-Lyn de la HayeOn June 2nd, Eve-Lyn de la Haye made her first professional ap-pearance at the Cathedral as the soprano in the CapriCCio pro-duction of “Brahms German Requiem.” Eve-Lyn is a young artist of the highest calibre. Bill Rankin of Opera Canada is quoted as saying that her lyric-coloratura voice is a marvellous instrument that is both technically strong and projects natu-rally. Eve-Lyn is a graduate of the Victoria Conservatory of Mu-sic’s Diploma in Music Program. When she graduated from the University of Toronto’s Opera Division in 2007, she received the Paul Baker Opera Graduation Scholarship. Many of us remem-

ber Eve-Lyn as a very young member of the Guild of St. Mary. She now lives in Toronto with her husband and young daughter.

Christine WilsonJune 24th was a special evening for Christine Wilson when she was ordained to the Diaconate at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancou-ver. Christine is an ordinand of the Diocese of British Columbia and a former server and member of the Cathedral parish. Read Christine’s incredible journey on her blog http://cwilson65.blog.ca/

Clockwise from top: Emma Shill and Matt Watson on their wedding day; Eve-lyn de la Haye; Christine Wilson.

Iona Pilgrimage HighlightsAnn BarryAn Evening Service where a choir of young people sang songs from Africa We learned a new anthem and we sang it many, many times.

The Abbey at Iona. I loved seeing the feral sheep running down the main road – well, the only road, and that downtown Iona consisted of three or four shops, a post office and a restaurant. Such an uncomplicated life style and truly a place for peace.

The medieval stones at Kilmartin; being in the middle of a battle in a special room at Culloden, the prehistoric cemetery of Balnuaran of Clava, the Cathedral Church of St. Machar in Old Aberdeen and finally, being in the Cathedral where Samuel Seabury was consecrated as the first Bishop of America and to see the chalice which was used at that service.

Rosslyn Chapel and Melrose Abbey--so much history and so many interesting stories.

Holy Island. The wooden sculpture in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin of the monks carrying the coffin of St. Cuthbert. Such devotion carrying him for so many years until they could find his final resting place in Durham Cathedral; and it was humbling to be there as well.

York: The last leg of the official pilgrimage. York Minister is unbelievable. I can still remember sitting in the choir stalls for the sung Evensong Service the night before we left.

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FAMILY LIFE AT CCC

Parenting in a Cyber AgeNov.21 7:00-9:00 in the chapter room

Parenting has never been a simple job but with children and youth involved in online technologies at earlier and

earlier ages, effectively parenting post-millenial children means keeping up with technology as well as all the other usual

responsibilities of parenting.

This workshop will focus on equipping those who care for youth with the tools

to deal with the challenges created when children and youth are using online com-munications. This is great information for parents, grandparents, and others who

work with children and youth.

The workshop is presented by SOLOS. Find out more at:

safeonlineoutreach.com

October 24, 7:00-9:00pm in the Chapter Room

Child and Youth Anxiety

Do you have concerns about your child’s anxiety?

Dr. Magali Brulot, a Victoria based registered psychologist, will

present a two-hour seminar on Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Dr. Brulot’s presenta-tion provides valuable information about the different kinds of anxi-

ety disorders and ways to support children and youth with anxiety. Attendees will learn about the

cognitive-behavioural approach to treating anxiety, with a focus on helping children learn tools to manage their symptoms and

realize their resilience

Children and Youth are important members of the Cathedral community! There are a variety of ways for them to

connect with one another.

Back by popular demand .... i girl

October 19, 11:00am-4:00pm in the Chapter Room

October 20, 11:00am -4:00pm in CCC School Activity Room

i girl is a place where young modern girls can learn the ropes!

This is a straight-to-the-point, lighthearted, empowerment workshop that prepares 9-12 year old

girls to make smart decisions in even the toughest situations. In a style that is relevant to pre-teens, renowned sexual health educator Saleema Noon

and her team take the role of big sister, giving your daughter the power to successfully navigate the

changes galloping into her young life.

WORKSHOPS THIS FALL

i girl for parents October 19, 7:00-9:00pm in the

Chapter Room This workshop is available to parents and

caregivers of the girls who took part in an i girl workshop last year or this year.

KIDSPACEKick start on Friday, September 21!

See you there!

This year Kidspace is going through some changes .... note the new ages!

This is an energetic gathering of kids in grades 3-5! Meet from 6:00-7:30pm on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month!

Hey YOUthJump In on Friday, September 14! See YOU there! We are moving into a new

stage .... this is a group for “mostly middle school.” Meet with friends, engage in activities to E X P A N D your world!

Meet from 6:30-8:30pm on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month.

Cathedral Children’s ChoirWOW! We are heading into our 3rd year!

Practices are Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00pm

First practice is September 12

All the parenting series programs require pre registration. To register or get further information contact Ruth MacIntosh, (Family Life Minister)

rmacintosh@christchurchcathedral.bc.ca

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Passages . . .A snapshot of Janet Davies Catherine Allen

You’ve likely seen her singing in the 9:15am choir, helping out at almost every CCC event, or dashing around the Deanery. Meet Janet Davies, our intrepid Parish Administrator, famed for her endless supply of energy and irreverent sense of humour. The Deanery is never a dull place when Janet is at work! She de-scribes herself as ‘a person of interest,’ who hails from a back-ground of some quintessential Canadian-ness. She has enjoyed what she refers to as a ‘speckled career.’

Born in Calgary, Janet remembers the Stampede and dressing up for the festivities. She moved on to Vancouver, where her family was transferred in the early sixties. One abiding memory of this time was being admonished by her Calgarian godmother that, in Vancouver, there were often sailors hiding behind bushes on foggy nights. Janet doesn’t remember discovering any, but she does recall ‘flying her bike’ to the flats, singing in the choir at St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale, and playing Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” in her all-girl class in Grade Eight. Apparently, she gave a stunning performance. Music has been a constant throughout Janet’s life and continues to play an important role.

The family’s next move was to Winnipeg where Janet sang in the Kelvin High School Girls’ Choir. The girls came in second at the Kiwanis festival singing Benjamin Britten’s “Deo Gratias.” Janet admits to a hate/love relationship with Winnipeg, but her years there were were influential in the development of her spiritual path and in fuelling her interest in the French language. She is fluent in (French-Canadian) French. However, Winnipeg was bitterly cold so staying there for the long term was never an op-tion.

Janet completed her education at the University of Toronto. Always a generalist, she did a Bachelor of Arts degree, which, ap-parently, has served her well.

Her adult life has given her many opportunities to further her ca-reer. She has been an executive with the Hudson’s Bay Company in Quebec, an assistant Store Manager at Holt Renfrew in Quebec City, a pharmacy technician, owned and operated a delicatessen in Richmond as well as a restaurant in Tofino. Janet also acknowl-edges there have been a few less than stellar exploits in the work-ing world that she would sooner forget!

Her first foray into emplyoment with the Anglican Church came as Parish Secretary on Salt Spring Island. There followed a stint of working as Receptionist at the Diocesan Office before she moved on to her current position at the Deanery.

Working as Parish Administrator here at the Cathedral, she finds her job varied and interesting. She works closely with the Dean and the staff team, along with many members of the parish. She

feels privileged to be a part of this community.

Janet still enjoys singing, playing the guitar, reading and thinking. She con-tinues to sing with the 9:15am choir and has also participated in performances of Messiah at the Cathedral.

Janet was raised as an Anglican, and has quirky, if not eccentric views on this upbringing (and perhaps her theology): “At the end of the day, you’ve got to be somewhere, so, here I am. I hope to make difference to the community I am involved with, and I hope that they can make a difference to me.” She says. “I love my work here, and admire and respect so many of the people I work with.”

Below is a selection of a new take on the Beatitudes submitted by Pauline Samoszynski. They were produced by the congregation of Trinity/URC Church in Abingdon, near Oxford, UK, where Pauline was visiting earlier this year.

Final thoughts for the Journey . . .Pauline Samoszynski

Blessed are the cracked because they let in the lightBlessed are the lazy because they sometimes find a better wayBlessed are the difficult, maybe they find us difficult tooBlessed are the elderly with their acceptance of life’s drawbacksBlessed are the politicians because they shall take the blameBlessed are the liars, they know their failingsBlessed are those with different opinions, they have a right to be different in God’s eyesBlessed are the refuse collectors, they remove a problemBlessed are the talkative, they allow us to listen quietlyBlessed are the chocolate makers, they sooth our aching spiritsBlessed are the agnosticsBlessed are those who can fall no furtherBlessed are the aimless for they can wander onBlessed are the cold-callers, they can help us with anger manage-mentBlessed are the sheep for they need someone to followBlessed are the Muslims as their God is our GodBlessed are the unsure because they are prepared to think about thingsBlessed are the scientists who challenge our beliefs

‘Be’-attitudes (learning to ‘radically accept’)

present JOHN BELL

OF THE IONA COMMUNITY

For registration info: www.firstmetvictoria.com ph:250.388.5188www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca ph:250.383.2714

October 10, 7:00 - 9:30pmFirst†Met United ChurchImagination as a Spiritual Resource

October 11, 9:00 - 11:30amChrist Church CathedralAncient (Celtic) Gifts for These Times

Blessing of the Animals ServiceThursday, October 4 at 4:00pm

Bring your pets to this special service