OCTOBER 2016 A SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL ᑯᐸᒄ ᑲᑭᔭᓴᐤ ᐊᔭᒥᐊᐅᓂᒡ • ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF QUEBEC • DIOCÈSE ANGLICAN DE QUÉBEC The Greater Parish of Gaspe celebrates Gracie Seamer Annett By Sharon Howell the York Community Hall in- cluding a delicious meal that On Sunday, August was catered by Albert Patter- 21st, 2016 the Greater Par- son and his team. Two deli- ish of Gaspe celebrated with cious cakes were baked and Gracie Seamer Annett on the beautifully decorated by Mar- event of her retirement as Lay jorie Patterson. Bishop Drain- Reader. The parish came to- ville blessed the food and all gether at St. Andrew’s, York in attendance. for a Eucharist service that was officiated by the Rt. Rev- After the meal, a erend Dennis Drainville, the number of people honoured Reverend Cynthia Patterson, Gracie with reminiscences, and the Reverend Douglas thanks, and gifts for her years Johnson. of dedication. Tom Matthews, Lay Reader from North Hat- ley, QC and part time sum- mer resident in Gaspe read a letter from Graham Jackson, Retired Warden of Lay Read- ers of Quebec that he had given him for the occasion. Mr. Jackson extended to Gra- cie his heartfelt thanks and reminded her that she is far Gracie cuts her cake All photographs by Elaine Coull too young to retire and that ing her years of service in the During the times when the “once a Lay Reader, always a church. When I contacted Greater Parish of Gaspe has Lay Reader.” He also remind- Gracie with Bishop Dennis Gracie to ask for some details been without an incumbent ed her that she is held in very In recognition and on her years of service for this Gracie has consistently and high regard for her dedication thanks for her many years of article, I was amazed to find unwaveringly answered the `Bishop Drainville thanked in the care of others, especial- dedication, Rhonda Stewart that she has generously given call to serve. Her services have Gracie for her years of dedi- ly by the Gaspe congregation. presented Gracie with a gift of of her time and energies to the always been well prepared cation to the church which Reverend Cynthia Patterson white gold earrings from the community and the church and her sermons/lectures have has spanned approximately also thanked Gracie for the as- York ACW. Gracie has been for approximately 58 years. been well researched, poi- 58 years. During that time a member of the organization In addition to her volunteer- gnant, and well presented. her various duties and offices 58 years and she holds a life- ing on church committees included: choir member; or- time membership pin. During and organizations she was also The Greater Parish of ganist; active membership of these years she served as Presi- a Brownies and Girl Guides Gaspe has been very fortunate the Anglican Church Women’s dent and Secretary/Treasurer Leader for more than 25 years. to have Gracie Seamer Annett organization; Synod Delegate several times. Currently she Also, Gracie has been a mem- as their Lay Reader. We wish at Diocesan, Provincial, and serves on the Diocesan ACW ber of the Women’s Institute her and Ben a blessed and General Synods; Secretary- Board and is the Representa- for 58 years and she holds a Treasurer for St. Andrew’s, happy retirement. tive for Gaspe. Gracie led the lifetime membership pin with York; as well as Lay Reader for committee that organized the the organization. 25 years. ACW Biennial Meeting that Rhonda Stewart, Gracie was held in Gaspe this past However, it was at the The hymns selected and her husband Ben May. consecration of Bishop Bruce for the service included: Will Stavert in the spring of 1991 You Come and Follow Me, sistance she has given her over In honour of all her during the singing of Here I When Long Before Time, Here the years. Cynthia shared a years of devoted service to Am Lord that she was told I Am Lord, and My Life Flows few details of Gracie’s support the Greater Parish of Gaspe, (He had called her a number On in Endless Song. These during the early years when Elizabeth Baird, Warden for of times already and she didn’t were some of her favourites she was first a Lay Reader in the Greater Parish of Gaspe listen) through a voice to be- but she reminded us that they Malbay. At that time she had presented Gracie with a gift of come a Lay Reader. That same were but a few of them, be- no means of transportation to a gold chain with a cross and year, in August 1991, she was cause had the choir and con- attend meetings in Gaspe and matching bracelet. Since the inducted as Lay Reader by gregation sung all her favou- a few times she stayed over at celebration Gracie has also Bishop Matthews. rites we would still be there. Gracie’s due to winter storms. received numerous gifts and Gracie has always Cynthia thanked Ben, Gracie’s “thank yous” from many peo- been available to lead services Albert Patterson catered Following the service, husband, for his unwavering ple and organizations in the as required and/or requested. the congregational meal a lovely reception was held at support given to Gracie dur- community. 2 THE GAZETTE • OCTOBER 2016 FROM THE BISHOP My Dear Friends: Mes chers amis, OCTOBER 2016 A ministry of the Anglican The summer was as usual a busy Malgré mon intention de garder mes activités au mini- Diocese of Quebec time despite my intention to restrict my mum, mon été a été fort occupé. Mais le séjour sous le cli- activities. But being in the salubrious climes mat revigorant de la Gaspésie a été très agréable, à défaut founded in 1894 by of the Gaspesie was enjoyable if not restful. d’être reposant. the Rt. Rev. A.H. Dunn Jim Sweeny Much continues to happen in the life Bien des choses continuent de se passer au sein de Editor of our diocesan family. The ACW met for the notre famille diocésaine. La Guilde des femmes anglicanes Guylain Caron biennial in June. I have said throughout my (ACW) se rencontrait en juin pour son « congrès » bien- 35 years of ministry that the glue that has nal. Au cours de mes 35 ans de ministère, j’ai affirmé et Translator kept our church family together has been the je continue d’affirmer que la « colle » qui assure depuis The Gazette is published 10 commitment and devotion shown by mem- toujours la solidité de notre famille religieuse provient de times a year (September bers of the ACW in parishes throughout the l’engagement et de la dévotion démontrés par les membres to June) and mailed as a Canadian Church. des ACW dans les diverses paroisses situées dans toute section of the Anglican l’Église canadienne. Journal This year at the biennial I challenged the members of the ACW to begin a process of reviewing their mandate and Au cours de la biennale de cette année, j’ai mis les (Dépot légal, Bibliothèque mission. Like all of our communities, the ACW is facing declin- membres de l’ACW au défi d’amorcer un processus de révi- national du Québec). ing numbers in membership, difficulty in renewing leadership sion de leur mandat et de leur mission. À l’instar de toutes nos Printed and mailed by and scarcity in resources. I made a pledge to them to help to communautés, l’ACW fait face à la baisse de son membership, Webnews Printing Inc. in find resources that could help them through a process of renew- à des difficultés à renouveler son leadership et à une pénurie de North York, Ontario, The al. They will begin to speak about this at their October meeting. ressources. Je me suis engagé à les aider à trouver des ressources Gazette is a member of the qui pourraient les assister dans ce processus de renouvellement. Canadian Church Press Bruce Myers our Coadjutor Bishop has been travelling Elles vont mettre le processus en branle à compter de leur pro- and the Anglican Editors from place to place getting to know the Diocesan Family. He chaine rencontre cet octobre. Association. spent a week in Kawa and has visited many parish communities. As I write this he is on his way to the North Shore to visit the Notre évêque co-adjuteur, Bruce Myers, a passé la ma- Circulation: 3,800. communitie?s along the St Lawrence River to Labrador. It is not jeure partie de l’été à voyager de communauté en communauté, The mandate of The surprising that he has been received with kindness, enthusiasm afin de rencontrer et de mieux connaître notre famille diocés- Gazette shall be to and wonderful hospitality everywhere he has visited. aine. Il a passé une semaine à Kawa et s’est rendu dans plusieurs serve as a means paroisses. Au moment où j’écris ces lignes, il est en route vers of encouragement, As usual the Fall is a time of regrouping and preparing la Côte-Nord pour y rencontrer les communautés vivant le long communication, and for the more active life of the Chr?istian community. Restructur- du Saint-Laurent jusqu’au Labrador. Et vous ne serez pas surpris community building ing of ministry is happening in every region of the Diocese of d’apprendre que partout où il s’est rendu, il a été reçu avec gen- among the regions of Québec. And we are happy to receive the Reverend Giuseppe tillesse, enthousiasme et une hospitalité sans bornes.