Parish enters transition
UPDATED July 27, 2015:
After many years of service, Christine has recently resigned from her post at St. Catherine's. She is on holiday during the month of July, with her official final day being July 31. You can read Christine's farewell message here.
Learn more about our period of transition in the message from the wardens below, first posted July 3, and if you are in need of pastoral care please be in touch with our People's Warden, Tony Dodd, at ajdodd@shaw.ca. Our deacon, the Rev. Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles is on summer sabbatical but can be reached after September 1, 2015. Please see our Staff page for other contact details you may find helpful.
Finally, our list of visiting clergy for the summer can be found right here.
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Our parish of St. Catherine’s is in a period of transition. Many people are supportive of our decision, with the support of the Parish Council, to change to a 3⁄4 time Rector’s position starting in August 2015. Equally, many people were surprised by Christine’s announcement that she will not be staying on as our Rector.
It shall be a time of self-examination and redefinition as, together, we move forward searching, learning and open to understanding what our true purpose is as a family, a community and a church. The results of the cottage meetings will prove especially useful in determining how best to direct and serve the community. Thank you to all those parishioners who attended meetings and shared their thoughts, feelings and hopes for St. Catherine’s.Be assured that the leadership and parish are well supported by Bishop Melissa and the Diocesan Office. We expect to have an interim minister starting August 1st who could potentially be with us for a year or two. We are not rushing the process of finding our new Rector, since, with God’s grace and guidance, we seek the best person to encourage our community to grow and thrive.
We are saddened on many levels by Christine's leaving. We sincerely thank her for her nine years of ministry with us.
She blessed us with her compassion and through her efforts she undertook tasks which often went unrecognized. Her leaving is our loss, and we probably will not be fully aware of the hole she will leave until she is gone. God bless Christine and God bless the community of St. Catherine's in our next chapter.
Respectfully submitted,
Monica Macdonald, Rector’s Warden
Tony Dodd, People’s Warden
Vivian McGie, Associate Warden