Neil Mancor's first video of 2020!
/Congregational Development Coordinator, Rev. Dr. Neil Mancor shares his response to the Anglican Journal's piece on statistical decline.
"The challenge for us is to look at this not with fear but with trust"
Black History Month Celebration
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Celebration of Black History at Christ Church Cathedral Montreal
Christ Church Cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal is proud to host a celebratory event to commemorate Black History on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 11am. The event will include liturgy, music and dancing to honor and reflect on our diverse population
The guest speaker will be the Rt Rev’d Dr Shannon MacVean-Brown, the first female Bishop of Vermont.
A friendship luncheon will immediately follow the festivities.
All are welcome; Anglicans and non-Anglicans alike.
À l’occasion de la célébration en février du mois de l’Histoire des Noirs, le Diocèse organise
une célébration eucharistique le 22 février à 11h à la cathédrale Christ Church pour honorer
la mémoire de nos frères et sœurs Noirs et la richesse diversifiée de l’histoire de leur identité.
Nous aurons l’opportunité d’accueillir comme oratrice du jour la Très Révérende
Dr Shannon MacVean-Brown, Évêque du diocèse voisin de Vermont (USA), qui nous partagera son expérience unique en tant que première femme noire évêque de Vermont, ayant
œuvré auprès des travailleurs manuels blancs, des noirs des milieux urbains à une cathédrale
métropolitaine multiethnique et multilingue.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Jan 18-25
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
What is it?
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an annual ecumenical celebration. Christians around the world are invited to pray for the unity of all Christians, to reflect on scripture together, to participate in jointly-organized ecumenical services, and to share fellowship.
Source: weekofprayer.ca
Contact Ecumenical Officer Joel Amis to learn more
Join the Facebook event
Our next Supper Club is January 27 (Wisdom Stories chapter 4)
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On Monday, January 27th We will be meeting to talk about chapter 4 in Rachel Held Evans Legacy 's book "Inspired" - Wisdom Stories. If you haven’t read the book, you may still attend as we provide a summary of the chapter to facilitate the conversation.
Join us at 5:30 to mingle and snack over a glass of wine. We will begin promptly at 6 pm.
What to expect? Worship, prayer, discussion and supper.
Bring your own wine and an open heart along with your questions, concerns and desire to grow your understanding of scripture and faith in a safe community of seekers.
Kids are not only welcome but included! Bring them!
Gluten free, vegan options will be available.
Pilgrimage to Portugal + Spain with Archdeacon Robert in the Spring of 2020
/Time to register! Deadline is January 31st. Click here for the Application.
It's a New Year, it's time for a new digital strategy! 5 Tips to get you started...
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Digital Communications ---- 5 Tips to get you started
-Lee-Ann Matthews
Digital Ministry Matters! The digital revolution is well underway and it is changing the way we learn, pray, connect and share. This is happening fast and if we don’t adapt, we will be left behind. You must be convicted of the virtues of digital communication. Spend some time online researching faith communities that have digital ministry that is effective, inspiring and up lifting. There are many ways to build meaningful, prayerful connections online but you must believe this before you proceed.
Discernment, motivation and energy are key. Before you embark on a digital strategy or before you decide to reboot one, you will need to have some energy, drive and determination. Start praying on this opportunity and asking for Gods’ help. Begin by speaking and praying with others who you identify as potential candidates in your community who might share your passion for this ministry. Carefully assess who will lead and what support they will need.
Focus on one thing at a time. It is strongly recommended that you establish your website first. Build a website that is user friendly. The easier it is to update the more likely it will get done. Accurate, seasonal and regularly maintained websites with good quality images will have the most success. New guests are predicted to evaluate your website several times before they come into your building or reach out. You have a few seconds to make the right impression and to leave them with something to remember you by. To stand out, you should consider including something inspirational, perhaps a link to a song, prayer or poem? This should reflect something unique and pastoral about your context.
Who are you? Take a pen and paper or open a digital file and begin to make lists of who you are as a church. What are your strengths? What makes you unique? What makes you different? What makes you quirky? What are your struggles? Where are your gifts? Who is on your pews? Who is in your choir? Who preaches? Who are you as a congregation? Who are you to the surrounding community? Who are you to one another? This is a fun, creative exercise as there are no wrong answers. These are YOUR perceptions. Invite others to join you. This will be a very helpful document on your digital journey.
Get on social media and tell your story! Be creative, transparent and authentic. There are many templates for story telling and many ways to tell a story online. This will require some consideration on your part to determine the best and most effective strategy. You may consider using portraits, selfies, poetry, blogs, testimonials, videos, illustrations, food pics, hymn lyrics and bible verses as they all tell a story. What is your story? Only you can tell it. Use your website and social media to capture the uniqueness of your story. Focus on one at a time, perhaps a person or a ministry, develop it well and be prepared for your digital ministry to encourage, support and connect in ways you may never have predicted.
I am here to help. Contact me… lmatthews@montreal.anglican.ca
You are invited to enter into the space of Godly Play this Advent. Let’s slow down and listen to a story!
/Neil Mancor uses the Godly Play storytelling approach for his Advent/ Christmas message 2019.
Messy Cathedral is in The Montreal Gazette! Read the full article here
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During a recent Messy Cathedral event at Christ Church Cathedral downtown, children were encouraged to bowl in the aisles, have snacks in the pews and try their hand playing the baroque-style organ. There were crown-making stations in the shadows of the Gothic arches and rubber duckies in the baptistry.
“It’s quite a rebellious act,” Matthews said. “Church doesn’t have to be a stuffy thing.”
