February 2017
"Keep your faith in beautiful things;
in the sun when it is hidden,
in the Spring when it is gone."
― Roy R. Gibson
Half in jest, all in earnest, people say that a new year only
begins for real in Brazil after Carnival. The saying fully applies to
The Lamplighter, that makes a pause in January to allow
everyone to take a deep breath after the rush of the Holidays. But
that does not mean that few things happen at St. Andrew ’s in
January, as you will see on our Ne ws from the Pe ws.
Plus, in this edition: Barry gives an account of the progress of
the two refugee families sponsored by our ecumenical project, our
editor shares why opportunities to do volunteer work at church
are not to be missed, and Gloria Patrick, our roving reporter, bring
to us two fantastic stories.
Enjoy your reading!
THE LAMPLIGHTER IS PUBLISHED BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF
ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
496 Birch Avenue, St. Lambert, Quebec
J4P 2M8 450-671-1862
Minister – The Rev. Dr. Barry Mack . . . . . . . 450-923-0794
[email protected]
Church Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450-671-1862
[email protected]
Editor – Tiago Chiavegatti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438-338-3996
[email protected]
A
Dad) also passed his driver`s test last fall. Someone
number of people asked me recently
from St. Lambert United Church donated a car, so
they are now also mobile.
about our ecumenical refugee project.
The Hallak family, also from Syria, arrived on
Here’s an update. First, although Mme Kathleen
June 1st last year, and began their French classes at
Weil (Quebec ministre de l'Immigration, de la
the end of August.
Diversité et de l'Inclusion) recently announced a
daughter Carol were enrolled full-time at a level 1
suspension of new refugee sponsorship applications,
course, while 24-yr old Christine, whose English &
Mom Lina and 22-yr old
this does not apply to the Iraqi family
French were already very good, was
who are already in the system and whom
we had hoped would arrive before last
placed at level 6 a few days a week.
Christine found herself a part-time job at
Christmas. The end of March now looks
the
like a more realistic target for the arrival
Longueuil and
of this family of seven and Mr. James
veterinarian. She is being mentored in
Marchant (St-Thomas d’Aquin) has been
that direction by a local St. Lambert vet.
in frequent contact with our local M.P.,
Christine is also looking forward to
Alexandra Mendès, to keep pushing their
welcoming her fiancé, Fouad, to Quebec.
file
through
Federal
the
In the meantime,
an
apartment
in
has
Coutu
across
hopes to
At
bureaucracy
in Winnipeg.
Lemoyne
Jean
the
from
Place
become
end
a
of
February, he is moving
Who figured our little project could grow and
here from Edmonton,
flourish so much?
where he has spent the
past
year.
Fouad
been
qualified as a dentist
rented and furnished with donated items (including
in Syria, but it will not be easy to work as a dentist
a nice bed and mattress from Gloria Patrick`s son,
Glen). The final result looks much better and more
in Quebec. His first challenge will be to learn
French. The committee is trying to help line up at
integrated than you would expect, thanks to the
least a part time job (in English) for him to pay the
hard work of Lucyna Szpak (St. Francis of Assisi)
bills.
and Luc Danielse (St. Lambert United), with help
from Lu Huang, among others.
The younger children in both families are
enrolled in school. Ten year old Leen is in the
I am pleased to be able to say that the Al Nakoula
regular grade 5 class at École Préville, while 12 year
family, who arrived in time for lunch after our 2015
old Majd (Al Nakoula) and George (Hallak) (also 12)
Christmas pageant, are now happily launched and
self-supporting. After 5 months of French classes
are in the classe d’acceuil at Antoine Brossard High
School. If all goes well, Majd is hoping to be fluent
both parents (Samer and Thaera) now work at the
enough in a few months to transfer to École
I.G.A. on Sir Wilfrid Laurier boulevard. Samer (the
secondaire St-Edmond in Greenfield Park, a school
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with a special music program where he can continue
imagined, when we first discussed it in 2013, that our
learning to play the violin. Georges, who spent all
little project would grow and flourish to the extent
summer riding his donated bike on the streets of St-
that it has! People and resources have come together
Lambert (thank you, Richard Hindle) has now
discovered that he is also pretty good at skating—and
in unexpected ways. God be praised!
really likes it. (See the picture downstairs of both
boys their first day on skates at the St-Lambert arena)
They also enjoyed a fun-filled week at the Scouts
summer camp on Lake Magog. I don`t think any of
us
on
the
St-Lambert
ecumenical
ministerial
Barry
Late News Flash
from the desk of our roving reporter, Gloria Patrick
D
id you know that we had two very special
helpers at our Fall bazaar last year,
Batman and his sidekick Robin? They took time out of their
busy schedules to guard the books, as you can see from the
photo. It was too bad that they could not stay longer but
they had other sites to monitor.
Later in the day I had a chance to see Batman having
lunch with a family that had a striking resemblance to him.
Could it be that his family is a member of our church?
Maybe this year we will see Batman and Robin again!
Batman and Robin kept books safe during
St. Andrews’s Fall Bazaar.
N EWS
by Anita Mack
F ROM THE P EWS
a Christmas vacation in Brazil with Eliane and
Welcome!
Samuel),
The congregation warmly welcomes Cliff
our
Treasurer
Tiago
Chiavegatti
started a new job at the (Presbyterian) Church
Gregory and Denise Dupont, Margaret Demers
of St. Andrew and St. Paul on Sherbrooke Street
and Frank Szabo as well as Paul Benninger, who
as
have been in regular attendance at St. Andrew’s
Office
Manager.
His
duties
include
overseeing all aspects of the business in the
in recent months .
office of this large church, including the
financials. We wish you every blessing, Tiago!
Operation Christmas Baskets
Betty Grant and her team of wonderful
Special services
workers did it again! For a week in December,
On Sunday, October 23rd, about 50 people
there were 15 to 20 people in our church hall
stayed
every day gathering and sorting food items as
experienced an Oktober Fest menu: chef Tracy
well as filling the Christmas Baskets. In the end,
Silvester’s delicious squash & corn soup,
on December 21, 2016, 102 families in St-
sausage, chicken legs, salad, German potatoes
Lambert and Lemoyne received enough food for
and, of course, a bit of sauerkraut. All this was
a week plus wrapped gifts. Of course, Operation
served with some special beer. For dessert, we
Christmas Basket does not just start a few days
had pumpkin bread with a topping of real
before
whipped cream.
the
delivery
date:
the
planning,
for
lunch
after
the
service
and
coordinating and getting ready takes several
Sunday, December 4 was the second
months. Thank you, Betty and team, for being
Sunday in Advent. Betty Grant and Linda Smith
such a blessing on our behalf!
lit the second advent Candle, the Candle of
Of course, the Christmas Baskets don’t last
Peace. The choir sang the ancient German
forever and it doesn’t take long for the phone to
Christmas hymn Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
start ringing for regular Foodbank deliveries.
(translated into English, though) as arranged by
We are enormously grateful to marathoners
Carlton R. Young.
Betty, Linda Smith and John Tadoeschuck for
On Sunday, December 11, the third Sunday in
looking after this vital ministry all year round.
Advent, the Sunday School presented their
annual Christmas Pageant. The children sang
A new challenge
the songs ‘There was a little baby’ and ‘Oh, what
On January 2nd (the day after returning from
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N EWS
by Anita Mack
F ROM THE P EWS
a special night’ accompanied by Eliane Bastos on
This year Christmas Eve fell on a Saturday.
guitar and Tiago Chiavegatti on the ukulele. We
What joy it was to celebrate the birth of Christ in
thank Robin Morrison and Eliane Bastos for
our warm and beautiful sanctuary! Our Clerk of
organizing
pageant.
Session, Beverley Hindle, and her husband
Appropriately, the third Advent Candle, the
Richard lit the Christ Candle. The Rev. Harold
Candle of Joy, was lit by Robin and Eliane.
Kallemeyn taught us during the Children’s Time
Following the service, the congregation enjoyed a
that angels are God’s messengers and often bring
delicious potluck lunch. The kids then played a
good but unusual news to people. That certainly
few games, organized by Joyce Cochran-Wilson.
was the case around the time of Jesus’ birth when
Thank you, Joyce! And miracle of miracles, dear
the angel Gabriel announced to Elizabeth and
Santa took time out of his busy schedule to pay
Mary that they were going to have special babies:
us a visit and bring gifts for the children. Thanks,
John (‘the baptizer’) and Jesus. We also learned
Santa!
that angels offer protection. The children then
and
directing
the
On Sunday, December 18 (the fourth Sunday
distributed angel-figures (cleverly made from
in Advent), we celebrated communion. Joyce
paperclips) among the congregation. The kids
Cochran-Wilson lit the fourth Advent Candle,
made sure that several people who were planning
the Candle of Love. The choir sang Mary had a
on travelling to a far place the next day were
Baby, a traditional spiritual as arranged by M.
given such angels: newly-wed couple Lu Huang
Sargent. That morning, we welcomed baby Jacob,
and Leonardo Lombardi who flew to China on
new-born son of Lorraine Hamel (now living in
Christmas Day and Richard Leonard who
Toronto), who was visiting grand-parents Ingrid
travelled to Taiwan to be reunited with his wife
and Patrick in Quebec for the first time.
Hui-Ting Huang. (We are pleased to report that
Congratulations to the whole Hamel family and
all Far East travellers have safely returned to
dad Keith! Later that day, the annual Gift of
Canada in the meantime.) The service had a
Music concert took place at the Roman Catholic
‘Lessons & Carols’ format with choir members
Parish Church on Lorne street. The St-Lambert
reading the lessons and singing two anthems.
church choirs all presented their Christmas
Thanks go to our Director of Music, Changhee
songs. As always, the offering was dedicated to
Lee, for happily guiding the choir through the
the work of our ecumenical Christmas Basket
demanding Christmas repertoire (well, for us
program.
amateurs
it’s
challenging…)
and
for
his
N EWS
by Anita Mack
F ROM THE P EWS
inspirational
music. After
the service, the
the Rev. Arijan Groeneveld as our guest speaker
congregation was treated to Peter McDougall’s
that day. In his message—based on Psalm 131—
famous mulled cider and a variety of wonderful
Arijan spoke about the need for congregations to
goodies.
do what they’re supposed to do (worship, prayer,
In 2016, December 25 fell on a Sunday, so on
caring for each other and the needy, speaking
Christmas day we gathered at our usual worship
about God’s promises and good purpose for the
time. Since our sister church St. Lambert United
world) and then entrusting the future to God.
did not have a Christmas morning, members of
After the service, Arijan and Grace joined the
that congregation had been invited to join us at
congregation for an anniversary lunch (salads
St. Andrew’s. We celebrated communion with
and
the roughly 35 people who attended—many of
anniversary cake), compliments of the Session
whom were visitors.
and organized by Tracy Silvester and Anita Mack.
make-your-own-sandwiches
as
well
as
The first day in the New Year also fell on a
Tip of the Hat
Sunday and St. Andrew’s had been invited to
worship at St. Lambert United Church where this
congregation’s
new
interim
minister
This month, our Tip of the Hat goes to Eliane
Rev.
Bastos and Robin Morrison. Not only did Robin
Emmanuel Ofori led his first service. It was a
and Eliane organize the 2016 Christmas Sunday
fitting start to a new year.
School Pageant, they have also agreed to serve as
The new year was not very old when St.
our new Sunday School coordinators. We thank
Andrew’s celebrated its 92nd anniversary on
these two young women for taking on this
January 15, 2017. We were pleased to welcome
important job!
Special Sunday Services in February:
February 12: PWSD Sunday, with guest speaker Rev. Ian Fraser
February 26: Reception of new members, followed by the
Taste of Nations congregational potluck
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St. Andrew’s Church presents
an
Italian Evening
March 4, 2017
5:30 p.m.
$ 25.00
includes a 5-course dinner
and an opera presentation by
Liette Michaud
with musical accompaniment by
Ron Bourne
For further information or to reserve your tickets contact
St. Andrew’s Church Office at 450-671-1862
U n i te d C h u r c h M y s te r y Wr i te r s
H ave D i n n e r to C o m p e te W i t h
S t . A n d r e w ’ s M y s te r y Wr i te r s
from the desk of our roving reporter, Gloria Patrick
T
he United Church Mystery Writers spent the evening of December 10th dining and
telling stories. The challenge to outdo St.
Andrew’s creative writers was on. Sleeves
were rolled up, and faces were determined.
After much eating, drinking, and laughter they
prepared to start writing. One writer started to tell an
enchanting story that went like this:
Once upon a time a sweet young lady arrived from
Ontario to the enchanting village of Saint-Lambert,
where she met her prince charming and they fell madly
in love. The young man’s grandfather took ill and had
to have a serious operation. The young couple spent
many days by his bedside, and on one occasion they
whispered in his ear that they planned to marry and
wanted him at their wedding.
United Church Mystery Writers presented a fairy
tale story during their dinner.
A year passed, and the young couple organized their wedding while the grandfather
grew stronger, and stronger. On the day of the wedding the young couple stood under
an archway in a lovely enchanted garden saying their vows, with the grandfather
watching beside them.
After listening to this tale they all decided they could not write anything better. As they were
about to leave the dinner table the young couple in the story announced the wonderful news: they are
having a baby. There was a minute of silence, and then a burst of screams, laughter, and
congratulations. In July, the United Church will have a wonderful new addition to their congregation.
Note from the editor: On our last edition, our roving reporter stated that the publisher of this respectable newsletter
refused to publish one of the stories written by the St. Andrew’s Mystery Writers during their secret dinner. The
Lamplighter doubts that St. Andrew’s Mystery Writers could have come up with stories as good as this one. None of
the stories created that they have been published so far, but The Lamplighter will surely publish them if they worth it.
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W hy I b e l i eve d o i n g vo l u n te e r wo r k
a t c h u r c h i s a p r iv i l e g e
by Tiago Chiavegatti
A
I have to say that doing odd things is most
often a pleasure. The church has always been for
s you probably have read on News
me the place where I can experiment, test ideas
from the Pews on a few pages
and challenge myself without fearing too much
earlier, I was hired last month by the Church of
the consequences of my inexperience or lack of
St. Andrew & St. Paul after a rather long
knowledge. At church, I tested my
period looking for a job. The story of how
hand at teaching, screenplay writing,
a Brazilian pharmacologist is now in
performing, managing projects, taking
charge of an office of a church is too long
care of vulnerable people, social work,
and tortuous to tell here, and I am quite
child education, sound engineering
sure that it will take some time until I can
and so much more. As St. Andrew’s
make sense of this experience. But I have
treasurer, I had the opportunity to
figured out one thing:
the many things I was
involved with in the
church during my life
were critical to bring
learn
The church has always been for me
the place where I can experiment,
test ideas and challenge myself.
me where I am today.
many
things
that are now part of
my “real” job. Not to
mention
handyman
some
training
on our Congregation
I joke with Eliane saying that my role in the
Workdays—when we try to tick off as many items
church has always been to be makeshift whatever-
as possible of the ever-long list of things to repair
is-need, the duct tape that you put on something
and clean in our buildings—and playing the
to keep it working until a proper solution is
editor of a reputable news outlet.
available. I have always ended up doing all sorts of
So, go ahead and challenge yourself! Be a
things that needed to be done, but no one was
singer, a gourmet chef, a handyman, a contractor,
willing to do it at the time—and for which I was
or a barista (I heard that there always openings
largely unqualified to do. But I guess that is not an
for the Coffee Hour!) and you might learn and
exclusive privilege—as Rev. Arijan Groeneveld
discover that you can do things you never thought
shared on our Anniversary Service, sometimes we
you could do.
have to just do it, and God will take care of the
rest.
The
Poetry
Page
Late February
Those Winter Sundays
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?
Robert Hayden (1913–1980)
The first warm day,
and by mid-afternoon
the snow is no more
than a washing
strewn over the yards,
the bedding rolled in knots
and leaking water,
the white shirts lying
under the evergreens.
Through the heaviest drifts
rise autumn’s fallen
bicycles, small carnivals
of paint and chrome,
the Octopus
and Tilt-A-Whirl
beginning to turn
in the sun. Now children,
stiffened by winter
and dressed, somehow,
like old men, mutter
and bend to the work
of building dams.
But such a spring is brief;
by five o’clock
the chill of sundown,
darkness, the blue TVs
flashing like storms
in the picture windows,
the yards gone gray,
the wet dogs barking
at nothing. Far off
across the cornfields
staked for streets and sewers,
the body of a farmer
missing since fall
will show up
in his garden tomorrow,
as unexpected
as a tulip.
Ted Kooser (1939–)
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