An Update from CBC's Ontario Morning with Ramraajh Sharvendiran

We received this wonderful letter from Ramraajh and the team at Ontario Morning;

Dear Penny, Rev. Deb, Rev. Father Jesse, and everyone involved with the food ministry at St. John’s and the Emmaus Cafe:

We were so affected by the work you do and our pleasure at discovering your community that we not only did the full show special you heard in December…. we also felt your story was worth sharing more widely. So we did something we’ve never done at Ontario Morning and submitted that show for an award.

Last night we were delighted to hear from the Religious Communicators Council that we had won an Award of Merit. It is worth noting that although some other CBC programs that entered also won the same recognition, that same award went to much larger, national broadcast and documentary programs with multiple contributors, significantly greater resources, and mortise to produce. We firmly believe that our small team was able to find a place amid those prestigious sister shows because of the power of our story—-meaning, YOUR story. It may be my and Ramraajh’s names on the certificate, but it was your voices, experineces and thoughtful remarks that made the heart of our submission. So we very much want to share this happy news with you because our award is your award as well; we really couldn’t have done it without you, and consider you partners in its success.

Thank you again for your welcoming and generosity in letting us tell the story of all you do. I hope this finds you looking forward to another Wednesday on the cafe offering food, company and dignity as you improve people’s lives.

With sincere appreciation, Marichka, Ramraajh, and the whole Ontario Morning team

Repair Cafe on Nov 1

The next Repair Cafe will take place on November 1 from 10 to 1 in the parish hall at St. John's Church. We need volunteers to help prepare the hall, prep the food, effect repairs on items brought in by the public, share skills such as  tech support and provide some programming for children. Repair Cafe is a fun, community-centered, sustainable and intergenerational initiative, and we would love it if you could be part of our next event. For more information contact Penny Nutbrown at pmnutbrown@gmail.com

Teen Reads: The Faithful Spy, a Book Review by Marcus Ciana

The Faithful Spy has got to be one of my favorite WW2 graphic novels of all time. The story follows Dietrich Bonhoeffer a man who has devoted his life to theology but when Hitler comes to power and begins to take over Germany to make him their god or führer, Dietrich must make a choice between sticking to his morals or riding Germany's false god and dictator. The text is written in a way that keeps the main story written normally but along the sides of the pages there are notes and other bits of information that inform you on history and other details to help you understand the story further. Overall I believe that the text and writing are very clever and well done so I believe that it is a 4 out of 5.

On to the illustrations and they’re some of the most beautiful and clever illustrations I have ever seen in a graphic novel ever. The entire book is composed of only 4 main colors red, blue, black and white but they convey so much emotion with only those colors not to mention the amassing symbolism. The book most of the time instead of showing Hitler as simply himself they portray him as a wolf that hungers for revenge.

To be honest the illustrations alone are in my opinion one of the greatest parts of this book and are the main reason why I love this book so much. So, with that being said I have to give the illustrations in this book a 5 out of 5. Given the amazing story, writing and illustrations I would absolutely recommend this book to any teen looking for an incredible WW2 to read. Finally, something I learned from this story was how brutal Hitler really was, going to any means to secure victory in the war even going as far as to kill his own men. That is my review on The Faithful Spy.

Worship with residents of Assisted Living facilities...

The Assisted Living Team is back in action for 2025-2026.  We take church service to the retirement residences and nursing homes in Port Hope on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:00 to 2:30 pm, visiting a different facility each week on a monthly cycle.
New volunteers would be most welcome to help us with this vital ministry.. We have room for speakers, musicians and helpers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the church office and leave a message for Chandra Reader. 

The Anglican Way (pt. 2) in April and May

Coming up: A series of three workshops for

  • those new to Anglicanism;

  • those returning to an Anglican Church after a long time;

  • those from other denominations or faiths; and

  • long-term Anglicans who are just curious to know more.

Session 1 (April 26) focuses on historic highlights in the Anglican Church through the ages and on how we differ from other Christian denominations.

Session 2 (May 3) is about how decisions get made in the church, and the role of discernment in decision-making.

Session 3 (May 10) gives us time to grapple with the key issues facing the Anglican Church in Canada now.

Sessions will be led by knowledgeable clergy and lay leaders who will invite and respond to your questions. Topics are those especially requested by attendees at Part One, but this series is open to all. There is no need to have attended Part 1. Sessions run Saturday mornings from 9:30 am - 12 noon at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 240 College St., Cobourg. Register at St. Peter's at 905-372-3442 before Palm Sunday.

Sponsored by the Durham-Northumberland Deanery Education Team

Deacons report back after attending National Conference in Sorrento, BC

Our Deacons, Deb Chapman and Shane Watson, recently returned from the 2024 national conference of Deacons, a joint event of the Anglican Church of Canada and the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada). The following report was provided by the Rev’d Shane Watson.

The theme of the conference was Beacons of Hope in a Messy World (someone, I think the Primate, commented that “Deacons” of Hope would be appropriate).

Over the course of the four days we were there we enjoyed our keynote speaker, Christian Harvey who presented a couple of energetic sessions on the theory and practice behind the six principles of Kingian Nonviolence as an approach to addressing change and conflict.

The Rev’d Shane Watson and the Rev’d Deb Chapman

We also had the opportunity to hear several other speakers: our Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, who spoke about the importance of team approaches to ministry — deacons being a key part of such team approaches along with other orders of clergy and laity; Chris Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop; and a local indigenous story teller.

The Rev’d Deb Chapman

Of course, while we were there we enjoyed a banquet of wild salmon from the area and wine from a nearby indigenous winery!

Deacons Conference attendees on the lawn of the Sorrento Centre

The beautiful Sorrento Centre (Image from their web site)

Fashion Show was a hit!

The Trinity Group, St. John’s local chapter of Anglican Church Women, knows how to put the FUN in FUNDRAISING with another iteration of their annual Fashion Show. Funds raised benefit various charities and local causes. This year featured fashions from several local clothing stores, and for the first time this year, models were not only women! Check out The Anglican for a couple of great photos of Fr Jesse and Deacon Shane as they made their way down the floor.

Our own Penny Nutbrown and St. John's Spiritual Park are featured in a mini-documentary!

In the spring of 2024 Penny and the Spiritual Park were subjects of a short documentary created by Community Power Northumberland as part of their Change Makers series.

“This changemaker is helping her community develop a stronger appreciation for our place in a shared ecosystem. “You don’t protect what you don’t love. You don’t love what you don’t know”.

Meet Penny Nutbrown at St. John’s Anglican Church in Port Hope. A retired teacher, Penny is finding creative ways to help children and adults learn about our shared environment and our role as stewards.”
— from the film

Penny Nutbrown introducing the Spiritual Park and Garden

Penny Nutbrown with a friend in the Garden

Caring for the young plants

Emmaus Cafe Receives Support from Anglican Foundation

We are pleased to announce that this week our Wednesday Emmaus Cafe (formerly known as Coffee Hour) received a grant of $2,500.00 from the Anglican Foundation of Canada. We are grateful to the Anglican Foundation for their meaningful support of this lively ministry. You can enjoy the Emmaus Cafe every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the lower Parish Hall. Food and fellowship are free, though donations are gratefully accepted.