"So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning"
(1 Cor. 14: 9-10, NIV)"If this is your land, where are your stories?"
Native elder to government officials during treaty negotiations
Images from the Community Quilt
St John's, as a diverse community, is full of 'languages with meaning' - as many languages as there are parishioners - and we exist as a community because our stories intersect here in this social and physical space.
Over the past several weeks, the community of St. John's has been invited to join in the sharing of stories, to learn each other's languages, through a story-telling project entitled "Speaking Into the Air: Sharing our Stories". This project culminates on Pentecost Sunday (May 30th) when we will celebrate the various 'languages with meaning' of our parish - symbolic of the Holy Spirit moving among us, blessing us each with our own gifts and stories to tell!
Many exciting initiatives have been put forward in connection with this project, including:
For background information on Speaking Into the Air, take a moment to read Paige Dampier's invitation Speaking into the Air: Being Stewards of Our Stories in which she first presented the idea to the parish on Sunday, March the 7th.
- Ukrainian Easter Egg making event for the Students+ group (young people aged 20- and 30-something) which took place on April 3rd. You may have seen the results of this event on Easter morning - including eggs and accompanying stories.
- Other events include The Geography of St John's - a map, located in the Narthex that captures visually where exactly parishioners from St John's come from...within Ottawa and beyond! Please take the time to mark your place on the map. The map lives in the Narthex.
- The St John's Memory Quilt bee took place Saturday, April 24th from 10-2 in the Northcote-Burke room. No previous quilting experience was necessary and a good time was had by all!! Information, ideas and blank blocks were available on the table in the Narthex. The memory quilt will be unveiled on Pentecost Sunday as the altar frontal and vestments.
- A Coffee House to celebrate the incredible diversity of performing talent in St John's took place on the evening of Saturday, May 15th in the chapel. Surrounded by the beautiful works of Art Credo, a talented group of artists shared their gifts with anyone interested in attending.
- Many people also expressed interest in hosting story-telling parties around a simple meal or afternoon tea. A small resource guide was prepared to help in collecting stories at such an event and was available in the Narthex or from the office.
- A very exciting element of the Speaking Into the Air project is recording the 'her-story' of Doreen Dagg, St John's' longest-standing parishioner. Doreen has faithfully attended St John's for over 80 years - of which many have been spent serving on the Alter Guild, or as a Brownie or Girl Guide Leader in the building! Maureen Beecher, who has experience and expertise recording oral histories, is working with Doreen to record her stories. The interviews will be transcribed and made into a booklet which will then be available to the parish. Many thanks to Doreen for agreeing to have her stories recorded, - a very beautiful gift to St John's! - to Maureen for agreeing to record Doreen's stories and to Gordon for transcribing the interviews.
- As a final hoorah for Speaking Into the Air before the summer holidays kick in, St John's will host a parish picnic - Le Cirque de St John's - following the 10:15 Pentecost service on May 30th! We'll make our way over to Jack Purcell Park where there will be entertainment, lemonade, popsicles and games for all ages! Please bring your own bag lunch, sweets for a common table, lawn chairs and/or blankets. Come, and celebrate! Many thanks to Bea Robertson and Lannie Mitchell for planning and orchestrating this event.
See also the QUILT PAGE.
Copyright © 2009 St. John's Ottawa
www.stjohnsottawa.ca
Last Updated: 1 September 2009
For more information contact:
David Bewley, the Webspinner for this site.
