Social Justice Concerns

The treed environment around us - a new project for 2023 and beyond.

As part of our 170th anniversary year, St. Anne's has joined the Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion tree planting project.

We hope that over the next five years we will be able to point to 175 trees planted to commemorate our church community, its people and our 175th anniverary in 2028. Whyhnot plant a tree on your property or fund a tree to be planted elsewhere? Just let the church office know of your efforts so that we can tally up the numbers and the impact we are having on our environment. Listed below are a few organizations that plant trees in our area and feel free to tell us of others:

1) ReForest London www.reforestlondon.ca - $25 per tree to plant a tree in a London park. A tax receipt is provided.

2) Lower Thames Valley Conservation Foundation  www.lowerthames-conservation.on.ca - $40 per tree to plant in a conservation area memorial forest. The tree can be donated in memory of a person and a certificate will be provided. There are no areas within the city but in the region, the closest being at the Conservation Area outside Delaware. A tax receipt is provided.

3) St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation  www.scrca.on.ca/foundation/memorial-forests - $50 per tree to plant in a conservation area memorial forest – The tree can be donated in memory of a person and a certificate will be provided. There are no areas within the city but in the region, the closest being at the Conservation Area in Strathroy. A tax receipt is provided.

4) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority www.thamesriver.on.ca - $50 per tree for the memorial forest program in London and a tree planted in memory of a person. There is also a Tree Power Program whereby the authority provides free trees to people to plant trees on their property in partnership with London Hydro. While there does not appear to be a minimum donation only donations of at least $20 gets a tax receipt.

Indigenous People

Territorial Land Acknowledgement
We want to acknowledge that the land we are gathered on today is First Nations’ territory, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Attawandaron, and Wendat peoples. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties. We also want to offer respect to our neighbouring Indigenous nations, including the Metis, Cree and Inuit amongst many others. Our necessities of life are here and our work today is possible because of the stewardship of the 7 generations who came before us.

Orange Shirt Sunday Group Photo 2022Sept25

Our Creator
Our Creator who dwells in the sky world
Your name is sacred.
Bring us your kingdom and let your will be done on mother earth and in the sky world.
Give us today the harvest of your land.
Forgive us for what we have done wrong.
Forgive those who have done wrong to us.
Don’t let us be led into wrong doing.
But let us walk the good path with a good mind.
You are our everything and you are everywhere.
You are powerful and you dwell in glory.
Before, now and forever.

Photo: Orange Shirt Sunday - September 25, 2022

National Indigenous Day of Prayer -  June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Indigenous Ministries supports the Indigenous Peoples of Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) spiritually, socially, economically and politically. We recognize that the purity of the land base provides for all our needs. As active participants in the life of the church, we strive for reconciliation with the Anglican Communion and work towards Indigenous self-determination.

More information on the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, their work and many other resources may be found at: https://www.anglican.ca/im/

Navajo Beauty Way Prayer “Walk in Beauty” from the women of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland. Blessing led by the Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton at Sheep Camp, Navajoland.

Prayers, an adaptation of the Great Thanksgiving. Led by Ms. Judith Moses and Mr. John Haugen, members of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Homily by the Rt. Rev. Chris Harper, Bishop of Saskatoon

The Strawberry Story, written by the late Canon Ginny Doctor, read by Donna Bomberry.

One particularly inportant resources is Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts. The purpose of this one hour long film is to respond to the calls to action by helping to provide education and insight into the racist foundations of many of our property and other laws still in existence to this day.
https://www.anglican.ca/primate/tfc/drj/doctrineofdiscovery/

The Lenni Lenape Algonkian Iroquoian Council consists of representatives of the six First Nation parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Huron. The LAIC logo consists of traditional First Nation and Christian symbolism: an Eagle Feather (representing Truth, Power, Freedom, and Balance); a white Christian cross on a blue background; and at the four cardinal points, spots of the traditional colours representing the Four Directions. To learn more of their ongoing Vision and Mission, particularly in the light of the Calls to Action and recommendation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, please visit: https://diohuron.org/ministries/laic-first-nations-parishes

Other resources:

In 2019, St. Anne's hosted a Blanket Exercise and were pleased to have 29 people join us for this event.

Hunger

In 2021 St. Anne's began growing some fresh food for the local Byron Cares Food Bank. A greenhouse was supplied to the church by Business Cares London and the London Food Bank2021 Greenhouse inside Thanks to Green Horizon Sod Farms/Big Yellow Bags and Home Hardware Komoka for their donations to help us continue the greenhouse operation. We truly appreciate the people behind these organizations for caring enough about their neighbours to support this effort!

Volunteers spend time caring for our garden beds several times a week from May until the end of September, weeding and watering as needed so the plants have good ventilation and moisture. You can also sign up for harvesting when the crops are ready to deliver to Byron Cares. As we come to the beginning of our 2024 growing season, we will be expanding our use of the greenhouse and growing additional crops. A bit of an experiment this year, yet it is our hope it helps us increase our yield of fresh produce for our neighbours who use Byron Cares. Feel free to contact us if you wish to participate as we are always looking for fresh ideas and help!

 St. Paul's Daily Bread Program, a registered charity, is an ecumenical social service provider supported by over 50 London and area churches of various denominations, a number of service and fraternal organizations and hundreds of caring individuals on a regular ongoing basis. The Daily Bread Program is available to anyone need in the community who is in need and is one of the few agencies in London that offers emergency financial assistance in crisis situations pertaining to shelter and/or utilities cut off as funds permit.

Human Trafficking 20190730CourageForFreedom

The Trap, created by the Ontario Government, simulates the realities of being targeted, recruited, and exploited by a sex trafficker. It is designed to be used as part of a discussion facilitated by an adult, helping you teach your kids about human trafficking in an interactive, impactful way.

Courage for Freedom is one organization working to increase awareness of this practice of human sex trafficking and its presence along the 400 series highways and have a Project Maple Leaf intitiave to spread the word - https://courageforfreedom.org/solution/projectmapleleaf/  Can you spread the word?

In 2019, 14 members of the congregation attended a public rally in July to learn more about what can be done to decrease human trafficking. It was both informational and inspiring.

Internationally, human trafficking, bonded labour and slavery are still very prevalent in some parts of the world. The International Justice Mission (IJM) - https://www.ijm.org/ - partners with local authorities in 24 program offices in 14 countries to combat slavery, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power against people who are poor. IJM is a global organization partnering with local justice systems to end violence against people living in poverty.

An article in Christianity Today about an IJM opearation to end slavery on Lake Volta.

From the Deacon’s Bench - A Lenten Reflection from San Marcos

By Canon Ken
Hola from our friends in our companion parish of San Marcos in Holguin, Cuba! Heather and I had the chance to meet up with them several times in January. They were pleased to see us and as welcoming as usual. We took the opportunity to take them items they need, including basic medicines such as aspirin and Tylenol. We took a number of Sunday School supplies for them as well as several books of children’s Bible stories in Spanish. It is very difficult to get many basic supplies in Cuba these days. The inflation and supply chain issues we experience here have been minimal to what they have been experiencing. When visiting a grocery store in the nearby town, they have divided off half of the store from what was used before, and the shelves don’t have a lot on them. Trips must be planned so that taxi drivers can try to find gas for the trip, for which they are paying about $5.00 per gallon when they can find it.

We look at Lent as a time when we minimize. We try to take on more focussed reading, meditation and prayer. Some engage in fasting or abstaining from some types of food or treat. This is meant to reflect that the 40 days of Lent remember the days that Jesus spent in the desert and faced temptations. It can be a more somber time. Monastics often follow very strict rules during Lent, somewhat similar to what we see our Muslim friends do during Ramadan.

It seemed that our Cuban friends live through a year-round Lent due to the scarcity of basic goods. They display an amazing faith despite the ongoing shortages. Their church services display a joy when singing their hymns, including movement and clapping. Not something we do very much. They engage in the community around them. Even though they have little, San Marcos will benefit later this year from the installation of a water filtration system so that drinking water can be supplied to the community. The community for them is the wider community, not just parishioners. We talked about how they are planning to create a community garden on the flat roof of the church. This will allow them to provide some fresh vegetables to the community. We hope that St. Anne’s may be able to help them with that project. Maybe Lent doesn’t need to be sombre. We can study and pray and read and abstain but with a joy showing our faith in our loving God. Maybe we can learn from others that there can always be joy as we live our faith, even during Lent.

 

Outreach at St. Anne's

Outreach Projects Group - as of June 2022
You will recall at our Vestry meeting in January that we unanimously passed a motion to use one-time funds for both capital needs and initiatives in outreach. To that end a review committee and process for outreach submissions was established and to date, we have received four submissions that have now been approved by Parish Council for a total of $2,400 for the 2022 allotment of $7,000:
1. Healthy Snacks to Northview - $400
2. Sending Children to Huron Church Camp - $500
3. Engaging in social activities with three gentlemen and their staff who live on Halls Mill Road, a home which houses three medically fragile adult individuals operated by Participation House.- $500
4. Ongoing support of the greenhouse and providing food for the Byron Cares Foodbank. Also, adding two 4'x3' elevated garden beds to the area behind the hall to both expand production capacity and encourage participation from people who may have mobility challenges. - $1000.

The Huron Hispanic & Migrant Farmworkers Outreach Ministry - February 2022 letter pdf

The Huron Hispanic & Migrant Farmworkers Outreach Ministry is a new initiative in the diocese of Huron commencing in spring 2022. The first phase of this outreach ministry will begin in Norfolk County. We are seeking donations of men’s clothing such as pants, sweaters, T-Shirts, warm jackets, socks, gloves and toques. Items should be in the small to large size category, clean and in good condition. The collection place in London is the Parish of St. Michael & all Angels Church, 397 Springbank Drive, London,

All donations would be appreciated by March 28th.

Past efforts

2020 and 2021 were challenging years for outreach givenhow COVID-19 closed churches. In 2021 we were able to provide backpacks and other supplies to the Byron Northview Public School along with Advent gifts of warm socks, mitts, hats scarves, etc.Nutritional snacks have also been provided for children arriving at school without a meal.

We continue to develop our conection to a Syrian family new to Canada in 2020 and as they welcomed a daughter in 2021.

St. Anne's supports the Byron Cares food bank and a $500 donation was made thanks to the Christmas Star initiative in December. We also tried our hand at growing food for Byron Cares in a small greenhouse provided to us through the London Food Bank and Business Cares London.

In 2019 we continued to gather gifts of backpacks and supplies in September and warm hats, socks, mitts etc during Advent for Christmas distribution at the local school. We also participated again in the creation of a number of Shoeboxes for women living in shelters here in London with several teams of parishioners also serving meals at Inn Out of the Cold in St Thomas. At the encouragement of the ACW financial gifts were made to Merrymount ($1000) and El Sistema South London ($1000). The Hostess group raised funds so that we could contribute to the work of Life Spin ($500) and Inn Out of the Cold ($300), as well as collecting egg cartons for the Daily Bread at St Paul’s. A further gift was made to Inn Out of the Cold ($200) to further their work.

Combined with funds raised by the children of the parish at the Spring Sale and the Bazaar, we were able to make a $350 gift to the PWRDF purchasing, one cow, a goat, seeds for farmers, and 40 chickens for distribution to those living in Africa in very difficult circumstances. These gifts will change their lives. In addition to this, after a number of years, we were able to send $4,050 to the PWRDF towards a Cuban Water project.

In addition to this, items not sold from the Spring sale were donated to Mission Services for families in need. As well books were donated to CPRI for their fundraisers. The Library raised funds to send cards to those at Parkwood and support their programs (see Library report for more details about this) with a certain percentage of the funds raised by the sidespeople’s Pancake Dinner also going to Outreach.

Our heavenly pie ladies (and some gentlemen, numbering 20 or so) not only made pies to support the church, but also hosted the two Seniors’ Luncheons that took place each year, as well as making pies available from time to time for pastoral support, and inviting some of our young friends from Northview over to learn the fine art of pie-making.

The ladies of the prayer shawl ministry kept knitting, creating shawls that would surround the recipients with love and prayers; and Laurie H. continued to organize and send the Bales north to Indigenous communities twice a year. Collections were made for St Monica’s house and blankets were crafted for the London Children’s Hospital Trauma Unit.

We made space for the VON to hold their twice-weekly exercises for seniors as well as providing a room for an ALANON group’s weekly meetings. We also hosted two separate Tuesday evening groups for Ability Through Drumming classes. The badminton group also continued to meet regularly in our Parish Hall.

In 2019, we hosted a Blanket Exercise and were pleased to have 29 people join us for this event. Our Social Justice page has more information on our parish's acknowledgement of Indigenous matters.20190730CourageForFreedom

Also, 14 members of the congregation attended a public rally in July to learn more about what can be done to decrease human trafficking. It was both informational and inspiring.

We were pleased in 2019 to have raised $4,050 in support of Water Filtration systems in Cuba, as initiated by our deacon Ken B. As well through supporting a visit to our pollination garden, we did provide students at our local public school with opportunities to learn more about the pollination garden and how it helps to safeguard the integrity of creation.

We were able to connect to our local school and to provide for them a gift in the amount of $500 towards the purchase of equipment to support children’s learning about sustaining the earth.

We were able to invite students to our pollination garden to share with them how these kind of gardens support butterflies and bees in their pollinating efforts. There are additional funds left for the beautification of the gardens.

PWRDF is an important outreach arm of the Diocese of Huron www.pwrdf.org

St. Paul's Daily Bread Program, a registered charity, is an ecumenical social service provider supported by over 50 London and area churches of various denominations, a number of service and fraternal organizations and hundreds of caring individuals on a regular ongoing basis. The Daily Bread Program is available to anyone need in the community who is in need and is one of the few agencies in London that offers emergency financial assistance in crisis situations pertaining to shelter and/or utilities cut off as funds permit.

Anglican Church Women (ACW) - The Bale
St. Anne's gathers donations of suitable, gently used washable clothing, sheets and towels and toiletries and sends them to the northern Diocese of Keewatin for the many individuals, families, communities and programs (safe shelters, rehab, and hospital) who rely on several agencies for support. The Diocese of Keewatin includes 45 parishes in the central region of Canada straddling the border of the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario and comprising over 900,000 sq kilometres.

St. Anne’s Library/Resource CentreLibrary

Our library is a resource that is beyond books. In addition to fiction and non-fiction books that are suitable for all ages there are DVDs, royalty magazines, diocesan newspapers from across Canada (donated by Bishop Nigel) and a few CDs.

Here are the various suggestions but there are always more choices in the library. Library hours are Sundays after 9:15 am. worship service and Mondays 10:30 am. to 12:00 noon. You can also contact Louise K. at 519-474-3226.

Library Resources for Lenten Study 2024
Compiled by Team Library- Lise J. and Louise K.
During this February’s Lenten Retreat, we are encouraged to wrestle with the spiritual concepts of 5 “B” words.
Here is a collection of classic and current selections available in our church library with themes of beauty, blessings, betrayal, boundaries, and burdens.

Beauty
The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson (2016)
Enchanted Isle by Melanie Dobson (2017)
The Seeds of Change- Leah’s Garden by Lauraine Snelling (2021) Large Print*
Eyes That Kiss in the Corner by Jo Hanna (2021) Children’s Book
All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander (1992) Children's Book
Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson (2011) Children's Book
The Inuit Thought of It- Amazing Arctic Innovations by Alootook Ipellie & David MacDonald (2022) Children’s Non-Fiction
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood (2019, PG) DVD
Miss Potter (2007, G) DVD

Blessings
Long Way Home by Lynn Austin (2022)
Here and Now by Santa Montefiore (2020)
The Heart Has Its Reasons by Maria Duenas (2012)
Shelter by Robin Merril (2015) Large Print *
Grateful by Diana Butler Bass (2019) Non-Fiction
Small Pet Care by DK (2005) Children’s Non-Fiction
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman (2021) Poem
Amazing Grace (2006, PG) DVD
Something The Lord Made (2004) DVD

Betrayal
A Distant Shore by Karen Kingsbury (2021)
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (2015)
The Dutch Orphan by Ellen Keith (2023)
St. Michael’s Residential School: Lament and Legacy by N. Dyson and D. Rubenstein
Poppa and His Drum by Judith M. Doucette (2023) Children’s Book
Saving Mr. Banks (2014, PG-13) DVD
A United Kingdom (2017, PG-13) DVD
St. Anne’s Anglican Church (Byron) Volume 3, Issue 2 9

Boundaries
The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel (2020)
Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dodson (2018)
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan (2017)
The Book of Negros by Lawrence Hill (2007)
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (2016) Non-Fiction
Neglected No More by Andrew Picard (2021) Non-Fiction
Last Days in Africville by Dorothy Perkyns (2003) Children’s Book
My Granny Loves Hockey by Lori Weber (2014) Children’s Book
The Butler (2014, 14A) DVD
A Man Called Otto (2023, PG) DVD
Maudie (2017, PG) DVD

Burdens
The Newsmakers by Lis Wiel (2016)
The Strangers in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom (2021) Large Print*
The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve (2017) Large Print*
The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin (2023)
21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act by Bob Joseph (2018) Non-Fiction
The Girl with a Brave Heart Rita Jahanforuz (2013) Children’s Book
Beyond the Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad (2021) Non-Fiction
Harriet (2019, PG-13) DVD
Suffragette (2016, PG-13) DVD
Iron Road (2009, PG) DVD

 

Our Ministry includes: Sunday School and occasional youth activities.

We hold Sunday school every other Sunday during the school year. We continue to average approximately 4-10 children each Sunday, with as high as 12 on some Sundays. We unsure we meet Safe Church guidelines. We try to have a few outings a year. Reverend Val has a Children’s Focus at the 9:15 a.m. Sunday Service.

Supporting the Youth Ministry
Supporting this ministry can be done in a variety of ways and does not necessarily mean you need to “teach” Sunday School. Curriculum supports are provided that follow the lectern schedules so that what the children are discussing is the same things the adults are considering.
Opportunities to service in this ministry are always needed. If you are interested please speak to Rev’d Val.

Youth Server’s Guild at St. Anne’s
We would love to welcome you!
Youth are invited and encouraged to join the Servers' Guild here at St. Anne's. Our servers are wonderful – they help us worship well assisting the clergy in the leadership of the service at our 8:00 (first Sunday of each month) and 9:15 a.m. services every Sunday, and on special occasions during the church year. Servers sit near the altar, presenting the holy bread, water and wine, they prepare and clear altars, carry the cross, light the candles, lead the procession, receive the offertory – we love our servers and thank them for their ministry!
Requirement:  
Youth at least 11 years old who have their First Holy Communion and been trained and apprentice for one to two months with the rector. Please contact Rev'd Val for more information or to volunteer.

What are others saying? Here is a small sample for today's culture:

  • Consider your faith and commitment to God with My Hope videos. Personal stories about the impact of faith from well-known and everyday people.
  • Biblekids.ca has lots of great resources for younger children, from art to stories
  • Bible Gateway is a great resource for anyone who wants to know anything about the Bible. It includes many english translations and many texts from other languages as well.
  • Passageway.org links to online resources to answer faith question for today's culture. Ask a question or chat online if you need to talk.
  • Busted Halo is a site created by the Paulist Youth Ministries in New York that contains lots of current affairs commentary. Consider the Trivia Inferno game.
  • Huron Church Camp has lots of activities for youth of all ages. Visit their site to see camp details and how you can contribute by volunteering or providing supplies or assistance.
  • Trailblazing - a course of study for youth ministers and those working part-time with youth groups. Created through the National Youth Initiatives Team and Huron University College's faculty of theology.

Sunday School Videos

Lenten Resources from the Diocese of Huron

Easter Resources for Families and Children

St. Anne's Resources - links to books recorded on YouTube as well as songs to sing and even a little bit of Ukulele sing-along for those who are missing their Sunday Ukulele lessons.

What We Offer2018StAnnesCemeterysm

Founded circa 1832 and incorporated as an Anglican Cemetery in 1853, St. Anne’s Cemetery has a long history of serving the Byron community. St. Anne’s Anglican Cemetery is an active cemetery registered with the Cemeteries Branch of the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs, Toronto. Sales of full size and cremation only graves are limited to the active members of St. Anne’s Vestry or, on approval, their immediate family. There are 700 graves in total in the cemetery with approximately 70 available sites left.

Each year the cemetery board and the church hold a Cemetery Memorial Service on the first Sunday in May. At this service family, friends and parishioners have the opportunity to remember the members of St. Anne’s and the community who have been interred at St. Anne’s Cemetery over the past year, and also to remember other family members or friends who have passed.

If you would like to support St. Anne’s Cemetery Board and its efforts to maintain the cemetery grounds during this unprecedented time, please make an online donation or send your contribution to St. Anne’s Cemetery Board, 1344 Commissioners Rd. W., London, Ont. N6K 1E1. Be sure to tell us the name of the person for whom the memorial donation is being made. Memorials are noted in our weekly newsletter and a tax receipt is issued for all donations received.

Please join us for our online services found on our Facebook page.

Yours in Christ,
St Anne’s Byron Cemetery Board

Consumer Information Guide - Bereavement Authority of Ontario


St. Anne’s Cemetery Board is pleased to announce that the first phase of the columbarium project is now complete.

St. Anne’s Cemetery Notice to Parishioners

St. Anne’s Cemetery is a closed cemetery offering interment rights only to the Parishioners of St. Anne’s Anglican Church (Byron). The interment options and their cost are:

  • Full size grave (very limited availability): $ 1,200.00 (one full size casket or several urns)
  • In ground cremation grave: $ 750.00 (up to three cremation urns)
  • Columbarium Niche: Niche prices range from $ 900.00 to $ 1,200.00
    (Space in a niche is designed for up to two cremation urns not taller than 30 cm (11 ½”)
  • Scattering Garden: $400

For information on purchasing interment rights please contact Peter Hawkins, 519-472-3262 or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Many parishioners also take the opportunity to advance plan their service particulars as well. If you are interested in speaking to Rev’d Val about this, please get in touch with her directly at 519-854-9998.

Ocemeterygate 300pix2008ur commitment:
It is the purpose and goal of the cemetery board and the church to provide a reverent, peaceful and relaxing environment for parishioners and visitors to enjoy.

pdf Interments as of January 2024.pdf
For pictures of headstones, please visit the CanadaGenWeb Cemetery Project.

pdfSt Annes Cemetery Bylaws 2012.pdf

©2024 St. Anne's Anglican Church Byron. All rights reserved.