Real People/Real Stories
Using Your Talent - Barb Carswell
Barb Carswell from St Paul’s Church, on the left in this picture, more pictures on the website Gallery page. Barb joined Broken Earth St John’s, Newfoundland in April for a surgical mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala. It is not Barb’s first such trip.
The volunteer group of nurses and doctors repaired cleft lips and palates for about 20 children, mostly under 3 years of age.
The weather was very pleasant, which was good for walking to work each day.
Thank you Barb, Jesus is working through you.
Stewardship-Pat File's Story
My name is Patricia File and I am a member of the Stewardship Committee at St. Paul’s United Church. For those of you who get the online or email newsletter, you may recall that there was a paragraph recently describing the Pre–Authorized Remittance program (PAR) and how to enrol if you wish. I am here to tell you a story about my involvement with PAR, in the hopes of inspiring you to become involved too and to deepen your involvement with St. Paul’s.
I got involved some years back now – because I was “invited”. There was an announcement on the wall when we would first come into church that said they were seeking ten new PAR members. It was there for a few weeks and I thought maybe I could become one of those ten. At that time, I had been coming to church for a few years, I usually sat in the balcony and I came most weeks. I would bring a cheque for my offering for an amount that I thought I could contribute on a weekly basis. It was an exchange – I received the benefit of an inspiring service and sermon and choral music and fellowship and in return I gave a cheque to the church. But if I missed a Sunday, I didn’t double up my cheque the following week – as I wasn’t there.
When I signed up for the PAR program, I knew that a certain amount would now come out for every week, whether I came to church or not. I was ready to make that commitment. It was easy – I went into the office at the time and gave a void cheque to Judy and specified a monthly allocation for so much towards St. Paul’s for its work and so much for Mission and Service. At first, I noticed a nice change as I was no longer rushing around on Sunday morning looking for my cheque book and running into church late. I am often last minute as some of you may know. Since this was one of the only cheques I still wrote, I haven’t had to re–order cheques now for years. At the end of the year, I got a nice letter from the church with my receipt for my annual donation. It was all very convenient. It was very nice.
But over time, I came to realize that a much more important change was happening in my relationship to St. Paul’s. I began to deepen my connection to the church as I realized that in making the PAR commitment to St. Paul’s, I had made a more formal choice for it to be one of my key organizations to donate to on an annual basis. They could count on me – now and into the future.
I began to be more involved in the work of the church. I used to see some of the members names and faces on various committees and I admired their dedication but I wasn’t sure I wanted to get involved in that capacity. But when we were challenged to think about how we could Elevate Accessibility, I thought I could step up and join that committee as this was
something important to me. I had made a commitment to St. Paul’s when I signed up for the PAR program after all – so they could count on me. I got to be involved with the most wonderful group of people and it was such a joyful experience to see our church accomplish the fundraising for that project and the decisions to get to the final renovations being completed. After that, I got involved in other committees and endeavours with St. Paul’s and had the same joyful experiences. Many of you were involved too as we helped host the Toronto Conference, did accessibility training for dozens of church members, did Faith Formation activities for the children and youth as well as other programs and activities. I get so much more out of my increased involvement and faith journey with St. Paul’s – I feel blessed.
During this pandemic, I came to understand how important the PAR program has been, as we no longer had the weekly services for people to be here in person to put their offering into the plate of cash or cheques or envelopes. Although my income went down, I kept to my monthly amount as I knew that I could manage it and I knew that St. Paul’s was counting on me – because I had made that commitment.
The continuation of the services online has been a small miracle to me. Karen, Victoria, Glen and the Tech Team have been able to produce such inspiring services for us to watch on YouTube and this kept me going many times during these last few years. And more than ever, I came to understand that the work of the church is more than the Sunday service – as Karen provides pastoral spiritual guidance and support to families for new births, weddings, funerals as well as the many other needs for families in our community. All the of the other committees and groups involved with the church continued even during the pandemic.
The donations from all of you have helped to keep that all happening. The PAR program helps provide a foundation for the church to continue its work day–to–day and week–to–week and to budget for the future year. We then build on that work and that foundation for special and extra needs as we continue to help meet the needs of others in our community and around the world through the work of our Refugee Committee, the fall Foodgrains Campaign, the Guesthouse and others.
The stronger our foundation – the more we can do. It is a vision for abundance! As our gardens and new life come forth again this spring, I think of the PAR program like the bulbs and perennials in the garden – something that comes up every year that you can count on. Or perhaps it is more like a juniper bush that gives some greenery through the whole year – in
winter and in summer.
Everyone chooses to give how and when they are able to. As a member of the Stewardship Committee, we certainly appreciate the large and small annual donations that come from time to time and all the smaller weekly ones that add up. They all make our church garden flourish and thrive.
We are inviting you to please consider the PAR program and to deepen and elevate your commitment to St. Paul’s in participating in the work of the church and to find your place in our garden. It is easy to do – just call Louise at the church office and she will tell you how.
2022
Roots & Wings
A strong woman believes that she’s strong enough to face her journey, but a woman of strength has FAITH that it is in this journey that she will become strong… (anonymous)
Zena (Mylopoulos) Pendelbury,
Zena was born in Athens and raised in Filothei, a suburb of Athens, Greece. Her mother’s family (Karnemidis) was forced to leave their home in Pontos, Turkey, in 1922 when Turkey exiled all Greeks from the country. Her father’s family (Mylopoulos) came from Sohum, Russia. They left Russia in 1917 after the Russian revolution. Zena’s parents Paul and Ioanna met and married in Athens during the German occupation of Greece in 1942. Paul had a successful business exporting goods from Greece, mainly tobacco and lumber; he travelled to Egypt, Lebanon, and Czechoslovakia frequently.
As Zena reflects on her family history she is very aware that she comes from a history of exile and what it’s like to be a refugee.
Zena was baptized in Ste. Filothei Greek Orthodox Church and attended elementary and high school in Filothei. These were tough times for young people in Greece when Zena was a young woman, Greece was under a dictatorship rule. Being young and of an inquiring mind she came to Canada as a foreign student to the University of Toronto where she studied Sociology and French. Her brother was already in Canada and was a professor at the UofT which was a support to Zena.
One night Zena’s colleagues in residence insisted that Zena go to the bar with them. This was not her normal evening’s entertainment but she went. A group of hockey players came in on their way home from a game. They were an unsightly group of young men, battered and beaten up after a rough game but there was one in particular that caught her eye. He looked the ‘best’ of the lot. He must have noticed this young woman as well. They talked into the wee hours of the morning. That was the beginning of their life-long friendship and love. When Zena found out Cliff was a seminary student that was cause to ponder but not for long. Their common passions for justice and education and making the world a better place overcame any differences.
Cliff was sent to Manitoba after his ordination. That didn’t dampen their growing relationship. Zena worked at becoming a ‘minister’s wife’. She says she was a ‘reluctant minister’s wife’ but she had a very understanding partner and she always was there for her husband in his chosen calling and her children who were growing in their spiritual practices. All the while she worked for the Ontario Government except for six years when her family was very young.
Oh, there’s a piece missing in the last paragraph. Cliff was ordained in 1975 in St. Paul’s United Church in Midland. Little did they know that they would end up in ministry here eighteen years later!
Zena admits there has been much adapting and challenge in her life. Being raised in a very mystical yet closed faith background, the openness was what attracted her to Canada and the United Church. “I believe in evolving”, Zena explains.
“I must be engaged,” says Zena, “in the environment, education, transportation, non-partisan politics, kids and my Church. My faith is important and especially my friends at St. Paul’s and in the community.
On May 27 and 28, Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada is planning its AGM in Midland where eight people will be ordained and commissioned in St. Paul’s United Church, forty one years after Cliff Pendlebury was ordained in St. Paul’s. There will be 400 plus delegates plus visitors at this event. This is the first time St. Paul’s has hosted this very ambitious venture for many, many years, but was a dream of Cliff before he died.
Zena is coordinator of the Local Arrangements for this Annual event. Most of the proceedings will be held in the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre except for the Celebration of Ministries service in St. Paul’s on Saturday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. where over 600 will be in attendance. The choir alone will be about 75 voices under the leadership of St. Paul’s Director of Music, Victoria Warwick.
The St. Paul’s organizing team has been working on this event in concert with the staff and volunteers of Toronto Conference for over a year. Over one hundred volunteers have stepped up to assist in hosting. This has been a massive undertaking for St. Paul’s congregation. We can credit the leadership and excellent response in making this event a resounding success.
Hospitality
Committed, humble, hard working, unselfish, faith-filled, spirit-filled woman: that’s how we profile this special woman!
Added to these attributes, Helen French has an uncanny sense of humour followed by that little mischievous twinkle in her eye.
She was born in Victoria Harbour to Netta and Douglas Robertson. Douglas was a Bernardo boy. She was the only girl with two brothers in her family. She grew up in Victoria Harbour, attended Victoria Harbour Public School, completing grades 9 and 10. After her formative education, she attended Midland Business College.
The United Church has been Helen’s passion all of her life. She was baptised in St. John’s United Church in Victoria Harbour, attended Mission Band, Sunday School, Canadian Girls In Training, and Young People’s Union. The Church shaped her young life and instilled in her the values that have guided her and sustained her all her life.
Helen was married in the St. Paul’s parsonage and in the 1950’s became involved in St. Paul’s United Church. Helen remembers a person who was quite influential in her life, Margeurite Parker. Margeurite asked Helen to teach Sunday School. That was the beginning of her very active life in St. Paul’s: Sunday School teacher, superintendent of Sunday School, Mission Band teacher, Church Board, Women’s Missionary Society followed by United Church Women, served on the UCW Executive and has served as coordinator of Celebration of Life receptions as well as the coordination of bazaars. Helen enjoyed all the things she’s been involved in but “spare me from being secretary, I don’t like doing that!”
Helen remembers the very formal Teas hosted by the Women’s groups. She reflected on getting the highly polished silver tea services out. The older women donned their elegant attire and poured tea into the finest china. Of course the sandwiches and dainties were crafted for their exquisite taste and presentation.
Helen doesn’t have a computer and wants to keep it that way. She says she’s not as involved as she used to be. Those who know her beg to differ, she’s still very active and is a role model for many.
This special woman in her humility doesn’t wish to brag. We’ll do that for her. Her life of volunteering was recognized in receiving two Jubilee Medals as a volunteer for the Cancer Society. If we were into presenting medals for her life in the Church, Helen would be the recipient of many medals.
Helen is still active in UCW and making sandwiches for Celebration of Lives refreshments. She still volunteers at the Hospital coffee bar and takes an active part in the many United Church Women activities.
Helen feels so blest: she has a good neighbours and a circle of wonderful friends. She still enjoys baking. Helen’s eyes light up when she speaks of her family: her daughter Kay (and Bob), seven grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and 2 foster boys in Saskatchewan.
When Helen was asked about her grandchildren and how much wisdom she must impart, she replied, “the grandkids aren’t that interested in my wisdom but they look forward to the cookies!”
Oh, another little tidbit about Helen, she celebrated a milestone birthday a few weeks ago. It’s not up to us to reveal her vintage. Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” What we can say is, Helen hasn’t stopped learning and she keeps her mind young.
St. Paul’s is honoured and blest to have Helen French in our faith family.