This week we had the pleasure of meeting Emmeline Banister Patton, the daughter of Rev. W. Franklin Bannister (8th Minister at Chalmers from 1950 to 1965) and her husband Bob Patton. They have kindly donated several bibles belonging to Rev. Banister, as well as CKWS records of sermons he gave in 1955 and some books. Emmeline has granted permission for Chalmers to use the records as we may wish. The items are in Church house if anyone wishes to view them.
One behalf of Chalmers, we thank Emmeline and Bob for their generous donations and wish them all the very best in their move to B.C.
We welcomed Dylan Lodge to the tech team this year and he has been an invaluable member of the team. He has a new opportunity and now will be moving on to bigger things. We congratulate him and wish him well in his career while at the same time we will miss him. Please take the time to thank him personally during his last Sundays with us in July and August.
Meanwhile, if you or someone you know, or know of someone who might know another someone… that would be interested in joining the team, please contact Nick Steinberg at .
Something big is coming on November 19 that you won’t want to miss. It’s the
United Marketplace Tour
But first a little background….
For the past 6 months, Chalmers has been involved in a collaboration with some of the other United Churches in town. The purpose was to explore ways that the churches can share resources so that each congregation gets more access to a greater variety of programs. They have also been exploring ways to share special events that are happening with other churches (special speakers, fundraisers, and special events.) Their latest venture is the United Marketplace Tour. This event, hosted by Edith Rankin, Crossroads and Chalmers with special guests, Princess St and Faith United, is a “trail” of 3 bazaars all occurring at the same time (similar to an Arts Trail).
So what is it?
On November 19 from 10-2 the three host churches will be holding their bazaars and people will be encouraged to check out more than one during the day. Each church does their own planning along with the special guests (Princess St is joining Crossroads and Faith is joining Chalmers), but there is also group planning and advertising so that there will be some degree of cohesion between the events. All of the churches will have some similar tables, but they will also have some unique features. For example, Edith Rankin invites artisans to show their wares, and Chalmers will be featuring our gourmet gifts to go (cookie trays newly imagined and Mason jar mixes) Please mark the date on your calendar – you won’t want to miss it!
So what is Chalmers doing? How can I join the fun?
Now that you know the basics, here is what Chalmers has planned and what donations we are looking for.
1. Gourmet Gifts to Go – featuring Cookie trays and Mason jar mixes
A change this year! The cookies will be prepared earlier – for the bazaar – and ready to be frozen. We will have the same wonderful variety in a freezable container. We still need the wonderful baking from all of the Chalmers folks.
Joan –
Mason Jar Mixes – Ingredients for soups, cookies and more, attractively arranged in Mason jars. A gathering of workers will be assembling the jars in early November. If you have jars or circles of fabric to donate please contact Linda at
2.Craft Table
“Crafty Ladies /Gentlemen of Chalmers”
We need products of your sewing, knitting, crotcheting, woodworking or other skills to stock our “Craft Table” at the new Bazaar venture in November.
If we each produce 1 or 2 small articles we will have a great assortment of goods!
Are we “up” for the challenge? Let’s show everyone we are!
To verify your participation email Jean , Joan at or Jan at
Hope to hear from you soon!
3. Book Table
Please save any relatively new or in good condition novels, mysteries, children’s, etc. books to contribute to our bazaar. No magazines please.
Jane –
4. The Nearly New Table.
This table welcomes jewellery, trinkets, figurines, ornaments etc. Small treasures appropriate for regifting or another person’s pleasure. Rosalie –
Contact one of the above people to donate and help make this exciting new venture a huge success!
Helena Neveu, a proud Ojibway woman from the Batchewana First Nation in Northern Ontario, and a member of the crane clan, and the Knowledge Keeper in Residence for St. Lawrence College presented Chalmers with the gift pictured here.
The Joint Truth and Reconciliation Action Group (JTRAG) hosted an online reading group in the spring of 2022, focused on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Helena was a participant in the group and like all of us, was moved by the content of the texts we were reading and the stories we were hearing.
One of the projects we learned about was a commemorative art installation called Walking with our Sisters that came about through the inspiration of artist, Christi Belcourt. For over a year, Christi collected over 2,000 pairs of vamps (the beaded top part of moccasins) made by Indigenous women all over Canada. They were to represent the unfinished lives of the hundreds of women and girls who had gone missing and had been murdered. Christi assembled them so that families, relations and allies could “walk with our sisters”.
In gratitude to the congregations hosting the reading group, Helena arranged for hand-made frames to be made, and created pictures representing three of the vamps from the Walking with Our Sisters project. She gifted these pictures to Chalmers, Faith and Sydenham Street United Churches at the joint service on the Indigenous Day of Prayer, June 19, 2022.
The proposed reading group will be delayed until September to revisit the amount of interest at that time. Please call Ruth at 613-328-7720 if you have questions.
Chalmers’ Administrator, David King, in consultation with the reopening team, is making the following Covid protocol changes for Chalmers worship services effective this Sunday. The position at this point is that we have all learned over the past couple of years to manage our lives and our safety in a constantly changing health and regulation environment.
We see increasing returns to previous unmasked states while many people are still wearing masks and taking abundant caution for both themselves and for other loved ones. We want Chalmers’ worship to take place in a safe environment yet acknowledge that it is impossible to be completely safe these days.
Therefore, we are making the following changes:
Registration will not be required upon entry. You should still follow screening rules. If you have Covid symptoms or are isolating due to close contact, you should not attend in person. Live streaming of services will continue.
Double vaccination is no longer a requirement for entry. Most people already have up to four shots by now.
Refreshments – previously on the lawn only – may be served indoors during inclement weather. Those uncomfortable with this, may choose to abstain or leave.
Masking is encouraged but no longer mandatory. We feel that many will still choose to remain masked for their own or for other’s safety. We welcome this choice and urge everyone to respect individuals’ choices – each according to their own personal situations.
Distancing will still continue in the sanctuary and MacCallum Hall. We feel this is still an important safety measure.
Please note that we will continue to monitor any changing regulations or Health Unit recommendations in the fall or in the future. If needed, we will adjust protocols accordingly.
Thank you for your patience and understanding through all these difficult times and stay safe.
Plans are afoot! We would like to update you on the Moving Forward Statement and Action Planning discussed during the June 8 Circle. There were lots of items discussed including our Administrator David King’s recommendation to the Region, various roles in our current and potential future governance, how we live and work together, and the process/timelines in obtaining a new Minister. The Moving Forward Statement has been modified according to suggestions from several of the attendees. Like many of you, the Reference Team will be taking the summer a bit slower. However, we are already planning the next set of Circles to move the Action Plan forward. The dates are tentatively set for August 31, September 7, and September 14. These will be necessary steps to identifying and living our future.
Please see the Moving Forward and Action plan files on the Congregational Pulse Files page for more detail an update on the Moving Forward Statement and Action Planning discussed during the June 8 Circle.
Staff can be reached by email and phone Monday to Friday.
The Blessing Box is restocked daily.
For Pastoral Care issues, should you have need of pastoral care support (or know of someone who may) please advise any member of the Pastoral Care Team
