The Parish of the Valley is excited to invite families to our inaugural Messy Church Event happening on Saturday, February 1st at the Laurentian Valley Four Seasons Trail Lodge, located at 2 Henan Road, Pembroke ON. 

We will begin at 10:30am with the formal Messy Church program, concluding at Noon. All are welcome to stay beyond noon to take advantage of the skate and snowshoe trails!

This is an "all family" participation event: bring your kids and/or grandkids for some faith-based activities, a short time of worship, share in a delicious meal, and enjoy the skating trail or snowshoe trail.

Members of Holy Trinity Pembroke's Altar Guild are invited to an Altar Guild Corporate Communion and Training Session that will be held on Wednesday, January 29th beginning at 10am, in concert with the regularly scheduled midweek Holy Eucharist.  

Following the midweek Eucharist Rev. Matthew will lead a brief training and orientation session for all members of the Pembroke altar guild. Our hope is to welcome and orient new and returning members of the guild, and to familiarize everyone with the customary practices for preparing the altar at Holy Trinity Pembroke for Sunday 8am, Sunday 10am, Wednesday 10am, funerals, and other special liturgies. Although this training session will focus specifcally on the liturgical space and customs at Holy Trinity Pembroke, altar guild volunteers in other congregations of our Parish of the Valley are most welcome to attend this training session and join in.

Annual Vestries for the congregations of the Parish of the Valley will be held at the end of Feburary and the beginning of March. Specific dates for each congregation's Vestry meeting are in the process of being set by the clergy team and churchwardens and will be made available when the new Sunday officiants schedule for our parish is shared next week.

Those who typically submit a report for inclusion in the Vestry packages (churchwardens, treasurers, key ministry leads, etc.) can feel free to begin to work on their reports. Again this year we ask that all reports be submitted to Gail at the main office at Aborn House (office@valleyanglicans.ca or call 613-732-4658 for assistance) by no later than Monday, February 3rd. For treasurers, please note that proposed financial statements and budgets may be submitted to the office after this date, corresponding to when those documents receive approval from the necessary Congregational or Central Council.

If you have any questions about your Vestry report please don't hesistate to reach out to Gail or to Rev. Matthew.

Our diocese has a long-standing partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem - some of you have even taken part in pilgrimages there. Bishop Shane has shared the following appeal, asking that those who are able consider making a donation to support our friends at St. George's College, Jerusalem:

Our partners, Archbishop Hosam Naoum and Dean Richard Sewell, have asked for urgent support to ensure that a key ministry of the Diocese of Jerusalem, St. George’s College, can survive the current situation facing the region as a whole.

As you can see in the attached brochure (available online), violence and uncertainty have created a major crisis for St. George’s College Jerusalem. Its normal revenue stream from pilgrims’ fees, gift shop sales, and other lodging fees has been totally disrupted.

It is highly unlikely that pilgrimages will resume in the next twelve months and there are insufficient funds to provide already-reduced salaries for the College’s staff and essential operations. Let Light Shine: The Canadian Campaign for St. George’s College Jerusalem is seeking to raise $250,000 to cover these basic costs in 2025.

Please circulate this appeal in your parish communities and consider making a donation.

St. George’s College Jerusalem is a gem of the worldwide Anglican Communion, welcoming thousands from around the world who seek to see, feel, and understand the biblical and contemporary richness of the land of the Holy One, and the Christians, Jews, and Muslims who live there. Its valuable ministry must not fall victim to the present crisis.

Your support of our partner diocese through this campaign is greatly appreciated. Please be in touch if you have any questions.

With sincere thanks and kind blessings,

+Shane

The Right Reverend Shane Parker
Bishop of Ottawa

Worship times and locations for Sunday, January 26th are:

We continue to be grateful for the many ways that members of the Parish of the Valley share gifts of time, talent, and financial resources to further God's mission across the Valley and beyond. To ensure the continued financial health of our ministries, all members of the Parish of the Valley are encouraged to make regular offerings to their home congregations and chapels. There are a many ways that you can give. Please click the blue button below to learn more.

Thank you for your continued support of the Parish of the Valley.

Here you will find our parish prayer list, scripture readings according to the Sunday lectionary, and links to worship by the Parish of the Valley and other Anglican resources and services.

Please download from the link below.