Dear Friends in Christ in the Parish of the Valley,

Grace and peace to you all as we mark this very wintery Family Day long-weekend.

A Winter Storm Warning from Environment Canada is currently in effect for all regions of our large area parish. Total snowfall accumulation of between 25 and 40 centimetres is anticipated, beginning this evening and continuing into Sunday night, with the worst conditions anticipated early Sunday morning. Quoting from Environment Canada’s Warning, “Travel will be hazardous and is not recommended, particularly on Sunday…visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.”

The clergy team have conferenced this afternoon and have also been in touch with many of our parish’s churchwardens. Given Environment Canada’s warning, and mindful of everyone’s safety, we have made the decision to cancel all in-person worship across the Parish of the Valley for Sunday, February 16th. We ask everyone to please stay safe, stay off the roads except in cases of emergency, and check-in on each other as much as possible by telephone and text message, thinking especially of members of our parish family living alone during the storm.

The clergy team and churchwardens would also appreciate everyone's help in sharing the news of these service cancellations, particularly with members of our congregations who do not have access to email or social media. Please help us spread the word and encourage everyone to stay home and stay safe.

In lieu of in-person worship (and provided that electricity and internet stay on) the clergy team intends to offer a simple service of Morning Prayer on Zoom at 10am on Sunday for anyone who wishes to participate. Rev. Christine will preach and I will officiate. You can access the Zoom connection by clicking on the blue “Come to Zoom Morning Prayer” button below at 10am. For information on how to connect to the Zoom via telephone, please click here.

You are also welcome to watch last week’s celebration on the Holy Eucharist from Holy Trinity Pembroke. This service will also air at 10am on YourTV Ottawa Valley (Cogeco HD 700, SD 12) during our parish’s regular broadcast time. You can access last week's service, as well as the Valley Bulletin for this week, in the subsequent sections of this e-newsletter.

For the congregations in Cobden, South Alice, Barry’s Bay and Whitney, Vestry meeting packages were scheduled to be distributed this Sunday in advance of the upcoming annual meetings (taking place on Sunday, February 23rd for Cobden, South Alice and Barry’s Bay, and on Wednesday, March 5th for Whitney). Electronic copies of the meeting packages for these Vestries can be downloaded from our parish website by clicking here. Additional meeting packages and financial statements for the other congregations of our area parish will be added to the website as they are prepared in the coming weeks.

Take care everyone. I pray that the coming snow might help remind us that we, and all of creation, are lovingly blanketed by the limitless grace of Almighty God. And may the young and young at heart have every reason to go sledding on this Family Day Monday…and maybe even build a snowman!

Yours faithfully in Christ’s love,

Matthew+

The Rev. Matthew Brown, Incumbent

In addition to Zoom Morning Prayer on Sunday at 10am, this week for our recorded service we are also pleased to share the following liturgy recorded live last Sunday in Holy Trinity Pembroke with Rev. Matthew presiding and preaching. You can also watch our parish's weekly broadcast on YourTV Ottawa Valley on Sundays at 10am.

Thank you for joining us for virtual worship across 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.