March 2012 - The Parish of Bay De Verde Still telling the old, old story

The Parish of Bay De Verde 

Still telling the old, old story

Submitted by members of the Parish

Photo was taken by Lisa Coish.

Every Sunday in the Parish of Bay De Verde devoted followers of Jesus assemble and meet together at the Church of St. Barnabas in Bay De Verde, and at the Church of St. Luke in Grate’s Cove. On major feasts and other special occasions we also assemble and meet together at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Caplin Cove. 

Whenever we assemble and meet together we do so in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of all Anglicans residing in the Parish, in communion with our Diocesan Bishop, “to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body and the soul.”

Although we face serious financial, demographical, and geographical constraints in this Parish, the mission and ministry of Christ’s Church continues here through the Proclamation of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments using both contemporary and traditional liturgies along with less formal expressions of Prayer and Praise.

There are two licensed Lay Readers in the Parish, a rota of six servers, a rota of twelve lectors, a rota of sixteen greeters, and four counting teams. At St. Barnabas there is an active ACW Group that contributes to the ministry of the Church in all imaginable ways. A Book chronicling the first one hundred years of St. Barnabas ACW has been prepared and published by Cavelle Blundon. There is also an active Sunday School with eight students and two teachers. Four candidates were confirmed on October 2, 2011at St. Barnabas by Bp. Pitman. Moreover there is a “Kids” group with 42 enrolled members and an average bi-weekly attendance of 30 members with four leaders. All leaders and teachers involved in Youth ministry are in compliance with the Diocesan protocol on Respectful Relationships. 

On a monthly basis there is a celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the Perlican Terrace Retirement Home in Old Perlican with attendance between 5 and 12 residents. The Holy Eucharist is also offered to shut-ins in the Parish on a monthly basis. Along with home visitation by the part time Priest in Charge, ministry to seniors is carried out by followers of Jesus in this Parish loving God and their neighbours. 

In the past few years substantial improvements have been made to the infrastructure of the Parish including the following: The oil tank at the Rectory was refurbished to meet regulatory requirements. A new basement door and two windows were installed at the Rectory. The front step at the Rectory destroyed by Hurricane Igor was replaced. Drywall damaged by water on the ceiling at the Rectory was replaced and the living room and bathroom were painted. A fresh coat of paint was put on the exterior of the basement at the Rectory; 2) a new roof, new siding, a new front step with wheelchair ramp, a new back step, and a renovated kitchen and bathroom were added to the Church Hall at Grates Cove. Three new windows have been installed and a new wheelchair ramp and new sign have been placed on St. Luke’s Church. A new furnace and a new oil tank were purchased and installed at St. Luke’s Church and a new oil tank was installed at the hall; 3) New Oil tanks were installed at St. Barnabas Church and the Church Hall. A new front step was built on the Hall.  Also, an extended parking lot with a new back step with a wheel chair ramp was added. Most recently three new windows with stained glass were installed in the chancel at St. Barnabas Church by Brendan Blackmore of Sunhound Glassworks. New siding was also put on the rear face of the exterior. 4) New funnels were installed and a new coat of paint was put on the Church of the Good Shepherd. 

Three recent events in the Parish deserve special mention. October 2011 was a special month at St. Barnabas. First, on October 2, four candidates were confirmed by Bp. Pitman. Then, on Saturday, October 22, A Church Service was followed by a Dinner and Dance held by the ACW to commemorate the 120^th anniversary of St. Barnabas Church. Former Rector the Rev’d Linda Budden was the guest preacher and Former Priest in Charge the Rev’d Howard Crane was a reader at the Service. The third notable event occurred on Christmas Eve when three stained glass windows in a cruciform design were dedicated to the Glory of God. One was donated in loving memory of son Frazer Blair Blundon by Eric and Vimy Blundon, another was donated in loving memory of departed sisters by St. Barnabas ACW, and the third was donated in memory of loved ones by a variety of donors.   

Here in the Parish of Bay De Verde we love to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

Submitted by: Ern Blundon, Nicolas Curl, Allan Coish, Lorne Riggs, Amy North, Jacob Rice, Ruth Sutton, Isaac Emberley, Clifford Barter, Sara Coish, Cavell Curl, Linda Coish, Don Coish, Gladys Roberts, Brad Coish, Brandon Coish, Christopher Coish, Dana Coish, Kassidy Coish, Juanita Emberley, Shirley Pryor, Linda Martin, Barbara Coish, Jarod Riggs, Wanda Riggs, Walter Sparkes, Ellis Hodder, Cec Meadus, Valerie Delaney, Sandra Carruthers and Rev. Michael Carruthers.

Confirmation Photo

Front row- Bishop Cyrus Pitman, Nicolas Curl, Brock Potter, Rev. M. Carruthers. Back row- Yancy Curl (LR), Ian Hyde, Kassidy Coish.