Harvest Thanksgiving Newsletter, Autumn, 2025

Anglican Parish of Bobcaygeon, Dunsford and Burnt River

A Thanksgiving Message from Archdeacon Bill

I want to thank all of you for your support of our church’s ministry during the past 8 years.   I appreciate all you have done in welcoming Ruth and I.   We have been through a lot together, beginning with my time as interim priest, the global pandemic when we worshipped together virtually online, to my appointment as priest in charge during the return to public worship.  During this time, you prayed and cared for us as well when I underwent heart surgery and Ruth survived cancer treatment.  Together we have loved, laughed and experienced sadness regarding the loss of former members. 

During the past eight years I have presided at over 800 regular Sunday (at least two per Sunday) and weekday services of worship, close to 30 services of Holy Baptism and in the neighbourhood of over 80 funerals and one wedding as many were postponed or cancelled during the time of the Covid pandemic.  I have visited your homes and prayed by your side when you were sick or in hospital. I enjoyed the opportunity to present Lenten and Advent weeknight programs on Israel and the history of the founding of our church by Thomas Need and Mossom Boyd history. I have participated in community life including the Bobcaygeon Ministerial, Bobcaygeon Legion, Bobcaygeon and Dunsford Ecumenical Services, World Day of Prayer, Boyd Museum and Kawartha Lakes sponsored tours of church.  I have also had the enormous opportunity of helping to recruit and mentor a new office administrator, organist/music director, support new and veteran church wardens, support new and veteran lay readers, and many other parish officers and volunteers. Ruth and I will miss you all and we pray for the future success of our church’s ministry and that God will provide you the required future clergy ministry.   God bless you all.” 

Archdeacon Bill Gray’s last service as Priest in Charge will be occur on Sunday September 28, 2025, 11 am at a combined parish service at Christ Church, Bobcaygeon.  There will be no service at St. John’s Dunsford or St. Luke’s Burnt River on that Sunday.  A reception will follow in the parish hall to acknowledge Bill and Ruth contribution to our church family in the eight years of ministry we have shared.  

Combined Parish Harvest Thanksgiving Service: Sunday October, 5, 2025 at 11:00am St. John’s Church, Dunsford. Lunch to follow in the St. John’s parish hall. There will be no services on this Sunday for Christ Church, Bobcaygeon or St. Luke’s Church, Burnt River.  Please join us for this parish tradition. This is an important opportunity for our 3 congregations to worship together. The service will be Morning Prayer led by Bob Fenton.

Bobcaygeon and Dunsford Community Food Banks Request Donations:  Thanksgiving Sunday, and the following two Sundays, will be designated in our parish for receiving donations for local foodbanks.  In each of our congregations during the gathering for Sunday services of worship, there will be designated boxes decorated and identified for receiving such donations.  Those items donated at St. John’s will be dedicated and forwarded to the Dunsford Community Food Bank and those items donated at Christ Church will be dedicated and forwarded to the Bobcaygeon Community Food Bank.  Requested donations include: Canned Veggies:  Green Beans, Peas, Corn Niblets, Juice Boxes for Children. Canned Fruit, Apple Juice – liter, Cereal. Peanut Butter, Sugar, Instant Coffee, Granola Bars – no nuts, Macaroni, diapers all sizes, Pull ups, Baby formula, Baby cereal, Baby food, Baby wipes, Canned soups, canned stew/chili, Pasta sauce, Pasta noodles, Rice, Pancake Mix, Peanut Butter and Jam, Maple Syrup, Laundry Soap, Dish Soap. 

Next Clothing Giveaway – Christ Church, Bobcaygeon; Friday October.24.2024 9:30am- 12:30pm;

Saturday October.25.2024 9:30am- 12:30pm. Contact: Betty Ann Shaw (705) 738-3670 if you would like to volunteer, make a donation of gently used clothes or have any questions.

Advance Notice: CHRISTMAS MARKET   Christ Church, Bobcaygeon will once again be participating in Bobcaygeon’s Mingle and Jingle which will take place in the parish hall on Saturday, December 15, 2025.  There is a way for everyone to become involved and help out. Please save your previously enjoyed books, puzzles, games and Christmas treasures. Christmas type crafts are always welcome. We will be having a bake table. Monetary donations towards the preparation of our frozen soups and dinners would be greatly appreciated.  We are in the planning stage, so any suggestions are welcome. This has been one of our Church’s most successful fundraisers last year and with your support we hope to have a successful 2025 Christmas Market. 

Please use the enclosed Harvest Thanksgiving envelope to express your gratitude for our many blessings. Parish finances currently indicate that we are in deficit, and we ask for your assistance to offer relief. If possible, please return your thank offering either in person at public service or by mail, using the following mailing addresses with our thanks.

Christ Anglican Church;              St. John’s Anglican Church       St. Luke’s Anglican Church

PO Box 133                                 1948 Sturgeon Rd                      178 Burnt River Rd.

Bobcaygeon, Ontario                   Dunsford, Ontario                      Burnt River, Ontario

K0M 1A0                                    K0M 1L0                                   K0M 1C0     

Easter Newsletter -April- 2025-Archdeacon Bill Gray

Anglican Parish of Bobcaygeon, Dunsford & Burnt River

Ice Storm Impact

The overwhelming predominant feeling in our community resulting from the impact of the recent ice storm may be that of weariness.  We are tired.  Visually we are overwhelmed by the scarred landscape of damaged trees resulting in the ground debris littered with fallen and broken branches and limbs.  The widespread and lengthy hydro power outage for most required us to unexpectedly resort to using generators, space heaters, wood burning fireplaces for heat, light and maintaining our fridges and freezers.  Some of us stayed in hotels or with friends and family or hosted the same if they/we still had power.  Those in the county dependent on well water faced unique challenges in maintaining adequate sources of drinking water including livestock. Peterborough and much of the Kawarthas was placed under a state of emergency and boil water advisory.  Some of us utilized community facilities that provided warming rooms, internet/wifi, shower rooms, swimming pools, exercise machines and walking tracks.  We initially faced huge lineups at the smaller number of businesses that had power and were open such as gas stations, Tim Horton’s, restaurants, grocery stores, small engine sales and repair shops, hardware stores and lumber yards. 

Many of us were engaged in some aspect of tree damage cleanup and removal using chainsaws and physical exertion.   Ruth will tell you her back is sore from hauling tree limbs and branches both at our property and our families’ property.  Well, some of us had to operate the chain saws!  I have a sore trigger finger and back from bending over, does that count?)  I know that some have experienced extremely significant tree damage and structural damage, and we feel your loss, challenge and frustration.   While we can be grateful there was limited injury to persons, we are aware of at least one tragic loss of life in our community for which we are sincerely sorrowful and grieve along with her family and friends.

It is understandable that during this time our major preoccupations are necessarily focused on maintaining our own properties, homes and loved ones.  However, I am extremely impressed with and want to recognize that you have given attention to others in need and the needs of our church during this time.   Thank you for those who kept on eye on our church properties and buildings and did your part to prepare for and attend Sunday services after the ice storms.  Out of our three parish churches, St. John’s and St. Luke’s were relatively spared while Christ Church was particularly hard hit by tree damage and falling tree branches and limbs.   There was some damage to the Rectory hydro service and unfortunate water flooding in the church basement particularly in the old downstairs food bank room, but other than that no structural damage to the church buildings. Our thanks to Aaron, Judy, Todd and Mark Jermyn and David Prins for all their work in cleaning up tree debris on Christ Church property to enable access to the church parking lot to enable Sunday worship services to take place in spite of the demanding need to cleanup and maintain their own properties. 

It may seem to us that in view of all we have been through in the first week of April that it will be difficult to summon the energy and enthusiasm to prepare for and participate in the coming Holy Week and Easter worship services.  I want to provide a gentle reminder that it is at times such as this that we particularly need the encouragement and inspiration of our participation in the journey to the cross and the resulting resurrection experience that provides us new life and hope.  As the warmer spring temperatures help us to recover from the recent extreme weather and damage, we need to recover some sense of normality that a true celebration of Easter affords.  Don’t miss this important opportunity to rejoin the community and the strength of our church fellowship that enables us to cope with our individual needs and challenges.  As you will see we also will be given opportunity in the coming weeks to help support those who clothe those in need at this time.

Lenten Ecumenical Service and soup lunch with the participation of other community churches takes place at 12:00 noon on Wednesday. April 16^th.  Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church.

Holy Week Services-2025

Palm Sunday and Congregational Reading of the Passion Narrative– April.13, 9:15am service at St. John’s Church, Dunsford, 11:00am service at Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

Good Friday – April.18.  11:00am service at Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

Easter Sunday – April.20,  9:15am service at St. John’s Church, Dunsford, 11:00am service at Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

Clothing Giveaway is scheduled for Friday May.2.2025 and Saturday May.3.2025. For more information, please contact Betty Ann Shaw at (705) 738-3670 or email: bashaw1967@hotmail.com.

Please use the enclosed Easter envelope to support our church’s ministry to our community. Donations can be made using this envelope and brought in person during public services of worship or mailed to the following addresses for each parish congregation.  Donations can also be made online by using e-transfer or Canada Helps. Please follow the directions that can be found on our parish website.  www.christchurchbobcaygeon.com

Christ Anglican Church          St. John’s Anglican Church                St. Luke’s Anglican Church

PO Box 133                            1948 Sturgeon Rd                               178 Burnt River Rd.

Bobcaygeon, Ontario              Dunsford, Ontario                               Burnt River, Ontario

K0M 1A0                                K0M 1L0                                            K0M 1C0       

Parish Christmas Newsletter–Archdeacon Bill Gray-Home-Made Christmas Gifts

This Christmas, I am put in mind of the classic Christmas story authored by O. Henry, “The Gift of the Magi”.  In this fable newlyweds of limited means have no extra money at Christmas to provide gifts.   The husband sells his antique pocket watch.   The wife sells locks of her hair. From these proceeds, the husband purchases for his wife quality hair combs. The wife purchases for him a beautiful golden watch chain.  Upon exchanging these Christmas gifts, they realize to their horror their folly.  Hair combs gifted to a woman who had cut off her hair and a watch chain for a man who no longer possessed a watch.  Tears and regret soon gave way to the appreciation of the mutual love expressed by their shared sacrifice.  

When I was a young boy one Christmas, I wanted to contribute by giving my own Christmas gifts to my family.  As I was quite young, I had no money of my own. Having my family give me money to buy Christmas gifts for them seemed to defeat the purpose.  Dad suggested I make my own Christmas gifts with his assistance in his workshop.   For one brother, we made a rack for storing playing records comprised of a wooden frame and converted coat hanger wire.  For my other brother we made a wooden toy boat.   For Mom we made a wooden kitchen cutting board complete with handles, legs and a cutting surface made from leftover floor tiles. There was satisfaction in Dad and I working together to make these gifts which remained in use a long time.

We have been greatly blessed by home-made gifts from our parish family. We are grateful to Goldie Bryan for her gift of many years of faithful service as our church organist who has now retired. Goldie has not only been organist, but she is family.  We continue to pray for Goldie’s health. We appreciate the gift of Karen Roberts who serves as our current church organist.  In worship we have been gifted by lay readers, lectors, servers, greeters, chalice bearers, choir, musicians, individual singers, congregational singing and prayers, solos and Caygeon Spice. The ACW of St. John’s Dunsford have shared their gifts of fundraising through several yard sales from parish donations.  Jeff and Nicole Thurston with Barry and Leanne Baxter hosted a fundraising dinner at St. John’s where they and their friends supplied the food, beverages and entertainment.  Christ Church ACW shared their gifts of making crafts, knitting, Christmas decorations, frozen food and baking for a Christmas Market while continuing to provide food for and hosting parish hall receptions. The combined result is approximately over $13,000 in fund raising. Betty Anne & Ron Shaw & Lorraine Thayer & others continue to gift the community with clothing give away events from donations of gently re-gifted clothes.  Parish members continue to be faithful by sharing their finances, gifts for pastoral ministry and participation in Sunday worship. Parish wardens continue to gift the parish by managing church administration, property care and improvements. We are also gifted and blessed by Maia’s capable office administration.

Jesus was God’s home-made gift to save and bless us.  We often learn that not all roads nor do all our choices lead to God. But through the God’s gift of the Christ Child which we now celebrate, God demonstrated that Jesus travels any road to find us. God desires that all should be saved through His gift, and none should perish. God bless you all with this Christmas gift of God’s love.              

The Bobcaygeon Community Christmas Dinner has been discontinued for this year (2024) as there are insufficient volunteers.  Planning has already begun for next year. 

Thank you everyone for your tremendous financial support of your church during the past year.  As noted, this has been assisted by the fund-raising efforts of the ACW and other groups of each congregation.  Your faithful, continued generosity has ensured that we have been able to continue our church’s important ministry.   As we face the usual current financial operating deficit, with your help this Christmas, we can end the year in a positive financial position.

Christmas Offering:  Please use the enclosed Christmas envelope to make your Christmas donation. Christmas Envelopes can be placed on the offering plate at upcoming worship services. If you are unable to attend church services, and if the postal strike continues, donation envelopes can be delivered to the church during office hours and if necessary, arrangements will be made for someone to come to your home and deliver it for you.  Please contact the church office by phone or email to make these arrangements.  Church phone- 705-738-2415; email  christchurch@i-zoom.net  Office hours are Tues. Wed. Thurs. 9 am to 1 pm. When postal service resumes, envelopes can be mailed if necessary to one of the following church addresses.  Another alternative is to donate by using e-transfer or Canada Helps.  Instructions for these methods of donating can be found on the parish website.  www.christchurchbobcaygeon.com

Christ Anglican Church          St. John’s Anglican Church    St. Luke’s Anglican Church

PO Box 133                               1948 Sturgeon Rd                      178 Burnt River Rd.

Bobcaygeon, Ontario                 Dunsford, Ontario                      Burnt River, Ontario

K0M 1A0                                  K0M 1L0                                   K0M 1C0   

Special Advent/Christmas Public Services for 2024

• Sundays in December- Advent- The Church’s New Year-Lighting the Advent Wreath
• Sunday Dec. 15    Lessons & Carols Services-9:15 am-St. John’s; 11 am-Christ Church
• Sunday Dec. 22    Family Christmas Service, Children’s Story, Carols & Communion-          4 pm–St. John’s, Dunsford.  (No service at St. John’s in the morning, Dec 22; -service as usual at 11 am at Christ Church on Dec. 22)
• Tuesday, Dec. 24- Christmas Eve- Christ’s Nativity- Candlelight Holy Communion & Carols-7 pm –Christ Church, Bobcaygeon. 
•  No parish services Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

Financial Appeal/Vision for our Future Ministry-2024

Vision:  Our vision for our future growth and maintenance of parish ministry is based on a combination of developing and repurposing parish properties, parish finances and creating more opportunities for volunteers.

Parish Property:  To realign our use of church property from that of a perceived liability (ongoing costs of utilities & maintenance) to using parish property as a benefit and revenue source to support parish ministry.  This entails pursuing and retaining increased rental opportunities that increase parish revenue and serve the community including utilizing the parish hall, meeting rooms and rectory.

Parish Finances:  To provide opportunities for creative giving strategies and fund raising.

Opportunities to Volunteer:    At a time when we are welcoming and desire to welcome new members, we want to provide opportunities for meaningful involvement to volunteer in parish life that is fulfilling and rewarding.

Pandemic Realities:  We have not yet recovered the same use by the community of church facilities as before Covid. There is future potential that has not yet been realized.  Nor have we been able to re-engage all our traditional fund-raising activities.  We have also experienced the loss of some of our beloved members who passed away during this time and have been major contributors. 

Our future hope is to continue to pursue new rental opportunities of church facilities and creative fund-raising solutions that provide maximum benefit while avoiding member burnout.  We want to provide opportunities to volunteer that provide meaningful and rewarding involvement.  We also need parish members to review their parish contributions and to consider opportunities to increase their donations.

Our Request:  Give each according to their ability. 

Confidentiality:  The amount you donate or intend to give in the future is confidential.  Not everyone will be able to increase their giving or donate the same as someone else.  All donations are appreciated trusting you have given according to your ability.  If you are able, we are asking you to prayerfully consider increasing your regular donation using the following table as one possible guide.

Please mail your donation to one of the following addresses: 

Christ Anglican Church   St. John’s Anglican Church       St. Luke’s Anglican Ch.

PO Box 133                     1948 Sturgeon Rd                      178 Burnt River Rd.

Bobcaygeon, Ontario       Dunsford, Ontario                      Burnt River, Ontario

K0M 1A0                        K0M 1L0                                   K0M 1C0   

Weekly archived video services, hymns and sermons. Please click on the internet link below to visit my YouTube channel to view the video of your choice. Archdeacon Bill Gray.

Bill Gray’s YouTube Channel