Rev. Sheldon LeGrow conducted the service on October 19th for the 123rd anniversary of the official opening of St. David’s Church. Although this was the fourth one built by the Presbyterians in the Strait of Canso area, the first recorded Presbyterian church service was held in 1818 in Askilton at Adam MacPherson’s in an out building. Nine years later, two ministers visiting from Belfast, PEI and from Pictou County arranged for the establishment of a pastoral charge made up of Port Hastings and River Inhabitants consisting of ninety Presbyterian families.
The guest speaker this year was Tina Bernard from Waycobagh. Tina has a BA in Sociology/Anthropology and also has conflict transformation and program development training. She coordinates the Peace and Friendship Project which is a partnership project of Tatamagouche Centre and Mennonite Central Committee in association with Aboriginal Rights Coalition - Atlantic and the Task Group on Aboriginal Relationships and Concerns of Maritime Conference, United Church of Canada.
Tina has an eclectic approach to spiritual matters and is deeply committed to the realization of healing for her Mi’maq people. Having trained and worked in the field of healing family violence from an Aboriginal perspective, she carries a deep belief in “walking one’s talk” and living in balance: spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.
She told us how impressed she had been to learn that the United Church of Canada had issued an apology about the issue of the Indian Residential Schools almost twenty years ago.
Special thanks to our choir director and organist, Al Fougere and the contribution of the combined choirs. A lovely potluck dinner followed the service.
Yvonne Fox
Photos of this event were posted on October 19, 2008.
