Episcopal Visit to “Rev on the Roof II”

On June 29, the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Bishop John Stephens made an episcopal visit to his Parish of St. John the Divine, Squamish located in the Garibaldi Highlands neighbourhood about 5 kilometres north and east of the Squamish town centre. This parish was Bishop John Stephens’s first incumbency in the diocese of New Westminster and the construction of the current church building was in part due to his enthusiasm and leadership back in the 1990s. One of the identified deficiencies of the original construction had to do with the roof and for the past 30 years the St. John’s roof has been an ongoing problem. The current rector, the Reverend Cameron Gutjahr just celebrated the third anniversary of his induction as ordained leader of the parish, July 1 and over the past months he and the members of the community have been focused on getting the roof repaired, sourcing topnotch contractors (Highland Roofing and Cladding) to do the work and sourcing revenue to pay the bill. Part of that sourcing and awareness raising has been the Rev. Gutjahr’s “Rev on the Roof” fundraising drive, where he spends a couple of nights sleeping under a tent on the roof. June 29 was the last “Rev on the Roof” day of the second iteration of the event that ran June 27-29 and was a follow-up to the first which found the Reverend Gutjahr spending one night on the roof last September.

In an email to the local newspaper, The Squamish Chief, the Reverend Gutjahr wrote:

"The purpose of these antics was to fundraise to fix two leaking sections of the church roof, while also bringing some levity to the type of project that can be expensive, uninspiring and depressing for a community to deal with."

Not one to shirk responsibility, Bishop Stephens was happy to travel to Squamish on the morning of Wednesday, June 29 to help with “Rev on the Roof II”.

A pretty good turnout of a congregation primarily comprised of parishioners braved the cloudy and potentially wet weather to worship in the church parking lot as the two clergy led the prayers, readings, and hymns from the roof.

In his homily which was based on the Holy Day being celebrated and the Gospel reading, John 21: 15-19, Bishop Stephens said:

On this day in churches all around the world the feast day of St. Peter and the feast day of St. Paul will be celebrated.  We are joining with a whole chorus of others as we remember these two great saints, great pillars, great voices in the Church.  The tradition is that both Peter and Paul were martyred on June 29 and so we celebrate them together.  It is a major holy day and holiday in Rome and there is of course a special mass at St. Peter’s in Vatican City.  

From three years ago, Pope Francis used this occasion of celebrating these two saints to preach about unity in the church.  Recognizing that Peter and Paul were very different individuals from differing backgrounds, who often disagreed with one another, Pope Francis said, they found their unity in Christ; in their faith, not in their ability to debate or be opposed to one another.  He said: “What would happen if we prayed more and complained less?  The same thing that happened to Peter in prison: now as then, so many closed doors would be opened, so many chains that bind would be broken…. Let us ask for the grace to be able to pray for one another.”  These are important words for the Church throughout the world to hear and to respond to on this day.  To move away from disagreements and to pray for one another that we might see God’s light in one another.  To pray for one another and respect the dignity of every human being; not break into more and more divisions of a divided church.  How can we stop to simply see one another as being made in the image of God?

After unpacking the three questions asked by Jesus in the gospel reading, Bishop John concluded his brief address with these words:

We are called to live out a compassion, a hope for justice, a plea for loving our neighbour, a guidance to see the risen Christ not only in the pages of Scripture by the sea of Tiberias but also amongst us here and now.  We are called to recognize that we like Peter and like Paul and countless other saints and sinners are called to see with fresh new eyes that Christ, the risen Christ, is in our midst.  May our lives reflect this vision on this St Peter and St. Paul Day, on this roof, in this church and in our living.

Feed my sheep.

The project that began late last September has been plagued by a number of gremlins, specifically the weather which has included, atmospheric rivers, a cold and snowy winter and a rainy spring and early summer. The contractors have finished the work on the flat portion of the roof, however there is more to be done which requires warmer weather.

The maximum $200,000 budget is a hefty price tag, but the parish has raised more than half (this includes a $40,000 diocesan grant). Completion of the project depends on a variety of factors, primarily weather.

The folks at St. John’s, Squamish are enthusiastic and hopeful and would certainly not say no to donations from the folks in the diocese and beyond.

You can e-transfer to give@squamishanglicanchurch.ca , donate online here: tithe.ly/pledge/#/progress/5521672 or send a cheque by mail PO Box 236, Garibaldi Highlands, BC, V0N 1T0

IMAGES

• Bishop, rector and the folks from Highland Roofing and Cladding Photo Bruce Hancox
  
• Bishop John on the roof prior to worship, the work area is visible on the left
• The Reverend Gutjahr sets up the stand for the MEVO stream
• Bishop John preaching
• The Reverend Gutjahr leads the singing
• Congregation singing Episcopal Blessing
• Congregation waves Photo Bishop Stephens
  
• Visiting folks after worship.