Celebration of a New Ministry in Cloverdale

On Monday, July 13, 2020, the Venerable Luisito (Louie) Engnan, Archdeacon of Fraser and Vicar of St. Michael's, Surrey was installed as Vicar of the Parish of Christ the Redeemer, Cloverdale. Archdeacon Engnan will continue his ministry in all three roles.

The parish has a loyal and committed congregation and they are delighted to have a new vicar after about a decade of interim, part-time and Sunday Supply ministry . Although led by an excellent group of clergy during those years including substantial periods of time under the ordained leadership of the Reverend Paul Borthistle and the Reverend Grant Rogers, the uncertainty had worn on the members of CtR. There was certainly an air of relief mixed with the joy of renewal in the sanctuary on the evening of July 13 as the new vicar was welcomed by the parish. As the diocese remains in "Diocesan Phase 2" there was strict adherence to physical distancing except for families in their "bubbles" of which the Engnan family made a fine example (see photo). Masks were worn, there was no singing and of course no Celebration of the Eucharist.

The Executive Archdeacon of the diocese, the Venerable Douglas Fenton officiated as well as performing his usual duties overseeing the Covenant in Ministry. Archbishop Skelton is spending the month of July in Seattle with her husband the Reverend Eric Stroo. Rev. Stroo is unable to return to Canada at the present time due to COVID-19 cross border travel restrictions. Archbishop Skelton wrote a letter to the parish, expressing her love, her congratulations on the happy occasion and her optimism for the future of CtR's ministry.

Wardens, Sue Foulds and Cheryl Anne Archibald, ODNW with the participation of parish administrator, Annie Smith; parish musician, Cecilia Kim and parishioner, Sue Spivey led the worship with the welcoming, presentation of the new priest, reading the scriptures, leading the worship with instrumental music and leading the prayers.

The Reverend Stephen Laskey, Regional Dean of Peace Arch and Rector of St. Helen's, Surrey was present to ironically welcome Fr. Louie to the deanery where he has been a rector and vicar for many years and more recently the regional archdeacon. Archdeacon of Lougheed, the Venerable Allan Carson was the preacher, and during his welcome to the vicar he read the letter written by Archbishop Skelton to the parish. Archdeacon Carson took the Gospel text, the parable of the Sower for his text. (A video of the sermon is available here on the diocesan website.) In the irony department, Archdeacon Carson ramped it up a notch, cheerfully telling the new vicar that he can testify on good authority, that the Regional Archdeacon, the Archdeacon of Fraser is a "great guy." Well, of that there is no doubt.

There was more renewal happening on the CtR property in the month of July as the aging and ailing Bell's Hall, the adjunct structure built in the mid-20th century on a section of land that would eventually also contain the CtR church building was finally razed, leaving a good sized lot located to the west of the church building and across the street from a number of homes in the Cloverdale residential neighbourhood.

Check out the photos of the demolition included in this news post.

Please keep the Parish of Christ the Redeemer, Cloverdale in your prayers as they begin this next phase of mission and ministry.

IMAGES

• The Executive Archdeacon of the Diocese of New Westminster, the Venerable Douglas Fenton introduces Fr. Louie as ordained leader of the shared ministry of the parish. This announcement was followed by enthusiastic and sustained applause
• Dannah Engnan and Annie Smith share a chuckle during the pre-worship rehearsal
• Leading the music in worship, parish musician, Ceclia Kim
• People's Warden, Sue Foulds welcomes the congregation and explains some of the details around limited in-person worship in the COVID-19 world
• The community is gathered in prayer
• The preacher, the Venerable Al Carson took the Parable of the Sower for his text.
• The archdeacon gathers the wardens and the new vicar for the Covenant in Ministry, all participants respecting physical distancing
• Fr. Louie pours the water of baptism into the font
• Receiving the keys to the buildings during the Presentation of the Symbols of Ministry
• Fr. Louie smiles during the enthusiastic welcome
• A "greeting" from the Archdeacon of Lougheed
• All stand for the Dismissal
• The Engnan family
• Bell's Hall soon to be a memory
• The initial demolition
• Just a few scraps remain
• A new lot.