Dear Members of the Parish of the Valley,
It is with excitement and joy that we share with you the attached letter from Bishop Shane Parker announcing the appointment of a new Assistant Curate to the Area Parish of the Valley. Bishop Shane has appointed Claire Bramma to join our clergy team on a full-time basis in mid-July. At that time, she will move into the Rectory in Eganville and join with us all in sharing in ministry in our beloved parish.
We had dearly hoped to be able to share this news with you in person on a Sunday, however due to an email malfunction, Bishop Shane’s letter did not arrive in our clergy team’s inboxes until today. Bishop Shane has been in touch with our team today and has asked that we share this exciting news with you as soon as possible, and so we are very pleased to share it with you via email this evening.
A group of six churchwardens from our area parish, including the three churchwardens from St John’s Eganville and Ascension Killaloe/St John’s Tramore, along with your clergy team, met with Claire via Zoom on March 29th. After that meeting, those churchwardens expressed their unanimous support of Claire’s appointment as our new Assistant Curate. Claire has also expressed her excitement and her feeling of strong call to join us in the Parish of the Valley. She will serve God with us for two years, after which point she will answer God’s call to become a military chaplain with the Canadian Armed Forces.
God-willing, Claire will be ordained a deacon at Christ Church Cathedral on April 23, 2022. We know that you will join with us in holding her in prayer as she prepares for that important day. Members of the Parish of the Valley are welcome and encouraged to attend the ordination in person in Ottawa, and the service will also be live-streamed.
Please take some time to read the attached letter, available by clicking below, from Bishop Shane to learn more about Claire and join us in welcoming her to our Parish of the Valley.
God bless,
Bishop Michael Bird
Rev. Matthew Brown
Rev. Gillian Hoyer
Canon John Wilker-Blakley