"And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

Jesus teaches that there are two great commandments: love of God and love of neighbour.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, food banks and community kitchens are playing an essential role in strengthening food security across our communities. These services help to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society have sufficient access to food -- a fundamental human right.

This Sunday, Sunday October 17th we will be having "Food Bank Sunday" across our Parish. Donations to your local foodbank can be brought to your church on that Sunday or you can drop them off at your local foodbank during the week.

If you're unsure which food bank is closest to you, be sure to visit  www.renfrewcountyfoodbanks.ca to find the one nearest you. A partial list of local agencies can be found by clicking the blue button below.

Valley Sunday is back!

The Parish of the Valley Clergy Team will be moving around the Parish for leading worship this Sunday,  October 17.

Bishop Michael will be in Killaloe and Eganville
Canon Susan will be in Whitney and Barry's Bay
Rev Matthew will be in Alicem Petawawa, and Beachburg
Rev Gillian will be in Pembroke

We are looking forward to worshipping with you across the Parish this weekend!

Pumpkin carvers take note!! Sharpen your weapons of creativity!

Holy Trinity will again be having its annual Pumpkin Auction in support of the Primate’s World Relief Development Fund. Participants are welcome from across the Parish of the Valley!

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we will be doing things a little differently. For families or individual artists wishing to participate, contact Maggie Jacques 613-687-8189 or at jacquesp@nrtco.net.  If you live in the greater Pembroke/Petawawa area we will even drop off a pumpkin to be carved to you!

Once your funny, freaky, scary or thoughtful masterpiece has been completed, take a picture & send it in to Rev. Matthew at matthewbrown@valleyanglicans.ca by Tuesday October 26th.

The pumpkin auction will take place on the Holy Trinity Facebook page from Wednesday October 27th to Thursday October 28th. A minimum bid will be listed for each pumpkin. More information about deliveries will follow.

This is not the same as previous PWRDF pumpkin auctons, but nothing in today’s COVID-19 times is. The needs that the PWRDF help to fill are still there, so let’s join-together in fun, fellowship and pumpkin goop!

Maggie Jacques
Sunday School Coordinator
Holy Trinity Pembroke 

At our Parish Warden's Zoom meeting a few weeks ago, the clergy presented a proposal for a new and comprehensive pastoral care program for the Parish of the Valley and that proposal was met with resounding support.

The new program proposes that each congregation will have a Lay Pastoral Care Coordinator and we are now seeking volunteers and suggested names for these positions. Each Coordinator will be offered group sessions of training, and they will be contacted by Bishop Michael at least every second month, just to check in.  Bishop Michael and the other members of the clergy team will be always available to the Coordinators by email or telephone. Coordinators will have their telephone numbers listed in the bulletin and website along with the clergy numbers and the office contact information and they will serve as a first contact for non-emergency pastoral concerns for their individual congregations. Please be assured that the clergy will always be available to be contacted directly by parishioners if required.

The Coordinator and Bishop Michael will determine whether a telephone call or a visit is required and how that will be carried out. Together they will ensure that our parish prayer list is up to date in the bulletin and that new names are added as requested.  This will continue much of what is already happening in the parish on an informal basis and will in no way replace lay ministry that is presently being exercised.  This important lay ministry will always have the full support of our clergy and our coordinators will be valuable members of our Parish pastoral care team.  If you are interested and would like to know more or if you know of someone we should approach with this invitation please call or email Bishop Michael. Telephone: (613)401-8976 Email: michaelbird@valleyanglicans.ca

Over the next few weeks, the clergy team will be migrating their email addresses to new "Valley Anglicans" email addresses! This is the next step in streamlining our parish communications and we're excited to begin using them.

Please update your email address books with these emails, and over the next few weeks check your spam folder to make sure you receive email from us. 

Bishop Michael: michaelbird@valleyanglicans.ca

Canon Susan: susanclifford@valleyanglicans.ca

Rev Matthew: matthewbrown@valleyanglicans.ca

Rev Gillian: gillianhoyer@valleyanglicans.ca

During COVID-19 the vast majority of our church expenses continue. All members of the Parish of the Valley are encouraged to make regular offerings to their home churches by mail, online or through pre-authorized remittances to support our parish's ministries. Members of Holy Trinity Pembroke, St. John's Eganville, and Ascension Killaloe/St. John's Tramore can give to their churches online using credit card or PayPal through the website Canada Helps.

NEW!
Members of Holy Trinity Pembroke, All Saints Petawawa and St George's South Alice can now also give with a credit card directly through our website! Find the "Give" button on the Holy Trinity page here, the All Saints page here, and the St George's page here. If members of other churches in the Parish would like to take advantage of online giving through our website, please reach out to your churchwardens or Rev. Gillian.

Every donation matters, so please click "Support Your Church" below to find out more about how you can contribute. Thank you for your faithful support!

Don't forget to download and read The Valley Bulletin from the Latest News section of our parish website. Click "Read The Valley Bulletin" below to access this week's issue, including our parish prayer list.