This week's Diocesan COVID Communique came out on Wednesday afternoon. If you have not already read it by email or on Facebook, you can find it here.

Responding to the recent changes in guidelines from the Province of Ontario, congregations in our diocese are offered two options for worship. One is to continue with the way things are right now in "Yellow," but allowing coffee time to resume with up to a maximum of 25 people. The second option is to require everyone to show proof of full vaccination upon entering the church, which would allow for the lifting of capacity limits and requirements around physical distancing.

This is a big change, and the Parish of the Valley will be taking some time for serious consideration of these options. Over the next few weeks, your clergy team and churchwardens will be in conversations about what the best way forward is for us as a Parish Family. Different congregations in our area parish may opt for different approaches based upon their buildings and community circumstances, and that’s ok — we’re a very big family.

We thank you for your continued prayers for our Parish Family as we seek to care for everyone in what is certainly a challenging time of pandemic for us all.

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

The annual pumpkin auction hosted by Holy Trinity Pembroke as a fundraiser for the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund is now finshed. Thanks to you, we raised over $200 for PWRDF!

While the action is finished, you can still look at all of the marvelous pumpkin creations in the album on Holy Trinity's Facebook page (you do not need a facebook account to see the pictures!).

At our Foodbank Sunday on October 17th, we are pleased to be able to share, over 40 bags of food were collected at churches across the parish, over and above all of the monetary donations made and food dropped off at the foodbanks during the week. A huge thank you to everyone in the Parish of the Valley for your continued support of our local foodbanks!

The next Foodbank Sunday will be on December 12th.

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.