As you receive this email, lay and clergy members from our Parish of the Valley are together with members from across our diocesan church for our annual diocesan synod. We are gathering in Ottawa all day on Friday and Saturday morning to share in the work of governance and strategic planning and to reflect on the work that God is doing in and through us as a diocesan church.

We will have reflections and outcomes of synod to share with you in next week's newsletter. Please keep Bishop Kathryn and all of the members of synod in your prayers as we gather.

Come and enjoy delicious homemade soups, sandwiches, and pie for lunch at the Fall Soup & Sandwich Lunch at Church of the Epiphany, Barry's Bay!

Happening today from 11:30am - 1:30pm. $12 for homemade soup, a sandwich, and pie.

The Holy Trinity Pembroke ACW Fall Rummage Sale will be held tomorrow, Saturday, October 24th from 8:30-11am in the church hall. We invite you to come and shop a great selection of quality used items!

Across our Diocese, there is growing interest in legacy giving - the act of making a charitable gift through your will or estate plan to your local church - and in finding thoughtful, comfortable ways to talk about it. People are asking good questions about what legacy giving actually means, how it fits within faithful stewardship, and how we can begin these conversations with our families and in our congregations.

At its heart, legacy giving is about much more than finances. It gives us an opportunity to care for the people we love while also remembering the churches, ministries and communities that have shaped our lives and that we hope will continue to serve others for generations to come. With this in mind, our diocesan Stewardship Resource Hub warmly invites you to join our legacy giving webinar Supporting the Church We Love, for Generations to Come: Your Legacy. God’s Mission. on Tuesday, October 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information about the webinar participants, and a link to register, please click the link below. This will be a worthwhile webinar for all of us in the Parish of the Valley!

Wide Smiles For All Through Education Executive Director, Kenneth Kasule, has shared some photos and updates with the parish about work that is currently underway for them in Uganda. With much of the funds that were raised last year during Kenneth's visit to our parish, work has begun on the building of a Volunteers House for the Central Buganda Academy and Career Centre.  In the short-term, this building will provide classroom space for students on the vocational training track. In the long-term, this will be a living space where volunteers working with Wide Smiles will be able to stay.

Please click the link below for more updates about the construction and four pages of photos showing the work to-date!

From time-to-time, scammers will attempt to impersonate a member of the clergy team in order to obtain money or gift cards.

In the last week, a number of people in the parish have received emails impersonating Rev. Matthew. The individuals send a short email message, signed with Rev. Matthew's name, asking the recipient to "assist them in handling something discreetly today.” If you reply, the individual then asks for assistance in obtaining gift cards from Sephora, Apple, and possibly other companies, as “gifts” for members of our parish team. One attempt requested that the recipient help them purchase gift cards valued at $1,200.

If you are ever unsure if a message you have received is from a member of the clergy team, you can do two things:

First, check the sending email address. The clergy team will only write to you from our @valleyanglicans.ca email addresses.

Second, consider assigning a photo to each member of the clergy team in your email contacts - it doesn't have to be a photo of our faces, but a unique photo that you will associate with each of us. If the sender photo does not match the contact photo you have assigned for that member of the clergy team, you will know that it is not from one of us.

Please always reach out to us by telephone if you are unsure if a message is authentic, and never give out financial information over email.

The office at Aborn House will be closed to visitors from Monday, November 2nd to Friday, November 6th, reopening at 9am on Monday, November 9th. Our office administrator, Gail Marion, will be taking a portion of her annual holidays during this time. We wish Gail a pleasant time away!

The office voicemail will be periodically monitored during this time. Messages can be left on the voicemail, and will be returned by the clergy team as soon as we are able. 

Come and celebrate with others from across our diocese the 130th Anniversary of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, the 50th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women in our Anglican Church of Canada, and the 25th Anniversary of the Christ Church Cathedral Girls Choir!

There will be a festive Choral Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa at 11am, followed by a reception. Then at 2pm there will be a book launch of Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History by The Reverend Canon Martha Tatarnic (May 2026). 

All are welcome to all or part of this day of celebration! For more information, please see the link below.

Join in for the annual ACW Holly Bazaar and Luncheon at Holy Trinity, Pembroke on Thursday, November 19 from 11am to 1pm.

Luncheon features homemade soups, sandwiches and dessert for only $15! Shop bazaar tables with crafts, baked goods, canned preserves, frozen pies, Christmas gifts and decorations, and a silent auction. 

The All Saints Christmas Tea will be held on Saturday, November 21 from 11am to 2pm at All Saints Petawawa - 1173 Victoria Street.

Enjoy a delicious luncheon for $15; shop the bake sale, "glitz and glamour," a silent auction, and the Santa table!

Come and join in our annual tasting of gourmet cheeses paired with fine wines: Saturday, November 28th from 2-5pm at the Barry's Bay Legion (250 John Street/Hwy 62 at Stafford). There will also be a selection of Christmas baking and other tasty treats.

Wines and cheeses will be available for purchase by auction at the end of the event, with Rev. Matthew returning as our auctioneer. All proceeds from ticket sales and the auction will benefit the Church of the Epiphany Barry's Bay.

Tickets are $55 and are available from Shawn and Dave Eagles: shdaeagles@gmail.com or 613-756-6356

Worship times and locations for Sunday, October 25th are:

8am - Holy Trinity Pembroke
9am - Ascension Killaloe
9am - St. Patrick's Lower Stafford
9:30am - St. George's South Alice
10am - Holy Trinity Pembroke
11am - St. John’s Eganville
11am - St. Paul's Cobden 
11am - Epiphany Barry’s Bay (Morning Prayer)
11:15am - All Saints Petawawa 

Here you will find our parish prayer list, scripture readings according to the Sunday lectionary, and links to worship by the Parish of the Valley and other Anglican resources and services.

Please download from the link below.