Purpose:

– To learn about and experience the rich historical tapestry of the local people, cultures, and church traditions that comprise rural eastern Ontario in general, and Seaway Valley Presbytery in The United Church of Canada in particular.

– To hear and learn about the local current agricultural livelihoods and farms that help provide and drive the social and economic life in this particular area of rural eastern Ontario, Canada.

– To hear stories and testimonies from local congregants, lay leaders and ministry personnel/clergy about two innovative cooperative ministries and to learn more about the specific achievements of cooperatives to date, and the future challenges and opportunities they face in their particular rural context.

– To learn about services and ministries offered by local community groups and congregations serving persons with disabilities and, also, serving rural, isolated families in improving health care and early childhood education.

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Focus Event 2016

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Ontario Focus Event

Bear Claw

Ontario Focus Event

Ontario

Ontario Focus Event

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Event Schedule:

Monday, October 24 (Monday is a travel day.)

Interview Committees meet

Tuesday, October 25

6:30-8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast at hotel

Welcome and Housekeeping, Opening Worship

Welcome from United Church of Canada Representatives

—Montreal and Ottawa Conference Executive Secretary: Rev. R. Lambie

—Seaway Valley Presbytery Chair and RUM member: Ms. Linda Suddaby

Welcome from Brockville Ministerial (Interdenominational), including progress

report on outreach to Syrian refugees now living in Brockville

12:30-1:30 p.m. Group Lunch

2:00 p.m. —Presentations by Rev. Phyllis Dietrich and other staff from the Genesis Cooperative.

Rev. Dietrich shares ministry responsibilities with Licenced Lay Worship Leaders (unique to the United Church of Canada). This ministry team will be presenting their model of cooperative ministry. — Presentations by Rev. Melany Cassidy-Wise and lay leaders from Rural United Ministry (RUM).

3:15-3:30 p.m. Coffee/tea break

3:30 p.m. Introduction to King’s Kitchen by Carol Casselman

Introduction to the Prescott Historical Society by Shirley Shouldice

4:00-5:00 p.m. Theological reflection with Rev. Melany Cassidy-Wise and Dr. Marvin L.

Anderson

5:00-5:30 p.m. Evening Vespers

6:00 p.m. Group Supper

7:00 p.m. Rural Chaplains Association Business Meeting

Wednesday, October 26

6:30-8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast at hotel

9:00 a.m. Leave to visit two dairy farm operations within RUM geographical area:

1) Maitland Meadows at Easton’s Corners, a Holstein dairy operation, and

2) Crystal Farm at Merrickville, which raises Purebred Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle.

(45-60 minutes at each farm and about 15 minutes between farms)

11:30 a.m. Group Lunch prepared by Easton’s Corners United Church in Rural United Ministry

1:00 p.m. Free time to walk along the historic and scenic Rideau Canal and browse in the

shops in Merrickville.

2:30 p.m. Leave for Prescott, Ontario

3:30 p.m. Arrive in Prescott for a Walking Tour hosted by the Prescott Historical Society.

The Walking Tour starts at the historic train station restored by the Prescott Historical Society,

and features homesteads, blacksmiths, shops, bustling pubs and Fort Wellington. The hosts wear

historical costumes and share stories from their United Empire Loyalists descendants.

5:00 p.m. Depart for the Co-operative Community supper at King’s Kitchen at the South

Grenville District High School in Prescott

5:10-6:00 p.m. Group Supper at King’s Kitchen

Evening Vespers

Depart for Brockville

Thursday, October 27

6:30-8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast at hotel

8:30 a.m. Leave for Algonquin United Church in Rural United Ministry

9:00 a.m. Opening Worship

Presentations of services and ministries offered by local community groups and congregations:

—Brockville and District Association of Community Involvement,

Brockville, Leeds County. Presentations by Bobbi Stevens and/or Elinor Utting.

Historically serving people with disabilities as a segregated school, the

Association pioneered in providing inclusive and mainline education.

—Lanark Community Programs. Presentation by its founder, Donna Davidson.

This program is a cooperative serving rural and isolated families in Lanark

Highlands County. It has demonstrated success in improving health care,

early childhood education and intervention for low-income families. It is also

expanding its programs into neighboring districts.

—Healing Pathways. Sponsored by Christ Church, The United Church of

Canada, Seaway Valley Presbytery, Montreal and Ottawa Conference. This

ministry has been well received.

12:00-1:00 p.m. Group Lunch prepared by Algonquin Church

1:30-2:45 p.m. Presentation on and by First Nation People and Rev. Rosemary Lambie

2:45-3:00 p.m. Coffee/tea break

3:00-3:30 p.m. Group debriefing of experiences; theological reflection with Rev. Melany

Cassidy-Wise and Dr. Marvin L. Anderson

3:30-4:00 p.m. Evaluation of Focus Event

4:00-4:30 p.m. Break and set up for worship service

4:30-6:00 p.m. Rural Chaplains’ Certification Service with Celebration of Holy Communion

6:00-7:30 p.m. Group Supper prepared by Algonquin United Church

Return hotel in Brockville

Friday, October 28

Continental Breakfast at hotel and Departure

Focus Event 2016 – Ontario, Canada!

Purpose:

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