St. George’s Anglican Church writes:
The Church is Alive and Growing in Cadboro Bay
St. George’s Anglican Church in Cadboro Bay has just completed a $1.2 Million addition to its church, funded entirely by its generous parishioners. Now, St. George’s congregation wants to celebrate the opening of this fresh space and welcome the residents of Cadboro Bay to visit this new hub for our communal life.
Officially the new welcoming space is termed a narthex in church-speak, but it seems much more than just an entrance area. The new narthex is a large, bright, welcoming space located in front of the sanctuary. The beautifully finished room will serve for a multiple of congregational and community events such as musical performances, coffee and conversation groups, meetings, classes or lectures, and special social occasions. The narthex has an outdoor patio under a shady tree, and inside, there is a large meeting space, a small kitchen (for preparing coffee, tea and goodies), and a new set of washrooms (including an accessible washroom).
When the construction started in January 2015, a few little surprises turned up, including the discovery of a time capsule, placed behind the cornerstone on April 21, 1951. The glass bottle contained the front page of the Victoria Daily Times, two church bulletins, and an assortment of coins. The time capsule was placed the year the original church building was completed, and now, 64 years later, St. George’s plans to put an updated time capsule behind the new cornerstone, which will be placed by Bishop Logan McMenamie on September 13th, 2015. Over the last few months, the parishioners have been generating ideas for items to include in the 2015 time capsule and speculating what might be of interest to future generations. After all, the purpose of the new narthex is to look to the future.
While in some communities church attendance is wavering, and many small Anglican churches have closed their doors, in Cadboro Bay, St. George’s is an example of a thriving, expanding community. The church’s programs continue to grow and include groups for children, youth, university students, and adults. Weekly activities range from charitable outreach and volunteering, spiritual growth ministries, social events, and educational opportunities. The narthex is the next step in “extending the welcome” to the surrounding residents with the goal that the community will include St. George’s as an active, contributing member of the Cadboro Bay family.
St. George’s would like to invite the media to attend the Opening Ceremonies on September 13th, 2015. There will be an opportunity to take photos of Bishop Logan McMenamie placing the new cornerstone and the 2015 time capsule. The congregation asks that any coverage of this event include a further invitation to all Saanich residents (and media!) to join us for a Community Open House and free Barbeque on September 19th between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.
The media and surrounding community are invited to attend two celebrations at St. George’s:
- September 13th, 2015, 10:00AM – Opening Ceremonies, Blessing and Dedication, Laying of the Cornerstone, led by Bishop Logan McMenamie
- September 19th, 2015, 11:00AM – Community Open House and Barbeque
For more information, please email Rev. Canon Dr. Richard LeSueur or tel. 250-472-2090.
