After 22 years, Rector John Steele is leaving St. DunstanB次元官网网址檚 Anglican Church on Tyndall Avenue in Gordon Head.
When he arrived as a 39-year-old with a young family in 1996, St. DunstanB次元官网网址檚 was in the midst of what the Anglican Church calls B次元官网网址渁 breakdown in pastoral relations.B次元官网网址� The once-thriving church was down to one service per week, one child in Sunday school, no choir, no prayer group and one crafting group.
B次元官网网址淭he job posting was the most honest profile IB次元官网网址檇 ever seen,B次元官网网址� Steele recalled. B次元官网网址淏ut it also said, B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址檙e willing to change and grow.B次元官网网址� And whatB次元官网网址檚 important is that they meant it, and we spent a lot of time engaging the community.B次元官网网址�
For starters, Steele expanded the Sunday school program by adding two youngsters of his own (soon to be three), including his son John-Daniel, who was two at the time.
During one of those first sermons, John-Daniel contently toddled among the pews.
B次元官网网址淗e eventually laid on the floor sucking his thumb during the service and [a man] said to me, B次元官网网址業f I did that when I was a boy I would have had my britches tanned,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Steele recalled. B次元官网网址淚 agreed, but people knew then that we were committed to welcoming family in a new way.B次元官网网址�
Steele, now 60, is moving with his wife to Cobble Hill where heB次元官网网址檒l likely serve until he retires. He leaves the Saanich church with a congregation that consistently tops 70, strong numbers in the wake of the recent downsizing of the Anglican and other Protestant churches.
B次元官网网址淲hatB次元官网网址檚 special here is its locals, theyB次元官网网址檙e from this neighbourhood, this is not a destination church,B次元官网网址� Steele said. B次元官网网址淵ou see these people in school, at the playground and at the grocery store.B次元官网网址�
Steele was also known to carry his nine-month-old son during communion, placating the little one during the regimented service.
Today St. DunstanB次元官网网址檚 has a thriving Sunday school, a youth choir of 14, a senior choir, two Sunday morning services, two weekly Bible study groups, gardening and craft groups. ThereB次元官网网址檚 also a long list of community user groups that are based out of the annex, Garry oak boy scouts and girl guides and the Kids Club daycare. The church itself hosts a big band group, classical concerts, high school concerts and more. Steele offers two sermons a week to seniors in residence, at the Berwick House and The Victorian, both in Gordon Head.
This weekend is St. DunstanB次元官网网址檚 annual Fall Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The fair is open to all and will offer outdoor games for all ages, as well as concession food, hot dogs, pizza and ice cream, and tables of baked goods, hand made crafts, jewelry, linens, used books and music, as well as a plant sale.
For Steele, Saanich has been a great place to raise his three children, who are now 22, 25 and 27.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a fantastic and wonderful parish, a great place to raise children. The people at the parish are loving and kind,B次元官网网址� Steele said. B次元官网网址淎nd IB次元官网网址檝e had the pleasure to see children that I baptized grow up, preside over their marriage, and then baptize their own children.B次元官网网址�
reporter@saanichnews.com
