The Parish of St. John’s Shaughnessy (SJS) held a Solemn Choral Evensong on Sunday, October 30 in commemoration of all the faithful departed. Those who have died, especially those who have left this life in the past year were remembered by name. Following worship, members of the congregation went outside for the dedication of the Limina sculpture, located in the parish’s Memorial Garden on the south side of the church property footprint. Both the artist, David Robinson, and the project’s patron, Lise Struthers, spoke during the service, and the choir offered Evensong repertoire by William Byrd, Sarah MacDonald, and J.S. Bach. Bishop John Stephens attended as a member of the congregation and blessed the sculpture when it was dedicated after Evensong. After the dedication a reception was held in the Trendell Lounge, the gathering space shared by SJS and the Synod Office of the diocese of New Westminster. The lavish reception was catered by Bette Geddes and the Sharing Abundance team. The torrential rain falling that afternoon was no deterrent to those who attended this very significant occasion, as there were approximately one hundred people present.
Present at the liturgy and a member of the sanctuary party was the Reverend Geoff Carson who is Godfather to the children of SJS rector, the Reverend Terry Dirbas. Fr. Geoff was visiting from San Diego and fulfilled the role of thurifer during worship. Mother Terry’s husband, the Rev. Joe Dirbas who is Rector of the Parish of the Church of Holy Trinity, White Rock was MC. Special thanks go out to organist and director of music, Michael Dirk, choirmaster, Jaine Yoon and the St. John’s Shaughnessy choir for the beautiful music they provided. Finally, we give thanks to everyone who shared names for the necrology, to all those who invited friends, and to all who attended worship whether in person or online. What a blessing it was to be together for this great occasion.
Lise Owen Struthers, although living in Ontario, has a long history with SJS, as it was the parish she attended with her family during the time she was growing up in Vancouver. In December of 2020 at the height of COVID 19 restrictions, Lise approached then-rector of SJS and now-bishop of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. John Stephens, and a meeting of the trustees was called, everyone masked and sitting the required six feet apart at the west end of the nave where the labyrinth is located. During that meeting the initial idea for Limina was conceived.
David Robinson, the sculptor behind Limina, is the son of the Rev. Harry Robinson, a former Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy. The Rev. Robinson was appointed in the late 1970s when the parish was not faring too well, and he helped to build the congregation into the largest Anglican parish in Canada.
Lise is a longtime friend of the Robinson family, as well as having a very long family association with SJS. Lise reached out to David Robinson in the midst of grieving the sudden death of her husband, Robert. It was in this period of mourning during contemplative moments that Lise had a vision and she felt called to manifest it in the world. And so began a conversation with David about the piece that would eventually become Limina.
In her address to the congregation during the liturgy she shared that David had spent many hours journeying with her, being attentive to what she was experiencing, thinking and feeling. The two of them exchanged beautiful prose that they had come across from others who had lived through similar loss. Lise said that her hope is now that Limina will invite people to pause at the statue as they look upon her and contemplate the space between the protective shadow of now and the light beyond.
David not only created the beautiful sculpture that is Limina, but he also wrote the beautiful poem which describes what Limina means to him and the feelings it invokes. His words appear on a plaque above a bench for reflection a few feet away from the sculpture in SJS’s Memorial Garden.
This Side of the Veil
Of fingertips alight upon an iron pall
And of feet grounded in the fidelity of clay
The mind’s eye slips sidelong into realms ulterior
A thin place billowing taut the shroud of time
We sift as through a portal, passing as the wind sees fit
And are swept heavy as sand up to the sills of heaven
From dust to dust to living loam
Lain fallow in the garden
Is memory enough
Until the dawn of spring
This article was prepared with files supplied by clergy and lay members of St. John’s, Shaughnessy
IMAGES (in the top scroll)
- Limina – close up view of face and hand
- Bishop John (standing with the rector, the Reverend Terry Dirbas) blesses the piece following Evensong
- Deacon, the Reverend Karin Fulcher welcomes the congregation prior to the procession in
- Organist/Director of Music Michael Dirk prepares to play the Prelude, Elgar’s “Nimrod” from Enigma Variations
- Thurifer for the liturgy, the Reverend Geoff Carson leads the procession in to the Opening Hymn, “Abide With Me”.
- MC for the Evensong, the Reverend Joe Dirbas and Celebrant/Precentor, Rector of SJS, the Reverend Terry Dirbas lead the Preces.
- Interim Choir Director, Jaime Yoon
- Rector’s Warden, Judith Downes, ODNW reads the First Lesson, Wisdom 3: 1-9
- Members of the choir with Michael Dirk on the portable organ were situated at the entrance to the nave just through the narthex doors. Here they lead the Office Hymn, “Adore Devote”.
- Magnificat soloist
- The Reverend Terry Dirbas censes the altar during the singing of the Magnificat
- Numc Dimittis soloist
- The artist, David Robinson addresses the congregation
- Project Patron, Lise Struther's addresses the congregation
- Bishop John and Mother Terry prepare to bless and dedicate the statue.
- Folks gathered in the chilly rain in the SJS Memorial Garden
- A member of the Sharing Abundance catering team applies some finishing touches to the refreshments table in the Trendell Lounge
IN THE BODY COPY
- The rector leads the Prayers of Dedication
- 'Limina'
Photos: Randy Murray