The St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale Parish Hall was the place for a mid-September gathering of approximately 40 Sorrento Associates to spend some time with the key organizers of the current Sorrento Centre fundraising campaign .
The Venerable Andrew Pike, Chair of the Sorrento Board, offered an opening prayer followed by Dr. Christopher Lind, Executive Director of Sorrento Centre ensuring that everyone present had a copy of the 17 page campaign publication, Embracing Transformation: The Next '50' (years)
The publication outlines changes in the works to upgrade the Sorrento Centre structures and property, operation costs and the need to fund the continuing growth of the Centre through developing initiatives like the Sorrento Centre Farm, which not only provides fresh produce to the Centre for meals, but contributes to local compassionate service organizations. Dr. Lind went through each page in detail in order to give those in attendance a clear picture of the goals of the campaign.
Campaign co-Chair, the Reverend Canon Herbert O’Driscoll was next to speak and he shared some thoughts on the Sorrento Centre, comparing the formation of the Iona Community in Scotland to Sorrento Centre. He stressed the importance of having a place for rest, connectedness, learning, community & spiritual growth in a multi-generational context. He ended his address by directly making reference to Embracing Transformation – The ‘Next 50’ Campaign for Sorrento Centre when he said that money could be used for two things; “to pay to people whom we owe and to give to people that we love who need it.”As part of the session a ten minute film was shown, highlighting the importance of the Sorrento Centre and how important and meaningful is has been in the lives of people of all ages. The film highlighted the importance of the Centre’s sustainability for future generations.
Thanks were extended by the Sorrento Centre representatives to St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale’s rector, the Reverend Jeremy Clark-King (in attendance at the meeting) for the continued support of St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale for Sorrento Centre events and ministry.Image:The four Sorrento principals at the meeting hold the Campaign Publication, left to right: Bishop Jim Cruickshanck one of the founders and the first director of the Sorrento Centre, Dr. Christopher Lind, the Venerable Andrew Pike and the Reverend Canon, Herbert O’Driscoll.
PHOTO: Jane Dittrich