A Wonderful Community Enhancing 135th Anniversary Party

The other day I dreamt I was jive dancing with Archbishop John Stephens and singing songs in Swahili in the cathedral chancel, surrounded by happy parishioners dining on pizza and ice cream.

But no, it wasn’t a surreal combination of childhood birthday memories and past travels to Zanzibar concocted by my sleep-deprived brain — but rather the cathedral’s 135th anniversary party.

As organized by the intrepid Carol Cook and a team of volunteers, it was a lovely finale to our anniversary season, and a unique opportunity for some cross-cultural and inter-generational connections. It was also a moment to reflect on how the congregation has evolved and changed since my great-grandparents Ruth and Arthur Jones were married at the cathedral in 1910.

In between serving cake at my own birthday party the other week, I was invited to join a group of Kenyan and Nigerian parishioners in a Swahili hymn- with an English chorus of He has done so much for me, I cannot tell it all — to be sung at the anniversary party. I was happy to accept, especially as I’d mentioned interest in having more African hymns at the cathedral at the fireside chat last month with our new music director Neil Cockburn. When we arrived for rehearsal on Saturday afternoon, Neil kindly helped us find an agreeable key and learned the tune in minutes, offering to accompany us on piano. Archbishop John Stephens took in our practice session in the choir room and was duly roped into singing a chorus or two.

When the time came to perform our party piece, we had accumulated a few dozen singers and soon got the whole cathedral joining in the chorus.

But the fun didn’t stop there. After a brief but memorable attempt at a Cape Breton style circle dance after supper, Carol had arranged music from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s to be played, and the chancel was transformed into a dance floor. Before I knew it, I was jive dancing with Archbishop Stephens to Elvis Presley’s rendition of Jailhouse Rock and listening to trustee Holly Mcmillan sing along to an old Beatles song with great enthusiasm.

When I heard the strains of Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, I got up to jitterbug with a young Kenyan parishioner named Ryan, who proved to be an excellent dancer (My mum taught me — he told me. Thanks, Ryan’s mum!). Although he had never heard the tune before, he picked up the rhythm right away. We were joined by birthday boy Colin Miles, celebrating his 81st with his granddaughter Lila attending, and the ever-graceful Neal Hall and Roslyn Kellett.

In between all the dancing and singing and dining, I ended up learning new things about people I see every Sunday. A lovely lady in her 80’s told me about her childhood in Wales and the Archbishop told us that he was born near Armagh in Northern Ireland and emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1967.

As I sat at table with my fellow African choristers, I learned from Pastor Christian Okeke that family picnics by the river in Nigeria often feature outings to feed — not the ducks — but the local crocodiles (helpful tip — they like chicken he told me). I also learned that Flipper the TV show about the helpful dolphin who always saves the day that looms large in my Gen x childhood memories, was apparently a big hit in syndication in Kenya and Nigeria! Who knew? As we watched enthusiastic fox trotters glide across the chancel, it was a brief but bonding it’s a small world after all moment.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had more of these social events where we could cut loose, have fun and sing and dance together as a community. Here’s hoping – and kudos to Carol and her team for a job well done!