This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Parish of St. George’s, Devon as a vibrant faith community. It is also the anniversary of the church building which has stood at the corner of Columbia Avenue and St. Clair Street for 40 years. Members of the parish honoured these twin milestones on Sunday, October 15 with a special service and events.
The Rev. Lisa Wojna led the congregation in the special anniversary program. The festivities started with a blessing of eight potentilla shrubs newly planted on the church’s front lawns as enduring signs of the church’s longevity. Also known as cinquefoil, the potentilla is a hardy plant well suited for the Alberta climate, but it is also one rich with meaning and symbolism. Since ancient times, the resilient shrub has been used in herbal medicine, while in Christian symbology and heraldry, it is widely regarded as signifying faith, hope, attachment, and, appropriately for a church dedicated to the knightly St. George, honour, pride and reliability.
After the blessing, members of the congregation were invited to place painted stones at the base of the plants. Each one was individually decorated by patients at the Grey Nuns hospital where Wojna also works as a chaplain. Each hand-painted rock carried hope for the future of the church including Love, Laughter, Kindness, Charity and many more optimistic messages.
Catharina Lamaitre found being part of the rock-laying ritual, especially moving. A newcomer to the congregation, she said, “It made it very clear to me, since I am a new one at the church, I am part of it now.”
After the outdoor gathering, a tour of St. George’s small and welcoming sanctuary was an opportunity for congregants to observe the significant features of their well-loved building. Wojna made special note of the altar, the lectern that supported the word of the Lord, and the font which had only a month ago been used for an adult baptism.
The service was marked by song and a warm sense of connection. Wojna's sermon focused not only on the importance of remembering the past but also on having a hopeful and disciplined faith in the future.
After the service, the congregation and their guests gathered in the basement hall for a potluck lunch to share memories and lively conversation. Members of the community offered items for the table and were offered a piece of anniversary cake. People also poured over photo albums from St. George’s past celebrations.
The celebrations were further enriched by the arrival of former St. George's rector the Rev Christian Gordon and his wife Lisa who led the church for many years before moving on to St. Patrick’s Anglican Church in Edmonton. The Gordons had rushed to Devon following St. Patrick’s service and were warmly welcomed to St. George’s anniversary festivities.
Wojna received praise for her care in creating an event that truly reflected the church’s character.
“It felt like it was tailor-made for St. George’s,” said Alice Nycholat, who expressed that the celebration both recognised the parish community’s past as well as its hopes for the future.
This memorable marking of a milestone year successfully connected people as a community in Christ. As Paul Humphries remarked, “St. George’s has always been about close fellowship.”
The parish celebrated their paired anniversaries with a meaningful reaffirmation of past success, a communion of memories, and a hopeful eye to the years to come.
Story by David Belke, photos by Alice Nycholat, people's warden
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