Learn
Let’s explore and learn together
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre is a partnership of the libraries of All Saints’ Westboro and First United Church. There’s a host of theology and spirituality in the Centre’s books: Christian Practice and Life, Church History, Comparative Religion, Social Welfare.
The Centre is a reference library but it’s also a circulating library, whose sign-out sheets reveal that our faith community regularly consults its resources. You’re invited to browse the Centre’s bookshelves, which are located in the lower hallway of the church.
Living Faith Together
Christian Education for Adults & Youth
A passport approach to learning, practicing & living your faith at All Saints’ Westboro
- A keepsake passport guides you through various opportunities that can be explored over several years
– Personalize it, take notes, refer back to it - Participate as you are able and choose what interests you
- Youth can be supported and connected to others in the parish (Journey through Confirmation)
Pick up your passport & join in the journey
Your Christian Education Team:
Kathryn Otley, Chung Yan Lam & Janet Currie-Kelk (lead)
Living Faith Together has a Youth Edition. Learn more.
Building Faith with Children!
Building Faith with Children is held bi-monthly on the last Sunday of the month in the All Saints’ Westboro Chapel. This is a time to connect with others exploring how you are perfectly positioned to support God-Connected children. For parents, grandparents and carers of children.
Parish at Learning (PAL)
We occasionally host Parish At Learning (PAL) sessions in the chapel after the morning Eucharist, typically from September to May. All parishioners are welcome to join these sessions, which start at 11.15 am and conclude by 12.30 pm.
PAL hours are part of our Adult Education initiative featuring a range of presenters. The main goal is to increase awareness of various social issues we face today and the ministries offered by our diocese. Additionally, these sessions provide an opportunity for some of our members to share insights about their weekly work.
Please check our calendar for PAL sessions.
Social Gatherings
Learning about each other.
Come and be part of our events; some happen on a regular basis while others are occasional. Check our calendar for events, dates and locations. Consider joining us!
Reading Circle
The Reading Circle is a vibrant book discussion group designed for women in our parish and the surrounding community. We explore a diverse range of literature, including both fiction and nonfiction. Our meetings take place on the second Wednesday of each month from September to June in the Chapel.
At a potluck dinner meeting in June, Reading Circle participants chose the following titles for the 2025/2026 season. They meet in the chapel on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. They welcome all parishioners to join them for all or some of the evenings.
September 10 – The Widening of God’s Mercy by Christopher Hays Discussion Leader: Mary van Leeuwen
October 8 – The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Discussion Leader: Barbara Robertson
November 12 – Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus by Diana Butler Bass Discussion leader: Julie Cross
December 10 – Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat by Katherine May Discussion Leader:
January 14 – Encampment: Resistance, Grace and the Unhoused by M. Helwig Discussion Leader: Bonnie Campbell
February 11 – Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme Discussion Leader: Julie Buvyer
March 11 – James by Percival Everett Discussion Leader: Patricia Bays
April 8 – What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Anyama Discussion Leader: Julie Cross
May 13 – Sir John A. Macdonald and the Apocalyptic Year by Patrice A. Dutile Discussion Leader:
June 10 – Orbital by Samantha Harvey Discussion Leader : Alison Middlebro’
Aging with Grace
The All Saints’ Westboro Pastoral Care Team, led by Sally Lees and Scott Hagerman, offer a series of sharing sessions on various topics concerning smart aging. Watch the calendar for sessions.
See this resource checklist for advance care planning. The Advance Care Planning session is on April 25th at All Saints’.
Meditation Group (also known as Centering Prayer Group)
The Meditation Group has remained a quiet and meaningful part of our church’s spiritual life this year. The group meets every Thursday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm in the Holy Spirit Chapel, providing participants with dedicated time for stillness, prayerful awareness, and reflection in the presence of God. Guidance is given as needed for newcomers on methods of silent prayer.
The welcoming and nonjudgmental atmosphere created a safe space for spiritual growth and rest, especially for those seeking balance in busy or stressful lives.
Sessions typically included a brief introduction or scripture reading, two periods of guided or silent meditation and one walking meditation, and time for closing prayer. Participants expressed appreciation for the consistency of the meetings and the opportunity to deepen their faith through contemplative practice.
Soup for the Soul
In 2026, we continue to gather for soup and conversations, a gentle way to provide community for all who are grieving. Our time together is intentional in creating a safer space for open conversations about grief. We welcome tears, anniversaries, and discussing strategies for living with loss. There are times when we no longer feel welcomed to speak of our loved ones who have died. This circle honours that grief is sometimes as fresh as the day it happened, and we hold space together as a community so none of us need to go through the process alone. We gather monthly on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm, and a chair is always reserved for you. Contact Rev Chung Yan Lam for more information.
Monthly Breakfasts
We are excited about this chance to create and strengthen friendships!
Men’s Breakfast: What started as a gathering for men who serve as primary caregivers or have held this role in the past has now grown into a group of friends enjoying companionship and conversation. We meet the first Tuesday of each month at Allo! Mon Coco in College Square (corner Woodroffe & Baseline).
Women’s Breakfast: This gathering, held on the third Monday of each month, is an opportunity to visit with friends and meet new members of the parish. We have featured short talks before breakfast. Meetings take place at Summerhays Restaurant on Baseline Road.
Community Building
Summer Social Swirl events in 2025 took us on a trip to Manotick’s Watson’s Mill, Dickinson House, and St. James Anglican Church in June. We followed the tour with a lunch at The Miller’s Oven. In July, we toured three parish gardens and discussed gardening over lunch at Chuck’s Roadhouse. The Diefenbunker historical site was our destination in August, and we enjoyed a good pub lunch at the Swan on the Carp afterwards. Each outing was well subscribed. Watch for details on our 2026 Spring outings.
Women’s Retreat
Our annual retreat takes place in the first week of December at Galilee Retreat Centre in Arnprior. We gather for a time away to reflect and share stories together – also a time for fellowship and good food.
The Road Crew
Our Road Crew group of 6 people meets at members’ homes on the fourth Monday of each month for approximately two hours. The rotating host provides coffee, and the rest bring cookies, muffins or whatever. We have a loose agenda when we meet, and the host usually sets the agenda for what is to be discussed. It can be a book study, reflections on readings, discussions of ASW church and Diocese happenings, fun quizzes, etc.
Black History
- “23 historical black Canadians you should know”
https://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/black-history-month/
- Check out the following movies:
- The Six Triple Eight – black women’s experience in the US military
- Greenbook – a refined pianist hires a street-smart driver in the deep south
- Remember Africville
https://www.nfb.ca/film/remember-africville/ - Journey to Justice – Viola Desmond
https://www.nfb.ca/film/journey_to_justice/ - For more options
https://blackcanadianfilm.ca/films/
The Children’s Church has explored:
- Harriet Tubman – USA. Harriet was born into slavery, but escaped to the North and was the first woman conductor to help others escape on the Underground Railroad. She was also a nurse, spy and leader in the Union Army and after the war worked for women’s rights and newly freed slaves.
- Father Broderick Grier – USA. Fr. Grier is an Episcopal priest who loves to help people come close to God by figuring out what the Bible has to say to us today, using our experiences and our imagination.
- February 23rd: Bayard Rustin – USA – India. Trusted advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr. and worked to end segregation. He studied non-violence from Mahatmas Ghandi and brought those lessons back to the leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Bayard went on to help others become ang
While this group has completed its programs, the Parish leadership is discerning the next steps to continue walking the journey of reconciliation in our context. The group can point to several successful undertakings: The Birch Bark Coffee evening; the showing and discussion of the movie Doctrine of Discovery; Your Portal to Indigenous History with Audrey Lawrence, the teaching elder; three PAL sessions listening to Indigenous priests’ reflections. They also organized both Orange Shirt and Red Dress days as an outreach to the general public in our courtyard. Resources were prepared to place on this website.
All Saints’ plans to continue with future September 30th activities and Indigenous Day of Prayer services.
Resources to Continue our Learning
215 Dead Children; Kamloops, Albert Dumont, June 1, 2021 — Albert Dumont, Algonquin Spiritual Teacher in Residence, a well-known and respected Algonquin poet, artist, activist and spiritual guide has written a reflection. Read Albert’s reflection.
Statement from The Honourable Murray Sinclair, June 1, 2021 – Watch/hear The Honourable Murray Sinclair
The Flag for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Website for the updated flag
Origins of Orange Shirt Day – Phyllis Webstead shares the origin of her Orange Shirt story
Learn more about Phyllis Webstead and the Orange Shirt story
Indigenous Film Reviews
Here are some possible films to view – all previewed by members of our team — from the National Film Board of Canada, with reviews included. All can be found on the following website: www.nfb.ca
54 mins., Drew Hayden Taylor, 2014
This film shines a light on Indigenous humour, a part of Indigenous culture that is often overlooked. It is funny, and informative while it examines complex issues such as identity, politics and racism.
1 hr. 37 mins., Alanis Obomsawin, 2017
This is the story of a Cree Community in Norway House (north of Winnipeg). It centres around the Helen Betty Osborne Educational Resource Centre which provides schooling from Kindergarten to Grade 12 for all students in the community, to develop their abilities and sense of pride. Teaching occurs in the classroom and the great outdoors.
It is a film that shows how outcomes can change for the better when sufficient educational funding is provided and when students can develop their abilities and a sense of pride.
1 hr. 24 mins., Alanis Obomsawin, 2014
Time went quickly as I learned about Treaty 9, that covers a great area of Northern Quebec and Ontario. There is a difference between what it says and what was explained according to the ancestors of the Indigenous people that put their mark on the document in 1905. The work of Idle No More, Chief Theresa Spence’s protest and the walk of the 6 young men from Northern Quebec to Ottawa are covered in beautiful and moving cinematography.
1 hr. 19 mins., Tasha Hubbard, 2016
In this deeply moving feature-length documentary, three sisters and a brother meet for the first time. Betty Ann, Esther, Rosalie and Ben were only four of 20,000 Indigenous Canadian children taken from their families between 1955 and 1985 (the infamous Sixties Scoop), to be either adopted into white families or live in foster care. As the four siblings piece together their shared history in this bittersweet film, their connection deepens, and their family begins to take shape.
58 mins., Eva Wunderman, 2017
Edna Elias, former Commissioner of Nunavut, is a great-gradndaughter of Petter Norberg, a Swede who came to Northern canada as a young man and worked in the fur trade. The documentary tells the sotry of Norberg’s life through the visit of Edna’s Swedish cousins to Kugluktuk.
Available on TVO at https:
52 mins., Tasha Hubbard, 2019
Following the shooting of Colten Boushie by a Saskatchewan farmer, this film follows his family’s pursuit of justice and raises questions about racism embedded in Canada’s justice system. (can be viewed on GEM for free)
Our Contemplative Garden
If you stroll by All Saints’ Anglican Church with First United Church, you will be able to pause and rest on one of the benches in our courtyard garden.
Sheltered by healthy linden trees and made beautiful by the many shrubs and flowers which frame the courtyard, this place has become a haven for neighbours and strangers, pets and baby strollers.
Our garden is a place for contemplation, prayer, or conversation with a friend.
All Saints’ Healing Forest
Tucked into the east side of the property is a garden which we call the Healing Forest, dedicated to the memory of the children of the residential schools. To acknowledge our relationship with the Indigenous people of Canada, we have set aside a small green space for peaceful reflection.
The All Saint’s Sunday School program inspired the vision of creating a Healing Forest in the summer of 2019. The children met and designed a Healing Forest. Members and staff from All Saints’ and First United Church joined in to make this dream become a reality. In the fall of that same year, a one-tonne “Grandmother Rock”, a pathway and descriptive signage were all added. In October, the congregations of All Saints’ and First United came together to welcome Grandmother Francine. She shared insights about the significance of the smudging and drumming ceremony and expressed her hope that the small Healing Forest would serve as a valuable resource for the entire community.
More Resources on Healing Forests
- National Healing Forests
- Healing Forests in Ontario
- David Suzuki Foundation partnering with the National Healing Forests
Movies
From time to time, we host movie nights and potluck dinners that connect with current events and religious festivities.
It’s a great opportunity to relax, share delicious food, and connect with friends. We look forward to seeing you there!
You can check out movie events in the calendar.
