Note from the Rector

As you all are aware, the wardens, myself and Parish Council have been deliberating over the possibility of opening our doors to a daycare whoich is looking for a new home.  After much discussion last week, including a second council meeting, Parish Council passed a motion to enter into an agreement with the Thinking Garden Childcare Center, beginning September 1st, for a 6-month trial period.  While this is an exciting opportunity, bringing with it much good – young families into the building, new life into the community, new connections and opportunities for partnerships -  it will also likely help us as we look at our annual budget.  The program offered at Thinking Garden is a nature-based curriculum, which means they will spend much of their time outside.  St. Mary’s is a perfect location for this sort of curriculum, as we have a beautiful forested area, ocean just down the road, and a fenced-in play area right off the hall.  That all being said, it does mean some changes to our space and a need for open minds and hearts as we move into this trial period and learn to live together with this new group.

Over the summer, St. Mary’s is responsible for getting the library/den space and outside fenced space so all is ready for Thinking Garden to come in and do their upgrades on September 1st. Currently we hope to relocate the library books to the hall along the corner outside my office, and are exploring options for the remainder of the furniture in the library/den space.  Outside we will be removing the play structure and moving the 3 older tables elsewhere on the property and clearing out other bits and pieces.  As more decisions are needing to be made, Parish Council will be consulted and we will be as transparent as possible in the coming weeks.  

Beginning September 1st, the daycare staff will begin to set up their new home.  The library/den space will be repurposed and become a space that is just for the daycare. This space will house many of the more permanent play areas, bulletin boards, toys, storage and cupboards.  The side entrance to the hall will become their main door so that folks accessing the church office are not impacted.  In the entryway a few changes will be made by the Thinking Garden staff, with an addition of some cubbies and a row of coat hangers to accommodate little coats and backpacks.  This space will be cleared out at the end of the day and be neat and tidy over the weekends.  While the daycare group will also access a portion of the hall and have smaller movable items like tables and carpet mats brought out at scheduled times when no other user groups are here,.  We do not anticipate this being a barrier to our current user groups or church uses as they arise.   

The outdoor fenced area will also see an upgrade the first week of September, as Thinking Garden staff bring in new gravel, clean up the garden beds, install some wooden stumps and a sandbox that they will bring from their current location.  This also means that on days that we have other user groups in the hall, the daycare will make arrangements to be outside during those times – even in winter they will head down to the ocean in snow suits!  So this will help to mitigate any conflicts between the daycare and our user groups. 

There is much flexibility in daycare program which allows us to keep using our hall as need arises, while also creating space for the children.  The key will be open communication between the Church office and daycare staff and use of a shared calendar so all parties know when the spaces are being used and conversation as things arise, like planning for our Christmas Fair. 

This is truly a unique opportunity to partner with a part of the wider community previously not reached by St. Mary’s.  Not only will we welcome the children, but also a variety of families in the Nanoose Bay area will come to know who we are, and come to meet the love of God through their time here – even if they never come on a Sunday morning.  The Thinking Garden has a strong sense of community involvement and fostering values of trust, respect, creativity and awareness of the needs of others and already the owner and I have had conversations of how we can engage in projects bringing the church and the children together in new ways.  

I fully admit that this is new and unknown territory and we will no doubt face bumps along the road.  This is exactly why we agreed on  a 6-month trial to work out the hiccoughs, ensure all the details are worked out, that our costs are covered, etc.   But I also believe that there is so much potential in this for us as community, to reach out and welcome in, in a new way.  In the coming weeks I will be working out the details and parameters of the lease agreement, ensuring all are set and approved by the Diocese before we officially sign the contract. 

All that being said, please know that the folks at Thinking Garden are used to visitors and are absolutely comfortable with people coming through the hall to use the kitchen or bathrooms as you normally would, you may just have to say hello to a few of the little people as you walk through!  And as always, if you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to reach out to myself or the Wardens!   

Many blessings,

Kirsten + 

Visits with Rev. Kirsten!

As summer fast approaches, things settle for a while in the office and Kirsten has a little more time and space in her schedule for getting to know you all a bit better. If you or someone you know would like to have Rev. Kirsten come for a visit – either a pastoral visit or just to share some time together - please do reach out and let her know either through the office, via email or call at 250-619-5826. 

NEW Summer Office Hours effective July 4 – August 31

For July and August the office will be open from 9am - 1pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  Between 1 - 4 pm KAT will monitoring emails and phone calls while working from home.  And Kirsten and KAT are of course, happy to stay if you need assistance with anything as long as you let them know.

2023 FUN at St. Mary’s 

St. Mary’s Matronal Day is August 13.  Stay tuned!