Ash Wednesday

At SouthWest, we don't always do things in a traditional way. Take the lead-up to Lent, next week. In the Christian tradition, Tuesday is Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, also known as Shrove Tuesday, when traditionally families ate rich, fatty foods to sort of "stock up" before the fasting of Lent. The extent of "fasting" varies among Christian groups, and often means giving up meat, or sweets, or alcohol - or all three - for the forty days leading up to Easter. In modern times we may give up things other than food: everything from cigarettes to social media.

Regardless of what you give up, the day after Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, is traditionally the first day or deprivation. I'm not sure when it started, but at SouthWest we like to do a mash-up of those two days on the Wednesday. So we invite all and sundry to enjoy pancakes and sausages in the church basement, followed by a simple celebration with ashes to officially start us on our Lenten journey. Rev. David will be back from vacation and we hope to see many of you out, weather permitting. After all, it's a SouthWest tradition!

Wednesday, February 14, pancakes at 6PM, followed by celebration.
1445 Clemenceau, Verdun

February at SouthWest Kitchens!

Already February, my kitchen friends!
It’s cold outside, oh yes, but so warm over a simmering saucepan: fancy a good kitchen sweat?!

PATCHING-UP CHORES

Our beautiful community kitchen needs love.
Last month, I told you about the dangerously dangling faucet and the dying kitchen counter. The list of repairs is getting longer : the walls need patches of plaster, the cupboard doors could definetely use a touch of paint, and – last and certainly not least – our big refrigerator is leaning forward, like the tower of Pisa.

The replacement of the sink, faucet and counter will be done very shortly by a professional. The other chores, however, could become the duty of a happy few who have painting, repairing and/or lifting skills. Any volunteers? Please let me know asap and I will find a date to suit everyone.

WHILE WAITING FOR LOVE

While waiting for the kitchen to receive the love he/she/it deserves (does a kitchen have a gender in English ?), I have to admit I’m a little reluctant to fit extra activities in the schedule, as I’m a little concerned a faucet incident is about to occur.
Hence, February will be another month without cooking workshops for adults – with two notable exceptions : community production workshops every Wednesday morning, and the Centre des femmes’s collective cooking workshop on Feb. 26th.
Talking about production and love, should anyone be reminded that St. Valentine’s Day is coming up ? For the occasion, I’d like to serve a special Valentine menu at Feb. 14th Welcome Wednesday community meal. I’m thinking chocolate for dessert, of course, and pork mole, a Mexican stew cooked in a hot pepper and cocoa sauce. Any other ideas ? Shoot them ! The menu is still in the making, nothing has been decided yet.

SPONSOR SOS
We are very lucky, at SouthWest, to be able to count on food donations from Harvest Montreal and our other partners – thanks to them, we are able to keep our grocery bills low, and offer meals at very gentle prices.
Milk and eggs are part of those ingredients we don’t have to buy anymore, thanks to our Breakfast Club coordinators who give us their surplusses. Cans of chick peas and other legumes come to us in such great quantities that we hardly know where to stock them anymore !
However, other basic ingredients are considered as small luxuries in our kitchen : unsalted butter, coco oil, milk and cream, olive oil, chocolate, nuts or specialty flours (buckwheat, rye, rice, etc.). For those products we are looking for sponsors. Maybe you could be one – and get the Mission a pound of butter when it’s on special offer at Pharmaprix – or maybe you know a local business owner who would like to help us out ? Please ask around: Verdun is a small community, and there’re many people out there who want to help. We just need to find them !

For the complete program of cooking activities at the Mission and the dates of the next community meals, please download the attached calendars, produced by Verdun’s food security table Verdun sans faim. The one on the left shows where to find community meals; the one on the right has information on collective kitchens and food security.

 Share the news, share the warmth !

En cuisine ce froid février

Février, amis des cuisines !
Il fait froid dehors, mais si chaud au-dessus du fourneau

 

CORVÉE DE RAFISTOLAGE

Notre belle cuisine communautaire a besoin d’amour.
Je vous parlais en janvier de la robinetterie mourante et du comptoir qui s’effrite. À cela, j’ose ajouter deux ou trois bricoles : le plâtre des murs s’écaille par endroits, les portes des armoires du bas sont branlantes et/ou tâchées par les coulures de bouffe (maudit curcuma); enfin, le meilleur pour la fin, notre grand réfrigérateur communautaire penche comme la tour de Pise !
En principe, le remplacement du comptoir et de la robinetterie va être réalisé par un professionnel, qui devrait faire la job dans les jours qui viennent. Le reste, en revanche, mériterait bien une petite corvée communautaire de rafistolage.
Qui se sent d’attaque ?
Pour remettre d’aplomb le réfrigérateur/tour de Pise, on me dit que ça va prendre au moins quatre personnes musclées et des crics hydrauliques. Pour le reste, ça nous prend des gens qui savent manier la truelle et/ou le pinceau.
Que ceux et celles qui sont intéressés me fassent signe rapidement, et je trouverai une date qui convient à tout le monde.

EN ATTENDANT L’AMOUR

En attendant que la cuisine reçoive l’amour qu’elle mérite, je vous avoue que je suis un peu réticente à surcharger le calendrier des activités, craintive que je suis de l’imminence d’un bris de tuyauterie.
Février sera donc encore un mois sans ateliers de cuisine pour adultes, autres que les habituelles périodes de production communautaire du mercredi matin et la cuisine collective du Centre des femmes le 26 février.
Parlant de production et d’amour, la Saint-Valentin s’en vient et, avec, un repas communautaire thématique. Je nous vois déjà, équipe de cuisine, paradant dans de beaux casques de bain roses à dentelle, servant à nos invités du chocolat, du chocolat et encore du chocolat… Plus sérieusement, je caresse l’idée d’un mole de porc, un plat mexicain traditionnel mijoté dans une sauce à base de piment et de cacao. C’est très bon J
Si la Saint-Valentin vous inspire autre chose, partagez vos envies avec moi : le menu du repas en est encore à ses premiers balbutiements et se prête encore très bien à tous les changements.

SOS COMMANDITES

Nous sommes extrêmement chanceux, à la Mission du Sud-Ouest, de pouvoir compter sur les dons de nourriture de Moisson Montréal et de nos autres partenaires pour réduire notre facture d’épicerie et offrir des repas et des plats pour emporter à des prix tout doux.
Parmi les choses qui ne figurent plus sur notre liste d’achats, il y a le lait et les œufs : les coordonnatrices du Club des petits déjeuners nous offrent leurs excédents et nous permettent ainsi de réaliser de substantielles économies. Il y a aussi les légumineuses – les fameux pois chiches – que nous récupérons en si grandes quantités qu’on finirait par ne plus savoir où les stocker.
Il y a en revanche d’autres aliments qui font figure de petits luxes dans notre cuisine : le beurre doux, l’huile, le lait et la crème de coco, l’huile d’olive, le chocolat, les noix ou encore les farines de spécialité (sarrasin, seigle, épeautre, riz, etc.). Pour ces produits-là, nous sommes à la recherche de commandites. Le commanditaire pourrait très bien être vous – « Tiens, le beurre doux est en spécial au Pharmaprix, j’en prends une livre pour la Mission » – ou une entreprise de votre connaissance : imaginez qu’un restaurateur de Verdun nous offre 10 livres de beurre par mois… On ne sait jamais, hein… parfois, il n’y a qu’à demander pour obtenir ! Alors si vous connaissez la personne à qui on pourrait faire la grande demande, levez la main bien haut J

Pour le programme complet des activités de février et les dates des repas communautaires, téléchargez les deux calendriers en pièces jointes, réalisés par Verdun sans faim, la table de concertation en sécurité alimentaire et en agriculture urbaine de Verdun. Celui à gauche indique où vous trouverez les repas communautaires et celui à la droite contient tout sur les cuisines collectives, ainsi que le dépannage alimentaire. N’hésitez pas à les faire tourner dans vos réseaux.

Bon temps des glaces !

Léonore Pion, chef cuisinière
leonore.pion@gmail.com

 

 

Lent isn't in the Bible

Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same. The word Lent is an old Saxon one meaning “spring,” and I have not found it in the Bible. However, the path of Lent—prayer, fasting, and generosity over a period of time—is heavily emphasized by the writers  and characters in the Bible, including Jesus. I think the Bible asks for a lifestyle of worship and devotion that looks like Lent. So, while the word  may be absent in the Bible, the idea and practicing of Lent is woven throughout the whole of Scripture.

The Bible is filled with specific times set aside for devotion to God, including ones that last 40 days. Moses fasted for 40 days when he met with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:28), Elijah fasted for 40 days on his journey to meet God at Horeb (1 Kings 19:8), and, of course, Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert to prepare for his public ministry (Matt. 4:1–11). So, the practices of Lent - prayer, fasting, and almsgiving - are indeed biblical and Christ-centred 

I ask myself, “Why should I give up something for 40 days that I wouldn’t for the rest of the year? » »If this path is good for Christians, why not make it all year round? »

 In Lent, we learn to confess our sins, practice self-denial, and take on the humility of Christ. In Easter, we learn to rejoice, exult, and feast in Christ’s victory. All Christians are welcome to put in practice what they learned in Lent at any time. Setting time aside for certain practices allows us to focus more intently on God and to develop more « Christian » habits, like love Jesus Christ, cherish his gospel, and live under the teachings of the Bible. It’s a season of spiritual devotion with roots in Jewish worship, the teachings of Jesus, and the practices of the apostles and early church. This season of repentance is a gift to all Christians, and good medicine. It might be tough to swallow; like taking Buckley’s cough syrup, it might not taste pleasant but it might make you feel better. 

Address your fears, tears, jeers and acknowledge cheers!!  Alléluia 

Darlene

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LENT begins this year on February 14th, Ash Wednesday. As usual, there will be casual worship in the church basement at 6PM, with ashes made from last year's Palms. All are welcome.

February Bingo

Our Bingo date at the beginning of January had to be cancelled due to winter weather. We're hoping for better luck this coming Saturday, February 3rd. Right now the forecast is for cold, but clear.
Cost at the door is $5, which gets you your first bingo card and a ticket for the (cash) door prize. Additional bingo cards can be bought for 50 cents. Doors open at 12:00, play begins at 1PM and refreshments are available (donations gratefully accepted). Please note that this is in the basement of the church, at 1445 rue Clemenceau in Crawford Park. Good luck!

The Quebec City Mosque Attack, 1 year later

Nearly a year has passed since the attack on a mosque in Quebec city that left six men dead, and nineteen wounded. On Sunday, January 29, 2017, just as evening prayers were ending, a gunman entered the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, and opened fire.

Quebeckers and Canadians were horrified, and many events were organized to express solidarity with the Muslim community. The Saturday following the attack, Rev. David helped organize a vigil here in Verdun which was attended by local politicians as well as representatives of various cultural and religious communities. Over 100 people gathered in the Parc des souvenirs in front of the borough hall, and afterward all were invited across the street into the mosque (Islamic Centre of Verdun) for tea and cookies. It was an inspiring moment of neighbours overcoming their differences and recognizing their shared humanity. The front door of the mosque the day after the shooting was also a testament to this desire to reach out and console our neighbours. It had been spontaneously decorated with flowers, candles and personal notes expressing love and solidarity.

Notes and tributes outside the Verdun Islamic Centre last January.

Notes and tributes outside the Verdun Islamic Centre last January.

The six men who died were all fathers, with a total of 17 children among them. A few of those children were already adults, but most were toddlers and preschoolers. The religious community has been helping the widows and orphans as best they can, even while the rest of Quebec society seems to have almost forgotten the mass shooting, which was the worst in the province since the Polytechnique in 1989.

As long as we insist on labeling this act of violence an “isolated incident” rather than an extreme manifestation of an all-too-present prejudice, we do a disservice to all Quebeckers. An imam who spoke at one of the funerals following the attack said that Alexandre Bissonette, the shooter, was also a victim, because his mind has been poisoned by the misinformation so readily disseminated by talk radio and the internet.

Our politicians have refused to name January 29th a National Day of Action Against Islamophobia. They say on the anniversary this Monday we should focus on the men who died and were wounded.  Of course we should, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also look into our own hearts and try to change. Like the Verduners who came out for the vigil last year, we can counter prejudice, which is really just ignorance, by getting to know our neighbours, by realizing that headgear is just headgear, skintone is literally skin-deep; that all humans bleed, that all families mourn.

We remember: Ibrahima Barry (aged 39), Mamadou Tanou Barry (aged 42), Khaled Belkacemi (aged 60), Aboubaker Thabti (aged 44), Abdelkrim Hassane (aged 41) and Azzedine Soufiane (aged 57). May they rest in peace.

Mini-market January 31st/ Mini-marché 31 janvier

Winter wears on, but the fresh fruits and vegetables at SouthWest's Mini-market are a colourful reminder of summer.  Visit us at the Mission next Wednesday, January 31st, between 10:30 and 3:30 and get your produce for the week, at great low prices. And for a special treat to get you through the long winter evenings, why not try some of Sheila's home baking? You can also browse in our Community Dépanneur which includes shelves of preserves and a freezer full of soups and single-serving meals. Don't forget to join us for a tasty lunch at 12:30 prepared by the Dream Team Cuisine supervised by chef Léonore. We are becoming well-known in the community for these Welcome Wednesdays.
If weather or a disability prevents you from getting out, you can still place your market order using the downloadable form below and calling or e-mailing Sheila or Maurice. 

L'hiver est long, mais les fruits et légumes frais disponibles à notre Mini-marché rapellent les couleurs de l'été. Passez nous voir mercredi prochain, le 31 janvier, entre 10H30 et 15H30 et achetez vos épiceries pour la semaine à des prix qui font sourire. Gâtez-vous en goutant des patisseries maison de Sheila. Jetez un coup d'oeil également sur notre Dépanneur communautaire, consistant d'étagères de conserves et d'un congélateur plein de soupes et de plats délicieux en portions individuelles. Et bien sûr n'oubliez pas de prendre votre place à table à 12H30 pour un dîner préparé par le Dream team cuisine sous la direction de chef Léonore. Tous les deux semaines, Mercredi m'attend à SouthWest!
Si le mauvais temps ou la mobilité réduite vous empêche d'être parmi nous, vous pouvez toutefois placer une commande en téléchargeant le formulaire ci-dessous. Les livraisons sont possibles sur le territoire de Verdun.

Celebrating "Pops" 1928-2018

I welcomed a minor into my home as a foster parent in the fall of 2016, a youth from Nigeria abandoned at the Dorval airport. He ended up in downtown Montreal, alone and vulnerable. Dans la Rue sheltered him in "The Bunker" where he was safe at night until social services could find a longer term solution.

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I remember when Father Emmett "Pops" Johns borrowed money at age 60 to buy the van to become a missionnaire de la rue in 1988 . Thirty years later at his death (on January 13th) he is being remembered for his vision, determination and his large family of street kids in Montreal; his kids, our kids.
Generosity incarnates the best of faith, hope and love. It moves into action at a time when some think of retirement and "Pops" lived into a new career. St. Francis said: "Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words."
Thank you, Pops, for your feet, hands, heart and vision to love our street kids. You inspire me to practice a radical hospitality in the everyday.
You were for so many "Le bon Dieu dans la rue".

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This African-American spiritual is my prayer as I am inspired by Father Emmett Johns' example:

I'm gonna live so God can use me, anywhere Lord, anytime.
I'm gonna live so God can use me, anywhere Lord, anytime.
(I’m gonna: work, pray, sing!)

Let’s get on with living it!
Rev. David

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