St. Alban’s Church in Acton
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills
Mr. Arnott’s remarks at St. Alban’s Church in Acton on June 24,
2012, to celebrate their 140th Anniversary
Bishop Bird, Reverend Galligan, Mayor Bonnette, Councillors Somerville, Hurst
and Johnson, my good friend Sydney Weaver, honoured guests, ladies and
gentlemen: Good morning!
I am delighted to be here with you today, as you celebrate this special
anniversary in the life of your Church.
For 140 years, your congregation and your landmark Church have indeed been a
beacon of hope for all – and a mission of Christian kindness and caring reaching
out to all, as Michael said so eloquently in his sermon.
Think of all the generations who’ve passed through those 140 years and today
we stand on their shoulders.
When they looked to the future, their vision was of our time here and now. That
means the legacy they gave us is now our special responsibility.
We are the custodians of the vision of those who founded this Church 140 years
ago, to gather and worship. And so it becomes our duty to build for the coming
generations, those who follow us.
And what better way than ensuring that St. Alban’s Acton is accessible to all. We
are all very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for approving a generous
grant of $150,000, which has helped ensure that everyone can come into this
building.
As a centre of Christian faith, St. Alban’s is also a centre of community, with its
many community partners. At this time, I want to thank the Town of Halton Hills
Council and staff and in particular Councillor Moya Johnson, who chairs the
Accessibility Committee, for all the work they have done to raise awareness and
remove barriers to accessibility.
And Sydney Weaver, who is an amazing and delightful young person, who has
touched so many of us. Sydney has urged us to continue the work that still needs
to be done to make our public places and spaces accessible to everyone, and
she is an inspiration to us all.
So on behalf of the Province of Ontario, thank you for having me,
congratulations, and God bless you all.
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