Heritage Homes
Like many Canadians, my husband and I arranged for a couple of household repairs and upgrades this past summer in order to claim the current government’s tax credit. When the repairman arrived one day, he mentioned that his company specializes in heritage homes. I wondered if our old house qualified as a “heritage home.”
According to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, heritage includes monuments, countryside, buildings, etc. that are worthy of preservation. There is no mention of age requirements. Interestingly enough, I learned that the very words heritage and heritability come from Old French and Latin ecclesiastical terms. The dictionary reminds us though that the term “heritage” can also mean inherited circumstances, e.g. a heritage of negativity. It is the latter that is unworthy of preservation.
As I reflected, I realized quickly that all homes (including my former bachelor apartment) are heritage homes because we all bring our heritage to them. In my case, I bring my maternal Celtic heritage and my paternal Jersey (British Channel Islands) heritage.
More importantly, we bring our Christian heritage to our home ― a heritage of different churches, along with a variety of worship styles and practices. Sadly though, as God’s truth is increasingly pushed out of people’s homes, governments and schools, we are losing a vital part of that heritage. With this in mind, it is important that we acknowledge the importance of our Christian heritage because no enduring heritage exists on its own. It is a living identity that we choose to care about and nurture on a regular basis.
As with other stewardship concepts, stewarding our heritage is a relational term. It is a matter of our relationship with our past Christian traditions as they pertain to the present, and how these traditions will inspire and enrich future generations of God’s children.
How do we begin to inspire the next generation to live a godly life? The Bible tells us that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…” (II Timothy 3:16). We should be wary, however, of competing secular opinions presented as truths, as well as inherited circumstances of “harmful interference.” These are certainly no heritage to pass on to God’s children.
As parents, it is indeed our duty and our privilege to train our children in the principles and obligations of Christianity so that they will not depart from those principles when they are grown. Recognizing that not all families have been raised in a heritage of faith, Parkdale’s ministerial staff members remain available to help us to nurture faith practices in our homes.
Some of the simplest ways to do this are to teach our children to pray and to let them hear us give thanks for our meals. Remind them often that God loves them and tell them that you are praying for them. Ask them to pray for you, particularly when they know that you are facing a challenge. Develop faith traditions and let them see you reading the Bible on a regular basis. It will all sink into their soul. Better yet, give them their own Bible and take a few minutes to fill out the genealogy tree inside its front cover. If your young children or teenagers stray, pray and persevere so that God’s commandments may stay with them, remembering Psalm 119:111-112, “Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
Like many typical teenagers, our own sons sometimes ask hard faith-related questions. As a Christian, I embrace those questions and pray that I will know what to say in order to let God’s word be heard. I always try to answer to the best of my ability. However wanting my words, one of my deepest desires as a parent is to pass on a strong Christian faith to our children.
That said, most of our family’s faithing in our old house occurs in our “greatroom” (read: open concept kitchen with eating and family areas). Coincidentally or not, many of our faith-based discussions happen during our family dinners. Somehow, it all seems appropriate next to our kitchen with its cathedral-style cupboards, cross-embossed vinyl flooring and the “God Bless our Home” wall hanging.
Where do you do your faithing in your heritage home?
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Hennessy
Chair, Stewardship Group
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
On August 4, 2009, a group of Parkdale volunteers (Kathy Lees, Richard Hamley, Marq Nelson, Kyle McHenry and Helen Hayes) participated in a Faith Build at 1499 Appleton Drive in the east end of Ottawa. We worked side by side with a group of three fellow 'Faith-Builders' from Unity Church of Ottawa, a neighbour of Parkdale, also on Parkdale Avenue.
We met at the site at 8:00 am in a steady drizzle and started the day with a very meaningful and appropriate devotion led by Barbara Faught, based on Matthew 25:31-45. Richard Hamley capably assisted by holding an umbrella over Barbara's head! Within minutes of Barbara's departure, however, the skies cleared and we laboured hard through one of the warmest days this summer as we responded to instruction from our exceptionally patient and very knowledgeable 'overseers', Chris and Mario.
We 'warmed up' by moving two large stacks of lumber from the yard into the first floor of the house, after which we were all very appreciative of the benefits of hard hats and work gloves. We then proceeded to assist with building the frame of the second floor house front, which was laid out on the 'floor' provided by the roof of the first floor.
We had been preparing to provide lunch as part of our contribution, but elected to defer to A&W, who had already signed up for a two-week stint.
Those teen-burgers disappeared really fast when Chris finally gave us the OK to stop for lunch! They were perhaps not as 'low-cal' as the fare that the Parkdale group would have provided, but none of us were thinking of our waistlines as we chowed down.
Lunch provided a welcome break, during which we learned a bit about the history and recent successes of Habitat for Humanity, as well as of some of the challenges that can arise. Chris was quick to rally us to get back to work, however, and the quiet that had descended while the generator had been turned off as we ate was disrupted, and the sawing and hammering started up again.
Rose Fincham and Alexis dropped by in mid-afternoon to offer words and waves of encouragement and to take some pictures. Although the wind came up and dark skies threatened during the afternoon, we continued working until just after 4:30pm, shortly after which there was a torrential downpour and a thunderstorm.
It was very rewarding to work on an important project such as this and to see the results of a day of labour by mostly unskilled volunteers, under the direction of a couple of very patient and dedicated site supervisors.
Knowing that our labour was going into a home for a single mother of two children, who had been the successful candidate after a rigorous application and assessment process, made it all the more worthwhile.
For some of us, the day proved rewarding in terms of confronting and overcoming personal fears - of ladders and heights, for example. I think we all learned something: how to roll a fire hose, how to operate a table saw, how to check for the 'crown' on a two-by-six, how to use a gas-compression nail driver. We met new people with common interests and worked side by side with them like well-oiled machines, for the most part.
Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization. Check out their website at for more information, and think about joining us for the next Faith Build. See for yourself how good a bit of hard physical labour can feel!
Helen Hayes
THE BIBLICAL LAND OF TURKEY
One Traveller’s Account
April 16 - 30, 2009
(A group from Parkdale travelled to Turkey in April this year. Over the next few newsletters, we will enjoy the memories of one of the group, Hazel Bowen)
Turkey is a breathtakingly beautiful country approximately 1,600 kilometres from east to west and 550 kilometres from north to south. We travelled over 5,100 kilometres, approximately the distance from Ottawa to Vancouver.
In the Bible, Turkey is referred to as Asia Minor. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers begin in its mountains and flow through the country. Paul, Barnabas and John Marc, as well as the apostles John and Peter all travelled and lived here, spreading the gospel of the risen Christ with a courage and passion that continues to live and transform.
A small area of Turkey, 3%, called Thrace, is in Europe, while the rest, referred to as Anatolia, meaning the Motherland, is in Asia. The city of Istanbul is situated at the meeting point of Europe and Asia and is divided by the Bosphorus Strait which links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Countries bordering Turkey on the European side are Greece and Bulgaria and on the Asian side, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Turkey has a population of around 70 million which is at least 99% Muslim.
The scenery is magnificent and very diverse - snow capped mountains, high plateaux, fertile river valleys, unique volcanic formations, crowded cities where ancient and modern architecture meet, as well as quiet villages that have changed little over the years. There was always something very interesting to see.
We were joined by Anthony’s friend Rev. Don Gibson from Oakville and his group of eight. We could not have asked for a more congenial, compatible group.
Wednesday, April 15
Barbara Faught, her usual kind, caring self, found time to meet us at the airport and sent us off bathed in prayer. How reassuring. I wished she was coming too, but I knew that she made the right decision.
I was surprised at how many people were going to Frankfurt - a large Boeing 767, full. I was happy with my window seat behind the wing. A Boeing 767 seats 166-188 passengers, and cruises at 530 mph at an altitude of 37,000 feet.
We were off, and as we gained altitude, everything down below looked brown and gray. I imagined that when we returned in two weeks, we would see that much of the brown would be transformed into multiple shades of fresh green.
Thursday, April 16
I read on the plane and the time went quickly. The sunrise was magnificent. Our plane was a little late and we missed our connecting flight. However, we managed, after a bit of a run around, to catch a 9:30 a.m. flight to Istanbul - City of Islam. Our Oakville travellers were on the same flight, so our friendships began. Our guide, Hüseyin, and bus driver, Nuri, met us and off we went to our hotel. Nuri had his nephew Çiko with him. Çiko turned out to be a real asset.
Istanbul has been the capital of three successive empires: Roman Byzantine and Ottoman. In 1923, at the end of the War of Independence, the capital was moved to Ankara.
I was impressed with the palm trees, beautiful flowers, mostly tulips, the national flower, and pansies in beds along the sides of the road, at intersections, in the medians, in the centre of traffic circles - everywhere.
Our hotel, Barcelo Saray, was located centrally on a busy main street near the Grand Bazaar and the Blue Mosque. The hotel was very nice and our rooms clean and comfortable. We liked our puffy white duvets. Hüseyin walked with me to a camera shop where I purchased a new camera. Mine, unfortunately, had disappeared on the plane. It was a bonus to have a private tour with an experienced guide. I heard the first of many calls to prayer on our walk. Later, we had supper at an interesting restaurant near the hotel and then went to look for an ice cream cone.
Friday, April 17
After a buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room overlooking the city, we boarded the bus, took a scenic ferry across the Strait of Marmora and were off to Iznik, formerly called Nicaea, founded in 316 BC. In 325, the Emperor Constantine chose this location for the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church to which he called the bishops of each region. Approximately 300 attended. As a result of this Council, the Nicene Creed, a statement of doctrine on the nature of Christ in relation to God, was written and is still used in many Christian Churches today. I found it in the blue Presbyterian Hymn Book.
The site of the Council is now the church of Saint Sophia, erected in 1065 after an earthquake destroyed the original building. We marvelled at the remains of a symbolic mosaic design on the floor, in which you could find the cross. On a wall was a fresco of Christ, the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist which dated from the 7th century. It was protected against damage by a glass screen.
We also visited the partially restored ruins of a Roman bath with its many rooms - warm, warmer and very warm - hot. In the court yard, teenage boys were playing backgammon and chatting while one played a guitar and sang. Under the protection of an umbrella, old men were talking and drinking tea - a very common sight wherever we went.
We visited portions of the ancient walls and gates of the city built in 300 BC. We also stood on an excavated portion of a stone Roman Road built in the 1st century BC.
During the 16th century, Iznik’s kilns produced the finest ceramics ever made in the Ottoman world. Iznik tiles can be seen in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul of which we have pictures. They also were used to refurbish the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. We were told that the beautiful turquoise colour cannot be produced today.
On our return to Istanbul, it was rush hour and we had to cross a long, attractive bridge linking the European to the Asian part of the city. It reminded me of rush hour during our bus strike - gridlock.
After a buffet supper at the hotel, we walked around the area enjoying the sights and sounds.
Saturday, April 18
After breakfast at the hotel and our meaningful Bible reading and prayer on the bus which we did each morning, we arrived at the docks where we boarded a boat for a leisurely cruise on the Bosphorus. The sun was shining and the cool breeze made a warm jacket feel good. The scenery was spectacular - the city built on hills, many Mosques, a beautiful old palace, very ancient buildings in the shadow of modern high rises, cargo ships, the long, high, beautifully arched bridge - a whole new yet very old world - magnificent!
We met our bus on the other side beside an adult exercise park. We enjoyed trying out the various machines and played there for a short while before we travelled on through the beautiful countryside to Ankara. Ankara was chosen as the capital in 1923 by Ataturk, Father of Modern Turkey, who led the Turkish War of Independence 1919-1923. He is greatly revered and celebrated throughout Turkey. Many monuments commemorating his victories and accomplishments have been erected.
Ankara is believed to have been the site of an ancient Hittite city and was occupied by others - Romans, Persians and Arabs until 1923. In the 11th century, wool from the angora (ankara) goat became a major export giving the city its name. It was a flourishing trade and administration centre in Roman times. Around 400, it became the summer capital of the Roman emperors who moved their entire administration there in order to escape the sultry summer heat.
We enjoyed our buffet supper featuring many choices at the beautiful Radisson Sas Hotel, followed by a very interesting evening walk through the city.
Sunday, April 19
Eastern Orthodox Easter, Earth Day, Janet’s Birthday
After another buffet breakfast, we visited the Ataturk Mausoleum, a magnificent structure built on the highest hill overlooking the modern city. Each province in Turkey contributed stone to the mighty hall which contains Ataturk’s tomb, although his remains are buried in a chamber in the ground far below. Armed guards patrolled the beautifully kept grounds.
Leaving Ankara, we drove through more beautiful country on our way to Cappadocia - farmland, mountains - some snow capped gleaming in the sunlight, along the shore of Tuz, a salt lake, and the route of the ancient silk road.
We stopped at Kaymakli to crawl through part of an ancient underground city. This amazing city consisted of a series of caves/rooms dug into the soft volcanic mountain side and was used by our early Christian brothers and sisters to escape the almost certain death from persecution by the Romans. The city has eight levels but only four are open to the public. The various rooms were connected by tunnels and as we shuffled our way along, we passed through rooms that had been used for a kitchen, dining room, living area, wine press, stable, storage area and a church. In one of the tiny rooms, we held our worship service, remembering and giving thanks for those whose strength and faith kept belief in God, Jesus and the resurrection alive to be passed on through the ages to us - a very meaningful experience. Could we really be here?! It was awesome to try to imagine the hardship experienced by those early Christians who kept the faith even unto death. What a legacy!