Current News
Hand-Painted Greeting Cards - Rev. Thomas Ramsey
Submitted to The Anglican Montreal
by Alison Ramsey
on October 25, 2022
About a year after Reverend Thomas Ramsey and his wife Margaret retired to a house in Chambly, more than a decade after leaving the parish to serve in the district of Hochelaga, Montreal, he decided to draw a holiday card of St. Stephen’s that evoked its Christmas eve service. At that time, my parents’ list of card recipients ran close to 200 names.
Dad made a large-scale drawing in black ink, which was photocopied to the size of a small greeting card. Then the real work began: he hand-painted each one. For days, the living room looked like huge flocks of paper birds had descended, as he applied watercolours to successive piles of cards and then left them to dry.
Many people commented on the card, which spurred him to make others, including local scenes but also other churches where he had a personal history; Dad worked for years after being officially retired, travelling to fill in at nearby parishes.
When the current rector of Chambly, Reverend Andy O’Donnell, asked me to prepare something for the December issue of The Anglican, he suggested reprinting one of the cards featuring a local church, asking parishioners if they had others. Instead, I dug up all that I have: six local churches, and one from Cap à l’Aigle, where Dad preached for several years for a month in the summertime. I would love it if parishioners could identify any that I am missing. I know that he made one of St. James, Farnham, that I do not have. And I would love to see a coloured version of St. Mark, Longueuil, as mine is simply black and white.
St. Peter-on-the-Rock, Cap à l'Aigle (1993)
St. Thomas’, Rougemont (2006)
St. Paul's, Abbotsford (2008)
Grace Church, L'Acadie (2009)
St. Mark, Longueuil (2011)
[Contact information for fact-checking and/or questions: 450-447-2255; ramsey.alison@gmail.com]
200th Anniversary Celebration
At St. Stephen’s with St. James, Chambly, we decided we would wait to celebrate our 200th anniversary until we could have Holy Communion, sing, and share a meal safely together. That opportunity came on May 29th, 2022. We were blessed to have Archbishop Linda Nicholls celebrate the Eucharist and our Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson preach. It was a fitting event among friends to remember 202 years of spreading the Gospel and breaking bread together in Chambly. The photos are thanks to Ms. Janet Best, Diocesan Photographer.
Confirmation Service - Sunday April 23rd, 2023
On April 23rd, The Rt Revd. Mary Irwin-Gibson celebrated at St. Stephen’s with St. James’ Confirmation service. Bishop Mary was aided by Sunday’s worship team. Our lay reader Lynn Osborne, Bishop’s Chaplain Clara Constance Slote, reader Eileen Agley and prayers of the people Betty Cunningham, organist Colin Langille, and greeters Betty Cunningham, and Dorothy Cunningham-Wo. Barbara Moquin hosted our coffee hour.
Bishop Mary confirmed Massimo Bastone, Michael Bastone, Adam Boismenu, Amy Boismenu, Julia Mainguy, Philip Mainguy, Ely Paolina Papeo, Arabella Slote, and Sadie Slote. St. Stephen’s also recognized long-time members, Eileen Agley, Bill Bird, Neil Ellwood, Gordon Young, Robert McConnell, and Terry Goodfellow for their” … years of faithful service and many contributions to the worship and praise of God.”
This service and all our services can be viewed online at https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanChurchChambly. I would like to thank Bishop Mary, the worship team, the candidates for confirmation, their parents, and the many helpful hands that made this service possible. I am proud of how well you all did.
Yours in Christ,
Andy O’Donnell +
Left to right: Father Andy O’Donnell, Julia Mainguy, Michael Bastone, Philip Mainguy, Massimo Bastone, Ely Paolina Papeo, The Rt Revd. Mary Irwin-Gibson, Sadie Slote, Adam Boismenu, Arabella Slote, and Amy Boismenu.
St. Stephen's Tennis Club
In the mid-nineteen 1950s, a group of church directors and informal community leaders got the notion that the community needed tennis courts. They struck an agreement with the church to lease the needed land, directly across from the cemetery, for $1.00 per annum, and with this agreement, the St. Stephen’s Tennis Club came to be.
This same group then took it upon themselves to prepare the site and went ahead and built two official sizes, clay tennis courts, including complete fencing surrounding the playing surfaces, and a small clubhouse, or better stated, a sheltered viewing structure with a small refreshment canteen.
Most families in the immediate area became members, which included player ladders, lessons for children, and season-ending championships. One of the founding members and a prominent executive of the club, Robert Macfarlane passed away in 1962 and a trophy was then commissioned and awarded to the club’s single men’s champion, annually.
The club continued for many years but was ultimately disbanded in or about 2010, with the Church then selling the land.
In 2021 a former club member had both the senior men’s and junior boy’s trophies returned to the church. They were subsequently restored, and polished and a display case was purchased and donated by Ronald Foss so that they could be displayed in Randell Hall. (The quest continues to recover the senior lady’s and junior girl’s trophies.)
- Ron Foss
The Tennis Club was an active part of St. Stephen’s for several years. When it was active, the tennis league awarded trophies to senior and junior men and women, and doubles. I appreciate the efforts of Ron Foss to secure several items, which were restored, and the purchase of a display cabinet for Randell Hall. Several people made donations to help with this project. Several items have not been recovered. If you can help us, find the other trophies, photos, and/or list of winners it would be appreciated.
- The Rev. Andy O’Donnell
The Robert Macfarlane Memorial Trophy
St. Stephen’s Tennis Club
Fort Chambly, Quebec
This trophy was named after one of the founding members and a prominent executive of the St. Stephen’s Tennis Club, Fort Chambly, Quebec. Established in the late 1950’s, the club was built on St. Stephen’s Church property by many of the families living in Fort Chambly, at that time. Many of these same families were also parishioners of St. Stephen’s Church. Robert Macfarlane passed away in 1962 and this trophy was then commissioned and awarded to the club’s single men’s champion, annually. The club continued for many years but was ultimately disbanded in or about 2010, with the Church then selling the land.
The Inscription
The Robert Macfarlane Memorial Trophy
Presented By The Membership Of The
St. Stephen’s Tennis Club
For Annual Competition
Men’s Singles
1962
Restored and Made Possible by the
Effort and Generosity of
Ronald M. Foss
October 2021
The Robert Macfarlane Memorial Trophy
St. Stephen’s Tennis Club
Senior Men’s Singles Winners
| 1962 – Roger Leblanc | 1979 – Rene Turgeon |
| 1963 – Roger Leblanc | 1980 – Rene Turgeon |
| 1964 – Ramon Custeau | 1981 – Rene Turgeon |
| 1965 – Ted Fulcher | 1982 – Rene Turgeon |
| 1966 – Blaikie Purvis | 1983 – Christian DeLierre |
| 1967 – Ted Fulcher | 1984 – Marc LeClair |
| 1968 – G. Robillard | 1985 – Marc LeClair |
| 1969 – D. Bean | 1986 – Rejean Touchette |
| 1970 – Michel Belly | 1987 – Rejean Touchette |
| 1971 – D. Bean | 1988 – Rejean Touchette |
| 1972 – Denis Ostiguy | 1989 – Christian DeLierre |
| 1973 – Jacques LeClair | 1990 – Unknown |
| 1974 – Jacques LeClair | 1991 – Christian DeLierre |
| 1975 – Jacques LeClair | 1992 – Unknown |
| 1976 – Jacques LeClair | 1993 – Unknown |
| 1977 – Claude Vadeboncoeur | 1994 – Unknown |
| 1978 – Rene Turgeon | 1995 – Christian DeLierre |
John Hopkins Trophy
St. Stephen’s Tennis Club
Junior Men’s Singles Winners
| 1964 – Steve Hurlburt | 1977 – Yves Beaulieu |
| 1965 – Bruce Martin | 1978 – Yves Beaulieu |
| 1966 – Chris Mayne | 1979 – Yves Beaulieu |
| 1967 – Chris Mayne | 1980 – Francois Vanasse |
| 1968 – Denis Ostiguy | 1981 – Marc Novello |
| 1969 – Chris Mayne | 1982 – Marc LeClair |
| 1970 – Pierre Laurin | 1983 – Eric Schneider |
| 1971 – Doug Stephenson | 1984 – Paul Miklis |
| 1972 – Pierre Laurin | 1985 – Paul Miklis |
| 1973 – David Ramsey | 1986 – Unknown |
| 1974 – David Stephenson | 1987 – Hughes St-Pierre |
| 1975 – Yves Richer | 1988 – Hughes St-Pierre |
| 1976 – Yves Richer |
