Displaying items by tag:Reverend Valerie Kenyon

A Season of Growing by Canon Val Kenyon

Throughout the centuries, Pentecost Sunday has marked a day, and a season when a small, uncertain group of followers of Jesus came alive. Pentecost Sunday is a day full of energy, wind, fire, and voices raised in every language of the day, a day full of noise, colour, and chaos!

While an extraordinary day on so many levels, what stands out isn’t just the spectacle of it all, but what God is actually doing. The Spirit makes space for many voices, many languages, all speaking to those present on the day. What we see is not uniformity, but unity. Pentecost is expansive, open, and deeply embracing all.

Pentecost reminds us that we are part of a faith community shaped not by sameness, but by shared purpose and Spirit-filled generosity. The Church, at its best, is a place where we don’t have to agree on everything to belong, where listening matters as  much as speaking, and where God’s love stretches us beyond our usual boundaries.

And then, almost quietly, we move into what the Church calls “Ordinary Time”, the long green season of Pentecost. Green for growth. Green for life. Green for the slow, steady work of becoming. If Pentecost Day is the spark, this season is what happens next: learning, practicing, growing into who we are becoming as people of the Spirit.

So, what might that look like for us, day by day? Perhaps for some of us it begins with paying attention, noticing where the Spirit is already at work in our lives and in the lives of others. Maybe it looks like listening more deeply, especially to those we don’t usually hear or  understand easily. Maybe it means trying one small act of courage each day, speaking kindness, offering welcome, choosing generosity when it would be easier to withdraw.

Maybe it’s making space for reflection—asking, even briefly, “Where was God in this day?” and “How am I being invited to grow through it all? “And maybe it’s about staying open. resisting the urge to shut down or close off, and instead trusting that the Spirit is still moving, still speaking, still surprising us.

Pentecost reminds us that we are not alone and not stuck. So, as we step into this green season, we celebrate that God is still breathing life into the Church, into the world and into each and every one of us.

Welcome to the website for the congregation of St. Anne's (Byron), an active Anglican (Episcopal) congregation in the western part of London, Ontario. Reverend Canon Valerie Kenyon is our priest. We extend a warm welcome to all visitors, and those looking for a new church home, being blessed with visitors on a regular basis. Our church and parish hall are both wheelchair accessible.

Check out our events calendar to see what is happening in the coming weeks!

As you explore St. Anne’s website you will get a glimpse of the lives and activities of people who make up the family of God at St. Anne’s. There are many more whose names are not recorded here but whose memory is cherished, whose lives have shaped our lives and whose hard work and love of Christ built a foundation stronger than the foundation laid over 170 years ago with field stones and mortar from surrounding farm land, a foundation that is held together by its cornerstone – Jesus Christ. We are not a perfect family; we are a real family who daily put our lives in the hands of a perfect God, who continually conforms us into Christ’s likeness.

Along with Anglicans around the globe, we at St. Anne’s hold the traditional faith of Christians through the ages. We look back with thanksgiving for blessings received and we look ahead with joy, wondering what new song we are to sing unto the Lord. (Psalm 144:9) The holy friendship we share with God and one another makes us a family and the ministry to which every person you see here and beyond these pages is called, leads us into joyful service of the community in which we live. Our work is simple, to worship God, build a relationship with His Son and love one another as Christ has loved us. (John 15:12)

To get the most out of this website, check our Events Calendar for the list of activites and then consider our other menu items such as Church Seasons. Look for updates and current news on our Outreach and Faith and Worship pages.

Donations to support the ongoing ministry at St. Anne’s Byron can be made in several ways:

• with cash or cheques in a Sunday envelope at church - please note that cheques must be made out to "St. Anne's Anglican Church"
• e-transfers may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• by using the Donate Now button at the top of each page on our website ( https://stannesbyron.ca/) or via Canada Helps at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/stannes-anglican-church-byron/ A small fee is charged by Canada Helps.
• through automatic withdrawals on your bank account or credit card arranged with our Envelope Secretary, Verna M.using this form

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Help St. Anne's raise money by buying cash/gift cards at www.fundscrip.com.
Buy a cash/gift card to any number of participating businesses through St. Anne's and the church receives a commission on your purchase. For less than $1 in postage for online orders, the card comes right to your mailbox. To order online, go to www.fundscrip.com and use code 5MW25S. Payment must be made at the time of purchase.