By Colleen Boer

As an ongoing series in South Grey News, we have asked prominent local folks to share stories of the moments, places and/or people in South Grey that have brightened their lives. What we got is a definitive guide to happiness in our communities. Love of place — our place, South Grey — deserves love songs of its own.

This week, South Grey News is delighted to publish a description of an annual local inter-church event held dear by Colleen Boer, Grey Highlands’ Citizen of the Year for 2025. Colleen and her husband Ed, who live near Flesherton, have operated a successful manufacturing business in Markdale for several decades. Colleen is a mainstay of the heritage community in Grey Highlands, serving as the Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Grey Highlands Museum and as a member of the Grey Highlands Peace Committee. On March 23, at the annual Agnes Macphail Birthday Celebration held in Markdale, Colleen received a certificate of distinction from the Friends of the Grey Highlands Museum for her exemplary work in the community. Her volunteer work as a parishioner of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Markdale has also spanned decades.

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BY COLLEEN BOER — Given the divisions and commonalities among faith communities across the world, I am proud of how women affiliated with churches in Markdale have worked joyfully together for years to make prayer a living and cohesive part of community life through the World Day of Prayer — a reflection of both a national and international commitment to bettering community life everywhere.

World Day of Prayer is an initiative of the Women’s Interchurch Council of Canada (WICC). Our community is blessed to have a World Day of Prayer Committee made up of representatives of five local churches. Annually, on the first Friday of March, a prayer service is held, using the program provided by the WICC.

Each year representatives of these five Markdale churches — Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, Christ Anglican Church, Annesley United Church, Markdale Community Church (Nazarene) and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church — gather to plan our local ecumenical service. The faces and names of the representatives change over the years, but each church remains committed and involved. The host church changes annually, with each congregation taking their turn to lead the service.

Markdale’s World Day of Prayer for 2025, hosted by my home church, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the Catholic Women’s League affiliated with my church, was an ecumenical service attended by about 25 people from these five sister churches on Friday March 7.

Each year, prayers and a theme based upon a scripture quotation provide the basis of the service and a program of reflection. These programs are developed with the input of World Day of Prayer committees from different countries. The inclusive programs are then shared worldwide. For example — the 2020 program was developed by the prayer committee of Zimbabwe (its theme was “Rise, take your mat and walk”). The 2023 theme, developed by Taiwan, was “I have heard about your faith”. The 2024 theme, developed by women in Palestine, was “I beg you bear with one another in love”. This year’s theme, from the Cook Islands in the Pacific, was “I made you wonderful” (from Psalm #139).

Each year the host church organizes a planning meeting with representatives from all the other churches, and parts of the service are assigned to each church. Common hymns are chosen to encourage participation. Posters advertise the ecumenical service inviting everyone, young or old, men or women of all faiths.

At this year’s service at St. Joseph’s, everyone was greeted by Eileen Coll and Kim Black and given their booklet, a sheet of background information about the Cook Islands and a fresh carnation for a friendship exchange later in the service. Items reflecting the Cook Islands (shells, flowers and tropical fruits) were featured with the Holy Bible, open at Psalm #139, in a lovely arrangement at the front of the church. We shared reflections on our own bodies and how we are wonderfully made. Next came readings from Psalm #139, followed by the stories of different people reflecting on Centering, Connection and Awareness. Father Grayson Hope, pastor at St. Joseph’s, brought a wonderful devotional message on prayer as the light of the spirit. Our individual carnations were exchanged with each other with a comment recognizing that “God made you wonderful.” This part of the service brought lots of smiles! The music for the day was beautifully played and sung by Emily Polino (nee Black). The offering received at the event was $293.00, and this was mailed to the Women’s Interchurch Council of Canada on March 12.

The representatives of all the churches are impressive in their welcoming attitude to this cooperative day.

The World Day of Prayer committee of Markdale has shown a wonderful example. I feel this is people at their best — welcoming and accepting each other with respect and compassion. Community defined !!