This has been an emotional week for some of us about the former St. Giles building, but in the big picture, there are many many things that affect each one of us in so many ways. So it’s important to bring some perspective to bear on the decision of Hamilton’s City Council’s Planning Committee not to recommend heritage designation for our 85 Holton Ave. S. site to the full City Council at Friday’s Council meeting.
New Vision asked them not to designate the building because it just doesn’t have what it takes to continue on, and New Vision and the United Church don’t have what it takes in us either. The decisive moment at the Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday shed more light on the passing dominance of main-line Protestant spirituality in Canadian culture. We can’t afford these buildings as they are, and no one else can either. They don’t work. We are looking to replace it with mid-range purpose built rental housing to support our ministry and bring much needed rental housing to central Hamilton.
There has been local neighbourhood concern for the World War 1 memorial cairn at the corner of Main E and Holton S. We will attend to that cairn respectfully, just as we respectfully attended to the war medals from the Great War which came into St. Giles’ possession. Those have been passed on to the RHLI Regiment.
New Vision has also committed to memorializing in a fitting way the love and freedom expressed by all those who made the St. Giles’ building hum in its hey-day. It served well, and it won’t be remembered in its decline and diminishment, but in the acts of love and freedom of those who carry on its commitments.
The Affirming Spirituality Group is holding a potluck picnic at Gage Park this Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. Everyone is invited! Look for the balloons, close to the bandshell.
See you Sunday ~
Rev. Ian