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Sanctuary Kneelers

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The needlepoint kneelers on the sanctuary step in the Church of St. John the Evangelist were designed and made by members of St. John’s. The project was lead by Enid Emery, who created the design for the kneelers and coordinated their execution. Sixteen members of the church were involved in the production and assembly of the kneelers. Beginning in 2001, the work took five years to complete. The kneelers were dedicated in September 2006.

The kneelers were initially suggested by Brenda Holvey in 1997. With the support and encouragement of the Rector, Archdeacon Neil Carver and the Wardens, this suggestion became a reality under the leadership of parishioner Enid Emery, who created the design for the kneelers as well as coordinating their execution. Sixteen members of the church were involved in the production and final assembly of the kneelers. Beginning in 2001, the work took five years to complete. The kneelers were dedicated on September 24, 2006 by the Rector, Canon Christopher Pratt.

Inspiration for the designs on the kneelers was taken from the East Window and the church’s ceiling. All the structural shapes in the design, including the roundels which contain the motifs, as well as the circles and floral crosses along the front of each kneeler, are found in the East Window under which they lie. Less obvious, but equally important, is the lattice design found at either end of each kneeler, which reflects a similar image bordering the window. A total of seven kneelers were created, each unit containing three roundels which are filled with the symbols of the twelve apostles, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. Paul, the author of the Epistles. The four gospelers each have a winged symbol relating to the content of their gospel. The wings are represented by flaming hair or feathers. All the flora and fauna depicted are native to Canada.

Each of the seven kneelers is described in detail below, starting from left to right as one faces the altar. Again, working from left to right on each kneeler “a” describes the first motif within the roundel, “b” the middle motif and “c” the right motif.

1. St. Paul and St. Peter

  1. The Sword symbolizes the beheading of Paul the apostle and great missionary in Europe and Asia Minor while the Book depicts his Epistles.
  2. The Trillium, Ontario’s provincial flower, is also the same shape as the Triquetra, ancient symbol of the Trinity.
  3. Two Overlapping Keys represent Peter’s authority given to him by Jesus – “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 16, vv.18-19.)

2 . St. James the Less, St. Luke and St. Matthias

  1. The Sword symbolizes the beheading of Paul the apostle and great missionary in Europe and Asia Minor while the Book depicts his Epistles.
  2. The Trillium, Ontario’s provincial flower, is also the same shape as the Triquetra, ancient symbol of the Trinity.
  3. Two Overlapping Keys represent Peter’s authority given to him by Jesus – “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 16, vv.18-19.)

3. St. Andrew and St. Matthew

  1. St. Andrew, an apostle, brother of St. Peter and the patron saint of Scotland, is represented by a Diagonal Saltire Cross (X-shaped) on which he was crucified.
  2. Grapes on the Vine depict the wine of the Eucharist.
  3. St. Matthew, whose gospel shows the humanity of Jesus, with His compassion and empathy for mankind, is symbolized by a Young Man (or Angel) with hair flaming behind, based on an image of a local long-haired teenager.

4. St. John the Evangelist

  1. A Cup and a Snake (shown here as a Massassauga rattler) depicts one of the lesser known stories concerning the gospel writer and apostle St. John. According to the legend, St. John survived an ordeal set by the high priest of Ephesus. When offered a chalice containing snake’s venom, John blessed the cup and the venom, in the form of a snake, crawled out of the liquid. It may also be a reference to Jesus’ saying that John would drink of his cup (Mark 10, v.39.)
  2. This motif is based on the Coat of Arms of our Church of St. John the Evangelist, which was granted on October 7, 1998, encompassing: two crowns, an eagle’s head, and a cross. The Red Cross is a symbol for the Anglican Church and for St. George, the patron saint of England. The Eagle’s Head is the symbol for St. John the Evangelist. The Two Crowns as well as the Blue and White Wavy Lines within the cross have two interpretations. The first level of meaning is to denote the location of St. John’s Church, which is on the corner of Duke St. (crowns) and Water St. (wavy lines). The deeper symbolism is that the crowns symbolize the priesthood of all Christian believers and that the watery lines symbolize our Baptism
  3. St. John’s symbol is an Eagle because his gospel, which emphasizes the Divinity of Christ, soars to great spiritual and literary heights. It is depicted here as a soaring bald eagle with red-tipped wings. They can be seen flying and nesting on the Grand River.

5. St. Jude and St. Simon the Zealot

  1. St. Jude, an apostle and presumed brother of Jesus, is represented by a Ship, which symbolizes his missionary work in many countries, particularly in the Middle East.
  2. A Cross shaped from wheat represents the Bread of the Eucharist.
  3. A Fish and a Book are symbols for the fisherman and apostle St. Simon, who traveled with St. Jude, possibly to India.

6. St. James the Great, St. Mark and St. Thomas

  1. Three Scallop Shells represent the pilgrimage of St. James the Great, the apostle credited with bringing Christianity to Spain and later proclaimed the patron saint of Spain. His body is reputed to be buried at Santiago de Compostela, which even today is a renowned shrine and site of pilgrimage.
  2. A Winged Lion symbolizes St. Mark, whose gospel emphasizes Christ’s kingship and speaks of Jesus as the Lion of Judah. The lion is depicted here as a Canadian cougar shown with a red mane.
  3. A Builder’s Set Square represents the apostle St. Thomas (Doubting Thomas), credited with building churches in India. The Spear shown here is based on a tribal spear used by the North American Plains Indians. With streamers flying, it symbolizes his martyrdom at the hands of a local priest in India

7. St. Philip and St. Bartholomew

  1. The Two Loaves of Bread recall the gospel story when the apostle St. Philip brought the boy who carried loaves and fishes to Jesus on the Mount. Jesus then blessed and shared this food with five thousand of His followers. The Cross represents Philip’s martyrdom.
  2. A Three-Lobed Red Maple Leaf inspired by one found in Kitchener represents both Canada and the Trinity.
  3. Three Flaying Knives are the symbol for the apostle St. Bartholomew, known also as Nathaniel, whom Jesus called “the Israelite without guile.” He died by flaying in Scythia.

The following members of our parish participated in this project: Inga Beamish, Raymond Dugan, Enid Emery, Julie Gammon, Mindy Hurley, Elsie Jordan, Jim Macpherson, Erie Matthews, Allan McKay, Bette Moore, Ralph Nobes, Bette Anne Nichols, Elva Oates, Gladys O’Hara, Marie Peacock, and Gloria Redstone.

The photographs of the kneelers were taken by Pauline Finch.

This project was funded by donations from individuals and parish groups in celebration of the lives and witness of family, friends and former members of the A.C.W. and the Breakfast Group. One end of each kneeler bears the initials of the stitchers who created it. The other end carries the surname or group in whose memory the kneeler was donated.

The names of the person or group commemorated and the donor(s) are embroidered on the underside (floor side) of the kneelers as follows:

  1. GIVEN BY THE WEDNESDAY MORNING BREAKFAST GROUP IN THANKSGIVING AND MEMORY OF FORMER MEMBERS
  2. A THANK OFFERING FROM THE MANSELL FAMILY, A GIFT OF LEIGHTON, KAY, PETER, BILL AND DAVID
  3. GIVEN IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN AND MARY WRIGHT OF EDINBURGH. SCOTLAND BY JOHN AND JEAN WRIGHT
  4. GIVEN BY THE A.C.W. IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIVES AND GIFTS OF PAST MEMBERS
  5. GIVEN BY THE A.C.W. IN CELEBRATION OF SIXTY YEARS OF WORK AND WITNESS AT ST. JOHN’S BY MARION ELIZABETH McLELLAND
  6. IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANGELA BOEHMER MERNER, 1921-1999, GIVEN BY CARLA McLENNAN
  7. GIVEN IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF DAE HARRIS BY THE A.C.W.

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Angus Sinclair

Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.

At St. John’s, Angus is able to indulge his love for Anglican liturgy and the Anglican choral tradition by directing our dedicated choir in preparing service music and masterworks from St. John’s extensive choral library. Angus’s own repertoire of organ music allows him to enrich worship at St. John’s with countless voluntaries spanning centuries of the church music tradition. Angus has also composed music in several different genres, and is an accomplished improviser.

 As our parish musician, he provides both support and leadership so that a variety of parish programs can find musical expression and attract participation. When our handbell choir is in season, he is one of our ringers. At parish dinners, he provides popular piano music for the guests to dine by. For both worship services and concerts, he will rehearse and accompany vocal and instrumental soloists from our congregation on piano, organ, or even accordion.

Audiences throughout Canada recognize Angus as the accompanist for The Three Cantors whose concerts and CDs raised over $1 million between 1997 to 2016 for the Huron Hunger Fund/Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, now named Alongside Hope. For their outstanding service to the Church, Angus and The Three Cantors (William Cliff, David Pickett, and Peter Wall) each received Honorary Senior Fellowships from Renison College (UW) and Honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degrees from Huron University College (Western University).

Beyond St. John’s, Angus frequently accompanies mezzo-soprano Autumn Debassige in concert, and on the fourth Sunday of each month (September through June), he serves as the duty organist at Evensong for the Choir of St. George’s Anglican Church, London, Andrew Keegan Mackriell, Conductor. Two or three times a year, Angus is the assisting organist for concerts given by the Parry Sound Choral Collective, William McArton, Conductor.

In collaboration with our rector, Angus is responsible for the design of worship at St. John’s. His duties include programming music, service playing for regular liturgies and occasional services, and directing our choir, in addition to working with a variety of soloists, instrumentalists and ensembles.)

The Rev. André Lavergne CWA, Assistant Priest

As an Honorary Assistant, André preaches occasionally at worship and assists in various ministries as opportunities arise. André maintains a Rota of lay people to read and pray at worship, together with a schedule of people to write the Prayers of the People for Sundays and occasional services.

Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) in 1980, André has served Lutheran parishes in Baden, Mannheim and New Hamburg. He has served as national Worship officer for the ELCIC and, for the last decade of his working career, served as Ecumenical and Interfaith officer while also staffing the ELCIC’s Faith Order and Doctrine Committee.

In 2006, André received the Eastern Synod’s Leadership Award for Exemplary Service and in 2016 he was named a Companion of the Worship Arts (CWA).

Since 2014, André and his wife, Barbara, have resided in Waterloo where they tend a garden and welcome friends and family.

The Rev. Dr. Eileen Scully, Assistant Priest

Eileen Scully was baptized at St. John the Evangelist, confirmed, sang in the choir as an adolescent, and was married here. She then went off into some ecumenical wanderings and theological studies before returning to the parish recently as an honorary assistant. She has a PhD in Systematic Theology from St. Michael’s College, Toronto and taught for a time. 

Eileen works for the General Synod, the national body of The Anglican Church of Canada, as Director of Faith, Worship, and Ministry, keeping office space at St John’s for that work during the week. She works principally in liturgical development, helping to create resources for worship, including new liturgical texts, and connects with Anglicans across the country in networks to support ministry and Christian formation. 

Eileen was ordained deacon in 2009 and priested in 2010.

The Rev. Scott McLeod

Scott is the Chaplain at Renison College at the University of Waterloo. He was ordained and started working in parish ministry in the Anglican Church in 2005 on the West Coast of Canada in Victoria, BC, in the Diocese of BC. After completing a curacy and serving in a few parishes as rector, part of a team ministry and as associate at the Cathedral, Scott and his family moved to Niagara. He continued in parish ministry and served as associate priest for seven years at St. George’s in St. Catharines, before moving to Kitchener and starting at Renison in February 2022.

Scott studied Theology at the Vancouver School of Theology in Vancouver, BC, and before that did his undergraduate studies in Toronto at UofT completing a Bachelor of Music, Performance degree specializing in Jazz music.

The Ven. Ken Cardwell, Assistant Priest

As an Honorary Assistant Ken assists with worship services and preaches on occasion.

Ken is a graduate of Hamilton Teachers’ College, McMaster University, and Huron College. Ken retired in 2003 after 34 years as a parish priest in the Dioceses of Niagara, Keewatin and Moosonee. He also served as Archdeacon of Brock. For ten years after retirement Ken served in a number of Interim Ministry positions for parishes in transition. Ken and his wife Sarah moved to Kitchener in 2013.

The Reverend James Brown, Assistant Priest

As an Honorary Assistant, James preaches and presides occasionally at worship, and chairs the Stewardship Working Group. During the six months of Preston’s sabbatical in 2024, he served as Deputy Rector.

Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada in 1991, James served Lutheran parishes in Stratford and Waterloo until his retirement in 2015. As part of a summer exchange with the Rev. Glenn Chestnutt, he was licensed by the West Paisley Presbytery and the Church of Scotland to serve the congregation of St. John’s, Gourock, UK from 2010-2016. In 2019-2020, he served as Interim Priest-in-Charge of St. Columba Anglican Church, Waterloo.

A lifelong, self-confessed ecumaniac, James is Chair of the Steering Committee of Christians Together Waterloo Region (successor organization to the Kitchener-Waterloo Council of Churches). For 27 years, he served as an on-call chaplain at Grand River Hospital, now named Waterloo Regional Health Network @ Midtown.

James’ first career was also in the Church. For 25 years he was organist or director of music for churches in London, St. Thomas, Brantford, and Kitchener.

James and his wife, Paula, live in Baden, Ontario.

Autumn Debassige, Parish Administrator

Autumn Debassige has served as St. John’s Parish Administrator since 2023, bringing years of service-oriented and management experience to this important role. Aside from her administrative duties for us, Autumn is a professional mezzo-soprano soloist and alto chorister. Visit her website to learn more!)

Angus Sinclair, Director of Music

Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.

At St. John’s, Angus is able to indulge his love for Anglican liturgy and the Anglican choral tradition by directing our dedicated choir in preparing service music and masterworks from St. John’s extensive choral library. Angus’s own repertoire of organ music allows him to enrich worship at St. John’s with countless voluntaries spanning centuries of the church music tradition. Angus has also composed music in several different genres, and is an accomplished improviser.

As our parish musician, he provides both support and leadership so that a variety of parish programs can find musical expression and attract participation. When our handbell choir is in season, he is one of our ringers. At parish dinners, he provides popular piano music for the guests to dine by. For both worship services and concerts, he will rehearse and accompany vocal and instrumental soloists from our congregation on piano, organ, or even accordion.

Audiences throughout Canada recognize Angus as the accompanist for The Three Cantors whose concerts and CDs raised over $1 million between 1997 to 2016 for the Huron Hunger Fund/Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, now named Alongside Hope. For their outstanding service to the Church, Angus and The Three Cantors (William Cliff, David Pickett, and Peter Wall) each received Honorary Senior Fellowships from Renison College (UW) and Honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degrees from Huron University College (Western University).

Beyond St. John’s, Angus frequently accompanies mezzo-soprano Autumn Debassige in concert, and on the fourth Sunday of each month (September through June), he serves as the duty organist at Evensong for the Choir of St. George’s Anglican Church, London, Andrew Keegan Mackriell, Conductor. Two or three times a year, Angus is the assisting organist for concerts given by the Parry Sound Choral Collective, William McArton, Conductor.

In collaboration with our rector, Angus is responsible for the design of worship at St. John’s. His duties include programming music, service playing for regular liturgies and occasional services, and directing our choir, in addition to working with a variety of soloists, instrumentalists and ensembles.

The Rev. Canon Preston Parsons, PhD, Rector

After working in youth and camping ministry in Winnipeg and Northwestern Ontario, Preston began his training for the priesthood in Berkeley California in 2001. Following his ordinations in 2004 and 2005, Preston served as a hospital chaplain in Sacramento, California; not long after, he was appointed to St. Mary Magdalene, a multi-cultural parish in the south end of Winnipeg.

In 2012, Preston moved to England, where he pursued a PhD in Christian Theology at the University of Cambridge, while serving as Priest Vicar at St. John’s College, and Director of Studies at Westminster College.

Preston moved to Waterloo in 2017 with his wife, Karen Sunabacka, who took a position as Associate Professor of Music at Conrad Grebel University College.