On Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 3PM EST, The Canadian Council of Churches was honoured to host “Together in One Place” (Acts 2:1), an online ecumenical prayer service for Western Pentecost and Eastern Orthodox Ascension. Over 750 people registered for the event, which was held via Zoom, making it the biggest ecumenical event the Council has organized in recent memory. Prayers, Scripture readings, and reflections were offered in English and French, and the service was attended by participants from both English-speaking and Francophone regions of Canada.
In the Words of Participants…
“What an incredible, inspiring gathering, uniting us throughout this land, praying in a breadth of community that I imagine most of us have never experienced … What a gift to be praying here all together today!”
—Dr. Murray Watson, Adult Faith Animator, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (Barrie, Ontario)
“Thank you for a wonderfully planned worship service. Enormous applause to the tech staff, especially the grace under fire with technological challenges in real time. Such professionalism. Thank you to everyone for your work, many hands and minds made this possible. A blessed Pentecost to all of you.”
—Pastor JoAnne Lam (ELCIC)
“Thank you to everyone for this wonderful service. Great to be able to worship together with so many people of different denominations, sharing the Spirit of Pentecost.”
—M., who participated in the “Together in One Place” online ecumenical worship service via Zoom
Thank you!
The Council wishes to express its gratitude to all who planned and participated in this event for making it a memorable and beautiful example of Christian unity at a time when many are feeling isolated from one another. We especially thank the Rev. Amanda Currie, Moderator of the 2019 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the Most Rev. Pierre Goudreault, Roman Catholic Bishop of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, who offered brief reflections during the service, and other national leaders of CCC member churches who led the service:
- The Rt. Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator of the United Church of Canada
- The Rev. Susan C. Johnson, National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
- The Rev. Stephen Kendall, President of The Canadian Council of Churches
- The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
- Pastor Peter Noteboom, General Secretary of The Canadian Council of Churches
- Commissioner Floyd J. Tidd, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda
- His Eminence Metropolitan Yurij, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
- The Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian, Vicar, Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, Canadian Diocese
We also wish to express our gratitude to all the musicians and video creators who generously shared their talents and time and made this prayer service beautiful and unique.
Text, Video, and Music Highlights
Videos, texts, and other materials from the service are provided below. We invite you to use and share these materials widely with your networks but please give credit to The Canadian Council of Churches/Le Conseil canadien des Églises. Thank you!
- “Together in One Place” (Acts 2:1) bilingual service bulletin
- Full video of “Together in One Place” (Acts 2:1) Online Ecumenical Prayer Service for Pentecost
- Video and bilingual transcript of French homily by the Most Rev. Pierre Goudreault
- Video and bilingual transcript of English homily by the Rev. Amanda Currie
- Closing slide with links
Photo Highlights
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”2″ display=”basic_imagebrowser”]
Did this prayer service resonate with your experience of a faithful life?
Read more of the story of Christian unity, peace, and justice in Canada in our Annual Report.
Be part of more experiences of ecumenical prayer and Christian unity: www.weekofprayer.ca | www.semainedepriere.ca.
