Dear Friends,
It has been an honour and privilege to serve St. Barnabas as your new incumbent from the beginning of May this year. As there is never enough time after a service for us to get to know one another properly, I thought that this article would be the perfect opportunity to share with you something of myself and my journey of faith.
I was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and later moved to Mutare. At the age of eight I became a boat bearer. On my first Sunday, they had to tie up my cassock with a belt around my waist, so that I wouldn’t trip. From that point, I advanced through the ranks to thurifer in Grade 7 and to a Master of Ceremonies from Grade 9.
I returned to Bulawayo for high school and college before moving to Harare for seminary. I am a cradle Anglican, raised on the Book of Common Prayer and the English Hymnal, both translated into the two Zimbabwean languages of Shona and IsiNdebele.
By Grade 11, I was elected Youth Chairperson for our district, overseeing over 70 young people. It was during this time that I realized my vocation was in the church. By age 17, I was appointed a licensed lay reader, the equivalent of a subdeacon, with significant participation in the liturgy. On some Sundays, I was able to lead portions of the liturgy and also morning prayer.
During this time the call towards ordained ministry grew even stronger and so in 2002 I entered a residential seminary in Harare. I graduated from the seminary with a diploma in Anglican Studies tailored toward the priesthood and a Bachelor of Philosophy with the Jesuits. Following my studies in seminary, I attended the African University for a Bachelor’s Degree in Divinity.
I was ordained Deacon on July 16, 2005 and was priested on September 2, 2006. My first position was at St. Alban’s, Toriro, followed by Holy Name Sakubva and finally St. John’s Cathedral in Mutare. During that period, I also served as the Bishop’s Chaplain. It was also during this time that I married Epie, and we started a family.
In 2007, Epie, Simba and I arrived in Ottawa where I was appointed as Assistant Curate at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Alta Vista. I served there for three years. In 2009 I graduated with a Masters Degree in Pastoral Theology from St. Paul’s University, Ottawa.
In September 2010, I was appointed Interim Priest for St. Thomas’s Bracebridge. From there, I moved on to become the incumbent of a three-point parish of Powassan, until 2013.
Later that same year, I returned to the Diocese of Ottawa as the incumbent of a two-point parish—the Parish of Maberly-Lanark, which includes Parham and Sharbot Lake. These parishes straddle two dioceses, which meant attending two synods and working with two archdeacons. Essentially, everything was duplicated, triplicated, and even multiplied sevenfold since I had seven buildings and congregations to care for both pastorally and administratively.
Family life: My wife Epie works full time and is also a student. My son Simbarashe is at Carleton University, and my daughter Ropafadzo is in Grade 9.
I enjoy gardening, hiking, travelling, as well as playing tennis and soccer.
I was appointed incumbent of St. Stephen’s on January 15, 2017. My ministry there was very active and fruitful. Together, we completed many projects, including the installation a new-to-us organ from St. Martin’s church, a new sound system, cameras in the church, and a new lift.
Renovations to the church hall and Shalom room, new flooring for the offices and the replacement of the church roof were also among the many other projects we tackled. Although costly, these enhancements were not merely wanted but needed for the community, especially during and after the pandemic.
From 2018 to 2022, I was privileged to serve as the Regional Dean for Ottawa West, which included St. Barnabas. I frequently attended deanery meetings and am quite familiar with the life of the Parish of St. Barnabas. Some of my responsibilities as Regional Dean included the inspection of buildings and vestry books, receiving vestry reports from every parish, and convening monthly meetings for local clergy in order to share updates and offer mutual support.
One surprising aspect of St. Barnabas is that a parish of this size has no office administrator. If possible, I believe our church would benefit from having an administrator in the office on a part time basis.
Looking ahead, our parish will celebrate its 100th anniversary in the current building in 2031. We will begin preparations in earnest next year, focusing on this milestone.
It is my aim to keep the doors of the church open, and I remind everyone that our Church is more than just an Anglo-Catholic community that focuses solely on incense and high liturgy on Sundays.
We actively engage with the community through Outreach initiatives like CommuniTea, the Pancake Supper, Christmas Basket, Centretown Community Food Centre and St. Luke’s Table.
Our church holds a monthly CommuniTea in the church hall from 2:00 p.m.– 3:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month, for residents of Centretown neighbourhood. The monthly tea provides a safe and comfortable space for our neighbours to gather for tea, lunch and conversation.
Each year the Outreach Committee of the Parish hosts the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper to raise funds to support the various projects and programs of the Parish and the wider community.
And so, in conclusion, I very much look forward to getting to know you and to our growing together in faith.
Yours in Christ,
The Reverend Canon George Kwari.