St. Aidan’s Cookbook

We have an extensive list of recipes put together by members of the parish here:

https://staidanscookbook.blogspot.com/

All are welcome to go to the St. Aidan’s Cookbook site and submit your recipes there, we love to try new food!

Summer Camp

We have a summer camp for ALL parishioners and their extended family members at The Harbour in nearby Riondel. Saturday night Great Vespers and Sunday morning Divine Liturgy are served at the camp. Games and activities are planned with a focus on connection and allowing plenty of time for rest and relaxation. We share cooking and cleaning duties at camp, and prep food at the church as a group before we go. Tenting and trailer spots are available, as well as cabins and rooms in the lodge.

Check out The Harbour and take a look at their video here. We have the entire camp to ourselves – food and accomodation come out to and the children are free! Contact us for more information.

Here are some photos from our August 2023 summer camp:

Lots of fishing – both fly fishing and ‘regular’ fishing – went on this weekend.

Lots of paddling trips and fun on the beach!

Church Choir

Our small choir leads the congregational singing at Vespers, Liturgy, and on special days such as Holy Week. The choir’s traditional Orthodox 4-part acapella harmony leads the parish through the services. Joanne Jakobsen (center), who learned the music growing up both in Creston and in St. Aidan’s, is the Choir Director. She leads the choir through Liturgy on Sunday mornings, while the assistant choir director David Pasivirta leads the choir through Vespers on Saturday evenings. Jesse leads the congregation whenever Joanna and David are unavailable. Matushka Sonia puts together the sheet music every week – faithfully putting out 5 music books every week for the congregation to use during the service. Many thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers for the work that they do each week.

Glimpses of Glory

Our own Anastasia Bartlett wrote a column called ‘Think on These Things’ in the Creston Valley Advance Newspaper from 2015 – 2017 and has written in the Cranbrook Daily Townsman. You can still read them at crestonvalleyadvance.ca

Her writings were published in a book called ‘Glimpses of Glory’, available in our library and bookstore.

You can also read her writings on our blog here:

https://www.saintaidan.ca/category/glimpses-of-glory/

Friends of St. Aidan

St. John in the Wilderness Orthodox Sanctuary

The intention of this community is to build and to sustain a living sanctuary, an altar in the wilderness for the spiritual life. There is a traditional Orthodox ‘Byzantine’ Chapel under construction, which is being built from stone at the center of an Orthodox Mission community. Fr. Nilos was a member of our church before his ordination and the establishment of his own parish. We continue to support them and visit regularly to their location in Birchdale, BC

http://www.orthodoxcanada.ca/Birchdale-Kaslo_BC_Saint_John_in_the_Wilderness_Orthodox_Sanctuary_2007

Holy Transfiguration Hermitage

The monks limit visitors to clergy who are making a personal spiritual retreat (a time of silence, prayer, and making confession). Fr, Andrew has gone to the Hermitage in Lone Butte, near 100 Mile House, BC several times, both for spiritual retreats and to help them with the building of the Hermitage. They carved and delivered our new Holy Table in 2019. The monks pray for us every week during their services and we continue to be in touch with them and support them as often as possible.

https://www.orthodoxcanada.ca/Lone_Butte_BC_Holy_Transfiguration_Hermitage_1977

Fr. Michael Oleska

As an Orthodox priest for the last 45 years, a recognized elder with the Alaskan Federation of Natives, the husband of his Yupik wife Matushka Xenia, speaker of Alaskan traditional indigenous languages, an author of many books and articles and a widely acclaimed PBS series, and a doctor of cross-cultural communication, Fr Michael Oleksa has visited St Aidan of Lindisfarne in Cranbrook, BC more than once in the role of beloved teacher.

https://www.archdiocese.ca/articles/visit-fr-michael-oleksa-st-aidans-cranbrook