Our
Clergy &
Staff 
Owen Ash joined Incarnation in September 2005. He previously served for two
years as Assistant Curate at St. Simon’s Church in Oakville. His appointment
to the Church of the Incarnation represents a “coming home” of sorts, as
Incarnation was his family parish for many years prior to his ordination.
Ian Grieve, Honorary Assistant Ian Grieve has been our
honorary assistant since 1995.
Janice Moro, Music Director
Janice joined Incarnation as Music Director in July 2007. She has an
extensive musical background, including choral conducting, accompanying and
teaching. Janice has a Bachelor of Music from the University of British
Columbia, with a specialization in voice and has completed the Royal
Conservatory of Music's (RCM) Grade 9 Voice and Grade 9 piano. She is an
accomplished performer and composer of classical, gospel, sacred and
contemporary music.
Angela Barraclough, Administrative Assistant
Angela has been Incarnation's office "guru" since 1998. She keeps the place
running smoothly and is always there to help with answers to everyone's
questions.
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In partnership with the Diocese of Niagara
The Church
of the Incarnation is part
of the Diocese of Niagara, a
regional body that links
more than 100 Anglican
parishes in the Niagara
area. The diocese provides
administrative and resource
support and plays a strong
leadership role in youth
ministry activities,
stewardship and parish
renewal.
The diocese has been an
important presence in the
life of the church,
initially taking full
responsibility for planning
and funding the work of the
parish and later providing
annual subsidies and a $1.4
million allocation towards
our building costs.
Each year, we send
delegates to synod, the
annual decision-making body
of the diocese. We also send
delegates to youth synod
each spring. Our priests and
church members are involved
in leadership roles in many
regional activities and
committees.
The diocese also produces
a monthly newspaper, The
Niagara Anglican, to
accompany the Canada-wide
Anglican Journal. Anyone on
our parish list receives
these papers automatically.
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The
Church
of
the
Incarnation:
Who Are
We?
We are a community of Christians, who gather together for worship, to pray,
sing, laugh and grow spiritually together. We are informal in tone and
dress, but not casual or careless in our intentions or responsibilities. We
enjoy the noise and spontaneity of children (and adults!), but respect the
need for times of order, quiet and reflection. We are exploring the
boundaries of faith and worship, while respecting the Christian story of
God’s love and the traditions of the Anglican church.
We are joyful. We
care about each other. We are family. All people are welcome in our varied
lifestyles, ages and religious backgrounds. We are all part of God’s
creation.
We understand that leadership is everyone’s responsibility, not just our
priest's, and understand that our strength as a community comes from
encouraging and supporting the diversity of our members, their interests,
their talents and the richness of their spiritual beliefs.
We strive to preserve the caring and learning that has marked our journey
and want to make a difference throughout Oakville and in the larger Anglican
church.
History
Our official history began with a commissioning service in January 1987,
with regular services starting that September 1987. We met in the library of
St. Ignatius of Loyola High School. We slowly grew in numbers, and in 1988
we were deemed a parish in the Diocese of Niagara (a regional body linking
all Anglican churches in the area). At that point, we received our name, The
Church of the Incarnation. Incarnation refers to seeing God in the world
around us and especially in the humanity of Jesus. By 1992, we’d outgrown
the school’s library and moved into the cafeteria, and in August 1995, moved
our office from our priest’s home into rented commercial space. We opened
the doors of our church building, our home amongst the trees, in January
2000. (Find out more about our history - the first ten years - in our
Looking Back, Together archival series.) Since then, we have continued to
grow as a parish, both in numbers and in spirit.
Mission
We at the Church of the Incarnation are called by God
to a life of worship and service. As an Anglican community, we provide a
contemporary, family-oriented parish for Christians of diverse ages and
backgrounds. We nurture faith and promote spiritual growth in an inquiring and
thought-provoking environment, at the same time looking beyond ourselves to
fulfill needs in the wider community.
Core Values
Our core values describe who we are
and who we want to be. They are a thread linking our past, our plans and all of
the activities described throughout this web site.
- Inclusiveness of all People
- Family Oriented
- Presence of Children and Young People
- Informal Atmosphere
- Outreach to Others
- Involvement in the Life of the Parish
- Close Relationship with our Clergy
- Support of People in Need
- Stewardship
Vision Statement & Objectives
Our vision statement and our
objectives help us focus our ministry:
Use our gifts
to express our individual ministry.
Welcome new people and nurture each other.
Put into practice "Give till it feels good."
Celebrate!
Governance
The parish "business" and decision-making is conducted by the
Corporation,
which consists of the rector, two wardens, and two deputy wardens, who are all
members of the church. Wardens are appointed for two-year terms (one as deputy
and one as a "full" warden").
Parish Council consists of up to 16 members: our priests, the wardens, deputy
wardens, the treasurer, 2 youth representatives, and up to 10 other adults. Most
members serve a two-year term. Parish Council meets bi-monthly and acts in an
advisory capacity to the Corporation, as a ‘think tank’ and as a visioning
group. Meetings are open and anyone may attend; to have something added to the
agenda, please contact the chair.
We elect or appoint members to Parish Council each year at vestry, which is
the annual business meeting of the church. People who have been active members,
contributing financially to the work of the church for the previous six months,
each have a vote at vestry. Other committees and groups develop, as needed, to
do the work of the church.
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