Verdun's First Presbyterian Church is no more

By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban It's always a sad day when shifting demographics, an aging population and the vagaries of a stagnant economy once again force what used to be a vibrant community to finally close its church. "Bless us all," said student minister Kosta Theofanos as he concluded his moving homily about the friendship and service which used to define Verdun's Presbyterian congregation over the past three generations. But even as friends and guests filled the little church for its final service, church officials admitted the tiny congregation could no longer support itself and there was little choice but to close its mission. During a frank and sometimes emotional service, Theofanos described a church which considered its "friendship with God" as the ethical cornerstone which defined both a determined congregation and its well-known Chez Papa Traiteur par excellence CHEZ PAPA ERNIE'S RIB STEAK BLOWOUT! YOU WILL RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING Soup du Jour, Hot Hors d'Oeuvres, Table Salads, Bread Basket Tender 28-day cured 12 oz. RIB STEAK (charcoal broiled or Chinese Gar Toi) SERVED WITH Potato or Rice, Coleslaw & Dill Pickle BLOW OUT PRICE ONLY $19.95 ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW AT Chez Papa Ernie OPENING SOON Our Own Front View

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VINE RIPENED OR HYDROPONIC TOMATOES $2.18 kg ¢ BANANAS $1.30 kg lb. reputation for hospitality. From its earliest origins as a religious mission to the inauguration of its own church in 1925, Verdun's First Presbyterian Church helped define the values of its local community just as much as it continued to offer its hospitality to anyone and everyone who came through its doors. Unfortunately, while former PQ education minister Camille Laurin has finally found the peace and solitude of the grave, his notorious Bill101 is still working to reduce the city's English-speaking community into a shadow of its former self. Once rising costs, shifting demographics and a sharply reduced congregation forced Verdun's First Presbyterian to sell its own church back in 2004, church elders had little choice but to move their congregation to Crawford Park's United Church where they shared the building's facilities up until last Sunday's final service. While Montreal's Presbytery and its college received most of the proceeds of the sale, there were still some funds left before the congregation's Chez Papa Traiteur par excellence

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Closed Monday Tues. - Wed. 11 AM - 9 PM Thurs. - Fri. - Sat. - Sun. 10 AM - 10 PM final dissolution. Last Sunday, church elders used the money to make donations to Manna, Verdun's hard-pressed food bank for which they were warmly thanked by Manna President George O'Reilly. The Oasis Care Centre also got a cheque as did the United Church mission at Woodland School and the Tyndale St. Georges Community Centre. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends." (John15: 12-15) n George O'Reilly, President of Manna Verdun Food Bank, received a cheque from the First Presbyterian Church of Verdun. The chuch was founded in February, 1925 and closed as of Sunday June 27th, 2010. The money offered will help Manna Verdun continue its' mission of helping the less fortunate.

MoWest settles with blue collars

By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban Montreal West has reached a settlement with its blue collar employees, more than four years after the town demerged from the Montreal megacity and after some acrimonious relations with the previous town administration. "This should give us some labour peace until 2015," Mayor Beny Masella told the June 21 town council meeting. The mayor said that an agreement had been signed the previous Friday, June 18. "We had an agreement in principle," Masella explained. "We went to an conciliator about five or six months ago, about some outstanding points. The conciliator issued a ruling and our blue collar workers approved that ruling 100 percent. "So what was left from that time to this Fine Mediterranean Cuisine

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time was to work out the mechanics. We worked out all of the mechanics of the language that respected what was issued in the conciliator's report and what we already agreed upon and then we signed. We're glad to put that behind us and I want to make special note of the work of our director general, Stéphane Dulude, who worked almost entirely on his own with one of our consultants to make this deal come about." Joseph McKenzie, in charge of the public works portfolio on council, also welcomed the agreement. "We are living in a situation where the relationship between the town and its employees is very positive," the councillor said. "There was good faith on both sides and we reached what we believe will be an agreement that will serve the town, residents and blue collars as well." n Table d'Hôte Lunch & Dinner Saturday & Sunday Brunch 10 AM- 2 PM

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