Fernie’s Christ Church Anglican welcomes a new priest, Reverend Andrea Brennan, BA (Hons), MDiv. Those letters tell her credentials but don’t tell the story of who the woman is but as you read you discover someone of substance and intellect.
She was born in London, Ontario but raised in Sudbury where the family moved to in 1981 when her father was offered a teaching position. Laurentian University followed high school graduation and after that the next twenty years were spent working with health charities including Cancer Society in different cities including Sudbury, Timmins and Brantford.
Andrea recalls that even as a young child she was aware of a desire to work in the service sector but wasn’t sure in what capacity. She adored her first grade teacher, Miss Kingsley, a kind and patient woman who taught her to read and opened a whole world that instilled in Andrea an aspiration to emulate her.
At six months of age she was baptized in historical St. Paul’s Cathedral, in Dorchester, Ontario, years later her ordination also took place there. Andrea said she hadn’t realized the significance until she walked into the Baptistery to photocopy her baptismal information from the Big Book and at that moment the historical meaning hit her.
Andrea was raised Anglican but after the family moved church attendance lapsed however she enjoyed participating in the junior choir although finding the service a little dry. When her mother was told by the resident priest that in order for Andrea to continue in the choir the family had to participate in tithing, that ended that church involvement.
While working in Timmins Andrea joined the church but back in the day if you weren’t born and raised in the town you were considered a guest and in church that focus infiltrated and it seemed she was always considered a stranger. Through work at the Health Unit undertaking Cancer prevention and education she became acquainted with First Nations and that proved a positive experience. Her next position was administration work at the Brantford Mall and it was throughout this time she began experiencing a spiritual yearning. This feeling solidified when on entering St. Marks church the greeter Mary Derrick, reached for her hand and said “welcome home”.
On moving to Cambridge she attended St. James church where she investigated becoming a lay reader. On speaking with the priest he responded, “Yes, I will train you as a lay reader but why don’t you consider the priesthood instead?”
Andrea’s reaction was to laugh; she thought the priest a bit crazy to suggest such a thing. But the priest had noticed that she had a caring presence and was good with seniors.
Andrea spent a week of discernment and prayer with the Sisters of St John to contemplate whether she truly was called to the priesthood. She was terrified of the idea, wasn’t ready to surrender to this huge change and couldn’t grasp God really had that plan for her.
On the grounds of the Convent there were grottos depicting different saints. The first afternoon she strolled to the grotto of St Joseph and the Christ child, sat beneath the statue, closed her eyes and nearly jumped out of her skin when a loud male voice said “Andrea you will serve me”. She looked around saw no one and ran to ask the Sister if any male guest or groundskeeper was about and was told no. Shook up she continued her routine and after evening prayer went for a walk passing the statue but not stopping again. What had happened seemed illogical, confusing, and frightening. The next day she went to the statue sat down and again heard the same voice saying “Andrea you will serve me”. This time she ran to the Mother Superior to ask if she was going insane. Mother smiled and asked “what do you think it is?” “I don’t know but I am frightened”. “What about? “Surrender. I am not worthy enough; it’s unfathomable in my world that I might have heard the voice of God.”
The next day was spent in meditation, thinking if she responded to the call her entire life would turn upside down, but “if God thinks I’m worthy perhaps I should pursue this”. On the last day she went again to the statue but this time heard nothing. “Am I off the hook? She thought as she thanked Mother Superior and the Sisters for the wonderful care and support they had provided her. As the only guest she had been included in the daily meals eaten in silence. Before departing she stood before the statue and said “I surrender, if you want me I’m yours. I don’t know what or how to do this”. At this point she heard her name called again.
On arrival home she called her priest, called her mother and her father who never picked up the phone was on the other end. She told him of her experience and he said, “It’s not a bad gig, you only work one day a week”, that was his way of saying Amen, Andrea says. Adding that one day a comment was made to her dad that she was supposed to be a teacher and her father responded, “she is teaching but from a different book”. Andrea served as Legion padre at Donnybrook Legion for several years and when her father died on his request she conducted the service. It was with full honor guard, she was stoic until the flag was brought down and then up again and that brought the flow of tears. “ As Christians we tell our stories, we honor them”, she says.
After years in one church she though it was time for a change, talked it over with her Bishop to see whether there was a possibility of moving within the Diocese of Huron and he recommend that she “cast your net wide”. Checking online she discovered the Diocese of Kootenay was looking for a priest. She read the description and the letter addressed to a possible applicant describing who they were, where they were going, there was the invitation to go on the journey with them. The words were hope filled and touched her. She thought this is where I need to go and called the Bishop.
She quotes a saying, “A preacher is meant to preach with a Bible in one hand and newspaper in the other. Homilies need to be relevant” she says “you need to know what is going on in the present. We’re doing a Lenten study looking at Jesus thought the eyes of John; this is a contextual bible study, as written and in context of back then. You can’t make everyone happy but you can make everyone upset” she adds.
In her first homily here she began with an apology. I’m new, I don’t know western culture, but I am learning and I’m going to say things you don’t like I’m going to do things you won’t like but I need you to tell me, not everybody else but me. We’re all vulnerable, but we need to communicate with love especially when anyone is unhappy at what I do.
I’m overjoyed to be here, everyone I have encountered in town has been friendly and welcoming, they want me to stay as long as I like and I plan to do so”.
Well spoken, friendly, approachable. Her business card states “Priest, Prophet, Pastor, Teller of Stories, Keeper of Secrets.”
I would add “ a Friend to all”.
Welcome to Fernie Reverend Andrea Brennan.
