Summer Fruit for Souls

Summer Fruit for Souls returns this year! From July 22 to 25, The Lay Readers Executive will host Summer Fruit for Souls at Queen's University in Kingston.

The Keynote Speaker, The Right Reverend William Cliff, was installed as Bishop of Ontario in 2023. Bishop William is a pastor, musician and liturgist who has served in the Dioceses of Huron, Brandon and Ontario. As a member of the group "The Three Cantors", he has traveled internationally, singing benefit concerts for development and the relief of hunger.

A skilled youth pastor, Bishop William has held sessions of inquiry for young people, examining questions about faith, sex, commitment, scripture, theology and growing up a Christian in today's world. He continues to work to enrich the worship life of the Church and is committed to an open dialogue respecting all people. Bishop William's sessions, entitled "Breaking the task of preaching: the task of speaking grace", will consider what we do on Sunday mornings as preachers is an exercise, not in moralisms, or hectoring or even nagging, though some may feel that way when the preacher finishes, but instead a work of speaking grace into the lives of those who hear us.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Grayhame Bowcott, or "Gray" as he's known to his students and parishioners, is a parish priest in the Diocese of Huron, serving as Rector of The Parish of the Blue Mountains. Gray is also cross appointed in the role of Program Director of the Licentiate in Theology Program at Huron University. He has served as a church planter, congregational coach and catechist, a youth pastor, and as a catalyst for ministry innovation in projects large and small. In short, Gray loves enabling others to fall in love with the Christian life and grow in our liturgically rich Anglican tradition. He looks forward to SFFS and digging into the themes of Congregational Growth and Vibrancy, Vocational Discernment and Enabling the Future Church, and of connecting Leaders and Learners through Huron's Licentiate in Theology Program.

Victor Clarke obtained a Diploma in Ministry from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia in addition to other post-secondary qualifications. He and his wife Teresa are members of the Ordonem Franciscanus Secularis, a secular Franciscan order, and attend St. Thomas, Kingston. After failing or quitting every art course, much to his surprise Victor successfully painted his first Byzantine icon, St. Maria Magdelena (photo) in 2013. He studies Greek, Russian and Byzantine icon painting with Master lconographer Phil Zimmerman and world renowned British iconographer Helen Mclldowie-Jenkins. Victor's icons hang in Holy Name of Jesus Church, Kingston Mills, Ontario, St. Anthony of Padua church, Rye, East Sussex, U.K., and private homes in Rye, Dublin, Rio De Janeiro, and Ontario. Victor will be discussing Orthodox Iconography and leading a painting session of an icon by the 15th century Russian master Andrei Rublev.