Sid Smithson

My first experience as an ordained(1979) person was at St George’s Church in London Ontario. I was the Assistant Curate for two and a half years. It was a good learning  experience and a very active parish. One of my jobs was to lead in Evensong every Sunday evening which included a choir and a good organist. I was not required to preach a sermon which was fine with me as I was terrified of public speaking. However I did preach occasionally at the main service. My chief involvement was pastoral care which I did enjoy. While at St George’s I met my late wife Elizabeth who grew up in Nassau Bahamas. In 1982 I became the Rector of Holy Trinity Church in Burford. It was a culture shock to live in a village with one stoplight. I was there for four years and enjoyed the experience. Lots of pastoral care look place meeting parishioners and non parishioners on the street whilst going to the post office etc. The interfaith relationships were generally very good and we supported each other in fundraisers.

There were lots of  country style dinners at the fair ground, local legion and parish halls. It was while we lived in Burford that our two children were born, David and Lisa. In the summer of 1986 I was appointed Rector of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London. I always liked the looks and location of the church and was happy to receive the appointment. There was a year-round garden in the narthex which I found appealing. It just felt good to be there. When I arrived I found a congregation in good shape. I was there 27 years. I got to know many fine people in good times and bad and in between. Lots of weddings, funerals and baptisms. In my first decade at St. Martin’s we had a growth spurt in attendance on Sundays and the Sunday School. After that attendance began to level off and then begin slowly decline. This was disappointing to me and the congregation too. I don’t know how many clergy conferences I attended where an expert in church growth would tell us how to grow. I’d go back to the congregation enthused but growth didn’t happen. It drained my energy doing this and that but to no avail. When I was approaching retirement age my body told me it was time to lay down the responsibility of leading the parish. Six months before I retired I was diagnosed with non Hodgkins Lymphoma. I had three rounds of chemotherapy and 30 radiation treatments. I lost my hair but tolerated the treatments pretty well. I was able to keep on working and retired in June of 2013.

In 2014 we moved to Ottawa. I found it to beautiful city with lots of interesting history. I also liked the French culture of Gatineau which is just across the Ottawa River. After two years in Ottawa we moved to  Calgary where I lived from 1956-60. We moved to Calgary at the same time my Junior High School was having a 60th anniversary reunion. It was great to meet old friends who I hadn’t seen or heard from in decades. After two years in Calgary we moved up to Edmonton(where I lived 1961-65). Both our children found jobs in Edmonton. Yes we followed our children and it was a good move. My wife died two years ago but lived long enough to know our two grandchildren. I spend a few afternoons a week looking after the grandchildren. I enjoy spending time with them.

Sid with grandson Wylder at the West Edmonton Mall

I have not taken a church service since I retired and I don’t miss it. I have attended various Anglican churches in Edmonton including the one where I was confirmed. It was in Edmonton that marked the last time my nuclear family was altogether. My sister Nancy died in Edmonton at age 18. My next oldest sister Mary died in 2005 and both my parents have died so I’m an orphan in a sense. Edmonton holds a lot of significant memories for me, past and present.

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