Sudbury–Manitoulin Singers Build Community Across the Deanery
The Sudbury–Manitoulin Deanery Choir travelled to Little Current last weekend to help Holy Trinity Anglican Church celebrate its 140th anniversary, continuing a ministry that has become a visible sign of connection across one of the Diocese of Algoma’s largest deaneries.
Led by Deacon Norm Blanchard, the choir began years ago as a gathering of parishioners brought together to sing for the Easter Vigil. Since then, it has grown into a deanery-wide ministry that regularly supports special services and events, including Taizé worship, Evensong, and Advent Lessons and Carols.
This year, 34 singers took part in the choir, making the journey to Manitoulin Island for the anniversary celebration.
Archbishop Anne Germond recently pointed to the choir as an example of how ministry can strengthen both faith and community. In a note to diocesan staff, she described the singers’ willingness to travel, worship, and serve together as “a testimony to their desire to form community and proclaim the good news of Jesus in songs of praise, hope and lament.”
That sense of community was evident throughout the weekend. For many participants, the trip was as much about relationships as repertoire. It was an opportunity to reconnect with friends from neighbouring parishes, share fellowship along the journey, and support a congregation marking an important milestone in its history.
Archbishop Anne noted that the choir “embodies Christ’s call to make disciples, not only through worship but through the bonds formed among those who serve together.” What began as a seasonal choir has grown into a community of faith whose ministry extends well beyond any single service.
As Holy Trinity celebrated 140 years of Anglican witness in Little Current, the presence of the deanery choir offered a reminder that the Church is at its strongest when parishes support one another—sharing their gifts, their voices, and their lives.