Alana McCord has played an important role at SMM for several years. When her father retired from the Diocese of Niagara, her mother Patricia Harton McCord, rejoined the parish and returned to the Gallery Choir, which had launched her professional singing career many years earlier. The entire family became involved in the life of the parish and both Fr. Robert and Alana have played strong continuing roles since Patricia’s death in 2011.

Thus we were delighted to hear of Alana’s becoming a deacon heading for the priesthood with a posting to the Diocese of Ottawa, but sad to see her go. She leaves a large gap in parish life as a contributor in many areas - Sunday school and summer camp teacher, community dinner volunteer, adult formation teacher and parish warden - all combined with doctoral studies at the Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College.

Alana was made deacon by Bishop John Chapman at Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa on September 13, 2018. She will become Associate Curate in the Parish of Epiphany, Gloucester. We wish her well and know that she will contribute much to this congregation in one of Canada’s newest cities. Before this appointment beginning on October 1, we we pleased that Alana could preside at the SMM’s 11:00 mass as deacon for her first time.