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Acknowledgments
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THIS study is the result of a long journey. Several times along the way I responded to the sirens’ call, and detoured to accept an interesting invitation to do a paper or an article that lay a bit off my route, but always I returned to my chosen path refreshed, broadened, and enriched by my excursion. My search for research material took me to archives of The United Church of Canada all across the country. Through The United Church’s Committee on Archives and History I knew the archivists and committee chairs of the network of conference archives, but only through my use of these repositories did I learn how fine a system it is. In St. John’s, I was well served by Alison Piercy and by friendly volunteers at the Newfoundland and Labrador Conference Archives. Linda White made thoughtful arrangements for my visit to the archives of Gower Street United Church, and Florence and Robert McNeely of George Street United Church devoted a Saturday evening to giving me access to that congregation’s records. The Maritime Conference Archives were in Halifax when I first used them, benefiting from Carolyn Earle’s masterful knowledge and warm hospitality. After the archives moved to Sackville, Judith Colwell served me with efficiency and good cheer. The Montreal and Ottawa Conference records are divided among several locations. In Montreal I was welcomed and assisted by Beverly Anderson-Levine and by my good friend Susan Stanley. On other trips, archivists of the city of Ottawa and of Bishop’s University served me well. Unexpected circumstances made the timing of my visit to the Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Conference Archives unfortunate, but Diane Haglund’s efforts in the face of the difficulty were nothing less than heroic. At the Saskatchewan Conference Archives, I received help Acknowledgments ix from Carlton Miller and D’Arcy Hande, but it was the long and painstaking list compiled and sent to me ahead of time by former archives chair Charles Johnston that probably doubled my productivity. Jane BoweMcCarthy and the staff of the Alberta Provincial Archives enabled me to put in long but interesting days with the Alberta Conference records. At the British Columbia Conference Archives, Bob Stewart provided not only good service and stimulating conversation, but also a desk with a breathtaking view. And in Victoria, Patricia Whiteley enabled me to work briefly but intensely with the records of First Metropolitan United Church. The trips were memorable breaks in a lengthy routine of research carried out at The United Church of Canada/Victoria University Archives in Toronto. When I began my work, Jean Dryden was the chief archivist; later Sharon Larade took that position, and to both of them I give my hearty thanks. I did research over such a long time that I cannot possibly list all the archivists who cheerfully provided me with record after record after record, but I am deeply grateful to them all. I also appreciate the assistance of the staff at the Emmanuel College library and at the Pratt Library of Victoria University. It is wonderful to have friends who are also experts. Both Marguerite Van Die and Neil Semple read an earlier version of this manuscript , and I profited greatly from the generous gifts of their time and their skills, and for the useful comments of three peer reviewers. Of course, I hold responsibility for how I responded to their suggestions. A friend from my school days, Petina Allen Werder, used her sharp eyes and her considerable language skill while going over the entire manuscript ; I am sorry that she did not live to see the completed book, but glad that we could share this during her final months. During the latter stages of the process, I received gracious and efficient help from Eleanor Stebner and Tracy Trothen on behalf of the Canadian Corporation for the Studies in Religion. I am pleased and honoured to be adding this book to its finest series, Studies in Women and Religion. And my warm thanks go to Carroll Klein and the staff at Wilfrid Laurier University Press. It is a real pleasure to work with them again. Such a journey needs not only intellectual and practical support but personal encouragement, and that I have received in ample measure . Especially, I would thank the five other women in my spiritual companionship group, and two friends whose support was expressed occasionally in person, but most often in e-mail across the miles: Alyce x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS [44.204...