A Sign of Light and Love at Incarnation

A new digital sign at The Church of the Incarnation in Oakville is already helping the parish share hope, welcome, and invitation more visibly with the surrounding community. 

Installed in March 2026 with support from an $8,000 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC), the project has transformed the parish’s ability to communicate with neighbours passing along Dorval Drive and Old Abbey Lane. Tucked within a wooded setting, Incarnation had long faced the challenge of being present in the community while remaining largely unseen from the road. The new sign has changed that reality.  

The Reverend Canon Sue-Ann Ward, Rector of The Church of the Incarnation, described the sign as “a visible and welcoming presence,” adding that it has “transformed our ability to communicate with the wider community.”  

The sign carries rotating messages shaped around five themes: invitation, identity, hope and encouragement, action and care, and humour. Parish leaders say this rhythm allows the sign to become more than a source of announcements. 

“In practice, this has allowed the sign to function as a form of ‘mini-sermon’ ministry. Messages are brief, accessible, and, we hope, deeply resonant,” explains Ward.  

The impact has already been tangible. Two new families shared that the messages on the sign positively influenced their decision to attend worship at Incarnation. Parishioners have also heard encouraging feedback from friends and neighbours who have commented on the warmth, relevance, and hopefulness of the messages.  

The project has also had an unexpected internal effect. Developing messages for the sign has become a creative and collaborative spiritual practice within the congregation, inviting reflection on how to communicate the Good News in everyday language. The parish says the sign has strengthened its sense of shared ministry and deepened connections with local community partners.  

Dr. Scott Brubaker, Executive Director of the Anglican Foundation of Canada, says, “We are deeply grateful to AFC members and supporters across Canada whose generosity makes grants like this possible. Their faithful support is helping local churches share hope, strengthen community connections, and make Christ’s love more visible in communities across Canada.” 

To learn more about Anglican Foundation of Canada grants, visit anglicanfoundation.org.