The Book: With Love, Lydia
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304 pages
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58 period illustrations
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Available in hard or soft cover
o
or as an e-book
Plus on-line additions of
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Map of Lydia’s ministries and travels
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Names and Places Index
Patricia Wotton is a native of Thunder Bay, North-Western
Ontario. Following after Lydia Gruchy, she is a graduate of
St. Andrew's Theological College,
Saskatoon and was ordained to
ministry in The United Church of
Canada in 1986, the 50th
Anniversary of the ordination of the
Reverend Doctor Lydia Gruchy. For
a quarter of a century she has ministered with congregations in Manitoba and
Saskatchewan.
Rev. Wotton has also served the wider church in many capacities, including as a
President of Manitoba & North- Western Ontario United Church Conference, as
a Commissioner to General Council, a Regent of St. Andrew's College, and a
representative of the United Church to Alternate Dispute Hearings for survivors
of physical and sexual abuse at United Church run Residential Schools in
Manitoba. Retirement has (finally) given her time to indulge a long-held fascination with this story of
Lydia Gruchy. Pat and her husband, Dave, currently live in Winnipeg where they enjoy being close to
their family.
Researching the book
The book was more than 10 years in the making. Because of the demands of her own ministry, Rev.
Pat Wotton was able to complete her research and writing only after she herself retired from "active
duty."
On the trail of the information, she has visited most of the Canadian places connected with Lydia
Gruchy, delved into library sources, and recorded interviews with more than 30 people to preserve the
living memory. She and her husband logged some 12,000 miles by car, air, and train in this pursuit.
In addition to research on the social history background of Canada during Lydia's lifetime, the work
included meetings with surviving members of the Gruchy family; visits to many seniors in their places
of residence throughout Saskatchewan; and research at libraries of St. Andrews College Saskatoon,
United Church of Canada's National Archives in Toronto, Bob Stewart Archives of The United Church
Conference of British Columbia at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver B.C., as well as at
First United Church in White Rock, British Columbia where Lydia spent her retirement years.
Ontario. Following after Lydia Gruchy, she is a graduate of
St. Andrew's Theological College,
Saskatoon and was ordained to
ministry in The United Church of
Canada in 1986, the 50th
Anniversary of the ordination of the
Reverend Doctor Lydia Gruchy. For
a quarter of a century she has ministered with congregations in Manitoba and
Saskatchewan.
Rev. Wotton has also served the wider church in many capacities, including as a
President of Manitoba & North- Western Ontario United Church Conference, as
a Commissioner to General Council, a Regent of St. Andrew's College, and a
representative of the United Church to Alternate Dispute Hearings for survivors
of physical and sexual abuse at United Church run Residential Schools in
Manitoba. Retirement has (finally) given her time to indulge a long-held fascination with this story of
Lydia Gruchy. Pat and her husband, Dave, currently live in Winnipeg where they enjoy being close to
their family.
Researching the book
The book was more than 10 years in the making. Because of the demands of her own ministry, Rev.
Pat Wotton was able to complete her research and writing only after she herself retired from "active
duty."
On the trail of the information, she has visited most of the Canadian places connected with Lydia
Gruchy, delved into library sources, and recorded interviews with more than 30 people to preserve the
living memory. She and her husband logged some 12,000 miles by car, air, and train in this pursuit.
In addition to research on the social history background of Canada during Lydia's lifetime, the work
included meetings with surviving members of the Gruchy family; visits to many seniors in their places
of residence throughout Saskatchewan; and research at libraries of St. Andrews College Saskatoon,
United Church of Canada's National Archives in Toronto, Bob Stewart Archives of The United Church
Conference of British Columbia at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver B.C., as well as at
First United Church in White Rock, British Columbia where Lydia spent her retirement years.
