Oscar night honours for retiring Acadia chaplain

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com



Close to 200 people gathered recently to mark the retirement of Rev. Roger Prentice after 22 years as chaplain at Acadia University.

The dinner, held July 28, brought together friends and colleagues from as far away as Calgary and Wisconsin. Rev. John Boyd from Halifax acted as MC and the program included the presentation of four unique Oscars.

The first was for best portrayal of a Dickens character. It was delivered by Alan Slipp, who was Ebenezer Scrooge to Prentice’s Mr. Fezziwig in the community production of Fezziwig’s Family Christmas Frolic. He undertook this leading role for 10 years.

The second Oscar was for best playwright. John and Lana Churchill of Port Williams detailed his years of writing Easter Passion plays and other dramatic efforts.

Former chapel assistant Chris Graham, who just graduated from University of Toronto Law School, presented the third Oscar for best director. He described taking on several of the 450 roles Prentice created for students.

Incoming chaplain Rev. Tim McFarland entertained with new lyrics to an old song and then Acadia’s president, Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, paid tribute to Prentice and gave him the Oscar for outstanding chaplain in a leading role.

Prentice also received a gold watch from the student body, a computer from a group of friends, a book of appreciation and a special publication of the Manning Memorial Chapel Passion Plays. Ceramicist Susan Meindl, who graduated in 1977, created the unique Oscars.