Book Club
2025-09-16 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Toronto) | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
Meetings are usually held the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7pm to 9pm. We are a friendly, respectful, no rules book club.
Each month one person will facilitate a discussion about the book chosen for that month. Discussions are always informative and lively. New members are welcome. If you see a book that peaks your interest and would like to join us for an evening’s discussion we also welcome drop-ins.
You can join us by contacting Jean Dunning at 613-259-2636 or email here.
MERA Bookclub Reads 2025 – 2026
September There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
October James by Percival Evertt
November Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery
December Project Hail by Mary Andy Weir
January Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
February The Troublesome Young Men by Lynne Olson
March Women Watching by Marilyn Simonds
April The Women by Kirsten Hannah
May The 100 Foot Journey by Richard Morris
June Choose next year’s reads

Pottery Studio
2025-09-17 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-01 13:00 - 15:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
Meetings Space: Pottery Studio (basement)
Contact Person: Heather Vriends

MERA's Needle Pushers
2025-09-17 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-24 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-01 13:00 - 16:00
Meeting Space: MERA Room
Contact Person: Bonnie McQuatt
We welcome anyone who might have new techniques or designs to share or perhaps just has a desire to try something new.
Most of the fun of quilting is being with the people we quilt with. Newcomers learn by doing. If you would like to try quilting with us we will share our supplies with you until you figure out if quilting is your thing or not. The requirements for quilting are minimal. Those who have a portable sewing machine, rotary cutter and mat will bring that equipment when we are starting a quilt and we work together cutting out the pattern and assembling the quilt. Once the hand quilting begins each person needs their own thimble, scissors and quilting needles.

Heritage Weavers
2025-09-18 09:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-25 09:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-02 09:00 - 14:00
Meeting Place: Dean Hall
Contact Person: Lise Loader
This collective has expanded significantly from a core group over the last few years.
The weavers gather to plan and work on projects and are available to share ideas, advice and enthusiasm with each other and newer weavers. It’s an apprentice-like learn-as-you-go environment suited to those who have taken an introduction to weaving weekend workshop at a guild.
We have 7 looms of various sizes and styles at MERA. Some of these looms are set up with extra-long warps which become cooperative projects that various members work on when they can.
As with all groups at the Schoolhouse, you must have a MERA membership to become a regular member of the MERA Heritage Weavers.

Pottery Class - Beginners Level
2025-09-18 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-09-25 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-10-02 14:00 - 16:30
MERA’s pottery studio is always keen to welcome new potters.
The best way to join us is to enroll in our introduction to pottery class – a 6 week series of 2 ½ hour classes offering a taste of wheel work, hand building, sgraffito and glazing. The objective of the six week session is to introduce potential potters to working with clay, and to participating in a shared studio. The fee is $200 (with MERA membership). We’re ready to run two sessions this fall.
BEGINNING students on Thursday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:30. The 6 week session will run from September 18 through October 23. Six spaces available. All supplies provided.
Once you fall in love with potting you can become a studio member by
1 – becoming a member of MERA, (individual or new family membership $60.00)
2 – paying the annual studio fee of $60.00,
3 – signing up for our WhatsApp chat (ask Alexis to add your address), and
4 – buying your first block of clay. We sell the clay for $35.00/bag.Clay used in the studio must be bought through the studio (the easiest way to ensure that we are all using the same clay. It makes creating glazes and firing our work less complicated). The studio fee and clay purchases give you access to the studio’s tools and equipment and cover the cost of glazes and firing.
Please reach out for more information about classes or the studio through me lyndal.neelin@gmail.com or Alexis meraschoolhouse@gmail.com.

Art Circle
2025-09-19 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-03 10:00 - 12:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
Join us and learn from and be inspired by what others in the group are working on. There is plenty of time to work on your own piece and also trade ideas and techniques with others in a casual way.

Stained Glass
2025-09-19 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-26 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-03 18:00 - 21:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
Come and join us. All that you require is an interest in being creative and a MERA membership. We have materials to get you started. We learn and hone our craft together.
Be prepared to learn from and be inspired by what others in the group are working on. There is plenty of time to work on your own piece and also trade ideas and techniques with others in a casual way.
This is a new program so we are excited to see how it develops!

The Mark Ferguson Jazz Quartet
2025-09-21 14:00 - 16:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
The Mark Ferguson Jazz Quartet is comprised of Mark Ferguson (piano and trombone), Mike Tremblay (saxophones and flute), John Geggie (double bass) and Jamie Holmes (drums). This stellar ensemble will perform original arrangements of classics from the songbooks of Canadian folk icons Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. Prepare yourselves for a surprisingly fresh take on signature compositions that have been indelibly imprinted on our collective musical conscience by some of the finest jazz musicians in the business.
CLICK HERE for more information and videos.
Tickets are available at TicketsPlease.ca

Thanks to the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council we are able to offer a $20 discount to those 30 and under, and if they wish, an additional $20 discount for their “guest” of any age.

Regular – 31 years & older: $35 plus fees
Discount Single – 30 years & under: $15 plus fees
Discount Pair – 30 years & under with guest of any age (2 tickets): $30 plus fees

The MERA Schoolhouse is located at 974 Dalhousie Concession 9A, McDonald’s Corners

Funding support provided by the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Ontario

Pottery Class - Intermediate
2025-09-22 18:30 - 21:00, 2025-09-29 18:30 - 21:00, 2025-10-06 18:30 - 21:00
MERA’s pottery studio is always keen to welcome new potters.
The best way to join us is to enroll in our introduction to pottery class – a 6 week series of 2 ½ hour classes offering a taste of wheel work, hand building, sgraffito and glazing. The objective of the six week session is to introduce potential potters to working with clay, and to participating in a shared studio. The fee is $200 (with MERA membership). We’re ready to run two sessions this fall.
INTERMEDIATE students on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00pm. The 6 week session will run from September 22 through October 27. Six spaces available. I will ask you to buy your own clay.
Once you fall in love with potting you can become a studio member by
1 – becoming a member of MERA, (individual or new family membership $60.00)
2 – paying the annual studio fee of $60.00,
3 – signing up for our WhatsApp chat (ask Alexis to add your address), and
4 – buying your first block of clay. We sell the clay for $35.00/bag.Clay used in the studio must be bought through the studio (the easiest way to ensure that we are all using the same clay. It makes creating glazes and firing our work less complicated). The studio fee and clay purchases give you access to the studio’s tools and equipment and cover the cost of glazes and firing.
Please reach out for more information about classes or the studio through me lyndal.neelin@gmail.com or Alexis meraschoolhouse@gmail.com.

Closed for Cleaning
2025-09-23 05:00 - 07:00, 2025-09-30 05:00 - 07:00, 2025-10-07 05:00 - 07:00

Pottery Studio
2025-09-23 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-30 13:00 - 15:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
Meeting Space: Pottery Studio (basement)
Contact Person: Lyndal Neelin
We are a joyful group of potters who share space, tools and experience in the basement of the MERA schoolhouse. We are organized as a co-operative, sharing responsibility for making our studio a fun, open, supportive and safe place to enjoy creating works in clay both on and away from the wheel.
Each studio member is encouraged to participate in both individual and collective projects, to contribute to studio maintenance tasks, and to teach and learn from the other potters. MERA potters also organize learning and teaching opportunities in the form of in-house workshops and sessions led by professional potters and contribute to the Annual MERA Christmas Fair.

Recorder Consort
2025-10-03 13:00 - 14:15 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
The MERA Recorder Consort is an ongoing, flexible group of players. We meet regularly, playing intermediate level music in 2-5 parts, soprano, alto, tenor and bass. We play for our own enjoyment, and we sometimes play for a MERA event such as the Wassail.
If you already read music and play the recorder, we would love you to join this group of enthusiastic amateur players, with teacher Helen Mogford providing guidance and music. We have a 75 minute class most Fridays.

My Own Private Shakespeare
2025-10-05 14:00 - 17:00 | MERA Schoolhouse, McDonald’s Corners
From a single fateful phone call taken reluctantly from the toilet, a Shakespearean actor finds his world collapsing around him. As the story unfolds, the unforgiving realities of his shattered life intertwine with Shakespeare’s radiant, immortal text, while the man teeters dangerously close to the brink.
Written and performed by Justin Hay, known for his performance in the 2017 filmed adaptation “Richard III – Unto the Kingdom of Perpetual Night”, the play draws on some of the greatest and most powerful passages from Shakespeare to ask: Is it possible to find peace with the impossible paradoxes of life?
“My Own Private Shakespeare” has earned writer/performer Justin Hay critical and audience acclaim after successful runs in Toronto, New York and the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe. A veteran of the stage and screen, he trained at the Royal National Theatre in the UK.
The running time is approximately 55 minutes, with no interval. Recommended for ages 14+. My Own Private Shakespeare contains themes of mental health, suicide and trauma.
CLICK HERE for more information and videos.
Tickets are available at TicketsPlease.ca
Thanks to the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council we are able to offer a $20 discount to those 30 and under, and if they wish, an additional $20 discount for their “guest” of any age.
Regular – 31 years & older: $30 plus fees
Discount Single – 30 years & under: $10 plus fees
Discount Pair – 30 years & under with guest of any age (2 tickets): $20 plus fees
Funding support provided by the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Ontario
