September 2011 by Anglican Life

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

ANGLICANLife A Section of the Anglican Journal

in NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Finding Common Ground On the hottest day of the late spring, a small band of clergy and laity descended on London, Ontario eager to see what the Common Ground conference was all about. Common Ground 2011 was described as a National Ecumenical Youth Ministry Forum; a five-day event for anyone whose work, life and ministry connects them in some way with young people in the faith community. Thanks to support from the Eastern and Central Dioceses, nearly a dozen delegates attended the event, at the Lamplighter Inn and Conference Centre. It was packed full of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, worship and plenty of opportunities for networking and fellow-

ship. Some of the highlights, other than the fabulous location and great food, include keynote speaker Rodger Nishioka, a morning of spiritual practices and an opportunity to go off-site and spend a day doing something new during the OSLO (Off-Site Learning Opportunity). One of the highlights for me was the first keynote speaker, Dr. Rodger Nishioka a renowned public speaker who teaches in Washington State. His focus was on equipping parish leaders to be teachers and educational leaders and he was particularly interested in building a congregation’s youth and young adult ministries. Dr. Nishioka had a very engag-

ing personality and his personal stories added much to the delivery of his message conference attendees spoke about his addresses all week long. A whole morning was dedicated to exploring spiritual practices, either independently or in groups. One session offered the opportunity to walk the labyrinth, others time for reflection and prayer. It was a great time to find some quiet in the busyness of the conference and really focus on why we were there and what we hoped to accomplish. Not to mention it was a great opportunity to try out some practices we weren’t familiar with and see if we found something new to bring back

to our own ministries. There were some great sessions offered by leaders in youth ministry offering insights into different aspects of youth ministry like how to present the Word in fun and engaging ways, how to incorporate “Holy Motion” and generally how to have fun with faith. The OSLO events were also very well received. Some in our group went ziplining and rock climbing, others went to a nearby L’Arche Community, and still others spent the day experiencing world religions. I was in this latter category and really enjoyed the time spent with people in the Muslim and Sikh communities in Kitchener. It was a great day

September 2011

Submitted by Allison Billard

for interfaith dialogue and learning. On a personal note, I also found the conference to be a great opportunity to get to know some of the people in my own region who I hadn’t yet had a chance to meet. I learned a lot about the folks that made up our little delegation, and promised not to share too much in this write up, but I will say that I had a lot of fun and I hope this is not the last chance I’ll have to spend some time with them. Common Ground 2011 was a great learning experience and I hope that other similar opportunities will arise in the future - there’s always more to learn and experience to enrich our work with young people.

SERVI NG THE DIO CE SE S OF WEST ERN NEWFO UNDL AND + CENTRAL NEWFO UNDL AND + EAST ERN NEWFO UNDL AND & LABR AD OR VING IOCE CESE SES STE WFOUNDL UNDLAND WFOUNDL UNDLAND ASTE WFOUNDL UNDLAND ABRAD ADOR

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

Two new clergy ordained

The Rev’d Louise Richards

The Rev’d Gloria Wendover

On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at St. Martin’s Cathedral, Gander, Bishop David Torraville (right) ordained Gloria Wendover (left) into the diaconate. The service was followed by a “cup of tea,” allowing those in attendance time to congratulate and offer encouragement to Rev. Gloria as she prepared to set out for a new ministry in the parish of Marystown. All of her family and friends hope for Rev. Gloria Wendover to experience abundant blessings in ministry for many years to come. Submitted by Stella Walsh

The Rev’d Louise Richards of the parish of St. Mary the Virgin was ordained deacon on May 31, 2011 at St. Anthony, NL. The Diocesan Bishop, The Rt. Rev’d Percy Coffin, and a large number of visiting clergy, diocesan clergy, regional deans, canons and lay ministers were in attendance. Rev’d Louise is the first parish daughter to be ordained at St. Mary the Virgin Church. She will take up duties as an Associate Deacon at St. James Church in Channel- Port aux Basques in June. Pictured above is The Rev’d Louise Richards with her parents Emma and Wilfred Richards. Submitted by Linda Coffin

New table for Gambo On Sunday, 3 July 2011, The Rev. Betty Harbin dedicated a table that was made and presented to St. George’s church in Gambo by George Badcock. This table will be used to hold cremation urns during funeral services. Photo by Betty Badcock. Submitted by Stephen Badcock.

LeDrew Lumber Company Ltd. Kelligrews, C.B.S. Newfoundland

Phone: 834-2051 Fax: 834-5520 We carry a full line of Building Supplies:

Doors, Wallboard, Paints, Plumbing Supplies and many types of Roofing, Sono-Tube Concrete Forms, Aluminum Doors as well as a full line of

General Electric Products

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

Parish skating party

let us pray

Parish Skating Party at the Parish of All Saints, Corner Brook. On March 19th, the Outreach Committee of All Saints in Corner Brook sponsored a Skating Party for their parishioners and the surrounding Anglican churches. Approximately 58 people took part in the hour of skating followed by treats of cookies and hot chocolate upstairs. Everyone had a wonderful time with this family and fellowship event. Submitted by the Parish of All Saints, Corner Brook.

Black Duck Cove Altar Servers

St. Mary’s Servers from Black Duck Cove. Youth servers participated in a first ever Palm Sunday service that was lead by youth Server, Chandler Pafford, and the other nine servers carrying out various service duties. The servers graciously and willingly did the entire service. Back row: Miguel Dredge, Chandler Pafford, Brandon Sinnicks, Kendra Gibbons. Middle row: Zachery Parrill, Wilfred Butt, Montgomery Dredge, Chloe Taylor, Stewart Williams. Front row: Ashton Dredge. Submitted by Millie Dredge.

Mother’s Day in Fox Roost-Margaree On May 9th, St. Augustine’s Church in Margaree - Fox Roost celebrated Mother’s Day and the closing of the Sunday School program. The Sunday school children performed a song and presented all women in the congregation with a carnation. Jessie Walters was the oldest mother in the congregation and was presented with a bouquet of flowers. Photo of Sunday School Teachers. (L-R) Maggie Seymour, (Sunday School Superintendent) Rowena Doyle, Trudy Seymour, Cindy Warren, Debbie Meade, Denise Ingram and Elaine Ingram. Submitted by Karen Simon

30 Roe Avenue, P.O. Box 348, Gander, NL A1V 1W7 Telephone: (709) 651-4100 Fax: (709) 256-2957 email: info@waltershoffe.com

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

Letter to the Editor

in NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Dear Editor,

ANGLICAN LIFE in Newfoundland and Labrador is the newspaper of the Anglican Church in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. A co-operative effort of the three Dioceses in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is published monthly, except July and August, with an independent editorial policy. A section of the Anglican Journal Editor-in-Chief: The Rev’d Sam Rose 8 Croydon Street Paradise, NL A1L 1P7 Email: samrose@nl.rogers.com Advertising Rates and other information may be obtained from: Bishop Donald Young 34 Fraser Road, Gander, NL, A1V 2E8 Phone: (709) 256-7701 Email: jointcommittee@nfld.net Subscription Rates: Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00 Outside the province: $20.00 International: $25.00 New subscriptions, cancellations, & changes of address should be sent to: Circulation The Anglican Journal (attn. Bev Murphy) 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2 (416) 924-9192 (O) (416) 925-8811 (fax) Email: circulation@national.anglican.ca Each parish is responsible for maintaining its own subscription list - please notify your parish office of any changes. Changes sent to parish offices may take months to take effect. Please also send your updated information to Circulation at the Anglican Journal (above) or to Don Young at 34 Fraser Road, Gander NL A1V 2E8. Articles and photographs: Send to the Editor-in-Chief (above) Parish Bulletins and Letters to the Editor: Send to the Editor-in-Chief, Sam Rose (address as above). All letters must include the writer’s name, address, and telephone number. Telephone numbers will not be published. Anglican Life does not publish letters under nom de plume. Letters should not exceed 300 words (one double spaced typewritten page), and are subject to editing at the discretion of the editor. These policies were adopted by the Anglican Life Committee. Layout & Design: Sam Rose Printed by: Signal Star Publishing, A Division of Bowes Publishers Limited, Industrial Park, 120 Huckins Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 4B6

Circulation: 21,777

I would appreciate it if you would allow me space in this section of Anglican Life to communicate with your readers and ask their help. I am writing a historical biography of Canon John Thomas Richards highlighting especially his work with the people of Mission of Flowers Cove in the Strait of Belle from 1904-45 and his relationship with Sir Wilfred Grenfell. This project began about 40 years ago when Mrs. Richards gave me a brown paper bag full of journals and other papers of Canon J. T. Richards. For the next twenty years, with the support of Mrs. Richards and her family, I collected many of his original papers. During that time I also did a thorough review of Among the Deep Sea Fishers and The Diocesan Magazine where Canon Richards often contributed letters and articles; and did interviews with several people who knew him personally. In 1989 I wrote an introduction for and published two major writings of Canon Richards that he probably had intended to publish himself — Snapshots of Grenfell and Grenfell’s Monologue on the Ice Pan. These appeared in a book

called Snapshots of Grenfell that many of your readers will have read. After 1989, because I was busy with my work as a parish priest, this project was placed on the back burner. Now that I am retired, I have resumed the project with earnest and hope to complete it within a year. Although I have a lot of primary and secondary source materials to work with, I think there might be other bits and pieces tucked away in old family Bibles or old Prayer Books. Canon Richards had a small printing press on which he used to print poems, hymns, church reports and a paper for young people called “The Children’s Page.” These he distributed to his parishioners and may even have sold some to help raise money for church projects. Among these hidden sources might be some real gems, so I would appreciate it if people would take a few moments to check their old family heirlooms to see if they have something of interest. If someone has something and don’t want to part with it, a copy would be great. Also, if someone provided me with the original, I would gladly return it if it was desired. In any case, in my book I will

make a list of all those who contributed in even very small ways to the project. Canon Richards left the Flower’s Cove Parish in 1945 and served as Rector of the Parish of Port de Grave until 1952. Although he died in 1958, there are still many people who remember him. If anyone has some special memory of a personal contact they had with Canon Richards, I would appreciate hearing about it. Anyone wanting to contact me may do so by telephone at 902407-2593 or by email at irvingletto@bellaliant.net, or by writing me at 11 Plymouth Street, Halifax, NS B3M 2S1. I am also interested in getting photographs of Canon Richards. I would appreciate it if anyone with old family photos would take a look through them to see if they have any with Canon Richards. The owner of any photo used in the book will be properly acknowledged. I thank the editor of Anglican Life for printing this letter, and I look forward to hearing from some of you, and perhaps getting some real pleasant surprises. Irving Letto Halifax, Nova Scotia

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

STEWARDSHIP

Are you prepared? Kevin Smith Planned Giving Consultant

“Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon.” (David Assael, Northern Exposure, It Happened in Juneau, 1992) As I write this, I have just returned from central New-

foundland where I attended the funeral of a dear sweet lady, an aunt to my wife, who was laid to rest in early August. The funeral was more of a celebration of her life and legacy and while there were tears, there were also many memories and pleasant thoughts expressed by members of her family. That got me to thinking. One of the uncles I chatted with remarked that all his friends from years ago had passed away and I thought how very sad that was. And, a George Burns quote came to mind. I have heard that same comment over the years time and time again, “I was always taught to respect my elders and I’ve now reached the age when I don’t

have anybody to respect.” (George Burns, US actor & comedian (1896 – 1996) And, I wonder, how many of us are ready for death? How many of us have prepared ourselves and our loved ones for our eventual demise? The frightening realization that first appears to me is that many of us have not prepared a legal will. Many of us figure that we are never going to die or that the government will take care of it for us. Well, you are wrong and you’re right. First you’re wrong because we are all going to die...sometime. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”, a phrase from the Anglican burial service, used sometimes to denote total fi-

nality. It is based on scriptural texts such as “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return” (Genesis 3:19), and “I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.” (Ezekiel 28:18) But you are right if you think the government will take care of it for you. Yes, the government will take care of your estate...no matter how large or small. But, the government will make decisions about the division of your estate according to their rules....NOT YOURS. So dear readers, what is my advice to you? When you do (or update) your will, please remember the church. You don’t have to be wealthy. If you have made a bequest,

let the rector know. It can help you tax wise. A growing number of people are doing are doing it. I am available to meet with anyone who wishes to chat with me about leaving a bequest for their church. Please give it prayerful consideration to it.

Kevin Smith is a gift planning consultant for the Anglican Church of Canada. He can be contacted at 739-5667 or k_smith@nf.sympatico.ca

Anniversary gift to Queen’s College The Rt. Rev’d Mark Genge, the Rev’d Arnold Torraville and the Rev’d Bert Cheeseman celebrated the 60th Anniversary of their ordination to the diaconate with an Anniversary Eucharist and Dinner in Gander on Sunday, June 5, 2011. The Rt. Rev’d David Torraville, Bishop of Central Newfoundland noted during the sermon that this was not a celebration of the past but of the present and future ministry offered by these three priests and the whole Church in joy and hope of Christ. The service was followed by a dinner at the Hotel Gander where in thanksgiving for this anniversary, and on behalf of these “three young deacons”, the Diocese of Central Newfoundland presented a sizable donation to the Rev’d Dr. Canon Boyd Morgan for the work of Queen’s College. Submitted by Boyd Morgan

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

All Saints’ Parish Order of St. Luke Uniting to overcome obstacles

Healing Mission The Order of St. Luke (OSL), Holy Trinity Chapter, Grand Falls-Windsor, will host a healing mission on Friday, October 21 - Sunday, October 23. The theme for the mission is “Healing the Whole Person.” The Rt. Rev. Bishop David Torraville, Diocese of Central Newfoundland, will lead the mission. An invitation is extended to you to share in this healing mission. We ask that you prayerfully consider this mission and encourage you to be part of this wonderful event. For further information contact: Patricia Hammond, 489-6954, wphammond@nl.rogers.com or Linda Pafford, 4899801, linda.pafford@nl.rogers.

Submitted by Ralph Fagan

This year we celebrate the 80th anniversary of All Saints’ Church, Conception Bay South and we thank God for our amazing history. As a Parish, we are so blessed to be the home of such a large and vibrant congregation! For our youth we are home to an active CLB Company, numerous Youth Groups, a busy Sunday school program, as well as a confirmation class, to name just a few. For the adults we boast a busy ACW team, an Anglican Men’s fellowship group, choirs, church bands, regular Sunday night fellowship meetings, vacation Bible schools, Bible studies and training, visitation of the sick and shut-ins, meals on wheels, and many other activities in our Parish Hall that are just too numerous to mention. Our current physical church building is starting to show its age, and consequently it is in need of repairs - in fact it now requires a major overhaul. In response to this daunting challenge, our congregation has recently authorized a major renovation project, which has been strategically dissected into several manageable phases. Phase-1 is addressing our exterior issues which include reinforcing the foundation, resurfacing the roof with modern metal shingles, boxing in the eaves, adding extra bracing to the roof and walls, replacing all windows with new energy efficient units, replacing the siding with high-wind rated

vinyl siding, and installing new main exterior doors. Needless to say, all these refurbishments cost money, and raising this money means a serious commitment from our congregation. The Rector, The Rev Shelia White, is not one to be discouraged! Under her guidance, with the blessing of Vestry, and with the tenacity of a committed group of laypeople, an achievable plan has been devised. We have offered the entire All Saints community the opportunity to become “owners” in a selected section of the church renovations. For example, for $1000 a person (or maybe even chip in as a family) can donate a window to the church in memory of a loved one. Alternatively, $250 would purchase a square of siding, or $100 would purchase a section of roofing. A small plaque will indicate the window, section of siding or section of roof that the donor has gifted to the legacy of their family, and to their future generations. The next step was to organize a number of committees, capitalizing on the unique gifts, skills and specialized wisdom of many individuals. Rather than just following the traditional cliché of the same 20% of the congregation doing 80% of the work, a plan was formulated to encourage all parishioners to donate their time and diverse skills. The results have been nothing less than incredible! The first surprise was that people almost literally “came out of the woodworks” - computer experts, business con-

sultants, marketers, carpenters, fundraisers, and so on. Many had never before offered their services, but all chose to step forward at this time to answer the call. The second big surprise was the commitment!! As of the writing of this column (mid June) we have over $93,000 committed to this renovation project. As one woman so nicely put it, “buying her piece of the church”. So now we are reaping the big reward – materials are arriving on site, and construction starts June 20th, just four short months after our February 20th congregational meeting – God has truly blessed us! This is without a doubt a testimony to our rich past, the bristling pride of our current congregation, and with God’s help, our collective will to move forward. All Saints has welcomed many new families to our everchanging community, as we continue to “Fight the Good Fight”. Not only have these new families volunteered their time and skills, but we have also witnessed an increase in our Sunday church service attendance, with much more active youth participation. If you or your family would like to become an active member of this closeknit family, or to be involved in our “church ownership” project, please contact us at (709) 834-4501, or for continuous updates just visit our website at www.allsaintsparish.ca

Rock-a-thon in Ramea

Ramea Anglican Cemetery. Submitted by Arthur Marsden

At the beginning of this year, the Worship Committee of St. Boniface’s Church in Ramea combined with the Vestry and held a fundraiser to help with the restoration of the cemetery. The fundraiser was a “Rock-A-Thon” held at the church hall. Sponsors for the event were generated by sponsor sheets and phone calls made to family and friends living outside the parish who have departed loved ones in the cemetery. The support was outstanding and work is being done at the cemetery. Tombstones and graves are being restored and crosses are being placed where old ones were standing. New topsoil is being placed on graves where needed and the grass is being cut on a regular basis. Some tombstones were lying flat on the ground due to age and weather conditions. This year should see the restoration completed on one side of the cemetery and hopefully next year another section will be done.

Send Anglican Life your parish stories and photos

samrose@nl .rogers.com

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

Canon Murray Randell New University Chaplain celebrates 50 years

50 years of Priesthood was celebrated on 4 June 2011 for Canon Murray Randell. An Anniversary Eucharist was celebrated at the Church of the Ascension in Mount Pearl where Canon Randell spent 18 years as Rector. His current parish, St. Michael & All Angels, held a special Anniversary Banquet where family and friends shared many wonderful memories of the past 50 years. Canon Randell is pictured above in the early 1970’s when he was an assistant priest at the Cathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s.

A friendly visit

On Sunday May 15, 2011, The Rev. Ken Abbott and members of the congregations of Bay L’Argent Parish visited St. Stephen’s Anglican Church at Rencontre East in The Parish of Belleoram for a service of Prayer and Praise. The congregation at St. Stephen’s treated the travellers to a wonderful lunch at the community centre before attending the service, the meal was greatly appreciated. The church was overflowing and the congregation enjoyed the fellowship. The Rev. Abbott commented the visit was a result of the men from Rencontre East paying a visit to St. Hilda’s in Bay L’Argent several years ago and has since become an annual event. We would like to thank the congregation at St. Stephen’s for making us welcome and also thank the captain and crew of the M.V. Northern Seal for making our trip so enjoyable. Submitted by Clayton Johnson.

The Rev’d Roger Whalen

After a hiatus of more than a year, Anglicans now have a renewed presence on the St. John’s Campus of Memorial University. The Reverend Roger Whalen began in June as the Anglican Chaplain to Memorial University and the Marine Institute in St. John’s. He will work alongside Chaplains from four other denominations (Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, and United Church) to provide chaplaincy services to the University community. Chaplaincy on campus is incorporated into the Counselling Centre, and is located on the fifth floor of the University Centre. The Chaplains work as a team to provide pastoral counselling, spiritual guidance, and special events to the more than 20,000 students, faculty, and staff at the St. John’s campus. Additionally, each of the Chaplains works to provide more specific spiritual support and guidance to members of their own denominations. In a change to our approach to ministry on-cam-

pus, our chaplaincy to the University has become the responsibility of the Parish of St. Augustine, which neighbours the University, and has been developing their neighbourly relationship for many years. Financially, the parttime Chaplain’s position is still supported by the Dioceses of Central Newfoundland and Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. While still finding his feet in this new position, Roger is looking forward to plunging into the Fall semester, and developing new and lasting relationships with young and old as he heads back to school. Please share this contact information with anyone you know at Memorial University and the Marine Institute: The Rev’d Roger Whalen University Chaplain UC 5001B (University Centre) 864-2550 rwhalen@mun.ca www.mun.ca/chaplaincy

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

A Different Kind of Decline Statistics show that church membership down significantly Submitted by The Venerable Geoff Peddle Member of the Statistics Working Group of the Anglican Church of Canada

Selected Diocesan Membership (1976-2009) Diocese Eastern Central Western

1976 60,868 40,637 45,562

2007 38,884 21,432 18,701

2009 34,342

An analysis of key trends in church participation and affiliation for the Anglican Church in Newfoundland and Labrador reveals some rather consistent patterns of numerical decline among all three dioceses since 1976. Although membership calculations can be the most complicated aspect of church analysis with much room for subjectivity in deciding who is in and who is out, all three dioceses comprising the Anglican Church in Newfoundland and Labrador have engaged in efforts to get a better picture of who belongs and all figures used in this analysis come directly from the dioceses themselves. An obvious question to be asked is whether the present set-up of three dioceses is the best configuration for the Anglican Church in the province in the years ahead. It goes without saying that the provincial and diocesan population distribution in place in 1976 when the three dioceses were set up no longer exists in the province. The Dioceses of Central and Western Newfoundland faced unprecedented social upheaval and population loss in the 1990s in the wake of the Groundfish Moratorium when the overall provincial population declined by 13% leading to ex-

pected membership decline for the dioceses. The most recent available figures for both dioceses were for 2007 and showed continuing decline. However, it is a mystery why membership decline should have also happened in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador because that diocese, distinct from the others, saw minimal population loss within its boundaries during the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and even experienced a slight increase with more than 50% of the Newfoundland and Labrador population residing on the Avalon Peninsula by 2011. Not only has the diocese lost nearly half its members since being set up in 1976, it also failed to increase its membership during the 1990s and following when many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians moved to the region from other parts of the province. While baptisms, confirmations, marriages and funerals are not showing appreciable decline as a percent of overall population, the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador has not attracted new members and by 2009 was losing approximately 2000 members per year, matching the steepest rates of membership decline in the Anglican Church of Canada. Significantly, Statistics Canada reports (2001) that over 25% of people in the province consider themselves Anglican which translates to over 50,000 Anglicans on the Avalon Peninsula alone. And yet, if current trends continue the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador will have little more than 10,000 members left in a decade. There is, however, some good news. An analysis of the membership figures for all three dioceses combined reveals some very unique patterns and trends that distinguish the Newfoundland and Labrador church from Anglican Churches in the rest of Canada, the United States and England. Although some declines were expected here

because of the loss of provincial population in the 1990s discussed above, what is most interesting is how those declines impacted the church. While there has been clear membership loss, this same rate of membership loss has not been reflected in baptism, marriage and funeral rates for the dioceses. In fact, adjusted for overall population change, rates of baptisms, weddings and funerals have stayed the same or even increased. The statistics show the same metrics for the Anglican Church in Newfoundland and Labrador â&#x20AC;&#x201C; membership, baptism, confirmation, marriage, and funerals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adjusted for population and compared with available information from other national churches illustrate this unique reality in Newfoundland and Labrador. In my opinion, this indicates that the reservoir of goodwill toward the Anglican Church and the desire for the ministry of the church at times of deep significance in individual lives remains strong. The fact that there has not been appreciable decline in the key pastoral ministries of baptism, marriage and funerals speaks to a continuing connection with the church even among those who, for whatever reason, have chosen not to remain or become full and active members. I define them as passive members and there is much for the church to learn from knowing this group better because they represent the most hopeful source of new membership and growth in the years ahead. Although many have declined official and active membership they have not exactly left the church in the way Anglicans in the rest of Canada, the United States and England have done so. The very best investment in its future the Anglican Church in Newfoundland and Labrador can make today is to engage deeply with this group and discover who they really are.

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

A Church Lads’ Brigade member since 1926 Submitted by Adrian Heffernan

Senior Citizen of the Year. (L-R) St. John’s City Councillor Bruce Tilley, Major William G. Tilley, Governor and Commandant Colonel Albert Pelley. Submitted by Adrian Heffernan.

At 96 yrs of Age, Major W. G. Tilley Continues To Lead The C.L.B. Major W. G. Tilley, presently a resident of Bishop Meaden Manor at St. Luke’s Homes continues to set the bar higher for all who choose to wear the colours of the C.L.B. He was awarded the St. John’s Senior of the Year on Monday May 30th after being selected by the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Seniors. Then, on Wednesday, June 1st, he was designated a Provincial Senior of Distinction, These highly prestigious awards were presented and brought accolades not only to

Major Tilley, but to the Brigade itself. When notified of his selection, Major Tilley humbly suggested that someone else should receive one of the awards and tried to decline the second one. He was content to receive just one. Such is the character of this man who served 63 years as the Drum Major of the C.L.B. Regimental Band, and this year completes 85 years of service to the Brigade. This is why St. John’s City Councillor Bruce Tilley, when asked if he was a relative, replied “No, but I am so proud of him and I love the man.” Major Tilley, your Brigade everywhere, salutes you yet again.

Central Synod meets in Windsor-Bishop’s Falls Submitted by Eugene Toope

Central Diocesan Synod meets in Windsor-Bishop’s Falls. The 38th session of the Anglican Synod for the Diocese of Central Newfoundland took place from the 29th April to 1st May, 2011. For the first time, it was held under the banner of The Parish of Windsor – Bishop’s Falls. Diocesan Synod, with its head office situated at Gander, meets annually to discuss and formulate Church Policy in going forward. Thirty two Anglican parishes

comprise the Diocese and all are situated within a somewhat straight line drawn from: - The tip of the Burin Peninsula – to Trinity Bay – to Fogo Island – to Buchans to Hermitage Bay and back to the Burin Peninsula. All parishes were represented by the respected clergy plus one or more lay delegates including youth at the Synod sessions. Some billeting was done by congregational members of both St. Alban’s Church at Grand Falls – Windsor and St.

Andrew’s Church at Bishop’s Falls. The Opening Session of Synod began with a Church Service at St. Alban’s Church. A capacity crowd attended including guests: The Exploits Valley Riverside Community Corale and their Director, Amy Durrant . Others included Diocesan Chancellor William Marshall; Rector The Rev. Glenn Small; MHA Grand Fall’s-Windsor – Green Bay South Ray Hunter; The Rt. Rev. David Torraville; MHA

– Minister Grand Fall’sWindsor- Buchans Susan Sullivan; MHA Exploits Clayton Forsey; Bishop’s Falls Mayor Robert Hobbs; and Grand Falls-Windsor Mayor Al Hawkins. Meetings and group sessions continued throughout Saturday and concluded with full attendance at Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning at St. Alban’s Church. The guest preacher was The Rev. Perry Cooper, Diocesan Executive Officer. Following the Eucharist, participants

and delegates made the way back to their various Parish destinations. The Anglican Parish of Windsor – Bishop’s Falls wishes to express thanks and appreciation to the businesses of Grand Fall’s – Windsor and Bishop’s Falls who supported us by making “in kind” contributions: Grand Fall’s – Windsor; Action Truck Caps, Alteens, Browning Harvey, Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Donnini’s, Grand Falls Drug Store, Mary Brown’s, McDonalds, Religious Book & Bible, Subway, Transcontinental and VOCM: Bishop’s Falls; Undo/Redo, Morgan Printing, Bennetts Value Foods, D & R Convenience, Shoppers Drug Mart and Safety Marketing.

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

Stewardship sails into Humber West Submitted by Canon Roberta Woodman Diocesan Coordinator

From February 4th -6th, the Diocese of Western Newfoundland hosted its second Stewardship Weekend; this time in the West side of Humber Deanery. Friday’s opening worship was held at St. James Church, Parish of the Bay of Islands, Lark Harbour; the Saturday workshop took place at the Parish of St. Michael and All Angels, Corner Brook; Sunday’s closing worship was held at the Parish of St. Mary the Virgin, Corner Brook. Throughout the event, the gifts of time, talent and treasure were quite visible – coffee/tea and refreshments, dinner on Saturday, musical talents from various people in each parish, gift of hospitality, time, commitment, witness, and worship – through the dedication of lay leadership. Several participants prepared reports on this event and how it has nurtured their understanding of stewardship. Nina Druggett, Parish of the Bay of Islands, reports on her experience of the event as follows. The Saturday morning workshop opened at 10am with prayer and Bible study. The music and beautiful hymns were very uplifting. With 30 people in attendance, we were divided into groups of six. I was very uplifted and I am sure that God was circling every table. We listened to the talks from our Bishop, The Right Rev. Percy Coffin, Rev. Canon Roberta Woodman, Archdeacon Ed King, Rev. Canon John Meade, and others. We were given questionnaires to express our thoughts about stewardship. The first remarks at our table were to keep God in our hearts and lives, to serve Him faithfully. Everyone agreed that stewardship concerns the following: to serve God and others; to try and bring more people to our churches, especially our young generation, Sunday school and youth groups, etc.; and to reach out to others – the sick, lonely, oppressed, poor, those in

need. God needs us all to help at His work and witness to Him. I feel that to be a good steward for Christ is an important part of being a good Christian, to live the life God is asking of us. I myself was really uplifted by listening to others and their thoughts. It was very understanding. May

derful for me. It’s something I’ll always treasure as a very precious memory.” Anne Keating Keating, from the Parish of St. Mary the Virgin, Corner Brook, explains how she lives out her life as a steward and how the workshop helped her. “When I came to realize the ultimate price that God

Stewardship participants Anne Keating and Gladys Batt

God in His wonderful mercy give us the courage we need to help and to pray for our Stewardship program. “Stewardship means a lot to me”, says Glenys Batt. “It means fellowship, love and togetherness. I came in from St. James Church in the Parish of the Bay of Islands. Not one to go out of my comfort zone, I didn’t know what to expect when I went to the Stewardship Weekend. Let me tell you I was surprised, and overjoyed at the love, caring and fellowship that went on the whole weekend. It was a very beautiful weekend. This is what I’ve learned: S – Sincerity T – Truth E – Excellence W – Wisdom, Welcome A – Always willing to help R – Responsibility D – Disciple of God S – Salvation of Heart & Soul H – Hope and Happiness I – Interesting Journey P – Personal Time Spent with God This weekend has been uplifting to my very heart and soul. The wisdom and strength you gave me, my friends, you’ll never know. Thank you friends for your love; this weekend was won-

paid to save me, my whole outlook on everything I knew turned around, maybe even upside down. I came to realize that I owned nothing at all because everything that I had, had come from my God, and that included my family, so I had to release control of

So for me, being a steward is a full time job. Being a steward is to be a care taker of what God has entrusted to me and to give everything back to God including myself, my time, my talents, and my treasure. Then I am to continue to praise God and give Him the glory even when I am called out of my comfort zone. During this weekend I enjoyed being in the presence of God as well as a lot of friends. We sang praises to God, spent time together in Bible study, and enjoyed the laughter and time we spent together. We were asked the question: what is God calling us to do and to be now? We are to trust God and to follow Jesus even when the rest of the world tells us we are crazy. Who would have thought that the Saviour of the world came into this world to save and redeem us? He turned the world He lived in upside down; how can we not do the same for Him?” Brian Moores, member of Saint Michael & All Angels congregation for just over 15 years, is currently a

St. Michael’s Music Group

them as well. The hardest one I found to release back was my daughter. I held on a bit longer to her.

member of vestry and Stewardship Committee chair. He writes of his experience as follows.

“This past weekend I participated in the joint stewardship workshop to share our views and opinions of Stewardship. Through Bible study we explored and interpreted scripture and reflected on Jesus’ lessons of stewardship. For me, interpreting scripture does not come naturally and sounded somewhat intimidating. But by using the inspiration of song and prayer, and of course good fellowship, I was fully immersed as we all openly and honestly discussed and shared our vision of where we need to get to with respect to stewardship in our church. It was an enjoyable few hours of fellowship that provided time to reflect my own stewardship within Saint Michael’s. I took from this exercise a new understanding that stewardship goes beyond giving the 3 T’s of time, talent and treasure to one’s church. It’s about giving oneself to God. Ensuring we use our spirit and the gifts provided to fulfill God’s will as described in the messages of Christ. As leaders and parishioners we have a responsibility to foster and nurture everyone’s opportunity to serve God and to ensure our stewardship is fully maximized as entrusted to us. This may mean inspiring people to realize the relevance of Christ in their own lives — somewhat like Jesus converting a group of unwitting fishermen into disciples, which as someone so eloquently said during yesterday’s session, sometimes means thinking ‘outside the boat’.” A l o n g with the Stewa r d s h i p Weekend events, the Diocesan Stewardship Committee is committed to providing follow up events and meetings with parishes that have participated in these weekends. This will enable our Diocese to continue the journey towards fulfilling our goal of “teaching and practicing a holistic understanding of stewardship”.

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

BISHOP’S MESSAGE

All in God’s time Bishop David Torraville Diocese of Central Newfoundland

When in high school, a metre was the distance between two lines on a standard platinum iridium bar, but that was not accurate enough. So, in 1983, the definition became the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299792458 of a second. A metre is now not measured in terms of distance, which

may be variable, but in terms of time, which is constant and precise. But is it! My few minutes browsing the flies at the tackle shop seems so much longer to my wife. An airport minute can, I believe, only to be explained by “string theory” - capable of both expanding and contracting at the same time, depending on your vantage point; whether you are awaiting a plane when a minute is ponderously interminable or rushing across the airport to catch a waiting flight, when that same minute is fleet and oh so short. Church time like that minute is both constant and variable. Three months from September 25th, it will be Christ-

mas. The 26th will be Stephen the Martyr and as every member of the Society of United Fishermen knows, February 2 nd will be Candlemas. But Easter has no set date - something quite profound. Easter is not static. Indeed one priest I know always reminds the full church on Easter Sunday that every Sunday is a “mini” Easter. While Easter is never “mini”, it makes a point. Easter is less a time than a condition and time, for Christians, is measured not by moments but by the eternal Presence of God. The season of September is a particularly sacred season for the church in Newfoundland and Labrador. While, the September Season is not noted in the Church

calendar, no Propers are to be found in the Prayer Book, no readings in the Revised Common Lectionary, any congregation which does not celebrate it, misses an opportunity. This is the time of return, of beginnings, as the Sunday School, the men’s club, the ACW and Youth Groups and all the other related organizations start up. This is time when people start to stay home from the cottage, put the trailer or tent in storage and return to the regular routine. As we return, to our pews, how are we going to order our worship time so that as we leave, following worship, we wonder where the hours went? How do we so infuse our programming

and community life with a sense of the Holy, such that time becomes meaningless and Easter a Present reality? The answers are perhaps elusive, but are not to be found in a sense of duty and impending hastiness, or even excitement, as things start up, but with a sense of the Presence in whom we live, and move, and have our being. Before we get caught up in the rush of what is to be done in the Church let us root ourselves this September in the timelessness of our God, who created an eternity so vast and so infinitesimal that we measure it in millionths of a second. Don’t let business destroy our sense of the timelessness which is at the heart of God.

Tom Harpur’s Born Again Every penny counts The Rev. Michael Li

A few months ago I read Tom Harpur’s Born Again: My Journey from Fundamentalism to Freedom (2011). Harpur, the bestselling author of The Pagan Christ (2004) and Water Into Wine (2007), was my New Testament professor when I attended Wycliffe College in Toronto. Very reluctantly, he lived his father’s dream to become an Anglican priest and later a seminary professor from 1964 to 1971. Born Again is a memoir, but also a theological reflection. Harpur tells us the story of his own search for spiritual understanding. There are many interesting short stories, including the brief encounter between

Harpur and Bill & Hillary Clinton in Oxford, U.K. in 1983. Harpur bought them tea because Bill had forgotten to bring his wallet. I enjoyed reading Harpur’s experiences at Big Trout Lake teaching Cree children in the summers of 1948, 1949 and 1950. I agree with Harpur that there are many unanswered questions in this life. Also I agree that leadership in the church is too often soiled by careerism. While I see the danger of making Jesus into the greatest American Idol of all, I do not agree with Harpur’s dismissal of an historical Jesus. To Harpur, “Jesus is central figure in one of the oldest stories that belongs to humankind. He is a parable of Every person. It makes sense to see Jesus as prototype of the soul of the individual. It is a parable of what we are all meant to be, bearers of the divine within” (The Toronto Star, May 20, 2011). Sometimes Harpur was asked if he would like to be back in a Parish ministry today,

what he would do differently. I found his answer interesting. He wrote: “If possible, I would simultaneously have a teaching or writing post so that my preaching and teaching could be quite financially independent. Put bluntly, it’s very hard, if not impossible, to speak out freely from a pulpit when those who pay the bulk of your salary and the church maintenance fees are sitting in the front row each Sunday. I would also initiate a parallel church for agnostics, atheists and seekers of every kind. There would be no formal prayers, sermons or lectures at such a gathering. Rather, it would be a place and time for honest questioning and debate....” (Born Again, p. 101). We do not need to be a disciple of Harpur to read this book. Harpur’s books challenge his readers to think deeply. Our minds will be stimulated to ask more questions. Why does God allow evil? Why are there so many hypocrites? Why do we continue to trust God even when everything goes wrong? How could we be certain that the Biblical texts themselves were truly reliable documents? Do we understand the different theories of the Atonement? It is not a sin for us to ask questions. But, it is a pity that many of us do not take time to look for answers to our questions.

St. Thomas ACW - Sandy Cove make evry penny count. The Sandy Cove ACW decided to collect pennies for the PWROF in June of 2010. To add a little fun to the penny drive we decided to have a contest. Our ACW is divided into 6 working groups each with a group leader. We had 3 groups against 3 and whichever groups collected the most pennies would have a meal cooked and catered by the groups having the least money. Our contest ended on Dec. 6, 2010. We had collected $488.30. The groups that were responsible for the meal did a great job and we had a wonderful dinner at our next scheduled meeting in January of 2011. Submitted by Ivy Coles.

September 2011

Lex orendi, Lex credendi Submitted by The Rev’d Everett Hobbs

The above Latin phrase translates “The law/rule of prayer/worship is the rule/ law of faith/belief”. It means that what the Church believes is found in its worship. We worship as we believe: what we pray is what we believe. It tells us that there is a profound relationship between worship and belief. The law of prayer (the way we worship) is the law of belief (what we believe): We believe that which we pray. How we worship is how we believe. Sometimes the phrase reads “Lex orendi, lex credendi, lex vivendi” (As we worship, so we believe, so we live). This phrase has been a guideline for Christian worship from an early time and it is an important principle in creating Anglican liturgies, especially since the Reformation. For the last 450 years Anglicans have largely worshipped within the confines of the Book of Common Prayer. For the last 200 years this has been supplemented by the use of hymns. Until the 19th century hymns were rare in Christian worship the hymn book was the Psalms of the Bible. Even though each Province of the Anglican Communion had its own version of the BCP, they were all much the same. Since the 1960s Provinces have been issuing alternative forms of worship to supplement the BCP e.g. Canada’s BAS, or have replaced it with a modern version e.g. Episcopal Church of the USA. These alternative but official liturgies are slowly altering the way we worship. In addition, parishes now borrow from other denominations e.g. Prayer and Praise, which further extends the scope of worship. In this situation Lex orendi, lex credendi becomes more problematic as a guide. Our common worship is based on a common form which is used by all. For a parish to alter or add to the official liturgy without consultation or Episcopal permission can lead to inconsistency and error. Worship has to relate to the Christian teaching as determined by the Bible, the

creeds, and the ecumenical councils. The BCP and official alternatives come from these sources and are guided by the principle of scripture, tradition and reason - some would add experience. Worship is our most public and consistent expression of belief. It affects the worshiper at a conscious and unconscious level. Therefore, what is said and done in worship is a matter of concern regarding the preservation and shaping of Anglican belief. If we are incorporating material from other sources into our prescribed worship, we need to ask if it compatible with Anglican doctrine. We nay need to enhance and extend our worship but to do so in reference to the larger picture. It may be helpful to read the prefaces (p. vii, 715-721) and rubrics (directions for each service) in the Book of Common Prayer, and the introduction (p. 7-13) and the rubrics in the Book of Alternative Services.

Book Re w: Revvie iew

Common Prayer

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Reviewed by Canon William Strong

Common Prayer - A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals By Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okoro Zondervan Press, 2010 $19.99 available from Diocesan Resource Centre, St. John’s, NL The General Rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer charge all priests and deacons to say daily morning and evening prayer either privately or openly in the Church. This system of structured prayer includes schedule of readings from the Psalms, Old Testament, New Testament and Gospels. Schedules of such readings are found in the Book of Alternative Services and in the Book of Common Prayer. The idea is we may be by ourselves when we pray but we never pray alone and that our prayers rise before God like pleasing incense. This commitment is not always easy to maintain and many have found comfort in other schedules and forms of prayer. Some follow the format and options found in “Celebrating Common Prayer” from the Society of St. Francis. Others follow different formats such as the Benedictine way. Queen’s College uses the lectionary or schedule of readings found in the Book of Alternative Services along with a calendar of commemorations, memorials and Holy Days found in the Anglican Book Centre publication “For All The Saints.” This schedule allows us to remember significant figures of our past and recall their Christian service and example. One of the distinctive aspects of Anglicanism is that we do not pray to saints but that all our prayers are made to God through Jesus Christ who intercedes for us. Many people follow other material found in such publications as “Today” or “Daily Bread.” A new book is available from Zondervan Press titled “Common Prayer, A Liturgy

for Ordinary Radicals”. The word “radical” sent me to my dictionary as it conjured images of people with bandanas around their faces protesting a G-20 meeting or other establishment function or structure. New Webster’s dictionary terms the word radical as “pertaining to a root or roots; existing inherently in a thing or in

a person. The title makes much more sense in consideration of this definition as our daily prayer should help bring us back to our roots, back to God, and back to Baptism. I added this non denominational material to our daily practice during Lent this year and we found it to be very helpful. There are sections on daily Evening Prayer, Morning Prayer is done by month. There a small section on Midday prayer as well as a section of occasional prayers. The introduction and the notes on the various “Feria” or ordinary days are engaging. There is a small music section as well. Most helpful is the Webpage that can be found at

www.commonprayer.net . The great advantage is that this feature can allow access to the daily office from anywhere you can find an internet connection; from home, airport, and beyond. Some will find that this material does not follow the regular lectionary nor does it completely follow the schedule of Commemorations and Memorials that Anglicans normally follow. The positive aspect of this material is that it has compiled liturgical resources together that could enable its use easily with the use of a Bible. It has been designed to facilitate the development of a regular practice of daily prayer. We live in a world that is need of constant prayer. Daily prayer takes discipline and some of us are much better at it than others. Like another well known sayings, it is best if we just “do it” as regularly as we can. The wonderful thing about prayer is that while our prayers may not change or situations it does have the power to change us and how we look ourselves and the world around us. I recall being told “to do what works best for you”. This new resource was compiled in consideration of the wide liturgical traditions found in the Church today and was compiled by a team of three authors to help us to develop and nurture a strong daily prayer life. It is part of our Baptismal Covenant. The question asked is “will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, and in the prayers?” Our response is “I will, with God’s help.”

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September 2011

STRAIGHT TALK

Respect The Rev. Greg Mercer

“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” Church goers would recognize this as a part of their baptismal covenant (i.e., agreement/contract). We renew this commitment to Christ every time we celebrate the wonderful sacrament of Baptism. We promise, with God’s help, to “respect the dignity of every human being.” For some people, all they have left is their dignity. Hold on to that thought and I will come back to it. In 1997 the Barna Research Group conducted a national survey on the attitudes, opinions, values, and behaviours of Christians, compared

to those of non-Christians. I must admit that I was surprised to discover that there was very little difference. Anything and everything from purchasing a lottery ticket to “loving yourself,” the margin of favour did not always side with the Christian and in most cases the difference was no more than one or two percent. Consider for example the indicator, “You consider yourself to be compassionate.” Christians responded 94 percent while nonChristians, 95 percent. On the death penalty, and whether or not it should be mandatory for committing premeditated murder, both groups responded equally at 47 percent. How does one reconcile this with Jesus’ command to love your enemies? I mean, should the Christian think and behave differently than non -Christians? The teachings of Jesus is essentially spiritual, meant to help us find God and to know God, and in so doing to live healthier, productive lives. “I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly,”

Jesus said (Jn. 10:10). Have 2000 years of Jesus’ teaching made any real difference? “Jesus Christ is the most important figure that has ever appeared in the history of humankind... However you regard him, the fact will remain that the life and death of Jesus, and the teachings attributed to him have influenced the course of human history more than those of any other human being who has ever lived” (Emmet Fox in The Sermon on the Mount). Agree or disagree? Consider for example the whole area of respect, understood as a positive feeling or attitude towards another person, or some other aspect of creation (animals, culture, environment, etc.) that manifests itself in favourable action. That is to say, if you respect someone (or thing) you treat (positive action) them with respect (including yourself). But how many Christians drink and drive? And what is that but total DISRESPECT for other drivers on the road? Listening is being respectable. But

do Christians fare any better than non-Christians when it comes to this pastoral practice? Think about your own family dynamics and your relationship with your spouse or any other member of your family. Are you listening or shouting? To “strive for justice and peace” is a sign of respect but according to this national survey, people of all sorts give as much attention and effort to this matter as does Christians. Have we been deceived all these years in thinking that we are at the forefront in matters of social justice? And what about respect for yourself and your own body? Christians believe that humankind is made in the image of God. That belief alone should be enough to justify how we care for our own bodies. The apostle Paul declares that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1st Cor. 6:19) and therefore should be treated with respect, yet we poison our bodies with nicotine and other harmful drugs. This isn’t to suggest that being respectful is easy or that

Christians shouldn’t feel angry or even feel contempt (which is the opposite of respect) for people who terrorize and who prey on innocent people. We have every right to feel that way. Or that we should ignore corporate greed and people who abuse their power to lie, cheat, and manipulate others for their own personal gain. We stand against that and so we have every right to feel and act accordingly. People rub us the wrong way even in our own families. Feeling hurt and angry is normal, but we are not to be rude. And we have to guard ourselves against a too literal understanding of Jesus’ use of hyperbole when he says such things as “love your enemies.” Respect is a positive feature of the Christian that manifests itself in position action. If we COMMIT ourselves to “strive for justice and peace among ALL people, and respect the DIGNITY of EVERY human being,” in the name of CHRIST, then it should be quite obvious in our actions.

“God bless you!”

Ronald Clarke

A good friend of mine regularly visits the elderly, seniors, and the sick, in their homes, in seniors’ institutions, and in hospitals. Wherever he goes he always leaves a blessing. Like me, he is not a priest. “I’m just one of God’s sincere people,” he states meekly. “People sometimes ask me for prayers,” he says, “and of course we pray together. Occasionally, however, they ask for a ‘formal’ prayer- a blessing like a priest gives. At first I was very self-conscious, he told me, assuming that I was unworthy of blessing anyone.” “Then, from the Holy Spirit I believe, came the assurance that no one can actually give a blessing, because only God can bestow blessings. Humans can only deliver blessings as mes-

sengers of God. Clergy and others, then, are only God’s delivery agents.” “So,” my friend concluded, “as a messenger from God I can and will give God’s blessing when someone truly believed he/she really needed it.” Sounds ok to me. “Not often,” my friend said, “did people ask specifically for a blessing.” But, always, upon ending his visit, he would always leave with a warm, sincere, “God bless you my friend”. People, he discovered would usually respond with “God bless you too!” A loving God, he believed, would surely bless them both. “God bless you my friend,” is very easy to say.

The Diocesan Anglican Men’s Association (DAMA) held its Annual General Meeting at the Lavrock Centre on 8-9 April 2011. The results of the election for a new Executive were as follows: Re-elected: George King, President, and Ed Miller, Vice- President. Charlie Dawe is DAMA’s Past-President. The newly elected members were: Peter Stevenson, Secretary; Dave Blagdon, Treasurer; and The Rev. Ed Keeping, Spiritual Director. Ches Barfitt was elected as Public Relations Officer. The after-dinner speaker on Friday was Canon David Piling who spoke on the Diocese of Belize which is the companion diocese of The Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. He spoke about the need to complete three churches now under construction in Belize. The cost of completing one church will be $25,000 for an approximate cost of $75,000.00 for the three churches. Once the money is raised, there will be a need for workers to go to Belize to complete this work. DAMA will be spearheading the fundraising for this project in the months to come. Bishop Cyrus Pitman spoke to the group on Saturday about the churches of the North-East Avalon. Two representatives of the Youth Group from St. Peter’s Parish in Upper Gullies, Ryan Dwyer and Victoria Dinham along with their Rector the Rev. Mark Nichols, gave a slide presentation of their trip to the Holy Lands. Submitted by Ches Barfitt, Public Relations.

September 2011

ANGLICANLife

Thanking Rev’d Confirmation class gives Russell Osmond back to the community

The Parish of Heart’s Content has been fortunate in having Rev. Russell Osmond as an interim priest from December 2010 to May, 2011. During his time with us, Rev. Russell has been instrumental in revitalizing the Vestries and Parish Council with his innovative ideas, positive attitude and God given guidance. His pastoral visits in our area along with his attendance at Congregational and Parish functions have made him very visible and well known. He will be missed. This photo of our Parish Choir with Rev. Russell to the left in the second row was his last “official” Sunday Parish Service on May 29th held at St. Mary’s, Heart’s Content with the entire Parish in attendance. A fellowship gathering with refreshments was held in the Parish hall following the service. We are fortunate to have had Rev. Russell in our Parish. Submitted by Eileen Matthews

Pulpit exchange

On June 12th, Bishop David Torraville of the diocese of Central Newfoundland, visited Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Grand Falls - Windsor for the sacrament of Confirmation. There were 13 young people and one adult confirmed. What you might be interested in is that, this year, rather than doing a banner with all the names on it, the young people decided to do something different. They collected some money from their family members and made a contribution to the Ronald McDonald House, to be built in St. John’s. The attached pictures are taken from our service yesterday, it shows those confirmed making a presentation of a cheque in the amount of $600.00 to Lisa Power, one of the managers at McDonald’s, receiving the cheque for the Ronald McDonald House. I felt this might be a good news story for you to print in Anglican Life. The names on the picture are as follows (back row left to right) Dylan Lockyer, Joseph Toope, Deidre Skinner, Rev. Randy Lockyer (Rector of Holy Trinity), Matthew Stroud - Mitchell, Andrew Snow, Bishop David Torraville. (Front row left to right) Jarrid Pierce, Zachary Mercer, Caitilin Moores, Grace Mercer, Lisa Power (rep. from McDonalds), Lauren Cross, MacKenzie Vey, Jarrett King, Zachary Cook, (Missing from the photo Winston Ellsworth, the adult confirmed). Submitted by The Rev’d Randy Lockyer.

Burin ACW have fun On 29 May 2011, the Parish of the Holy Spirit enjoyed a Pulpit Exchange with The Rev’d Moses Tucker (Unit 1 Rector) visiting Unit 3. Unit 3 Rector, The Rev’d Jessie Broaders, visited Unit 2 and Unit 3 Rector, The Rev’d Gary Hussey, went to Unit 2. St. Mark’s congregation in Long Beach was delighted to have The Rev’d Moses and Stephanie Tucker, as well as worshippers from all the other churches in the Unit Area join them for worship. The Rev’d Tucker conducted the service with a very inspiring message for all. The Women’s Choir sang a beautiful anthem called “ecause He Lives.” A lunch and fellowship followed the service. Everyone went away happy and uplifted as they hope to see more pulpit exchanges in the future. Submitted by Myrna Vey.

Fellowship and fun is alive and well at Holy Trinity ACW in Burin. The ladies of St. Andrew’s congregation of Port aux Bras were invited to share an evening with the ladies of holy Trinity ACW. The evening began with a meal followed by worship and a wonderful time of fun and fellowship. Games, skits, and singing filled the evening. Everyone enjoyed the time spent together and look forward to next year when they meet old friends and make new ones. Submitted by Shirley Beck

ANGLICANLife

September 2011

God’s To-Do list A spot of tea at St. Thomas’

Allison Billard

I sometimes wonder if God experiences anticipation and excitement about what lies ahead. He knows what’s coming, he has a plan, but does he get excited about it? Or does he dread what he sees like students looking ahead to classes in September? We can’t know the nature of God, but sometimes I’d really like to know what He’s thinking, you know? As I write this column July is coming to a close and I am disappointed that half the summer is gone and I have yet to do many of the things I had on my “summer to do” list. There was so much hope for getting some reading and research done, to plan for the coming year in my work at St. Mark’s, and generally just taking time to relax and enjoy the weather, spending time with family and friends. Little did I know how quickly time would pass as we awaited the true summer weather, and also as my other half and I prepare for the birth of our baby in the Fall. This summer has, so far, been a time of preparation, waiting and anticipation, for all that lies ahead. I look forward to the confirmation of my first class of students in October and all the potential that awaits a new season of youth ministry as everyone gets back to school and church and the regular rou-

tine of things. I am also nervous that the baby will come early and I might miss out on all the fun we have planned for September and October. But as I have no control over that, I will continue to plan as though everything will go according to schedule. So far the summer has been a lot of fun, even if my to-do list is getting longer rather than shorter. Summertime really is a wonderful time of year: there’s so much to do, so much fun to be had, that it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of the warm weather and long days and lose track of all the “to-do’s” on your list. And maybe that’s ok. Maybe we all need to unwind, loosen our grip on the need to “get things done” and just enjoy the m o m e n t . Around here, summer comes and goes all too quickly, you certainly don’t want to be so busy doing stuff that y o u miss it. We want to renovate our house and do some landscaping and put up a new fence and in the middle of all that get a nursery ready for baby. We won’t get it all done, but we’ll have fun trying. I wonder if God looks at us that way: Our free will might interfere with his original plan sometimes, but does He think “Hey, no big deal, I can work with that?” I think He might.

This is an exciting and busy year at St. Thomas’ Church, St. John’s. It is our 175th anniversary! As part of our year-long celebration, one hundred and twenty people attended our Old-Fashioned Victorian Afternoon Tea Party on July 13, 2011. Canon Wood Hall was decorated especially for the occasion. Each chair was adorned with a pink bow. The tables had a yellow rose centrepiece and were set with white tablecloths, linen napkins, fine china place settings and silver cutlery. Green trees with glittering white lights added a festive touch. The backdrop to our setting was the beautiful

mural painted by Miriam Westin showing St. Thomas’ Church as an enduring beacon since 1836. Two dapper gentlemen in period dress, the Reverend Gordon White, and Mr. David Lucas, met our guests at the door and escorted them to their table. A hostess in Victorian attire presided over each table. Hostesses and many guests wore alluring bonnets, hats, or fascinators, many of which were handmade. Our rector, the Reverend John Paul Westin, began the festivities by reading a Victorian grace. Our delicious threecourse meal consisted of tea buns with fresh cream and

jams, open-faced and traditional sandwiches, cookies and squares, and of course, all the tea you could drink! James Hurley provided lovely background piano music while we chatted and enjoyed each other’s company. Later, there were draws for several prizes, and an applause-based “Most-Interesting Hat” Contest, which was won by Joan Soulier. Congratulations to all the volunteers who organized and helped with our Victorian Tea. We enjoyed it so much that everyone is asking, “When can we do this again?” Submitted by Margaret Caldwell.

Never too old to play

Play Date at the Parish of the Good Shepherd. There is an old proverb which states that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Participants of the Godly Play for Adults series were certainly in no mood for work when they rolled up their sleeves and dabbled with water paints at the Parish of the Good Shepherd on April 20. That day, ten parishioners expressed their experience of the seven-week, Lenten, parable series by pouring their souls into play and onto canvas. While the play date marked the end of this initial offering of Godly Play for adults at the church, it is widely hoped that it will not be the last of Godly Play for the older set. Submitted by: Susan Haskell

September 2011

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YouthLife

anglican youth stories from newfoundland & labrador

Server’s Conference

If I were a Butterfly

Spring is in the Air? There was something special in the air at the Parish of the Good Shepherd in Mount Pearl this Easter Sunday morning. Apart from the joyful spirit of the holiday, and the scent of Easter lilies, there was a kaleidoscope of beautiful butterflies flittering about. The wonderful, symbolic journey from tiny egg to cocooned caterpillar and ultimate butterfly is reminiscent of The Resurrection which Christians celebrate at this time of year, in particular. Fittingly, such a journey was launched in the church, just two weeks prior, with a video presentation of Eric Carle’s children’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the introduction of several tiny caterpillar eggs into a special butterfly castle. Children and adults alike marvelled at the transformation they had witnessed when many colourful butterflies emerged from the castle. The Lord is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed. Alleluia! Submitted by: Susan Haskell.

The Diocese of Central Newfoundland’s Servers Conference was held this past May 6-8 at Mint Brook. In the above photo, the participants play a water game. Submitted by The Rev’d Shaun O’Connor.

BURST Conference On April 29 – May 1, 2011, I had the opportunity to attend the Burst 2011: Limitless Children’s Ministry Conference in Gander. It is an interdenominational conference in its second year designed to provide vocational and volunteer children’s ministry leaders with encouragement, inspiration and practical tips and tools. The conference was directed by Pastor Angela Brinson from the Pentecostal Church in Glovertown. Ministry guests came from Oklahoma, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Coming from a rural setting with a relatively small group of children, I was pleasantly surprised that the information presented was relevant to our setting. There was a healthy combination of the theoretical and practical. We were challenged in our commitment to Jesus Christ and the integrity of our personal walk of faith, but also encouraged to minister to and with God’s youngest children in a variety of ways. While the conference is inter-denominational, wider involvement from a variety of churches would make it truly

so. I was the first Anglican to attend. Next year, the organizers are hoping to open the conference up to Atlantic Canada, but it will still be held in Newfoundland. We need to take advantage of this excellent resource that is close, reasonably priced and top quality. In addition to learning from others, we can offer a unique perspective. Keep your ear to the ground for news on the Burst 2012 Children’s Ministry Conference! Submitted by Sandra O’Connor, Parish of Greenspond - Newtown Pound Cove.

Confirmation in Isle aux Morte/Fox Roost – Margaree. On May 1st, the Sacrament of Confirmation was administered in the Parish of Isle aux Morte/Fox Roost – Margaree by Bishop Percy Coffin. There were seven Candidates from Holy Spirit in Isle aux Morte and three from St. Augustine’s in Margaree - Fox Roost. A potluck for the family and candidates followed at the local community centre. Front Row (L-R) Doreen Billard, (confirmation class leader), Kassidy Coley, Sarah Keeping, Dalton Vautier, Jill Ingram, Matthew Meade and Elaine Ingram (confirmation class leader). Back Row (L-R) Rev. Duncan Granter, Krystal LeFrense, Kristin LeFrense, Erica Bond, Bishop Percy Coffin, Jon Coleman, Jay Walters and Patrick Meade. Submitted by Karen Simon.