Caledonia Times The
A very Merry Christmas to you, Caledonia!
December 2015 - Christmas Volume 47 - Issue# 9 A Diocesan Section of the Anglican Journal
The Bishop announces his intent to retire
“As you know I was elected as your bishop in October 2001. Next February I will begin my 15th year of episcopal ministry, and I will be 66 in November of 2016. I wish to advise you that it is currently my intention, barring the unforeseen, to retire in the fall of 2016. When I settle on a specific date I will formally write to the Archbishop as well as notifying the diocese. As I have worked this decision out in my heart and in my mind over the past several months, I have realized what a privilege it has been to be involved in this ministry. – a quote from the Bishop’s Charge to the 57th Session of the Diocese of Caledonia.
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n the weeks since our most recent Synod, people across the diocese have been asking a lot of questions about who the next Bishop will be and when will we get him or her. So it was though important by the Bishop and the Editor that we devote some time, energy and space to explain as best we can, the process of electing a new bishop and what needs to happen. The first thing that we need to do, if we have not already started doing this, is to pray. Please remember as often as you can Bishop William and Margaret in prayer as they work towards transitioning from very public forms of ministry into a new phase of personal ministry, giving thanks to God for their ministry amongst us over many years. To help you out or to get us all started, there are some great prayers in both of our official service books and here a couple of collects to help you get started: Almighty God, giver of all good gifts, look on your Church with grace, and guide the minds of those who shall choose a new Bishop for this Diocese of Caledonia, that we may receive a faithful servant who will care for your people and support us in our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, you led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place. Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose a suitable person for exercise of the ministry of Bishop; in preaching and teaching and in the administration of the sacraments and may uphold them in their work for the extension of your kingdom; through him who is the shepherd and bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. The next step is for all of us to realize that we have a whole year or so before Bishop William actually retires. So we need to be about the Master’s business and continue to fulfill our ministries as Bishop William will certainly fulfil his amongst us.
Bishop William and Margaret Anderson on a visit to the Cathedral this past Spring. Bishop William celebrated the 40th Anniversary of is ordination to the Diaconate in June, 2015. - Ed. And when we consider all the good things that are going on around the Diocese there is lots to do and to celebrate.
(4) Is known in that person’s community as being a person of integrity and moral stature; and
In terms of the process, the Diocese has Canons that will guide and direct us in how the election will proceed. The first important step, as the Bishop told us in his Charge, is for him to finalize his own plans and then write to the Metropolitan indicating when he will actually retire. The Metropolitan (currently Archbishop John Privett of Kootenay) will accept Bishop William’s letter. After the retirement date and until there is a Bishop Elect, the Archbishop becomes our bishop. In order to help the Diocese function all of the administrative (non episcopal duties) will be handled by the Administrator. The Administrator will be a priest who is currently on the Executive Committee. Episcopal Acts, such as Confirmation, Ordination that are traditionally reserved to the Bishop alone, can be done by the Archbishop or another Bishop with the Metropolitan’s permission during this time.
(5) Has those qualities and abilities of leadership, experience and learning that will enable the fulfilment of the duties of a chief pastor in the Church of God.
Who can be elected? Canon 1 says this, “A person shall be eligible for election as a Bishop if that person, (1) Is of the full age of thirty (30) years; (2) Is a priest or bishop in the holy orders of the Anglican Church of Canada, or of a Church in full communion therewith; (3) Is faithful in the doctrines and discipline of the Anglican Church of Canada, as determined and defined by the formularies of the Church;
The Administrator within 30 days of the resignation date, will issue notice to the parishes fixing a date, time and place for the electoral Synod; explain the rules of eligibility for the election as Bishop; instruct the clergy to inform the communicant members of the parishes of the process. The Administrator will also meet with the Executive Committee to form a Search Committee. The Search Committee handles all of the nominations and information that needs to be given out to the Members of the Electoral Synod, including preparing resumes of the nominated Candidates. At the Electoral Synod, the person who is elected will be the candidate who receives a two-thirds majority in both the order of the Laity and the order of the Clergy in a single round of voting. The Metropolitan then also seeks the consent of the majority of the Provincial House of Bishops, according to Canon 4 of the Province of BC-Yukon. In the months to come, there will be more articles about what the Bible has to say about bishops, what their role is within the Church and how we can begin to discern who God might be calling to be the 10th Bishop of Caledonia. If you have any questions that you would like answered, please send them to caledoniatimes@gmail.com.
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friend or a loved one, a neighbour or a colleague. Invite them to Church and trust God to touch yours and their souls.
Bishop’s Notes
Worship, the first obligation. When I was growing up, the arrival of the Sears Christmas Catalogue was always a cause for excitement. Pouring over the pages of children’s toys was an opportunity to dream of the wondrous things I wanted to have. As Christmas drew closer my imagination of how I would play with the toys I wanted was boundless. So when Christmas morning arrived I could barely wait to go down to the living room and see what gifts were there- so that I could go from imagining to the reality of playing with the toys I hoped had come for me. There’s nothing special about this – most of us can remember a time when we were children and were filled with the excitement of Christmas. But of all the gifts that I received while growing up, the one that has remained with me was probably the least intended. Because in my home, even after the family broke up, going to Church for Christmas services was always part of what we did. We didn’t think about it – we simply did it because it was expected. In my earliest years we went to the Presbyterian Church. Later we went to the United Church. And finally, as a teenager, it was to the Anglican Church I went. In retrospect I could not tell you about a single service that stood out or a sermon that captured my imagination. But what did seep into my soul in those formative years of childhood was the reality of Christians, sinners all, coming together to worship the birth of Jesus. Of course this was during the 1950’s and 60’s, which some now remind us was a time when it was fashionable to go to Church, a golden age if you will.
+William Caledona The Right Rev. William J. Anderson is the nineth Bishop of Caledonia and was consecrated n February, 2002. In 2016, he will begin the 15 year of his episcopacy.
Nonetheless, the idea of going to Christmas services came to be a constant in my life. I cannot imagine Christmas without Church. Now I would be the first to argue that going to Church because it is fashionable is probably not the best reason to go. But God’s ability to touch one’s soul within the context of worship is not dependant on our motivation. Simply by showing up we open the opportunity for God to touch us. This is one reason why worship is the first obligation of a Christian. Worship isn’t about being fashionable. And it isn’t about being entertained. It is about acknowledging God’s supremacy in our lives and therefore creating opportunities for Him to shape our lives. It is about acknowledging that we need Him to shape our lives – and understanding that we do not shape who God is. Persistence in worship creates opportunities to more deeply develop our relationship with God in a way that simply cannot be done in isolation from other Christians. And often the pattern of that developing relationship will not be obvious to us week to week – perhaps not even from one year to the next. But over time growth does happen because God never ceases reaching out to us. We might stop listening. And sometimes we might stop going to Him. But God always persists in trying to draw us deeper into relationship with Him.
Surfing for the Lord: Science and the Sacred By Ruby McBeth Some scientists are convinced that Christianity and science are compatible. To see what they are up to, go to the website of the BioLogos Foundation at <https://biologos.org>. Sections include “Science and the Sacred,” and “Evolution and Christian Faith,” and much more. President is Deborah Haarsma who has a doctorate in Astrophysics from MIT. Not surprisingly this is a state of the art website with videos and a blog section. p.s. N.T. Wright spoke at two of their conferences.
That first Christmas was a moment of excitement and anticipation for those who were looking to see the hand of God working in the world. The perfect gift of Jesus Christ is still a source of excitement and wonder for those who take the time to stop and look. So this Christmas share that gift with someone – a
Roman Catholic Synod on the Family Report By George Conger The Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church called by Pope Francis to discuss the theme of “the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world” wrapped up its work last week without recommending changes in church doctrine, but urging a softer line on church discipline. It recommended adopting a more welcoming approach towards the divorced and remarried and those living together who were not married, as well as urging local autonomy in addressing these pastoral concerns. Meeting from 4-25 Oct 2015 in the Synod Hall in the Paul VI Audience Hall in the Vatican 270 cardinals, archbishops, and priests from around the world, joined by lay and ecumenical observers, debated the issue of allowing divorced and civilly remarried couples to be allowed to receive Holy Communion. By a vote of 187-72 the synod upheld the current discipline that that divorced and remarried Catholics should not receive Communion, but asked the Pope to find a way to include divorced Catholics into the life of the Church. The Synod further recommended that divorced and remarried Catholics not be made to feel excommunicated, and that consideration be given to the plight of their children. Section 84 of the Page 2 - Merry Christmas, Caledonia!
statement said: “They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters, and the Holy Spirit pours out gifts and charisms on them for the good of all … taking care of these people is not a weakness in its own faith and its witness as to the indissolubility of marriage; indeed, the Church expresses its own charity through this care.” Section 85 of the document, adopted by a vote of 178 to 80 acknowledged that when addressing cases of divorce and remarriage, the parties to a divorce may not be equally to blame, distinguishing between those who tried to save their marriage and those who destroyed their marriage “through a grave fault.” Section 86 of the document, adopted by a vote of 190 to 64 recommended the issue of allowing individual divorced and remarried Catholics to be addressed by an “internal forum” of priest and penitent that would explore ways of allowing “fuller participation in the life of the Church” -- the document was ambiguous, however, if “fuller participation” could mean admission to Communion. Section 70 of the document addressed the church’s response to unmarried couples living together. The bishops acknowledged that some people chose to live together for economic reasons, because “getting married is perceived as a luxury” that they See Synod on the Family, on p. 4
The Caledonia Times Publication of the Diocese of Caledonia Editor: The Dean of Caledonia Published monthly, except July and August by: Diocese of Caledonia, 200 – 4th Avenue West Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1P3 (250) 627-1143 or (250) 600-7143 Address correspondence and copy to the address above. Or to caledoniatimes@gmail.com Submissions must be received by the 1st Day of the Month for the following month’s issue. Send subscription orders, address changes Diocese of Caledonia c/o Anglican Journal 80 Hayden St. Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2 Printed and mailed by: Webnews Inc., North York, Ontario
Caledonia Times — December , 2015
Skypilot Moments The Common Thread of Christmas Christmas. When I think back over the years and the celebrations of all the Christmases I have known, there has been a lot of changes. The way in which I celebrate Christmas differs now in many ways from what I remember. For example, There is no more Lego™ in the stocking to pull out and put together while my sister and I wait for mom to go out and through some hay to the horses and dad scrambles to find his house coat and make it to the stove for a cup of coffee. Each year, there was a “Santa present” that the jolly ol’ elf left for each of us (my sister and I). It was usually the kind of present that we had really wanted that year. My sister and I could dog ear the pages of the Sears Wish book and circle the things we would like to receive. Perhaps the greatest thing about Christmas morning was the anticipation and the surprise at what had been left out for us. My mother still has the FisherPrice Village that I as given when I was four for was it five. It was great to play with and the addition of Lego cars and people made for many hours of play. There was no Xbox or Playstations; personal computers were still many years away. Maybe the present I remember most was the hockey game
so many boys had when I was five or six. You remember the one! The one that had the players on rods and you had to maneuver the puck up and down the ice and work it in to a position where you could take a shot and hoped it would go in, making sounds and light flash. I was forever daring my dad to beat me at a game of hockey. Then there are my first Christmas away from home. I had been a Church Army Captain for a few months. He Parish was without a rector at the time and so I had to remain to do things in the Parish. Mom had sent packages and more packages with all kinds of goodies and baking, things to decorate my apartment with and of course, presents. I went and found a little table tree that I put on a low table, placing my presents around it. It took me until spring to eat all of the baking. Christmas Day was spent with my upstairs neighbour and his children, eating a beautiful meal and spending some time at the Hospital with my neighbour’s wife because she lived in the Chronic Care unit. And of course there have been many Christmases with my wife and our own family. Being married and having our family there were new traditions, new ways of doing things. Being more excited to watch the boys has they have grown up and how they enjoyed the presents given to them and reminding them to say thank you for the gifts on the phone as we talked to family on both coasts throughout the rest of the day and night. The one thing that was a common thread through it all, and the one thing which stands out most of all, was going to Church to be a part of the fam-
Books along the Way By Ruby McBeth,
ing People of Hope» are to encourage Christians.
It takes a dedicated and socially intelligent person to bring new life to an institution that is floundering. Justin Trudeau has done that for the Liberal Party of Canada and Tom Wright is working on that with the Church of England. Wright, the former Bishop of Durham is now professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St. Andrews University in Scotland. One of Wright’s central ideas is that the good news of Christianity is about rescuing humans for life in this world not just about saving souls for a life in the next world. You could say that Wright is telling us to get over ourselves, get on with living the good news, and share the gospel intelligently.
His first chapter: “Healing the Divide Between Science and Religion” argues that the western world sees God as not involved in our world. (This is the philosophy of Epicurianism which the author explains thoroughly.) Wright suggests that this mistaken approach prevents the Christian faith from being communicated. Wright thinks that in North America people have set up an either / or way of looking at science. This has led some Christians to deny much that science has learned and so prevents dialogue between Christians and scientists. He suggests that the «young-earth» position (denial of evolution) is not just a pleasant belief to be tolerated but rather a dangerous misunderstanding which stops many people from taking the Bible seriously.
in his book Surprised by Scripture Wright applies his knowledge of the Bible to discussions of contemporary issues. The book begins with three essays addressed to scientists: “Healing the Divide Between Science and Religion», «Do We Need a Historical Adam?», and «Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection». These are followed by «The Biblical Case for Ordaining Women.» Then we have essays on the environment, the nature of evil, modern gods, and politics. The final three essays: «How to engage Tomorrow›s World», «Apocalypse and the Beauty of God», and BecomCaledonia Times — December, 2015
ily of God. There is one Christmas Eve I remember in particular when I had gone with the Parish priest and his father on a particularly nasty Christmas Eve to the other services and serve for him at the altar. I remember coming back to our Church a half an hour late for the service. The Congregation had been singing Christmas Carols, led by the Lay Reader/organist and waiting patiently for us to come home and celebrate with them. It didn’t seem to matter that we were late. There was quiet while we set up and there was a tremendous sense of awe and wonder in the whole thing. Not even the exposure of the priest’s left big toe out of his woolen socks could dampen what was happening. In all of it, Christmas has taught me a lot of things like how to gratefully receive and graciously give. Christmas has taught me about the generosity of others and the Care of the Church for its own. Christmas has taught me most of all that Christmas is Christmas because it is about Christ and about how he has come for each and for all of us that we might know our Father and have life in his name. That will never change. Remember, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13.8) And that our salvation is a gift we can take with us, wherever we are and wherever we go. That is the common thread of Christmas. Merry Christmas, Caledonia. I pray that yours is a bright and holy one.
Jason+ Editor, the Caledonia Times.
book for which the Bible is so central. This is not a book addressed to the general public. While the author›s style is clear and his manner friendly he does assume that the reader is familiar with terms like “dispensationalism,” “eschatology,” and “cosmogony.” If you are dissatisfied with glib books on Christianity which “preach to the choir” this book will get you thinking. Recommended for clergy and interested lay people. Wright, N.T. Surprised by Scripture: Engaging Contemporary Issues. New York: Harper and Collins, 2014.
The article “The Biblical Case for Ordaining Women” is a detailed analysis of the passages which would seem to prevent women from being leaders in church: 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2. This essay is interesting as it shows how biblical scholars do exegesis. Each of the essays in this book began as a speech or sermon. In the acknowledgements at the end of the book the author tells us where each speech was given. The author finishes the book with a scripture index - very helpful in a Merry Christmas, Caledonia! - Page 3
Calendar Intercessions List 2012 Strong Indigenous presence at installation of Montreal’s first female bishop On September 29, Mary Irwin-Gibson was installed as the12th Bishop of Montreal, and the first woman to hold that position. Archbishop Percy Coffin, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada, and Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, presided over the ancient service of consecration and instalment, which took place at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Montreal. The consecration began with a team of First Nations drummers, led by Mi’kmaq shaman Lee Greyfeather, who attends Church of St. James the Apostle, and signalled the new Bishop’s commitment to work for reconciliation with Indigenous people. Both Irwin-Gibson and Dean of Montreal, the Very Rev. Paul Kennington, said that the Indigenous rites spoke to the need for Anglican liturgy, particularly on occasions like the consecration, to reflect the work of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which issued its report earlier this year. “It is important to us as a diocese to take seriously the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and have representatives of First Nations in our liturgy,” Irwin-Gibson said. Kennington agreed, adding that in the aftermath of the TRC, such recognition would have been needed regardless of who the Bishop-Elect was. “It is essential that we have a First Nations presence at events of this kind,” he said. Anglican Montreal Diocese of Toronto earmarks $500,000 for refugee assistance The Diocese of Toronto has committed to providing $500,000 from its Ministry Allocation Fund to provide aid both for refugee sponsorship and foreign aid. “It’s important for us to make a statement that we’re willing to make a substantial commitment that will make a difference,” said Archbishop Colin Johnson. While details of how the money will be spent have not been worked out, Johnson said the diocese would not directly sponsor refugees. Instead, he would like the money to be made available in the form of matching grants to parishes that want to sponsor refugees or work with other churches and outside groups. He suggested some of the money could be used to support agencies in Canada and
overseas that are working directly with refugees. He expressed hope that the funds will be used to assist refugees not only from the Middle East but from Africa and Asia as well. “We are doing this out of our faith commitment, that God has created all of us and that all people have dignity. That’s part of our baptismal vows,” he said. Ian McBride, the executive director of AURA (the Anglican United Refugee Alliance), praised the diocese for its decision. “I think it’s a very good use of resources,” he said. “It is in the best interests of all concerned and I applaud it.” The Anglican Congregation finds new life after losing parish home The congregation of St. George’s Anglican Church in Saint John, N.B., may have had four homes in three years, but its members haven’t let this interfere with the work of being the church in the world. In some ways, says the Rev. Rob Salloum, it has made it possible to do so more fully. “We’ve been freed from the burden of the cost of a building. Now we’re free to shift our focus,” he said. When St. George’s was closed earlier this year, the congregation conducted services out of the Seafarer’s Mission. But while one parishioner described the experience as “humbling,” things started to turn around when Carlton-Kirk United Church opened its doors to the Anglicans, and the congregation of St. George’s was able to reboot its community ministries. Its ministries are concentrated on the Lower West Side of Saint John, where Statistics Canada says 40% of its residents live on less than $10,000 a year—what it classifies as “extreme poverty.” The congregation’s outreach includes St. George’s Café, which feeds upwards of 50 people every Sunday night, and a small food-sharing program called Howard’s Pantry. Members of the congregation also meet every Wednesday night to do a prayer walk through the neighbourhood.
Synod on the Family could not afford, while others lived together and rejected the “values of marriage and family.” The synod recommended the church adopt a softer pastoral line, not leading with condemnation but seeing it as an opportunity to point couples to the “fullness of marriage and family.” The paragraph was adopted by a vote of 231-47. The synod rejected any change to church practices concerning same-sex marriage,holding they were not even “remotely analogous” to traditional marriage by a vote of 221 to 37. The synod fathers rejected Western government and NGO policies that conditioned foreign aid in Africa upon the acceptance of gay marriage. However, they restated the church’s teaching that all persons, irrespective of sexual orientation, must not be subjected to “unjust discrimination.”
Correcting the Executive Members List It was noted that there was at least one person not mentioned in the list of ex-officio members of the Exectuive Committee that was renewed at our Synod. The person missing from the list was Diocesan ACW President, Susan Kenny. We apologize for this oversight. The List of Ex-officio Officers and members for the Executive Committee looks like this: Bishop William Anderson (Chair), The Very Rev. Jason Haggstrom, Dean of Caledonia; The Venerable Ernest Buchanan, Archdeacon of Caledonia West; The Venerable Tim Johnson, Archdeacon of Caledonia East; Audrey Wagner, Secretary-Treasurer, Susan Kenny (President, Diocesan ACW) the Rev. Canon Gary Davis, Anglican Council of Indigenous People Diocesan Representative and The Rev. Gwen Andrews (Finance and Property Committees). Elected to the Executive Committee are: The Rev. Enid Pow (North Peace), Grace Janze (St. Peter’s Hazelton)
Comic Corner
“Everybody keeps saying the church isn’t the building,” said parishioner Margaret Ann Reid. “It’s the people. That’s so true. I hope others believe it, too.” The New Brunswick Anglican
From the Parishes: St. Wilfred, Fraser Lake At their recent Thanksgiving Supper, the folks at St. Wilfred’s witnessed the carving up of a 45 pound turkey by Parishioner Ken Ponsford (pictured at the left with the blessed, beast of a bird!). Ken Ponsford presided at the carving of the 45 lb. turkey becuase the folks at St Wilfrid’s, Fraser Lake, invited the community to join them for a Fall (Fowl) Supper. They enjoyed good food, good company, and even sang a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday when Rev. Gwen let it be known that it was Rev. Roy’s birthday. - Ed.
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Caledonia Times — December , 2015