Caledonia Times The
January 2014 Editon Volume 47, Issue 1 The Diocesan Section of the Anglican Journal
Executive Committee gathers in Terrace
For 2015 Diocesan Budget and diocesan financial life decisons for the next couple of years Changes for the Camp’s financial reporting
The Diocesan Executive Committee met in Terrace November 28th for the Annual Budget Meeting. What follows are highlights from the Minutes of the meeting:
The Diocese’s Auditor has recommended changes to the system that would see bringing Camp Caledonia under the umbrella of the diocese to enable a complete picture of the diocese financially and to come in line with standard practices of the Certified General Accountants (CGA) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
A Gift for Christian Education and Evangelism
The Diocese has received a gift from an anonymous donor for the purposes of Christian Education and Evangelism in the Diocese. This will be a restricted use fund within the financials of the Diocese and will be disbursed at the discretion of the Bishop.
Changes for the Camp’s financial reporting
The Executive Committee also voted to create a Diocesan Property Committee which will be chaired by Archdeacon Tim Johnson. The Property Committee has been tasked to look at all of the current and to forecast possible upcoming issues for the Diocese in terms of buildings and properties. The Property Committee will look at some of the following issues amongst others:
The Sale of St. Martin’s Church and Rectory for North Peace
The Church and Rectory in the Parish of the North Peace have been sold to the local Credit Union in Fort St. John for an undisclosed amount. The Credit Union approached the Parish and the Diocese some time ago about the possibility of purchasing the properties and buildings because they would like to expand their building. As a part of the agreement the Parish has been asked to continue to occupy the buildings for up to the next eighteen months. This will give the parish time to vision, plan and begin to move towards a new church facility. The Parish was given a short term loan by the North Peace Credit Union for the purchase of a new house to become the new rectory. The sale was approved by a vote of the Executive Committee through email in early November. Proceeds from the sale of the rectory and church were used to fund the purchase, and as a result the diocese owns the new house outright. Grants for Stipend for 2015
Requested grants to Parishes for Stipend for 2015 were considered. In total, there was $109,000 given to parishes requesting help to pay their clergy. While funding for 2015 has been held at 2014 levels through a onetime gift to the Council, the forecast from the National Office of the Anglican Church of Canada says that giving from the National Church to the Council continues to decline. This means that the Nation Church’s budget will continue to be cut, including the National Block Grant. This means that we, as a diocese, will receive less money. Therefore, in order for parishes to keep on having stipendiary clergy, local Anglicans are going to have to find ways to raise the stipend or the diocese will have to make changes
and let clergy go. The diocese expends out of its own diminishing reserves, the money to continue employing clergy so that the clergy are not without their paychecks. This practice will eventually have to come to an end. It should be noted that Parish applying for stipendiary grants for 2016 will need to send a representative to the Fall Executive Meeting. Someone other than the parish priest will need to make a presentation to the Executive on the life and work of the Parish, and advocate for their situation, explaining why the need the financial support. The Executive also voted to continue the covenant with the Council of the North and chose to forgive Parish Arrears which totalled $124,043.43 for 2014.
(1) How do we teach wholetistic stewardship? – not just about the money but also about human and physical resources as well. Must manage the 5 T’s (time, talents, tresure, trees and tears) well, all the time. (2) How do we change from a culture of abundance from a culture of poverty? (3) Which do we want to do: maintain rectories or to pay housing allowance to Fair Market Value? (4) Does the Diocese and parishes maintain furnished rectories to cut down the costs of moving? (5) How does the Diocese provide for housing for clergy on reserve? The Executive Committee meets again in the Spring of 2015.
Happy New Year, Caledonia!
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Bishop’s Notes God is moving into his world, our lives Many of us often lament that each year the pressure to start observing the populist notion of Christmas starts earlier and earlier, with Christmas songs and advertising being heard in November. While from a faith perspective this is to be regretted, it is not the only distortion of the Christmas event that takes place – the other is simply less noticeable because it happens while we are recovering from the exhausting round of pre-Christmas shopping and celebrations. If Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, The Feast of the Epiphany, which falls in early January, commemorates the understanding by mankind that the child born in Bethlehem is God come into the world. Or, to put it another way, God acted in the world, but it took mankind a while to perceive Him. What we most often notice about Epiphany, if anything, is that in churches where the Christmas Crèche has not already been packed away, this is the Sunday when the Magi are placed in the scene. We might also notice that in our calendar we name the Sundays from this point through until the Sunday before Ash Wednesday as Sundays after Epiphany – in other words, as Sundays after mankind first understands that God has come into the world in the person of the baby Jesus. It’s a shame that this element of the Nativity story has come to be mostly lost to us as far as our awareness of it, because Epiphany provides an important lesson for us. As noted already, Epiphany is about people beginning to understand that God has come into their world. The Magi travel to Bethlehem,
bringing gifts. Understanding that such travel, as described in the New Testament, was dangerous, this journey comes to symbolize what we are called to do throughout the Epiphany season. If we have truly perceived that Christ is God come into our world, what response can we give other than to make the spiritual journey to that child and offer our own gifts to Him. And those journeys are not without risks and cost. Notice that this is not about giving Christmas presents to people. It is not about going on a wild spending spree to purchase material things. It is about going to Christ and making an offering of our lives and our talents. You see, the real gifts that the Magi brought to the Christ child were not the gold, incense and frankincense. Those were nice enough gifts, to be sure, but they were not the kind of things for which the Child had any use. Rather, it was the Magi’s use of their talents to make the journey, and to acknowledge the new King that were the real gifts. In doing this they placed their lives in His hands.
lives, and pray about how we can better acknowledge that God has come into our world, into our lives, and how we can better recognize and serve Him as Our Lord.
+William Caledonia
Surfin’ for the Lord By Ruby McBeth Does food matter to you? It does to many small farmers in this world. To learn more about food sustainability go to <http://grassrootsonline.org>. Grassroots International is a Boston-based global justice organization that advocates for small farmers. The home page tells us that their job is “advancing the human right to land, water, and food around the world through strategic grant making and advocacy.” There is nothing unsophisticated about their web-site. It is highly organized and informative. Under “What We Do” we learn that they are presently involved in Latin America, and the Middle East. Under the same section we find a video “Partnership for change.” Click on publications to read a precis of their writing about seeds and seed practices in the U.S. and many other topics. The complete article can be downloaded. Food for thought! Happy surfing!
So as we live through the winter days of January and February this year, let us make the deliberate decision to complete the telling of the story that only begins on Christmas Eve. Let us use this time to reflect more deeply on how God has come into our
The “Glass Lady” gives a final window to Taylor Church
Caledonia Times A Publication of the Diocese of Caledonia Left: is a stain glass window donated to Good Shepherd Church, Taylor by artist Heather Miller. “It is a memorial for my dear aunt and uncle who lived by the ocean and were sailors. It took over a year to build as I was babysitting our two year old grandson at the time instead of my normal twothree month time frame. It is my last window as I am slowly losing my fine detail eyesight and have been declared legally blind.” Above: the work of a project is supervised by “Sassy” the cat. Below: Heather is pictured with another of her works.
Publisher: The Rt. Rev. William J. Anderson Editor: The Very Rev. Jason Haggstrom Associate Editor: Audrey Wagner Published monthly, except July and August by: Diocese of Caledonia, 200 – 4th Ave. 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 of each 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
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Caledonia Times — January 2015
Editorial moments
Fanning the faith into flame It has taken me a while to start typing... after all it is a brand new year and there is so much that could happen and will happen in the coming weeks and months. The page on which I am now writing has been blank all day. I suppose that it has been that way all day because once I started, there is a direction, a focus, and a commitment that needs to be attended to. Like a fire in the fire place it starts low and with care starts to grow. A fire starts as an idea and maybe because of a need: whether it’s because we want to be warm or we need the light or both. I can remember when we lived north of here in the community of Telegraph Creek, the main source of heat for the house – for pretty much everybody’s house – was the woodstove. It would take six to eight cords of wood to heat the house for a winter. Because of the costs of electricity, no one left electric heaters on for any length of time. Life in the village was structured around the heating of homes, because someone had to keep the home fires burning – literally. And the thing about heating with wood, you are not looking for a crackling, dancing type fire. No, sir! A fire might begin that way but if it is to go the long haul; to provide the needed heat and light for hours to come, it must be controlled. It needs just the right amount of air to develop coals that will emit heat and the low orange glow that will last for hours. This thought, led me to think about what this year might be like for the Church. And In thinking things through, I was reminded of this verse which I have always claimed as one of my own: For this
reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control
(II Tim. 1.6-7 ESV). I don’t know what last year was like for you and how things went: whether you blew hot from a great fire within you, making great strides in the faith. Or maybe found yourself darkened, damp and in the cold. Perhaps you have only a little flicker life and you are praying it does not go out. But here is the good news for the start of the year – you can be relit! Many is the morning that I would go and get fresh fuel from the wood box, open up the stove, gather the coals left over from the night’s burning and then part close up the stove to create a draft. When the coals were revived and brightly shining, I would place the fresh fuel in and away the fire would go again, without having had to strike a match! Could it be that your spiritual life, and that of your congregation, are like the embers in the stove that are waiting for the fresh air; to breathe new life into again that we might be a spiritual house on fire? All it takes is to have one coal and some fast moving air – and poof! We have a fire to be proud of. The thing of it is, we need to make the effort to be committed to our spiritual life: to see it grow
and expand. Commitment is where the rubber meets the road for all of us. All of us have the potential to burn like a fire. All of us can help to feed the hungry, care for the sick and the dying, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned and celebrate the coming of the kingdom into this world. We can model our homes and family life in such a way as to be a witness to the Good News of God in Christ so that our common life has impact in the rest of the community. Is that a resolution we could keep for each other this year? Happy New Year everyone!
Jason+ Editor, the Caledonia Times
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Books on the Way By Ruby McBeth One of the most baffling ethical issues today involves end of life care. We consider it merciful to have a suffering pet put down, but when it comes to humans it is not the same. We remember with horror tales of the Nazis systematically eliminated the weak and elderly. Also we know that Christ told us to care for the sick. Yet, we don’t want people to suffer. Gary Bauslaugh discusses this dilemma at length in his book Robert Latimer: A Story of Mercy and Justice. Robert Latimer was the Saskatchewan farmer who killed his severely disabled daughter Tracy in 1993. He thought this was the only way he could relieve her suffering. The author relates the Latimer story in an unemotional and balanced fashion. In the end the author tells us he thinks that Latimer made a mistake in killing his daughter. He sacrificed himself and his family for Tracy. The author met with Robert Latimer between 2005 and 2009 when Latimer was in prison in Victoria and later on parole in Victoria. He has noted that Robert Latimer is devoted to his family (wife and three other children) and has tried to protect them from public scrutiny. For that reason he refused to cooperate on the publishing of this book. Bauslaugh has made the last third of the book a discussion of Latimer’s legal problems and the challenges generally with laws around end of life Caledonia Times — January 2015
issues. The author goes into detail about countries in the world and U.S. states that have legalized euthanasia. Robert Latimer himself had no interest in the euthanasia debate nor in the right to die movement. He was indirectly involved in the debate because of his desire to end the suffering of his beloved daughter. The problem with Robert Latimer’s case was that the court system had to convict him as a murderer just like any other person who kills. In Canadian law there is no category called “mercy killing.” While this protects the vulnerable it also wastes tax payers money by keeping people like Latimer in prison. Bauslaugh suggests that there is a need to humanize our legal system while still protecting the vulnerable. The Latimer case was so unusual that it does not really solve anything in the debate over assisted suicide. It does, however, make us aware of the issues as they relate to Canadian law. The book includes extensive notes giving us access to research materials available on the internet. Also included are six pages of black and white pictures of the Latimer family and other people related to the case as well as an index. This book takes us inside the Canadian legal system which alone makes it worth reading. Recommended generally for adults.
Bauslaugh, Gary. Robert Latimer: A Story of Justice and Mercy. Toronto: James Lorimer and Company, 2010. Page 3
Church Life : news from the wider Church Going green Last fall, St. John the Evangelist, Winona, Ont., hosted its first annual Environmental Awareness Day. Working with Ontario Electronic Stewardship, the parish collected and recycled 1.48 tonnes of electronic waste, which would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. The event also included an open house for local environmental organizations such as Clean Air Hamilton and Greening Niagara, and that sparked many conversations about sustainability and stewardship. “Our hope is to involve more participation from the Winona community, heighten awareness and increase the number of organizations engaging us in conversations that lead us to environmental action,” said the Rev. Leslie Gerlofs, priest-in-charge of St. John the Evangelist. Niagara Anglican New communications officer for Fredericton Gisele McKnight is the new communications officer at the diocese of Fredericton synod office, succeeding Ana Watts, who retired earlier in 2014. In addition to serving as editor of The New Brunswick Anglican, McKnight will produce weekly ebulletins and oversee the communications strategy of the diocese and other groups. A 20-year veteran of the newspaper industry, McKnight has won numerous awards for her reporting, and comes to the diocese from Fredericton’s The Daily Gleaner, where she worked as opinion and religion editor.
The New Brunswick Anglican
ties discussed, among others, the issue of suicide prevention. It noted that the diocese has began addressing the issue with a two-day course, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). The committee suggested that pastoral care training be provided to families who have lost a loved one to suicide.
Singing for charity
Saskatchewan Anglican
The Wildwood Singers, comprised of 10 parishioners at St. George of England, Cormack, Nfld., have been performing at church, local charities and community events for nearly 20 years. They had long considered recording a CD and donating the proceeds to charity, and with the help of fellow parishioner Jodie Rice, that dream became a reality in 2014. The Wildwood Singers have sold more than 300 copies of a CD of gospel favourites, and have donated the $4,290 profit to help St. George install a new roof. They plan to donate further proceeds to charity as well.
Winter warmth heads north
“I was looking for a change, and this is it…It’s an answer to my prayers,” said McKnight. Raised in the Salvation Army, McKnight has a special interest in social justice issues, especially those involving women and children.
Anglican Life in Newfoundland and Labrador Saskatchewan bishop outlines priorities In his charge to the 68th synod in the diocese of Saskatchewan, Bishop Michael Hawkins underscored the importance of working closely with the diocese of Brandon in the area of indigenous ministry and with the diocese of Athabasca, in nonindigenous ministry. Hawkins said Saskatchewan also intends to work closely with the diocese of Saskatoon around rural ministry and diocesan administration. Responding to the bishop’s charge, the committee in charge of offering feedback to diocesan priori-
Training for the Nass River Parishes left Davis as the only full-time priest in the Nass River valley. He was struggling to meet the needs of the communities there, including offering Nisga’a liturgies. Bishop Anderson understood and responded to the hunger for more training and education in his diocese. His first step was adapting a lay reader training course for Caledonia, which would end up serving as the first module in a larger program aimed at meeting ministry needs in the Nass River valley and beyond.
BY ERIN GREEN, Journal Staff
The waters of the Nass River cut through snowpeaked northern British Columbia, drawing people and animals to feed on its gifts. So significant are these waters’ ability to nourish and sustain that they were named for Indigenous words meaning ‘food depot’ or ‘top lip’ and ‘bottom lip’. Thousands of years after its first feeding of people, the Nass River valley again is a vital source of sustenance. This time the Nisga’a people are finding in the valley food for the spirit to fuel a journey of transformation and renewal. Like so many other pockets of the Anglicans across Canada, Caledonia faces distinct challenges in growing Church communities and carrying out ministry. The parishes of Caledonia are peppered across rugged terrain and have difficulty attracting and supporting full-time stipendiary clergy. The ministry context here also has a unique blending of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Anglican communities as it partially overlays the traditional lands of the Nisga’a First Nation. These broad challenges were given a particular voice when Rev. Canon Gary Davis of Holy Trinity, Aiyansh approached Bishop William Anderson for some support. The retirement of some clergy and other factors
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A small group of faithful Anglicans eagerly signed up for the opportunity and in late 2013 became the first cohort in an emerging theological training program. Perhaps by no coincidence at all, the first group all came from service professions requiring keen pastoral skills. The experiences as schoolteachers, nurses, and administrators primed them with many of the tools required for parish ministry. A grant from Council of the North is seeding the early years of this initiative, and covers administration and travel costs. With the short-term viability of the project secured, the diocese went on to create modules on basic preaching skills, how to study and read the bible, and so on. Archdeacon Ernest Buchanan, who administers the program, says they started with foundational courses to make sure all students had the basic training they needed to move on to more advanced topics and ministry practices. The diocese has secured permission from Trinity School for Ministry to adapt some of its extension ministry modules for the Canadian context. This includes adding more history from the Anglican Church of Canada and understanding the unique place of the Nisga’a First Nation in the life of the church in Nass Valley. Over the course of three years, students will also have modules on biblical scholarship, history, theology, ethics, church administration, and more. Of equal importance is the cohort’s hands-
Since at least 1861, members of the diocese of British Columbia have sent supplies to those in need in Caledonia. In late fall, Anglican Church Women members gathered in St. John’s, Duncan, to pack boxes of quilts, socks, toques, baby items, sweaters and mittens that they had made or sourced. These boxes were then sent to eight churches across the province. Responding to a request from St. John Anglican Church’s the Rev. Lilly Bell, the box sent to Old Masset, a Haida community, was filled with quilts to be used in a long-term care facility. These gifts are valued at $25,000. The Diocesan Post Parish celebrates 120 years with cookbook Parishioners at St. James’ Anglican Church in Goulais River, Ont., will commemorate the congregation’s 120th anniversary with a special 120-page cookbook. Filled with family recipes, favourite Bible verses and local church history, the cookbook is meant to feed “body, soul and spirit.” Parishioners began work on the recipe book in 2013. on experience in parish ministry and ongoing group discussion about leadership, mission, and growing vibrant Church communities. The immediate goal of this training and education initiative is to build up the community of lay readers in the diocese. This foundational training can be put to service in support of parish ministry right away or it might also serve as a good basis if any participant feels called to seminary study and ordination to the Holy Orders. The diocese is blessed with trained and talented educators, including Buchanan who has taught at a seminary in Mexico City and has a passion for vocational training. The Rev. Luke Anker of Christ Church, Kitimat has an incredible appetite for biblical scholarship and shares this with the students. Even Bishop Anderson will take on the role of professor and teach liturgics when time comes for that module. The nascent initiative is characterized by the flexibility and resourcefulness that defines ministry across Council of the North. Buchanan says that while the modules do have a schedule, all involved attentive to the need to “flow with community life.” He laughs, “There are going to be interminable interruptions, because life has interminable interruptions.” Even in these early days, Buchanan sees much hope in his midst. He is witness to a deepening commitment among the students who gather at Aiyansh for their modules. They are seriously engaged in the future of the church and want to understand their role in bringing about the flourishing of God’s will in the here and now. “Hey, this is a vocation toward which God is calling us,” Buchanan hears his students say, “and we have to take it seriously.”
Come and check out our Facebook page! Come join us at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dioceseof-Caledonia/ Caledonia Times — January 2015