The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2024

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • June 2024

Why all the talk about money? 8 Associate editor Peter Coolen ordained a priest 11

John McLean

Rev. Rick Reed elected 13th bishop of P.A.

By Mary Brown

PRINCE ALBERT

— By now everyone knows that Rev. Richard (Rick) Reed has been elected 13th bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, but unless you were there for the election, you would not know how exciting it was.

The previous election for Bishop Michael Hawkins was a short day as he won on the first ballot; this one took five rounds.

The election on May 11 started with registration from 8 to 9:30 a.m., after which everyone proceeded to St. Alban’s Cathedral for the opening of Synod, a motion to appoint the lay and clerical secretaries for synod, Connie Jessop, lay secretary and the Rev. Ted Williams, clerical secretary.

Scrutineers were nominated with two clergy, the Rev. Perry Siddons and the Rev. Dr. David Butorac, and one lay, Noreen Hareuther, to count

Rev. Richard Reed

the clergy ballots, and to count the lay ballots were Kathleen Stewart, Nancy Bonyai and the Rev. Brody Albers. The Rev. Canon Don Skinner and Caron Hallen were the credentials committee.

Following the appointments, the chair of the search committee, the Rev. Body Albers, read the group’s report and confirmed the nominations that were made.

As with any Synod

that involves voting, a quorum has to be met. If all delegates were in attendance there would have been 26 clergy and 62 lay delegates.

A roll call was taken and there were 34 lay delegates (quorum 33) and 20 clerical delegates (quorum 19). So the numbers were pretty tight and this is when things got interesting!

Archdeacon Hoskin asked all the clergy to gather at the back of the church to discuss the eligibility of the lay delegates. There were some pretty serious faces in the group and they finally agreed that all lay delegates were eligible to vote. With the numbers so close there were threats of locking everyone in the cathedral for the duration.

With all the electoral business taken handled, the agenda continued with a service of Holy Communion commemorating Cyril and Methodius – Missionaries.

In his sermon, Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson spoke of the two monks who were missionaries in the Slavic country.

They learned the Slavic language to better minister to the people. Jesus speaks to us in our own language and our own ways. We vote because all of us are listening to the Holy Spirit to tell us what God wants, not what we want. The spirit spoke to the apostles to follow Jesus.

This ministry happens because they are following Jesus. As we listen for who God wants, it will be someone who fill follow Jesus.

Due to the earlier delays, it was decided delegates would go for lunch and return to the Cathedral Church to vote after.

Kerr-Wilson explained the procedures regarding voting and clarified that, in order to win, the nominee must receive 50 per cent of the lay and clergy votes plus

one more vote.

I spoke to the Province of Rupert’s Land’s Chancellor, Karen Webb, who had been to seven other elections in her time as chancellor. She remembers that most of the elections were decided after either the second or third ballot, except for Brandon, which had seven nominees and delegates made their decision after the fifth ballot.

The votes counted after the first ballot were:

• Reed: 7 Lay votes and 6 Clergy votes

• Whitecap: 5 lay votes and 4 Clergy votes

• Schroeder: 6 lay votes and 7 Clergy votes

• Shambare: 2 lay votes and 1 Clergy votes

• Luke: 14 lay votes and 2 Clergy votes

On the second ballot, there was one less candidate as Shambare’s votes did not add up to 20 per cent of the orders. The results were: Continued on page 3

Members of Qu'Appelle diocesan ACW shut down group

Local ACWs encouraged to continue in parishes

By Sharon Gibler

MAPLE CREEK (Qu’A)

— At the first annual gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diocesan ACW was disestablished after no one was nominated or volunteered for the four vacant executive positions. The executive had given notice at the last gathering, held in 2019. The disestablishment does not prevent local ACWs across the diocese from continuing.

“Challenges Change Us” was the theme of the 55th annual gathering of the

Anglican Church Women of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle held at St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Maple Creek, on April 20. The 16 members present were from Kamsack, Kyle, Maple Creek, Saltcoats and Swift Current.

The group agreed they want to keep in touch with their “sisters in Christ” and with the national organization.

They formed Anglican Prayer Warriors (APW), with Linda Kapasky as Prayer Group co-ordinator. Her contact information is 306-661-9260 or linda. kapasky@sasktel.net.

The gathering in Maple Creek was called to order by vice-president Edith Maddaford with singing “I feel the winds of God today.”

Past president Sally Bishop led the women in prayer and Bishop Helen Kennedy said a blessing for the gathering. Ev Southwood brought greetings on behalf of Maple Creek ACW and thanked everyone attending.

Michelle McKenzie, mayor of Maple Creek, also brought greetings of behalf of her vibrant community. She continued by saying we recognize the profound significance of the theme

“Challenges Change Us.”

In every challenge we discover hidden reserves of strength and courage, propelling us forward on paths of growth and transformation.

We need to remember challenges are not road blocks but rather stepping stones on our journey of growth.

The first guest speaker, Bishop Helen Kennedy, told how God’s promises do not change yet the whole world changes. Difficulties shape us. We all have our own story but like the pebble or glass on sand, as it gets rubbed it changes.

Kennedy told how breast cancer in her family changed her life, it gave a different look on life, one more determined to pay attention to God, to be willing to be led by the spirit. She said she didn’t anticipate being a priest but rather a chaplain for at-risk youth or at a prison.

Within the diocese there have been lots of changes. At one time Qu’Appelle had more than 200 congregations or churches — now 30. Now there are only eight paid clergy — the rest are volunteer or nonstipendiary. The bishop Continued on page 5

Traditions help us see Jesus' face clearly

Why are young people so drawn to tradition and how we can help them find Jesus within it?

By the Rev. Brody Albers

Though the youths to whom I minister would not agree with me, I consider myself a young person. I haven’t yet reached 30, and this May will mark three years since I was ordained deacon.

As I began seeking ordination, people often asked me a simple question: why? Why would a young person seek ordination in a church in decline? Why the Anglican Church? In this short article I will attempt to offer an answer to each of those questions, reveal what I believe to be a growing movement of young people seeking and yearning for tradition, and shed some light on the reasons behind it.

When I first became an Anglican in 2013 it was because of an encounter with the beauty of our tradition. I cannot explain it any other way. I had visited a local Anglican Church at the invitation of a friend. As I made my way to the altar for my turn to receive communion, I remember as clear as day the choir singing Agnus Dei and the light streaming in through the ascension window.

It was totally unlike the coffee and rock concert experience of church I had up until that point.

I am not alone in that experience either. I find myself now surrounded by friends from the Evangelical world who have moved into deeply traditional churches. Some are Eastern Orthodox, while many are Anglican.

It used to frighten me when I heard an older parishioner express that we should be moving towards forms of worship even more contemporary than The Book of Alternative Services. “No!”

I wanted to scream often, because I believe our tradition is deeply valuable and deeply attractive.

The impulse to modernize has always felt like moving in the wrong direction to me and conversations with my peers confirm this. If anything, I have felt the

pull in the other direction. We should be going more traditional!

My own experience as well as the experience of my peers is that we are adrift in the “find your own truth” culture we live in today. We do not want to find our truth; we want to find truth itself

What draws young people to traditional churches is the tantalizing sense that here is where

clearly when they are adhered to faithfully.

I think young people crave an escape from the modern world. I observe this in our youth ministry. It has been a pattern for us to pray Compline together at our youth retreats in the diocese, and we even chant the hymn Te Lucis Ante Terminum together.

We put our phones away and get out the old prayerbooks and

What draws young people to traditional churches is the tantalizing sense that here is where an enduring truth may be found. An encounter with ancient wisdom. We so desperately need that anchor in a world without anchors. We do not want our religion to look like our modern culture. We’re sick of our culture!

truth may be found. An enduring truth. An encounter with ancient wisdom. We so desperately need that anchor in a world without anchors. We do not want our religion to look like our modern culture. We’re sick of our culture!

Tradition is not to be upheld for tradition’s sake or even because I believe that is what young people want. Rather I believe Christ is presented to us so clearly in the tradition of the catholic and apostolic faith. It is not that we must get rid of the mists of tradition that obscure the face of our Christ.

Rather, the traditions of the church help us to see the face of Jesus more

pray the ancient offices together by candlelight — and the youth love it There is nothing quite like it in their day to day lives, which are so often dominated by screens and social media.

Even the muchmaligned Elizabethan English of the prayerbook serves to transport these young worshippers out of their modern lives and into a more rooted and prayerful past. The strangeness and contrast to their everyday serves to set apart the moment and make it holy.

We lose that enticing other worldly feeling, that encounter with the ancient and meaningful when we make our liturgies

Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August.

Whole No. 292, Vol. 52 No. 10 A Section of the Anglican Journal

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contemporary and fashion them to the 21st century world.

Justin Brierly’s recent book The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God points out a shift that is happening. Rod Dreher’s The Benedict Option pointed out the same back in 2018.

Young people are not any less religious than their forebears. That religious energy is simply being redirected to other places whether they be tarot, astrology, or political and social activism. Young people are seeking for meaning.

I think that increasingly our task as Christians who want to re-evangelize our communities will be less about proving the existence of God or a higher power or even the spiritual world. Young people believe in all these things. Our task instead is to hold out Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of all their hopes for a meaningful and spiritual life.

That which tarot, astrology, and even political and social activism (as an end in itself) cannot give them.

The catholic and apostolic tradition reveals the Christ who fulfills all our hopes for a meaningful and spiritually grounded life.

Do you want more young people in your church? Increasingly I am concerned that if we turn to contemporary practices to attract young people, we will miss what young people really want: an encounter with a deep and meaningful spirituality Continued next page

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INFORMATION

Managing Editor: Jason Antonio SKAnglicanEditor@gmail. com 1501 College Ave Regina, Sask., S4P 1B8 Phone: 306-737-4898

Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin joannesm@myaccess.ca 6927 Farrell Bay Regina, Sask., S4X 3V4 Phone: 306-775-2629

Saskatoon: Peter Coolen ptrcoolen@sasktel.net 820 Avenue I South, Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 1Z3 Phone: 306-244-0935,

Saskatchewan: Mary Brown mary1949brown@gmail.com Box 25, Shellbrook, Sask., S0J 2E0 306-922-5159

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Young people praying.

Photo courtesy FatCamera/Getty Images

The Bishop's Corner

Maybe this is the end of the world

By the Right Rev. Rodney Andrews Interim Bishop, Diocese of Saskatoon

What would you do if you thought it was the end of the world? Where were you when you learned about 9/11?  I turned on the TV to discover two airliners had crashed into the World Trade Center.  I rushed upstairs to alert my spouse Jacqueline. “It is the end of the world,” I blurted out.

I am not a doomsdayer, but I am alarmed by many current events, especially wars. I don’t expect the end soon.  My overstocked bookshelves reveal a long-term plan to read them.

I am amused by the cartoon of a man wearing a cardboard sign declaring “the world will end tomorrow . . . ½ hour later in Newfoundland.”  I never forward dismal chain mails predicting an apocalypse soon.

However, once in a while, the thought occurs to me: “What if this is it?” Have you wondered at

... Young people like tradition

Continued from page 2 that transcends our modern moment.

If we want young people to find Jesus in their spiritual search for meaning, we must offer them a full and robust encounter with Him through careful fidelity to the Scriptures, the sacraments, and yes, the ancient liturgy of the church.

If we want young people in our pews, we must cultivate a community that values the inheritance of the faith once delivered to the saints. Consider using the prayerbook more often. Sing the old hymns. Take what the Bible says seriously.

Also, do not give in to the temptation to believe that contemporary worship is what young people are seeking. What young people are seeking is Christ in His church, in the word, in the sacraments, and in reverent and ancient patterns of worship. What young people are seeking is what the world simply cannot offer them. What young people are seeking is truth.

some point if maybe Christ will come soon and judge?  You may not be alone.

The Christians at Thessalonika asked the same question.

They believed that Jesus Christ was coming, and they believed it would happen soon.

The Apostle Paul wrote to them about living while waiting.

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle

and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15, New International Version).

Katlyn DeVries is minister of a church in Holland, Michigan.  She ponders the apocalypse: “I’d like to tell you about Dale. He’s an unassuming guy; rough hands, kind eyes. He’s been retired for some time, but he’s still an expert with a backhoe. Dale keeps a sharp eye on the grounds around our church building.

“A couple of years ago, we did a major building renovation. Once the structure was complete the trucks departed, leaving a mess of uneven ground and a massive pile of dirt.  We could have paid a construction company to smooth out the ground.

"We could have hired landscapers to sow grass seed.  But Dale just showed up one day with his tractor and a rake. He patiently graded the ground. He analyzed the slope of the landscape and

smoothed out the angles so the rainwater wouldn’t puddle. Then he and Nick, another member of the congregation, spread seed.

"They came back every day to hook up the hose and sprinkler and watch it grow.”

I think Dale does what he does, not just because he’s a hard worker, but because he sees himself as a part of the body of Christ. And, in spite of lots of legitimate things to complain about, being part of Christ’s body sometimes means caring for landscaping.

I don’t know if Dale shares my apocalyptic fears. But I have a hunch that if he did, he’d still choose to get on the tractor.

That’s what it means to be a community of faith: folks gathered around one baptism and one communion table, before one cross because we believe that Jesus Christ lived and died and rose again for us. We believe that He ascended and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.

We believe that He will come again. Also, like the Thessalonians, we pray that He will come again soon.

... Reed elected on fifth round of voting

Continued from page 1

• Reed: 7 lay - 7 clergy

• Whitecap: 6 lay – 4 clergy

• Schroeder: 6 lay – 6 clergy

• Luke: 16 lay – 2 clergy

The results of the second ballot still did not have a winner so Claude Schroeder withdrew.

The archbishop suggested we take a brief break but everyone wanted to keep going.

Instead, he asked us to sing “Ubi caritas et amor, deus ibi est,” translated as “When charity and love is there God is also.”

With Schroeder out of the race in the third ballot, that meant there were 12 more votes (6 lay and 6 clerical) for the other candidates. The results were:

• Reed: 10 lay – 9 clergy

• Whitecap: 4 lay – 3 clergy

• Luke: 20 lay – 6 clergy

The rules state that if after five ballots there

is no winner Synod has three options: 1) Start all over with the same five nominees 2) Postpone the synod and pick another date, or 3) Vote to refer to the Province of Rupert’s Land electoral council.

After hearing this, it was time for another song: “Bless the Lord my Soul, and Bless God’s Holy Name, Bless the Lord my Soul, Who leads us into light.”

By the fourth ballot

Whitecap did not have the 20 per cent of the orders to stay and dropped out. The results were:

• Reed: 10 lay – 9 clergy

• Luke: 19 lay – 7 clergy

During this time the credentials committee was keeping a close eye on the number of delegates necessary to continue with the voting and it seemed

one of the lay delegates was missing.

Frantic calls were made to find her — she had car trouble — and she said she would be there soon. So, we sang another song “Be Thou My Vision.”

On the fifth ballot the results were:

• Rick Reed: 20 lay and 14 clergy

• Iain Luke: 14 lay and 4 clergy

The Rev. Richard Reed is now the new bishopelect of the Diocese of Saskatchewan.

The archbishop relayed the final instructions, which were that, as chairman, he would sign and send a letter to himself as Metropolitan telling him the results.

Nominations were then made to destroy the ballots and to adjourn the synod. The closing hymn was No. 393, “Praise to the Lord.”

A consecration will be held later.

For more information about the candidates, see page 6. For pictures from the Synod, see page 10. Front page picture courtesy Facebook

Bishop-elect Richard (Rick) Reed speaks to delegates after being elected 13th bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan.

Photo by Mary Brown

Archdeacon Wilma Woods announces retirement

g Saskatchewan Anglican online! Did you know you can read current and past issues of the Sask. Anglican online? Visit www. anglicandiocesesaskatoon. com/saskanglican or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ saskatchewananglican

g Licentiate in Theology Courses offered by College of Emmanuel and St. Chad and Western Education Collaborative Anglican Network (W.E.C.A.N.): Emmanuel and St. Chad College has been working with the WECAN group to develop a ministry preparation program relevant to the various Anglican contexts in Western Canada.

The local diocesan ministry schools make substantial contributions to the program by offering courses mapped out in the ESC-WECAN Licentiate in Theology handbook.

Whether you are feeling called to do more formal ministry or are drawn to taking certain courses, please contact the person named for the course or courses you are interested in doing.

At the same time, let your diocesan school co-ordinator know your plans.

If interested, please review the detailed list of fall and winter course located elsewhere in this issue.

Submitted

REGINA — Bishop

Helen Kennedy has announced that Archdeacon Wilma Woods will retire effective July 31.

Wilma and her husband, Rev. Brian Woods, came to the diocese as postulants in 2004.

They served the Parish of the Magdalen Islands (Diocese of Quebec) from 2009 to 2011, returning to Qu’Appelle in January 2012, where together they served ALEC including St. Mary, Whitewood.

In March 2014, Wilma was collated Archdeacon of St.

Aidan and later that year Brian moved to All Saints, Weyburn. He served there until his retirement in 2019, after which he served as pulpit supply in the archdeaconry where needed and as honorary assistant at St. Giles, Estevan.

Wilma remained in Whitewood until

Announcements for June 2024

g Saskatchewan Anglican receives awards : At this year’s Canadian Christian Communicators Association awards gala it was announced that the Saskatchewan Anglican was one of the top three Christian newspapers in the country and was tied for first place with the New Brunswick Anglican. The awards the paper received included Feature Series, 3rd place, Joanne ShurvinMartin; Opinion Piece, 3rd place, Rev. Brody Albers; Column, 1st place, the Rev. Gene Packwood; Biographical Profile, 3rd place, Joanne Shurvin-Martin; Photo, 3rd place, Derwin Crozier Smith; tie for 1st place, Jason Antonio, Saskatchewan Anglican, and Gisele McKnight, NB Anglican; Feature Layout and Design, 3rd place, Jason Antonio; General Excellence, 2nd place, Jason Antonio. Congratulations to all of those winning recognition.

Upcoming services and weekly or monthly events:

g The Painting Table: All are welcome at the “Painting Table” held in the lower parish hall at Emmanuel Anglican Parish, 607 Dufferin Ave., from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the first Wednesday of each month. All art materials are supplied.

g Final Service for All Saints’ Anglican Parish, Saskatoon : The final service for All

Saints' Parish will be a Service of BCP Evensong held on Sunday, June 2, at 2:30 p.m.

g City of Saskatoon’s Decoration Day: The City of Saskatoon will be holding its annual Decoration Day Service at 2:00 p.m. at the Cenotaph in Woodlawn Cemetery.

g Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon: BAS Evening Prayer, every Thursday at 7 p.m.; Free community supper, 5 to 7 p.m., the third Tuesday of each month; Community Coffee House, every Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon; Nutflakes Videos, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Men’s breakfast the first Sunday of each month, a free breakfast by the men of the parish, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

g It Is OK TO Talk Here, a Men’s Group : Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon started a monthly men’s support group in April as a way for guys to get together to connect and support each other in healthy ways as we navigate the issues we face in this present time.

In a nutshell, too often, men still expect themselves to resolve faced issues alone, with little to no outside help or resources, and all too often scant family, friend, or community support.

Please see the poster elsewhere in this issue

January 2016, and then moved to Weyburn to serve as co-incumbent with Brian until March 2017, when she came incumbent at St. Giles, Estevan.

Their retirement plan is to live full-time in their travel trailer, and travel while they decide where they want to plant themselves.

for more information and/or to contact the organizers.

g Mentors and Instructors Needed for ESC and WECAN Licentiate in Theology : Mentors and instructors for the students of our diocese enrolled in the Emmanuel and St. Chad College and the Western Education Collaborative Anglican network's Licentiate in Theology are required.

For your information, a student may be in the L.Th. program for three to five years, depending on their life context and other responsibilities in their lives. If interested, please contact the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy at trish.mccarthy@ saskatoon theologicalunion.ca.

To maintain some continuity, we would like mentors to consider being in this role for two years. Longer would be appreciated and acceptable. Please review the mentor role description listed below.

Retired clergy would be warmly welcome to serve as mentors as being willing to participate in the mentor orientation and engage in ways listed below.

Mentors do not need to be clergy or even incumbent clergy.

People with teaching experience, who are respected members in their faith community

with a knowledge base relevant to the one of 12 courses required in the L.Th. could serve as instructors.

g Courses at the Refinery : The Refinery at Emmanuel Anglican Parish, Saskatoon is offering a series of courses during the Winter 2024 season on a variety of subjects including painting and various other art media, Zumba, and various spiritual and meditative modalities. For more information or to register, please contact the Refinery at: www. emmanuelrefinery.org or 306 653-3549.

g Ordination to the Priesthood : The Rev. Peter Coolen was ordained to the priesthood at Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon, on Ascension Day, May 9.

g To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be supplied to the associate editor by fax, email or “snail mail” by the end of the month, one month before the month in which the insertion is desired (i.e. February entries will be in the April issue).

Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included in this section, but should space allow, could be the subject of articles and notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican.

Archdeacon Wilma Woods

... Diocesan ACW shuts down after 55 years

Continued from page 1 doesn’t see this as a failure but unfortunate.

Kennedy said COVID-19 “has done a number” on churches; it has accelerated everything by 10 years — both negative and positive. She gave the example of churches suddenly using new technology to reach members.

God’s character never changes, is never fickle, has no mood swings. If God’s character changed, we would have nothing to hang on to — we wouldn’t trust Him. Even though people and dioceses and churches come and go, God will remain and that’s OK.

Challenges in the diocese are changing and will continue to change, and change is OK.

Sally Bishop gave a report of her Zoom meeting of the National ACW held last fall and hosted by Diocese of Algoma — with the theme from Ecclesiastes 3: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Linda Kapasky gave a report on Camp Harding, and encouraged people to recycle beverage containers through SARCAN and donate their refund directly to Camp Harding — just type “Camp Harding” when you log in to Drop & Go.

Archdeacon Catherine Harper reflected on challenges and women who influenced us both directly and indirectly. It can reveal what we are capable of and it can surprise us — not necessarily in a good way. She reflected on Moses’ life and how God brought changes in it and how Moses reacted.

Participants at the ACW Gathering in Maple Creek inspect offerings in the silent auction. Proceeds from the auction and church offering totalling

“Challenges change us,” said Harper. Moses had a huge challenge. Our finest moments come after times that seem hard; and our wilderness experiences prepare us for the next life. She asked how might

the Lord be speaking to us, as women, as women part of ACW, as women personally? What is God calling us to do? What is the step to be taken? Moses realized the battle rises and falls on obedience to

God.

After a delicious lunch and fellowship, the group was entertained with music by Maple Creek’s Joyful Noise, and were able to sing along.

The business portion of the gathering followed, with the call for nominations for president, vice-president, recording secretary and communications secretary.

The other executive positions are chaplain (Rev. Rita Brann) and Little Helpers co-ordinator (Sally Bishop).

No nominations or volunteers were received.

Vice-president Edith Maddaford asked, “Where do we go from here?”

After discussion, a motion to disestablish the Diocese of Qu’Appelle Diocesan ACW was made and carried.

Bishop Helen, on behalf of the diocese, thanked those who worked tirelessly in their churches. Even without the diocesan ACW, each church can still carry on with its ACW.

Table groups discussed “How do we move forward?” The Prayer Warriors were created, and the group agreed to keep in touch from time to time on Zoom.

Archdeacon Harper will be the contact and organizer for this. They also agreed that if a community wishes to hold a gathering, it could

organize one and invite the rest of the diocese.

The group decided that if at some point no one is available to represent the Diocese of Qu’Appelle at the National ACW gathering, or, if all local ACWs have closed, the funds in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle ACW account are to be transferred to the diocesan Anglican Merit Trust, which provides bursaries for diocesan clergy’s children and for postulants of the diocese.

In other business, it was reported that a silver tea set and candle sticks given to the late Dean William and Dorothy Sewell about 82 years ago has a new home.

The Sewell’s daughter, Bev Engstrom, wanted the set to be given to a church to be used, not to be sold. Bishop Kennedy confirmed that the set will be going back home to the cathedral in Regina. Colleen Kennedy thanked all those who travelled, ladies of Maple Creek who put the gathering together, Joyful Noise for the music, and speakers Bishop Helen and Archdeacon Catherine.

The gathering was adjourned and everyone entered the church to receive Holy Eucharist, celebrated by Bishop Helen Kennedy and Rev. Jesse Miller. Memoriam for deceased members was held during the service.

Outgoing recording secretary Sharon Gibler, outgoing vice-president Edith Maddaford and Bishop Helen Kennedy pose after lunch at the ACW Gathering in April.

Photo by Ev Southwood

$460 were donated to Camp Harding. Photo and Sharon Gibler

Election featured five candidates from Saskatchewan and Alberta

By Mary Brown

PRINCE ALBERT —

Before you can elect a new bishop for your diocese you first need to form a search committee.

In the Diocese of Saskatchewan, the Rev. Bordy Albers was the chairperson of this committee with the other members being the Rev. Jordan Draper, the Rev. Theresa Sanderson, Connie Jessop, John Hareuther, Tom Sanderson, the Rev. Victor Johnson, the Right Rev. David Greenwood and Freda Lepine.

In their report they state that many priests and bishops in the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Communion worldwide were approached to consider letting their names stand.

The committee passed a Memorandum for Candidates stipulating the documents required to participate. They included criminal record and vulnerable sector checks, confirmations of good standing, an extensive curriculum vitae and a personal statement.

There were five nominations: the Rev. Richard Reed, Diocese of Saskatchewan, the Rev. Dr. Blessing Shambare, Diocese of Athabasca, the Rev. Canon Claude Schroeder, Diocese of Qu’Appelle, the Rev. Canon Dr. Iain Luke, Diocese of Saskatoon and the Rev. Beryl Whitecap, Diocese of Saskatchewan.

The Rev. Richard Reed is presently the rector and priest in charge of St. David’s Church in Prince Albert. Before coming to Saskatchewan, Reed was the rector in Christ Church & St. Peter’s, in the Diocese of Algoma and left Ontario in July 2019 for Saskatchewan.

He was appointed regional dean of the Prince Albert Deanery in September 2019 and sits on the executive committee and works diligently along with his peers to establish and maintain Anglican youth ministry in Prince Albert.

The Rev. Dr. Blessing Shambare is the priest in St. Peter’s Ecumenical, Slave Lake, Alberta. He came from the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe after extensive missiological

education in South Africa.

In 2020 he became regional dean in the Diocese of Athabasca, also serving on the diocesan executive council and was a Provincial Synod delegate in 2022, and will be in 2024 and a General Synod delegate in 2025.

At present he is a member of the Partners in Global Missions Committee (General Synod). From 2017-2020 he volunteered in the Slave Lake Community Support Service as an anger management volunteer and at present volunteers with the Slave Lake and Area Mental Health.

The Rev. Canon Claude Schroeder moved from Alberta to the Diocese of Qu’Appelle

in 1999 as the rector of St. Mary the Virgin Church in Regina, where he is still rector.

Since 2015 he has been the canon for theology and mission in the diocese. Schroeder has also served on the diocesan executive council, executive committee, finance committee and provincial synod representative.

He was a clergy assessor for ACPO and instructor in the Qu’Appelle School for Mission and Ministry.

The Rev. Iain Luke was ordained in the Diocese of Saskatchewan as deacon in St Alban’s Cathedral in 1992 and as priest in St. John’s Church, Nipawin in May 1993. He was in Nipawin until 1997 and moved to Humboldt in the Diocese of Saskatoon.

Before becoming principal of the College of Emmanuel St. Chad in 2016, he was the dean and rector of St. James’ Cathedral, Peace River from 2007-16.

The Rev. Beryl Whitecap is a priest in the Diocese of Saskatchewan and was ordained a deacon in December 2006 in Shoal Lake and was ordained as a priest in May 2010 in St. Alban’s Cathedral. She is presently priest in charge for Lac la Ronge Indian Band/ Hall Lake, Sucker River and Weyakwin.

She is also the priest for St. Thomas, Shoal Lake and has 32 years from 1985 to 2024 in Anglican ministry. She is self employed as a facilitator

for Whitecap Outreach Mental Health Education Program.

Candidates are required to provide a written statement on their faith and spirituality, including a description of their personal journey of faith; their understanding of the role of a bishop, within the diocese and the wider church.

Also, the candidates’ understanding of the role of the bishop as a representative of the church to contemporary society; why they feel called to stand for the episcopal election; their gifts, leadership, experience, style and ministry priorities (with examples); and how they would rank their personal priorities and those of their church life. They were also asked how they would ensure that they allocate time to match those priorities; how they approached their pastoral responsibility for those they supervise; how they would respond to the complexity of this responsibility as a bishop; and how the diocese can remain faithful to the principles in the Solemn Declaration of 1893 in view of the issues dividing the Anglican Communion.

The voting delegates reviewed these statements from the candidates to help discern who they would vote for as the new bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan. It is a daunting responsibility.

Are clergy retreats at risk?

By the Rev. Canon Marie-Louise Ternier

Editor’s note: The Diocese of Saskatoon held a clergy retreat at Queen’s House of Retreats from April 15 to 17. The retreat was facilitated and lead by the Ven. Travis Enright of the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton.

SASKATOON — Recently our diocesan clergy gathered for an annual retreat at Queen’s House in Saskatoon. It was most likely the last opportunity to appreciate the sacred spaces, both indoors and outdoors, of this beloved retreat centre before it will close its doors this summer.

Along with the disappearance of such sacred spaces, even annual clergy retreats as an opportunity for rest and renewal, collegial bonding, communal prayer and learning are at risk of ending altogether.

Retreating involves pulling away from the daily calls on our time, attention and energy, in order to re-establish, to clarify, to deepen our communication with the Divine Commanderin-Chief, God, who is manifest in our Lord Jesus Christ.

There might even be an occasional one who quietly prefers nursing grudges towards some colleagues with whom they’d rather not pray or socialize.

In today’s trend of church decline, more clergy find themselves adding secular jobs to supplement their part-time ministry income, thus not having the freedom to take retreating time.

The needs of introvert colleagues may better be met in a private silent retreat rather than a group retreat with a speaker and a topic.

While retired clergy have earned the blessing to rest from their labours, the wisdom and insights gained from their lived experience can be a rich source of support and guidance for colleagues still labouring in the holy vineyard.

There is also fear, fear that sacred spaces, like a clergy retreat, are not sacred any more. Some clergy opt out because society’s polarization on various issues has crept into relational dynamics among colleagues.

Join us to think, talk and pray about the ways in which we can transform our worship, in authentic ways, from language and image of empire and colonialism to one which seeks to honour the experiences of racialized and Indigenous people.

These are challenging and, at times, difficult conversations and topics. Together we will explore our own experiences, biases and hopes for new ways of being the church.

Keynote speakers include Michelle Nieviadomy, Rev. Chung Yan Lam and Becca Whitlaw.

Pulling away from the daily ministry demands is essential to our own spiritual health as pastoral leaders. In silence and solitude we learn to attune to God’s voice and presence in deeper ways. It is an important expression of self-care for anyone who cares about grounding daily life in God’s guidance and presence, but especially for clergy.

Taking time for retreating is becoming ever more difficult, including for clergy. Several reasons account for this growing challenge.

We who are called to lead God’s people in faith, discipleship and service often struggle with attending to our own needs for spiritual, emotional and mental rest and renewal.

Pastoral needs pull on our heartstrings 24/7, even at the most inconvenient times. Echoes of the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14) can be heard in some who send regrets, claiming too many work-related commitments that simply cannot wait.

Whatever the case may be, those who choose not to participate in clergy retreats or other gatherings with colleagues, either by choice or circumstance, are still sorely missed, even if the reasons for their absence are justified.

Each participating colleague, active and retired, is a blessing on retreats. Sharing silence, Morning and Evening Prayer, partaking in Holy Communion, are sacred acts of community building.

Sharing meals and social time with a glass of wine, engaging in laughter and serious conversations, joining in walks and board games (yes, sometimes!), talking shop and commiserate, can all grow the glue of friendship, healing and affection.

As noble as our clergy calling is, ministry comes with the real occupational hazard of fostering a Lone Ranger mentality, despite our Lord’s calling to live and work together as one body.

We are clearly in a season of competing needs and interests, and of decreasing opportunities, while sacred spaces to

Continued on page 9

Artist: Wilfrid Dieter, Ignite Media

Clergy who attended the Diocese of Saskatoon’s clergy retreat at Queen’s House of Retreats on April 15 to 17 interacted with the session’s facilitator and leader, the Venerable Travis Enright (top right). Photo by Rev. Canon Marie-Louise Ternier

Stewards of God's abundance Why all the talk about money?

By Rev. Christine M. Burton

“Money! That’s all the church ever talks about … .’ You’ve probably heard it; you may have thought it; you may even have expressed the thought out loud.

So let’s discuss this word by word.

First, “money.”

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, people didn’t use money. They hunted, gathered or produced everything they needed, or they shared, or they bartered … it was a VERY long time ago. So long ago in fact, that we don’t actually have any records for it.

Ever since people have come together in groups and had needs that exceeded their ability to directly produce it themselves, we have had “money” of sorts.

Money is a deeply imperfect way to express the arbitrary value imputed to various goods and labour, but it has the advantage of being universally understood and “fungible” (universally interchangeable).

It’s what allows us to turn our 40 hours on a tractor, in the factory, or in the office, into orange juice for our kids, heat and light in our homes, and parkas for winter’s cold.

Notwithstanding efforts to set up community gardens, establish barter networks, participate in buy-nothing/give-it-away communities, money remains the primary means for acquiring what we need.

That means it remains the single best way for churches to acquire food for the hungry, heat and light and a roof over worship services, and clothes for those living on the streets.

Second, “all.”

Well, various fundraising activities make it into a lot of bulletin notices, but I dare say that’s because what’s actually talked about during our worship services is love — the way Christmas and the

incarnation are evidence of God’s love; the way Good Friday and Easter are evidence of God’s love; the way Pentecost is evidence of God’s love; the way baptism, reconciliation, and radical acceptance of others, and healing, and feeding, and clothing others are all evidence of God’s love; and how we experience and express all of these are evidence of God’s love working through us.

If we, individually or as a parish community, recognize that doing some of these things requires money, well, then that’s just us listening to the prompting of God to act, and making the logical extension to figure out the “how.”

And finally, “the church.”

So, what is the Church? Or, more accurately, who IS the Church? It’s easy to slip into the habit of thinking of “the church” as the physical building and clergy and administrators. Sometimes our thinking might extend to wardens and vestry.

And it is these people who usually give voice to the particular and general financial needs of the parish, diocese, national, and church universal.

But this is just shorthand for what we know is the truth: that the Church is each and every one of us, collectively and individually; those who are members and those who are not; those who attend regularly and those who attend on the high holidays; those who do the organizing and administering and presiding and singing at services, and those who sit in the pews and read the bulletins full of their fundraising requests and ideas.

But, most importantly, those who take the gifts so freely given by God and the congregation to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the widow and orphan, proclaim freedom to the captive, and good news to all people.

So, when we see the Continued next page

11

IT’S OKAY TO TALK HERE

MEN’S GROUP

“We're men. We check out sooner than the rest; What doesn't fit the picture, Just gets lopped off or suppressed.”

More Info / Contact: Mark at y2kleiner@gmail.com Richard at into.vinyl@yahoo.ca

This group is for guys to gather in a supportive and non-judgmental space, and, be heard as we talk about the challenges we face as men in the 21 st century. The first session will create the topics, based on what the group wants to talk about.

... Give generously to others just as God has given to us

Continued from page 8 fundraising requests, or hear the announcements about plate offerings and parish budgets, may we remember that really, we don’t give TO “the Church,” but THROUGH the church, to help and bless those least of God’s

people who we don’t personally encounter every day.

Also, that “the Church” is blessed to be able to do this work on our behalf; and that it is a blessing for us to give back as generously to God as we ourselves have received.

... Clergy retreats important to build relationships with distant colleagues

Continued from page 7 gather in prayer and fellowship with clergy colleagues are vanishing. Nevertheless, we continue to gather whenever possible, not only for our own sake, but for the sake of fostering collegiality and quality ministry with God’s holy people, the Body of Christ on Earth. Walking the talk is non-negotiable in order to strengthen our Gospel witness and to grow our ministerial identity and leadership.

God’s people indeed

deserve our best; we can offer them our best when we make every effort to foster a healthy and wholesome unity in our vocational calling, selfcare commitment and in community with one another.

Remember also what can happen when we gather in one place: when the day of Pentecost came, the apostles were all together in one place (Acts 2:1-11). Come, Holy Spirit, renew our calling and service to our Lord Jesus Christ — together.

Election was an exciting time for Synod delegates

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson (standing left) speaks to delegates during the episcopal election on May 11.

Photo courtesy Facebook

The lay and clergy secretaries of Synod speak to delegates about the process.

Photo by Mary Brown

A member of the synod committee reads the results of a ballot. Photo courtesy Facebook

Rev. Wilfred Sanderson reads from the Bible during the episcopal synod. Photo from Facebook Delegates wait patiently for voting results.

Photo by Mary Brown

Diocesan editor, the Rev. Peter Coolen, ordained to the priesthood

The morning of the Day of Ascension, May 9, the Rev. Peter Coolen (to the left of Bishop Rodney Andrews) was ordained to the priesthood by Andrews, interim bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon, at a joyous service held at Christ Church Anglican in Saskatoon. The service was followed immediately by a lunch in the parish hall. The Rev. Peter was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop David Irving in 2017. He is associate editor for the diocese for the Saskatchewan Anglican, is the diocesan archivist, was part of the diocese’s Locally Raised Clergy

Program and is the honorary assistant at Christ Church Anglican. The choir for the ordination service was composed of choristers from several city parishes, while there were several clergy from neighbouring dioceses present, including bishops Morgan, Hawkins and Andrews. The homily for the service was provided by the Ven. Ken Watts. Following the ordination service, the clergy posed for pictures holding their favourite hand puppets from the Christ Church children’s puppet menagerie. Photo courtesy Rev. Peter Coolen

The newly ordained priest, the Rev. Peter Coolen (centre) with the Right Rev. Michael Hawkins (retired), Diocese of Saskatchewan (left) and the Right Rev. Rodney Andrews, interim bishop, Diocese of Saskatoon (right).

Photo by Rev. Peter Coolen

The Rev. Peter cuts the cake at the luncheon held in the parish hall after the ordination service. Photo courtesy Myrna Yobb

Celebrating over a century of service at Christ Church, Saskatoon

... A woman was the first person to whom Jesus revealed Himself after He rose from the dead

Continued from page 19 Spirit hat: remember and believe what happened next. The Holy Spirit was sent/breathed upon them by Jesus (Lk 24:49, John 20.22) and as the disciples “went out and preached everywhere … the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs” (Mk 16:20).

Those faithful women of the resurrection did what they were called to do.

They witnessed to the truth and power of the Resurrection. The Holy Spirit confirmed their word by accompanying signs and all that followed.

The women were an integral part of that part of the salvation story —from Resurrection to Pentecost.

They still are.

By the Rev. Peter Coolen

SASKATOON — On April 7, a festive crowd celebrated with a Eucharist service the 117th birthday of Christ Church and the completion of the repair of the parish roof.

After the service and before the dismissal, the wardens, vestries and clergy of Christ Church and the Parish of St. George — which closed in December 2023 — assembled in the transept and the members of St. George presented Christ Church with $45,000 for the work of the parish.

After, a birthday cake was enjoyed, a luncheon was shared and entertainment was provided by Mango the Wonder Dog and his assistant, Sherri Wollf (pictured), and juggling by Elias McWalter.

WECAN offering many courses

Submitted

Three-Year Course Rotation 2024 – 2027

All coursed listed will be available online. Folks are to register for courses at: esc-wecan.ca

To Register for the Licentiate in Theology Program, ask your Diocese for L.Th. Program Application Form

Liturgy: Fall 2024

Sept. 13 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. & 14 10 a.m. a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

SK time and Sept. 27 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. & 28 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. SK time

Instructor: Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett, VST Professor Emeritus

Pastoral Care: Fall 2024 Saskatoon -

Thursdays: Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, Nov. 7, 2024 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Register: escwecan.ca. Instructor: Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Teaching and Learning: Stages of Faith, Education and Nurturing

Children in Faith Fall 2024, Qu’Appellewebsite for finalized dates Register: esc-wecan.ca

Spring 2025 Saskatoon

Thursdays: Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 and Mar. 6, 2025 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Register: esc-wecan.ca. Instructors: Rev. Fiona Brownlee and Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Leadership: Athabasca and Saskatoon Group Discernment and Conflict Mediation.

Late Fall 2025

Thursdays, Nov. 6 – Dec. 4, 2025 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. SK Time, Instructors: Bishop David Greenwood Athabasca and Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Spiritual Practices and Spiritual Formation: Fall 2025 Saskatoon, Thursday evenings: Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2025, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

With all-day Saturday online retreat on Oct. 26

Instructor: Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Homiletics: Saskatoon and Kootenay, Dates Pending - check escwecan.ca

Instructors: Rev. Iain Luke and Rev. Dr. Garry Schmidt

Integrative Internship / Field Placement: Dates as needed.

Potential Instructors: Rev. Dr. Iain Luke and Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Ethics: Offered Soon, Qu’Appelle, Dates Pending - check esc-wecan.ca

Indigenous Relationships and Wisdom and Teaching of the Elders: Dates Pending - check escwecan.ca

Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Kara Mandryk. Potential Instructors: Will be chosen in consultation with First Nation Elders based on their special areas of interest and expertise from various backgrounds and geographical locations.

Obituary Rev. John Matheson, priest in Qu'Appelle for 46 years, dead at 93

Submitted

REGINA — Rev. John Edward Matheson died peacefully in his sleep April 21 at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Anne, their loving children and grandchildren, devoted spouses, and greatgrandchildren.

John achieved a BSc(Hons) in Zoology in 1952 from the University of Manitoba, and Licentiate of Theology from Trinity College, Toronto, in 1957. He was ordained as deacon May 13, 1956, and priest April 23, 1957.

Before moving to Qu’Appelle, Matheson served in Toronto (St. Mary Magdalene), Pugwash N.S. (multipoint parish), Syracuse N.Y., Sherbrooke N.S. (multipoint parish).

He served St. John, Moose Jaw from 1970 to 1980, then moved to Yorkton from 1980 to 1994, where he was rural dean and archdeacon.

He was semi-retired when he was canon at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina, until 2016.

A highlight of his time in Moose Jaw was the 1978

service attended by Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal Family. John could write his sermon, listen to the news, and watch baseball all at the same time.

He loved to tinker with cars, especially Morris Minors, the original Mini, and Peugeots.

He played trombone, had a beautiful tenor voice, and remembered the lyrics of every song he ever learned.

A memorial service was to be held June 14 at St. Stephen, Saskatoon. Rev. Hugh Matheson, John’s son, was to celebrate the eucharist, with Rev. Amy Bunce conducting the memorial service.

Rev. John Matheson

Rev. John Matheson (right) outside St. John, Moose Jaw, with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Prince Edward, in 1978. Photo courtesy MJ Express

John McLean, first bishop of Saskatchewan,

By Fred Payton

Editor’s note: May 3 was the 150 th anniversary of the consecration of the diocese’s first bishop, John McLean. There was a service at St. Alban’s Cathedral on that day to honour this anniversary, followed by a social afterward. This two-part series looks at McLean’s life and service to the diocese.

PRINCE ALBERT —

Portsoy is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Historically, Portsoy was in Banffshire, but since 1996, it has been administered by the Aberdeenshire council area. It is located on the Moray Firth coast of northeast Scotland, 50 miles northwest of Aberdeen and 65 miles east of Inverness.

The “old harbour” dates to the 17th century, while the “new harbour” was built in 1825 for the growing herring fishery which, at its peak, reached 57 boats. Portsoy is known for local jewelry made from “Portsoy marble” (which is not marble, but rather serpentinite). This “marble is also used in construction world-wide, such as in the Palace of Versailles.

A bishop's birth

It was into this community that John McLean was born to Charles, a merchant, and Jannet (Watson) McLean on November 17th , 1828. John McLean was baptised and raised in the Presbyterian church in Portsoy and, like so many youngsters in that era, received his primary education at home.

There is an unconfirmed report that McLean joined his brother in walking to London to volunteer with a Presbyterian missionary society. His brother was accepted but, as John was only sixteen years old, he was refused.

John returned to Scotland, where, in 1847, he won a bursary and attained entrance into King’s College, Aberdeen, from which he graduated in 1851 with a Masters of Arts in Science and Classics.

McLean then returned to London, England, where he gained employment

with a manufacturing firm managed by an uncle.

He became interested in the Church of England Young Men’s Society and began studying foreign languages as well as taking theology classes.

Having acquired some knowledge of French, German, and Spanish, he was placed in charge of the firm’s foreign correspondence.

Drawn to Anglicanism

By 1858, after Isaac Hellmuth, the secretary of the Colonial and Continental Church Society in British North America, suggested it, McLean decided to seek ordination. In these decisions his continuing friendship with Robert Machray, a fellow student at Aberdeen, played a part.

McLean and Machray may have had Episcopalian antecedents and connections, but it is more certain that, in the circumstances of the disruption of the Church of Scotland, they were drawn to the Church of England.

Both were strongly evangelical, and, although staunch churchmen, neither had any sympathy with the Tractarian movement, particularly influential in the Church of Scotland.

Yet both were inclined to take a conservative position on most issues, and felt a powerful attraction to the order and discipline of the Church of England.

Nor, as young Scots of modest background and exceptional ability, do they seem to have been entirely oblivious to the greater opportunities offered by a career south of the Scottish border.

Welcome to the young Dominion

McLean arrived in London, Canada West, where he was ordained deacon on 1 Aug. 1858 and priested on 15 December by Benjamin Cronyn, the first bishop of the Diocese of Huron.

At the latter service, McLean was given the somewhat unique distinction of preaching the Ordination sermon, choosing as his text Hebrews 7:11, “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood

Bishop John McLean was born in Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on Nov. 17, 1828 and went on to become the first bishop in the Diocese of Saskatchewan. This picture was taken circa 1875.

(for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron.”

Bishop Cronyn appointed him chaplain to the garrison and curate of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Canada West (now Ontario).

It was while serving in this Ontario city that McLean met and married in 1861 his wife, Kathleen Wilhelmina, daughter of the Reverend Richard and Frances (Blake) Flood.

In 1866, McLean was summoned by his old friend Robert Machray

to assist in the revival of St John’s College in Winnipeg as a theological seminary and higher school. Machray had been consecrated as Rupert’s Land second bishop in 1865.

Building up the Church

McLean’s numerous activities in Rupert’s Land after his arrival reflected not only Machray’s plans for the extension of Anglican work in what was expected to be an era of development, but also his limited resources.

At the end of December 1867, McLean began to hold services in a hall in the “rising little village of

submitted

Winnipic,” the beginning of the parish of Holy Trinity. Between 1866 and 1874 he taught at St John’s College, of which he was warden and professor of divinity.

He was also appointed examining chaplain to the bishop of Rupert’s Land, archdeacon of Assiniboia, and, finally, rector of St John’s Cathedral at Winnipeg.

During the Red River disturbance of 1869–70, McLean joined Machray in urging the Protestant inhabitants, the majority of whom were Anglican, towards a moderate course, and in advising them to send Englishspeaking delegates to the

Photo

Saskatchewan, had big effect on building the Church

convention proposed by Louis Riel for January 1870.

At this same time, McLean attended Riel’s prisoners, including Charles Arkoll Boulton. Later he joined with the two ministers, John Black, Presbyterian, and George Young, Methodist, to urge resistance to the Fenian raid of October 1871.

Creating a new diocese

In 1873 the Church of England authorities were contemplating dividing the vast diocese of Rupert’s Land.

McLean went to Britain that year to raise funds

for the proposed new diocese of Saskatchewan that would include much of the southern portions of the future provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

This was not McLean’s first search for funds; in 1871, for St John’s College, he had raised over $8,000 in Canada, where, as Machray often complained, support for northwestern missions was far from generous.

While he was in England attempting to raise money for the bishopric endowment fund for the new diocese, on 3 May 1874 the archbishop of Canterbury consecrated McLean as the first bishop

Archbishop Tait was raised by his parents in the Presbyterian church, but turned towards the Scottish Episcopal Church and was confirmed into the Church of England in 1830 during his first year as a student at Oxford.

In addition to his consecration as bishop, while he was in England, McLean was able to raise nearly $31,000 for the Bishopric Endowment Fund for the new diocese.

In today’s money, that would amount to somewhat over $2,500,000.

A further visit in 1878 raised the fund to nearly $50,000 (or in today’s money, nearly $3,125,000). This may seem like a sizeable amount, but considering the extent of territory the diocese covered, it was rather insignificant.

When the newly consecrated bishop was asked to describe the Diocese of Saskatchewan, he is said to have responded that it was “in Western Canada: it is bounded on the east by the Province of Manitoba, on the west by the Province of British Columbia at the summit of the Rocky Mountains, on the south by the International boundary line between Canada and the United States, and on the north by the Aurora Borealis and world without end.”

Remember that the Province of Manitoba was, at that time, much smaller than it is now. In fact, it was nick-named “the postage stamp province” due to its square shape and its compact size.

A big area

of Saskatchewan.

It is uncertain where this consecration occurred. Some authorities suggest it was at the Parish Church of St. Mary in Lambeth, while another indicates that it was at Canterbury Cathedral.

A third suggestion is that it occurred in the Lambeth Palace chapel, which is said to have been the site of the consecration of all the British North American bishops held in England.

What is known is that the lead bishop was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archibald Campbell Tait, the first Scottish Archbishop of Canterbury.

Like McLean,

services from the priest attached to Fort Carlton, the most recent being the Reverend Isaac Barr.

As a result, there was no accommodation prepared for Bishop McLean, but the postmaster for the local Hudson’s Bay Company, Philip Turner, provided him with a place to stay.

According to both Canon Edward Matheson and Thomas McKay, the first thing that Bishop McLean did was to visit the site where men of the community were cutting logs to construct the church which became St. Mary’s church.

Arnold Agnew, in a story he prepared, indicated that the logs were being cut either on the river bank or on an island in the river almost directly north of where the church stands.

In joining the men, the bishop, according to Mr. McKay, “had a good dinner of pemmican and tea” and “then spoke to them in the open air words of appreciation and encouragement; then with all kneeling down in the snow he gave thanks and prayed to God for his guidance and blessing.”

St. Mary’s was consecrated by the Bishop on Christmas Day, 1875. The men of the community had asked the bishop to dedicate the church after one of the women saints in the Bible as a tribute to the women of the community whose courage and loyalty were evident in meeting the privations and hazards of life in Canada’s northwest.

First ordination in new church

The diocese was a vast area, according to one document covering 700,000 square miles and by another document, prepared by Hedley Holmes, covering 900,000 square miles. It was populated by about 30,000 First Nations persons, with a few small settlements of Europeans. There were no endowments, no missionaries, no churches. When he returned to the northwest, McLean came to the Prince Albert settlement, arriving here by dog-train in February 1875. Prior to his arrival in the community, the Anglicans had received pastoral and church

On Jan 9 1876, Bishop McLean held his first ordination in the newly consecrated church, as he ordained John Hines who, as a lay-minister of the Church Missionary Society, had been teaching and ministering to the people at Sandy Lake.

In the winter of 1875–76 he visited the established Stanley Mission (on the east shore of Mountain Lake, Sask.), where Holy Trinity Church had been built in 1859 by Indians under the direction of the Reverend Robert Hunt. The next winter he traveled to Fort Edmonton; here he helped William Newton, who had recently Continued on page 16

Kathleen McLean and her husband, Bishop John McLean, pose for a picture, circa 1880. Photo submitted

... Bishop created Emmanuel College to train locals for evangelism

Continued from page 15 established the Anglican mission, arrange for the building of the forerunner of the present All Saints’ Cathedral.

As well as his visits to these far-flung mission sites, Bishop McLean, accompanied by the Reverend John McKay, visited the mission at Sandy Lake, where John Hines had been assigned subsequent to his ordination to the diaconate on January 9 th , 1876.

Hines later wrote of that meeting: “The main object of that visit was to discuss plans looking to the inauguration of a Diocesan Training School, which resulted some three years later in the founding and organizing of Emmanuel College.”

On Nov. 1, 1879, Bishop McLean opened the work of Emmanuel College in the building that the McLeans used as a home. Its purpose was to promote “higher scholastic training and instruction,” but Bishop McLean spoke in his charge to the first Synod of the Diocese (held at St. Mary’s on Aug. 31, 1882) that the college was necessary to meet the “sense of need I entertained for a trained band of Interpreters, schoolmasters, catechists and pastors, who being themselves natives of the country would be familiar with the language and modes of thought of the people.”

The bishop became the first Warden and Divinity Professor of the College.

Besides the primary object of training native helpers, a regular course of Theology was established for candidates for Holy Orders, and also a Collegiate School for boys and young men.

During the winter term of 1881-82, there were 30 pupils, of whom 12 were missionary students, including four Cree men, and 18 pupils of the Collegiate School.

To provide appropriate instruction, the bishop brought John McKay, the son of a Hudson’s Bay Company factor and an aboriginal mother, from Battleford, and James Flett from Winnipeg.

McKay became an Archdeacon in 1885, was principal of Emmanuel College from 1887 until

Emmanuel College, Prince Albert. The college building is on the far left, and the other two buildings are residences for tutors and students. Date unknown. Photos courtesy of the Diocese of Saskatchewan Archives

This photo of Emmanuel College was taken between 1881-1886. The three men in college robes and mortar boards are James Flett, John McKay, and Bishop McLean (seated).

1900, and Superintendent of Missions from 19001921.

Flett became viceprincipal of the College, and was made a Canon

of the diocese. He also became a Superintendent of Education for the district. To be continued in September’s issue.

Possibly the interior of St. Mary's before 1891, but most likely the interior of the first St. Alban's Cathedral.

Christ Church, Saskatoon hosts successful Goods, Services, Trades/Talents (GST) auction

By the Rev. Mark Kleiner

“Then some people came, bringing to Jesus a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:3-5).

SASKATOON — As this story from the ministry of Jesus shows, faith in our Lord and roof damage go hand-in-hand.

In that spirit, the people of Christ Church Anglican in Saskatoon recently stepped out in faith when faced with the daunting task of having the church roof repaired, with a price tag closing in on six figures and only a fraction of that amount in parish reserves.

Undaunted, they sourced out a reputable roofing company — one equipped to navigate the steep grade of the church’s gloriously high roof — and the wardens signed their “John Henrys” on the dotted line.

Just as the snow thawed earlier this spring, a team of enthusiastic roofers went to work putting new shingles over much of the church roof. With the bill about to come due, on April 7, the 117th anniversary of Christ Church, a group of parishioners from St George’s, sister parish to Christ Church that had recently closed after 117 years of ministry in the Riversdale neighbourhood, came to worship. It presented Christ Church with an exceedingly generous donation of $45,000, money that will see the St George’s legacy continue to bless the people and church in Saskatoon.

This donation, along with a series of successful fundraising events, has brought Christ Church within spitting distance of reaching its big hairy audacious goal of entirely paying off the critical first series of roof repairs (a singular difficult (and costly) section of church

roof remains in need of overhaul; the parish will revisit this challenge in 2025).

On May 3, Christ Church held a GST Night fundraiser; GST standing for Goods, Services, Trades/Talents, with church and wider community members donating items and services for raffle.

Under the savvy gavel of professional auctioneer, Ron Loopkey of Yellowhead Auto Sales, attendees bid on a range of items, including culinary experiences of gourmet

meals and wine tastings in one’s own home, antique furniture, fridge art by young children, and dozens more.

This, all while snacking on homemade samosas, meats and cheeses, dainties and other culinary delights. By the end of the night, donations came in at close to $6,500.

Generosity from numerous quarters is helping Christ Church continue to worship and serve in the Caswell Hill neighbourhood, with ministry that includes supporting two refugee

families in coming to Canada, monthly free community suppers, and a weekly community market and video store in the church basement.

In addition, numerous community and recovery groups gather at the church, recalling the birds of many feathers finding shady berth as described by Jesus in the Parable of the Mustard Seed:

“With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground,

is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade” (Mark 4:30b-32). We in the church continue to face daunting challenges, and we hardly have it “made in the shade,” yet these recent blessings and successes encourage us to keep pressing on in faith, and we humbly yet heartily encourage you to do the same. God bless you and your ministry.

Mya Htoo satisfied the crowd with her samosas. Photos by Dorothy Kraley

The dessert table had many tasty baked goods to sample and take.

Judy Anderson, rector's warden (right), acted as MC and auctioneer's assistant.

Savvy auctioneer Ron Loopkey with Yellowhead Auto sales leads the auction.

By the Rev. Canon Marie-Louise Ternier

Dr.

Gabor Maté is likely one of few medical experts widely read by a general public today. His work has been published in nearly 30 languages, and his latest book The Myth of Normal (2022) became an instant New York Bestseller. His books and YouTube presentations reach audiences around the globe.

Of babies and bathwater

What accounts for Maté’s popularity? First, two things about Maté himself. He is a gifted writer; his narrative style makes complex mental and emotional analyses from the medical field of psychiatry accessible to a wide readership in ways that resonate with the everyday experiences of multitudes.

Two, Maté’s own humanity shines through his writing. A Holocaust survivor in childhood, Maté is unafraid to admit his own failings, mishaps and shortcomings, raising some eyebrows in his own medical discipline. While a competent medical professional, his candid personal sharing makes him relatable to ordinary people.

Human beings are hard-wired in many ways, but two are particularly indispensable for health and wholeness: we crave belonging and we crave meaning. Whether consciously or not, we mine our experiences and relationships for meaning, purpose and vision.

When life throws curves we can barely handle or explain, our mental health can take a turn for the worst. When our sense of safe and loving belonging is threatened and fragmented, our emotional and spiritual health suffers.

Maté’s insights address both these hard-wired human cravings with a very sobering diagnosis, one that many are experiencing in real time but struggle to name so succinctly. Western societies have become very unhealthy, sick, and

dysfunctional. Like frogs in water slowly reaching a boiling point, we have normalized that too many of our young and old are now medicated for anxiety and depression; that cancer and loneliness have reached epidemic proportions; that our planet is as sick as we are; and that entire generations have lost meaning and purpose, not to speak of safe and loving belonging. Consider the following quotes from The Myth of Normal:

“Whereas individual people can become dislocated by misfortunes in any society, only a free-market society produces mass dislocation as part of its normal functioning, even during periods of prosperity. ... A

society that fails to value communality — our need to belong, to care for one another, and to feel caring energy flowing toward us — is a society facing away from the essence of what it means to be human.”

“When people start to lose a sense of meaning and get disconnected, that’s where disease comes from, that’s where breakdown in our health — mental, physical, social health — occurs.

"... If a gene or virus were found that caused the same impacts on the population’s well-being as disconnection does, news of it would bellow from front-page headlines. Because it transpires on so many levels and so pervasively, we almost take it for granted; it is the

the interest of collective health and wholeness.

Meanwhile, our Christian traditions are experiencing a veritable exodus from institutional religion, resulting in the loss of our teachings and rituals, our faith language and understandings. Unlike colonization, this exodus is not caused by forced assimilation, but is characterized by voluntary departures from ancient religious practices. I cannot help wondering if this mass exodus is contributing to the unmooring forces in our Western world, leaving our young without larger vision, without wider belonging, and without meaningful purpose.

Is it any surprise that some parts of the world, different cultures, look upon us with disdain and suspicion?

While plagued by human imperfection and sin, church communities nevertheless have traditionally provided a spiritual anchor in God through Jesus as a compass and vision that has survived, inspired and thrived.

Without denying its legacy of scandals and failures, many have found in faith communities a sense of extended belonging, connecting us to past, present and future.

To have endured over 20 centuries, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has shown itself to possess resilience, an uncanny generative power, both ancient and new in each time and place.

water we swim in”.

“We are steeped in the normalized myth that we are, each of us, mere individuals striving to attain private goals. The more we define ourselves that way, the more estranged we become from vital aspects of who we are and what we need to be healthy.”

Indigenous spiritual, social and cultural structures were destroyed by colonization and forced assimilation into a foreign civilization. Indigenous healing efforts today focus on reconnecting to the land, and recovering Indigenous languages, ceremonies and teachings. Indigenous peoples in Canada and elsewhere are working hard to reclaim their lost heritage in

In light of Gabor Maté’s findings and the witness of Indigenous peoples to reclaim their spiritual and cultural heritage, I wonder whether our secular, individualistic society has been throwing several spiritual, emotional and social babies out with the religious bathwater. Will our own subsequent off-spring eventually follow our Indigenous relatives, investing time and energy in reclaiming their Christian heritage for the sake of health and wholeness?

If and when they do, the Gospel message will undoubtedly manifest new insights and expressions, for Jesus Himself even said that new wine belongs in new wineskins (Luke 5:36-39). May it be so.

An old, abandoned rural church.

Photo by alptraum/Getty Images

God makes the wilderness a paradise through His love

By Mary Brown

CHRISTOPHER

LAKE (Skwn) — A few brave souls met at St. Christopher’s on March 23 for an “Into the Wilderness Retreat” led by the reverends Brody Albers, Rick Reed, David Butorac and Jordan Draper. The wilderness was a further study of Fr. Crouse’s book, Images of Pilgrimage.

The morning sessions by Butorac and Reed were a book review starting with Ch. 1 Biblical and Pagan Images, Ch. 2 the Old Testament, Chapter 3 the New Testament, Chapter 4 about St. Augustine and concluding with Chapter 5 on Dante.

Most of the participants had taken part in the diocesan Lenten study on the Crouse book.

I attended the afternoon session, Pilgrimage and Christian Liturgy, led by the Rev. Brody Albers. One of the earliest extra-biblical sources of Christian teaching is the Didache, which means Teaching or by The Lord’s Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations.

It begins with these

words: There are two ways, one of life and one of death but a great difference between the two ways. It would call converts to Christianity to first choose their road. Would they walk in the way of life or continue down the road to death?

The earliest Christian liturgies saw the Sunday gathering and Eucharistic feast as a symbol of the destination of their pilgrimage: the Kingdom of Heaven.

Albers described the first churches, which were

from converted Basilicas, as the belly of a ship, like Noah’s Ark, carrying the faithful through the water of chaos to the new creation on the other side.

Churches became vessels to transport the faithful through the wilderness to paradise. To leave your pew and come forward to the altar is to make a journey from the wilderness of this life to the paradise of the next.

Brody said, “Our pilgrimage to God is really His pilgrimage to us as He reaches down to us in

love and meets us here in the wilderness — the wilderness which He makes into paradise through His love.”

In his sermon, the Rev. Jordan Draper said he felt the need to devote the first meeting of the Lenten study on Fr. Crouse’s book as a pitch to make the case for the study, which some still decided was not for them: too academic.

A few of us met once a week to discuss the book with Canon Butorac. We also used a study guide written by Rhea Bright to

Feeling the Holy Spirit

help us understand. And I think we understood the message that Crouse was conveying in the book.

A book of talks that were written for a clergy retreat in the Diocese of Nova Scotia. We all felt it was a little, or a lot, over our heads.

Butorac admitted that he studied Dante with Fr. Crouse for probably five years! It was an interesting study that challenged us to learn it and defied our teacher in helping us to comprehend it.

An ode to the women of the resurrection

By Rev. Gene Packwood

Ihad something of an epiphany a year or so ago. As I was reading John’s Gospel one day, it occurred to me that in John’s account of Resurrection Day is a record of the first word that the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the World said – “Woman” (John 20:15).

Now I know sometimes we can make too much of or put too much emphasis on a word or verse or idea we discover in the Scriptures. Errors, wishful thinking and heresies have resulted. But what if this particular detail was recorded to bless and encourage those human beings God created in His image to be female? In the next verse He calls this one by name. The first human being to whom the Risen Lord

Jesus revealed Himself and called by name was a formerly demonoppressed-times-seven woman. Mary Magdalene. God also knows and loves each one of you women reading this, and every girl and woman in the world, and knows your names, too. In His mercy, wisdom and goodness, He created you as girls and women — beautiful and indispensable parts of His good creation.

You are precious in His sight, chosen daughters who are uniquely and particularly gifted in your femininity to be witnesses

of the greatest miracle of new life there ever was — the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

In addition to my epiphany above, there is a quote I wrote down in my journal a few years ago and have enjoyed ever since: The Christian revolution was wrought above all at the knees of women (Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, p535).

Although Tom Holland, an historian, wasn’t quite a Christian when he wrote that, he describes how he was influenced by the persistent prayers and behaviour of that most august personage, his British Church of England godmother. I believe he’s right.

All the way from the one philosopher and author, Dallas Willard, describes as “the greatest merely human being that ever lived” —Mary, the mother of Jesus — the truth and good news of Jesus has been passed on to us in no small part — perhaps even mostly by women.

So, when I was asked to preach one Sunday in Eastertide, I felt led to make my message An Ode to the Women of the Resurrection.

Instead of the usual lectionary readings for the day, I arranged to have the four Gospel accounts of that first Resurrection Morning read (Mt 28.1-10; Mk 16.1-11; Lk 24.1-12; John 20.1-18) with my remarks before and between, as it were.

In my homily, we worked through these passages looking for what we can learn from the example of these faithful, courageous, women. Here

are some of them:

1) Keep looking for Jesus even if you have to get up early. (Mt 28.5; Mk 16:6)

2) Don’t let fear stop you. (Matt. 28:5&8; Mk 16:5&8; Lk 24.5)

3) Worship Jesus whenever you encounter Him. (Mt 28:9)

4) Remember Jesus’s words always. (Lk 24:8)

5) Tell others what you’ve seen and experienced — be witnesses of the resurrection just as those women were. (Mt 28:10; Mk 16:10; Lk 24:9; John 20:2&18)

6) Don’t let the disbelief of others (especially men?) discourage you. (Mk 16.11; Lk 24.11; John 20.11)

Finally, and here is where I put on my ARM Canada looking-for-therefreshing-work-andpresence-of-the-Holy-

Continued on page 12

A few brave souls meet at St. Christoper's for a retreat to discuss the book "Images of Pilgrimage" By Rev. Robert Crouse.

Photo by Mary Brown

St. Mary's in Birch Hills a caring, creative place

By Mary Brown

BIRCH HILLS (Skwn) —

The youths in St. Mary’s Church in Birch Hills were busy making soup to be taken to St. Alban’s in Prince Albert on a Sunday afternoon.

The Rev. Jordan Draper and four others had brought the pails of soup to provide a nourishing lunch along with sandwiches another church provided.

The outreach program has been hosting lunches for the at-risk people in Prince Albert for a few years during the winter months. Karlie Lewis told her mother how polite and thankful everyone was.

Leslie Lewis in Birch Hills shows off her beautiful wall hanging. She told me she is planning on making more for every season in the church calendar.

Her first hanging of three crosses was for the Easter Vigil. Draper and Lewis get together to determine what would be a suitable hanging for the coming season.

These pails of soup sit on a countertop waiting to be taken to

St. Mary’s Anglican Church is also St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church and they are careful to discuss the design with their counterparts so that everyone is happy with their creation.

Please be sure to take pictures at your events in your parish so we can put them in the Saskatchewan Anglican

Leslie Lewis (front, third from left) displays her beautiful wall hanging that she created for St. Mary in Birch Hills.

Photos by Mary Brown

Youths at St. Mary's take a break after making soup for St. Alban's Cathedral in Prince Albert.

St. Alban's Cathedral in Prince Albert for that church's outreach program.

Moving towards a renewed Church

By the Rev. Canon Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad

Throughout my life I’ve heard the expression “the tip of the iceberg.” It’s a way of saying that what you see in front of you is only part of the truth. Seveneighths of the iceberg is under water, so the visible part is just a small fraction of everything that is there.

What I didn’t know, until a few years ago, is that icebergs sometimes roll over. I witnessed this once, on a trip along the East Coast. The balance of the iceberg shifts, as the wind, the waves and the warm water affect it. Suddenly it tips, and the invisible part comes to the top where you can see it.

Lately I have been using this image to describe what I see happening in our church.

The visible tip of the iceberg is our historic picture of the church, including its organization, its structures, and its institutional way of life. But these are the very aspects of the church that are being challenged. Can we sustain what we have? And should we?

Anxiety lurks behind those questions, because we feel that if we lost the familiar form of the church, there would be nothing to replace it. The tipping iceberg suggests something different.

What would we see if the submerged reality of

the church could come to the surface?

Most obviously, I think, we would see how the single biggest resource of our church is our members. The people who follow Jesus, the disciples, the Christians, are the ones who live the Good News on a daily basis, in their homes, their workplaces, and their communities.

The familiar structures of the Church render much of this work invisible, but when it comes to light, it can be hugely energizing.

I see signs of this shift in the Church. In

many places, people in local church communities are insisting that the gospel work they do, where they live, is what matters most in the life of the church.

Students, here in the seminary, are asking for the tools they need, not to maintain existing structures, but to support the discipleship of the members of the churches they will serve.

If the iceberg (the Church) really is about to roll over, there are some ways for us to prepare. First, we can learn from the people who already understand why discipleship comes first.

You can find those people wherever you look, but often in unexpected places. Some of them will be in tiny rural congregations, which only exist today because people kept on living out their faith, and encouraging others do to the same.

Other lessons can be learned from partner churches in the Anglican Communion, many of which have long-standing shortages of clergy and other resources. Yet their focus remains on church members, who embody the love and the presence of God in unlimited ways.

The Sacred Circle, amongst Indigenous Anglicans here in Canada, is another example of this vision, founded on the principle that, “Wherever two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, he is there, the Sacred Circle is there and all that is needed to provide hope and healing is there.”

This is the vision of a church that exists wherever its members live, pray, and work.

Another important preparation is to build stronger connections with each other, from parish to parish, from diocese to diocese, and even from denomination to denomination.

For generations, we have relied on institutions to keep us connected, but as we shift resources towards discipleship, we will need the even stronger ties we can build as one family in Christ, pursuing our mission together.

That shift of priorities, towards building up disciples, is what will make the biggest difference, in a church that sits “the other way up.” The vitality and the energy of this future church will come from people who feel confident and capable as they pursue their God-given Christian vocations, not just within the church, but throughout God’s world.

We can equip ourselves, and each other, to live the Good News joyfully and contagiously. From where I sit, that is going to become the most important task for theological education and ministry training throughout the Church, in seminaries, dioceses, and congregations.

There are two things I remember about seeing that iceberg roll over. It was powerful, and it was beautiful.

As the church shifts its focus to treat each individual Christian as the centre of the life of the Church, I look forward to seeing the power and the beauty of what God can do with us.

Saskatoon's Emmanuel celebrates 11 years since amalgamation

By Bev Otsuka, Marion Pope and Fran Schmidt

SASKATOON — The 11th anniversary of Emmanuel Anglican Church was held at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon on April 12.

The church was celebrating the coming together of the original amalgamated parishes of St. James, St. Mark and St. Timothy, as well as many others joining Emmanuel from other congregations and communities during the past 10 years.

The name Emmanuel was chosen by the membership as it meant “God is with us,” something we feel every day. Emmanuel’s first priest was the Rev. Dianne Mesh. When she left the parish, the Rev. Karen Sandell acted as interim priest until the hiring of the Rev. Fran Schmidt.

Merging three traditions into one took patience, strength and understanding for everyone involved.

From Sunday’s sermon we heard Pastor Fran say, “I can’t help but think of Emmanuel’s history in its first 11 years. We know that coming together isn’t always easy; just like building stones, we all have different shapes and sizes, each unique, some with cracks, some more smooth, some with jagged edges.

"We’ve come from different traditions and places, differing experiences and world views, with a variety of ways of doing things, seeing things, living out our faith even, each with its own woundedness.

"Yet, we are gathered together now, thanks to God’s faithfulness over the years, with those stones rubbing up against each other, in good and challenging kinds of ways to be sure, it’s all very human isn’t it … (message based on 1 Peter 2:1-9).)

The anniversary celebration on Friday night was a wonderful time for fellowship, good food and great entertainment. The night opened with prayer and socializing. We enjoyed a wonderful turkey supper with all the trimmings.

After tasty and abundant food, we enjoyed a full program of entertainment and socializing.

As master of ceremonies, Austin King provided us with both laughter and sincerity.

Greetings were brought from the diocese by Bishop Rod Andrews and from the Synod Office by Archdeacon Alex Parsons.

A group of “nuns” from “The Sisters of Holy Smoke” entertained us with a small skit, which originated 27 years earlier. Members included a funloving group of women from Emmanuel.

Gillian Lyons, music director and choir director, provided us with an amazing variety of musical selections and choir anthems.

A duet was sung by Ana Gheyssen and SydneyMarie Jones, and solos offered by John Wilby and Fran Schmidt completed the great talent that is at Emmanuel.

Table decorations were made by the Sunday School with Lonnie Naylor’s help and guidance.

Both she and Janice Cook added special

touches to provide an extra ambiance to the tables.

It was wonderful having the children play an important part in this celebration.

Our logo beautifully symbolizes for us the biblical burning bush, the fire of the Holy Spirit, the embrace of faith and the Advent light of the world. It also reflects who we are: an embrace, a droplet of water, a flame, a seed and a spirit.

The blue colour references the traditional colour of Advent and is a dominant colour in our church interior and windows.

The orange gradient is symbolic of light and the Holy Spirit, reflecting our energy and passion.

Our great and enjoyable anniversary celebration on April 12 is a strong reminder for us that through love and faith, Emmanuel has become a strong and vital part of the community reflecting God’s inclusive and unconditional love and grace. For more pictures

A group of "nuns" from The Sisters of Holy Smoke,a fun-loving group of women from Emmanuel Parish, entertains the crowd with a small skit.

Photo by Ken Tickner

Gillian Lyons, music director and choir director, provided Emmanuel's 11th anniversary celebration with an amazing variety of musical selections and choir anthems.

Photo submitted

The logo for Emmanuel Anglican Church. Photo submitted

The Emmanuel Choir provides music and action for the 11th anniversary celebrations.

Photo submitted

Emmanuel Parish’s 11th Anniversary Celebration on Friday night was a wonderful time for fellowship, good food and great entertainment. The night opened with prayer and socializing; followed by a

wonderful turkey supper with all the trimmings. After tasty and abundant food, they enjoyed a full program of entertainment and socializing.

Photo by Ken Tickner

'A lot of love': Outreach group in Moose Jaw expands services to Sunday afternoons

Jason G. Antonio

MOOSE JAW (Qu'A) —

C.J. Sanderson arrived in Moose Jaw over a year ago to become sober and began volunteering with an outreach group to show appreciation for the help she received.

Sanderson is from the Muskoday First Nation near Prince Albert and moved to The Friendly City in 2023 to beat her addiction. She attended a treatment centre, connected with Turning Leaf Support Services and began attending Victory Church, where she learned that community is important.

Taking this advice to heart — “I love my church” — she began volunteering last summer with Community Connections, which provides support, fellowship, food, clothing and hygiene items to anyone in need.

The group — coorganized by Crystal Harvey, Tammy McCleary and Jen Silzer, who all work in the field of social services initially provided meals to people on statutory holidays when other outreach organizations or meal programs were closed.

“I think God brought me here … . I (also) found these ladies and they just keep me clean and sober and happy,” Sanderson said. “And it’s a good community. I love it here and they love me and I just feel loved. It’s just a lot of love.”

Volunteers needed

Harvey explained that she was looking for volunteers to help serve meals on statutory holidays last year — she started serving in 2022 — when Sanderson answered the call. From there, the latter began messaging McCleary, often asking if the group needed support.

“She’s always looking for help on Facebook, so I’m like, ‘Why don’t you ask me? I want to help,’” laughed Sanderson.

Sanderson began volunteering more with Community Connections after the organization formed a partnership with St. Aidan Anglican Church in December.

volunteer

Since the church serves lunches on the weekends from 10 to 10:30 a.m., the outreach group was allowed to meet in the parish hall from 9 to 10:30 a.m. so clients had a warm place to eat and socialize.

This service recently expanded to Sunday afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m., with hot meals — and sometimes bagged lunches — served between 4 and 5 p.m.

Besides food and coffee, the group also offers clothing, footwear,

toys, hygiene products, household items and other necessities. It can also connect clients to resources and supports in the community.

Tables are usually full of donations, so Sanderson usually folds and organizes items to keep the space neat.

Giving back

“For me, it’s giving back to my community. Like, because they’ve helped me when I first came to Moose Jaw, so I just want to help

and give back,” she said. “Because I know how it feels to be in need … .” Sanderson added that life can sometimes be overwhelming because she never had these supports on her reserve or in Prince Albert, which is why volunteering plays a “huge role” in her life.

Harvey acknowledged that Sanderson is always smiling and cheerful and creates a welcoming atmosphere.

Building partnerships

Meanwhile, she explained that she teamed up with St. Aidan because she used to work as an outreach worker with Turning Leaf and regularly visited on the weekends when lunches were being handed out. She noticed the relationship the church was building with residents and believed an opportunity existed to open the space so clients could eat more comfortably. That suited Continued next page

Jen Silzer, Crystal Harvey and Tammy McCleary are the co-organizers of Community Connections, an outreach group that recently expanded its services at St. Aidan Anglican Church. Photos by Jason G. Antonio

A

offers a bowl of soup to a client.

Community Connections offers clients clothing and other household items free of charge.

God moves our hearts to share the good news

By the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

In the past, on Good Shepherd Sunday, Anglicans have traditionally prayed that more people will respond to God’s call to be engaged in a deeper walk with Jesus Christ and to discern a calling to any of the varieties of ministries within our church, whether lay, diaconal or as a priest.

In our diocese, there are some parishes or congregations that cannot afford a full-time paid priest, yet there are and always will be people who long to know God better and who want to make a positive difference in the world to build God’s reign among us.

Many of us can attest to the fact that the Anglican and Lutheran Church liturgies remain beautiful vehicles for people to worship God and to draw closer to the divine, in love and in action.

Several clergy who met recently for the Saskatoon Anglican Deanery Clericus felt that it is high time to re-ignite this long-standing tradition. First of all, as we meditate on Jesus’ shepherding of people in His public life and ministry this spring, we may personally feel a little gnawing in our hearts for more spiritual meat.

What are we doing about that longing for God? It is true that when we prepare to feed the souls of others, we are often fed ourselves.

In the day’s text from

the Acts of the Apostles (4:5–12), Peter proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ after he had died and risen. The Apostle Peter was given the ability to heal a man, who had been sick, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Peter said: “Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”

How do you proclaim Jesus’ name? When have you shared a good word that someone, in that moment, needed to hear?

Share your experience.

To read from the writer to the Romans can really get you thinking (10:13-15): “But how are they to call on one in whom they have

not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?”

This is a serious conundrum for us today.

To say it plainly, God has laid a call on each of our hearts to share about the Good News we hear and experience each Sunday. If we took time to meditate on it all, we would realize that each one of us has what we need to speak out and to share God’s love and wisdom.

Jesus urges us to find the courage to share a short word of encouragement and to proclaim God’s love with strangers whom we do not

know, as we travel with them in the proverbial elevator. God has written it on our hearts. In stepping outside of our comfort zone, we will see amazing and new things happen!

In the 23rd Psalm, The Psalm of the Good Shepherd, we are reminded that God provides what we need, leads us to fresh pastures and walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. There is great comfort in remembering that God goes before us in each and every painful as well as hopeful moment. Can we absorb this concept and graft it into our hearts? Can we remember this truth in those times when we feel so utterly alone? God suffers with us and leads

us.

In fact, as reflected in the day’s gospel (John 10:11-18) Jesus guides us all with His shepherd’s rod, prodding us, leading us and pushing us as we meditate on His life, teachings and love. When have you felt Jesus’ prodding, leadership and push?

In the very sacrifice of His own life, Jesus showed the total depth of His love and His hope so that others may come know the triune God better: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

In the day’s text from John’s gospel, Jesus affirmed His identity as the Good Shepherd: “I am the Good Shepherd… I know my own and my own know me.” Jesus knows us intimately and walks tenderly with us through life.

From this Johannine text we can grasp that Jesus is with us through thick and thin. Jesus is the Shepherd who does not run away when things get dicy. Having been freed from His bodily shackles, the Risen Christ is free to walk with and care for each one of us today. Ultimately, as we encounter Jesus each day through our prayer lives and our loving actions, we can hear that soft but firm voice of God calling us into deeper and more loving paths.

I have shared these ideas with you in the name of the Triune God who cares deeply for us and leads us faithfully…Do you hear that? A quiet pause.

... Group helps Moose Javians connect with each other

Continued from page 24 the church as it was also looking to enhance its lunch program.

“(It’s) a space just to relax, which is important,” said Silzer. “… we always have food, lots of coffee (and) lots of laughs. We do a lot of laughing.”

A gap in services

Harvey explained that she started serving meals on statutory holidays two years ago because there was a service gap in the community when those days occurred. Normally, there are

three to four meal options on weekdays and one on the weekends, but there was nothing on days like Christmas or Family Day.

“When you’re unhoused and you’re outside walking around all day, you are consuming a lot of energy … ,” she said.

“So then we saw a need, especially through the winter, to provide another food option.”

The number of clients attending meals started at 30 but has grown to roughly 70, while the people who attend vary from young families to

seniors to others looking to socialize over coffee.

“It’s going really great. I would say that it’s kind of one of those things that really fill our cup,” Harvey said.

Community support

The group has been lucky because several organizations faithfully offer support, while many people volunteer or donate items, she continued. Moreover, this program brings joy to everyone and gives residents a place to belong.

“Our guests have been

really good at helping mop and sweep … ,” said McCleary. “We were short volunteers one day and they all picked up the slack and stayed until the end to make sure everything was done.”

It’s “absolutely essential” that these outreach services remain downtown because the residents who need them congregate in this area, especially on the weekends, said Harvey. Conversely, if such services were near Walmart, some people — like seniors — would be

unable to walk that far to access the food they require.

Community Connections is already delivering meals to clients who can’t physically attend or are ill, she added.

So, while the group can deliver food, it would become a glorified delivery service if it was forced to move out of the downtown.

Anyone who wants to volunteer with Community Connections can contact the coorganizers online.

Jesus Christ is our shepherd and we should pray to have a deeper walk with him.

Photo by artplus/Getty Images

Rescued pipe organ to musically benefit three other churches

By Jason G. Antonio

MOOSE JAW (Qu'A) —The closure of Regina’s St. Matthew Anglican Church has proven to be music to the ears of three area parishes, as they are the recipients of the shuttered venue’s massive pipe organ collection.

St. Matthew’s closed several years ago as part of a city-wide amalgamation of four other Anglican churches into one parish and is facing the wrecking ball in the coming years because of its structural deficiencies. While the Diocese of Qu’Appelle has removed almost everything from the building, there was still one issue to address — saving the roughly 1,500 organ pipes.

Nearly 20 people gathered in early May to help salvage the pieces, with project lead Jason Barnsley — owner of Barnsley Pipe Organs in Calgary — overseeing the operation. Over two days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, the volunteers carefully removed and meticulously packed the pipes, as well as the chests and mechanisms that house them.

Pipe sizes ranged in size from several inches long to 16 feet in length and two feet in diameter.

Regina’s First Baptist Church and St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church and Moose Jaw’s St. Aidan Anglican Church will receive pieces of the collection to give new life to their existing systems, while the diocese will store the surplus and use them when needed.

Barnsley was in Moose Jaw recently helping tune St. Aidan’s 900-piece pipe organ system as part of the regular spring cleaning, with 17-year-old Camron Deans — an aspiring organ tuner — assisting.

Moose Jaw’s system is almost a twin of St. Matthew’s, which is great since pieces from the latter can replace aging or broken parts — like keyboard console buttons — on the former, said Barnsley.

“So, it’s already starting to pay dividends because these buttons are unique to this design to this builder and I can’t find any of that size,” he continued. “So, it’s almost perfectly made in heaven that this transpired.”

Since the St. Matthew’s building has been crumbling, the chamber housing its pipe organ was dirty, dusty and covered in a powdery substance called efflorescence.

Barnsley was surprised the system worked when he turned it on — only a few notes were offbeat and out of tune — while he said the diocese will have to clean and restore every piece.

St. Aidan will determine when it wants Barnsley to install the pipe organ pieces, although since he has been servicing the system for three years, he will start to formulate a game plan. He noted that it could take two to 10 years to install everything, based on how fast the church wants to move.

Barnsley didn’t discover any major problems with the church’s system during

the spring cleaning, although occasionally, he must replace a dead note or remove pieces of plaster. Sometimes, he must dispose of a dead bat or mouse.

“It’s like triage in an emergency room,” he said, noting he’ll repair easily accessible problems — the “low-hanging fruit” — immediately and will address time-consuming mechanical issues when he returns.

Barnsley added that, as a musician and perfectionist, he will fix notes that are “really wobbly” since to leave them would “drive (him) to drink.”

Barnsley explained that he grew up attending a United Church in Lloydminster and, because he “got bitten by the organ bug” when he was 12, fell in love with the

cutting your fingers off in the saw.’”

Barnsley convinced the man that he wasn’t worried because he had worked as a theatre set builder in college and used machinery to create props. The organ repairer took on the Canadian as an apprentice — he worked for the man for eight years — thus beginning a 24year career in repairing pipe organs.

The repairman moved back to Canada nine years ago and started his business a year later.

Barnsley is the music minister for an Anglican parish in Calgary and says “the ephemeral nature” of church music and its sacredness are what he loves, especially since he has severe ADHD.

He wouldn’t be able to handle just repairing cogs in a machine, so he’s thankful that there is variety in repairing pipe organs, leading church music and some theatre set work.

“There’s something always fresh around the corner, which is what really tickles my brain cells,” he added.

instruments and became his church’s organist. He didn’t know much about them — there weren’t many library books about pipe organs in the 1990s — so he focused on playing them.

He later moved to the United States for university and, after graduating, moved to rural Pennsylvania in 2000 for work and began attending a small Lutheran church that had a mechanical (non-electronic) organ. He contacted the instrument’s builder and asked if he needed an apprentice, to which the man said yes.

“He said, ‘I’m always looking for apprentices. The problem is that you’re a musician and I’m not going to hire you,’” Barnsley recalled. “I (asked) why and he said, “Well, because you’re going to be worried about

Barnsley explained that it takes many skills to repair pipe organs, such as cabinet-grade woodworking, leather working, metallurgy, metal-working, DC electronics and solid-state electronics. A repairer also needs good aural skills to hear the different pitches and identify the overtones and tampers within certain notes and ensure they are accurate. While people may think pianos and pipe organs are the same, there are many differences between them, he said. While one company can make the same piano without difference, construction of pipe organs can change from builder to builder, decade to decade or century to century — essentially, no two are the same.

This means Barnsley must repair, tune and service the widest swath of pipe organs as possible so he gains experience and knows how they work, especially if he must disassemble and then reassemble the instruments.

“Each instrument is so complex (that) they literally have their own

Continued next page

Volunteers from St. Mary, Regina, St. Aidan, Moose Jaw and First Baptist in Regina pose in front of a window that once housed St. Matthew Anglican Church's pipe organs and that they used to remove all 1,500 pipes.

Photo courtesy Diocese of Qu'Appelle

... Volunteers save 1,500 pipe-organ pieces from wrecking ball

Continued from page 26 personality (and) they all have their idiosyncrasies … ,” he said, noting heat can affect the pipes — “the tuning goes kaput” — if the system is against an exterior wall or on top of the basement boiler.

The Calgarian travels 50,000 kilometres annually — from Victoria to Winnipeg to Whitehorse — servicing pipe organs, while he has 80 clients ranging from schools to churches to museums to institutions to private homes.

Barnsley visits St. Aidan twice a year — this is his seventh time here — to service its pipe organ and is “starting to get the handle on this beast” and what it likes and dislikes. He joked that he and the instrument communicate with each other about its issues, with the latter “usually winning” any argument.

While St. Aidan’s pipe organ is 94 years old, Barnsley has worked on some systems that are centuries old. In the United States, he recalled repairing an organ from 1771 — created five years before that country’s independence — while in Canada he has worked on a 1685 Dutch organ at the National Music Centre in Calgary.

“(It’s) built into a chest of drawers, and it’s cool because the drawer front pops down and the keyboard pulls out and it’s all mechanical,” he said.

The centre has the organ disassembled and in storage because it recently moved into a new venue, and while the organization wants Barnsley to return to reassemble it, he must find time in his schedule.

Finding time is a problem, however, because he is the last full-time pipe organ repairer in Western Canada.

Barnsley noted that there is one Winnipeg man in his 70s “making noise about wanting to retire,” a repairer in Calgary in his 60s who — while not ready to retire yet — focuses more on building control systems, an 85-year-old woman in Vancouver still crawling around instruments, and almost everyone else in Saskatchewan retired.

“So as long as you’re physically able (and protect your hearing, you can do it right up until the

end … ,” he said. “And I think it’s a job that’s safe from intrusion by AI … . There’s no robot that’s going to be able to go in there and understand that these instruments have a personality.”

Barnsley is always looking for apprentices because his goal is to train the next generation of organ pipe repairers. Since he’s 47 — he expects to work another 25 years — he wants to train people who are 15 to 20 years younger and have also been “bitten by the organ bug” and understand the instrument.

“If anyone wants to envision a career where they’re not stuck in a cubicle working for ‘The Man’ and they want something hands-on, look me up because I’m always looking for apprentices,” he said.

The repairman appreciated having Deans working beside him, saying the youth was astute, attentive and had an eye and ear for detail — important considering St. Aidan’s pipe organ keyboard has 61 notes and thousands of iterations.

Barnsley also appreciated that Deans was roughly the same height because it made for easier lifting of objects — like long pipe organ pieces.

Volunteers carefully remove a large pipe-organ piece out the window and down the ladder.

Photos courtesy Dicoese of Qu'Appelle

Bishop Helen Kennedy flexes her, ah, pipes as she carries a pipe piece to the back for transport.

So many pieces, some very small.

... Fixing pipe organs a possible future career for teen

Continued from page 27

Deans has been playing piano for 11 years and knows how to play a keyboard instrument, while he has grown up at St. Aidan and usually hears the pipe organ played regularly — a sound he greatly appreciates. However, after the pandemic ended, he noticed that the church wasn’t playing the instrument as often and offered to play for services.

“I became obsessed. I don’t know how (and) I don’t know why. I just gradually came to love it,” he said.

Compared to a piano, playing the pipe organ is much harder because the keys on the board are lighter and it’s easy to hit many at once, causing a “muddle,” Deans continued.

Furthermore, he needs special shoes so he can feel the pedals he’s pushing.

The teen is also 6-3 in height and doesn’t physically fit the instrument, so he must lift his knee above his waist to play. His goal is to add blocks under the bench so he can use the pedals appropriately.

Deans enjoyed helping remove the pipe organ pieces from St. Matthew’s Church, although it was heavy, hot and dirty work. He noted that there was a least a centimetre-thick layer of dust on everything in the loft.

Being up there gave him a greater appreciation for the instrument since he could see all the moving parts and how everything connected. Moreover, he thought it was great to see the intricate system in person instead of in a book.

Camron Deans and Jason Barnsley take a break from cleaning the 900-piece pipe-organ system at St. Aidan Church in Moose Jaw.

Photos by Jason G. Antonio

Camron Deans, 17, is one of two organists at St. Aidan's and has been playing for more than a year. Although a little tall for the keyboard, he enjoys playing and wants to become a pipe-organ repairman one day.

Jason Barnsley takes a look at the pipe organ equipment in the loft where the Moose Jaw church keeps its system. Electrical components of the system.