Saskatchewan The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • January 2017 www.facebook.com/thesaskatchewananglican
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Rev. Betty Garrett: a pioneering saint falls asleep By Joanne Shurvin-Martin
A guided visit on Nov. 8 to the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan mosque located on Copland Crescent in Saskatoon was part of a five-part Saskatoon series entitled A Christian Study of Islam: an Introduction. During the evening, leaders at the mosque expressed appreciation to the organizers of the series. Pictured are (left to right): Fr. Bernard de Margerie; Mohamed Hajinoor; Sr. Phyllis Kapuscinski, NDS; the Rev. Canon Colin Clay; Khalil Rehman and Imam Sheikh Ilyas Sidyot. Photo by Kiply Yaworski
A Christian study of Islam By the Rev. Canon Colin Clay SASKATOON – Looking back on the year 2016, many of us remember a few accomplishments we found encouraging. But sadly, most of what we remember focuses on the violence so evident in war-torn countries and the political, social and economic upheavals in places such as the British Isles and the United States. But now we stand at the beginning of a new year and this gives us the opportunity to remind ourselves of the hope and trust we all share as members of Christ’s Church. Realizing the great need for men and women of all faiths to come together and share their spiritual commitments and understanding, three Christians in Saskatoon, Fr. Bernard de Margerie, Sr. Phyllis Kapuscinski and the Rev. Canon Colin Clay, shared a conviction, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that steps should be taken to enable Christians to have a deeper understanding of our sisters and brothers of the Muslim faith. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon sponsors programs under the title Foundations that enables different groups
to offer educational sessions on a variety of spiritual subjects. As a result, with help and encouragement from Archbishop Don Bolen and the Foundations director, Rita Taylor, a series of five evening sessions were planned for October and November. Four were to be held at the Cathedral of the Holy Family and one at the mosque of the Islamic Association in Saskatoon. The first session, on Oct. 18, an introduction to the subject, began with a presentation by Fr. Bernard with a response by Dr. Joel Schindel from the Islamic Association. We should not have been surprised, but we were immensely encouraged, by an attendance numbering 350 people. By the next session, the number was actually increasing. At session two, we heard two presentations, one from Imam Ilyas Sidyot speaking on the essential Islam, and an introduction to the Koran, followed by one from Dr. Brenda Anderson, from Luther College, University of Regina, explaining to us the history of Muslim-Christian engagement over the centuries. Both presentations were
accompanied by powerpoint illustrations which, along with questions written on cards by those attending, were made available on the website. Many took advantage of this during the course of the program. The third session featured an internationally respected Christian scholar concerning Islam: Dr. Roland Miller, now 90 years old and living in Ottawa. His presentation, also available from Foundations, was entitled The Relationship of the Bible to the Koran. A number of years ago, when Dr. Miller was a professor at Luther College in Regina, he was a valued teacher respecting Islam for both Archbishop Don Bolen and Sr. Phyllis Kapuscinski. Archbishop Bolen came to the third session to welcome and introduce Dr. Miller whom the archbishop described as ”one of the greatest teachers of my life.” Imam Ilyas Sidyot responded to Dr. Miller’s presentation. The fourth session, on Nov. 8, took place at the Islamic Association mosque, where once again large numbers came and were graciously received by the Imam and the Muslim community. Continued on page 6
MOOSOMIN (Qu’A) – The first woman to be ordained priest in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, Rev. Betty Garrett, has fallen asleep until her Lord returns. “Betty Garrett will be remembered as one of the pioneering saints of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle,” said Bishop Rob Hardwick, quoting retired archbishop David Ashdown. “The way she patterned ministry has prepared the way for women in the church.” Bishop Hardwick was speaking at the funeral of Rev. Betty Garrett, held at St. Alban’s Anglican Church, Moosomin, on Nov. 25. Garrett died Nov. 17 after a short time in the Southeast Integrated Care Centre. She was 87. Born Betty Maud Hawkins in Wiwa Hill, Sask., she lived first on the small family farm, where she showed early signs of her calling by preaching to her dolls and chickens. The family moved to Moose Jaw where she attended high school, and then to Edmonton, where she completed high school. In 1949, Garrett moved to Toronto to study theology at the Anglican Women’s Training College, with academic classes at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Despite taking the same classes as men, she could not earn a degree because she was a woman. After completing her studies, she returned to Saskatchewan, where she worked as a Bishop’s Messenger based in Pelly, Prince Albert, and then Cabri. There she met Bob Garrett, a rancher and cowboy who was also church warden. They married in 1957, and became parents of Hal and Sheilagh. Son Pat was born while Garrett was serving as lay incumbent of Lucky Lake. In 1966 the family moved to Wapella where Bob was a pasture manager. That same year Betty
delivered twins: son Hugh and daughter Margaret, who sadly survived only three months. Pat died as a teenager and Garrett showed herself to be a woman of great faith in the face of family tragedy. Garrett spent most of her life doing the Lord’s work through the Anglican Church, first as a theologically trained lay person, then as deacon (1975), priest (1979), the first female canon of the diocese (1980) and the first female
Rev. Betty Garrett archdeacon in Canada (1992). In 1993 the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad (Saskatoon) made her an “Honorary Fellow,” and the following year she received the Soroptimist International Award for “Woman Helping Woman.” Bishop Hardwick said that, like Esther of the Old Testament, “Betty was born for such a time as this.” He said her extraordinary contributions to the church brought recognition of the ministry of women. He also reminded the congregation that 2016 marked the 40th anniversary of the ordination of women in the Anglican Church of Canada. Although Garrett officially retired in 1994, she continued to assist and mentor whenever she could. Rev. Malcolm French (now in New Zealand) and Rev. Michael Rosseau, who had been priest in Saskatchewan Gateway, both sent messages to be read at the funeral. Continued on page 7
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
God's power shown in our weakness “Do Anglicans believe in the devil?” By Rev. Cheryl Toth
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n the past year, a new television show debuted in North America. It is called Lucifer and features a very handsome character named Lucifer Morningstar; Lucifer is the gatekeeper of Hell and it’s a tough job. So he takes an unauthorized vacation to Los Angeles where he gets involved with the police, starts therapy and runs a nightclub that caters to people’s desires. Lucifer has an issue with his Father and much of the “therapy” subplot involves Lucifer working through his dad issues and coming to terms with his vulnerability. The show plays with common understandings (and misunderstandings) about Lucifer, the devil, or Satan and raises some interesting questions about what makes us human and what causes us to turn from God. I find it an intriguing window on contemporary explorations of how we understand the devil. It’s no wonder we need to wrestle with our understanding of this figure we name the devil, because the Bible doesn’t spell things out very clearly. The serpent figure in Genesis is later named in the Christian tradition as the devil, but that’s not what the writer of the creation stories says; there the serpent is
simply the creature that “was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made” (Gen. 3:1). In the book of Job, the one named Satan (or ha-satan in Hebrew) is given full access to the heavenly court and engages God in conversation about the reality of Job’s faith. There Satan means the Accuser, for, rather like a court prosecutor, the Accuser’s job is to poke holes in God’s story of Job’s unshakable goodness. In the gospels, Jesus’ temptations are a time of being tested by the devil, the tempter, but in all the
The baptismal service asks us, “Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?” Renouncing Satan and the spiritual forces of wickedness comes after acknowledging the evil in our world. accounts it is God’s Spirit who leads or drives Jesus into the wilderness; in some ways, the devil is following through on the Spirit’s initiative. Yet when we get to letters attributed to the apostle Peter, the devil is more menacing: “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
All this to say the biblical witness does not depict one central image of the devil. It does, however, point us to the reality that we are tested and tempted in a myriad of ways that can derail us from following Christ and walking in the ways of God. That’s why I don’t sweat the details about what the devil looks like, how personal a force “he” is or even if, like Lucifer Morningstar, he appears to be charming and able to give us all that we truly want. What I need to know — and most of us have experienced one way or another — is that the pull to be less than what God asks of us is strong. Temptations are real. Human beings can be destroyed by the very desires that make us human: a desire for intimacy, to have agency, to create, to exercise our powers and abilities. The distortion of our desire can corrupt us as God’s creatures and lead to sexual abuse of others, domination of another’s will, the pursuit of our own good before others and a desire for power and adulation. Just read the headlines of the paper, or listen to the daily newscasts, to see how real the damage can be when human beings objectify or crush others in the pursuit of power and pleasure above all else. That’s why the baptismal service asks us, “Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?”
Renunciation of Satan and the spiritual forces of wickedness can only come after we acknowledge the reality of evil in our world. I may not know all the satanic details but I have encountered the reality of evil’s corrupting power. C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity, “I do not claim to know anything about his [the devil] personal appearance. If anybody really wants to know him better I would say to that person, ‘Don’t worry. If you really want to, you will. Whether you’ll like it when you do is another question.’” I think fascination with the devil, as witnessed in Lucifer, comes from a desire to be as strong and in control as evil sometimes seems to be in this world. That also misses the truth we know in Christ: God’s strength is made known in our weakness and God’s love is revealed most fully in the vulnerability of Jesus on the cross. So in the sense of “having confidence in,” Anglicans do not believe in the devil. We believe — have confidence — in Jesus Christ while acknowledging the reality of wickedness which our Lord overcame. In Christ, we find what sets us free and “put our whole trust in his grace and love” that we might live in his way. Rev. Cheryl Toth is a priest in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle and serves as intentional interim priest with All Saints, Regina.
The Accuser does everything separate us from God Do Anglicans believe in the devil? By Archdeacon Norbert Haukenfrers, D.Min
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s we consider the adversary to holy living, let’s recall the origins of Beelzebub as a being created not evil by nature but evil by choice. Initially the devil played a part in the heavenly hosts. This enemy of God is called an apostate because of a choice made, becoming evil by selfdetermination, in desiring power and leading a revolt against God; for this Satan was cast out of heaven. The whole task of the evil one is the opposition of all that God proposes. This father of lies is the devil, is the epitome of evil and doesn’t exist outside of opposing God. In doing this work of evil the ancient serpent is often
observed quoting the Bible, masquerading faith in the cloak of power. As we look at the interactions between Jesus and the devil, we see that the devil was not overpowered by the power of God, but by His justice. While the devil is a lover of power, “it pleased God that for the sake of rescuing men from the power of the devil, the devil should be overcome not by power but by justice” (Augustine). While power is not intrinsically evil, power is always prone to abuse and must be mediated. We see this play out when the tempter comes to Christ in the wilderness, where Jesus held back what was possible – conquering by power – in order that He might first do what was fitting – conquering by powerlessness – on the cross.
The man, fully God and Man, standing in the place of sinners, satisfies the demands of divine justice. This debt of rebellion fully paid to the Father, is not a ransom paid to the God of this world. The death of Christ is the equivalent of all the demands of retributive justice against all for whom Christ died. The power of the prince of the power of the air is being broken by Jesus. The faithful are called to be self-controlled and alert, resisting the adversary by standing firm in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-9). This power of darkness continues to challenge and test as we see Jesus warning Peter to stay on his toes, for the accuser will do anything to cause separation from God. The good news is that Jesus prays for Peter, in particular that he would not give in or give out.
In the creeds we find that it is in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that we ought to believe. In the BAS baptism service this is emphasized as the questions are asked. Why not ask them again of ourselves, ‘Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?’ ‘I renounce them.’ ‘Do you renounce the evil powers of this world that corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?’ ‘I renounce them.’ ‘Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Saviour?’ ‘I Do.’ Lastly, the baptismal covenant asks us to put our whole trusted confidence in God’s grace and love, promising to obey him as our Lord. To which we reply “I Do.” Let us remember what we said, and let this never slip from our minds. May it be so.
Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August. Whole No. 292, Vol. 45, No. 5 A Section of the Anglican Journal SUBSCRIPTIONS For change of address, undeliverable copies and subscription list updates, contact: • Your parish • e-mail: circulation @national.anglican.ca • Or send to Saskatchewan Anglican, c/o Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ont. M4Y 3G2 RATES $10 in Canada $17 outside Canada SUBMISSIONS Submissions for the February issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, Jan. 6. All pictures must be sent as JPEGS and 1 MB (megabyte) in size. CONTACT 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: Munden and Linda Coates linda.munden@sasktel.net Box 208 Arborfield, Sask., S0E 0A0 Photo: 306-769-8339 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5 Printed and mailed by Webnews Printing Inc. 8 High Meadow Place North York, Ont. M9L 2Z5
The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
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How we got the Bible: A community, a story and God's Word By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad
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ast month, I suggested we might want to consider more closely the relationship between the sacred texts of Judaism (the Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament. My proposal is we need to look at the early Christian writings as a continuation of the process of hearing and communicating “the word of the Lord,” rather than as a totally new kind of scripture. The starting point for this idea is the recognition that, at the very beginnings of Christianity, Christians and Jews looked to the same body of Scripture. You can see this in the way St. Paul, or the gospel writers, quote the Torah (the books of Moses), the psalms, and the prophets, when they try to explain who Jesus was and describe what He did. Even when, a century on, a theologian named Marcion tried to reject the Hebrew writings in favour
Rev. Dr. Iain Luke of Christian documents, his efforts were disowned by the church as a whole. The story of Israel continued to be an essential element of the story of Jesus and of the Jesus movement. For the first followers of Jesus, though, there was a part of the story still to be told. It took shape in two different ways. One was the story of how people came to hear the good news of Jesus “crucified and risen,” that is, how the story of Jesus got out into the world.
In our New Testament, this is the main focus of the Acts of the Apostles. It is also a key topic in many of the letters of Paul, which are actually the oldest of the New Testament writings. Paul himself had a story to share, convinced as he was that Jesus was really the fulfilment of the whole story of Scripture. His letters to churches, though, survive because they were preserved by their audience as being an important message to them. Just as we saw last month in relation to the book of Isaiah, people kept re-reading the letters long after the original events that led to their composition. They also heard, in those letters, the story of Jesus, reaching out to include them and to change their lives. The second way the early Christian story took shape came a generation or two after Paul, as other Christian writers created the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They focus on preserving the story of Jesus Himself: the
things He said and did, His character, and His eventual fate. As I read the gospels, though, I am always conscious of two groups of people whose story is being told in tandem with Jesus’ story. The first group is the immediate circle of people around Jesus, whose story we hear through the lens of their relationship with him. The second group is the people for whom the gospels were written, because it is clear that the content of these gospels also tells their story. Their relationship with Jesus, and the way they remember Him, is what gives them their identity. This is the point of contact between the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. The sacred texts of Christianity became sacred because of the way they captured the identity “in
Christ” of the people who followed Jesus. That identity couldn’t be understood except in relation to the older writings that were sacred in the same way, as they defined God’s people in relationship to God’s word, God’s promise, and God’s faithfulness. The point of this exercise, though, isn’t historic curiosity about the Bible. As I think about those two groups of people, Jesus’ disciples and the early church, I also think about a third group: us. We who read the same Bible, thousands of years later, are also invited to let it be our story. It continues to have a formative influence, shaping our identity by reflecting to us the identity of Jesus and His people. To understand what that invitation really asks of us, and what we are being invited into, we need to know still more about the Bible. So that will be the subject for next month: what is biblical criticism and what do we learn from it?
Women's retreat held in Arborfield By Alice Carpentier ARBORFIELD (Skwn) – The Church of the Ascension in
Arborfield held its second annual Women’s Retreat on Nov. 5. The theme of the retreat
Participants were encouraged to shine their lights at the women's retreat in Arborfield. Photo by Alice Carpentier
was “Jesus is the Light of the World.” Under the leadership of Colleen Walton, the guest speakers were Deb Bergen and Mary Ann Perrault. These two multitalented women also sang and provided wonderful music on their guitars. There were 22 women in attendance from Arborfield, Naicam, Carrot River, Nipawin and surrounding area. Our Bible readings were from Isaiah 42:5-8 read by Alice Carpentier, Ephesians 5:8-20 read by Betty Burningham and Psalm 27, played and sung by Mary Ann Perrault. Everyone participated in games, singing and group activities. The day opened and closed with fellowship and food and everyone enjoyed chili and a bun, plus delicious desserts for lunch. The theme of the day encouraged us to shine our light in the world. We can pray for family and friends, help a neighbour, volunteer our time, be an example, and be a friend.
Fashion show draws crowd By Olive White REGINA – St. Matthew Anglican Church held its 16th annual Luncheon and Fashion Show in the late fall. A fun-filled afternoon was enjoyed by more than 125 people from the parish and surrounding community. Guests were blessed to have retired chef Ed MacNeil provide the delicious homemade lunch of quiche lorraine with dinner rolls and salad. Parishioners provided various colourful, scrumptious baking desserts. The new fashion look in styles for both casual and dressy clothes were provided from Suzanne’s in Harbour Landing, Regina. Colours ranged from vibrant hues to striking black and white for evening. The
“runway” models were either parishioners or friends of the parish who have supported this event over the years. Rev. Anne Marie MacNeil had a dual role that day: giving the luncheon grace and also modelling some of the new styles for fall! St. Matthew’s is very grateful for the support from Suzanne’s and also local business with 14 door prizes being donated. Olive White served as both planning chairperson and master of ceremonies for the day. Draws for door prizes were held throughout the afternoon and a 50/50 winner drawn as the wrap up. St. Matthew’s thanks all the volunteers and participants for making this another successful fundraising event. Photo from freeimages.com
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
Saskatoon Lutheran Native Ministry holds feast and share By Austin King Editor’s note: A version of this article originally appeared in Emmanuel Parish news SASKATOON – Emmanuel Anglican Parish, Saskatoon hosted an emotionally touching and powerfully insightful event called Feast and Share on Nov. 9. The event began with a potluck supper of bounteous variety at 6 p.m. in the Haslam Hall. Following supper, we went up to the sanctuary to learn about the effects of the Sixties Scoop on the lives of many children of that era. The speaker for the evening, Dr. Jacqueline Maurice, community faculty & clinical preceptor, Indigenous Health & Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan and author of Lost Children: A Nation’s Shame, shared her journey as a Metis (Cree & French) person from being a young child through to adulthood. She was taken from her mother at a young age and placed in a foster home by social services, where she struggled with being accepted. She ultimately moved to 14 different homes, where she never bonded with other people and fell through the
cracks of a system supposedly designed to protect children like her. After being erroneously diagnosed for years as “slightly retarded” and having various behavioural deficiencies, her grand mal seizures were subsequently determined to be caused by scar tissue on the brain, which was successfu l ly r e m o v e d by major surgery. T h e sei z u re s ceased and her journey from being Dr. Jacqueline a victim of Marie Maurice the system, a high school drop-out and misfit in society, began to change when she was befriended in school by a loving, compassionate school librarian who took on the role of advocate and parent for her and even accompanied her on parent-teacher interviews. After the formal presentation, an enthusiastic question and answer period brought up many concerns and positive possibilities. It became obvious from the sharing that not only does there need to be a more compassionate administration of the foster care program, but also direct
Installation at Christ Church
On Nov. 27, a large, joyful crowd gathered to witness and participate in the Celebration of New Ministry for, and the installation of, the Rev. Mark Kleiner (centre left) as the new incumbent of Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon. The Right Rev. David Irving, Bishop of Saskatoon (centre right) presided at the service, while the Rev. Emily Carr (centre behind the Bishop and the Rev. Kleiner) preached the sermon. Following the service representatives of various churches and denominational groups who had attended the service posed for pictures with the new incumbent. A well-attended reception and abundant refreshments were given in the parish hall. Photo by Peter Coolen care and healing for the birth parents. A common thread throughout the evening was the power of forgiveness, listening, compassion and reconciliation.
DIOCESE OF SASKATOON
Announcements for January 2017 Saskatchewan Anglican online! You can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online on the Diocese of Saskatoon website or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ saskatchewananglican. g No news is not “Good News”! Is your parish planning an event, a fundraiser or has it already held one and has something you can report? Well, don’t keep this to yourself! Your news and upcoming events are “Good News” to us all and the news of your planned activities and their successes can help put your parish and its activities in “the news” and perhaps give additional people the chance to consider supporting them!
g Native ministry in Saskatoon: A monthly Native Ministry Service will commence on Jan. 29, at St. George’s, Saskatoon. The services will be held the last Sunday of each month, in the St. George’s Parish Hall (624 Ave. I South), at 2 p.m., and will be Native lead. Come early and share soup and bannock with the community before the service. For more information please call the parish office. g The Parish of St. George’s, Saskatoon, Community Coffee House every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Join them for a warm social time with coffee, tea, toast and some type of baked goods at no charge. The coffee time is followed by a weekly Bible Study from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Both events
are in the Parish Hall, 624 Ave. I South. g Seniors’ Lunch in Battleford: The Friendship Committee of St. George’s, Battleford invites all seniors to join them for lunch the first Monday of each month until June. Each seniors’ lunch begins at noon. g L’Arche Workshops: L’Arche Saskatoon, an ecumenical organization supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities, has recently started a creative workshop with a vision of “Making art, making friends, making peace.” If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Wyndham Thiessen, community leader, at 306262-7243 or wthiessen@ larchesaskatoon.org. Appointments
and Vacancies g Treasurer needed for the cathedral: Vestry at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is searching for a volunteer treasurer for St. John’s. Canon 24a of the Diocese of Saskatoon sets out that the “treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records in paper or electronic form, drafting a parish budget, preparing regular and annual financial statements and cooperating with the auditor where required. “In carrying out these responsibilities, the treasurer shall consult with the wardens and the incumbent as required.” The treasurer typically provides monthly reports at the vestry meetings. There is an additional financial
person: a bookkeeper, who has been hired to assist with entering financial transactions and other duties. If you are interested, or have any questions, please contact Lauri Miller, Dean’s Warden, or Michael Gibson, People’s Warden, or Dean Scott. Deadline To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be sent to the Associate Editor by e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which insertion is desired (for example, December submissions will be in the February issue). Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included here, but should space allow, could be the subject of article and notices elsewhere in the paper.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
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Looking at liturgy
The liturgical team By Canon Michael Jackson
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hen the late Bishop Duncan Wallace was Dean of Qu’Appelle and rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina, he enjoyed the liturgy most when he sat in a corner of the chancel and did nothing (at least, that’s what we said!). This, of course, was a caricature – but not by much. Duncan saw worship as the work of the community, not of the presider. He preferred to observe his liturgical team in action: deacon, sub-deacon, greeters, readers, communion ministers, intercessors, servers, musicians, often other presiders and preachers. He would readily sit back, while keeping a weather eye that all was in good order. Not many churches in our diocese or province have the honorary assistant priests and the deacons that St. Paul’s Cathedral did then and still does. Smaller parishes consider themselves fortunate if they have an ordained minister, full- or part-time. But the principle of the liturgical team is still valid. The days of the one-man (or -woman) band in worship are, or should be, long gone (although I remember a time when the priest did virtually everything except take up the collection!). Contemporary liturgies assume the active
participation of the assembly in prayer and music and reading, in posture and gesture and movement; they are not passive recipients of what the clergy give them. In previous columns, we have emphasized the involvement of lay people as, for example, readers, intercessors, communion ministers and servers, noting children and young people have their part to play. The role of the presiding minister has been compared to that of an orchestra conductor: bringing together the various and varied liturgical players and ensuring the harmonious functioning of the whole group in worship. This image is consistent with I Corinthians 12, where Paul refers to the varieties of gifts, services and activities of the individuals in the community, “activated by the same Spirit,” and compares that community to one body with many members. This is of course applicable to the Church as a whole; but it is very much the case for its worship. Pointing out that the Greek word leitourgia means “the work of the people,” Jesuit liturgist Keith Pecklers observes that “when such participation is shared by the different members of the congregation, then the Church as the Body of Christ is seen in its full stature.” Lay members have all kinds of talents to offer, including
The presiding celebrant does not need to be a solo player! At Sunday eucharistic celebrations at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the priest is assisted by a deacon and a sub-deacon. Here we see, from left, Deacon Michael Jackson, Dean Mike Sinclair and sub-deacon Tannis Patterson. occasional preaching. Not all of us can have choirs, but individual musicians can be found anywhere. Some people are blessed with good reading voices. Others have a gift for intercessory prayer. Children and young people often need only to be asked and encouraged to help in a variety of ways. It is matter of identifying individual skills, providing guidance and training where required, and then making good use of the opportunity. Liturgy is indeed the work of the people – not the preserve of the clergy or a favoured few! Canon Michael Jackson is deacon at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina.
Lay members such as Jan Besse at St. Paul's Cathedral regularly read the scriptures and lead intercessions. Photos by Margaret Ball
Project teaches kids to cook Submitted
Do you know someone who is being ordained or someone celebrating an ordination anniversary? Give them a Clergy Bear with surplice and stole in a colour of your choice.
www.anglicanfoundation.org
MONCTON, N.B. — The kitchen and hall at St. Philip’s in Moncton are filled with the savoury smells of garlic, rosemary and chili powder as six Grade 8 students, wearing hairnets and gloves, set the table with bread, butter, cheese and water. The budding cooks and their mentors say a blessing, and then enjoy the fruits of their labour—vegetarian chili, savoury crackers and banana ice cream. This is all part of a joint project between St. Philip’s and Queen Elizabeth School, which is across the street, to help students learn to cook. Peggy Gauvin, a volunteer who helps run the program, says the project is an investment with potential for a lifetime of benefits for kids. “The main purpose is to
promote the use of nutritious foods in people’s lives so they can develop confidence in their skills and they can cook a meal” she said. “Food security is important—we’re hoping we can teach basic skills with simple, basic ingredients.” The church and the school have a history of working together, and the program grew out of discussions between Janice Irvine Meek, a volunteer from St. Philip’s, and the school itself about how the church could be a supportive neighbour. The Rev. David Alston, a deacon at St. Philip’s, also volunteers at the program, and says he views it as part of the church’s outreach. “A deacon’s role is to be outward-looking, so I’m looking outward with these fine cooks,” he said. The New Brunswick Anglican
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
Diocese of Moosonee's new school of ministry By André Forget Anglican Journal TORONTO — On Jan. 27, the Diocese of Moosonee will launch its new school of ministry for local parish leaders who feel called to take on more formal roles in the church. The diocese’s theological education task force, chaired by retired assisting Bishop Tom Corston, has been working to establish the school, following concerns about increasing vacancies in parish leadership, particularly among ordained clergy. While the diocese will continue to encourage seminary-trained clergy from southern Canada to come north, the task force also concluded that many parishes already have leaders who could be raised up with some “in-house” training. The school of ministry is a year-long program that will include four long weekends
throughout the year. Each weekend will include lectures led by diocesan clergy who have seminary training on topics such as sacred theology, Scripture, church history, prayer, liturgy, preaching, evangelism and pastoral care. The program will also include sessions on aboriginal teachings and priorities as well as a presentation on the church’s programs and policies. Between weekend sessions, the participants will be required to work on a field placement project with the guidance of their local minister, and to serve actively in their own parish’s ministry. At the end of the program, participants will be offered ordination. If they decide they want to be ordained, they will undergo an examination to evaluate their suitability before being presented to the archbishop as candidates for ordination.
DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN
Quiet Day in Birch Hills Submitted BIRCH HILLS (Skwn) – A Quiet Day will be held on the Gospel According to St. Mark, at St. Mary’s, Birch Hills, on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sessions will be conducted by Canon Kim Salo, Archdeacon Norbert
Haukenfrers and Bishop Michael Hawkins. There will be three brief addresses, time for quiet, Holy Communion and Evening Prayer, as well as fellowship and lunch. Please let us know if you will be attending. Contact synod@sasktel.net or 306-7632455. All are welcome.
CHRISTIANS AND ISLAM Continued from page 1 After being well received, and deliciously fed, we moved into the worship centre for an informative session and prayers led by Imam Ilyas Sidyot. As a symbol of the Muslim community’s gratitude for a program drawing Christians and Muslims closer together, the president of the Mosque gave plaques showing their appreciation to Fr. Bernard, Sr. Phyllis, Rita Taylor and the Rev. Canon Clay. The final session, held at the cathedral with Fr. Bernard, addressed the subject “Called to prayer: Where do we go from here?” This was followed by a panel discussion in which the three
speakers, Sarah Donnelly (pastoral assistant at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral), Bishop Allan Grundahl (retired ELCIC Bishop of Saskatchewan) and Elaine Zakreski (founding director of the Zakreski Foundation’s Hope for Malawi in Africa) all spoke eloquently, while covering different areas. Furthermore, they also shared their hopes for an ever growing spirit of trust and understanding between those of other faiths and traditions. This concluded the five-part program with a general feeling, shared by so many, that this must be the beginning of more discussion and greater understanding among men and women of many faiths.
Financing for the program, including travel and accommodation costs, will be provided by the diocese. Invitations have already been sent to every congregation in the diocese to encourage those interested in the school of ministry to apply.
The school of ministry is a yearlong program that includes four long weekends throughout the year. Each weekend will include lectures by seminary-trained diocesan clergy on topics such as sacred theology, Scripture, church history, prayer, liturgy, preaching and evangelism.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
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Lay readers have a role in the future of the church By Jason Antonio REGINA — Christians are living in an interesting time in the church’s history, which means licensed lay readers will have a future role to play, says the bishop of Qu’Appelle. “God is calling His people,” said Bishop Rob Hardwick. “It’s almost a new beginning time, I’m sensing.” Hardwick spoke about the late Rev. Betty Garrett, who was a pioneer in lay ministry, women’s auxiliary, a bishop’s messenger, deaconess, deacon, first woman priest of the diocese, regional dean and then first archdeacon in the Anglican Church of Canada. Similar to Garrett, Christians have to live into the call God has given them, the bishop continued, even if we don’t have all the pieces. Being a diocesan lay reader is a journey; there haven’t been such people in Qu’Appelle since the 1960s. “We are in that time of trying to discern what God wants us to do,” Hardwick said, likening the journey to leaving the peaceful lake of Christendom and entering the rapids. Licensed lay readers was the topic of a one-day session on Nov. 26 at St. Philip’s Church in Regina. Discussions focused on the formation of the role, licensing requirements, training days and prelicensing interviews. About 30 people from across the diocese were in attendance. The lay reader manual can be found at https://quappelle. anglican.ca. God is calling up people with integrity and who have a heart for the gospel, said the bishop. These are people who want to make Christ known. They might have to go to places where the gospel is new, or where it’s already established but with no church building. “There will be some awkward times,” said Hardwick, which is why it’s important to be a team of diocesan lay readers. Retired Archbishop David Ashdown (pictured) has been appointed as a warden for the diocesan readers, who will be an advocate and mentor to this new team. “If you’ve got problems in a parish with a parish priest, we’ll send David in,” said Hardwick to much laughter, “to sort them out.” Being a leader in the church is also seen as being a
leader in the community, said Ashdown. He noted at the very first diocesan synod, Bishop Anson said the model of the priest doing everything wouldn’t work in such a geographically wide diocese. “Then we took 100 years to prove him wrong,” added Ashdown to laughter. Some lay readers from the Pelly Deanery (eastern Saskatchewan) have already gone through the entire lay readers manual, while others are just beginning to look at it. The goal is that by May, several lay readers will be commissioned to start operating in the Diocese of
Qu’Appelle. They will be robed in a blue scarf as a sign of their position. With the permission of wardens, vestry or priest, a lay reader can assist in the church and can even preach. A lay reader can also provide leadership when a parish can’t afford a priest. The availability of priests is thin across the diocese. God’s call can be difficult and scary, since we don’t always know what His request is all about, said Hardwick. Calls upon diocesan lay readers can vary, but God calls for all of our gifts to be used for His benefit. Continued on page 8
DIOCESE OF QU’APPELLE
Qu'Appelle clergy appointments g Bishop Rob Hardwick has appointed Rev. Dr. Dustin Resch as associate priest at St. Aidan, Moose Jaw, effective Nov. 27. g Rev. Nancy Yee has been appointed interim priest at two Regina parishes, St. James the Apostle and St. Philip, for a one-year term
beginning Jan. 15. This is a full-time position to be split between the parishes. Rev. Yee was previously in Watrous, Diocese of Saskatoon, where she was incumbent of All Saints Anglican and pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.
REV. BETTY GARRETT Continued from page 1 Rousseau mentioned that he had learned much about patience and humility from Garrett when she was retired, while French said she had been a mentor to him at many stages
of his career. Garrett was very proud of her Irish heritage and told family stories in a strong Irish brogue. She enjoyed travelling, and was very proud of her children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. She lived in her own home, across the street from the local high school, until shortly before her death. Her home was often filled with grandchildren and their friends.
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
January 2017
Licensed lay readers Continued from page 7 For example, there may be two or three people in a parish who want to preach, but are unconfident. A licensed lay reader would have experience and knowledge to help. “This is a very important ministry that needs to be encouraged,” said Hardwick. “Unless you wear a collar, your ministry isn’t recognized in many places. The authorizing of lay ministry is so important. It’s a privilege, but it’s also an
awesome responsibility to be called by God to do this work.” The diocese wouldn’t put anyone in a situation without oversight, said Hardwick. It would be like an apprenticeship model: watch what a priest does and then do that while being monitored. If people are interested in this position, contact Ashdown or Archdeacon Catherine Harper, with the Qu’Appelle School for Mission and Ministry. Photo Sask. Anglican files
Cathedral Confirmation
On Dec. 4, a service of confirmation was celebrated, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, by the Right Rev. David Irving, Bishop of Saskatoon, for candidates from three Saskatoon parishes. The confirmands (from left to right on either side of the Bishop) are: Laura Wood, St. Stephen’s; Kirsten McDougall and Kendra McDougall, Christ Church; and Rosemary Matthews, St. George’s. Photo by Peter Coolen
Remembering and thanking
Andy and Sue Mitchell placed a wreath during a Remembrance Day service at St. Matthew, Regina. Rev. Jo Anne Knobbe presided, Patrick Johnson and piper Josh Campbell provided music, and retired navy lieutenant and parishioner Mack Howat recited In Flanders Fields. The service included a reflection on a drawing of the cross and poppy submitted to the Legion poster contest by a young student. Photo by Mae Boa
Saskatoon’s Locally Raised Clergy Program Do you love God? Do you love the church? Have you been involved in lay ministry in your parish for quite some time and wonder about going even deeper? Perhaps God is calling you to diaconal or priestly ministry! “Who, me?” you might say. Yes, YOU! Stranger things have happened you know. God needs workers in the vineyard, including priests and deacons. Perhaps now is the time for you to consider it. The Diocese of Saskatoon has a program for training clergy…for training Locally Raised Clergy. The program
takes three to five years to complete, depending on how much time you can devote to it. There is no cost to you, as the training leads to a non-stipendiary (voluntary) ordained ministry. The program includes reading courses, in-house training sessions, spiritual formation and a supervised apprenticeship. The path to Holy Orders is an awesome spiritual adventure. Take the plunge now! For more information, please contact the Diocesan Training Officer, the Reverend Shawn Sanford Beck, at greenpriest@hotmail.ca.
Thinking of all souls
Margaret Asquith Morrey (left) of St. Matthew, Regina, Altar Guild and Rev. Anne Marie MacNeil (holding candle) organized a beautiful and heartwarming service to remember and honour loved ones. MacNeil officiated at the All Souls Day service during which more than 60 names of loved ones were read and remembered by those gathered. Also participating were (l - r) Joanne Knobbe, Kathy Chlopan and Frances Phillips. Patrick Johnson provided special music while candles were lit. Following worship, fellowship was enjoyed along with a lunch of hearty homemade soup prepared by St. Matthew’s favourite chef, Ed MacNeil. Photo by Mae Boa