Saskatchewan The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • February 2017 www.facebook.com/thesaskatchewananglican
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST
—
anglican
www.issuu.com/thesaskatchewananglican
“Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:1-9, NRSV). Photo courtesy DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH/WikiPhotos
2
The Saskatchewan Anglican
February 2017
Bible witnesses to work of the Triune God What does the Anglican Church mean when it says that the bible is the “inspired Word of God”? By the Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck
“
In principio erat verbum!” That’s the chant I hear these days when I come in from chopping wood and find the kids at their morning Latin lesson. In principio erat verbum: In the beginning was the Word. The first sentence of the first chapter of St. John’s gospel, echoing the opening of the book of Genesis, this phrase is one of the most important and foundational declarations of the whole Christian faith. In medieval Europe, this fragment of Latin would be uttered as a blessing and inscribed as a charm to keep away the powers of darkness. Earlier than that, in the ancient church of the first centuries, entire systematic theologies were built on this verse, culminating in our ecumenical creeds and the dogmatic formulations of the Trinity and the Incarnation. “In the beginning was
the Word,” says St. John, “and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” So what is this “Word of God”? It is important to note, emphatically, that the Word of God here is NOT the Bible. The Word of God, in all Christian theology and practice, is the Divine Logos, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Cosmic Christ through whom God has created and is creating the entire universe, the Eternal One who has assumed temporality in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. This is so important to remember, whenever we talk about the Bible being the inspired Word of God. You see, the Bible is only the Word of God insofar as it bears witness to the Living Word of God, who is Christ. Apart from Christ and the Spirit, the Bible is nothing more than a lovely (and sometimes horrifying) example of ancient literature. But in its witness to the ongoing work of the Triune God, this library (biblia) of words becomes for us the Word of God. For a specifically
Anglican slant on this, it is useful to turn to the Ordinal. In their respective services of ordination, each bishop, priest and deacon makes a solemn declaration that “I do believe the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation” (BAS 635). This dual-clause linkage is very important: the Scriptures are God’s word because, and insofar as, they contain all things necessary to salvation. Note as well what the Ordinal doesn’t say: it doesn’t say that every verse of Scripture contains that which is necessary to salvation, nor that salvation cannot be revealed outside of Scripture. Indeed, some things in Scripture are superfluous or even detrimental to salvation. Nevertheless, insofar as the Scriptures reveal the mind of Christ, they become for us the Word of God. Or, as Luther put it, the Scriptures are like the crib in the manger, which holds the baby Jesus ... but don’t confuse the crib with the Christ! In his masterful
exploration of the Book of Psalms, C.S. Lewis reflects on the relationship between the human “raw materials” of the Scriptures and the inspired Word of God: “The human qualities of the raw materials show through. Naivety, error, contradiction, even (as in the cursing Psalms) wickedness are not removed. “The total result is not ‘the Word of God’ in the sense that every passage, in itself, gives impeccable science or history. “It carries the Word of God; and we (under grace, with attention to tradition and to interpreters wiser than ourselves, and with the use of such intelligence and learning as we may have) receive that word from it not by using it as an encyclopaedia or an encyclical, but by steeping ourselves in its tone or temper and so learning its overall message.” As we continue our journey with Christ through this year of grace, let us severally and together undergo that Spiritual steeping process, immersing ourselves in the Scriptures, that they might become for us the Living Word of our Loving God.
Scripture a human book used for divine purposes What does the Anglican Church mean when it says the Bible is the ‘inspired Word of God’? By Rev. Dustin Resch
T
he language about Scripture’s “inspiration” comes to us from Paul’s second letter to Timothy (3:16-17), which reads, “All Scripture is inspired by God and are useful for teaching. For reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (NRSV). The Greek word that is translated in NRSV as “inspired” is helpfully (and colourfully!) rendered in the NIV as “God-breathed.” The idea is God is involved with Scripture in such a way as to teach His people through it in order that they might grow in holiness and fruitfulness. While there has been, to my knowledge, no definitive and widely-
accepted Anglican treatment of “the doctrine of inspiration,” various texts and practices within the Anglican tradition give us some clues as to how Anglicans have interpreted this doctrine. First, for Anglicans, inspiration means that Scripture is set apart by God to accomplish God’s purposes among His people. To put it another way, inspiration means the Scriptures are sacred because God acts through them. The collect in the Book of Common Prayer for the Second Sunday in Advent affirms this when it addresses God as the one who “hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning” and asks that God would “grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.” The idea here is quite similar to that which we saw in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 above: God’s involvement in the Bible means God can
address and instruct His people through them so they might grow. This is why the church reads the Bible regularly and publicly when it assembles for worship. Through the lectionaries for the Daily Office and Eucharistic gatherings, the Anglican tradition encourages the systematic and comprehensive reading of large portions of Scripture. Implicit in this corporate practice is the belief that God speaks through these texts, while hearing them is essential for what God wants to accomplish among those who have been addressed. Second, even with its high view of Scripture’s divine use and purpose, the Anglican tradition has generally avoided treating Scripture as a kind of magic book. Anglicans have not typically held to the view that the inspiration of the Bible somehow cancels the fact that the texts of Scripture are also the
product of human minds and hands. As such, the Scriptures need to be interpreted with great care. For this reason, Anglicans have been able to embrace various approaches to biblical interpretation and have produced some of the best scholars in these fields. Contemporary Anglican biblical scholarship tends to read the Bible with the awareness that these texts did not fall directly from heaven, but that they have been profoundly shaped by the historical, social, philosophical, political and linguistic world in which they were written. As well, Anglican biblical scholarship is profoundly attentive to the possibility that an important text like the Bible is susceptible to being hijacked by ideological forces that can obscure Scripture’s meaning and damage God’s people. Hence, Anglicans have placed a premium on good Continued on page 3
Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August. Whole No. 292, Vol. 45, No. 6 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 April issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, Feb. 3. 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 Advertising agent: Angela Rush saskatchewan.anglican.ads@ gmail.com 905-630-0390 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5
The Saskatchewan Anglican
February 2017
3
St. Mark: An example of reconciliation By Bishop Michael Hawkins
D
ating myself in almost every way, I recall my New Testament oral canonical exams. I was required to sit an oral exam with clergy of the diocese on approximately seven topics before being ordained. The one bit of inside information I received was that when Dean Munro asked about a biblical streaker (a nude public runner), the answer was Mark. He asked and I answered and I squeaked through my exams. In the Gospel according to St. Mark, there is record of a certain young man in the garden of Gethsemane who was “wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked” (St. Mark 14:51b-52). A common assumption is that since this is the only place this detail is recorded, it is the author of the Gospel account painting himself into the picture.
While the New Testament text nowhere identifies the name of the author of the second Gospel, the tradition of assigning it to John Mark goes back at least as far as 130 A.D. The figure of John Mark also helps us think about what is distinct in Mark’s telling of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Papias, an early second century bishop, refers to Mark as the “interpreter of Peter” and we have a very lovely reference to Mark in 1 Peter. Peter seems to be writing from Rome (Babylon) and sends greetings from the Church there as well as
from “my son Mark” (1 Peter 5:13). Many then suggest that Mark’s Gospel is based on Peter’s recollections and theology. This may help us understand the centrality of Chapter 8 in Mark’s Gospel. It includes Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah,” and Jesus’ later rebuke of Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” The issue is the necessity of the suffering of Christ and of the Christian. Peter is right that Jesus is the Christ, but he misunderstands what that means and so misunderstands what it means to be a Christian. It is not until later at
the cross, at the feet of the tortured body of a dead, despised Jew, that the full revelation and confession of Jesus’ identity comes. It also comes on the lips of a Roman soldier, “Truly this man was God’s Son.” The Gospel of Mark comes as a warning that apart from the cross we will always mistake who Jesus is and who we are called to be as His followers. The other New Testament story that says something about Mark is his complicated relationship with Paul and Barnabas. Mark joined them on a missionary journey, but partway through, returned home. When he attempted to rejoin them, Barnabas was more than willing to receive him but Paul refused, regarding Mark as someone who had turned his back on the work. There was such a sharp disagreement between them that Paul and Barnabas parted ways, Barnabas taking Mark with him on his work and Paul taking Silas. If the story ended there, it
would be sadly typical of so many church disputes, full of personality conflicts and empty of reconciliation. But we have one delightfully hopeful note at the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy. He wrote, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry.” Christians have long imagined the reconciliation and restoration that takes place between the falling apart and their working together again. There are two simple messages we need to hear in the story of and Gospel according to St. Mark. The first is about the centrality of the cross, that it is in that self-giving and suffering that Christ is fully and rightly known. If there is a focus we need in our congregations and dioceses and across the Church, it is this, Christ crucified. The second is about reconciliation among the followers of Jesus. Mark is only useful once he is reconciled with Paul. We are also only useful once we are reconciled.
EDITORIAL
Dead is dead; but death is not the end By Joanne Shurvin-Martin
D
eath is hard for us, especially in our culture, to accept. But it is inevitable, and the important thing is as Christians, we believe that death is not the end,
rather it is the beginning of eternal life with our heavenly father. So, why are so many of us afraid to use words like “died” and “death”? There is a growing list of euphemisms: departed, passed away, and, increasingly, just “passed.”
SCRIPTURE Continued from page 2 preaching by trained and gifted interpreters who exposit Scripture under appropriate spiritual authority and within the parameters of the historic creeds of the faith. For Anglicans, inspiration means that it takes great diligence, ability and gifting to make God’s address in Scripture clear. In the Anglican Church, the pulpit and the lectern go together; the ministry of preacher and lector complement one another. In summary, we might say that, for Anglicans, inspiration means
Scripture is a human book used for divine purposes; that God has so worked amongst the human authors of the Bible to create texts through which God addresses and instructs His people. In this way, Scripture bears a kind of sacramental quality: the human, historically-conditioned words of the Bible are taken up and used by God to become the veritable “Word of God,” a Word through which is formed a community of God’s own design. Rev. Dustin Resch is an associate priest at St. Aidan Church, Moose Jaw.
This last one is particularly irksome; passed is correctly used in the context of passing an exam, or passing a slowmoving vehicle, ordinary events which are in no way comparable to dying. There are some phrases – “went to his heavenly reward,” “slept in the Lord,” and the like – are probably intended to show a degree of faith and hope,
but have become so clichéd that this meaning is lost to most people. To repeat, death is not the end. The first few verses of Wisdom, Chapter 3, summarize a believer’s view of death. But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have
DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN
A diocesan prayer gathering By Canon Kim Salo PRINCE ALBERT – “It’s time to swing a leg out of the boat!” It’s good to talk about our faith, but better to act on it. The same goes for prayer. Just as we don’t teach a child how to use a spoon, fork and knife using powerpoint slides, we don’t learn how to pray without praying. On March 31 and April 1, the Diocese of Saskatchewan invites you to come pray and learn more about prayer. We gather at the Hawood
Inn, Waskesiu, starting before supper on Friday and ending mid-afternoon Saturday. We also expect to sing, eat, talk and above all pray together. The invited leader is Canon Gene Packwood, with his wife Judy, of Medicine Hat. Gene has led parish missions and conferences. We call on his godly wisdom and humour to take us deeply into prayer. The gathering is two days and $20, including shared hotel room and meals. Registration brochures will be available by Feb. 1.
died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in the sight of others they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. This short piece of Scripture assures us the person who died will not suffer any longer. The “foolish” are the unbelievers, who see death as the end of everything, and possibly as a form of punishment. But we know that those who die believing in God are promised eternal life. None of this is to say that death is easy for those who loved the person who has died. But it should be acknowledged that our tears and grief are for ourselves, not for the dead. We grieve since we miss our loved one; it is because of our loss, not theirs. As Christians, we know we are promised a place in heaven with our Saviour. We also know that to go to that place, we have to die. Let us not be afraid to say that.
4
The Saskatchewan Anglican
February 2017
Looking at Liturgy
The deacon’s role By Canon Michael Jackson
T
here are not many deacons, Anglican or Roman Catholic, in Saskatchewan. But this is changing in both Churches as the “vocational” or the “permanent” diaconate increases in numbers, alongside the “transitional” diaconate of those to be ordained to the priesthood. The liturgical function of the deacon dates back to the early Church. In the following list, the roles in bold are the ones which the deacon should always fulfil at the Eucharist. The others are recommended, but optional according to local custom. The deacon: • Proclaims the Gospel • Often leads the Prayers of the People • Gives the invitation to confession • At the Peace, invites those present to exchange a sign of peace • Prepares the table at the offertory • Raises the cup at the
The deacon plays an active role in the liturgical team. Here, Deacon Michael Jackson officiates at the Service of Light in Lent 2016 at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Dean Mike Sinclair is behind the altar; on the right are sub-deacon Madeleine Bowen and server Zachariah Chase. Photo by Margaret Ball
doxology Raises the cup at the invitation to communion • Assists in the administration of communion, usually with the chalice • Supervises ablutions • Gives the Dismissal The deacon plays an assisting or collaborative role in the Eucharist. Benedictine Father Michael Kwatera has written of “the flying duo in the liturgy” and the “complementary •
ministries of the priest and deacon.” “As deacons minister within the liturgy,” he says, “they are a clear sign that the liturgy does not belong to the presiding priest alone.” Deacons may also officiate at Morning and Evening Prayer or at Communion with the Reserved Sacrament. They assist the bishop in episcopal liturgies such as ordination and confirmation. Reflecting their involvement in “the world,” they participate in pastoral liturgies:
baptisms, marriages and funerals. The liturgies of Holy Week and Easter specify the deacon reads the Gospel of the Liturgy of the Palms on Palm Sunday; leads the Solemn Intercession on Good Friday; and carries the paschal candle and sings the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil. The diaconate is historically a ministry of service. Episcopal deacon Ormonde Plater said that “a deacon, as a major performer in the assembly, plays a vital
role in the complete action of the assembly by acting out messages of diaconal ministry. This performance does not take place in isolation, for the deacon works as part of a team of actors.” As a deacon in Saskatchewan for 40 years, when we were few in number, I hope soon to be joined by many more. Then the deacon in the liturgy may become the norm, not the exception! Canon Michael Jackson is deacon at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina.
DIOCESE OF SASKATOON
Announcements for February 2017 g 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 How Many Anglicans Does It Take? A survey of formative events and crises in the Anglican tradition with the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke, principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad. Sessions will take place Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., including a short question and discussion period at the end. Resources will be offered to direct participants to relevant historic documents available online, along with recommendations for further reading. You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you are able: Feb. 2: Reclaiming a Treasure
Divergence between church and state in England, along with the birth of Anglican churches overseas, raised fundamental questions of identity. The 19th century Oxford Movement offered an answer that transcended national boundaries: the church as a spiritual society, its authority entrusted to it by God, its purpose to be the body of Christ in which God’s grace is both experienced and communicated. Feb. 9: Engaging the World The “broad church” began life as the muddled middle of Anglicanism, too preoccupied with playing the political game. It came into its own in the social upheavals of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching an apex with Archbishop William Temple’s famous saying, “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.” 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 ACW Women’s Spring Conference: Together we are stronger. The first Anglican/ Lutheran Women’s Spring Conference will be held in Saskatoon April 28 and 29 at St. Stephen’s Anglican, 10 Grosvenor Cres. The theme for the conference will be “I am the vine, you are the branches”;
watch here for details. Appointments and Vacancies g Treasurer needed for the cathedral: Vestry at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is continuing to search for a volunteer treasurer for St. John’s. If you are interested, or have any questions, please contact Lauri Miller, Dean’s Warden, or Neil Doell, 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
February 2017
5
Biblical criticism: Making sense of our story By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad
B
efore jumping feet-first into the world of biblical criticism, I want to start with the concept of critical thinking. I used to think of critical thinking as the mental equivalent of being able to strip down a complex mechanism, identify all its parts, comprehend their relationship with each other, and put them back together again in a way that works at least as well as before, if not better. In the world of art and literature, though, it’s not quite so simple! These disciplines happen “in the eye of the beholder” rather than in a mechanical way. So taking apart a painting, or a novel, in order to understand and appreciate it better, isn’t like doing the same thing to a watch or a motor. You and I might perceive the elements of the composer’s artistry in very different ways. That doesn’t mean, though, that it is pointless to apply critical thinking to the written word. Rather, literary criticism has to grapple not just with the words on the page, but
Rev. Iain Luke
with the way the reader receives and interacts with them. This is more than a subjective question. The way you read a text depends only in part on your personal preferences. It also involves your experience, interests, knowledge of the subject, cultural distance, and aspects of your social location like gender or wealth. Even a newspaper report can feel very different, depending on whether you identify with the people in it, or not. So when we apply critical thinking skills to the Bible, the goal is to draw out fresh awareness on a number of levels. What is actually going on in the text? How does
The Revised Common Lectionary: weekly Scripture
it work? Is it history or politics, storytelling or prophecy, self-justification or passing on of wisdom, or several of these things all at once? For whom was it written and what was their relationship to the author? At the same time, though, we ask questions of ourselves. Who taught me to understand this passage? What were their biases and what are mine? What am I missing, because I don’t understand the culture of Semitic nomads, or Palestinian peasants, or the Roman merchant class? How is it that this text still speaks to me so profoundly, even though I know so little about the people who wrote it?
The application of critical thought to the Bible is a skill that people learn and develop over time, while it is also important to recognize the tensions it can create. Those of us who absorbed the content of the biblical story as children, may simply never have regarded it as something we would analyze, any more than we would mentally take apart the way our family of origin functioned. That also works, until you meet (or marry!) someone whose background is different from yours and who challenges your basic assumptions. On the other hand, some Christians are “recovering” from
environments in which they had to accept the text of the Bible, and a particular interpretation of it, in an unquestioning way. For them, the opportunity to study, investigate, and form their own perspective can be truly liberating. Perhaps then the challenge is to remember that Christians live in a community of various interpretation. Novel viewpoints can contribute to our shared understanding, but they still need to be tested against what others have to say. Within our program of studies at the college, biblical criticism occupies a crucial place. It marks the intersection between learning about the origins of one’s faith community and developing the self-awareness a student needs in order to speak and lead wisely within that community. In the post-Christian society of 21st century Canada, though, every one of us needs that combined set of skills. As “people of the book,” we are accountable both to our sacred writings, and to the world around us, where we have to live in a way that makes sense of our story.
Read, Mark, Lent: The Gospel of Mark in seven weeks By Canon Kim Salo PRINCE ALBERT – Lent begins on March 1. That’s easy to remember. What’s not so easy to remember is what it’s all about. Sometimes we seem to complicate what the Christian faith is all about, adding details about the right colour on the right Sunday, what title belongs to whom, and so forth. In the first church I went to as a new believer, St. Aidan’s in Winnipeg, we had a saying: “Well, it’s time to go back to square one!” The best way to go back to square one is to read the gospel. The Gospel of Mark starts, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” What also follows is a gripping account of Jesus of Nazareth, teacher, exorcist, prophet, crucified victim and Son of God. Mark loves the word “immediately,”
because this is a gospel of forceful action and controversy. You can read Mark’s Gospel in about 90 minutes, which is shorter than most sports events. Anglicans in the Diocese of Saskatchewan are invited by Bishop Michael Hawkins to read the Gospel of Mark in the 40 days of Lent. That’s spreading about 90 minutes of actual reading time over 6 1/2 weeks. We are calling this gospel reading Read, Mark, Lent, from the collect that prays that God, “who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them…that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.” Beginning with Mark 1:1 on Ash Wednesday, March 1, we will read though Mark until Holy Saturday,
April 15th. A booklet will give the daily reading, and for each section, a short introduction written by local clergy. Everyone in the diocese will get the Read, Mark, Lent booklet, with a bookmark. The guide will also be published on the diocesan website. Here’s what you can expect if you read the Gospel of Mark in 40 days: a deeper knowledge of
Jesus Christ, a sense of wonder at His teaching and His power, and a challenge to your faith in Him as you read of His suffering, death and resurrection. Here is also the special bonus if you act immediately! Come to the Diocesan Quiet Day on Feb. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at St. Mary’s Church, Birch Hills. This day will be a prayerful introduction to
the Gospel according to St. Mark, with short talks and personal meditation times. There will be lunch provided. Bishop Michael, Canon Kim Salo, and the incumbent, the Rev. Chris Dow, will introduce us to Mark as gospeller, to his picture of Christ, and to the Passion in Mark. By reading Mark’s Gospel, we can go back to square one. Prayer and discipleship starts there.
Honouring 40 years of women's ordination By Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy
I
n the space of 2,000 years plus, 40 years is only a drop in the bucket. But much has changed in the Church since the first women were ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada. It can seem like aeons ago to some of us. Yet today there are fewer
women archdeacons and bishops than our male counterparts, while some clergy and parish members are still not comfortable with the spiritually solid approach that women are able to bring to the Church. Only in the last two years have women been admitted to episcopal leadership in England. There are also still many countries that
continue with only men in the highest ranks of ecclesial responsibility. From Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, women from across Canada gathered in Stratford, Ont., to celebrate the 40th anniversary of women in ordination. Plenary presentations were given by Canon Judy Rois of the Anglican Foundation and Rev. Dr. Wendy Fletcher, the Continued on page 8
6
The Saskatchewan Anglican
February 2017
DIOCESE OF QU’APPELLE Clergy changes g Pastor Val From, who has been serving part-time at St. Andrew’s Trinity, Rosetown, has announced her resignation, effective Jan. 1. She and her husband, Paul, have moved to Winnipeg where he has begun new ministry. g Rev. Mark Osborne, incumbent at St. Giles, Estevan, has announced his resignation, effective Feb. 28. He has served in Estevan since the summer of 2012. g Rev. Nathaniel Athian Deng Mayen, from the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and South Sudan, has been given permission to officiate in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. He is currently living in Regina.
Diocesan Lay Retreat g The annual silent retreat for lay people will be held on the weekend of April 28 to 30, at Wood Cares Conference Centre, Moose Jaw. Watch for full details in your parishes and on the website at quappelle.anglican.ca.
Qu’Appelle School for Mission and Ministry
Upcoming ACW events g ACW Diocesan Annual Meeting will held at St. Matthew’s Regina on April 22. Terri Parrill from the national ACW executive will attend and will be able to discuss changes happening in the organization. The theme is “I am the vine, you are the branches.” All Anglican women welcome.
g Feb. 24 to 26 God and Creation g Mar. 31 to Apr. 2 The History of the Church and her Mission: Diocesan Readers Formation weekend g June 9 to 11 Old Testament – Part 1 g July 10 to 13 Summer School: Old Testament – Part 2 g Sept. 15 to 17 Theology of Paul g Oct. 13 to 15 Preaching All QSMM sessions will be held at Wood Acres Conference Centre in Moose Jaw. For5 full details please P AGE check on the diocesan website at quappelle.anglican.ca.
Anglican Fellowship of Prayer g Malcolm Tait of All Saints, Regina, is the new diocesan rep for the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer. He is deeply committed to prayer ministry and is available to lead workshops on prayer. Tait’s role will include leadership of the Lay Retreat and providing prayer support for diocesan gatherings.
ACW National Gathering in June g The National Gathering for all Anglican women will be June 15 to 18 in Ancaster, Ont. Edith Maddaford has more information for anyone who would like to attend. Please contact her at esmadd@sasktel.net.
Children and leaders all have roles to place in Church of the Ascension’s nativity play. Photo by Alice Carptenier
Christmas daycamp in Arborfield By Alice Carpentier ARBORFIELD (Skwn) – Our annual Christmas Daycamp was held Dec. 3 at the Church of the Ascension in Arborfield. Although it was attended by only seven children, we made up for it in enthusiasm! The day started at 10 a.m. with prayer and music led by Colleen Walton. This year we had a skit called “Unfrozen” that was broken into four parts during the day. Although it was not based on a familiar movie, adult
actors Betty Edwards, Alice Carpentier, Colleen Walton, Bernice Gray and Shauna Bitzer told the story of how God’s love can unfreeze anyone’s heart. The children were excited to see what would happen next as the day progressed! The Bethlehem Star was the craft of the day, led by Betty Edwards. Even the adults enjoyed making them. Games included an ice cube race, a balloon relay, drawing the nativity scene, and using words from the Christmas
ANGLICAN WOMEN “NEWS AND VIEWS”
EW! BRAND N
NEW!
A NATIONAL GATHERING FOR ALL ANGLICAN WOMEN JUNE 15—18, 2017 Redeemer University College, Ancaster Ontario
FIRST ANGLICAN AND LUTHERAN WOMEN’S SPRING CONFERENCE APRIL 28—29, 2017 Together we are stronger! Theme: “I am the Vine; you are the Branches” St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, 10 Grosvenor Crescent, Saskatoon. Watch for details.
* Worship * Workshops * Conversation with Primate Fred * Sharing with women from across Canada Prayer; indigenous ministries; Godly Play; The Church Volunteer; PWRDF; Storytelling of the Gospel; the Anglican Church in Canada and Assisted Dying, and many more. Registration: $500 (includes shared accommodation and meals including Sun. breakfast) Your host: the National Executive of Anglican Church Women with coordinator Marion Saunders.
story and songs (no Santa or reindeer) to describe what Christmas means to them. Lunch was done by Shauna Bitzer and helpers Shirley Hoiland-Reavie, Marge Hainstock and Bernice Gray. After the snack, children enjoyed a puppet show called “Christmas or Xmas,” about the importance of keeping Christ in Christmas. The day ended with the children and adults dressing up for a nativity costume parade and a birthday cake to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
Anglican women in community at conference By Elta Fae Marlor President, Diocese of Saskatoon ACW Editor’s note: This article has appeared in the Anglican Women News and Views, Vol. 1, Issue 4, December, 2016 SASKATOON – The annual National Presidents Conference was held in a rustic retreat centre near Langley, B.C. Thirty-five national executive, presidents or co-ordinators or vicepresidents from across Canada met from Oct. 26 to 29. Our theme was “I am the vine, You are the branches.” Thursday morning’s bishop, the Right Rev. Barbara Andrews, of the Anglican Parishes of Central Interior or APCI, spoke of her life and work as a First Nations person. Her presentation made the Council of the North come alive for me. The national church supports the Council of the North with 25 per cent of our national budget. The council covers more than three-quarters of Canada from the Arctic to the U.S. border in places. It’s huge! She gave us copies of a well written five-session Bible study created by the council to help us connect with the people in wider Canada. It would make a great study. New Westminster’s ACW commissioned a report using three focus groups to survey 21 Anglican women, ages 20 to 65-plus, who lived in the Vancouver/Fraser Valley region. A facilitator helped us explore three questions: What have you tried? What doesn’t work? What might be our options or solutions? The report supported our own survey findings. We discovered there are no quick remedies from the national level. Each diocese is encouraged to find ways to create interest using opportunities of their area. A beautiful blue prayer shawl made in the Trinity Stitch by Eileen Chan, ACW president of the Anglican Parishes of Central Interior, was given to me to give our executive
the strength and guidance of God. It will be used as a worship focal place with our Christ Candle at each executive meeting. Watch for the prayer shawl at the spring conference. The Eucharist was held Thursday evening in the 116-year-old St. George’s Church in Fort Langley. Parishioners and national conference members listened to St George’s Children’s Choir sing “Kanisa Litajengua” (O Who Will Build the Church Now?). The Primate, the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, emphasized the importance of the statement from the Anglican delegation to the United Nations on the Status of Women. He asked Anglican women to get informed about the five major issues
in the world that urgently affect women and children: 1) Gender-based Violence; 2) Human Trafficking and Slavery; 3) Climate Change; 4) Statelessness and Birth Registration; and 5) Gender Equality in Education, Economic Participation, Participation in Decision Making and Health Initiatives. The Primate restated what the executive director of UN Women said, “After Beijing (1995) we chose to prioritize work which did not lead to irreversible, deep change. The work of real change still remains to be done. “We cannot afford to take baby steps any longer. Now is the time for bold, giant steps.” The UN document was given out after the sermon. The offering was designated for the Council of the North. Friday was a bus tour of Greater Vancouver with a knowledgeable guide in sunny weather. A two-hour stop at ACW Place, the Diocesan ACW building, gave us time to help pack a bale for the Council of the North,
A beautiful blue prayer shawl made in the Trinity Stitch by Eileen Chan, ACW president of the Anglican Parishes of Central Interior, was given to me to give our executive the strength and guidance of God. It will be used as a worship focal place with our Christ Candle at each executive meeting.
see the warehouse-type building used for meetings and as a service project workplace. We shared lunch with tea in pretty China cups with staff and volunteers sitting on boxes and odd chairs. After supper we worked a third time in useful discussions of taking home the survey findings, who to engage in conversations, and who might help guide
February 2017
discussions. We received printed notes from our discussions and a summary of the facilitator’s view of emerging themes and some ideas of how to further the work with our home dioceses. Being open to new ideas seemed to be the most useful approach. Saturday, after breakfast, we discussed the first national Anglican Women’s Conference for all Anglican women. Women will have choices of topics and speakers. It isn’t too early to plan to make the June 15 to 18 conference in Ancaster, Ont. a part of your summer. Watch for further details. This year our Prayer Partners will be for our neighbours in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. This was my third National President’s Conference and each has been different, reflecting the area and the theme for that year. We have benefited from the conference as we used materials each year to make our Spring Conference memorable. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this way.
RETIREMENT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT
Wintergreene Estates is Regina's premier retirement community, with lifestyle choices provided in a warm, comfortable and safe environment.
LIFESTYLE CHOICES:
The Residences offer Independence The Suites offer Independence with Supportive Services The Households offer Personal Care We believe that a person's retirement years should be filled with life, laughter and much happiness.
Call today to book your personal tour.
306-585-7100
4950 PASQUA STREET, REGINA, SK, S4S 7L2
7
www.verveseniorliving.com
8
The Saskatchewan Anglican
February 2017
Celebrating 40 years of women in the priesthood Continued from page 5 principal of Renison College. Optional workshops included “Women in Leadership,” “Social Media, Solitude and the Church,” while several workshops helped women celebrate and enjoy the unique spiritual gifts that women share in ordained ministry. Many women who were present could identify with the goal of unmasking the feminine so that we can authentically equip and renew the church for service to God in Jesus Christ. As women ministers in the Church, we desire to improve the quality of ministry. So, it was important for conference attendees to learn from the Church’s recent mistakes, especially with our aboriginal sisters and brothers. Bishop Barbara Andrews of The Territory of the Peoples, along with Henrietta Thompson, formerly of Church House in Toronto, led a Blanket Exercise to help us remember the effect of the Church’s oppression of aboriginal people in residential schools. No matter how many times a person engages in a Blanket Exercise, there is always more one can learn and absorb about
the importance of refuting the myth of European Discovery, putting into action the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and supporting aboriginal ecclesiastical selfdetermination. As I listened to Canon Judy Rois talk about the milestones of women being incorporated into Church leadership, I recalled personal experiences that keyed into the theme of the conference: Unmasking the Feminine in the Church. The strong intuition, collaborative leadership, solidarity with those suffering and the use of fresh, true-tolife metaphors are among the many gifts that women tend to exercise in their ministries. In general, the talents and gifts of differing sexes complement each other and enrich the Church’s insight and authenticity of Spirit. Although there are many truly collaborative male leaders, some patterns of leadership that exist in the Anglican Church today are known as the “Father Knows Best” and “Prince” leaders. This kind of leadership is easily carried off by a male member of the clergy. This is not dominantly a preferred leadership style for women.
The Reverends Trish McCarthy and Cheryl Toth.
Nor do parishioners often allow women to take this kind of “sovereign role.” But this is all good! The Church has experienced a purification in its leadership as women have answered God’s call in the pulpit and the cathedra chair. Thankfully, there are many collaborative Church leaders whose shared pattern of leadership empowers the Body of Christ and inspires women in their leadership. It remains to be said that it takes time and plenty of good, solid Spirit-led ministry by women priests to help people realize their spirituality and personal relationship with God will be equally nurtured by a woman clergyperson as by male colleagues. A small vignette from my own 25 years experience of priestly ministry can highlight this point. One senior woman, who subsequently became a dearly beloved parish member, didn’t come to her church for the first five months of my incumbency until the Good Friday observance. Leaving church after the solemn service, tearing and choked up, she introduced herself, saying “that was the best Good Friday sermon I have ever heard.” She continued by saying that up until “now,” she didn’t believe in women priests but she “believed” in me. This was the kind of story I heard over and over again in the informal sharing that went on at this conference. Women who have been and are faithful to the call of God in Jesus Christ have spurred the Church to a more authentic and Spirit-filled ministry.
Bishop Linda Nicholls presides at the closing Eucharist, with Bishop Barbara Andrews at left. Photos by Jesse Dymond The hospitality at the conference was second to none. The organizers of the event had thought of many helpful details. The meals were beautifully served, the ambiance was carefully set and one feast was built upon another: right into the last sumptuous meal we enjoyed. As we had shared our hearts with one another, we bared our souls too, while eating exquisite meals. The Eucharist on the final day was powerful with the liturgical colour of red, observing the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, translated from Nov. 29. As women in the Church, it was important for attendees to meditate upon Jesus’ missional focus for His disciples: to go into all the world to share the Good News. One of the special hymns that touched my heart was written by a friend and a senior clergyperson of Huron Diocese, Rev. Bruce Pocock. This brings us to how we move forward, incorporating the feminine into the church.
Rev. Cheryl Toth and I offered, and our proposal was accepted, to host the 45th anniversary celebration of women in ordination in Regina in November 2021. As some of us shared our ministry challenges and some heartache stories, some issues surfaced in my mind for future conference consideration such as: patterns of leadership, a healthy spirituality of leadership, managing change, women’s spirituality and Spiritual Companionship/ Direction. As we approach the 45th anniversary, we anticipate a wide email consultation about plenary and workshop topics. Such a conference every five years helps us as a whole church continue to incorporate the gifts of women in leadership and ministry. There is much to contemplate and uncover as we go forward, pondering how the Church’s mission can be strengthened, deepened and authenticated through the leadership of women ordained for ministry in God's Church.