The Saskatchewan Anglican, Feb. 2012

Ce leb rat ing

Saskatchewan 197 2 to

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • February 2012

40 yea rs–

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anglican

Happy 40th birthday Saskatchewan Anglican!

Rev. William (Bill) Portman (ret’d), the first managing editor of the Saskatchewan Anglican, poses with the January 2012 edition of the tri-diocesan newspaper. January marked the 40th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Anglican newspaper, which was founded in 1972. The monthly publication serves the Anglican dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle.

Photo – Joanne Shurvin-Martin

Saskatchewan Anglican: The history of our tri-diocesan newspaper

By Rev. William Portman (Editor’s note: Portman was managing editor of Saskatchewan Anglican from 1972-82.)

REGINA – That Saskatchewan Anglican this year celebrates 60 years of service to the church in the province is testimony to the value placed on this ministry by our three sponsoring dioceses.

Despite financial cutbacks in many area, the Anglican is still here, linking our three dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle, with news of our neighbours and thought- and, it is to be hoped, action-provoking sharing of the faith.

Though the Anglican itself, as it currently is, came into being in 1972, it was successor to various publications in each diocese. All three had published “occasional

papers” targeted mainly at Eastern Canada and – most importantly – the “Old Country”, on whom they relied for steady supplies of money and clergy.

The Qu’Appelle Crusader was launched as a monthly magazine in 1952, primarily to communicate within the diocese, while the Saskatoon Churchman did the same job around the same time. Successive early editors of the Crusader were Revs.

Leslie Warren, Ralph Howell and Dunstan Pasterfield; Gerry Steele produced the Saskatoon Churchman.

It is hard for Anglicans today to imagine how rigidly turfprotective our three dioceses were – both politically and doctrinally – in those earlier days. Qu’Appelle was seen as “High Church”; Saskatoon and Saskatchewan were “Low”; terms now – thankfully – almost

unknown to today’s Anglicans.

There was little contact at the lay level, and relations among the three bishops could best be described as “correct”. Two theological colleges, Emmanuel in Saskatoon and St. Chad’s in Regina, ensured that the differences were perpetuated.

Gradually, as more Canadian (rather than English) clergy moved into responsible posts, barriers began to break down as they recognized that everyone was engaged in the same work of the Gospel.

Tentative steps were taken in inter-diocesan consultation and co-operation; the Saskatchewan Anglican later became a symbol of this changed attitude.

Meanwhile, there were developments at the Canadian Churchman, national magazine of the Anglican Church of Canada.

(Continued on page 5)

By Jason Antonio

•

REGINA – If you were born in 1972 or were already alive and kicking, these are some of the noteworthy and exciting things which took place in that year: • Paul Henderson scores the “goal of the century” to give Canada the win during the Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union • Saskatchewan premier Woodrow Lloyd dies • Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson dies • The Watergate Scandal occurs, which eventually leads to U.S. President Richard Nixon resigning from office • The birth of the Saskatchewan Anglican newspaper!

Yes, in 1972 (January to be exact), the publication of the tri-diocesan newspaper began providing news, opinions, thoughts and pictures to tens of thousands of Anglicans across the province.

People in Moosomin were now able to know what was going on in Lashburn, while people in Watrous learned about what was taking place in Pakwaw Lake.

For a newspaper that has been around for 40 years, one would think the publication would have had a lengthy list of managing editors. But such is not the case.

The Saskatchewan Anglican has been faithfully guided by nearly a dozen individuals over the course of its lifetime, including:

• • • • • • •

Rev. William Portman, 1972-82 Rev. Patrick Tomalin, 1983 to 2001 Ed Lewis, 2001-02 Gwendolyn Grisham, 2002-05 Anna Irish, 2004-05 Garth Neel, 2005-06 Fred Stephens, 2006-11 Jason Antonio, 2011 to present

To help celebrate the Saskatchewan Anglican’s 40th anniversary, these former managing editors have been asked to contribute a short reflection on their time at the helm of this newspaper. Their reflections will appear during the next few months.

Sadly, Gwendolyn Grisham won’t be able to give some of her thoughts editing the paper, as she recently passed away.

In this edition of the Saskatchewan Anglican, the first two editors of the paper reminicse about their time running the show.

I want to personally thank you, the reader, for your commitment to reading this newspaper over the many years and decades it has been in existence. It might be a cliché, but if it weren’t for your continued dedication to reading the Saskatchewan Anglican, we might not be in business today.

So I invite you to join me in celebrating the newspaper’s 40th birthday, with the hope of many more years of keeping Anglicans in Saskatchewan well informed.

Saskatoon joins group dedicated to immigrants

By Klaus Gruber SASKATOON – Saskatoon has joined the Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association. This newly formed group will hopefully provide a more co-ordinated voice for Sponsorship Agreement

Holders (SAHs) with Citizenship and Immigration.

The Diocese of Saskatoon has had a sponsorship agreement since the early 1990s; this agreement is being revised as we speak and new agreement should have been signed in January.

(Continued on page 5)

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2012

Church helps us celebrate our connection with God together

By Rev. Dell Bornowsky BIG COUNTRY PARISH (Qu’A) – Why is it important for a person to attend church and be with a practising Christian community?

The fact that an answer to this question is not completely obvious to all perhaps indicates how far our modern notion of individualistic spirituality has drifted from a more robust vision of the essentially corporate nature of our human personhood and spirituality.

In such understanding, this question is equivalent to asking why it’s important for an adopted child to actually live with their adoptive family. I am tempted to speak of the importance of church participation in a utilitarian, consumer-oriented, marketing fashion: “Bring yourself to church; it will help you toward your self-fulfilment.”

However, one benefit of living as and with the people of God is having a sense of purpose beyond our own self-fulfilment.

For those of us who say, “I don’t go to church because I don’t get anything out of it”, what makes us think the church was ever intended to meet our individual

self-confident, self-reliant and consumer desires? self-fulfilled.

Suppose church is first a Some of us would like to place we go to give, and to give respond convincingly about the ourselves to a grand purpose importance of fellowship in a beyond seeking what Nietzsche Christian community in the face called “pitiable comfort”. of the often expressed statement: Despite our Anglican tradition of corporate spirituality (common “I don’t need to go to church because I have my own way of prayer), we are not immune to connecting with God”. the cult of self-directed selfThis will only sound like a fulfilment. Our individualism, reasonable learned in our argument, cultural context “I don’t need to go to church to the extent of modernity, because I have my own way of the values of contributes connecting with God”. modernity to our loss This will only sound like a of feeling reasonable argument, to the extent have obscured the nature regarding the values of modernity have our need to obscured the nature and function and function of the church participate of the church as well as the in Christian interdependent spiritual nature of as well as the interdependent community. our own selves. spiritual nature One way of our own is our do-itselves. yourself attitude toward spiritual To put this in context, here formation. As the self-help are some examples of similar sections in bookstores suggest, arguments. How reasonable do if I apply spiritual techniques they seem? “I would never join to myself, I will become a more a baseball or hockey team or play spiritual person. with others because I have my Even much preaching own way of throwing a ball and is reduced to giving tips to skating around with a puck”; “I individual church consumers on never accept invitations out for how to make themselves into meals with friends because the better persons, meaning more

times I feel closest to my food are when I am alone”; “There is no reason to join a community choir because if people want to sing, they can just sing by themselves”.

And “I don’t check the oil or maintain my automobile, I just keep driving it and hope that it never breaks down”; and by the same logic, “I never maintain my emotional or spiritual life by church involvement. I just keep going and hope it never breaks down”.

If we don’t want to be socially isolated, why would we think it is good to be spiritually isolated?

How reasonable is it to say: “I never need anyone to love me because if I want to be loved, I can just love myself”?

Church isn’t about just connecting isolated individuals with God. It is about celebrating that connection together, being encouraged and strengthened by one another and doing by teamwork what could never be done by the same individuals working alone.

If we know the power of teamwork, why would we attempt to work solo on a project as important as the mission God has given each of us in the world?

Practising Christian community means putting faith into action

By Rev. Ann Marie Nicklin Rector, St. George’s Anglican Church, Saskatoon SASKATOON – In order to look at the question, “Why is it important for a person to attend church and be with a practising Christian community?”, one needs to look at what is a practising Christian community.

Diana Butler Bass did a study of 50 mainstream churches in the U.S. Reflection on this study led to a book published by the Alban Institute, entitled “The Practicing Congregation”. Bass found the congregations that were alive were the ones doing some form of active mission.

These were the churches that were practising the Gospel.

If we believe that the church’s main concern should be about individual salvation, we have not understood the Gospel in the context it was written. Jesus gives us the context when He reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of the sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (Luke 4:18-19).

This passage brings the conWe have created a church in cept of Jubilee to mind. It is bethe image we want it to be rather yond the scope of this article to go than what the body Christ calls into Jubilee in any depth. Simply it to be. For us, faith has become put, it is about restorative justice. about individual salvation. We This places Jesus’ ministry solidly have some control over this. At its in the context of the Hebrew core, it is about us and our ability prophets. The prophets spoke to to believe. There are few messy God’s desire and work for restoroutside factors with which we ative justice. must contend.

This was We do not Being part of a “practising” justice whose Christian community places us respond well to DNA included in a church where faith is called calls to move a special cominto action. It helps us fulfill our beyond this passion for the call to be a part of Christ’s body understandpoor and the ing of church. on earth. It gives us the space to oppressed.

Many of us continue Christ’s mission. In such have grown It was a a community we open ourselves quite adept at justice that to the challenge. We open decried those tuning them ourselves to the possibility of with wealth out. We have and power often frozen transformation. gaining at the out those who expense of those with far less. We dare to call us out of our comfortsee in Jesus’ ministry a reaching able pew. We have silenced voices out to the latter people. He healed that call us to move outside our those in need and spoke against buildings. the systems, civil and religious, We want our church and our which worked to oppress and worshipping community to give exclude. us a quiet oasis in the midst of We, as Jesus’ followers, as His hectic lives. We want a safe body on earth, are called into that haven, an escape, from the rapidly ministry. That is the purpose of changing world around us.

Christ’s church. It is a daunting In Jesus, God entered into our task. It involves factors beyond messy world. There were times our control. Over the years we Jesus withdrew from the crowds have become discouraged. We and the pressures they placed have turned to a purpose with fac- upon Him. But those times were tors we can control. not times of escape. Rather, they

were times that prepared Him for once again moving out into the messiness of life.

They were times that restored His energy for going out and fulfilling his purpose. Ultimately, this engagement resulted in the cross. In the cross we see the depth of God’s love for us. Often we fear this cross in our lives, the very cross Jesus calls us to pick up. So we avoid it.

But, in the resurrection, we are shown that the cross is not the final word. God is.

Being part of a “practising” Christian community places us in a church where faith is called into action. It helps us fulfill our call to be a part of Christ’s body on earth. It gives us the space to continue Christ’s mission. In such a community we open ourselves to the challenge.

We open ourselves to the possibility of transformation. We work with others in equipping the body of Christ for answering his call. We are in a community that shares a common vision. This vision is given to us by Christ.

With Christ’s vision of the kingdom as our common ground we find support from others who share our struggles.

Together we learn more about who Christ is and how we are to follow Him out into the world.

Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle.

Published monthly except for July and August.

Whole No. 292, Vol. 40, 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 recieved by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, February 24.

CONTACT INFORMATION Managing Editor: Jason Antonio, SKAnglicanEditor@gmail.com 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5 Phone: (306) 737-4898 Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin wsmartin@accesscomm.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: Catherine Harnish catherine.harnish@gmail.com PO Box 538 Canwood, Sask., S0J 0K0 Phone: (306) 468-2264

PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5 Printed and mailed by Signal Star Publishing A division of Bowes Publishers Ltd. Goderich, Ont., N7A 4B6

February 2012

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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To reveal or make known: The Epiphany of the Lord

By Bishop David Irving Diocese of Saskatoon SASKATOON – In the January issue of the Saskatchewan Anglican, Bishop Michael Hawkins reminded us about the baptism of Jesus and how we had moved into the season of Epiphany.

By the time you receive your February Saskatchewan Anglican, we will be three-quarters of the way through the season of Epiphany and preparing to move into Lent.

Before we do that, though, let us remind ourselves about “The Epiphany of the Lord”. This feast celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles symbolized

by Christ’s manifestation to the Wise Men. The term Epiphany means “to show” or “to make known” or even “to reveal”.

Originally the feast was more closely connected to Jesus’ baptism, and that theme is still the primary focus in Eastern churches today. In some churches, other manifestations of Christ

were often commemorated during Epiphany, including the miracle at Cana.

Also, it has been suggested by some that the Baptism of Jesus, the adoration of Jesus by the Wise Men and the miracle in Cana, all historically occurred on January 6.

Whether this is true or not, the Epiphany solemnity is celebrated on January 6, which falls within Christmastide.

The story of the Wise Men traveling from the East to see the baby Jesus is not recorded in all four Gospels; it only appears in the Gospel according to Matthew.

These particular Wise Men were possibly Zoroastrian astrologers from Persia, who upon seeing a bright star rising in the East, decided it was a sign that a new king had been born.

They followed the star to Bethlehem, and to Jesus, where they worshipped the infant and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The gifts of the Wise Men are symbolic of who Jesus is and what he did and taught. Gold symbolizes that Jesus is King,

since precious metals were often given as gifts to royalty. Myrrh is symbolic of the sacrificial death of Jesus, since it was one of the burial spices used on Jesus’ body.

As a medicinal agent, myrrh also symbolizes that Jesus is healer, and healing was a major component of his adult ministry.

Frankincense symbolizes Jesus’s role as priest, since ancient Jews and Greeks believed that incense, used in worship, carried prayers to heaven.

There have been many traditions around the Wise Men. We think of there being three because of the number of gifts, but Matthew doesn’t tell us the exact number (Matthew 2:1: “behold,

wise men from the East came”).

Through the centuries, Christian writers have referred to them as kings; Matthew does not specifically tell us that they were royalty.

It has been proposed that they represent different races, an idea that was further developed in the 14th century, in which the Wise Men were said to represent the three known races at the time, European, Asian and African.

And, according to legend, St. Thomas the Apostle visited the Wise Men and initiated them into the Christian faith, and eventually, they were ordained priests and then bishops.

To many Christians, the first three months of the year is just a

Diocese of Saskatoon Announcements for February 2012 In order to be included in a timely manner, brief notices for events should be supplied to the Associate Editor by fax, e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which the insertion is desired (for example, February submissions will be in the April issue).

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

Happenings at St. James’ with the Refinery: The “Re[de] fining Church” Service is a regular 7 p.m. Sunday evening gathering in the church. It is an informal gathering of 15-25 people, sitting in a candlelit circle, with music led by our youth band “Reaching Out”, reading, group reflection on the day’s Gospel and a gentle time of prayer. People of all ages come, with youth and young adults especially well represented.

Refining Readers is for people who love to read and want to explore spirituality, theology and issues of social concern in a relaxed, accepting and friendly environment. Newcomers are always welcome and long-term

commitment is not required.

It is one Wednesday evening a month. A DVD New Testament Bible Study will be presented on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the parish library.

The St. James’ Farmers’ Market and International Bazaar (see article in this issue) brings people and energy into the church every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Delicious food is available for sit-down lunch or to take home. We are also delighted that some of the vendors have organized a monthly drop-in for international students.

International Drop-Ins are held on the second Sunday of every month, 2-5 p.m., in the lower level of the church. Also see www. stjamesrefinery.org for more information on these and other events.

Volunteers Needed: Saskatoon Anglican Youth (SAY) is calling all cooks, kitchen helpers and other adults to participate in their Youth Retreats and Camps. Volunteer cooks do not need to have their chef’s licence to volunteer in the kitchen; a heart of service and a desire to nourish is all that is needed.

If interested, please contact

Emily Carr, Diocesan youth co-ordinator, at (306) 653-1668, or by e-mail at sayouth@sasktel.net.

Diocesan ACW Spring Conference: Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 14, 2012, for the Diocesan ACW’s Spring Conference/AGM (Theme: The Ancient-Future Faith), to be held at the Cathedral and the Parish Hall of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon. It is “a time to celebrate and grow in our faith”.

East Meets West: “Hop On!” for a series of weekly potluck suppers, followed by services of Contemporary Evening Worship and “Drawing on the Gospel”.

These events are held at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays at St. Matthew’s, Sutherland, and Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon.

In February, the weekly events will be held at Christ Church before, and at St. Matthew’s after, February 15.

Integrity/Saskatoon: Meetings are held at St. George’s, Saskatoon, on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Tom and Rose Rogers at (306) 373-5165, or, Rev. Ann Marie Nicklin at (306) 381-9780 or benjie60@gmail.com. For further information and to view related

articles, links and photographs of Integrity events, visit www. integritysaskatoon.blogspot.com.

Seniors’ Lunch, St. George’s, Battleford: The Friendship Committee of St. George’s, Battleford invites all seniors to join them for lunch on the first Monday of each month.

A Healing Service with Anointing and Laying On Of Hands is held on an alternating monthly basis in the two Battle River Parishes. Please contact Rev. Peter Norman at (306) 4454155 or by e-mail at stpaulnb@ sasktel.net for dates and times.

Men’s Breakfast, St. George’s, Saskatoon: The men of St. George’s, Saskatoon, invite everyone (not just men!) to their hot breakfast, which is held the second Sunday of each month from 9-10 a.m. in the parish hall.

The address is St. George’s Anglican Church, Parish Hall, 624 Ave I South, Saskatoon, 242-7973.

St. George’s, Community Coffee House: All are welcome to join the Parish of St. George’s on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for coffee, muffins and fellowship. See above for the address.

space in time between Christmas and Easter. We don’t really give much consideration to the Season of Epiphany, but we should.

Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching aid.

The Wise Men were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and so were the first “to make known” or “show forth” Jesus to the world as the incarnate Christ.

This is also the first indication that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, and that God’s work in our world would not be limited to only a few.

I would suggest a good thing for us to do before we move into Lent is ponder the meaning of Epiphany and how it relates to the Marks of Mission in our life.

The Marks of Mission are: to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom; to teach, baptize, and nurture new believers; to respond to human need by loving service; to seek to transform unjust structures of society; and to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Restoration on hold for two historic Quebec churches QUEBEC CITY – Two major renovation projects in the Diocese of Quebec are on hold after a shortfall in provincial funding for restoration of heritage buildings.

The Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Quebec has reduced its funding by $5.7 million, to $12.9 million in 2011-2012, from $18.6 million the previous year.

The diocese asked for more than $100,000 to restore the interior of All Saints’ Chapel, a 19th century chapel adjacent to the bishop’s residence. It hadn’t been used for worship in more than 20 years due to a leaky roof.

The plan was to include transforming the interior into a multipurpose meeting area. For now, the $53,404 grant received will be used to repair the church’s roof, brickwork, windows and exterior.

The diocese had also applied for more than $50,000 in heritage grants to restore Holy Trinity Cathedral. The diocese will find out in late fall if these projects will be considered for funding.

Two other churches received funding: St. John the Evangelist in Portneuf received a $15,726 grant to restore its belfry; and Church of the Epiphany in Way’s Mills received $152,600 to restore its roof, foundation and windows.

The Gazette

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2012

Bethany-Good Shepherd parish, Porcupine Plain, closes

By Margaret McKieth and Peter R. Coolen PORCUPINE PLAIN (S’TOON) – After 42 years, the Shared Anglican/United Church Ministry of Porcupine Plain Parish/Pastoral Charge has come to an end.

On Dec. 6, 2011, Bishop David Irving of Saskatoon visited Bethany-Good Shepherd and deconsecrated the church.

Our histories, records and buildings bear witness to the hope and faith of the pioneering families who established our churches. Our faith family has welcomed, encouraged, supported and, sadly, said farewell to many over the years.

In January 1969, the United Churches of Porcupine Plain and Bjorkdale and five Anglican Churches of Bjorkdale, Porcupine Plain, Carragana, Somme and Shand Creek agreed to be served by one minister, Rev. Lanny Hinde.

Hinde was succeeded by Revs.

Tom Morgan, Bruce Fyke, David Rankin, Elizabeth McKinlay, Peter Thompson, Nancy Steinbachs, Karen Heath, Raymond Knight and Sheila Martin. Also, Anglican or United student ministers assisted during the summer months and visiting clergy or lay people filled in when needed.

On Nov. 8, 2011, 19 members of St. Andrew’s, Shand Creek; Bethany-Good Shepherd, Porcupine Plain; and St. John’s (St. John’s Anglican and Hillside United), Bjorkdale, met in Porcupine Plain for the final Annual Meeting of their Central Council.

Following a potluck supper, the business of closure took place with the help of Rev. Nancy Steinbachs of Tamarack Presbytery of the United Church.

Each congregation shared the Central Council funds equally.

The Central Council agreed to disburse 20 per cent of the

Women in ministry ecumenical Quiet Day

By Frank Flegel

On Dec. 6, 2011, Bishop David Irving of Saskatoon visited BethanyGood Shepherd Anglican Church, Porcupine Plain, and deconsecrated the church. The church buildings and lot are now for sale.

Photo – Margaret McKieth proceeds from the sale of the United Church Manse to the Anglican and United Church mission funds and church camps.

The remaining proceeds will go to the Porcupine Plain Lutheran Parish (Porcupine Plain and Crooked River), with whom the Anglican and United congregations now worship,

under the leadership of Rev. Beryl St. Germain.

St. Andrew’s, Shand Creek and St. John’s, Bjorkdale, will continue with a few services every year. Hillside United has been sold and Bethany-Good Shepherd, Porcupine Plain, church buildings and lot are for now for sale.

Letters to the Editor Small stipend for clergy equals small pension upon retirement I received my January edition of the Saskatchewan Anglican recently. It was with great interest I read the articles by Basil Pogue (No solution to HR issue during one-day Synod) and Michael Jackson (Qu’Appelle: Ministry on the cheap?). I know both Basil and Michael personally.

I do not normally write letters to the editor, but the articles by Basil and Michael struck a very sensitive chord in me.

I arrived in the now-defunct Parish of Prairie Cross (rectory in Gull Lake) in October 1972.We were a family of three-and-a-half (my wife, Ruth, giving birth in December). At that time, Prairie Cross was third-largest parish in Canada (outside the Artic). There were five congregations. For the previous two-and-half years, I had been a curate at a church in the north end of Toronto. I was a little shocked to find I was taking a cut

in stipend (albeit small). Over the next six-and-a-half years, I managed to convince the parish council to give me an increase in stipend not less than the increase in the cost of living.

Granting that we lived in a rectory, the cost of living in a small town in southern Saskatchewan in the 1970s was not exactly inexpensive. One of the things that made living decent (?) were the occasional gifts in kind by parishioners (half a pig at Christmas; dozens of eggs in the spring; a roast when a rancher needed meat for his family, etc.). While we were grateful, the family was still on minimum stipend and some things were put aside “until later”.

The only change in our situation when we moved to the Parish of Last Mountain (rectory in Nokomis) was there were only three congregations and one

quarter of the geographical size of Prairie Cross.

After eight years, the family moved to the west end of Moose Jaw (St. George). The major change again was geographical size and only one congregation.

In 1998, I took early retirement and returned to the ancestral home in Richmond Hill.

One very important point neglected by synod and Michael is the effect that stipend has on pension. I remember that Archbishop G.C. Fredric Jackson spearheaded a fundraising event to raise money for clergy who had recently retired.

The funds were split among several clergy (the number has fallen out of my head). The money was necessary because the pensions of those clergy were so small, they were unable to afford to retire because there was not enough money for

accommodations.

Most of the clergy spouses in this present local area are working so that, when the time comes, they and their spouses will have enough money to be able to live.

The spouses of a number of clergy I remember, especially those in rural areas in Saskatchewan, were not able to find any employment to supplement the clergy salary.

The question of whether or not clergy spouses should work is an altogether different topic.

In essence, my comment is this: small or low clergy stipends impacts not just living during the “work period”, but also relates to the amount of pension upon retirement.

Rev. E.A. (Ted) Briffett (retired) Richmond Hill, Ont.

Where does the ‘black hole’ money go?

I read in the November 2011 Saskatchewan Anglican where the Cathedral in Saskatoon needs repairs. At one time I would have thought, “Of course we must care for beautiful historic buildings; the Cathedral must be maintained.”

Having acquired a certain amount of cynicism in recent years, I might instead say, “If the congregation can’t keep it up, we’ll sell it for, oh, a machine shed.”

That’s much like we rural people are told regarding our buildings. We are told quite a number of things. For example, in the October 2011 issue of the Saskatchewan Anglican on Page

8, there is a comforting item on a “Commemorative Gift”. It makes it sound as though, if a person leaves money to their own church, it will stay in that church. Such is not the case as we have found.

It seems that a large portion of bequests vanish into a black hold: Saskatoon. People here will not likely leave money to their church or parish anymore, now that they know their last will and testament will not be honoured.

I used to think that a last will and testament was not just a legal document, but a sacred document.

Over time, however, I have known wills to disappear, so that sisters and godchildren did not receive their keepsakes.

I have known of land left to an individual but, the executor knowing the contents of the will, the land ended up in the executor’s family, the landowner having reached an age where he was easily manipulated.

We expect that the church should be above ignoring a last will and testament. Ah yes, Great Expectations.

Some years ago, a man said to me, regarding what directors of a cattle breeders association were up to, that the directors of an organization can find ways to do what they want: “They just have to pass a law which allows them to do it,” he said.

Well, who needs rural

congregations anyway.

We are like the peasants of the Middle Ages who were required to give sheep and cabbages to the baron in the tower. The baron won’t be getting sheep, cabbages or black hole money, anytime soon.

I see the Anglican church bleeding to death through selfinflicted wounds. Where does the black hole money go? Not to put a roof over the heads of people who have no home, likely don’t have a church and no cathedral either.

Christine Pike Waseca, Sask.

LUMDSDEN (Qu’A) – There are stresses and strains in ministry that women tend to experience and handle in unique ways, said a brochure inviting women in ministry to a December 2 ecumenical quiet day at St. Michael’s Retreat Centre.

“We had 22 women representing four Christian denominations,” said Anglican priest Rev. Trish McCarthy, whose brainchild the retreat was.

“It was a very powerful day.”

The denominations represented came from Anglican, Lutheran, Roman Rev. Trish Catholic and McCarthy United Church faiths and included pastors, priests (Anglican), catechetical teachers, retreat leaders, spiritual care workers, chaplains and other active participants in their communities.

Queen’s House, Saskatoon, has, for a few years, held similar Women in Ministry events in midJune. McCarthy knew about the gatherings and decided there are women in ministry in Regina and surrounding area with whom she wanted to connect.

Anglican priest Rev. Catherine Harper, who lives and works with the retreat ministries at St. Michael’s, spoke about Advent and described a dream she had in which Mary said to her, “Would you hold my baby?”

McCarthy explained, “That took us in a number of directions to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation and how we are engaged in ministry together. Are we willing to hold Christ in our arms and in our hearts? Can we help along and lead the movement toward the Kingdom of God?” Three who attended the event described it as a highlight of the day. Dickie Osiowy, who is involved in spiritual care, said, “She (Harper) asked us to imagine that we could take the infant Jesus in our arms whenever we wished to be close to him.”

Louise Sutherland, who was once engaged in ministry through the Roman Catholic Regina Archdiocese, also appreciated Harper’s talks. “Her style almost forces one to feel like meditating and beginning ‘waiting’.”

This was the first such event held at St. Michael’s and McCarthy said responses showed a desire to hold them more often.

“It was wonderful to be with women of the Christian faith and to reflect on the Advent theme together. It was powerful.”

February 2012

The Saskatchewan Anglican

5

Many goods to buy at the ‘Friendly Market’ in Saskatoon

By Ken Tickner, vendor and Gerald Harrison, Market co-ordinator SASKATOON – For those interested in local shopping, good fun and good food in a relaxed atmosphere, you need to visit St. James’ Farmers’ Market and International Bazaar, located in the basement of St. James’ Anglican Church, 607 Dufferin Avenue and 12th Street, in Saskatoon.

In May 2009, the Community Farmers’ Market commenced operations in St. James. However, this market, which had little concern with social or charitable issues, was closed in May 2009.

In October 2009, the farmers’ market was reincarnated as the St. James’ Farmers’ Market and International Bazaar, a fundraising component of St. James. Since some members of other markets began to refer to the new market as the “Friendly Market”, this phrase was adopted as the Market’s slogan.

In the process of serving the local community, the Market also frequently undertakes fundraising initiatives to ease the pain of those visited by some calamity.

To date, the Market has hosted fundraising lunches in aid of Haiti, Pakistan, Japan and East

Africa, and has recently partnered with St. James to host a Horn of Africa Relief Banquet. The Market also hosted fundraising activities for the Diabetes Foundation and recently, an initial fundraising activity to aid a three-year-old girl suffering from leukemia.

The St. James community visibly contributes to the success of these Market activities through its patronage, while the Farmers’ Market has also twice assisted with hosting St. James’ annual Garage Sale (and revenues in this area have increased).

While the St. James’ Farmers’ Market is a smaller neighbourhood market, you can find a wide variety of locally produced food and craft products.

Food items include a selection of Saskatchewan grown heritage flours, bran, quinoa, lentils and beans.

Super foods from around the world include vanilla beans, raw chocolate, hemp seed, cacao powder and high antioxidant fruits. If you don’t have time to cook a meal, you can select from a variety of frozen soups made with traditional Indian seasonings or have some Chinese finger-food delicacies to add to your dinner.

There is a selection of seasonal vegetables, eggs, honey and a

Diane Wagner, one of the vendors at the St. James’ Anglican Church (Saskatoon) Farmers’ Market (left), talks with church rector Rev. Diane Mesh during a break in selling her goods. The market is held every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. all year long.

Photo – Ken Tickner good supply of frozen beef and lamb products (free of antibiotics and hormones), as well as local varieties of frozen fish. Halal meat is available on request. Bake tables include everything from bread to dessert items; specialty baking for diabetics is also available.

Check out the supply of special jams, sugar-free jams, chutneys, teas and organic granolas as well.

For those who need a bit of extra TLC, every second week, appointments can be made for an on-site table massage located in a

The storied history of the Saskatchewan Anglican (Continued from page 1) A new editor, Rev. Gordon Baker, was appointed to bring new life to what had become little more than a stuffy, Central Canada-centric newsletter.

Baker proposed a dynamic new concept: a tabloid format newspaper produced in partnership with each diocesan magazine.

This meant that formats would need to be standardized and deadlines integrated. Baker crossed Canada to sell the idea to the dioceses.

Production and mailing costs would be split, lowering the cost so that the new paper could go to every identifiable giver, subsidized by national and diocesan budgets. The idea was later copied by the Episcopal Church in the U.S. The Qu’Appelle Crusader signed on, along with most other diocesan papers, and the new/old publication made its appearance in the late 1950s. Rev. Dunstan Pasterfield was editor and I was his assistant. In 1963, I was asked to succeed Dunstan as editor.

The idea for a tri-diocesan

paper seems to have developed quite spontaneously during informal conversations among leaders. I was asked my opinion and suggested a model organization, and later was invited to serve as founding managing editor.

The structure was simple: one managing editor to co-ordinate the paper and an associate editor in each diocese providing content.

The first editorial team were all professional journalists: Margaret Jasper in Prince Albert for Saskatchewan Diocese, Zoe Dallas in Saskatoon, and Hugh McCullum in Regina for Qu’Appelle.

One of the key founding principles of the Saskatchewan Anglican was editorial freedom: its mandate – as its first editorial said – “to hold a mirror to the life of the Church...what is reflected – good or bad – is not ours to choose.”

Successive bishops have honoured this – sometimes, possibly, through clenched teeth.

I believe this basic principle is largely responsible for the continuing worth of the paper.

Here, there is no “party line” even though some (not bishops) have tried to impose one. The columns of the paper are open to all viewpoints; sometimes, as the editor of one diocesan paper in the U.S. Episcopal Church said, “it is our job to bite the hand that feeds us.”

Another reason for the continuing effectiveness of the Saskatchewan Anglican is the professionalism of the editorial team. Talented volunteers have successfully maintained high journalistic – and Christian – standards.

Saskatchewan Anglican was the first tri-diocesan newspaper in the Canadian Church. Its model has been copied by the three dioceses in Newfoundland, and the dioceses of Edmonton and Athabasca in Alberta.

But its greatest tribute is the continuing commitment and loyalty of our three dioceses in Saskatchewan to this newspaper as an instrument for “equipping the saints for the work of ministry” as apostles in the 21st century.

private room off the main market area, or, you can also walk in and enjoy a time for reflexology and a chair massage.

The Market’s crafts people will be happy to supply you with a range of items including handmade jewellery, handmade soap, skincare products and nature and art photography (including cards, prints, a book and DVDs primarily with Saskatchewan scenes. At various times you can shop for imported Indian clothing and accessories.

Many customers enjoy doing

their shopping and having lunch at the Market Café, which supplies a varied hot lunch menu of samosas and Indian cuisine, soups and sandwiches, and a dessert.

All items are reasonably priced. Stop by any Wednesday and meet the vendors at this friendly market. The St. James’ Farmers’ Market and International Bazaar is open year round, every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New vendors are welcome.

Call (306) 664-2940 for more information.

Supporting refugees (Continued from page 1) sponsorship should not require Citizenship and Immigration any financial assistance from the Canada has capped the refugee diocese of any parish. submissions that Sponsorship As many of you know, we have Agreement Holders (SAH) can been successful in a humanitarian make in 2012. The total limit for and compassionate appeal, which the 90 or so SAHs will be 1,350 has reunited Patience Kenyi refugees (not cases). with her daughter Audrey, age In the last few years, there five, after a four-and-a-half year have been more than 5,000 separation. A Celebration of submissions by SAHs. The Thanksgiving was held at The government has been Cathedral of St. The Diocese of slow in processing John the Evangelist, Saskatoon has endorsed Saskatoon, on Nov. refugee applications an undertaking for and processing time in 20 to celebrate the two young Iraqi men successful reunion of some visa posts is now who are refugees in the family. more than five years.

Jordan.

These young The government Also, since men are well educated, the family is convinced that multilingual and will missed Audrey’s by limiting SAH contribute much to submissions, they baptism, that was Canada. can bring down the also celebrated. backlog and the The Cathedral processing times and eventually accompanied and supported raise the cap. the Kenyi family throughout The Diocese of Saskatoon has the arduous appeal process and endorsed an undertaking for two everyone is greatful their efforts young Iraqi men who are refugees were successful in this case.

For more information or to in Jordan. These young men are help, contact Klaus Gruber at well educated, multilingual and (306) 343-6791 or klaus.dieter. will contribute much to Canada.

They have friends in Saskatoon gruber@gmail.com.

Klaus Gruber is Refugee who are undertaking the co-ordinator for the Diocese of sponsorship with our support.

Saskatoon and sessional lecturer Except for some personal at the University of Regina. support and some in-kind gifts (used furniture etc.), this

6

The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2012

From cutting and pasting to using computers for publishing: a former managing editor reflects Most of what a priest does lacks a tangible end product.

(PORT ALBERNI, B.C.) – But each month brought a solid, The 40th anniversary of the tangible result in contrast to the Saskatchewan Anglican triggered “seed sowing” which a two-pronged characterizes much of It was an response for me. what a priest does. interesting and First, what were As for milestones, fulfilling 18 years. As some of the other one of them was the I congratulate milestones for the issue which marked the Saskatchewan paper during the 18 Anglican on 40 good the 25th anniversary years while I was the of the Saskatchewan years, I remember managing editor? And Anglican. Its first fondly my 18-year second, what would share...but I don’t miss incarnation was as the lead a parish priest to the monthly deadlines! Qu’Appelle Crusader take on the additional (from 1952-71), which task of editing and later morphed into a producing the provincial church monthly newspaper for the three newspaper? dioceses.

I will begin with the second Keeping a balance which was question.The invitation to edit the fair to each diocese was largely Saskatchewan Anglican came as a due to the work of the diocesan surprise and a challenge. I knew editors who gathered the news. It the task would take short but was the managing editor’s job to intense monthly bursts of energy. be “neutral” in selecting whose But I did not know just how stories went on the front page fulfilling the task would be. each month.

By Rev. Patrick Tomalin (ret’d)

Anglican Journal and to the The support of the Anglican Editors Association Saskatchewan Anglican Board in were crucial. The joint setting policy guidelines while distribution of the regional and granting editorial freedom was national papers crucial. worked to the I presided over Keeping a balance the move to desktop which was fair to each advantage of both.

The relationship publishing from diocese was largely due to the old “paste up” the work of the diocesan meant that when, for example, the system, having editors who gathered Archbishop of persuaded the Board the news. It was the that the computer managing editor’s job to Canterbury visited equipment would be “neutral” in selecting Qu’Appelle pay for itself in two- whose stories went on the Diocese, articles and-a-half years (It front page each month. and photos from the Saskatchewan did!).

The support of the It was felt to Saskatchewan Anglican Anglican were used be important to Board in setting policy in the Anglican acknowledge the guidelines while granting Journal.

In addition, when indigenous Anglican editorial freedom was General Synod was population. When crucial. held in Winnipeg, a new “masthead” Saskatchewan was designed for Anglican staff members were the front page, the Cree syllables seconded to write articles for the spelling out “Saskatchewan Journal.

Anglican” were incorporated.

The Anglican Editors The relationship to the

Battle River Parish Diocese of S’toon supports Canadian supports Food Grains Bank Baha Mission Mission to Baha representatives help out during fundraisers Editor’s note: This is a reprint of an article that appeared in the December (Volume 4, Issue 3) Diocesan ACW Newsletter

By Rosemarie Katzell, convener of Public Relations, Diocesan ACW NORTH BATTLEFORD (S’TOON) – What a whirlwind of activity in our parish most recently. The best and most successful was our fundraiser for the Mission to Baja.

We (St. Paul’s, North Battleford) hosted a Ladies’ Night Out and the men of our congregation did us proud. They served the meal, entertained and did just about all of the clean-up.

I wasn’t quite ready to leave the cooking up to them, and being the control freak I am, I had to stay around to make sure they left the kitchen spotless (as did a few other ladies).

I must send out a big thank you to St.Paul’s, Biggar. They had two representatives and a friend from Meota come to our supper, and they brought with them a $250 donation towards the mission.

What an amazing feeling of unity that gave me, to see that kind of support for this event.

They are unable to do anything toward the Mission to Baja themselves, so they decided to support a project in their deanery which supports the project.

Thank you Biggar, your support and encouragement is priceless.

Gordon, the Battle River Parish Mission to Baja representative from St. George’s, Battleford, and Ivan, representing St. Paul’s, North Battleford, worked right alongside the rest of the men to bring laughter and joy to all who attended.

Those present responded with generous hearts by raising approximately $720 by open donation alone. Praise God, as always, for blessing the work of willing hands.

The diocese’s Mission to Baha is a very worthwhile project.

Make sure you support events in your community or your deanery that support this effort May God richly bless all of you in the New Year.

Horn of Africa for immediate famine relief.

The CFGB has an arrangement with Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which will match donations on a four-to-one basis.

Farmers across rural Canada donate a portion of their crop to

By Barbara Spurr and the CFGB; just last September, on Mary Ann Assailly a fi eld near Eston, 36 combines Diocesan PWRDF took off a crop that was donated Representatives to the CFGB. The CFGB is composed of SASKATOON – The Primate’s 15 church affiliations of which World Relief and Development PWRDF is Fund one. Each The Canadian Food Grains Bank (PWRDF) bichurch (CFGB) is composed of 15 church annual forum affiliation has a affi liations of which the Primate’s was held in CFGB account, World Relief and Development Fund Toronto from and when is one.

Each church affi liation has a Nov. 3-5, 2011.

Anglicans CFGB account, and when Anglicans Diocesan donate to donate to the CFGB, it goes into the representatives the CFGB, CFGB’s PWRDF account. and coit goes into coordinators the CFGB’s along with members of the Youth PWRDF account.

Council and the PWRDF Board PWRDF is part of the Anglican of Directors were in attendance.

Church of Canada’s “Gifts for Barbara Spurr represented our Mission Guide”. We encourage diocese. you to visit the PWRDF website, A highlight of the forum was click on the cover page and a presentation by Jim Cornelius, consider gifts to give family and executive director of the Canadian friends this for any occasion.

Food Grains Bank (CFGB), who Thank you for the support you spoke about the work of the gave to PWRDF in 2011 and for CFGB. To date, the CFGB has being part of its transforming sent over $10.5 million to the work around the world.

An initiative supported by the PWRDF

Association is made up of all the Anglican newspapers in Canada. It deals with items of common concern, holds an annual conference with workshops for professional development, and keeps its members networked together.

One highlight was hosting the annual conference in Regina.

Another was the number of times the Saskatchewan Anglican won awards, chiefly for editorials.

I was elected president of the association for two consecutive terms. This involvement was a milestone and added prominence to the Saskatchewan Anglican.

It was an interesting and fulfilling 18 years. As I congratulate the Saskatchewan Anglican on 40 good years, I remember fondly my 18-year share...but I don’t miss the monthly deadlines!

Qu’Appelle undertakes outreach initiative

By Rev. Susan Page REGINA – The Diocese of Qu’Appelle is currently sponsoring Rev. Alexis Ndayiragije in his educational program to earn a degree known in Burundi as the’ Medical Science and Technical Degree’.

This is a four year program, plus one year of practicum, and the diocese is involved in the sponsorship for the final three classroom years. Money for this grant was obtained by accessing a special diocesan fund for overseas mission, and the whole cost of the educational program will easily be covered by this fund.

Alexis is 29 years of age and was ordained on Nov. 8, 2008, in the Diocese of Muyinga, a companion link of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. Alexis obtained his theological education at the Theological Institute of Matana and, until 2010, was the administrative secretary of the Anglican Diocese of Muyinga, Burundi.

Previous to that he was Youth co-ordinator for the Anglican Diocese of Muyinga.

The focus of this degree is reduction of child morbidity and mortality, to improve maternal health outcomes and to carry on the fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. After graduation, Alexis hopes to work in the Diocese of Muyinga.

February 2012

The Saskatchewan Anglican

7

Spreading the Gospel from Saskatchewan to Uganda The mandate of the seminary is to be a place to nurture young children in Grades 5-7.

PRINCE ALBERT – Bishop Their goal is to provide an apMcAllister College and Seminary, propriate learning environment, to located in Kyogyera, Uganda, is instil a commitment to the church home to more than 700 Ugandan students. and its ministry, as well as developing future ordained and lay Twelve years ago ministers by developing the whole the school expanded person through academics, social its programme skills and spirituality. beyond theological studies to include Much work has been done over secondary education. the past 12 years, with more to be There was a shortage completed. With donations from Bishop of schools and an the Cathedral Church of St. Alban Gerald increasing need for the Martyr and the Diocese of McAllister Saskatchewan Synod, $2,144.50 education among Ugandan children. was collected and sent to the Many challenges faced the Seminary in Uganda for work to children, but among the most complete the roof of the Chapel of difficult were inadequate Saint John the Evangelist. facilities.

Bishop Michael Hawkins visited the chapel and laid the Over a period of time, the cornerstone with Bishop Yona college expanded to include two Katoneene in August 2010. science facilities and a computer Bishop Hawkins’ friend, lab. Staff facilities improved and Canon Paul Jefferies, is the rector increased in number. The mud of the College and Seminary. kitchen was replaced with a new Jeffries visited the Diocese of kitchen and a dining hall erected.

Saskatchewan earlier in 2011 and Providing safe and secure housing for the girls was difficult, preached at St. Alban’s Cathedral and St. David’s Church in P.A. but today a dormitory and study Both the Cathedral ACW and hall is home to more than 260 the Diocesan ACW have young women. sponsored a child (providing One of the goals of the college school fees) at the school. As is to provide sponsorship to children who are orphans as a result well, the family of Bishop of AIDS. These children make up Hawkins has sponsored a child for 10 per cent of the population. the past six years.

Students of the college have The seminary is named after achieved personal goals, both Bishop Gerald McAllister, who academic and athletic. was bishop of the Episcopal Recently the school has Diocese of Oklahoma from expanded to include elemen1977-89.

Story with contribution from tary education under the title of Bishop Hawkins and Bishop Bishop McAllister Seminary, McAllister College website. seminary meaning seed bed.

Contributed

Bishop Michael Hawkins (left), from the Diocese of Saskatchewan, helps Bishop Yona Katoneene unveil the plaque commemorating the Bishop McAllister Seminary in Kyogyera, Uganda, during Hawkins’ trip to that African country in August 2010.

All photos this page – Bishop McAllister College website

Surrounded by bishops, clergy and laity, Bishop Yona Katoneene and Bishop Michael Hawkins lay the foundation stone for the new chapel to be built, during Hawkins’ trip to Uganda in August 2010.

Anglicans help feed Haitian students

By Ali Symons Anglican Church of Canada

Hawkins, Canon Caleb Twinamatsiko and Canon Paul Jeffries gather after the unveiling of the commemoration plaque, held in August 2010 in Uganda.

TORONTO – This kind of Christmas gift was okay to unwrap early.

Already, more than 200 people have given hot school lunches to Haitian children through the Anglican Church of Canada’s Gifts for Mission gift guide.

Simon Chambers, communications co-ordinator for the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), recently travelled to Haiti and

brought back details to unwrap the gift guide’s full impact.

At L’Ecole National de Trouin in the hills of Léogâne, Haiti, more than 400 children in blue uniforms line up to receive big plates of rice, beans, and vegetables for lunch.

Many have had long walks to school—up to two hours—and this meal will help them pay attention through the afternoon.

Without it, some fall asleep at their desks.

School is a precious privilege for Haitians, where only 52 per

cent of adults can read and write.

It is especially precious after the magnitude-seven earthquake of January 2010 destroyed much infrastructure, including many schools. L’Ecole National de Trouin, built in 1924, was near the epicentre and had to be rebuilt.

PWRDF was quick to respond after the quake. Serving as the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for relief and development, PWRDF responded with $1 million of immediate relief through the ACT Alliance and the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.

8

The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2012

News from across the Anglican Church of Canada

A simple cross provides immense comfort

By Barbara Goode CALGARY – Tonight I am on call at Foothills Hospital in Calgary, as part of my job as a hospital chaplain, and have just returned from supporting a middle-aged dying patient and her family.

Just before I began to pray, the patient with some of her last bit of physical strength reached purposefully toward the table.

A daughter lovingly placed a holding cross in her hand which I recognized as one that my husband Graham had made.

The woman sighed and held it in to her chest. Knowing she had just come from Emergency, I asked the family later where the cross had come from. It had been given to her some months before in another hospital admission by another chaplain.

A number of years ago while visiting St. Laurence Church in Calgary, I had seen the holding crosses that were available at

the hospital. They are a chunky wooden cross with the arms a bit askew so that they fit perfectly into the hand.

I have always believed that we humans benefit from having tactile, sensory focal points to enhance our experience of God. Jesus gave us water for baptism; bread and wine to connect to His act of redemption.

For people of faith, these crosses remind them to whom they belong, who has suffered for them and that after every cross we bear, there is something new that is birthed. I was determined to introduce these to the hospital but needed someone to make them.

After no success my search ended up back home where Graham, who is a retired priest, began to prayerfully cut them out and sand them into shape. He has experimented with numerous woods and broken many small blade saws in the process, but has produced hundreds that have been

Serving refugees in Ethiopia

By Harvey Shepherd MONTREAL – A former priest of the Diocese of Montreal is leaving a professor’s job at a school of ministry in Pennsylvania for a bishop’s post in Ethiopia, largely serving Sudanese refugees in the steamy region of Gambella near the Ethiopian border with Sudan.

Rev. Grant LeMarquand, 57, a Montrealer and graduate of the Montreal Diocesan Theological College, once served as an assistant curate at St. Barnabas Church in Pierrefonds and was on the staff of Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal.

He will become area bishop for The Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eretria and Somalia) under Bishop Mouneer Hanna Anis of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North African and The Horn of Africa.

LeMarquand told a small “meet-and-greet” gathering at St. John the Baptist Church in Pointe Claire in early January that much of his effort will be focused on working with Anglican clergy who have fled over the border with their flocks from the Sudan.

He said these clergy “are doing a wonderful job but have almost no theological education.”

As area bishop, working in close collaboration with Anis, LeMarquand said he will have three

main functions: to preach and lead worship, to teach local Anglicans and “to lead them in the mission God calls us to live together.”

His wife, Wendy, a medical doctor, said she hopes to focus largely on community-based health care with the emphasis on relationship and partnership. She did this in Kenya when her husband was at St. Paul’s Seminary there in the late 1980s teaching future clergy.

She will be working among people almost without medical care; the one understaffed hospital in Gambella is beyond the means of most people.

Along with using her medical skills and knowledge to work out simple solutions to health issues in collaboration with local residents, she expects to carry out a prayer ministry, especially of healing prayer.

Grant explained Bishop Anis broached the idea of making him an area bishop a little over a year ago when he was in Egypt on a sabbatical, the latest of several visits he has made to the Egyptian diocese teaching and leading retreats.

He had been teaching Biblical studies and mission at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Penn., an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition, for 14 years.

given out at the hospital.

We have so many stories about them. People have given them to others when they got better and then they have turned up in hospital rooms to be a much appreciated gift for the new patient.

One night we received a call from the daughter of a patient who was a parishioner. This dear lady had a recent terminal cancer diagnosis and Graham had given her a cross.

The cross had gotten swept away with the laundry and could not be found. The problem was that despite heavy medication the mother could not sleep, but had discovered she was able to fall asleep when she held the cross.

The daughter asked if we had any more, but we didn’t.

So Graham hurried to his work shop and produced one he delivered at midnight. When we first started to give them out at the hospital, I had two left in the

office. A very anxious patient, when she heard about the crosses, thought it would help her, so I returned to the office and was leaving with the cross in my hand with my arm down at the side.

Moments before I had asked God if this was something I should be promoting or was this just my idea.

A teenage boy was exiting the chapel, his baseball cap pulled own over his head, tears glistening in his eyes. I approached him and he told me his Dad was not doing well in CCU (Cardiac Intensive Care).

He explained further that he had been praying for his Dad and

the strangest thing had happened.

He had an image of a cross being held in his Dad’s hand and wished he could get something like that for his Dad. I raised my arm and opened my hand to reveal the holding cross.

His eyes popped wide open. It was just such a cross he had seen while praying.

I gave it to him and watched as he hurried off to give it to his Dad. I had my answer and I also had one more cross left to give to the patient who was waiting for me to return.

Courtesy Calgary’s diocesan newspaper, The Sower.

Diocese of Montreal urges made-in-Canada climate change protocol Staff MONTREAL – Since the federal government has withdrawn Canada from the Kyoto Protocol on climate change it should issue, its own protocol and make it at least as effective, says the Montreal diocesan committee on the stewardship of the environment.

Bishop Barry Clarke has urged individual Anglicans to join that diocese and make their views known to the government. He suggested they send along a text of the diocesan statement and add their own views.

The environment committee issued its statement in January, not long after the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa.

During that conference, Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent withdrew Canada from the Kyoto Protocol. The protocol, signed in 1997, provided a set of legally binding emission targets for developed countries.

The statement followed on comments by Archbishop Fred

Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, who said, “Those of us watching from afar echo the voices of delegates who are expressing concern that not enough action is being taken by developed countries. We believe we show our respect for God’s creation by working for a climate treaty that is morally and legally binding.”

He said such a treaty would take the world closer in reaching the one of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals: that of ensuring environmental sustainability.

“We in the Diocese of Montreal share these concerns,” said Raymond Noël, chairman of the environment committee.

He noted that last July the Conference Board of Canada described Canada as one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gas per capita. Canada is third (after Australia and the United States) among 17 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

“During the past 20 years, emissions in Canada of carbon dioxide have increased by 20 per cent. This is not good stewardship

of our resources,” Noël added.

The statement acknowledged that the government has the right to manage Canada’s natural resources as it deems appropriate and to take Canada out of the Kyoto Protocol.

“However, we also feel that the government has a responsibility to manage those resources carefully and wisely.

“As the Government of Canada has chosen to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, we believe it now has the responsibility to issue its own clear and binding protocol that will be equally or more effective in reaching the goals for the reduction of emissions deemed necessary by the international community.

“This should include timelines for implementation that are based on technical feasibility and not expediency of special interest groups.

“We call upon our Government to exercise this responsibility to be good stewards of the environment by shouldering our share of responsibility for climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

The Gazette