The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2019

Saskatchewan

anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • March 2019

www.facebook.com/thesaskatchewananglican — www.issuu.com/thesaskatchewananglican

Planting a church

By Rev. Murray Wright

Andrew MacPhail is marked with the sign of the cross by Rev. Michael Bruce at St. Luke's Regina on Ash Wednesday. This year's Ash Wednesday was held on March 6 and launches the Church into 40 days of Lent.

Photo by Nigel Salway

WHITE CITY (Qu’A) — In many ways, Rev. Murray Wright is typical of most residents of White City and Emerald Park. He and his wife work in Regina, while they also have a young family. Besides being a full-time high school teacher, Wright is an Anglican priest who wants to see a church plant soon.

A while ago, Bishop Rob Hardwick talked to Wright about a church plant — starting a new congregation — in White City and Emerald Park.

He also instructed him to start a ministerial association, which now includes clergy from Ambassadors for Christ, Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United Churches.

Only the Ambassadors for Christ has a parish in the community.

This ministerial association has organized several events, including a Thanksgiving service and Messy Church, held before Christmas. These were at the community centre, with 60 people at each.

Wright worked with Ambassadors for Christ and put together a Remembrance Day

Service for the community, which about 100 people attended, including town officials, RCMP, first responders, and fire departments from the community and surrounding area.

An Alpha course was planned for March when this article was written.

Wright says there are four basic rules for planting a new church, which are similar to sharing your faith: 1) Believe and pray. You have to have faith; this is the most important point.

2) Be involved in your community. Wright joined the volunteer fire department and first responders. He is also running a first aid course for staff at the town office. All this has helped him be part of the community, form connections, and live out his faith. Jesus, in Matthew 25:36, tells us: “When I was sick you looked after me” (NIV).

3) Commit for the long haul.

Don’t think that either starting a new church congregation, or personally sharing your faith with someone is a short-term activity. Both take time and effort.

4) Overcome fear with education and preparation, so that you are able to succeed.

Principal of Ugandan college visits Saskatchewan

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — Every year Canon Paul Jeffries comes to Saskatchewan to visit his best friend Bishop Michael Hawkins.

They have been friends for nearly 40 years. One aspect of that friendship was Jeffries’ matchmaking skills that helped bring together Michael and Kathy.

They were both undergraduates at King’s College and both went on to Trinity College in Toronto.

After he graduated, Canon Jeffries went to a parish in the Diocese of Fredericton in New Brunswick. The diocese had a companion diocese in Kenya where they sent a theological tutor for a five-year term.

Canon Paul Jeffries and Bishop Michael Hawkins spend time together after Jeffries recently visited the Diocese of Saskatchewan. Jeffries is principal of Bishop McAllister College in Uganda.

Photo by Mary Brown Jeffries went to Kenya for the last year of this term. He then returned to Canada to discern his vocation.

The Volunteers in Mission Organization, an initiative of the national church, asked Canon

Jeffries if he would go to Uganda to teach theology for two years. That was 21 years ago! He is now the principal of the Bishop McAllister College in Uganda.

Uganda is now home for Jeffries. His parents and sister live in New Brunswick and he has a brother living in Mexico.

He comes back to Canada once or twice a year to see his parents and his friend, and maybe to cool off from the hot weather in Africa.

Jeffries is thankful to the Diocese of Fredericton; in particular, the ACWs that helped provide the funds to enable him to continue his ministry in Uganda. He told me when he was first in Africa, he missed his life in Canada, the food, the amenities but, as time has

gone by, he is now at home.

His life for the last 20 years has been a challenge, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges.

Twenty-five per cent of the students can attend school thanks to sponsorships from abroad. The Diocese of Saskatchewan sponsors at least eight students, mostly girls.

Jeffries is like a proud father when he speaks of the students. He gets invited to their weddings and baptisms of their children.

They have become IBM technicians, engineers and scientists. One works for a biotech firm in Sweden.

If you are interested in learning about the college, please email your queries to Rosemarie Kingston at hayesr@nb.sympatico.ca.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

We are never beyond the pale of God's eternal love and forgiveness Can God forgive suicide?

Why or why not?

By the Ven. Cheryl Toth

F

irst, a disclaimer: one of my uncles, a Second World War veteran who returned deeply troubled, killed himself some 20 years after the war.

His death was profoundly felt by the family, and I watched as my mother, one of his younger sisters, struggled to work through what might have been done to prevent his death.

Grief and guilt were compounded by her awareness that suicide, at that time, was considered a shameful act about which one did not speak openly.

Despite that, within our family she chose to talk about her brother and what led to his death.

My theological approach to suicide is rooted in my family experience as much as it is in my studies.

For most of its history the Christian church has condemned suicide.

Prominent teachers of the faith such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas

Aquinas considered suicide a sin that violated the sixth commandment— thou shalt not kill.

Aquinas thought that suicide went against nature by supressing our innate desire to live, harmed the human community by severing relationships and usurped God’s authority to decide when a person lives or dies.

Because of this, in his Summa Theologica, Aquinas reasoned: “To bring death upon oneself in order to escape the other afflictions of this life is to adopt a greater evil in order to avoid a lesser … .

Suicide is the most fatal of sins because it cannot be repented of” (Summa Theologica 2-2, q. 64,5).

Aquinas’ thought that suicide was a sin from which one could not repent, combined with the dominant biblical example suicide — Judas, the betrayer, who took his own life — influenced the Christian approach to suicide.

For the longest time, we considered those who completed suicide as Judaslike, unrepentant sinners who could not be forgiven or did not deserve to be

forgiven.

Some linked suicide with the “eternal sin” of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit mentioned in Mark 3:29 to support their position biblically.

For these reasons those who took their own lives were not allowed to be buried in the consecrated ground of church graveyards; they were instead interred “beyond the pale” (or enclosure) of the church cemetery.

Theology and pastoral practice reinforced the belief that suicide was unforgivable.

But is it? Suicide comes when someone is in incredible emotional pain and feels themselves unloved by others or unacceptable to God. The person’s thinking distorts their perception of their situation so that taking their own life seems the best option they have.

But their turmoil does not stop God from loving them and neither do actions they take in the midst of it.

If we believe that God knows us better than we know ourselves, and loves us more profoundly that we ever can, then God can forgive us the acts we take

in pain and turmoil—including the taking of our own life.

We are never beyond the pale of God’s eternal love and forgiveness.

Because our God is a god who loves and forgives and redeems, what God asks of us when we deal with the aftermath of suicide is to reflect God’s nature as much as we possibly can.

That means we look for ways to love and support those who grieve, to forgive ourselves and others for the times we failed the person who died, to speak and pray openly and compassionately about what happened, to rebuild relationships in our families and friendship groups, and to strengthen the fabric of our communities so the likelihood of suicide is lessened.

In a fragmented and tumultuous world, when suicide is more prevalent than ever, to do these things is to participate in God’s redeeming work.

The Ven. Cheryl Toth is archdeacon of St. Cuthbert’s (Diocese of Qu’Appelle) and serves as intentional interim priest with All Saints, Regina.

Following God from Turkey to Prince Albert

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — The Rev. Christopher Samson arrived in the Diocese of Saskatchewan on Feb. 15 on loan from Bishop Logan from the Diocese of British Columbia. He will be with us until July 15 and he told me what will happen after that is up to God. Samson is originally from the Okanagan. When he was 17, he went on a Rotary student exchange in Turkey. He learned the language and helped students prepare for English competency exams. He learned all about olives as his host family in Turkey owned an olive farm.

When he returned to Canada he went to university in Nanaimo and originally had planned on becoming a teacher. But that wasn’t God’s plan. A few things happened to lead him into the Anglican

Rev. Christopher Samson has arrived in the Diocese of Saskatchewan from British Columbia. He is scheduled to be here until July.

Photo by Mary Brown ministry. While he was in Turkey, he met a Muslim man who was interested in being baptized.

This was the catalyst for Samson to encounter Scripture on his own and also an exposure to the Book of Common Prayer.

So when he lived in Nanaimo he attended St. Paul’s Anglican Church, and after he finished university, he went on to Trinity College in Toronto.

After his ordination he returned to B.C. to St. Peter’s Church in

Comox. Here he served a curacy with the Rev. Jim Lyster, who was a priest in MacDowall and St. Louis in the Diocese of Saskatchewan.

One interesting event held in Comox was the 5:40 Express held on Saturdays. Originally started by Roseanne, Jim’s wife, it became Samson’s job when she became too busy. This service allowed people to engage their gifts with God’s word creatively, through dance, art, etc.

Samson has an office at the Synod Office in Prince Albert and will be a curate for Bishop Michael Hawkins.

He will be conducting services at St. Alban’s, St. David’s, and Birch Hills, Kinistino and Muskoday parish. He will be a busy guy and the six months will be over in no time. At that time, we will see what God’s plan will be for him next.

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

Published monthly except for July and August.

Whole No. 292, Vol. 47, No. 7 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 May issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, March. 28 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: Mary Brown mary1949brown@gmail.com Box 25, Shellbrook, Sask., S0J 2E0 306-922-5159 Advertising agent: Angela Rush saskatchewan.anglican.ads@ gmail.com 905-630-0390 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5

March 2019

Time for healing

By Bishop Michael W. Hawkins Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise (Jeremiah 17:14). ow is the healing time decreed, so begins the Ancient Office Hymn for Lent, and I want to suggest healing as a most appropriate Lenten theme.

We read of the tree of life that, “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” That tree is the cross of Jesus Christ.

As Isaiah prophecies, “By his wounds we are healed.”

God revealed himself to Israel at Marah as “the Lord your healer” (Exodus 15:26). “They could

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not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter.” The KJV is helpfully ambiguous on whether it was the people or the water that was bitter.

Of course the answer is both. But there is a tree that can make the bitter sweet, and that tree is the cross of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4: 31-32 says, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, ten-

der-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Forgiveness heals, it turns the bitter sweet.

That is the first kind of healing I would highlight, forgiveness.

Forgiveness is also healing for both the forgiver and the forgiven.

So the healing work of Jesus Christ in us might be thought of in three ways, as reconciliation, as restoration and as resurrection. We believe in the

Message from the editor

Diocesan papers still serve purpose

By Jason G. Antonio Managing Editor

E

very diocesan newspaper in the Anglican Church of Canada — including the Saskatchewan Anglican — will likely cease to exist in print form in three years.

During its November meeting, the Council of General Synod (COGS) approved a motion that recommends discontinuing the Anglican Journal in print form and producing it only in digital form.

The paper-to-digital “transition strategy” for the Journal and diocesan papers would begin in 2019 and be completed by 2022.

Full disclosure: I am a member of COGS. However, I was unable to attend the November meeting.

According to a report from the Journal from that meeting, “One of the concerns the (Journal) report expresses about printing the newspapers is the cost, including postage.

Postage, the report states, has been rising in recent years, and in 2017 total postage expenses reached $920,000. (When this figure is adjusted for a number of factors, including a contribution of $441,000 from Heritage Canada meant to defray postage costs, plus another $219,000 from the dioceses, the net cost to the national church for the 10 issues mailed in 2017

totalled $174,000.)”

I don’t believe the Journal committee understood that eliminating the Journal in print form would eliminate the diocesan newspapers as well. Not every paper can or will make the migration to digital. It’s prohibitively expensive for a diocesan newspaper to print and mail on its own.

That’s why we are printed as a section of the Journal.

The Saskatchewan Anglican has about 3,700 subscribers; that wouldn’t count for a national grant.

It is disappointing the national church does not see a need to include newspapers in its overall

communications strategy.

There is a mentality within the church administration that digital is the only way to communicate with people, regardless of where they live. There is an idea it’s possible to implement a top-down communications strategy on a church that is geographically and ethnically vast.

This idea fails to take into account that what might work in Toronto won’t likely work in rural Saskatchewan with poor internet connection, or especially in the vast Arctic.

The Church should understand that using every type of communications

The Saskatchewan Anglican

forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

In the face of sin, the grave and death, we proclaim the good news of healing and hope that is forgiveness, renewal and life, reconciliation, restoration and resurrection.

If we are to focus on healing this Lent, I would suggest thinking in terms of forgiveness in our relationships, restoration in our souls and resurrection in our bodies, which relate to our justification, sanctification and glorification.

All these are our healing.

In every case it is also

by Christ crucified, by his wounds, that we are healed.

He bore the brokenness in relationships that is the result of sin. He who was left all alone, whom they all deserted, was despised and rejected.

All that brokenness and

all that woundedness is there in Christ, ultimately in the terrifying and mystifying cry of dereliction somehow expressing and taking on himself the dereliction of the whole world, the alienation from God we all feel.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. By his wounds we are healed, and in his soul, think just of the agony in the garden, his last temptation.

He said, “My soul is sorrowful unto death.” He bore the wounds of our sin-sick souls, and by his wounds we are healed.

In his broken, dead, lifeless body we find the hope of the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

Christ bore the wounds of sin in relationships, in his soul, in his body, in his cross and in his passion; this provides healing for our relationships, our souls and our bodies.

method to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ is important. This includes paper products. The Journal and diocesan papers should be seen as part of the Five Marks of Mission: proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.

If someone walks into a church off the street and picks up a diocesan paper or the Journal on a table, he or she will understand that parish is part of a larger Anglican organization and what the Anglican community is doing to proclaim Jesus’ name.

People clip articles from papers and pin them to fridges or bulletin boards.

Few people do the same with an online article.

Another concern I have is the assertion that the Journal is becoming too ex-

pensive to print. What the Journal committee fails to take into account is the fact readership is declining. If there are fewer readers, there are fewer papers that need printing. Fewer papers printed means less money spent.

It’s simple economics of supply and demand. It’s also called common sense.

At the bottom of this page you will see a coupon to confirm your subscription. Please do this so you continue to receive this newspaper and ensure its survival — in paper anyway — for a few more years. If you do not do this, after June your subscription will be cancelled, and you will no longer receive the Journal or the Saskatchewan Anglican. It is important you do this.

Dear Reader:

Don’t miss an issue Confirm your subscription

Dear Reader, We’re asking you to confirm your Anglican Journal subscription. Here’s why.

Your subscription to the Anglican Journal (and, where included, your diocesan newspaper) began when your parish church added your name and address to the subscription list. When a person’s address changes, for whatever reason, the parish office is asked to notify the circulation department. Often that happens, but often it does not.

In a recent survey of a large number of subscribers, 10 per cent of the surveys mailed were returned as “unknown at this address.”

That is, at least 10 per cent of newspapers (Anglican Journal and diocesan papers) are being mailed to people who don’t live at that address.

This means a waste of thousands of dollars each month. So we are verifying the subscription list to avoid this waste.

If you wish to continue to receive the Anglican Journal (and any diocesan paper mailed with it), please complete the confirmation and return it.

If we do not hear from you, your subscription will come to an end with the June 2019 issue.

With every blessing,

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MAIL: Fill in and mail to Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden St., Toronto, ON M4Y 3G2 PHONE TOLL-FREE: 1-866-333-0959 ONLINE: Go to anglicanjournal.com/yes c Yes, I would like to continue to receive my Anglican newspaper

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

Theology a dynamic explanation of the faith

By Jennifer Jacobs REGINA — If you’ve ever wondered what the definition of theology is and whether you are qualified to talk about it with others, a recent educational session showed the concept is important for passing along the Christian faith to the next generation.

The Qu’Appelle School of Mission and Ministry offers courses to all those in the diocese interested in learning more about the Christian faith. The school is blessed to have a number of theological scholars who share their talents by teaching these courses and sharing their knowledge with students.

QSMM courses are required for those becoming licensed lay readers and all those who pursue locally raised ordination. Topics vary from issues of pastoral care, sermon preparation, leading worship, biblical studies, to church history and doctrine, and underlying all of them is theology.

Basic Theology was the topic of the latest QSMM course, offered at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church on Jan. 18 and 19.

Rev. Dr. Carlos Roberts

Rev. Carlos Roberts speaks about theology and what it is during a recent course with the Qu'Appelle School for Mission and Ministry. Roberts said theology can be defined as "faith seeking understanding."

Photo by Jason Antonio taught the course with assistance from Archdeacon Catherine Harper.

Fourteen people took part in the 10-hour class.

As a resource for the course, Roberts used segments from his book Christian Education Teaching Methods — From Modern to Postmodern (Teaching the faith to post-moderns) to provide information and topics for discussion.

The format for each session was a brief introductory lecture followed by time for questions, then time to read material with small group discussion, followed by a large group debrief and discussion of

the material, concluding with a summary lecture.

Using this format of learning there were seven sessions, including what theology is; how we do theology; why we need to do theology; communicating theology; the development of doctrine; the relationship between faith, theology and Christian education; and preaching, theology and doctrine.

Personally, I found that the important points of the course concerned defining theology, our approach to theology and its importance to religious education.

Theology may have been best defined by the

scholar Anselm, who said, “Theology is faith seeking understanding.” It is the pursuit of understanding what we believe, why we believe and how we explain what we believe.

This process is best facilitated by inquiry with questions. By this we mean that a subject (inquiry) is explored and learned about by asking and answering questions.

This process was done throughout the weekend as we read and asked questions over and over again to discover and learn about theology.

If theology is faith seeking understanding, then all who have faith

may do theology. Theology is not the province of scholars, but the work of the faithful.

All who wish to explore their faith can become theologians. This is of importance to religious education. If we want to empower those teaching others about the faith, we need to equip them to do theology.

We need to ensure that our Christian educators are comfortable reading Scripture, asking questions and reading again, and are able to critically think through their faith.

When we explore theology we begin to see the connections between preaching, theology and doctrine. Preaching begins the process of telling what we believe, theology reflects on what we believe, and doctrine defines what we believe.

All come out of our experience with the living God. Theology is not a static study but a dynamic exploration of faith. It is what equips us to share the Good News of the living God with those around us. It also helps us to pass on our faith from generation to generation.

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON

Announcements for March 2019 Saskatchewan Anglican online! You can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online at https://issuu.com/ thesaskatchewananglican or on Facebook at www.facebook. com/saskatchewananglican. g New Ministry for Survivors: An ongoing ministry open to anyone who is post-trauma in need of prayerful support began in Saskatoon in September.

This ministry includes/may include creative expression through dance and painting for healing of the inner child with Common Praise and Taize Hymns, Psalms, sharing circle, grounding meditation and weekly themes; prayers and anointing are also available to anyone who wishes to receive them.

Place is St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Saskatoon. Time is every Monday (except statutory holidays) from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The facilitator is Karen Walter.

Phone 639-480-6274 for more

information. g The following late-January to June events are presented in co-operation with the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism as it celebrates its 35th anniversary: FEBRUARY: Winter Coffee Talk; Daring to Share: multi-denominational congregations in the United States and Canada, Sandra Beardsall Nutana Park Mennonite Church, 1701 Ruth Street East Feb. 28, 7 to 9 p.m.

MARCH: deMargerie Lecture Series (The deMargerie lecture series was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and is an annual event sponsored

by Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, St. Thomas More College and The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism): Lecturer: Gordon Smith will speak on “Evangelical, Sacramental and Pentecostal: Why The Church Should Be All Three,” March 14, STM Lecture 7:30 p.m.; March 15 workshop,

Holy Family Cathedral 9 a.m.

MAY: Spring Coffee Talk, Japanese Tea Ceremony, Brenda Nightingale, Queen’s House Retreat and Renewal Centre, 601 Taylor Street West, May 25 from 1 to 3 p.m.

JUNE: PCE’s 35th anniversary celebration banquet. For more information visit www.pcecumenism.ca or phone 306-653-1633. g Celtic Evening Service in Saskatoon: The Celtic evening Eucharist service begins its second year at St. George’s Anglican Church, 624 Ave. I South, Saskatoon. Services are held every Tuesday night at 7 p.m.; each mid-month service will begin with a pot luck at 6 p.m. g Native Ministry in Saskatoon: St. George’s Anglican Church (624 Ave. I South) provides a monthly Anglican Native Ministry Service the last Sunday of each month.

The service begins with a lunch

in the parish hall with soup or stew and bannock, followed by a Eucharist and a smudge and sharing circle in the church led by the Rev. Denise McCafferty and others. g Community Coffee House and Bible Study: The Parish of St. George’s, Saskatoon holds its weekly coffee house and Bible study every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Bible study is held from 10:30 a.m. to about noon.

All events are in the Parish Hall, 624 Ave. I South.

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.

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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Saskatoon welcomed 63 refugees to Canada last year

By Rev. Jan Bigland-Pritchard Refugee Co-ordinator, Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon SASKATOON — The refugee co-ordinator for the Diocese of Saskatoon recently finished her first year in the position and was thankful to everyone in the diocese who helped welcome 63 refugee newcomers to the area.

The Rev. Jan BiglandPritchard penned a letter to the diocese saying parishes should contact her if they wanted to consider a refugee sponsorship this year: For those of you not currently involved in a refugee sponsorship, I would like to invite you to partner, in 2019, with a settlement team of the diocese that is working to bring a family of new Christian believers who have fled from Iran.

It is a multi-church settlement team, with member from St. Stephen’s Anglican, Erindale Alliance, Avalon Alliance, 5:15 Church, Power to Change campus ministry, and other congregations.

We call them the “Zar” family, to protect their identity, and our settlement team is called “Friends of Nazanin.”

The Zar family is

The Rev. Jan Bigland-Pritchard is the refugee co-ordinator for the Diocese of Saskatoon. She and others in the diocese welcomed 63 refugees to the province last year, in partnership with Christian organizations.

Photo by the Rev. Jan Bigland-Pritchard comprised of seven adults: a married couple who are retired from education, an auntie who is a nurse, a daughter who is an artist and fashion designer, one son who is

St. David’s Anglican Church

BEEF SUPPER

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2019

a photographer, another who teaches English, and a third who work with computers.

The family members all had their interviews and were approved on the spot.

They also passed their medicals. This means they could be with us in a matter of months.

The costs of sponsoring seven adults for the 12-month period are high.

At of the end of November 2018, Friends of Nazanin had raised about $27,000; but with a family of seven adults and the increase in the government-mandated minimum support levels, we needed to raise $20,000 more.

At the end of December, we had enough in the bank to cover their start-up costs and about five months of the needed 12 months’ financial support.

Would you or your parish consider making a financial gift to help this family?

All financial gifts can receive a tax receipt through the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon Refugee Fund.

A big thank you to Anglicans from two rural parishes — Borden and Quill View — for their generous responses so far.

As the Zar family — with God’s blessing — will be with us in 2019, can I also ask you to pray for them?

So, how can you help?

Financial gifts are great, while so are pledges of financial support for when the family arrives.

If you like putting on fundraising concerts or events, take the lead to organize one for this family.

Furniture is needed and we have a place to store it until they come — thanks Liz McTaggart!

We will need new mattresses: one double and five singles.

If you know anyone

connected to a mattress store.

More people on the settlement team are needed to help with driving; getting to know the city; assisting with job-search and English practise; and simple friendship.

Three of the family are 55 years and older, while four are in their late 20s to early 40s. All need new friends.

We also have, from one of the Zar family’s daughters, packs of note cards each containing prints of five of the daughter’s art for sale: five cards for $10, and two original framed paintings for $80 and $100 for sale.

All proceeds to the Friends of Nazanin refugee sponsorship account.

Also, of course, if you wish more information on sponsorship and how you can be involved, or to donate or to find out the status of our efforts, please contact Rev. Jan Bigland-Pritchard at refugeessaskatoon@ sasktel.net.

DIOCESE OF QU’APPELLE

Qu'Appelle School for Mission and Ministry Courses for 2019: A year of study and discernment

MIDTOWN HALL 540-9 STREET EAST Prince Albert 4:00 PM & 6:00 PM

ADULTS: $18.00 CHILDREN 5-12 YRS: $8.00 UNDER 5 FREE

FOR TICKETS CALL:

ST. DAVID’S CHURCH 306 764-1310 OR 306 940 8199 OR 306 763 2759 SILENT AUCTION ITEMS ALSO AVAILABLE

1. Jan. 18 to 20: Basic Theology 2. March 8 to 10: A Brief Introduction to Christian Doctrine 3. April 12 to 14: Introduction to Worship and Liturgy 4. June 14 to 16: Preaching: Part 1 5. Sept. 7 to 9: Preaching: Part 2 6. Oct. 18 to 20: A Brief Introduction to Church History and Anglicanism 7. Nov. 8 to 10: Preaching: Part 3 8. Dec. 6 to 8: Introduc-

tion to Christian Ethics General interest: The Friday and Saturday sessions are open to all. If the topic interests you, register and join us.

For those preparing for Reader Ministry: This forms the bulk of your preparation.

A December 2018 course is the only other inclusion. Commissioning will take place in March 2020, following the successful completion of a pre-commissioning

interview.

For those discerning a call to ordained ministry in the diocese: The topics stated above form a foundational Year 1 programme of study.

Two other years of study will follow. Time for vocational discernment will be included in each weekend.

For more information, contact Archdeacon Catherine Harper at 306 522 3103 or email archdeacon.catherine@sasktel. net.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Regina A young visitor from All Saints Anglican Church, Regina enjoys pancakes with a member of St. Martin Roman Catholic Church. Seventeen members from All Saints visited St. Martin’s on Jan. 20, while 24 parishioners from St. Martin came to All Saints the following Sunday. Photo by Laura French

Christ the King Roman Catholic church parishioner Dave Lareau and Nigel Salway from St. Luke’s Anglican, Regina, share a laugh following the Jan. 20 service at Christ the King, during which Salway read the second lesson.

Photo by Karen McBride

Bryan Sigurdson (in white shirt), from St. James Anglican Regina, visits with Wayne Gabriel of St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church over pancakes following mass at St. Cecilia on Jan. 20.

Photo by Joanne Shurvin-Martin

Leaders of the Rosemont Ecumenical group gather at St. James Anglican Church, Regina, before the service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. From left are Wayne Gabriel (St. Cecilia Roman Catholic), Rosemary Barley (St. James Anglican), Denise Esch (Community of Christ), Heather Bathgate (St. Luke United), Gaelyn Kennedy (Christ Lutheran). Rev. Nancy Yee, interim priest at St. James, who preached during the service, sits behind them. Photo by Joanne Shurvin-Martin

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

7

Regina churches honour Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

By Joanne ShurvinMartin with files from Laura French, Canon Trevor Powell and Nigel Salway REGINA — To mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, members from neighbouring Anglican and Roman Catholic parishes attend each other’s services.

These parish exchanges are just one component of implementing the Anglican Roman Catholic Covenant that was signed between the Anglican Diocese of Qu’Appelle and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina in 2011. They committed to working together “in jointly building up the body of Christ.”

At least four such exchanges occurred in the city of Regina this year (only four reports had been received by press time).

In the exchange between All Saints Anglican and St. Martin Porres Roman Catholic Church, 17 Anglicans attended St. Martin on Jan. 20; 24 Roman Catholics visited All Saints the following Sunday.

In each service, visitors participated in the worship by leading in prayers and reading Scripture.

Anglicans from St. James the Apostle attended Mass at St. Cecilia on Jan. 20, where one member read the first lesson. The Knights

Some of the ministers of the liturgy sit in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s Cathedral during the service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. From left are Graeme Henneberg, Claire Henneberg, Mark Mydelski, guest preacher Pastor Sarah Dymund from Trinity Lutheran Church, and Deacon Eric Gurash from Holy Rosary Cathedral.

Photo by Margaret Ball of Columbus served a pancake breakfast to all after the service.

Members of St. Cecilia were invited to St. James for a Liturgy of the Word service two weeks later — the date was chosen to accommodate the parish’s annual general meeting — where a hearty lunch was later served in the church hall.

The Anglican parish of St. Luke is paired with the Roman Catholic parish of Christ the King. Anglican visitors participated in the Mass on Jan. 20, and received a blessing at

communion from Father Stephen Bill.

On Jan. 22, Nigel Salway and Rev. Michael Bruce from St. Luke took part in a prayer service at Christ the King.

Rev. Bruce assisted the incumbent, Father Bill, with the liturgy and Salway read a lesson.

The following Sunday, parishioners from Christ the King joined in worship at St. Luke, where they received a blessing from Rev. Bruce, and enjoyed lunch after the service.

The two cathedrals in Regina are paired. On Jan.

20, a delegation from St. Paul’s Cathedral headed

by Canon Michael Jackson attended Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral.

A week later, a delegation headed by Deacon Eric Gurash from Holy Rosary Cathedral attended Solemn Eucharist at St. Paul’s to celebrate its patronal festival, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

As is fitting on such an ecumenical occasion, a priest or minister from another Regina denomination is asked to preach.

This year’s guest preacher

was Pastor Sarah Dymond of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Pastor Dymond and Archdeacon Catherine Harper concelebrated the Eucharist with celebrant Dean Mike Sinclair.

This year, the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue” (Deut.

16: 18-20). Prayer for Christian unity is the heart of the ecumenical movement since the unity we seek is given to us “as Christ wills, and according to His will.”

Trinidadian priest in serious condition after being shot

Rev. Gerald Hendrickson

TRINIDAD (ANS) — A priest in the Diocese of Trinidad & Tobago, Gerald Hendrickson, is in a serious condition in hospital after being shot as he left a cafe.

CCTV footage shows the gunman running after another man, shooting at him as he ran into a store.

He continued firing indiscriminately, hitting the priest twice in the stomach as he left the Big George food store as the shooting took place.

Reports say that police found 15 rounds of ammunition at the scene – one of them was still live.

Police responded quickly and a suspect was detained a short distance from the shooting.

They say that Hendrickson, a 54-year-old priest

based at St. Margaret’s Church in Belmont, Port of Spain, was “an innocent victim just going about his daily affairs” when he was shot.

The Bishop of Trinidad & Tobago, Claude Berkley, responded to the incident with a call for “a concerted effort to get illegal firearms off the streets” and a community programme to reduce criminal violence.

“One of the issues that we have to deal with is tackling the feeling that people can get away with the commission of crimes or that they will not be caught,” the bishop told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspaper.

“That kind of urge and feeling has led to a sense of brazenness and disre-

spect for law and order and seeking to promote some chaos on our streets and in our communi-ties.

“There is a need for some drastic action to help push back this kind of wanton and runaway situation where people feel they can act if they are angry . . . they can just respond to their anger and be without that self-control and self-discipline to hurt and even kill other people who are not even involved in their own conflict.”

Commenting on Gerald Hendrickson’s condition, Bishop Claude said, “He is in pain and somewhat restricted given the aftermath of the surgery that he undertook.

However, we are praying for him and a speedy recovery.”

8

The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

Cursillo rekindles memories from long ago

By A.E. Persson REGINA — “What on earth is Cursillo?”

That’s what I said when they all exclaimed: “Cursillo, Cursillo!” I asked my question more than 30 years ago, in Billings, Montana, after a harrowing flight.

Landing at the Denver International Airport, we were caught in a wind shear cascading over the Rocky Mountains.

We were too close to the ground. The pilot made an immediate decision to go full power on.

A downdraft this close to the ground could be deadly. We were in a large commercial airplane now flying across the airport grounds at full throttle, close enough for a normal landing with no runway

beneath us.

The person next to me, a well-dressed older woman who, up to that moment appeared confident, now asked if I would hold her hand.

She hadn’t talked to me for the whole flight, we didn’t know each other’s names, but she was visibly nervous, if not fearful.

After the plane was out of danger and we were attempting a second landing, we began to talk. It turned out that she was a successful businesswoman who had a daughter dying of

cancer. I assured her that my wife and I would pray for her. We did.

I don’t know how it turned out. God knows.

He’s a caring and loving God. I had been asked to come and speak to groups of people to encourage them to attend The Leighton Ford crusade in Billings, Montana. Ford was an associate evangelist of The Billy Graham Organization.

I was driven to prearranged groupings set up by the planners, and was kept busy following an exhausting but interesting schedule. Those crusades were well attended and covered by front-page news in the local papers.

During that week I spoke to car salesmen, firemen, business groups

and teachers.

The most interesting gathering I spoke to was an apartment full of Hispanic Americans who worked locally in the service industry, laundry, and restaurants, as hotel maids, janitors, dishwashers and labourers.

The room was so full that the only available chair left was the one for me to sit on. People were sitting on the floor and on the backs of couches, while others stood leaning against the wall. When the coffee and cookies were brought out, it was my turn to ask them questions.

My curiosity about this whole evening was more than sparked!

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community, as are many ethnic groups in any region. Most of them were originally from Texas and further south.

“Why are you all so interested in Christianity and so positive about revival?” That’s when it came: “Cursillo! Cursillo!”

They told me of its beginning in Spain after the Second World War and how it made its way into Latin American colonies.

I returned to Canada exhausted but satisfied by the adventure. For 25 years after that evening, I never heard the word again. We followed our children to the Anglican Church about 10 years ago, and have continued to walk in faith with them.

That’s where I spotted a brochure about Cursillo within the Anglican Church! My wife and I attended the very first Cursillo weekend held in the Qu’Appelle diocese in 2010.

If you’ve ever in your life enjoyed conversation around a campfire, or meeting new interesting people with amazing backgrounds and stories, you’d love Cursillo.

Even if you’re a cradle Anglican, have you ever wondered why you believe?

Do you have to “kiss your brain goodbye” to have faith?

Are there questions in my soul to which I haven’t found satisfying answers?

Could there be more? Why am I here? Why do I even know that I’m here? Is this all there is?

Cursillo is not the means nor the answer. It’s only a possible doorway to the only and true answer: The Word of God, which is the light of this world, and the only meaningful life of mankind.

God’s free gift to us is eternal life, and that life is in His son Jesus Christ.

He has been known to show up at Cursillo weekends!

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

9

Betty Burningham, Order of Sask. recipient, led by example

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — Betty Burningham was a recipient of the Order of Saskatchewan in 2014.

Sadly, she died on Jan. 14.

Betty was married to Rev. Ken Burningham, who ministered to the congregations of Arborfield, Cumberland House, Hudson Bay and James Smith Reserve. They were loved by all who knew them.

Burningham was a registered nurse and worked in the Arborfield Union Hospital as director of nursing until she retired. She also acted as the nurse at Camp Okema.

Burningham went above and beyond the call of minister’s wife. She worked with the ACW, VBS, and Sunday school, but also helped with the

DIOCESE OF QU’APPELLE

Betty Burningham ACW Ladies Retreat, Arbo-Teen Conference, Caring Evangelism, Stephen Ministers and Ascension Bible study.

She was still leading monthly Bible studies at the special care home in

Arborfield. Burningham was a lovely lady and her lifelong service was only exceeded by her Christian faith and example.

According to her obituary, Betty Ann Burningham was born on Feb 4, 1935, to Harold and Amy Barlow in Vermilion, Alberta. She grew up on the family farm in the district of Buffalo Coulee.

After completing her grade 12, she trained at the University of Alberta as a registered nurse, graduating in September of 1957.

In December 1957, she married Ken Burningham and they moved to Brandon, Manitoba.

Shortly thereafter, they moved to Winnipeg where they welcomed their first son.

In 1962, their second son was born and they

moved to Chilliwack, BC. Their next move was to Halifax where they welcomed their daughter in 1964.

In 1967, they moved to Saskatoon where mom continued her nursing career at RUH. In 1970, Ken and Betty moved to Arborfield and she resumed nursing at the Arborfield Union Hospital.

While at the hospital she served as director of nursing until her retirement.

She was very involved in the Church of the Ascension and for years worked at Camp Okema as a nurse and a cook.

Burningham's passion was cooking. There was not a birthday that went by without mom making an angel food cake for the birthday person.

The clergy of the deanery always looked

forward to the gourmet meals that she would prepare.

Another, passion was gardening. All you have to do is take one look at her raspberry patch which started off as one bush, and has just about taken the whole backyard.

Betty was predeceased by her husband Ken, her brother Stan and tragically two of her children Kirby and Shaun.

She is survived by her son Kevin and his wife Donna (Graham and Lauren), her daughterin-law Diane (Kenneth, Sarah, Amy) and granddaughter Stephanie, her great-grandchildren Gabriel and Emily, her sister Katharine (Stu), her brother-in-law Bill and numerous nieces and nephews.

Photo courtesy heritagefuneral.ca.

RETIREMENT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT

Upcoming events Lay retreat from April 26 to 28 The annual diocesan retreat for lay people will be held Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28 at Wood Acres in Moose Jaw. Full details will be sent to all parishes and posted on the diocesan website (quappelle.anglican.ca). The silent retreat provides an opportunity to listen, learn, meditate and worship, while being “away from the world” for a few days.

Child and youth ministry dates April 27 — GrandDay Out (Grandparents and grandchildren, Regina) May 4 — GrandDay Out (Grandparents and grandchildren, Regional) July 24 to 28 — Juniors’ and Children’s camp Aug. 12 to16 — Teens Adventure Camp. Details to follow at www.qcamps.ca.

CrossTalk daycamps: July 8 to 12; July 15 to 19; July 22 to 26; July 29 to Aug. 4. Locations will be provided at a later date.

Contact Julie Moser, Youth and Children’s Missioner, at julie.moser@ sasktel.net.

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10

The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

Practical theology is for everyone

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

E

arly this winter, I hailed a cab at Ottawa airport, got in, and asked the driver to take me to St. Paul’s University. The driver asked if I was a professor; I told him yes, but from Saskatoon not Ottawa.

Right away, he wanted to know what I was a professor of.

“Theology,” I said, expecting it to be a conversation stopper. It’s his next question that I remember most from the whole trip. “That’s kind of abstract, isn’t it?” he asked.

Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. It’s a stereotype of theology, going back centuries. In the middle ages, so the story goes, people would even debate how many angels could dance on the head of a pin.

That’s pretty abstract.

People of my grandparents’ generation put it another way.

Describing a preacher whose head was in the clouds, they would say, “He’s so heavenly minded, he’s no earthly use.”

More recently, philosophical critics of theology categorize it as a language game. If you know what the rules are, you can play, but it only makes sense from the inside.

So, I knew from where the cabbie was coming, but I also wanted to challenge the stereotype. This past year, much of my teaching has been in a field we describe as practical theology. And no, that’s not a contradiction in terms!

As I told the driver, our students are mainly involved in preparation for ministry, which is intensely focused on the practicalities of people’s lives.

They learn theological language and concepts, in order to sound the depths of what is happening in real experiences such as illness, relational conflict, and social injustice.

That’s not just about having a bag full of theological ideas, ready to bring out when someone needs them. In fact, practical theology puts that in reverse. It’s about observing how people’s convictions, beliefs, and

spiritual experience are a part of their actions and reactions in real life.

Quite often, the process of observation leads to the observer learning something. I’ve had this experience, walking with people through pain, grief, or the felt absence of God. Their faith, not my “book learning,” was what I went away thinking about.

But there can also be times when an individual or community wants their faith to be shaken up. I’ve encountered churches, for example, at two different extremes in the way they relate to God. In one, God is transcendent, far above and beyond day to day realities. Worship in that church is beautiful and uplifting, but its members have a hard time connecting worship to the rest of their life.

Another church understands God as deeply involved with,

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and passionate about, the struggle to make things right in the world. They are active and visible in their faith, but they’re tired! They don’t know how to “be still and know that I am God.” Both those churches have a faith, a theology, that is evident in the way they live. Both of them want something more. Practical theology can help them take a critical look at themselves and see a dimension of faith lacking in their experience, but visible in someone else’s.

Of course, just telling someone what to believe doesn’t make them believe it, and certainly doesn’t make that belief a wellintegrated part of how they live their life.

So practical theology is also about understanding how faith changes, through our willingness to experiment, to test the spiritual traditions we are a part of, and to give other people’s convictions a place in our hearts.

The focus to this process is to take people’s faith seriously, just as it is. That is what leads to discovery, for the theologian and their community. For pastors and preachers, this means drawing back from telling people what to believe, and instead reflecting back the faith you read in the life of a church and its members.

Most churches have both strong and weak points, which will come to light that way.

But practical theology isn’t just a tool for the pulpit. All of us can do it, as we watch and observe the faith that is put into practice by our neighbours and our secular communities.

That’s essential, as we work together with people whose motivations are different from ours.

By understanding from where they are coming, we can avoid conflict, and still find common ground.

By the end of my taxi ride, I’d had quite a good conversation about lottery tickets, of all things.

There were some theological principles involved, and they weren’t very abstract. We talked about the rightness of how we use money and how we have fun, and how different beliefs on those topics can co-exist.

I hope the driver went away with a different perspective on theology. I know I did.

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

11

Orthodox and Anglicans celebrate St. Nicholas While Santa Claus sat in the shopping mall, St. Nicholas sat on the bishop’s throne

By Canon Claude Schroeder REGINA — Since 2017 a small congregation of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians has been gathering at St. Mary’s Anglican Church to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.

Their service on Saturday mornings typically lasts two and a half to three hours.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest churches in the world.

It traces its origins to the encounter recorded in the Acts of the Apostles between St. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40).

This makes Ethiopia, in sub-Saharan Africa, arguably the first nation outside of Israel to receive the Gospel.

But the links between Ethiopia and Israel go back 1,000 years earlier, to the visit of the Queen of Sheba to the court of King Solomon in Jerusalem, as recorded in 1 Kings 10.

Referring to this event, Jesus declared, The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here (Matt. 12:42).

If, as one might surmise, the visit of the pagan Queen to the Jewish King was also conjugal in nature, then Ethiopia and Israel are, in fact, related by blood.

But the kinship is principally spiritual.

According to ancient tradition, the Ark of the Covenant found its way to Ethiopia.

To this day, a copy of a relic of the Ark of the Covenant is also carried by a priest in an elaborate and joyful procession around the outside of the church, on the occasion of a parish’s patronal festival, such as took place at St. Mary’s last June.

Canon Claude Schroeder (standing) holds the microphone for “St. Nicholas” seated on the bishop’s throne, when St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox and St. Mary’s Anglican churches joined to celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas. The saint asked the assembled children if they had heard the good news of Jesus.

Photo by Mastewai Birhanu From 1941 to 1974, the pan-African tri-colour flag of Ethiopia featured a crowned Lion of Judah bearing the cross, a sign of the kinship that exists between Ethiopia and Israel, in the blood of her Messiah.

Today the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox churches, enjoys a membership of 45 to 50 million people.

On Dec. 8, more than 80 children, youth, and adults from St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox and St. Mary’s Anglican gathered in the parish hall to celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas.

In imitation of St. Nicholas’ concern for the poor, and in obedience to Jesus’ mercy command, they decorated table settings for the Christmas dinner being hosted by the Marion Centre in Regina; gift baskets were also prepared containing small gifts, socks, gloves and toiletries for the men who would attend the dinner.

As well, the children decorated gingerbread cookies, hand-dipped beeswax candles and prepared Christmas cards.

The highlight of the

afternoon consisted of a special Vespers service for St. Nicholas.

Following Ethiopian tradition, worshippers removed their shoes before entering the church.

(Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

Exodus 3:5).

Following the Gospel reading from Mark 10:13-15 — Let the children come unto me — the great St. Nicholas himself led a procession of Ethiopian deacons, chanters, and drummers into the church.

Whereas Santa Claus, seated on his throne in the mall, enquires of the children about their wishes for Christmas, St. Nicholas, seated on the bishop’s throne on the chancel steps of the church, enquires of the children whether they have heard the Good News of Jesus, and proceeds to share it with them.

During the recessional hymn, the children followed the Great Saint out into the narthex to the nativity window where they found their shoes had been filled with treats.

The evening concluded with a buffet dinner of

Ethiopian cuisine.

“We pray with St. Nich’las our Patron and Saint That we may be nourished and never grow

faint In telling the Gospel of God’s saving might To all who come seeking the Truth and the Light.”

(Tune: To God be the Glory)

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Deadline for Registration is MARCH 15th, 2019 We are reading the Gospel of St. John for Lent 2019.

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12

The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

St. Aidan holds Alpha film series

By Julie Moser

Ordination in Lloydminster

Muriel Foster was ordained to the diaconate by the Right Rev. Chris Harper, bishop of Saskatoon, in St. John’s Minster Parish, Lloydminster on Jan. 24. The Rev. Foster and the diocesan clergy present for the service of ordination celebrated with Bishop Chris afterward.

Photo by Tracey Harper

MOOSE JAW (Qu’A) — About 30 people participated in an Alpha Course held at St. Aidan late last year.

Alpha was held on Thursday evenings and involved supper at 6 p.m. followed by the Alpha film presentation and table discussion group time.

After the first “come and see” week, table groups were formed with those who indicated they wanted to stay, and continued with the same table group each week.

Participants represented a variety of backgrounds, age groups and levels of involvement in or connection with St. Aidan.

A number of St. Aidan parishioners helped to make Alpha happen, as table hosts and co-hosts, cook and kitchen hands, tech and administration support. Without all of these people Alpha would not have run as smoothly and been as successful.

A highlight for everyone was the weekly meals.

Each night had a new theme with a table loaded with a rich variety of salads, meats, cooked dishes, finger food and desserts.

It became something

to which everyone looked forward. Amanda Hackney, interim theology professor at Briercrest College, amazed the group with her skill and dedication to not only prepare all the meals but also to personally cover the expense.

She even hosted a weekly table group when she was done cooking!

As the course came closer to the final week, many people expressed sadness that a very significant time was ending – particularly with the small groups that built relationship and enabled deep and meaningful conversation about life’s big issues.

As a result of Alpha, some participants became regular members of the 10:30 a.m. service and have begun to call St. Aidan their church.

On the final night there was a large group sharing time to complete the time together. Many positive and encouraging words were shared.

It is a shame to not be able to list them all, but one person’s response beautifully described the effect of Alpha: “I have been in the Anglican Church all my life, but now I feel like I have come home.”

A shared meal is an important part of each Alpha session. Catherine Reichel (at right) starts to serve herself at the buffet.

Photo by Julie Moser

Becoming God's beloved

By Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier Editor’s note: Rev. MarieLouise Ternier serves All Saints Anglican Parish and Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Watrous. Since last summer she is also a member of the national Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue (ARC Canada). A more extensive version of this article can be found on her blog at http:// graceatsixty.wordpress. com.

Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the Beloved. Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.”

These words from Henri Nouwen circle my heart whenever I walk with someone who is struggling to be liberated from the yoke of self-rejection. The hard knocks of life have a way of infiltrating our core identity in destructive ways.

Each time I encounter it in a sister or brother, I find myself reflecting on my own brushes with this insidious, hissing voice, lying in wait for our deathdealing allegiance.

We are deeply affected by the challenges and hardships in our personal lives. But we respond in different ways according to our history and life ex-

“

perience, our temperament and our opportunities.

However, the hissing voice of self-rejection whispers around every corner, including in those working to transform unjust societal systems. Even circles of social activism can become echo chambers for the cunning voices, subtly fostering a culture of victimhood.

Being a part of, or advocating on behalf of, an oppressed minority can so seep into our identity that it can serve as a free pass for intolerance towards anyone who disagrees, robbing them in turn of the freedom to name their own experience.

On the challenging legs of my own life journey, I have leaned into tensions, hardships and breakdowns deeply and fully, fruitfully and faithfully, often against the world’s

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logic. I gravitate towards the spiritual route, a response that is not always understood, respected or appreciated, even in church circles.

Such a response demands a sharp awareness of the sound of hissing voices of self-rejection, plus an intentionally staying clear of the trap of giving feelings of victimization the power to determine my primary identity.

The way we navigate our inner path with God has a direct effect on the outer path we tread in the world.

In other words, not grounding our identity in God’s love through Jesus — the only safe ground — will make us exact from the world — even from the church — an affirmation/ recognition that cannot be delivered by fallible and imperfect human beings.

The hard lessons from

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

the refiner’s fires of life deeply shape our mental maps and the ways we engage challenging realities today. Without a courageous claiming of our identity as God’s beloved, we become easy prey to self-rejection, sometimes masked as self-righteousness, even in circles of social activism.

Are those who disagree with us always unjust and unenlightened? We are each the product of multiple experiences, encounters and belief systems. We all carry unhealed wounds and emotional baggage.

Failing to consider this wounded-ness and diversity with respect and gentleness, to dismiss opponents as merely narrow-minded conversation stoppers, to turn them into problems or obstructions of justice, runs the risk of a new type of fundamentalism or doctrinal orthodoxy that disregards another’s history, freedom and conscience – hence the free pass to intolerance.

As a saying reminds us,

13

“Be kind, for everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about.”

It’s hard work to keep the ears of our heart open when listening to different perspectives. The spiritual challenge is always and only to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us (Luke 6:27 and Romans 12:20), leaving the rest to God. This God is not finished with any of us yet.

Dodging outside voices of rejection is never a small matter, and the dodging never ends. I still cave in at times.

But Henri Nouwen is right: being God’s beloved and living from that centre truly does set us free to live in joy, peace and communion with all, regardless of differences and disagreements.

Such freedom gives no power to opponents, personal or ecclesial, to define or hurt us.

Indeed, this freedom and communion is truly out of this world, and even out of this church.

Sunday boxes include kids in worship

By Lauren Featherby OUTLOOK (Qu’A) — Shoe boxes? Chocolate boxes?

No, at the back of St. Mark’s Church in Outlook, you’ll find Sunday boxes.

The church doesn’t have a Sunday school – in fact, the church doesn’t have any children who attend regularly. But the small, welcoming congregation wanted to make sure that any children who do come to St. Mark’s are made to feel part of the worship service.

With the help and encouragement of Julie Moser, the Youth and Children’s Missioner for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, St. Mark’s ACW took up the challenge of creating the Sunday Boxes.

The boxes are simply small pizza boxes that are decorated on the outside with bright contact paper.

Tucked inside are some crayons, a notepad, a book of children’s prayers, colouring and activity sheets, as well as a tiny prayer bear.

Cards printed with the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed are also included so the child can read along with everyone during the service. Some of the materials in the boxes were obtained through The Anglican

The ACW of St. Mark's, Outlook, created Sunday boxes to welcome youngsters to church services.

Photos by Lauren Featherby Foundation of Canada.

Colouring sheets can be found easily on many websites. Several even have them for each specific Sunday of the church year.

When youngsters come into St. Mark’s, they are given one of the boxes to use during the service.

When closed, the lid of the box acts as a small writing/colouring surface.

At the end of the service, children can take home any of their colouring sheets. The rest of the materials are stored back in the box, ready for when he/she comes again.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

AnglicanLutheran partnership signed in Watrous The Right Rev. Chris Harper, Bishop of Saskatoon, spent time with parishioners of All Saints’ Anglican Parish and Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Watrous. His visit provided the occasion to ratify the partnership agreement between the two churches which, after nearly three years of its existence, has been updated. Bishop Chris signed the revised partnership agreement at the end of the Eucharist.

With him are Rev. MarieLouise Ternier (at left), Cindy Vanthuyne, council chair of Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, and Mel Penrose, rector’s warden for All Saints’ Anglican Parish.

Both churches continue to work and minister together with new hope and vision.

The bishop was there on Jan. 20. Photos by All Saints’ Anglican Parish

Mel Penrose, her granddaughter Beth Penrose, and Bishop Chris cut the cake to celebrate the signing of the partnership agreement between Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church and All Saints’ Anglican Parish in Watrous.

Podcast examines faith in society LONDON, ONT. — In October 2018, a new podcast re-examining the role of faith and the place of church in society was launched in London, Ont., from an unlikely place.

The Diocese of Huron’s Canon Kevin George, rector of St. Aidan’s, and the Rev. Rob Henderson, rector of the parish of

Holy Trinity-St. Stephen’s Memorial, are behind “The Vicars’ Crossing.”

The podcast features the two priests conversing about faith over a pint and is recorded in the top floor of a local pub.

George was moved to start the podcast “as a way of reaching out to the community beyond the

walls of our church,” he says.

He invited Henderson to join, and the two settled on the formula of casual conversation about the intersection between faith and the public square.

They approached Stephen Rogers, manager at Crossings Pub and Eatery and made a deal:

The Right Rev. Chris Harper and the Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier speak during the signing of the partnership agreement between All Saints’ Anglican Parish and Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Watrous.

Rogers would cover the cost of the recording equipment and provide a room in which to record, and in return, the pub would get recognition as a sponsor in every episode.

Each episode features a different guest, from bestselling author Michael Higgins to the diocese of Huron’s PWRDF representative Canon Greg Smith.

After the tragic

shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn., the podcasters invited Rabbi Debra Dressler on the show for a conversation about ways to come to one another’s aid in the midst of such crises.

The podcast is available on YouTube and Soundcloud, and at www.facebook.com/ vicarscrossing.

— Huron Church News

March 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Last Mountain Parish holds ecumenical service

By Rev. Jack Robson

Deacon Jack Robson and Rev. Mitchell Anderson of Nokomis United Church meet during the ecumenical service of Nine Lessons and carols.

Photo by Rev. Jack Robson

NOKOMIS (Qu’A) — Christ Church was filled almost to capacity last December as Last Mountain Parish gathered again to celebrate one of the most popular services of the year, Nine Lessons and Carols.

As in recent years, the service was a joyful ecumenical gathering with guests and contributions from the congregations of Nokomis United Church and St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church.

The wonderful, age-old story of Jesus’ birth was retold in Scripture and song, led by organist Jeanine Knoblauch and Deacon Jack Robson on guitar.

The time of worship was opened by Colleen McNichol, who led in the lighting of the second Advent candle.

Some highlights of the morning service were Lydia Dzurich’s great vocal rendition of Silent Night; the talented Ruth Ann Richter’s What Child is This, accompanied by guitarist husband Roland; and Dennis Kresier’s message in story form, Twice Mine, the story of a little boy who had to buy

New training options at Saskatoon's St. Brigid School of Discipleship The Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon is pleased to announce the creation of St. Brigid’s School of Discipleship.

Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in our day and age is no easy task. We all try our best, but sometimes we can use some mentoring and support.

St. Brigid’s offers short, practical, and accessible classes designed for all levels of Christian discipleship, from “testing the waters,” to lay readers’ training, all the way to our locally trained clergy program for deacons and priests.

We also provide diocesan-wide rites of passage preparation courses, advanced spiritual care training and theological reflection, and continuing education events for

clergy.

At St. Brigid’s, we know that Bible reading, spiritual formation, and a growing appreciation of our Christian (Anglican and ecumenical) traditions are foundational pillars for the transformative work of discipleship.

St. Brigid’s provides training for local church renewal, by our local church.

We draw on our own in-house talent and resources by recruiting diocesan clergy and lay specialists as faculty for our courses, in a peer leadership philosophy of Christian education.

St. Brigid’s is a school without walls.

By offering classes for discipleship training in local parishes throughout our three deaneries, we cut down on your amount

of commuting and bring the school to you instead.

St. Brigid’s is dedicated to prayer and worship.

We are committed to worshipping together by giving thanks to God our Creator, listening for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and looking for ways to serve Christ in our communities.

By the way, at St. Brigid’s we know that being a disciple of Jesus will probably cost you your life, but tuition shouldn’t.

Our courses and services are offered free of charge, sponsored by the diocese.

For more information, please email the diocesan synod office at anglicansynod@sasktel. net or call the diocesan synod office at 306-2445651.

back his prized little boat that had been lost.

The carols and stories provided wonderful spiritual food.

The beloved Christmas scriptures were heard again by the faithful, and the voices joined as one, in praise to our Lord and Saviour, our Heavenly King, as the large congregation celebrated His birth.

Closing remarks and the Grace were led by Rev. Mitchell Anderson of Nokomis United Church.

The worshippers then proceeded to the legion hall, where they were treated to a very delicious Christmas turkey dinner, with all the trimmings, catered by Nokomis Early Learning Group.

15

Volunteers lead hospital service FREDERICTON, N.B. — More than 20 years ago, lay readers from St. John the Evangelist Church in the Diocese of Fredericton and volunteers began an interdenominational Sunday service at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton, N.B. It’s still going strong.

Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. finds a small group of lay readers leading the service, and volunteers escorting patients from their rooms to the chapel— or if the crowd is too big, into a larger room—for a service of readings, music and a short sermon.

Some patients are one-timers, there only for a short stay in the hospital.

Others have been there for months, waiting for a nursing-home bed. Typical attendance ranges between 12 and 20 patients.

“Patients enjoy it,” says Shirley Smith, who usually leads the service, which she has been a part of for at least 18 years. “Some of them may not fully understand what’s happening, but others listen very closely to the sermon."

Pakistan court upholds acquittal of Asia Bibi PAKISTAN (ANS) — An attempt by Islamic extremists to overturn the acquittal of Asia Bibi (pictured), who had been detained for eight years on death row accused of blasphemy, has been rejected by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

Asia Bibi was finally cleared in October, after the court ruled that the case against her was based on “conflicts” and “contradictions.”

Riots took place in Pakistan following her acquittal, which ended only after hardline group Tehreek-e Labaik were given permission to issues a fresh appeal to the Supreme Court.

“On merit, this petition is dismissed,” Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said in court today (Tuesday).

He was critical of the petitioners, and said that they had failed to indicate any mistake in the acquittal judgment.

“You think we give the death sentence to someone on the basis of false evidence?” he said. “Such lies were told that one statement doesn’t match with another.

“Please point out any error in our judgement and we’re ready to rectify it. . . You start declaring someone deserves to be killed just on the basis of false evidence.”

Asia Bibi’s original conviction stemmed from an incident in 2010 when she drank water from a glass that some co-workers said was reserved for Muslims.

She was lynched and taken to a public meeting where, it was said, she made statements considered blasphemous. But the person who lodged the complaint was not at the meeting; and two witnesses who were did not give evidence at her trial.

16

The Saskatchewan Anglican

March 2019

What next for St. Cuthbert’s Archdeaconry?

The wardens and clergy of St. Cuthbert’s Archdeaconry have been meeting regularly for several months to discuss and plan the future of the archdeaconry, which includes the Anglican churches in Regina and surrounding area. Here Archdeacon Cheryl Toth updates St. Luke’s parishioners on some of the most recent findings. Photo by Nigel Salway

Anglican priest from Syria finds welcoming home in Canada

By Peter Lozinski PA Daily Herald PRINCE ALBERT — “It’s cold out there,” Rev. Eyad Ajji says as he sits down at a desk in the Diocese of Saskatchewan Office recently.

It’s the Anglican priest’s second day in Prince Albert.

While the temperature might be cooler than he’s used to, hailing from Syria and living for 13 years in Jordan, he’s not a stranger to the Canadian winter.

Ajji has spent the last two years and two months in Calgary, where he and his family settled when they first came to Canada.

Ajji is the Anglican Church’s newest priest in Prince Albert.

While he’s relatively new to Canada, Ajji says he didn’t come as a refugee.

“My family and I lived in Jordan for 13 years because I was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church there,” he explains.

“You can call us newcomers to Canada.”

Ajji described the situation in the Middle East as getting worse and worse day-by-day.

Rev. Eyad Ajji poses for a photo in Prince Albert on Feb. 1, the day after he moved to the city.

Photo courtesy Peter Lozinski/Daily Herald “Because we are a Syrian family, living in Jordan, we were still foreigners there, even though we speak the same language,” he said.

“Because of the Syrian crisis, the future wasn’t obvious for us. If my children graduated from university, they wouldn’t get any jobs because they were foreigners. At that time, it was clear that we couldn’t visit our country because of the

war in Syria. The idea came up that we should find another place to live peacefully. We applied to Canada, and the door was open widely at that time, and we came.”

Ajji said the move went smoothly, and with the help of their new neighbours in Calgary, the family was able to figure out how to fit in.

“For us, as a family, people were friendly and kind with us,” he recalled.

“They let us feel that this is really our home.”

Ajji emphasized that not all Syrians who have come to Canada are refugees. Some are, he said, fleeing the situation in that country and going to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan before making their way to Canada.

“They were in need,” he said.

He doesn’t agree that people are coming here to try to somehow change the way the country operates.

“Some people maybe think they come here to change the culture. I totally disagree,” he said.

“As a newcomer, regardless of the country I come from, when I immigrated to Canada, we should understand that this country has standards, laws. We shouldn’t change anything.”

Ajji’s Thursday arrival in Prince Albert wasn’t just his first time in the city, it was also his first time in Saskatchewan.

He’s looking forward to getting to know the community, and so far he’s heard good things.

“We have been told that people are friendly here, the city is nice and the city

has everything,” he said.

“I have a job here, we have a school for our kids — I think it will be good.”

So far, the local Anglican community has been helping Ajji and his family settle in to their new home.

“People kept in touch with me on email.

Especially when I met Bishop Michael (Hawkins) today, and the other staff, I felt like I had been living here for several months.

Nothing was strange, nothing was really new,” he said.

“Before we arrived, I felt like they were our family.”

Ajji’s installation as a Prince Albert priest took place on Feb. 3 at St. George’s Anglican Church, 1104 Fourth Street East.