Saskatchewan anglican
The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • March 2014
Franciscan friars to leave St. Michael’s Retreat by 2016 By Frank Flegel
Noah’s Ark, on a different type of water
Members of Arborfield’s Church of the Ascension help assemble Noah’s Ark out of snow and ice, as part of the local library’s promotion of taking part in various winter activities. Photo — Munden Coates
Where sculpture meets Scripture By Munden Coates ARBORFIELD (Skwn) – The Arborfield Library Board has been actively promoting community activities to help us get through this cold Saskatchewan winter. The Anglican Church of Ascension accepted its challenge to create a snow sculpture. Vestry approved the choice of Noah’s Ark, so minister’s warden Ken Edwards and vestry member Munden Coates acquired the
materials and binned snow for the rough outline. Gwen Ehrlich, from the neighbouring town of Carrot River, provided the expertise and talent. Fifteen members of the congregation showed up on a sunny Sunday afternoon to transform a solid rectangular block of snow into a “bathtub,” then a “cradle,” then a passable, if whimsical, version of Noah’s Ark. Soon giraffes, elephants
and bears were peering out the portholes; turtles, hippos, weasels and beavers covered the deck; and a pair of doves roosted on the sagging roof of the forecastle. Betty Edwards made sure the children were familiar with Genesis 6- 8. Shirley Reavie brought cookies and in her button collection we found eyes for the larger animals. Now that’s better than just getting through winter. That’s embracing it.
What is the Fred Says Campaign? By PWRDF Diocesan Representatives: Mary Ann Assailly and Barbara Spurr– Diocese of Saskatoon; Violet Goodfellow – Diocese of Saskatchewan; Basil Pogue – Diocese of Qu’Appelle The Fred Says Campaign is a three-year concentrated effort by the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) to address issues of food security through education, engagement and fundraising. Please see the website Fredsays.ca for more details. Food security is different from food aid, which is giving a hungry
person a meal to address the immediate need. Food security is teaching and sharing with people to give the knowledge, resources and skills needed to provide food for themselves and their families. The issue of enabling global food security is complex and requires a sustainable commitment from us, from our partners and from the people we are serving. Food security is important, as one person in every eight people in the world is hungry. PWRDF wants to help change that. A series of “Fredisms” will be used to drive the campaign in Canadian dioceses. A new Fredism will be launched every
two months. In November 2013, the first “Fredism” launched: Fred Says, Have you eaten today? In Mozambique, AIDS patients receiving treatment are under a real strain as the treatment requires them to be well nourished. Anti-retroviral treatment is very hard on the human body and can be fatal if improperly managed. By donating to PWRDF, Canadians can help fund a food basket project in Mozambique. Fred Says Goal #1: To provide 600 AIDS patients in Mozambique a secure food supply for the first two months of their anti-retroviral treatment at $80 per basket. See “Campaign” on Page 3
Ministries,” said Vavrek. Cindy Seiferling, director of St. COCHRANE, Alta. – Rev. Dennis Michael’s, has worked at the site Vavrek, ofm, Western Canada for 11 years. Provincial for the Franciscans, “It’s understandable confirmed in a Jan. 2 telephone considering that their numbers are interview that Franciscans are down. Change is inevitable,” said leaving St. Michael’s Retreat Seiferling. Ministries in Lumdsen. “We’ve been discussing “Like most religious sustainability for some time, so it communities in the Western world really didn’t come as a surprise.” our numbers are declining and we It doesn’t have to be a negative have two retreat thing, said centres. Seiferling. “It’s understandable “At our “It’s just chapter meeting considering that their change and in May 2013, numbers are down. change can be a the future was thing. I’m Change is inevitable. good discussed and so grateful for it was decided We’ve been discussing the Franciscans. that we can no sustainability for some “They’re longer maintain helped so many time, so it really didn’t people two retreat and come as a surprise.” without them centres, that we’d have to would Cindy Seiferling, there leave one and it have been no St. director of Michael’s.” was decided that St. Michael’s Retreat we would leave F o r m e r St. Michael’s Director Donna Retreat in Lumsden on or before Fischer worked at St. Michael’s the next Chapter meeting, which for 33 years and still works some will be in 2016.” of the retreats. St. Michael’s Retreat Ministries She is also chair of the Friends celebrated its 50th anniversary of St. Michael’s, an informal group during 2013 and the community that supports St. Michael’s through did not wish to discuss the issue fundraising and other efforts. until the end of the anniversary “Firstly I was sad, because year. we have this long, wonderful The other retreat facility is tradition, but being there and Mount St. Francis in Cochrane, watching the Friars age and seeing Alberta. the younger ones (who) are not Retreat houses do not make interested in retreat ministry, I money, said Vavrek. St. Michael’s wasn’t surprised.” income pays the operating bills but Vavrek said several options are doesn’t make a profit. being considered, but the priority The Franciscan community, is for St. Michael’s to continue in because it owns the building, pays some form. all capital costs. “It is the only retreat centre in Vavrek said the ecumenical southern Saskatchewan and it is a board of Anglican, Evangelical busy retreat centre with a loyal and Lutheran, Roman Catholic faith dedicated staff.” traditions and representatives from Three Franciscans, Brothers the Franciscans and the Regina Gerry Clyne and Dominic Tessier Archdiocese will continue to along with Father Michael govern, but other options are being Conaghan remain at St.Michael’s considered. and are expected to remain there “Yes, we have sort of tested until about the middle of 2015, the waters to see what interest said Vavrek. there might be, but our number Two other Franciscans reside one priority is to find a way to at Regina’s Santa Maria Senior continue as St. Michael’s Retreat Citizens Home.
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
March 2014
Context important in discussing Jesus’ death, resurrection with kids How can parents discuss the death and crucifixion of Jesus with their children? By Archdeacon Daniel Hughes SASKATOON – Responsible parents are, of course, careful about what their young children view on the TV or other media, to ensure that what is being watched is suitable and appropriate for their child’s age. They check the rating labels to make sure nothing unsuitable will be presented to their child. The Bible also contains stories that need warning labels on them, as some of them contain a lot of violence and death and other things too! Some of the stories in Scripture can easily be delayed until later but, what are parents to do when it comes to presenting the story of the crucifixion and death of Jesus? Or when their child asks them about it? Considering that particular story is central to the telling of the Christian faith, it cannot be ignored. Perhaps the answer is for the
Young children know about death to one extent or another. They see dead birds, they have had pets die and perhaps have lost a friend or family member. Children see and experience that suffering is a part of life. parents to find a way to present the essence of it in a way that will not subject their children to the hard edge and violence of the story. The key is to find a way to tell the story in the context of the child’s life as they currently understand it. We could start with some of the gentler stories of Jesus, that teach children that he was a very good man who was sent by God to do a lot of very good things for needy people. Jesus became friends with
those who were picked on by others for who they were and made sick people feel well again. That establishes his character. But just as in our world (or school or neighbourhood) there are people who were mean to him because he was good or different from the others. These people, not God, were so mean to him that they killed him. And then just as with the adults, it’s important not to leave it at Good Friday, but carry on to the resurrection and how the disciples experienced Jesus to be alive again. Young children know about death to one extent or another. They see dead birds, they have had pets die and perhaps have lost a friend or family member. Children see and experience that suffering is a part of life. However, they can be told that God’s love continues though all of our pain and suffering and like as happened to Jesus, suffering opens a new door of life with God and there’s no need to be afraid.
It is helpful for us to remember that the Christian faith links suffering with love. When is God’s love most clearly shown? In the suffering and death of Jesus. Why? Because when our lives become hard, God knows what it is like, because he has been there and has overcome even death. Just as care needs to be exercised when telling the story of Christ’s death, children can also be confused by the complicated theological implications the story presents. Again that needs to be explained in a way the makes sense to the child in their own context. A parent could explain that in the story it seemed that the bullies won and made Jesus go away. But the love of God is always stronger than any bullies or bad person. Just as God helped his Son Jesus, so will he help us no matter how bad things get. And that’s a good message for people of any age!
Metaphors and simple stories another way to discuss Jesus’ death with children By Rev. Norbert Haukenfrers How can parents discuss the death and crucifixion of Jesus with their children? PRINCE ALBERT – Jesus’ death and crucifixion only makes sense within the context of God’s revelation story. Otherwise, it is like trying to explain to someone else about making your final mortgage payment without understanding what a house is, what a mortgage payment is or knowing that we eat, sleep, play and generally live with each other, in houses. I would begin by telling a story about a group of friends who spent a lot of time in the most amazing playground, so amazing that it only had one rule: Don’t eat the peaches from that one tree. It’s a special tree and those are special peaches, made just for the Playground-maker. This playground for living was made by one of the friends, the Playground-maker, and given to all of them to play in, as long as they followed this one rule. It wasn’t long before the other friends, Mr. Dirdt Fromm and Mrs. Sidely Fromm, began to wonder what those peaches would taste like and what made them so special anyways.
A b o u t that time, a stranger slithered by and told Sidely and Dirdt if they ate those peaches from that tree, they could make their own playground. Mr. and Mrs. Fromm ate some peaches from that one tree, and all of a sudden, they felt the wind and cold. They knew that what they had done changed everything. When their friend, the Playground-maker, came back they were scared of him. Long story short, the Playground-maker didn’t stop loving them, but they could no longer stay in this playground. The Playground-maker gave them clothes to help them with the cold they felt. Over the years Dirdt and Sidely, and generations after
them, did a lot of things to try and make their own playgrounds. T h e y did a lot of things to make things right with the Playgroundmaker. B u t nothing ever really lasted for very long; they would get distracted and start working on their own playgrounds again. F i n a l l y, t h e Playground-maker sent His son to the playground to become friends with those who wanted to make friends with the Playground-maker. Some believed that he was the son of the Playground-maker and others didn’t and wanted to get rid of him. He was messing up their playground and wasn’t playing by their rules.
Others began to see that this son of the Playground-maker really knew how to live life well. He was fun to be with, so they started following him and began playing like he played. Finally the time came when those who were protecting their own playground succeeded and they killed him following their own playground rules. They crucified him. What they didn’t realize was that is exactly what the Playground-maker knew they would do. By the death of the son of the Playground-maker, it once again became possible to become friends with Him and to play in his amazing playground for living. To make sure that everyone understood that the Playgroundmaker was back and wanted to remake his playground, he ripped the cloth in the temple that separated His playground from all the other playgrounds. Making it clear that all playgrounds could be renewed – becoming His playground. And that is what the Playground-maker has begun doing. And that is why Jesus died on the cross. Photo — Keith Weller
Saskatchewan The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • January 2013
anglican
Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August. Whole No. 292, Vol. 42, 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 recieved by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, March 21. All pictures must be sent as JPEGS and 1 MB (megabyte) in size. 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 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: Amy Dow amy.elizabeth.dow@gmail.com P.O. Box 332 Birch Hills, Sask., S0J 0G0 Phone: 306-749-2229 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5 Printed and mailed by Webnews Printing Inc. 8 High Meadow Place North York, Ont. M9L 2Z5
The Saskatchewan Anglican
March 2014
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Why give? And how much? By Bishop Rob Hardwick Diocese of Qu’Appelle REGINA – In May 1982, my wife and I received an invitation from the local Anglican church to come and enjoy a free meal and find out about the plans and vision of the church. The funding campaign supper was my first ever church meeting. I was not a church goer – oh, we had our boys baptized, but that was all. At that meeting a vision was shared by that church and we have never looked back since. It has been an incredible, lifechanging and fulfilling journey, one in which we are so thankful to God. At that stewardship supper we met friendly, loving and encouraging people and learned about the love of God, the importance of Christian community and about the transformational change that can come to a town through a faith community.
Lorraine and I talked at length after that stewardship supper. You see, unbeknown to anyone else, our marriage was on the rocks, and I was not helping. She said, with reference to our marriage, that if God couldn’t help us then no one could. We discussed the possibility of going to church. But how do you go to church? So we decided the next day we would contact the rector. He was a tremendous help and encouraged both of us. But it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy walking up the path to church for the first time; it wasn’t
easy learning how to follow a service in a book; it wasn’t easy having two boys, aged three and one, to cope with in a service; and it wasn’t easy finding the money to pledge from a budget stretched with a car loan, a 100-per-cent mortgage at 16.5 per cent interest and those two young boys. But somehow we managed, and although I struggled many times to understand what was being said or done in church, I had an inner drive to find out more. Within the year, I became a Christian and our marriage was restored as we experienced the blessing of God, knitting us together as a couple and as a family. Lorraine and I are celebrating 35 years of married life this year. Furthermore, it has been an incredible journey of seeing countless lives, like our own, changed and renewed by the Lord. So much evidence of
God’s love was there, from the beginning of our Christian walk, that we decided to offer ourselves fully in service to the vision of the church, giving of our time and talents and also committing a minimum of 10 per cent of our income to God as a thank offering. This last part was not easy to do for the reasons I have previously said. But we started to budget our finances, and within four years, we reached our 10 per cent aim, not because we were compelled, forced, coerced or otherwise, but because we wanted to give, in thanksgiving for all that God had done, was doing and will do in our lives. The Bible talks of giving God your first fruits, not your leftovers, and it talks of God loving a cheerful giver. It made us feel good, when we gave of time, talents and treasures and achieved a biblical tithe. The bonus was seeing a church transformed and engaged
in its community and truly making a difference. What about you? Why do you give? “God so loved the world that He gave.” Christ gave His very life for us on the Cross. It is God’s nature to give and we are made in the image of God. Later this year (possibly the fall) the Diocese of Qu’Appelle will lead a stewardship initiative called “Together in Mission.” It will be similar to “Anglicans in Mission” and “Venture in Mission.” Monies raised from this initiative will go to the local church as well as diocesan and national church initiatives. As we contemplate just how much we have been blessed, I pray we would all be generous in the giving of ourselves to the service of Christ. Not because we feel we should out of duty, but rather in response to all Christ has done, and is doing, and will do in our lives.
Food Campaign Continued from Page 1 Our Challenge: How many food baskets for AIDS sufferers can we in Saskatchewan supply? January 2014 saw the introduction of the second Fred Says initiative: Seeds for the future in Burundi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Fred Says, It’s good to be full of beans! Beans and legumes are an easy and nutritious addition to any diet. Families in many parts of Africa face poor soil conditions that make farming difficult and crop diversification an even greater challenge. By donating to PWRDF, you can help train family farmers in rural African communities to adopt farming techniques that yield a plentiful healthy crop year after year. Fred Says Goal #2: To train 600 families in farming techniques to improve their crop yields and provide a sustainable source of food at the cost of $80 per family Our Challenge: How many African family farmers can we in Saskatchewan sponsor? In March the third Fred Says initiative addressed the Sustainable Agricultural Program in Cuba. Fred Says, Let’s jam. Canning and preserving is a great way for Cuban families to have access to healthy food throughout the year. PWRDF works with partners
Dalia Joao (left) is a community health worker in Nacala-a-Velha, Mozambique. She cares for patients like Sifa Nuro (right) who are learning to manage their HIV. Photo — Simon Chambers to train families to impart urban and rural agricultural skills to others, improving nutrition and encouraging a more diverse diet. Fred Says Goal #3: To send 150 Cubans to the special Trainthe-Trainer Farming Workshops. The workshops develop skills and empower participants to share their knowledge and assist their communities in improving farming and nutrition. The workshop tuition cost per participant is $300. Our Challenge: How many Cubans can we in Saskatchewan
sponsor for training? May will take us on a new learning experience with the launch of Hot Lunch Program in Haiti. Fred Says, Some like it hot. For many parents in Haiti, providing enough food for their families is a daily struggle and children are often kept out of school so they can work to help support the family unit. Donating to PWRDF will provide Haitian students with a hot lunch during the school year, relieve pressure on families, ensure students have the energy
to study and learn and enable regular attendance in schools Fred Says Goal #4: To provide 1,000 Haitian students with hot lunches for the school year at a cost of $50 per student. Our Challenge: How many Haitian students can we in Saskatchewan provide with hot lunches? Contact your Diocesan PWRDF representatives for assistance in promoting Fred Says in your parish. We recommend a “Keep It
Simple” approach when it comes to the raising of funds. Use ideas like loose change or a loonie donation at coffee time, or a simple contest like guessing the number of beans in a jar for a toonie. Donations can be made online at www.fredsays.ca, by phone at 1-866-308-7973 or by mail, with cheques payable to PWRDF Fred Says / Food Campaign and send to The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, The Anglican Church of Canada, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto M4Y 3G2.
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
March 2014
The Good Neuss à la Dr. Seuss By Rev. Duncan McLean
All Saints’ Anglican Church’s Men’s Club has been serving others for 55 years, with a reputation for memorable Shrove Tuesday Pancake suppers and Mother’s Day breakfasts. Pictured above, the women do a little serving during the 55th anniversary celebration. Photo — Rev. Patricia Langois
Men’s Club at All Saints’, Melfort celebrates 55 years By Rev. Patricia Langois MELFORT (Skwn) – On Nov. 20, 2013 the Men’s Club of All Saints’ Anglican Church in Melfort treated the congregation to a catered turkey supper with all the trimmings, in celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Men’s Club. Good food, joyful fellowship and fun contributed to the celebration’s huge success. Some of the ladies in the congregation took part in an uproarious impromptu skit highlighting some of the activities of the Men’s Club. Lay Reader Gloria
Stushnoff added to the frivolity of the evening in her role as a Ukrainian baba. The Men’s Club came into being early in 1958, when Canon Harper arranged for a gathering of the men of the congregation, with members of the men’s group from St. Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert, over supper. From this a Men’s Club was formed on April 11 of that year, with Tom Sefton as president and Ron Price-Jones as secretary. Together, these men organized the fundraising campaign to build a new rectory beside the old church.
Over the years, the Men’s Club has been active in assisting with repairs on the church and rectory, painting and maintenance of the church and grounds. They are famous for their wonderful Shrove Tuesday Pancake Suppers and Mother’s Day Breakfasts. In May 2013 the Men’s Club tried their first Fish Fry, which was a huge success. The Ladies’ Guild congratulated the Men’s Club by giving them with a beautiful cake to honour of the occasion. We are blessed to have faithful men and women in our congregation.
BALCARRES (Qu’A) – The announcement appeared in our “Parish in Print”. We were informed that our special all-parish Eucharist for the fifth Sunday of September (the feast of St. Michael and All Angels) would be celebrated at St. Paul’s Church, Balcarres, and that we would be using the Dr. Seuss Liturgy! My first reaction was, “What is this church coming to?” Well, I attended along with my wife Beverley and we took part. I was greatly encouraged by Rev. Warren Huestis’ (incumbent of Teachers of the Faith Parish) invitation to dress in my kilt and to take along and play my new electronic bagpipes. So just what was it like and how do I feel about it? It was fun. Genuine fun. And it was fun because it was all about God the Father and about Jesus and about the Holy Spirit. God and fun are natural partners. We are told God enjoys the creation and that Jesus had some fun with the stiff Pharisees of His day, by telling stories about camels being pushed through the eyes of needles. Jesus brought joy into the lives of people, all people, young and old. So during the celebration we were aware of a celebrant dressed in an unusual manner,
complete with a head covering designed from a tea cozy. We were encouraged to march around the chancel with various noise makers, instruments and all accompanied by the civilized sound of the bagpipes. And then we were all invited to the joyful feast of Bread and Wine, the Body and Blood of Christ, who joins with us in all of life from the most sorrowful times to the most joyful. We tend to forget the joyful and the Eucharist in this form was a strong reminder of joy. I feel very positive about the experience. I was tempted to answer my question “what is this Church coming to?” in this way: “It is coming to life.” Such an answer would suggest we were dead or at least dying. But this is not true. The reaction to the Eucharist was a clear indication we are very much alive, in spite of all of us who are brothers and sisters in Qu’Appelle having passed through some rather difficult and uncertain times, as we dealt with the residential school issues. We are alive. And the celebration showed such. But one final observation. The Eucharist was very correct theologically. And it was a reintroduction to the art of poetry. We all need to memorize more of our liturgies and the poetic form of Dr. Seuss is a genuine aid.
Diocese of Saskatoon Announcements for March 2014 “During these cold winter days, a number of people who are experiencing homelessness come to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist requesting assistance for food, for finances and for clothing. If you can help with any of these areas, we would be very grateful. “A particular need at present is for warm socks, scarves, gloves and/or mitts. If you could donate any of these to help those less fortunate, it would be greatly appreciated. A container for these items can be found at the back of the cathedral. Thank you for considering this.” Dean Scott Pittendrigh Lenten Retreat at the Cathedral: The Cross of Christ, A Lenten Retreat, will be held at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon, on Saturday, March 22, 2014 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost: $15. To register please call Sarah Donnelly at 306-7173707. For more information, please also see the more detailed
notice elsewhere in this issue. Centring Prayer at the Cathedral: If you are longing for a little more quiet, solitude and an opportunity to “be still”, please join Sarah Donnelly on Sunday mornings for 20 minutes of Centring Prayer at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. This is an ancient form of prayer grounded in the Christian Mystical Tradition. The group will meet in the Dean’s office at 9:45 a.m. for a 10-minute teaching reflection on some aspect of Centring Prayer, followed by 20 minutes of meditative silence that starts at 9:45 a.m. and ends at 10:15 a.m. Friends and Family Service: St. George’s, Saskatoon, 7 p.m. every Friday night. Informal music and prayer focused on families. Integrity/Saskatoon: Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, 816 Spadina Crescent East at 7:30 p.m. This is a group of
the GLBTT community and friends. Includes a Eucharist Service open to all, followed by GBLTT reflections and a social/ refreshment hour. Presiding priest will be the newly ordained Rev. Emily Carr supported by Rev. Joe Ponic. All are welcome! For more information call Tom and Rose Rogers at 306-491-3315, or visit the Integrity/Saskatoon web site at www.integritysaskatoon. blogspot.com or the Facebook page at “IntegritySaskatoon”. “Fam Jam” at the Cathedral: This family friendly time of music and fun takes place at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, after the 10:30 a.m. service, in front of the grand piano. Join an all-ages group of family and friends to have fun, share skills and make some music. All levels of musicians are most welcome and encouraged to attend. If you don’t want to join the “Fam Jam”, but have some instruments laying around the house, such as shakers, ukuleles
or tambourines, the Cathedral can put them to good use! For more information, contact Rev. Emily Carr. Seniors’ Lunch in Battleford: The Friendship Committee of St. George’s, Battleford invites all seniors to join them for lunch the first Monday of each month, beginning at noon. The Canadian Churches’ Forum provides education on local and global ministry issues. Involved in intercultural ministry? Deepening Understanding for Intercultural Ministry (DUIM): June 23-28 in Winnipeg. Going on a short-term mission/visit to an international partner diocese? Learning for International Faith Engagement Seminar (LIFE): April 5-6, Tatamagouche, NS. Future 2014 dates and locations TBA. ADVANCE NOTICES: The Diocesan ACW Retreat in 2015: The planning for the
next Anglican Church Women’s Bi-Annual Retreat, which is scheduled for September 2015, has begun. If you have ideas or experience in planning events, please join the Retreat Planning Team! will be scheduled at mutually convenient times. To volunteer or find out more, contact Elaine Hrycenko at 306-955-5522 or e-mail e.p.h@sasktel.net. In order to be included in a timely manner, brief notices 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, December submissions will be in the February issue). Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included in this section, but should space allow, could be the subject of article and notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
March 2014
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Unschool days on the farm By Janice Sanford-Beck Editor’s note: Janice Sanford Beck lives with her husband, Rev. Shawn and family on an off-the-grid farm near Cochin, Saskatchewan COCHIN (S’toon) – People are often curious about how we are “schooling” our children here on the farm. Often they will comment on how much work it must be. Little do they know! Much of Rowan and Robin’s “school day” consists of building Lego worlds and using the mini figures to act out various scenarios (complete with narration such as “‘Come to my house,’ she said, as she slowly climbed the stairs.”). We are (attempting to) follow an educational philosophy known as unschooling. The basic idea is that children are natural learners and that they learn best when allowed to pursue their own interests. For those who have previously been in a more formal educational program (including parents), the first step is known as “de-schooling.” Part of this means letting go of the idea that learning means sitting at a desk (or kitchen table) and dutifully completing lessons in a workbook. Easier said than done, I assure you! Actually, I must confess that we have not completely let go of the “kitchen table” learning. Three mornings a week,
Christopher and Rowan sit down for math time (with various workbooks) while I take over their dish duty for them. Though they sometimes get bored or frustrated with the work, these sessions were initiated at their request, so I feel OK including them in unschooling. I am not yet de-schooled enough, though, to wonder if perhaps we should be more structured with other types of learning, or if Robin (who would be in kindergarten if he were in school) should be included in these sessions. I frequently have to remind myself to trust the process. Last week, this trust was rewarded. We were driving home from Yorkton and Christopher asked Robin: “If I gave you 10 cookies and then took two away, how many would be left?” Without batting an eye, Robin replied, “Eight.” I guess he doesn’t need those workbooks yet! Much of our “book learning” takes place around the fireplace during long winter evenings. We can often all be found curled up with a book in various chairs. Rowan and I have been enjoying the Little House on the Prairie series, while Robin has become a Star Wars expert – though I must confess that even though I read many of the books to him, my knowledge retention is vastly inferior to his. I guess this all goes to support the idea that we learn what we are interested in learning!
Rev. Barbara Huston passes away at age 91 Huston, one of the earlier women priests in Canada, served in the dioceses of Qu’Appelle and Saskatoon Contributed GABRIOLA ISLAND, B.C. – Rev. Barbara Huston died Dec. 17, 2013, at the age of 91. She was ordained a priest in 1983, and as one of the earlier women priests in Canada, was a mentor and role model for others. She served at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina, and Nokomis in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, and Humboldt in the Diocese of Saskatoon. She was active in the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer and was dedicated to developing active prayer life. In British Columbia, she
served parishes in Ladysmith, Parksville and Gabriola Island. Barbara was born in London, England. She married Dr. Peter Huston in 1946 and in 1959 the family, with their five children, moved to Regina. Over the next several years they had a foster daughter and adopted children from Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. They spent several years working overseas, where Barbara worked in an orphanage in Bangladesh and refugee camp in Malaysia. She is survived by her eight children, 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Christopher can often be found in the late evening with an architecture book and pad of graph paper in his lap, unless of course, he is engaging in advanced Bible study with the theologian of the house. We spend a great deal of the day each pursuing our own interests, with me being prepared to drop mine if someone is looking for a learning buddy or playmate. I re-entered the paid workforce when Rowan was 15 months old (and again when Robin was a year old) and appreciate this opportunity to catch up on unstructured time together. One of the fun parts about unschooling is I get to learn along with the kids. Rowan loves art, and while I have to remind myself that giving her the opportunity to draw and sketch when and how she pleases is at least as important as seeking out new projects and techniques to learn, we have had some fun with an “art lab” book. I had forgotten that when I was her age, I was also interested in art, but got discouraged with teachers telling me how to do things “properly” and then with my own perceived lack of skill. “Doing art” with the kids lets me go back and explore this submerged interest for myself as well. Though it’s impossible to say what our future may hold, I think we are all agreed that for the moment, unschooling is suiting us all very well.
St. Joseph, pictured in a window at St. James the Apostle Church, Regina, was the earthly father of Jesus. If you have an interesting stain-glass window at your church and would like to see it in the Saskatchewan Anglican, please consider submitting a picture of it. Please include: name of the church; city or town where church is located and the diocese; photographer’s name; and any additional interesting details about the window. The picture should be at least 1 MB (1,000 KB) in digital size. Bigger is better. Please send via e-mail. Photo — Joanne Shurvin-Martin
The Cross of Christ: A Lenten retreat SASKATOON — Are you searching for a deeper way to appreciate and enter into this season of Lent? Are you open to new insights into the symbols and traditions we hold so dear? This compelling retreat invites participants to reflect on a symbol we see so often in our daily lives, and yet do not, and cannot, fully understand. The cross has become the ultimate symbol of love in the world. It is central to Christianity in that we are to forgive our enemies. As such, it is the single most revolutionary moral event that has happened on this planet. Like all deep things in life, the Cross is largely a mystery. The Cross reveals God’s unconditional love and vulnerability and invites us to discipleship. The Cross calls us beyond ourselves, our own agenda, and invites us to live our own life without resentment. Past participants have found
this retreat to be extremely powerful, thoughtprovoking and for some, lifechanging. T h e Sarah Donnelly DVD is paused throughout the day to give participants the opportunity to reflect on the presentation, answer prepared questions and share their responses with others in small group discussions. Date: Saturday, March 22, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Location: The Cathedral Hall, St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, 816 Spadina Crescent. Cost: $15. Please bring a bag lunch; refreshments will be served. RSVP to Sarah Donnelly at 306-717-3707 by March 19. Presenter on DVD: Father
R o n Rolheiser, omi is a R o m a n Catholic priest and member of the Missionary O b l a t e s Ron Rolheiser of Mary Immaculate. He is a community-builder, lecturer and writer and is president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. His books are popular throughout the Englishspeaking world and his weekly column is carried by more than 60 newspapers worldwide, including the Prairie Messenger. Retreat leader, Sarah Donnelly M.Div., offers retreats, workshops, spiritual direction and grief support programs to the ecumenical Christian community in Saskatoon.
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Has Christ been divided? Christian unity event at St. Michael’s Retreat By Joanne Shurvin-Martin LUMSDEN (Qu’A) – “Is Christ divided?”, the theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, is a quotation from 1 Corinthians 1:13. “But it’s supposed to be rhetorical,” explained Bishop Rob Hardwick. The Anglican bishop was the first speaker at the annual unity event at St. Michael’s Retreat. The other members of the panel were: Bishop Cindy Halmarson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada; Brett Salkeld, ecumenical officer of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina; and Friar Dennis Vavrek, ofm, provincial minister of Franciscans of Western Canada. The moderator was Lutheran Pastor David Kaiser, chair of St. Michael’s Retreat and Ministry Board. About two dozen people attended the event on Jan. 16. Bishop Hardwick said although the Christian church has “a heart for unity,” it has a hard time uniting, as shown by the more than 30,000 different Christian denominations around the world. These divisions “cause unbelievers to pour scorn on the church,” he said. The enmity and rancour among denominations is “not only sinning against each other, but also against Christ.” “No one congregation, no one diocese, no one denomination can do the mission work needed in the world,” said Bishop Hardwick. “When we pray and evangelize together, the world takes note.” He gave examples of denominations working together, such as when 12 different churches in Swift Current put on Alpha courses together, and when representatives from several churches went together to visit newcomers, rather like Welcome Wagon, in his diocese in England. Bishop Halmarson spoke of the upcoming anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation and said Lutherans and Roman Catholics remember the events of 500 years ago differently. She said there has been a lot of “selfjustifying” on both sides in their histories. Only about 50 years ago, around the time of Vatican II, did the denominations begin looking at things differently. It changed from being “what did they do wrong?” to a more humble and self-critical look at the Reformation. She told the gathering that the
Pastor David Kaiser (left) moderated the discussion at the annual Unity Event at St. Michael’s Retreat. Speakers were Lutheran Bishop Cindy Halmarson, Anglican Bisho Rob Hardwick, Friar Dennis Vavrek and Roman Catholic ecumenical officer Brett Salked. Photo — Joanne Shurvin-Martin Lutheran World Federation and Roman Catholic Commission of Unity are calling for ecumenical commemorations in 2017. Now, said Bishop Halmarson, Roman Catholics and Lutherans should always begin from unity, then look at what is different. They should let themselves be transformed by working with the other; should seek visible unity; jointly rediscover the power of the gospel in our day; and witness together to the mercy of God through mission. Bishop Halmarson referred participants to “From Conflict to Communion” which is available online at www.lutheranworld. org/resources/dtpw. The book looks at accomplishments in 50 years of study by Lutherans and Roman Catholics. Bishop Halmarson had begun her presentation by giving pieces of modelling clay to all participants. At the end of her talk she invited them to form into small groups and create something with the clay to answer the question, “What does Christian unity look like?” The results were discussed later in the day. The next speaker was Brett Salkeld, ecumenical officer for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina. He also talked about the Reformation and said the event has historically been surrounded by an unhealthy atmosphere. “Early on,” he said, “Catholics decided not to debate or discuss Martin Luther’s questions,
rather, they challenged his authority to ask them. Once we actually began to discuss the questions, which was only 50 years ago, it didn’t take us even 10 years to reach significant – remarkable – agreement on the Eucharist.”
Bishop Hardwick said although the Christian church has “a heart for unity,” it has a hard time uniting ... These divisions “cause unbelievers to pour scorn on the church,” he said. The enmity and rancour among denominations is “not only sinning against each other, but also against Christ.” He said they also reached agreement on the topic of justification, which had seemed to be impossible to reconcile. In the past we had the wrong idea of what the other believed, he said. He noted there are still issues which divide Roman Catholics from other denominations. “Women’s ordination is the biggest, but without it there would still be divisions,” said the ecumenical officer. However, he pointed out although the position is not
completely or clearly worked out, now the Roman Catholic Church does recognize Anglican and Lutheran ordination, to a certain degree. He said this is demonstrated by the fact if a married Anglican or Lutheran priest converts to become Roman Catholic, he can remain married and be reordained as a Roman Catholic priest. However, if a married man, either originally Roman Catholic or a convert, wished to become a priest, this would not be permitted. “This shows,” said Salkeld, “that we agree their ordination means something.” “Women’s ordination, at this time, seems impossible, but other events seemed impossible earlier, but are no longer,” he said. Discussing the issue of shared communion, he said that in some circles, the opinion is “if we cannot share communion, none of us should have communion because we are divided. In this way we offer a Eucharistic fast because of the brokenness in the church.” After his talk, there was a question of whether the term Protestant is still a useful or valid term. Bishop Halmarson pointed out baptism is a source of unity, and that in some parishes there are ecume`nical representatives at baptisms, to emphasize that people are baptized as Christians, not as members of a particular denomination.
After lunch, Friar Dennis Vavrek read from the writings of Pope Francis, “The salvation which God has wrought ... is for everyone. ... This people which God has chosen and called is the church. ... All are one in Christ; the divisions have been conquered by Christ.” Despite this, there is division in God’s church, “because of the sin of the world,” said Friar Dennis. He said there is a need for love and tolerance, for dialogue and a more inclusive church. Friar Dennis said St. Francis, who founded his order, was known as a person who overcame divisions between people in his lifetime. He settled a difference between the church and the mayor of Assisi, and during one of the crusades, crossed battlelines to meet with the Sultan. St. Francis aligned himself with the poor, powerless and sick, especially with lepers. Referring to the Reformation, Friar Dennis said 500 years ago the churches spoke in power and arrogance. St. Francis presents a way to build dialogue of unity and peace. The Unity Event closed with worship in the chapel. During the short service, participants were invited to take down a wall symbolizing the divisions between Christians. The wall was composed of blocks of wood, which had words representing divisions, and had been made at a previous Unity Event at St. Michael’s.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
March 2014
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Be a stewardship somebody By Rev. Alex Parsons Diocesan of Saskatoon Stewardship Officer SASKATOON – “This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. “Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.” This is a sign posted in one of the buildings where I work and it struck me, as it also applies to much of our stewardship efforts. Everybody is on board with the idea stewardship is a good thing and somebody should do it. Anybody can, but so often, nobody does. However, the truth is, it is a team effort requiring commitment from us all. Stewardship begins within each of us, the starting block for all meaningful change, yet cannot be successful in a vacuum. It must be shared, discussed, nurtured and grown to bear real fruit. At a recent presentation I was involved in, roughly 125 people were invited to attend a meeting, over coffee where they always go, at the end of the Sunday service. Interestingly, the crowd scattered and skipped coffee that morning, generally speaking. Barely 20 made it to the hall. I guess everybody thought somebody else would go and my co-host and I were grateful that anybody did. In spite of this setback, a good session was had
and nobody left. Yet it struck me as a perfect example of disengagement when the topic of stewardship comes up. Raising awareness surrounding stewardship issues and promoting a lifestyle approach, as opposed to simply fundraising, is indeed an uphill climb. While recognition of stewardship as an ongoing activity is not a new concept, it is not a weekly highlight of parish life either. The gospel of giving is certainly variously interpreted and oddly enough, as the coffee get-together showed, it is not universally welcome. Resistance, for a variety of reasons, is there. There are worries about the future, energy levels of aging parishioners, shrinking congregations and disagreement over same-sex issues, and indeed, the general direction of the church as a whole, all being expressed to varying degrees. Such concerns do form barriers to giving and need to be pastorally addressed. The conversation needs to include reassurance of the Church is still here, going to be here and is worth, oh so worth, continued support as a positive force in changing times; at the parish, diocesan or national level. It is a challenge to take up! Stewardship education is a slow process, in spite of all the wonderful resources at our disposal. Resources are growing steadily in number and quality, yet are still under-utilised, and in many cases unknown. Nobody has heard of them yet. They should be shared with everybody. Anybody can do it and for sure somebody has to. Will you be that somebody?
Inspirational Christian authors theme for Qu’Appelle lay retreat Contributed LUMSDEN (Qu’A) – Rev. Dean Pinter has chosen five authors who have influenced his spiritual life, for the theme of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle’s Lay Retreat, March 28-30. He calls them “A Fistful of Friends” and names them as George Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Frederick Buechner, Eugene Peterson and Luci Shaw. Pinter is the priest for St. Aidan Anglican Church in Moose Jaw.
He is also a husband, father, gardener, golfer and writer. Rev. Wilma Woods will be the retreat chaplain and served in the same role at last year’s Cursillo. She is co-incumbent at Whitewood, along with her husband, Rev. Brian Woods. The silent retreat is open to all lay people. For full information on the Lay Retreat, please see the brochure sent to all parishes, or contact Lorraine Hardwick at 306-5454309 (evenings) or by e-mail at lorih@live.ca.
Students from the Bishop McAllister College and Anglican Seminary in Uganda enjoy a trip on the Kazinga Channel, during the annual school geography trip. Photo — Contributed
Students learn much about local area on geography trip By Alex Asiimwe Bishop McAllister College and Anglican Seminary, Uganda UGANDA – This article is an article on Bishop McAllister College in Kyogera, an institution which is being supported by the ACW and other congregations, as well as individuals, of the Diocese of Saskatchewan. Below is an article about the annual tour this group took. The geography study tour, which is normally scheduled for the second term, took place in the summer. Richard the geography teacher says the trip was a great, especially on the part of his learners. “All the objectives were achieved and I am confident my learners learnt a lot from this tour,” he said. The trip began with a tour of James Finley’s Tea Estates in Kyamuhunga just off the Bushenyi – Kasese highway. The students were conducted on a tour of the factory, where they learned about the challenges of the tea estates, among which were fierce competition for market with other tea growers in
Mombasa and the long distance to the market at the Indian Ocean coast. The students visited Kasese Cobalt Company and later went to Kilembe copper mines, but they were restricted from entering the mine tunnels because there had been flooding. On the second day, they visited the weather station and learned much about the weather instruments. Afterwards, the tour shifted to a park. We were given a park drive through the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park. There was plenty of excitement as students saw different animals. There were elephants, warthogs, antelopes, buffalos and many others. “From the park drive, we went for the launch. “This too was an exciting experience for many,” the geography teacher said. Richard added the launch was on Kazinga Channel and here the students were able to see many bird species, crocodiles and hippos. After the launch, students
went to the Mweya museum. Here there were many photo moments. The last place toured was Lake Katwe salt mines. The learners were able to see the salt extraction process and the entire activity was a thrill to many. Next on the list was Katwe fishing village. The students were able to see for themselves the characteristics of a fishing site, which the teacher said he is certain not one among his students would fail a photograph interpretation question if it came on a site like Katwe! Those interested in supporting the work of the College may contact the Diocese of Saskatchewan. There are opportunities to sponsor a child’s annual fees at the School or to support the completion of the Chapel, the building of new dormitories and classrooms and the purchase of computers and other school supplies. For more info about the seminary and the work they do, visit its website by using its name in a search engine.
Demonstrators support woman in sanctuary Contributed MONTREAL — In Montreal, a dozen demonstrators protested near Citizenship and Immigration Canada offices on Dec. 18 in support of an ailing Pakistani woman who took refuge at an Anglican church in the city 100 days before. Supporters of Khurshid Begum Awan say she sought sanctuary after staff of the Cana-
dian Border Services Agency in Montreal ordered her to leave for Pakistan on Aug. 21, despite doctors’ warning about the risk of travelling with her heart condition. She has had several heart attacks. Mrs. Awan and her husband, Muhammad Khalil Awan, came to Canada via the United States in 2011 with a tourist visa and requested refugee status, saying their lives were at risk from
Muslim extremists, notably an anti-Shia group called Sipah-eSahaba. Mr. Awan had been a leading member of the minority Shia community in Lahore. Their claim for refugee status was rejected in April. Mr. Awan was deported soon afterward. Supporters say he has been attacked since his return to Pakistan and is currently in hiding. Montreal Anglican
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Supporting sailors who ply the seas By Peter R. Coolen
An act of Christian unity
Participants at the Unity Event at St. Michael’s Retreat in Lumsden (Diocese of Qu’Appelle) used coloured modelling clay to answer the question, “What does Christian unity look like?” The groups worked independently, but developed some of the same representations – colours twined together, circles and hearts and the cross. Photo — Joanne-Shurvin-Martin
St. Mary’s, Regina, celebrates centennial with parish mission By Rev. Claude Schroeder REGINA – On the weekend of Dec. 13-15, St. Mary’s, Regina hosted a parish mission as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations. The theme of the mission was “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13.8), with Bishop Mark MacDonald (pictured at right), the National Indigenous bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada. The mission began on the Friday evening with a Service of Light and Evening Prayer. Following the opening prayers the children were called forward and taught a song by Bishop MacDonald and his wife Virginia, before going into the courtyard for a campfire and bannock baking. In his opening address, Bishop MacDonald drew our attention to the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, as containing the foundational promise of the gospel which brings us joy: “The Lord is with you.” Drawing on the Logos Christology from the prologue of St. John’s Gospel, Bishop MacDonald then drew our
attention to the presence of Jesus in all of human history and in all of creation, a presence w h i c h preceded the arrival of Christian missionaries, but was clarified through the preaching of the Gospel. With many illustrations, Bishop MacDonald also showed how the cosmology of the First Nations peoples, in contrast to the mechanistic cosmology of the modern world, is more consistent with the cosmology of the early Church, making the First Nations people particularly open and receptive to a holistic understanding the Gospel. The evening came to an end with a bannock and hot chocolate reception in the parish hall. On Saturday morning the congregation reconvened in the church where Bishop MacDonald led the congregation in the singing of gospel songs and evangelistic hymns accompanied on the guitar. Developing the theme of Jesus Christ today, the bishop proposed that the challenge of
the church today is to unveil the presence of Christ in the lives of people, a presence which is not restricted to the temple worship of the local parish church. Instead, it is known in the temple that is the human heart, wherever two or three are gathered to read and pray the Scriptures, but also in the presence of the poor. Following the coffee break, Bishop MacDonald led the congregation in an experience of gospel-based discipleship which is proving to be a helpful discipleship tool amongst indigenous people of Canada. It is also an example of how to transfer and make accessible the beauty of our tradition in a way that does not require “a building with an M.Div.” The mission came to a close at a celebration of Holy Communion on Sunday morning. In his address, the bishop lifted up the pioneers and missionaries who founded the Anglican Church in this land as examples to be followed in our own time, focusing on the vision, faith, courage and trailblazing, which they possessed as necessary qualities for which we must pray. Photo — Roy Norberg
SASKATOON – Here in our landlocked prairie region, and bombarded as we are by the plight of refugees and typhoon victims worldwide, we sometimes overlook the positive news of the quiet, continuous care and outreach that individuals in and associated with the Anglican Church of Canada provide to those in need in Canada and other parts of the world. One of the longest operating (and to us prairie folk, one of the most foreign, exotic and least understood) efforts of our church is The Missions to Seafarers. The Mission to Seafarers, founded in 1856, is a worldwide network of Anglican-sponsored outreach missions that offers seafarers help and support when their ships arrive in port. Their mission is to promote the spiritual, moral and physical well-being of seafarers and their families worldwide. Ten Missions to Seafarers stations in Canada provide services ranging from Seafarers’ Centres with full-time chaplains in Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver, to Centres with part-time chaplains in St. John, Montreal, Hamilton and Thunder Bay, and chaplains who function out of parish churches in St. John’s, Windsor and Sarnia. Each Canadian Mission is locally funded and run by its own board of directors. In Canada, Missions to Seafarers is registered as a nonprofit charity. What do the Missions offer and do in a practical sense? Well, imagine you are a seafarer manning one of the innumerable cargo and container ships that tie the modern economy of the world together. You have just arrived, after a long voyage away from family, in a strange country and port with a different language and customs and often, a radically different climate. You would have only a few days to orient yourself, reconnect with family, buy personnel items
and perhaps attend a worship service or receive pastoral or medical care or legal advice. Often you would also be alone, lonely and vulnerable to violence and abuse, and in some cases, depending on your background and country, perhaps you would be highly suspicious or in fear of state officials and the legal system. Loneliness, danger and separation from loved ones are just some of the challenges that seafarers face every day. Depending on the location, the Missions to Seafarers offer such seafarers a place where they can relax away from their ships, where they can receive orientation assistance for locating (and sometimes also supply) meals, packed lunches, snacks, temporary shelter and clothing (new and used) that meets the needs of the climate. Also, assistance in banking and medical and legal needs, an interdenominational chaplaincy, counselling, pastoral care, worship services, access to writing materials (including cards and Christmas cards), phone cards, and internet and telephone access (especially long distance calling to connect with their families). When possible, the Missions are located right on the docks so that they are right there as the seafarers disembark, or the Missions will have representatives waiting as the ship docks, or they may visit them on their ships, offering a warm welcome and transportation to the Mission. Volunteers take their guests shopping, banking, socialize and provide whatever other help may be needed. Many of the Missions offices are open extended or round-theclock hours, seven days a week, as arrivals and the need for food, shelter, advice and comfort in the real word cannot be planned or scheduled. For more information on the Missions to Seafarers of the Anglican Church please visit www.missiontoseafarers.ca.
Archbishop Johnson of West Africa mourned Anglican Communion News Service ENGLAND — Condolences from leaders throughout the Anglican Communion are being sent to the Church of the Province of West Africa, following the sudden death of its primate, Dr. Solomon Tilewa Johnson. The metropolitan archbishop of the internal province of West
Africa, and bishop of Gambia, who was 59, died in Fajara on Jan. 21 while playing tennis, one of his favourite pastimes. He was the first Gambian bishop as well as the first Gambian archbishop and primate. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby wrote to Archbishop Johnson’s wife, Priscilla, and to Dr. Daniel Sarfo, archbishop of the internal province of Gha-
na, to offer his condolences and assurance of his prayers. “I know that many will miss Archbishop Tilewa for his boundless energy and the great enthusiasm he had for his ministry, in the Church, both in Gambia, in the Province of West Africa, and in the wider Anglican Communion,” he wrote to Archbishop Sarfo. “His gifts were not confined
exclusively to the Church, and he had an active role within the national life of Gambia, serving as a member of a number of boards and committees. He was generous in his hospitality, and was always glad to welcome visitors to the Gambia, where he had served as Bishop since 1990.” Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, wrote to express deep
sympathies and to say that Canadian Anglicans were holding in their prayers the Archbishop, his wife and their family, the diocesan family throughout Gambia, and Anglicans throughout the province. “Moments like this remind of the bonds of affection with which we are drawn together in the Lord Jesus, in whose love we are one.”