February 2011
Stanley Mission Celebrates150 Years of Mission A Section of Anglican Journal
Pelican Narrows - A Church withe a difference
Stanley Mission (Saskatchewan) Holy Trinity Anglican Church, located on an island in the northern community of Stanley Mission, is Saskatchewan's oldest building. It turned 150 years old in summer 2010. The Gothic Revival-style church has recently had its Saskatchewan timber exterior and English-imported stained glass and detailing restored to their original appearance. After the arrival of the Reverend Hunt, an Anglican missionary, in the 1850s, a Cree village grew up around the church, facing the river. The Rev'd Hunt also built a school, teaching students to read the Bible first in Cree and later in English. Today, the church is a Saskatchewan Provincial Historic Site. The church is open to visitors through the cooperation of the Government of Saskatchewan and photo contributed Anglicans in Stanley Mission. Arriving at historic Holy Trinity Church, on an island in Stanley Mission, involves the heightened anticipation of viewing the building from the water.
photo contributed.
Confirmands ham it up with Bishop Michael Hawkins in Pelican Narrows. Note the unique interior of this church
Diocese of Saskatchewan sets Discipleship as 2011 theme
photo contributed
photo contributed
Bible 1 Eagle Lectern - This English-language Bible, set on an eagle lectern, provides the local congregation with a regular chance to hear and absorb together first-hand from the Apostles' Teaching in both Old and New Testaments Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series by the Bishop of Saskatchewan which will run from February to May. by Bishop Michael Hawkins, Diocese of Saskatchewan Acts 2.42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. The theme for 2011 in the Diocese of Saskatchewan is Discipleship, and the text I place before all of us is Acts
2.42. Over the next four months, this column will consider each of the four practices mentioned in this verse: apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. Discipleship refers to what it means to be a student and follower of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We need to remember that 'Disciple' was the first term used for Jesus' followers; it was the Disciples who were later called Christians in Antioch. The helpful proverb is that there can be no disciple without discipline. Acts
Bible 2 Cree - Cree-language Bibles are available throughout the diocese and from the Synod Office, for those seeking to read and study the Bible in Cree.
2.42, as well as the rest of that book and so much of the New Testament, defines the disciplines of the earliest Christians. Those who had repented of their sins and believed in Jesus Christ were baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then these first converts continued steadfastly in, devoted themselves to, spent their time doing, and committed themselves to four things: the teaching of the apostles, their life together, their common meal and their prayers. Acts describes how they lived out that commitment to Discipleship. As it was on Pentecost that this commitment
began, I will be requesting every Parish to mark Pentecost 2011 with a recommitment to those same four aspects of our life as Disciples of Jesus Christ. In this month's column, we will consider what it means to be devoted to the apostles' teaching, the first practice or discipline mentioned in Acts 2.42. 1. The Apostles' Teaching The Church is the family of God, the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit. As such, we are called to unity, mission continued on page 3
2 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
Bishop’s Message
Diocese of Saskatchewan sets Discipleship as 2011 theme continued
Martha, Mary and Babbling Noise
from front page
by Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson I cannot recall the first time I heard someone refer to "Marys" and "Marthas" as ways to describe different dispositions and characters - but I have heard a fair few sermons, bible studies and even casual discussions in the church hall kitchen about who is a Martha and who is a Mary. Marys are the quiet contemplative ones; Marthas are the ones who serve. Martha, in these conversations, gets much sympathy. After all, she gets rebuked by Jesus; but someone has to look after the practical things. All this from a Bible story only five verses long. There is a serious problem, however, with that way of looking at this passage; it completely misses the point. The passage comes right after the story of the Good Samaritan, in which Jesus holds up Christian service to those in need as a defining mark of Christian love. Service and action are at the heart of the Great Commandment - Jesus is not diminishing or downplaying these. If we attend carefully to what the Gospel narrative says, we are told that Mary "sat at Jesus' feet" and "listened to what he was saying." To sit at someone's feet in this cultural context is to be a disciple. Jesus acknowledges Mary's choice to be a disciple and learn from him. One can be serving in the church kitchen or a soup kitchen, doing church maintenance or helping build a Habitat home, and still be a Mary On the other hand, Martha is not rebuked for her service. Martha is described as "worried" and "distracted." She is "distracted by her many tasks," "worried and distracted by many things"; she does not claim discipleship (at least not yet) nor does she listen to what Jesus is saying. It seems to me that we live in a Martha culture. We are caught up in all sorts of things that "have to be done," and equally, all sorts of things that are merely intended to distract us. Sometimes it is the daily necessities of getting to work, juggling schedules, driving children to their activities and fulfilling our various obligations as family members, volunteers or
photo -Diocesan web site
Rt. Rev. Gregory Kerr-wilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle citizens. Sometimes it is the entertainment our world provides in television, computer games, surfing the net, or other leisure activities. Over and around it all is the constant noise we use to fill up any possibility of a quiet space in which to be still and listen - with radio, iPod, TV, CDs or just the babble of the crowd in malls, restaurants or coffee shops. I am caught by the suspicion that we do this because we don't want to listen; perhaps quiet would allow the deeper concerns of our lives to surface - our fear of mortality, the questions about purpose and meaning, our self-doubts and insecurities, our powerlessness to change what we see wrong around us. Or perhaps as Christians we want to listen, but are afraid or uncomfortable with what we think we might hear - we want things our way, and are afraid Jesus might ask us to change. Years ago in a university psychology course I learned about "avoidance behaviour" - doing other things in order to avoid having to do the one thing that really needs doing. Perhaps like Adam and Eve we would rather distract ourselves by stitching fig leaves than answering God's call and walking with Him. Jesus says to Martha "there is need of only one thing" and Mary has chosen it. Jesus dwells in our midst - week by week as we gather in worship, day by day as the Holy Spirit seeks to guide and strengthen - in the words of scripture, in the heart of prayer, speaking God's grace and love. The question is: will we put aside our Martha ways? Will we, like Mary, choose the better part and sit at the feet of Jesus as His disciples, listening and being shaped by His words?
and worship, but the first description we find of the Church on its very birthday is that it is a School. The first Christians committed themselves to the Apostles' Teaching. To be a Disciple of Jesus Christ means to be a Student and Follower of him, and that involves a commitment to lifelong learning. We are called to be a teaching Church and a learning Church. It is no accident that teaching comes first in Acts 2.42, but is it such a priority in our lives and parishes? What priority do we give to Christian education? The Apostles' teaching means the gospel which the twelve Apostles preached, and which we find recorded in written form in the New Testament. Their teaching was and is that Jesus came in fulfillment of the Old Testament. So the Apostles' teaching is the Bible, summa
rized for us in the Creeds and thought out in the history and theology of the Church. This commitment to the Apostles' teaching means, in our day, a commitment to hear and read and study the Scriptures, and since the interpretation of Scripture is not a private matter, we need to do this in and with the Church. It also means that we have due regard for the authority of the Scriptures in the life of the Church and of every believer. Those who heard Peter preach on Pentecost were 'cut to the heart' by his Biblical teaching. Do we allow the Holy Spirit to use the Scriptures to teach, reprove, correct and train us? What authority does the Bible have in our Church, in our Parishes, in our lives? What priority do we give to Bible reading and teaching? I invite you to recommit yourself to the Apostles' teaching with me.
Diocese of Saskatoon: Announcements for February, 2011 In order to be included in a timely manner brief notices for events should be supplied to the Associate Editor by Fax, e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which the insertion is desired (for example, September submissions will be in the November issue). Detailed and longer texts of events will not be included in this section but, should space allow, could be the subject of additional articles or notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican . Integrity/Saskatoon: Meetings are held at St. James', Saskatoon on the second Sunday of each month at 7 p.m. The regular meetings may include a talking circle and Eucharist or a film and discussion with fellowship to follow; babysitting is available during meetings for those with children. For more information contact the Reverend Ann Marie Nicklin at: (306) 381-9780 or: benjie60@gmail.com. For further information and to view related articles, links and photographs of Integrity events: www.integritysaskatoon.blogspot.com.
Saskatoon Native Ministry: To find out more about the Saskatoon Native Ministries, please contact the SNM trustees: The Reverend George Hind: (306) 374-7585; Canon Lorea Eufemia: (306) 244-5651; and/or Joan Cole-Heine: (306) 343-5827. APPOINTMENTS ETC. Angelene Grace Tysseland, 1961 - 2010, passed away, December 14th, 2010 at St. Paul's Hospital at the age of 49. On November 30th, a celebration and service were held at The Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre at St. James, Anglican Church, Saskatoon, to re-name the Refinery performance hall in honour of Angie as The Angie Tysseland Theatre (See article and photos in the January issue of the Saskatchewan Anglican). The Reverend John Seib, Rector of St. Matthew's, Saskatoon is recovering from a heart attack; we wish him a full and a speedy recovery.
Qu'Appelle Events April 29 - May 1 The annual Lay Retreat will be held at St. Michael's Retreat Centre, Lumsden. This is a silent retreat, which runs from supper time on Friday to shortly after lunch on Sunday. For further information and to register, please go to the diocesan website www.quappelle.anglican.ca or contact your local parish for a mail-in form.
For change of address, undeliverable copies and subscription list updates contact: your parish, circulation@national.anglican.ca or send to Saskatchewan Anglican c/o Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden Street Toronto ON M4Y 3G2 Published by the dioceses of Qu’Appelle, Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. All submissions must be sent to the Associate Editors by the beginning of
Managing Editor: Fred Stephens, 51 - 10th St. NE, Weyburn SK. S4H 1G8 Phone 306-842-7235 Email: fredrstephens@gmail.com Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin, 6927 Farrell Bay Regina SK S4X 3V4 Phone: 306-775-2629 Email: wsmartin@accesscomm.ca Saskatoon: Peter Coolen, 820Avenue I South Saskatoon SK S7M 1Z3 Phone: 306-244-0935 Email: ptrcoolen@sasktel.net Saskatchewan: The Reverends Julie and Steven Page, P.O. Box 274, Hudson Bay, SK, S0E 0Y0P Phone (306) 865-3488; Email: HudsonBayArborfield@SaskTel.net
Published monthly except July and August Published from 51 - 10th Street NE, Weyburn SK S4H 1G8 Printed and mailed from Signal Star Publishing A division of Bowes Publishers Ltd. Goderich ON N7A 4B6 Subscription rate: $10.00 in Canada; $17.00 outside Canada Whole No. 292, Vol. 33, No. 5 A Section of Anglican Journal
The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
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A Beautiful Way to Nestle into this Sacred Season by Marian Powell
photo - Margaret Ball
St. Paul's Cathedral Choir with guest artists at "Christmas Is Coming." Principal artists include (front row, second from left) Tara Semple, Janice Denike and Gail Bowen. Darcy Gingras is far left in the second row; conductor Bob Nicolls is in the third row, far right.
Anglican and Lutheran Women Celebrate a “Prelude to Christmas”
Advent at St. Luke's by Nigel Salway REGINA An Advent Quiet Day was held at St. Luke's on Saturday, December 4. The quiet day was a chance for parishioners to meditate on the meaning of Advent and prayerfully prepare for the season. The morning of prayer was followed by Communion and a lunch provided by St. Luke's Auxiliary. St. Luke's annual Advent book sale was held on December 5. Parishioners used this opportunity to kick off their Christmas shopping with special seasonal items from The Churchmouse Resource Centre. During December, St. Luke's hosted an Advent study group on Wednesday evenings. This took the form of a weekly lecture followed by Compline, led by Cantor Barbara Swanson-Snook. Lecturers included Fr. Cosmin Sicoe of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Fr. Claude Schroeder of St. Mary's, Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson and Deacon Susan Page. The study group was held jointly with St. Mary's.
REGINA “What skill and heart…a beautiful way to nestle into this sacred season.” Thus observed one concert-goer reflecting on the Advent presentation by St. Paul's Cathedral Choir under the direction of Bob Nicholls and accompanied on organ and piano by Janice Denike, Director of Music, on the cold afternoon of December 12, 2010. “Christmas is Coming” featured carols sung by the audience - 140 strong and St. Paul's Choir, along with seasonal readings, including excerpts from “A Child's Christmas in Wales” read by Ken MacKay; a poem “First Light” by Myrna Reid Grant, read by Eric Greenway; and John 1:1-14, read by Dean James Merrett. The featured work was “Christmas is Coming, a Festive Cantata”
music by Elie Siegmeister and Rufus Wheeler, words by Dorothy de Ferranti, which was brought out of the music archives of St. Paul's. It was a delightful mélange of traditional carols and songs interspersed with narrative describing the pleasures and traditions of the anticipation of Christmas. The narrator was noted author Gail Bowen. Soloists were Dean James Merrett, Vicki Elliott and Dorianna Holowachuck. Guest musicians Tara Semple, Assistant Principal Flute with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and Darcy Gingras, who plays percussion with the RSO and teaches at the Conservatory of Performing Arts, brought the additional magic of floating notes, drums, tinkling bells and cymbals. In keeping with the season, entrance was by donation with funds earmarked to support St. Paul's Christmas family.
The Sunday School program, No Vacancy, was presented on December 12. Set in Bethlehem, the play follows Cleona and Dietric, the owners of the Bethlehem Holiday Inn. Census time is good for them, as the inn is full with travellers of the House of David and there is no vacancy in their inn for a pair of travellers from Nazareth. The couple makes do with the stable, and it is there that their son, Jesus Christ, is born. The cast of No Vacancy included Eriyeza Buwembo and Sophie Igbokwe as narrators, Jack Igbokwe as Dietric, Althea Euroboa as Cleona, Andrew MacPhail as Joseph, Rachel Igbokwe as Mary, Joshua Euroboa and Susan MacPhail as Dietric and Cleona's children, Nelson Heuchert as a donkey and May Buwembo as the angel. Geena Salway provided piano accompaniment for the carols. For the early service on Christmas Eve, the prelude and postlude music was provided by the string quartet, Les Expressions Musicales. Parishioners shared fellowship and good times around a wassail bowl before the later service that evening.
photo - Nigel Salway
The shepherds and angel come to the stable to adore the baby Jesus, in the St. Luke's pageant, No Vacancy. (l - r) Jack Igbokwe, Susan MacPhail, Joshua Euroboa, Althea Euroboa, Rachel Igbokwe, May Buwembo, Andrew MacPhail, Jenny Williams holding Callie Tomilin.
Photo- Marion G. Pope
St. Timothy's women (left to right) Helen Craig, Emil McCarthy and Gail Henderson with a mixture of Anglican and Lutheran ladies who attended the “Prelude to Christmas” held at Augustana Lutheran Church, Saskatoon. By Marion G. Pope, Convenor, Diocesan A.C.W. - SASKATOON - “Prelude to Christmas”; what is a Prelude to Christmas? At St. Timothy's Anglican Church in Saskatoon it has been a pre-Christmas tradition for women of the parish to help prepare themselves for Advent and Christmas. This year's event, held on November 29th, and attended by fifty-six women, encompassed time for reflection singing, music with special friend Anne Naugler, laughter, supper, and our tradition of “The Dressing of the Crèche”, with Betty Wood. Gifts of toiletry items and/or cash were collected for residents at Interval House. There was also a fun, one dollar, gift exchange for those in attendance. Marion G. Pope welcomed everyone and introduced special guests, Betty Mitchell, wife of our rector Larry Mitchell; Joan Vanderloos, St. Timothy's church secretary; and Anne Naugler our soloist and pianist for the evening. We were also honoured to have fifteen women from Augustana Lutheran Church join in celebrating with us. Since the sale of St. Timothy's former church facility in 2009, St. Timothy's parish has shared worship space at Augustana Lutheran Church. Marion took the opportunity of extending a special thanks to the women of
Augustana for their hospitality in welcoming us to Augustana. Through song and reflection our thoughts were turned in preparation for the Advent/Christmas season and its promise of hope. Marion read from Ann Weems who gives the assurance that, “no matter how long the darkness, God will send the Light”, and invites us to find 'our' kneeling places in Bethlehem, for, as she says, “in each heart lies a Bethlehem, an inn where we must ultimately answer whether there is room or not.” The dressing of the crèche, led by Betty Wood, reminded us that “the unwrapping of God's greatest gift is near.” Special thanks were extended for the wonderful contributions of items for Interval House (which were gratefully received at the House). Special also thanks were given to Anne Naugler for her special music and for leading us in carol singing, and to Pat Moore for her assistance, and for arranging for the Girl Guides to cater a wonderful turkey supper. The girls, who did a fantastic job, were raising funds to help finance a trip to New York. We all wish to chaperon, right? Most of all, the joy of being together and sharing the expectation of Christ's coming was a gift all its own. May the Joy of Christmas fill your heart with the peace of God all year through.
4 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
Buchans Honoured for Commitment to Fostering by Chris Putnam (reprinted with permission from Yorkton This Week) YORKTON (Qu'A) After 45 years of taking in foster children, Yorkton couple Ken and Vanessa Buchan were an obvious choice for the Helen Montgomery Award. The provincial award, given to the Buchans at a ceremony here on October 28, goes each year to a Saskatchewan family that has "demonstrated outstanding commitment to fostering" and to the community. But that's not why the Buchans have given a home to more than 150 children since 1965. "They do more for us, I think, than we do for them," says Vanessa as she rocks the latest infant in her care to sleep. This one requires regular tube feeding. It's nothing out of the ordinary for Vanessa, who has taken extensive medical training over the years to keep up with the needs of her foster children. "We do the best we can for them. They give us their unconditional love."
At the moment, the Buchans are caring for four kids ranging from a few months old up to senior high school students. They moved to Yorkton - Ken's home town - nine years ago mostly for the medical, social and educational opportunities the city would provide their kids. Almost all of the children the couple has taken in have been infants, and most of them have had high medical needs. Vanessa is one of very few foster parents in the region with the training needed to handle these cases. "It's not something I set out to do - it just happened. But it's a challenge, and it's a good challenge, and I enjoy that." Before coming to Yorkton in 2001, the Buchans lived all across the country, fostering children in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Ken's calling as an Anglican priest kept them on the move. Their last home was in the village of Punnichy, from which Ken ministered to the Kawakatoose, Day Star and
photo - courtesy Yorkton This Week
Ken and Vanessa Buchan with the latest of more than 150 foster children who have been in their care. Gordon First Nations for 13 years. That history on the reserves gives the Buchans a special connection to the culture of the primarily aboriginal children
they take in. "It was a culture shock coming here after 13 years working on reserve," says Ken. "For a while, I was still on the reserve in my mind. I probably still am, I guess." Over their 51-year marriage, the couple has raised two birth children along with seven more kids brought in on a permanent basis - either through formal adoptions or long-term foster "placements - but they don't like to differentiate. "I've always said that if I see that in our obituary, I'll come back and haunt them," jokes Vanessa. "They're all our children, and they're all God's children." It's got to come from the heart," adds Vanessa. The Buchans cite their strong Christian faith as a major part of what keeps them going. "If you didn't have a faith, I don't know how you'd survive ... You have to have someone to talk to," Vanessa says. The Buchans now actively work with supporting and training other foster parents. Vanessa is a co-facilitator with
the Parent Resources for Implementation, Development and Education (PRIDE) program, teaching prospective foster and adoptive parents some of what she knows. Many parents give up or don't make the cut, but those who pull through have a good foundation to face the challenges ahead of them. "It's kind of interesting to see - I think, 'Gee, was I really that green once?'" Vanessa laughs. The Buchans are constantly learning, as well, and that's part of why they keep at it. "If we ever come to a point where we say, 'We've arrived we've learned everything,' it's time to quit," says Ken. An open, accepting mind is essential to the fostering lifestyle. "Our job is not to put down the parents of these children. Some of them have come from pretty horrific situations themselves," says Ken. "We try to instil that into our children - that their birth parents are good people. They've just fallen by the wayside. It could happen to us, too."
Diocese of Saskatchewan parishes identify Discipleship, Leadership and Mission PRINCE ALBERT Beginning in April of 2010 with a special Saturday meeting of the Executive Committee, the Diocese of Saskatchewan has been engaged in a Strategic Planning process that included visitations and consultations in each of our Parishes over the fall. At the end of December, the results of these conversations were presented to Bishop Michael Hawkins. He will be responding in the New Year. Three strong themes came out of those discussions all around the Diocese: Discipleship, Leadership and Mission. These three speak about who we are to be, and what we are to do as Christians: Making Disciples, Growing Leaders and Engaging in God's Mission. Bishop Michael has stated how excited he is about a re-commitment to discipleship, leadership and mission in the Diocese. We will be looking at the following three important texts over the next years, as we consider these themes: Text 1 - Acts 2.42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2.42 gives us a very helpful summary of the commitment of the first disciples and invites us to consider our personal and parish commitment to things like public worship, proportional giving, bible reading and prayer, ministry and ser
vice. Text 2 - Judges 5.2 "That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!” Judges 5.2 is part of the Song of Deborah and celebrates the willing and competent leadership that Deborah provided and that led the people of God to victory. There is a call all around the Diocese for leadership training for both ordained and lay ministry. We need to consider how we can support the training and growth of Christian leaders in all of our Parishes. This will require significant resources of both time and money in the next several years. Text 3 - Matthew 28.19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28.19-20 records the Great Commission. It is our privilege to share in the Mission of Jesus Christ to a broken and hurting world. Mission out, to and in the world, including the communities in which God has placed us, is our calling. Back to Church Sunday got us thinking about invitation and welcome in Christian terms, and the issues and fears we may have around these, but we also need to think about the conversion, formation
and commissioning of new believers. Waiting for people to come into our Church is not faithful; Jesus sends us out to them. Discipleship, Leadership and Mission invite us to reflect on the core of what it means to be the Church. The theme for 2011 will be Discipleship, as we focus together on Acts 2.42.
Confirmation Service at St. Matthew's, Saskatoon
Photo - Nancy Yee
Bishop David Irving presided at a Confirmation Service at St. Matthew's , Saskatoon on September 26th, 2010. In attendance were: (front row, left to right) Katie Roberts, Samantha Fairweather, Benjamin Fairweather , Matthew Bussiere ; (back row left to right) Deacon Walter Majola, Bishop Irving, Nancy Yee and The Reverend John Seib.
The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
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St. Matthew's Church, Tisdale, celebrates Gethin Edward's ordination to the priesthood by Marilyn Cay TISDALE (Saskatchewan) - A joyful and important event took place in Tisdale's St. Matthew's Anglican Church on Saturday, December 11, 2010 - the Ordination to the Priesthood of the Reverend Gethin Edward. The Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, The Right Reverend Michael Hawkins, performed the service in our church before the congregation, family, friends and visiting clergy. To the best of anyone's knowledge, this is the first time St. Matthew's has had
this honour in its 103-year history. Father Gethin Edward arrived in Tisdale in early July. He came to us as a Deacon and has settled into life in St. Matthew's and Tisdale in a lovely, friendly manner. The Synod Office in Prince Albert provided the particulars of his training and experience. He was born in Charlottetown, PEI in 1974. In 1998, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Kings College, Halifax. He was the “Sacristan” (in charge of the care of the sacred vessels, vestments, etc) from 199398. In 1999, he married Meg. They have
Photo contributed
The Reverend Gethin Thomas Brant Edward
St. Nicholas Day Celebrated Enthusiastically in Hudson Bay By Caron Hallen, with files from the Reverend Julie Golding Page Hudson Bay (Saskatchewan) - St. Patrick's Anglican Church in Hudson Bay hosted their annual St. Nicholas Day Event on Sunday, December 5th, 2010. The official date for St. Nicholas Day is December 6th, honouring the death of Bishop Nicholas in 343. However, Sunday afternoon provided an opportunity for more people to attend. Judging from the enthusiastic response of the participants, nobody minded the change of date. St. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra (now part of modern-day Turkey), and he was known for his generosity, often giving gifts to the poor in secret. His generosity and bishop's vestments are also considered to have been the inspiration for Santa Claus. Today, however, many people do not connect Santa Claus with Christian generosity, and the St. Nicholas Day event is designed to re-introduce - or perhaps introduce for the very first time - area children and adults alike to both St. Nicholas
and Jesus. The St. Nicholas Day event keeps growing, building on past successes. This year, along with the children's activities in the church hall, there was an adult card-making event held at the rectory, free of charge. Two very lovely Christmas cards were created with the help of the patient and cheerful instructor, Stacey Johnson, who teaches a Hudson Bay card-making group. The adults had so much fun that nobody wanted to go home - or even go over to the church hall to have lunch! At the children's event in the church hall, the children rotated between stations. At one station, they used coloured icing and gels to decorate cookies in the shape of Bishop Nicholas, whose generosity was a recurring theme. Another station involved the creation of a Bishop Nicholas mitre hat treat cup and word/picture search activities. The story station is where they heard legends of Bishop (and later Saint) Nicholas, his gen continued on page 6
three sons: Steven (7), Crispin (4), and Sam (2). In 2002, he received his Master of Divinity degree from Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. His thesis was titled “Harmony in Difference (The Nature of Christian Apologetics)”. He was assistant Curate at St. Andrew's Parish in the Diocese of Fredericton from 2006-09. St. Matthew's ladies served a beautiful luncheon to honour the occasion in the church hall. A very special cake, complete with a replica of the church in icing, was provided by Eileen Godson. A
time of celebration and fellowship continued throughout the afternoon. Fr. Gethin's parents - Michael and Catherine Edward - and his brother Eric and his son were able to come to Tisdale from PEI. Also, clergy from other points in the Diocese were here to participate in the Ordination. St. Matthew's Church is very pleased and proud to have Fr. Gethin (and his wife Meg and their young boys) as our Rector. Fr. Gethin celebrated his first Communion Service as Priest the following morning in St. Matthew's Church.
Photo contributed
- Lay Readers and clergy gather to congratulate the new priest. L-R, back row (to the right of the cross): the Reverend Norbert Haukenfrers; Lay Reader Robert Cay. L-R, middle row: the Reverend Steven Page; Lay Reader Norman Cay; the Reverend Stephen Harnish; Bishop Michael Hawkins; the Reverend Joanne Beacon. L-R, front row: the Reverend Julie Golding Page; Lay Reader Tina McMunn; the Reverend Gethin Edward; Lay Reader Susan Rosvold.
Photo contributed
The newly priested Rector of St. Matthew's Church, Tisdale, poses with his beaming Lay Readers. L-R, back row: Lay Reader Robert Cay; The Reverend Gethin Edward; Lay Reader Norman Cay. L-R, front row: Lay Readers Tina McMunn & Susan Rosvold.
6 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
St. Nicholas Day Celebrated Enthusiastically in Hudson Bay continued from page 5 erosity, and his connections to Jesus. The children's event climaxed with the introduction of a large, boot-shaped piñata filled with candy, as well as some chocolate coins covered in “gold”. This reminded the children of the story about how Bishop Nicholas helped a poor family by dropping money into their boots or stockings. The lessons on generosity were heard; many children shared with their friends who could not grab as much candy when the piñata broke. A fun time was had by all. Children and adults of St. Patrick's, other area churches, and some with no connection to any church were in attendance. Photo contributed
L-R: Liam Washburn, Madison Leason, Sydney Lewellin, Ty Johnson and Tyler Dickson show off their carefully constructed Bishop Nicholas mitre hat treat cups.
Photo contributed
These beautiful cards were made by the adults who attended the card-making portion of St. Nicholas Day. Both brand new and seasoned card-makers achieved impressive results.
Photo contributed
L-R: Mya Johnson, Anna Kowalyk and Burklyn Tuleta enjoy both decorating and sampling bites from their Bishop Nicholas cookies. Photo contributed
Chase Skopliak gets a little encouragement from his mom, Melanie, as he tries to break open the piñata.
The Saskatchewan Anglican, - February 2011
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St. Margaret's Wynyard Celebrates 100 Years By Denise Mozel Editor's Note: - Most of this material has appeared in the Wynyard Advance. St. Margaret's Anglican Church was built in Wynyard in 1910. In 1976, an unused church building was moved to Wynyard and added to St. Margaret's; the older portion of St. Margaret's became the chancel of the new church. In October the first service was held in the refurbished St. Margaret's Church. Today, the chancel of St. Margaret's is the oldest worship centre in Wynyard. St. Margaret's Anglican Church in Wynyard celebrated a milestone anniversary. The church, which has a rich history, has turned 100 years old. To celebrate the centennial, a special service and banquet were held at the church on Sunday, November 21st, 2010. The centennial celebration kicked off with an hour of fellowship, followed by a service which was presided over by the Very Reverend Glen Burgomaster. He was filling in for Bishop David Irving, who had originally been scheduled to preside over the service but was unable to attend the centennial cele
bration. The parish's former rector, The Reverend Mary Gavin assisted at the service. During the service, Dean Burgomaster talked about the important role being played by the church's congregation. “The church is about the people, not the building,”…“I want you to look around and say, 'You are the church.'” Over the years, the congregation of St. Margaret's has dwindled to the point where there are now only 34 members. However, for the centennial celebration, the congregation swelled to more than 70, as people attended from such far-away places as Coquitlam, Calgary, Prince Albert, and La Ronge. At the end of the service, Carol Tomblin said it was wonderful to have such a good turnout for the celebration. “It's nice to see so many people sitting in the pews, “That's usually not (the case),”; she also spoke of the pivotal role the church has played in the lives of so many people, and which has created a multitude of memories, “Each of those memories has contributed to who we are,”, then Carol thanked everyone for attending the celebration.
Photo courtesy Wynyard Advance
The Service conducted for the centennial of St. Margaret's, Wynyard was celebrated by: (Left to Right:) Warden, Milton Harvey; The Very Reverend Glen Burgomaster; and The Reverend Mary Gavin
Photo courtesy Wynyard Advance
Long-time members of the congregation Betty Goodwin and Ed Tomblin did the honours of cutting the anniversary cake during the centennial celebration at St. Margaret's, Wynyard.
Following the service, people filtered downstairs in the church for the banquet. During the program that followed, Dean Burgomaster thanked everyone for coming to the celebration in spite of the wintry weather, “It is very nice to have all of you people put out the effort you did on roads that were not very good to come and be part of the family,” he said. Mayor Sharon Armstrong then offered a few words of congratulations, and commented on all of the familiar faces in attendance. “It's nice to see all of you children come back to your parents' church,” she said. Armstrong also commended the congregation for their efforts to keep the church alive. “It's so nice how long you've carried on. I know you are dwindling in numbers. It's (tougher) for smaller congregations with rising costs, but you're still doing it. I have to compliment you.” She then gave Dean Burgomaster a present, which turned out to be a Saskatchewan Roughriders tie; an appropriate gift since the Riders were scheduled to play in the CFL's Western Final later that day. “Because of the game today,” said Dean Burgomaster in reply, “I didn't know if I
should say 'Let us pray' or 'Let us play.'” The audience laughed at his response. Later on, several other people also took the occasion to say a few words. The Reverend Mary Gavin, who had earlier assisted with the service, talked fondly about the time she had spent in Wynyard, administering to the church, “The years when I was here were an excellent experience for me”. Gavin also congratulated the congregation on keeping the church strong for all of these years, “100 years is a long time. That's a real tribute to you to have kept the congregation alive all that time. There are not a lot of churches that last that long.” Other speakers that day included John Burns, who offered congratulations from the Grace Aarnes Lutheran Church; Jackie Babey, who said a few words on behalf of the Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church; and Anne Zaluski, who brought greetings from the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Other church leaders and former parishioners who could not attend the celebration sent letters, which were read to the audience by Milton Harvey.
Photo courtesy Wynyard Advance
A large crowd gathered for the centennial celebration at St. Margaret's, Wynyard. The parishes' current rector, The Very Reverend Glen Burgomaster (Centre Left) presided over a centennial mass with the help of the former rector, The Reverend Mary Gavin (Centre Right).
Photo courtesy Wynyard Advance
Mayor Sharon Armstrong presented The Very Reverend Glen Burgomaster with a Roughriders tie during the centennial celebration at St. Margaret's, Wynyard.
8 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2011
Summer School Offerings for 2011 the ancient practice of lectio div- Walter Hannam, Professor of Ancient Languages and (New Testament) Greek; ation in the Spiritual Life: Literature: Classical Latin / Church Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, ina without earning academic Theology and Anglican Studies, credit.). College of Emmanuel & St Chad Study the languages and writings Slavonic / Coptic Part I: May 9th and Maximus the Confessor Instructor: Kevin May 31st to June 5th. of the Ancient Church on the to 27th and, Part II: Learn contemplative banks of the beautiful June 6th to 24th. prayer from three ancient mas- Corrigan, Samuel Candler Dobbs Also offered this summer: A Cross-Cultural Immersion Saskatchewan River. Complete a ters of the spiritual life, with Professor of Interdisciplinary Experience in Vietnam full year of the following ancient Praying with the Giants: daily Office, Eucharist, and an Humanities and Director of the and medieval languages in two, Reading Ancient Texts in opportunity for Spiritual Graduate Institute of the Liberal Hosted by The Reverend Canon Dr. Beth Marie Murphy three-week, intensive sessions: Retreat: Direction. (This course is also Arts, Emory University. Spiritual Director: July 25th to August 15th Biblical Hebrew / Hellenistic Topic: Integration and Fragment- open to anyone wishing to learn For more information or to register, contact: Colleen Walker, Registrar at: colleen.walker@usask.ca or (306) 975-1558
A Covenant between the Archdiocese of Regina and the Diocese of Qu'Appelle On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle and the 100th anniversary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina, we, the bishops of these dioceses, together with our people and responding to the call of the Holy Spirit, wish to enter into a covenantal relationship. In doing so, we are building on more than 40 years of actively seeking reconciliation between our two Communions on an international level, and also on the guidance and leadership of our local churches in fostering those relations, beginning with conversations and friendship between Archbishop Frederic Jackson and Archbishop Michael Cornelius O'Neill. This has continued on through successive bishops and faith communities to our own day. Honouring the teaching and prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ that all may be one (John 17:11, 21), we give thanks to the Father and rejoice in the power of the Holy Spirit working within us which can do infinitely more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). In the name of our churches, we solemnly enter into this covenant. I. The faith we share Already in 1977, Archbishop of Canterbury Donald Coggan and Pope Paul VI signed a Common Declaration, in which they affirmed the following about our churches: “[we] have come to recognize, to value and to give thanks for a common faith in God our Father, in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit; our common baptism into Christ; our sharing of the Holy Scriptures, of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, the Chalcedonian definition [on Christ's full humanity and full divinity], and the teaching of the Fathers; our common Christian inheritance for many centuries with its living traditions of liturgy, theology, spirituality and mission” (§2). Through our international dialogue, we have reached significant agreement on the nature of the eucharist and ministry. We have also reached convergence on authority in the Church, the nature and mission of the Church, salvation and justification, discipleship and morals, and more recently, the place of
Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the life and doctrine of the Church.1 In Canada, we rejoice in our use of a common lectionary, in our joint participation in theological and pastoral formation in some places, in our national theological dialogue and in the meetings of our bishops on regional and national levels. Today, we no longer feel ourselves as strangers in each other's houses of worship. Despite remaining obstacles which we continue to address in dialogue, we have come a long way, making considerable progress in our relations. And yet, as the recent international document Growing Together in Unity and Mission stated, “we have only just begun to give tangible expression to the incontrovertible elements of shared faith” (§7). In that document, we express our conviction that “it is the time to bridge the gap between the elements of faith we hold in common and the tangible expression of that shared belief in our ecclesial lives” (§10). “Even in a time of uncertainty, the mission given us by Christ obliges and compels us to seek to engage more deeply and widely in a partnership in mission, coupled with common witness and joint prayer” (§7). II. Moving Forward in Mission Here in Saskatchewan, Anglicans and Roman Catholics have enjoyed the regular meetings of our bishops since the 1970s; meetings were expanded to include Lutheran and Ukrainian Catholic bishops in the 1990s. In 1999, the Anglican, Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches joined with the Franciscan community in setting up an ecumenical board to give direction to St. Michael's Retreat House in Lumsden. This is a sign and indication of what is possible when we give tangible expression to the faith we share. The Spirit now calls our Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches to a new stage in jointly building up the body of Christ in our dioceses. To that end, our relationship now moves us to commit our two dioceses to the following: 1. Hold a prayer service each year, ideally during the Easter season, alternating between the two cathedrals, with
our bishops present. This would take the form of an annual service of reconciliation, with participants (planning, officiants, servers, lectors, choir, etc) from both churches. 2. Commit ourselves to regularly remembering the other church and its leaders, and our relations, in our intercessions at each Sunday eucharist. 3. Join together on a justice-related initiative locally and/or sponsor a justice-related project where our churches are working together in the developing world. 4. Hold joint meetings with First Nations elders in order to promote reconciliation and healing. 5. Commit ourselves to maintaining communication between us when any new development in one of our churches has implications or challenges for the other. We also encourage the following at the diocesan level and in communities where there are both Anglican and Roman Catholic parishes. Whenever possible, other Christian churches and their ministers would fully share in these proposed activities and initiatives: 1. Joint activities in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; 2. Common services in Advent and Lent; . Joint witness in the name of Christ to people in particular spiritual need, including those who have lapsed from regular attendance at worship; 4. Parish welcome and support for inter-church couples and families; 5. Bishops acting together when feasible: for example, issuing joint statements on current public pastoral concerns; 6. Clergy acting together when feasible: for example, holding occasional study days; arranging a joint component in our parish programs for baptism preparation; 7. Youth leadership: possibility of a joint youth group forming or occasional jointlyorganized events with our youth; 8. Occasional workshops on aspects of the liturgy which would allow us to learn liturgical best practices from each other (e.g. welcoming/greeting, music, lec
tors, servers, those preparing intercessory prayers); 9. Meetings of those with parallel ministries: pastors; deacons; lay leadership/lay ministry; musicians; healing ministry; bereavement; church wardens/vestries/parish councils; 10 Exploration of common texts - for example, study of Scripture, study of our joint ARC statements, e.g. Growing Together in Unity and Mission; 11. Social occasions following joint liturgical events, to offer opportunities for fellowship; 12. Fostering friendly relations and regular communication between neighbouring Anglican and Roman Catholic parishes and their clergy; they are encouraged to enter into parish covenants and hold annual events together; 13. Justice issues speaking out together on areas of common concern where we can act together: prison ministry; relations with First Nations communities; healing ministry, chaplaincies, nursing homes; 14. Preparation for mission: coming together to identify a specific concern in the community and provide gracious outreach, then joining together to bring relief and Christ's healing. III: Carrying the Covenant Forward Bilateral relations between churches are always at the service of a broader vision of the unity of all Christ's disciples. Therefore it is our hope that this covenant could be the base of an ever-widening covenantal relationship among Christian communities. We specifically extend an invitation to the Saskatchewan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon, and the other Anglican and Roman Catholic Dioceses in Saskatchewan to consider entering into a renewed version of this covenant. Furthermore, we hold many common elements of faith with other Christian churches in this province, most fundamentally: a Trinitarian faith into which we are baptized and which we profess in the Apostles' Creed; a common recognition of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour to whom we commit ourselves in
discipleship; common sources of authority in the Old and New Testaments and in the witness of the early Church which shape our mission; and a common hope and prayer grounded in God's presence and action in the world and the promise of God's Kingdom. We would therefore invite other Christian churches into a conversation about the prospect of entering into a broader multilateral covenantal relationship. Conclusion We give our thanks to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the gifts we have received and which we have come to recognize in each other, for the joy we have come to know in our life in Jesus Christ, and for the renewed and life-giving relationship which has come to us from the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory, in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:21). 1. The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), in its first phase of dialogue (1970-1981), produced The Final Report (London: CTS/SPCK, 1982), which included the statements Eucharistic Doctrine (1971); Ministry and Ordination (1973); Authority in the Church I (1976); an Elucidation of each of these three texts (Eucharist and Ministry Elucidations dated 1979, Authority in the Church I Elucidation dated 1981; and Authority in the Church II (1981). The second phase of dialogue produced agreed statements entitled Salvation and the Church (1986), Church as Communion (1990), Life in Christ: Morals, Communion and the Church (1993), The Gift of Authority: Authority in the Church III (1998), and Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ (2005). Editor’s note: This covenant was signed by the Rt. Rev. Daniel Bohan, Archbishop of Regina, and the Rt. Rev. Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle, on January 23, 2011 at a ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina. Reprinted from the Qu’Appelle Diocese web site.