The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008

June 2008

A Section of the Anglican Journal

SASKATCHEWAN ANGLICAN BOARD HOLDS ITS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Photo Fred Stephens

Saskatchewan Anglican AGM L.to R. Rev. Steven Page, Rev. Christopher Snook, Rt. Rev. Anthony Burton, Shauna Milner (background), Diane Foley, Peter Coolen.

Staff SASKATOON - The Annual General Meeting of the Board of the Saskatchewan Anglican met in Saskatoon on Wednesday, April 30, to review the past year and look toward the future. The board consists of the bishop of each diocese in the province, the managing editor, and each of the diocesan associate editors. The accountant from the diocese of which the managing editor is a member is in attendance, as is an employee of the host diocese who looks after arranging the facilities and taking the minutes.

In his remarks the Managing Editor noted that the contributions to the newspaper had increased during the past year, and posting of the Saskatchewan Anglican on Diocesan web sites was enabling former parishioners to keep in touch with their former parishes and dioceses. Regular contributions from Emmanuel St. Chads

has added another dimension to the paper, and are providing theological insights into many aspects of our faith.

He expressed his gratitude to three members of the board who are resigning, for their contributions, encouragement and support of the Saskatchewan Anglican over the years. Barbara-Lynn Dixon from the Diocese of Qu'Appelle is stepping down after many years of service, the Reverend Christopher Snook from the Diocese of Saskatchewan is leaving the diocese and the province, and the Right Reverend Anthony Burton , also from the Diocese of Saskatchewan, has resigned to take up a new position and a change of culture, climate and colleagues in the Diocese of Texas.

Board members were able to welcome two new associate co-editors who will be replacing Christopher Snook.

The Reverends Julie and Steven Page from the parish of Hudson Bay will be putting

Photo Fred Stephens

Saskatchewan Anglican AGM L. to R. Peter Coolen, Rev. Julie Golden-Page, Diane Foley, Rt. Rev. Gregory KerrWilson, Rt. Rev. Rodney Andrews their talents to work, and with their previous communications experience they will be tremendous assets to our paper.

Like everything else costs of producing and distributing the Saskatchewan Anglican have increased substantially.

The cost of individual subscriptions was of necessity increased to $15.00 per annum. This increase will not affect those who are on a parish list in this province, because the cost of subscriptions is included in the parish assessment.

Each June the Anglican Journal sends out to each parish a list of subscribers from that parish, so that the list can be updated.

Editors will now be advised which parishes have not returned their updated lists.

Updates are important, for a number of reasons. Too often new parish members are not added, and therefore do not receive the Anglican Journal or the Saskatchewan Anglican. Priests have also been known to receive irate telephone calls and mes

sages from relatives of a deceased parishioner wanting to know why, when the parish looked after the funeral for their loved one, it didn't bother to cancel the paper. There is also the financial implication to the Diocese. If the size of a parish has diminished in numbers but the parish list has not been updated, the Diocese could be remitting far more money than necessary for the printing and distribution of papers throughout the Diocese. This situation does not make bishops or financial officers happy.

It is not necessary to wait until June to update the list, however. If you are, or you know of, a parishioner who is either new to or has ceased to be a member of your parish, ask your priest or parish communications officer to do an update for you, or contact an associate editor or the managing editor who will forward the necessary information to the circulation department of the Anglican Journal.

People-Centric Employer and Managing the Compensation Gap - Two Issues Explored at Business Foum At St. Michael’s Retreat House

by Frank Flegel LUMSDEN (QuA) - Employers who treat their people as individuals rather than just as commodities have happier and more productive employees, said Dr. David Barnard in a day long business forum held in April at St. Michael's Retreat House.

“Organizations get better engagements and better performance in accomplishing their goals, better results by treating their people in that way,” said Barnard. Barnard is Chief Operating Officer for Iqmetrix of Regina, former President of the University of Regina and will take over as President of the University of Manitoba July 1, 2008. Besides several degrees in Computer Science and related disciplines he also holds a Divinity Degree from the University of British Columbia.

The day-long forum explored two areas: What Does it Really Mean to be a PeopleCentric Employer and Managing the Compensation Gap. The morning session dealt with people centric employers and the afternoon was spent on Managing the Compensation Gap. There was general agreement in the morning session about

the value of treating employees as individuals but the session on Managing the Compensation Gap was more of a discussion on the issues surrounding the huge compensation packages enjoyed by some senior executives. Participants discussed market forces, the ethics of large compensation packages and what was seen as the small pool of leadership candidates.

Shareholders have begun to take more interest in the compensation packages of senior executives and are demanding more accounting of what the packages contain and under what circumstances they are paid out.

A 30 year veteran of the provincial public service, Deb Harrison, said the forum was the first time she visited St. Michael's Retreat and found the atmosphere relaxing and congenial making it easier to share experiences with strangers.

Harrison agreed with the people centric approach but noted in a highly structured atmosphere such as the public service which is 90% unionized, change is difficult and takes a long time.

The format changed this year from the

previous two years. Instead of a day and a half with an overnight at St. Michael's it was an all day affair. J. Gordon Wicijowski, a retired senior executive of a national accounting firm and one of the organizers said the new format worked

well and all seemed satisfied with it.

Presently, the Franciscan Friars of St. Michael together with the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran communities operate the Retreat Centre through an Inter-church Board.

photo Patty Pratt

Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson sits with Rev. Arthur Anderson at the 24/7 Diner, Gordon First Nation, on a visit recently to the community where they enjoyed bannock and soup.

2 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008

BISHOP’S MESSAGE by the Right Reverend Gregory KerrWilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle In a few weeks time a significant event in the life of the Anglican Church will take place. Beginning July 16, 2008, the Lambeth Conference will convene as bishops representing dioceses all over the world gather to pray, to study the Scriptures, to share and consult on mission and ministry and to work toward deepening our common life, our faith and our unity in Christ. While from one perspective it may appear to be a simple gathering of church officials, this is a significant moment in the life of our communion because for Anglicans (as for others who follow the ancient ordering of the Church) the office of bishop functions as a central sign of our unity, representing the local church in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church throughout the world and also that greater Church to the local.

Thus, the pragmatics of national bodies and representations aside, such a gathering of bishops is the primary outward sign of the Church's common life in communion, at least in its Anglican expression.

There will be much positive and fruitful discussion at Lambeth but Anglicans might wish to be aware that any media coverage of Lambeth will very likely focus on two things: the absence of a significant number of bishops who have chosen not to attend because of outstanding

disagreements over contentious issues and any controversy generated by way of discussion around those particular issues. That, of course, is the bread and butter The Right Reverend of what secular Gregory Kerrmedia consider Wilson, Bishop of n e w s w o r t h y. Qu’Appelle The absence of those bishops and the controversy it represents should not be taken lightly. They are signs of the brokenness of relationships within the life of the Christian Church (the fact that this is an Anglican gathering only is also a sign of the Christian Church's brokenness). On the other hand, they should not be overemphasized either. The truth is that there is always more and less unity and communion than our human eyes can see. Less, because to the extent that we live with partial vision and understanding of God's way and truth in the world, all our relationships are marked by a certain brokenness and incompleteness.

More, because our unity and communion are ultimately real in “one Body and one Spirit, … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Eph 4:45) and being bearers of God's Holy Spirit

means that we have a unity and communion beyond our understanding and recognition: that is, they are a gift, an act of grace not of human choosing, that we are in the process of receiving.Unity and communion are not, of course, just matters for bishops. The Diocese of Qu'Appelle has a companion relationship with the Diocese of Lichfield, England and that relationship, along with other companion connections from around the world will be celebrated and deepened in the context of a CrossTalk Conference in the two weeks prior to Lambeth. Lay and clergy representatives from parishes that have been praying for one another over the last two years will spend time together in Lichfield, sharing our stories, our ideas and resources for the work of mission and ministry in our churches. Such direct and personal sharing amongst Christians is always the most profound and direct means by which the unity and communion of the Church are built up, whether at the international level or in the communities in which we live.

I ask your prayers for the Lambeth conference and all the bishops, both those who will be present and those who will absent themselves. I ask your prayers also for our ecumenical relationships and the local cooperation in mission between Christians of all stripes. May the Holy Spirit bind us ever more closely in understanding and love as we grow in the truth and unity.

Executive Officer Marilyn Dean Retires from Qu’Appelle Diocese REGINA - Marilyn Dean will be leaving the post of Executive Officer for the Diocese of Qu'Appelle at the end of June.

She was appointed to this position in June 2000.

Marilyn Dean brought the experience of a varied number of jobs held in the diocese for the previous 20 years. Beginning in 1982 at All Saints Regina she worked with the children's worship which led to appointments on the Christian Education and the Program diocesan committees and then to the national Children's Unit. She supervised and planned diocesan events during this time. And in 1991 Dean was appointed manager of the Churchmouse Resource Centre which had been moved to the synod office. So in 2001 when Bishop Duncan Wallace asked her to take photo Barbara-Lynn Dixon on the task of Executive Officer she was Marilyn Dean will be leaving as well prepared to say yes.

Qu'Appelle Executive Officer at the "Much of my work was centred on assistend of June. ing in planning and carrying out events which gathered people from around the diocese for times of learning, sharing, encouragement and worship," she said and noted there were events like From Exile to Exodus with Bishop Jim Cruikshank as the guest speaker and the year long study and reflection on the baptismal covenant called Living the Covenant.

Also training sessions were held for those on the path to local ordination as well as for interested lay persons. The annual summer school held at St. Michael's Retreat Lumsden

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

which began in 2002 was one such event.

During the time of Marilyn Dean's tenure there loomed over the diocese a sense of uneasy change. The numbers decreased; rural de-population caused many parishes and congregations to close or at least to lose their paid clergy. Resolving the human cost of the legacy of the residential schools was paramount. "But," said Dean, "I think we had begun to see this as a time of opportunity to become an even more faithful witness to the Gospel. We sometimes even dared to imagine what it would be like if we lost our buildings. What did we need to be the church in this place?

And Duncan would say that all we needed to gather as the church was a table, a bible, a loaf of bread and wine."

Throughout this uncertainty the primary thrust of her work was gathering people together to enable the diocese to find what God was calling them to do while forging a cohesive membership.

"The greatest gift in this work," she said, "is the joy of meeting and having a conversation with people in the diocese and the wider church."

Marilyn Dean will not doubt have many more conversations with the diocese after she leaves as Executive Officer.

Managing Editors: Fred Stephens, 51 - 10th St. NE, Weyburn SK. S4H 1G8 Phone 306-842-7235 Email: candfstephens@sasktel.net Qu’Appelle: Barbara-Lynn Dixon, 41 Angus Crescent Regina SK S4T 6N1 Phone: 306-525-6935 Email:bldixon@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 198 Hudson Bay, SK Phone 306-344-5405 Email: snook.chris@gmail.com

Pro-Life Activist Recommends the Use of Graphic Images to Convey Message

by Frank Flegel REGINA - Stephanie Gray says you have to see what history tells about how past injustices were successfully fought and use those successes to make abortion unthinkable. Gray is the cofounder and Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform. She was guest speaker at Regina ProLife's 35th anniversary conference and banquet held May 3.

Gray used as examples the abolitionist movement in England that helped abolish slavery in the late 1700s and the successes of the American Civil Rights movement.

Both, she said, had used graphic images to win their arguments. In England, chains, shackles, thumbscrews were displayed along with a poster that detailed the layout of slave ships showing how slaves were stacked in limited space for shipment. The American civil rights movement used graphic images of police dogs attacking marchers and fire hoses pinning marchers against buildings. But the image that galvanized the movement was that of Emmett Till, a black man brutally beaten, shot then tied with barbed wire to a heavy fan and thrown into the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi. Till's mother insisted that the coffin remain open at the funeral to show the brutality to which her son had been subjected. Gray showed a black and white photo of Till in the coffin. The head was nothing but a huge blob. One hundred days later Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus in Birmingham.

Gray also showed slides of aborted fetuses, disembowelled, burned, limbs torn apart and two side by side slides that showed a 24 week preemie alive in an incubator and a late aborted fetus that looked more than twice the size of the preemie. She described her organization's use of billboard display panels that showed Holocaust and Rwanda atrocities along side aborted fetuses to emphasize how one group of people determined the fate of the other. “Different motive, different method, same result,” was written above the display.

Stephanie Gray challenged the more than 200 at the banquet to become pro-active in the pro-life movement and offered to return and help train volunteers. “But be prepared to be persecuted,” she said. “The abolitionists and civil rights activists are now admired but they suffered persecution at the height of the movement.”

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: $15.00 in Canada; $22.00 outside Canada Whole No. 292, Vol. 33, No. 5 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069670 A Section of Anglican Journal

The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008 - 3

Notes and Events - Diocese of Qu'Appelle June, July and August 2008 St. Stephen Swift Current Primate's Fund representative Pam Speir reports that $865.50 was raised at the PWRDF luncheon which included a talk by Basil Pogue on his recent trip to Mexico. The talk was very much appreciated, she said.

June 7 Prairie Spirit will give a Country Gospel Music concert at St. Mary's church, Regina beginning at 2 p.m. Prairie Spirit, a five-member group, will provide an entertaining program as well as Christian witness. The free concert is financed by St. Mary's "Dorothy Goodale Outreach Fund." Everyone is welcome. There will be a free-will offering to support St. Mary's charity projects. For more information please contact Beryl Forgay at 584-0519.

June 10 to 15 Generation 2008 will meet in Huron University College, London, Ontario for the conference on youth. Jenni Weiss, Jenn Andreas and Rev. Mike Sinclair will represent Qu'Appelle.

June 15 St. Matthew Regina will have its annual Ham Supper.

June 16 to 22 St. Michael's Retreat, Lumsden, will offer a six day preached retreat beginning 7 p.m. Monday to 1 p.m. Sunday. At the centre of humanity and God's calling through Christian baptism is the contemplative heart. This reflective retreat will be a time to treasure and to ponder one's contemplative personal inner core. Living with awareness becomes a way of seeing with God's own eye. Each day will consist of presentations, some exchange, daily silent sittings, opportunities for one-on-one encounters and Eucharist. Facilitated by Glenn M. Zimmer, OMIC Co-Director at Qu'Appelle House of Prayer. Cost is $375. Please contact St Michael's Retreat, P.O. Box 220, Lumsden , Saskatchewan S0G 3C0; phone: 306 731-3316; fax: 306 731-3807; Email: <office@stmichaelsretreat.ca> June 21, 22 St. Mary the Virgin Whitewood is celebrating 125 years of continuous worship and service to the community. Former rectors, parishioners and area residents are invited to the celebration. Activities and entertainment will start at 1 p.m. Saturday and continue throughout the day. Period attire of the 1880s may be worn. The celebration concludes with a Eucharist service and luncheon on Sunday morning. For further information please call Dennis at 306.696.2601 or Phyllis at <phewma@sasktel.net>.

August 8 to 10 Spirit of the Valley Bike-Walk-Run, the annual fun-raising event at St. Michael's Retreat Lumsden will have participants ride from Saskatoon on Friday, from Davidson on Saturday or from Regina Beach, Craven, Lumsden or Regina on Sunday. The walkers and runners begin at Lumsden River Park at 8 a.m. Sunday. All participants meet at the Retreat House at 11 a.m. for refreshments, the Service of The Word and lunch. For more information please phone 306.731.3316 or E-mail <office@stmichaelsretreat.ca> August 17 to August 24 The 45th annual Bishop's School for Choristers week will begin at 7 p.m. August 17 with a welcome and orientation at All Saints Regina. For information please contact Marilyn Dean, 306.522.1608.

Diocese of Saskatoon: Announcements and Upcoming Events (continued) Appointments: Mr. Don Coomber of St. John's, Munster and Ms. Wilma Miller, of Christ Church, Saskatoon have been appointed to Diocesan Council.

The Reverend Dr. Henry Comerford and the Very Reverend Terry Wiebe have been appointed to the Grants Allocation Panel to join Ken Bos, Mary McKay and Lillian Fleck who were elected at synod.

50th Anniversary for Canon Clay June 1st marks a milestone in the ministry of the Reverend Canon Colin Clay; it will be 50 years, to the day, that Colin was ordained a priest in Southwark Cathedral (on London's south bank - right beside London Bridge) on Trinity Sunday, June 1st 1958.

Diocese of Saskatoon: Announcements and Upcoming Events 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. 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.

Visits by the Bishop for June, 2008 The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon, will be conducting the following visits: Sunday, June 1st; Watrous; Wednesday, June 4th, Unity Central Sunday, June 15th, Porcupine Plain; Sunday, June 22nd, Lintlaw/Endeavour.

Integrity Saskatoon Meetings are held at St. James on the second Saturday of each month at 7 p.m.

Saskatoon Correctional Centre Mr. Peter Oliver, the Chaplain at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre is seeking Anglicans interested in being representatives on a committee working on restorative justice and reconciliation and from church groups interested in leading worship, Bible study etc. on a regular basis. The Saskatoon Correctional Centre is also attempting to raise $4000 to cover the cost of a wood carving as a center piece for their chapel; anyone interested in making a contribution to this effort is asked to contact Mr. Peter Oliver as well. He may be contacted at 956-8865 or poliver@cps.gov.sk.ca.

St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 50th Anniversary Celebrations St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Saskatoon invites all former parishioners and clergy to our 50th anniversary celebrations in Saskatoon, SK., September 13th and 14th 2008.

Please contact St. Stephen's Church at (306) 374-4066 or E-mail hab.ststephens@sasktel.net for information about events. The church is open 9:00 a.m. to 12:0o noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday.

Saint Matthew's, Sutherland Celebrates Centenary Saint Matthew's Anglican Church in Sutherland is celebrating its centennial on Saturday, September 6th with a Come-and-Go Tea in the parish hall and a Banquet in Sutherland School a service of celebration will be held in the church on Sunday, September 7th at 10 a.m. For more information please call Loretta Kolbinson 3746394 or E-mail kolbinson@sasktel.net.

Youth Ministry Position, St. James' Anglican Church, Saskatoon St. James' Anglican Church, is seeking an energetic Youth Minister. This is a 16 to 20 hour-per-week position beginning August, 2008. Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience and education. A more detailed description of this position may be found elsewhere in this issue. If interested in this position, please forward your resume and covering letter, no later than May 15th, 2008 to: St. James'Youth Hiring Committee, 609 Dufferin Avenue, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 1C4.

St. George's Knights begin St. George's, Saskatoon will be holding the first St. George's Knights event on Friday May 16th, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the parish hall, 624 Ave. I South. This children's' crafts and games group provides a safe and fun venue for children, aged 6 to 11 years, to learn about being “a knight of God”. The “Knights” is structured for children between the existing Dragon Tales Den (Thursday mornings, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., for children up to 6 years of age) and the St. George's Youth Group (Wednesday evenings, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., for youth ages 12 to 18). For information on the St. George's Knights please contact 242-7973 or e-mail Adrea Logan, the program coordinator, at d.logan@shaw.ca.

“Generation 2008”, a five-day National Anglican Youth Ministry Forum, will be held June 10th to 15th, 2008 at Huron University College, London, Ontario. “Generation 2008” is intended t renew, equip and empower Canadian Anglicans who are involved in ministry with youth. Information is available at: www.generation.anglican.ca.

Joint Anglican and Lutheran Worship Conference A national worship conference will be held in Montreal, June 25th to 28th, 2008. For information: www.WorshipConference2008.org; for registration inquiries: registrar @ Worship Conference2008.org; or, to volunteer contact Lyndon Sayers at info@Worship Conference2008.org At Synod: At the 68th Synod of the Diocese in April the Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon conferred the title of Canon on Dr. Beth Bilson, Chancellor and Solicitor for the Synod and the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada presented the Anglican Award of Merit to Klaus Gruber.

Correction The Parish of Whitewood did not join the congregations of St. George, Wolseley; St Michael and All Angels, Grenfell and the congregations in Kipling, Broadview and Windthorst to become the Pipestone Parish. Incorrect information appeared in the April issue. The Saskatchewan Anglican regrets the error.

4 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,

June 2008

Announcing the 45th Annual Bishop’s School for Choristers August 18, - August 24, 2008

BISHOP’S SCHOOL FOR CHORISTERS Application Form Name

Fun Fellowship Christian Discipleship for boys and girls 7 years and over Through Music and Song

Age

Sex

Address Music School Director Dr. Bev Tillman Choir Director, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina

Postal Code

Phone (Daytime)

(Evening)

Family Doctor

Final Sunday Services Sunday, August 24, 2008

Doctor’s Phone Welcome and Orientation - Sunday, August 17 at 7:00 p.m.

All Saints Anglican Church 142 Massey Road, Regina Who is invited to come?

Young people age 7 and over with unchanged voices. They must be able to read and be interested in singing.

City

Allergies and/or medical problems

I also give consent for photos of or video of (name of chorister) to be used, either in printed form, television, or the internet, for further promotion of the Bishop’s School for Choristers.

What will we do?

There is time for singing, worship, recreation, making new friends and having fun!

Parent’ s (Guardian’s) signature

Each chorister will receive a T-shirt. Please indicate the size required.

T-Shirt Size Child S M L (Please circle) Adult S M L

What do I need to bring!

1.

Lunch each day (drinks and ice cream will be provided.)

A bathing suit and towel 2.

3.

Your personal health card if being billeted 4.

Sufficient clothing for the week if you are billeted 5.

Musical instrument, costume or props for the Variety Night during the week.

6.

A bible 7.

An old paint shirt

Cheque Enclosed (Please indicate amount enclosed)

OUT OF TOWN CHORISTERS PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM:

Youth Ministry Position St. James' Anglican Church, Saskatoon St. James' Anglican Church located in the heart of the Broadway District of Saskatoon and closely connected to the Refinery Arts & Spirits Centre is seeking an energetic Youth Minister for their ever growing, ever changing, core of young people. Youth group activities are intended to help deepen the spiritual life of the youth; Youth activities should also serve to build community among the youth of the parish

If you require a billet, please complete the following for the host family. This must be received no later than July 20, 2008 Parent’s name(s) Ph: Daytime Emergency contact: Name:

This is a 16 to 20 hour-per-week position beginning August, 2008.

Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience and education.

Willingness to participate in the daily life of the St. James' Parish and familiarity with the Anglican Faith and social justice activities are considered to be assets for this position.

Phone: Health Card Number: If you do not require a billet please indicate where you will be staying during the week:

Duties for this position will include: -Planning and leading youth group activities for youth ages 12 and up (12 hours including prep time); -Youth music/drama program: Involves working with the Musical Director to plan weekly Junior Choir practices in order to allow children and youth to participate in the musical life of the parish; -Working with the ministry team in planning liturgy and parish activities -Providing mentorship for youth; organizing drama events, variety nights and Holiday Events for the youth of the parish; -Coordinating Sunday school for the children and youth of the parish by acting as a liaison with the parent volunteers in order to support their Sunday school program; - and finally, planning occasional youth events in conjunction with other leaders in the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon such as YDC (Youth Discover Christ) and Inter-Anglican Youth Events.

If interested in this position, please forward your resume and covering letter, no later than May 15th, 2008, to: St. James' Youth Hiring Committee 609 Dufferin Avenue Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 1C4

Evening

Name Address City Ph: Daytime

Evening

ALL CHORISTERS MUST SIGN THE FOLLOWING CONTRACT: In applying for attendance at the Bishop’s School for Choristers, I agree to act as a Christian Chorister. This includes respect for myself, other choristers, musical directors and all other staff members who are in attendance to assist with the operation of the school. I also agree to show respect for the church property and grounds, as property dedicated for the worship of our Lord.

Any breach of conduct will result in my being dismissed from the school and sent home.

(If I am an out of town chorister, my parents will be required to come for me or I will be sent home by bus at my parent’s expense.)

Signature of chorister: ___________________________________________________________ .

Date: _______________________

The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008 - 5

St. Aidan Moose Jaw God’s Mission Explored in Hudson Bay and Arborfield Thanks House of Africa, the Rev'd Fred Buhler (Hudson sion to answer the question “What is God The Rev'd Julie Golding Page Pineridge Fellowship) talked about asking us to do, both overseas and here at ROC for Renovations HUDSON BAY & ARBORFIELD (Sask) Bay's the years that he and his family spent in home?” A long list of ideas resulted and - Twenty members of two local Anglican Paraguay, South America, and the Rev'd are being referred to each Vestry and conAssistance churches, St. Patrick's (Hudson Bay) and Julie Golding Page spoke of the short- gregation for further prayer, thought and

photo Reisha Dirksen

Dell Bornowsky, renovation project supervisor, presents a brass cross to the House of ROC members as a gift from the St. Aidan Moose Jaw congregation in appreciation for the volunteer work done on the St. Aidan building renovations. St. Aidan Moose Jaw is in the midst of a renovation project to renew the liturgical space and members of the House of ROC, a small mission-focused congregation in Moose Jaw, have volunteered their help on several occasions. The House of ROC (Reaching Out to Community) is with the Free Methodist Church in Canada and currently meets in the Moose Jaw YMCA. St. Aidan's gift of the cross was presented as a token of appreciation for the valuable help given by the House of ROC.

God's Music

by Doris Turner. St. Stephen, Swift Current.

I think that God in Heaven above Has made the world to sing, Each little note on Earth that's born Is listened to by Him.

It may be just the joyous songs Of birds upon the wing, Or even just a cricket's chirp Is a precious sound to Him.

He hears the merry, babbling brook Beneath the hills below, And the whispering of a scented breeze Is an anthem soft and low.

The cries of all Creation speak Of Heavenly joy fulfilled, And ever since the world was formed These sounds cannot be stilled.

But most of all I know He loves The songs His children sing, Of the praise and worship in our

Church of the Ascension (Arborfield), recently spent an entire day exploring their place in God's mission. Each mission day's programming ran from 10 am to 4 pm, with an enthusiastically received international supper afterwards.

Each day began with an opening time of welcome that included praise & worship singing, and that essential ingredient for all successful events - good coffee! The Rev'd Steve Page then led the group through an interactive Bible study session to answer the question “What does God have to say about mission?”

Next, several people shared their experiences of overseas mission on the ground, through dynamic presentations filled with personal anecdotes and pictures of local colour, flora and fauna. The Rev'd Chris Harper (Anglican - Birch Hills) spoke about his short-term mission to Kenya,

term mission that she and her husband (who is co-priest-in-charge) spent in Guatemala, Central America.

Then it was time for lunch - and what an adventure it was! We were treated to a taste of what it's like to be a refugee - literally - by eating a simple yet nutritious and surprisingly filling cornmeal porridge that is served in refugee camps. Lunch for the entire group cost an amazing $2, and the would-be refugees gave the money that they would have spent on their usual lunch to mission. Their generous donation of $265 will help underprivileged children around the world, by buying toys and books for children overseas and sending a child to Camp Okema here at home.

After lunch, the Rev'd Steve led a prayer time, asking God how he would have our churches be involved in his mission. The Rev'd Julie then led a brainstorming ses-

action. Both churches have already turned their commitment to mission into action by each beginning to sponsor a child in an underprivileged country through the Arms of Jesus children's mission.

Like all good events, the mission day ended with a potluck supper - but with a twist! Each person brought a dish from a different country. If variety is the spice of life, then we had a very “spicy” supper indeed, as dishes included Persian chicken, Italian pizza, Latin American casserole, Ukrainian perogies, Thai coconut green curry, and German spaetzle. Who knew that engaging in God's mission could be so much fun?

Would you like more information on how you can get involved? If so, please contact the Rev'ds Julie and Steve at 865-3488 or HudsonBayArborfield@sasktel.net.

Photo: The Rev'd Julie Golding Page

Photo: The Rev'd Julie Golding Page

Betty Edwards of Church of the A s c e n s i o n , Arborfield, prepares cornmeal porridge, a simple lunch that provides important nutrition to people in refugee camps.

We fed 12 people for less than $2.

The Rev'd Chris Harper (Birch Hills) shows Winnie Miller and Betty Burningham, both of Arborfield, the beautiful stole he bought back from his time of mission work in Kenya, Africa.

Rejoicing at Easter The Rev'd David Chapman MELFORT (Sask) - "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

There is a reason for rejoicing at Easter.

Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. This historical reality has significant implications for our lives as Christians.

The quote above is taken from our final gospel lesson in the Easter season (Easter 5). In a succinct manner, it sums up the Scripture lessons which run through Easter. Jesus Christ has overcome the world. What does this mean?

The world, here, is referring to sin. It is referring to the way of disordered love which characterizes our world and our lives. In the death and resurrection of Christ this disordered love has been overcome. How? It has been overcome on two levels. First, it has been overcome in an ultimate sense. On the cross, Jesus has paid for sin. He has taken our sin upon himself and died in our place. Second, disordered love has been overcome in our lives. To be a Christian is to have the resurrected Christ living within you. After Christ rises from the dead, he returns to his Father in heaven, and the Holy Spirit of Christ is sent to indwell our lives.

Because the Spirit of Christ is within us, the Scriptures promise that we will be

daily transformed to be more and more like Christ. Not only will we experience transformation on this earth, but we, too, will be resurrected, and will dwell with Christ eternally in heaven.

To be a Christian is to take this journey seriously. To be a Christian involves many stages. It is to be baptized. It is to learn the basics of Christian faith, and to personally commit oneself to Christ. It is to choose, daily, to die to sin and to rise to that selfsacrificial love of Christ. It is to hope for more of Christ in ones' life in the future. It is to long for a final union with Christ in heaven.

There is a very significant implication to all of this. The circumstances in our daily lives are not the end all and be all. They are an opportunity for us to grow more into that self-sacrificial love of Christ. Do we see our circumstances in this way? We need to. In almost any set of circumstances, we are given an opportunity to be transformed more into the self-sacrificial love of Christ. What matters in life is not ultimately what we "get done." What matters is that we commit our hearts to Christ, and choose daily to grow more and more into the beauty of his self-sacrificial love.

The resurrection of Jesus is cause for rejoicing.

"In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew that, if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved.

They boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-year-old first., The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?” They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open, wideeyed. So the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God!!?" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD!?"

The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.

When his older brother found him he asked, "What happened?"

The youngest brother gasped for breath and replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time dude. God is missing and they think WE did it!"

6 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008

The 68th Synod of the Diocese of Saskatoon Proves Eventful on Several Fronts

by Peter R. Coolen SASKATOON - The 68th Session of the Synod of the Diocese of Saskatoon was held at The Willows Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon on April 4th, 5th and 6th, 2008. Special guests for this Synod were the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. and two representatives of the Mothers' Union from our Companion Diocese of Ghiana, Mrs. Zandra Hafeez, the past Link Secretary of the Mothers' Union and Supervisor-in-Charge of the Queenstown Day Care Centre and Mrs. Barbara Thomas, the current Link Secretary for the Mothers' Union; chaplin for the synod was the Reverend Hugh Farmer of the Lutheran Church of Canada.

The synod began with an orientation in which a crowded agenda of events and resolutions was outlined; following this, Bishop Rodney presented his charge to the assembly outlining the challenges and issues that impact our church and requesting prayerful consideration of these issues during synod. The first items on the agenda was Resolutions of Salutation.

Following the Resolutions of Salutation the Diocesan Task Force Strategic Planning Presentation was given

by Pastor Jim Halmerson; a development plan (Turning Hope into Action; Future Directions for 2008 to 2014) had been developed from input gained from workshops held throughout the Diocese in 2007. The Synod then approved unanimously the Development Plan presented as well as the Implementation Task Force and the Future Directions Task Force and the administrative, personnel and financial resources necessary to implement the Plan.

A motion to elect delegates to attend the 39th Session of General Synod to be held in 2010 at this synod rather than wait until the next synod in 2010 was approved unanimously.

In regard to the marriage, the Synod passed a resolution to “….request the Bishop dissolve the Diocesan Matrimonial Commission.”

A resolution to “…request the Bishop to allow clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless the duly solemnized and registered civil marriages between samesex couples, where at least one party is baptized and to authorize rites for such blessings.” was spoken to, for and against, for nearly ninety minutes, by a large number of speakers in a non-confrontational but frank and deeply committed manner. Separate motions were made to table the resolution until after the next General Synod and to vote the resolution by Order however both failed to pass; the resolution

Photo Peter R. Coolen

Photo Peter R. Coolen

The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon confers the title of Canon on Dr. Beth Bilson assisted by the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada prepares to invest Mr. Klaus Gruber with the Anglican Order of Merit assisted by The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon.

'to bless” failed to pass by a vote of 38 to 41 with 3 abstaining.

Unanimous approval was given to affirm a new Mission Statement for the Diocese: “As a diocese of Anglican Christian disciples, we seek to be lively and welcoming communities of faith who serve God and serve others. Our parishioners will be prayerful, grounded in scripture, welcoming and attentive to the needs and aspirations of our neighbours.” and to a new Vision Statement: “ Christ calls us to be a vigorous, faith-filled diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada, where parishes, parishioners and leaders are empowered together to share the Gospel message with enthusiasm and hope and live the Gospel message to its fullness.”

Following upon the acceptance of the Development Plan a motion was carried “….that this Synod direct the Diocesan Council to appoint a task force to change the structure and representation of the Diocesan Council to reflect the demographics of the Diocese in the spirit of our accepted Strategic Plan.”

Dr. Beth Bilson bravely spent much time reviewing line-byline and answering questions in regard to the proposed amendments the Constitution and Canons; the resolution to approve these revisions was approved; however, further final approval of these amendments at the 2010 Synod will be necessary to implement the changes.

In terms of budgeting and finance, Resolutions were presented and carried to:”…approve that the Fair Share Levy and the proposed diocesan budget be presented to the parishes by June 15th of each budget year to solicit their response(s) before the diocesan budget is finalized. and “….that this Synod request the Diocesan Council to consider restoring travel pooling as part of

providing legal advice and service to synod and the diocese.

One of the two Artist Coordinators of the Art Fair Committee, John Spyglass, presented two art works. The first, a painting, “Tree of Life” was painted by Alan Morrow and was presented to the cathedral and, the second, a 3-D beaded picture, was created by Laurie Smith and was presented to the synod office; both native artists live in LaRonge.

Further presentations were made;

the annual diocesan budget”.

On Sunday, April 6th, the last day of Synod our two guests from our Companion Diocese of Ghiana, Mrs. Zandra Hafeez and Mrs. Barbara Thomas gave a short speech of thanks which included a comparison of synods in the two dioceses in terms of the existence here of female clergy and the active involvement in Synod, at all levels, by women.

They noted, as well, that both diocesan synods were similarly deeply committed to the message and spirit of Christ and reflected the needs and aspirations of the societies that they represented, and thanked the Diocesan ACW, the Synod and the parishes, which had hosted them, for their warmth and hospitality. Following this address and some housekeeping the 68th Synod was adjourned.

At the concluding Sunday service in St. John the Evangelist's Cathedral, the Primate, the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz re-stated many of the issues of strain and division as well as opportunities for growth within the Diocese, the nation and in the world-wide communion which he had already noted in an address to Synod on Saturday. Attempting to resolve these issues, at the individual level, as well as at the community level require us to be Christ-led and faithful to His message of service, outreach and salvation.

Following this message and in further emphasis of the theme of “service”, the Primate invested Mr. Klaus Gruber with the Anglican Order of Merit for his contributions to the life and work of the church at the national and international level and for his work with refugees as a member of the board of the PWRDF since 2001. Bishop Rodney also conducted a ceremony conferring on Dr. Beth Bilson, Chancellor and Solicitor to Synod, the title of Canon, in recognition of her many years of

Bishop Rodney presented a cheque for $1000 from the diocese to the Primate for the PWDRF and a cheque for $1000 was presented by Bishop Rodney to Mrs. Zandra Hafeez and Mrs. Barbara Thomas, from the Bishop's Tractor Trek, for the Queenstown Day Care Centre in Ghiana.

Following the service many adjourned to the Cathedral Parish Hall for light refreshments and a social time.

Photo Peter R. Coolen

The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon (center) assisted by the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (center right) presents a cheque for $1000 from the Tractor Trek, to ( L to R ) Mrs. Barbara Thomas and Mrs. Zandra Hafeez , for the Queenstown Day Care Centre in Ghiana.

Photo Peter R. Coolen

Right - The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon presents a cheque for $1000 to the Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada for the PWDRF.

The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008 - 7

Photo Peter R. Coolen Photo Peter R. Coolen

The painting “Tree of Life” by Alan Morrow and a beaded picture by Laurie Smith are presented to the synod office and the cathedral by John Spyglass; the pictures were accepted by Mary Ann Assaily in the presence of Bishop Andrews and the Primate.

Izzy Dolls - From Fort Qu’Appelle to Africa

Photo Peter R. Coolen

Mr. Klaus Gruber cuts the cake in celebration of his being invested in the Anglican Order of Merit by the Primate at the reception after the cathedral service.

by Sue Boxall FORT QU'APPELLE (QuA) On their way to International Community for the Relief of Suffering and Starvation, Canada (ICROSS) are 86 Izzy African Comfort dolls. A letter in the Anglican Journal a few months ago caught the eye of one in the congregation at St. John, Fort Qu'Appelle. who did some investigating and discovered ICROSS, a charitable organization that sends medical supplies to Africa and other countries. The supplies were largely made of glass and required lots of packing material for a safe journey.

Izzy dolls were being used for packing.

So a few people in the congregation were asked to knit dolls which would then be given to AIDS orphans in the African countries where the supplies were shipped. With a good result a campaign was begun to collect more comfort dolls and the Izzy was started.

On Sunday, April 5, people brought their efforts to church and Rev. Beverley McLean, who was taking the service that day, gave a blessing over the dolls and asked God to bless all the children who would be receiving them.

It is hoped that this will become an ongoing outreach program for the parish of Touchwood Trail. For more information visit <www.icross.ca> or contact <touchtrail@sasktel.net>.

(L to R) Lauren Jardine, President, Diocesan ACW;Mrs. Barbara Thomas, the current Link Secretary for the Mothers' Union, Ghiana; Vera Parkes, St. George's ACW; Mrs. Zandra Hafeez, the past Link Secretary of the Mothers' Union and Supervisor-in-Charge of the Queenstown Day Care Centre; Elaine Hyrcenko, Convener of Mission Projects and Social Action for the Diocesan ACW; the Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon.

Prayer Shawl Ministry at Work in St. Mary, Regina

by Joanne Shurvin-Martin

photo Ron Cox

Members of the ICROSS Canada group from St. John Fort Qu'Appelle who are knitting Izzy African comfort dolls are from the left Doreen Harman, Jean Robstad, Thelma Jones, Agnes Robertson, Jean McKenna and Sue Boxall.

Leap year

by Ivan Millard ST. PHILIP, REGINA -Why do we have a “Leap Year”? Why, at the end of each 365-day year, do we have six more hours left dangling? The earth spins as it rotates around the sun, like a wheel within a wheel. Each spin takes 24 hours and if that works out why did the 365-day cycle not come out even? Did God make a mistake?

God's creation is perfect. We are provided with gravity to hold us to the earth as we do the daily spin and yet there is enough flexibility that things can be raised off the earth but “all that goes up must come down,” with a few more recent exceptions. We are at the precise distance from the sun for our survival here. If we were a little farther away we would freeze and if we were a little closer we would burn. God did, of course, encircle the earth with a filter that we call the “0-zone.” Man too, has devised an “owe zone” that occurs twelve times a year. At the end of each month everyone “owes” someone.

All nature is intended to work as one. We have rain and sun such that vegetation can grow, although there are periods of floods and drought. A horse, a cow and a sheep, for example, all eat different grasses and eat them down to different lengths showing that animals can co-exist, except if one is a carnivore.

On the other hand, man's design of the 12 months is imperfect because they have varying numbers of days, which makes it confusing. Then man wrote a short verse to help us get it right but that verse got shortened and now it doesn't help at all. It reads, ” Thirty days has September, all the rest I can't remember.” We could blame that inconsistency on the moon or we could arbitrarily change it to 13 months: twelve months of 28 days and one of 29 days each year. Still, we would have those six hours left over at the end of the year.

But God's creation is perfect. That means that these flaws had to be intentionally designed.

Maybe God is a woman.

REGINA - St. Mary's Church prayer shawl ministry began in Lent.

Then 10 weeks later eight shawls had been blessed and several had been presented to members in and outside the congregation. Shawls are given to people on sad and glad occasions such as those who are ill, bereaved or experiencing a personal crisis; new parents or people moving away from home for university or a new job.

Hilary Schroeder, who started the program, says that the shawls are "tangible evidence of the loving support and prayers of the congregation. Every inch of yarn in a shawl has passed through the fingers of a caring person in the congregation." She explains how the prayer shawl ministry developed. "Just before Lent began I was reflecting on a person who had just been diagnosed with cancer.

The Holy Spirit jolted me and I remembered visiting in Lethbridge about two years ago when that parish was launching a prayer shawl ministry. I still had the knitting instructions and decided to knit a shawl for that person." When Hilary's husband, Claude, who is rector of St. Mary, mentioned the idea at a meeting, one of the other members said that she had been given a book about prayer shawls from her Secret Sister. "The Holy Spirit was bringing it all together," says Hilary.

About 10 women are involved in the ongoing program. They pray for the recipient while knitting or crocheting. A table is reserved for the group at coffee hour each Sunday with a sign reading "Colossians 3:12." (Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.)

Some suggested resources are The Prayer Shawl MinistryReaching Those in Need, Leisure Arts, Little Rock, Arkansas, Web site www.leisurearts.com and Quick-to-Stitch Prayer Shawls, Web site AnniesAttic.com.

photo Nicholas Schroeder

Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

Every inch of yarn in a shawl has passed through the fingers of a caring person in the congregation.

Prayer shawls are not just cozy wraps. Prayer shawls are tangible evidence of loving support and prayers.

8 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,

June 2008

We are Remembering the Children the Reverend Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard, Director of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism (Editor's Note: In March of this year the spiritual leaders of the Anglican, Presbyterian and United Churches, along with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Assembly of First Nations, participated in a multi-city tour to promote the work of the upcoming Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The Remembering the Children tour was launched in Ottawa on Sunday, March 2 and will made stops over the next week in Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg; the Saskatoon stop was on Sunday, March 9th. The Protestant church leaders who travelled to Saskatoon were: The Right Reverend Dr. David Giuliano, Moderator, The United Church of Canada; The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate, the Anglican Church of Canada; The Reverend Dr. J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg, Moderator, The Presbyterian Church in Canada and The Right Reverend Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the Anglican Church of Canada. In Saskatoon, the Roman Catholic Church was represented by Archbishop Sylvain Lavoie of Keewatin-Le Pas and Bishop Albert LeGatt of Saskatoon.

The Saskatoon event was hosted by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism and was held at the Western Development Museum. It included a traditional welcome; prayers and song; and a time to speak about the past, to acknowledge some significant steps on the healing walk, and to speak of hopes for the future. The event concluded with a light supper and a round dance.

of building inter-church partnerships paid off. The PCE's Restorative Justice Committee usually just do one workshop in November, but 2007 was different. Our focus was the continuing racial divide in our region. The question we asked was how can we, as native and nonnative people, walk together to heal our communities? It was clear that this would not be a one-off event, but a process. We began to seek aboriginal partners and found them. There was a growing sense that God was taking us somewhere, well out of our comfort zones. The stage was set.

On January 11th we got word that the national tour, impressed by the strength of our invitation, was coming to Saskatoon on March 9th .

Hastily the Restorative Justice committee assembled and others were invited on board, including Ethel Ahenakew of the Saskatoon Native Ministry, Alan Jacques, who ministers on the Dakota Whitecap First Nation, Mary Ann Assailly, of the Anglican diocesan outreach network.

We were excited. Someone asked how many people will come. I said I wasn't sure, but we should prepare for up to 400. There was incredulous laughter. (We are used to disappointment.) But we persuaded ourselves to think big, and got to work -- especially Carol Zubiak our chair, and Carol Penner, our office manager. We were delighted when FaithLife Financial stepped up to the plate and gave us $1,000 to help.

Four churches ran residential schools on behalf of the federal government -- Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United. Their local church leaders were enthusiastic about the March 9th visit, and promoted the event among their people. Chief Lawrence Joseph, head of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, flew to Ottawa to check out the national launch of the tour. That convinced him that the churches were sincere. He agreed to speak in Saskatoon, and promot-

Guests invited to attend the event included: Ted Quewezance, Executive Director of the National Residential Schools Survivors Society; Wayne Courchene, Senior Aide to National Chief Phil Fontaine, Assembly of First Nations; Seetal Sungasenior representative of the Office of the Interim Executive Director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Warren Mitchelson, MLA for Moose Jaw North; Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Anglican Bishop of Saskatoon; Cam Broten, MLA for Saskatoon Massey Place; and Frank Quennell, MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin.

Music was provided by the choirs of Mayfair United and St. Andrew's Presbyterian churches, Alison Uitti, and the drumming group “Young Thunder”)

Photo Tom Yaworski

There was much conversation about the truth and reconciliation process during a supper held in conjunction with the Remembering the Children event.

Photo Tom Yaworski

During the Remembering the Children event March 9 in Saskatoon, church representatives (from L to R) Right Reverend Dr. David Giuliano, Most Reverend Albert LeGatt, Most Reverend Sylvain Lavoie, Reverend Dr. Hans Kowenberg, Right Reverend Mark MacDonald, Most Reverend Fred Hiltz and Sister Rita Bisson pledge to work for truth, justice and reconciliation.

-

It all began in the middle of the night, sometime in December. The previous day I had email to say that very senior aboriginal and church leaders were going to cross the country together to promote the work of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This was exciting; the TRC struck me as a courageous way to help heal this wound in our national soul.

My heart sank, however, when I read the proposed itinerary. No mention of Saskatchewan. “How typical”, I thought, the chip on my prairie-girl shoulder well in place. I thought: it doesn't matter to those people 'down east' that Saskatchewan has a very large native population, that many residential schools were located here. With a fatalistic sigh, I went to bed only to wake up in the middle of the night. There was no question: I had to write to the organizers and urge them to come to Saskatchewan. A few minutes on the internet brought up the email address. I wrote at once, urging our case and offering the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism as the local partner.

How could I make such a commitment in the middle of the night, with no hesitation and no consultation? It was simple: the amazing PCE(Prairie Centre for Ecumenism) network and twenty-four years

Invitations went out far and wide -- oh the wonders of email. The press releases went out. We held our breath.

Then the phone began to ring. The computer went crazy. Media said they were coming. By the week of the tour, we were arranging overflow seating and urging the Western Development Museum to squeeze in more seats and stand by with extra food.

On the day of the event we counted 471 going past the registration desk. People were streaming in, white and native, old and young.

There was a line-up of those wanting to smudge. The perfume of sweet grass filled the air. People sat at round and long, tables, filling the hall; expectant and a little nervous.

On stage the national tour's display featured a young native boy's face, with a very institutional haircut. His face appeared on the podium as well. When Ted Quewezance, a residential school survivor and head of the survivor's society, stood at the podium and told his story. I felt I was time traveling, for Ted, a man in his fifties or sixties, bore an uncanny resemblance to that little boy.

Each church leader spoke well, with words of clear apology for a very serious wrong. Chief Joseph had called it a 'holocaust'. The uncomfortable truth, new to me, was that many children never came home from those residential schools. Many died or disappeared. We must remember.

There is so much that most non-native people don't know.

The program ran long, but the audience stayed with it. There were tissues placed on each table. They were needed.

Many were touched -- the audience, the museum serving staff, the media people, the local sound technician. A young Métis prison worked shared her sense of delight about the event. A school survivor in her sixties told me about the great sense of lightness and peace that had come upon her as the afternoon unfolded.

We finished with a meal and a round dance. When I went to the microphone and asked “Who's ready for some singing and dancing?” there were whoops and shouts and applause. As 'Young Thunder' drummed and sang, a circle of people formed, holding hands, dancing around the edge of the hall. Native and white together, moving to the drum, a ring reaching not just once around the hall, but in places two lines thick. A moment of declaration. A moment of hope.

People asked me, “Are you coming back next year?” The question was about whether the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, when it shapes its itinerary for the major city events, will remember to come to Saskatchewan. We need them to come.

At the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism we'll be standing by waiting for the phone call.

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Photo Tom Yaworski

The choirs of Mayfair United and St. Andrew's Presbyterian churches perform during the Remembering the Children event.

The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008 - 9

Photo Tom Yaworski

Ted Quewezance, executive director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society, shares his story while participating in the healing walk portion of the Remembering the Children program.

PhotoTom Yaworski

Photo Tom Yaworski

Alison Uitti sings her composition "We Are All Treaty People" during the Remembering the Children event.

Chief Lawrence Joseph of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations speaks at the Remembering the Children event.

Seder Supper at St. Christopher’s Staff

Prince Albert Teens Go on Mission Staff PRINCE ALBERT (Sask) - A group of Prince Albert teens is preparing for a unique one-week mission experience working with children on the Crow Indian Reservation near Billings, Montana.

The eight young people have been working on plans for the trip since meeting as actors in a theatrical production last fall “Little Women”, staged by Watch Stop Drama Productions. They come from several different church backgrounds, including St. Christopher's (Christopher Lake) and St. George's (Prince Albert) Anglican churches, and the Alliance and Free Methodist churches in Prince Albert.

Accompanied by two chaperones - Connie Workentin and the Rev'd Daniel Graham (who were also actors in the play) - the group will leave Prince Albert on Saturday, June 28, returning July 5. They will be involved in children's programs, as well as some renovation projects on the Crow Reservation, which is the second largest in the United States. The mission trip is a new experience for the youth group. It is being organized through the “Youth Works” organization based in Vancouver. The participants have been planning for the trip for several months, and staged a musical presentation in April at a coffee house fundraiser at the Cornerstone Church to raise funds to help cover some of their expenses.

For further information, contact the Mission Trip Co-ordinator, the Rev'd Tracey-Lloyd Smith at 764-6553.

Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

Photo Tom Yaworski

The drumming group "Young Thunder" performed during a round dance held to conclude the Remembering the Children event.

A Special Baptism at George Gordon First Nation

photos Patty Pratt

All of these five little people are fourth generation members of St. Luke, George Gordon First Nation.

They were baptized on Easter Sunday by Rev. Victoria Young. Pictured from the left are Dawna Windigo with daughter Glorie, Dana Hunter with daughter Mahlea, Grandmother Brenda Severight with granddaughter Leigha, Auntie Bobbi Jo Severight with nephew Logan and Grandfather Lloyd McNab with grandson Jackson. The grandmother of Mahlea was not at the baptism as she is ill and unable to attend. The grandmother and mother of Dawna are both deceased but they were baptized at St. Luke. Logan, Leigha, Glorie Shay and Mahlea have the same great-grandmother, deceased Stella Severight, who was baptized at St. Luke and was an active member of the congregation. The great grandmother of Jackson is Elder Ruby McNab, still an active member of the congregation.

CHRISTOPHER LAKE (Sask) - It was a very different evening out for thirty-two members of the St. Christopher's parish in Christopher Lake on Maundy Thursday, March 20.

The Rector, the Rev'd Tracey LloydSmith, had orchestrated a very special Holy Thursday meal featuring lamb and unleavened bread and explanatory comments. The traditional Passover meal commemorates the Israelites deliverance from bondage in Egypt. In the Christian context, the Passover Seder is also believed to be the time when Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

Initially, St. Christopher's parishoners, including those who prepared the tables and foods, appeared a little puzzled by the ritual elements of the Seder. Their meal plates were set with three small sample portions of Haroset (chopped nut, apple and cinammon), Harror (a bit of parsely), and a piece of Matzah (bread).

Also on the table were slices of hard cooked egg, a small dish of salt water, a bottle of wine and glasses for each guest, and a plate with a small piece of lamb for each person.

The supper became a moving and spiritual experience as the Rev'd Smith, against a background of taped sacred Jewish music, led participants through the Seder ritual of sampling each of the foods and wine, with an explanation of the significane of each element, hymn singing, and concluding with an exchange of the sign of peace and shared prayer.

The highlight was the serving of the complete meal of lamb stew, Matzah bread and vegetables prepared in advance by some of the participants. The meal was served in a spirit of festivity and celebration. It was a memorable experience.

10 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,

June 2008

43rd Annual General Meeting of Diocese of Qu’Appelle ACW Held at All Saints Regina

by Lovella Jarvi REGINA - At AlI Saints' church, 31 members gathered in April for the 43rd annual meeting of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle Anglican Church Women (ACW).

The seventh annual silent auction was held and items were on display for the whole day so people would have lots of time to browse and bid silently: on paper.

The meeting started at 9.30 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. Chaired by Rev. Ella Frank, this was her last meeting as president.

Edith Maddaford of Saltcoats has accepted the office of president; Margaret Brady of Shaunavon accepted the position of vice -president; Laurel Howden of Qu' Appelle tended her resignation after ten years as secretary of Little Helpers. She

will be replaced by Trina Heshka of Canora. Other members are Mary Giles, Book of Remembrance; Elva Akister, Juniors; Olive Bell, Life Members; Cathy Shier, treasurer; Ruth Moffat, calendars; Sandra Kerr, corresponding secretary; Lovella Jarvi, recording secretary.

The Social Action secretary, Muriel Blundell, prepared and presented a report listing the address and/or telephone numbers of organizations that are in need of such items as adult and children's clothing, linens, household articles. Two of the Life Members, Edith McMain and Joyce Badham, passed away during the last fiscal year. There are now eight members.

Our guest speaker, Fiona Brownlee, Communication Officer for the Diocese of Keewatin, gave a presentation on the Council of the North. She

asked that we pray for the member dioceses of that Council. She gave us an invitation to be a partner with one of the parishes and also hoped that we could become a supporter of the Anglican Appeal which supports the work of the Council.

Half of the proceeds from the silent auction and the offertory from the Eucharist will be sent to the Council of the North.

Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson was present in the afternoon session and at the end of the meeting officiated at the Eucharist service and the Installation of Officers.

As members prepared their departure very much in their hearts were the words from the Anglican Church Women' s hymn, The Love of Christ Constraineth, which are: "We ask not that our service or great or small may be, If only Thou wilt own it, Dear Lord, as unto thee."

photo Laurie Van De Wiele

Posing with Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson are executive members of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle Anglican Church Women at their 43rd annual meeting. They are from the left, front row Margaret Brady, Olive Bell and Muriel Blundell. On the second row are Elva Akister, Treena Heshka, Edith Maddaford, Cathy Shier, Mary Gyles and Ruth Moffat. At the back row are Ella Frank, Bishop Kerr-Wilson, Lovella Jarvi and Sandra Kerr.

PWRDF responds to China earthquake A massive search and rescue operation is under way in China, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck killing at least 12,000 people, according to the BBC. Information is sparse and the death toll is likely to rise.

The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) has committed $10,000 as an initial response to the earthquake. It is working through Action by Churches Together (ACT). Amity Foundation, the only member of ACT International working extensively in China, will coordinate the local response. Amity sent staff to the affected areas of the quake immediately to assess the situation and plan a response. It is reported that communications and transport links have been destroyed by the quake making access to these areas very difficult.

Amity Foundation has deployed their staff to Chengdu, 159 kilometers away from the quake center. They report that they are currently discussing plans for a response with their local partners. Homes have collapsed or have been severely damaged, and many people are injured. People are in urgent need of shelter materials such as tents and relief supplies including rice, clean water, quilts, clothes and medicines.

Today Amity Foundation has set up a local office in Chengdu to start coordinating the relief efforts with their partners.

Donations to PWRDF can be made online, through parish donations, or by phoning the PWRDF office at 416 924-9199, extension 320.

Lucas-Jefferies, Gurung appointed to Canadian Food Grains Board

Photo courtesy PWRDF

Photo courtesy PWRDF

Marian Lucas-Jefferies

Naba Gurung

The Anglican Church of Canada, through The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), will have two representatives on the board of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Marian Lucas-Jefferies of Public Landing, N.B., Diocese of Fredericton, and PWRDF staff member Naba Gurung have been appointed to serve three-year terms. The Anglican Church of Canada, through PWRDF, became a member of CFGB in June 2007.

Ms. Lucas-Jefferies brings with her a broad range of experience: as parish priest of Upper Kennebecasis, Central Kings and Upham; as a registered nurse; and as a technical co-operant with the Canadian Co-operative Association, working in Soweto, South Africa.

Ms. Lucas-Jefferies has a long history with PWRDF, having served as a member of the board and the executive committee of PWRDF, a past social justice coordinator for the Diocese of Fredericton, and a past parish coordinator. She has served as consultant and educator to train health care workers on Alzheimer's disease and has offered numerous workshops on HIV and AIDS in Africa across Canada.

Mr. Gurung is PWRDF's emergencies program officer. He joined PWRDF in early 2002 as program officer for Asia-Pacific, Global and Emergencies. A

professional career as agroforestry officer with Annapurna Conservation Area Project where he later became conservation officer/officer-in-charge. The Annapurna Conservation Area is the largest protected area in Nepal with rich diversity of flora and fauna; is inhabited by various indigenous communities and receives one of the highest tourist influxes in the country.

Mr. Gurung holds a B.Sc. degree in agriculture from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and a Master of Science degree in management of natural resources and sustainable agriculture from Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

As members of the CFGB board, they will attend semi-annual meetings of the board of directors, participate in relevant consultations, and connect with PWRDF staff on matters related to CFGB and PWRDF food programming.

PWRDF Executive Director Cheryl Curtis says she is confident that the Anglican Church will be well represented with Ms. Lucas-Jefferies' appointment. “She is a highly qualified and articulate representative with a deep passion for the work of PWRDF and global justice issues.” Mr. Gurung's appointment to the CFGB board is a natural one, says Ms. Curtis, because of his background in sustainable agriculture and his passion for the work of CFGB.

Three Eggs and $100 An elderly pastor was searching his closet for his collar before church one Sunday morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing three eggs and 100 $1 bills.

He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box there for their entire 40 years of marriage. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her, "Why?"The wife replied that she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. He asked her how the box could have hurt his feelings. She said that every time during their marriage that he had delivered a poor sermon, she had placed an egg in the box.

The pastor felt that three poor sermons in 30 years was certainly nothing to feel bad about, so he asked her what the $100 was for.

She replied, "Each time I got a dozen eggs, I sold them to the neighbors for $1."

The Saskatchewan Anglican, June 2008 - 11

Together In Faith; One In Christ - Saskatchewan Anglicans Break The Silence Jim Komar and Peter Coolen -SASKATOON- For two millennia, the Christian faith has been a lamp of love to the feet of those who follow Jesus, the Light of the World. At times, some of the faithful strayed into the darkness; but the Light was steady and set them right again.

In this tradition, on Saturday, April 12th the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon lit another lamp in the corridor of hope for humanity as it searched for faith-based answers to the wrenching issues surrounding GLBTT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or two-spirited) people at a oneby day workshop offered Integrity/Saskatoon at the Queen's House of Retreats. Integrity/Saskatoon is the local chapter of an international Anglican advocacy organization, committed to the full and equal inclusion of GLBTT people in the life of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Full and equal inclusion of GLBTT people raises issues which probe our deepest understanding of the Christian faith, indeed all the world's major faiths (including those which do not posit a Supreme Being). Such issues are unlikely to be resolved if you are inadequately informed.

The labels “homophobe” or “homosexual” are often unmerited caricatures of prejudice. A reluctance to become involved in your neighbour's problems arises, especially if none of your children, siblings, or anyone else you love is gay. You forget Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan. And taboo, in the guise of sin or some other self-imposed infallible authority, seals the lips, disconnects the brain, and closes the heart. In the ensuing conspiracy of silence, or reign of terror, a culture of “us versus them” prevails; and the apostle

Paul's words about being “one in Christ” are forgotten.

Silence has proved ineffective for resolving these divisive issues and the continuation and growth of the resultant discord has reached the point where the divisions threaten the very structure of the Church.

Resolution of these issues would allow healing to begin and would allow the Church to get on with its work of witness to the Gospel of the love and justice which Jesus preached. This resolution will require the development of an informed opinion among those faithful who are open to the possibility of change; such a development is most likely to occur in an atmosphere of mutually-respectful dialogue which seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than silence.

And so, on April 12th, the Integrity/Saskatoon workshop “Together in Faith-One In Christ” began with a celebration of the Eucharist by the Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon.

Bishop Rodney had endorsed the workshop in his pastoral letter to the diocese and, along with Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz, at the diocesan synod a week earlier, had encouraged its support. Past Diocesan Bishop Tom Morgan and the rectors of several Anglican parishes, as well as Integrity Chaplain, the Reverend Anne Marie Nicklin, sat down among the laity to work through the day together.

While the laity was mostly from Anglican parishes in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, it included ecumenically-minded Christians from Roman Catholic and United Church congregations in the city. The Reverend Laura Fouhse, Diaconal Minister at McClure United, presented the workshop, assisted by Kaye Williams, President of

PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Saskatoon. Tom and Rose Rogers of St. Mark's did most of the organizing and publicity. In all thirty-three people registered for and attended the sessions.

Following worship, the group retired to a private lounge for a day of listening, questioning, and self-evaluation, in small groups and plenary sessions. All were free to participate at the various levels of their personal comfort in a friendly, sometimes light-hearted, non-confrontational atmosphere which fostered candour and serious inquiry. To begin, discussion guidelines were provided for respecting differences of opinion and experience, speaking from personal experience, honouring confidentiality, and being open to the Holy Spirit of God; inspirational quotes from the Scriptures and the words of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi were shared and a glossary of terms used in GLBTT expression were supplied. All of this material and support provided a framework for the promotion of confidence in the discussions as the participants explored their personal comfort zones around GLBTT issues and were enlightened about the myths and facts regarding them.

A challenging time ensued when the participants were asked to imagine a society in which heterosexuals were the minority.

While this was most improbable, it did show how some basic freedoms are simply taken for granted, while conveying a good impression of what it felt like to be a GLBTT Christian. This led up to case studies of GLBTT people facilitated by members of Integrity/Saskatoon, whose members comprise GLBTT and heterosexual peoples, and lay and clergy. Next

came an evaluation of the faith community of each participant regarding GLBTT and other issues of their choice.

The day concluded with an evaluation of the workshop itself, and an overview of the workshop reference handouts, which the participants were encouraged to use for follow-up study, such as: information on how homophobia hurts everyone; the meaning of heterosexual privilege; mental health issues; the resources which PFLAG brings to the table; the contributions of famous GLBTT people to our world (including several GLBTT Christian saints, some celibate and others married to each other); and, humorous hints on how to act if you are heterosexual and encounter GLBTT people; A bibliography of suggested collateral readings was supplemented with a display of books, available from the United Church Life Lines in Saskatoon, arranged by Lynne Clay.

The workshop, perhaps the first of its kind in the Anglican Church of Canada, was an unqualified success. It engaged the audience it was designed for; and, to judge by their active and enthusiastic participation, it will help the Church develop faithbased responses to the GLBTT crisis with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Hopefully, the good news will spread, and Anglicans in outlying parishes will be inspired to set aside a Saturday or so to undertake training, to be offered by Integrity/Saskatoon in future, that will help them facilitate the presentation of similar workshops in their faith communities. As it was put so powerfully in the First Epistle of John during the very beautiful opening liturgy prepared by Barbara Clay for this workshop, “God is Love!”

Christian response to HIV pandemic expressed in art HONG KONG - More than 20 entries depicting the Christian responsibility of taking a leading role in tackling concerns arising from the spread of HIV and AIDS in modern society were received from migrants in Hong Kong for a competition sponsored by St. John's Anglican Cathedral, a PWRDF partner. The art work was displayed in the Pedestrian Precinct of Chater Road at its annual HIV/AIDS Festival.

In a painting calling for all creation to be treasured and nurtured, called The Prayer Warriors, Filipino Barbara Xenia Cacho portrayed a baby within its mother's womb on its knees in deep prayer. The tube

er encircles the baby in the womb in a loving embrace, symbolizing the dependent relation between mother and child that is sustained by love.Cacho is acknowledging the interdependence of all living things and the need to pray together in order to keep the fragile balance between health and sickness, life and death, joy and sorrow, intact.

The majority of the entries in the competition came from Indonesians, Sri Lankans and Thais, but others were also received from Nepali and Filipinos. The youngest entrant was five-year-old Indra Jayanthi Ranaweera from Sri Lanka who noted that “AIDS can ruin your life.” Others called on society to take the challenge to stop the

spread of AIDS seriously and also emphasized the importance of prayer in finding the strength and guidance for the task. The sacred nature of the family and the need for all relationships to be life giving was promoted in several of the entries.In an afternoon hosted by Father Des Cox from the Anglican cathedral's HIV Education Centre, students from the Li Po Chun United World College dispelled a few myths about how the disease is transmitted. In an amusing skit, they pointed out the importance of understanding its nature and how people are ostracized from help and assistance through the sheer ignorance ands prejudice of society.

Their to-the-point drama showed that HIV is not a monopoly of the same-sex-attracted and there are ways of contracting the disease other than sexual activity. It pointed to people's tendency to blame others for its spread and hit home on the fact that HIV is not transmitted through normal, everyday interaction between people or life in the home.

A series of colorful booths lining the street gave out information and conducted simple quizzes to ascertain the general level of public knowledge on the subject.

Problems concerning the overall health care of migrant workers in the territory were also addressed and the Filipino Midwives Association Hong Kong was on the spot carrying out simple health checks free of charge while students from thebusiness studies department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

disseminated information on a variety of topics.

The afternoon featured some exciting folk dancing put on by groups from Thailand, Nepal, The Philippines and Sri Lanka, while Father Cox made presentations to the long list of individuals and groups that had given their time and talent freely to make the afternoon a success.

St. John's Cathedral offers counseling and support to victims of HIV as well as general advice on health care issues.

A Biblical Response A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners.

At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, Genesis 3:10."

Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter.

Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock."

Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid,

12 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,

June 2008

What Canada's Most Famous Generation is Leaving Behind for the Church The Reverend Canon Dr. Beth Marie Murphy, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Director of Field Education, College of Emmanuel and St.Chad, Editors Note: this is the most recent in a series of monthly contributions to the Saskatchewan Anglican from the faculty of the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad. These articles cover a broad range of theological and general interest issues as well as College news.

This is the first part of a twopart article.

Over the last few months I have been reading a book entitled: “The Boomer Factor: What Canada's Most Famous Generation is Leaving Behind”

by Reginald Bibby. The author is a professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. He is a Canadian writing about Canadian society; a perspective that is difficult to find in the midst of so much data coming from the U.S. Bibby has written a number of books about the state of the church and of society.

You may be wondering why this book is relevant to the church, spirituality or other religious topics usually found in this newspaper? Early on, as I read the book, I saw how much Bibby's study had to do with the life of faith communities and more specifically faith communities who are looking to grow

both spiritually and in size.

Bibby pointed out that the 1960's to the 1980's cemented Canada's multi-cultural identity during a process of great change in this country. One critical issue then as now was: the good of one weighed against the good of all.

Society was becoming multi-cultural and more individualistic. It is affirmed that “Boomers have contributed significantly to a pervasiveness of the pluralistic mindset in Canada.” One can observe in his study of the Outlook of Canadians Toward Diversity, that the percentage of people in the “Boomer” generation who said that racial diversity was good thing for Canada was 78% and for those in the “Post-Boomer” generation (the children of “Boomers”) was 91%. I can not imagine any other reason for this except that the change is due to the “Boomers” teaching their children.

What does this have to say to present and future generations of “the faithful?” One significant result of this is that churches can no longer remain monolithic if they choose to be vibrant. Many faith communities have undertaken this move with great enthusiasm, but others look at the new comer as different from “us.” How can each community of faith embrace this view of a pluralism; not because it is the “politically correct behaviour, but because Jesus lived this out in his life and calls us to do the same?

Bibby pointed out that the

Photo College of Emmanuel and St. Chad

The Reverend Canon Dr. Beth Marie Murphy, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Director of Field Education 1960's to the 1980's cemented Canada's multi-cultural identity during a process of great change in this country. One critical issue then as now was: the good of one weighed against the good of all.

Society was becoming multi-cultural and more individualistic. It is affirmed that “Boomers have contributed significantly to a pervasiveness of the pluralistic mindset in Canada.” One can observe in his study of the Outlook of Canadians Toward Diversity, that the percentage of people in the “Boomer” generation who said that racial diversity was good thing for Canada was 78% and for those in the “Post-Boomer” generation (the children of “Boomers”) was 91%. I can not imagine any other reason for this except that the change is due to the “Boomers” teaching their children.

What does this have to say to present and future generations of “the faithful?” One significant result of this is that churches can no longer remain monolithic if they choose to be vibrant. Many faith communities have undertaken this move with great enthusiasm, but others look at the new comer as different from “us.”

How can each community of faith embrace this view of a pluralism; not because it is the “politically correct behaviour, but because Jesus lived this out

in his life and calls us to do the same?

Let me just touch upon some of the other areas of the study and give, what, I think, will be the effect on the church now and in the future.

“What constitutes a family?” is another large part of the study.

As we know the “traditional family” (a mother, a father and at least one child) is on the decline and many other types of “families” are on the rise. Some authors have said that the 1950's “traditional family” though not quite extinct, is on the endangered list. Do we make a special point of inviting all families to events and designing them to meet the needs of the variety of families who come or do we so strongly affirm the traditional family as what should be upheld and therefore provided programming that is most appropriate for the “traditional family”? If the answer this is “No” to the latter, how are we going to make the experience of the church family worthwhile and signify that all families are an essential part of the church?

In the next issue I will be continue to look at this book and what it has to say to the churches of today and tomorrow. I will look further at the family, as well as perceived and actual values of people and spirituality.

News Release Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of Canadian church-based agencies working to end hunger in developing countries by: increasing and deepening the involvement of Canadians in efforts to end hunger; supporting partnerships and activities to reduce hunger on both an immediate and sustainable basis; and influencing changes in public policies necessary to end hunger.

(Ottawa, ON, April 30, 2008) The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $5 million in additional funding for Canadian Foodgrains Bank to help address the rising cost of food. This is in addition to Canada’s annual $20 million contribution to the Foodgrains Bank.

“This is welcome news,” says Jim Cornelius, Executive Director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank. “Our early estimates were that the rising cost of food would reduce our food aid programming by at least 25% in the coming year – and probably much more. This additional funding will help us address the shortfall.”

Food commodity prices have risen dramatically around the world, with some prices dou

bling in the last year. These rising food prices are contributing to growing hunger and social and political unrest. It is costing governments and aid agencies much more to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable.

“We are only one month into our planning year,” continues Cornelius, “and already we are seeing a greater demand than we have the resources to fill. It is unprecedented that, this early in the year, we are seeing the need to cut some of our programming because of an anticipated budget shortfall. The additional funds from CIDA will help us program at the same level as last year.

With the increased demand that this food crisis is causing in developing countries, however, we anticipate even more requests to support the growing number of people who can’t afford to buy food.”

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is appealing for donors to help them respond to this growing need. Last year, donations were at a record high of $8.4 million.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank would like to see that raised to at least $10 million in light of the growing need.

Minister Oda also announced that the federal government will untie its food aid program giving Canadian Foodgrains Bank more flexibility to procure food commodities from developing countries, when appropriate.

This change will help get food to the area of need more quickly and at reduced costs, and will help ensure the appropriate food is provided to address the need.

Purchasing from developing countries also strengthens local and regional markets for developing country farmers. Canadian Foodgrains Bank will continue

to procure food commodities in Canada when it makes sense to do so.“CIDA’s announcement of increased funding for food aid is a positive first step in addressing the food price crisis,” says Cornelius. “We encourage our donors to also consider how they can respond to the growing need.

In addition, the world community must develop strategies and find the resources to address the underlying causes of the food price crisis. In our view, this must include much greater investment in and support for agriculture in developing countries, particularly small holder agriculture. We have recently doubled our support for agriculture development, and are urging CIDA to make agriculture a priority in its aid program.”

Simon Chambers appointed justgeneration.ca facilitator The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is pleased to announce that Simon Chambers has joined the staff as justgeneration.ca facilitator.

Simon, of Toronto, will be a vibrant member of the Public Engagement team, responsible for the youth initiative for those between the ages of 16 and 30.

He will animate an energetic Youth Council, develop resources that have a youthful flair, and oversee the justgeneration.ca website. He will work with a broad youth network across the denomination through speaking engagements, workshops and other activities to tell the PWRDF story across the country.

Simon comes to the position with a lot of passion, having worked as youth minister at three parishes in the Diocese of Toronto over the last 12 years, as well as more than four years as the youth ministry consultant for the Diocese of Toronto. As a volunteer, he was active at a diocesan level for 18 years and with the national church from 1998-2001. He was involved in the creation of generation.ca and is working on the Generation 2008 conference. Simon has developed teams of leaders from diverse backgrounds, and has helped young people to develop in their faith and leadership skills.

He says that he has a strong affinity to the work of PWRDF. “Theologically, I believe strongly in Jesus' call to us to love our neighbours as ourselves; that His Church is called to be agents for justice and peace in the world, and that we as Anglicans should be acting locally and globally to bring about God's realm of Shalom. The ministry that I have done in my parishes and diocese has always reflected that call to justice programmatically and theologically.”

Beth Baskin, Public Engagement Team Leader, says she is delighted with the broad gifts and experience that Simon brings to the position, the Public Engagement team and the over-all work of PWRDF. The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is the Canadian Anglican agency for development, relief, refugees, and justice. With the support of Anglican parishes across Canada, PWRDF makes human and financial resources available to support global partners' initiatives and to promote knowledgeable actions of solidarity in Canada and around the world.