June 2011 A Section of Anglican Journal
The Way of the Cross Walk
Representing the Anglican Church group Integrity Saskatoon and Affirm United, the Rev. Shawn Sanford-Beck (centre, brown coat) carries the cross during the Good Friday “The Way of the Cross Walk” in Saskatoon on April 22. Nearly 500 people walked for more than two hours and attended to the 14 Stations of the Cross. For full story, see page 6. Photo – Tom Rogers
Lichfield Lenten Appeal to Benefit Daystar Community By Joanne Shurvin-Martin DAYSTAR FIRST NATION (Qu’A) – People on the Daystar First Nation near Punnichy will benefit from the generosity of people in the Diocese of Lichfield, England. The bishop of Lichfield, Jonathan Gledhill, hopes Christians in the 577 churches in Lichfield Diocese – together with schools and community organisations – will donate money raised by giving up luxuries to the Lent Appeal. Lichfield and Qu’Appelle have a longstanding relationship. In recent years Lichfield’s Lent Appeal has raised in the region of £50,000 (more than $78,000) a year. The funds are usually split between “home” projects working in the diocese and “away” projects overseas. This year the overseas projects are all initiatives being carried out by the Diocese of Lichfield’s overseas part-
ners in the worldwide Anglican Communion, including the Diocese of Matlosane in South Africa, the Diocese of Qu’Appelle in Canada, and the Dioceses of Singapore, West Malaysia and Kuching in the Province of Southeast Asia. Writing about the initiative with First Nations people in Canada, Bishop Jonathan said, “The relationship between Western Canadians and the indigenous First Nations people hasn’t always been good – and the church has played its part in this darker side of Canada’s history. “In Saskatchewan, the residential schools set up by the Anglican Church caused huge heartache as children as young as eight were taken from families in order to ‘Westernise them.’ “Those dark days are now past and the elders of the Daystar First Nation Reserve have invited Rev. Vicky Young of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle to run a full(Continued on page 3)
Christians Called to Pray just like the First Disciples By Rev. Stephen Harnish Rector of Leask and Shellbrook Diocese of Saskatchewan Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers Our bishop, Michael Hawkins, has in recent months stirred us in the Diocese of Saskatchewan with his rallying call found in Acts 2:42, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.” Found within this particular piece of scripture is the call to prayer. The first disciples devoted themselves to prayer. We are called to the same action in our life as baptized Christians.
Our bishop calls us back to this fundamental act of Christian living. One cannot enter into thought or conversation about prayer without thinking about the Lord’s Prayer, the most recognized of the Christian prayers. It is a prayer everyone is able to recite from memory, whether at a funeral, wedding, Remembrance Day service or any time Christians come together. As Anglicans we encounter the Lord’s Prayer in every aspect of our liturgy. It is found in the Office of Morning and Evening Prayer, the Holy Communion, the Burial Office and other liturgical settings. The Lord’s Prayer is so named because it is the prayer our Lord gave to His Church. It was the prayer He taught to the Apostles (Matt. 6:7-15, Luke 11:1-4). (Continued on page 4)
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
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Diocese of Saskatoon: Announcements for June
An Invitation for Christians to Gather June 3 2011 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Prince Albert Carlton Comprehensive High School Lecture Theatre For A Training and Information Seminar Led by Michael Harvey Back to Church Sunday is about: * People who are not at church * Reaching them through people who are * One person inviting another * We act together “one message one day” This seminar is in anticipation of Back to Church Sunday September 2011. KD: Yes, the actual day on Interview with the Very Reverend Kenneth Davis, Dean of St. Alban’s which we hope all members of our congregations will be inviting friends and Cathedral in Prince Albert neighbours to “church” is Sunday, By Catherine Harnish September 25. We are blessed to have the man who spearheaded this movement in Catherine Harnish: Why is it necessary the UK (and now the world) with us in to have a Back to Church Sunday? Prince Albert on June 3-4. Kenneth Davis: The Bishop and Michael Harvey is a dynamic our leaders in our Diocese feel anything speaker and passionate advocate of invitthat helps our members reach out in order ing others to worship. On Friday, June 3 to bring our friends to church is a blessing he will make a presentation to Christians and a positive thing. This method has met from many churches in Saskatchewan. with great success in other parts of the On Saturday, June 4 he will folchurch. low this up with a workshop specifically CH: Is this seen as proselytizing designed for Anglican clergy and lay leador evangelism? ers. We hope about 100 Anglicans will KD: This is the first step in evan- join us for both events. gelism. Since we believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ and we celebrate the Good News every Sunday, inviting people to church on Sunday gives us an opportunity to share the Gospel, to share who we are and what we believe with others. As Anglicans we need help to do this help. CH: Do you think Anglicans are reluctant to invite people to church, and if so, why do you think this is? KD: Yes! In fact, we [Anglicans] are among the poorest evangelists among Diocese of Saskatchewan’s the dominations. We assume everyone 67th Diocesan Synod goes to church and will simply show up. That’s why we built so many October 21-22, 2011 local church buildings. We have a baseball-like fantasy, build it and they will St. Alban the Martyr Cathedral come, and so we put churches in every 1410 Bishop McLean Crescent neighbourhood. Prince Albert, Sask. CH: Could you describe the connection between Back to Church Sunday Keep these dates open on your calendar. Watch the Saskatchewan Journal for in September and the event we are hosting more information in September! on June 3-4?
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 the last week of the month preceeding publication.
In order to be included in a timely manner brief notices for events should be supplied to the Associate Editor by fax, e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which the insertion is desired (for example, September submissions will be in the November issue). Detailed and longer texts of events will not be included in this section but, if space allows, could be the subject of additional articles or notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican. Integrity/Saskatoon: Meetings are held at St. George’s, Saskatoon on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. For more information contact Tom and Rose Rogers at (306) 373-5165; Reverend Ann Marie Nicklin at (306) 381-9780 or benjie60@gmail.com. For further information and to view related articles, links and photographs of Integrity events: www.integritysaskatoon.blogspot.com. Upcoming Diocesan ACW Events: Ladies Retreat; Queen’s House of Retreats, Friday, September 16 to Sunday, September 18. Diocesan Youth Events: Saskatoon Food Bank Food Drive – diocesan youth of the Saskatoon Deanery (and anyone else wanting to get involved!) will participate in the city-wide Food Bank food drive on Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The food drive begins at St James Anglican Church, Saskatoon, with coffee and muffins and closes with lunch at the church. The youth of the Eastern Deanery will be holding an afternoon pizza party on Saturday, June 18, while the youth of the Western Deanery, will be holding an afternoon pizza party on Saturday, June 25. Youth from each deanery are invited to attend all events. For more information contact Emily Carr, diocesan youth co-ordinator, at sayouth@sasktel.net, by phone at (306) 653-1668 and/or visit www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/youth-coordinator/. The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism: The 20th Summer Ecumenical Institute “Acting Together From Dialogue To Common Mission”, from July 6-9. Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Sask. (See detailed notice elsewhere in this issue). College of Emmanuel & St Chad, Summer School Offerings for 2011 Ancient Languages and Literature: Study the languages and writings of the ancient church on the banks of the beautiful Saskatchewan River. Complete a full year of the following ancient and
Managing Editor: Jason Antonio, #3-93 10th Street Weyburn, Sask., S4H 1G8 Phone: (306) 737-4898 E-mail: SKAnglicanEditor@gmail.com Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin, 6927 Farrell Bay Regina, Sask., S4X 3V4 Phone: (306) 775-2629 Email: wsmartin@accesscomm.ca Saskatoon: Peter Coolen, 820Avenue I South Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 1Z3 Phone: (306) 244-0935 E-mail: ptrcoolen@sasktel.net Saskatchewan: Catherine Harnish, PO Box 538 Canwood, Sask., S0J 0K0 Phone: (306) 468-2264 E-mail: catherine.harnish@gmail.com
medieval languages in two, three-week, intensive sessions: Biblical Hebrew/Hellenistic (New Testament) Greek; Classical Latin/Church Slavonic/Coptic; Part I: May 9-27 and Part II: June 6-24. Praying with the Giants: Reading Ancient Texts in Retreat – Topic: Integration and Fragmentation in the Spiritual Life: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian and Maximus the Confessor. Learn contemplative prayer from three ancient masters of the spiritual life, with Daily Office, Eucharist and an opportunity for Spiritual Direction. (This course is also open to anyone wishing to learn the ancient practice of lectio divina without earning academic credit). From May 31 to June 5. A Cross-Cultural Immersion Experience in Vietnam hosted by Reverend Canon Dr. Beth Marie Murphy, from July 25 to August 15. For more information or to register, contact Colleen Walker at colleen.walker@usask.ca or (306) 9751558. Seniors’ Lunch, St. George’s, Battleford: The Friendship Committee of St. George’s invites all seniors to join them for lunch on the first Monday of each month. A Healing Service with Anointing and Laying On Of Hands is held on alternating basis monthly in the two Battle River Parishes. Please contact the Reverend Peter Norman at (306) 445-4155 or by email at stpaulnb@sasktel.net for dates and times. “Ministry Voices” is a three-day event for those involved in ministry or who care deeply about ministry. It is happening again from June 26-29 at Knox United Church in Saskatoon. The early registration ends on May 1. Ministry Voices will welcome Bruce and Kate Epperly as presenters, speaking to the theme of “Practice God’s Presence in the Everyday Tasks of Ministry.” Full details and printable registration forms are available at www.ministryvoices.org or by calling Knox United Church, Saskatoon at (306) 244-0159. APPOINTMENTS, ETC.: The Reverend Shawn Sanford-Beck and Bishop Tom Morgan (ret’d) have been appointed to the ministry team of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Shawn Sanford-Beck is also Dean of Chapel at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad.
Published monthly except July and August Published from #3-93 10th Street Weyburn, Sask., S4H 1G8 Printed and mailed from Signal Star Publishing A division of Bowes Publishers Ltd. Goderich ON N7A 4B6 Subscription rate: $10.00 in Canada; $17.00 outside Canada Whole No. 292, Vol. 33, No. 7 A Section of Anglican Journal
The Saskatchewan Anglican
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Govan Church Celebrates Centennial By Rev. Jack Robson GOVAN (Qu’A) – On April 3 the Anglican congregations of Last Mountain Parish gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Govan. The beautiful old church with a 14th century design was constructed in 1911 at a cost of $1,940.90. It was not built with money from England, but with a loan and the faith of the parishioners, as there was a debt on the church for many years. The first service was held on March 26, 1911, with Rev. A.C. Calder officiating and 100 in attendance. The church was consecrated by Bishop Malcolm Harding on March 31, 1912. The first wedding in the new church was in January of 1912 when Miss Mabel Shipman married Mr. James William Greentree. The first baby baptized there was Lillian, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Hampton. She later became Mrs. Ralph Sedgwick. In 1961 the mission hall from the Llanvair districit, constructed in 1928, was moved to Govan and attached to the church creating a church hall. The Watson family was very prominent in the success of the Llanvair Mission. A young man
from the congregation entered the College of St. Chad in 1936, and became Rev. Canon Frank Turnbull, who was well known in the diocese. The communion service of celebration and praise was conducted by Rev. Dale Gillman with assistance from Deacon Jack Robson. Wendy (Lekness) was the organist. Revs. Dale and Jack sang “The Church in the Wildwood.” Loretta Sutton and Elizabeth Johnston read the scriptures. Allan Sutton presented the offering. Floral bouquets donated by Chris and Ida Lekness adorned the This painting by Ruth (Mortenson) Leverton shows the Govan church in its earlier days. altar in memory of Ida’s Photo - Rev. Jack Robson parents, Mr. and Mrs. William T. Watson, and socializing. Ida’s brother Larry Watson and brother-inFor 100 years, the beautiful statelaw Dave Andison. ly Anglican Church has been a Godly beaA beautiful spring bouquet was con in the Govan community. It has been presented to the Govan congregation by a reminder of the faith and dedication of Doreen Riach on behalf of the Parish of the Anglican congregations through the Last Mountain. Following the service, the years, and the faithfulness of our Lord congregation gathered at the Govan Hotel God to His people. To God be the Glory! for a delicious roast beef dinner, and then moved to the Seniors Centre for desserts
Lichfield Appeal Benefits Daystar First Nation (Con’t from page 1) -time Christian ministry and program of reconciliation. Her work is limited by a lack of financial resources to repair the existing church building and provide teaching materials for young and old alike.” “We are most grateful and thankful for the assistance from the Lichfield Diocese,” said Rev. Vicky Young. “Funds from this donation will be used to do some very necessary repairs to the church in the Daystar community.” Last summer, Rev. Peter and Helen Walley from Lichfield visited Daystar during Vacation Bible School week. “They noticed what needed looking after during their visit.” Peter Walley is chaplain to Bishop Jonathan. Rev. Young is looking forward to another visit from people from Lichfield. “We are having a team from ‘Crosstalk’ come for a week of Day Camp during the summer. This will be a great blessing to us,” says Rev. Young. “The team of four young people will prepare and deliver the program of Bible stories, music, crafts, games and other activities for four to 12-yearolds. We provide support services and billet the team. As our Lord leads we serve! Praise God for the people of vision in the Diocese of Lichfield!”
Qu’Appelle Synod Election Results By Joanne Shurvin-Martin REGINA – As the Diocese of Qu’Appelle Synod opened on March 25, there was a buzz in the air about the federal election. Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson reminded dele-
PWRDF Launches Living Justice Youth Resource
The priests of the Diocese of Saskatoon gather around Bishop David Irving (seventh from left) to renew their vows during the annual Service of Renewal and Blessing, held in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on April 21. Over 100 people gathered for the service, which also included a sermon by Rev. Canon Dr. Bill Christensen. The service included the renewal of baptismal, diaconal and priestly vows, and blessing of oils and the Eucharist. Photo - Peter R. Coolen
gates that elections for diocesan committees are not like secular elections. He asked delegates to approach the elections with prayerful discernment. The following were elected at the 75th Synod: General Synod: (clergy) Ven. Rob Hardwick, Rev. Trish McCarthy, Rev. Malcolm French, (laity) Jason Antonio, Linda Van-Sickle, Betty Ward, (youth) Asha Kerr-Wilson. Provincial Synod: (clergy) Ven. Rob Hardwick, Rev. Susan Page, Rev. Dell Bornowsky, Rev. Dick Kennedy, (laity) Jason Antonio, Nancy Brunt, Alison Kydd, Grace McLeod, (youth) Jeremy Godfrey.
Court of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle: (clergy) Rev. Claude Schroeder, Rev. Kim Salo, (laity) Lorraine Hardwick and Betty Ward. Diocesan Council: (ex officio members) the Bishop, the Dean, the Chancellor, the Registrar. (elected clergy) Rev. Malcolm French, Rev. Trish McCarthy, Rev. Susan Page, Rev. Dick Kennedy, Rev. Jonathan Hoskin, Rev. Vicki Young, Rev. Carlos Roberts, Rev. Ella Frank, (laity) Nancy Brunt, Jason Antonio, Tom Magnusson, Dale Flavel, Kate Berringer, Patricia Pratt, Lana Johnson, Brian Wright, Brian Malley, Ellen Redshaw, Shaun Booth, Lorraine Bonnell. Four lay members may be appointed by the Bishop. The Executive Archdeacon, Director of Administration and Diocesan Secretary are non-voting members.
The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund is pleased to announce the launch of Living Justice, a confirmation resource for youth. This six-session curriculum is designed to be used as a supplement to any existing confirmation preparation process. Each session explores a different aspect of justice: Deep Justice, Fair Trade, Extreme Poverty, HIV/AIDS, the Environment and Gender Justice. Living Justice is based around a multi-media experience: PowerPoint and video as well as a variety of activities to meet many learning styles. It will be available as part of the PWRDF resource order form this year, as a download from the PWRDF youth website (www.justgeneration.ca), or by contacting Sheilagh McGlynn, the justgeneration.ca facilitator at smcglynn@pwrdf.org. It will ship in September 2011. Living Justice was envisioned as an opportunity to engage young people at a time when they are attending church – their confirmation preparation time. By providing Living Justice as an easy-to-use "plug-in" for any confirmation process, PWRDF hopes to instill a sense of the importance of justice in the lives of Christians. While Living Justice is geared toward confirmation students, it has a much broader reach. "This isn't just for confirmation the sessions can be used by youth groups, Bible study groups, adult education groups. It's a great resource for anybody," says McGlynn.
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Prayer essential for daily life (Con’t from page 1) Since that time it has been used by the Apostles, the martyrs and the saints. The prayer places God’s glory first and our needs second. For God’s glory we pray for reverence, loyalty and obedience. For our needs we pray for food, forgiveness, guidance, and deliverance. The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer of God’s children. The relationship is set at the beginning, “Our Father, who art in heaven”, and it is the prayer of the Baptized into His Church, His family; we are his children. Notice we don’t refer to God as my Father, rather, our Father. If He is our Father (and He is) then we are brothers and sisters. The prayer is a bond of unity because every time we pray it we pray for the entire church. The Lord’s Prayer is for us an exceptional model for our remaining prayers, glorifying God, asking for those things which we require and giving thanks for his grace we receive. Whether it is when we gather as a community or in our private devotions, our prayers should be simple and direct, as they are a time to bring us together as a community, regardless of our physical proximity to each other. This is one of our great gifts as Anglicans, our commitment to common prayer.
Advance Notice: “Outside the Walls” is Coming! By Diocese of Saskatoon staff This diocesan event builds on the foundations of “Turning Hope into Action” (which took place in 2009). It will be held either at the end May or the beginning of June, and will be open to everyone in the diocese. “Outside the Walls” will include: speakers focusing on the five marks of mission; workshops covering many areas such as youth ministry, resources for mission, music in worship, PWRDF, to name a few; and social and worship time. The organizing committee has met twice to plan. Last month, the committee requested for parishes to discuss, at vestry, possible workshop topics. The committee received responses from six parishes. If your parish has not as-of-yet sent a response, there is still time to do so. This early notice about this diocesan-wide event is being provided to allow you and others in your parish to start planning to attend the event. More information about the dates, costs, venues and schedule will follow later.
The Cathedral That Was By Rev. Derek Nicholls
On April 10, the cathedral parish of St. John the Evaneglist in Saskaton celebrated the ministry of three associate priests: Reverend Dr. Reg Wickett, Bishop Tom Morgan (retired) and Reverend Canon Howard Green, with a reception and cake shared among the congregants. Photo - Dr. Heather A. Punshon
Bishop Calls for Renewed Commitment at Pentecost Bishop Michael W. Hawkins Diocese of Saskatchewan PRINCE ALBERT – In discussions around the diocese over the past year, three themes keep coming up: Discipleship, Leadership and Mission. These three invite us all to reconsider our commitment to Jesus Christ, our ministry within the Church and our mission to the world We live in an age and culture which has a fear of commitment and is therefore unable to find peace and happiness. We know the fallout from this lack of commitment in our marriages and families, in our communities and even our churches. But God shows his committed faithfulness to us in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Jesus and from Jesus we may learn what committed faithfulness means and the glory and life it leads to. On Pentecost, Sunday, June 12, 2011 I am asking you to recommit yourself with your congregation, diocese and bishop as a Disciple of Jesus Christ. It was on Pentecost Peter preached of how Jesus died and rose again and people can receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus. Some folks paid attention to his sermon; they believed the good news of Jesus Christ, and when they had been baptized, these three thousand new Christians made a commitment.
Acts 2:42 says: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 gives us a very helpful summary of the commitment of the first disciples and invites us to consider our
personal and parish commitment to things such as public worship, proportional giving, bible reading, prayer, ministry and service. This is what those who repent and believe and have been baptized commit themselves to as they follow Jesus Christ. On Pentecost, June 12, you will have an opportunity to recommit yourself to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers in and with your congregation. We begin with our commitment as Disciples of Jesus Christ. Before anyone can take up leadership in the church, before we can reach out to the world with the life-saving and life-changing love of God in Jesus Christ, we need to be solid in our devotion to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers. Acts 2:42 describes a
group of believers committed to Learning, Caring and Worshipping together. It describes a community “Together in the Gospel”. I have that vision for this diocese and for every congregation, and I am privileged to share it with you. In the remainder of Acts 2 we learn what the fruit of such Spirit-filled commitment is. The Church is reverent, powerful, caring, concerned, prayerful, happy, united and full of praise. Then there are two important points added (Acts 2:47). These Christians enjoyed the favour of all, while the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. This strong, devout and compassionate inner life of the Church led them to reach out to the broader community and draw in others to their fellowship. Many of us would rather draw others in without working on our own commitment to Christ and his Church (Discipleship) and to reaching out to others (Leadership). We will not be able to draw others in until we first reach out, and we cannot reach out until we first shore up our own commitment to our common life. A renewed commitment to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers is the first step in our renewal as Disciples, Leaders and Missionaries of Jesus Christ.
REGINA – When the major earthquake tremor hit Christchurch in New Zealand on February 22, it devastated ChristChurch Anglican Cathedral in the city centre. An icon in the city was destroyed within minutes, along with many other buildings in the city and surrounding area. Rev. Derek Nicholls, an honorary assistant at St. James, Regina, and his wife Margaret, visited the cathedral on Monday, January 10. They met with Bishop Victoria Matthews on that day, prior to their return to Sydney, Australia, where their eldest son and family live. They learned from Bishop Matthews the effects of the first earthquake in September 2010 and then a tremor on Boxing Day when there was a worshipping community in the cathedral. Bishop Matthews described the effects of the earthquake and, following the devastation, spoke to The Anglican Journal (March edition) about what happened and how she and her people were coping with the needs of thousands of people in the city. The cathedral took over 30 years to build and was completed in 1904. Its design was Gothic in appearance and looked majestic in Cathedral Centre in the middle of the city. Attached was an excellent gift shop with a small cafeteria which served light meals to tourists and others. The pictures of the destroyed buildings made one stop and feel sadness that such a wonderful building is now in ruins. But the prime minister of New Zealand and other leaders are resolved that ChristChurch Cathedral will be rebuilt. Bishop Matthews has played a significant role, along with her own clergy and leaders of other Christian denominations, in ministering to the trauma faced by those whose homes and businesses have been destroyed, as well as families who have lost their loved ones. Thankfully no one was killed in the collapsed parts of the cathedral, especially the area where the tower and steeple had been before it imploded. Further information can be found on the Diocese of Christchurch (www.chch.anglican.org.nz) and ChristChurch Cathedral (www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz).
The Saskatchewan Anglican
God’s Gift at Pentecost Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson Bishop of Qu’Appelle REGNA – As Christians we know that our existence encompasses more than even the grandeur and beauty of the physical world. God has created us with minds and spirits so that we might not only exist, but also live freely in communion and love with God. Of course, the exercise of that freedom has led to brokenness and separation – from God and from one another. And yet God has provided even in this to heal, reconcile and save. We have been gifted with a Saviour; God himself come among us in the flesh in the person of Jesus – and in him we have received grace and truth. But it does not end there. At this time of year we celebrate another great moment of God’s gifting at the feast of Pentecost. Pentecost. The word evokes images of fire and wind that contain power, energy and inspiration. Jesus’ followers, gathered, waiting upon God in quiet prayerfulness, are stirred up and launched into action, proclaiming
with words the powerful witness to Jesus’ resurrection and in deeds the present power of God to save. We are told in Acts that they spoke boldly, being given the ability to speak in other tongues, so that the good news of the kingdom of God, made present in the person and work of Jesus, might be known and received by people of every language, race and nation - all of humankind. We are told people were healed as the power of God worked through them in the name of Jesus Christ. We are told in Paul’s writing that the early Christian churches were given gifts of teaching, prophecy, knowledge, wisdom and discernment so that the living presence of God was known in power amongst them as they grew and matured in faith and the work of ministry. The great gift of Pentecost was and is, of course, the Holy Spirit. It is not just any power, not just any inspiration, and not just any action. The Holy Spirit is God, personally present within and among us, making Christ present, bringing new and eternal life, leading us into truth, conferring the authority of liberating service, sending us out in mission to our broken and hurting world and transforming our human action until it becomes the very activity of God. We are a gifted people. The Holy Spirit is among us and within us. God can and does confer those same gifts of Pentecost on us today. Some of those gifts are at work in our churches, some are being discovered and others are still waiting to be discovered, like gifts wrapped and waiting to be opened. I pray, and ask you to pray, that our hearts and minds might be opened to receiving more fully of those gifts which God desires to give “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13).
Next Up Saskatchewan – A new Leadership program trains Saskatchewan’s next generation of Progressive Change-Makers Editor’s Note: Many of the participants in the Next Up program come from communities of faith and view their social justice activism in the broader context of the social gospel. By Shayna Stock Saskatoon – A new leadership program for progressive young people is already making big waves in the province. Next Up Saskatchewan offers leadership training to young people who are committed to social and environmental justice. As part of a network of Next Up programs across Western Canada, it is the first of its kind in Saskatchewan. What is Next Up? Next Up was founded four years ago in Vancouver by co-founders Kevin Millsip and Seth Klein, who wanted to address the lack of comprehensive training opportunities for young, progressive people. The program aims to nurture critical thought about social and environmental issues and to build capacity in areas such as communication, facilitation, conflict transformation, project development and building unity.
It also offers opportunities for participants to apply what they learn through collaborative, self-directed action projects. Each program has about 14 participants between the ages of 18-32. It runs for seven months, with participants meeting one evening a week and one full Saturday a month. Next Up Saskatchewan After expanding from Vancouver to Edmonton two years ago, this was Next Up’s first year in Saskatchewan. Next Up Saskatchewan had 13 pioneer participants. Together, they explored many topics including spirituality and activism, antioppression training, food sovereignty, economics, conflict transformation, fundraising, media, advocacy, trade unions and movement sustainability. The program linked youth with many prominent leaders in the community. Vanessa Charles of the Saskatoon Antipoverty Coalition, former NDP MLA Peter Prebble, disability rights advocate Robin East, farmer and food sovereignty activist Nettie Wiebe and Saskatoon City Councilor Charlie Clarke are among the leaders who have facilitated sessions with
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Cross Walk – Ecumenical Worship on Good Friday By Joanne Shurvin-Martin REGINA – The crowd of worshippers walked quietly along the residential streets in Regina’s Rosemont neighbourhood, following the wooden cross. At each of five churches, they stopped and worshipped together. It was a sign of Christian unity, and a witness to the world as a solemn remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on Good Friday. Cross Walk 2011 began at St. James the Apostle Anglican Church, where about 150 people gathered and recited the Solemn Reproaches from the BAS Good Friday liturgy. At the end of the short service, Rev. Malcolm French picked up the wooden cross and led the way out of the church and three blocks to St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church. The church was in darkness, with all lights extinguished and translucent red coverings on the windows. Lay people explained some of the traditions of Good Friday, led prayers and the congregation sang the responses. At the conclusion of this service, Kevin Krofchek led the way with the cross, four short blocks to Rosemont United Church. The service there was conducted outside, with prayers led by Rev. Christa Eidsness and a sung response. A member of the congregation volunteered to carry the cross to the Community of Christ church, where the service was again conducted outside. the group. One of participants’ favourite sessions, titled “Being in it for the long haul,” centred on activist self-care and integrating their spiritual and personal work with social and environmental justice work. The full-day session, offered by journalist and writing coach Shayna Stock and Next Up Saskatchewan co-ordinator Tracey Mitchell, provided participants an opportunity to explore feelings of compassion, guilt, fear and hope within the context of their activism, and to map out their own unique strategies of self-care to prevent activist burnout. “In the face of so many deep problems, it is easy to feel discouraged, despair, powerless and that there is nothing we can do that will make a difference,” reflected Next Up participant and
Pastor Dan Esch asked everyone to imagine the situation of the apostles and other followers of Christ on the first Good Friday. We know what happened next, he said, but for them it must have seemed like the end of the story. He said the original followers must have felt very much alone, and asked everyone to hold hands and feel the warmth and support of other Christians. Then the congregation, which had grown to about 200, followed the cross for the final four blocks to Christ Lutheran Church on Dewdney Avenue. A congregation of about 200 had already gathered and when the walkers arrived the church was nearly full to capacity. Clergy and lay people from all five denominations participated in the ecumenical service, which featured scripture, prayer, silent reflection and hymns. This is the first time all five churches have taken part in the Good Friday walk, which St. James Anglican and Rosemont United have been doing for several years. Rev. Malcolm French says, “Rosemont Ecumenical is an active group, driven by lay people rather than clergy. For the past couple of years, we’ve had a few individuals from the other churches join us on the walk and for the service.” This year all five churches were involved in planning the walk and service.
social worker Christina Charteris. “I now see my commitment to social justice as an unknown journey; a journey that can unfold only one step at a time, with confusion, despair and anger along the way and where the end is a mystery.” “We’ve had a great first year in Saskatoon,” said Mitchell about the program’s Saskatchewan debut. “Several more experienced activists and community leaders have told us they feel excited about being able to pass the torch to or share leadership with these young leaders.” For more information, contact Tracey Mitchell, co-ordinator of Next Up Saskatchewan, at (306) 244-4955 or by e-mail at sask@nextup.ca.
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
June 2011
Parish of Leask and Shellbrook celebrate ordination of Stephen Harnish
Theological Students Visit Kyle and Beechy Congregations By Rev. David Nevett
By Lorette Palm LEASK and SHELLBROOK (SKWN) – On March 18, the Reverend Stephen Ronald Harnish was ordained to the holy order of priest by the Right Reverend Michael Hawkins, bishop of Saskatchewan. The evening service opened with the hymn “The Church is one Foundation”, with accompaniment from organist Margaret Zulkoskey. The procession was led by crucifer Ryan Harnish, server Liam Harnish (sons of the ordinand), parish choir (members of the parish family of Leask and Shellbrook), clergy, the ordinand, the bishop and the chaplain to the bishop, Debbie Topping. The Reverend Dr. David Mercer (Diocese of Fredericton) gave the homily. In Rev. Mercer’s homily, he reminded the congregation that by our baptism we are made members of Christ and as such, are children of God and inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven. He said by this baptism we become Corpus Christi – the Body of Christ – and as the body of Christ, we are called by God to love as Christ has loved us. Rev. Mercer told us this love is only found in the life of Christ clearly shown in the Cross, and he reminded us that our Lord said this love will be the ground of our judgement. He reminded Stephen (as is the same for all priests), they will be accountable before God on the Day of Judgement. This judgement involves loving one another and the world with the same love Christ has for us and asking if he [Stephen] has fed the Sheep of Christ. As the people of God, the homilist asked us to pray for faithfulness in this task, as Stephen takes the vows of priest outlined in the prayer book. The Dean of St. Alban’s Cathedral, the Very Reverend Kenneth Davis, presented the candidate before Bishop Hawkins. The litany was sung by
The Right Reverend Michael Hawkins, bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, stands with the newly ordained Reverend Stephen Harnish(to the left of the bishop), after the ordination service on March 18. Also in the picture are Harnish’s two sons, Ryan (far left), Liam (seated) and other clergy from within and outside the diocese. Photo - Loretta Palm
Reverend Canon Don Skinner. The epistle was read by Roberta Caspell, All Saints, Leask. The Gospel was read by the Reverend Joanne Beacon. The ordinand was examined by the bishop, where Rev. Harnish made a solemn and heartfelt commitment to serve God and His sheep as priest. The ordination continued with the clergy of the diocese and those visiting, along the bishop, laying their hands upon the candidate. The bishop spoke about receiving the Holy Ghost for the office and work as a priest in the Church of God. The Holy Communion was celebrated by Bishop Hawkins. Following the Eucharist, Rev. Stephen Harnish was inducted as rector of Leask and Shellbrook. The Regional Dean, Reverend Rob Stringer, wardens from the points of All Saints, Christ Church, St. Andrew and St. Luke, escorted their Rector to his stall and gave him keys to the churches in the parish. The processional hymn, St. Patrick’s “Breastplate”, filled the church of St. Andrew’s. The evening began with a rehearsal and dinner, the latter provided by the congregations of All Saints and St. Luke’s. Rev. Stephen comes to us with his wife Cathy and their three children, Ryan, Emily and Liam, from Nova Scotia. They live in the rectory in Canwood. Stephen has been serving as our deacon since September. We receive the Harnish family with joy and thankfulness. We have been blessed spiritually, physically and emotionally. Rev. Stephen has indeed been feeding His sheep faithfully with grace, humour and the Word of God.
In back, from left, are Ryan Harnish, Rev. Stephen Harnish, Bishop Michael Hawkins and Rev. Dr. David Mercer. In front, are Emily, Catherine and Liam Harnish.
Saskatoon’s Way of the Cross Walk Inclusive like Jesus By Tom Rogers SASKATOON – Downtown Saskatoon, again this year, hosted the Way of the Cross Walk on the morning of Good Friday, April 22. About 500 participants walked for more than two hours beginning at the Court House and stopping at 14 ‘Stations of the Cross’ to commemorate the final hours and events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. Each of the Stations of the Cross were marked by Scripture readings and meditations. Also at each station, a local church, justice organization or advocacy group took up a large wooden cross. They described and prayed about the suffering caused by local and international problems such as poverty, racism, sickness, discrimination and bullying. They then carried the cross to the next station. This year the Anglican Diocesan Youth Group was
included and took up their cross at Station 2. They spoke of the prophetic depth and leadership abilities of children and youth which must be heard in churches, of their sufferings and pains, and prayed for youth to be welcomed in churches with opened arms and not hindered. Also invited to take part for the first time in the Way of the Cross Walk were Integrity/Saskatoon Anglican and Affirm United. Taking up the cross at Station 7, they prayed for the elimination of the centuries old discrimination, persecution and violence against the Rainbow People of God: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited. Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa was quoted as saying he could not imagine Jesus Christ concurring with the persecution of minorities, or those made to suffer because of something they could not change: their ethnicity, their
BEECHY (Qu’A) – “A real treat” is the way one member of the congregation described the visit of two students from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad to the congregations of St. Paul’s, Kyle, and St. Michael and All Angels, Beechy, both in the Coteau Hills parish. Trevor Freeman was the guest preacher and Louise Lomas read the scriptures and the prayers of the people at the services on April 10. Following worship, times of fellowship were enjoyed and members of the congregations appreciated the opportunity to get better acquainted with Louise and Trevor. Both are in their final year of the four-year program at the College in Saskatoon. The thought for the visit of students came from the AGM of St. Michael and All Angel, Beechy. color, their gender or their sexual orientation. Those in the procession sang hymns as they moved from one station to the next and many in turn took up the cross. The Stations in the Walk and the groups marking each Station were: Station 1, Jesus is condemned to death, the bishops of Saskatoon; Station 2, Jesus caries his cross, Anglican Youth; Station 3, Jesus falls for the first time, Earthcare C o n n e c t i o n s . At Station 4, Jesus meets his mother, NASHI (Human Trafficking); Station 5, Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry His cross, Filipino Community; Station 6,Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, Babylon Ethnic Society. At Station 7, Jesus falls the second time, Integrity and Affirm Saskatoon; Station 8, Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem who weep for Him, Women in Ministry; Station 9, Jesus fall the third time, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish; Station 10, Jesus is stripped of His garments, Evangelical Fellowship; Station 11, Jesus is nailed to the cross, Restorative M i n i s t r i e s . At Station 12, Jesus dies on the cross, Conquest Boys Club; Station 13, Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in the arms of his mother, Prairie Centre for Ecumenism; and Station 14, Jesus is placed in the tomb, L’Arche Community. The walk ended at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Cathedral where participants were invited to have soup in the Cathedral hall. More photos of the Walk can be seen at the Integrity web site www.integritysaskatoon.blogspot.com.
The Saskatchewan Anglican
June 2011
7
Royal Wedding Tea at St. John’s, Fort Q By Sue Boxall FORT QU’APPELLE (Qu’A) – It was 3:30 p.m. on April 30, and St. John’s Anglican Church Hall in Fort Qu’Appelle was looking very British. Tables were set with china cups and saucers and the silver tea sets were ready for use. Rev. Duncan McLean sat at the welcoming table in his kilt. The raffle prizes, official souvenirs from Britain, were displayed along with the framed photograph of HRHs The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Slowly the guests began to arrive and the party began. There were a few tiaras, several beautiful hats and some lovely fascinators adorning many of the ladies present. After a short welcome, Sue Boxall invited everyone to sit back and enjoy themselves. Servers poured a choice of teas for the guests, the most popular being ‘Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea’, and a plate of dainty sandwiches and
Ladies’ hats and elegant china were the order of the day at the Royal Wedding Tea, hosted by St. John’s, Fort Qu’Appelle, on April 30. Over two billion people were thought to have watched the wedding on TV. Photo – Sue Boxall a plate of scones with jam and cream ing on the large screen. Soon servers came and it was soon time to leave. Everyone which appeared on each table. A video around with trolleys of English cakes and expressed their good wishes for the new young Duke and Duchess’ future. recording of the Royal Wedding was play- the tea kept flowing! Time seemed to fly
400th Anniversary of King James Bible By Joanne Shurvin-Martin LICHFIELD, ENGLAND – The Diocese of Lichfield, which is a partner of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, has planned many events to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first publication of the King James authorized version of the Bible. The following are excerpts from the diocesan publication Spotlight, featuring just a few of the events planned. Lichfield Cathedral Exhibition “Translation it is that openeth the windows to let in the light ...” So says the preface to the 1611 King James version of the Bible, the most famous, and arguably best loved, of all versions of the Bible. During Lent, Lichfield Cathedral staged a free world-class exhibition telling the tumultuous story of how the Bible came to be translated into English. Visitors to the cathedral were able to meet the characters involved from the time when people could be condemned as a heretic and burnt at the stake simply for reading the Bible in English, and vernacular Scriptures had to be smuggled into the country, to a period when a nationwide team of scholars was employed by the king to produce a fresh English translation. Walking the 200-year journey from Wycliffe’s first translation to King James’ famous publication, visitors were able to view the cathedral’s own magnificent collection of manuscripts and early printed Bibles which tell the story. First Edition at Oswestry A first edition King James Bible of 1611 is to go on public display at Oswestry’s St. Oswald’s Church in June, as part of a six-day event to mark the 400th anniversary of the “Authorized Version.” At the heart of the celebration will be a non-stop Bible read-through which will take about 83 hours to complete and could involve up to 300 people representing all aspects of town life.
Readings from the Psalms will be made around the town, but most of the readthrough will take place inside the church, running continuously throughout the day and night. The 1611 Bible, which when opened measures 72 cm by 44 cm and weighs about 10 kg, is being loaned by the Museum of the Book in London. A donation from the Lions Club of Oswestry has enabled the church to meet the insurance and transport costs involved. The opening and closing readings of the “Biblethon” will be made using the first edition Bible. Bible and Pulpit Share Celebration St. Bartholomew’s Church, Wednesbury, is planning a double celebration in June when it combines the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible with the 400th birthday of its Jacobean pulpit installed in 1611. The pulpit, which is made of wood and used to be the top tier of a threelevel pulpit, was installed by Richard Dolphin, who was recorded as “a preacher: sometimes preacheth” in a survey of Staffordshire clergy in 1604. He was one of only 28 per cent of Staffordshire parish clergy to hold the bishop’s licence to preach, and his relatively favourable report is in contrast to the curates in neighbouring Pelsall, Willenhall and Bilston who were “notorious drunkards and dissolute men.”
A Word to the Church from the Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops By Anglican Church of Canada staff NIAGARA FALLS, ONT. – The House met at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls from April 11-15. This was our first regular meeting since last summer’s General Synod. We met under a new model that allows time for fellowship among ourselves, more time for prayer and Bible study, and more quiet time. We are also attempting to deal with matters before the Church in a more in-depth way. Rather than working with a traditional agenda, this meeting consisted of several openended sessions during which we all had ample time to participate and contribute. As our Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, said during his opening remarks, we hope this new way of meeting will allow us to get work done without us leaving here at the end of the week more exhausted than when we arrived. Monday, April 11 We opened with an evening Eucharist celebrated by Archbishop Terry Finlay. During the Eucharist, we heard reflections from the Primate, which continued into our session after the Eucharist. The Primate updated us on work that has continued around last fall’s restructuring of General Synod staff and work around the priorities and practices of Vision 2019. He described a plan to educate the Church on the Marks of Mission and reported on the recent meeting of the Council of General Synod. Tuesday, April 12 Our Episcopal Visitors, Bishops Colin Bennetts and Chad Gandiya, briefed us on the work they have done since they last visited the Canadian House. Bishop
Bennetts explained that the Episcopal Visitors only go to provinces where the primate has consented to their visit. We also heard from Canadian bishops who recently met with some African bishops in Dar es Salaam. That gathering resulted in a statement issued last month entitled “A Testimony of Grace from the Consultation of Bishops in Dialogue”, which is available on the national website at www.anglican.ca. Wednesday, April 13 Bishop Jim Cowan led us through a discussion on the “open table” concept where Holy Communion is made available to everyone, whether baptised or not. After this discussion, a small working group was asked to develop a statement that would reflect the mind of the House. The statement can be found at www.anglicanjournal.ca. Thursday, April 13 Bishop George Bruce led us through a discussion of a couple of questions referred to us by the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee. The committee asked us to comment on a General Synod request that it consider the implications of the cessation of Anglican clergy solemnizing marriage. We agreed to ask a small group of bishops to help the House prepare for a fuller discussion at its fall meeting. We discussed a document from the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission entitled “Guidelines for Anglican and Lutheran Bishops, Priests and Pastors Regarding Confirmations in Shared Ministry Congregations.” We tabled this until our fall meeting when we can have a fuller discussion with bishops from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Our gathering ended Friday with a closing eucharist celebrated by the primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz.
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The Saskatchewan Anglican
June 2011
Great Vigil of Easter at St. Luke’s
Serving God’s World and Strengthening the Church through Gift Planning
By Nigel Salway
Edited by Peter R. Coolen
REGINA – The Great Vigil of Easter is the first service of Easter. It is celebrated after sunset on Holy Saturday and before sunrise on Easter Sunday. The service commences with the hangings and ornaments of the church removed and the crosses draped in black. St. Luke’s celebrated this Easter tradition this year. The service began outside the darkened and undecorated church. The congregation, holding unlit candles, gathered around Father Christopher Snook and Deacon Susan Page. Fr. Christopher kindled a fire which he subsequently blessed in prayer. He then lit the Paschal Candle with the kindled fire. From the lighted Paschal Candle, parishioners then each lit their own candles. Following the lighting of the candles, Deacon Susan lead the congregation into the church carrying the Paschal Candle. Three times, Deacon Susan announced, “The Light of Christ!” as she carried the Paschal Candle into the church. Each time, the congregation responded, “Thanks be to God!” The service continued with the Liturgy of the Word, a series of readings from the Old Testament. Interspersed with the readings, Deacon Susan led the congregation in a Psalm and Fr. Christopher read a prayer. Following the Liturgy, the congregation gathered by the font. Father Christopher blessed the font and intincted the base of the Paschal Candle in the holy water. The congregation then renewed their baptismal
SASKATOON – Active, committed and faithful people of the Anglican Church of Canada provide leadership, ministry and mission support in communities in every part of the country, as well as with our partners overseas. Anglicans give generously of their time, energy abilities and financial resources to do the work of God in many ways, helping to make a difference in people's lives. More and more Anglicans are giving thoughtful attention now to their stewardship of accumulated assets, ensuring they have valid wills and have planned responsibly for the well-being of their families and the support of those institutions that have been important to them. Gift Planning means finding a way to make an important donation to a cause you believe in, while still getting the best tax benefits possible and achieving personal-financial goals. A planned gift to your parish or diocese can be made outright to the church for its immediate use, or deferred. For example, arranged now for completion later. Some planned gifts are also designed to support the work of God through the Church and to provide a life income for the: donor. Each type of planned gift offers benefits to the donor and supports the mission of the Church. Gifts for the present: An outright gift of cash is the simplest and can be the best way to give. Your gift can be used immediately for ministry and programs or as an endowment. You get a receipt for the full amount, which means immediate savings. When you make an outright gift of listed securities you receive a special benefit. You will be taxed on only half of the capital gain. Your tax credit will always exceed the tax payable on the gain. Gifts for the future: The most common type of deft planned gift is a charitable
Father Christopher Snook prepares to light the Paschal Candle, held by Deacon Susan Page, outside of St. Luke’s Church at the beginning of the Easter Vigil. Photo - Nigel Salway
vows. This point in the service represents the transition from the sorrow and pain of Good Friday to the joy and triumph of Easter Sunday. While the congregation sang the hymn, The Strife is O’er, the altar guild dressed the altar and removed the covering from the crosses. Fr. Christopher and Deacon Susan re-robed in Easter vestments; and the church was re-illuminated. The service continued with a joyous communion and ended with snacks.
Dio. of Saskatoon Looks to do Outreach By Reverend David Tyler SASKATOON – The Diocese of Saskatoon is actively seeking an outreach project that Anglicans can work on together to meet a very real need in the diocese. The project should facilitate Anglicans looking outside of their own parish boundaries, meeting together to work on the shared project, but not being overwhelmed by the commitment and responsibilities of carrying the entire weight of the project alone. It may be this project would also involve working with another organization that is overwhelmed and would welcome a consistent flow of volunteers. For example, if need for or assistance in running a soup kitchen for families in an area of Saskatoon is identified , it could be held every Saturday of the
year in a church or facility in the neighbourhood of that need. Each Anglican parish in the city would be asked to schedule and provide sufficient volunteers to prepare soup and sandwiches, serve and clean up afterwards, four or five times a year. A subcommittee of the Diocesan Outreach Committee has been asked by Bishop David Irving to request your input so that in the late summer a project can be identified and more detailed planning initiated. What general or specific outreach ideas and suggestions do you have, perhaps on the basis of a need you have encountered? If you have ideas and suggestions for diocesan outreach and community involvement, please contact Christine Bennett at pigeon3@shaw.ca, or Mary Tyler at dave.tyler@shaw.ca.
Qu’Appelle Notes and News Bishop’s School for Choristers - August 14-21 For a week of music and fun, come to the Bishop’s School for Choristers, for children eight and older with unchanged voices, and able to read. This is a diocese-wide event held in Regina. Billets will be provided for a small charge of $45. Early registration fees are $100 (before June 30) and $125 for regular registrations. Family discounts are $25 for each additional child from the same family. For more information call Tanya Condo at 789-0169 or by e-mail at lindahand2u@yahoo.com Clergy Changes Rev. Michael Last and his wife, Rebecca, will be leaving Saskatchewan Gateway parish to return to Lichfield, England. Rebecca is a trained midwife and cannot obtain employment in Saskatchewan, so regretfully they have to return to England. Michael’s final service will be Sunday, July 10 at St. Peter’s, Spring Creek, followed by lunch. Rev. Cheryl Johnson is retiring and leaving as incumbent of Whitewood Parish as of July 31. The parish is a shared ministry with ELCIC, and in consultation with the Lutheran bishop, a search committee will be put in place for a new incumbent.
bequest that is included in your will. This can be as simple as a sentence or two in your will, or a codicil appended to it. You may give a specific sum of money or you can give certain assets such as stocks or a percentage of estate. Your estate will be entitled to a receipt for the full value of your bequest. This significantly reduces the tax payable on your final tax return. A gift of life insurance can provide a significant future gift to your parish or diocese at a modest present cost to you. This can be done with an existing policy or a new one. To receive a current tax benefit, you must transfer ownership of the policy to the church. Doing this entitles you to a donation receipt for its cash value. On a new policy you receive a donation receipt for each of your premiums Gifts that give back: Some planned gifts pay you back by providing you income or allowing you to enjoy your property, even after you have given it to the church. A gift annuity provides both a gift to the church and guaranteed payments for life for you and your spouse. The annuity rates depend on your age, but they will usually be higher than GIC interest. A charitable remainder trust is a deferred giving arrangement under which you transfer property (cash, securities or real estate) to a trustee. You keep the right to the income from the trust, either for life or for a specified period. A gift of residual interest gives back in a different way. You may, for instance, donate your residence or a valuable piece of art, but retain the right to use them in your lifetime. You receive a donation receipt for the present value of the residual interest you have given. If you would like to learn how you can make a Planned Gift to your parish or diocese, please contact your synod office.
On March 13, Diocese of Saskatoon Bishop David Irving conducted a service at St. John’s in Unity. He provided comfort by giving them assurance of his support for their continuing worship as a parish. Photo - Valerie Middleton