March 2008 A Section of Anglican Journal
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34, King James Version .
The Easter Garden Staff REGINA - Margaret Nicholls has arranged her Easter Garden in the narthex of St. Luke Regina where it will greet parishioners as they enter the church on Easter Day. The Garden will remain there throughout Eastertide until the Feast of the Ascension. The whole garden is built with artificial flowers which gives the effect of spring and enhances the story of the Garden of Joseph of Arimathaea. This year marks the 39th time that Margaret Nicholls has created the Easter Garden using the symbols of the death and resurrection of Jesus and the waving of palms on Palm Sunday. In 1967 Margaret Nicholls discovered the joy of an Easter floral display in St. Mary, Saffron Walden, in the Diocese of Chelmsford, England, where her husband, Fr. Derek Nicholls, was a curate in the parish. photo Derek Nicholls This exposure led Mrs. Nicholls to pursue the creation of an Margaret Nicholls displays her Easter Garden at St. Luke Regina. Built with artificial flowers the Easter Garden in the congregations where her husband served. Garden gives the effect of spring and enhances the story of the Garden of Joseph of Arimathaea. Mrs. Sometimes the garden would be placed on a small wooden chest Nicholls has built her gardens in many churches where her husband, Rev. Derek Nicholls, served in front of a free standing altar and sometimes, such as at St. beginning in 1967 at St. Mary Saffron Walden in the Diocese of Chelmsford, England Matthew Regina, it was placed within the space in the altar created when the altar was reversed. The largest display was at St. Mary Regina, which took up the landing on the Montague Street entrance to the church for the ten years her husband was incumbent. Margaret Nicholls' wish is to bring to life the Easter story in a similar way that the Christmas crib does in most churches. She hopes that her story might inspire parishioners in other congregations to create their own Garden this Eastertide. Ideas can be discussed with Margaret Nicholls by calling her at 306-949-8690.
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge-to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!" "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Matthew 27: 11-26 NIV
Easter Message from the Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon
The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon “Tomorrow morning we will carry a cross through the Old City of Jerusalem on the same path Jesus took on his way to Calvary. The street is called the Via Dolorosa.” I check the list to see which group I have been assigned to. “5:15 a.m. - Andrews, Rod”. The list contains the names of twenty other pilgrims. I think to myself. “If they can get up that early, so
can I.” I should have thought “If Jesus carried his cross and died for me, it is a small thing for me to get up in the middle of the night to carry a symbolic cross along the same route”. There is light rain as we move out from St. George's Anglican College in the darkness. We take turns carrying a large cross. We stop at fourteen stations for scripture readings and prayers. For the first few stations in the ancient City of Jerusalem we hear a rooster crowing. “Then Peter began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment the cock crowed.” (Matthew 26:74). By dawn we are close to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional place of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. As we read the story of the crucifixion a tractor pulls up beside us and workmen toss garbage into a trailer. Then some soldiers walk by carrying machine guns. These powerful symbols of the crucifixion were real, just as they were real on the day of crucifixion two thousand years ago. St.
Mark records (chapter 15, verse 22-24 “Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha . . . . And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.” The words of the Scottish divine, George MacLeod, came to me: “I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write his title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek . . . at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where he died. And that is what he died about. And that is where Christians ought to be, and what Christians should be about.” We walk a little further and stop to read the resurrection scripture. As we begin greeting one another “The Lord is risen” t
he bells of the great church, perhaps the central church for Christendom, ring out calling worshipers to the first mass of the day. As we walk into the church, the great organ fills the church with majestic music. I sit by the tomb, the empty tomb, and say a prayer for each parish and each clergy person in the Diocese of Saskatoon. I finish with a prayer for “the whole church of God.” The empty tomb is full of meaning. From this tomb, hewn in rock, we Christians draw all of our faith and hope for the world and for the kingdom to come. At the empty tomb we find the Christ of eternity alive in the here and now. From this chasm, a symbol of death and defeat, comes victory and life itself. Christ's tomb is the earthen fissure through which God's love pours out upon our world. May God give you a happy and holy Easter. + Rodney
2 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008
Easter Message from the Right Reverend Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle
The Right Reverend Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle A few years back I had the privilege of travelling to the Holy Land. I have always liked travelling to places I have never been to before and connecting with their people, culture and geography. There is something about other lands and cultures
twhich shifts my perspective and helps me o see the world from another angle. Perhaps because they bring my own preconceived yet not quite conscious notions about the world and my world-view within it into sharper relief, allowing me to weigh them again and ask how this new view might shape or challenge them. Going to the Holy Land was one notch up on the scale though. Being able to stand on the Mount of Olives and overlook the City of Jerusalem, the surrounding hills and the Judean Wilderness all in one view while the words of psalms, prophets and Jesus himself ran through my head was quite remarkable. And to walk in Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem and along the shores of Galilee was very moving indeed. It gave context and a palpable connection to the stories of scripture and in many cases brought a new dimension of understanding to old and well-known texts. It quickly ceased to be a visit and became a pilgrimage. A very interesting thing which I encount-
ered, however, was a local clergy person with whom we had occasion to talk. e made a regular point of referring to ourocation, not as “the Holy Land,” but as “the Land of the Holy One.” I did not have an opportunity to ask why but as I thought about it later it struck me as a fairly significant shift of emphasis. The place is special, not because the land itself is inherently any more “holy” than any other parcel of land but rather because the Holy One has chosen to reveal himself there, through the covenant with Abraham and our ancestors in faith, through the prophets and above all through the life and death of the Holy One made flesh, Jesus Christ. In the next couple of weeks we together as a church will walk the pilgrimage of Holy Week and Easter. I have always loved this time in our Christian year. To me it has a rhythm and pace, a culture and language all its own. We walk the astounding road from a triumphal procession on Palm Sunday, through the gathering gloom of
impending death and then through death itself and a cold tomb for God’s Holy One, until we come to the glory and triumph of an empty tomb, death defeated, angelic messengers and a risen Lord. And my perspective on life is changed. The false notions I have allowed to creep in about the world, about power and love, about life and death are challenged and reshaped once more. It is what Sunday is meant to be for us each week but with the intensity of living into the story in a deeper and more intentional way. The important thing, of course, is that it isn’t the week which makes it all Holy but rather the presence of the Holy One, who walks the pilgrim road beside us speaking good news into our hearts every step of the way until we find them burning within us and our eyes are opened once again to the risen Lord in our midst. May the power of God’s Spirit re-shape and transform you as you walk with Jesus the “week of the Holy One” in the days ahead. +Gregory
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. "Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me." Matthew 28: 1-10NASB
Easter Message from the Right Reverend Anthony Burton, Bishop of Saskatchewan Wake up for Joy! reversal of fortune than a living nightmare had defeated death and so for us death no Our knowledge of the Resurrection that first Easter morning comes from a number of accounts in the four Gospels. These Gospel accounts come in two sorts - stories about the empty tomb and stories about people's encounters with Jesus after he had risen from the dead. Contrary to what you might expect, the first set of stories about the discovery of the empty tomb are not particularly happy. Most of them start in despair and end in confusion. Grief is too mild a word to describe what the disciples were suffering that morning. Trauma would be better. Jesus been tortured and executed. His death had completely destroyed everything they thought they knew. All their hopes for the future had been destroyed. In one of the stories, Mary Magdalene is on her way to do the sad task of washing Jesus corpse and preparing it for burial when she discovers - not that Jesus had risen from the dead-but rather that the body had been stolen (or at least that was what it looked like to her). To her it appeared that following Jesus' torture and death, someone had now robbed the grave and stolen the body - to do what with she could have only shuddered to think. So the experience here is less a happy
getting worse. In these stories, the disciples' expectations were smashed one by one. They had expected that Jesus was going to lead a revolution and then set himself up as the King of an earthly kingdom, presumably throwing out the Roman occupying army; instead the Roman occupying army had crucified Jesus. They had expected to be big shots in Jesus' government. But now they were in hiding for fear of being hunted down as criminals. That morning, they had expected to prepare him for a decent burial, and even that modest expectation was shattered. Nothing was turning out as they hoped for, nothing they expected was coming to pass. Nothing was working out. Happy Easter indeed! Jesus' followers got over the disappointment of their shattered dreams only when Jesus appeared to them in his resurrected body and showed them that their hopes were too little and their dreams were too small. The Resurrection signaled that the Kingdom of God had begun to take over this world. Jesus wasn't bringing merely a political kingdom that would last for a generation or so. Rather the entire world, the entire universe, was being broken into by God in a new and inescapable way finally and forever. On the Cross Jesus
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
longer has any finality. But that is just thebeginning. The world of heaven has begun to take over this one, and God's reign - of justice and mercy and goodness and peace are overtaking this world. The Resurrection is decisive proof that life is about a whole lot more than we can put under a microscope or put in the bank. And best of all, Christ has reached out to give us a kind of life we never even dreamed of. The wood of the Cross has burst into bloom. One of the images that Christians have always used for embracing the new world that started that first Easter morning, is the image of waking up. “Wake up, sleeper,” writes St. Paul, “Rise from the dead. Christ will give you light!” (Eph. 5:14For people who have not accepted Jesus Christ are like people asleep and are unaware that the bizarre dream they are having are untrue, that the world where all truth is relative, where the rich inherit the earth until they too, like all of us grow sick and die, the world where there is no God - that this idea of the world is a fantasy, a nightmare even. But Christians have been given the gift of sight, the gift to see that death is not the final word, that we can hope for solid joys and lasting treasure, that justice and the author of justice will not be mocked, that
Managing Editors: Fred Stephens, 51 - 10th St. NE, Weyburn SK. S4H 1G8 Phone 306-842-7235 Email: fredrstephens@gmail.com 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 Reverend Christopher Snook, P.O. Box 198 Paradise Hill SK S0M 2G0 Phone 306-344-5405 Email: snook.chris@gmail.com
The Right Reverend Anthony Burton, Bishop of Saskatchewan love never ends. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthy things; for you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God!” Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Anna, Caroline & Peter join me in wishing you a happy Easter, +Anthony
Published monthly except July and August Published from 51 - 10th Street NE, Weyburn SK S4H 1G8 Printed and mailed from Signal Star Publishing A division of Bowes Publishers Ltd. Goderich ON N7A 4B6 Subscription rate: $10.00 in Canada; $17.00 outside Canada Whole No. 292, Vol. 33, No. 5 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069670 A Section of Anglican Journal
The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008 - 3
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 articles or notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican. Visits by the Bishop for March, 2008 The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon, will be conducting the following visits: Sunday, March 16th, St. Timothy's, Saskatoon; Tuesday, March 18th, Holy Trinity, Saskatoon; Sunday, March 23rd, The Cathedral of St. John; Sunday, March 30th, Good Shepherd. Truth and Reconciliation Leaders Tour On Sunday, March 9th, at the invitation from the Director of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon will be one of four Canadian venues for the Aboriginal and Church Leaders Tour to promote the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada and the National Indiginous Bishop, the Right Reverend Mark MacDonald will also be present for this event. Integrity Saskatoon Meetings are held at St. James', Saskatoon on the second Saturday of each month at 7 p.m. Cursillo Ultreya Weekends The Men's Weekend will be held March 5th to 8th and the Women's Weekend March 12th to 15th at St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster. For information or to register please call Betty Lloyd at: 343-6959 or Loretta Hartsook at: 934-2520. Diocesan Synod 2008 The Diocesan Synod will be held at the Willows Golf and Country Club, Saskatoon on April 4th to 6th inclusive. The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, will attend as a guest of the Synod. Kingdom Healing Workshop with Mike Endicott A Kingdom Healing Workshop with Mike Endicot, Director of Jacob's Well Centre, Pontnewydd, Wales will be held from Tuesday, April 15th to Friday, April 18th (beginning with a noon lunch on Tuesday and ending before lunch Friday) at Queens House Retreat & Renewal Centre. Cost: $100.00 (Registration is limited to 50 participants). To register contact: Thelma Tucker, 505- 2309 McEown Ave., Saskatoon S7J 2H3, phone (306) 373- 0920 or; Marj Felgate, 303-934 Heritage View, Saskatoon S7H 5R9, phone (306) 374-3589, E-mail marjfelgate@sasktel.net. Accommodation is available at Queens House Retreat & Renewal Centre for this event (3 nights and 9 meals) for $325.00; meals only $175.00.
A Weekend Event With Mike Endicott The Order of St. Luke, Saskatoon Chapter will be holding a Weekend Event at St. Stephen's, Saskatoon on Friday, April 18th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 19th at 9 a.m. entitled: “A Public Program of Three Teachings and A Healing Mission”. Registration is $25.00 and may be paid by cheque to: the Order of St. Luke mailed to Thelma Tucker, 505- 2309 McEown Ave., Saskatoon S7J 2H3. For information phone: Thelma Tucker (306) 373- 0920 or Marj Felgate (306) 374-3589; E-mail marjfelgate@sasktel.net. 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. He may be contacted at 956-8865. The next Marriage Preparations Course will be held at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon on April 18th and 19th, 2008. The deadline for registration is Monday March 28th, 2008. The course will be cancelled if there is not a minimum of six couples. If you would like to register or if you have any questions please contact Andrea Craig, Admin. Assistant, Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, at: (306) 2425146. The 2008 Parish Nursing Ministry Education Sessions presented by Interchurch Health Ministries Saskatchewan in Partnership with Lutheran Theological Seminary will be held: March 7th and 8th; April 4th and 5th; and April 25th and 26th at : The Lutheran Theological Seminary, University of Saskatchewan. Times for the seminars are: Friday, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. For more information about Parish Nursing Education Sessions or, for Parish Nursing Ministry Information Presentations, contact Mary Tyler, Regional Parish Nurse Coordinator at: (306) 3743175; E-mail: dave.tyler@shaw.ca or Harold Hesje, Regional Director (306) 652-4524; Email: hevhesje@sasktel.net. Appointments: The Reverend Sheila Martin has been appointed Regional Dean of the Eastern Deanery effective of February 1st, 2008 replacing the Reverend Joanne Beacon who has accepted the appointment of Rector of the Ridge Parish in the Diocese of Niagara. The Reverend Gordon Lines has been appointed Interim Priest for Unity Central Parish and the Parish of Humboldt and Watson. Mr. Lines is originally from Athabasca, Alberta, is a graduate of the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad and was formerly Rector of the Parish of Lytton, B.C.
Notes and Events from the Diocese of Qu’Appelle March 1 St. Paul's' Cathedral will offer a pot luck dinner at 6.00. Cost is $2.00. Proceeds go the the Primate's World Relief Development Fund. March 5 A regional meeting for vestry members, wardens, treasurers and others involved in congregational ministry will be offered for the Western Regional Meeting. There will be an opportunity to explore particular areas of ministry, share insights and to ask questions. Resource persons will include Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, Marilyn Dean and Diane Foley. March 15 Holy Trinity Yorkton will host Create a Hat Contest with a wine and cheese tea party from 2 to 4 p.m. Use your imagination to design a hat (no bought hats) although a store one may be the form for your creation. Entries may be by groups or individuals. Entry fee for the hat contest is $10 with the cash prizes to be used by your group or favourite charity. Tea Party tickets are $8. For further information please telephone 306.783.0290 or 306.786-71
March 28 -29 Luther College at the University of Regina will offer Talking Fresh 6, a mini festival of writers and writing, featuring a Friday afternoon panel, a Friday evening reading and a series of seminars and workshops on Saturday with acclaimed writers Denise Chong, Dennis Cooley, Robert Kroetsch and Sharon Pollock. The audience includes students, writers, academics and anyone else interested in talking or reading or writing or listening fresh. The theme of this sixth annual event will be Writing and History. Please contact Jill Cameron <luthercollege.edu> or telephone 306.585.5020 for further information. March 29 A regional meeting for vestry members, wardens, treasurers and others involved in congregational ministry will be offered at All Saints, Weyburn. There will be an opportunity to explore particular areas of ministry, share insights and to ask questions. Resource persons will include Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, Marilyn Dean and Diane Foley.
EDITORIAL On Sunday, March 23, if the past is any prediction of the future there will be standing room only in many of the churches throughout the Communion--churches which, except for Christmas, are often less than half-filled during the rest of the year. It seems that to many, paying homage to Christ twice a year is sufficient for salvation. Learning about the gospel, the life and times of Jesus, the historical and theological development of the Christian movement and Christian faith, and the relevance of our faith to the world in which we live is of relatively little or no importaance. The Western world, it seems, has become almost completely secular and
commercial. Christmas presents, Easter bunnies, and all the marketing ploys of the world of commerce brought to bear on these two religious festivals have virtually turned them into celebrations of greed and gluttony. To many who call themselves Christian there is little or no understanding of the nature of the Trinity, or the significance of the Resurrection; or the immense transformation that will occur in their lives if only they would accept that there is so much more to life and living when one can look beyond the materialism of today’s society, and the tangible benefits of Science and Commerce. That becomes the purview of Religion and
theology. Pope John Paul II, when addressing the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on October 22, 1996, affirmed the truths inherent in the scienfic theory of Evolution, but went on to say: “The sciences of observation describe and measure the multiple manifestations of life with increasing precision and correlate them with the time line. The moment of transition into the spiritual cannot be the object of this kind of observation, which nevertheless can discover at the experimental level a series of very valuable signs indicating what is specific to the human being. But the experience of metaphysical knowledge, of self-awareness
and self-reflection, of moral conscience, freedom, or again, of aesthetic and religious experience, falls within the competence of philosophical analysis and reflection while theology brings out its ultimate meaning according to the Creator's plans.” In other words, the world of science and materialism is only a part of the picture. There is evidence, that many who do not attend or participate in organized religion consider themselves ‘spiritual’ in nature. Finding the key to convincing closet Christians to energize tthat spirituality is a monumental task indeed, and one in which lay people as well as clergy must fully engage.
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4 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity “Pray Without Ceasing” Kipling “Singspiration” by The Reverend Derek Nicholls
by Shirley Santo
REGINA - The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was celebrated in Regina from 18-25 January. This year's events marked the 100th Anniversary of the Week and the city's gatherings were planned by the Regina Council of Churches. The central theme for the week was Pray Without Ceasing from 1 Thessalonians 5.17. The city was divided into the three areas of the east, the north west and the south west. Each area planned a local service for the churches they served. These services were held at Broadway United Church, St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church and Holy Family Roman Catholic Church. The final city-wide service was held at Westminster United Church on Sunday, 27 January where clergy and laity from nine denominations took leadership in the service. Rev. Alan Schooley, Minister of Westminster United Church, preached on the theme "How Dare We" in which he challenged the ecumenical community to re-examine its purpose within Regina as it serves the needs of God's people. Westminster Choir sang anthems There's a Sweet Sweet Spirit and Shine Jesus, Shine. Special soloist was Matt Rapley of Canadian Idol fame in 2007. He sang a piano accompaniment called Joyful, Joyful! Matt Rapley's father, Pastor Albert Rapley, Bethlehem Apostolic Church, shared in some of the special prayers. The offering was given to the Regina Food Bank. The work of Christian Unity continues into its second century within the time frame of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and in many other local ways.
KIPLING (QuA) - A “Singspiration” evening on Sunday January 20 hosted by Parkland Bible Church was sponsored by the Kipling and District Ministerial Association to begin the celebrations for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. They felt that an evening of singing and fellowship would help brighten the Saskatchewan January. Each congregation entertained with one special music selection, instrumental, solo, quartet or the like and lead the congregation in one hymn or chorus. There was a large crowd and the evening was followed by fellowship and lunch. This was a first for this type of celebration and it was an overwhelming "yes" when those attending were asked if it should be repeated next year. Then on the final day of the celebration, Sunday January 27, the Kipling and District again sponsored an evening hosted by Christ Lutheran church which is where St. Michael Anglican worships also. Responsive readings, a homily, hymn singing and prayers were offered. The Kipling and District Ministerial consists of The People’s Church Kipling, Pastor Chris Toth; Bekevar Presbyterian Kipling, Pastor Ivy Veysey; United Church Kipling and Windthorst, Minister, Elizabeth Goodsen; St. Ann Roman Catholic Church Kennedy; St. Anne Roman Catholic Church Kipling; St. Pius Roman Catholic Church Windthorst, Father Joe Strohhofer; Calvary Baptist Church Kipling, Pastor Richard Barta; Parkland Bible Church Kipling, Pastor Lincoln Vellacott; United Church Glenavon and Moffatt, Minister, Lynette Callfas, Glenavon Pentecostal Church Glenavon, Minister, Lorne Bonk and Christ Lutheran Kipling, Pastor Doug Miner.
St. Michael’s Retreat “Signing” by Joanne Shurvin-Martin LUMSDEN (QuA) - The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was observed in a full day of activities January 24 at St. Michael's Retreat. The retreat centre is jointly operated by the Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina and the Franciscans of Western Canada. The day included a panel discussion with the bishops of the three partner denominations along with Friar Kevin Lynch, lunch, an open forum and a chapel service. It concluded with a signing ceremony to “evergreen” the inter-church agreement, meaning that the arrangement will continue indefinitely, subject to a partner seeking a change. Friar Anthony Gonsalves, Guardian of the retreat centre, welcomed the three bishops and about 40 lay and clergy members of the three denominations. He pointed out that it is the only ecumenical retreat house in the world today. Friar Kevin Lynch said the “adventures here at St. Michael's are a sign of progress towards Christian unity. Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel photo Joanne Shurvin-Martin
After signing the “evergreen” agreement to continue the inter-church partnership to operate St. Michael's Retreat, the participants pose in the chapel. From the left Friar Kevin Lynch, Leo Ell (both representing the Franciscans of Western Canada), Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel Bohan, Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Cindy Halmarson and Anglican Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson.
Bohan elaborated that the retreat centre is “an active agent in ecumenism; another step forward in the union for which Christ prayed.” Lutheran Bishop Cindy Halmarson referred to the retreat centre as “an experiment that has born a great deal of fruit. It is a sign of union.” She read from Ephesians 4, which includes the text: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.” Co-incidentally, Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson chose the same text. Bishop Kerr-Wilson said, “Unity is a gift that has been given and is still being received. This gift," he said, “especially in the postChristian world, puts in sharp relief how much we have in common.” He added that, “whether we like it or not, we're family, which is probably why we fight like siblings.” Bishop Kerr-Wilson continued, “It is important to work through those things which divide us because it affects our ministry: our mission to proclaim the gospel to every person in the world. Our disagreements affect what we say to the world.” He said he agreed with the Lund Principle, which comes from the
Lutheran tradition, which states: “We will do nothing apart that we could do together.” Archbishop Bohan also spoke of unity as a gift. “Our world desperately struggles for unity but it is impossible to overcome this [disunity] on our own. It is only possible through Christ.” Following the panel discussion, the audience was invited to share their ecumenical experiences. After lunch, there was a question and answer period. A short service in the chapel included scripture read by lay and clergy representatives and a reconciliation ceremony. Many causes of Christian disunity were printed on a large cardboard cross. Participants were invited to approach the cross and put in a stick-pin. The bishops then gave each person a red carnation as a symbol of hope for unity. Friar Kevin Lynch read the legal document to “evergreen” the inter-church agreement. It was then signed by all three bishops and Leo Ell, Apostolic Trustee of the Franciscans of Western Canada. The Evergreen agreement replaces two earlier contracts which began in 1999.
photo Lynn Roth
Gathered at Christ Lutheran Church in Kipling are from the left Shirley Santo, Rev. Doug Miner, Norman Korfman, Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, Daryl Roth, Donna Olver. Bishop Kerr-Wilson recently was guest presider here for Anglican Holy Eucharist, a celebration of the full communion relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada. The Anglican Church of St. Michael Kipling has been worshipping with Christ Lutheran since January 2005 where the Anglican Eucharist is celebrated on the third Sunday of every month. Readers and communion assistants of each congregation, participate at both Lutheran and Anglican services.
Turtleford Deanery News Christopher Snook TURTLEFORD (Sask) - Fuelled by high-octane “Skinnerian” coffee, fried eggs and three-pepper bacon (all courtesy of Canon Don Skinner), a recent meeting of the Turtleford deanery concluded over lunch with the throbbing bass notes of the Rev'd Peter Boote's favourite rap music shaking the walls of Turtleford's Anglican Rectory. No doubt the lively music was a sign of exciting and lively things to come for this deanery in the year 2008. The western-most deanery in the Diocese of Saskatchewan, the Turtleford region stretches from Shellbrook, just west of Prince Albert, all the way to Onion Lake Cree Nation (on the Alberta border). Members of the deanery include the Rev'd Mary Ann Boote (Regional Dean), the Rev'ds Peter Boote, Christopher Snook, and Rob Stringer, as well as Canon Don Skinner. The deanery includes parishes that are testing the new Diocesan evangelism and outreach project. The Rev'd Mary Ann Boote is overseeing the project in Shellbrook and also heads the Diocesan Committee responsible for the implementation of the programme throughout the Diocese. Canon Don Skinner's parish will also be among the first parishes to undertake the programme of door-to-door community visitation and consultation. The Turtleford deanery meets regularly to discuss parish, deanery and Diocesan business, concluding most meetings with a shared meal and an opportunity for fellowship.
The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008 - 5
Two Events with Mike Endicott, Director, The Order of Jacob's Well by Betty Mitchell, Convener for the Saskatoon Chapter of the Order of St. Luke The Reverend Mike Endicott, Director of the Jacob's Well Centre, Pontnewydd, Wales will be conducting a workshop at Queens Retreat & Renewal Centre and a weekend event at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Saskatoon in April. Both events are sponsored by the Saskatoon Chapter of the Order of St. Luke At the start of the 1990's, Mr. Mike Endicott and others were made aware that the Christian Gospel is a message of wholeness and healing in Christ Jesus. They were also made aware of the lack of connection being made between the Gospel message of healing and the very many people who were searching for healing in their own lives. Mr. Endicott opened his house for prayer and saw results; he and others found a meeting place in Pontnewydd, Wales, The Order of Jacob's Well was established and Mr. Endicott became its Director. The Order attempts to make connections between the Gospel of reconciliation, healing and integration in Christ and a deep sense of disease that is felt both inside and outside the church. The work of the Order is expanding. Mr. Endicott was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1997; his ministry was approved by The Right Reverend Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and The Order of Jacob's Well is answerable to Archbishop Williams. The Reverend Mike Endicot will conduct a “Kingdom Healing Workshop” from Tuesday, April 15th to Friday, April 18th (beginning with a noon lunch on Tuesday and ending before lunch Friday) at Queens
House Retreat& Renewal Centre, 601 Taylor Street West, Saskatoon. This workshop is for people recognized by their church as having a spiritual depth. Kingdom Healing is built around "CEPHAS" (C - corporate, E - expectancy, P - persistency, H - humility, A authority, S - son-ship). If you attend, bring with you a hospitable heart, open to the Bible and the healing ministry, don't be ashamed of your doubts and fears and let go of long held, cherished beliefs. You only need Jesus and the compassion of his Spirit. The Cost for the Workshop is: $100.00 (Registration is limited to 50 participants). To register contact: Thelma Tucker, 5052309 McEown Ave., Saskatoon S7J 2H3, phone (306) 373- 0920 or; Marj Felgate, 303-934 Heritage View, Saskatoon S7H 5R9, phone (306) 374-3589, E-mail marjfelgate@sasktel.net. Cheques should be made payable to the Order of St. Luke. Accommodation is available at Queens House Retreat & Renewal Centre for this event (3 nights and 9 meals) at a cost of $325.00; meals only and no accommodations at a cost of $175.00. The Reverend Mike Endicott will also be holding a Weekend Event at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, #10 Grosvenor Crescent, Saskatoon on Friday, April 18th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 19th at 9 a.m. entitled: “A Public Program of Three Teachings and A Healing Mission”. Registration for this Weekend Event is $25.00 and may be paid by cheque to: the Order of St. Luke mailed to Thelma Tucker. For information on this Weekend Event please phone: Thelma Tucker (306) 373- 0920 or Marj Felgate (306) 3743589; E-mail marjfelgate@sasktel.net.
The Time Machine by Nigel Salway REGINA - What was it like 2,000 years ago on the night Jesus was born? Geena Salway, a student of St. Luke's Sunday School, suggested going back in time to experience the events of the first Christmas. It is hard to go back in time in our everyday world; however, in the world of Christmas programs, anything can happen. This is exactly what the students and teachers did for the 2007 program. In the months leading up to Christmas, they fashioned a time machine out of an unlikely mix of cardboard, tin foil and liners from packing crates. The script was similarly crafted as a joint effort of the students and teachers. photo Pat Kohl The play followed the exploits of three children who St. Luke’s Sunday couldn’t get to sleep on Christmas Eve. These three kids, School’s Time Machine April, Jenny and Max Foreman, were the children of a scientist who just happened to have a time machine in the basement. Without asking permission, the three kids started up the machine and began their journey. Time travel can be a very imperfect science, even in a Christmas play. Before reaching the Holy Lands, the three kids made brief stops in the time of dinosaurs and the psychedelic 1960s where they met Cherry Garcia, a real hippie. Interspersed with the episodes of time travel, the cast and congregation sang Christmas carols accompanied by Dick Rennie and Sid Gaudry on guitar. Upon arriving in the Holy Lands, the three adventurers soon met three wise travellers from the east who were following a star in the sky, looking for the baby who would be king . The wise men had met with Herod who was very interested in what the wise men might learn. The kids joined these wise men and together they found the baby Jesus. The time travellers experienced a great sense of awe and wonder in the presence of the baby Jesus. Too soon, it was time to go. Joseph and the wise men warned the kids about Herod and to be careful as they returned. The warning came in handy as the kids were stopped by Herod’s guards and just managed to escape capture. The play was staged using a cast of students, teachers, parents and other members of the congregation making it an intergenerational event as well as a fun way to mark the Christmas Season.
News from the 'Church that Pennies Built' By Tracy Harper BIRCH HILLS (Sask) - Just over ten years ago the church of St. Mary's/ St. Anne's was built. It was the first of its kind and it is unique in two very special and important ways. Firstly, two different denominations and congregations built it: the Anglican Church congregation and the Roman Catholic congregation. At the time the Roman Catholic church was renting space from the Anglican church, but the Anglican church was in need of repair and wasn't quite what the two congregations needed. So it was suggested that the two hope of one family and more insight on the beginnings of the project as he was one of the priests who helped fulfill the dream. That was the first of our celebrations and was a time to recall all those who worked so hard to have this dream come true. That is where it started, and that takes us to the second unique quality about the church, the main fundraising was the donation of pennies, and was known as “The Church that Pennies Built.” There were many people working very hard for this dream. There were many donations of
coins and pennies sent from all over the world to this small town church. It was our pleasure to recognize a very hard working couple, Bud and Dora Austin on Sunday, January 20, 2008. They were monumental in the project as they would roll pennies by the wheel barrel full and take them into the bank for deposit. If it had not been for these two, who knows how long it would have taken to build the church (we all know how much fun rolling coins is...). They did this diligently each Sunday and had the deposit ready for Monday morning. Sadly, Dora passed away this last September, and though not personally at the presentation, I am sure she was there in spirit. It was an emotional time for Bud and the congregation, but we wanted him and his family to know that all their hard work and sacrifice did not go unnoticed. Ethel Rutherford and Fr. Chris Harper presented Bud with two commemorative plaques, one for home, and one for the church. Once again, we would like to thank Bud and Dora Austin for their gift given to our church. Thank you, “Our Penny Angels”.
Phooto: contributed
Clergy gather for tenth anniversary celebration of the “Church that pennies built”. From left to right: Fr. Wayne Sturgess, Bishop Anthony Burton, Bishop Blaise Morand, Fr. Chris Harper.
All Saints Loverna Celebrates 85 Years of Service by Rev. Joan Scandrett LOVERNA (QuA) - All Saints Church celebrated its 85th anniversary recently with Rev. Joan Scandrett presiding over a service of celebration and thanksgiving for ministry. The Guest of Honour was Bette Hasell MacDonald who played two hymns on the pump organ. Ms. MacDonald is the daughter of Archdeacon William and Mrs. Hasell. Mr. Hasell was archdeacon of Kindersley in 1945. Rev. Joan Scandrett and Mrs. Maxine Donaldson played two hymns on their guitars. During the service a picture of the Loverna Church was presented by Bette MacDonald and dedicated to the Glory of God and in loving memory of her parents and brother. The flowers on the altar were in loving memory of members of the Waldron family. The church was filled with people from Loverna and surrounding area. Following the service, a lunch and time of sharing of memories was held at the town hall. Many memorable comments were shared and stories of Archdeacon Hasell abounded. Some of those attending were from Compeer, Alberta, Esther, Alberta, Brock, Eston, Major, Kindersley, Fusilir, Hoosier, Marengo and Loverna.
Photo: Marilynn Solley
Fr. Chris Harper and Ethel Rutherford present commemorative plaque to Bud Austin. Mr. Austin and his wife, Dora, worked tirelessly rolling pennies for the Birch Hills Church.
photo Joan Scandrett
Celebrating the 85th anniversary of their congregation are are the members of All Saints Loverna. With them is the Guest of Honour,
6 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008
Camp Okema: From Survive to Thrive? by Steve Mitchell Last year Camp Okema's goal was to survive. Faced with accumulated debt, the camp was in a “make or break” position, and so prayerful efforts were made to turn things around. At the Annual General Meeting in November the report was positive. New life had been breathed into the camp. The debt had been retired, and God had graciously provided funds to start off the new fiscal year. Attendance had increased, volunteer support was strong, and the programs were well received by the campers. The water treatment plant was operating, providing good quality water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. There was the recognition that people had been generous in their support of Camp Okema, and that God had indeed blessed us. Camp Okema survived last year and there are funds to go forward. So what now? Can the camp move from “survive” to “thrive”? That will depend on the Okema Society membership, and the Anglican community in the dioceses of Saskatchewan and Saskatoon. Camp Okema is built on volunteers, donations, and God's grace. Our prayer is that these continue, and that vision is renewed. A motion made at the Annual General Meeting may move the vision of Okema forward. This motion called for an audit of the property and buildings in order to assess the physical need of the camp. There are also ongoing discussions about Inclusion and Accessibility, with the aim of providing individuals with vari-
Camp Okema '08 Program Calendar Work Weekend …………... May 17 - 19 Family Camp……………… July 1 - 5 Small Fry 1 (7 - 9 years)…. July 7 - 11 Open House………………. July 12 Junior 1 (10 - 12 years)……July 13 -19 Teen (13 - 17)………………July 21 - 27 Family Camp/Small Fry 2…August 1 - 5 Scrapbooking Camp……….August 6 - 9 Junior 2 (10 -12 years)……..August 10 - 16 Adult Camp……………….. August 18 - 21 Brochures will be available in March, with registration and fee information. Also check the website for further details. Early registration is encouraged.
Okema Notes New Business Mailing Address - The Okema Society Box 21090 Saskatoon, SK S7H 5N9 Donations and Memberships - Okema Memberships Box 140 Caronport, SK S0H 0S0 Website - www.okema.ca Okema Blog - campokema.blogspot.com Okema Banquets - MacDowall - April 19 (contact Christine Rye for more info @ 764-5451) Saskatoon - April 26 (contact Jean Gibson for more info @ 373-1047) Volunteers - Camp Okema needs volunteers! Cooks, chaplains, activity leaders, nurses, cabin leaders, and maintenance helpers are all needed. To volunteer contact Kristin Stringer @ 236 - 6234. Employment Opportunities - Camp Administrator - Maintenance Person - Lifeguard It is anticipated that these positions will be available this summer. To confirm their availability see the Okema website or contact Steve Mitchell @ 756-2541. ous challenges the opportunity to attend camp. While these are steps in the right direction, the need remains to seriously consider how to advance the mission of Camp Okema. Your input is invited into developing a renewed vision for
Camp Okema. Contact any Board Member to express your thoughts and ideas (contact information can be found at www.okema.ca) or write to this address: The Okema Society, Box 21090, Saskatoon, SK S7H 5N9. Help us to move from “survive” to “thrive”!
Dragon Tales Den Is Opened at St. George's by Peter R. Coolen A new type of outreach began on Sunday, January 20th for St. George's, Saskatoon when The Reverend Dr. Henry Comerford, to squeals of delight from the assembled children, cut the ribbon officially opening the new Dragon Tales Den story and play room in the parish hall. The ribbon cutting for the Dragon Tales Den was the culmination of many months of planning and effort, envisioned and spearheaded by Mrs. Andrea Logan, aimed at creating a safe, Christian refuge to parents and children of the inner-city neighborhood in which St. George's is situated. Volunteers worked long and hard over the Summer and early Fall preparing the space, seeking donations of material, furniture and toys and raising funds. Andrea and a group of talented amateur artists filled the walls of the Dragon Tales Den with cute and cuddly, playful dragon cartoons. To get things going and to provide operating funds for the fist few months a fall supper raised $609 and the Diocese provided $1,864 from the St. Luke's Grant. Why the “Dragon”? Well, this is “St. George's” after all! The Dragon Tales Den began originally as an idea to build a story tent for the Sunday school. However, vision, opportunity, a perception of the need and excitement slowly snowballed the idea into something greater. The Dragon Tales Den now is run by volunteers and is a free parent and tot group open to toddlers and pre-school children up to 6 years-of-age. The parents are required to stay and participate with their child and
thus share in the opportunity to be involved in the activities with the children and to meet the other parents and children. The Dragon Tales Den explores stories of The Bible through play, song, stories and crafts, provides a snack and gives parents some much-needed time out of the home environment while still maintaining control over their children. The curriculum followed is “The ABC's Of The Bible”. The Dragon Tales Den is open each Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (excluding school breaks the summer vacation). If numbers of children warrant an additional Dragon Tales Den day will be set up. We, of course, are always looking for additional volunteers to help us share the fun and the excitement of this effort. For further information on the Dragon Tales Den, or to volunteer to help, please phone the Reverend Dr. Henry Comerford at St. George's at: 242-7973 or, email the program coordinator, Andrea Logan, at: d.logan@shaw.ca. A big thank you to all who volunteered and gave their time, resources and effort and supported the efforts of others and attended the fund-raising dinner. In particular thanks goes out, but is not limited to: Henry Comerford, Lauren Jardine, Joan and Dave (the chef!) Logan and Barbara Cortes. As Andrea has said “the hard work is done and now it is time to enjoy the fruits of our labour. I am incredibly excited about the children having their own space to enjoy in the Church; I invite everyone to come and to have a look at our great space”.
Early Music Singers Visit Paradise Hill Christopher Snook PARADISE HILL (Sask) When they hear the words “early music”, many people wonder, “what's that?” From March 10-14 the residents of Paradise Hill, a small ranching and oil community in west-central Saskatchewan, will have the opportunity to find out. As an exciting new way of opening its doors to the community and thanks to a grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board, in March the historic Holy Trinity “Little Stone” Church will host a four-voice early music ensemble, voix sirènes, who will conduct community workshops and
perform a concert. The members of the group include Paradise Hill resident Barbara Swanson and three other performers from Wisconsin and Ohio, all of whom studied together in Case Western Reserve University's early music faculty in Cleveland, Ohio. Throughout the week the group will lead workshops at Paradise Hill School including renaissance rounds and improvisation (did you know that 'Three Blind Mice' is at least 500 years old?), renaissance dance, and medieval music & culture. The concert, on Thursday March 13 at 7:30pm in the Little Stone Church, will feature medieval r
ounds (with audience participation!), renaissance ballads including the famous “Barbara Allen,” and Lenten hymns from Reformation England and Germany. Thanks to the Saskatchewan Arts Board grant, Holy Trinity Church (which is nestled just east of the North Saskatchewan river) will also host Soprano Casey Peden Davies, from Glaslyn, in another concert in May. The ensemble will get a taste of rural Saskatchewan hospitality and will have an opportunity to appreciate the beautiful landscape surrounding Paradise Hill. This event promises to be memorable!
Photo: Barbara Cortes
The Reverend Dr. Henry Comerford holding the dragon (George of course!) with the children in the Dragon's Den.
Photo: Barbara Cortes
The Reverend Dr. Henry Comerford cuts the ribbon officially opening the Dragon Tales Den at St. George's, Saskatoon
Photo: Barbara Cortes
Andrea Logan reads a story to the children in the Dragon Tales Den
The Saskatchewan Anglican, -March 2008 7
INTEGRITY/SASKATOON: ONE IN CHRIST; TOGETHER IN FAITH By Jim Komar (St. James', Saskatoon) These are hard times for Anglicans. We face sweeping challenges to our understanding of God and Jesus, the Christian faith, the role of the episcopate, and human sexuality. Though made in the image of God, we are still human. Sometimes we lose perspective. Sometimes we seek solutions without first seeking understanding. Our focus may narrow, and we may forget that gay issues are but one of the challenges we face. Gays are an identifiable quantity, a minority in the Church, like the Jewish minority in Europe between the wars. Thus gays may be perceived as the eye of the storm, the sole cause of the turmoil. Let us take heart. Jesus and the apostolic Church also faced great challenges. What can we learn from them? The Gospel of Matthew (15:22) tells of a woman of Canaan, a Gentile, who came to Jesus begging that He heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first, Jesus declined because she was a Gentile; but, seeing the woman's faith and love of her daughter, He had compassion, changed His mind, and healed the girl. Later, a Roman centurion, who had built a synagogue for the people he helped conquer, asked Jesus to cure his houseboy (Matt. 8:5, Luke 72). Jesus did not hesitate because they were Gentiles or because of uncertainty as to their sexual relationship. (In the ancient world, centurion-houseboy relationships normally included sex.) Jesus saw the faith of the centurion and his love of the houseboy, and cured the lad immediately. By personal example, Jesus taught that an open mind is essential to spiritual growth. If Jesus could learn, could the apostolic Church learn? Let's see. Take the story of Peter and the centurion Cornelius (Acts 10 and11) and the story of the first Council of the Church at Jerusalem (Acts 15). Both stories concern the inclusion of Gentiles in the Church. Like gays today, Gentiles were considered
Photo: Barbara Cortes
Playtime in the castle at the Dragon Tales Den.
sinners and unclean by birth, as Paul said to Peter (Gal. 2:15), “You and I are Jews by birth, not sinners like the Gentiles.” Peter, at first hesitant despite a vision from God, enters the centurion's home; and when he finds the household speaking in tongues takes this as a sign of the Holy Spirit and baptizes them. Later, at the Council of Jerusalem, after Peter, Paul, and Barnabas had testified to the wonder and miracles God performed through Gentiles, James, the brother of Jesus and Bishop of Jerusalem, declared that Gentiles who had turned to God should be admitted to full membership in the Church. Now, if the apostolic Church could learn and grow by accepting Gentiles as equal members, can we not learn and grow by accepting gays as equal members? Is justice not one of the cardinal virtues of our faith? We cannot compel consensus; we can only cultivate it. Unlike secession, it takes patience and good will, leaving no room for spite. Scripture and tradition are the basis of our faith; so are reason and experience. The historic episcopate is the basis of our church government. We have Low, Broad, and High Church parishes to accommodate the spectrum of Anglican theology. We have parishes on all sides of gay issues and are free to worship in the parish of our choice. Will secession improve matters? If conservative parishes in Canada secede to join the Southern Cone, what is to prevent liberal urban parishes in the Southern Cone from seceding to join the Anglican Church of Canada? Secession could thus become a prescription for anarchy. What would it make of episcopacy and our shared communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, an episcopal church? What would it make of our responsibility to the Gospel? We need each other. Let us acknowledge that none of us has a monopoly on truth, that all of us have made mistakes. Let us accept one another, as Christ accepted us, to the glory of God. For we are all one in Christ!
A Word from the Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of Saskatchewan By the Rev'd Rob Stringer
Is the word “Anglican” a noun or adjective? When someone asks you about your faith do you say, “I am an Anglican” or do you say, “I am a Christian, who worships in an Anglican Church”? The first response treats Anglicanism as a proper noun-the defining characteristic of our faith-while the second response holds our faith in Christ as the central priority, while Anglicanism becomes a modifier-the tradition in which our faith is expressed. This response maintains a healthy distinction between our denomination and traditions, such as, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, the United Church, and numerous other traditions, while as the same time affirming what all Christians should affirm-the unique, once and for all, saving work of Christ in our lives and the central importance of proclaiming the good news of Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity marked its 100th anniversary this year. It is wonderful to see the strides ecumenism has made over the last century, yet humbling to see how far we still need to travel to fulfill the prayer of Jesus that all his disciples might be “one” as he and the Father are one. (John 17). The theme for this year's week of prayer was “Prayer without Ceasing.” The theme is taken from the apostle Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, “ Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (5:16-18). Paul's exhortation to pray does not mean we are to spend 24/7 on our knees in verbal prayer for this is impossible (though I dare say we could all benefit from making this a daily practice), but it is possible for us to be all our days in the spirit of prayer, realizing our dependence of God for all we have and are, being conscious of his presence with us wherever we may be, and yielding ourselves continually to him to do his will. Commentator J.B Lightfoot has said, “It is not in the moving of the lips, but in the elevation of the heart to God, that the essence of prayer consists.” The call to pray here is the call to place our lives in God's hands, the daily and momentby-moment act of aligning our lives with God's purpose for us. It is worth noting that the call to ceaseless prayer is surrounded by the call to joy and gratitude. Joy is the gift of Christ for us grounded in his saving work and produced by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Thankfulness is our appropriate response to the grace and joy he has poured into our lives. In the midst of this gift and response we are called to ceaseless prayer, to lives of conscious dependence on Christ everyday and everyway. As an Anglican priest, who strives hard to keep Christ at the centre my life, I must confess my love for Anglicanism. I love The Book of Common Prayer. I believe in the rightness of our view of the sacraments, the episcopacy, the 39 Articles and other things that are both unique and wonderful to our faith tradition. I am both an Anglican by birth and by choice. The challenge of ecumenism is to centre our lives first in Christ and treating secondary matters as secondary. We must acknowledge that the Bible never calls us to be Anglicans, or Roman Catholics or whatever tradition we find ourselves in but the Bible calls to be in Christ, to know Christ, to worship Christ, to pray in his name, to serve Christ, and to witness to his presence in our lives. Thankfully, our traditions can help us deepen our knowledge and faith in Christ, but we must strive in ceaseless prayer to make Christ the centre of our lives and that our lives both individually and corporately might point to Christ, as Jesus prayed, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:20-23).I recently read Philip Yancey's book, Prayer: Does it make a differ-
Photo: Contributed
The Rev'd Rob Stringer is Priest-incharge of mission of Holy Trinity, Meadow Lake, and St. George's, Loon Lake
ence?, in which he argues that we don't pray to change God but to change ourselves. Through prayer we ground ourselves in our relationship with God and “tune in” to his ever abiding presence in our lives, creating space for him to act in our lives. As we reflect on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we should continue to: 1.) Pray for the universal Church through out the world. Remembering particularly those areas in our world in crisis or conflict (ie. Kenya, Sudan, and Pakistan) where the Church might be a witness of peace and aid to world broken by war and conflict. The Prayer Book provides some wonderful prayers for the Universal Church on p. 39-40 2.) Pray for further dialogue and cooperation for the various branches of the Church that God might reveal further opportunities to deepen our knowledge and understanding of one another. And that such work might be a witness to our one foundation, Jesus Christ our Lord. 3.) Pray for your local church and other congregations in your community, that God might conquer the fear of cooperation. Fear of ecumenism is often governed by the anxiety of losing our traditions but we must remember Christ takes priority and in him there is no fear. Pray for the opportunity to work with other congregations whether through Good Friday services, World Day of Prayer services, or outreach projects and programs. 4.) Pray for yourself. Pray for yourself to be changed by God's Word and his presence in your life. Pray that God might deepen your knowledge of him, and that he might make you a vessel of change in broken and hurting world. Information about the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity can be found at: www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-commissions/faith-and-ordercommission/xi-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/week-of-prayer-for-christianunity-resources/resources.html May God bless you, and continually help you to deepen your faith in him as you learn to pray without ceasing.
8 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, March 2008
A Message From the 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 second part of a two-part article continued from the February issue.
So Run That You May Obtain (Part II) The Rev'd Walter Hannam, Assistant Professor of Theology and Anglican Studies at the College of Emmanuel and St Chad and a Priest of the Diocese of Saskatchewan. Precisely because we human beings share this propensity for attributing to God what is really from us, it is necessary to examine our consciences on a regular basis, to discern, by God's grace, when we have 'followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts', and to repent of our failure to do God's will. This is not to be achieved by a morbid introspection, which can so easily result in the sin of scrupulosity (i.e. imputing sinful motives to every action or thought), but rather by very honestly asking ourselves whether we have lived up to the example of our Lord. And if we are radically honest the answer will always be 'No'. We may choose to structure our examinations of conscience in many ways, yet it is primarily the study of the life of Christ, as set forth in the Gospels, that will show us the ideal life towards which we ought to strive. And as we study His life more closely our own failure to live as Christ lived will become all too clear. Again, the examination of our lives - of our motivations, thoughts, words, deeds - is an ascetic practice. It trains us to know our own weaknesses so that we can recognise our besetting temptations and resist them before they can draw us away from a life dedicated to fulfilling God's will and loving and serving others as he would have us do, to a life of selfishness and self-serving. So, finally, we arrive at what so many people today find objectionable in traditional Lenten discipline, fasting and self-denial. What does the Church mean by it, and why do we do it? In the first place, it is important to remember two things. First, fasting is a form of self-denial, but it
Loving Shepherds By Doris Turner "Do you love me, Peter?" asked the Lord So many years ago, And Peter, with a grieving heart, said, "Lord, you know 1 do."
The Reverend Walter Hannam is not the only one. There are many ways in which we can deny ourselves in order to curb our self-will: we can choose not to watch that favourite TV show to which we seem to have become addicted; we can decide that rather than going to a movie we can stay at home and read the Bible or spend time with family or a friend; or we can give up our favourite candy or snack food and eat a carrot instead. This is all self-denial, not fasting, but it can all prove helpful in detaching us from our own wills so that we can be more open to the possibility that God has plans for us beyond what we want right now. Secondly, it is important to recognise that fasting and selfdenial are not practiced in a vacuum, nor are they practiced for their own sakes. All self-denial is simply another form of training in the Christian life. And this training is essential. For the life of the Christian requires that we die to self and live to God in Christ; and this requires us to rely utterly on the grace of God, and not on ourselves. Unless we give ourselves over to the will of God, we are as the disciples who 'toil all the night and take nothing' (cf. Luke 5: 5). We try to live as we ought, and yet we fail again and again. Fasting and self-denial are means by which we become detached from the things of this world so that we might be less distracted by them as we seek to live as God would have us live. And yes, fasting and self-denial are ascetic disciplines: yet so, as we have seen, are prayer, Bible reading, and self-examination. All train us to die to self and live to God. Lent is a time of intensifying these disciplines, but we are meant to live them all year long. It surprises many Anglicans, for example, to discover when they turn to page xiii in the Prayer Book that every Friday throughout the year is a day of abstinence, that is, a day on which we abstain from meat. So also are all forty days of Lent.Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are Major Fast Days, that is, days on which we limit not only the kind of food we eat, but also the amount. It is important, of course, to tend one's health and to temper all self-denial accordingly. Self-denial is not meant to make us ill, but to remind us that the fullness of life is found in God alone, and not in the means by which our earthly life is sustained. If we do not learn that the spiritual is more real than the material - that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God - then our lives as Christians will always be upside down.It is at Christ's Word, not our own, that we can 'launch out into the deep' and 'let down' our 'nets for a draught' (cf. Luke 5: 4). It is only as guided by His Word and enabled by His grace that we can live as we ought. And such living begins with coming to know Him. It is only by the grace of God that any of us can labour and our labour be not in vain. It is by coming to know and delight in Christ, at whose Word the disciples' nets were filled, that we become conformed to His Mind, as we come to know Him more fully. As the Seraphim purged the sins of Isaiah with a live coal, symbolising that his sins were taken away (Isaiah 6: 6 and 7), so does our Lord take away our sins and those of the whole world. He leads us to a new life in Himself. He frees us from ourselves that we may be truly ourselves. As we declare with St Peter: 'Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord' (Luke 5: 8b), Christ who is with us, even if not recognised, will say to us: 'Fear not'. Fear not, for I can transform your life and by My grace lead you to become who you were created to be; lead you to be more and more like Myself.
And then the Lord said, "Feed my sheep." Three times He spoke that mom; And in that tender moment, A shepherd, kind, was born. Just so through all the years that pass, New shepherds still are born To feed the precious lambs of God, So we may be His own. They feed us with the Word of God, With bless-ed Bread and Wine; Our souls are fed with sacred Life At the Banquet as we dine. They come to give their everything, Ask little in return, Only that we bring them in, The lonely, lost and torn. And as the tender Shepherds Tend their little flocks of sheep They guard us, guide us, love us In the way their Master leads. How lost we'd be without a Shepherd, Bruised and bleeding and alone; But just as Jesus found the lost lamb So our Shepherds guide us Home. And just as Jesus rose at dawn To pray for His Creation, Just so our Shepherds pray for us With all of God's compassion. And as they pray for us, unceasing, Let us also pray for them, And thank our God who gifted us With a loving Shepherd of our own. courtesy St. Stephen Swift Current newsletter
Solstice Reflections by Frank Flegel Lumsden (Qu'A) - A cold but bright moonlit night greeted more than 100 people who showed up December 22 at St. Michael’s Retreat House annual celebration to greet the light at the Winter Solstice. The Solstice actually occurred just after midnight, December 22. The celebration is usually held on the Saturday nearest the Solstice and in 2007 it almost coincided. The theme for this year’s celebrations was Solstice Reflections and snow played a major part of the ritual and ceremony. The group gathered in the Retreat House prior to processing to the labyrinth where the traditional bonfire was started. They were welcomed by Rev. Anthony Gonsalves following which a pan of snow was passed around and each was asked to take a handful and use the water from the melting snow to bless another person. “It was an emotional moment for some,” said Mr. Gonsalves. “I actually saw a few people with tears.” Following the ritual the group processed to the labyrinth each carrying a piece of snow and chanting a special piece composed by Myra Zubok-Mitchell. The hand held snow melted slowly and was used as a metaphor by Rev. Anthony Gonsalves in his dedication remarks to illustrate transformations often occur slowly. Home-made soup and buns were waiting for participants when they returned to the Retreat House and that was followed by some socializing and story telling from Vince Murphy.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."