November 2008
A Section of the Anglican Journal Bishop’s Message Page 2
Camp Okema AGM Pge 2
Diocesan Notes and Events Page 3
In Memoriam Page 9
Letters from Lambeth Page 11
Remembrance Day Page 12
Reverend Arthur Anderson Inducted as Qu’Appelle Diocesan Elder
by Rev. Victoria Young
PUNNICHY (Qu'A) - Sunday, September 14, the Parish of the Cree People celebrated the induction of Rev. Arthur Anderson as an Elder in the Diocese of Qu'Appelle. Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson and Bishop Mark MacDonald, the bishop of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, officiated at the first-of-a-kind celebration. They were assisted by members from the three points in the parish. About 150 people attended the celebration in the gym of George Gordon Education Centre, George Gordon First Nation. The honor was bestowed on Arthur in recognition of his years of service to God and church, and his endeavors to bring the aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples together. When Arthur was ordained a priest in 1988, Chief Hilliard McNab of George Gordon First Nation presented him with an eagle feather and a beaded leather cross, fastened together. Chief McNab's wish was for Arthur, a member of the George Gordon Band, to work to bring the two peoples together in love and understanding. Arthur is faithful to his Lord, preaching the Gospel and bringing the communities together. Chief McNab's daughter, Irene Walter, a retired teacher and a member of the George Gordon First Nation, re-presented the feather and cross to Arthur in recognition of work accomplished. Arthur described what he sees as the meaning of “Elder” in First Nations lives: you are a busy body who makes people laugh; through your careers and family you have garnered respect and love of others; you are perceived to live a life of spirituality, compassion for others and a life of prayer; you help in times of difficulty and loss; you are 'a bit ignorant' so you remain teachable by the youths and others; you take time to laugh; you tell stories; as an elder you make people laugh and you are laughed at. At times you become the joke - not disrespectfully! "Let me tell you a story," said Arthur. “An Indian Elder loved to fish. He was sitting on the bank of a river fishing. Suddenly he heard a voice say 'pick me up.' He looked around and could not see anyone. He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice again, 'pick me up.' He looked into the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog. The Elder said 'Are you talking to me?' The frog said 'Yes, I am talking to you. If you pick me up and kiss me I will turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I will make your friends in Gordon's First Nation jealous and envious, because I will be your woman.'The Elder looked at the frog, reached over and picked it up carefully. He placed it in his front breast pocket. Then the frog said 'What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? Kiss me and I will be your beautiful woman!' The Elder opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, 'Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog.'" Arthur continued, "At a certain age Elders talk to themselves. Please be understanding with us. We could be talking to our frog. You see, others have lost interest in us!” Arthur was asked what this celebration meant to him. He was overcome with emotion. “I have tried, with God's help, to bring these two cultures together. Today we are experiencing the love and respect of my people, both indigenous and non-indigenous, in this great celebration in the community where I was born! This is a wonderful 'bringing together' where there was so much misunderstanding, and we celebrate our Lord in our midst. 'To God be the glory, great things He has done!'” This celebration will mean different things to different people. Arthur believes,“to some it will mean nothing. For others it is a great time to celebrate. It means with God'shelp, I will walk among them in their pain, isolation, inequality, loss and times of celebration. In this capacity we are a role model of diversity, decency of love and healing. We bring, throughChrist, hope in the midst
Photo - Patty Pratt
Rev. Arthur Anderson (second from left) is the first Elder of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle. He is wrapped in a star blanket quilt, and holds an eagle staff, carved by John Fisher, third from left. Bishop Mark MacDonald, bishop of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada (left) and Bishop Gregg Kerr-Wilson (far right) officiated at the ceremony. Darlene Fisher stands at the back.
of pain and loss.” Chief Ken Sinclair of the Gordon First Nation sat with the chiefs of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle, Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson and Bishop Mark McDonald, the bishop of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. On behalf of the Gordon First Nation, Chief Ken presented a star blanket quilt to Arthur. As is the custom, Arthur was wrapped up in the blanket to keep him safe and warm. Bishop Greg presented an exquisite eagle staff, made by John Fisher of Gordon's, to Arthur. On behalf of the Canadian Churches of Indigenous Peoples, Bishop Mark presented a stained glass window of the logo of the Council of Indigenous Churches of Canada to Arthur. Lee's Funeral Home presented Arthur with a beautiful painting done by Ken Lonechild of White Bear Nation. Ken attended school for many years at Gordon's. The Eucharist was celebrated, indigenous and non-indigenous serving together, and everyone had a great time of fellowship over a scrumptious lunch served by Freda Crow Buffalo McNab, Betty Riddel and Irene Walter. Truly “To God be the glory. Great things He has done!”
Christ Church Nokomis celebrates 100 years by Colleen McNichol NOKOMIS (QuA) Present and former members of Christ Church, Nokomis, as well as parishioners of the Parish of Last Mountain, gathered on June 1 to celebrate 100 years as a congregation. The church began as a mission church, with the first services being held in 1905. With the coming of the CPR and Grand Trunk railways, Nokomis sprang up at the junction and flourished. Church work began quickly with the election of church wardens, vestry and finance committee in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Halstead donated the two lots where the church was built. Anglican Christ Church, photo by Dennis Simpson which opened in 1908, was the first church building in Nokomis, Following the service of thanksgiving for the centennial of and was paid for by 1911. Christ Church, Nokomis, the whole congregation posed Rev. Walter H. White wrote in a letter in 1909, “The favourable with Bishop Greg Kerr-Wilson and Rev. Dale Gillman. showing is, under God's Blessing, to be attributed to the enthusiasm and energy of the settlers themselves, to timely assistance from England, but not least to the fact the church for once 'came in with the steel.'" Many improvements and donations were made to the church and vicarage over the years. Quite evident today are the oak prayer desk, chair and lectern presented to the church by Mr. S. W. Currin of Belfast Ireland. The history of the church also mentions great contributions toward the work of the church made by the W.A. (ACW) and Sunday School teachers. The centennial celebration began with a Service of Thanksgiving with Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson officiating. Pastor-in-Charge Rev. Dale Gillman assisted. Organist Lorna Mansell and guitarist Jack Robson provided the music. The church was decorated with beautiful fresh flowers. Some were gifts of congratulations and some were placed in memory of family members.
After group photos were taken, the congregation proceeded to the Community Hall for a delicious turkey dinner. Jack Robson was MC for the program following dinner, which included congratulatory greetings from the other churches in the parish and community, and messages from Bill and Norma Novak and Rev. John Rettger who were unable to attend. Phyllis Konschuh read a history of the church and Colleen McNichol showed a slide show of pictures taken over the years. The crowd was entertained by singer Eric Jeschke and the gospel music of Jack Robson and the Block Brothers Quartet. There were guests from Spokane, Wash., Ontario, Alberta and various parts of Saskatchewan. The day ended with refreshments, following lots of visiting and reminiscing.
Bishop’s Message
2 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008
Electing a bishop in Diocese of Saskatchewan
by the Right Reverend Gregory KerrWilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle By the time this is published our national election will have already taken place, but as I write it the political campaigns are in full swing. Naturally, because it is apparently the nature of politics, the various parties, their leaders and candidates are making promises, publishing platforms and putting forward proposed initiatives. They are also carefully crafting images for their leaders and telling us why theirs is the right direction for leadership of the country and why the others are all wrong. The big question of what makes for a good leader, or what a good leader does is always in the forefront. It is in that context that I take a bit of space to reflect on my experience of the Lambeth Conference as an embodiment of leadership in our church. I've read much in the press, both secular and religious, about missed opportunities, about irreconcilable splits, about things not done, about leadership not given or discipline not enforced. I believe I understand what lurks behind these complaints and critiques - we tend as human beings to want security, clarity, and simple answers. Amid the storm of threatened schisms, calls for decisive action, demands for discipline and taking hard decisions, the Lambeth Conference, under the leadership of Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, swam against the cultural currents of western political expectation and instead called us into a faithful, wise and ultimately Christ-centred path in which to lead the Anglican Church - a path focused on prayer, worship, shared study, mutual respect and accountability, and discernment. We are, after all, a Church, not a parliament. My experience of Lambeth was one in which I encountered the breadth and depth of the Anglican Communion. I have always understood intellectually that the Church is “Catholic,” but this was an experience of living in the midst of it, with bishops from every corner of the globe, speaking dozens of languages, from hundreds of cultures, representing millions of faithful Christians, who in the midst of their diversity, yet held to the faithful proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the midst of that amazing diversity, there was I think a shared sense, at least by the end of the conference, that the living
by the Rev'd Steven Page.
photo archive
The Rt. Rev. Gregory KerrWilson, Bishop of Qu’Appelle Lord Jesus Christ stood in our midst as we sought to allow the Holy Spirit to “lead us into all truth” through the faithful study of the Holy Scriptures and shared theological reflection and dialogue. In Lambeth, which is the only gathering in the Anglican Church worldwide in which every local diocese has direct representation, we wrestled with divergent perspectives and, I believe, many of the false labels of “revisionist” or “fundamentalist” were pulled down, or at least relativized, as we encountered real people rather than caricatures, and discovered thoughtful, faithful and prayerful bishops struggling to live faithfully in the midst of the challenges they face. That is not to say that there wasn't a fair bit of disagreement in some areas of our discussions, but those variant views were, in very large part, spoken and heard in a climate of respectful listening. There are, of course, things in progress which will give material expression to our identity as Anglicans in the Communion; the Windsor Process and the Anglican Covenant both continue to move forward and will, no doubt, bring their own burdens of mutual accountability. There was a choice, however, to step back from resolutions and adversarial debate, from the politics of power and majority votes, to a prayerful seeking together for the mind of Christ - to forebear from unilateral action while we grow into a deeper understanding, and perhaps even consensus. It was that choice which marked Lambeth's witness to a leadership, not of this world, but one born of faithfulness to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Please pray that these gains will hold and bear fruit in the months and years ahead.
Anglicans in the Diocese of Saskatchewan are going through the process of electing a new bishop to succeed the Rt. Rev'd Anthony Burton as Lord Bishop. There are many steps to this process as described in the Canons of the Province of Rupert's Land. This article briefly describes the process. In early August, the Executive Committee of the Diocese named a group of people to the Diocesan Search Committee. This is a team of three clergy and three lay people from our Diocese. The search committee also includes a bishop, a clerical representative, and a lay representative from outside the Diocese, as named by the Metropolitan Bishop. The Search Committee met in early September, to set out both the general requirements and the particular qualities and characteristics the Diocese would like to see in the person who becomes our new Bishop. These qualifications and requirements in a new bishop are then sent as a Memorandum to all Synod delegates in the Diocese, as well as to the Provincial House of Bishops. Interested parties may submit proposed names to the Search Committee until October 24. The Search Committee then
examines the proposed names, to determine which ones meet the necessary set of qualifications and requirements. If someone who is proposed does not meet the minimum qualifications, the Search Committee informs the proposers. The Search Committee then gathers more information about the proposed names that will be nominated for election. All of the material they gather will be distributed to Synod members by November 21. Other names may be nominated “from the floor” although the deadline for such late nominations is 72 hours before Synod; an Intention to Nominate must be submitted no later than the morning of December 3. Then, on Saturday, December 6, all Synod delegates will gather at the Cathedral Church of St Alban the Martyr in Prince Albert, to elect our new Bishop. Our day will begin with a celebration of Holy Communion, followed by a series of ballots. Synod delegates will vote by Orders, with the votes of clergy and lay delegates counted separately. The new Bishop-elect will be declared when a candidate receives a majority of the votes among both the Clergy and the Lay delegates. For more details, you can download the Canons that are relevant to the process of electing a new Bishop from the Diocese of Saskatchewan web site (www.skdiocese.com)
The Okema Society for Christian Development invites you to attend its Annual General Meeting: Date: November 15, 2008 Time: Service of Thanksgiving - 10:00 a.m. Business Meeting - 11:00 a.m. Place - St. Mark's Anglican Church, Saskatoon
All are welcome to attend, with members of the Society entitled to vote during the meeting, and to stand for election to the Board of Directors.
Support Camp Okema
Donations and Memberships are gladly received at the address of the Membership Secretary: Yvonne Mitchell, Box 140, Caronport, SK S0H 0S0.
Errata On page 7 of the October issue several lines were omitted from the article entitled “Pedal Pushing Parsons' Perplexities (Awareness of Rural multi-point Ministry Travel Costs)”. This resulted in several of the recommendations of the Saskatoon Diocese's Travel Grants Task Force being omitted. The following is the full text of the recommendations as they should have appeared: “What are some solutions for Diocesan Council to consider or actually do? Consideration should be given, firstly, to rural and urban parish partnering (At the 2008 Synod, the Future Directions Strategic Plan for the diocese was adopted; one of its components is rural and urban parish partnering). Secondly, all parishes in the diocese could contribute equally to a common 'Travel Pool' that could be accessed by the parishes with high travel costs. And, thirdly, a review the travel expense models or practices of other denominations should be undertaken (for example the Lutheran and the United Church) for adoption if it is considered that they would work in our diocese.”
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.
Managing Editor: Fred Stephens, 51 - 10th St. NE, Weyburn SK. S4H 1G8 Phone 306-842-7235 Email: candfstephens@sasktel.net Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin, 6927 Farrell Bay Regina SK S4X 3Z4 Phone: 306-775-2629 Email: wsmartin@accesscomm.ca Saskatoon: Peter Coolen, 820Avenue I South Saskatoon SK S7M 1Z3 Phone: 306-244-0935 Email: ptrcoolen@sasktel.net Saskatchewan: The Reverends Julie and Steven Page, P.O. Box 274, Hudson Bay, SK, S0E 0Y0P Phone (306) 865-3488; Email: HudsonBayArborfield@SaskTel.net
Published monthly except July and August Published from 51 - 10th Street NE, Weyburn SK S4H 1G8 Printed and mailed from Signal Star Publishing A division of Bowes Publishers Ltd. Goderich ON N7A 4B6 Subscription rate: $15.00 in Canada; $22.00 outside Canada A Section of Anglican Journal
The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008 - 3
Diocese of Saskatoon - Announcements for November In order to be included in a timely manner brief notices for events should be supplied to the Associate Editor by Fax, e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which the insertion is desired. Detailed and longer texts of events will not be included in this section but, should space allow, could be the subject of additional articles or notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican. Integrity Saskatoon Meetings are held at St. James on the second Saturday of each month at 7 p.m. beginning in September. For further information: www.integritysaskatoon.blogspot.com . Rupert's Land Region PWRDF Conference The Rupert's Land Region PWRDF Conference hosted by Saskatoon Diocesan PWRDF will be held from Friday October 31st and Saturday, November 1st, at St. Timothy's, Saskatoon. Attendance of PWRDF Parish Representatives, Clergy and all Anglicans interested in learning more about our outreach are encouraged to attend. To register, contact Yvonne Lane at: ylane@pwrdf.org as soon as possible. On the Saturday, November 1st at 6 p.m., an ethnic meal (Burmese/ Chinese), as the closing banquet, with a speaker and entertainment at Christ Church at a cost of $15.00 per person. The deadline for tickets is October 27th. Tickets and an event poster will be mailed to each parish; extra tickets will be available at Christ Church, ph: 242-0165 or from Jeanette Dean, ph: 652-7262. To date three National people will be available to visit and speak at parishes on Sunday morning, November 2nd. They are: Yvonne Lane, from National PWRDF; Farita Akter, International Partner for the Asia/ Pacific Region; and Mahjabeen Chowdry, Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Region. If your parish would welcome a visitor to speak, please contact Mary Ann Assailly, at: 382-0766 Part of the Diocesan PWRDF Conference arrangements include the provision of accommodation. The National people have been booked in at Queen's House. However bed and breakfast services are required for those attending from outside of Saskatoon, for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening (for some). If you or any from your parish can provide these, or for more information on this event, please contact Barb Spurr, at: 373-4579 or roxanaspurr@yahoo.ca.
Diocese of Qu'Appelle Notes and Events November 17 - November 19 Eucharist from a People's Perspective, with guest speaker Diarmuid O'Murchu, social psychologist and internationally known author of “Quantum Theology,” will be held at St. Michael's Retreat, from 7:00 pm Monday, Nov. 17 to 1:00 pm Wednesday, Nov. 19. Topics will include Being a Eucharistic People Today; The Companionship of Empowerment; Food for Justice in a Hungry World; Table Fellowship, Ritual and Sacrament; and Food for our Journey. To register, phone the Retreat at 731-3316 or email office@stmichaelsretreat.ca, or mail St. Michael's Retreat, Box 220, Lumsden, SK S0G 3C0. November 23 Anglican parishes and groups across Canada are invited to videotape themselves singing "Amazing Grace" on Nov. 23, the Feast of the Reign of Christ. Videos are to be sent to the General Synod office in Toronto, to be compiled and posted on YouTube by Christmas. “We think it will be a pretty important celebration of visible unity in the Anglican Church of Canada,” said Rev. Michael Thompson, one of the project's proponents. The Amazing Grace Project Web site is www.anglican.ca/amazinggrace. November 28 and 29 St Alban's Anglican Church in Moosomin will once again be the host site for the second annual Bethlehem Live ecumenical event, an outreach project which involves all the churches in Moosomin, and much of the community. Bethlehem Live is an interactive re-enactment of the journey Mary and Joseph may have taken to Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago. It is an outdoor guided walk, often disrupted by the threatening presence of Roman soldiers, beggars, thieves and shepherds and their sheep. The event will be held Friday, November 28 and Saturday, November 29 beginning at 5:30 each evening. The journey involves a 25 minute outside walk, so dress warmly! Tours are limited and must be booked in advance. Please call 435-3933 to register for your jour-
Diocese of Saskatoon - Announcements for November (Continued) Teas and Other Seasonal Events St. Timothy's A. C. W. will be holding a Christmas Pudding Tea, Bazaar and Bake Sale at the church on November 22nd from: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. St. John's Cathedral will be holding an Advent Tea on November 29th.
NU 2 U at St Timothy's Anglican Church; Saskatoon St Timothy's Anglican Church's NU 2 U used clothing Boutique is open every Tuesday morning from 9:00 till 12:00 and Saturday mornings from 10 am till 12 noon starting. NU 2 U is located in the parish hall basement.
St. George's, Bishop Fuller A.C.W. will be holding a Bake and Craft Sale at Market Mall on November 8th from: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Connect with God at “eMerge 2008” Connect with God and other young people at “eMerge 2008”. Designed for Anglican and Lutheran youth and their friends, grades to 12, this fun-filled, 12-hour, event is filled with worship, group activities, music and food. It will take place November 1st from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on November 2nd at Luther College ( at the University of Regina). For more information contact Pastor Cheryl Toth at: (306) 5855028 or, toll-free: 1-800-588-4378 or, visit the website at: www.emergesask.ca.
St. George's will be holding a Fall Supper on Sunday, November 2nd from 4:30 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. Tickets are: $10/adult, $5 ages 4 to 12 and under 4 free.
Summer Collegium, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia Applications are now being accepted for the “Summer Collegium”, a Lilly Endowment project in support of small congregations. Twenty-five clergy and their spouses/partners from all Christian denominations will be invited to spend nine days at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, focusing on Body, Mind, and Soul with the objective of “Celebrating, Strengthening and Sustaining Clergy Wholeness in Small Congregations”. The Summer Collegium takes place June 24th to July 1st, 2009; to be considered, applications must be postmarked by December 15th. All expenses for the event, including travel, meals, lodging, books, pulpit supply and child care at home are paid for by the grant. For more information and an application packet, visit our website at www.vts.edu/education/collegium or call Marilyn Johns at (703) 461-1760. Vacancies Applications are now being accepted for two positions in the Diocese: St. Matthew's Church, Saskatoon and the Parish of Lintlaw/Endeavour. Interested clergy are encouraged to review the requirements for the positions and to make timely applications. New Canons For the Diocese The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon has announced that he has named Ms. Lorea Eufemia, the Reverend Dr. Henry M. Comerford and Pastor Jim Halmarson Canons of the diocese (see picture elsewhere in the issue). The Reverend Canon John Davies The Reverend Canon John Davies has been appointed Interim Hospital Chaplain effective September 18th, 2008. He may be reached at 374-4357 or by calling the hospital chaplain cell number 261-9906. The Reverend Dianne Mesh has been appointed Rector of St. James' Church, Saskatoon effective October 1st replacing the Reverend Joe Ponic who served there, as Interim Priest, for the past two years.
St. George's will be holding a Christmas Tea and Bake Sale on November 29th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The end of a story by Gerald Busch KERROBERT (Qu'A) - The last chapter in the life of the Anglican presence in Kerrobert was written June 22 when St. Paul's Church was deconsecrated after 95 years of service. Bishop Malcolm Harding had presided when it was dedicated on May 28, 1913. During its lifetime, St. Paul's church started out in the Diocese of Qu'Appelle, then spent several years in the Diocese of Saskatoon and a few years ago returned to Qu'Appelle. The church was one of the original buildings in the town of Kerrobert. It served the Anglican community very well. Many Anglican priests found themselves posted to this area when they were first ordained. The lifestyle and warmth of the people got many young priests off to a great start in their ministry. Over the years the decline of the rural area, movement to larger centres and the age of the congregation, made the decision to close the only alternative. Approximately 40 visitors and former residents came back for the last service and deconsecration. Archdeacon Rob Hardwick and Rev. Sandy Mowat officiated at the service. photo - Gerald Busch
The interior of St. Paul's Kerrobert, which was deconsecrated this summer.
4 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,
November, 2008
CrossTalk experience enriches delegates from Qu'Appelle by Archdeacon Rob Hardwick SWIFT CURRENT (Qu'A) What a wonderful three weeks we experienced. Seventeen delegates from the diocese of Qu'Appelle have come away enriched by the CrossTalk experience in the diocese of Lichfield, England, and our faith in Christ and knowledge of the Anglican Communion has deepened. It has certainly been an event which we will remember for the rest of our lives. Youth members went to a rural parish on the border with Wales and took part in parish events and services. They found time to visit Powys Castle, Llangollen, Chester and other beautiful and historic places before having their own youth conference in Ilam, Derbyshire. Other delegates were placed in mission partner parishes in urban, suburban and rural locations across the diocese. In our host parishes we were straight into action with deanery meetings, midweek groups, workshops, Sunday services and some sightseeing. All the delegates attended the day mission conference at the Hayes Retreat Centre in Derbyshire; the CrossTalk festival in Stafford; and the special celebration service at Lichfield Cathedral. What an amazing insight we had into the Anglican Communion and the mission it is engaged in, in our world today. A microcosm of seven partner dioceses from four continents gathered to share the joys, the difficulties, the hopes and the dreams for continuing God's mission in each of our respective areas. God is doing some incredible things through His faithful people, and our eyes were opened to the sacrificial way in which many of God's children, in the face of huge odds such as poverty, AIDS, malaria, Islam, apathy and illiteracy, are helping to advance His kingdom today. We talked, we listened, we laughed, we cried, we studied, we shared, and we prayed and worshipped together as a family. I remember thinking at one point, how this is like a foretaste of heaven. There are certainly too many experiences to put into this article, so we are trying to share our stories across the diocese of Qu'Appelle through talks, slide shows and magazine articles. Suffice to say for now, that all the delegates want to express our heart-felt "thank you" to our churches, our diocese, our hosts, and the diocese of Lichfield for allowing us to go, and for providing the financial assistance to make it possible to represent our parishes and the diocese of Qu'Appelle at an event which has changed our lives and given us the impetus to engage further in God's mission today. (This article is an expanded version of one prepared for the parish newsletter of St. Stephen the Martyr, Swift Current, and St. John the Baptist, Pennant)
The Lambeth Conference spouses' program by Vicki Kerr-Wilson REGINA - Every 10 years all the Anglican bishops from around the world meet in England for the Lambeth Conference. This year Greg and I were privileged to be participants. It was a wonderful experience - meeting many people from around the world, hearing their stories (many languages were involved!) and learning and sharing together. At times it was also a bit overwhelming to realize you were amongst so many bishops! There were almost 700 bishops and about 500 spouses and photo courtesy of Vicki Kerr-Wilson many staff, so even by the end Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, (centre) poses with we were still meeting new peoVicki and Greg Kerr-Wilson during a reception at Old Palace on ple. The conference lasted the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral. almost three weeks and was held at the University of Kent in Canterbury. There was both a bishop and a spouse program, including some things we all did together. For the bishops it was a lot of work, but the spouses were able to enjoy a less intense program (without the politics) as we got to know each other. Our days started with a Eucharist each morning at 7:30. Every day a different province of the Anglican Communion was responsible for doing the services so we got to experience music and traditions from around the world. Our program began each day after breakfast with a talk or presentation. We were encouraged to sit with different people each day so it was a wonderful opportunity to hear about our worldwide church, with its gifts and its challenges. Then we had Bible study in small groups, with the same people each day, giving us the opportunity to get to know each other well. In the afternoons we chose between a dozen or so options. There was lots of variety - some were further study, some were creative venues, some were educational (like basic computer skills or how to lead church groups), some were opportunities to network with other spouses who had a similar occupation. There were also excursions to various places in south-east England, which always included being hosted by local church ladies for “tea.” Before dinner we all joined together again for a worship service. Many evenings there were also talks by guest speakers that both bishops and spouses were able to attend together. In addition there were many other optional events offered by various groups throughout the conference. We often did not get back to our rooms until 11pm! One highlight was our day in London. We began with a march through central London in support of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (reminding us and others of promises made and yet to be fulfilled), ending up at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury's London home. I think we were quite the sight - all the bishops in their purple robes and the spouses in fancy dress with hats or in traditional attire. We then heard a speech by the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. To finish our day we went to Buckingham Palace for tea with the Queen. That is not something I ever thought I'd get to do! Another positive benefit was being able to get know the other Canadian spouses. Canada has a wonderful group of fun and talented spouses (mostly ladies, but also a couple of men) and it was great to get to know them better. As we live in such a large country, it is rare that we get to meet together, especially those of us in the lesser populated parts of the country. The Lambeth Conference was a wonderful experience and I feel honoured to have been able to attend. I made many new friends from around the world and came home encouraged and spiritually nourished. The Anglican Communion is a large and diverse family with many joys and challenges that being part of a “family” involves. We are privileged to have a holy and inspirational man in Rowan Williams as our leader and it was also a privilege to get to know him a little. The media always focuses on differences and disagreements, but Lambeth focused on unity and I pray that all came away enriched by the experience.
New rector for Anglican churches in Prince Albert and Royal PRINCE ALBERT (Sask) -A new chapter began officially on Friday, September 19, 2008, as the Reverend Norbert Haukenfrers was installed as the Rector of St. David's Church, Prince Albert and St. John's Church, Royal. The Very Reverend Michael Hawkins (Dean of Saskatchewan and Diocesan Administrator) graciously officiated in the absence of a Bishop in the Diocese of Saskatchewan. With the sanctuary clothed in red, a sense of hope permeated the congregation. The Reverend Richard Photo courtesy Nicole Stenerson Hetke (Regional Dean of Melfort) had everyone's attention as he drew a parallel between John 10:1-16 and Nicole Stenerson of Regina with Jonathan Gledhil, the those everyday tasks of washing the dishes and vacuuming the floor. Mr. Haukenfrers and the other clerBishop of Lichfield, outside Lichfield Cathedral. gy present were encouraged to embrace servant leadership to be most effective in fulfilling their leadership Nicole and 16 others from the Diocese of Qu'Appelle roles and responsibilities. Christian leadership, Mr. Hetke went on to explain, is based on a life of daily attended CrossTalk, with representatives from seven prayer marked with love and service to Christ and others - The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the dioceses around the world. sheep … So there will be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:11, 16). The Rector is the local churches' model in person of the Good Shepherd and Redeemer, Jesus Christ: a timely challenge for a new Rector. The congregation, after committing to support and uphold Mr. Haukenfrers in prayer, was instructed to feel free to ask from time to time how his prayer life is. Mr. Hetke challenged everyone, stating that effective ministry takes all members, not just those who show up on Sunday. They were also cautioned that Mr. Haukenfrers is not a miracle worker, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but a servant of God. It is by working under the leadership of the Good Shepherd that God's good and perfect will for St. David's Church, Prince Albert and St. John's Church, Royal can and will be realized. An elegant reception, hosted by St. David's Church, followed the service, allowing all present to celebrate and share their hopes and dreams for the future that such a pregnant evening induces. It was a great evening for installing a new Rector and calling a parish to the continuing work of Christ in Prince Albert. (See photo on next page)
The Saskatchewan Anglican, November 2008 - 5
Christ Church “Takes It Outside,” And Hosts Community Arts Festival by John Seib, Mission & Ministry Coordinator, Christ Church, Saskatoon SASKATOON - It was definitely not “business as usual” at Christ Church on Sunday, September 7th. By 7 a.m. the building and grounds of the historic stone church were already bustling as vestry members and volunteers prepared for a pancake brunch. The whole parish moved into full welcoming mode with a community worship service at 9:00 a.m., planned and carried out in collaboration with the clergy and congregation of neighboring Trinity Lutheran Church. After the service and outdoor brunch, the festivities continued. Over 300 people visited displays by 44 visual artists and craftspeople. Twenty local musicians performed in mini-concerts on both outdoor and indoor stages, with music ranging from operatic arias, Bach organ works, a Peruvian folk ensemble, jazz flute, blues, and pop classics. There were no admission charge and all activities were free. In the parish hall, puppet making and theatre took place in and around a brightly painted cardboard castle. Young expressionists dabbed at their own artwork and creative face painting disguised children as all manner of exotic creatures. Out on the lawn, the SaskTel Mendel Arts Caravan and the Children's Discovery Museum provided even more interactive activities. The afternoon concluded with the infectious rhythms of the Caribbean Steel Drum Band who provided a hopping accompaniment to Sole-Painting (an opportunity for neighborhood children and adults to soak their feet in paint and dance their footprints across a giant canvas). The final chords were struck around 5 p.m. when volunteers from the churches and the community stacked away the tables and chairs borrowed from Caswell School and Mayfair United Church. Other sponsors, who contributed to the day were: the City of Saskatoon closed off the street and provided brightly painted waste bins; the Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Program provided huge art panels that decorated the church and grounds;
Northland Books and The Medicine Shoppe donated supplies for collaborative art projects; Smucker's Foods donated pancake mix; volunteers from Christ Church and Trinity Lutheran operated concession stands; CHEP's Good Food Box Program gave out fresh fruit and several community organizations were on hand to share information on their programs. Christ Church had the opportunity to take the lead on this exciting event when the annual community arts celebration was almost cancelled this summer due to logistical problems. For two years previous, the parish had been involved more peripherally in this event by coordinating a pancake breakfast with the community's celebration at a nearby park. But this year, the church became a full partner/sponsor, and was able to host the event. Opening the doors of the church and moving outside in such a visible way helps to demonstrate the openness of the parish to the community and its desire to be a “team player” in revitalization of the historic Caswell Hill neighborhood. Organizing “Art in the Heart of Caswell” happened over three weeks with a small team of organizers on a shoestring budget. Willing volunteers from neighbouring Trinity Lutheran Church joined in with keen members of the Caswell Community Association and Christ Church parishioners. The resulting event received kudos and many expressions of hope, from visitors, performers and exhibitors alike, that Christ Church will continue as the hub for future community programs, events and festivals. The opportunity to open themselves to the community and welcome everyone was enthusiastically embraced by both the congregations of Christ Church and Trinity Lutheran as well as visitors from neighbouring Mayfair United Church. They look forward to inviting other community churches to participate in the future. For now, the churches are jumping into their fall programming with renewed energy, ready to welcome the new friends they've met and excited about new opportunities to share the love of God and the joy of community.
New Rector in Prince Albert and Royal
Photo Contributed
Clergy from the Diocese welcome their colleague into his new role as Rector. Centre: the Very Reverend Michael Hawkins, Dean of Saskatchewan, and the Reverend Norbert Haukenfrers.
- photo courtesy of Christ Church Parish
A festive crowd filled the grounds of Christ Church for the “Art in the Heart of Caswell” festival day.
photo courtesy of Christ Church Parish
Music for the event included flute, steel band and digiridoo players.
St. Christopher's Church undertakes village school ministry By the Reverend Tracey Lloyd Smith
CHRISTOPHER LAKE (Sask) -It was more than two years in the making, but a plan for taking on “One Excellent Mission” to the Christopher Lake district has emerged at last. When our diocese held the “Bringing in the Sheaves” conference more than two years ago, the keynote speaker, the Reverend Kevin Martin, challenged each parish to undertake a plan to seek out and establish one “excellent mission” to our community. After much discussion and deliberation, St. Christopher's Parish did research into their best ideas. Alas, they did not pan out as expected. Finally, some parishioners suggested that we contact the local school and ask if they would welcome a team of volunteers to help fulfill some of their unmet needs and dreams. The school staff was ecstatic and the response was overwhelmingly positive. They admitted that they were unable to put in photo courtesy of Christ Church Parish place the reading programs that their children need so much, due to lack of Young and old alike applied their skills volunteers. at Sole-Painting Starting this past May, St. Christopher's Church sent between two and four volunteers each morning to the school. They do a variety of daily services for the teachers there, everything from filling book bags, to hearing children read, or reading stories to struggling students, and even re-shelving books in the library. One day a week they also help prepare a hot meal for the children and staff. The Reverend Lloyd Smith said, “The idea is to get our people into contact with the community and serve a need, not for any gain or recognition, but for the love of Christ.” And this new mission is doing just that. She continued, “We have met and worked with many new people that we wouldn't have had contact with otherwise. It was ample reward to hear the principal comment: 'We just love our volunteers!'” And it was fun to see, at the end of May, the principal put her statement on the sign outside the school in the village. Each of the volunteers seems to love being there, too.
6 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008
The Bishop's School for Choristers
Workshop on distribution of the reserved sacrament
by Anna Schroeder and Victoria Martin By Rev. Trish McCarthy REGINA - Here is an inside look at the 46th Bishop's School for Choristers from two returnee choristers. This year the camp was held from August 17 to 24 at St. Mary's in Regina. Eighteen children from southern Saskatchewan came together to worship and sing. Their ages were from about age 7 to 15. Even with such a diverse age group everyone could contribute to the camp. Each day started out with chapel at 9 am which was followed by our first singing session. After each session, five every day, we had a short photo - Bill Van Sickle break - sometimes for a snack and always for Choristers and leaders of the 46th Bishop's School for Choristers model their games and “hanging” around the basketball T-shirts. hoop. We had a half hour lunch quickly followed by Bible Blast. At the end of the day after lots of singing we were happy to go swimming at Wascana pool! “Bible Blast” was this year's Chaplain's time. It taught us all about the Bible: the main people from the Bible and how it was written. Our focus was Psalm 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." We did lots of stuff like dressing up as Bible characters, making paper and writing in Hebrew and Greek. We learned about the six acts of the Bible and the Bible in 50+2 words. We used the hand-made paper to make scrolls which we put in pottery jars we had made. We burnt twigs and leaves to make ash which was used to make ink to write on our very own pottery post-it-notes. Both of these were to symbolize how the Bible was first written down. This year's workshop was great; we had a Blast!
The Reverend Gary Sinclair Leaves St. Matthew's (Sutherland) Saskatoon Parish By Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson SASKATOON: Sunday, September 14th was the Reverend Gary Sinclair's last Sunday at St. Matthew's before taking up his new position as rector of St. Leonard's-On-The-Hill Parish in Red Deer, Alberta. Gary began his ministry at St. Matthew's on December 1st, 2002. Since that time Gary has touched the lives of all members of the congregation and has been an inspiration to one and all. Under Gary's ministry many new members, young and adult, have
been baptized into the Anglican Church and there has been a constant growth in attendance. One of the highlights for St. Matthew's of Gary's time with us was the marriage of Lee and Gary during which the entire congregation excitedly blessed the marriage and accepted Lee into the family of St. Matthew's. St. Matthew's celebrated its 100th Anniversary on September 6th and 7th of this year; both Gary and Lee took part in the celebrations. Now the church looks forward to the next 100 years and Gary and Lee look forward to the challenge of a new posting. As part of the goingaway celebration, after Gary's
last service, the ladies of St. Matthew's provided an abundant pot luck meal. At the pot luck a purse of money and gifts were presented from the congregation to Gary including a Saskatchewan Roughrider sweatshirt reading “St. Matthew's No. 1”. Gary promised to wear the T-Shirt in Red Deer to show that he has not forgotten Saskatchewan and St. Matthew's. After another fine pot luck, some visiting and reminiscing over the past six years, it was time to say good-bye; the banner at the pot luck said it all: “Goodbye Gary and Lee…we miss you already…and you're not even gone”.
REGINA - A workshop was held at All Saints Church on Saturday, September 27, instructing 13 participants on various aspects of distributing the reserved sacrament. Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Rev. Susan Page who is a SIAST nursing instructor and a vocational deacon of St. Luke's, Regina, and Rev. Trish McCarthy, incumbent of All Saints, Regina, worked as a team to prepare and empower folks for this ministry. Topics included basic liturgics, sharing biblical reflections, pastoral care and health care issues for those who have been called by their parishes to share the reserved sacrament. Parishioners who are unable to attend the regular services of their faith communities may be served holy communion from the sacrament consecrated at their parish's main worship service. People involved in this ministry will be duly commissioned by their priest or parish ministry team and Bishop Gregory. For Anglicans in the last two decades, the eucharist has become the main worship pattern of our faith. We find much inspiration and spiritual nurture in hearing the Word of God and receiving the gift of Christ in holy communion. In acknowledgement of this shift, and in light of the ministry of ordained clergy focused more and more on congregational development, there has been a need for lay people and deacons to bring communion to the shut-ins. A year ago the Regina group of Anglican clergy, known as Regina Clericus, began to assign various outreach ministries to its individual members to oversee. Rev. Trish McCarthy saw a need for a workshop to prepare and coordinate people so that parishioners in senior care homes across the city and around our diocese may be nourished spiritually by receiving this ministry of the Word and holy communion from the reserved sacrament. People who were new to this ministry were delighted to learn the theological underpinnings and basic functions, as well as its health care aspects. Those who already do this ministry found the review helpful and Bishop Gregory's explanations insightful. Rev. Trish is Regina's coordinator of the ministry of the reserved sacrament. People who feel called and need training may contact her at All Saints Church, phone 586-4420.
St. James' Bids Farewell To A Friend - the Reverend Joe Ponic
by Jim Komar - SASKATOON- It was a wonderful evening of handshakes, hugs, laughter and tears, as the parish of St. James' Anglican turned out en masse to bid a fond farewell to their interPhoto by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson rector, the The Reverend Gary Sinclair and his wife im Reverend Joe Ponic, Lee display their going-away banner who has been their faithful and wellloved shepherd during the past 25 months of transition, renewal, and centennial celebration. Joe, as everyone called him, was father and friend to the parish. Well-read, well-spoken, and well-traveled; an accomplished preacher and communicator with a ready wit and a warm heart; Joe was at home wherever the parish needed him and made those who met him equally at home and welcome. He worked hard and long to fill an exhaustive schedule of pastoral duties in the parish and community and the hospitals and nursing homes. This diligence left little and often no personal time for him although he always had time for others. He had a great respect for where people were at and strove constantly to bring the Gospel to them in ways they could understand, including his marvelous Sunday homilies, outstanding bible studies and courses on archeology, the Bible and the history of
Christianity. Joe helped many find themselves and rediscover the Gospel during this inclusive interim ministry! In recognition of all this many gave of themselves to make the evening their “thank you” to Joe. Those present included: organizers, cooks, bakers and servers; the people in the pews; the children, who loved his Sunday morning stories; and his colleagues of the cloth, Bishops, the Right Reverends Tom Morgan and Rodney Andrews and the Reverend Canons Colin Clay and Glen Ash, who saluted him at the farewell dinner, along with numerous grateful members of the parish. Thank you, dear friend and pastor, for your labour of love. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Photo by Susan Verity
- Joe giving his goodbye address
Photo by Susan Verity
A good-bye poster made for Joe by the children of St. James' Sunday School
Mahatma Gandhi was quite a spiritual person. He walked barefoot everywhere, to the point that his feet became quite thick and hard. Even when he was not on a hunger strike, he didn't eat much. Over time he became quite thin and frail. Furthermore, due to his diet, he wound up with very bad breath. Therefore he came to be known as a..... "Super calloused fragile mystic plagued with halitosis."
The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008 - 7
St. Matthew's Anglican Church (Sutherland) Saskatoon, Celebrates It's 100th. Anniversary Editor's Note: St. Matthew's was established in 1908 as a mission outreach of St. James Anglican Church in Nutana in an area some distance from the center of town; it is still located in the outskirts of Sutherland. Early descriptions of the church say that it was “built among the stooks”. Many of the early parishioners were railroaders. In 1984 the original church building was torn down and a new church and hall were built in its place. Loretta Kolbinson, one of the co-author's of this article, was baptized, confirmed and married at St. Matthew's (and her parents were also married there in 1933). A more detailed history of St. Matthews may be found in an article that appeared in the “Religion” page of Saskatoon's Star Phoenix on Saturday, September 27th. The regular pattern of worship at St. Matthew's is one service, The Eucharist, celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on all Sundays with the exception of months containing a fifth Sunday; Morning Prayer services are held on fifth Sundays. All services use the BAS. Prayers for healing are offered during communion every third Sunday of the month. The fourth Sunday in the month is an outreach service. Regular worship is marked by a high level of participation by lay people who act as greeters, readers, intercessors, organists, cantors, preachers and communion assistants; many other members are involved in the preparation for services. The honorary clergy also play a very important part in leading services. Photo by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson
Photo by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson
The Reverend Gary Sinclair with Joan Payne and Jackie Tennent who convened the afternoon come-and-go tea in the St. Matthew's church hall.
- Guests waiting to be called up for their turn at the centennial buffet line Photo by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson
Photo by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson
- A few of the many who attended and enjoyed the St. Matthew's centennial come-and-go tea
by Thordy and Loretta Kolbinson The Anniversary weekend began with a Saturday afternoon come-and-go tea, which was convened by Lil Kalinocka and her daughters Jackie Tennant and Joan Payne, in the church hall. As usual the ladies of St. Matthew's supplied the baking and helped Jackie and Joan in the serving and the cleaning. The registration desk was manned by Norma Douglas and Clarence Parsons; after registra¬tion, the guests mingled in the hail, met old friends, made some new friends and looked over the artifacts and many pictures on display showing St. Matthew's during the past years. As usual, the weather cooperated. There were a few showers in the afternoon but that did not dampen the spirit of the St. Matthew's guests as many of them said that they had come to church in much worse weather. Closer to supper the clouds broke and the sun shone on St. Matthew's (all was well with the world.) Close to 100 people attended the centennial supper, which was held at St. Joseph's School, and which proved to be a fine
: Deacon Wa l t e r Majola led the Zulu dancing Photo by Peter R. Coolen portion of The present St. Matthew's (Sutherland) Saskatoon church and the evening's entertainment at St. Matthew's hall built, in 1984, to replace the original 1908 church. centennial banquet; he was assisted by members of the Fairweather and Roberts families. venue for the event. “Blondie's” catered to two pole carriers, Dave Fairweather and lunch. the meal, consisting of chicken and stuff- Chris Roberts, the pole seemed to magi- St. Matthew's Centennial Anniversary ing, roast beef and all the trim¬mings, cally adjust to varying heights enabeling Committee, consisting of: Kathy topped off by angel food cake and straw- participants to dance without falling. After Fairweather, Jackie Tennent, Joan Payne, Norma Douglas, Janice Gower, Clarence this, Dennis closed the program. berries for dessert. Following the meal, Kathy Fairweather, Sunday morning, after a prelude of flute Par¬sons, Joyce Peat, Annie Lucak, Lii who was in charge of the evening, intro- and guitar music, our Bishop, Rodney Kalinocka, Linda Williams, the Reverend duced Dennis Banda who did an admiral Andrews and the Reverend Gary Sinclair Gary Sinclair and Thordy and Loretta job as M.C. Following opening remarks, presided over the 100th Anniversary Kolbinson wish to thank the Right Dennis introduced Samantha Fairweather Celebration Service. Bishop Rodney Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of who did some fine Irish dancing for us. A began by dedicating a plaque honoring the Saskatoon and all the church members story by our elder, the Reverend Stan memory of three early and long-time who gave so freely of their time and talCuthand (who served as an assistant at St. members of our parish: the Delayen, ents to make the Anniversary a great sucMatthew's), was then followed by a few Beaumont and Tronstad families. Turning cess. further stories by the Reverend Gary to the lecturn, at the pulpit, Bishop St. Matthew's will be losing our priest, the Sinclair. Musical entertainment was Andrews delivered the homily; after the Reverend Gary Sinclair as of Sept. 15th pro¬vided by Oliver Siba on accordion homily Bishop Andrews proceeded to the however the congre¬gation is confidently and Ben Fairweather on guitar, while font, where he received Norma Douglas looking forward to the future and to conKathy Fairweather sang a solo. Following into the fellowship of the Anglican tinue serving the spiritual needs of Sutherland and surrounding area. Many the musical entertainment, Deacon Walter Communion. Majola treated us to some Zulu dancing We were especially fortunate for the thanks go out to all the members of the and singing. Walter has been working with Service to have both Mary Esson on organ congregation of St. Matthew's; visitors Kathy Fairweather and Cora Roberts and and Gary Brown on pi¬ano to lead us in from British Columbia, Alberta and their families and the group entertained us some of the older hymns as well as some Manitoba; as well as to families and with song and dance accompanied by of the more modern. After the service friends from various points in drum and cymbals. A little later Walter everyone was invited into the church hall Saskatchewan and parishes in Saskatoon who made the Anniversary weekend a and troupe came out again and demon- for a barbecue and another delightful success. strated the limbo. Due to the ability of the
Cursillo in Qu'Appelle: Growing Christian Leaders by Carol Marz QU'APPELLE - The Diocese of Qu'Appelle has been reinvigorating its Cursillo activities, with Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson as a chief advocate of the movement. He says, "I have seen the transformative effect that God has been able to work in people's lives through the Cursillo Movement - and particularly how they have grown in their faith and been equipped and energized for ministry." He is taking a personal approach to this leadership, attending almost all of their recent meetings and bringing his guitar to assist in the music. Cursillo is a Spanish word pronounced "kur-see-yo" which means "a short course." Its purpose is to help people understand their individual callings to be Christian leaders. This leadership may be
exercised in work situations, in family and social life, in leisure activities and within the church. The Cursillo method consists of three equally important parts: identifying potential areas in your life to be influenced by the gospel; the Three-Day Weekend; and a follow-up support system focusing on Christian action through faith and study. The three-day live-in weekend is designed to help you come to a fresh awareness of how you can live out your baptism. Any adult baptised Christian who is ready for a learning and growing experience can apply to attend. You will experience worship, study, fellowship and personal reflection. The Diocese of Saskatoon is planning weekends in March 2009. Qu'Appelle is planning to host its first men's and women's weekends in October 2009.
Catherine Reichel from St. Aidan, Moose Jaw, did her weekend in May 2007 in Saskatoon. She says, "As I look back on the weekend it seemed to encapsulate how I think Christ meant us to live as Christians. Our common bond in all of this was Christ and our relationship to each other because of Him. Powerful!" Qu'Appelle is holding monthly Ultreyas. This is another Spanish word, which means "keep on going!" or "onward!" These meetings are open to all Christians, not just those who have attended a Cursillo weekend. Bishop Kerr-Wilson notes, "The heart of the Cursillo movement is the formation of a small-group experience in which people are nurtured and sustained in their faith, while simultaneously being encouraged and accountable for God-centred action in the world." You are all invited to attend Ultreyas!
They will move around to different churches so that Anglicans from all parts of the diocese can easily attend to learn more about the movement. They start with a pot-luck lunch at noon, followed by the meeting which ends by 3 p.m. The next three Ultreyas are planned for Saturdays: November 1 at Holy Trinity, Yorkton; followed December 6 at St. Aidan, Moose Jaw; and January 10 at St. Mary, Regina. For more details or to get on the notification list, please call Linda Kapasky at 569-0915 or linda.kapasky@sasktel.net. Bishop Kerr-Wilson has appointed Carol Marz as Interim Lay Director and Rev. Trish McCarthy as Interim Spiritual Director for the Diocese of Qu'Appelle. Please contact Carol at 585-2297 or carolm@accesscomm.ca if you have any questions.
8 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,
November, 2008
Missing Women's Conference “Ni Una Pet Blessing at All Saints Regina by Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy Mas”
by Basil Pogue REGINA - Over the course of four days, a congregation of women with a scattering of men heard searing stories of men's inhumanity to women in Canada and Mexico. Time and again, participants were brought face to face with the cold, hard facts that females are often treated with inequity, that violence for many women is a norm, that being aboriginal (or indigenous) is stigmatized rather than honoured. Sadly, the Anglican presence at this conference was sparse. Justice work is not an easy calling. It is often highly uncomfortable and lonely; perhaps best left to others. The conference was largely organized by students in Women's Studies from the University of Regina. Major impetus came from a group who travelled to Mexico City this spring with Pastors Carla Blakley and Cheryl Toth and participated in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's Transformational Immersion Program. Participants heard from activists in Canadian and Mexican indigenous communities about the indignities and violence perpetrated upon women. It is sometimes easy to believe that human rights violations only occur in third world countries. But Canada has a spotty and checkered record of relations with First Nations. The black stain of the residential schools is only a single aspect. The Canadian government is currently one of only four in the world that refuses to sign the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
While the axis of the conferencewas “Ni Una Mas” - Not One More - a reference to the disappearances and murders of women from communities in The risk of becoming a victim is influenced by several factors. One is a pervasive colonialism that remains in both Canada and Mexico. Another is the continuing male dominance in terms of property law. A third is brutal poverty on reserves and in indigenous communities. There is a lack of basic services as well as lack of adequate and affordable housing. The trauma of the residential schools has left many survivors unable to express love or understand what it means to be a parent. both Canada and Mexico, the thesis was a call to action. A series of statistics described the enormity of the problem. Victimization is racialized and gendered. Aboriginal women are 3.5 times more likely to be victims than their white sisters. Since 1974, 504 women in Canada have gone missing or been murdered. One third are missing; two-thirds have been murdered. Of the missing, 47 per cent are under the age of 25.A speaker from the Regina Police Service provided understanding about “being missing.” Eighty per cent of missing persons are female runaways. There are many reasons why someone may go missing, e.g. needing a new life; gone into hiding or a shelter; escaping from domestic violence; mental or physical health problems; outstanding warrants, recidivism and relationships. People who have gone missing still have rights that
must be respected. Police cannot get access to bank or health records without a warrant and to get one they must be able to cite a Criminal Code offence. Being missing does not qualify. The conference heard many stories. Some speakers from Ciudad Juarez in Chihuahua state described the anarchy and lawlessness that pervades the border area of northern Mexico. Eva Arce and Paula Flores brought the political back to the personal by sharing their heartbreaking stories of the loss of their daughters. Towards the end of the four days, Morningstar Mercredi and Shauneen Pete urged new understandings of all these problems. Morningstar told of her healing journey through writing which helped attendees close the circle that had begun with Maria Campbell on the first day talking about the man who was kind to children and animals but abused his family. She had reminded us that patriarchy and misogyny are so ingrained in our society that they are normal. This is what we are called to change. It was hard to listen to the speakers and not feel uncomfortable. Men were noticeable by their absence in the room. The few who came were recognized for being there but at times felt excoriated for their complicity in the violence, misogyny, and lack of understanding that everyone is indeed our sisters' (and brothers') keeper. We are all called “to strive for justice and peace and to respect the dignity of every human being.” We all need to be involved in work that takes us out of our comfort zone.
held a healing service in conjunction with Mr. Sanderson at the Anglican church there. Next the team took on planning, leading and executing a highenergy kids' program in the style of a one-day Vacation Bible School for St. George's Church on the east flat of Prince Albert. This day was a highlight for the team, as they shared the love of the Lord with about 25 youth from the area. The kids got a real charge out of getting to throw cream pies at the youth leaders at the end of the day! A new experience for many. The team also worked very long hours renovating, repairing and repainting both the James Smith Anglican Church and Holy Trinity Church, Prince Albert with truly amazing, professional results! Not every mission trip includes a tornado, but the end of their week in Prince Albert turned out to be very memorable as the tornado touched down outside our
city in several places. Unfortunately, that day was the Billy Graham Kidzfest, held at the Prince Albert exhibition grounds, and the foul weather kept many people away. However, the mission team held up really well and their spirits were high as they helped in the preparations for the Kidzfest rock concert. At the end of the night, the mission group was on hand to counsel many of the children who made a decision to accept Christ that night. All in all, it was a very full week. The Reverend Dr. David Smith was truly blessed and impressed by the attitudes and Christian commitment of this team. When they take on a mission, they foot every expense and they do not cut any corners. This diocese would be honoured and privileged to have them again.
REGINA - On September 21, the main worship service at All Saints Church was overwhelmed by creatures of the canine persuasion. Approximately 20 dogs came to church with their human companions and families. The words of the service, including hymns, were projected using a Powerpoint system, and illustrated with pictures of wild and domestic animals. With no books or papers to hold, handlers were able to fully participate in worship. In fact, some owners with their dogs addressed the congregation after Rev. Trish shared a brief homily on Jesus' parable of the Lost Sheep. People were invited to share how God has touched them through their pets. There were moving accounts of how God has shepherded and assisted in the healing of people through care and nurturing from their animals. Towards the end of the service, pets were brought forward for a blessing: “The eye of God be upon you to care for you, protect you and bless you.” Hymns included “Morning Has Broken,” “As the Deer Panteth,” “All Creatures of our God and King,” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” Refreshments for both humans and animals were available in the parish hall after a photo opportunity on the Church lawn
Photo by Rev. Trish McCarthy/Christine Jakubowski
God touches people through their animals.
Mission group visits Diocese of Saskatchewan
By the Reverend Tracey Lloyd Smith PRINCE ALBERT (Sask) On Wednesday August 20, St. George's Parish in Prince Albert saw the arrival of over 20 youth and several chaperones from the Anglican Parish of St. John, Edmonton, Alberta. This dynamic youth group commits themselves to a new mission trip each and every year. This year was their “national” trip, and they had asked the Diocese of Saskatchewan some time ago if they could use their services. The following year, they plan to do a local mission, followed by an international mission. This team has been twice to Mexico, building homes for the poor through “Amor ministries”. The team coordinated a visit to James Smith Reserve, through the Reverend and Mrs. Wilfred Sanderson, and worked with young people there. They also
Photos contributed
Above: Teens enjoy their mission group experience in the Diocese of Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008 - 9
St. Christopher's Church wipes out building debt By Merv Benson CHRISTOPHER LAKE (Sask) Members of St. Christopher's Anglican Church in Christopher Lake recently celebrated the final debt repayment on a quarter-milliondollar expansion to their church. The congregation paid off the last of a $40,000 loan that had been extended by the Anglican Church Foundation in 1998, the year it undertook to double the size and modernize the main floor of the church building, and add a lower hall and kitchen facilities for meetings and events. The original structure, built in the early 1930s, had no meeting or modern washroom facilities. A ceremonial “mortgage burning” was staged Sunday, September 7 following the regular morning service, in the parking lot adjacent to the church. As the congregation gathered around to watch “mortgage” paper burn in an open container, Rector's Warden William Johnston paid tribute to all who had played a part in the project over the last 10 years. Construction on the expanded structure started in June, 1998, and was completed in the fall of 1999. Fundraising for the project had started late in 1997, and most of the $256,000 cost was paid off by the
Floral Tributes of Respect for Harvest Thanksgiving; a New Ministry for St. James' Saskatoon by Mary McKay
Photo contributed
William Johnson, Rector's Warden at St.Christopher's Anglican Church in Christopher Lake, prepares the “mortgage” package for burning - under the watchful eye of Pat Martin, Nancy Carruthers, Esther Hay, David Johnson, and Talia, Azzaria and Breanna Pelligrini, as members of the congregation gathered in the parking lot adjacent to the church.
- SASKATOON - Harvest Thanksgiving! Even just the words evoke all one's senses. The celebration of our thankfulness to God for the gifts of produce that have been garnered is humbling yet also elating. We, God's people, are His Harvest! The words of Henry Alford's hymn ring out: 'For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take his harvest home.' So on Sunday, September 21st ' 08, we celebrated not only by adorning the sanctuary with fruits, vegetables and flowers but also by honouring the memory of many St. James' parishioners whose gravesites are at Saskatoon's Woodlawn Cemetery. The flowers that had graced the sanctuary for the service were made into 41 bouquets of tribute. The flowers were taken to the cemetery by a team of parishioners who laid them at the many gravesites. Our acts of remembrance included the couple who started our Nutana church, W. P. and Maud Bate; also the first couple to be married at St. James', Frank and Alice Bates as well as former rectors; Roy with Marjory Manwaring and Bruce Rathbone. The others were a few of the many members of St. James' family who are now in God's care. They all shared in Christ's ministry, worshipped, worked, lived, laughed, wept and loved. Their brief stories are found on St. James' website at: www.refinersonline.org/St. James' History.
end of 1999, except for about $25,000 of the low-interest, long-term national church loan. The final payment on the loan was made to the Anglican Church Foundation on July 29, 2008.
IN MEMORIAM MCFADDEN, Clement 1926 to 2008 Archdeacon Clement (Clem) F.R. McFadden of Sylvan Lake, Alberta passed away peacefully at the Bethany College Side Care Facility in Red Deer, Alberta on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at the age of 82 years. Clem was a graduate of Emmanuel College, Saskatoon and was ordained in 1952. He served in the Dioceses of Saskatchewan and Keewatin until 1964 when he became Rector of Humboldt in our Diocese. From 1969 to 1976, he was Rector of St. Timothy's, Saskatoon and was an Honorary Canon of this Diocese. He subsequently served in the Dioceses of Brandon and Keewatin. He is survived by his loving wife June; one son Rob of Sylvan Lake, Alberta; three daughters, Mae (Gary) Stohl of Regina, Saskatchewan, Carol (Dave) Craig of Creighton, Saskatchewan and Fran (Dale) Argue of Swan River, Manitoba. Also left to cherish Clement's memory are six grandchildren, Dr. Forrest Scharf, Dr. Murray Scharf, Ralph Scharf, Patricia Brown as well as nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Fred and Cora McFadden. A celebration of Clement's life was held at St. Leonard's On-The-Hill Anglican
Photo by SheilaAnn Whiteway
The Bate Memorial (founders of St. James') in Woodlawn Cemetery; with one of 41 Harvest Thanksgiving bouquets prepared by St. James' for pioneer parishioners.
Photo courtesy of The McFadden Family
Archdeacon Clement (Clem) F.R. McFadden, 1926 to 2008 Church, 4241 - 44th Street, Red Deer, on Monday, August 25th. Memorial tributes may be directed to St. Leonard's On-The-Hill Anglican Church, 4241 - 44th Street, Red Deer, Alberta T4N 1H3. Condolences may be forwarded to the family at www.eventidefuneralchapels.com. Service & Cremation Providers: Eventide Funeral Chapels, 4820 - 45th Street, Red Deer. Phone (403) 347-2222.
Hide him during a war Photo by SheilaAnn Whiteway
It was about a month ago when a man in Amsterdam felt that he needed to confess, so went to his priest: "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. During WWII I hid a refugee in my attic." "Well," answered the priest, "that's not a sin." "But I made him agree to pay me 20 Gulden for every week he stayed." "I admit that wasn't good, but you did it for a good cause." "Oh, thank you, Father; that eases my mind. I have one more question..." "What is that, my son?" "Do I have to tell him the war is over?"
Placing a Harvest Thanksgiving bouquet on a former parishioners grave in Woodlawn Cemetery; Doreen Haaland (standing) & Mary McKay (sitting).
Errata: Due to a glitch in the computer program a portion of the last line of the article on Rey Dahlmen’s ordination was omitted in the October edition of the Saskatchewan Anglican.. The final sentence should have read: “Don Wells had been travelling to Raymore for communion services once a month, and Rey had assisted him.” The Saskatchewan A nglican regrets this omission.
10 - The Saskatchewan Anglican, November, 2008
The Winners Walk of Hope by the Reverend Canon Colin Clay There was a crowd of several hundred people on the riverbank in downtown Saskatoon for the Winners Walk of Hope on the morning, of Sunday, September 7th, 2008 to recognize survivors of ovarian cancer and to celebrate the lives of those who are remembered. All those who registered for the walk received a "Winners Walk" T-shirt. Prominently displayed in the registration tent at the start of the walk were three 8 x 10 pictures of those we were honouring: Pat Clay, Sylvia Redl and Donna Divall. Dr Chris Giede, with his wife, Connie and his nurse in the cancer clinic, Kathy Ward, also joined in the walk. The National Cancer Institute of Canada has stated that, in 2008 an estimated 2500 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 1700 women will die from the disease. Ovarian cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer because its early detection rates are so dismal. In 2007, the walk was on Sunday, September 9th; that year Pat was recognized as the second best fund-raiser for The Winners Walk of Hope. Two weeks later, our dearest Pat died peacefully in Saskatoon's City Hospital. We remember her today, each September 24th, and indeed, every day.
For this year's walk, I was proud to wear the backpack, with the attached doll bearing an enlarged picture of Pat and boldly displaying her name, which Pat's brother, Bill wore on last year's Winners Walk in Saskatoon (last year Pat was unable to walk because her illness was, by that time, quite advanced). I was asked to say a prayer at the Vimy Memorial as we prepared for the walk from the Vimy Memorial and down to the river weir and back. Pat's team, which had gathered at the Vimy Memorial before the walk or, who joined us during the course of the walk, consisted of Jenifer Downer and Brian Pratt, Dale Jeffrey and Trish Smith, John Sheard, Rita Gillies, Susan Gilmer and myself. Following the walk and after retuning to the Vimy Memorial, there were a number of speeches and the award of prizes to those who had raised the most money for the Canadawide Ovarian Cancer Association. The families of Sylvia, Pat and Donna were invited to go up on to the band shell stage where they were each presented with a beautiful picture of sunflowers. The sunflower is the symbol of ovarian cancer survivors and, in Pat's case, this is so appropriate since her Master's thesis (and the subject of several articles in which she shared in the Canadian botanical magazine) focused on
sunflowers (e.g. Canadian Journal of Botany Number 11, 1981: V.K. Sawhney, P.J. Rennie and T.A. Steeves: "The ultrastructure of the central zone cells of the shoot apex of Helianthus annus"). I always said to Pat that I couldn't even understand the title, let alone the contents of the article! After the presentations to representatives of the three families of Pat, Sylvia and Donna, I was asked to offer a tribute to these three courageous women. Some of you have seen this and I have copies on my computer if there is anyone who would like a copy. Several people spoke to me afterwards (especially from the families) and the talk seems to have been appreciated. The event then gradually drew to a close and the crowd dispersed. It was a special joy to have shared in this year's walk and it was good to meet again with Pat's friends in the local chapter of the Ovarian Cancer Survivors Association. As always, their spirits are good, although the disease continues to take its toll. Everyone has such a positive attitude is filled with hope and demonstrates such incredible courage. It was a very moving time. After walking five kilometers and sharing in a few hours of intense emotion I must say I did feel quite tired. But, as was also the case last year, it was an experience not to be missed.
Photo byHelen Hanson, an Ovarian Cancer Survivor
A crowd of several hundred marchers assembled for The Winners Walk of Hope on the riverbank on a beautiful fall day.
Photo by Helen Hanson
The Start and Finish Line for The Winners Walk of Hope at the Vimy Monument
Three New Canons for the Diocese of Saskatoon Announced by Peter R. Coolen
Photo by Helen Hanson
Photo by Helen Hanson
The Reverend Canon Colin Clay led prayers for the survivors of Ovarian Cancer and their supporters before the Winners Walk of Hope and gave a tribute afterwards.
-SASKATOON- At a Clergy Day, held at the Cathedral of St. John, on October 1st, 2008, the Right Reverend Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon announced that he had made Ms. Lorea Eufemia (Secetary/Treasurer to the Synod Office); the Reverend Dr. Henry M. Comerford (Incumbent at St. George's) and Pastor Jim Halmarson (Incumbent at Christ Church and member of the Strategic Directions Task Force) Canons of the Diocese of Saskatoon in recognition of their many past and present services to the diocese. The new Incumbent at St. James, the Reverend Dianne Mesh was also presented with her license by the Bishop, at this time.
- The Registration table with pictures of the three survivors of Ovarian Cancer; Pat Clay, Sylvia Redl and Donna Divall
Signs seen near church The following are actual signs found on church property. "No God-No Peace. Know God-Know Peace." "Free Trip to heaven. Details Inside!" "Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins." "Searching for a new look? Have your faith lifted here!" An ad for St. Joseph's Episcopal Church has a picture of two hands holding stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed and a headline that reads, "For fast, fast, fast relief, take two tablets."
Photo by Peter R. Coolen
The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews and the three new Canons of the Diocese ( L to R: Ms. Lorea Eufemia, the Reverend Dr. Henry M. Comerford and Pastor Jim Halmarson) (Canon Beth Beth Bison, Chancellor of Synod and Ms. Shauna Milner, Administrative Assistant of the Synod Office stand to the left of the Bishop)
Collected Letters from Lambeth Conference 2008 - Part I
The Saskatchewan Anglican,November, 2008 - 11
by The Right Rev. Rodney Andrews, Bishop of Saskatoon Background: Every ten years the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, invites the bishops in the Anglican Communion to a conference called the Lambeth Conference. When the Conferences began in 1867, they were held at Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop. There are now 77 million Anglicans around the globe, over 600 bishops and the Conference is too large to be held at Lambeth Palace; it is now held in a residential setting on the campus of the University of Kent, near the city of Canterbury, England. While the bishops are meeting, their spouses hold a parallel conference called “The Lambeth Spouses Conference”. This year, at Lambeth, the three Saskatchewan Dioceses were represented by the Right Reverend Tony Burton, Bishop of Saskatchewan and his wife Anna; the Right Reverend Greg Kerr Wilson and his wife Vicki of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle; and the Right Reverend. Rodney Andrews and his wife Jacqueline Plante of the Diocese of Saskatoon. In his first letter, Bishop Andrews wrote from the Diocese of Ely, where he and Jacqueline were hosted during the PreLambeth Hospitality Initiative; later, during the Lambeth Conference, Bishop Rodney Andrews wrote several additional letters to family, friends and to the Diocese. These letters were not intended to be a definitive record of the Lambeth Conference, however they are printed here in the hope that readers of the Saskatchewan Anglican will catch some of the flavour and atmosphere of the Conference.
July 13, 2008; the Diocese of Ely:
We are beginning to experience the Lambeth Conference even though we are 100 miles and two days away. Our gathering of bishops and spouses looks like the Anglican world different languages and skin colours. This morning the bishops robed and processed in Ely Cathedral. Our spouses sat in the front row looking great in national dress. We have bishops and spouses from India, Papua New Guinea, Australia, England, Western Massachusetts USA and Canada (Jacqueline and I). We were very fortunate to be invited to Ely. The Bishop, the Right Reverend Anthony Russell, is a wonderful man and his wife Sheila is warm and welcoming. The hospitality in the Conference Centre where we are staying, the Bishop's House and the Deanery is splendid. Each day we have worship services and Bible study together. The Dean has a pas-
ture located in the cloister. A Romanian gypsy named Bill keeps his pinto horses there. On Friday night Bishop Anthony and his wife Sheila invited a number of farmers and their wives to dinner at the Bishop's House. It was a wonderful, informal gathering. I was often asked to explain the names of 'Saskatoon, Saskatchewan'. Yesterday the Dean hosted us to lunch at his restaurant which is part of the Cathedral complex. Tomorrow we are off to visit a seacoast village. The next day we will be in Cambridge to visit churches and learn about their ministry, and to visit the university. One of our Saskatoon clergy, the Reverend Dr. Reg Wickett, is doing research at Cambridge. Some of the clergy here know Reg, a demonstration of how small the Anglican world is. Jacqueline is loving the great food and the magnificent English countryside scenery. She is learning English expressions such as “that is the pot calling the kettle black”. One of the bishops who is with us is from Papua New Guinea. His name is Denys. He has a great laugh and a warm personality. His diocese is very mountainous and he often walks six hours from one church to another. We feel at home here because there are many similarities with our own Diocese of Saskatoon. A major university (Cambridge), farming, rural life, small towns and a low church tradition. Ely has a population of just 15,000. Their huge 900-yearold Cathedral is much larger than they need! The farmers grow wheat and potatoes. There are many small churches in villages and rural areas. The Bishop of Ely, the Right Reverend Anthony Russell, is the foremost expert on farming in the English House of Bishops. He speaks for the church on the subject of agriculture. Bishop Anthony has a D.Phil. degree from Oxford, and is Visitor to several Cambridge Colleges. The Russells, the Diocesan clergy and Synod staff are wonderful hosts. July 15, 2008; Canterbury, England
I am sitting in the library at the University of Kent overlooking Canterbury Cathedral which is about a mile away. The Conference begins this evening with a greeting from the Archbishop of Canterbury and his first presidential address. The University of Kent campus looks like a United Nations with people of many languages, colours and national dress walking about. Many of the bishops (not many Canadians) are wearing purple shirts with large pectoral crosses. Last evening I met a young woman, who was a Spanish translator at an Episcopal Church meeting I attended in Chicago, in November 2006. She said there are 56 translators here working in seven languages. She lives in Idaho and was brought here to translate because she knows church terms and can translate theological and ecclesiastical words easily. She works on a contract for the American church. Our Ely group had fun last night going around the campus to see everyone else's accommodation; singing 'Waltzing Matilda' outside the Australian couples room; helping people move furniture and exploring the conference venues. We became a close-knit group during our few days in Ely. Our rooms are student accommodation. They are very nice and brand new with a private bath in each room. There has been a lot of press in England about women bishops. It leads to some interesting situations. People are not sure whether Jacqueline is the bishop or I am! At a dinner at the Bishop's House in Ely a man said “Oh, you are also from Saskatoon. I think I met your bishop a few minutes ago. She is sitting over there with the white blouse if I am not mistaken.” The woman next to us in the residence is African American. She is Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts, the Right Reverend Gayle Harris. A man asked her what her husband's views were on something or another. When she told him “I am the bishop.” he was quite startled. Our friends from the USA who were with us in Ely arrived in England a week ago. Their airline has not found
their luggage yet. They are taking a train to Gatwick Airport to try to sort it out. We have been lending them clothes, robes etc. I cannot imagine how we would have managed if this had happened to us. They phone and e-mail every day trying to locate their suitcases, with no results. Yesterday our group was hosted to a very formal lunch by the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. The Bishop of Ely is the Visitor of the College. The Master of Jesus College is head of the Engineering Department and his wife is a lawyer. They have a huge lawn right in the middle of Cambridge with a private wall around it. Drinks were served on the lawn and some of us played croquet. There was a seating plan in a formal dining room where stewards appeared from time to time with remarkable food. After lunch we adjourned to the lawn for coffee and tea. The Chaplain of Jesus College is a very bright young man with impeccable clerical attire; he said grace in Latin. The lunch was an experience to be envied by the Cambridge grads in our Diocese of Saskatoon (Reg Wickett and Colin Clay). Some of the Canadian bishops coming down from Scotland yesterday (including Our Primate and his wife Lynn) were held up by a traffic accident (not involving them). They got in at four a.m. and looked very weary at breakfast this morning. We met Bishop Patrick (who spent a year at Emmanuel and St. Chad) and his wife, Emmy; she is an attractive young woman who laughs a lot and speaks good English. They are looking forward to the visit from Richard and Gwendolyn Spencer to their Diocese in Tanzania this autumn. Each day the Conference begins at 7:15 a.m. with worship led by bishops and their spouses from different countries. Our rooms are at the far end of the campus so we have a 20 to 30-minute walk to the main venues and meals. I asked a young Conference Steward who was riding by where I could rent a bicycle like his and he replied 'Tanzania'! To be continued……
12 - The Saskatchewan Anglican,
November, 2008
We will Remember Them All of us are familiar with the Remembrance Day Ceremony celebrated throughout our country under the auspices of the Royal Canadian Legion. Either through attendance at these ceremonies in person, or through watching the National remembrance day program on Capital Hill in Ottawa by means of television, we have heard numerous times the poignant lines from this solemn day of remembrance-“ They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them; and “ Lord God of Hosts, Be with us yet, Lest We Forget - lest we forget.” How many of us are familiar with the source of these words? Both are excerpts from poems penned by masters of English Literature. The first are from a poem by Laurence Binyon, entitled
For the Fallen WITH proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night;
The second quotation, which is used as the Closing Ritual, is taken from a poem which many of us studied in school, and was written by an author who, perhaps, is far better known to most of us. The Closing Ritual is from Rudyard Kipling’s poem,
Perhaps the best known Remembrance Day poem is Lt. Col. John McCrea’s In Flanders Fields, which inspired one of our contributors, Mr. Ivan Millard from All Saints Regina to pen the following:
Recessional
November 11
God of our fathers, known of old, Lord of our far-flung battle-line, Beneath whose awful Hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget lest we forget! The tumult and the shouting dies; The Captains and the Kings depart: Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget lest we forget! Far-called, our navies melt away; On dune and headland sinks the fire: Lo, all our pomp of yesterday Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget lest we forget! If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe, Such boastings as the Gentiles use, Or lesser breeds without the Law Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget lest we forget! For heathen heart that puts her trust In reeking tube and iron shard, All valiant dust that builds on dust, And guarding, calls not Thee to guard, For frantic boast and foolish word Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Poppy Facts
In Flanders Fields real poppies blow And here at home there's row on row Of headstones, two that mark the space Of a father and son's last resting place. Harvey Brooks answered twice When the army beckoned. The infantry in the first war, A prison guard in the second. Blue breeks and a scarlet tunic Was the uniform he wore Serving with the Mounties The years between the wars. Howard Harvey Brooks Was Harvey's oldest son. He was just sixteen When his soldier's life begun. He was shot in the leg On a reconnaissance patrol "Missing in action" Was all the family was told. But a North Korean prison Was where he was at With an unattended wound In a building full of rats. It's the mental scars that lasted From his quarrel with the foe. How war affects the minds of men How little do we know. So at our Soldiers' Cemetery On that November day Artificial poppies are left For the wind to blow away.
Ivan Millard, Regina * During the Napoleonic Wars, the poppy drew attention as the mysterious flower that bloomed over the graves of fallen soldiers. * In the 20th Century, the poppy again was widely noticed after soils in France and Belgium became rich in lime from rubble during the First World War. The little red flowers flourished around the graves of the war dead as they had 100 years earlier. * In 1915, Guelph, Ontario native John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Forces Artillery, recorded this phenomenon in his famous poem In Flanders Fields. * Two days before the Armistice, Moina Michael, an American woman from Athens, Georgia, read the McCrae poem and was inspired to wear a poppy year-round in memory of the war dead. * In 1920, Madame E. Guérin of France visited the United States and happened to meet Miss Michael at the YMCA at Columbia University, where the latter was a volunteer. Madame Guérin then resolved to sell handmade poppies around Armistice Day to raise money for poor children in the war-torn areas of Europe. * In 1921, Field-Marshall Earl Haig, the former Commander-in-Chief of the British Armies in France and Belgium and the principal founder of the British Legion, was sold on Madame Guérin's fundraising idea and approved organization of the British Poppy Day Appeal by the Legion to raise money for poor and disabled veterans. * The same year, Madame Guérin visited Canada, and convinced the Great War Veterans Association (predecessor to the Royal Canadian Legion) to similarly adopt the poppy as a symbol of remembrance in aid of fundraising. * Today, the Poppy Campaign is one of the Royal Canadian Legion's most important programs. The money raised from poppy sales provides direct assistance for ex-service people in financial distress, as well as funding for medical appliances and research, home services, care facilities, and numerous other purposes.
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.
Reprinted from the Veterans Canada web site; /www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=teach_resources/poppy