The Saskatchewan Anglican, October 2019 by The Saskatchewan Anglican

Saskatchewan

anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • October 2019

St. Mary, Regina to sponsor South Sudan refugees By Rev. Nathaniel Deng Mayen

Recording the miracles of Jesus

On Oct. 18, Christians around the world celebrate the feast of St. Luke, the physician and companion of St. Paul whose gospel preserved the most extensive biography of Jesus Christ. St. Luke wrote a greater volume of the New Testament than any other single

author, including the earliest history of the Church. Ancient traditions also acknowledge Luke as the founder of Christian iconography, making him a patron of artists as well as doctors and other medical caregivers. Photo by Renata Sedmakova/Shutterstock

College announces some new additions Submitted SASKATOON — The College of Emmanuel & St Chad is welcoming two new academic staff this fall. The Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy will offer courses in pastoral education, while Dr. Adam Wright will teach New Testament studies. Dr. McCarthy is a parish priest with 27 years’ experience in the dioceses of Calgary and Qu’Appelle. She has a doctor of ministry degree in pastoral care and spirituality from the University of the South (Sewanee). Her ministries include

Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

spiritual direction, chaplaincy, youth and inter-cultural work, along with service as an area archdeacon.

Dr. Adam Wright

Dr. Wright is a New Testament scholar with a focus on Greek and Roman inf luences on the New Testament.

He completed a Ph.D. at McMaster Divinity College, and has taught or tutored classes at McMaster, Horizon College, Providence Seminary, and Emmanuel & St Chad. In addition to their teaching duties, the new faculty will take on other roles on behalf of the college. McCarthy will co-ordinate field education and internships, while Wright will work on communications and student recruitment. The college is looking forward to the new interests and new energy each of them will bring to our learning community.

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REGINA — St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church is sponsoring a South Sudanese family of six, who currently live in a Ugandan refugee camp. In order to make this possible, the church needs to raise $9,000 more before the end of this year, as well as $18,000 next year, before the family arrives in Canada. St. Mary’s asks friends and congregations in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle to support this work through prayers and through the following fundraising options: * Direct donations to St. Mary Anglican Church, with a memo line “South Sudanese Family Sponsorship.” Please mail cheques to St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, 3337 – 15th Ave. Regina, Sask., S4T 1T3. * Attend the South Sudanese Food Fair – a fundraiser to be held Oct. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. in St. Mary’s upper hall. Meals, ready to be taken home to enjoy, will be prepared by the South Sudanese people in Regina, in support of the family in the refugee camp. * Donate cans and bottles – St. Mary’s will collect cans and bottle to recycle. Regina residents may contact Amanda Hayward (306-584-1590), Elizabeth Deng (639-571-0149), or Nathaniel Deng Mayen (306-716-6380) for a flyer about the recycling Continued on page 4

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

Lieutenantgovernor visits Qu'Appelle House

Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August.

The new lieutenantgovernor of Saskatchewan, His Honour Russ Mirasty (standing left) and Her Honour Donna Mirasty attended Family Night at Qu’Appelle House on Aug. 14. Qu’Appelle House, a special care home in Regina built by the Diocese of Qu’Appelle in 1966, holds four family nights each year for the residents and guests. The August event featured barbecued hamburgers prepared by staff and volunteers. Also pictured are Joan Osborne and Qu’Appelle House board chairman Doug Osborne. Photo by Bev Desautels

Whole No. 292, Vol. 48, No. 2 A Section of the Anglican Journal SUBSCRIPTIONS For change of address, undeliverable copies and subscription list updates, contact: • Your parish • e-mail: circulation @national.anglican.ca • Or send to Saskatchewan Anglican, c/o Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ont. M4Y 3G2 RATES $10 in Canada $17 outside Canada

Join the conversation on shared faith By the Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier Editor’s note: Rev. MarieLouise Ternier serves All Saints Anglican Parish and Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Watrous. She is also a member of the national Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue (ARC Canada). A longer version of this article can be found on her blog at http://graceatsixty.wordpress.com.

he National Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue, coined ARC Canada, has begun exploring the new document “Walking Together Learning to Be Church Local, Regional, Global.” ARC Canada’s mandate is to bring the agreements and study documents produced by ARCIC (Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission) to our Canadian context and find ways to share the gifts in these texts with the people in our parishes as well as our local pastoral leadership. ARC Canada’s most recent project, completed last year, was an innovative collection of stories featuring lived ARC experiences in Canada, which was

published online at https:// churchesindialogue.ca/en/ newstoriestotell. The new document Walking Together is unique in at least a couple of ways. One, it is the longest, most substantial text ARCIC has produced in its 50-plus years of work. It also tackles the most complex and most contentious questions between our two traditions, such as the governance and authority structures in our respective communions, with its respective processes of decision-making. There is much that we agree on in matters of faith. The most visible and salient differences between Anglicans and RCs reside in the governance and authority structures. Delicate and challenging as it was, ARCIC has done incredibly important work in this new text that merits our utmost attention and engagement. Secondly, Walking Together is the first ecumenical document that applies the methodology of Receptive Ecumenism, a concept that originated with the RC theologian Paul Murray. Traditional ecumenical

dialogues would engage from a place of “this is what we do best in our church and you need this in yours.” Receptive Ecumenism reverses the question: “What are we lacking in our tradition that is much better developed/done in yours and that we can learn from?” Walking Together is illustrating how radically this can change the tone and direction of the conversation and provide new avenues for engagement. In order to bring this significant document to the Prairies, a modest study group has been formed of ecumenically-minded Anglicans and Roman Catholics in Saskatchewan. The 20-plus members come from Regina, Saskatoon, Fort Qu’Appelle, Humboldt, Muenster, North Battleford, Rosthern, and Kenaston. The group is equally divided between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, including both clergy and lay reps. The group calls itself SaskARC and was formed at the personal initiative of the two Anglican ARC Canada members from the Prairies, the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke and the Rev. Marie-Louise

Ternier. All Saskatchewan bishops (Anglican, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Catholic) have been informed of the group’s existence and have been invited to contribute input, prayers and direction. To date the SaskARC group has met three times. Meetings include learning about the history of Anglican-Roman Catholic relations and dialogue and beginning to explore Walking Together. The large membership is deliberate, in order to accommodate life’s interruptions that can prevent attendance while still having a good group composition for each meeting. Participation via videoconferencing is a possible future avenue, and written reflections/responses are also welcomed. The document Walking Together can be accessed online at https://iarccum. org/archive/ARCIC3/201805-21_arcic-iii_walkingtogether-on-the-way_en.pdf. The SaskARC group remains open to new participants. If you are interested, please email the Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier at marlise_14@sasktel.net.

SUBMISSIONS Submissions for the November issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Oct. 23.. All pictures must be sent as JPEGS and 1 MB (megabyte) in size. CONTACT INFORMATION Managing Editor: Jason Antonio SKAnglicanEditor@gmail. com 1501 College Ave Regina, Sask., S4P 1B8 Phone: 306-737-4898 Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin joannesm@myaccess.ca 6927 Farrell Bay Regina, Sask., S4X 3V4 Phone: 306-775-2629 Saskatoon: Peter Coolen ptrcoolen@sasktel.net 820 Avenue I South, Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 1Z3 Phone: 306-244-0935, Saskatchewan: Mary Brown mary1949brown@gmail.com Box 25, Shellbrook, Sask., S0J 2E0 306-922-5159 Advertising agent: Angela Rush saskatchewan.anglican.ads@ gmail.com 905-630-0390 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

The Bishop's Corner

Who are you and what's your message? By the Right Rev. Chris Harper Bishop of Saskatoon

nowing who you are and to what you have been called to are vitally important. This is especially so in a world that asks all to conform and run in the same direction, regardless of the full knowledge of knowing what we are running to and from. Knowing yourself, your identity and calling, are a small start in the right direction — with an addendum: prayerfully and hopefully under the voice and guidance of God Almighty. In November I come to the one-year anniversary of my consecration as the 13th bishop of Saskatoon, so this means I come to a time of reflection and examination of ministry, while marvelling at the calling of God our Creator, who knows us so much better than we do ourselves. Our identity and faith lived out in the world around us mean we are seen and acknowledged for being who we are and what we were meant

to be. So, what does it mean to be an Anglican in the world around us today? Do we as a people of faith stand and profess what we desire, or do we heed the voice and call of God Almighty? Lately Tracy and I have been reading and meditating over the Prophet Jeremiah also known as the “Weeping Prophet” (c.627-c.586 BC),

and have marvelled in the calling of his ministry. A prophet who was counted among the major prophets in the Bible, but yet was reluctant in his calling, because his message from God was one that the Nation of Israel did not want to hear. Jeremiah was called of God and “was known from the womb” (cf Jer.1:5); God knew the messenger Jeremiah and knew who was to be sent. As a people of God, we too undermine the known calling of God before us. We diminish the abilities and ministry set before us, while we lose the voice of God in the rush and the roar of the world around us. How often we, as a people of God, think and believe that we know all that God has set before us and called us to, and then stand in pain, anger and confusion when it does not play out the way we expect it to. To seek God is to open ourselves to something better than the world of ourselves. Jeremiah was also known as a

prophet of hope, despite the challenges, persecution, and threats because of his calling and proclamation of God’s word and correction (cf. Jer. 15:20). His message also contained hope, realised in the mercy and knowledge of God. A God who would relent and change, to again reach out and embrace the children of creation, if they, but again, walked in truth and their identity and calling. What do we as Anglicans proclaim in our world of so many voices? What do we stand for? What message do we bring forth in our ministry and calling of today? Do we know who we are and what message we proclaim before the world? Is it enough to live out and call it Our Faith? What does it mean to be a child of God/Christian/ Anglican? Do you know who you are, what you are and to what you have been called to? Are you bold enough to believe, live it out before others and proclaim it in all you say and do? May God bless you in your ministry.

King's College kids enjoy Northern Saskatchewan By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — Once again students from King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia have come to the Diocese of Saskatchewan. This year 10 young people arrived in early July. They stayed at the residence at SIAST in Prince Albert and two cars were rented for their travels. Some of them attended a gathering in Stanley Mission where they were fed walleye and moose stew among other delicacies. They enjoyed a boat ride to Holy Trinity Church and a great day visiting with the community. The ones that didn’t go to Stanley Mission conducted a Vacation Bible School (VBS) session at St. George’s Church in Prince Albert. There were 40 kids in attendance and a great time was had by all. Another very successful session was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Cumberland House with 30 students.

Hanging out on the steps of St. Alban's Cathedral in Prince Albert are students from King's College in Nova Scotia, including: Will Barton, Allan Rempel, Nathan Ferguson, Karis Tees, Katy Weatherly, Cameron Lowe, Apolonnia Perri, Joe Blackwood, Benjamin von Bredow and Helen Hillis. Photo by Mary Brown

The topics for the VBS lessons were the study of the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles Creed. Other VBS classes were held in Arborfield, Birch Hills and Muskoday. They also helped build a new deck on St. Steven’s Church on

James Smith Reserve plus did VBS where more than 20 were in attendance. I met them when I went to St. Alban’s Cathedral for a service of Compline, my favourite. Unfortunately, I missed the service because I thought it started half an

hour later than it did. When I arrived half an hour late at the church, everyone was up at the front in the choir benches. There were no lights on, just 10 lit candles held by the young people from Nova Scotia. It was so moving, they were singing

“Salve Regina” that is a Gregorian chant, a hymn to Mary. Karis Tees, a music scholar, coached the group earlier in the day. It was hard to believe they had not been doing this every day. On their last day in the diocese the students participated in a sung Eucharist — with incense and meditation — commemorating the Dormition of Our Lady. Both of our new deacons also attended the service. Jordan Draper actually sang the Gospel, which I think would be very hard to do. He did a good job. Katey Weatherby preached a very powerful sermon on the meaning of death. She had just returned from Nova Scotia, where she had gone home to attend the funerals of her friend’s parents, both of whom had died in an accident. Both of these services had an aura of reverence and holiness that were overwhelming. The combination of beautiful singing and genuine camaraderie stays with you. Continued on page 4

The Saskatchewan Anglican

... St. Mary, Regina to sponsor South Sudan refugees

October 2019

Create your legacy There are more ways to give than writing a cheque. The Anglican Foundation of Canada has developed a new and creative booklet to explore tax-efficient options for giving.

Continued from page 1 project, or for more information on pick up of bottles and cans. Welcoming and loving strangers is a precious gift from the Lord, our God (Leviticus 19: 33-34). For more information about the sponsorship, contact Rev. Nathaniel Athian Deng Mayen, chair of the Refugee Sponsorship Committee, by email at nadeathiand@gmail. com (preferred) or phone 306 -716 - 6380.

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... King's College kids enjoy Saskatchewan Continued from page 3 Maybe because both Bishop Anthony Bur ton and Bishop Michael Hawkins attended K ing’s College, I found that the diocese as a whole encouraged this same sensation. It would be evident on days when all the clerg y would meet at the synod of f ice. Many of the clerg y also attended K ing’s and they

brought with them this same veneration. This would explain why these defvout young people are drawn to the Diocese of Saskatchewan. I expect they have made a di f ference in the places they visited this summer, but also that visiting us will have made a lasting impression on them.

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON

Announcements for October 2019 Saskatchewan Anglican online! Did you know that you can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online at https://issuu.com/thesaskatchewananglican or on Facebook at www. facebook.com/saskatchewananglican or the Diocese of Saskatoon website at www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/saskanglican?

For more information or to register please contact Mercedes Montgomery at 306-374-5182, at mjmontgomery@shaw.ca or Sandra at 306-373-5182, or s.cey@shaw.ca. Registration fee for full weekend: $35. (Registration for Friday evening only is $10). Registration deadline is Oct. 7 (please see poster elsewhere in this issue).

g What is our bishop up to? Check out the Bishop’s Calendar on the redesigned, new and improved diocesan website.

g Afternoon Tea at Christ Church: Christ Church, Saskatoon will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of its present church with an afternoon tea on Saturday, Sept. 28. The tea will have two sittings, one at 1 p.m. and the other at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and $15 per takeaway box. Proceeds will be used for the Parish Roof Fund. For more information please contact Julia McDougall at 306-657-4089 or flyingcamel@ shaw.ca.

g Annual Fall Fowl Supper at St. Martin’s, Pike Lake: The Parish of St. Martin’s in the Fields, Pike Lake will hold its annual fowl supper with its single-sitting beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Pike Lake Community Hall. Tickets are: Adults $20, kids six to 12: $10 and pre-school: $5. To reserve your tickets please call Nancy at 306-242-2473 or Cheryl at 306-934-4852 (please also see notice elsewhere in this issue). g Lutheran-Anglican Women’s Retreat: “We Journey Together,” the Lutheran-Anglican Women’s Retreat for the autumn of 2019 will be held on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19 at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Cathedral, Saskatoon.

g Celtic Evening Service in Saskatoon: The Celtic Evening Eucharist Service continues in its third year at St. George’s Anglican Church, 624 Ave. I South, Saskatoon. Services are held every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. g Synod 2019 is coming: In accordance with the diocesan Consti-

tution and Canons, please note that the next triennial ordinary session of the Diocesan Synod of the Diocese of Saskatoon will be held in St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, 135-109th Street West, Saskatoon from Oct. 3 to 5, Saskatoon. Preliminary schedule is Oct. 3, at 4 p.m. registration followed by opening Eucharist, supper and first session of business. Oct. 4, all day; Oct. 5, synod ends at 3 p.m. For more information visit www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon; anglicansynod@ sasktel.net or 306-244-5651. Appointments, resignations, etc. g The Rev. Trish McCarthy was appointed Aug. 1 to work onequarter time as the co-ordinator of the Locally Raised Clergy Program and to do pulpit supply, while she continues her work at the College of Emmanuel & St. Chad. McCarthy is from the Saskatchewan Gateway Parish, Moosomin in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. g Volunteer treasurer and bookkeeper positions available: The vestry of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon, is now searching for a volunteer treasurer and bookkeeper for the cathedral. Their current treasurer

and bookkeeper will be stepping down at the end of 2019. They are hoping to have these positions filled by the end of the current calendar year. As these are two different positions, one person may assume the responsibility for both, or they can be taken on separately by two persons. The duties for each position are available from the cathedral office. If, after reading the description of duties, you think you may be interested in assisting them, by taking on one or both positions, please prayerfully consider this opportunity to assist the cathedral in this way and speak to either their People’s Warden (Senos Timon), their Deputy People’s Warden (Darcey Anton) or Dean Scott, or call the cathedral cffice at 306-242-5146. Deadline To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be sent to the Associate Editor by e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which insertion is desired (for example, December submissions will be in the February issue). Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included here, but should space allow, could be the subject of article and notices elsewhere in the paper.

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

New deacons told to become servants of others By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT —David Butorac and Jordan Draper were ordained as deacons in the Diocese of Saskatchewan on Ascension Day on May 30. Both of these men came to the diocese to discern their vocations in ministry. They chose to be Anglican priests and each has a fulltime position in a parish. Draper will be the deacon in St. Mary’s Church, Birch Hills, St. George’s, Kinistino, and St. James in Muskoday. Butorac will be the deacon and curate at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert. The ordination was held in St. Mary’s Church in Birch Hills with a full church. Due to their past experiences in previous summers there were people from across the diocese in attendance, including from Arborfield, Stanley Mission, St. David and St. Albans. Jane Neish from the Northwest Territories, via Nova Scotia, was a good friend of both deacons and made the trip to see them ordained. The Rev. Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers placed the stole on Butorac and the Rev. Renal, the chaplain at King’s College, placed the stole on Draper. The Rev. Gary Thorne, former principal at King’s College, preached at the service. He began his sermon with the lesson for Ascension Day, Acts 1:1 — But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when Jesus had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. He told Draper and Butorac that this night the Holy Spirit would come upon them and they would receive power. But what kind of power? The power to serve, to embrace the brokenhearted, to live in solidarity with the poor, the persecuted, the misunderstood and those who are suffering. A deacon in the church of God serves in a par-

The two new deacons gather with some friends. In the back are Rev. Norbert Haukenfrers and Rev. Ranall Ingalls, while in front are Deacon David Butorac, Rev. Gary Thorne and Deacon Jordan Draper. Photos by Mary Brown ticular way. To serve as a deacon in the church of God is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, to put on the mind of Christ. Empty yourself, become obedient, take on the form of a servant and in prayer seek your humiliation. The ministry of the deacon is that of Christ Himself. As the first deacon Stephen was also the first martyr of the church, so the deaconate is a daily martyrdom. It is a daily dying to self and living to Christ. Without the diaconate, the priesthood and episcopacy cease to be Christ-like ministries. Rev. Thorne’s final words to the deacons were when you go where it hurts, enter into the places of pain, share in brokenness, fear, confusion and anguish; cry out with those in misery; mourn with those who are lonely; weep with those in tears; when you are weak with the weak, and powerless with the powerless. When you wash the feet of the broken-hearted, may they see Jesus. If the deacons take to heart this powerful message, lucky are the people to whom they will minister. Both men have had a very busy summer and are preparing for their ordination to the priesthood on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in St. Alban’s Cathedral Church.

Priscilla Joseph presents new Deacon David Butorac with a beaded cross from St. Alban's Cathedral in Prince Albert, after the ordination.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN

Ordinations to priesthood set for mid-October g The diocese will be hosting the Synod of the Province of Rupert’s Land in May 2 021. Anyone interested in serving on the local arrangements committee and/or volunteering with the synod please contact the Synod Off ice.

g The fall clerg y retreat will be Oct. 16 to 18 in Muenster. g On Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Jordan Draper and David Butorac will be ordained to the priesthood in St. A lban’s Cathedral. g The Parish of St.

John’s, Nipawin and Church of the Ascension, Arbor f ield will need our prayers as their selection committee looks for a new priest. g Nick Bilyk, lay reader and Order of Saskatchewan member, died on May 18. Not many

people have the funeral liturg y all set out for the priest to administer. To Rev. Eyad’s surprise, the whole service was ready, down to the readings, hymns and even the f inal blessing. Bilyk leaves to mourn his f ive sons and their families and his many friends.

DIOCESE OF QU’APPELLE

Former church buildings closed and sold g On Sept. 1, Rev. Dell Bornowsky took on part-time responsibility as retired associate priest with Plain and Valley Parish (All Saints, Lumsden; St. Nicholas, Kennell; and All Saints, Pense). g Rev. Mark Osborne has accepted a “house-for-duty” associate priest position with Big Country Parish. In other parish news, Big Country requested the disestablishment of the congregation of St. Mary, Kindersley. The bishop and diocesan council have consented, and the rectory and church building in Kindersley were listed for sale in September. Holy Cross, Eston, is now the main focus and site for worship in the parish. g St. George, Canora, was deconsecrated on Aug. 14. The former congregation along with Archdeacon Catherine Harper, regional dean Pastor Kim Sherwin and Rev. Nancy Brunt attended the service of deconsecration. The church building and hall are now sold. g Amanda Sather Page has left the position of finance officer for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. An outside company has been contracted to do bookkeeping for the diocese.

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Homegrown priest on the move to New Brunswick By Mary Brown

Jane and Rev. Jeremy Boehr with their children Mira and Soren. Photo by Mary Brown

PRINCE ALBERT — Jeremy Boehr has always lived in Saskatchewan. His home parish was St. Christopher’s in Christopher Lake. When he realized he had a calling to the ministry he enrolled in Wycliffe College in Toronto. This is where he met his wife Jane. They would probably have never met as Jane is from New Brunswick. Upon graduation in 2014 they married, and in the fall moved to Saskatchewan to the parish of St. John in Nipawin. Boehr was ordained as a deacon in St. John’s

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Church in Nipawin. He was ordained as a priest the following spring. On Oct. 20, 2015, they had their first child, Soren — named after Soren Kierkegard. According to Google Kierkegard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. Soren Boehr is just a sweet little boy! Their daughter Mira was born on Sept. 18, 2017; her name means peace. In between having their children Jane, with her degree in early childhood development, first worked at a day care in Nipawin. She then was a journalist for the Nipawin Journal and finally an educational assistant at Central Park Elementary in Nipawin. Boehr ministers to the parish of St. John, Nipawin and also the Church of the Ascension in Arborfield. He is a member of the senate for the University of Emmanuel and St. Chad, secretary on the Constitution and Canon committee for the Diocese of Saskatchewan, and responded to the bishop’s charge at the last Diocesan Synod. In his parish he enjoys religious education and teaching and led Lenten and Advent seminars. He also gave a theological talk at the King Memorial lecture evening this year for the Nipawin Bible College. On Oct. 1, Jeremy and Jane and their children will be moving to New Brunswick where Jane’s parents and two sisters live. Jeremy’s parents and sister live in Saskatchewan, so there is probably a possibility we will see them again. We wish them all the best in the future.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

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October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Book review

'Meghan's Beads' a true story told by a heartbroken mother Contributed

eghan’s Beads is a true story, told from my heart — the aching heart of a mother as I journeyed with my daughter through something so difficult, and yet so inspiring, that the words were almost impossible for me to put together. At the young age of 15 Meghan became very ill. We took her to so many doctors and finally after weeks of being tested for so many things, she was referred to McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ont. On April 7, 2005, Meghan was diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening illness called HLH. She needed to be put into a drug-induced coma and was in critical condition. She had to fight

Diocese of Athabasca bishop takes new position in Dallas

for her life. I never thought I would ever have to face anything like this with my child. Our whole family gathered at the hospital, as did friends and extended family. Prayers were being sent out by the hundreds that she would pull through this terrible illness. HLH is a very rare blood

disorder. White cells are released from the bone marrow called histio cells. They are supposed to fight infections, but hers somehow became reprogrammed and began to act like Pac-Man and attack her body’s organs. When I was about to give up, Meghan showed me just how amazing God can be when you are open to His love. She became the perfect picture of His grace. After she conquered HLH and was preparing to return to high school, we were summoned back into McMaster due to findings on a routine scan. She was now given the horrific news that she had cancer: ALCL, a type of lymphoma. How does one tear hold so much pain? The same way a puddle holds so much rain,

one drop at a time. Faith was tried and tested over and over through this two-year journey. Meghan inspired everyone who met her. She became a lighthouse to many who faced the storm called cancer. Children who are ill and receive treatments collect beads that become strands as a necklace. Each bead represents something. A red bead represents bloodwork. Chemo is a green bead. There is a bead for everything. Meghan collected 13 strands of beads. One day while stringing up a strand she said to me, “Mom, you gotta write my story.” Meghan’s Beads is her story, but belongs to us all. God transformed her on her journey and with Him we faced each and every

moment with love and grace. I thank God for taking us all into His loving arms and for carrying us through this journey and teaching us through Meghan, that love is love is love. After 10 years of writing and re-writing, and sometimes giving up, I managed, with God, to write her story: Meghan’s Beads. In her own words she states, “It’s not about how long you live, it’s about how you live your life.” To purchase your copy, email missmeghansbeads@ gmail.com. Additionally, you can visit amazon.ca and search Meghan’s Beads for an ebook. It is also available outside Canada on amazon. com for those loved ones far away to order a printed copy.

RETIREMENT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT

By the Anglican Journal

lmost exactly a decade after being elected bishop of the diocese of Athabasca, Fraser Lawton will be resigning to take up positions with the Episcopal Church’s diocese of Dallas. Lawton’s resignation, already submitted to the diocese’s executive council, took effect Sept. 8. Jason Haggstrom, now dean of Athabasca, will serve as administrator of the diocese beginning on that date, and an electoral synod to choose a new bishop is scheduled for Nov. 16 in Peace River, Alta. Lawton says he will be serving as rector of the Church of St. Dunstan in Mineola, Texas, and will also be an assisting bishop for the diocese. The plan, Lawton adds, is that in about two years he will be the diocese’s assistant bishop.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

Tri-parish worship service held in St. Cuthbert Archdeaconry As the Archdeaconry of St. Cuthbert works to determine its future in the City of Regina, three parishes worshipped together on Aug. 11. The parishes of St. Luke, St. Matthew and All Saints held a joint service at All Saints. Following the service, all those in attendance created a visual representation of their commitment to

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building relationships. Then the 80 participants enjoying fellowship and good food at a potluck lunch. The seven city parishes have been encouraged to work collaboratively and build relationships with each other during the discernment process. Photo by Maureen Pardoe

Editor’s note: We ran the first half of this story in the September issue, but neglected to include the rest of the article. Oops. Please find below the final half of the article. PRINCE ALBERT — This was Betty Dunn’s second year coming to the retreat. She attends St. George’s Church in Prince Albert and is originally from the Porcupine Plain area. Betty’s nana was her religious influence when growing up. She lived with her nana and there were always prayers, at mealtime and bedtime. Her grandmother was the church organist and they would walk three-quarters of a mile to practise the music for Sunday. Her grandfather was a kind man and was always there to help at the church, though he was not a churchgoer. Sharon Chesley was also from St. George has been coming to the retreat for about six years. As with many of the ladies, teachers had a spiritual influence on them. Sharon’s Grade Three teacher was her choice. Her grandmother also always had her say her prayers at bedtime. The president of the diocesan ACW, Opal Harris, has been coming to the retreat for 18 years. Opal is a member of

St. David’s Church in Prince Albert and a member of St. George’s ACW. Contrary to everyone else, Opal did not have a religious teacher, grandmother or parents who went to church. As a child she felt the need to go to church, so she went on her own and attended confirmation classes and Bible classes. This is the first time Faten Ajii has visited Okema. She has just moved to Prince Albert from Calgary, and before that, from Jordan. Faten is married to the Rev. Eyad, who ministers at St. George’s Church in Prince Albert. Her mother was a very good person and every night they prayed and went to church every Sunday. Thyatra, Faten’s daughter, spoke of her Sunday school teacher. Religion was part of her life, as her mom taught her to pray. Her teacher would tell stories from the Bible, telling them that God was there with them no matter what. I have been to Okema many times in other capacities. My memories did not differ much from the others, except that I cannot remember any teacher who inspired me to do anything! I do remember my grandmother setting up the altar for Sundays and both of my parents were instrumental in my faith. The first session was over around 9 p.m. Everyone went down to the lake for a bonfire and songs.

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

A fond farewell to Rev. Emily Carr in Saskatoon By the Rev. Peter Coolen SASKATOON — A packed St. George’s Church celebrated the five-year incumbency of the Rev. Emily Carr and her impending departure from the parish with a service of baptism of two infants, a Eucharist service and a potluck luncheon. More than 80 people attended the services and luncheon. Emily’s time at St. George’s has been marked by strong positive changes in the parish, as it reached out to embrace the neighbourhood, community groups and the Indigenous community. Emily leaves St. George’s to take up a new position in outreach work with STR8-UP 10,000 Little Steps to Healing, Inc., Saskatoon. The festivities included the cutting and the sharing of three cakes decorated for — and in celebration of — Emily’s time in the parish and the love of the parish for Emily and her family. Emily’s work at St. George’s will be continued as a team ministry consisting of the Indigenous deacon, honorary priests, lay readers and assistants, and others who have helped during her time here.

A picture of the head table at the farewell potluck luncheon held for the Rev. Emily Carr on Aug. 18, at St. George’s, Saskatoon. Photos by Rosemarie Matthews

After the farewell service and during the potluck luncheon that followed the service, the Rev. Denise McCafferty (far right), the Indigenous deacon at St. Georges, presented Emily, standing with her spouse Rebecca and their daughter Bridgett, with a star blanket and an eagle feather, and Rebecca with carved Mexican onyx figurines.

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We will use Friday evening as a social time, to hear a brief overview of the retreat and to close with Holden Evening Prayer. Where: St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, 816 Spadina Cres. E. Saskatoon Retreat Facilitator: The Rev. Dr. Jessica Latshaw For more information or to request a registration package (available at the beginning of September) please contact Yvonne Butterfield at rybfield@sasktel.net.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

Delegates reflect on this year's General Synod in Vancouver Learning more about the Church and its people By Wendy Godfrey Diocese of Qu'Appelle

eneral Synod 2019 came to an end on July 16. I still find myself going over what we saw and heard during our time in Vancouver. It was a week filled with emotions; highs and lows. I think most will remember this synod for the vote on Canon XXI. I’ll talk about that later. But first some of the positive, exciting things that happened. Archbishop Fred Hiltz offered an apology for the cultural and spiritual harm the Anglican Church of Canada inflicted on Indigenous Peoples, and representatives of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) were accepted as full voting members of General Synod. I was sitting with one of those members and he was excited to get his voting device and be accepted as a full member! During the week he told me some of his story, of living in the Arctic, and how these types of decisions were so important to him. We took a huge step in forming a self-determining Indigenous Anglican Church. The title of archbishop was bestowed upon National Indigenous Bishop Mark MacDonald. Archbishop MacDonald now ranks with the Metropolitans. The vote was nearly unanimous! I was lucky to get to hear Archbishop Mark deliver the homily during the opening Eucharist, and joined in the fun when he invited us to a Gospel Jamboree, filled with such great music and dancing! On July 13 we gathered at Christ Church Cathedral and following the service of Holy Eucharist, we began the process of electing a new primate. It was exciting to be a part of this, starting with a field of five candidates, narrowing it down to three and then two. On the fourth ballet, the Right Rev. Linda Nicholls was elected our 14th Primate – and the first women to take on the role! Great steps were taken in other areas as well. A resolution was passed to recognize full communion

between our Anglican Church of Canada, the U.S. Episcopal Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Canada and in the U.S. Many resolutions were passed almost unanimously. But on July 12, it was a different story. Emotions ran high on both sides of the vote as many spoke passionately both for and against a motion to change the words of the marriage canon, which if passed would see the wording changed to include same sex-marriage. As the results of the vote came in, wails could be heard from some as the realization set in. The motion failed. Many were devastated by the results, especially some of our youths who visibly and vocally supported the resolution. Several left the room crying while others sat staring at the results projected on the large screen. Whether you were for or against the vote, the sadness in the room was felt by everyone. Nearly 75 per cent of the room was in favour of the resolution, however it failed because it needed two-thirds majority in each of the three houses of laity, clergy and bishops. That was achieved in the houses of laity and clergy but in the House of Bishops only 62 per cent voted yes, meaning there would be no change. Our Primate Fred Hiltz looked on with sadness as he repeated a comment made earlier: “Our children are crying.” I’ll never forget that or his compassion for those who were hurting. He dismissed us, asking us to leave quietly. As I left the hall, I saw people consoling one another. Chaplains had been put in place, ready to talk, console and be a support to those who were obviously suffering. As I reflect on that time, I realize that although we have our differences, we are all connected. When one hurts, we all hurt. For the most part, we are there for each other when things get hard. In the days following, bishops met continuously, trying to work out what to do in this trying time. Although they couldn’t come to a unanimous decision, they did offer a letter of apology for the

pain and anguish inflicted on LGBTQ2S+ people, on members of the General Synod, across the Church, and in the world. The canon wasn’t changed, but should be noted, that the original canon does not prohibit same-sex marriage. The decision to accept samesex marriage will be determined at the diocesan level. Overall, am I glad I got to attend General Synod 2019? Oh yes! I wouldn’t have missed this for anything! Overcoming long-held beliefs and practices By Dean Mike Sinclair Diocese of Qu’Appelle

eneral Synod 2019 was a momentous and memorable time. Some memories I will cherish for my lifetime, while others will need careful handling for the poignancy and troubled remembrance they will bring. It is always an honour to be able to attend this timehonoured grouping of the Anglican Church in all its varied breadth, and doing so is agreeing to take part in the life of the Church at its most vulnerable. It is to agree to strive together to seek the potential to which God calls us, while holding in tension our togetherness and our divisions. In that vulnerable state of striving, the Church sometimes overcomes historical hurts and brokenness. Sometimes, we allow them to continue. In one of the biggest roller-coasters of my church life, I witnessed us as the Church do both in the same 12-hour workday. Friday morning of General Synod saw us take amazing and spirit-led steps forward in reconciliation and healthy relationship as the motion in support of Indigenous self-determination was passed by an overwhelming majority. In this motion, General Synod removed barriers to the formation of a truly Indigenous Church within the Anglican Church of Canada. This motion formally recognized the need to move from a colonial model of being Church to an affirming and pastoral model, recognizing and

empowering Indigenous church leaders to lead in ways that are healthy for and in line with Indigenous culture and practice. Bishop Mark McDonald was made archbishop, equal in rank and standing with all other metropolitans. The important passing of this motion brings historically unjust Church practice in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. It also paves the way for a new and holier future than that told by the troubled story we have inhabited in the past. The resulting joy, sense of relief and healing that stemmed from support of this motion was overwhelming, and one of the proudest moments I’ve had the privilege to be a part of. We did something monumental: We overcame long-held beliefs and courageously proved that we have the capacity to reinterpret historically held theological perspectives and hurtful practices in order to overcome our biases. In doing so, we’ve continued to heal hurts we’ve inflicted on beloved members of the Church who have been made to feel as if they are less than precious and equal members. The work of the evening was the work on the Marriage Canon, seeking to include same-gendered marriage in the Anglican Church. The vote failed to pass. The required two-thirds in each of the houses of laity, clergy, and bishops was reached in the houses of laity (80.9 per cent) and of clergy (73.2 per cent) but was not reached in the House of Bishops (62.2 per cent). The joy of the morning’s celebration was replaced by immediate, visible and audible anguish for many as the ‘No’ votes of 14 people overrode the ‘Yes’ votes of 110. In the following days, we did our best to recover a sense of togetherness and of shared purpose. For many, this did not happen. Statements were made, trying to address the rip in our shared fabric. We continued in the work for which we gathered, but we did so as a more broken body. My own sense was that following the important work of healing and inclu-

sion we committed to that morning, we were being asked to do the same in the evening: We had the chance to overcome longheld beliefs and courageously prove that we have the capacity to reinterpret historically held theological perspectives and hurtful practices in order to overcome our biases. In doing so, we were invited to heal hurts we’ve inflicted on beloved members of the Church who have been made to feel as if they are less than full and equal members of the Church. Looking forward, I pray that the Spirit continues to pull us ever deeper into the reconciling love that knows no boundaries and includes all in the full life of the shared Body of Christ. Certain moments defined Synod By Ruth Skinner Diocese of Saskatoon

was asked to give my impressions of being a delegate at General Synod this year. It was inspiring to get together with many strangers from across the country, who are all passionate about our Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC). As a General Synod neophyte, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but knew that this Synod in particular would make some significant decisions that would affect the future of our Church. As we convened in Vancouver, we had a very full schedule through which to work. Most of our plenary sessions (everybody meeting together) were comprised of agenda and legislative sessions. During agenda sessions, delegates were informed of the goings-on of the ACoC. People representing many different areas of outreach, (e.g. Primate’s World Relief and Development, Council of the North, etc.) gave presentations on their work. Agenda sessions also included group discussions, worship, and prayer. On the first day we had a workshop to facilitate respectful communication, especially in anticipation of discussions surrounding the Marriage Canon. Legislative sessions involved proposed

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

... General Synod delegates reflect on events in Vancouver in July changes to the legal parameters that govern our church. For Communion services we walked several blocks to the historic cathedral. There were several defining moments during this General Synod. Outgoing Primate Fred Hiltz gave a heartfelt apology to First Nations representatives for spiritual harm inflicted by the ACoC, and First Nations people were blessed with the affirmation of their right to selfdetermination. National Indigenous Bishop Mark MacDonald was made archbishop. Bishop Linda Nichols, from the Diocese of Huron, was the first woman to be elected primate of the ACoC. There were many booths hosted by different organizations affiliated with the church, which were usually visited in little snatches of time before and after meals. One person who was hosting a booth described meeting one of the hotel’s

dining room staff, with whom they ended up praying. This server said they could sense the presence of God in the dining hall as the delegates ate there. They said they had never experienced that at any other event at which they’d worked. Knowing how significantly the outcome of the Marriage Canon could effect the future of the church, I felt compelled to humble myself before the Lord, and pray that no person or group’s agenda would supersede God’s in this matter. I circled the hotel when I could, praying or singing (quietly!) once simply praying “Thy will be done” repeatedly, the whole way around. I am trusting the outcome, and its effects on the church, to God’s hands as well. Another job of General Synod is to elect representatives from each ecclesiastical province to serve on Council of General Synod (CoGS). These

members meet between General Synods. Some evenings offered a bit of a break from the gruelling schedule. We had a celebration to thank Primate Fred Hiltz, and welcome Bishop Linda Nichols as the new primate. Another evening there was a Gospel Jamboree, with music lead by Archbishop Mark MacDonald and some members of the very talented music team. On the final evening, the Diocese of New Westminster hosted a closing banquet in a beautiful venue overlooking the Fraser River. While the week was packed with programming and emotion, leaving many delegates quite exhausted, it was wonderful to meet fellow Anglicans from near and far, and to celebrate as God’s children, that which makes us one big family. Thank you to those who prayed us through the preparation beforehand, and the week as it unfolded.

You can’t always get what you want By Rev. Gethin Edward Diocese of Saskatchewan

s hard as I try there is no easy or obvious way to begin this article, so I will go hard and be a little obscure instead, which is probably a more accurate picture of what it was like at GS2019, anyway. The rooms and food were excellent, along with the location, right in the heart of the west end of Vancouver, and a five-minute walk from the Cathedral where we elected a new Primate. It was also good to see many familiar faces and friends, and to meet and make new ones. It is a real encouragement to feel part of such a large and diverse family. That being said, it is equally difficult and painful to belong to a family of such profound division and disfunction, to the extent that proceedings on the floor of Synod were often confused and contentious, and even downright embarrassing. In spite of our endless talk about inclusion and openness, our conversations and conduct, at meals and in hallways, happened almost always across party lines of mutual suspicion, with very little room for kindness, concern, or genuine curiosity in one and other. Deep down it was all about The Vote, and who would get what and who would be made to suffer what. Of course, there were other important matters, chief among them the ongoing conversation with our First Nations communities, and their movement toward self-determination. As a man of Aboriginal heritage myself, I take this to mean, among other things, the freedom to heal on our own terms, and the right to be met at the table as equals.

There were a lot of standing ovations. A lot. We also bid a fond and gracious farewell to our outgoing Primate, Fred Hiltz, and welcomed Linda Nicholls as his successor. Mainly we sat in session, we sang and prayed, we listened and clicked our voting clickers, we milled about, we drank lots and lots of coffee, we rang up bar tabs, we met in hushed little cliques, looking over our shoulders. I tried as hard as I could to be in cliques on both ‘sides,’ which is extremely tricky. And we Voted. You know how that went. A lot of people — mainly ‘liberals’ — were exactly as upset as one would have expected. Some people — mainly ‘conservatives’ — were exactly as relieved as one would have expected. No one was happy. Clearly from the view of the party in power (the ‘liberals’) things did not go as planned, and there was immediately talk, in the form of motions on the floor, to ensure things don’t happen this way ever again. Maybe let the bishops have an advisory role, but not voting power, since they just seem to slow things down for the rest of us — not that this was said in so many words, but you could feel the winds blowing. Cold, angry winds. And then it was over. I felt genuinely bad for the LGBTQ members who had suffered real heartache, especially the younger ones. I also pray for miracles of healing and wisdom to prevail upon us, as a whole church. I do believe, hard and unwanted as it may be, that we have been given an unexpected time of continuing to dwell together, of being family, in all its wretched human struggle, for a few more years. May we all have the courage to look beyond the borders of our own frail and frugal hearts.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

Transubstantiation revisited By the Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier

recent row in Roman Catholic circles over the doctrine of transubstantiation had me reflect on this aspect of the Eucharist. A survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that a significant majority of Catholics no longer believe the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, i.e. that the bread and wine in the Eucharist actually undergo a permanent change into the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. From the very beginning of our formal ecumenical dialogue, Anglicans and Roman Catholics have shared surprising agreement on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, forming deep connective tissue between our two traditions. On the other hand, the

reported increasing variance in belief among Roman Catholics on the Eucharist is not unknown to Anglicans. The Anglican largetent ethos means there exists the entire spectrum of Eucharistic understandings, from mere symbol to literal notions of the Real Presence of Jesus in the bread and the wine. To Roman Catholics this is most disconcerting; to Anglicans this is a fact of life. “Feed on Him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving,” says the Book of Common Prayer. Some people argue we should do away with the term transubstantiation, as its original and precise meaning in philosophy is so little understood today. Lutherans speak of consubstantiation, i.e. the Body and Blood of Christ are “truly and substantially present in, with and under the forms” of consecrated bread

and wine. But instead of discarding the notion of transubstantiation, can we expand its meaning? Is it possible to rescue the term, infusing it with fresh insight, so that it comes alive anew for today’s faithful? We speak of transubstantiation when referring to ordinary food and drink, bread and wine, being transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus at the Eucharist. This is not as novel as it sounds. Women engage in a type of biological “transubstantiation” every time our bodies grow another human being. The new life generated by the marital union is literally fed by the mother’s own body and blood. In her “Yes,” Mary became the first person to offer to the world God’s holy body and blood through the birth of her son Jesus, our Messiah and Lord. Through God’s gift of growing new life in her womb and nourishing it

with her own body, every woman knows something about the mystery of transforming ordinary food and drink into new life: a profound Eucharistic transformation, culminating in the great Eucharistic sacrament of the Incarnation of God’s own Son Jesus. Have we really tapped the sacramental significance of this glorious and mysterious wonder of biological transubstantiation called pregnancy? But in the end, what really needs to be “transubstantiated” is us. Every time we drink the cup of blessing that we bless, we share in the Blood of Christ, thus committing ourselves to be poured out in love for others. Every time we eat the Body of Christ, we are called to offer our own bodies in sacrificial love for the healing of the world. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist has but one major goal: to transform this motley crew of saints and sinners into the Body of Christ; transubstantiation. The Body of Christ receives the Body of Christ

in order to be the Body of Christ in the world. We are changed. This is the ultimate purpose of Eucharist: to change us. We say Amen to the sacramental Body and Blood of Christ, and to our own reality as Body of Christ. We say Amen to letting go of anything that would keep us from being the Body of Christ in our world: “Christ gives himself to us both in the Word and in the Sacrament of the altar, to conform us to him. This means to allow oneself to be changed as we receive. Just as the bread and wine are converted into the Body and Blood of Christ, those who receive them with faith are transformed into a living Eucharist. “You become the Body of Christ. This is beautiful, very beautiful. … We become what we receive!” (Pope Francis quoting St. Augustine, March 21, 2018) A longer version of this article is posted on MarieLouise’s blog at https:// graceatsixty.wordpress. com/2019/08/13/transubstantiation-revisited.

Anglicans respond to hurricane destruction By the Anglican Journal

hen Archdeacon Keith Cartwright, archdeacon of the southern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, visited Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake, he thought he would never see anything close to that level of devastation again. But now, surveying the damage in his own diocese in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, he sees that catastrophe mirrored. “Everything has been decimated,” he says. Cartwright likens the destruction to “if you were chewing something and then you just spit it out. That’s how it looked. It was a horrific scene.” Classified as a Category 5 hurricane when it struck Grand Bahama and Abaco, Dorian was one of the most powerful Caribbean storms on record. “We have never experi-

enced such a storm in the history of the commonwealth of the Bahamas. The storm went up past 185 mph (298 km/h), with gusts of 220 mph (354 km/h),” says Cartwright. The storm left as many as 70,000 in need of immediate humanitarian relief, according to Reuters. The death toll has risen to 50, and will likely continue to rise, as thousands of people remain missing. “Everything was destroyed, basically — we have no food store, no gas station, no bank…nothing left,” he says. Anglican agencies have begun directing emergency funds to the islands in response. The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), the Anglican Church of Canada’s relief agency, is receiving donations and sending $20,000 to the U.S.-based Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD).

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Deacon makes intriguing church visits in England By Deacon Canon Michael Jackson REGINA — A short trip to England in April/May of this year featured some intriguing visits to churches, including the cathedral of Qu’Appelle’s companion Diocese of Lichfield. The main purpose of the trip was to attend the service and reception for members of the Queen’s personal order, the Royal Victorian Order — of which I am a Commander — hosted by Her Majesty at Windsor Castle every four years. I took advantage of the opportunity to attend services in Lichfield and Durham Cathedrals as well as in some “royal peculiars.” At Lichfield, my host was the Rev. Frances Wilson, diocesan director of ordinands, who had taken part in the international Anglican-Roman CatholicUkrainian Catholic conference on the diaconate held in Regina in 2018. Driving with Frances at what seemed like high speeds in the left lane of narrow, crowded English country roads was quite an adventure! I was privileged to serve as deacon at the Sunday Choral Eucharist in Lichfield Cathedral on April 28. The presiding celebrant and preacher, Canon Pat Hawkins, and parishioners warmly welcomed me. I felt right at home, because the liturgy and the deacon’s role in it are very close to those at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Regina. The Eucharistic rite was similar to that of Canada’s Book of Alternative Services, but with some interesting variations. The penitential section was completely different in wording and came at the beginning of the service, right after the greeting (as in the Roman Catholic rite); in my view this is preferable to its place in the BAS service after the prayers of the people, which interrupts the flow of the liturgy. The texts of the gospel acclamations, the peace, the preface and the Eucharistic prayer were different from those in the BAS and I found them all to be pleasing versions. While in Lichfield I

At the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy, Canon Michael Jackson (right) from Regina poses with Sir William Heseltine from Australia, a former Private Secretary to the Queen, with Canon Peter Galloway, Chaplain of the Royal Victorian Order, in the centre. Photos contributed canon David Hunt, an expert on its history. I was struck by the lively community outreach at both cathedrals as well as their worship. They are hubs of activity – lectures, concerts, civic occasions, services for organizations – as well as being major tourist attractions. Durham Cathedral has a special connection with Durham University, where one of the canons, Simon Oliver, is a professor of theology. Church-going is dropping in England, as elsewhere, but the cathedrals appear to be bucking the trend. Royal peculiars

Canon Michael Jackson (right) takes a break from visiting historic English churches, to lunch with Rev. Romita Shrisunder and Rev. Frances Wilson of the companion Diocese of Lichfield. enjoyed lunch with Frances Wilson and Rev. Romita Shrisunder, her colleague as director of ordinands. I had met Romita a month earlier in Regina when she accompanied a group of curates from Lichfield visiting the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. I also had the pleasure of a brief meeting with Bishop Michael Ipgrave. Deacons in the C of E Unlike many dioceses in the Church of England, Lichfield is interested in the vocational diaconate. At the present time they

have no “real” deacons – to use the admittedly biased terminology of one who calls for the abolition of the “transitional” diaconate! So at Lichfield Cathedral, priests vest as deacons to fill the diaconal role at Sunday Eucharists. While this is a “no-no” for those of us promoting the “real” diaconate, I concluded that their heart was in the right place and they had the best of intentions! Interestingly, Durham Cathedral, my next stop on the trip, has the same liturgical practice as Lichfield of vesting priests as deacons, and they too are

looking at the diaconate, as I learned from my host, Canon Charlie Allen. She is successor to recently-retired Canon Rosalind Brown, one of the speakers at the 2018 conference on the diaconate in Regina. (It was good to meet Rosalind again, one of the leading authorities on the diaconate in the C of E.) I attended Choral Evensong sung by the girl choristers of the Cathedral choir, Morning Prayer, and a mid-day Eucharist at which Canon Allen presided. She arranged a fascinating tour of the ancient cathedral by lay

My other, very different, worship experiences were with our Canadian Royal Victorian Order group at “royal peculiars” – churches under the jurisdiction of the Queen and not of a diocesan bishop. At the Queen’s Chapel and the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace in London, Canon Paul Wright, sub-dean of the Chapels Royal, invited us to a service of Holy Communion. This was straight from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, with the celebrant’s back to the people. I had not experienced a service like this for many years – it was like being in a time-warp! Canon Wright later told us Continued on page 16

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

... Intriguing church visits to England Continued from page 15 that these chapels maintain the liturgy just as it was in the time of Queen Anne (1702-14). We were even allowed to handle the Queen Anne communion vessels used at the service! Our next “royal peculiar” was world-famous Westminster Abbey, where we toured the recentlyopened Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, were seated in the Quire for Choral Evensong, and visited the Abbey’s Choir School. Then it was the service for the Royal Victorian Order at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, attended by the Queen and several Royal Family members. The service itself was only half-an-hour long, but with the various processions and ceremonial the event lasted an hour. Once again, prayers and readings were in the 17th century language of the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible. The music was grand and the setting gorgeous, but it would be rich fare indeed for regular worship! Finally, our group attended Sunday morning service at the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy in London, a 16th century church designated as the chapel of the Royal Victorian Order by King George VI in 1937. The chaplain of the

Order, Canon Peter Galloway, invited me to read the lessons at Choral Mattins, sung by a superb choir of men and boys. I am not a fan of BCP Mattins, but, as I said to Bishop Rob Hardwick after my return, a service like that makes it attractive! I noted some other interesting features of the Church of England. One is the rapid rise of women clergy to senior positions in the church – canons, deans, bishops – following the belated decisions to ordain female deacons (1987), priests (1994) and bishops (2014). This has had a very positive influence on the C of E, as it did a generation earlier in the Anglican Church of Canada. Another feature is the sharp divide between the evangelical and catholic traditions, far more pronounced than in Canada. Evangelical dioceses are not keen on the diaconate, either. But these are topics for another discussion! Canon Michael Jackson is deacon at St Paul’s Cathedral, Regina. He is a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).

Bishops gather at the General Assembly, including Bishop Michael Hawkins, Bishop Adam Halkett, Archbishop Mark MacDonald, Bishop Chris Harper, Bishop (retired) Charles Arthurson and Bishop Larry Beardy. Photos by Mary Brown

Indigenous Anglicans meet together By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — The ‘Mamawe Indigenous Ministries held its General Assembly on June 14. The assembly was held at the Senator Allan Bird Gymnasium with about 80 delegates attending from across the Diocese of Saskatchewan. The meetings began with an honour song performed by Gerald Ballantyne, a drum group from Little Red First Nation. Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte welcomed the delegates, as did Mayor Greg Dionne of Prince Albert. Bishop Adam Halkett and Bishop Michael Hawkins also welcomed everyone. The first speaker was Archbishop Gregory KerrWilson, bishop of Calgary and Metropolitan of the

Richard Custer performs during the General Assembly. Province of Rupert’s Land. The Right Rev. Sidney Black, Indigenous bishop for Treaty 7 territory Siksika First Nation, Alberta, also spoke to the assembly. Nominations were held for new members of the Diocesan Indigenous Council, then supper and Holy Communion healing service. The night ended with a gospel jamboree. The diocese is blessed with many very talented singers and musicians who play at many jamborees throughout the year. When you hear a song in Cree and you know you know it, but just can’t say to what you are listening, it is usually a hymn from the blue hymn book. But there was this one song I knew that I just couldn’t place and it turned out to be an Elvis Presley hit in Cree! The next day started with morning prayer from A Disciple’s Prayer Book, Gospel-based discipleship. Saturday’s agenda was blessed with remarks from now Archbishop Mark Macdonald, national indigenous bishop of the

Anglican Church of Canada, Bishop Larry Beardy from the Northern Manitoba Area Mission, Bishop Chris Harper, Diocese of Saskatoon, and Senator Sol Sanderson. Bishop Adam Halkett called the meeting to order and addressed the assembly. Reports were given by Rev. Beryl Whitecap on the Indigenous Council, Theresa Halkett the Saskatchewan representative for the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, and Rev. Sam Halkett of James Settee College. The following people were voted onto the next Indigenous Council: Rev. Sam Halkett, Little Red Reserve, Edna Mirasty, Lac LaRonge, Barbara Sauve, St. Alban’s, Russell Ahenakew, Sandy Lake, Elaine Bear, Pelican Narrows, Harvey Whitefish, Big River First Nation, Harry Halkett, Montreal Lake, Rev. Park Buck, Cumberland House, Ernest Sauve, James Smith, Rhonda Sanderson, James Smith, Sheila Chaboyer, Cumberland House and Rev. Richard Custer, Stanley Mission. Quotes "Prayer in the Church is our mother tongue" Bishop Sidney Black. "God would rise up a new people following in the way of Jesus and following our elders." Archbishop Mark MacDonald. "We are all anointed and appointed...God has a plan for all of us." Bishop Chris Harper. "We need to decolonize with love and compassion." Bishop Larry Beardy.

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Campers enjoy bears, Bibles and BeaverTails in Banff By Julie Moser Youth and Children’s Missioner MOOSE JAW (Qu’A) — In August seven teens from all over the Diocese of Qu’Appelle travelled to Banff National Park for a week of hiking, swimming, fellowship and great Bible teaching, all in the setting of God’s amazing creation. The schedule followed a similar pattern each day. After breakfast was chapel time including a welcome and get-to-know-you activity, personal Bible reading time, a group prayer time and Bible teaching from our chaplain with discussion. Campers would then pack lunches and head out to a trail in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. They returned to Canmore for supper, swim time, an evening devotion and Compline. The first day was an easy hike to get everyone used to

Teen campers Aaron Giesbrecht, Chelsea Giesbrecht, Svonnah Flynn and Megan Kelly enthusiastically eat a Canadian classic treat — BeaverTails! — during the Diocese of Qu'Appelle Teen Adventure Camp in the Rocky Mountains in August. Photos by Julie Moser hiking with day-packs and to take in the beauty of the mountain location. On the drive back, campers saw their first bear, eating berries on the side of the road.

Day 2 featured an 11-kilometre hike around Lake Kananaskis, where they saw a grizzly with her two cubs on the drive there and another grizzly and cubs on the drive back.

They saw a total of eight bears! On the final hiking day, they hiked the 11-kilometre Six Glaciers Trail and made it all the way to the tea house at the top.

As well as hikes, campers also enjoyed BeaverTails in downtown Canmore, and Elevation Place with its pool, lazy river, jacuzzi and climbing wall. Josh Jensen, who worships at St. Aidan with his new wife, Jaymee, was the chaplain. He was familiar to many of the youth as he had been chaplain at the Confirming Faith winter retreat. Jensen spoke on the book of Exodus, focusing on the character of God, our need to find our identity in Him and the foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ our Passover lamb. These teaching times were a real blessing to all participants. A big shout out to Canmore Anglican for their warm hospitality and to our Teens Adventure leaders: Ken Moser (director), Josh Jensen (chaplain) and Jaymee Jensen (leader).

Juniors have tons of fun at camp at Last Mountain Lake By Julie Moser Youth and Children’s Missioner GLEN HARBOUR (Qu’A) — A lovely group of children aged six to 12 enjoyed five days of fellowship, learning, swimming and a great time together at the Diocese of Qu’Appelle Juniors’ and Children’s camp at beautiful Glen Harbour on Last Mountain Lake in July. They enjoyed a variety of activities including teaching times, a picnic lunch and hike, water games, swimming, mini-golf and a pond study (discovering the plants and creatures in and around the lake.) They experienced some wild weather so spent some time indoors as well as outdoors! A rich part of the kids’ camp is the Bible teaching times that come in many forms over the course of the day. There are morning chapels, crafts based around the talks, cabin group Bible studies, campfires, “Adventures in

Odyssey” story times and bedtime blessings. Chapels and campfires were led by chaplain Jaymee Jensen, who is a parishioner at St. Aidan, Moose Jaw, and a recent graduate of Briercrest College. Jensen spoke on being created in the image of God, and helped the campers to understand what this means and how it affects the way they live their daily lives to ref lect this. The memory verse for the week was a long one: Genesis 1:26-27, which campers managed to learn by the end of the week with the help of daily repetition with actions. The awesome team of regular Junior’s leaders (and some new ones) were back together again this summer. A big thanks to all our directors, speakers and leaders: Dave and Janice Kerr (directors), Jaymee Jensen (chaplain), Karen Kaster La-Forge (nurse), Len Gendall, Jesse Miller, Hannah Hemauer and Emily Berringer (cabin leaders).

Chaplain Jaymee Jensen (dancing) and Jesse Miller (with guitar) lead the singing during chapel time at Juniors’ Camp.

COMING SOON! In addition to a number of promotional items, the AFC web store will soon include: • a chic new silk scarf • Children’s Prayers with Hope Bear in French

www.anglicanfoundation.org

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

The music continues at Christ Church, Saskatoon By Rev. Peter Coolen SASKATOON — Since the spring of this year, the parish of Christ Church, Saskatoon has been involved in running a series of fund-raising events for ProjectH2Home: Saskatoon Refugee Network. The fundraising was done for the purpose of bringing five members of the Htoo family, a Thai/ Karen family, from a refugee camp in Myanmar, to join the other half of their family in Saskatoon. The Htoo family has been split between the Myanmar refugee camp and Saskatoon for 10 years. Co-ordinating, conducting, encouraging, emceeing and playing piano and guitar, Christ Church’s own Pastor Mark Kleiner kept things organized, energized and fun. On May 10, at Give a Hoop, musicians, dancers and illusionists all joined efforts to help bring the Htoo family to Saskatoon from Myanmar, via Thailand, in 2020. Acclaimed hoop dancer Lawrence A. Roy Jr. was joined by Jay Semko, Ellen Froese, The Chickadees with special guest Hilary Gough, Bagpipes & Beavers, Bwe Doh Soe, The Whiskey Jerks, Luis Barros, Yolanda Hanson, the Friesen Family Band, and more. At the end of the evening, all the musicians joined with members of the Karen community of Saskatoon and the Give a Hoop audience to perform a bilingual version of Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now;” building this dream together! A concession/bar with Karen snacks was available and entry to the venue was by donation. The night of May 11, a $100-a-plate gala banquet fusion feast of Thai and Karen foods and music and a silent auction were held at Christ Church. The food and musical entertainment for the evening were supplied by Saskatoon’s Karen Community and others. These events were followed in June with a city-wide volunteer choir practice and two Gospel concerts at the

Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. For these concerts the Karen community and the Htoo family supplied and served Thai andKaren food free-of charge/by donation to all who attended. In July, the parish celebrated “Five Days in July,” a series of five — by donation — Thursday evening concerts presenting local artists: Eileen Laverty, Jey Semko and Steph Cameron, Jen Lane and Jon Antoniuk, the Butt Can Coalition (Butt Can featuring Jay Semko, Forrest Eaglespeaker, Pastor Mark Kleiner, Tom Fitzgerald and Ron D), All Together Now music trio, and the Waverly Pickers featuring Kacy and Clayton and the Deep Dark Woods, plus Taylor Jade, Shakey Wilson and others. These concert events included audience participation in group sing-a-longs at the end of several concerts (singing the Green Green Grass of Home and My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose and others) as well as two local history trivia nights. Craft beer — donated by 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Company — and wine as well as Karen and other foods were also sold and space for competitive carpet bowling — carpet supplied by Beehive Flooring Group — was provided. Other patrons and sponsors for the concerts were: Planet S Magazine, CTV Saskatoon, CBC Saskatoon and Pro Print Inc and others. Also, in July, a Saskatoon Bach Festival fundraising concert recital was held that donated all proceeds to the cause. Many thanks to visionary organizer/ artistic director Emily Burak, the numerous other artists involved, and the many people who came out to enjoy the music and together raise more than $1,000. By the end of August, during a three-month period, more than $37,000 of a required $42,000 had been raised to bring the Htoo family home to Saskatoon. Fundraising for this cause will continue into the fall with the ultimate objective of uniting the Htoo family early in 2020.

The Waverly Pickers with participation of the audience as backup brought the Five Days in July to a rousing close. Photos by Rev. Peter Coolen

Lawrence Roy added his Indigenous dance skills to the list of entertainment for the Give a Hoop night at Christ Church.

Steph Cameron (left) and Jay Semko (right) were among those who provided their talents for the Five Day in July concert events at Christ Church.

The Butt Can Collective added its unique versions of oldies at the Christ Church ProjectH2Home: Saskatoon Refugee Network concerts in July.

October 2019

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Backpacks blessed for new year

Photo by Nigel Salway

St. Luke, Regina continued its tradition of providing backpacks for students returning to school. Organized by Susan MacPhail, 25 backpacks were filled with the usual school necessities, including letters of encouragement from parishioners. These backpacks were distributed to students at Argyle, Kitchener and Judge Bryant schools whose parents and caregivers cannot afford to provide them. The backpacks were blessed at the 11 a.m. service on Aug. 25. From left, Julian Jadusingh, Pat Abd-Elmessih, Rev. Deacon Susan Page, and Natalie Jadusingh pose with the backpacks after the blessing.

Treaties shape our lives, relationships and education systems By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad

ast month I introduced the topic of indigenization and its effect on the life of the college as we offer courses and prepare people for ministry. There were several aspects of indigenization that I promised to revisit, and in this column, I will start with the most basic, an acknowledgement of the living and historical presence of indigenous people. Acknowledgement is a word that is gradually becoming more familiar, as many institutions, including the college, adopt a regular practice of acknowledging the indigenous relationship to the land where they are located. In our case, that means Treaty 6 territory, an area where many indigenous groups have a history. We say this recognition out loud, at the beginning of courses and special services. It reminds us of the history of relationship, treaty-making, conflict and broken promises that came before us. That history is the context for today’s work of learning and ministry.

I experienced a turning point in my own understanding of treaties, when a speaker pointed out that the purpose of a treaty is to provide a legal basis for settlers to be in the land. To say that the college is on Treaty 6 lands is a reminder that we are only allowed to be here because of that agreement, and the willingness of treaty partners to share the land. It is also a reminder of our perpetual commitment to the partnership that “sharing the land” implies. As a school of theology, we want to say even more. We have often told the Canadian story of faith as if it began when missionaries arrived. But what about the time before that? We need to learn the story of how God has always been present and active

here, and how people knew and related to God before the gospel of Jesus Christ was shared by newcomers. We also need to reflect on promises that were made and broken, and the harm inflicted on indigenous communities, and in a different way on all of us, as a result. This is something we do naturally in most of our acts of worship. We come before God recognizing the brokenness that exists, in ourselves and in our relationships. A faith-based institution, like ours, must keep in mind a specific aspect of the harm that was done to indigenous spirituality. I am always shocked when I read the reports of the government treaty negotiators on this point. They consistently mention how their indigenous counterparts asked for assurances that their religious beliefs would be respected, and not interfered with, especially in the schools that would be set up under church supervision. The negotiators always gave those assurances, either not knowing or not caring that government policy would be exactly the opposite. Instead, the educational

system imposed European denominational divisions on indigenous communities, churches took the attitude that traditional spirituality needed to be replaced, and the Canadian government criminalized the most meaningful rituals from those traditions. When we recognize that we are on treaty lands, with people who were here before us, we are forced to confront that dishonesty, and the role it plays in the landscape of faith in Canada today. Until we do so, we are not really prepared for the conversation that needs to happen, today, in classrooms and ministry settings where indigenous people are still present, and still offer partnership, leadership, and a distinct perspective. The living connection between peoples requires more of us than just a verbal recognition of a treaty. The college’s mandate for indigenization includes several other dimensions. Perhaps the most important is consultation. We are working to ensure that indigenous voices are represented, and heard, in the student body and in our governing council. Along with partners in

the Saskatoon Theological Union, we are reviewing our curriculum, to make sure that our program of study reflects the living and historical reality of treaty partnership. Some courses address this reality head on. But we also want to ask, in every course we offer, where there may be an opportunity to “share the land.” Looking ahead, there are other aspects of indigenization for us to explore. The STU has started a conversation about how to look at the whole structure of our curriculum, with these questions in mind. We are looking for partnerships, on the U of S campus and beyond, with departments of indigenous studies and with programs of indigenous theological education. I don’t hold up our commitment to indigenization as a shining example. Our colleges have been slow to move in some ways, though we have offered leadership in others. In that way, I think we reflect exactly what is happening in our churches, as we learn that our relationship with God has to take account of our relationships here, in this place, as treaty people.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

October 2019

Book review

Book series and music display Steve Bell's storytelling skills Steve Bell, Pilgrim Year Series, 7 vols. (Toronto: NOVALIS) By Dr. Bruce Hindmarsh Author of The Spirit of Early Evangelicalism: True Religion in a Modern World (Oxford University Press, 2018)

rowing up in Winnipeg, I knew of Steve Bell long before his solo career, back when he was a prominent part of the local music scene as a member of the group Elias, Shritt and Bell. We later worked together for the non-profit organization Youth for Christ, when Steve was leading young people in worship in juvenile detention centres. (Jailhouse Rock, literally.) I remember being more than a little surprised, though, by the sort of reading Steve was doing. It is not every singer–songwriter or youth worker you meet who reads John of the Cross or Hans Urs von Balthasar on the side. I quickly became aware that there were real depths to this Steve Bell. As Steve’s solo career has taken off, his spiritual and theological depth as a person has been reflected in his music. For example, more than 20 years ago, he recorded a version of John of the Cross’s “Dark Night” poem that I still often play for my students in class when we read this 16thcentury Spanish mystic. It captures perfectly in music and lyrics the heartbreaking beauty of John’s call into “this happy night / That unites the lover and the loved.” There is also so much more. Steve has some 20 albums now, and there is a scarlet thread that runs throughout all the words and music, touching deep places with thoughtfulness, honesty, and compassion. There have been awards and recognitions, of course, too many to count, and a documentary on his remarkable career, Burning Ember: The Steve Bell Journey. His skill as a musician has been recognized repeatedly by many of the greats.

Two CDs and seven books accompany the Pilgrim Year Series. Photo by Jason G. Antonio But, above all, it is this deep well of thoughtful devotion, fused as it is with exquisite artistry, that keeps me coming back to Steve’s music. I am glad that he has been a good friend of Regent College, often bringing his gifts into our community and joining us in the classroom. There are some musicians who, when you hear them in concert and they stop to talk between songs, well... you just wish they wouldn’t. In contrast, Steve has often been described as a modern troubadour, whose music, storytelling, and teaching is a whole experience. Attending a concert leaves you entertained, for sure, but also somehow enlarged as a human being and encouraged spiritually. I have been reading about the early Franciscans who would travel as spiritual troubadours, singing their vernacular laude, and telling stories to ordinary people in the marketplace. I think Steve would have been at home among these people. The Pilgrim Year book series and accompanying CD is in many ways a natural culmination of Steve’s musical and storytelling career. In seven beautifully designed booklets, Steve takes the reader thoughtfully through the church year.

The itinerary across the terrain of the church seasons turns out to be, as the title suggests, a pilgrimage for the soul. Short reflections to linger over, not daily disciplines to be pounded out Steve wisely chose not to provide readings for every day of every season, but to provide an introduction for each booklet — like a frame for the painting — followed by eight to 10 meditations on related themes or select “red-letter days” for that season. These are short reflections to linger over, not daily disciplines to be pounded out. There are booklets for Advent, Christmastide, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, and Ordinary Time. With their rich colours, the booklets seem to fan out like liturgical banners. Steve provides some teaching as he goes—taking up the role not so much of a scholar-expert as of a personal guide pointing out what he has seen and enjoyed on this journey from his own exploration. It is evident from the quotations he provides that Steve has continued to read deeply and widely, and he incorporates a rich selection of poetry. He

makes especially good use of the sonnets written by his friend, the English priest and poet Malcom Guite. Of course, the lyrics of Steve’s own songs are also woven into these reflections throughout. So, for example, for the feast of St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27), the meditation concludes with the lyrics of “This is Love.” This is Steve’s beautiful rendering of the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John. Although it reads well on the page, you really need to listen to the music for the full experience. Some of these songs are on the accompanying CD; all of them are on the Pilgrim Year website. The flow of the whole series can be captured from Steve’s review of the church year in his introduction to the last booklet, Ordinary Time. In Ordinary Time we are brought back to the presence of God in our daily lives. But how did we arrive here? Steve sums up the journey: “We began by passing through Advent, where we considered the mystery of the human person, whose dignity is to accept the invitation to participate in the drama of salvation as maternal spouse of God, co-operating to bring Christ’s life to the world.” Advent led to Christmas,

“where we apprehended the humble incarnation of the cosmos’ Creator and reflected on the astonishing humanity of Jesus.” The pilgrimage continued with Epiphany: “We meditated on the miracles and events that revealed Jesus’ divinity, and we came to understand the two natures (human and divine) of Christ, to whom our souls are wed.” Next, we pressed on into the penitential season of Lent: “We pondered the devastation wrought by our infidelities and the myriad inordinate attachments and desires that draw our affections away from our Lord.” Then the terrain changed again: “During Holy Week, we walked alongside Jesus to the cross, where He assumed and redeemed those devastations so that we might truly and freely love as well as know we are beloved of God.” This came to climax at Easter with “a sustained reflection on the miracle of resurrection and the eternally evergreen life on offer through Christ’s victory over death.” Then finally the cycle is complete with Ordinary Time, a season in which “we come to realize the astonishing holiness of our daily lives as a consequence of all we have previously considered.” He concludes with the ringing words of his version of the Sanctus, Benedictus: “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord / God of power and might / Heaven and earth of your glory are full / Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!” I cannot even read those words without hearing in my head Steve’s voice in a rushing crescendo of joyful praise. With this, the Pilgrim Year is finished, or, rather, we are ready to begin it all again. I cannot commend this series warmly enough, whether for one season of the church year or for them all. Readers from all walks of like should know about Steve’s music and his writing; but for those that do not, this series is a great introduction.