"When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law
of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons "(Luke 2: 22-24). The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is on Sunday Feb. 2. This feast recognizes Jesus' parents presenting him in the temple, with Simeon and Anna speaking prophetic words over him.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia
Watrous spreads the love with thrift store
By Sylvia Dubeczy
A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all people know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. (John 13:34 - 35)
WATROUS (S’toon) — Community building is about bringing people together and creating a sense of belonging. Building a strong community has many
benefits.
For one, it helps create a sense of belonging and connection among members. This can lead to increased social interaction and engagement, as well as making new members feel welcome.
In Watrous, like other communities, we have found a new way of expressing that beautiful Prairie spirit of neighbour helping neighbour. It's about coming together, not for the sake of the
community itself, but for the sake of those who have yet to find their place within it.
True community, as designed by God, reaches out and brings people into the fold, nurturing them, guiding them, and revealing the profound love of the Creator.
The Thrift on Main store had its beginning in 2023 in the mind of one person spotting a neighbour working in the yard. Seeing this as his chance, he told the
neighbour his idea of starting a thrift store in Watrous.
Exploring this project, they soon realized that a thrift store could be a true lifeline for their church family as well as others in Watrous. After approaching the other church groups, a bond was formed between the United, Lutheran, Catholic and Anglican Churches.
Two members from each of the four churches
Continued on page 5
Regina choir members honoured with awards
By Angie Friedrich REGINA
— St. Paul’s Cathedral has been blessed with exceptionally talented members of the choir throughout the years. In 2024, Janice ElliottDenike and Bob Nicholls were recognized for their dedication that extends beyond the church choir.
Janice Elliott-Denike was awarded the Honorary Lifetime Member Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers Association.
With a musical career of the highest calibre spanning 47 years, she is well-known to the Saskatchewan music community and beyond in a variety of roles.
Since 1978, her piano students have been prize winners and gold medallists at many competitions, provincially and nationally. Many now teach and perform at universities across Canada and in the U.S.
As a pianist, ElliottDenike performed widely as a recital soloist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician, frequently broadcast on CBC Radio. She has also adjudicated across Western Canada and given numerous clinics and workshops to teachers and students.
Since 1991, Elliott-Denike has also been very involved Continued on page 3
Let God open your heart and mind to His word
What Bible verses help you focus on today and not tomorrow?
By Rev. Dr. Laura Marie Piotrowicz
Matthew 6:34 seems the perfect response to a question about Scripture that keeps us in the moment: “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
As much as that is a great reminder, especially in times of stress, at times it can be difficult to put that into practice.
One of the verses I note each morning as part of my daily prayer is Psalm 118:24: “ This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
This psalm is rich with themes of thanksgiving, and reminders of our reliance on God’s dominion (rather than human domination).
This one verse, however, keeps me grounded in the potential that is forthcoming: God has made THIS day; there’s never been a day like it before, and there will never be a day like it again.
It doesn’t suggest that the day will be perfect; for life always comes with challenges and obstacles.
However, the psalmist’s prayer of confidence reassures me every day that no matter what happens, today is but one day; and that no matter what happens, this day is full of the presence of God: it’s my privilege to seek out the signs of that grace.
I find that the Scriptures continue to speak to us, no matter how many times we read them. Partly as our understanding and faith increase, but also as our lives change and evolve.
This means that the holy words are a gift that keeps on giving; and I can revisit passages that may reveal new and renewed teachings — depending on how I read them.
This means for me that my go-to passages change over time. Like asking someone what their favourite song or book is, this doesn’t lock us in to one permanent expression; but it allows us an opportunity to share what is speaking to us at this moment – and possibly to share what
mood or events are influencing those choices.
Throughout the Scriptures, there are countless ways to be upheld and supported in our journey of faith. They are a regular reminder of God’s people doing their best to love and serve God.
We are invited to let these lessons continue to inform and support how we make our life choices, striving to follow in the footsteps of our faithful ancestors.
This can mean that at times, some passages may not feel as helpful as they once did. This is OK; it does not mean they never were helpful nor that they won’t be again; just that, at this moment, in these circumstances, other passages are going to be more immediately relatable and uplifting.
Some examples of passages that I have turned to recently:
• In times when I was waiting for a future I cannot rush, I reminded myself to be patient and hope-filled (Romans 8:25, “If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”)
• When I felt over-
whelmed by my to-do list, I was reminded to listen to my physical needs (like Elijah’s need for rest and nourishment: 1 Kings 19:6-7, “He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’”)
• When I have felt isolated or discouraged, I am reminded of God’s constant companionship and faithfulness to hear my prayers (Jeremiah 29:12-13a, “Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me”)
• When I find myself distressed by the realities of our broken society, I refresh my parched soul with messages of God’s abundance overtaking the in-
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justices of the world, and of my role to take action (Amos 5:24, “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”)
• When I am joyous, delighting in the goodness of this life, I ensure I keep the focus on the source of love from whom this comes (Psalm 16:9,11, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.”)
However we find the Scriptures speaking to us, let us pray to be open to the movement of the Spirit: to seek out God’s word in verses of comfort, in verses we are unfamiliar with; in those we turn to daily and in those we may not have considered for some time.
The Word of God is always speaking; may God open our hearts and minds today to what we need to hear.
Submissions for the April issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Feb. 28 All pictures must be sent as JPEGS and 1 MB (megabyte) in size.
CONTACT
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Managing Editor: Jason Antonio SKAnglicanEditor@gmail. com 1501 College Ave Regina, Sask., S4P 1B8 Phone: 306-737-4898
PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5
There are many passages in the Bible that Christians can turn to when struggling and looking for spiritual support. Photo by John-Mark Smith/Pexels.com
By the Right Rev. Rodney Andrews, D.D. Interim Bishop of Saskatoon
How are bishops elected?
Anglicans are guided by the first episcopal election described in the book of Acts (Acts1:12-26).
Judas, one of the original twelve apostles, betrayed Jesus. The remaining apostles met to choose a successor. “And they cast lots ...and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.”
The Bishop's Corner On choosing a new bishop
We don’t know what is meant by “casting lots” and we do not know much about Matthias. Our method of casting lots is to gather the clergy and laity together to vote until they come to an agreement on the person to be the next bishop.
The new bishop will be consecrated by the laying on hands of at least three bishops who have been ordained by the laying on of hands of other bishops,
thus continuing an apostolic succession.
Anglicans take pride that we trace the succession of our bishops back to the original apostles.
The first bishop of what is now the Diocese of Saskatoon was John McLean (1874-1886). Bishop McLean lived in Prince Albert and served an area now encompassing midSaskatchewan, northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, parts of Manitoba and Ontario and all of the North West Territories.
Bishop McLean travelled by river boat and horse-and-buggy over this huge area. As the Anglican population grew, new dioceses were created and bishops chosen for them.
Bishop McLean was injured when his horses and democrat tipped while coming down the riverbank in Edmonton. He was placed on a raft and transported
500 miles on the North Saskatchewan River to Prince Albert where he died.
He is buried in the church yard of St. Mary’s Church in the west end of Prince Albert. The magnificent stained-glass window in St. Chad’s Chapel on the University of Saskatchewan campus is dedicated to his memory.
With the large population increase in central Saskatchewan in the early 1900s, the Diocese of Saskatoon was created. Bishop W.T. Hallam moved from Prince Albert to Saskatoon in 1931 with the title 5th Bishop of Saskatoon.
The geography of our diocese followed the CNR main line and the Yellowhead Highway from Manitoba to Lloydminster, as it does today.
There have been 13 bishops of Saskatoon. The longest tenure (20 years) was held by Bishop Stanley Steer (1950-1970). The shortest time in office was Bishop Wilfred Fuller (1949-1950), who died in office after only five months. Two of our bishops became archbishops: Bishop Tom Morgan (1993 to 2004) served as metropolitan (senior bishop) from 2000 to 2003 and Bishop Chris Harper
(2018-2023) was elected National Aboriginal Archbishop in 2022. You too can participate in the choosing of a new bishop. Your prayers for wisdom and guidance are critical. Information about the nominees will be circulated. You could consult with the clergy and Lay Delegates from your parish. Pray for the candidates and the electors. You might gather a prayer group on the day of the election, Saturday, March 8. When the new bishop is chosen, please keep that person in your prayers. The Collect for the Consecration of a Bishop on pg. 657 of the Book of Common Prayer might be your guide:
“Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy holy Apostles many excellent gifts, and didst charge them to feed thy flock: Give grace, we beseech thee, to all Bishops, the Pastors of thy Church, that they may diligently preach thy Word, and duly administer the godly discipline thereof; and grant to the people, that they may obediently follow the same; that all may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
... Theatre, music associations honour two Anglican choristers
Continued from page 1 at St. Paul’s Cathedral as a chorister, an organist for 20 years, the director of music for nine years, and now as chorister once again.
Bob Nicholls (pictured right) received a Life Membership from Regina Little Theatre for his work over the past 40 years. He has directed more than 40 musicals and was involved in more than 100 theatre productions in his many other roles as music director, pit musician, production manager, and sound designer.
Nicholls has been music director and percussion player for numerous musical theatre productions and musical revues for Regina Summer Stage.
He has also sung in many noted choirs over the years, including Regina Philharmonic Chorus, University of Regina Concert Choir and Ablaze to name a few.
Nicholls was a longtime member of the Regina Symphony orchestra, playing timpani and percussion for 49
seasons. He has played for Broadway musicals, National Ballet of Canada and has backed up pop performers including Petula Clark, Colin James, Cleo Laine, and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
At the cathedral, Nicholls served as the choral conductor of the choir for several years, retiring in the spring of 2018. He continues to sing in the choir on a part-time basis. He has directed St. Paul’s theatrical presentations for the past three years including the recent 2024 Christmas performance.
Janice Elliott-Denike, a member of St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir, has been honoured by the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers Association. Photo contributed
Photo contributed
Archdeacon Andy Hoskin retires for the fourth time
By Mary Brown
PRINCE ALBERT — Andrew Hoskin has retired many times since his 65th birthday. His first position in the Diocese of Saskatchewan was a rector of St. George, Prince Albert; Emmanuel, St. Louis; and St. Stephen’s in Macdowall.
When he was 66, he retired from that position on Aug. 31, 2016. The very next day, he became half-time priest at St. Alban’s.
For two years he held that position, and then on Aug. 31, 2018, he retired again and the next day he started as half-time priest at St. Christopher’s Church until the end of June 30, 2022, when he then worked at St. Christopher’s and the diocese as administrator.
Announcements for February 2025
Beginning in July 2022, 10 per cent of his time was assisting the bishop, which turned into 40 per cent of his time as administrator until the end of August 2024. He has now retired. Of course, his version of retirement is continuing to take Sunday services when asked, serving on St. Mary’s Cemetery Committee, registrar of the diocese and chairman of the matrimonial commission, archdeacon of Prince Albert, and continuing to take services once a month at Candle Lake. What would the diocese have done without the faithful commitment of such a man as Andy Hoskin? I could say he will be missed, but he will still be around to help out until he retires again.
g Saskatchewan Anglican online! Did you know you can read current and past issues of the Sask. Anglican online?
Visit www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/saskanglican or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saskatchewananglican
g Episcopal Election : The episcopal election for the next bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon will take place on Saturday, March 8, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon. Delegates to the Electoral Synod will receive packages of information about the synod before the event.
Diocesan and parish profiles and other information for delegates and those considering applying for this position may also be found on the diocesan web page at www.anglican diocesesaskatoon.com.
“Almighty God. Giver of every good gift. Look graciously on your church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for the diocese that we may receive a faithful guide who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ Our Lord, AMEN.”
g Licentiate in Theology Courses
offered by College of Emmanuel and St. Chad and Western Education Collaborative Anglican Network (W.E.C.A.N.): Emmanuel and St. Chad College has been working with the WECAN group to develop a ministry preparation program relevant to the various Anglican contexts in Western Canada.
The local diocesan ministry schools make substantial contributions to the program by offering courses mapped out in the ESC-WECAN Licentiate in Theology handbook.
Whether you are feeling called to do more formal ministry or are drawn to taking certain courses, please contact the person named for the course or courses you are interested in doing.
At the same time, let your diocesan school co-ordinator know your plans. If interested, please review the detailed list of fall and winter course located elsewhere in this issue.
g Saskatchewan Theological Union Courses for 20242025 : The Saskatoon Theological Union has announced the list of course offerings for the coming fall and winter. These course offer -
ings are too extensive to be listed here but information on these may be obtained from Colleen Walker, STU registrar, 1121 College Dr., Saskatoon, S7N 0W3, 639-6381510, colleen.walker@ saskatoontheological union.ca.
g Mentors and Instructors Needed for Em & St. Chad and WECAN Licentiate in Theology : Mentors and instructors for the students of our diocese enrolled in the Emmanuel and St. Chad College and the Western Education Collaborative Anglican Network's Licentiate in Theology.
For your information, a student may be in the L.Th. program for three to five years, depending on their life context and other responsibilities in their lives.
To maintain some continuity, we would like mentors to consider being in this role for two years. Longer would be appreciated and acceptable.
Retired clergy would be warmly welcome to serve as mentors as well as being willing to participate in the mentor Orientation. Mentors do not need to be clergy or even incumbent clergy.
People with teaching experience, who are respected members in
their faith community with a knowledge base relevant to the one of 12 courses required in the L.Th. could serve as instructors. If interested in being either an instructor or mentor, or both, please contact the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy at trish. mccarthy@saskatoon theologicalunion.ca.
g Reflections on Male Spirituality at Christ Church : The Men's Group of Christ Church Anglican (515 28th Street West) is beginning a weekly book study of Father Richard Rohr's classic, From Wild Man to Wise Man: Reflections on Male Spirituality.
All men invited to take part, meeting at Christ Church (basement, auditorium door on north side/28th St) starting Oct. 3 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more info contact Pastor Mark Kleiner at 306-222-3844 or y2kleiner@gmail. com.
g Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon : BAS Evening Prayer, every Thursday at 7 p.m.; Free community supper, 5 to 7 p.m., the third Tuesday of each month; Community Coffee House, every Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon; Nutflakes Videos,
Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Men’s breakfast the first Sunday of each month, a free breakfast by the men of the parish, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
g Courses at the Refinery : The Refinery at Emmanuel Anglican Parish, Saskatoon is offering a series of courses during the Winter 2024 season on a variety of subjects including painting and various other art media, Zumba, and various spiritual and meditative modalities.
For more information or to register, please contact the Refinery at: www.emmanuelrefinery.org or 306 653-3549.
g To be included in a timely manner, notices should be supplied to the associate editor by fax, email or “snail mail” by the end of the month, one month before the month in which the insertion is desired (i.e. February entries will be in the April issue).
Detailed and longer texts of events will not be included in this section, but should space allow, could be the subject of articles and notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican.
Bishop Rick Reed (left) presents a retirement gift to Archdeacon Andy Hoskin.
Photo by Barb Wirsta
... Army of volunteers ensures Watrous Thrift Store runs smoothly
Continued from page 1 serve on the volunteer board. A building was purchased on Main Street with the help of some kind and generous people. Next, a swarm of volunteers went to work to transform the heritage building into a bright and welcoming space that now houses the Thrift on Main store.
Following its grand opening, in May 2024, Thrift on Main has enjoyed great support from the community and surrounding area. This adventure in community building is a gift to all involved. To those who volunteer at the store, it has given new purpose and meaning to their lives.
To those who give gently used items to sell, it’s the knowledge that someone else will enjoy what has given pleasure to them. Knowing that the money earned will help sustain the continued good works of the four churches has become the added bonus.
The army of volunteers has a lot for which to be thankful. The Thrift on Main store has become a meaningful way to give back to the community. Offering grant funding as part of Thrift on Main’s mid-year financial end, Eric Upshall, who helped spearhead the project, said they were very fortunate to provide $61,687.95 to the community.
“It was an exciting time for us just to know our labour of love was going to be spread out into the community to many worthy causes,” he said.
Supports of the "Thrift on Main" in Watrous gather for a group picture. Photo supplied
Barely six months into the store's existence, the four churches received a substantial portion of the profit. Moreover, Thrift on Main was pleased to present cheques to 12 community groups that had applied for grants. Those included: Watrous and District Food Bank, Colonsay Food Bank, Winston High School Breakfast for Learning Program, Watrous School of Dance, Watrous Judo Club, Young
Swimming Pool, Nokomis Museum, Interlake Human Resources, Watrous Kinsmen Childcare Centre, Watrous-Manitou Beach Heritage Centre, Watrous and Area Arts Council, and Central Saskatchewan Medical First Responders.
The store's success is an overwhelming experience of what can happen when a community pulls together in order to give back.
This little store in a small Prairie town reflects
the Christian story. What good could come from Bethlehem, asked the ancient locals? What good can come from Watrous? As we learn to trust and live our faith, we become the hands and feet of Christ. Building a community takes time, effort, and dedication, but when it succeeds, it is an incredibly rewarding experience. With good planning and thought, we can create spaces that bring people together
and help them achieve amazing things.
The courage to dream new dreams combined with a few small talents can yield an abundant harvest of blessings. Such are the blessings Thrift on Main is lavishing on Watrous. Thanks be to God.
Sylvia Dubeczy is the pastoral co-ordinator for All Saints Anglican Parish and Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church in Watrous.
Long-term care ministry will look different in the future
By Rev. Ted Williams
PRINCE ALBERT — Ministry to long-term care (LTC) homes is shared by all churches, but often a local Saskatchewan Health Authority employee, usually from the recreation department, will co-ordinate weekly public services, sometimes on Sunday, yet otherwise on a weekday.
SHA employees coordinate and gather the different residents, assist with the sound system, and turn pages so residents can follow the hymns.
Significantly, in towns
where worship leaders are unavailable, an SHA employee may even lead the service, or use video or audio resources, like music, to do the same. This was common during the pandemic. Leading worship would be impossible without SHA staff.
There are concerns with policy and culture change. For example, new residents may be less familiar with the older hymns, or the older style of church worship. In the future, there will be even more unchurched residents.
Ministers may ask, What will worship look
like as the religious background of residents change? How do we minister to newer residents? Indeed, there is also increasing religious literacy amongst the population at large. Ministers will need to communicate with public servants who are not familiar with the old style of church worship.
If they are Christian, they most identify with new styles of church worship, .i.e. the praise and worship style, and unfamiliar with older styles of worship.
Other than the ministerial service, Anglican ministers also provide Holy
Communion.
This is a longstanding practice, with special consideration to “shutins” and those living in long-term care. Clergy will record these services in the vestry book, a book that records the number of communicants and services held.
For example, the SHA policy on the common cup. Initially, this was a policy in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic; currently, there is no general policy on the common cup.
However, some care homes will continue to implement a local
ban and will provide individual cups to ministers and give other directions to the minister.
This goes against the Anglicans practice of using the common cup. But Anglicans also want to find ways to work within the public sphere, not against it. The solution is easy, if not ideal: only administer the body or use intinction. Records show Holy Communion services going back to at least the 1960s.
While culture changes, the commitment to serve residents and staff of SHA remains the same.
DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN
Prayer conference coming in April
g Barb Wirsta, bishop’s secretary, will be on sick leave for six weeks following a knee operation on Jan. 20. The secretary at St. David’s Church will be in the synod office in her place.
g George Melvin Albers was born Dec. 22 at 10:12 a.m. to parents Sarah Groat and Fr. Brody Albers. Sarah and baby are both doing very well. The family thanks everyone for their prayers.
g This year the diocese is having a prayer conference in Waskiseu on April 11 and 12. More information will be forthcoming.
Don Code, retiring P.A. treasurer, honoured
By Mary Brown
PRINCE ALBERT —
Thirty-two years ago, in 1993, Bishop Tony Burton asked Don Code if he would be the treasurer for the Diocese of Saskatchewan. As the treasurer, you meet with the bishop and the finance officer once a month — or more often — and help the finance officer prepare for the quarterly executive committee meetings. He is the person who presents the financial statement to the delegates who attend the Synod, which would be about eight synods.
There have been many ups and downs in the diocese in the last 32 years. Two new bishops (Hawkins and Reed), budget cuts, the election
of an indigenous bishop, Adam Halkett, and various finance officers and new staff. Don was the chair of the selection committee when Michael Hawkins was elected.
When Bishop Hawkins resigned, Don came in weekly to help the archdeacon with finances and running the diocese. Code belongs to St. David’s Church in Prince Albert and was chairman of their vestry for 10 years.
Don was presented with the diocesan plaque and a birch bark picture at a luncheon in December. Bishop Rick Reed thanked him for his many years of service, knowing how much time and energy he put into his ministry with the diocese. We are grateful for his work and his expertise in his duties.
Bishop Rick Reed (left) presents a retirement gift to Don Code, the treasurer for the Diocese of Saskatchewan.
Photo by Mary Brown
Saskatoon cathedral's reno project an energy success story
By Angie Bugg SES Energy Conservation Engineer
SASKATOON — Like many older buildings, St. John’s Cathedral in Saskatoon was accumulating a list of maintenance problems — and some were very significant.
The roof was leaking, the gutters had failed and water from the roof was leaking in and pouring down the sides of the building, causing damage to terracotta and brick.
Furthermore, the glass protecting the stainedglass windows was not sufficient, shingles were falling off the roof, and bricks were crumbling. There was an urgent and critical need for restoration work on the beautiful, historic building.
Bert Munro and the property committee saw this as an opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of the building. For example, roof and rain gutter repairs created an excellent opportunity to add roof insulation.
At the same time, the Anglican Church of Canada “called on the church to take action on climate change, calling stewardship of the earth and the care of creation ‘a core responsibility of our faith.’”
Many years of planning, fundraising, and construction have since been done. An energy audit by the Saskatchewan
Environmental Society helped Munro and the property committee identify energy retrofit opportunities. The roof has been insulated, a timed flush urinal has been replaced with manual flush, leaks have been repaired, the Columbarium air handling system was upgraded, and much of the lighting has been upgraded to LED.
As well as the cathedral, the parish hall, a building next to the cathedral where some windows had fallen from their frames, has received some energy love.
This includes windows that have been upgraded, thermostats that have been programmed to fit the scheduled use of the space, two furnaces that have been replaced, and
they have started taking advantage of passive solar energy by opening the shutters on the south windows during the day and closing them at night.
The congregation at St. John’s has been rewarded for its efforts.
Besides addressing significant safety and occupancy issues and getting a building that will stand for many year, they have cut their natural gas use by 36 per cent and their water use by 47 per cent.
Munro says, “We’ve increased the usefulness of the space. On cold winter days, parishioners take their coats off in church, and even stay to visit with
each other after services.”
And they are still going. Along with more functional and aesthetic renovations, Munro and the planning committee plan to do other energy efficient upgrades such as upgrading additional lighting, adding ceiling fans, upgrading the boiler control system, and adding additional glass to the stained-glass window openings.
For more information on how your business or non-profit organization can save energy and water, contact SES Energy Conservation engineer Angie Bugg at angieb@ environmentalsociety.ca or call 306-665-1915.
An aerial view of the new energy-saving and leak-proof roof at St. John's Cathedral. Photos supplied
Before remediation, the cathedral's southern wall was decorated by ice from melting snow every spring, causing extensive damage to the building.
By the Rev. Canon Marie-Louise Ternier
“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19).
Recently I had an intense practise in dying. No, I’m not sick or otherwise find myself on the “heavenly runway” ready to take off to higher places.
I was sorting, discarding and packing for a move from one house to another, from one community to another.
Not leaving active ministry yet, just moving. I’m only moving; yet at some level, it felt like an exercise in dying.
While I don’t hold a candle to my husband’s propensity to collect and save literally everything, I do cling to ... words.
Among all the unsettledness of moving, of letting go, of leaving, words are the hardest to part with for me, harder even than the physical structure that has been our home for 18 years.
Yes, words. I love words. Writing is playing with words, sometimes for hours on end. Words help me find and express meaning, depth, and purpose.
Words give life to my dreams and visions. I use words to teach and preach, I use words to write and journal, I use words to express deep and hilarious thoughts. Words become flesh, over and over again.
Over the course of nearly seven decades of living, of which 30some years in ministry, I carefully kept paper copies of countless sermons, workshop and retreat talks, Scripture commentaries, published articles and even a couple of books.
Each one of these creations holds a piece of my soul; each one reveals what I consider precious, meaningful and of the
Dying to move
essence.
But now it’s purging season; the arduous task of deciding what to keep and what to discard is all consuming, tugging on my heart and mind. Really? Should it go?
Why keep it all? Well, there’s good reading all over these files of sermons and talks and articles. Somebody just might want to glean some wisdom and guidance tucked in between the pages.
But no, I will never use these words again in a public forum. All this paper to move ... for what?
So that the purging is left to my children? Well, maybe they’ll read my words and learn more about their mother who brought them into this world. Wishful thinking. They are creating their own horizons and their own expressions of meaning and purpose.
On and on goes the internal conversation as I turn yet another file over and over in my hands, resisting the temptation to sit down and re-read
this treasure trove of words that have guided, consoled, and shaped my life.
Then one day, in the throes of this “dying” practise, the heartache over discarding precious words took on a wider meaning.
On the eve of his diocesan Synod, my friend and colleague The Rev. Canon Scott Sharman shared this on Facebook page: “We have some sobering realities to face as a diocesan family of churches in these next few years, and probably quite a few things that will need to change and come to look different than they have for quite some time. We have some very tough decisions to make about what we can and should take with us into the future, and what we may have to carry differently or even leave behind.”
The sober reality of life is such; nothing is permanent, all is dust and to dust we return.
As a church community we are engaged in a
this: How we die leaves behind a legacy, a particular spirit, which either nurtures or haunts those left behind.
If we die in bitterness and anger, not at peace with our loved ones, ourselves, and our God, we will leave behind a spirit that is more toxic than nurturing.
Conversely, if we die reconciled and at peace with our loved ones, the world, and with God, then like Jesus, we will leave behind a spirit that nourishes, warms, consoles, and gives our loved ones sacred permission to be at peace.
How we die colours our legacy, and that legacy is either a gift or a burden to those we leave behind.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and in the age to come.
That is the only core truth we can trust in every dying moment, both in our personal lives and in the life of the church.
As Scott says in his Facebook reflection, we follow the One who showed us that real glory comes on a road that leads through the cross and is renewed through breaking apart loaves of bread.
similar heart-wrenching task: sorting and reviewing, pondering and evaluating, and finally discarding and detaching from some long-standing cherished practises and understandings.
While the Gospel continues to be the timeless pearl of great price, the institutional and cultural packaging in which every generation wraps and shares it needs regular rigorous renewing and adjusting.
In one of his columns last summer (June 17, 2024), spurred by the death of a beloved friend and colleague, the prolific RC writer Fr. Ron Rolheiser wrote the following:
According to the renowned mystic John of the Cross, we have three essential struggles in life: to get our lives together, to give our lives away, and to give our deaths away, What is asked of us in the first two struggles is obvious. But what does it mean to give our deaths away?
In essence, it means
And so we can face the path with hope, believing that what we think is failure and death is really a call into a new and more beautiful way to be what we truly are.
As followers of Jesus, we desire to leave a legacy of peace in a spirit that nourishes, warms and consoles.
With renewed hope and courage, I continue my sorting and reviewing, discarding and letting go, in the spirit of giving my death away in love and mercy, with thanks to wise words from others (see, words are amazing!) for helping me die to my own importance and to the urge to cling to all things temporal.
But I can’t resist: thank you, God, for digital files, and for online wordgames!
“For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.” Psalm 103:14—16
Shreds of the past. Photo by Rev. Canon Marie-Louise Ternier
Caring Crafters create for community
By Joanne Shurvin-Martin
REGINA — What happens when you make a storage room full of fabrics, yarn, sewing equipment, and an all-important work space available to people who want to create things for people in need? The Caring Crafters is created!
They are an ecumenical group of about a dozen women who meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month, in the lower level of the Living Spirit Centre in southeast Regina.
The group came together in June 2023 when a previously established group at St. Martin’s Roman Catholic Church closed, and gave them the “seed” — lots and lots of fabric, some completed and some partially completed quilts, and equipment including three sewing machines and even a knitting machine.
Living Spirit Centre (LSC) is a large building housing Bread of Life Lutheran Church and Eastside United Church.
(The former St. Philip’s Anglican Church worshipped there before joining with four parishes to become Immanuel Anglican Church.)
LSC provides a meeting space and a good-sized storage room for all the Caring Crafters’ materials.
Leonard cuts out donated
The crafters make useful items that are given directly to people in need, through a wide variety of agencies in the city, as well as items to sell at craft sales and markets. The proceeds are then donated to local charities.
Last year, the group sold their wares at six sales, including Christmas markets at both Immanuel and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In total they raised about $2,200, with expenses of $500. At the end of the year they designated $1,400
In December, some Caring Crafters — like Susan Etter — spent time cutting fleece fabric for mitts, while in January, they gathered to sew parts together. The mitts were then given to community schools and groups like Carmichael Outreach.
to be divided amongst the food bank, Mobile Crisis Centre, Souls Harbour Rescue Mission and the Mental Health Association.
Last fall, the Caring Crafters received a grant from SaskEnergy’s Share the Warmth program. They made large numbers Continued on page 11
This quilt was given to the Indigenous Mother and Child Program as part of SaskEnergy's Share the Warmth Program. Photos by Joanne Shurvin-Martin
A tiny selection of the quilting materials in the Caring Crafters' storage room in Living Spirit Centre.
Millie
fleece fabric to make children's mitts for community schools in Regina.
Women's retreat focuses on the threads of faith
By Margaret Fast
SASKATOON — A gathering of Lutheran and Anglican women “for women, by women” took place in Saskatoon in the Fireside Lounge at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Oct. 26, 2024.
Under the theme, “Threads of our Lives, Threads of Our Faith,” the 39 women considered how their own deep roots had moulded them under the canopy of faith, community and family.
Pastor Fran Schmidt, currently serving at Emmanuel Anglican Church in Saskatoon, led the women on a journey of discovery to realize their own lives as a tapestry, the threads and weaving of which are ongoing and unfinished.
Pastor Heather Anderson provided musical accompaniment to the singing on Saturday morning.
Representing churches in Prince Albert and Humboldt as well as several congregations in Saskatoon, the women enjoyed the social time and eagerly participated in the conversations suggested by Pastor Fran, sharing perspectives and friendship, coffee and muffins, singing and praying together.
Among other creative opportunities, each woman was given a transparent fabric bag containing a five-inch by six-inch plastic loom and thick threads of three
colours.
Time and encouragement were given to begin to weave a bookmark. The loom was a tangible expression of the threads that bind us together, shaping our relationships, and the symbolic bookmark does just that by marking our place in the world around us.
As women of faith, as we are gathering our threads
and becoming our fabric, though parts of it may be frayed and worn, we realize that our threads become part of the woven fabric of humanity. That no one completed their woven project while at the gathering is a reminder, too, that our own stories are not yet complete, and that God continues to guide us.
The retreat committee chose Haven Family
Connections (formerly Saskatoon Crisis Nursery) as the focus for its annual mission project.
The director, Dionne Miazdyck-Shield, presented an overview of the purpose and ongoing work of Haven. Speaking of the women and their children (12 and under) whose needs Haven serve, and maintaining confidentiality, Dionne gave us a snapshot of
difficult family situations experienced in Saskatoon. Her words informed us and led to an outpouring of empathy, which has allowed the committee to forward an offering of $645 to Haven Family Connections.
The day concluded with a Taize service of quiet reflections, thoughtful singing, prayers, and the reading of Psalm 139 with emphasis on verses 1315: “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”
The plans to organize a retreat committee made up of Lutheran and Anglican women (LAW) in Saskatoon began in 2016, following the dissolution of the National ELW (ELCIC) and the discontinuation of the ACW in the Saskatoon Anglican Diocese in 2017. Retreats were held from 2017 through 2019, with a break during COVID-19, and resumed in 2022. They have been funded in part by the ELCIC Women of Faith fund that was set up at the closure of the EWL Association, and ACW funds held by the Anglican Saskatoon Diocese have also been available.
The committee functions with the approval of the ELCIC Saskatchewan Synod and the Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon.
Diocese holds open house, ordains deacon, closes church
g Jessie Leigh Johnston ordained deacon
Jessie Leigh Johnstone was ordained deacon at St. Thomas Anglican Church, Rocanville, on Nov. 30, 2024. Bishop Helen Kennedy officiated, along with Archdeacons Lauren Miller and Catherine Harper.
g Synod Office open house
At the Synod Office open house on Dec. 19, two of the newer members of the diocese pose for a photo: Deacon Bryan Kenwell and Alina Shylan, the new office manager. Some other clergy who attended were Bishop Helen Kennedy, Dean Mike Sinclair, Executive Archdeacon Catherine Harper, Rev. Dell Bornowsky and Rev. Cheryl Toth.
The event also honoured retiring office manager Cindy Seiferling.
g Deconsecration in Gull Lake
St. John’s Church, Gull Lake, was deconsecrated on Dec. 4. Bishop Helen Kennedy led midday prayers and included part of the liturgy for the Thanksgiving on the Anniversary of a Parish. Archdeacon Catherine Harper, Synod Office, and Rev. Jesse Miller of Maple Creek attended the service, along with some clergy from other denominations in Gull Lake. The building will be used as an antique store. Watch for more details in the March issue
Some of the 39 attendees of the Lutheran and Anglican Women (LAW) meeting, which took place at the Fireside Lounge at Redeemer Anglican Church in Saskatoon.
Photo by Margaret Fast
New Deacon Bryan Kenwell and new Synod Office manager Alina Shylan socialize at the open house. Photo by Joanne Shurvin-Martin
Epiphany, all through the year
By the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy
As we open our hearts to God’s presence around us and to the ways God speaks to our hearts in this liminal season of Epiphany, you are invited to take one or more courses in theological studies and to learn how the Church prepares people to be beacons of light and hope in this dark world.
You may have heard of the Western Educational Collaborative Anglican Network of Western and Northern Canadian Dioceses that have worked closely with the Anglican College of Emmanuel and St. Chad based physically in Saskatoon.
This partnership has developed an on-theground, contextually and practically oriented Licentiate in Theology program that is offered in person and online through local diocesan courses
You are invited to take one or more courses in theological studies that ESCWECAN is offering this year. Photo courtesy the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy
resourced and supported in various ways through E.S.C. College.
This kind of spiritual and practical support in your walk with the Triune Christian God is literally available at your fingertips.
Learn how God shows Himself in special ways to people through their perception and conceptual and various learning styles. Consider learning about stages of faith, adult Christian education, and effective ways of teaching children in the ESCWECAN Licentiate in Theology program called
teaching and learning.
This course takes place online on Thursday evenings in February and March with instructors Fiona Brownlee of Edmonton Diocese and Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy of Saskatoon Theological Union.
God regularly reveals the divine triune self through a person’s disciplined spiritual life. Mark your calendars for the fall 2025 ESC-WECAN spiritual practices and spiritual formation course with Rev. McCarthy on Thursday evenings in September and October!
Learn about tried-andtrue ways of opening the self to God’s love and grace using spiritual practices such as the Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharist, prayer walking, body prayer, breath prayer, Taize services, spiritual direction, labyrinth walking and many other patterns of prayer.
In late 2025, take in the ESC-WECAN leadership course taught by Bishop David Greenwood of Athabasca Anglican Diocese, Kyle SchiefelbeinGuerrero of the Lutheran Theological Seminary and Rev. McCarthy of
the Anglican College of Emmanuel and St. Chad. You will learn some thoughtful and proven ways of leading people into a closer walk with God in Jesus Christ.
All through this year, you can experience God’s divine revelation and perhaps become acquainted with God on more visceral and heart levels. Learn new ways to open your heart to God through reading, praying and reflecting on Divine Epiphanies.
Find elsewhere in this Sask. Anglican the whole ESC-WECAN 2025 Course Schedule.
Register for any of the above courses on our website at esc-wecan. ca. Spiritual practice, leadership and teaching are key in the Christian’s toolbox for a life of faithful witness.
Your deeper, reflective journey with God can get a kick-start in the 2025 season of Epiphany. Join us!
Cindy Seiferling retires from Qu'Appelle's Synod Office
By Joanne Shurvin-Martin
REGINA — For the past 10 years, Cindy Seiferling has been a familiar face and voice in the Synod Office, however, she retired on Dec. 20, 2024.
Seiferling had been working at St. Michael’s Retreat, near Lumsden, where then-bishop Rob Hardwick was a member of the ecumenical board of directors. When Seiferling announced that
she would be leaving St. Michael’s and moving to Regina, the bishop asked if she already had a job in the city.
When she said, “Not yet,” he told her, “I may have something for you!”
As a result of this conversation, Seiferling began working half-time on the diocesan Living the Mission financial campaign.
She also helped with various other areas in the office, and when
... Crafters creatively reuse all
Continued from page 9 of winter items that were given to Carmichael Outreach, several local community schools, and the Indigenous Mother and Child program.
Bags and boxes full of mitts, scarves, toques, slippers, winter pants and underwear for primary school-age kids were created from donated and purchased fabrics.
In addition to providing warm clothing and quilts to people in need, the Caring Crafters work at being environmentally
conscious, by using remnants and scraps that otherwise would go into the landfill.
They rarely have to buy fabrics, but do buy quilt batting, elastic and thread to complete items.
While some of the items are plain and functional, some of the items created especially for sales allow members to let their creativity and imagination flow.
They make quilts of every size as well as lap robes, aprons and bibs, pot holders, tea towels,
Shelley Baron retired as executive officer, in April 2022, some of the duties were reassigned to Seiferling.
When Helen Kennedy became Bishop of Qu’Appelle, Seiferling became executive administrative assistant.
In a retirement message, she thanked all the others who worked at the Synod Office, along with the clergy of the diocese and parishioners across the diocese. She
said, “I feel blessed to have had this time” working at the Synod Office.
In retirement, Seiferling plans to enjoy more time with her eight grandchildren, who range in age from four to 14. They all live in the province, so she will be able to attend more of their activities and is looking forward to having them come “to Oma’s place to bake cookies and make crafts.”
pieces of leftover fabric scraps
placemats and table runners, pouches to hold jewelry, change purses, fabric greeting cards, even “indoor snowballs” stuffed with fabric scraps.
For Christmas, they sold quilted tree skirts, fabric ornaments, and Christmasy décor.
During their biweekly get togethers, the women discuss and make plans, as well as doing the crafting work. They also take materials home to work on them during their spare time, and bring back the finished products.
Cindy Seiferling on her final day as executive administrative assistant at the Synod Office in Regina. Photo by Joanne Shurvin-Martin
Bins of fabric are organized by colour and theme in the Caring Crafters storage room.
Hudson Bay donates over $2K to charities near and far
By Caron Cowan Hallen
HUDSON Bay (Skwn)
— St Patrick’s Anglican Church in Hudson Bay is a church with a small congregation of some very hardworking members.
Our church is known for its community support and outreach
and one of the ways is through large rummage/ garage sales held every second month throughout the year.
Items are donations from the community and are very reasonably priced from 25 cents to $5 and a very few items may be slightly higher priced.
The highlight of the Christmas season is the
annual Christmas sale and tea and bake sale held the last Friday and Saturday of November in our parish hall.
Christmas decorations, Christmas dishes, lights, trees and trimmings are collected all year through and with a one-day set up — fill the parish hall for the Christmas sale, with
all items priced to sell starting at 25 cents an item.
Friday’s sale went from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m., the tea occurred Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and remaining items from the day before were sold at half price.
Of the leftovers, the better quality ones are donated to the Hudson
Feeling the Holy Spirit
By Rev. Gene Packwood
ABay Community School for its Christmas store, while the remainder are donated to a local group that distributes them to thrift stores in other communities. This year, this two-day event brought in over $2,100 that we donated within our community, province, diocese, nation and worldwide.
Giving in the Spirit — cheerfully!
s you may have discerned from my last few columns, I view our traditional Canadian Anglican Book of Common Prayer as a rich resource for prayer.
For example, beginning on page 37, you will find a comprehensive and helpful selection of PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS UPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS therein.
Praying through them, one a day, is a good way to familiarize yourself with them and would also be a useful Lenten discipline.
You’ll find prayers and phrases that will help and inform your daily prayers, and you’ll find yourself praying for things for which you might not ordinarily have thought to pray as you go.
For example, when
was the last time you prayed for a Missionary Society, or for a Synod, or Theological Students? Have you ever prayed for any of them in your personal prayers? I’ve been known to pray for Synods because I’ve been involved in many of them. But I have to confess, I haven’t prayed for Missionary Societies since the last time I worked through this section of the BCP. This is one of the good things about using a prayer book to pray: one is led to pray for things one might neglect otherwise. Things like Missionary Societies: Send down the grace of thy Holy Spirit upon thy people, and grant that they may give
cheerfully of their substance for the evangelizing of the world. (p42)
What is the grace of the Holy Spirit? The grace He sends is in all He provides — the Gifts, the Fruits and always the Truth in Jesus. Although the Holy Spirit is The Comforter, His grace brings more than just comfort.
As James Ryle says, grace is God’s empowering presence to be who He made us to be, and to do what He calls us to do. Dallas Willard describes grace as that which empowers us to be able to do what we are unable to do on our own.
And what will this grace empower us to do in this instance? To be “subdued to the Spirit” and to be “in submission to your Spirit” (Collects for the First Sunday in Lent: BCP, p140 and BAS, p287) as we will soon pray when Lent arrives, so that you and I may, indeed, “give
cheerfully of my substance for the evangelizing of the world.”
Give cheerfully? Oh. A great prayer, I thought, for “they” who are not me. But, in praying it, I am forced to face up to the uncomfortable fact that “they” includes me. Sigh.
So, having the Holy Spirit sent down upon me is not just about speaking in tongues and prophesying and falling over and all that fun stuff.
It’s also about giving — with generosity as in the Romans 12 Motivational Gifts, verse 8 — and cheerfully — of my substance that is who I am, what holds me together, makes me me, what I earn and have been given — things easily thought of as mine — whilst subdued and submitted to the Holy Spirit And here’s another disturbing thought. This subdued, submitted and Holy Spirit prompted,
cheerful giving is from my substance, not God’s. In other words, the way the Holy Spirit has convicted me, is that my tithe is God’s in the first place. Not mine, His.
So the giving in this prayer must come from my substance after the tithe, and cheerfully! It is an offering over and above my tithe, “for the evangelizing of the world!”
This is where the Lenten spiritual disciplines of “self-denial” and “almsgiving” kick in (see Observing a Holy Lent: BCP, p612 and BAS, p282).
If you’d like to give cheerfully to an Anglican organization committed to evangelization, here are some good ones: Threshold Ministries ( https://www. thresholdministries. ca/give/) and Wycliffe College’s Institute of Evangelism ( https:// institute.wycliffecollege. ca/how-to-support/).
St. Patrick's in Hudson Bay hosted a Christmas sale and raised over $2,100 for various charities. Photos by Caron Cowan Hallen
Volunteers from St. Patrick's Church gather for a picture before the start of the two-day craft and tea and bake sale.
Bryan Kenwell ordained deacon during raging blizzard
By Eleanor Taylor
BEECHY (Qu’A) — “On a dark and stormy day ..." certainly describes the day Bryan Clarence Kenwell was ordained at St. Michael and All Angels church in Beechy. There had been several days of weather alerts for the weekend of Nov. 23, and Bishop Helen Kennedy had moved the time for the service up to 3 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Snow started to fall about 10 a.m. Everyone was relieved when Bishop Helen arrived; with the postal strike on, she was delivering church calendars, gifts for Bryan, and other articles from the Synod Office in Regina that normally depend on the mail, as well as officiating at the ordination service.
Three carloads from the congregation of St. Stephen the Martyr in Swift Current were able to get to Beechy for the service. Kenwell had served them as a theological student in the summer of 2023.
Rev. Canon Dr.
Grayhame Bowcott from Kenwell’s home parish of St. George, Parish of the Blue Mountains, Huron Diocese in Ontario, travelled to Saskatchewan for the occasion, and preached the sermon.
Kenwell was presented for ordination by Canon Bowcott, Archdeacon Lauren Miller and Anne Hill (from Swift Current).
Following the service, lunch was served, but with an eye on the weather, the parish provided lunch bags so people could “pick up and go” if necessary.
People from Swift Current were the first to leave the building, and they cleared the sidewalk, which was appreciated! It was still snowing heavily.
Prayers went with the travellers, and they all made it home safely. Later, the people in Beechy learned that it took Bishop Helen four hours to get back to Regina, which is normally a two-hour trip. Also, after driving his mother to the airport to fly back to Ontario, the newly-ordained deacon bought a snowblower!
Working toward an ever-wider understanding of God's call
By
the Rev. Canon Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel and St. Chad
Iam writing this column just before beginning a sabbatical leave from the college. During the next six months, I will be offering interim ministry in a parish in Edmonton.
This is an unusual kind of sabbatical, but an important application of our slogan at Emmanuel & St. Chad, to be a “college for the church.”
Part of my role as principal is to be a mentor and teacher for those who are deepening their call and preparing for different kinds of leadership in the church.
One thing that has become clear is that the Church has changed a great deal in the last generation, and will continue to change in the next. I, and our whole faculty, want to ensure we are offering students the training they will need to support the
church in the future. So, a short-term renewal of my own experience in parish leadership will, I trust, give me a fresh perspective on the directions in which the Church is moving.
One of those directions, as I have outlined in previous columns, is the “ministry of all the baptized.” I am especially looking forward to working with a parish to strengthen a vision of the church that relies on the gifts of all Jesus’ followers serving together.
This is not just about sharing the tasks of serving God and neighbour in the moment. It is also about taking shared responsibility for
discerning God’s call.
In any specific parish, it takes the whole community to hear what God is calling the Church to be and to do, precisely because God’s call involves every one of the members.
In our time, a vital aspect of this discernment is the work of paying attention to the profound changes I referred to earlier.
Many of these changes affect the church because they affect the whole society where we are called to be God’s people. For example, as social attitudes to government and authority change, it becomes all the more important for the church to organize itself in ways that enable everyone to participate. Even the reinvention of Church structures,
though, is something it will take all of us to accomplish.
One of my goals during my sabbatical time, in partnership with the parish that is hosting me, is to explore how congregations can nudge themselves towards embracing an ever-wider understanding of God’s call to them.
Ultimately this call is to be the church, in the place where God calls us to be, without any feeling of being lacking in something.
As the gospel of Luke describes the sending out of the disciples, we have everything we need. Those needs are met not in ourselves, but in the world God sends us to meet, and in the gift of Jesus’ calling and trust. (Luke 10:3-7)
A key aspect of my sabbatical plan is to test this vision in relation to the real experience of a real church. It may be that none of our parishes is fully ready to embrace
God’s call to be the Church in our place, but all of us are somewhere on that journey.
Perhaps a further element of shared discernment is figuring out how we can encourage ourselves to take the next steps on the path.
That is a key question for a parish in an interim time between clergy, which is a great time to take stock of what kind of leadership we need in order to be set free, more completely, to be the Church.
The same question, though, is worth asking any time, in any parish setting. Clergy, lay leaders, and all members have experiences in the world, spiritual insight, and God-given gifts that will enable us to be the church together.
At a time when we sometimes fall prey to a sense of weakness, there is strength to be found in bringing together all the ways in which God equips us to respond to our shared call.
Newly ordained Deacon Bryan Kenwell (middle) is flanked by Canon Grayhame Bowcott and Bishop Helen Kennedy, in St. Michael and All Angels, Beechy, after the ordination service. Photo by Mel Hill
Celebrating St. Nicholas, a revered bishop and lover of children
By Rev. Claude Schroeder
REGINA — Friedrich
Nietzsche, the notorious 19 th century German “death of God” philosopher, wryly observed that in his day, “The trick is not to arrange a festival, but to find people who can enjoy it.”
It’s a problem that we are well familiar with in our own day.
On Dec. 7, the parishioners at St. Mary the Virgin, Regina, arranged a festival. It was the feast of St. Nicholas, the revered fourth century Bishop of Myra, and confessor of Christian Orthodoxy at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325.
Nicholas’s hagiography established him as a worker of miracles and lover of children and of the poor. From his example, the parish discerned the theme for the festival: Growing in Love for God, for the Church, for the Children, and for the Poor.
The day began with festival workers gathering to pray the Collects for Purity and Peace, for the Extension of the Church, and the Lord’s Prayer.
As visitors arrived they were greeted and guided into the festively decorated parish hall, and given brown paper bags with which to shop at tables laden with an assortment of Christmas baking, other “delectable edibles,” hand-made Christmas decorations, crafts, games, cards, jewelry and pottery, all of which was the fruit of parishioners’ “labour.”
The Christmas Market is a familiar cultural scene, except that here it was the entry point into a much larger and richer experience, an invitation to stay and linger awhile.
At the back of the hall, space had been created for a “St. Nicholas Workshop” where children and their parents visited various stations to decorate Christmas cookies, make Christmas snowball decorations, puzzle, colour, play games, and explore and retell the Nativity story on a felt board.
In the newly renovated lower hall, visitors entered a coffee house where they enjoyed hot beverages with peppernut cookies, carrot and gingerbread cake to the sounds of a strumming guitar and the singing of
carols and contemporary praise songs.
For those looking for something savoury to eat for lunch, barbecue kielbasa sausage on a bun were available around the bonfire outside.
Twice in the afternoon the rector took groups of visitors on a “Signs and Wonders” church tour. This was the “evangelistic turn” of the festival. The aim was to show how the architecture and symbolic furnishings of the church point to wonders flowing from the Incarnation:
- The church door — our entry into salvation and eternal life though faith in Christ
- The font — being
cleansed from our sin and adopted into God’s family in baptism
- The centre aisle — the journey of discipleship
- The pews and stainedglass windows — finding community and travelling companions in the Church on earth and in heaven
- The lectern and pulpit — the proclamation of the Word of God through human speech
- The apse — the overlap of heaven and earth in an ordered cosmos
- The altar — the intersection of heaven and earth in the Eucharist, which nourishes body and soul
- The tetramorph adorning the processional cross and the Gospel Book — our entrance into God’s throne room through the liturgy and the Four Evangelist’s proclamation of His Kingly rule
In his book, In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity, another German philosopher, Joseph Pieper, a Roman Catholic, wrote, after the destruction of the Second World War, that “to celebrate a festival means: to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as a whole.”
Connecting festivity and the affirmation of the essential goodness of all that is, Pieper concluded Continued on page 16
St. Nicholas (Simon Elkin in his everyday life) gives out treats to children at St. Mary’s Celebrate St. Nicholas Festival. Photo by Rev. Gene Packwood
Children attending the festival at St. Mary’s, Regina, left their boots in front of the Nativity Window while they attended the Family Vespers service in the church. After the service, they found the boots full of treats! Photo by Katherine Gilks
Canon Claude Schroeder (left) and Katherine Gilks enjoy the bonfire outside St. Mary the Virgin Church, Regina, during the parish’s Celebrate St. Nicholas Festival.
Photo by Katherine Gilks
Stewards of God's abundance
Dare to dream — God will provide
By Deacon Arleen Champion
Trusting in God’s provision is elementary to faithful stewardship. It is also an expression of discipleship as we are often called to give beyond our comfort zone of our time, talent and treasure.
This past year was challenging for Rev. Deacon Arleen Champion and her husband, Bob Nelson. After being in remission for 15 months, Bob’s cancer returned and he re-entered chemotherapy treatment again for five months, followed by surgery in July 2024.
At the same time, Arleen’s parish of St. Aidan in Moose Jaw said farewell to their incumbent, who was called to a new parish. Her parish responsibilities increased as did her caregiving for her husband, on top of her part-time work in the secular world.
In these situations, one can only trust in God to get you through, as you know you cannot do it on your own.
Initially, there did not appear to be an opportunity for Arleen and Bob to take some muchneeded vacation time together as they journeyed through this, but suddenly it became apparent that two weeks in September were available.
Bob had recovered enough from surgery to travel and he had no medical appointments scheduled then.
Not knowing what the future held, they considered fulfilling a dream of touring Newfoundland that they had always shared. With less than three weeks until they were able to travel, flights and car rental should have been very expensive.
The very day they decided to check the viability of this trip, a sale launched for both flights and car rental, and the details, as they had always dreamed, fell into place. Recognizing God’s hand in this, they gave thanks for His provision and prepared for travel,
Than anywhere else
knowing this was His plan for them.
Upon arriving at Deer Lake, NFLD, they travelled north. One of the first places they stopped was Cow Head. It had an interesting name and is known for its live theatre, so the intention was to see what would be playing when they returned in a few days. Driving down the main thoroughfare, Arleen spotted an Anglican
Church with a beautiful garden beside it.
Of course, she had to stop, (the first of several church stops in the next two weeks). It was just what she needed that morning as they began their journey through Newfoundland — a place to be quiet, pray and reflect on God’s mercy and grace as they set out on their adventure.
The church was St.
Mary the Virgin and this was their botanical garden. It was created in 2001 as part of a community incentive to use the area’s natural resources.
Upon entry to the garden, one is greeted by a poem entitled God’s Garden, by Dorothy Frances Gurney: “The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on Earth.” It was fitting for this space.
Benches were placed throughout the garden as well as a prayer and meditation platform for people to rest in God’s peace, which is strongly felt there.
This garden is located beside the church and on the ocean, where it should have been difficult for many of the plants in the garden to adapt and thrive. As Arleen looked around, she noticed a young teen, tending one of the flower beds.
This young woman said she usually has some friends accompany her but that day, she was by herself. The garden as a whole is maintained by volunteers and it was encouraging to see the young people part of that.
As Arleen wandered through the garden and along the ocean shore, she paused to pray and reflect. This beautiful garden was truly a testament to travellers on that road. God is in loving control.
Just like many of the plants, we, too, grow and thrive in places and in ways that surprise us, when we give ourselves into our Lord’s care and service, trusting His abundance, provision and love for us. Sometimes, He even gives us a holiday!
Arleen and Bob returned to Cow Head a few days later and attended an evening prayer service at St. Mary’s and then watched the sun set from the deck of their hotel.
This small parish and garden had been part of God’s plan for some respite for them. The gentleman sitting beside them on the plane was from Cow Head and encouraged them to check out the live theatre there.
That was the carrot before the horse that drew them into Cow Head, but God had much better plans awaiting them there. God’s provision, once again, infinitely more than they could ask or imagine. Thanks be to God.
God's Garden is beside St. Mary the Virgin, Cow Head, NFLD. Maintained by volunteers, it provides a beautiful place to pray, meditate and feel the presence of God. The poem ends, "One is nearer to God's heart in a garden,
on Earth."
Photos by Rev. Arleen Champion
Deacon Arleen Champion and her husband visited St. Mary the Virgin, Cow Head, during a vacation in Newfoundland. They say their holiday showed many signs of God's provision.
Craft and bake sales help build camaraderie in churches
By Mary Brown
PRINCE ALBERT — I attended three crafts sales over Christmas that Anglican churches hosted, but I missed Hudson Bay's.
Each one had a different name — Autumn Craft Fair at St. George’s in Prince Albert, St. Alban’s Cathedral Christmas Market and St. Mary’s ACW Christmas Tea in Birch Hills.
Many congregations have at least one annual fundraiser, some more. For instance, St. David’s has a country gospel concert, St. Matthew’s in Tisdale has an annual three-day
fall rummage sale and All Saints in Melfort has a guild Christmas soup and sandwich.
You could rent a table at St. Georges’ for $25. They had 12 tables rented and also sold soup. There were various items on tables and all were unique and different. The Lady Paul ACW in St. Georges’ also put on a soup and sandwich and a yard sale.
St. Alban has annual fundraising events including teas and rummage sales. There were many items left over from other sales to feature at its festive sale along with a hot meal, greenery
arrangements and a kids' table, where they could buy a gift for 25 cents.
The Christmas tea in Birch Hills featured tea and a Christmas pudding or apple crisp for a donation. They also had Christmas baking and turkey pies. The pies are a big hit and always sell out.
You might say it’s too bad the churches need to do fundraising to keep their doors open. But there are benefits to these activities. One advantage is the camaraderie that happens when everyone is working side by side.
You have conversations outside of the church and
you get to know someone you would only say hello to on your way out of church.
Most events invite people from outside the church family. Those who live in the community look forward to going to the Anglican Church for lunch, beef suppers, craft sales, etc.
These sales also help the less fortunate as the items are usually donated and therefore, they practically give them away. And maybe some people cannot afford to tithe a lot to their church but can contribute in other ways.
A Christmas-related fundraiser usually does
... A festival for St. Nicholas Obituary
Continued from page 14 that “there can be no more radical assent to the world than the praise of God, its Creator,” and that “ritual festival is the most festive form that festivity can possible take. To refuse ritual praise is to destroy festivity.”
Nietzsche, in other words, was right. The death of God is a real party killer.
But Jesus’ rising from the dead restores us to true festivity in the celebration of the liturgy.
For this reason, the Celebrating St. Nicholas Festival concluded with a family vespers service featuring the singing of the Phos Hilaron, Soon and Very Soon We are Going to meet the King! and hymns in honour of St. Nicholas.
The lesson from 1 John 3 spoke about the love of
God, and the Gospel of Christ, and was followed by the Grand Entrance of St. Nicholas, who addressed the children and, after the closing prayers, led them in procession to the Nativity window in the narthex where their empty shoes had been filled with treats.
Before leaving, visitors were given an invitation to return to the Lessons and Carols Service to be held later in December.
Had the parishioners of St. Mary’s found people with whom to enjoy the festival? It seems so. It was the first of God’s Christmas gifts to the parish in Advent, and a sure sign of His Coming.
Claude Schroeder is Rector of St. Mary’s and Canon for Mission and Theology for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.
well, and the proceeds averaged about $1,000 per church with everyone enjoying their day.
Rev. Peter Heritage had love
By the Right
Rev. Rodney Andrews, interim Bishop of Saskatoon, and the Rev. Peter Coolen
SASKATOON —
The Rev. Peter Bertram Heritage was born in Beckenham, Kent, England on Dec. 13, 1930, and he died peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 3, 2024, at the age of 93, in Edmonton. Peter came to Canada in September 1952 to attend Emmanuel College in Saskatoon. Bishop Stanley Steer, bishop of Saskatoon, ordained him deacon in 1957 and priest in 1958. His first parish was Northminster (1957 and 1958).
He served the parishes of Humboldt from 1959 to 1963 and Unity from 1963 to 1970. He then moved to parishes in the Diocese of Edmonton and the Diocese of New Westminster.
In the early 1970s, he returned to the University of Saskatchewan where he earned a bachelor of music degree in education and a Licentiate in Theology from the College of Emmanuel and St Chad.
He then taught music in several schools in Prince Albert, while he was also organist and choirmaster at St Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert, for two
for music
years. After retiring from parish ministry in Maple Ridge, B.C., Peter and his wife, Lois moved back to the Edmonton area to be closer to family.
Peter is survived by Lois, his loving wife of 64 years, sons David (Rosalie), Stephen (Lorri), and John (Rayleen), grandchildren Jennifer (Keith), Michael (Alecia), Susan, Julia (Muhammad), and Anne, and great-grandchildren Haley, Isaac, and Adalyn.
A funeral was held on Dec. 12, 2024, at All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Edmonton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to outreach programs at All Saints Cathedral, the Parish of Christchurch (Anglican) or any charity.
Rev. Jordan Draper pays for his tasty-looking baking during a Christmas fair at St. Mary's, Birch Hills. Photos by Mary Brown
Volunteers from St. George, Prince Albert sell plenty of baked goods during a Christmas sale.
