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anglicanlife

December 2015

A Section of the Anglican Journal

Love

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

came down at

Christmas

Photo Copyright: Dayna More | Shutterstock

Incomparably
beautiful
Christmases

On the first Sunday


of Advent, 1943, while in
a Nazi prison, the young
German theologian and
pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote to his parents,
I dont have to tell you
how greatly I long for freedom, and for all of you. But
for decades you gave us
such incomparably beautiful Christmases that my
grateful memory of them is
strong enough to outshine
even this rather dark one. It
is times like these that show
what it really means to have
a past and an inner legacy
independent of the change
of times and conditions.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The
Mystery of Holy Night,
edited by Manfred Weber)
In April, 1945 Bonhoeffer, having never received
the freedom he longed
for, would be executed in
a German consecration
camp, witnessing to the
God he loved and to the
God who loves him.
We have come to view
Christmas as being about,
and dependent upon,
laughing children, presents
and turkey. While these
are important trappings,
the actual gift of Christmas is so much more than
presents and trees and
lights; so much more than
these trappings. While
family celebrations can
bring incredible joy and
are such an important part
of incomparably beautiful Christmases it is the
Incarnation, God with us,
that brings the peace that
passes understanding, it is
what gives us a past and
an inner legacy independent of the change of times
and conditions.
Whatever your time
and condition; surrounded by children or grandchildren, in the embrace
of the one you love or

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Photo Copyright: Robert Young Photography

DECEMBER 2015

The Rt. Rev. David Torraville


Bishop

Central Newfoundland

distant from children or


grandchildren, alone and
lonely, the Creator of the
Universe comes to you in
love. The infant of Bethlehem enters loving homes
and dark prisons, inviting
hearts filled with laughter
and with tears to invite him
into those hearts.
May you feel the love
of God, regardless of your
time or condition, may
you know that you bear
the print of the Creator of
heaven and earth on your
soul and may you know
that the babe of Bethlehem
comes for the love of you.
And may we grow to
know, as Bonhoeffer wrote:
If God has loved the
world
the whole of fallen
creation,
then he gave us no
preference over others.
He has loved my worst
enemy
no less than myself.
May knowing this be
your Christmas gift to your
community and your world.
Merry Christmas, and may
God bless us all, that the
word enemy may be vanquished from all hearts.
+David

DECEMBER 2015

Christmas carols Central Diocese response


to Refugee Crisis

Rev. Gregory Mercer


Columnist

The Advent and Christmas traditions are beautifully rich in symbolism, ritual
and story. The Hymns and
Carols are an important
part of that rich tradition.
They tell the story in music
and song about the Saviour
of the World and why he
came. Remember this verse
from O Come, O come
Emmanuel: O come, thou
Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine Advent
here; Disperse the gloomy
clouds of night, And deaths
dark shadows put to flight.
One of my favourite lines
is from the opening verse
of O Little town of Bethlehem: Yet in thy dark street
shineth The everlasting
Light; The hopes and fears
of all the years Are met in
thee to-night.
The King is coming and
these verses reveal the reason for his coming: no more
death, no more fear only
everlasting light, peace,
hope and joy. The hopes
and fears of all the years are
met in thee tonight. What
a great line! It sums up the
whole of the Gospel. With
all the buildings we put
up and all the roots we tie
down, or for that matter
all the secular traditions
and celebrations we make
around Christmas, what
could be more important in
greeting Christmas morning with the beauty of hope
and joy, dispelled of all fear,
including even the fear of
death. What does that say
to you and about your deceased loved ones?
Christmas, as we all
know, is a difficult time for
many. And it is more than
just being nostalgic for
what once was. The King
of Rock n roll, Elvis Presley
says it best in his popular
Christmas love song, Ill
have a BLUE Christmas
without you. Christmas is
that time of the year when
families come together and

feast and share gifts. They


gather around the tree and
tell stories, laugh and sing
songs. But then you realize
that someone you loved is
missing and the Christmas
blues begin to set in. For
some people this can be
a very difficult time. We
cannot deny the way we
feel. It is all part of the
grief process and at special
times of the year that grief
will climax. The truth of the
hymns, however, cannot be
mistaken: O come, thou
Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits [and] Disperse
the gloomy clouds of night.
The coming of the Saviour
gives meaning and purpose
to an otherwise hopeless
situation.
If you are honest with
yourself somewhere along
the way you have slowed
down enough to wonder
about the mystery of life.
And no doubt you have
asked questions, or at least
they have popped into your
mind, Why am I here? Why
do I exist? Is there anything
more to life than getting
up in the morning, going
to work, coming home,
watching TV, going to bed
and then getting up the
next morning and doing the
same thing all over again?
Is there any purpose in
that? You may have even
questioned the existence
of God?
Where do you think
these thoughts come from?
Ecclesiastes reminds us that
God has created in us a desire and a thirst for himself.
[God] has put a sense of
past and future [eternity)
into their minds, yet they
cannot find out what God
has done from the beginning to the end (Ecc 3:11).
God has planted in us a desire for another dimension
of existence a dimension
of existence where love is
complete. This mystery has
been fulfilled in the coming
of Jesus Christ. And so
come Christmas morning
we can rejoice and give
thanks to Jesus that our
departed loved ones are secure in the nearer presence
of God.
Enjoy your Christmas
and be sure to find a place
to worship this Holy season
where you can sing the
Christmas carols and participate in Holy Communion.
Remember, the closer you
draw to Christ the closer
you are to your loved ones,
both the living and the
dead.

Submitted by

Diocese of Central
Newfoundland

All of us have been moved by


the plight of refugees, particularly
the mass exodus of Syrians crossing
Europe, and many of us have asked
what can we do.
Winter is approaching and
the situation in Europe is going
to become even more difficult for
the growing numbers of refugees.
It is our hope that we can raise
enough money by December to
begin the process of sponsoring at
least one family, which will require
$30 thousand with another family
being sponsored shortly after, for
a total financial requirement of
$60 thousand. We cannot begin
the process of applying to support
families until we have the funds
available and the volunteers on the
ground ready to go.
On 9/11 communities throughout our Province, welcomed thousands of people; throwing open
our churches and public buildings,
throwing open our homes and
hearts with only a few hours notice.
We know that just as we helped
thousands of stranded passengers,
we can help two refugee families.
We can do this!
On 9/11 we showed the world,

and ourselves, what a small group


of people can do when we work
together selflessly. I encourage everyone in every small cove and large
town to respond with prayerful
generosity. We may not be able to
change the world, we are not even
able to make a dent in the refugee
crisis but we can be neighbors to
two families of Gods children and
give them the same chance for a
safe and fruitful life that we and our
families have.
Our Diocese plans to enter into
a co-sponsor agreement with the
Association of New Canadians to
sponsor at least 2 refugee families.
In addition to $60 thousand dollars
to make this possible, we also need
a large number of volunteers committed to making this a reality. This
is a huge commitment and not one
to be undertaken lightly. It will involve a period of preparation, and at
least one year of commitment once
the families arrive. There will be lots
of opportunities for everyone in the
Diocese to support this ministry.
What can we do immediately?
Parishes in the Diocese of
Central Newfoundland can consider
whether your community may be a
suitable place for a refugee family to
settle. To do this you need to have
available affordable housing for a

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

family; at least 20 volunteers ready


to commit for one year for such
diverse activities as baby-sitting,
financial management, medical
assistance, paperwork help, and
language training; as well as general community supports appropriate
for an immigrant family.
Your parish can help raise
funds, either through an envelope
campaign, or a fundraising effort
such as a walkathon or concert, etc.
St. Georges Congregation, Gambo
organized a walk and already has
contributed $2,000. As well, private
donors have made a commitment
of over $3,000 contributed at their
wedding anniversary celebration.
God bless such ready generosity!
Other parishes have exciting fundraisers in the works. We can do it!
Your parish can spread the
word about the refugee situation
through church bulletins, parish
newsletters, Facebook and special
events.
Most importantly we need
your parish to support this work
in prayer. Special themed services
and/or prayers during our weekly
intercessions are a vital part of this
ministry.
Please make our response to
the Refugee Crisis a priority in your
congregational ministry this fall.

DECEMBER 2015

A Chinese
Christmas

On Sunday November 1, 2015 at St. John The Evangelist Church in Cape Ray on All Saints Day, the
Rev. Steven Maki presented Vernon Short & Linda Warren with their Lay Readers license. Vernon
has been a Lay Reader since 2002, and Linda since 2014. Pictured (left to right) are: Vernon Short,
Rev. Steven Kaki and Linda Warren. Submitted by Vernon Short.

On Sunday, November 1, 2015 at St. Pauls Anglican Church, Grand Bay , three new Lay Readers
were licensed and two were re-licensed. Pictured above (left to right) are: Effie Hewitt, Sam Keeping, Marvin Ingram, Mary Dowding and George Gillam with Rev. Stephen Maki. Submitted by Ernest Dowding

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Anyone submitting articles to Anglican Life


must use this new email address:
anglicanlifeNL@gmail.com

This year, for the first


time in our lives, Kay and I
will be celebrating Christmas with our daughter Michelle and family in Shanghai, China. Her husband
Glenn is involved in an
environmental operation
and they have been living
there for the last year and
a half. Their two children,
Julia and Georgia, are adjusting well to this massive
change in their lives.
Needless to say, we
have been anxious to see
them again.
I consulted with the Internet to see what I might
expect having Christmas
one of the holiest of
the year for us here in a
country where Christianity
doesnt have much cultural
influence and where only
about 1% of the people
there are Christian.
One website, China
Highlights, was a wealth
of information. These
are some of the things I
learned.
Along the coast and in
the big internationally-influenced cities, Christmas
has been a big commercial
success and a newly adopted festive tradition.
In smaller cities and
countryside areas in Chinas interior there are far
fewer Christians and the
people have had less contact with foreigners, so
Christmas is sometimes a
foreign mystery, especially
for the older generations.
In the far west where
a lot of Muslims and more
devout Buddhists live, such
as in Xinjiang and Tibet,
Christmas is publicly celebrated very little.
Most Chinese people
who celebrate Christmas
do so as a happy occasion
for get-togethers of friends,
relatives, and couples, without any religious attachment, while the Christians
generally celebrate the
day religiously, sometimes
more so than in the West.
On the streets and in
department stores, there
are Christmas trees, lights
and decorations. Youll
hear Christmas music playing from the end of November.
Youll see many of
the same decorations up:
Christmas wreaths, Merry
Christmas banners, colorful

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Kevin Smith

Columnist

lights, and the same sorts of


ornaments. Most of these
decorations bought in the
West are made in China
anyway!
For young people, its a
chance to get together with
friends and have Christmas
parties. These might be
held at a friends house,
McDonalds, karaoke cafe,
restaurant, or bar. There is
a festive atmosphere, and
people enjoy the decorations and unusual music.
Christians in China celebrate by going to special
church services, which are
typically packed to capacity. On Christmas Eve, there
are choral performances, and the congregation
puts on dance and drama
performances. It is called
Peaceful Evening from
the translation of the carol
Silent Night).
An unusual apple eating tradition has evolved
in the country. The word
apple (sounds like the word
peace in Mandarin,) so
people eat apples.
Carol singing in the
streets is rarely seen,
though it s popular in
Christians houses, where
the karaoke machine, ever
popular in China, may be
employed. Hows that for
celebrating Christmas
with a karaoke machine!
In closing, on behalf of
Kay and my family, I want
to say Merry Christmas in
Chinese:
S h n g d n ku i l /
shnng-dan kwhy-ler/ Holy-birth happy
Kevin Smith is a gift planning consultant for the Anglican Church of
Canada. He can be contacted at
709 739-5667 or by email:
kevinsmith709@gmail.com

DECEMBER 2015

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Following confirmation, Emily
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youth conferences every summer from 1989
until 1994 where she
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across Atlantic Canada.
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Chapel with the servers, the missionary society, and the altar guild.
At Kings College, Emily
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New Editor - Ms. Emily Rowe


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the parish of Bonne


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Bonne Bay, Emily and
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Frances.
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anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

DECEMBER 2015

Goodbye Fr. Nick Anticipating Christmas

Submitted by

Parishes of Bay St. George


& Stephenville Crossing

On Sunday, September 27 ,
2015 congregants from the Parishes
of Bay St. George and Stephenville
Crossing NL, came together to celebrate the Eucharist one last time with
their priest, Fr. Nickolas Griffith. The
service was held at St. Michaels and
All Angels Anglican Church, St. Davids
followed by the sharing of a delicious
meal. During his short 15 months
with us he accomplished so much.
He brought together the two parishes,
consisting of seven churches, and encouraged each congregation to attend
services at the other churches. He
inspired us to restart fund raising to
financially keep our churches viable.
Fr. Nick was educated at both
Harvard and Oxford universities, is
an astute theologian, and a gifted
teacher and preacher.
He quietly performed humanitarian deeds. When he discovered
children and seniors in need of food,
he did not question the reason for
their circumstance, just saw hungry
th

children and seniors and provided


food, sometimes from his own pantry.
One day when he saw an elderly gentleman walking down the highway
with tattered shoes, he gave him a
ride to find out where he lived, found
shoes to give him, and also gave him
clothes from his own closet.
When news media wanted to
do an article on him as a 36 year old
newly ordained priest with seven
churches under his charge, he asked
if the focus was to be on him or on the
churches; when he was told on him,
he declined their offer. To him the
important story was seven churches
trying to survive and grow in our
current financial climate.
In addition to increasing from
three services to four services on
Sundays, 3 teaching Eucharists on
Wednesdays, he visited the hospital
twice weekly and was an advocate
for the patients. Besides marriages
and baptisms during his tenure he
also performed 45 funerals and every
family praised him for his pastoral
presence in their time of grief.

Farewell Rev. Louise

Submitted by

Dale Decker

Members of the
congregation of The
Parish of Bonne Bay
North ( Good Shepherd, Norris Point &
St. Matthews, Rocky
Harbour) attended
a farewell dinner for
Rev. Louise Richards,
on Thursday evening
October 29th. Rev.
Louise resigned her

p o s i t i o n a s Pa r i s h
Rector, effective Saturday October 31st
after 3&1/2 years of
faithful service. She
was presented with
a parting gift by Parish co-chair & Parish
Treasurer, Gwen Kerri.
Everyone wishes Rev.
Louise every success
& best wishes in all her
future endeavours.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Geoff Peddle


Bishop

Eastern Newfoundland & Labrador

It is the last week of


October as I write and theres
been quite a transformation
at our Diocesan Bookstore.
On Friday it was the familiar
religious bookstore at Synod
Office with a large collection
of books and materials for
various occasions along with
an extensive assortment of
devotional goods for different
Christian churches. By Monday
the store had moved fully into
the Christmas season with
every available inch displaying
gifts and items appropriate to
Advent and Christmas. There
were cards and books for sale
along with framed prayers and
nativity sets and a myriad of
decorations (including a Santa
Claus kneeling at Jesus manger) all inspired by the Season
of Advent and the celebration
of Christmas ... two months
later!
Christmas really does
come early if you work in
retail!
It has been our policy for
some years now at the bookstore to shift into Advent and
Christmas mode by November
because we realize that with
the fast pace of life these days
and the need to get Christmas
shopping in early, we really
need to meet people where
they are. Its not like were
competing with the malls and
their Christmas sales that typically start just after Halloween;
our goods are all religious in
nature. I am not sure we even
make a profit. We are happy
to break even, knowing that
we at least support people of
faith and provide them with
religious goods they cannot
always get elsewhere. Its
one way we help them to get
ready for Christmas. We want
to inspire and bless.
I am a bit of a purist when

it comes to Christmas. Kathy vance. Or it can be as prayerful


and I have always put up our as a course of Advent readings
tree as close to Christmas Eve and prayers as we count down
as possible and it is always the days until Christmas. The
taken down on Old Christmas important thing is that we get
Day, January 6. For us, Advent ready in our own way. And the
is Advent, Christmas is Christ- really important thing is that
mas, and everything else is we never forget the One who
everything else. We dont like inspires us to get ready in the
to mix up our seasons because first place.
This year, however you
each is special in its own way.
But having stated that; I have choose to prepare for Christalready bought a gift for Christ- mas and however you choose
to keep
mas at the
Christmas,
bookstore.
may you and
The delightyour family
ful presentahave a holy
tion inspired
and blessed
me!
celebration.
The word
In a world of
anticipachange and
tion always
uncertainty,
comes to
a world of
mind when
upheaval
I look ahead
and turmoil,
to Christof business
mas from
and busyany point
ness, it is
in the year.
still possible
Christmas
to discover
evokes many
Jesus in surfeelings
prising ways
and many
in the midst
thoughts as
of it all.
I remember
Photo Copyright: Jagoda | Shutterstock
May you
Christmases
past and the joys of being with discover Him this Christmas,
family and friends. It is often a not only in those places you
time of being with the people expect to find him, but also
most important to you even in those places you might not
if you cannot be with them in expect to find him.
May you and those near
person. I guess we all get ready
for Christmas in our own way and dear to you have a Blessed
every year. And that getting and Holy Christmas.
ready can be as simple as
+ Geoff
picking up a gift for a family
member or friend well in ad-

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

DECEMBER 2015

Queens College Convocation


Submitted by

The Rev. Dr. Alex Faseruk

Convocation for Queens


College was held on Thursday, October 8, 2015 with a
near capacity congregation
at St. Augustines Church in
St. Johns. This years Convocation witnessed 26 new
graduates from its various
programs, including the
very first students from the
Exploring Faith program
who received their certificates that evening.
The graduates were:
Bachelor of Theology by Distance - Doreen Davis-Ward;
Associate in Theology Samuel Butler, Joshua Canning, Audrey Renee Patricia
Easton, David Richard Jarvis,
Fiona Laverty, Robynn M.
Toal, Stella Walsh; Diplo- Scholarship for first place
ma in Theology and Min- standing in year two of the
istry - Audrey Renee Patri- Bachelor of Theology Procia Easton, Doreen Locke, gram-Christine Lynch; the
Yvonne Pardy, Raymond Queens College Alumni/
Clyde Seaward; the Cer- ae Association Scholarship
tificate in Exploring Faith for the Associate in Theol- Derrick James Bishop, Bar- ogy graduate with highest
bara A. Boone, Linda Botta- standing-Stella Walsh; the
ro, Lisa Cox,
Margaret
Janson,
Doug Kean,
Frederick J.
Marshall,
Ford Matchim, Paul
Clarence
Mercer, Peter Record,
Fronie
Beverley
Squibb,
Beverly
Vokey,
The Venerable Bruce Myers
Charmaine
Warford,
Gregory Francis Warford, R.A. Parsons Scholarship for
Scott Winsor.
the Highest Standing in the
Mr. William Marshall, Master of Theological Studthe retired Chancellor of ies program- Rebecca Pike;
the Diocese of Central New- the Queens College Alumfoundland, received the de- ni/ae Association Award for
gree of Doctor of Canon Law continued demonstration of
honoris causa in celebration Queens College Core Valof his long and dedicated ues of Christ-Centeredness,
service to the Church.
Commitment, Development
The Scholarships pre- and Collegiality - Christine
sented at Convocation were: Lynch and Tryphena Vallis;
the Archbishop Robert L. the Award for Liturgical Praxand Elizabeth Seaborn is for excellence in demonScholarship for first place strating a good working
standing in the Bachelor knowledge of the directives
of Theology by Distance and practical application of
Program- Doreen Ward-Da- liturgical principles through
vis; the Mabel A. Gosse effective preparation and

leadership-Kay Short; the


Dr. Tom Pope Memorial
Bursary for love of Church
and Ministry demonstrated through commitment
to continuing theological
education- James Spencer;
the Clifton C. Hatcher Scholarship for progressive leadership in promoting ideals
and activities appropriate to
the role of Queens College
and the Church in the modern world- Tryphena Vallis;
the Venerable Frederick and
Lillian R. Oake Memorial
Scholarship for Excellence in
church administration-Kay
Short; the Professor Aurel
Jivi Scholarship to assist students with their studies-Elizabeth Scammell-Reynolds;
the Rick Anthony Memorial Scholarship for perseverance and dedication to
the study of theology in
the Associate in Theology
program-Joshua Canning;
the Diploma in Theology
and Ministry Award for excellence in pastoral skills,
leadership, commitment
and enthusiasm in community and the Church-Doreen
Locke; the Queens College Alumni/ae Association
Award to an outstanding
graduate in the Diploma
in Theology and Ministry
program-Rene Easton.
In addition to the scholarships that were provided
at Convocation, Queens
College gratefully acknowledges the Harvey and Doris
Murcell Bursary that pro-

ecumenical and interfaith


officer on the topic, Still a
Special Place? Anglicans
and Roman Catholics 50
years after Vatican II.
Lastly, on Friday, October
9 in the Chapel of Queens
College a thought-provoking workshop entitled, Music for the Masses: Why have
music in church (anymore)?
was led by the Juno and
Gemini award-winning film
composer, organist, choir
director, and author in the
field of sacred music, Mr.
Eric Robertson, who spoke
and played his way to make
very strong musical points
in todays theological world.
As usual Convocation
was the result of very hard
All Photos Copyright: Robert Young Photography
and dedicated work of sevviding significant funding eral individuals and groups.
throughout their programs In particular, we would like
to Christine Lynch, Kay Short to thank the Revd Robert
and Tryphena Vallis, who are Earle, the Convocation orall greatly appreciative of ganist, the Revd Dr. David
Bell, College Orator and
this significant bequest.
During the week of Oc- Dean of Theology, the Factober 5-9, 2015, Queens ulty of Queens College,
College played host to three Members of the Corporation
of Queens
College
and the
Marshals
of Convocation,
the Revd
S h a w n
Samson,
the Revd
Paulette
Bugden,
the Revd
T e r r y
Caines and
the Ven.
The Rev. Dr. Alex Faseruk
Charlene
Taylor. We
important guests with three especially wish to express
workshops, during its Week our gratitude for the kindof Living Liturgy. The first ness and courtesy extended
was led by Dr. Matthew to us by the Parish of St.
Hoch, Associate Professor Augustine for the use of
of Music at Auburn Uni- their facility, to the Ven.
versity in Alabama and Art- David Pilling, Rector, and to
ist-in-Residence for Queens the A.C.W. for hosting the
College. At Matins on Octo- receptions for the Alumni
ber 5 the Feast of St. Francis Workshop and the Convoof Assisi, he sung a superb cation. Of course, no exversion of the Prayer of St. pression of gratitude from
Francis which greatly moved Queens College would be
the congregation. The Alum- complete without thanking
ni/ae Association Workshop Susan Foley for all her outat St. Augustines was led standing efforts not only at
on Thursday, October 8 by Convocation, but in all the
the Venerable Bruce Myers, services that she so expertly
O.G.S., the national churchs provides to the College.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

DECEMBER 2015

Bill Marshall
honoured

Photo Copyright: Robert Young Photography

Submitted by

The Rev. Dr. Alex Faseruk

At the Queens College Convocation held


at St Augustines Church,
St Johns, on Thursday,
8 October 2015, the
College conferred on
William W. Marshall the
tenth honorary degree
to be awarded in the
one hundred and seventy-fourth year of the long
history of the College.
Dr Marshall was educated at Bishop Feild
College, Memorial University, the University
of Kings College, and
Dalhousie, and went on
to a distinguished career both in politics and
the law. He was called
to the Bar in 1958, and
for sixteen years, from
1970 to 1986, he was the
member of the House of
Assembly for St Johns
East.
After Brian Peckford
was elected premier, he
served as president of
the Executive Council,
and in 1986, he was appointed a justice of the
Supreme Court (Appeals
Division). In that capacity
he served nobly until his
retirement in 2003. At

the invitation of Bishop


Mark Genge, he became
the first Chancellor of
the Diocese of Central
Newfoundland, and, for
no less than forty years,
placed his remarkable
gifts and his wide-ranging expertise in all matters legal at the disposition of the Diocese.
During that time, he
attended innumerable
synods, meetings, orientations, retirements, and
the like, and did it all pro
bono. It was his gift to
a Church he respected
and loved.
Queens College,
therefore, was proud
and privileged to recognize the selfless service
of this admirable Chancellor and respected
politician by conferring
upon him the degree
of Doctor of Canon Law
(honoris causa). There
can be few more worthy
of the distinction.

Central Diocesan ACW


celebrates 40 years
Submitted by

the background and work of


the Goddard Foundation, set
up in memory of Nicola. And
On the weekend of Octoshe was touched to receive
ber 16-18, 2015, the Central
the donation of a quilt to be
Diocese ACW held their 40th
auctioned by the foundation
Annual Conference, marking
as a fundraiser. (website:
their 40 th anniversary. The
www.nicolagoddard.com)
weekend centered on the
The scheduled activities
theme Bread of Life. Sevof the weekend drew to a
enty-eight
close with a
registered
banquet on
delegates,
Saturday
plus othevening.
er invited
The stories
guests and
of the long
participants,
tradition of
enjoyed a
the comweekend
passionthat was
ate work
filled with
of many
activities,
hands conand overtinued.
flowed with
We were
stories.
reminded,
Presentation of Blankets to Heather Hodder
On Fritoo, that all
day evening,
of our siswe heard stories of tradition lives of the women there. We ters and brothers who reach
in the Bishops message heard stories of Mint Brook out from their hearts to others
of growing up in a family and its peaceful blessing with their time and resources
where homemade bread was in the work of the Diocese. are true Anglican Church
a blessing and a beautiful We were awed by the story Workers.
memory. During the service, of a handful of members on
On Sunday morning the
one hundred twenty-four Change Islands successfully conference participants atblankets that were made selling baked goods to sup- tended the Holy Eucharist
by ladies throughout the port their church. And we service at St. Martins Cathediocese were blessed and heard stories from our current dral. We heard the stories of
presented to Cara House, president and past presidents the Bread of Life on which
and will be distributed to the of the long history of service we feed. We were again reprovinces womens shelters. by the ACW in the Central minded of why we serve, why
We were
we reach out
touched
to touch the
by the stolives of othries of how
ers locally
much these
and globally,
women apand why we
preciate
must work
receiving
in commusomething
nity always,
made with
strengthlove and
ened by this
compasHoly Bread.
sion.
T h i s
There
A C W 4 0 th
were othAnniversary
Gertie Mercer Cutting Cake
er stories
Conference
associated
provided an
with these blankets, too. That Diocese.
inspiring and renewing opof a blind young woman who
During Saturday after- portunity for all who were
wanted to help, so she was noon, we became completely able to attend. In fellowship
taught by other ladies to knit absorbed as Sally Goddard and community we shared
the squares. Another elderly shared stories about her fam- our stories and were strengthlady died with a square in her ily and her daughter, Captain ened to return to our home
hands. Her blanket was as- Nicola Goddard, who was parishes to continue the work
sembled by others afterward killed in action in Afghanistan of the Bread of Life.
in memory of her service. And in 2006. Her stories were
a parish priest used his spare entertaining, moving and
time to knit and donate a full inspiring as she explained
Stella Walsh

blanket.
On Saturday morning,
during the Opening and
Business Meeting, the stories
continued. We heard of visits
to the NL Correctional Center
for Women in Clarenville,
bringing gifts of homemade
slippers and reading material, and how it touches the

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Diocese offers Safe


Harbour Outreach
Project a new home
Submitted by

Jenny Wright

The Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador has partnered with
Safe Harbour Outreach
Project (S.H.O.P.) to
provide a new location
to operate their human
rights-based sex worker advocacy program.
After two years in
operation, S.H.O.P. has
long outgrown their
single
office
space at
the St.
Johns
W o m e n s
Centre
where
they now
s e r v e
over 100
women
in the St.
Johns
a r e a .
S . H . O . P. s h u m a n
rights-based mission
was well-suited to the
commitment of the Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and
Labrador to actively
respond to the needs
of the broader community.
The Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to partner with Safe Harbour
Outreach Project to
provide assistance to
women in need and
others who are vulnerable, said Bishop
Geoffrey Peddle. This
collaboration reflects
a wider mission in our
church today, which
calls us to respond to
human need by loving
service, to transform
unjust structures of
society, and to challenge violence of every kind. The Anglican
Church is honored that
we can assist the work
of S.H.O.P. and the St.
Johns Womens Centre by providing a safe

place for their work.


We celebrate this
new partnership that
will allow women who
do sex work in our city
to have a confidential
place to come and receive supports and services, as well as a safe
space to build community, said Jenny
Wright, Executive Director of the St. Johns
Status of Women Council/Womens Centre. It
is through this kind of
creative
partnership that
we can
truly begin to
meet the
needs of
this historically
underserved
population in our
city.
The new location
will remain confidential in order to ensure
the safety and privacy
of those who access
S.H.O.P. and to reduce
the stigma sex workers
often face when accessing services.
S . H . O. P. s e r v e s
women for whom sex
work is an occupation.
They also serve women
who are in the industry
not by choice, who are
wishing to exit. S.H.O.P.
supports everyone who
identifies as a current
or former sex worker.

DECEMBER 2015

Do you see what


I see?
Photo Copyright: Robert Young Photography

The Most Rev. Percy Coffin

Archbishop

Western Newfoundland

Richard Feynman, a
theoretical physicist,
could be considered to
have the brightest mind
since Albert Einstein. He
had a friend who was an
artist who would teach
him about art while he
taught him physics. On
this particular occasion
the artist friend held up a
flower for Feynman saying how wonderful it was
for anyone to marvel in its
beauty. Its visual beauty
and fragrance could be
appreciated without any
special knowledge. The
scientist agreed but went
on to say that he was
able to see much more.
He could see the beauty of the cells working
together to support life;
cells that determined the
flowers colour and fragrance both of which attracted insects and make
us wonder how insects
smell and see. Feynman
saw more in that flower
in a few seconds than
most of us would see in
a lifetime.
Christmas, the incarnation of God, deserves
that same depth of examination. Christmas

cards with their manifold


depictions of nativities,
angels, snowmen and
family pets might allow
us to examine Christmas on the same level
as the flower display as
we head for the fruit and
vegetable section in the
supermarket. Wait a minute, The Word became
flesh and lived among
us. (John 1:14)
John makes no mention of stable, shepherd
or star. John relies solely
on a poem, a love song,
a great hymn of all this
is, seen and unseen, a
hymn of love between
God and Gods desire to
embrace humanity that
has fallen from Gods
purpose in creation into
darkness.
Noah and Lucy came
to our family this year
and we embrace them
in their tiny weakness.
W h i l e e v e r y p a re n t ,
grandparent and proud
aunt and uncle knows
there is not enough time
in Gods timelessness to
garner the wonder and
mystery in the face of a
child we cannot pretend
not to acknowledge the
purpose and meaning of
the fullness of life.
Christmas is not a
lone ranger. The story
of the incarnate child
of God is more than a
manger and a stall; it has
to be told in its fullness.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

The ones who hoped and


longed for got what they
had hoped and longed
for but they did not see
his power. His power was
not the sort that makes
all things right and prosperous. His power allows
us to be what we were
created to be children
of God.
Jesus comes to us
with grace upon grace
grace and truth according to John. God extends to us the invitation
to enter a covenant of
transforming hope for
Gods light to shine on all
people. Do not abandon
this hope with the bags
of crumpled wrappings.
Come dearest child,
into our hearts and
leave your crib behind
you!
Let this be where the
new life starts for all
who seek and find you.
To you the honour,
thanks, and praise for
all your gifts this time of
grace;
Come, conquer and
deliver this world and
us forever.
Hymn147, Common Praise

Best wishes for a holy


night and holy lives,
+Percy,Monica &
family
and our Diocesan
family

DECEMBER 2015

A Birthday gift for Jesus

Ron Clarke

Columnist

What do we usually give


to our friends for their birthday? Christmas is Jesus
birthday. What shall I give
him?
Since I truly love Jesus
I would very much like to
give him something special.
How about a lot of money?
Most mortals these days
would truly love a gift like
that. But Jesus is much more
than a mortal, and since he
owns everything (including
us all), he doesnt need our
money.
What can I give, then?
Jesus loves our worship.
So I can attend all the special services this Christmas,
our own kind, and even
those of other religions.
Can we worship him TOO
much? Too often? Can we
be truly satisfied with onehour-service, once a week?
Jesus wants us to love
him- but he also demands
that we love others! So, in
celebrating the birthday
of Jesus, what can I do for
others?
Our world, Jesus world,
is full of needy people-far
and near. Millions of people all over the world are
suffering today. People are
homeless, hungry, sick, ne-

glected, ignored.
What can I do for them
this Christmas? How I wish
I had millions, even billions,
of dollars to provide massive help for them!
But, sadly, like so many
in our country, my income
is small. So, can I say I wish
I could help my suffering
brothers and sisters, but I
have so relatively little?
NO!
For example, instead of
giving presents to family
and friends, I can ask them
to let me give that money to
the poor and hungry, Then,
I can also sacrifice some
things, and give more than
I normally would. Jesus
would also be pleased with
other kinds of things than
money.
This Christmas, and afterwards, we could do good
things for others that would
require little or no money
from us.
Lets visit the sick in hospitals, for example. Lets visit the elderly, who are often
lonely in Seniors Homes.
Visit any needy person near
us.
Jesus said, in gratitude,
I was sick and you comforted me. How wonderful to
comfort Jesus!
I thank God that, in the
many years Ive been doing this kind of service, Ive
been greatly blessed by
God, as have countless others whove done the same.
In giving yourself you will
receive much, much more.
Tenfold!
Dont wish others Seasons Greetings, or Happy
Holidays. Wish them a truly
blessed Christmas! Jesus
would like that!

Go where life takes you, but plan ahead.

As a free spirit, you rarely look back. But you


should look ahead - especially to protect your
loved ones when youre no longer there.
All it takes is a little preplanning.
Decide now on the funeral options and funding
arrangements that best meet your needs. Youll
lessen the burden for those who are left behind.

Christmas walkathon
Submitted by

Rev. Madonna Boone

It was a beautiful
fall day for Mr. Kenneth
Rice a member of St.
Lukes Anglican church
in Springdale and Judy
Hamilton to participate
in their organized Merry
Christmas Mission walkathon to raise money to
fill stockings for the children in the Dominican.
They left the Springdale Public Library at
11:30 am and reached
Burnt Berry Lodge at
11:30 pm.
Mr. Rice said he
could have walked to
South Brook; It was great
listening to the stories
of his life as we walked
says Judy Hamilton. He
has lots of funny stories
to tell.
When they reached
Burnt Berry Lodge they
enjoyed a delicious meal
prepared and donated
by Liz Pelly, owner of the
establishment.

Kenneth Rice and Judy Hamilton


At 85 years of age,
two heart attacks, two
knee replacement and
kidney failure, Mr. Rice
was so enthusiastic
about doing this fundraiser that he raised

Have you heard about CLAY?


Submitted by

Hannah Shirtliff

Have you heard about CLAY?


The Canadian Lutheran Anglican
Youth (CLAY) Gathering is the
Anglican Churchs national youth
gathering for young adults ages
14 19 in 2016 (born between
1997 and 2002). Our next Gathering takes place in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,
August 17 21, and all Anglican
congregations are invited!
CLAY was created in 2010 as
an expression of joint ministry
between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the
Anglican Church of Canada. CLAY
builds on the traditions of the
Canadian Lutheran Youth Gath-

erings to create a youth-centred


program that empowers young
people and builds Christian leadership. At CLAY well encounter
scripture in meaningful ways,
experience ancient and modern
ways of worship, learn together
in special interest forums, enjoy
fantastic social events, explore
Charlottetown, make connections with youth from all over
Canada and celebrate our life
together.
We will be experiencing
CLAY through the theme of Not
For Sale, with a focus on three
areas: salvation not for sale,
human beings not for sale, and
creation not for sale. After CLAY,
we will share what we experienced and learned with others

To learn more, call the number below. Well send


you a free Wishes and Memories Planning Guide.
Well also provide you with a no-obligation
consultation.
So make your plans, today.
Then follow your path wherever it leads.

FUNERAL HOMES
Preplanning
Crematorium
Chapel
Monuments
Flowers

Corner Brook Deer Lake


Stephenville Crossing
Port aux Basques Burgeo
Port au Choix Lanse au Loup
Happy Valley - Goose Bay

634-0077 1-888-868-6800
During your most difficult times... we are here to serve you.

$2177.22 in sponsors
walking door to door. He
will make 108 children in
the Dominican enjoy a
Christmas stocking that
will put a smile on their
faces.

6102663

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

in our home communities. At the


very heart of it, we are children
of God, and we want to affirm
and respond to Gods grace
and faithfulness in ways that
are intentional, practical and
meaningful.
Youth can attend the Gathering as part of a registered home
team. This is a group of young
people from a congregation,
parish, diocese or other organization, led by a Primary Home
Team Leader (PHTL). Along with
the PHTL, a home team includes
youth and may include additional Home Team Leaders (HTL) and/
or Leaders in Training (LIT) that
their community sends along
with them. For each adult (over
21) added to a Home Team, eight
youth can attend.
Online registration opens
February 1, 2016. Early-bird
registration closes March 31,
2016, and the final deadline for
registration is June 30, 2016.
All registration and fee information can be found on our website, www.claygathering.ca. You
can also like us on Facebook
(Canadian Lutheran Anglican
Youth Gathering), or follow us on
Twitter (@claygathering). Were
looking forward to seeing you
in Charlottetown!

DECEMBER 2015

10

Upsetting Stephen Ministry


Christmas Helping the Church be the Church

Rev. Everett Hobbs


Columnist

What do we see in
Christmas? The shepherds, Simon and
Anna saw the baby as
the promised Messiah and Saviour. The
Magi saw a king for the
Jews. Herod saw him
as a threat to his power.
Those in Egypt saw him
as refugee, a stranger from another land.
What do you see?
Our Christmas celebration hardly conveys
the reality of the birth
in Bethlehem. At the
times Israel was under
the domination of the
Roman Empire, while
within the Jewish community there were divisions and conflicts. We
have to see the birth
of Jesus and the four
Gospels in the context
of that history. In particular, the role of the
Messiah, a core belief
of Judaism.
As I write this there
is another heightened
conflict between Jews
and Palestinians, while
t h e c o n f l i c t i n Sy ria spells over into the
whole region of the
Middle East. For most
of its history Israel has
been in conflict with
neighbouring countries
or under the rule of a
dominant power. How
do we relate Christmas
to what is going on in
the region today?
We h a v e t a m e d
Christmas, normalized
it, detached it from the
reality in which the birth
of Jesus took place.
The Word became
flesh and dwelt among

us doesnt seem to
catch our attention. We
either elevate God to
sacred heights or dismiss him as irrelevant.
If we want to put
Christ back into Christmas, it should not be
the inoffensive Christ
of the lights and decorations or the meek and
mild baby in a manger.
Rather the Christ, who
from his birth, upset the
political and religious
leaders, and whose
ministry centred on the
outcast and vulnerable.
Today we are faced
with the most refugees
since World War, over
60 million. Looking at
Christmas, we see Jesus
as a refugee. What is
our response to all this?
In face of the resistance
to taking refuges and
the obstacles to face
in getting into Canada,
would the Holy Family
be allowed in today. As
Christians we are challenged by the words of
Jesus in Matthew 25,
When I was hungry . . .
Compared to a refugee camp, our Christmas looks shallow and
largely a private affair
cut off from the stark reality of daily news headlines. Our celebration
seems detached from
the glory revealed in the
One full of grace and
truth. Without the bigger picture, Christmas
becomes another commercial and consumer event in our yearly
round of celebrations.

Submitted by

Rev. Greg Mercer

In 1975, St. Louis, Missouri,


Lutheran Pastor and Clinical Psychologist, The Revd Dr. Kenneth
Haugh, realizing that by himself
he was unable to provide for the
needs of those in his congregation
who were suffering, and also realizing that people who are suffering
need good quality care, founded
The Stephen Ministry Series of
care giving. He also knew and understood that a part of his role as a
pastor was to train and equip Gods
people for the work of ministry; lay
people who feel called to
this caring ministry. And
so drawing on his own
training as a pastor and
a clinical psychologist he
trained nine lay people
from his congregation,
commissioned them,
and quickly matched
them up with people
who needed care. It
worked extremely well.
Forty years later there
are thousands of Stephen Ministry congregations
crossing 160 different denominations worldwide. There have been
well over one and a half million
Stephen Ministers trained and the
numbers continue to grow. Mr.
Haugh claims that literally millions of people have experienced
Gods love and healing from the
care of these Stephen Ministers.
In the summer of 2014, St.
Thomas parish, St. Johns sent two
of us south of the border to attend
a week-long conference and were
trained as Stephen Leaders. On
our return we quickly started promoting Stephen Ministry in our
congregation and recruiting trainees. Applicants were interviewed
and in February, 2015, we started
training our first class. The initial
fifty hours of training (three grueling semesters) were completed in
October of this year. On Sunday,
October 22 we commissioned our
first class of Stephen Ministers.
Clergy, even though they
are well trained theologically

and pastorally, are far too busy


in their parishes to attend to all
the demands of pastoral care
and to give their parishioners the
attention they deserve. Clergy are
often running from one pastoral
situation to another. Our clergy
need help in caring for people.
Stephen Ministry compliments the
role and ministry of the priest. It
is a shared ministry where clergy
no longer have to bear the responsibility for providing care to the
entire congregation. Moreover it
frees the priest to focus on what
only the priest can do. And since
clergy can be in only one place

at a time it multiplies ministry.


With Stephen Ministry everyone
wins: those in pain have someone
to come alongside of them, the
clergy has a person well equipped
and qualified they can trust to do
the work of delivering Christian
care, and the Stephen Minister
has an opportunity to grow in
their own spirituality and ministry.
Moreover, Stephen Ministry works
well as an outreach tool for those
on the peripheral of the parish and
reaching the unchurched. In short
it helps the Church be the Church.
So what is Stephen Ministry? It is Christ caring for people through people. Stephen
Ministers are members of your
congregation who receive special
training to provide one-on-one
Christian care to people in your
congregation and community
who are going through a difficult
time. They are not therapists or
counselors or even professional
pastors in the way that clergy are
trained. And there are restrictions

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

to whom they can provide care.


Examples would include minors,
groups or family, or people who
have mental health problems. But
they are well equipped to walk
with individuals who are going
through some particular crisis in
their life.
The Care Receiver may be
a person who is a single parent,
a person facing major changes
such as a job termination at work,
or a parent whose child is having
unusual difficulties. The Stephen
minister may offer support to
a resident in a long-term care
facility or hospital, or a person
grieving the loss of a
loved one. Stephen
Ministers are prepared to offer themselves for extended
periods, ministering
week after week for
six months, a year
or even two years if
necessary. It is a faithbased ministry and
strictly confidential.
Through such skills
as empathy, listening, and various Christian tools,
the Stephen Minister enters into
a formal trusting, caring, and
supportive relationship with the
care receiver.
We believe that the Stephen
Ministry Series is a great fit for
the parish of St. Thomas. In our
culture today people are often
too busy to offer the kind of care
that hurting people need. And
yet, quite often what people need
more than anything else is compassion, and a person full of faith
whom they can trust. The Stephen
Series is a ministry that we hope
and pray will change the face of
the way we do church here at St.
Thomas. The Revd Dr. Kenneth
Haugh founder of the Stephen
Ministry series says that we are
part of something big that God is
doing. And to our newly commissioned Stephen Ministers he says:
We are part of a caring revolution
that is transforming millions of
lives with Christs love one person,
one caring visit at a time.

Merry Christmas

Photo Copyright: Anekka | Shutterstock

DECEMBER 2015

11

Celebrating
the Season

Allison Billard
Columnist

Birthday Greetings to Mr. Clarence Riggs who celebrated his 100th Birthday on November 2nd. Mr. Riggs
is a long time member and Lay Minister at St. Edwards Church in Glovertown. Mr. Riggs, still very keen in
mind and voice, delights in sharing the wisdom and stories of his lifetime. Having a great voice for singing,
Mr. Riggs is often invited to lead in singing the grace, Be Present at our Table Lord, at Church and local
functions in the community. Mr. Riggs celebrated his birthday with family and friends of the community and
Church at an open house hosted by the Lions Club of which Mr. Riggs was a member for over 40 years. Many
Blessings Mr. Riggs on your 100th Birthday. Submitted via Facebook.

The Christmas season


is so beautiful. The music,
the fellowship, the general
good cheer. Many people open their arms, their
hearts, their homes and
even their wallets to reach
out to those in need. More
than any other time of year I
am proud to be a Christian.
Celebrating the birth of our
Lord, and preparing for his
return, really brings out the
best in us all.
Of course, you dont
need to be a Christian to
celebrate at this time of
year. Other religions celebrate for different reasons
and certainly secular society has embraced the
more commercial side of
the season with gusto. Everyone can find something
to celebrate.
But for many, it may not
feel that way. Those living
below the poverty line certainly struggle to provide

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

a festive table and tree for


their families. For those
coping with loss, it can be
a devastating time trying to
carry on in the face of such
merriment when you are
feeling anything but merry.
Those who are sick, shut in,
or otherwise suffering may
find it challenging as well
to celebrate.
I am very good at opening my mouth before thinking about what I am saying.
And sometimes that gets
me into trouble. But I am
going to make an extra effort this year to remember
that I do not know what others might be going through
and to try to be sensitive to
the fact that while I might
be having a wonderful
Christmas season, others
may very well not share in
my joy.
Social media is both
a help and a hindrance at
Christmas as at any other
time. It allows us to reach
farther, and help more,
and love bigger. However,
I have seen a great many
posts saying things like
Keep Christ in Christmas
Jesus is the reason for the
season Merry Christmas,
not Happy Holidays. And
I will, regrettably, admit to
having contributed to this
noise in years past, see
previously mentioned proclivity for speaking without
thinking. I have learned
however, that this is not how
we show love to others. We
are not part of an exclusive
members only club. Even if
we were, Christians are not
the only ones celebrating
this time of year.
Part of loving our neighbours is celebrating with
them and supporting them
regardless of how we are
similar or different. Our differences are not important.
What is important is supporting our fellow men and
women, loving them, caring
for them, and helping them
out if they need it. Hopefully they would do the same
for us, maybe not, but that
is not important either. We
do as we are called to do
and let God take care of the
rest. Simple really.
Can we all agree to celebrate together whatever
the reason?

DECEMBER 2015

12

New Rector inducted

(Left to right): Warden Tom Johnston, Bishop Peddle, Rev. Jonathan Rowe, and Warden Barbara Earle.
Submitted by

Jean Ellis

An Induction service
was held at The Parish of
St. Michael & All Angels,
St Johns, NL on Saturday,October 24, 2015 for
The Rev. Jonathan Rowe.
It was a celebration of the
continuing life and mission

of the Parish but also a celebration of new ministry.


We were pleased to
have The Rt. Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Peddle worshipping
with us.
The new ministry is visually symbolized through
the use of symbols. This
Parish welcomes Father
Jonathan Rowe as our Rec-

tor and joins the ministry of


the baptized of The Parish
of St Michael & All Angels.
A reception was held in
the Father Nichols Hall following the Church service
for visiting clergy,guests
and parishioners to celebrate with Father Jonathan
and his wife Emily and
daughter Frances.

St. James ACW turns 117

Nurturing the spiritual


heart of leadership
At the very core of the life
and ministry of a priest is to
nurture the spiritual heart of
the people of God. In every
environment a priest is invited
into or creates, they are called
to care for the heart. In order
to respond to this special vocation, a priest needs to drink
deeply and regularly from the
living waters that flows deep
within every human being.
Far too often the well goes
dry, and there is not much
love, energy or creativity left to
offer the church or the world.
Recognizing the need and call
for priests to continually live
and lead from a deeper place
within, Bishop Geoff invited
me to organize a retreat focused
on clergy spirituality. Having
recently completed the Leading Contemplative Groups
and Retreats program at the
Shalem Institute for Spiritual
Formation, in Washington, I
had the privilege of meeting
contemplative leaders Carole Crumley, Winston Charles
and Lisa Senuta (all episcopal
priests), and the opportunity
to invite them to our diocese
to lead a retreat that would
nurture the spiritual hearts of
our priests. Soul care for those
who care for souls. The agenda,
with lots of spaciousness and
time for silence, included:
what is contemplation?
opening to the spiritual
heart through various
meditation practices;
listening from the
spiritual heart;
seeing through different
lenses (ego, thinking
mind, spiritual heart);
leading from the
spiritual heart.
There was a wonderful
response from the clergy and
good attendance at this teaching retreat - clearly meeting the
need to have our own spiritual
hearts cared for. The retreat
facilitators, as contemplative
teachers and leaders, were
able to create an environment

(Left to right): Kay Short (guest preacher), Rev. Clayton Billard, Diane Hewitt (ACW President)
Submitted by

Lisa Brown

On November 1,
2015, the Anglican
Church Women of St.
James Church in Port
aux Basques celebrated their 117th Anniver-

sary. We started with


a Church Service with
the ACW ladies taking
part in the service.
Special thank you
to Kay Short who was
our guest preacher.
After the service a potluck lunch was served

in our Memorial Hall


with approximately
thirty-five people in
attendance.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Rev. Canon Gerald Westcott


Columnist

of trust that enabled the participants to open up with each


other, and to explore the possibility of new and deeper forms
of prayer. A form of story telling
and active listening called The
Narrative Room was another
one of the group objectives. After a day of practicing different
forms of contemplative prayer,
opportunities of sharing, and
opening ourselves to Gods
Presence, we were ready to listen to each others sacred story.
It was a beautiful gift from God
to experience colleagues listen
to and honour each other. Our
spiritual hearts were opened
up and Gods Spirit was free to
work within and amongst us.
Todays parish priest has an
incredible amount of challenge
and stress to be lived through.
If we are going to be healthy,
creative and deeply loving,
we have to be intentional in
nurturing and deepening our
own spiritual hearts. There are
many ways to practice contemplative prayer. The objective is
always an opening up of our
defensive egos, getting beyond
our thinking minds, and into
the open spaciousness of our
spiritual hearts, at one with the
All of Life. Todays church needs
leaders, both lay and ordained,
that are leading from a contemplative heart.

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