DIOCESAN POSt - The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia

The
Diocesan post
A SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MARCH 2011
Education for Ministry
A response to Bishop James’ Epiphany Challenge
Photo: submitted
EfM mentors and trainer: L-R sitting: Peter Fowler, Larry Dingsdale; Marcia McMenamie; standing: Vicky Perry; Blair
Haggart; Catherine Dafoe Hall, Director of EfM and trainer, Les Annesley; Joan Scandrett; Norah Fisher.
Lenten
studies
At
Christ Church Cathedral see page 3
Selkirk Region see page 4
St. John the Divine, Quadra St, Victoria
see page 7
S.S.J.D., St. John’s House, St. Peter’s Rd, Victoria
see page 8
Realities facing Anglicans
in Jerusalem and the Middle East
Thanks to a very generous
anonymous benefactor, the dioceses of British Columbia and New
Westminster will be given a first
hand account of the situation of the
Anglican Church in Jerusalem and
the Middle East.
The Rev. Dr. Kamal Farah will
be visiting the diocese during April
and speaking to both clergy and
laity at a number of events. While
the full details of his visit have yet
to be worked out, tentatively he is
scheduled to take part in a clergy
event up-island on April 13 and a
similar one in Victoria on April 14.
On Saturday, April 16 there will
be a morning event for the laity at
Christ Church Cathedral. Dr. Farah
will be preaching during the morning services at St. George’s Church
in Cadboro Bay, and at the Cathedral at the 4.30 Evensong service
on Sunday April 17. He leaves for
Vancouver the next day.
Dr. Farah was born in 1943 to
a Maronite Christian family in
Rev. Dr. Kamal Farah
By Elizabeth Fussell
In the Bishop’s letter to the diocese on the Feast of the Epiphany,
the Bishop challenges us to seek
answers to the question, “Because
I believe God is active in the world
and is calling us to life in Himself,
how might I proclaim that Good
News more creatively and invitingly?”
At the end of his letter, he reminds us of “The Great Commission of Christ” (Matthew
28:19/20). Go. Make. Baptize.
Teach. Remember. Powerful verbs
indeed; and a powerful challenge.
At the end of most of our worship services, the deacon sends us
out into the world ... not back into
the church but into the world to
serve; to continue our response to
Christ’s Great Commission.
But how are we supposed to
do this? It is great to send us out;
great to expect us to be ministers in
Christ’s name; great to urge us to
do ministry differently; but how?
And how are we to acquire the necessary tools? Far too many of us
ended our formal religious education when we got confirmed! Now
many of us feel ill equipped to respond eagerly to those who would
have us actively minister to others.
It seems almost “un-Anglican”
Patricia Bays, in her book review of Frank Wade’s Transforming Scripture (New York: Church
publishing, 2008) states:
“Wade acknowledges the widespread biblical illiteracy among
Anglicans today. On the whole,
our biblical knowledge is, in his
words, “irregular and uneven”.
Yet how can we learn the sound
of God’s voice unless we hear the
great stories of God’s relationship
with humankind? How can we enter more deeply into Scripture to
let it transform us? For Christianity, Wade contends, is not a body
of knowledge but a way of living.
Our study of Scripture, of history
and tradition, is there to move us
to action in the world we live in.
We meet God in many ways, in the
scriptures, in the stories of the lives
of other Christians, in our own experiences and we are moved to accept God’s invitation to be followers and co-creators, to shape that
future.
Wade distinguishes helpfully
between a system and a method of
Bible study. In a method, we know
the path but not the answer we will
find. In a system, we know the answer and are showing the path by
which one might come to it. He
tends more towards the view of
Bible study as a method, a journey
The Rev. Elizabeth Fussell is a deacon
in the diocese and is the Malahat
north EfM co-coordinator.
Dr. Farah served as director of
the diocesan office in Jerusalem
and was the director of the Interfaith Department of Evangelical
Mission in Stuttgart. He was principal of the Schneller and Bishop’s
schools in Amman before serving
two terms as senior lecturer and
Course Director at St. George’s
College in Jerusalem. During his
time there a number of Anglicans
from the diocese of New Westminster made pilgrimages to the
Holy Land and participated in his
courses.
Since retirement in 2008, Dr.
Farah has continued to lead visiting groups from North America,
Asia and Europe. He is respected
at home and abroad as an author-
ity, not only on the Bible, but also
the Holy Land, its history, past and
current. A deeply spiritual man,
he has brought alive the Bible for
many hundreds of students, pilgrims and others whose lives he
has touched.
A complete schedule of Dr. Farah’s visit will be available in the
April issue of the Post.
of exploration that can enliven and
transform congregations and individuals.
Wade gives examples of current Bible study materials. The
first he mentions is Education for
Ministry, to which he devotes three
pages. He describes EfM as “one
of the most widely used and effective theological education programs.” It has, he says, “a cerebral
core that introduces its adherents
to theological reflection techniques
that can enrich their lives for as
long as they breathe and believe.”
(To read the whole report, go to
www.efm.canada.ca and click
on Newsletter)
Education for Ministry (EfM)
has just celebrated its 25th year in
Canada and it is alive and well in
the Diocese.
Briefly, it is a course in theology for lay people. It is a fouryear part-time study programme
designed to teach people to think
theologically, develop a personal
systematic theology and increase
their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. It fits in well as a response to
the Bishop’s letter. This year there
are over 20 people graduating from
the four-year programme!
Photo: submitted
Northern Galilee. He completed
his secondary education in Nazareth and earned a Master’s Degree
in Theology at a Catholic seminary
in Paris. Later he achieved a degree
in Comparative Law at the Sorbonne. He was ordained in Haifa in
1967 and served as parish priest in
Nazareth as well as other areas in
the Galilee.
2 THE DIOCESAN POST
MARCH 2011
Reflections
Comment
The Place and the Time
By Herbert O’Driscoll
Columba stepping out of his
boat on to the beach in Iona; Patrick sailing into Strangford Lough,
and countless others setting out
on journeys from which there was
often no returning - that long ago
generation had a saying. They
would say, “The place of my dying
is the place of my resurrection.”
In Jerusalem there is a massive
basilica built under the supervision
of both the Emperor Constantine
and his mother Helena. Begun in
the 4th century, it is built over the
well-attested sites of both Calvary
and the garden tomb. It is one of
the most holy of all Christian sites.
But what is of special interest
is that the great church has two
names. In the West it is called
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
while in the East it is known as the
Letters
For those who are allergic
Thank you Derek Ellis for your
feedback in the January 2011 Diocesan Post in response to my article
‘Infection versus Holy Communion’ and for flagging an important factor I had forgotten: the real
needs of those who are allergic to
ingredients in the bread and wine.
I have come across several people who are allergic to gluten, or
have a celiac condition. Some like
you ask for gluten-free bread; oth-
Church of the Resurrection. Again
it would seem that we are being
asked to reflect on one place being
the place of both death and resurrection.
I can’t help wondering sometimes if the same is not true of certain times. Some moments come to
mind in the long story we possess
as Christians…
In the year 436 the very last of
the Roman legions left Britain at
the mercy of invasions from both
east and west. Anyone in the ancient British church of that time
would have thought Christian faith
was staring death in the face.
Yet already a whole new way of
being Christian was being ignited
in the mountains of Wales, the lowlands of Scotland and the forests
ers make a point of receiving only
a small morsel of wheat bread.
Similarly, I have met people who
are recovering alcoholics: some refrain from receiving the wine, others tell me that this is a sacrament
and does not disturb their recovery.
This important question raises
a great possibility for each parish
to discern whether to use wheat
bread, gluten-free or rye bread; to
use table wine or de-alcoholised
wine for Communion. I believe including all of us on the same equal
of Ireland, a way we today called
Celtic. A time of both dying and
resurrection.
Suppose you and I could have
stood together in the grounds of
Lincoln Cathedral in the year
1703. If we had spoken of the
church’s life in England we would
probably have done so in despair
at its weakness, its laziness and its
general lack of any energized faith
or mission. Yet if we had ridden
north that day, a mere twenty five
miles or so, we would have come
to the village of Epworth where we
would have been in time to welcome into the world the nineteenth
child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley.
They would decide to call the
baby John. He would eventually
transform the face of the church in
footing when receiving the sacrament is a priority.
It is easy for the priest to decree
one use or another and for Vestry
to vote on this; but either of these
ways can undercut the whole concept of one body moving in concert together. Working together to
discern a totally inclusive way to
participate in this sacrament is an
opportunity for many parishioners
to prayerfully discuss these questions, slowly working to reach a
consensus decision. Some parishes
The Bishop’s Visitation Schedule
During the next few weeks Bishop James will be taking part in the following events.
March
1 Archdeacons’ Meeting
3 Clergy Day
6 Church of the Advent - Parish visitation
11-12 Chapter of Deacons
13 St. John the Baptist, Duncan - Parish visitation
15-16 Provincial House of Bishops’ meeting
17 Finance Committee meeting
20 St. Christopher & St. Aidan, Lake Cowichan - Parish visitation
21 National Financial Management meeting
Christ Church Cathedral Buildings Directors’ meeting
26 Diocesan Council meeting
27 St. Michael & All Angels, Chemainus - Parish visitation
April
March 29 Council of General Synod meeting,
-April 15 Standing Committee on Religious Orders meeting
and National House of Bishops meetings
17 St. John the Evangelist, Ladysmith
18 Christ Church Cathedral Buildings - Executive meeting
23 Christ Church Cathedral - Holy Saturday/Easter Eve Services
24 Christ Church Cathedral - Easter Day Services
28 Diocesan Council
England, giving it again a sense of
mission. Because of his leadership
a time of dying would become a
time of resurrection.
Maybe, just maybe, its possible
that when Christians in the future
look back at us, our struggles and
our doubts and our divisions and
our fears of the church dying, they
may say – “But why weren’t they
aware of …?” - and they will name
that future reason for resurrection
that is as yet hidden from us and
that we find so hard to imagine!
Lent is best lived in the hope of
Resurrection.
The Rev. Canon Herbert O’Driscoll
is a retired priest from the Diocese of
Calgary, who is living in Victoria and
enjoys being an Honorary Assistant at
Christ Church Cathedral.
make all important decisions by
consensus, a procedure which can
move a group beyond the sad ‘us
versus them’ pattern to real cohesion and unity. True consensus is
better than democracy!
Perhaps Derek’s parish would
lead the way and gently work on
this topic to reach authentic consensus?
The Rev. Dr. David J. Rolfe
Can we change a word or
two?
In response to “Infection versus
Holy Communion” – part four, I
would like to contribute another
wording that could be used during
the consecration prayer. The Rev.
Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault at a retreat
used it. Instead of “On the night
that he was betrayed,” she used
“On the night you were betrayed”
which adds a very real sense of
presence. I found the use of those
words profoundly moving.
Joan Holmes
Re: “Infection v/s Holy
Communion”
Goodness, I am not really sure
what the author was trying to say
or in fact why he was saying it at
all. With so many interesting and
topical issues facing the Church
today, printing such an obscure
article in the Post certainly is puzzling.
The Diocese has many folks,
both clergy and lay, who can offer wisdom and incite on a host of
topics that really matter. Why not
include some of them rather than
just a list of what people and congregations are doing.
Barry Rolston
The
Diocesan Post
Published by the Anglican
Diocese of British Columbia
The Rev. S. Edward Lewis
Editor
900 Vancouver Street
Victoria, BC V8V 3V7
Telephone: 250-386-27781
Fax: 250-386-4013
E-mail: [email protected]
www.bc.anglican.ca/~diocesanpost
Volume 45, No 3
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Anglican Journal and
the Diocesan Post are sent
to members of a parish
who pay for it through
their contributions to the
National Church.
Others: $15.00 per year.
SUBSCRIPTIONS,
CHANGE OF ADDRESS,
CANCELLATIONS
Please advise your parish
secretary or send your subscriptions, change of address
or cancellation via writing to
Diocesan Post c/o Anglican
Journal, 80 Hayden Street,
Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2; or email: [email protected]. You can also make
changes on line: visit www.
anglicanjournal.com and click
Subscription Centre.
A Section of
the Anglican Journal
The Diocesan Post is a
member of the Anglican
Editors Association.
The Diocesan Post
is printed by Signal Star
Publishing, a division of
Bowes Publishing Ltd., 120
Huckins Street, Goderich,
ON, N7A 4B6
SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE
The first of the month
preceding the month of
publication: e.g. The
deadline for the MAY
issue is the first of
APRIL.
All material is subject to
editing.
MARCH 2011
THE DIOCESAN POST 3
Trinity Institute’s 41st National Theological Conference
By Boyd Shaw
Saint Paul’s Church, Nanaimo
hosted the 41st Trinity Institute’s
Theological Conference on January 20 – 21. Organized locally by
the Rev. Anne Privett, 40 Anglican
clergy and laity as well as a number
of clergy from two other Christian
Churches joined with 52 parishes
in the United States, 12 from Canada and five from other countries for
the two day conference using live
Webcast, Skype and previously
recorded presentations. Because
of the time difference between the
West Coast and New York some of
the presentations had been previously recorded.
The conference opened with a
recorded sermon by Steed V. Davidson who is associate professor
of Old Testament at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and
the Graduate Theological Union in
Berkeley, CA.
After each speaker, participants
gathered in Theological Reflection
Groups. In the first session, Genesis 32:22-32 was read, and after
a period silence the passage was
read a second time followed by a
short period of time to let it sink
in. Members then shared a word or
image that might have emerged for
them.
Sister Teresa Okure, Professor of New Testament and Gender
Hermeneutics at Catholic Institute
of West Africa, Nigeria and Head
of the Department of Biblical
Studies and Dean of the Faculty
of Theology spoke on the question
“What Is Truth?” Both the presentation and question period were
conducted in real time from New
York using Skype and email.
In the Reflection Session, participants were asked to brainstorm
about what cultural contexts have
shaped their lives, what assumptions did their faith tradition provide regarding the nature of truth,
and what did they hear Sister Teresa say about how truth in scripture
can transcend cultural contexts.
The questions created some interesting and enlightening conversation.
“Reading Scripture Through Other Eyes”
The next speaker was the Rev.
Dr. Walter Brueggemann, a preeminent contemporary Bible
scholar, who has had a long and
distinguished teaching career and
is the author of nearly sixty books.
Brueggemann’s recorded presentation was “Where is the Scribe?”
Each group then dealt with the
following questions: With what
lenses or perspectives do you read
the Bible? What contribution does
critical bible scholarship make to
your reading and understanding of
Scripture? When do we know we
are making a faithful reading and
interpretation of scripture?
The first speaker on Friday
was Gerald West, Professor in the
School of Theology, University
of Kwazulu-Natal and Director of
the Ujamaa Center for Biblical and
Theological Community Development in Pietermaritzburg, South
Africa. His presentation was “Do
two walk together?” and included a
Bible Study on Mark 12:38 – 13:2.
The groups were asked to discuss
the connections between the three
texts - Jesus denounces the scribes,
the widow’s offering, and the destruction of the Temple foretold.
Participants were then asked to go
back and read Mark 11: 2 - 13 to
see what Jesus was saying and to
determine what re-reading this text
meant to one’s understanding of
it. West’s approach to Bible study
was one that none in the group had
experienced and was a method that
should be explored further.
Mary Gordon, a writer who
is one of the leading chroniclers
of contemporary Catholic life in
America presented the question,
“Has not God made foolish the
wisdom of the world?” The session
dealt with how we tell our own stories, and it is time to consider that
the four Gospel narratives tell us
not only who Jesus is but also who
we are.
The closing Panelist was Mary
Chilton Callaway, associate Professor Fordham University, NYC.
Her topic was “What is the Treasure, New & Old?” This presenta-
tion tied together a number of the
points brought up over the two
days.
The closing panel discussion
and the question and answer session included all speakers and the
closing panelist. All the speakers
responded to the following questions. Do we read scriptures on our
own, deciding what to believe? Do
we read them as part of a group,
with a similar mindset? Does our
worldview shape what we find
there? We turn to the Bible as a
source of inspiration, but our interpretation may differ radically
from someone on the other side of
the globe, contemplating the same
verse. How do we read scripture
together? They also spoke about
the impact of cultural influences
and individual perception on how
we understand scripture. All of
this should lead to a deeper understanding of how to practice authentic and transformative Bible study.
All the participants were looking forward to next year’s Conference but unfortunately Trinity
Institute announced it is going to
be taking a one-year sabbatical to
evaluate and improve its program.
He was ordained to the Diaconate on February 16, 2005
and to the Priesthood on February 2, 2006.
Fr. Lon is married to Marian
and together they have six adult
children. He enjoys riding and
tinkering with motorcycles; he
also enjoys travel, and together
he and Marian share a gift of
hospitality.
Fr. Lon brings many gifts to
ordained ministry including a
down-to-earth love of humanity
with which he is able to affirm
the innate worth and value of
individuals.
What’s happening at your Cathedral!
Two Lenten Learning Opportunities
“Why I am an Anglican”
A course in preparation for Confirmation,
Renewal of Baptismal Vows,
or just a refresher in Anglicanism.
Leader: The Very Rev. Dr. Logan McMenamie
Tuesday evenings in the Cathedral Chapter Room
March 15- April 19
7:00 – 9:00 pm
“Our Enigmatic Universe”
A layperson’s look at the universe
through the twin lens of science and religion
Leader: Dr. Alan H. Batten, FRSC
distinguished astronomer and author
Cathedral Chapter Room
7:00 pm
March 16: When I consider Thy heavens…what is Man
that thou art mindful of him?
March 23: Are there more things in heaven and earth
than are dreamt of in our philosophy?
March 30: Is the universe designed?
April 6: What is mind?
April 13: Does God contradict Himself?

Weekly Services
Sunday
First Incumbent appointed to the Parish of
St. Peter and St. Paul, Esquimalt
Bishop James Cowan has appointed the Rev. Lon Towstego
to be the first Incumbent of the
Parish of St. Peter and St. Paul,
Esquimalt. The effective date
of this appointment is April 1,
2011.
Fr. Lon has been the Chaplain at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre and
the Nanaimo Correctional Centre since August 2006. Prior to
taking up these duties, Fr. Lon
was the Curate at St. Paul, Nanaimo, having graduated from
the College of Emmanuel St.
Chad in 2006.
Photo: submitted
Participants at the conference take part in one of the pannel discussions.
Monday and
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Photo: submitted
The Rev. Lon Towstego
8:00 am
Holy Eucharist (BCP)
9:15 am
Contemporary Eucharist
11:00 am
Choral Holy Eucharist (BCP)
4:30 pm
Choral Evensong
8:45 am
Morning Prayer
12:15 pm
Holy Eucharist
5:15 pm
Evening Prayer
9:30 am
School Chapel
12:15 pm
Holy Eucharist
7:30 am
Holy Eucharist
Followed by breakfast
5:15 pm
Evening Prayer at West Doors
8:45 am
Morning Prayer
5:15 pm
Holy Eucharist
8:45 am
Holy Eucharist
“Our Diocesan Cathedral”
900 Burdett Ave.
Victoria, Bc V8V 3G8
Phone: 250-383-2714
website: www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca
4 THE DIOCESAN POST
MARCH 2011
Climbing the Steps
By Nancy Ford
Evening Prayer is said or sung
each day in Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria. On Thursdays it is
said at the west doors.
The Thursday Liturgy is both
contemporary and traditional and
begins with a prayer or meditation
about those who work, live and
struggle in the city.
Changes planned for
Cursillo
A candle, donated for this purpose, illuminates the worshippers
and offers an invitation. The light
calls people to pay attention, to
wonder what might be happening just inside the glass doors.
It is meant to be a signal that the
stairs are a bridge connecting two
worlds. It is an invitation to people
within the Cathedral to come to the
threshold of the city and it is an invitation to the passersby to climb
the steps.
Awareness of the city is part
of the worship. It can be a time of
noisy silence. We are often “interrupted” by those who have climbed
the steps. Some come for solace,
quiet or curiosity. They may take a
moment to listen; they may join in,
or simply walk quietly by.
Christ in the form of a homeless
person may interrupt the order of
things with questions or comments.
Christ in the form of someone’s
silent despair may call us to compassion and attentiveness. Christ
in the shape of someone nurturing
an ancient hurt may challenge us.
All these are opportunities and are
woven into the fabric of the worship and prayer. At the end of the
service we move onto the steps
and together offer our prayers to
the city.
Thursday Evening Prayer is a
time of quiet radical hospitality.
Photo: Nancy Ford
Prayers for the City
Let us dream that our prayers dance down the streets
as if driven by the wind
May they gently touch the child laughing with rare joy
May they move into the awareness of the well dressed man
stuck in aloneness
May they warm the grieving woman, whispering things eternal
May they envelop the teenager in the throes of their first great sadness
May they rejoice with the couple
whose ancient love has been rekindled.
Let us dream that our prayers weave others
into the possibilities of the Holy One
May they sooth the deep hurts of harsh words
in the name of things eternal
May they invite and intrigue the wondering
May they remind the busy and the care-worn of remembered peace
May they knit into the hearts of those who have lost hope
May they grow a cloth of vitality and joy.
Amen
Selkirk Region Lenten Series
Addiction and Spirituality
“Addiction floods in where self-knowledge and therefore
divine knowledge are missing.” Gabor Mate
Come and share a simple meal, listen to presentations and have
conversations about faith and brokenness. The evening begins at
6.15 pm with the meal and presentations start at 7.00 pm.
March 22 – St. Peter and St. Paul Church, 1379 Esquimalt Rd
“When Substance Use becomes a Problem”
Gordon Harper, Executive Director of the Umbrella Society
March 29 – Church of the Advent, 510 Mount View Ave.
“Your Brain on God”
The Rev. Dr. Martin Brokenleg
April 4 (Monday) – St. John the Divine, 1611 Quadra St.
“Church and other Drugs”
The Very Rev. Dr. Logan McMenamie
April 12 - Holy Trinity, 1962 Murray Rd., Sooke
“Bringing Biology and Spirituality Together”
Gwen Ewan, Registered Clinical Counsellor
For further information contact The Rev Nancy Ford at 250-589-8817
or email: [email protected]
After twenty-five years of Cursillo Weekends in the Diocese of
British Columbia, Cursillistas are
rethinking some of the assumptions underlying the movement.
There is a greater emphasis on participation in Group Reunions and
Ultreyas. There is also a desire to
move away from weekends conducted in church halls and basements, to Cursillo Weekends conducted in residential retreat centres
and the like. It is hoped that those
who, for reasons of health or inclination, did not participate in the
weekends either as team members
or as candidates will now feel able
to participate.
The cost of a Cursillo Weekend conducted at a retreat centre
is higher than one conducted in a
church hall. It is anticipated that
the cost will be close to $200.00
per person. The Cursillo Secretariat is considering various funding models to accommodate this
change.
In the past sponsors and team
members have borne the cost of the
weekend and since team members
were also sponsors the burden was
sometimes twofold. The increased
cost of weekends could make
participation beyond the reach of
some who would otherwise participate. There is the danger of making
Seeing It Through Your Eyes Art Show
St. Luke’s Church Hall Lounge
3821 Cedar Hill X Rd
March 10 - 17
Seeing It Through Your Eyes is an Art Show, showcasing ten artists
from five different faith communities and various cultures. Its theme
is inter-faith dialogues from the Baha’i, Portuguese Roman Catholic
(Our Lady of Fatima), The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers),
the Victoria Hindu Temple, and Congregation Emanu-El. A series of
inter-faith dialogues have been happening over the last few months
with the various congregations, the public, and ten artists. The art
show will be the final unveiling of this unique journey represented
through visual art.
Opening Night: March 10, 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
Weekday hours: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday hours: 1:00 – 4:00 pm.
For more information, contact Romy at 250-920-0373.
As part of St. Luke’s 150th Anniversary celebrations, a revised
version of the book A History of St. Luke’s Anglican Church was
produced. The revised edition includes updated written material and
photos on the various groups in the parish, as well as the historical
information of the growth of the parish, and is available for purchase
at a cost of $10 by calling St. Luke’s office at 250-477-6741 or
emailing [email protected]
A book about St. Luke’s churchyard, Gone but Not Forgotten, A
History of St. Luke’s Churchyard, written by Pam Gaudio and Bev
Ellison is also available from the church office at a cost of $10. It
provides interesting, short biographies of 194 of the more than 1000
people buried in St. Luke’s Cemetery.
participation out of reach for some
due to cost while is becomes possible for others due to the change
in accommodations. This is not a
desired outcome.
The Secretariat of the Cursillo
Movement in this Diocese has determined that the way weekends
are funded must change. Candidates will now be asked to pay for
the cost of their weekends. This
will be consistent with most other
dioceses.
Without any other source of
funding, those who work on the
weekend as team members will
also be asked to pay the cost of
their attendance. This may place a
financial burden on some Cursillistas who wish to serve on a weekend.
However Cursillo BC would
like to ensure that ability to pay
is never the determining factor in
the decision to participate. A fund
from which financial support may
be offered would be a blessing to
many who might not otherwise be
able to attend a weekend as a candidate or a team member.
To meet these objectives Cursillo BC needs a nest egg. It is
suggested that each member of the
Cursillo community in the Diocese
consider donating to the movement
a dollar a week or more as the Spirit leads. The request would amount
to about $50.00 per year.
The question for each Cursillista is this - what value is the Cursillo Movement in this Diocese? Is
the continued viability of Cursillo
BC as important as a cup of coffee
once a week?
Those for whom this request
is reasonable, and for whom Cursillo is of sufficient importance are
encouraged to forward a donation
payable to Diocese of BC Cursillo,
or to make a designated donation
through their parish. A cheque, or a
series of post-dated cheques, made
payable to Diocese of BC Cursillo,
can be mailed to Doug Bradshaw,
c/o The Anglican Diocese of BC,
900 Vancouver Street, Victoria,
BC V8V 3V7. Charitable donation
receipts will be mailed to donors in
the new year.
Both active and non-active Cursillistas are invited to make comments and suggestions as to how to
support and foster the growth and
strength of the Cursillo movement
in the diocese either by email to
any secretariat members through
the website at www.cursillo.bc.ca,
or by mail to the address above.
MARCH 2011 THE DIOCESAN POST 5
Anti - Kipper
a column for young people
Su McLeod
Diocesan Family Ministry Facilitator
The Rhythm of Lent
Do you ever have those moments of sheer brilliance
and clarity of thought; isn’t it great when that happens?!
Once you have such moments though, what do you?
Give thanks? Whooo thanks God, you rock!
Jump in to action? Tadaa!
or
Wait? You ponder this thought, share the vision and
wait.
It’s that last point I wish to ponder with you, the waiting.
Some might call this action, inaction, procrastination or
faffing around, whilst others might call it quiet contemplation, reflection, prayer.
What is the reason behind the waiting?
It was only a couple of months ago now that we waited
as a community, together, with great anticipation. What
did you do to hear God’s call and the angel’s voice? Are
you still doing it?
Here we are on the cusp of another such time, as we
enter Lent, a time even more than Advent where we
intentionally, listen to Gods call....right?!
Where did this moment of brilliance and clarity come
from?
Have you ever noticed that when you are looking for
something in particular how hard it is to find?
Maybe it’s the fourth corner in the jigsaw puzzle, a ‘loonie’ for the parking meter, that one word in your word
jumble.
When we are so focused on looking and seeking
what we think we need, we miss the meaning of what is
before us. We dismiss these things as insignificant or as
obstacles.
The corner puzzle piece is already there.You have a dollar in quarters. That one word you’re looking for is the
word used as an example in the beginning.
That niggling thought/ idea you have had in your mind,
that one you have been ignoring, has been fed by the
conversations you have had, the movies you have
watched, the songs you have heard, the news that you
have seen, and suddenly you realize the connections.
By Matthew Cook
It was with heavy and angry
hearts that we read of the murder
of David Kato Kinsuule, a human
rights advocate brutally beaten to
death in his home, most likely, by
someone he knew. Such is the state
of viciousness that surrounds the
advocacy of homosexual rights in
Uganda.
On February 3, in Christ Church
Cathedral some of us gathered to
pay homage to a man who left the
safety of South Africa, where his
sexuality was not a danger to him,
and returned home to his native
Uganda where his work was, and
still is, desperately needed. Founding the group Sexual Minorities of
Uganda, Mr. Kinsuule put himself
in harm’s way, and there he remained until his death.
Upon his death, this member
of our Church was not buried by a
priest but by a lay reader.
What is the reason behind the waiting?
We journey to thin places; we all have or know of these
thin places, Iona, Sorrento, Camp Columbia, that place
where only you know. We know of these places because
of experiences, either our own or of others. Not all
thin places require the need to travel a couple of hours
or across a few time zones. Some of these thin places
are here, right here where you are, right now, where I
AM.
Where I AM. Is that not what its all about?
Recognizing the I AM in the places we are, in this place,
hearing God’s call and the Angel’s voice.
As we enter this season of Lent, challenge yourself, your
family to do a practice that grows with you, as you grow
with God, something that goes beyond the forty days of
Lent.
You will notice some changes in your Church as we enter this season of Lent, the colour of the linens changes
from Green to Purple. There are no flowers around the
altar. The music sounds different. The ‘Alleluia’ Hebrew
for ‘Praise the Lord’ and the ‘Gloria’ meaning ‘Glory to
God’ have been taken out of the liturgy.
Worship becomes more…reflective.
Break an inexpensive bowl, and put it back together. The
cracks remind us of our own brokenness. If you place a
light underneath, you will see the light coming through
the cracks. In the same way that God is seen through
our brokenness. Take one of the pieces and smooth the
edges on some sand paper. It will take time, as some of
the best things do. As you smooth the edges think and
pray about those things that stop you from growing in
relationship with God, with someone else, for a relationship that needs healing.
Fasting is a common spiritual practice, thoughout the
world religions. During Lent consider fasting from the
things that distract you, consume your time and feed
you unhealthily.
Seek to recognize God in all people and share that with
them, by complimenting them - maybe your sister, brother, partner, colleague, friend or stranger.
Make pretzels. Pretzels with their origin in the early
Christian church, are shaped in the form of arms
crossed in prayer. As fat, eggs, and milk were forbidden
during Lent, special bread was made with dough consisting of only flour, salt, and water.You can find a recipe on
the internet.
How can you observe Lent through prayer, penance and
sacrifice, as a family and learn to be more attentive to
the words of Jesus and to each other?
Focus your time on spiritual growth and renewal, as you
seek to learn from the teachings of Jesus.
Journey these forty days of Lent with Jesus, seeking to
find the thin places.
Have a quiet time each week (or each day). Take time
for silence, time to be quiet & in prayer – no electronic
devices.
Some ideas:
As we celebrate Easter we will have spent the past 40
days in contemplation and reflection.
Take a prayer walk around your school, church, the lake,
a specific an area of need in your community.
Watch (on YouTube) 40 - A Video Of Jesus In The Wilderness by Si Smith “it’s an idea that I borrowed/nicked
from the artist Stanley Spencer. He once embarked on
a project to paint 40 images of Christ in the wilderness
- one for each day of Lent - but he never completed it.
I love the images from that series that he did finish, and
had always thought that it was a neat concept...”
Look up Stanley Spencer’s paintings of Christ in the Wilderness, accompanied with scripture, consider embarking on your own 40 project
Use clay as a prayer aid, remembering to give yourself
up and allow God to shape you.
Consider listening to some music that helps you connect to the theme of Lent. Use your everyday routines
with intentionality to experience, hear and share God.
Now what? Where do we go from here? Maybe some of
the practices will continue, maybe we will continue to
go through life claiming to proclaim, when really we are
darting, dashing and scraping through. What will it take
to get your attention? God’s tune is playing; the rhythm
is in your soul.
Do you choose to listen and move to that rhythm or
turn the volume down? As the saying goes, the choice is
yours.
What is the reason behind the waiting? Well, only you
know the answer to that.
Remembering our Responsibility
During his funeral service, the
reader began to make inappropriate remarks condemning homosexuality and stated the Church of
Uganda’s position, that homosexuality is a sin and goes against the
Bible. In the midst of this diatribe
a member of Sexual Minorities
of Uganda seized the microphone
from the reader and began to defend Mr. Kinsuule’s life and work
in what had become an anti-gay
rally.
These are difficult times to be
an Anglican, difficult times to belong to a Church that has such colonial baggage. I call this colonial
because when the British Empire
spread its commonwealth across
the globe, it also spread its antisodomy laws with it, thus the same
laws that imprisoned Oscar Wilde
in 19th century Britain are the lineage of the Anti-Homosexuality
Bill pending in the Uganda parliament.
That is part of the history, but it
would be a lie to call it the whole
picture. Whereas the American
rights movements have lost so
much ground on homosexual issues on this continent, they have
been strategically pooling their efforts into twisting other countries’
domestic policy.
Kapya Kaoma, an Anglican
priest from Zambia, has clearly
documented connections between
the far right funding, to Holocaust revisionist Scott Lively, to
Ugandan politicians. In his report
Globalizing the Culture Wars: US
Conservatives, African Churches,
and Homophobia he ties these
connections together and does justice to the complexity to the hornets’ nest our communion is being
sucked into.
I only allude to these issues to
present some of this complexity,
as I fear that the polemics of the
same-sex marriage debates within
our Church give the illusion that
there are easy answers on how we,
as a communion, address the murder of David Kinsuule. I hold that
it would be an added insult to his
death to not see it as a result of a
very complex mess.
Let us do justice to his memory;
let us embrace the complexity of
this madness with the cutting light
that we have been given by the
example of Christ. For no matter
where we stand in the maelstrom
of homosexual issues, Jesus is
quite clear what we are to do with
stones and sinners.
Our God is a God of reconciliation, a God that wishes for us to
be as one, and I believe that our
Church has been consistent in
advocating tolerance and mutual
respect in this pursuit. As Archbishop Rowan Williams said to the
African Bishops Conference six
months ago: “We have a have the
responsibility, brothers and sisters,
of showing the world how precious
a thing is a human being – and a
special responsibility to show the
world the preciousness of those
who are hated or neglected by others or by society at large.”
Let us live up to this responsibility. Let us not risk deepening
the divisions in a world already
so fragmented. Our faith is about
meeting the other, encountering
the reject of society as Jesus would
greet a leaper. Surely if we are so
devout in our fight for the politics
of the Church, we can be sincere in
our approach to each other.
6 THE DIOCESAN POST MARCH 2011
Victoria to host “Safe Church Consultation”
Partnering for Prevention: Addressing Abuse in our Communion & in our Communities
By Marion Little
An international conference
titled “Partnering for Prevention” is scheduled to be held in
Victoria June 24-26 at the University of Victoria.
This major conference is
being hosted by The Anglican
Communion Safe Church Consultation in collaboration with
the Diocese of British Columbia, Christ Church Cathedral,
the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, and the Anglican Foundation of Canada.
The Anglican Communion
Safe Church Consultation is an
international Anglican group
that asks hard questions about
how abuse is perpetuated, how
it can be prevented, how to support healing when it happens,
and most importantly, how to
foster healthier relationships in
the first place.
The Consultation has invited
the Rev. Dr. Marie Fortune,
founder and senior analyst of
the Faithtrust Institute in Seattle, to address the social and
religious structures that perpetuate or prevent abuse. The legacy of abuse will be discussed
by the Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, Anglican Indigenous Bishop of Canada, and Dr. Patricia
Vickers, noted Canadian and
Aboriginal ethno-consultant.
The conference includes an
array of workshops on issues
from bullying to sexual violence and human trafficking, as
well as tools for response and
prevention such as the ‘Respect
Ed’ program of the Canadian
Red Cross, and policies developed across the Communion.
The keyspeakers
Dr. Patricia Vickers is an ethnoconsultant with more than 20 years of
professional experience in education,
mental health, conflict resolution and
capacity building. She completed her
PhD dissertation studying the transormative power of Ayaawx (Ts’Msyen
Ancestral Law). Her ancestry is
Heiltsuk, Ts’msyen and Haida as well
as British. She is presently working for
the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and consulting with First Nations
communities on Vancouver Island. She
brings rich personal and professional
experience and insights of transformation to Partnering for Prevention.
The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald is the
first Indigenous Anglican Bishop of
Canada. He was selected for that office
by the Anglican Council of Indigenous
Peoples, appointed by the Primate in
January 2007, and installed in June
2007. He was Alaska’s seventh bishop
from 1997 untill 2007. He is the author
of several papers and journal articles
on Native ministries. In his newly created ministry in Canada, he is pastor
to Canada’s First Nations as they work
with the proceedings of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission in resolving
claims of abuse and suffering over the
course of Canada’s Residential School
history and its legacy.
A pioneer in the field of religion and
domestic violence since 1976, the
Rev. Dr. Marie Fortune is a leading
American expert on sexual exploitation by religious leaders. Rev. Fortune
is an ordained pastor in the United
Church of Christ, as well as an author,
educator, ethicist and theologian. She
is Founder and Senior Analyst of the
Seattle-based Faith Trust Institute, and
has served in the USA on the National
Advisory Council on Violence Against
Women and the Defense Task Force
on Domestic Violence.
Workshop leaders include barristers, lawyers, clergy, child
protection officers, and educators.
The Diocesan Canon Pastor,
Ms. Marion Little states, “that if
the Church ever hopes to attract
and retain discerning young
adults and young families, we
need to assertively address the
issues around abuse, its perpetuation, how to prevent it and
how to support healing.” She
believes the Church is uniquely
positioned to meet basic human
needs for sanctuary, meaning,
purpose, and belonging. “But
that we can’t hope to serve the
latter three without ensuring
that we truly provide the first
to every member,” says Little.
She continued “Providing sanctuary for each other is the most
central aspect of Christianity in
my mind. If we cannot provide
true sanctuary to our most vulnerable, and respond compassionately and quickly when we
fail, we might as well lock our
doors and go home.”
According to past Canon Pastor, Rev. Mary Louise Meadow,
“We must acknowledge that
abuse happens, and that it can
only be addressed by working
together, across ecclesial and
community boundaries.”
Little and Meadow both note
that abuse happened in Canada’s residential schools in no
small measure because of the
uses of Church by the government, and vice versa, in implementing deeply flawed policies
of colonization and domination.
They see its continuation in
the legacy of suffering among
many of our Aboriginal families and communities. They
also point out that abuse is a
risk in any social context where
some people are placed in positions of power and authority over others (particularly if
those others are vulnerable due
to age, ability, or distress).
Meadow identifies, more
specifically, that “abuse happens in the Church because we
perpetuate structures of clericalism which place clergy in
unrealistic positions of power
and adulation among the faithful.” She concludes, “abuse
happens to vulnerable children
and adults because we embrace
and perpetuate theologies of
domination and atonement in
the interests of preserving the
heritage of a regal past.” Little
The Contemplative Society
From Tourist to Pilgrim
A journey from “church” focused
to “mission” focused spirituality
Women’s Retreat Weekend
May 6 – 8
Camp Columbia
Facilitator: Rev. Nancy Ford
Worship Leader: Rev. Elizabeth Fussell
Music Leader: Diane Bell
Cost: $125.00
Registration Deadline: April 25
For registration form please contact your parish office
0r
Brenda Dhaene, 2291 Calais Road, Duncan, BC, V9L 5V2
presents
Cynthia Bourgeault
March 18 – 22
Contemplative Retreat
Poet’s Cove Resort, Pender Island, BC
For information email [email protected],
or call 250-381-9650
❦
March 23, Noon to 1:00 pm
Noon Lenten Forum
St. John the Divine Anglican Church
1611 Quadra Street, Victoria BC
Free
❦
March 23, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
An Evening with Cynthia Bourgeault:
“Wisdom Way of Knowing: A Path of Transformation”
Rm. C102, David Strong building,
University of Victoria
by donation
emphasizes that this is an issue
for lay leaders as well.
The Safe Church Consultation which takes the entire
Communion to task on these
very points began to emerge
several years ago through the
work of Rev. Mary Louise
Meadow during her term as
Canon Pastor. Meadow, and
the Rev. Bruce Bryant Scott,
Diocesan Executive Officer attended the 2004 conference of
the Nathan Network in California, which served as an important catalyst. The Nathan Network is a group of clergy and
laity in the Episcopal Church
who support one another in
developing abuse prevention
programs. Over the course of
that conference Meadow and
Bryant-Scott found not only
Americans but also Australians
sharing concerns and experiences about harm in our midst
and what our response should
be as a Christian community.
This critical conversation had
expanded beyond the bounds
of our continent and a fledgling
international group now known
as the Anglican Communion
Safe Church Consultation was
formed.
The Safe Church Consultation formalized its identity and
structure during Lambeth 2008
at a conference in Woking, Surrey, where participants gathered
from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand as well
as Canada, Australia and the
United States. Sharing stories
and experiences about addressing abuse in our respective
provinces and countries led the
Consultation to seek status as
a network within the Anglican
Communion. It is now recognized as a valuable resource for
those responding to the broad
spectrum of harm and abuse
suffered by vulnerable members of the church and the communities we serve. Little says,
“Together, we have set the partnership standard for engaging
the important work of abuse
prevention in our Communion
and in our communities.”
Rev. Mary Louise Meadow
and Ms. Marion Little, Canon
Pastor for the Diocese of British Columbia Sexual Misconduct Policy are coordinating
the Partnering for Prevention
conference. For more information about the conference
visit: www.aco.org/networks;
or email: partnerforprevent@
shaw.ca.
MARCH 2011
THE DIOCESAN POST 7
By Derek Dunwoody
Here I am, in the nowness of
now, becoming more and more
excited and indeed, grateful to
be an Anglican-style Christian
in this day and age.
Why so? Well, strange
though it may seem, because
there are some very noticeable
cracks developing in the corpus Anglicanensis a.k.a. “God’s
Frozen Chosen”. This is where
global warming “is a good
thing” as Martha Stewart used
to say; new green shoots are
sprouting through the ice.
Let’s change analogies and
shift our gaze to the humble
caterpillar. Some time ago it cocooned itself and is now a dark
brown chrysalis looking quite
inert. However, if one were to
look closely, little cracks can be
observed and also there seems
to be some movement within.
The next thing we notice is that
this small creature has a name
written along its side: “The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia”.
Yes, on the face of it, things
seem to be falling apart. Some
parishes have been closed down
and others amalgamated due to
catastrophic drops in membership and consequent shrinkage
of funds.
Others have gone off in a
huff into quasi-Anglican collectives because of gender issues
based on rather obtuse interpretations of a few verses from the
Bible and also related doctrinal
statements drawn up eons ago.
But take courage; it is always
darkest before the dawn!
In one of the reports drawn
up by the Diocesan Commission that was created to suggest
strategies for coping with our
new diocesan realities, there
was a summary of steps that
St. Barnabas’ Church
1525 Begbie Street
(Corner Belmont & Begbie)
[email protected]
250-595-4324
Sunday
Concert Series
April 10 - 3:00 pm
Rising Stars: Students from
the Collegium Program for
Young Musicians. $10.
Family Service
Saturdays at 5.00 pm
Candlelight Compline
Fourth Sunday of the
month at 8:00 pm
meditative service of
choral singing
and monastic chant
Cracks in the Chrysalis?
needed to be taken if our diocese is to continue to be viable.
These steps are as schizophrenic as all get out. At the
head of the list are such statements as “Business as usual is
no longer an option”, and “Parishes should be given freedom
to try new ways of ministry.”
But at the bottom of the list are
several items that appear to be
“non-negotiables” e.g. the continued use and teaching of the
Apostles and Nicene Creeds and
some similar equally restrictive
caveats. In other words, “Business had better be as usual or
else!”
In his latest book, The Future of Faith, Dr. Harvey Cox
shows from the written records
of the first three centuries of the
Church how it devolved from
being a community of Faith to
a kind of doctrine controlled
corporation with a top-down
management style in which the
expression of compassion was
an uncommon experience.
This is how Cox succinctly
describes the process: “Christianity erupted into history as
a movement of the Spirit animated by faith-by hope and
confidence in the dawning of
the era of shalom that Jesus had
demonstrated and announced.
The “Reign of God” would include both Jews and Gentiles.
The poor would be vindicated,
the outsiders brought in. For
nearly three centuries the Age
of Faith thrived. Then, however, in a relatively short time,
this inclusive new Reign faded
and what had begun as a vigorous popular movement curdled
into a top-heavy edifice defined
by obligatory beliefs enforced
by a hierarchy.” (The Future of
Faith p.71)
Compare this quote with the
“non-negotiables” I mentioned
in a previous paragraph and you
will recognise the last dying
kicks of hierarchical control.
Now we have clear evidence of
the cracks in the constraining
chrysalis, which is the current
condition of our diocese.
The population at large has
more sense than to align itself
with the current perversion of
how Jesus envisioned his purpose. Through recent research
and reflection many of us have
increasingly realized that his
purpose was to cry, “Wake up
the latent ability within you to
live into the awareness of the
presence of the Compassionate Holy Mystery in your hearts
and let it flow out from you into
all of humanity”.
The emerging butterfly will
eventually escape from the
chrysalis and fully unfold its
colourful translucent wings of
the Spirit. Compassion, mysticism, healing and a message
of hope for everyone will once
again be the characteristics of
the Community of the Church.
This is the future of Faith.
Where do you see it beginning to happen already, right
in your own parish? Hang in
there; we live in exiting times!
The Rev. Derek Dunwoody is a retired
priest from the Diocese of Calgary residing
in Victoria.
LENTEN NOON FORUM
The Church of St. John the Divine
1611 Quadra Street, Victoria
Tel: 250-383-7169
www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca
Wednesdays
12:00 noon -1:00 p.m.
Bring a bag lunch – coffee and tea available
“The Future of Church”
March 16:
Teaming and Scheming
Three saints with four clergy
How do you let the community around your church know you’re alive,
active and up to new things? How do you create enticing thresholds for
newcomers to step over and discover church in fresh ways? Members
of the Three Saints Team Ministry in Saanich will talk about their experiences of forming a team out of three Anglican parishes, and learning by
trial, error and flights of imagination how to connect with the community
around them. From Messy Church and primal ooze to Theology Pub
and the big questions, come and hear what they’ve been up to!
Lucy Reid, Scott McLeod, Christopher Parsons and Betty Miller are clergy serving
three parishes in central Saanich in a new imaginative team approach.
Mystics and Contemplatives as Visionaries
Cynthia Bourgeault
and Prophets
March 23:
In this new percolation of the spirit that is often being called nowadays
“The Emerging Church,” it is the mystics and contemplatives who will
emerge as the prophets and visionaries— because their contemplative
practice makes this evolution virtually inescapable.
Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known
retreat leader. She divides her time between solitude on Eagle Island, Maine, and
a demanding schedule travelling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the
Christian contemplative path. Cynthia has worked closely with Thomas Keating,
Bruno Barnhart, Richard Rohr, as well as many other contemplative teachers and
masters within Christianity and other spiritual traditions.
From Mainline to Sideline to Heartline
something new in something old
Wendy Fletcher
March 30:
Weekend Workshop
April 9 & 16, 9:15 AM- 5:00 PM
The lounge at St. Luke’s Anglican Church
Cedar Hill X-Road
Leader: Barbara Baillie
(Mid-life consultant, teacher, spiritual director, counselor, art therapist)
Fee: $150 (includes manual)
Mid-life can be a crisis of negative feelings, a world falling apart
or an exciting opportunity for new beginnings. Mid-life transition
can begin in our 30’s and go on into our 60’s or later.
This weekend workshop leads each person into a process
of discovery of the “Self within” that needs to emerge in the
second half of life. It includes the insights of Judeo-Christian
spirituality and Jungian psychology.
Both men and women welcome
To register:
Call: South Island Centre For Counseling and Training: 250-472-2851
Or email: [email protected]
Bring a bag lunch. Liquids will be provided.
For decades historic “mainline” Protestant Christianity has been in
dramatic numeric decline; the tide has been ‘out’ . Wendy will explore
the relationship of religious enthusiasm to the phenomenon of decline
in the West arguing that despite all numeric indices, the tide is now
turning and a new day in religious enthusiasm among the exhausted
intellectualism of the West is rising. What will this mean for us living in
the aftermath of Christendom?
Wendy Fletcher is Principal and Dean of Vancouver School of Theology. She also holds
the rank of professor, teaching in the areas of the spirituality of leadership and social
history and has served at VST for 10 years. Prior to coming to UBC, Wendy served as
professor of history at the University of Western Ontario, Huron College for 12 years.
April 6: Metaphors and Mystery:Discerning the
Coming Church
John Privett
As Christians we live with a variety of metaphors or images of what the
church has been and will be. There are some metaphors that seem to
be gaining in importance in guiding the development of the life of the
future church. This will be a time to reflect on some of the metaphors
we live by and some that we might find life-giving for a faithful future.
Archbishop John Privett has served in parishes in Alberta and British Columbia, and
was ordained Bishop in 2009 as Bishop of Kootenay (south eastern B.C.) and later that
year was elected Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and
Yukon. He is passionate about the life of parishes for they are the most common places
where the gospel is heard, nourished and lived out. He is particularly interested in
Congregational Development, Dialogue, Christian Formation and Spiritual Direction.
Encouraging Good Questions: returning to
Chris Lind
the Wisdom Schools April 13:
What would happen if, as churches, we stopped claiming that we had
all the right answers and instead started helping each other ask better
questions?
Dr. Christopher Lind is an Ethicist and Theologian serving as Executive Director of
the Sorrento Centre in British Columbia. His most recent book is Rumours of a Moral
Economy published by Fernwood Publishing, Winnipeg, 2010. He is also a Senior
Fellow at Massey College, Toronto.
8 THE DIOCESAN POST
MARCH 2011
New
Incumbent
appointed for
St. Philip’s,
Cedar
The Rev. Howard Adan has
been appointed Incumbent of St.
Philip, Cedar, effective April 1,
2011. He comes to the diocese
from the parish of St. John and
St. Philip, located in The Hague,
Netherlands.
Rev. Adan is married to Renata and together they have four
daughters. Their youngest daughter, Evan, will graduate from high
school in July, so Renata and she
will stay in Holland until then.
During the period 1986 to 1999
he and Renata were involved with
‘Youth with a Mission’ in both
Amsterdam and North Africa.
After that period Rev. Adan
served as airport chaplain in Amsterdam and chaplain for ministry
development in Belgium; as well
he has served as Curate, Bishop’s
Assistant and Associate Priest in
parishes in Amsterdam and The
Hague.
Other Personnel
Notes
Steve and Karen Beal, a husband and wife team; have accepted
an offer of employment as the director and administrator, respectively, at Camp Columbia. Their
contract will run from March 1
to and including Oct 31. Steve
and Karen hail from the UK and
their employment is contingent on
their receiving the necessary visa
or work permit allowing them to
work in Canada.
Terry Mikkonen has accepted
the offer of ongoing employment
with the Diocese.
The Rev. Rick Root has relinquished the exercise of ministry in
the Anglican Church of Canada effective 25 January 2011.
Prayer Book Society of
Canada
Vancouver Island
Branch
Meeting
St. Peter’s Church
218 Church Street
Comox
Saturday, March 19
The Rev. Anne Privett
Speaker
Beginning at11:00 am and
concluding with Evensong at
2:30 pm
Please bring your own bag
lunch.
Koinonia
Christian Books & Gifts
1119 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC V8W 2H7
250-382-5814
1-800-663-6290
Books for Lent
Photo: H. Adan
Rev.Howie Adan (centre) with Old Catholic Bishop of Haarlem, Dirk-Jan
Schoon and Ecumenical Patriarchate Bishop of Sinope, Athenagoras (Yves
Peckstadt).
Lent and Easter - Wisdom from:
- Henri J. M. Nouwen - compiled by Judy Bauer
- Thomas Merton - by Jonathan Montaldo
- G. K. Chesterton - by T. Satterlee & R. Moore-Jumonville
- St. Francis and St. Clare - by John V. Kruse
Gifts from within - Women’s Meditations for Lent
by the Women of Brigid’s Place
Shadows, Darkness and Dawn - A Lenten Journey with Jesus
Thomas R. Steagald
40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Ron Klug, editor
Four Days in Spring Christ Suffering, Dying, and Rising in Our Lives
Herbert O’Driscoll
For Children:
Lent is for children (stories, activities, prayers)
Julie Kelemen
Lent for kids 2011 Jesus leads the way Mary Kathleen Glavich,SND
St John’s House
3937 St. Peter’s Road
Victoria, BC
Phone 250-920-7787
E-mail: [email protected]
The Chapel of St. John
SERVICE TIMES
Tuesdays – Saturdays:
Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday:
Thursday:
Morning Prayer 9 am
Eucharist 12 noon
Mid-day Office 12 noon
Eucharist 5 pm
Tuesday, Wednesday
Evening Prayer 5 pm
Friday
Evening Prayer & Compline 5 pm
Saturday
Celtic Vespers 7.30 pm
Compline:
Tuesday and Wednesday 8.30 pm
Thursday 7.30 pm
Sunday and Monday there are no regular times for services.
Please call if you plan to come to services in case the times have
been changed due to mission engagements, etc.
Coming events at St. John’s House
Please call 250-920-7787 to register or indicate attendance.
Deepening your relationship with God
through the Monastic Vows
Led by Sr. Brenda
Friday, March 18, 6:00 pm (supper) - Sunday,
March 20, (after lunch). Sooke
Discover how the monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience can enhance your spiritual life and your relationship with
God.
Cost $125 includes accommodation and meals. Numbers are
limited.
The Gardens
in Scripture and in our Spiritual Life
A Wednesday evening series during Lent
March 16, 23, 30, April 6, 13
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm at St. John’s House
This series will focus on the various gardens in Scripture and in
our own life as we journey through Lent towards Easter. Each
evening will end with a short service of Compline (the monastic
late evening prayer).
Suggested contribution for each evening: $10. Come for one
evening or all five evenings.
Registrations due March 14
A Garden Work party at St John’s House!
A Saturday of Work and Fun
April 16, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
St. John’s House
Come and help prepare the garden for planting at St John’s
House! This is a time of fellowship and fun, as well as a good
work out!
At noon: Share Eucharist together, then soup and a bun for
lunch!
Please call 250-920-7787 if coming.
Baptism gowns, Easter Greeting Cards
Devotionals, CDs, Gift Books, Children’s Books
Communion Wafers (both People’s and Priest’s)
Altar Candles
MUSIC AT MIDDAY
St. Paul’s Church
29 Church Street,
Nanaimo
Organist: Peter Orme
Director of Music,
St. Paul’s Church
Wednesday, April 13
“Music for the Morning”
Music by Elgar, Buxtehude, and Grieg
Wednesday, May 11
“Music for the Evening”
Music by Elgar, Rheinberger, and Karg-Elert
12.15 – 12.45 p.m.
Admission free
donations to St. Paul’s organ fund
John Dominic Crossan Conference
On The Lord’s Prayer
Church of St. John the Divine
1611 Quadra Street, Victoria
March 18-20
The Lord’s Prayer is the only
prayer Jesus ever taught, and
is prayed by the world’s 2.5
billion Christians. Crossan will
show us why this seemingly
simple prayer sparked a
revolution and why praying it is
critical for our time.
Dom will give four lectures at the conference at St.
John the Divine - Friday evening, Saturday morning
and afternoon. He will also preach at the 10:00 am
service on the Sunday.
Pre-register now for the conference by emailing
[email protected]
Dom’s book, The Greatest Prayer is available at
Koinonia Books and other locations.