The Saskatchewan Anglican, February 2021

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Saskatchewan

anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • February 2021

Zooming to worship When meeting in person was not an option, many parishes adopted Zoom technology for worship, committee meetings, Bible study, fellowship and more. Cynthia French, a nine-year-old member of Immanuel Parish in Regina, sketched this during one of the many Advent events the parish presented online. Photo courtesy Laura French

Lawrence Adams retires as diocesan property manager By Joanne Shurvin-Martin REGINA — “It all started with Duncan Wallace,” says Lawrence Adams of his more than 25 years as property manager for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. When Adams was serving on the vestry of St. Paul’s Cathedral, then-Dean Duncan Wallace asked him, “What do you know about columbariums?” When Adams replied, “Nothing,” Wallace described his idea to create a small columbarium in the space being used as a choir room in the basement of the cathedral. While showing Adams the choir room, they also saw the undercroft of the cathedral, and when Adams saw the beautiful stonework

Lawrence Adams of the foundations, he persuaded Wallace to think bigger. Adams became the volunteer project manager for the columbarium, which Dean Wallace dedicated in February 1993. While still involved in the columbarium project, Bishop Eric Bays asked Adams if he would like to be property manager for the diocese. For a few years he

filled both roles. The diocesan property manager is responsible for all diocesan properties, including sale of unneeded buildings and land, and of maintenance when buildings are deconsecrated. “I’ve only been to one service of deconsecration,” says Adams. “It was so sad, and I didn’t even have a connection to the building.” “I have had the honour of serving four bishops over the years,” recounts Adams. “I am very thankful for the support I received over the years and the people I met throughout the Diocese.” He says the No. 1 highlight of his work was the people with whom he worked. He mentioned the columbarium board of directors; Jim Melville

and Peter Whitmore, who was also Chancellor for the diocese; Doug Osborne and Diane Foley when they were the diocesan finance officers; all four bishops, especially Bishop Rob Hardwick for his patience; and diocesan staff, including executive officer Shelley Baron. Adams also mentioned many of the people he met when they bought former diocesan buildings. He did not use relator services. He made a tradition of returning one year after the sale was complete, with a bottle of champagne to celebrate with the buyers, and still keeps in touch with some of them. “Rectories were easy to sell — they’re just houses, but church buildings are more challenging,” Adams

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explained. He says many former church buildings have been put to very creative uses, and lists dance studio, day care, tea and coffee shops, condos, exercise class rooms, and a herbalist’s shop as examples. The success and popularity of the columbarium at St. Paul’s is another highlight. He remembers it was a lot more work than first expected — as many construction projects are — but is proud of the beautiful stonework, cabinetry and stained glass that have created a restful and holy space in what was previously an unfinished cellar. Adams is very glad that the former Camp Knowles property was sold before Continued on page 5


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

God's love is shown to others through us In what particular ways do you think God might display His care for you? By Archdeacon Cheryl Toth

W

e have turned the page on 2020 but not on all the changes it has brought. At times you, like me, may have been overwhelmed. But we have not been alone. In reflecting on the turmoil of the past year, the ways in which God has been caring for us, for me, have become clearer. Here’s what I see: God gives us the care of creation—not our care for creation but creation’s care for us. During the pandemic lockdown I was still able to go outside. Daily walks with our dog and working in the garden were life-enhancing. We are creatures of the earth, and connecting with all our relations (the soil, the wind, the critters and the plants) centres us. Studies show it lowers our blood pressure and elevates our spirit. This is a sign of God’s care and makes a huge difference — even when our sole activity is to be outside and breathe. I learned that when my knee was injured and I couldn’t walk easily or garden for many weeks. When we connect to the Earth we connect to the Creator. Getting knocked over by my dog in the dog park was a painful shock that kept me from my usual activities for several

months. friend of many decades. Navigating health-care Her friends and family resources in a pandemic are scattered across the can slow things down. Yet country and we have not the hospital emergency been able to gather to personnel, celebrate my family her life yet; I physician and look forward As we reflect on my physioto that day. what we have therapist were Talking learned during compassionate with her and thorough. wife and this difficult Through family, time, I pray them I reminiscing that we will see experienced with my the many ways God’s care. children, in which God’s My injury and love for us has reminded speaking me — as if with God been expressed. the pandemic about my I also hope we wasn’t enough grief have will consider new — that I all helped. ways — big and am mortal. God gives small — in which Bodies don’t us others we might be those last forever to help us and that carry the through whom makes them burdens of God’s care is all the more the day and shown to others. remarkable. that makes We live in a huge and through difference. our bodies — God’s gift God also provides us of life to us. Caring for with the grace of prayer our health is an act of and contemplation. Time gratitude. So is thanking in the morning to read those who do God’s work the Scriptures, pray through health care. and meditate has been There are so many invaluable. ways God’s care for us The Holy Spirit prays comes through others. when I have no words; the We are dependent and readings of the day give interdependent beings an image or phrase just meant to connect. Staying when I need it and the in touch with others touchstone of that time through cards, phone and with God is precious. video calls has been vital. Making space for God Last April my oldest through dedicated time and closest friend died opens my heart and mind suddenly and peacefully in to His presence. her sleep. Some days it’s a I knew that she was struggle. Some days one of God’s people in my it’s a blessing. But each life — a co-worker in the time is an opportunity to kingdom, a prophetic and experience God’s care. creative voice, and a loving As church we are the

body of Christ. When inperson worship has been limited because of the pandemic we may have felt like a fractured body. That sense of displacement has shown me how vital it is to worship together. It matters less to me now what book we use or in what building we meet. Worshipping though livestream or online services and reading sermons posted or mailed out have been vehicles of God’s grace. God has been caring for us through those clergy and lay leaders who have learned new skills and embraced the difficulty of doing things differently in order to provide alternate opportunities for worship and learning. Thank you to them all. As we reflect on what we have learned during this difficult time, I pray that we will see the many ways in which God’s love for us has been expressed. I also hope we will consider new ways — big and small — in which we might be those through whom God’s care is shown to others. This spring I will plant my garden to be a way in which God’s beauty touches those who pass by. They may not realize it, but I know it can make a difference in someone’s day and that God will care for them through it. What might you do? The Ven. Cheryl Toth is Archdeacon of St. Cuthbert’s (Diocese of Qu’Appelle) and serves as Stewardship Officer for the diocese.

DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN

Goodfellow looks out for others in community By Mary Brown LIVELONG (Skwn) — Violet Goodfellow received the Order of Saskatchewan in 2014. Even though she said she doesn’t get around much because of her health, she still managed to deliver Christmas turkey dinners to three older women in her community, and on Christmas Eve, delivered gift bags to five other people in Glaslyn. She also told me someone brought her a Christmas dinner a couple of days after Christmas.

As recorded in her presentation for the Order, she was and — I would say — still is an active volunteer and family helper for many shut-ins

and elderly neighbours. For more than 30 years, she has been active in the Diocesan ACW and always attended diocesan events. Violet was diligent in her

position as our rep for the PWRDF. Her career as a teacher was very important to her, as could be seen in her love of children and her understanding of the troubles encountered by many in our communities. Violet was a faithful member of St. John’s Church, Glaslyn before it closed, and now goes to St. John’s, Livelong. She is still treasurer for the Turtleford ACW Deanery and a loyal member of the Diocese of Saskatchewan family. Photo by Engin Akyurt/Pexels

Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle. Published monthly except for July and August. Whole No. 292, Vol. 49, No. 6 A Section of the Anglican Journal SUBSCRIPTIONS For change of address, undeliverable copies and subscription list updates, contact: • Your parish • e-mail: circulation @national.anglican.ca • Or send to Saskatchewan Anglican, c/o Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ont. M4Y 3G2 RATES $10 in Canada $17 outside Canada SUBMISSIONS Submissions for the April issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Feb. 26. All pictures must be sent as JPEGS and 1 MB (megabyte) in size. CONTACT INFORMATION Managing Editor: Jason Antonio SKAnglicanEditor@gmail. com 1501 College Ave Regina, Sask., S4P 1B8 Phone: 306-737-4898 Qu’Appelle: Joanne Shurvin-Martin joannesm@myaccess.ca 6927 Farrell Bay Regina, Sask., S4X 3V4 Phone: 306-775-2629 Saskatoon: Peter Coolen ptrcoolen@sasktel.net 820 Avenue I South, Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 1Z3 Phone: 306-244-0935, Saskatchewan: Mary Brown mary1949brown@gmail.com Box 25, Shellbrook, Sask., S0J 2E0 306-922-5159 Advertising agent: Angela Rush saskatchewan.anglican.ads@ gmail.com 905-630-0390 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5


February 2021

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The new BCP app makes daily services more accessible Colin Nicolle and Matthew Perreault talk with Sue Careless from The Anglican Planet about the new digital app they have created as a free tool to make the daily services of the Book of Common Prayer more accessible both to those who know and love them and to those who are discovering them for the first time.

people who lacked familiarity with them. Navigating the lectionary, selecting collects, and addressing other “exceptions” that arise over the course of the year can be difficult, and so the app was conceived as a means of helping to instruct Anglicans in how to pray the office, making it far more accessible for those who do not have someone to teach them.

Article courtesy The Anglican Planet TAP: Are you both parish priests? MP: I am a curate serving at the parish of All Saints, Cochrane in the Diocese of Calgary. CN: I’ve been the Rector of the Parish of St. Mary & St. John in Summerside & St. Eleanor’s, PEI in the Diocese of NS & PEI for the past four years. TAP: Are you cradle Anglicans? Did you grow up with the BCP? MP: Although my mother’s side of the family were Anglican, I was raised in a Pentecostal tradition. When I was at university, I loved attending my grandmother’s Anglican Church with her. The parish was using the BAS, though she kept referring to the beauty of something called the BCP and suggested we try attending a BCP service some time. We never did, but I did accidentally arrive quite early one Sunday and caught the end of the BCP Eucharist. My mother, who has Alzheimer’s, was able to join in with the Prayers after Communion because she still recognized them from her childhood. I decided that we should give it a shot, and I soon fell in love with it. CN: I was raised Roman Catholic though during my teenage years stopped being involved with church of any kind. After starting my undergraduate studies at the University of King’s College in Halifax I eventually found my way into the chapel, which uses the Book of Common Prayer, and found in the chapel’s expression of Anglicanism and in the BCP something I felt as though I had been longing for all my life but was never able to find or articulate.

Colin Nicolle (photo: The Parish of St. Mary & St. John) and Matthew Perreault (photo: Dave Brookwell) created a phone app that makes the daily services of Book of Common Prayer more accessible. TAP: What attracts you to the BCP? MP: The BCP uses a beautiful language to convey deep theological truths in a way that I don’t see in many modern liturgical offerings. It has a timeless and transcendent quality that is sometimes lacking in modern revisions. There is also something stunningly authentic about it. When I pray with the BCP I am not joining my prayers to revisions from the 1980s, but to a tradition of prayer that extends back to 1600 and earlier, and which has been prayed around the world. CN: Many things, but chief among them the beauty of its language which never fails – no matter how badly I might on my own – to express thanks, penitence, humility, and adoration in concise yet meaningful and deeply moving ways. As well, the life and rhythm of prayer that is laid out for us in the BCP is something that has attracted me to the BCP since first encountering it; the BCP is not, for me, a service book but a book for every time and season of my life. These are things which no contemporary book or liturgy has ever come close to doing for me. It is always there for us and through it we never have to rely on ourselves to give a prayerful and beautiful structure to our spiritual lives.

TAP: Will the app be a bonus during this pandemic? MP: One of the most significant pastoral challenges of Covidtide has been social isolation. For someone cut off from their community, praying the Offices is a means of linking oneself in a very real way with the Body of Christ at Prayer, the Communion of Saints throughout time and space. By all accounts, our current situation will remain for some months, and while we no doubt all continue to pray for God to deliver us from this plague, having this app will be a lifeline of prayer. Both now and in the future, the ability of the app to teach someone to pray the Offices will be a huge pastoral boon for clergy who want to encourage the prayer life of their parishioners. TAP: What does it mean to “pray the Daily Offices?” CN: Spiritually, praying the daily offices means attempting to pattern one’s life according to a rhythm of structured daily prayer that has been forming the hearts and prayer lives of Christians since the earliest centuries of the Church, and which we as Anglicans have inherited principally in the form of Morning and Evening Prayer, though we also have Noonday Prayer and Compline in our BCP. Practically, praying the daily offices means

setting time aside each day to enter into that ongoing rhythm and pray along with the rest of the church. The daily ‘offices’ (services) of prayer are comprised of confessional prayers, psalms, canticles of praise from scripture, scripture readings, and various intercessory prayers that give a kind of frame to our day so that we can begin and end each day with prayer and thanksgiving to God. The offices change only a little day-by-day, which to a first-time pray-er may make them seem repetitious, but in this I think we see precisely the purpose of the daily offices: a structure and language of prayer that through our coming to lean on it daily not only forms our habit of praying every day but embeds itself into our hearts and becomes the language of our own prayer and relationship with God. TAP: The PBSC (Prayer Book Society of Canada) already offers the whole Canadian Book of Common Prayer online. Why did you feel an app for Morning and Evening Prayer was needed as well? MP: Covidtide brought with it, at least initially, a great many people moving away from weekly, or more frequent, celebration of the Holy Eucharist towards praying the Offices. This created a great deal of exposure to the Offices, but also showed that there were many

TAP: What advantages will the app have over the online BCP and the book itself? MP: Normally to pray the Office, one would need to know what the most recent Sunday was, then consult the calendar to check for feast days, then consult the table of lessons, in addition to finding the readings in your Bible, bookmarking the psalms in the psalter, and taking into account issues such as seasonal sentences, antiphons, etc. While this quickly becomes second nature once a rhythm of praying the office has been established, it might seem like something of a daunting task when beginning. The app automates the process, by resolving all of these variables without user input. Essentially, if you want to pray Morning Prayer when you wake up, open the app and hit pray, and it will automatically determine the appropriate collects and readings, and print the entire Office out for you. The virtue of the digital medium is also useful for reasons of accessibility: the font size can be enlarged and other options can be used to assist in making the Office easier to read. TAP: Who did you design this app for? MP: The Society was aware that a number of Canadian clergy are fond of using the Church of England’s Daily Prayer app. In that sense, this offers a Canadian version that follows the Canadian calendar and lectionary. At the same time, the pandemic has renewed lay interest in praying the Office, and the app has particularly been designed for those who do not know how to pray the Office, but Continued on page 5


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

Obituary

Sewap a 'humble and generous man' who gave to all By Mary Brown PELICAN NARROWS (Skwn) — Angus Sewap was appointed as a lay catechist in the mission of St. James Little Red on Nov. 12, 1995. Then on July 9, 1997 he was ordained as a deacon by Bishop Anthony Burton and put in charge of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Pelican Narrows. On Aug. 24, 1998, Bishop Charles Arthurson ordained him as a priest in his home church of St. Bartholomew. He was also given the Archdeacon MacKay Canonry on Feb. 19, 2004. Sewap was born Nov. 20, 1948 and died Dec. 3, 2020, due to COVID-19. When I think of Angus, I think of Eliza and Angus. They were a very special couple who attended all of the James Settee College sessions. Angus

Rev. Angus Sewap and Bishop Adam Halkett share a laugh during a visit. Sewap died in December of COVID-19. Photo courtesy Bishop Michael Hawkins was a wonderful father to Eliza’s children, especially Donnie and their grandson Dalton.

Angus and Eliza were the first group of students to go to Toronto to Wycliffe College for a

month-long session. What a culture shock that would have been for them. As a resident of Toronto, I tried to make sure the students on that trip would know what to expect. Each couple was billeted, so had to learn to take the subways and other necessities. I know the family that Eliza and Angus stayed with fell in love with them. I guess one day the other students didn’t know where they had gone and later found them sitting on a bench with their shopping bags. Apparently, they had gone over to Yonge Street to shop, which would have been quite a hike. Angus was a very humble and generous man who would give you things with no expectation of reimbursement. He would bring me pounds of frozen pickerel fish that I would

insist on paying him for. They were the best fish ever. He also had a trap line. One summer Eliza picked me a pail of blueberries and sent them to Prince Albert with a friend on the bus. It must have taken her forever; they were such tiny little berries. Angus was a man of many talents, musical and intellectual. He helped translate the Bible into Cree and worked with the Bible Society and played many instruments. He would give his sermons in Cree and English and have Eliza do the readings in Cree. Shortly after Eliza died Angus had to have one of his legs amputated. He even made himself a prosthesis while waiting for a real one. Sadly, a few years later, his other leg also had to Continued on page 5

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON EVENTS

Announcements for February 2021 g During the COVID19 interruption in daily and church life, church services and videos are available from links on the diocesan website and diocesan Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as on various individual parish websites, Facebook pages, on YouTube and locally (for Battle River Parish) on radio. New dates for events already announced as being postponed in earlier issues of this paper will be provided in future issues as and when the information becomes available. As our churches slowly open, please check on service availability and the requirements for pre-registration. If attending, please follow all the indicated seating, movement, distancing, masking and sanitization instructions in order to safeguard yourself and protect others. g Saskatchewan

Anglican online! Did you know that you can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online at https://issuu.com/ thesaskatchewananglican or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ saskatchewananglican or the Diocese of Saskatoon website at www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/ saskanglican? g Ministry Preparation Program: The Diocese of Saskatoon has begun this new program, which consolidates the separate programs of Lay Reader and Locally Raised Clergy training, St. Bridget’s and training in ministry support. For information on this program and the program’s winter and summer courses for 2021 — courses are planned initially to be offered online with a variety of instructors including Bishop Christopher Harper, Archdeacon Alex Parsons, the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy and the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke — or to

inquire about applying for and to obtain application forms for this program, or to receive updates on the status of any particular course, please contact the program’s co-ordinator, the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy, at tmccarthy@ sasktel.net or 306-3708378. For further information visit www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/ new-blog/2020/12/24/ school-of-discipleship-ministry-preparation-parish-administration-i. g School of Discipleship, Spiritual Formation Course: School of Discipleship, The Spiritual Formation Course is a new course being sponsored by the Diocese of Saskatoon's School of Discipleship; costs for this course will be paid by the diocese. Whether you are registered in the overall ministry preparation course or just interested in going deeper in your relationship with God, you are warmly welcome to consider this course.

Initially the course has been planned to accommodate the most people by using Zoom meetings for an hour once every two weeks. The course will cover some core Christian spiritual disciplines as well as other prayer forms that could complement other prayer practices. The course syllabus for 2021 to 2023 has now been announced; sessions began in January. Please follow the link to register at www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/new-blog. For more information, please contact the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy at tmccarthy@sasktel.net or 306-370-8378 or see the notice elsewhere in this issue. g Nutflakes Movie Library: Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon is building a COVID-safe movie lending library: Nutflakes! The parish is now accepting donations of gently used videos and DVDs. To donate please call 306-242-0165.

Once open, reservations for hour-long blocks, 24 hours apart, to browse and select videos may be made by calling 306-2420165. g Spring Courses at Emmanuel and St. Chad: The College of Emmanuel & St Chad welcomes inquiries and applicants for its spring 2021 courses. All teaching will be online. For other courses available through the Saskatoon Theological Union, please contact our office at 306-975-1550. Deadline To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be sent to the Associate Editor by e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which insertion is desired (for example, December submissions will be in the February issue). Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included here, but if space allows, can be an article and notices elsewhere in the paper.


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... New BCP app makes services more accessible Continued from page 3 desire to learn. In addition to providing a simple way to pray the Office, our intention is to package guides with the app that will help people learn how they can pray the Office using their physical Prayer Book and Bible.

Lawrence Adams, recently retired diocesan property manager, poses outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina. His work as project manager for the columbarium, which was created in the cathedral basement, led to his work for the diocese. Photo courtesy Unkle Adams

... Lawrence Adams retires as diocesan property manager Continued from page 1 he retired. “It was the definition of perseverance if there ever was one,” he says of the property that was for sale for about 10 years before it was sold in August 2020. He reflects that the 80 acres of lake-front property had so much potential, but was “one

challenge after another” because slumping of the Qu’Appelle Valley washed out the access road to the camp soon after it was placed on the market. In his retirement, Adams plans to spend much more time at the home he has built at Silver Bay on Lake Manitoba.

... Angus Sewap a 'humble, generous man' Continued from page 4 be removed. Even with such disadvantages he still kept his church, St. Bartholomew’s in Pelican Narrows, going with help from his lay readers and

congregation. Whenever there was a diocesan Indigenous event, I would look forward to seeing Angus. It makes me sad that he is no longer in our lives.

TAP: For those who might struggle with the meaning of certain words, would you consider offering links to simple definitions? MP: Understanding liturgical and theological language is always a challenge. One of the benefits of the Prayer Book is that its use of more archaic verbal forms and grammar can force the reader to consider the meaning of a word, whereas in more contemporary English they may actually misunderstand a word through its common (nontheological) meaning. The UK’s Prayer Book Society has produced some resources – a glossary of terms for the Prayer Book and so on – and we want to explore how something like that might help. TAP: Do you have plans to make any other services also accessible by app? MP: Compline, Prayers at Mid-Day, the Litany, and Family Prayers are already included in the app. The idea is to make this a resource for personal devotion first and foremost. TAP: The General Rubrics in the BCP state: “All priests and deacons, unless prevented by sickness or other urgent cause, are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately, or openly in the Church” (lvi). Do you think the app will make this demanding requirement easier?

MP: Praying the Office is an important spiritual grounding for clergy which is why it was made a requirement. While the BAS doesn’t reiterate that requirement, it remains a requirement for all clergy none the less. An app that automates part of the process, and which can be accessed on any device means you have the Office at your fingertips wherever you might be regardless of whether or not you’ve brought all necessary materials with you, and it can facilitate learning the Office for clergy whose academic training did not sufficiently focus on praying the Office. TAP: Will more young people be likely to take advantage of it? MP: We definitely think of young people as being more tech-savvy. And while this will be an accessible way for young people to pray, the app’s main demographic is “Christians” and is not determined by any age bracket. If you are a Christian who desires to join in the prayers of the Saints and you have access to a computer, smart phone or tablet device, this app is meant for you! TAP: During the pandemic older folk have become more familiar with Zoom and smart phones, encouraged by the younger members in their families so everyone could keep in touch online. Do you think even older folk will take advantage of this app when nine months ago they may not have even owned a smart phone? MP: Absolutely. There are plenty of Anglicans in Canada who grew up loving the traditional Offices from the BCP.

Many of our design decisions have been based around creating a very simple user interface that allows anyone to easily pray without having to deal with technical challenges. There are also options to enlarge the text or provide a dark background and light text for ease of reading. TAP: Will there be any visuals or artwork used? MP: Not at this time. The basic principle of our design process was to make the app appear as similar as possible to the pages of the BCP. The goal is not to replace the BCP with a digital app, but rather create an app that can be a tool for helping faithful Christians learn how to use the BCP themselves. TAP: How are costs covered for creating and running this free app? MP: The Prayer Book Society of Canada is a charitable organization, and so all of the costs incurred so far, and the costs associated with upkeep of the app, are paid for by the Society through donations. The PBSC website has information on how to make a charitable donation. TAP: Why were you keen to have this app up and running by Advent? MP: Advent is an excellent time for someone to take up a new discipline of prayer. Even for those who already pray the Office, perhaps they have been using an American or other Prayer Book source, and the beginning of the liturgical year is an excellent opportunity to change over to a new system. TAP

Birthday Partners Program AFC wants to ensure it can respond with generosity to your requests for funding ministries in Canada during this time. AFC invites you to consider a special donation on your birthday in 2020-2021. It can be any amount or the amount of your age!

anglicanfoundation.org Click Donate


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

On Christmas Eve, these carollers from St. Thomas, Vernon, and friends sang for residents of Qu'Appelle House special care home in Regina and for shut-in parishioners. Photo contributed

Carolling in COVID-tide By Bruce Farrer VERNON (Qu’A) — Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the congregation of St. Thomas, Vernon, was unable to hold its usual candle- and lamp-light Christmas Eve service in 2020, but that didn’t stop some members from reviving a centuries-old tradition. They went carolling at the homes of the shutin members of their congregation, while still following the government

guidelines. In the mid-afternoon of Christmas Eve, 10 St. Thomas parishioners and friends began their carolling tour at Qu’Appelle House — a special care home in Regina with long connections to the diocese — which just that afternoon had to impose a COVID-19 lockdown on its residents. The plan to sing from the deck to the residents who would normally be having tea in the lounge

had to be cancelled. Instead, the carollers arranged themselves in front of the windows of the residents’ rooms and sang carols from outside. Many of the residents, who had been alerted by the staff, opened their windows, while others felt that minus seven degrees was too cold, but still appeared to be able to hear the singing. Some of the residents joined in the singing; one kept time as though she were a choir director;

another wrote a note saying “thank you” and held it to her window; others waved or threw kisses to the carollers; and one of the residents on the third floor opened her window wide and had a short chat with some of the carollers. From Qu’Appelle House the carollers drove to various homes of shut-in members of their own congregation. One couple put on their coats, bundled up their two-month-old baby and

brought him outside as well, while they joined in the singing. One elderly member of the congregation called out “God bless us everyone!” as the singing ended and the singers returned to their cars. It was an apt quote from Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol for those members of the St. Thomas congregation who revived the old custom of sharing the Christmas message through wellknown carols.

DIOCESE OF SASKATCHEWAN

Parishes' October 2019 data wanted Submitted

David Butorac and his new wife Emily were married at St. Alban's Cathedral. Photo courtesy Mary Brown

PRINCE ALBERT — When I first moved out West, it seemed every time I heard from my parents, it was to tell me who had died. Now I am doing the same thing. When I started working at the Synod Office in January 1998 the Ven. Don Wootten was the archdeacon/executive secretary. He was kind of an old hippie with a dry sense of humour. He came to the diocese from the Diocese of Edmonton on Oct. 1, 1996 and left for Salmon Arm, B.C. on Dec. 21, 1998. He was there when we moved to the new office. His wife Peggy helped in the resource centre and organized all of the vestments and liturgical items that had been

donated to the diocese. They had five children: three daughters and two sons. I remember Don talking about the death of his young daughter who was born in the Arctic. She was killed in 1971 by sled dogs and their son, who was also born in the Arctic, died suddenly in 1982. Knowing such tragedy in their lives was evident in their empathy with those they met. Peggy died in 2008 after they left Saskatchewan and Don died on Dec. 6, 2020. He was ordained deacon and priest in the Diocese of Athabaska and also served in North Battleford before coming to us. He married Emily Turgeon in 2011. When he moved to Salmon Arm he assisted at St. John the Evangelist

and served at Monte Creek, in the Territory of the People. Congratulations to David Butorac (pictured) who was married on Dec. 26, 2020 to Emily Flowers. Bishop Michael Hawkins officiated at the small wedding held in the chapel of St. Alban’s Cathedral, with Gordon and Mary Ann Kirkby in attendance. The Synod Office requested that parishes send in their attendance and giving numbers from October 2019 to compare with numbers from October 2020. So far, the office has received only a few answers. I sent in ours and was surprised that our attendance numbers were about the same and our giving was actually more than in 2019. If you haven’t sent yours in please do so.


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

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Bishop McAlliser College continues building music centre By Canon Paul Jeffries UGANDA — With the library project coming to a successful conclusion in 2019 at Bishop McAllister College, my mind began to turn in a new direction. Over the years I have seen first-hand the love and passion students and adults have for music, dance and drama, nowhere more so than in the school’s annual music, dance and drama competition, and more recently, as hosts to West Ankole Diocese church choir competitions in the same category. But more than this, there have many examples over the years of the students’ love for music and a desire to learn and develop their talent, whether it is the choir, or learning the keyboard. We have been very fortunate to have a number of students who taught themselves to play the keyboard and helped facilitate chapel worship. It seemed now was the time to give them a great opportunity. So, I began to dream a bit about a program for music, dance and drama — a program that would also include opportunities to learn to play a variety of musical instruments, particularly the keyboard, but including guitar and drums, and revitalizing the school brass band. For those of you who have known me and have supported this ministry over the years, you know I’m always prepared to dream a bit, always ready with a plan to match, but never big on the details like a time frame, other than God’s time. However, I’m always ready to take the first step and see where it goes from there. Therefore, in January 2020 I resolved that we should take the first step and see what happens. So we did. Step one was to clear the space where the new music department was to be constructed. It was a great start to the new school year! By March we were underway with construction of the foundation for the choral rehearsal room. Praise God for this incredible development. By mid-March we were making steady progress and by the end of March

Workers began building a new music centre for the Bishop McAlliser College last spring, but the pandemic forced them to shut down. Work is expected to commence sometime this year. Photos courtesy New Brunswick Anglican

Immanuel parish continues to come together By Joanne Shurvin-Martin

Canon Paul Jeffries was joined in a sod-turning ceremony last winter by chairman of BOG, lay canon Freedom James, and Paul’s long-time friend and colleague, Rev. Canon Caleb Twinamatsiko, former head teacher of Bishop McAllister College and current rector of the Parish of Pennfield in New Brunswick, to break ground for the new music department project. we had reached the first ring beam. Praise God! With the coming of COVID-19 and school closure, work came to a halt — but only for a short time we hope and pray! We are so grateful for everyone’s financial support that has brought us this far. To God be the Glory. May God continue to bless

and keep you! If you would like to support this construction project, visit anglican. nb.ca and click on Donate. Choose Bishop McAllister College from the dropdown menu. The Rev. Canon Paul Jeffries, originally from New Brunswick, is rector of Bishop McAllister College in Uganda.

REGINA — The process of joining five congregations into one parish continues, despite the challenges of COVID-19. All five congregations — All Saints, St. James, St. Luke, St. Matthew and St. Philip — held congregational meetings and passed motions to cease regular services in their respective buildings. The parish of Immanuel was created in October 2020. Those congregations have been working for about two years to join. The original plan was to worship together in one building in January, but that is impossible due to the pandemic. When in-person worship is allowed, the parish will use two temporary locations so two services can be held each Sunday. The temporary locations are All Saints on Massey Road and St. Luke on Argyle Road.

The parish has contracted realtor services to continue the search for a building to suit its needs. Many working groups and committees continue to make progress on finalizing the many details required to combine the five previous parishes. Technology has played an important role in continuing to provide worship services, offer pastoral care, programs for children and youths, and opportunities for people to gather virtually during the pandemic. Jenny Williams, a member of several working groups and the new parish council, said, “Something good is coming from the pandemic. We have been forced to learn how to use technology to support us in everything we do. “Ultimately this will help us to reach younger generations who are comfortable with and rely on technology in everything they do.”

The sign outside St. Luke, Regina, proclaims the coming of Jesus. As it turns out, it also announces the name of the new parish. Photo by Nigel Salway


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

Generous donation brings curling to Qu'Appelle House By Joanne Shurvin-Martin

Qu’Appelle House resident Charlotte prepares her throw, using the new floor curling set donated to the special care home in Regina. Staff member Jillian (left) watches. Photo by Jillyan Clark

REGINA — Floor curling has come to Qu’Appelle House Special Care Home, thanks to the generosity of Sean and Brenda Louvel. The Louvels are directors of Santa for Seniors, an organization that provides gifts to many residents of care homes in the city. Usually individual gifts are donated for care homes to distribute to their residents, but last Christmas, due to COVID, Santa for Seniors made monetary donations to the homes, all granted by a GoFundMe page. Qu’Appelle House obviously has a special place in the Louvels hearts, because they also made a personal donation of a f loor curling set.

Jillyan Clark, rec coordinator at Qu’Appelle House, takes up the story: “They had asked us what was on our wish list this year… . We suggested a f loor curling set, as being cooped up in the home requires creative ways to stay active. This set runs well above our budget… .” The f loor curling set was delivered Dec. 9, and soon put into use. The honour of throwing the first rock was given to one of the residents, who had been quite an athlete in his younger days, and had curled in a league as long as he was able. Clark reports, “The first rock he threw hit the bulls-eye — and the whole room erupted in cheering! “This donation is like no other — we are so appreciative of the Louvels and their

contribution of this wonderful game, and the joy it has brought our residents thus far. “We are looking forward to many uses and many good times.” Clark also mentioned how the wider community supported residents who were not able to leave the home or have visitors due to COVID restrictions. Entertainment was provided virtually, family visits were arranged using Zoom and Facetime, and groups and schools sent cards and letters to the residents. All the staff at Qu’Appelle House worked “above and beyond” in the words of Bev Desautels, administrator and director of care, in order to keep everyone safe while providing as much Christmas cheer as possible.

God's oil of gladness By Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier

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n the well-loved words of the Prophet Isaiah, God promises a devastated and destitute people “to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Isaiah 61:3). In light of the devastating year 2020 we have just ended, these words seem particularly pertinent now in both our church and our world. God insists: there is beauty here, reason for praise, oil of gladness poured upon us … seriously?! Most of us might agree that in 2020, beauty and gladness were much harder to find than loss and change. Now loss and change are two different things. Loss takes something away from life, and many of us feel the losses that piled up in 2020; personally and physically, economically, socially and globally. While loss and change share some common

Grace @ Sixty features, change adds something to life. Loss is a simply a black hole, a black well; change is a fork in the road. Loss is not an option. Change is only a possibility. “Willed change,” a saying goes, “is not real. Only unwilled change is real.” Only unwilled change pushes us into what we did not plan. Only unwilled change has the power to mould the soul, to stretch us beyond ourselves into uncharted territory. Willed change is what we seek and shape: we take a course, graduate, marry, have the baby, buy the house, visit a friend. Unwilled change is what seeks and reshapes us: we lose a job, the children move away, we become ill, our house burns

down, a relative dies, a dream is crushed, or a pandemic devastates the entire world. Let’s face it, real change is out of our control. The great spiritual challenge becomes how we respond to unwilled change. Will we muster new courage and creativity, even though we shiver in the cubbyhole of our soul, especially after the global tremors of COVID-19? Can we believe that life has merely changed, not ended? Our global collective pandemic experience is exacting from us a heroic collective posture into change: can we consider change as an invitation to grow? “To live is to change,” John Henry Newman wrote, “and to be perfect is to have changed often.” But this willingness to see change as the door to new opportunities does not happen automatically and it does not happen to all of us. Some of us take charge and know how to reach down into ourselves to begin walking again.

Others, however, cower in the corners of the past, withdraw from the world, or lash out at the world. All change is not progress; all change is not easy. Some of us, faced with the demands of change, change for the worst: we become drug dependent, develop eating disorders, go into depressions, turn to violence. For some people, the thought of being forced to live differently is too much of a threat, a death of sorts. But if we can tap into an inner source of strength, courage and faith, we can engage change in lifegiving ways. However painful the process, the only response to the God of life is life. Then transformation becomes possible. Transformation happens when something inside us shifts and makes us no longer the person we used to be. In such moments we find that, not only life has changed but, we have changed. These moments manifest God at work in our soul. In all fairness to

2020, the entire world population has come out of a hell of a year. We have awakened to the notion that yesterday does not fit today anymore. The pandemic has revealed viruses of a different nature that cause life to be snuffed out too soon: social and economic, racial and behavioural viruses. At the threshold of 2021, as a universal vaccine is rolling out, the jury is out as to how will we move forward into a changed world. Will we exhibit the courage and spiritual will to eradicate the other long-festering viruses by applying the divine vaccines of God’s love and compassion, justice and mercy? Pope Francis said it well in his recent Encyclical Fratelli Tutti: “We need to develop the awareness that nowadays we are either all saved together or no one is saved. “Poverty, decadence and suffering in one part of the earth are a silent breeding ground for problems that will end up affecting the entire planet.”


February 2021

By Rev. Gene Packwood

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sh Wednesday comes on Feb. 17 this year. In the liturgy for that day we will all be invited to “observe a Holy Lent” in six ways: 1. Selfexamination 2. Penitence (or repentance in The Book of Common Prayer [BCP]) 3. Prayer 4. Fasting 5. Almsgiving (or selfdenial in the BCP) 6. Reading and meditating on the word of God (Book of Alternative Services [BAS] p282, BCP p612) Here are six Spirit-filled ways to dig ourselves out of the current viral miasma and COVIDinduced claustrophobia. Six ancient, tried and true spiritual disciplines that are guaranteed to build our spiritual muscle, open us to the winds of the Holy Spirit and draw us ever closer to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All we have to do, is do them. Religiously. As if our lives depended on it. The Collect for Ash Wednesday is an excellent Lenten launching pad: Almighty and everlasting God, you despise nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our brokenness (or wretchedness in the BCP, p139), may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. (BAS, p281) The BCP directs us to read this prayer every

day in Lent until Holy Week. Good idea. But I suggest we PRAY it. Thoroughly and devoutly. Over and over again, those 40 times, letting it soak into the bones of our spirits and make them strong. This Collect focuses particularly on the first two of the six ways we are called to observe a Holy Lent: selfexamination and penitence (or repentance). Holy Lent selfexamination requires me to look closely at my life, my behaviour and my relationships. Such selfexamination gives the Holy Spirit permission to expose and identify the selfish, sinful things I need to confess and of which I need to repent. To confess and turn my back on any sin in my life is to repent. To ask The LORD to create in me a new and contrite heart and to worthily lament and to grieve for my sins is to be penitent. To help with this process, consider whether The LORD may be calling you to make a formal confession in the (digital, over the phone or physically-distanced) presence of your priest, pastor or trusted friend sometime in Lent. The BAS provides a rationale and instructions (p166) and two versions of The Reconciliation of a Penitent (pp 167 and 171). All of this, of course, is best done in the context of discipline number three: prayer. If you’re not already doing it, take some time to pray each day using the Prayer Books or the excellent Church of England online resources at https://daily. commonworship.com (where the readings are built right in!). Disciplines number four and five — fasting and Continued on page 10

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Obituary

Feeling the Holy Spirit

Build spiritual muscle in Lent

The Saskatchewan Anglican

Savaria dies after lengthy illness Submitted EDMONTON — Rev. Carol Savaria (nee Hayes) died peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep on Nov. 21, 2020, at the age of 63 at a family friend’s home in Edmonton. Savaria was rector at All Saints Anglican Church in Melville from July 2000 until July 2001. Savaria received a diploma in social work

from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton before answering God’s call to ministry in the Anglican Church. She completed a BA in religious studies and psychology, and after three years of studies at St. John’s College, University of Man., received her master’s in theology in 1986. She was ordained deacon the same year, and priested in 1987. Before moving to

the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, Savaria served in several locations in Ontario and Alberta. While serving as rector in Melville, she had symptoms such as multiple sclerosis, which ended her ministry; she was placed on long-term disability. She is survived by her husband, Yves Savaria; son Terry; her parents; sister Leanne McNeil; and a large extended family.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

Christmas hampers continue despite pandemic By Nigel Salway, with files from Margi Hollingshead REGINA — A regular Christmas tradition at St. Luke (part of Immanuel Parish) is providing Christmas hampers to the Balfour High School Young Parent Program and the Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Society. Starting in November, parishioners begin collecting supplies for the baskets based on shopping lists provided by the organizers. Then on a day in December, the hampers would be collated, packaged and delivered to the recipients. Providing this ministry was a challenge in 2020. With concerns about contact transmission of the COVID-19 virus, it was not possible to gather the necessary personal and grocery items from parishioners. Similarly, it was not possible for a large group to gather to collate and

Staff at the Balfour Collegiate Young Parent Program receive hampers from St. Luke, Regina. Photo courtesy Margi Hollingshead deliver the hampers. A new approach was required, and Margi Hollingshead was up to the challenge. Hollingshead took the lead to organize a physically-distanced

team to supply, pack and deliver the hampers. The team included Betty West, who assisted in scheming, shopping, and wrapping; Betty’s husband, George Golem, who helped pack and

carry several truckloads of boxes; Kim Smith, who purchased baby products for the Balfour mums and kids; Susan MacPhail, who bought gift cards at all the grocery stores; Dawn Gates, who knit

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Continued from pg. 9 almsgiving (or self-denial) — heighten the whole Lent experience by clarifying our status as utterly dependent on God and by sharpening our spiritual senses. Reading and meditating on the Word of God — discipline six — provides the perfect God-breathed context for all of the above. There are excellent tables of Bible readings

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in both Prayer Books — BCP, p. xxii and BAS p458 (we’re in Year 1) — or you can find the readings for any day online at https:// lectionary.anglican.ca. Use these first 40 days of Lent to do a good spiritual detox. Clear the decks. Experience the “perfect remission and forgiveness” the Collect promises through our Lord and Saviour Jesus.

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beautiful warm items; and Pat Kohli and her granddaughters, who ordered all the kids’ toys online and wrapped them. Cash donations were solicited from the congregation to purchase items for the hampers. St. Luke’s congregation responded with more than enough funds to supply hampers for 44 adults and 31 children. The Christmas hampers were delivered on Dec. 16 and 17. What joy they brought to the support people at the Balfour Young Adult Program and the Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Society! Both organizations are so grateful that the hampers made Christmas a bit brighter for their families who are struggling so much during the pandemic. Although we are in challenging times, it is heartwarming to see the ministries of the church continue through the ingenuity and dedication of its members.

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February 2021

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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What do we see coming after this? By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principal, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad

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hat’s next? That’s a question I am beginning to hear people asking. As we start to see spring-like signs that the world will, indeed, emerge from the pandemic that gripped us for the last year, it feels like it is finally possible to start gazing into the future again. Of course, we are not there yet. As any trucker or mountaineer will tell you, going down the slope is at least as dangerous and difficult as going up, so it would be unwise to get too distracted by dreams and plans for what happens after COVID. Being prepared, though, is also a form of wisdom, and the time to prepare for the next phase of our lives, collective and individual, is now. So, what do we see coming? The question is more than idle curiosity. Our ministry as a church depends on how well we understand and relate to the world around us. It is time to ask what good news our world is going to need and how we think God is offering that good news. It is time to observe what God is doing in the changing circumstances of our society and identify how we can join in. I will leave the medical forecasting to people with that expertise, but it is at least possible that we will be living for some time with this virus and others like it. There are lessons humanity has learned in the last year that will not go away, about vulnerability, being responsible for one another, and having an impact, for good or ill. These lessons are not remote from our call to offer spiritual care to our society. There are positive and negative examples of how the summons to mutual care touches deep chords of both fear and fulfilment. The spiritual dimension of those experiences lies in the recognition that we are much more than simply ourselves. Jesus’ word for this aspect of our identity was “neighbour”. Perhaps the next time the lectionary brings around the parable of the Good Samaritan, or the summary of the Law, we can highlight Jesus’ message within our com-

munities. I imagine a public affirmation of the many ways people around us act as neighbours to one another, along with a recognition of the cost and the challenge of going the next step in neighbourliness. We are going to need our neighbours even more, if the past year has been a further example of what the future might hold. Even before the pandemic, the pace of change was constantly speeding up. We already knew the social landscape of the

next generation would be completely unlike today’s. That poses a special challenge for educators, as we equip children and adults to navigate the unknown. The idea that we would return to normal after the pandemic was already a forlorn hope, given how fast normal is changing. So, I hear people speaking about the new normal, or more accurately, the next normal. But even these phrases fall short of capturing the completely new world view we are being invited to

adopt, where adaptability becomes the real norm. An image I think communicates this well is that of a surfer, who knows that under his board is a powerful wave. He has no control over the wave, but can do remarkable things on top of it. All that is necessary is respect for the wave’s power and the capacity to adapt as it keeps changing. Some fear is appropriate, but the surfer’s creativity balances and partners with his fear. Surfing may seem like an unlikely theological image, even if there are a few biblical stories of people walking across the water! Digging more deeply, though, faith is exactly our creative response to the fear we experience in a world beyond our control. Faith frees us to do remarkable things. It is an affirmation that what we

can do, is worth doing, because the apparent chaos of the world is still held in the arms of a merciful, loving and redeeming God. These are gifts that our world is going to need even more as the future unfolds. So take a look into the future, on whatever time scale you can see, in your own life and in your congregation. Help the wider church — and the college — as we prepare ministry leaders for the next generation to look even further ahead. Think about how we will need to adapt and ask how we can become more adaptable. Most importantly, build your faith and that of others in the here and now, so that we can be neighbours to those who need us and living examples of the trust in God that empowers creative living.


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The Saskatchewan Anglican

February 2021

Celebrating a 100th birthday in pandemic-style COVID-19 didn’t prevent the ACW of St. Matthew, Regina, from honouring Betty Petersen on her 100th birthday in December. They gathered on the verandah at Qu’Appelle House special care home, where a microphone had been placed for them to speak to Betty as she greeted them at the window. The ACW chaplain, Rev. Blair Dixon, said a few words and the group sang Happy Birthday. A banner, balloons and

a bag full of birthday cards were presented to Betty from the ACW. A party was held inside for the residents as well. The ACW thanks Frances Phillips and Lillian Jaeb for their help and all the staff at Qu’Appelle House for helping with the celebration. (Editor’s note: the reflections in the photo are evidence that the photographer was safely outside following COVID protocols). Photo by Barb Cameron

Book review

Just how cold is it, anyway? It’s a Dry Cold by the Rev. Canon Colin Clay Reviewed by the Rev. Peter Coolen

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n 2018, the Rev. Canon Colin Clay (pictured right) celebrated his 86 th birthday and his 60 th anniversary as a priest — see the June 2018 issue of the Saskatchewan Anglican — and published the first two of a planned six-book set of autobiographical books. In 2019 Colin added to these first two books by publishing the next two tomes. These most recent

ones, and the fifth book It’s a Dry Cold, covering the period of 1977 to 1994, have now been released. As I have said in reviews of his first four volumes, Colin in this new book recounts, not as Samuel Pepys did, a daily journal, but rather, a narrative of important people, events and current events and thoughts and experiences

in Colin’s life, from his unique perspective, as he progressed through a life which slowly evolved and resolved itself around an energetic core of wit and ‘spunk’ devoted to family, ministry and a pursuit of world peace and ecumenism. Colin’s new book tells of his arrival in Saskatoon as one of the ecumenical chaplains at the University of Saskatchewan in 1977 and among other things, recounts challenges he faced dealing with homophobia and working with those suffering from religious cult activity. He also recounts involvement in world peace and ecumenical movements; working in education and ministry; being a candidate in the 1984 general election;

serving as padre for a number of veterans’ clubs and military regiments; his becoming a model train enthusiast; and his family life. For those of us who know and love Colin, he writes in these books, as he speaks; as an energetic and lively raconteur with a deep spirituality and faith; a wide breadth of knowledge; a strong optimism and years of experience and strongly held convictions about war, conf lict and the need for world peace and ecumenism. The story he tells, becomes, for the reader, a colourful history of not only his life and times, but also of a world, a society and a Church going through radical transformation

and struggles while still holding to past symbols, ceremonies and titles. To read these pages is, if not to live the times, to understand and appreciate them and to admire the clear vision, courage and sheer fun that Colin obviously had and is able to express to us, as he shows us how to have a long, satisfying, optimistic, and industrious life’s journey while living both a deeply spiritual vocation and avocation in service to the needs of others. It’s a Dry Cold may be purchased from the author Colin Clay at 103102 Wellman Crescent, Saskatoon, Sask., S7T OJ1 at a cost of $20, which includes postage. The writer may be contacted at colinpclay@ gmail.com.


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