The Saskatchewan Anglican, December 2016

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Don Bolen installed as archbishop of Regina

By Frank Flegel

Come, Lord Jesus, come

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility, that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(Collect for Advent 1, Book of Alternative services)/Photo: Saskatchewan Anglican files

May I occupew your pie?

By Munden Coates ARBORFIELD (Skwn) – When the Nipawin Apostolic Church decided to go with chairs, they donated 14 of their 10-foot oak pews to the Church of the Ascension in Arborfield.

These pews had to be cut down to eight-footers. This repetitive labour allowed for philosophical discussion of all things pews.

Proposition No. 1: Should churches have pews or individual seating?

Consensus: chairs belong in doctors’ offices and bingo halls. Churches should have pews.

Proposition No. 2: Should church pews be upholstered for comfort? No consensus gained.

There is nothing wrong with creature comforts in church, while a good sermon

should make you squirm.

Proposition No. 3: Do we really need kneelers?

Unanimous: even though many of us are unable to use them, the choice should be there.

Proposition No. 4: How do we recycle the old pews?

Unanimous: any way we can.

Proposition No. 5: The old pews had some donation plaques, some more than 50 years old.

What do we do with them?

Pragmatic solution: make a tasteful display, hang it in the church.

Proposition No. 6: Do the new pews need to be consecrated?

Deferred; ask the bishop.

Richard Walton (right) and Munden Coates (usually wrong) convert donated pews.

Photo by Linda Coates

REGINA – The installation of Donald Bolen as Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina on Oct. 14 attracted an audience of about 1,200 who packed Holy Rosary Cathedral, including an overflow crowd in the basement hall.

D e a n Michael Sinclair and Canon Michael Jackson of St. Paul’s Cat hed ra l represented t h e Diocese of Don Bolen Qu’Appelle, along with representatives from Regina’s multi-faith and inter-faith community.

Members of the St. Paul’s choir joined the Holy Rosary choir for the service.

Sinclair brought greetings and described how widely known and loved is the new Archbishop.

“Wherever I have been – London, Rome and other places – when they hear I’m from Saskatchewan they say, ‘Oh you must know Don.’” Bolen’s appointment was a little unusual in that bishops are not usually appointed to serve their home diocese.

Bolen was born in Gravelbourg and grew up on a farm in the area.

His installation as archbishop occurred just two days after the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

He served various archdiocesan parishes until 2001, when he was made a member of the Pontifical Council Promoting Christian Unity, in Rome.

He was involved in AnglicanRoman Catholic and MethodistRoman Catholic relations, preparing texts for the week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Continued on page 4

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

Jesus conquered evil on the cross How did a loving God command massacres?

By Archdeacon Norbert Haukenfrers, D.Min

L

ocation, location, location. It’s the mantra of real estate and it should be a guiding principle in understanding the Bible.

A particular story’s place in history shapes our understanding.

God spoke and acted in particular places and times.

God exists outside of history, but acts within it.

The Bible is a story offering a history to live out of.

The Bible’s unfolding revelation roots us in history.

The plot of this story is God desiring relationship with free beings.

This freedom includes the ability to reject the love of God. God’s love is not imposed but must be accepted, or it is rejected. This rejection of

love is the refusal of the pure goodness of God: enter evil.

We struggle in understanding the God behind the extreme orders.

Similar to when He found Noah the only righteous person and flooded out everyone and everything else; or the command He gave Israel to destroy the women, children, animals and crops of their enemies.

These stories seem to function with an almost indiscriminate nature.

Granted some of these events can be understood in the context of obedience and disobedience.

God offering a way to life that leads to human flourishing, rejected. Our existence is dependent on the God who is the very breath of life.

Our value isn’t in the quality of our life but in the sanctity of our life, our life as the icons of the living God.

It is this image of God that honours the dignity of all people, in all situations.

Human beings are unique among the creation.

Maybe, that is what makes these passages so challenging, they disturb our understanding of who God is, who we are, and how relationships work.

Opposing evil often costs innocent lives: History teaches us that evil has a destructive momentum that can be slowed only at immense cost.

The greatest cost to oppose evil was paid by God Himself, when He gave His own perfect and innocent son to absorb the world’s evil.

He willingly took the massacre on Himself.

As an innocent person, Jesus accepted the guilt of the community; for our guilt and history’s complicity, He suffered the pain of evil.

Evil can be contained,

slowed, and delayed with great destructive force.

But evil can only be finally destroyed by the willing absorption of evil, thereby, revealing a clue to understanding the graphic violence of the Old Testament.

Evil is real, powerful and devastating.

There is no human solution.

Not even the utter destruction of our enemies vanquishes evil. Violence begets violence.

Of course this does not eliminate all the difficulties with the passages that call for massacre, but it locates them in a historical and theological context.

Christianity does not exist outside of history and we can’t make sense of history without looking through the cross.

The cross supplies hope that evil is conquered and we can, with God’s help, absorb evil in our own lives and no longer repay evil for evil, but repay evil with good.

The Bible: Honouring God's Word throughout history By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principal, The College of Emmanuel & St. Chad

L

ast month I started a survey of what we teach and learn in theological college, beginning with our focus on the Bible as the defining story of God’s people.

If you check the course calendar, though, you find that most Bible courses concentrate on one or the other of the main divisions of the Bible, either the Hebrew Scriptures, or the Christian writings we call the New Testament.

This separation isn’t entirely helpful, as it sometimes leads us to treat the two sections as being fundamentally different kinds of writing.

But a study of the Hebrew Scriptures on their own terms can also help us to answer a key question about the New Testament.

What did early Christians think they were doing, when they began to acknowledge the sacredness of texts from their own era, as an addition to their Jewish inheritance?

It can be difficult to wrap our minds around the breadth of the story captured in “the law, the prophets and the writings,” which make up the first three-quarters of our Bibles.

Even before critical studies began, people recognized that the story of Israel covered an immense amount of time,

stretching back to the second millennium BC. The period of the story includes changes in technology, massive social upheaval, political revolutions, new concepts of God, and dozens of generations of family history.

Close attention to the texts, over the last 200 years, has made clear that the written record isn’t a simple chronicle, with the oldest documents at the start and the newest at the end.

Instead, there are layers within layers. The story of Israel includes, as an essential element, the story of how its defining sacred writings developed.

Perhaps the oldest elements can be found in the chapters about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, weaving together the oral history of those families, and expressing the sense of family unity that marked the earliest days of the Israelite tribes.

At the other end of the timeline, analysts find evidence of editorial work as late as the 4th century BC, bringing together and arranging the whole range of sacred memory into a unified canon.

Within particular books, too, you can observe ancient words being re-quoted

and re-applied in fresh circumstances.

The book of Isaiah is a great example, covering times before, during and after Israel’s exile in Babylon, but developing consistent themes across those events, about God’s holiness and purpose.

As you unpack these layers, you get a sense that each one builds on what went before, not relegating the past to the dust bin of history, but remembering that God was involved with people then, just as God is now.

In particular, there is a constant theme of remembering the ways that God spoke to the people of Israel in each generation.

“The word of the Lord” is a rich phrase in Hebrew. It expresses the convictions that God has spoken, that God’s word is a promise, and that the promise is being kept every day.

That sense of the word of the Lord, is what lies behind the decision of early Christian communities (founded within Judaism) to write down more of God’s word and purpose, as they encountered them in Jesus and in the life of the church.

The new writings continued the process of listening to and honouring God’s word heard throughout history, as well as reflecting on how that word speaks in the present moment.

Next month, we’ll explore further how that idea of what Christian Scriptures were for, affected how they were written, received, and eventually shaped into a New Testament.

New Brunswick church plans indoor playground GRAND BAY (N.B.) — A church in the Diocese of Fredericton is undertaking a $680,000 project to turn currently unused building space into an indoor play park for local children.

The Church of the Resurrection, in Grand Bay, N.B., was built when a number of parishes in the area amalgamated more than a decade ago. But its back space was never finished and

has remained largely unused.

A community survey found almost 40 per cent of respondents said they would probably use the indoor playground every week if it were built.

The idea was discussed with the local community and the congregation.

Organizers hope to receive some government funding for the project, which is slated to be complete by 2018.

Published by the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle.

Published monthly except for July and August.

Whole No. 292, Vol. 45, No. 4 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 January issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Friday, Dec. 2. 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: Munden and Linda Coates linda.munden@sasktel.net Box 208 Arborfield, Sask., S0E 0A0 Photo: 306-769-8339 PUBLISHING DETAILS Published from 59 Roberts Place Regina, Sask., S4T 6K5 Printed and mailed by Webnews Printing Inc. 8 High Meadow Place North York, Ont. M9L 2Z5

The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

3

Fear not, for I ...

By Bishop Rob Hardwick

F

ranklin Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Someone once said that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear.

Fear can limit us, defeat us and cause us to fail. It is fear that paralyzes our lives, that causes us to shrink back from achieving our goals.

It is fear that keeps us unhappy and dissatisfied with ourselves, unable to cope with the prospect of meaningful change, as individuals and as a church.

It is fear that haunts our marriages, that causes us to stifle love, growth and fulfillment.

It is fear that keeps many of us from succeeding in our work.

Fear blinds us and binds us; blinds us to our possibilities and binds us to the safe, sterile lives we have always lived. It is fear that produces sleepless

nights as we worry about events over which we have no control.

We fear failure, and yet, the very act of fearing causes us to fail.

We fear not being chosen, so we do not line up or go through with the job application or volunteer for the ministry position because we fear

we are not smart enough, not good enough, not talented enough, do not have faith enough.

We fear the future, and because of that fear, we sabotage or ignore all opportunities that come to us.

We fear sickness and pain and death; the weight of that worry increases the chances that illness will overtake us.

Fear not, for I… .

The words, “Do not be afraid” or “Fear Not” appear 366 times in the Bible.

It is as if every day, including the extra ‘leap year’ day, the One God in Trinity along and the angels, are saying to us, “Don’t be afraid, fear not!”

I readily acknowledge that it takes plenty of courage, faith and trust to not only face our fears but also move beyond them.

It took great courage, faith and trust for Zechariah (Luke 1:12), Mary (Luke 1:30), the shepherds (Luke 1:10) and

the women in the garden (Luke 24:5) to not only stay in the presence of the Angel(s) but also to say yes and to act upon, the call of God for their lives.

The same is true for us. I wonder what God is calling you or your church to say yes to and to act upon this Advent, that you may move forward in faith? Fear not!

When Jesus appeared to the disciples in the upper room, He did not affirm them for seeking the safety and security of a locked upper room.

Rather, He re-kindled their faith, addressed their doubts, led them beyond their fear-filled place, blessed them and inspired them to be openly bold, joyful and constant in their devotion (Luke 24:36-53).

As an individual or as a church, are you afraid?

This Advent prepare for the Lord and listen for His words to you, “Fear not! For I … .”

Christ alters us By the Rev. Trevor Malyon

attributed as saying, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

Perhaps in keeping the New Testament example, let your words verify your actions.

The sharing of the Gospel begins in our daily prayer time with Jesus.

It is through our intimate time spent with Jesus that we ourselves are changed.

It is through a deep intimate time spent with Jesus that we form a love relationship with Him. It is also through our falling in love with Him that our hearts are opened and we desire to talk about Him. It is not something that is forced or something done by obligation, it is something that is born in love and arises from our in-most being.

As Christians, we all play an integral part with Jesus in the altering of the lives of others by prayerfully sharing His gospel.

It is through the change of a heart that the altar is finally found.

The altar of Jesus Christ continues to change lives and the course of one’s life.

We can only tell of Him as we know Him.

Editor’s note: This message has previously appeared in the September issue of The Epistle, the Battle River Parish News, under the banner Beyond the Pulpit.

BATTLEFORD (S’toon) – There is a slight difference in the spelling of the words “alter” and “altar,” albeit by one letter.

They are very different words meaning very different things.

The dictionary definition of the word “alter” means “to make a different in some particular way, as size, style and course, to modify or change, to become different.”

Alter is to be defined as someone or something that is being changed or different.

The dictionary defines “altar” as an elevated place or structure.

As a mound or platform, at which religious rites are performed or on which sacrifices are offered.

Altar is to be defined as an object on which religious practices take place.

These are two very different words, with two totally different meanings, separated by only one letter.

Yet, the experience of one can lead to the other.

As Christians, we meet with family and friends, rub shoulders with those at work and do business with many people all during our daily comings and goings in life.

The Christian message, although a written word, was very much an oral message.

It is a message that was

'The first call of Jesus was for His follwers to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). You may be thinking, "How can I share my own faith in Christ?" I would suggest you already are!'

Photo courtesy Wellcome Images/Wikimedia passed from one person to another through interaction and conversation.

The first call of Jesus was for His followers to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men (Matt 4:19).

You may be thinking, “How can I share my own faith in Christ?”

I would suggest you already are!

Our lives, if lived to the Lord, are a pictorial landscape

reflecting Christ’s life lived in and through us.

Sharing the Gospel is more than words spoken from one person to another, but words are needed as well.

Francis of Assisi is

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

Beairsto loved art and theology James Andrew Beairsto, 1925 to 2016 By the Rev. Canon Donald J. Skinner TURTLE RIVER (Skwn) – James Andrew Beairsto, beloved husband, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, brother, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully in hospital on Sept.

24 at age of 90.

Born on Sept. 28, 1925 in Daysland, Alta., he was the seventh child of Frederick Peters Beairsto and Edna May Beairsto (nee Colvin).

As a child he completed his schooling and studied piano as well as beginning his painting in oils. He grew up in Sedgewick, Alta.

As a child he was a help to his family as gardener, an activity that also became a lifelong pastime.

He studied at the Alberta College of Art and took work as a graphic artist. He then decided to study theology at Trinity College, Toronto.

However, his interest in painting continued throughout his life and included many works in oil, acrylic and watercolour. It was in Toronto where he met Lillian May Gould whom he married in 1955.

Also in 1955, he was

James Andrew Beairsto ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican Church of Canada and was appointed to St. Mary’s Parish, Ponoka, Alta., in the Diocese of Edmonton.

In 1960 he moved the family, now including children Catherine, Peter and infant David, to Lloydminster, Sask.

He was parish priest at St. John’s Minster, Lloydminster, in the Diocese of Saskatoon until 1972.

While there James and Lillian’s fourth child, Naomi, was born.

In 1972 James and the family moved to Big Country Parish, Kindersley, in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. He and Lillian were there until 1978.

In 1978 James, Lillian and Naomi moved to the Big Valley Parish, Lumsden, also in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle and were there until 1982.

In 1982 James and Lillian

moved to the Parish of Christ Church, Kitimat, British Columbia in the Diocese of Caledonia.

Retiring in 1990, James and Lillian moved to Prince George and James did some interim ministry in the area while attending the Church of St. Michael and All Angels.

Throughout his life he was an associate of the Order of the Holy Cross and the Order of St. Luke.

After Lillian died in 1998, James stayed in Prince George until 1999 when he moved to Kelowna, B.C. to live with his sister Florence.

While in Kelowna he belonged to a local art group

and attended the Parish of St. Andrew. They lived in Florence’s home for nine years, sharing duties of the house and yard.

In 2008 James and Florence moved to the Missionwood Retirement Resort, also in Kelowna.

They were there until Florence died in 2014.

In September 2014 James moved to North Battleford to live with his daughter Naomi and her husband Dave.

He attended St. George’s Church in Battleford while there.

James remained grateful for life despite later restrictions cause by

blindness and other health issues.

He is survived by his children: Catherine (Donald) Skinner of Turtleford, SK; Peter Beairsto (Pam Schmunk) of Edmonton, AB; David Beairsto of Vancouver, B.C.; Naomi (Dave) Clark of North Battleford, SK; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, two brothers, one sister-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.

His funeral was held at St. George’s Anglican Church, North Battleford, on Sept. 29.

The interment of ashes was held at the Sedgewick, Alberta cemetery on Sept. 30.

Installation of Don Bolen Continued from page 1 He was also co-secretary of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, the Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission and the Joint International Commission for Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Roman Catholic Church.

Upon his return to Regina, he served briefly as Vicar General, chair of the Archdiocesan Ecumenical Commission, pastor at Balgonie and was Nash Chair in Religion at Campion College.

Dean Michael Sinclair He was the architect for the Anglican-Roman Catholic covenant signed by former Qu’Appelle Bishop Gregory Kerr-Wilson and Regina Archdiocese Archbishop Daniel Bohan in 2011.

In December 2009 Bolen was appointed Bishop of Saskatoon and served there until his appointment by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Regina on July 11, 2016.

Until his installation as Regina Archbishop he served as Apostolic Administrator for the Saskatoon Diocese.

Editor’s note: The Saskatchewan Anglican thanks Frank Flegel, editor of the Prairie Messenger, for this article and photos and the many others he has generously provided to our paper.

Photos courtesy Frank Flegal

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON

Announcements for December 2016 Saskatchewan Anglican online!

You can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online on the Diocese of Saskatoon website or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ saskatchewananglican. g No news is not “Good News”!

Is your parish planning an event, a fundraiser or has it already held one and has something you can report?

Well, don’t keep this to yourself!

Your news and upcoming events are “Good News” to us all and the news of your planned activities and their successes can help put your parish and its activities in “the news” and perhaps give additional people the chance to consider supporting them! g Advent Tea and Bake Sale at the Cathedral: On Saturday, Nov. 26, from 2:00

to 4:00 p.m., in the parish hall of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon; Advent Tea and sale of turkey pies (frozen), Christmas baking, crafts and a good visit with friends over a cup of tea! g Christmas Luncheon: Christ Church Anglican at 515 - 28th St., Saskatoon is hosting a Christmas luncheon on Nov. 26; featuring luncheon, a bake sale and a poinsettia sale; from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many door prizes and great food.

Come and enjoy. g Christmas Tea: St. George’s Anglican, Saskatoon will be holding its annual Christmas Tea on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. g Christmas Day Potluck Dinner: St. George’s Anglican, Saskatoon will be holding its annual Christmas Day community potluck dinner in the parish hall on Dec. 25 from noon to 4:00 p.m.

Bring what you can or just come and celebrate with us! g The Parish of St.

George’s, Saskatoon, Community Coffee House every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Join them for a warm social time with coffee, tea, toast and some type of baked goods at no charge.

The coffee time is followed by a weekly Bible Study from 11:00 a.m. to noon.

Both events are in the Parish Hall, 624 Ave. I South. g Seniors’ Lunch in Battleford: The Friendship Committee of St. George’s, Battleford invites all seniors to join them for lunch the first Monday of each month until June.

Each Seniors’ Lunch begins at noon. g Think of the Saskatoon Friendship Inn this Christmas.

The Friendship Inn is welcoming the following donated items: turkey, fresh fruit and vegetables, butter, razors, toothbrushes, diapers and incontinence underwear,

adult winter coats, mitts and toques to name a few items.

Donations can be dropped off at 619, 20th Street W, Saskatoon.

Appointments and Vacancies g Treasurer needed for the cathedral: Vestry at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is searching for a volunteer treasurer for St. John’s.

Canon 24a of the Diocese of Saskatoon sets out that the “treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records in paper or electronic form, drafting a parish budget, preparing regular and annual financial statements and cooperating with the auditor where required. In carrying out these responsibilities, the treasurer shall consult with the wardens and the incumbent as required.”

The treasurer typically

provides monthly reports at the vestry meetings. There is an additional financial person: a bookkeeper, who has been hired to assist with entering financial transactions and other duties.

If you are interested, or have any questions, please contact Lauri Miller, Dean’s Warden, or Michael Gibson, People’s Warden, or Dean Scott.

Deadline To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be sent to the Associate Editor by e-mail or “snail mail” by the last week of the month, two months before the month in which insertion is desired (for example, December submissions will be in the February issue).

Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included here, but should space allow, could be the subject of article and notices elsewhere in the paper.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

5

Looking at Liturgy

Children in worship

By Canon Michael Jackson

H

ow should children participate in Sunday worship?

Indeed, should they even be there?

The answer to the second question seems obvious. Of course children should be part of our services – every baptized Christian is a full member of the Church.

Right from the time they are babies they should be welcome, just as Jesus always welcomed the little ones into His presence.

There are some parishes where children are shunted off to Sunday school for the duration of the service.

Thankfully, these are now the exception.

How may children participate in worship? At St. Paul’s Cathedral, they join the other worshippers until just before the sermon.

The preacher may give a brief talk to the children (opinions diverge on this practice: some see it as a natural complement to the homily, others argue that it “cutesy” and aimed mainly at amusing the adults!).

Then they go to their Sunday school class, where the teachers relate lessons and crafts to the theme or readings of the day. The children and teachers rejoin the other worshippers at the offertory for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

One of the best liturgical decisions of the Anglican Church in the past generation was to admit young children to communion.

In my experience, they do so reverently and with a sense that they are an integral part of the worshipping community.

In the 2010 book, WorshipShaped Life: Liturgical Formation and the People of God, Ruth A. Meyers noted that “infants may be transfixed by light streaming through

stained-glass windows, or they may respond to music or babble as they hear others speaking […] Giving an infant communion is yet another aspect of participation in the liturgical assembly. […] … children intuitively recognize the reality of God and are attracted to God. “Their responses to God are characterized by joy and peace.”

Older children and adolescents can be encouraged to participate actively in the liturgy.

In our cathedral, we have a long-standing practice of children and young people being servers, in some cases as early as age six or seven.

As they gain experience and take on more responsibility, they mature and develop in the faith.

Our older servers take turns as readers and communion ministers, where they perform their duties admirably.

Ruth Meyers says, “I have seen youth as young as 11 to 12 assist in distributing communion quite ably, with every bit of reverence and sense of presence I would expect of an adult.”

I see the same thing in our parish.

Children and young people are not the only ones to benefit from their presence and participation in worship; everyone does.

In fact, the assembly is not complete without them. If I don’t see – or hear – them at a service, I am disappointed.

Let me give the last word to Ruth Meyers: “By attending to the experience of children, teens and young adults, congregations might learn from them something about the meaning of liturgy, and all in the liturgical assembly might come to receive the reign of God like little children.”

Amen!

Teenagers and young children can be active in worship as servers, as shown at St. Paul's Cathedral on its patronal festival in January 2015.

Photos by Margaret Ball

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Dean Mike Sinclair presents Fiona Messner following her baptism at St. Paul's Cathedral. She is now a full member of the Body of Christ.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

Thanks for buying ACW calendars

By Edith Maddaford Anglican Church Women President, Diocese of Qu’Appelle REGINA – Thank you to everyone who ordered 2017 calendars this past month. I hope we will have a contact person for the 2018 calendars and the ordering will be more organized and run smoother.

If you are a functioning ACW, kindly send in your annual fee. (We know it is so easy to forget.)

We are pleased to have St. Matthew’s Church, Regina, hosting our annual gathering on Saturday, April 22.

Remember, all Anglican women are welcome to come and enjoy a day of prayer,

Scripture, singing, guest speakers (our bishop, for one, who is so encouraging), information and continued organized outreach.

I ask you to continue to pray for our “sisters in Christ” in the Diocese of Calgary.

After I have attended the national meeting in Langley, in October, I will inform you of our new prayer partner for the coming year.

I also hope to bring back more information about the big gathering of Anglican women to be held near Niagara.

This is the first event of this nature for Anglican women, so plan to attend if you are able.

God bless! See you in April.

Bishops Adam Halkett (left) and Michael Hawkins (right) will start receiving assistance from newly installed Canon Kim Salo (second from left) and Archdeacon Norbert Haukenfrers.

Photo by Mary Brown

Faithful servants of the Lord

By Rev. Chris Dow PRINCE ALBERT – On Holy Cross Day (Sept. 14) the Diocese of Saskatchewan held a service of Evensong at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert.

A full house enjoyed turkey dinner as part of the celebration at St. Matthew's holy day.

Photo by Bert Clarke

Celebrating the holy day of Saint Matthew

By Kathleen Chlopan REGINA – St. Matthew Anglican Church celebrated the Holy Day of its patron saint on Sept. 21.

This was the first such celebration in recent times.

The idea was born out of a desire to express gratitude for the ongoing revival of the church that came close to being disestablished around the middle of 2014.

The celebration included a thanksgiving Eucharist beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by a fabulous turkey dinner. The Eucharist worship was led by our current priest, Rev. Anne Marie MacNeil.

The message was a short history of the parish and the teachings of Saint Matthew and was delivered by our former priest and current consultant on mission, Rev. Blair Dixon.

The members of the parish were very pleased to have chef Ed MacNeil prepare the delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

Both the Eucharist and dinner were well attended, with more than 125 community members and friends of the church filling the building.

Patrick Johnson provided our music and led us in praise.

We were blessed to see the church filled and resounding with joyful hymns and grateful prayers.

The atmosphere was amicable and enthusiastic, an affirmation to those who continue to strive to keep St. Matthew Anglican Church relevant in the community with mission.

We are grateful for the support and encouragement of Bishop Rob Hardwick and blessings of Almighty God.

It was a celebration of the installation of the Rev. Canon Kim Salo as Canon Missioner and the collation of the Venerable Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers as Archdeacon of Prince Albert.

Canon Salo will serve the

diocese in congregational development and lay education.

Archdeacon Haukenfrers will help the bishops in administration of the diocese.

Well done, good and faithful servants.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

7

Diocesan archives are a living legacy

By Peter R. Coolen Diocesan Archivist, Diocese of Saskatoon SASKATOON – We are our past: our past has made us, shaped us and leads us to today.

Without knowledge of our past much of who we are now, why we do what we do, how we do it and how we react and feel to what we do can be a mystery, even to us.

The life of the Church, in particular our unique understanding of our Creator and our place in His creation, how we express and understand our traditions of celebrating, these depends on our memory and our records.

Our history can be maintained in the minds of our community and local accumulations of paper records, photographs, etc., However, to understand who we are on a greater and lesser local scale and to travel back into our shared pasts, we need a larger shared corporate memory.

That is what our diocesan archive (and on a larger scale, our national General Synod Archive) exists for.

The archives of the Diocese of Saskatoon collect and preserve the records of the life of the diocese, the people, parishes, communities and associations who have formed who we are.

The archive holds, as well, the records of who we are now – for our future.

During the past few years, the archives of this diocese have continued to receive, store, access and compile all submitted and collected materials related to the history of the diocese, its member parishes, significant individuals and events and other miscellaneous materials of historic interest.

Any materials related to the history, administration and finance of every parish and parish organization, as well as all registers, can be submitted to the archives for review and filing when they are no longer needed for the day-to-day running of a parish.

When asked what to send in and how materials should be reviewed and sorted before they are sent, the reply from the archives is usually, “Send everything and we will sort it!

If something is important or you want to add context please do so with notes, but send everything!”

At the moment, there are 721 individual files preserved within the synod office portion of the archive

(approximately 25 shelf feet of records) that are available for review with the assistance of the diocesan archivist.

The bulk of the archive, held within the storage facility of the Provincial Archives Board on the University of Saskatchewan campus (approximately 58 shelf feet of records).

These can also be accessed by arrangement with the diocesan archivist.

The information contained within registers within the archives is confidential for a period of 100 years and is only available upon request by family members.

Meanwhile, the other records of the archive can be assessed in the presence of the archivist.

The synod archive also receives and files older materials resulting from parish closures as they occur, while a small backlog of materials not reviewed from these closures always exists.

The archive also maintains an active storage of more recent material from a number of parishes.

However, as the archive merely stores materials less that six to 10 years old, much of this more recent material has not been reviewed, accessed or filed as of yet.

The synod office and the archive also accept church furnishings, ceremonial materials, hymnals and service books and other materials, memorial plaques, memorial and guest books.

Where these materials are deemed to not be of historic interest and are in good condition, they are reused if possible.

In addition to the preservation of materials related to the history of the diocese, the synod archives also fills requests for information on diocesan, parish and family history and produces copies and certificates of baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial; eight to 12 requests for information or documentation are filled per month.

The archive has also produced the diocese’s response and submission

of historic material related to the Indian Residential

Schools to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Saskatoon’s Locally Raised Clergy Program Do you love God? Do you love the church? Have you been involved in lay ministry in your parish for quite some time and wonder about going even deeper?

Perhaps God is calling you to diaconal or priestly ministry!

“Who, me?,” you might say.

Yes, YOU! Stranger things have happened you know.

God needs workers in the vineyard, including priests and deacons.

Perhaps now is the time for you to consider it.

The Diocese of Saskatoon has a program for training clergy…for training Locally Raised Clergy. The program

takes three to five years to complete, depending on how much time you can devote to it.

There is no cost to you, as the training leads to a non-stipendiary (voluntary) ordained ministry.

The program includes reading courses, in-house training sessions, spiritual formation and a supervised apprenticeship.

ThepathtoHolyOrdersisan awesome spiritual adventure.

Take the plunge now!

For more information, please contact the Diocesan Training Officer, the Reverend Shawn Sanford Beck, at greenpriest@hotmail.ca.

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8

The Saskatchewan Anglican

December 2016

Christians share Advent experiences on social media

By Martha Holmen

W

ith Advent u n d e r w a y , Christians and Anglicans are turning to social media to share their common experience of waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus.

The Anglican Communion, partnering with the Society of St. John the Evangelist, is once again inviting Anglicans to join its global online Advent calendar.

Everyone who signs up will receive a daily prayer and photo based on a different word each day.

They’ll also be invited to respond on social media with their own prayers and photos using the hashtag #AdventWord and the word of the day (for example, #Shine, #Hope or #Awaken).

Those contributions appear with others from around the world in the Advent calendar at www.adventword.org.

For those not sure where to start, the Anglican Communion has provided resources explaining how to contribute and encourage others to join in.

Newcomers can watch a tutorial video, clergy and parish leaders can download

posters and bulletin inserts, and participants can see the full list of daily words so they can plan ahead.

To see the resources or sign up for daily emails, visit www.aco.org/adventword.

Participants can choose to receive emails in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil or American Sign Language.

Those looking to explore the meaning and mystery of Advent through social media can also join the Occupy Advent movement.

Entering its sixth year, it describes its purpose as “reclaiming the holy season of waiting and watching for the Lord.”

Using the hashtag #OccupyAdvent, social media users share their thoughts and reflections as they try to resist commercialism and focus instead on Advent as a time to slow down and simplify their lives.

To join the conversation, visit Occupy Advent at www. facebook.com/OccupyAdvent or follow @OccupyAdvent on Twitter.

Martha Holmen is the digital communications coordinator for the Diocese of Toronto.

Celebrating 40 years of grain donations Submitted

F

orty years ago, in October 1976, farmers in Western Canada responded to a call to help people who were hungry in the developing world, and thus, the organization that would become Canadian Foodgrains Bank was born.

The call was issued by Mennonite Central Committee for its newlycreated MCC Food Bank.

Farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan came through, donating 1,442 tonnes of grain. In 1977-78, MCC sent the first shipment of grain from the Food Bank to India.

Seven years after that first collection of grain, MCC invited other church-related agencies to join it and Canadian Foodgrains Bank was born.

Today it is a partnership of 15 churches and church

agencies that is generously supported by farmers, urbanites, churches, businesses, the Canadian government and others from coast-to-coast.

Corny Petkau, 72, was involved in that first collection of grain.

He remembers driving from farm to farm in southern Manitoba, sticking his augur into grain bins and auguring out bushels of grain.

“I was glad to be a small part of that beginning,” he says.

“We knew it was going where it was needed.”

Donating grain was also personal for Petkau, whose father emigrated from Russia in 1926.

“He was helped to get started in his new country, Canada, and he passed along to his children the message that we also needed to whatever we could to help others,” Petkau says.

St. John Ambulance members celebrate St. Luke’s Day

St. Luke’s, Regina celebrated its patronal festival on Oct. 16, and, in honour of St. Luke’s association with physicians, members of St. John Ambulance joined in worship. St. Luke is believed to have been a physician who lived in Antioch in ancient Syria. He is believed to have authored the gospel that bears his name and the Book of Acts.

Photo by Nigel Salway