The Saskatchewan Anglican
June 2015
9
The bent-over woman By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT – There was no chance of nodding off (as happens to all of us) after the plentiful lunch served at the Diocese of Saskatchewan ACW annual general meeting on May 2. The reason for this would be the inspirational talk given by Kathy Hawkins, chaplain at the Pine Grove Correctional Centre. Her talk was based on Luke Ch. 13:10-17, the story of the woman who was so bent and twisted from arthritis she couldn’t even look up. Four ACW members in the audience were given stories from true life situations that Kathy knows of through her job as chaplain to the inmates of Pine Grove. Each woman read her story to everyone. It is safe to say no one in the room would have ever experienced anything like what these girls have been through. For many women in conflict with the law, arrest, conviction and imprisonment are the culmination of poverty, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, racial discrimination, family breakdown, limited education, unemployment and drug/alcohol difficulties. Seventy-two per cent of the women at Pine Grove have histories of physical and or
Participants of the Diocese of Saskatchewan’s ACW annual general meeting gather together at the end of their meeting, held May 2 in Prince Albert. A discussion was held about Luke 13:10-17 about the hunched woman who was healed by Jesus. Photo — Mary Brown sexual abuse. The average literacy level is at a Grade 5.3. More than half of the women are convicted on non-violent, property and drug offences. Three-quarters of the sentenced women have children. Most were the primary care givers for their children prior to their incarceration. Many of the children end up in foster care, which is a great concern for
their mothers who are in jail and something they have to deal with after their release. After hearing the stories the ladies broke into four separate groups to study the Bible passage from Luke. Each group was to look at the message from a different perspective, from Jesus’ perspective, from the ruler of the synagogue, from the watchers and from the bent-over
woman’s perspective. The ruler of the synagogue would be indignant that Jesus would heal (work) on the Sabbath, and of course, the bentover woman was thankful and glorified God for her release from her infirmity. The people watching rejoiced for all the glorious things done by Jesus. Jesus calls us to look beyond the letter of the law and
to honour the spirit in which the law was made. There should be no limits to what you can do for others. What can we do for the women in Pinegrove? We can pray for them. If we happen to meet them in our church, grocery store, wherever, we can treat them with respect and with the loving kindness Jesus showed the bent-over woman.
Planning for the closing TRC event By Mary Ann Assailly SASKAOON – As many remember, in June 2012 Saskatoon hosted one of the seven national TRC events, that being the Saskatchewan National Event, for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. During this event, thousands experienced four powerful days of truth-sharing and conversation. The effects this event are still felt today in the continued conversations, gatherings, movements and heightened public interest in issues created by the broken relationship between Aboriginal peoples and non-Aboriginal peoples. During the second week in April of this year, the commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called on the seven communities which hosted national events to host a day of events across
Canada, on June 2, to honour and shadow the closing TRC event in Ottawa. On that day, the commissioners will offer their final remarks and present their final report to Canada. We are asked to gather and watch this delivery through live webcast and to use the rest of the day to further the activity of reconciliation. The local planning team that helped host the Saskatoon National Event met on April 23 to begin planning our response. This group is taking its lead from the Saskatoon Tribal Council, its Chief Felix Thomas, and the Central Urban Metis Federation and its president, Shirley Isbister, as well as seven respected elders. The planning team also includes representatives from the school boards, the City of Saskatoon, police, health and the residential school/day
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school churches (Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United and Mennonite). At the time of writing, we have one month to put an event together. We are excited and confident this can happen. Our first meeting was very productive, as we spoke of cultural elements like the sacred fire and pipe ceremony; the inclusion of school students and the survivors who represent our painful history; examples of our hopeful future; and the possibility of the largest round dance ever. Quite naturally, we hope to have a large community feast at suppertime on the day of the closing event. The hospitality of feeding people is a value shared by both indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. It is the expectation that our three Anglican dioceses will join the other denominations in sponsoring the feast.
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Friday, July 17 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Saturday, July 18 9:00 am until 3:30 pm .
Cost: $125 live-in, $55 commute (includes Sat. lunch)
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