The Saskatchewan Anglican, April 2020

Saskatchewan

anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • April 2020

Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Think-

ing he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:11-18)

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

ARM encourage Anglicans to feel the Holy Spirit's power

By Rev. Gene Packwood

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

Published monthly except for July and August.

H

i, my name is Gene and I’m a charismatic. I’m not a very loud one. Pretty quiet, actually. Cautiously charismatic you might say.

Anglican. Retired parish priest.

Things done decently and in order and all that— yet I’d love for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to rend the heavens and come down to set us Anglicans alight again with the Fire of his Holy Spirit.

I’d love to see ordinary Anglicans praying in tongues with surprised looks on their faces and prophesying over one another, and…oops, got carried away there for a second. More of that later.

Judy, my wife, and I moved to Saskatchewan for the second time just over a year ago.

The first time was to Saskatoon in 1988 for seminary at Emmanuel & St. Chad. This time it was to Regina to be closer to our daughter, Kate Berringer and her family, in retirement.

So, we’re all signed up with SaskPower, SaskEnergy, SaskHealth, etc. While SaskWinters are just as bracing as we remember them, you SaskPeople are as warm as ever.

In our new SaskLife, I continue to serve on the board of Anglican Renewal Ministries (ARM) Canada. ARM Canada is the result of a move of God back in the late 1970s and

Whole No. 292, Vol. 48, No. 8 A Section of the Anglican Journal SUBSCRIPTIONS For change of address, undeliverable copies and subscription list updates, contact:

’80s in the days of people like Dennis Bennet, David Watson, Terry Fulham, John Wimber, David and Mary Pytches, and others.

Many Anglicans from all over Canada experienced the presence, power and gifts of the Holy Spirit in remarkable and compelling ways.

I became a charismatic on the tail end of that thanks to The LORD’s grace and mercy, my priest, John Torley, and other Calgary friends.

ARM Canada continues to pray, teach, allay fears, encourage and help Anglicans to experience the times of wonder and refreshing that come with the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in full measure.

Our board is made up of a faithful, gifted Spiritfilled group of women and men—lay people and clergy—from across the land.

That brings me back to the “more of that” to

which I referred earlier.

Since Pentecost The LORD continues to pour out his Spirit on people to empower them with spiritual gifts for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7) and to build up the church (1 Cor. 14:4,12).

St. Paul encourages us to desire these gifts earnestly (1 Cor. 12:31, 14:1). John the Baptizer declared that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16).

Repeatedly since Pentecost God has poured the Holy Spirit out on believers in revivals (within the church) and awakenings (among people outside the church).

Saskatchewan has enjoyed at least two of these movements — 1948 in the Battlefords and Saskatoon in 1971.

I’d like God to do it again and, just as has happened in the past, I’d like us Anglicans to be a part of it.

So please join ARM

Canada in praying for revival.

If you’d like to know more about the person and presence of the Holy Spirit — the Helper, Comforter and Spirit of Truth — ARM Canada will be hosting events in Regina the weekend of June 5 to 7.

In the meantime, you can learn more about us by liking and following us on Facebook and by subscribing to Taste and See… our quarterly magazine at www. armcanada.org.

In it you will find interesting and inspiring articles on all kinds of Holy Spirit-related topics.

You can also send us money to help support our ministry through our website.

If you would like to have someone from ARM come to speak and minister in your parish, deanery or diocese, please contact me.

I’m kiwirev@gmail.com.

I’d enjoying organizing a renewal event with you.

D I O C E S E O F Q U ’ A P P E L L E EVENTS

Announcements for April g Correction In the article on the Ecumenical service for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (p. 14 March issue), Rev. Szofi Schmiedge, All Saints Anglican Church, was accidentally omitted from the list of participating clergy.

The Saskatchewan Anglican regrets the error. g Diocesan women’s gathering The theme for the annual gathering of diocesan

women will be “Use your gifts to serve” (1 Peter 4:10-11).

All women in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle are invited to St. Matthew’s Anglican Church on Saturday, April 18, beginning at 9 a.m.

To register, please send a cheque for $20 each, payable to St. Matthew’s ACW; mail care of Kathleen Chlopan, 315 – 2550 – 25th Avenue, Regina Sask., S4S 4E6.

g 2021 church calendars — order early!

St. Augustine Anglican Church, Saltcoats, will handle the ordering of 2021 Church calendars for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

At this time the cost of the calendars is not known, but if you would like to place an order please contact: Edith Maddaford at 306-744-2216 or esmadd@sasktel.net or Sharon Gibler at 306-7442901 or s.s.gibler@sasktel. net.

Please order before July 31. g Meeting for PWRDF reps from May 1 to 2 Every parish in the diocese is invited to send a representative (or more) to a meeting with staff from the national PWRDF office and the co-ordinator of the Canadian Food Grains Bank, to be held in Regina.

For more information please contact Wilma Ward at pwrdf.diorep@ gmail.com.

• 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 June issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than April 24.. 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

April 2020

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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The Bishop's Corner

Easter: A dialogue of questions

By Bishop Christopher Harper

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atthew 21:9-10 says, “The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’”

As I sit and write this submission, I review my time as bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon, and I start to realize that I like to ask questions. This is no small detail, for we as human beings all have the hidden talent of telling others what to do and where to go.

It is humbling and invitational to ask questions because this means I need then to listen for your responses and story. It is together that we journey and learn; it is as a family in faith that we seek the face of God in Scripture and through the seasons of the church year. Thus … .

As we enter into Easter in the month of April, there comes the questions and discussion point of “Who is this Jesus?” Maybe, moreover, who do you say Jesus is?

Where is He in your life and faith?

We have just come through yet another wonderfully challenging Lenten journey, challenging us to seek within that which holds us back from taking those next steps to follow Jesus, even to the foot of the cross, and then more amazingly — to the empty tomb.

Have you explored your faith, and have you experienced a Holy Lent? Have you found your faith emboldened, or have you come out of Lent finding yourself lacking?

As we come to the door of Easter tide, we look into the face of faith and bow humbled before God, who faithfully sacrificed all for us, and

we see where we are on the map of faith and belief.

Our call to faith is to not only listen to the account of Jesus’ amazing journey as documented in Scripture, but to believe in the revelation of God’s faithful sacrifice for all, in and through His once begotten Son. Listening is easy, but true faith calls us to something more. We are called to take the next step and to believe, to “Believe,” as Simon Peter was asked by our Lord, “Who do you say that I am?” and Simon Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, Son of the Living God” (Matt.

16:13-16, NRS).

Do we have faith enough to believe and do we live out our faith as a Christian witness to all the world? Is Jesus your Messiah? Is Jesus the Christ in your life and faith? Questions and more questions, I love questions.

Does Easter bring you to the gates of Jerusalem where you might imagine yourself proclaiming glory to the Son of God? Do you stand near the gates welcoming Him into your life and faith?

Do you set Jesus in glory in your life and faith for all to see by what you say and do? Does Easter bring you to the entrance of the tomb of humanity where all come,

and do we, as a body of faith together, see Jesus, risen and alive?

At the beginning of the Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday I preached a response to the question of why do we need to keep doing the same readings and services, year after year, and over and over again?

My long response (because I’m a preacher) is that we make this journey with our Lord through the church’s seasonal liturgy, and we do it year after year, because we as human beings still struggle to believe and live out our faith on a daily basis.

Thus, we need to be reminded and to repeat and continue, year after year.

So, we as a body of faith enter into Easter with a great host of human beings, seeking answers to questions that God can answer only through faith lived out through belief.

Because faith is about asking questions and learning from others, but to believe is to do something in faith that becomes a living witness to the world around you.

May your faith Journey be blessed so that you might be a blessing to others seeking and asking questions.

Volunteer archivists have helped many over the years

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — In 1996 Jackie Hobbs and Verna Redhead were appointed to head up the archives department at the synod office.

At that time the synod office was an old three-storey house and the archives department was down a narrow staircase into the basement. Then in 1998 the synod office moved to Fifth Avenue East.

The archivists were assigned climate controlled rooms an office on the main floor and storage space in the basement.

When they were first appointed, archivist Jeff O’Brien was hired for three months to set up the system and to do orientation for Jackie and Verna.

Jackie, Verna and June Kelly had already completed more than 74 hours of research on the Adams’ family history and published in 1994 a 411-page book encompassing genealogy from the 1700s to the 1990s.

They bought a photocopier and book binder to

Jackie Hobbs gathers in the archives department at the Diocese of Saskatchewan synod office.

Photo by Mary Brown assemble their book and sold more than 500 of them.

The book chronicles the descendants of George Adams and Ann Haywood.

This book is as good a reference for research as any of the computer records in the office. Chances are someone you know has part of their history in that book.

After her first book Jackie went on to write three more on her own.

Her next book of 425 pages

was published in 2002 and covers the history of the Tate/Tait family from 1696 to 2002.

In 2000 she published the Hobbs/Proctor book, 210 pages, which was a history of her late husband Lorne’s family. She then went on to record the Jeanette Family History, from the paternal side of her family, 421 pages, from 1787 to 2007.

In her life before the synod office archives

Jackie worked at the hospital as the head nurse on the surgical floor. Because of health issues she had to leave her job of 30 years.

Jackie’s attention to detail and her stellar work ethic has made the Diocese of Saskatchewan archives one of the best, if not the best, archives department in the National Church.

It is the only one run by volunteers.

Of course it helps if one of your volunteers had a previous job where a mistake could be the difference between life and death! Over the years members of the department attended all workshops put on by the Saskatchewan Council of Archives and Archivists and the National Anglican Archive Conference every two years.

They follow RAD (Rules of Archival Description); all documents are sorted community first, then parish, then by subject then by year. All files and boxes are acid proof and nothing is put away until it has been documented in the computer.

The late Rae Benson also contributed her exceptional organizational skills, especially when the TRC requested that any documents mentioning residential schools or indigenous people in the church’s archives be copied and sent to them.

All other projects were put on hold while the archivists scanned thousands of papers for the next 2 1/2 years. Our archives were the only one that handed in the aid that others could actually understand.

With the synod office moving again the archivists are now back in the basement of St. Alban’s Cathedral and are still there every Thursday to assist people.

They have had university students come who are writing their thesis, people from parishes looking for historical information for anniversary celebrations, and many other projects.

It will take a while for them to orient themselves to their new location but they will always be happy to help anyone who has the genealogy bug.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

Sharing the love of Jesus through baking

By Mary Brown

Betty Barkway, Millie Wiederspick, Lorette Palm, Carol Bilyk and Alice Bruce show off some of the baking created for a Valentine's sale.

Photo by Mary Brown

SHELLBROOK (Skwn) — If you like to occupy the back pews in your church you would have been disappointed to find the pews were already taken up by various baked items.

For years St. Andrew’s Church in Shellbrook has had a Valentine’s Day bake sale at the credit union building. Before they take the goods to the bank, people start bringing baking to the church. It goes one pew for cookies, one for bread and buns, one for squares, one for cakes, and one for pies and tarts.

So, the seats are covered in all sorts of goodies.

Then they get out the price list and put price tags on all the baking. A table is already set up at the bank and by 11 a.m. they are covered in all sorts of good things to buy and eat.

The contributors are from the Anglican Church who give support whenever there is a need for baking, soup or sandwiches.

Probably the majority of the baking comes from people we don’t see every Sunday, but we know they are there in the community ready to help.

The church does two fundraisers a year: the soup and sandwich and the bake sale. They don’t really have to do either to stay afloat, but it has become a tradition that in the Town of Shellbrook you know St. Andrew’s will always have a soup and sandwich in the fall and a bake sale on Valentine’s Day. The only expense incurred for the sale is an ad in the local paper. This year they cleared about $600 thanks to all the people who donated their wonderful baking.

D I O C E S E O F S A S K A T O O N EVENTS

Announcements for April 2020 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 What is our bishop up to? check out the bishop’s Calendar on the redesigned, new and improved diocesan website. g New Ministry Preparation Program: The Diocese of Saskatoon is beginning this new program that will consolidate the separate programs of Lay Reader and Locally Raised Clergy training, St. Bridget’s and training in ministry support. The new Ministry Preparation Program: 2020 - 2023 Plan has now been released.

For information on this program and the program’s courses and to inquire about applying and to obtain application

forms, please contact the Ministry Preparation Program’s co-ordinator, the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy, at tmccarthy@ sasktel.net or 306-3708378. g The 19th Joint Convocation of the Saskatoon Theological Union: The College of Emmanuel & St. Chad invites you to the 19th Joint Convocation of the Saskatoon Theological Union on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m. at Knox United Church, 838 Spadina Crescent East.

All are welcome to this free event, with a reception to follow in the lower hall. g New Course at Emmanuel & St. Chad: HE/HL 321 Full Communion in Theory and Practice from May 11 to 15, instructed by the Rev. Dr. Gordon Jensen and the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke.

The course will explore the relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada, expressed in the Waterloo Declaration and the resulting relationship

of full communion.

The course is suitable for students preparing for ministry, and current clergy and lay leaders, especially those in joint or crossover appointments.

For more information or to register please contact the College of Emmanuel & St. Chad at esc.registrar@usask.ca or call 306-975-1550. Please also see the more detailed notice located elsewhere in this issue for more information. g A Diocese of Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle Clergy Retreat hosted by the Diocese of Qu’Appelle will be held from March 23 to 26; location and cost TBA. g Seniors’ Lunch in Battleford: St. George’s Anglican Parish, Battleford holds a monthly seniors’ lunch the first Monday of each month.

The food is provided by the parish members and is complementary. g Community Coffee House and Bible Study: The Parish of St. George’s, Saskatoon hold its weekly Coffee House and Bible Study every Thursday

from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The Bible Study is held from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

All events are in the Parish Hall, 624 Ave. I South.

Other special church services and meetings: g Queen’s House: Centring Prayer is Monday evenings, 7 to 8:30 p.m.; Women in Ministry Luncheons are monthly from 12 to 1:30 p.m. (please call for schedule); Taizé Prayer is second Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8p.m. g Celtic Evening Service in Saskatoon: The Celtic Evening Eucharist Service continues in its fourth year at St. George’s Anglican Church, 624 Ave. I South, Saskatoon.

Services are held every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. g All Saints, Saskatoon: Thursdays at 5 p.m. (BCP) Said Evening Prayer followed by Low Mass. g Christ Church, Saskatoon: Evening Prayer (BAS) followed by coffee/tea and conversa-

tion, every Thursday at 7 p.m. g Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Saskatoon: Every Wednesday, lunch time Eucharist at 12:10 p.m. in the Lady Chapel followed by tea/coffee in the parish hall (bring your own bag lunch). g Weekly Taizé Service and Potluck in Sutherland: St. Matthew’s, Sutherland is holding a Taizé Service and potluck supper every Monday night. The supper begins at 6 p.m. and the service at 7 p.m.

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.

April 2020

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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A good turnout for cards on a Tuesday morning, one of the regular activities of the seniors’ program at St. Philip, Regina, funded through the Living the Mission campaign. About 10 per cent of the group attend St. Philip, the rest are from the surrounding community.

Photo by Rod Ashley

LtM produces successful seniors' program at St. Philip

By Ivan Millard with files from Rod Ashley and Diane Gingras REGINA — As part of the Qu’Appelle Diocesan Living the Mission Project, which began in 2014, each parish was asked to create its individual mission project.

St. Philip is located in a somewhat affluent part of Regina so parishioners Mary Coppin and Rod Ashley, who took up the challenge, sought ideas to help those who were “poor in other ways.”

They developed an “inreach” program for the congregation combined with an outreach program for the community.

They realized that as a congregation matures and lifestyles change, new needs are created.

Many seniors are living alone, with busy families who often live too far away to help whenever needed.

The group’s motto is “People Helping People” and that help takes many forms. Seniors in the congregation and many from the wider community have benefitted. A few examples stand out: At a meeting at a condo complex, one lady asked for rides to visit her sister who was in a care home but was dying.

She offered to cook for whomever would drive her there. Ashley accepted her offer and took home a supper package after each visit.

The woman was grateful and Ashley gained weight. He also went in and prayed with them a couple of times.

DIOCESE

An elderly couple needed rides to medical appointments. These were provided until he died and she moved away.

One woman needed weekly rides to get groceries for herself and her handicapped son. Six members of the congregation took turns.

Two years later medical and cancer clinic appointments were also needed.

When she died, all six went to her funeral.

A seniors’ home needed help with weekly bingo games. Again eight volunteers take weekly turns.

The group has an account with a taxi company to bring people in wheelchairs to church and other events.

Attendance at whist has grown to as many as 32 players. Two years

ago, Ashley introduced Morning Prayer prior to playing cards. Now half of the group comes early for the service, including two piano players.

They tried a coffee night at a local coffee shop but it was later cancelled.

Most of the group comes to the parish’s steak nights and the lobster suppers at Living Spirit Centre, and half have gone to live plays as a group; something they wouldn’t do as individuals.

Usually a group of between 12 to 20 will meet at a restaurant for supper, while every month they pick an event or function and attend it together.

“Every second Tuesday we stay after cards and have lunch together,” reports Ashley. “We have a $2 fee for cards and $8 for lunch. Money should not

keep anyone away.”

Members have supported several charities over the years, donating $530 to St. Philip, $265 to the diocesan Grandparents and Kids Camp, $1,500 to Qu’Appelle School of Mission and Ministry, and $450 to PWRDF for the purchase of a farm through World of Gifts.

At the five-year point of the Living the Mission project the seniors’ ministry continues to flourish, filling a need in the congregation and the community.

After five years, Ashley says, “We witness those who were once strangers to us, are now friends.”

For more information please contact St. Philip church at stphilip@ sasktel.net or by phone at 306-757-3173.

O F S A S K A T C H E W A N EVENTS

Diocesan ACW to hold annual meeting in May g May 9: ACW annual meeting at St. David’s Church. Bring your old or unused purses (in good repair) so that they can be filled with feminine products to be given to the homeless women in our communities. g June 15 to 18: ACW Ladies’ Day out at Camp Okema. Guest speaker is

Noreen Hareuther. g Fall of 2021: Diocese of Saskatchewan ACW is considering hosting the National President’s Conference that is held in a different location every fall.

Please call Opal at 306-764-8016 or Sharon at 306-764-0578 to give your opinion on this venture.

g Ed Laird, Order of Saskatchewan recipient and Second World War veteran, was honoured recently at a special celebration as one of the 14 people to have a street named after them in the City of Prince Albert. g April 26: 5 to 7 p.m. spaghetti supper at St. George’s Church in

Prince Albert. g Congratulations to Rev. Eyad and his family for becoming Canadian citizens on Feb. 26. g Prince Albert Anglican Youth Group (grades 6-12) meets on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at 7 to 9 p.m. For more informa-

tion contact Fr. David 306-922-0044, Fr. Rick at 306-764-1310 or Fr. Eyad at 306-764-0382. g St. Mary’s Men Group in Birch Hills is hosting a men’s breakfast on the last Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m.

Proceeds raised will benefit the community library.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

Iranian family expresses than By the Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard SASKATOON — In the spring of 2017, a letter landed on the incumbent’s desk at St. Stephen’s, Saskatoon.

It told the story of a family of seven adults from Iran. They had found new life in Jesus Christ but had been forced, as a result, to leave behind the security of home, job, and status to embrace the uncertain life of refugees.

The letter contained a bold proposal to bring them to Saskatoon.

The story caught the imagination of church members from St. Stephen’s and several other church congregations, and the group Friends of Nazanin was born.

They obtained the necessary sponsorship spots from the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon.

Church members from St. Stephen’s, 15:5 (Baptist) Church, Emmanuel Anglican, St. John’s Borden and the Radisson Quilters, Avalon Alliance, St. Philip Neri Roman Catholic Parish and the Forest Grove network of churches, contributed in various ways: doing fundraisers, donating furniture, making quilts, writing cheques.

Co-chair Liz McTaggart was even able to visit the family while on a business trip to Turkey. There were long months of planning, fundraising, praying and waiting…and waiting… and waiting!

At last, in the early spring of 2020, Friends of Nazanin members had the excitement of going to the airport to welcome six of the seven members of the Zarafshan family to their new home in Canada.

Friends of Nazanin members were excited to go to the Saskatoon airport in the early sprin home in Canada.

The family has been impressed with the quiet, space, and natural beauty of Saskatoon.

However, there is a shadow on the family’s new happiness. Their eldest son, Kaveh, was refused entry to Canada, citing security concerns.

Twenty years ago, like all other ablebodied young men, he was conscripted into the Iranian military, and assigned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Even though he was just a low-ranking conscript who served for about 18 months, and even though he has had nothing to do with the IRGC for 20 years, Kaveh was deemed “inadmissible.”

To have to leave their eldest son to an uncertain fate in Turkey when they came to Canada has been bitterly painful for his parents.

Friends of Nazanin are working with the family to hire an immigration lawyer to ask the Minister of Immigration to reconsider Kaveh’s case.

First impressions of Canada and Canadians from the members of the Zarafsham family: Mom Narges and dad

Friends of Nazanin and members of the Zarafshan family ha you get?

Mannoocher wrote: “The kindness of the people here is unbelievable. Everyone happily helps us. All this kindness is amazing to us.

I hope we will all become valuable members of Canadian society.”

Aunt Shahnaz wrote: “Everywhere I go, everyone

is so friendly. Everyone is so kind to me. I feel so fortunate.”

Nazanin wrote: “Everyone I see is so kind to me and says ‘welcome to Canada.’ It makes me feel like this is my country. The people here are even better than I imagined.”

April 2020

The Saskatchewan Anglican

nks for help to move to Canada

ng of 2020 to welcome six of the seven members of the Zarafshan family to their new Photos by the Rev. Jan Bigland-Pritchard

Kamran wrote: “The kind people in Saskatoon have given me hope. I have faith that I will reach my goals. I feel more relaxed in Canada.”

ave lunch at Tim Hortons in February; how Canadian can

Keyvan wrote: “It was like a dream for me when I got to Saskatoon. It was my best and most beautiful moment I have ever had in my life when I saw you and our friends at the airport. I felt like I was at home and I had that feeling because of the warm-hearted and kind

brothers and sisters in the Lord.

“I really don’t know how to thank all of you. Since that day everyone has been helping us so much. It is my goal to help newcomers in the future. Here in Saskatoon I feel at peace, and I want to do my best to be successful here.”

Settling a new family in Canada requires a lot of initial effort. It has been great to see how people have stepped up to move furniture, drive to appointments, help set up bank accounts, get social insurance numbers, photo ID, and language assessments, and begin to help the family make friends.

The settlement team has also been enjoying the experience.

“We have been happily surprised by the good level of English of the family members, and touched by the warmth, kindness and good humour of the Zarafshans,” says cochair, the Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard. “This is going to be fun!”

We are still in need of additional support in this re-settlement effort.

By the grace of God and the generosity of people from Yorkton, Endeavour, Saskatoon, Radisson, Borden and beyond, Friends of Nazanin has enough money to meet the

family’s needs until the end of September.

However, a sponsorship is 12 months in length, so we may need additional funding for the final four months. Would you consider helping to pay the rent or buy groceries for a month?

Donations for family support are taxreceiptable. Cheques should be made payable to Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon, and in the notes line write Refugee Fund – Friends of Nazanin.

Or, you could consider helping the Zarafshan family meet the costs of a skilled immigration lawyer. The bill for the level of work needed is likely to be in the region of $3,000 to $4,000.

Support for the legal fund is not eligible for tax receipts. To contribute to the legal fund, please contact the Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard via janbp@sasktel.net or call 306-249-4101 to arrange payment directly to the family.

Please keep the Zarafshan family and their settlement team in your prayers. Pray for good health, courage to face the challenges of living in a new country, energy to improve English proficiency, favour with potential employers, good friends, and opportunities to grow in Christian faith.

Please also pray for Kaveh, alone now in Turkey: for health, a job, encouragement, friends, and for the Canadian government to look again at his case in a wise and compassionate way.

For Further information please contact the Rev. Dr. Jan BiglandPritchard, janbp@sasktel. net, or call 306-249-4101.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

Lumsden-sponsored refugees settle into Prairie life

By Phil Holloway LUMSDEN (Qu’A) — A young family has been safely living in Regina for just over a year, thanks to the hard work and generosity of a group of Christians from five denominations in the town of Lumsden, about a 20-minute drive north of the city.

Their story begins in 2012 in Syria. Life was dangerous. There were rival gangs of “bullies” who threatened, stole, extorted and tortured the people. Many civilians were fleeing the country to avoid persecution and even death.

Abdullah and Noura and their families decided to leave and flee to neighbouring Jordan.

They lived in a refugee camp for some months.

Later, Noura and Abdullah left the camp and Abdullah found some temporary work.

However, the employment was intermittent and food prices were high.

In the meantime, Noura’s sister, husband, and family had qualified as Canadian governmentsponsored refugees and had moved to Regina. So, Abdullah and Noura also applied with the Canadian Embassy in Jordan to come to Canada as refugees.

Meanwhile, in Lumsden, some Christians started to talk about the possibility of sponsoring Syrian refugees and bring a family to Canada.

Abdulla, carrying baby Aya, and Noura pose for a photo in the Qu’Appelle Valley near Lumsden. The family of refugees from Syria were sponsored and supported by an ecumenical group in Lumsden, and have been living in nearby Regina for a year. Photo by Valerie Mitschke The group of Christians formed a Refugee Committee made up of members from each of the five churches in Lumsden (Anglican, Apostolic, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and United).

While the group was researching possibilities and seeking advice from other sponsors, the government sponsorships had reached their quota so only private sponsorships were possible.

Through contacts in Regina, the Lumsden Refugee Committee became aware of Abdullah’s and Noura’s situation. The committee’s

application specifically requested to sponsor them.

The cost would be about $30,000 to sponsor a family of two for one year. It took some time but the funds were raised thanks to the generosity of the people in Lumsden and area.

The committee submitted the application to the federal government and then waited — for three years. Their arrival was delayed further because Noura became pregnant.

The health workers in Jordan recommended that they delay their flight to Canada until after the baby was born. So, with

the new addition of baby Aya, they were now a family of three.

Finally, in February 2019, the committee learned that their application had been approved and the family would arrive in March.

Abdullah, Noura, and Aya landed at the Regina airport on March 6, 2019.

They were greeted by Noura’s sister, brother-inlaw, and their children; members of the Regina Syrian community and several people from the Lumsden Refugee Committee.

They were grateful to finally arrive and very thankful for their sponsorship.

Initially they stayed with Noura’s sister and family. But within a few weeks they moved into their own twobedroom apartment. It was furnished through donations received from Lumsden and area residents.

After their arrival, committee members spent many hours with the new family for business, education, and just plain fun. Abdullah and Noura spoke Arabic so the Google Translate phone app was a big help with communication.

Business-wise there were many forms to fill out and program registrations to complete.

These included signing a tenant lease, setting up a bank account, beginning

English language instruction, starting day care, registering for government rebates on taxes, the Child Tax Benefit, and ensuring that permanent residency cards were received.

Committee members helped the family to learn home safety, operate electrical appliances, handle garbage and recycling, and how to grow flowers and garden vegetables on the Canadian prairie.

Fun activities included seeing Regina attractions such as the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and Wascana Park, taking Aya to a baby play group, hiking in the Qu’Appelle Valley, and visiting a prairie farm including a ride on a combine.

In June 2019 the community officially met the family at a meet-andgreet event on the lawn of St. Andrew’s United Church in Lumsden. More than 80 people attended and had the opportunity to meet Noura, Abdullah, and Aya as well as their relatives.

The group also enjoyed a delicious buffet of Syrian and Canadian food.

Both Abdullah and Noura have a great sense of humour.

There have been many laughs with the misunderstandings that happen with Google Translate. They enjoy playing games. Both of them are hard workers.

They planted and harvested a community garden plot as well as a garden they created in their back yard. They grew a large crop of food. Their English is progressing but it will take some time to become comfortable with the language.

Aya turned one years old in December 2019.

Abdullah found a few odd jobs to earn extra money.

The family is now receiving the Canada Child Tax Credit and is eligible for the Saskatchewan Assistance Program once the year’s sponsorship is over.

The sponsorship also provided an opportunity for the committee members and others to learn about Muslims and the Islamic religion.

Members attended an open house at the Regina mosque to meet and chat Continued next page

April 2020

The Saskatchewan Anglican

9

Ashes to Go takes to the streets of Saskatoon By the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

The Rev. Dr. Ann Salmon (Lutheran Theological Seminary) and the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy (College of Emmanuel and St Chad) provided ash crosses in Saskatoon on Ash Wednesday. About 20 people received ashes during the 45 minutes they were offered.

Photo courtesy Rev. Trish McCarthy

... Lumsden refugees Continued from over with some Muslim men and women.

They learned about Islamic beliefs, what Muslims believe about Jesus, some Islamic etiquette and customs, and much more.

They also had the opportunity to enjoy some traditional halal food.

The sponsorship was possible because of the support and donations from the community. This support came in many forms, often without asking.

This is the third refugee family in 40 years that the Lumsden churches have come together to sponsor. The previous families were from Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These families are still in the Regina area, financially independent, and giving back to the community.

Although the official sponsorship for this Syrian family concluded at the end of March, committee members and others will continue to help Abdulla, Noura and Aya to grow and prosper with their lives in Canada.

Noura and Abdullah sent this message to the committee: “We thank all the groups who helped us come to Canada and we thank the Canadian government for its support of refugees.

“We also thank you for your kindness and your humanity to us, and we also thank all the Canadian people because they’re a good people.”

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SASKATOON — The soft, not-in-yourface evangelism and rewarding outreach of Ashes to Go took place on Ash Wednesday at the University of Saskatchewan Health Sciences Building, Saskatoon. My colleague (for the ashes) was the Rev. Dr. Ann Salmon (Lutheran Theological Seminary) while I represented the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad.

We went over after the Saskatoon Theological Union Ash Wednesday Service took place at St. Andrew’s College.

We offered a welcoming smile as people walked by.

This action gave an opportunity for people who are in the final throes of a semester of teaching or studying, who may not be able to get to church, to share in Ash Wednesday observance.

Ann and I were there from about 12:50 p.m. to 1:35 p.m.

We had 20 people who received ashes and three inquiries about the meaning.

I have to say that it was a profound experience for me especially when people

approached, with sincere demeanour, asking about what was going on. I felt like I was on the front line of disciple-making.

When a couple of young women asked me what it all meant, I gave the first one an OK answer.

But then I thought that I should speak more of God’s love than what we human beings can do in Lent or at any other time.

For the people there this response seemed to make more sense.

This experience proved to me how important it is to think about the kind of answer we should give when someone asks us to explain something about our Christian Faith.

As the first letter of Peter suggests: “Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.”

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

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10

The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

A winter wind blows through the Church By the Rev. Marie-Louise Ternier

A

few months ago the news broke that the Anglican room in the Christian family home is rapidly emptying out. What is it like to be a spiritual leader in a church that could see the lights go out in about 20 years?

First of all, church and ministry is about real people and real lives with all the joys and sorrows.

Yes, my two parishes are small, unable to afford full-time ministry services even between the two churches.

But in those small church families, life happens. Where there’s life, there’s also love and hate, joy and grief, hardship and accomplishment, hope and despair.

Recently I celebrated with a 94-year-old parishioner who still drives her own car. I also delighted in our four-yearold parishioner who, at every hymn we sing, steps un-self-consciously into the centre aisle and loses herself in a spontaneous and unique liturgical dance, much to the awe of all present.

I attend to the sick and visit the lonely, bringing Christ’s holy food of communion and God’s mercy. I lend a listening

ear to those overburdened and struggling with challenges too big to bear.

I preach and preside at the Holy Eucharist, an act that fills me with reverence and awe every time.

To feed God’s people with holy food and merciful words, to bring Christ’s gaze of love into hurting hearts, to pray the Holy Spirit into lost souls and lives — that holy work continues even in seasons of decline.

Second, there is a strange refreshing wind that begins to blow in seasons of diminishment and loss of influence and status. The wind of decline pushes us onto our knees in a spirit of humility and self-examination.

This honest kneebending scrutiny is easy to avoid when we can take comfort, however false, in numbers and importance, whether that’s our parish, our theology or our tradition.

In fact, humility retracts into the shadows when self-righteousness, superiority and pointing fingers assert themselves.

We are reminded quite starkly that this is God’s church and not our project for self-glorification. Given that we follow the One (Jesus) who suffered death on a cross, we should not be surprised to suffer a similar lot.

It is in fact quite biblical to become the counterculture instead of being part of the culture that calls the worldly shots.

Three, there is a sense of moving closer to the early church, when Christians met in homes to break bread and share the Word of Life. The Christian community was born from very small beginnings; maybe becoming small again might allow us to recover what we lost when we grew too big.

Maybe we are being pushed into one another’s ecclesial arms for sheer necessity. I think here of the many Catholic religious orders who are living their own diminishment, a diminishment that for some looks to become the end of their witness in church and world.

The Anglican Church is not alone — we’re in this together. The sooner we admit this sober fact, the sooner we can allow God to show us the way into the future.

Our ecclesial decline is not uniform across the globe, however. All mainline churches are experiencing significant growth in developing countries, referred to as the Global South.

The Anglican Church is no exception. It is primarily in Western cultures that Christian witness is waning. Guess what — we are not the

centre of the universe, far from it.

Keeping the global view in mind helps to put our diminishment in perspective; it might even raise different questions for self-examination than might otherwise appear.

Finally, in this sobering moment of organized religion’s decline in the Western world maybe Christian unity might now get a fair chance, provided we are willing to carry burdens together (Gal. 6:2), to learn from one another, to confess our sins together before the cross of Christ, seeking mercy together.

The most recent Anglican-Roman Catholic Document Walking Together on the Way considers us “fellow

pilgrims journeying at the summons of God’s Word … Walking together means that, as travelling companions, we tend each other’s wounds, and that we love one another in our woundedness” (par. 21).

While nature is eagerly waking up from its hibernation in this Easter season, we might have to settle in for a longer Lenten winter in church. In the hope of the resurrection, on our knees, let us pray, together, for one another, and for the world.

Pray that we will be open to new wine in new wineskins, and in the process “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

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Check-in begins at 3 p.m. on April 24. Retreat will run from 5 p.m. from Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26 after lunch. Registration form is included in the brochure sent to all parishes.

Deadline to register is April 9. Price is $285, payable by cheque with registration, or when checking in on Friday.

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April 2020

The Saskatchewan Anglican

11

Editor reflects on past Palm Sunday visit

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — Last year I was in Toronto on Palm Sunday with my mother, who was in St. Joseph’s Hospital with liver cancer. We decided to attend the Palm Sunday Mass in the chapel there.

The chapel was more like a church. It probably could have held 200 people.

The side walls were floorto-ceiling windows, some of which were stained glass. St. Joseph’s Hospital was opened in 1921 by Father McNulty and four Sisters of Charity.

It started out as a modern 112-bed building.

Now there are 426 beds with 2,600 staff with 22,289 admissions in a year. If you were lucky enough to get a room with a window facing south, you had a view of Lake Ontario, as the hospital is only a few blocks north of the lake.

The minister doing the service had a Spanish accent but was easy to understand. He told us at the beginning that he would be doing a shortened version of the Palm Sunday service.

The church was soon filled with, I think, mostly staff who worked at the hospital, while maybe a quarter of the congregation were patients and their families.

We were given palms and the service followed the readings and prayers you would expect on Palm Sunday. The sermon the priest was giving was interesting and probably would have been good, except that about halfway through one of the patients started contradicting him and yelling at him.

She wanted him to tell the truth. I found out later the woman yelling was from the psychiatric ward.

I guess she was a regular in the church and was known for her outbursts.

I felt so sorry for the minister; you could tell he was annoyed but he was trying to continue with his message. Eventually he had to give up and finish the mass in order to give the hospital staff enough time to return to work.

My mother told me the last time she was in the chapel was when she and my father came to pray for their two-year-old (me) who had her tonsils out.

I guess what was usually an overnight

procedure turned into a week because of hemorrhaging. My mother left the hospital the following Thursday and was able to have palliative care in her own home until her death on July 2, 2019.

She was a devout Christian woman and I am sure she is now at peace in heaven. (In memory of Dorothy Derbyshire: August 1925 to July 2019).

Dorothy Derbyshire and daughter Mary Brown.

Dorothy Derbyshire takes a walk in the "chapel" at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto in 2019. Derbyshire and daughter Mary Brown were there as part of a Palm Sunday mass while Derbyshire was in the hospital fighting cancer. Photos by Mary Brown

12

The Saskatchewan Anglican

April 2020

Winter camps help grow faith of youths

By Joshua Jensen CARONPORT (Qu’A) — Growing Faith overnight camp and Confirming Faith Retreat weekend brought together young people from across the diocese at Briercrest College, near Moose Jaw. Husband and wife team Joshua and Jaymee Jensen provided leadership for the two events.

Growing Faith began Saturday morning on Jan. 18. A Briercrest student, Ben Girgis, was the speaker.

Over the weekend he talked to the 10 kids about the overarching narrative of the Bible, from creation and the fall, to Jesus’ gift of eternal life for us.

On Sunday morning, Girgis discussed what that means in a practical sense for us as Christians.

We were heavily indebted to our team, two of whom we had to wrangle at the last minute. They helped us run games, including paper-plate skate hockey and Sardines.

We also had a competition to build the tallest towers out of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.

We were also very grateful to our camp parents, Rev. Captain Eric Davis and his wife Tamara. Tamara Davis collaborated with us for a number of activities and crafts, and Rev. Davis helped explain

Joshua Jensen, Aaron Giesbrecht and camp parent David Kerr enjoy the sunshine on the Briercrest College campus during the Confirming Faith Retreat weekend.

Photo by Jesse Miller and administered the Eucharist to our group.

It was an incredible time of watching children have fun and make new friends. But more than that, it was amazing to see how they learned and grew in their understanding of the basic narrative of our Christian faith.

For Confirming Faith, the rector of St. Aidan, Rev. Dean Pinter, was the

speaker. Pinter focused his talks around Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Pinter was able to really connect with the young peoples. Noting how this passage is an important element of our baptismal vows, Pinter helped us learn about the significance of the four aspects

that are recorded as so important to the early church.

This culminated in an instructed Book of Alternative Services eucharistic service on Sunday morning.

In addition to the fantastic teaching from Pinter, the five youths participated in a “girls vs. guys” photo scavenger hunt, played board games, and

talked about some of our most embarrassing moments.

We are deeply appreciative of Jesse Miller, a volunteer from St. Columba, Kenaston, who led us in singing and some activities, and for our camp parents Dave and Janice Kerr, who are a blessed presence of wisdom for us as leaders and for the youths.

During this weekend it was a joy to reconnect with youths who Jaymee and I had met during the previous year and from the past summer’s Adventure Camp.

Seeing how they have grown in maturity and in their faith has been a truly encouraging experience for which we are both incredibly grateful. We were also deeply encouraged by how engaged they were in learning more about the Bible and about our most essential liturgical service.

We are truly thankful to God, who seemed to provide us with energy and opportunities we were not expecting. We are thankful to Briercrest College and Seminary and the staff who assisted us.

More than anything else, we are thankful to the diocese and to the parents who entrusted us to care for and bless these young brothers and sisters over these two weekends.

It was a joy and a truly blessed experience.

College offers ecumenical course this spring HE/HL 321 Full Communion in Theory and Practice, May 11 to 15 (Rev. Dr. Gordon Jensen and Rev. Dr. Iain Luke)

Nine baptized in Lloydminster On Dec. 29, 2019 the Right Rev. Christopher Harper, Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon, visited St. John’s Minster, Lloydminster and, with help from the Rev. Muriel Foster, conducted nine baptisms; five were members of Bishop Harper’s family. Bishop Chris officiated for communion and also performed the baptisms; the Rev. Muriel Foster assisted him in the baptism and also preached. Ninety-two attended the service and enjoyed lunch and a baptismal cake afterward. Baptized were, in no particular order, Jolane Willougby, Elijah Benson Steven Harper, Zoey Anne Catherine Harper, Shelby Natasha-Anne Greschner, Letty Norma Gingell, Jessica Marie Simpson, Joshua Keith Werner, Theodore Harper Greschner and Scarlett Lillian Florence Harper.

Photo by Pauline Harper

The course will explore the relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada, expressed in the Waterloo Declaration and the resulting relationship of full communion.

We will examine similarities and differences in our understanding of history, liturgy, polity, and theological method, and the effect these have on

church culture and the practice of ministry.

Participants will gain a deeper appreciation of the distinctive features of the two traditions, as well as of the common elements that make full communion possible.

The course is suitable for students preparing for ministry, and current clergy and lay leaders, especially those in joint or crossover appointments.

Instruction is shared between Anglican and Lutheran faculty.

For more information or to register please contact the College of Emmanuel & St. Chad at esc.registrar@usask.ca or call 306-975-1550.