The Saskatchewan Anglican, January 2022

Ecumenism is a pledge to the whole church

3

Sharing stories of faith takes courage

6

A reflection on peacekeeping

8

Isolation adds to stress of current climate

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Saskatchewan

anglican

The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • January 2022

Fundraiser helps support refugee family stuck in Turkey

By Joanne Shurvin-Martin

Two youngsters from St. Alban's Cathedral in Prince Albert display all the supplies that a Sunday Pajama Drive raised recently for a shelter in the city.

Photo from Facebook

Campaign raises needed supplies for shelter Submitted PRINCE ALBERT — The Sunday Pajama Drive ended in a big way during the Holy Communion Service on Nov. 28 at St. Alban’s Cathedral, with the blessing of 63 pairs of pajamas, 14 pairs of socks, 48 bars of soap, three hair brushes, 14 razors, 17 tubes of toothpaste, 62

toothbrushes, five packs of hair accessories, 24 assorted large size toiletries for women and children, and oodles of mini ones.

Also received was an additional $70 in cash to purchase more items.

All of these items were donated through the campaign that the Sunday School led to collect items for the Prince Albert Safe

Shelter for Women.

Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign.

The children of the Sunday School have learned by your example what generosity is.

These items are very much needed at the women’s shelter, and they will bring some comfort to a family in crisis.

REGINA — Imagine your family fleeing from your home when ISIS invaded your city. Imagine living in a refugee camp in a foreign country, where you cannot work and your children cannot attend school.

Imagine that situation dragging on for seven years.

That is the condition of the Babawi family, parents and four children aged 16 to 22. They are currently in a refugee camp in the city of Kirsehir, Turkey.

The Christian family now has a glimmer of hope since the Parish of Immanuel is raising funds to sponsor them as refugees, and bring them to in Regina.

There is a close connection with Immanuel Parish, because they are related to the Mousa family.

The mother of the Babawi family is the sister of Marleen (Abbo) Mousa.

Marleen and her husband, Safaa, and their infant daughter came to Regina in 2011, sponsored by the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

They became active in St. James parish, and now have three growing daughters.

Marleen is anxious to give her sister, along with her husband and their children, the same sort of freedom and opportunities that she and her family have enjoyed in Canada.

Immanuel Parish is continuing the tradition of refugee sponsorship begun

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by All Saints, one of the legacy parishes that joined to become Immanuel. From 2016 to 2020, All Saints sponsored 257 individuals with 90 families in the City of Regina.

The Immanuel Refugee Sponsorship Committee will be working closely with the new family when they arrive. Ralph Paragg, volunteer refugee co-ordinator, Diocese of Qu’Appelle, will assist with the paper work for the sponsorship, and advise the Immanuel Refugee Sponsorship Committee.

The members of the refugee sponsorship committee are Marleen Mousa, Safaa Mousa, Melissa Parr, Russ Parr, Angie Provencher and Gwen Rupchan.

Their first fundraising activity was selling Grey Cup pool tickets.

They received special permission from the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, and successfully applied for a lottery licence from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

Rupchan reports that vestry is “very much on board” for sponsoring the Babawi family, and 10 per cent of the proceeds from the parish’s first general fundraising event — the Peach Sale — has been given to this refugee initiative.

The parish ministerial team, and the community, are very supportive.

Continued on page 4

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

Our suffering makes us more compassionate to others “Why is the Bible the best place to find answers about pain and suffering?”

By Archdeacon Cheryl Toth

D

o any of these headlines sound familiar?

Final battle against overwhelming army leaves capital city in ruins.

Parents weep over the graves of children killed as country conquered.

Politician accused of arranging the death of his lover’s husband; pregnant woman has no comment.

Family flees their country to avoid death by a power-hungry ruler.

Sisters weep after brother dies while waiting for help.

People are leaving their country because of famine.

Brother kills the man who sexually assaulted his sister. ‘It’s all gone’, says man who loses everything in a series of disasters.

Woman pushed out of her job tries to care for her child in terrible conditions.

Man imprisoned for religious beliefs awaits his fate.

They could be headlines for news we hear on nightly newscasts, read in the papers or learn about through a podcast. They reflect the aftermath of war, colonization, political intrigue and the clash of belief systems.

They remind us of how those in power can manipulate or abandon those they have used or abused. They speak of disasters that leave people traumatized and homeless.

They show us the grief, rage and bewilderment that often accompany horrific events and sudden death. They could be today’s headlines but they are instead biblical narratives in headline

form — a reminder that pain and suffering, trauma and terror are found throughout the Bible.

When we read the Bible searching for answers about pain and suffering, we find a multiplicity of situations in which humans suffer — famine,

answer but rather points us to the preciousness and fragility of life.

What we see in the Bible is how people of faith have sought to understand and cope with a plethora of painful and traumatizing situations.

They struggle with God,

Headline Quiz Answers Final battle against overwhelming army leaves capital city in ruins. 2 Kings 25:8-12 Parents weep over the graves of children killed as country conquered. Lamentations 2:11-12 Politician accused of arranging the death of his lover’s husband. Pregnant woman has no comment. 2 Samuel 12:7-10, King David and Bathsheba Family flees their country to avoid death by a power-hungry ruler. Matthew 2:13-18 Sisters weep after brother dies while waiting for help. John 11:17-21 People leave their country because of famine. Ruth 1:1-7 Brother kills the man who sexually assaulted his sister. 2 Samuel 12 and 13 ‘It’s all gone’, says man whose loses everything in a series of disasters. Job 1:20-21 Woman pushed out of her job tries to care for her child in terrible conditions. Genesis 21:8-21 Man imprisoned for religious beliefs awaits his fate. Philippians 1:12-14; 2:23

flooding, war, family violence, disease and so on — and many ways in which people of faith have sought to make sense of it all.

Some include suffering is the result of our sinfulness and unfaithfulness; suffering reveals God’s steadfast love even when all seems lost; pain and suffering remind us that we are limited creatures and need God’s strength; suffering is a teacher from whom we learn empathy for others; suffering is a consequence of our actions and provides us with an opportunity to change; suffering is a mystery that has no

sometimes questioning God’s very existence, as they search how to give meaning to what they experience.

There is no one answer to suffering in the Bible.

What we do find there is a community of people giving voice to the feelings we may have when we are suffering: Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?

Restore us to yourself that we may return to our days as of old (Lamentations 5:20-21).

When we are suffering, we often want things to be as they were before whatever has catapulted us into anger, pain,

despair and grief — our illness, someone’s death, the loss of our job or home or relationship, a world of hurt and hurting people.

But God doesn’t do what we want. God never takes us back to the ways things were. Instead we go forward, changed by what we have experienced.

The best we can hope for is to move ahead changed in ways that make us more compassionate towards those in pain and better able to respond to ourselves and others with love and mercy.

That happens more easily — and it’s never easy! — with companions who understand what we’re going through and will walk with us on that journey. Sometimes those companions are found when we read the Bible on our own. More often they are found with those who gather to listen and understand the Bible together — people in congregations everywhere.

As human beings we try to make sense out of what happens — to find meaning in what at times seems meaningless.

As people of faith, God gives us profound resources that help us do that — the Spirit of God who speaks for us when we have no words, the Living Word of Scripture that opens to the questions we bring, and the community of Jesus’ disciples that ‘bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

With the help of all three we can find comfort and hope in the midst of all life brings.

The Ven. Cheryl Toth is Archdeacon of St. Cuthbert’s (Diocese of Qu’Appelle) and serves as Stewardship Officer for the diocese.

Obituary

Rev. Graeme Brownlee dies in B.C. Submitted NEW WESTMINSTER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Rev. Graeme Brownlee died Nov. 8 in New Westminster, following a brief illness. He was 77.

Brownlee is

remembered as an avid environmentalist, a man who loved music, history, trains and travelling, especially to areas where he had family roots.

He is described as a bibliophile, who loved all books, but “most of all he

loved the Scriptures.”

He was also a strong supporter of Indigenous rights and was the first clergy person to be arrested in the Clayquot Sound protests against logging old-growth forests.

Continued on page 6

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

Published monthly except for July and August.

Whole No. 292, Vol. 50, No. 5 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 March issue must be received by the diocesan editor no later than Jan..28. 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

January 2022

The Saskatchewan Anglican

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The Bishop's Corner

To health and happiness

By Bishop Michael Hawkins

I

want to wish you all health and happiness in 2022. My own journey through 2021 involved the re-discovery of health and happiness in degrees and ways I never knew before.

It has been more than a year since I became sick and was hospitalized with COVID-19.

My recovery has been long but steady with many ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns, but I am grateful for the non-fatal wake-up call.

I needed and have been blessed to receive so much physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing and support and feel that I have been set on a journey that will end in fullness of health.

The past two years have been so very difficult, if not traumatic, for all of us in different ways and

varying degrees.

We all need healing.

I am calling for 2022 to be a Year of Healing for the Diocese of Saskatchewan. The first line of an ancient Lenten hymn is wonderfully, if not precisely, translated, “Now is the healing time decreed” (Book of Common Praise No. 828).

That is my intention, to decree 2022 as a healing time. I invite you to make it a healing time in your life as well.

Creation needs healing, our country, church, communities, congregations, families, hearts and souls, minds and memories, bodies and lives, all need healing, the healing that comes from the wounded Christ Himself.

In the Diocese of Saskatchewan, we will be praying and thinking about different aspects of healing according to this schedule:

• • • • • • • • • • • •

January: Healing February: Healing and Being Forgiven March: Healing and Becoming Forgiving April: Healing and Grief May: Healing in our Families June: Healing in our Country July: Healing in Creation August: Healing by Creation September: Healing and Mental Health October: Physical Healing November: Healing in our Church and Congregation December: Healing and the Resurrection of the Body and the Life of the World to come

This month, at the beginning of the year, I want to suggest that instead of just weight loss and diet we all might make some resolutions for 2022 around our own personal, emotional and spiritual healing and growth.

The proverb reads, “A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.”

The exact same holds true when we act as our own physician

and pharmacist, confessor and therapist, and far too often we do so with tragic and often lethal results.

We all need help. We all need to get some help.

In my own journey the Daily Office — twice daily prayer centred on reading the Psalms and Scriptures and the Lord’s Prayer — has been my daily bread without which I would not survive.

In the past year I have found greater grounding, openness and peace in the discipline of daily silence, Christian meditation, yoga, and journaling. These, along with regular dog walks, are my healthy disciplines.

If I can be convinced to try yoga, I’m sure you can try something new for your own physical and emotional health. I want to encourage you as much as I can to work towards health and happiness.

Don’t give up. With God, all things are possible, even health happiness, mine and yours, and ours together.

That’s my toast, my wish and my prayer.

Mission-focused ecumenism By the Rev. Dr. Iain Luke Principle, College of Emmanuel & St. Chad

F

or me, January is ecumenism month, leading up to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which falls this year in the week beginning Jan. 16.

Ecumenism is a daily feature of our life at Emmanuel and St. Chad, in our partnership with Lutheran Theological Seminary and St. Andrew’s College. Our three colleges worship together, not just one week a year, but every week.

We share classrooms, faculty members, and students. Since our move into one building in 2020, we know we are being called to an even deeper sharing of all the wisdom contained in the past, present and future of our different theological traditions.

The main purpose of that sharing, though, is to equip our churches, which are also increasingly ecumenical. Ecumenism is no longer a niche interest, but a commitment of the whole structure of each

church.

That commitment gives rise to our ongoing Anglican-United dialogue, our full communion relationship with the ELCIC, the Saskatchewan LAURC covenant, and many, many local partnerships for sharing buildings, clergy, and ministries.

The kind of ecumenism we are practising now is mission focused. It is not focused on settling old arguments or figuring out how to work within multiple church structures.

It is about how all our churches can pay closer attention to what God is doing in the world, and how we can muster all our respective resources to join in, together.

Everyone offers something

One of the first things you notice, when you do mission-focused ecumenism, is that everyone has something to offer. Different denominations, colleges, and congregations have all learned something from their past and present encounters with God. “Receptive ecumenism” is a way of acknowledging that our own tradition has its weaknesses, and that God provides partners who can build us up with their strengths, if we are willing to receive what they bring to the work we share.

In the Saskatoon Theological Union, we take this to mean that our three different traditions are assets, not obstacles, in our work together.

For example, as we learn about church history, in Canada and in

the world, we have three different ways of seeing things, and that means we can get a broader perspective.

The same is true when we are interpreting the Bible or exploring what it means to act faithfully in the world today.

Looking at this from the point of view of a congregation, it is worth asking who your potential (or current) ecumenical partners are, and what strengths, or new perspectives, they bring to the mission of the whole church where you are.

It is also worth asking the same thing about your own church. What do you bring to the partnership, and what do you need?

If you are already in a shared situation, the questions might be a little different. What matters most to each partner? How are the other partners honouring those values?

This doesn’t mean just letting your friends go ahead with what they like to do.

It also involves joining in, learning what you can from their practices, and using what you learn, in order to respond together

to God’s call.

Church division

Healing our history of past division is not only about knitting our strengths together.

Recently, leading ecumenists have begun to call for a “pastoral ecumenism,” an acknowledgement of the hurts the divided church has caused people.

In some places, these hurts are severe, like the “Troubles” that have afflicted Northern Ireland for generations. In our own country, separation between Christians came with the very first missions, primarily Roman Catholic and Anglican.

As a result, some First Nations communities and families remain divided between denominations, because of a conflict that never should have been theirs.

As another illustration, couples who marry across these divides sometimes experience rejection or a lack of welcome, when they bring their spouse to church with them, and children in inter-church Continued on page 7

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

... Refugee fundraiser

The Immanuel Refugee Committee at a planning session for how to raise $50,000. From left are Russ Parr, Melissa Parr, Angie Provencher, Gwen Rupchan, Marleen Mousa and Safaa Mousa. They have begun working to sponsor a family of six Christian Iraqi refugees currently in Turkey.

Photo by Emilie Curley

Continued from page 1 The committee is planning other events, while realizing COVID-19 continues to prevent many traditional fundraisers.

They hope to start official sponsorship process in six to eight months.

The committee needs to raise $50,000 to sponsor the Babawi family. The committee is encouraging individuals and other parishes to prayerfully consider donating to this initiative. Please contact Gwen Rupchan at 306-5017364. Tax receipts will be issued. The committee will also be happy to make a presentation to other parishes interested in this endeavour. * Babawi is pronounced baba (rhymes with papa) wee, with the accent on the first ba.

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON EVENTS

Announcements for January 2022 g Saskatchewan Anglican online! Did you know you can read current and past issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican online? Visit www.anglicandiocesesaskatoon.com/ saskanglican or on Facebook at www.facebook. com/saskatchewananglican. g As we pass through COVID-19, recordings and live streaming of services are available from the diocesan website and Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as on individual parish websites and social media pages, and locally (for Battle River Parish), on radio.

When considering attending church services in person, check on service availability and requirements for pre-registration that exist.

If attending services in person, please follow all the indicated seating, movement, distancing, masking, and sanitization instructions in order to safeguard yourself and to protect others. g Cross Over Personnel Discernment Retreat: Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, location TBA and/or ZOOM. For information, please contact the Rev. Dr. Trish

McCarthy at 306-370-8378 or email tmccarthy@sasktel.net, and see the notice posted elsewhere in this issue. g School of Discipleship Ministry Preparation Program: The diocese's School of Discipleship Ministry Preparation Program is a part-time three-year Licentiate.

Courses for the 2021 seasons have now been announced (see the syllabus posted elsewhere in this issue).

Students may take a course part-way through the three-year cycle unless pre-requisites for a specific course are stated.

The first full complement for the ESC Licentiate in Theology is planned to be completed by spring 2023.

People wishing to take one or more of these courses should consult with the School of Discipleship co-ordinator.

People who sense a call to diaconal or priestly ordination will go through the diocesan discernment process at some point before the midway point.

If you have any questions about our Ministry Preparation Program, please contact the School of Discipleship co-ordi-

nator, the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy at tmccarthy@ sasktel.net or 306-3708378. g Ministry of Supervision Certificate Course: Presented by the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad and the diocese’s School of Discipleship; April 5 to 8 and May 16 to 19; 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.; hybrid delivery model; led by the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy.

For further information please contact the Rev. McCarthy at 306-370-8378 or tmccarthy@sasktel.net, and see the notices posted elsewhere in this issue. g Safe Church Workshops: Mark your calendars for two Safe Church Workshops: No. 1 “Nuts and Bolts” and No. 2 “Preventing Sexual Misconduct.”

Please note that if your parish still needs to participate in the “Nuts and Bolts” workshop, that these can be set up as a Zoom meeting for your region.

Safe Church Workshop No. 1 called “Nuts and Bolts” by ZOOM will take place on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Safe Church Workshop No. 2 “Prevent-

ing Sexual Misconduct”

by ZOOM will take place on Saturday, Jan. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To register, contact our Safe Church co-ordinator, the Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy, at 306-370-8378 or tmccarthy@sasktel.net, or see the notice posted elsewhere in this issue. g Courses at the College of Emmanuel & St. Chad: The College of Emmanuel & St Chad welcomes inquiries and applicants for its fall 2021 and spring 2022 courses.

All teaching is planned to be offered only online.

See the course listing for the fall of 2021 and 2022 posted elsewhere in this issue.

For information on courses available through the Saskatoon Theological Union, please also contact their office at 306-975-1550 and see the course listing for the summer and fall of 2021 and for 2022 posted elsewhere in this issue. g All Saints, Saskatoon, Anniversary Celebrations: A Eucharistic service with the Right Rev. Chris Harper, Bishop of Saskatoon, was held on Oct. 17 to officially open a year-long series of 65th anniversary celebrations

for All Saints Anglican Church, Saskatoon.

These celebrations will take them from the anniversaries of the laying of the cornerstone on Oct. 7, 1956, to the dedication of the building on Sept.

18, 1957: all milestones on their way to celebrating 100 years since their first service held in 1925. g In Memorium: We have been informed that Rev. Canon Howard Green died on Nov. 30. As we had not been able to receive his obituary in time for it to be included in this issue, it will be printed in the February paper. g To be included in a timely manner, brief notices should be supplied to the associate editor by fax, email or “snail mail” by the end of the month, one month before the month in which the insertion is desired (i.e. October 2021 entries will be in December 2021 issue).

Detailed and longer texts of upcoming events will not be included in this section, but should space allow, could be the subject of articles and notices elsewhere in the Saskatchewan Anglican.

January 2022

The Saskatchewan Anglican

5

Women's creative, insightful approaches can help the Church

By Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy

Ina Caton (front middle) was the first woman ordained in the Diocese of Saskatoon, in 1976. Caton poses with a group of ladies from the Women's Auxiliary — location unknown — sometime in the 1940s.

Photo courtesy Anglican Church of Canada Archives

medical doctors starting in the ’20s and ’30s it was likely a challenge to those with a more traditional view of the role of women.

But once women gained a more equal view of themselves through changes in society, their creative, insightful and collaborative approaches could be brought to bear on the life of the Church.

Among many things learned as women have been incorporated into its ordained ministry, the Church has come to: 1) see more value in round-table discussion and decision-making, 2) appreciate the value of intuitive knowledge, and 3) cherish clergy self-care and nurture within family life.

It is clear to me that the Church has unleashed a creative powerful potential for the reign of God by ordaining women.

Feminization of Church

Diocesan female clergy

A

t this 45-year mark of women being ordained to the priesthood in Canada, there is much to consider and ponder about how women have changed the Church, and in their own right, worked towards and helped to bring forth the Reign of God in their midst.

If the women around you have excelled at keeping the home-fires burning, kept nourishing food on the table, balanced the account books, and checked in daily with how everyone is doing in the house and extended family, this is a sign of God’s love made manifest!

One brilliant young woman was hired by a parish to do administration.

In the hiring process, she expressly shared that juggling six schedules including those of four children and her husband, providing healthy meals and balancing the family finances had more than adequately prepared her for efficiently running a mid-size parish office.

The newly hired administrative assistant maintained the parish office as a well-oiled machine and added creative and organizing flourishes to her work.

Some people assert that women have “special” but distinct roles from their male counterparts.

If this kind of thinking was prevalent, just imagine what scientific and social discoveries may not have occurred if the talents and ingenuity of certain brilliant women had been relegated to the home sphere.

Feelings of rejection

Sociologists have established that when any group of people are ignored and marginalized and their creative contributions are not cherished, this can actually affect what they are able to accomplish.

When people of any walk of life feel that their potential contributions are discounted merely because of their external physical traits, this can create frustration and stagnation in a society.

People who feel set aside or their perceived potential is low, may

feel immobilized and their creative energies diminished. As a result, their outlook on life begins to feel less hopeful.

They might unconsciously internalize the limited perceptions of those around them and then not strive for anything beyond how others see them.

If any group of people feels that their contributions don’t matter, they may make choices to maintain the status quo instead of facing further rejection and the likely fallout of disharmony. It is about creatively engaging the powers at work as well as self-determination.

This experience of feeling like you are on a lower rung of a ladder is what our Aboriginal brothers and sisters have had.

Without being allowed the freedom to determine their own life and leadership patterns, people can stagnate and feel kept down. More recently, in this Anglican Church of ours, our First Nation, Metis and Inuit brothers and sisters are evolving the Indigenous Church with new indigenous bishops each year.

It is inspiring and exciting to watch how indigenous wisdom, intuition, imagination, connection with Mother Earth and evolving leadership roles influences the Anglican Church of Canada.

A parallel to the positive growth of women’s ministry can be found in multi-cultural ministry.

It is a proven principle that when people of a specific ethnic background feel appreciated in a Church for who they are, for their talents and skills, and when their culture is celebrated, it often happens that more and more people of specific backgrounds flock to such a congregation.

Similarly, in the 1970s and ’80s women could begin to think outside of traditional church expectations of them when they witnessed a woman celebrating the Eucharist.

A term bandied about by sociologists and psychologist is the “feminization” of a trade or profession.

To apply this notion to the Christian priesthood has meant that church rules needed to change to accommodate women priests and deacons who were having children and to reinforce their rightful and necessary maternity leave.

It is conceivable that with this in mind, all priests of any sex were then challenged to claim for themselves a worklife balance that included nurture of family life.

As the church began to ordain women into the ministry, there have been some less tangible changes

to the Church itself.

Women have been known in society to have strong intuition that can greatly enhance their ministry in the church. Their prayerful discernment may have good depth because of their intuitive sense.

Having had the dawning awareness of their predecessors being “hemmed in” to some degree over the last century, women often do tasks with others in non-hierarchical ways in order to empower others to contribute.

In fact, some have interacted in creative and even subtly influential ways with people in leadership. While the oppressor sometimes becomes the oppressed, it's also vice versa. People who have been kept down do not want oppression to happen to people in their circles of care.

A special outcome of this empowerment is that people who operate in a lateral leadership style in the Church might more likely witness and detect the action of the Holy Spirit in any part or corner of the Body of Christ.

Bring new perspectives

The experience of being a woman in our North American culture and context can bring a rich perspective.

When women became

Our diocesan archivist, Rev. Peter Coolen, has uncovered some information on the ordination of women in the Diocese of Saskatoon.

In reviewing the Episcopal Acts from 1975 to 1990 and sleuthing through old issues of the Saskatchewan Anglican, the following information has surfaced.

The first letters of ordination to priest for a woman was for Ina Caton on Dec. 19, 1976. There was then a long interval, after which the following people were ordained priests: Ann Jenette Cheetam, April 28, 1987 and Nancy Selwood, June 24, 1987.

Beverly Anne McLean was also ordained to the diaconate on April 28, 1987 and priested later.

The diocesan newspaper at the time also notes that Rev. Barbara Huston was serving in Humboldt then as well. Women who have been most recently ordained in the Diocese of Saskatoon are: Rev. Karen Walters (priest), Rev. Rosemary Mathews (priest) and Rev. Alexa Wallace (deacon).

In this new year, as we celebrate the gifts, insights and new styles of engaging and empowering leadership, let us watch and see how God works through women to bring new life and vitality to our communal ministries together.

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The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

Sharing stories of faith takes courage

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON

'Crossover' discernment retreat day coming Submitted SASKATOON —Serving: STU Students, Students of Schools of Discipleship and Ministry and People Sensing a Call from God Date: Friday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: larger meeting room in Queen’s House Retreat Centre. Remote Delivery Option: ZOOM Cost: $25 onsite involvement with the option. To book a local Spiritual Director for 45 minutes at $30. Lunch is Optional: with timely registration, a $14 hot lunch may be available OR bring a bag lunch Questions or Registration: trish.mccarthy@saskatoontheologicalunion.ca Outline of the Day 9 a.m. Brief Introductions of Participants and Facilitators. Participants are invited to Sign Up for One on One 30 min. after-

noon consultation 9:10 a.m. Morning Devotion 9:30 a.m. Morning Address on Ignatian Spiritual Discernment and suggestions of General Discernment Questions and Biblical Story texts about God’s Call for Meditation 10:15 a.m. Quiet Journal Writing and Prayer with Scripture “Calling” Texts 10:45 a.m. Optional artistic depiction of images arising out of prayer 11:15 a.m. Three individuals from: various Lutheran, United and Anglican ministries to speak for 10 minutes about how they share the Good News of Jesus Christ Noon, Lunch in Silence 1 p.m. Post Noon Prayer Time 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Silence and consultations 3:35 p.m. Closing Worship

By Mary Brown BRANCEPETH (Skwn) — During last summer in the Parish of Birch Hills, Kinistino and Muskoday people gathered at Holy Trinity Church in Brancepeth for a service on Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m.

The service was unique in that people told their faith stories.

The Rev. Jordan Draper is the priest in charge of these parishes and was the guiding hand for these stories. He said the idea is that nobody is in church by a fluke. Everybody has a story.

It is often when life takes us to our limits that we learn to pray in the first place. It was good that people felt they were in a safe space with a trust in the people in the church.

It took courage for them to speak out.

Although there was a story told every Wednesday night in the

Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon and Other Interested Folks

Safe Church Workshop #1: Nuts and Bolts"

Saturday, February 5, 2022 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. with 45 minute lunch Physical Location: In Saskatoon Internet Access: ZOOM Registration Deadline: January 21, 2022 Content: After each of four video viewings, we have some break out groups to discuss the content.

Review Material: "Responsible Ministry Position Templates" and letter template summarizing our Safe Church program for Church Facility Users and Renters to read, followed by a form on which the contact person of the group would acknowledge that they have read and understood the Safe Church policy.

Q and A: A Psychologist, member of the Diocese, joins attendees near the end of workshop for 30 minutes of Q and A. to answer any legal or psychological questions.

__________________________________________________ Safe Church Workshop #2: "Preventing Abuse” Saturday, January 22nd, 2022 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 45-minute lunch Physical Location: In Saskatoon Internet Access: ZOOM Registration Deadline: January 18th, 2022

We will review the ways we can all assist the church to be a safe place for all people. To do this, we will go over policy implementation, include role plays and describe the church’s safeguards to prevent abuse: physical, spiritual, sexual, elder abuse, property desecration and financial abuse. We will also share about being a safe place and group of people for GLBTQ2S+ people.

__________________________________________________ Registrations

Ultimately, we encourage you to set aside the time for these crucial workshops designed to help you set up, guide and manage your parish Safe Church program!

Please contact Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy to Register: tmccarthy@sasktel.net / 306 370 8378

summer, only a few people were comfortable with their story being recorded.

I listened to three stories.

Some faith stories that you hear are very dramatic recollections of a kind of epiphany. Some people’s faith journey starts in the cradle. These are, I think, the lucky ones.

Their parents and their parents before them all attended church and made sure that the children also went to church. But this is not to say that they had an easy life. Their life included sadness, sickness and death. God was always with them, as He is with all of us, but they knew Him and leaned on Him in the hard times.

Other people travel a long, hard road. Their addictions rule their life.

They dislike themselves and feel that everyone around them is judging them. They try to overcome their faults but keep failing.

They lose hope and want to give up living. But God sends someone to their rescue and they manage to survive even though their rescuer did not.

They are so grateful for a second chance at a better life and they pay it forward by helping others who are going through what they did.

There are some stories of, what you would call, divine intervention. A person is in a war-torn world where one wrong move could mean their death.

To escape this, they take chances, and because of their faith in the Lord, they survive the ordeal.

They know that God is watching over them because of the people they met on their journey who helped them along the way.

One thing I noticed about the people telling their stories was their faith and love of God and their need to help others as God has helped them.

... Rev. Graeme Brownlee, who served parishes in this province, dies in B.C. Continued from page 2 He is survived by his wife, Mavis, who is also an Anglican priest; two daughters: Fiona Brownlee (Rev. Hugh Matheson) of Wetaskiwin Alta., and Janet Rhodes (Ian) of Kindersley; two stepsons: Brendan Scott and Eric Scott (Jennifer Vaughn); six grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, stepmother, and first wife, Shirley Astle.

Brownlee grew up in Toronto, where he took part in many church activities. He received a bachelor of theology from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in 1983, and was ordained deacon and priest that same year.

His first parish was Spiritwood in the Diocese of Saskatchewan, from 1983 to 1987, before he became incumbent of Big Country Parish (Kindersley) in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle. He was also regional dean of Kinrose from 1989 to 1999.

He served as chaplain to several church camps, and

was chaplain to the order of St. Luke. Brownlee helped found the crisis centre in Spiritwood, and was a member of the board of the Canadian Association of Pastoral Education – Saskatchewan.

In 2001 Brownlee moved to the Diocese of New Westminster and married Mavis. He was incumbent of St. Augustine, Marpole, until he retired in 2008.

Then he and Mavis moved to Shawville, Que., where Mavis was rector and archdeacon until she retired in 2018. They spent summers in Shawville, where they owned a small vineyard, and spent winters in Vancouver.

Brownlee’s family reports that “three days before his death, he enjoyed picking grapes with the amazing crew in an epic harvest of his own grapes … .” The newspaper obituary concluded: I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them will bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

January 2022

The Saskatchewan Anglican

7

Feeling the Holy Spirit

On being an Epiphany Light Emitting Disciple (LED)

By Rev. Gene Packwood

O

ne Epiphany, 12 years ago, just as I was about to pray the prayer of Thanksgiving and Consecration in our early service at St. Barnabas, Medicine Hat, the light theme that shines through every Epiphany somehow brought LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to mind.

Quick as a flash, the thought popped into my mind that we need to be Light Emitting Disciples to make Jesus manifest to the world around us, and all in the pause between the Comfortable Words and the Thanksgiving and Consecration.

An Anglican liturgical Epiphany!

Later, I wondered, how would Light Emitting Disciples be similar to Light Emitting Diodes?

First, and most obviously, we emit light.

Light enables us to see in the dark. To see things more clearly. But our light source is not electricity.

Our light source must and always be Jesus, the light of the world, because when we follow Him, we “will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus also said, when we follow Him, we Light Emitting Disciples also become the light of the world (Matt.

5:14).

St. Paul gives us our marching orders as Light Emitting Disciples. Now you are light in the Lord.

We need to be Light Emitting Disciples to make Jesus manifest to the world, says Rev. Gene Packwood. St. Paul gives us our marching orders as Light Emitting Disciples. Now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8).

Photo by Getty Images

Walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8).

How do LEDisciples walk? In step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25). The Holy Spirit, that is.

LEDisciples are energy efficient. This is not so much that they don’t use much energy like the diodes. On the contrary, disciples use lots of the right kind of energy, which

is the power of the Holy Spirit. After all, Jesus gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34).

Being energy efficient for LEDs is making sure we are well and closely connected to Jesus, our power source, through our worship, devotional life and service in His Name.

Like LEDiodes, LEDisciples should be nontoxic. The light we bring into our relationships and situations in our lives ought not to leave any residual hazardous or toxic residue.

Wherever we go, all that LEDisciples will leave behind is love, joy and peace because of our patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

LEDisciples are longlasting. They are patient.

They bear with people.

They spend time.

LEDiodes are rugged.

Unlike incandescent bulbs, they have no delicate, easily damaged filaments.

LEDisciples are not easily damaged either. They are not easily offended or hurt.

They continue to shine with the Light of Jesus even when shaken up or mistreated.

LEDiodes are flexible.

They come in all sorts of configurations and forms. So do LEDisciples.

They become all things to all people as they bear,

believe, hope in and endure all things so that by all means they might save some (1 Cor. 9:22, 13:7).

The only trouble with this analogy is that although LEDiodes are bright, they are also cold.

This is one of the things that make them efficient and environmentally friendly. They do not generate and radiate heat. LEDisciples, on the other hand, must radiate warmth. We must be inefficiently, extravagantly, even recklessly, warm-hearted.

The perfect model is, of course, the Light of the World Himself, Jesus.

Shine, Jesus, shine!

... Mission-focused ecumenism Continued from page 3 families can feel that they don’t really have a church home.

Pastoral ecumenism

calls us to listen to people who have been ill served by church splits, and to let their experience guide us to a better future.

You may be able to identify conflicts or tensions between churches in your own community, which had an impact in local history and that still resonate today.

Pastoral ecumenism is a way to acknowledge that the church has not always been a faithful witness to Christ’s prayer, “That they all may be one,” to transcend our divisions today, and to offer a healing space into the future, especially for the sake of those we have hurt.

As you celebrate

the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year, I invite you to keep these ideas in the forefront of your mind.

God is inviting you to work with your neighbours, to learn from them, and to heal the divisions you and others have experienced. How will you respond?

8

The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

A reflection on peacekeeping

By Rev. Peter Coolen

S

acrifice is an integral part of life and it takes two basic forms: firstly, our willingness to sacrifice others for our own benefit and, secondly, our willingness to sacrifice ourselves for others.

We are all individuals, and we express this in our careers, desires and needs and in the controls, we try and place on life and on others. This is self-love and can be a positive force for self-actualization but can often lead to negative consequences if not kept in balance, if followed at the expense of all else.

But we also have an inner burning need to be a part of the main, a part of mankind and to serve the greater good of groups and individuals and to feel loss with the loss of the one or the group. This is external love.

It is this external love focus that leads to a commitment to put one’s individual needs and desires on hold and that leads to a life of selfsacrifice and service to beliefs, tradition, family, society, country and mankind.

This desire to love the other reaches its fullest and noblest development when the desire to serve overpowers the need to express self and, to risk safety and one’s life in actions that express love for another.

Jesus commands this: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-

Canada's monument dedicated to peacekeepers.

13.) And as Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians, “without love I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).

Conflict between individuals, groups and nations that run the gamut from simple disagreement to violence and war are all an extension of self-love, often writ large, at the expense of the other.

This may be expressed in lack of understanding, racism, and hatred and is always structured in such a way so as to reduce or obscure the basic humanity of the other, to create black and white caricatures of good and evil, which are erected to justify the lack of love expressed.

Since the Second

Photo by Alistair Williamson

World War, the world has been exposed to a series of local, regional, national and international disputes, wars, civil wars, juntas and military takeovers fought over land, possessions, race, power and religion, often packaged by world powers as proxies for their own power plays to achieve regional influence, economic markets and world domination.

Attempts to defuse these conflicts has led to the development of peacekeeping used to great effect in the war in Korea and in other “theatres” (a horrible term suggesting that war is a game and entertainment) such as Afghanistan,

Cambodia, the Balkans the Congo, Cyprus, East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Gulf War, Haiti, Rwanda, Somalia and Syria.

Recently, the fall of Afghanistan has been seen by many as a failure of peacekeeping. But is the purpose of peacekeeping to ensure permanent peacekeeping or is it establish stable and selfactualizing societies?

If self- actualization was the intent for undertaking peacekeeping in Afghanistan, the intent was made in love and a generation of Afghans have lived in relative peace, safety and prosperity as a result. On that basis this example

of peacekeeping can be considered a success.

What comes after peacekeeping, is the responsibility of the one assisted and is not a permanent debt owed by the one giving the assistance to the assisted.

They are to be led to their feet, not helped up.

To use a biblical analogy, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the man who was robbed and left by the road has his wounds cleaned, is given transportation, food and lodging in love by a member of a hated ethnic group.

What later becomes of the man, saved by his neighbour is not, and should not, be a part of the story and should not be considered as a justification for the extending or the withholding of love.

In our world today violent conflict, economic competition and love of personal accumulation of economic power and goods have resulted in economic disparity, over enrichment at the expense of others, exploitation and, above all, destruction and misuse of the world’s resources and the environment.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, calls us to choose between sacrificing others for our own short-term gain, and sacrificing ourselves for the greater good of all and to choose the latter if we wish to be his followers.

May God give us the imagination and courage to make the choice to follow the, sometimes difficult, Christ-path of love for others rather than for ourselves.

Emmanuel & St. Chad offering many courses for all Submitted SASKATOON — Take a course, learn more and explore at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad.

Is God nudging you to find out more about Ministry Preparation?

People Interested in taking an Emmanuel and St. Chad course should call the College or email our Registrar, Lisa McInnis: esc.registrar@saskatoontheologicalunion.ca or 306- 975-1550.

A faculty member will follow up to make a per-

sonal connection and to answer any questions.

For most courses with an assigned class time, students will be able to participate remotely by video conferencing.

The option of in-class participation will open up as soon as it is safe.

Winter 2022 Term BE265 Minor Epistles (A. Wright) Tuesdays and

Thursdays 1:30-3:00pm SE381 Theology of Work and Money (I. Luke) Wednesdays 9-11:45am PE346 Advanced Pastoral Care for Individuals and Congregations and Theological Ref lection in Context (T. McCarthy) Thursdays 6:00-9:00pm BE378 Gospel of Luke (A. Wright) Jan. 10-14: This course is ideal for clergy since the Gospel of Luke will be the lectionary gospel for the coming year.

Lay people may find it to be a wonderful chance to prepare for the lectionary reading and learn about Luke more in-depth.

DLA Courses: (Distance Learning Asynchronous) BE105/BE106 Introductory Greek I/II (A. Wright) BE161 Introduction to New Testament (A. Wright) Credit courses $1,120; audit courses $560; lay team group (up to five people) $1,120.

January 2022

DIOCESE OF SASKATOON

Classes being offered for Saskatoon's ministry prep program SASKATOON — The Diocese of Saskatoon’s School of Discipleship “Ministry Preparation” Program is a part-time three-year Licentiate.

Students may begin with courses part way through the three-year cycle unless pre-requisites for a specific course are stated.

We will finish the first full complement for the ESC Licentiate in Theology in Spring 2023.

People wishing to take a course should consult with the School of Discipleship Coordinator.

People who sense a call to Diaconal or Priestly Ordination will go through the Diocesan Discernment Process ideally before the midway point of the individual’s program.

People from other dioceses are welcome to participate in these courses.

TO REGISTER, please sign up by sending your registration information to School’s Coordinator (tmccarthy@ sasktel.net) including: REGISTRATION in the subject line, the name and dates of the course for which you are registering, your name, snail-mail address, email address, phone number, parish name and town or city of your church.

If you have any questions contact the School of Discipleship Coordinator: Rev. Dr Trish McCarthy: tmccarthy@ sasktel.net / 306 370 8378, Or snail mail c/o School of Discipleship: 1403 – 9 th Ave. N. Saskatoon, SK S7K 2Z6.

One remaining fall 2021 course

Liturgy and Preaching I with Rev. Dr Iain Luke and Rev. Dr Trish McCarthy on Friday, Nov. 5 from 7- 9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on ZOOM and in-person.

Winter, Spring 2022

Liturgy and Preaching II with Rev.

Dr Iain Luke and Rev. Dr Trish McCarthy on Friday, Jan. 14 from 7 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., ZOOM and live.

Advanced Pastoral Theology & Pastoral Care with Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy on Thursdays from 6 – 9 p.m., Jan. 13 – March 31, 2022. ZOOM and in-person Ethics I and II held by ZOOM and in-person on Friday, March 4, from 7 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 5 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Friday, May 13, from 7 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 14 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Saskatchewan Anglican

9

Tali Falkins named new editor of Anglican Journal

By Anglican Journal staff TORONTO — An experienced Church House staffer has been promoted to head the Anglican Journal.

Tali Folkins, who has been a staff writer for the Journal since 2015, was named editor in the late fall, after serving as acting editor since Aug. 23.

Joseph Vesci, director of Communications and Information Resources for the national church, announced on Oct. 13 that Folkins had accepted the position.

He said Folkins’s “experience and understanding of General Synod, its

publications and the broader church will serve as valuable assets in his new role.”

The announcement follows staff shakeups at the Anglican Journal earlier this year. June saw the resignation of former editor Matthew Townsend and departure of staff writer Joelle Kidd.

A former reporter

for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal and Law Times, Folkins has contributed pieces to The Globe and Mail and the former United Church Observer (now known as Broadview).

His journalism career began at The Coast, a weekly newspaper based in Halifax. He also served for four years as a communications manager with the Royal Bank of Canada.

Folkins holds bachelor’s degrees in classics and journalism from the University of King’s College in Halifax as well as a master’s degree in classics from Dalhousie University.

10

The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

Learning more about Rev. Wendell Brock and family Learning more about Rev. Wendell Brock

By Mary Brown PRINCE ALBERT — The Rev. Wendell Brock came to the Diocese of Saskatchewan from the Diocese of Qu Appelle to be the incumbent in Meadow Lake and Loon Lake.

In September 2021 he was appointed to the parishes of St. George; Prince Albert, St. Stephen, MacDowall; Emmanuel, St. Louis; All Saints, Leask; St. Andrew, Shellbrook; and Christ Church in Canwood. He also fills in one Sunday a month for the diocese.

His wife Oda works for the Ministry of Health by helping people in emergency situations. They live in the rectory at St. George’s with their kids Jordan, 16, in Grade 11 at Carleton High; Josiah, 9, in Grade 4 at Princess Margaret; and Kayla, 6, at Ecole Valois. Oda also has an older daughter Brenda, 22, going to school in Montreal.

Question Favourite book of the Bible Birthplace What you love most about God Favourite place on Earth Farthest you’ve been from home Favourite Meal or dessert Biggest Fear Hidden Talent Favourite Book or Movie Your hobby Three things always in your fridge Favourite sports team

Rev. Wendell Brock (middle) poses with his family after a graduation ceremony.

Photo submitted

Oda’s answer Job and Jeremiah Rwanda, Africa His Mercy Rwanda – loves Canada it is a peaceful country Canada Anything (but ground beef and macaroni) Worries that her remaining siblings will die before her 85-year-old mum To help more people Courageous Cooking and Shopping Cheese, Fruit, Milk Vancouver Canucks, Roughriders

Wendell’s answer John and Isaiah Saskatoon His Grace and Love Would love to go to Israel where Jesus walked Crete and Africa Saskatoon berries desserts Not being able to support his family Singing The Bible, Remember the Titans Talking Cheese Fruit Milk Soccer – Hockey

Stewards of God's abundance

Beating the post-Christmas blues

By Kurtis Krug

The Ministry of Supervision Course

by Rev. Dr. Trish McCarthy from April 5-8, May 16-19, 2021 9:00am- 12:00pm, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Hybrid

This course is designed for those in the ordained ministry for five years or more with interest in passing on their wisdom and insights to parish interns.

Guest Speakers will cover some of the technical areas.

Course Delivery: 2 four-day modules, four weeks apart with reading and assignments in between.

Pre-Requisite: five years of half to full-time ordained ministry or the comparable based on consultation with instructor.

This type of course could interest experienced clergy in advanced studies.

S

oon we will have put away the Christmas tree, cleaned up the wrapping paper, taken down the Christmas decorations, and drunk the last of the eggnog (if we haven’t done that already).

We’ve just enjoyed a joyous Christmas holiday — spending quality time with our families, eating too much turkey, and giving gifts to our loved ones.

January now hits us with other considerations — whether we still fit into our pants, no more wonderful Christmas songs on the radio to enjoy, all the colourful Christmas lights are gone, and we’re experiencing the “post-Christmas blues.”

Yep, back into the reality of experiencing minus 30-degree Celsius going to work and coming home in the dark, and only one holiday between now and Easter. It’s no wonder that we try to cheer ourselves up by making unrealistic New Year’s resolutions – promises that, eventually, make us admit defeat.

We haven’t lost those

20 pounds, we didn’t use our expensive gym membership, we haven’t actually “changed the world” like we planned to do.

But wait — maybe we can make a New Year’s resolution that will both beat the post-Christmas blues and change our world! What made us feel so good during the Christmas season? It was the feeling we had when we did something for someone we care about or gave them a gift.

Why should that feeling have to end after Christmas? Here’s a way to have that feeling all year long — let’s continually give some of our time, talent and/or treasure to our favourite parish and enjoy the feeling that gives us all year long.

We all saw the news stories at Christmas about charities being gifted with donations from generous donors. These stories are replaced in the New Year with stories about those same charities now being in desperate need of money to continue their important missions.

I’m on the boards of both religious and other

charitable organizations and I’ve noticed that their budgets are all similar.

They project losses at the start of the year and (hope to) recover those by the end of the year.

This type of budgeting for a charity is unsettling at best and crippling at worst.

What happens if that early shortfall in revenues isn’t made up later in the year? How can that charity continue to offer its muchneeded mission in the community with negative cash flow?

What they need are donors to give generously at the beginning of the year, and for that generosity to continue regularly throughout the year. So, a New Year’s resolution that we can keep is to support these worthwhile charities all year, starting now.

We know all of the wonderful things our parishes do for our communities, and that is a great way for us to support their good work.

Maybe we’re behind on our envelope offerings for our parishes. Why? For one thing, the pandemic Continued next page

January 2022

DIOCESE

The Saskatchewan Anglican

OF SASKATCHEWAN

Diocese imposes vaccine mandate on all staff g Congratulations to David and Emily Butorac on the birth of their beautiful baby girl on Nov. 14 at 1 a.m. following an emergency C-section.

Her name is EvaMarie Virginia Butorac, 7 lbs 15oz. We wish them a happy life. g The Diocese of Saskatchewan will be hosting the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land Synod from April 28 to May 1 in Prince Albert.

The theme of the synod will connect our journey of Truth and Reconciliation.

There are plans for some very special guests.

Volunteers are needed for various jobs such as setting up, welcoming and reception, housekeeping, porters, chauffeurs, and office staff. Please contact Barb at the Synod Office to volunteer. g As of Nov. 28, 2021, the diocese gave permission for communicants to partake in communion in both kinds, including

the common cup for all.

Parishioners were not required to receive from the common cup unless they felt comfortable doing so. g On Nov. 25, the executive passed a resolution that, on the basis of their discussion, the committee requested Bishop Michael Hawkins to create a policy regarding COVID-19 vaccination for deacons, priests and diocesan employees.

Parishes were asked to send feedback to the office or participate in an open Zoom meeting.

As a result of these discussions, a letter was sent to the parishes advising them that effective Dec, 1 those leading public worship shall wear a mask at all times during the service.

Meanwhile, all diocesan employees and all bishops, priests and deacons serving with the licence, permission or commission of the Bishop of Saskatchewan, as a condition of employment and ordained ministry to provide to the synod office, must provide proof of full vaccination by Dec.

... Beating the post-Christmas blues Continued from page 10 has prevented most of us from attending church to put anything in the offering plate. Regardless of the reason, many of us are playing catch-up with our offerings. Now is a great time to give a lump sum donation to our parish to get us back on track with our donations.

To make it easier for us to give regularly, let’s also ask our envelope secretaries, or whoever handles our parishes’ donations, to sign us up for automatic monthly giving. This is very easy to set up, change, cancel, or increase, and it’s confidential.

It allows us to continue to give to our parishes regularly no matter our circumstances. We can attend our church services in person or virtually and

know that we are still a valuable contributing member to our parish.

Our parishes will appreciate this because they will be able to budget for their missions more effectively.

So there you have it: you have successfully beat the post-Christmas blues and made a rock-solid New Year’s resolution that will make you feel great and allow your favourite parish to continue to offer their valuable programs – mission accomplished!

I can always be reached for questions or comments at kurtis.krug@ freedom55financial.com or 306-581-9734 Kurtis Krug, B.A. Hons (Econ), PFP, professional financial advisor; chairman of the Board of Trustees, Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

15, 2021, or proof of initial (first dose) vaccination by Dec. 15 and proof of full vaccination by Feb. 15.

Or, proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test result performed by a certified health-care provider every 84 hours starting Dec. 11.

Failure to provide the required proof of vaccination or of testing will result in the employee being placed on unpaid leave and all permissions and licences of the cleric being withdrawn until proof of compliance with this policy is provided. g On March 25 and 26, 2022 the diocese will hold a Diocesan Synod. If you are interested in volunteering to be on the Synod Planning Committee please contact Barb.

Calling all Clergy!

Refresh Your Knowledge: Get Ready to Preach from The Gospel of Luke Daytime: January 10 to 14, 2022 Hybrid Delivery: In person and online Instructor: Dr. Adam Wright Emmanuel and St. Chad’s New Testament Professor Register with Lisa McInnis: (306) 975 - 1550

Find the resources you need to

Grow in Faith • Amazing selection of books • Gifts for baptism, confirmation and more!

• Devotional articles • Home decor • Candles including 100% beeswax • School and church resources

437 2nd Avenue North Saskatoon, SK S7K 2C1 Local 306.384.1924 Toll Free 1.888.316.8648 info@ucssask.com www.ucssask.com

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12

The Saskatchewan Anglican

January 2022

Volunteers at Immanuel Anglican Church unload dinners from Charlotte's Catering and prepare for customers at the drive-thru turkey supper.

Photo by Nigel Salway

Drive-thru turkey supper starts new tradition

By Beverly Spencer REGINA — Immanuel Parish held a modern version of the traditional parish turkey supper, with a catered, drive-thru event on Nov. 6. It was so successful

that the committee is recommending the parish repeat the event next fall.

The full turkey supper with cheesecake for dessert was cooked and packaged

by Charlotte’s Catering, a family-run business in

Moose Jaw. The parish committee began planning and promoting in September, with advertising on social media and traditional parish announcements.

Tickets — $20 per meal

— had to be purchased in advance. More than 300 tickets were sold.

On Saturday afternoon, a busy crew of parishioners gathered in the church parking lot to direct traffic, take tickets, dispense meals

and provide support.

At the debriefing meeting after, members heard many positive comments from customers, which encouraged them to plan a drive-thru dinner in October 2022.

Social isolation adds to stresses of current climate

By Rev. Lauren Miller, RN, BSN, MCS, MEd

F

or many people, the metaphors of Advent seemed especially poignant last year. As we read and talked about waiting in darkness and looking for a light to shine, it may have seemed that this is more of a reality than we would choose.

For many, this pandemic has dragged on far longer than we thought. There is a sense that hope keeps fleeing away as one wave follows another, and as predictions for the future become less promising and more tentative.

Loss has become a common experience over the past few years. For some, that is a loss of goals and dreams, for others it is a loss of financial stability, but for all of us there has been some loss of interpersonal connection.

Even before the pandemic, loneliness and isolation were identified as a major problem in many countries including our own. These last couple of years have only served to intensify the issue.

For some people, the lockdowns and subsequent concerns about the ensuing waves have significantly

limited their interactions with others. A number of things have made isolation an easy reality to slip into.

The availability of online shopping and curbside pickup, travel restrictions, visiting restrictions in care homes, and working from home have all played a part in the growing struggle with isolation that many Canadians now face.

Disconnection

Even though many of us use technology to try to enhance contact in these challenging times, there is a growing sense of disconnection. People have recognized for some time that even frequent use of social media and technology can leave us feeling very alone at the end of the day.

When we do meet in person, there is a sense of disconnection with social distance and use of masks.

While these measures are important in slowing the virus, they also bring a loss of connection through physical touch and facial expression.

Part of the problem with this pandemic is that many people have been slowly slipping down the slope of isolation and loneliness without realizing how far

they have gone. At first, we isolated with the hope that this would be short lived.

As subsequent waves hit, other lockdowns came, public health restrictions were lifted and then reintroduced, people didn’t realize each event was further challenging their ability to cope.

We know there is clear evidence a strong support system is important to maintain emotional, social, spiritual and physical health. So it stands to reason that if our support systems were weak to start, any challenges in this pandemic have only served to put us in a place where we are at higher risk of having negative outcomes.

Stress adds up

It is important to remember that stress is cumulative; it adds up in our lives. Several small stressful events can equal the impact of a large one.

For many people, December naturally brought levels of stress that challenge our abilities to cope. The holiday season was difficult for many people. We may have struggled with feelings of disappointment or discouragement after what was supposed to have been

a joyous holiday season.

Decreasing hours of daylight can impact our emotional and physical state dramatically.

If we add these seasonal stressors to the emotional drain of being afraid to hope anymore and the challenge of losing contact with our social support systems, we can be left overwhelmed by the stress we are experiencing.

For many people, this stress will become evident through signs of anxiety and/or depression.

Disrupted sleep patterns, not being able to concentrate, becoming focused on worries and fears, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, loss of interest in normal activities, withdrawing from those who we still encounter, and not taking care of ourselves are just a few of the symptoms we may begin to notice.

Instrument of peace

With all these very real risks we face these days, we can find strength in the prayer of St. Francis.

“Lord, let me be an instrument of your peace.”

We need to find ways to be instruments of God’s peace both to ourselves and to

others around us.

As we stop and reflect we might notice signs of isolation and stress impacting our lives. If so, we need to care for ourselves. That means reaching out to safe places and people to ask for help.

This safe place might well be our faith community.

We also need to reflect on the people around us.

Are we seeing signs of isolation and stress taking a toll in us? Then we need to find safe ways to reach out and be an instrument of peace to them.

In Advent we were reminded to look for light in darkness. Christmas reminded us that the light often comes in simple, unexpected ways.

This New Year, let us be encouraged that the little things we do for ourselves and others can be instruments of God’s peace in these challenging days.

Rev. Lauren Miller is associate priest at St. Andrew’s-Trinity, Anglican/Lutheran Church, Rosetown, and Holy Cross Anglican Church, Eston. He is also nursing instructor – Practical Nursing and Continuing Care Assistant Programs, Great Plains College, Biggar Program Centre.