Anglican Life JANUARY 2016

1JANUARY 2016

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

A Section of the AnglicAn JournAlanglicanlifeNEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

January 2016

“I am the light of the world! You people come and follow me!If you follow and loveYou’ll learn the mystery of whatYou were meant to do and to be.”

Photo Copyright: Nancy Bauer | Shutterstock

The Most Rev’d Percy Coffin

ArchbishopWestern Newfoundland

“And unto him offered myrrh,incense, and gold.”

Arise, Shine, for your Light has come

A man is getting wea-ry as he browses through a shopping mall when he comes upon an escalator. As he draws near he notices a caution sign: Dogs Must be Carried on the Escalator. Besides being tired he gets a bit anxious, desperate even, as he looks around muttering to himself, “Where am I going to find a dog?”

The ancient Romans had a wide range of gods. –Among them was the god of door-ways named Janus. He is the fellow you see with two faces; one that looks forward and one that looks behind. He is also known as the god of beginnings and endings. It makes sense therefore that the month that opens the New Year is named “January” and “janitors” are the keepers of doorways.

Being the god of begin-nings Janus was given high praise when crops were sown, when they were harvested and when a child was born. We tend to get excited with new beginnings because they are opportunities to do better than we did before.

The early church had sim-ilar expectations. In the times that followed the Day of Pen-tecost the church struggled with its identity and purpose. The early church faced the perils of persecution just for being what it was and skepti-cism ran amok. Anything that resembled a second chance was welcomed.

With the celebration of the Saviour of the world fresh in our minds we vividly con-

sider our second chances as we look behind and before. God’s mightiest acts lead us on to this pattern of thought. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and gave them a second chance as a priestly people. Years later prophets rose and kingdoms fell. Again God acted in a way God never acted before as his plan of salvation is revealed not to kings and prophets, the rich and famous, but to shepherds. Question: Where is God’s ho-liness revealed? Answer: In a limestone cave. (The notion of an elaborate wooden barn is likely fictional. Wood was scarce while the abounding soft limestone lent itself to natural caves and caverns for shepherds, sheep and rejected hotel guests.) This is where the Word became flesh, wrapped in rags lying in a feeding trough. This is why Mike Curry, the newly appointed presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church pro-claimed, “The way of Jesus will always turn our worlds and the world upside down, which is really right side up.”

This is our second chance. As we cross the threshold of a new year we remind ourselves that God is not finished with us yet. Creation is not over and done with nor is redemp-tion over and done with. As a baptized community we need not take on the task of theologically explain God as source and rigidly adhering to an ancient ethical code. Our task is to take part in the creating redeeming Kingdom of God, where it is least likely to appear.

It matters not that the man rode the escalator without a dog but it does matter that he would carry the dog he might have.

Voices United #87

Happy New Year,

+ Percy Western Newfoundland

JANUARY 20162


Time and Prayer

Rev’d Gregory Mercer

Columnist

The A.C.W. ladies of St. James Church in Port aux Basques handmade 52 quilts to be donated to the Janeway Hospital, and to Ronald MacDonald House. These quilts were blessed by the Rev’d Clayton Billard at our Church Service on November 1, 2015. Thank you to all the ladies who made these quilts, and thank you to everyone who donated materials and monetary gifts. May they bring some comfort, warmth, and love to the children who will receive them.Photograph and article submitted by Lisa Brown.

Front row: Phoebe Payne, Fayne KeepingSecond row: Edna Read, Bessie Blackmore, Alma Porter, Claudine MatthewsThird row: Myrtle Strangemore, Loretta Skeard, Diane Hewitt, Gertie Tapp

Quilts for comfort

Time is an enemy of prayer and so is ev-erything that time rep-resents – interruptions, meetings, etc. It is an enemy of setting aside quality time with God. When we have to accom-modate time we tend to leave the most important things out. Look to Je-sus and see what prayer meant to him. He prayed when he was most busy. There was always an ur-gency to Jesus ministry; only so much time to ac-complish what the Father sent him to do. We get a glimpse of the demands on his earthly ministry in the Gospel of John, 10:16, where Jesus says, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (RSV). Busyness then is not an excuse. And while there were times when Jesus’ quiet time with God and his disci-ples were interrupted by the crowds this was the exception to his pattern of life.

Early in the morn-ing and again at noon Je-sus would send his disci-ples away and he would depart to the garden of Gethsemane or ascend to some mountain top and there he would enter into fellowship with God whom he called ‘Father’ or ‘Heavenly Father.’ And it wasn’t always a matter of talking but listening; just being present to God. The psalmist says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). The busier Jesus was and the more urgent his work, the more he need-ed to pray. So what is this

claptrap about “I am too busy” or “If I don’t do it, it will not get done.” What can be more important than setting aside time to enter into prayer and fellowship with God? Really?

Saint Paul tells us to pray without ceasing. But make no mistake, this is not a substitute for qui-et time with God. What the apostle Paul is talking about is God’s awareness and an attitude in which our lives can become a prayer. That we live in an awareness of his pres-ence is a great blessing. I often find myself praying for people throughout the day, even offering up prayers of thanks-giving and adoration as I drive along in my car. But that is no substitute for reading and praying the psalms, the daily office, or even enjoying a beautiful sunrise on a cool and crisp autumn day breathing the air and giving thanks to God for his creation.

What did Jesus pray about when he was alone with his Heavenly Father? Note chapter seventeen of the Gospel of John, what we call the ‘High Priestly Prayer.’ In this prayer by Jesus we see elements of proc-lamation, thanksgiving, and petition. Here we witness the quality of the relationship between Father and Son. The prayer is also a plea for unity among believers, both present and future believers. Finally, it is also a call to be holy. Jesus wants us to live in hope. How could this be if we don’t take the time to nurture our own rela-tionship with the Father – daily?

The presence of prayer has many side effects for others. But equally important, God’s peace and presence for our own lives is a pro-cess of spending time – intentionally -- in God’s company. Charles Allen wrote, “The better ac-quainted you become with God, the less ten-sions you feel and the more peace you pos-sess” (exert from Man of Prayer).

3JANUARY 2016


Editorial

Emily F. Rowe

Editor

I need to begin by thanking all of the people who have offered me their congratulations on my new position as the Editor of Anglican Life. I would like to also thank the three Bishops of this province, and Bishop Donald Young, for asking me to take this position. Finally, I would also like to thank Fr. Sam Rose, who has been so very supportive during this time of transition.

I am looking forward to editing your paper for you, and I look forward to reading the articles that you send in to me for pub-lication. Keep the stories coming, Newfoundland and Labrador!

And what better time to talk about telling our stories than in the win-ter? We’ve just experi-enced the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Winter can last a long time here along our beloved rocky coastline in the North Atlantic, and we have become a society of rich storytellers, eager to cozy in around the fire and enjoy each other’s com-pany (and a bit of good

food!) I need your help to tell the stories of the Anglican Church in New-foundland and Labrador. This paper connects us as Anglicans throughout the three dioceses, and helps to maintain our strong Anglican heritage through communities that are often cut off from each other by weather or by distance. We can support each oth-er through our paper, and I am here to help with that. We can get ideas from each other, and from the outside Church. Our own Anglican Life comes pack-aged with The Anglican Journal, and so connects us to each other, and to the rest of the Anglican Church of Canada, and even to the wider Anglican Communion.

That’s another thing that people in this prov-ince love: making con-nections with each oth-er. Where two or three are gathered together, they quickly discover new cousins and other family connections. The desire to connect with each oth-er is almost overwhelm-ing, but is also one of the most amazing things that I have discovered about the people of these three dioceses since moving to the province more than ten years ago.

I know that you’re doing amazing work out there in the Anglican Dioceses of Western Newfoundland, of Central Newfoundland, and of Eastern Newfound-land and Labrador. We will work together, support each other, get new ideas, and make connections along the way to further God’s Kingdom in this place.

Rajan’s TouchSubmitted by

The Rev’d David Burrows

Rajan’s touchSome have come who need your help And some have come to make amends,As hands which shaped and saved the world Are present in the touch of friends.

John Bell, Iona Community ©WGRG 1989

Between 1978 and 1980 while living in Iqaluit, NT, I experienced transfor-mation in a lifelong friend-ship with Rajan Singh, a boy from India, a Hindu, and a schoolmate. In the course of our friendship we shared our common love of food, sweets, dinky cars, Lego ©, and all things Star Wars ©. Once a month our family would go to his home for a meal, I would experience the most amaz-ing tastes and flavours. By 1980, Rajan had developed leukemia. He and his family moved to Montreal while he stayed at the children’s hospital. We wrote back and forth for two years, until he died.

This childhood friend-ship has helped shape my experience of the world to date, most especially in my relations with other cul-tures and religions. I look to people’s eyes and hearts before I look anywhere else, and in that, I try most earnestly to understand, empathize, and journey together with others. Jean Vanier, in his book Becom-ing Human (CBC Massey Lectures Series 1998) fur-

ther cements my under-standing as he relates,

“We human beings are all fundamentally the same. We all belong to a common, broken humanity. We all have wounded, vulnerable hearts. Each one of us needs to feel appreciated and understood; we all need help.”

It is in this spirit that I attended the Masjid al-Noor Muslim Mosque on November 20, one week after the deadly attacks in Paris that murdered 130 souls.

I went to stand in sol-idarity with friends; to lament the evil and bro-kenness in the world, and to show my affirmation and love for the Muslim community in Newfound-land and Labrador and throughout the world. I was welcomed, with other

guests, and made to feel honoured and supported by all whom I encountered.

In the course of the prayers and preaching, I listened intently to the tone and spirit of those gath-ered. The themes offered were of peace, justice, forgiveness, and healing. Those in prayer stood side by side, in solidarity with all the suffering in Paris, and throughout the world.

I believe some of us in the world are far too quick to equate difference with mistrust, unfamiliarity with suspicion. This leads to fur-ther alienation of cultures and peoples in our con-text. We need to cultivate friendship, and learn from the world around us.

I thank God each day for Rajan, for Muhammad Nazir and the Muslim Community in Newfound-land and Labrador, for the friendship that is offered and received.

The Rev’d David Burrows (centre) at the Masjid al-Noor Muslim Mosque

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JANUARY 20164


ANGLICAN LIFE in Newfoundland and Labrador is the newspaper of the Anglican Church in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. A co-operative effort of the three Dioceses in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is publishes ten issues each calendar year with an independent editorial policy.

Anglican Life is a section of the Anglican Journal

Editor:Mrs. Emily F. Rowe9 Darling StreetSt. John’s, NLA1B 1V7Email: [email protected]

Advertising Rates and other information may be obtained from:Bishop Donald Young34 Fraser Road, Gander, NL, A1V 2E8Phone: (709) 256-7701Email: [email protected] Paid Subscription Rates: Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00Outside the province: $20.00International: $25.00

New subscriptions, cancellations, & changes of address should be sent to: CirculationThe Anglican Journal (attn. Bev Murphy)80 Hayden Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2 (416) 924-9192 (O) (416) 925-8811 (fax)Email: [email protected]

Each parish is responsible for maintaining its own subscription list - please notify your parish office of any changes. Changes sent to parish offices may take months to take effect. Please also send your updated information to Circulation at the Anglican Journal (above) or to Don Young at 34 Fraser Road, Gander NL A1V 2E8.

Articles and photographs: Send to the Editor (above)

Letters to the Editor: Send to the Editor, (address as above). All letters must include the writer’s name, address, and telephone number. Telephone numbers will not be published. Anglican Life does not publish letters under nom de plume. Letters should not exceed 300 words (one double spaced typewritten page), and are subject to editing at the discretion of the editor.

These policies were adopted by the Anglican Life Committee.

Layout & Design by: The Editor

Printed and Mailed by:Webnews Printing Inc.8 High Meadow PlaceNorth York, ON, M9L 2Z5

Circulation: 19,500

Induction in Port RextonAn Induction Service was held at St. Andrew’s Church in the Parish of Port Rexton, to celebrate the arrival of their new full time minister, the Rev’d John E. K. Nicolle. The Regional Dean, the Rev’d Shaun O’Conner, presided over the ceremonies, assisted by clergy from throughout the Deanery, along with lay readers, wardens and others from the parish. Also included in the service were members of the Trinity East - Port Rexton CLB Company # 3805, which has been part of the parish for over 100 years. Members of the congregation gathered at the Community Recreation Hall following the service for a social and fellowship.

Article byCecil Piercey

Members of the C. L. B. present water for baptism to the Rev’d John Nicolle

Lay Readers present prayer books to the Rev’d John Nicolle

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5JANUARY 2016


The Rev’d Michael Li

ColumnistI attended Confirma-

tion classes at the age of 16. Then I decided against Confirmation at the end of my six-month instructions. The Vicar and my parents did not pressure me to receive this sacrament. Six years later I was confirmed by Archbishop William Wright of Algoma. In my case I was not ready for such an important step in my Christian walk at the age of 16.

Throughout my ac-tive Parish ministry (1973-2007) I had prepared many young people between the ages of 12 and 15 for Confirmation. I always asked the question why they wanted to be con-firmed. Here were some of their answers: to become a server, to learn more about God/Jesus, to receive Holy Communion, to be a true Christian, to make my par-ents happy, to want God to notice me, to go to heaven, to be able stay home on Sundays after Confirma-tion, to join the choir, to graduate from Sunday School, to have a good experience, to help peo-ple, everybody is getting confirmed at the age of 12, etc. Ready or not, they all got confirmed. Some of them became servers until they graduated from high school. Some contin-ued to attend church with their family. Unfortunately most of them and their parents graduated from church soon after Confir-mation.

Let us spend a moment to think about Confirma-tion. In the early church, the rite of Baptism general-ly included the laying on of hands. Baptism and Con-firmation were two parts of one rite. Today’s practice of confirming young ado-lescents occurs when most kids are not quite ready to take responsibility for their

own faith. Most of them are not ready to affirm their own baptismal vows.

In September 1977, the Synod of the Diocese of Toronto requested the Diocesan Doctrine and Worship Committee to produce a study paper attempting to clarify our thinking about the place of Confirmation and its relationship to Baptism. This important document affirms three things about Confirmation: (a) Confir-mation is an appropriate way of reaffirming the Bap-tism administered to one not old enough to answer for oneself. (b) Confir-mation is an appropriate rite for marking the entry into a distinctively new dimension of Christian life or mission. (c) Confir-mation is an appropriate rite for the restoration to communicant fellowship of one who has previously abandoned it.

The role of Confirma-tion is to reaffirm faith rath-er than to confirm it. While Confirmation should be a rite of mature profession of faith, the Diocesan doc-ument also points out that Confirmation is not a stage of initiation. It is not a prerequisite for sharing in Holy Communion. It is not a ceremony for grad-uating out of Christian education. No one should ever graduate out of Chris-tian education. It is not a puberty rite. It is not an unrepeatable act. It is not the Bishop’s chief ministry. In 1979, the Diocese of To-ronto allowed children and adults to begin to receive Holy Communion prior to Confirmation.

The problems related to Confirmation have not gone away with the ad-mission of non-Confirmed people to Holy Com-munion . A nat i ona l church task force on Con-firmation was established in 1989. The 1989 survey found, in most Anglican parishes, that more than two-thirds of people con-firmed at or after the age of 18 remained active in the church. But few of the 12 to 15 year olds had con-tinued church activity after Confirmation. The task force report questioned Confirmation as a suitable rite for young adolescents. Should we continue to pre-pare young adolescents for Confirmation today?

Thinking about Confirmation Exploring Faith students in Labrador receive certificates

Submitted byThe Rev’d Jonathan Rowe

The Rev’d Jonathan Rowe (Director, Exploring Faith), Linda Bottaro, Peter Reccord, Douglas Kean, The Rev’d Jolene Peters (Local Education Group Facilitator and Labrador Director)

Although they had been unable to attend the Queen’s College Convocation in Octo-ber, three Labrador stu-dents also received cer-tificates for their work in the Exploring Faith Program. Linda Bottaro, Douglas Kean, and Peter Reccord have been part of the program since its beginning in January 2013, and have recently completed their ninth module.

Exploring Faith is an innovative program of formation for Disciple-ship and Ministry that originated in the Dio-cese of Bangor, Wales, and became part of the Queen’s College course offerings last fall. Grounded in reflective practice and the experi-ence of Local Education Groups, the program is an excellent preparation for ordained ministry, licensed lay ministry, or for those seeking a more intentional pro-cess of discipleship as ‘ordinary Christians’. Students have three exit points: after two years with a Certificate, after four years with a Diploma, or after six years with a Bachelor of Theology.

Unlike the emphasis on independent study in a traditional correspon-

dence course, Explor-ing Faith emphasizes the community experi-ence of the Local Edu-cation Group. Like the first disciples gathered around Jesus, students are formed in a ‘school of discipleship.’ The Lo-cal Education Group al-lows groups of students who are geographically remote to have access to the same experience as the Exploring Faith students in St. John’s. Groups may be set up at the parish level, in a partnership or cluster of

parishes, on the Dean-ery or Archdeaconry level.

More information about Exploring Faith is available from the Rev’d Dr. Alex Faseruk, Interim Administrator of Queen’s College, or from the Rev’d Jonathan Rowe, Director of the Program.

JANUARY 20166


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News from LabradorFamily Day in Labrador West

Carolyn Wells with her children Meredith and Benjamin. Natasha Rumbolt and her children Colin and Jenna.

Peter and Shelly Kelly and their children Noah and Zoe.

Logan Hobbs

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On Saturday Novem-ber 21st the parish of Labrador West held the third annual Advent Fam-ily Day. This year families gathered at St. Paul’s church to make their very own Advent Calendar. The idea behind this craft was to coincide with the chocolate advent calendars that children so much look forward to each Advent season. Each day leading up to Christmas they will reveal a Scripture verse leading to the birth of Christ. The families who

gathered together were supplied with the ma-terials needed and to-gether made their own unique calendars that they can use every year for Advent. We ended the day with a pizza sup-per and our children and adults thoroughly enjoyed this chance to spend an afternoon to-gether as families and create something that will help them prepare for the birth of our Lord and the true meaning of this Advent Season.

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7JANUARY 2016


Confirmation in Labrador West

Ordination of Chesley Lethbridge

Chesley of Labrador

On Monday November 30th celebrating the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle the Archdeaconry of Labra-dor gathered together for one of the most memorable and wonderful celebrations, The Ordination to the Sa-cred Priesthood of Reverend Chesley G. Lethbridge. Rev-erend Chesley was ordained a Deacon in the parish of Lake Melville, Goose Bay in 2003. A true servant, a man of God and a friend to all who are blessed to get to meet him, Chesley was born on March 15th 1930 in Paradise River. He later went to boarding School in Cart-wright and at age twenty-two married his wife Evelyn and had three children. He now resides in Happy Valley NL. He has had many jobs in his lifetime but through all of that there is no doubt that God was at the forefront of his life. It was when he retired in 1995 that he decided to further his education by studying theology for five years, receiving an Associate in Theology Degree. He has

since written and published two books which are a rec-ommendation for anyone to read. What more can be said about Chesley except that for 75 years he has been involved in church work and is a true servant of God. To be in his presence is to know

the Love of the Lord who shines through in his life. Bishop Geoff Peddle along with the Diocesan Executive officer Archdeacon Sam Rose, the Diocesan Examin-ing Chaplain Reverend By-ron Barter and the Clergy of Labrador gathered together

along with his family, friends and parish to celebrate with Chesley in his Ordination. There was a great sense of joy and honour to be felt that evening as we took part in this wonderful occasion in our church. I know I can speak for the Archdeaconry

of Labrador when I say that our thoughts and prayers will be with Reverend Chesley in the days to come as he lives out this new ministry along with his Rector Archdeacon Nellie Thomas in his parish of Lake Melville, Goose Bay NL.


These twelve young people received the sacrament of Confirmation on November 29th in the parish of Labrador West. They made their own stoles to wear, and incorporated symbols of their own choosing to represent what confirmation meant to them.

The Ven. Nellie Thomas, The Rev’d Chesley Lethbridge, Bishop Geoffrey Peddle, and the Rev’d Jolene Peters

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JANUARY 20168


James Balfour’s ministry in Harbour Grace and Carbonear

David Davis

ColumnistIn the year 1774-75, the

Mission of Harbour Grace and Carbonear, also called the Mission of Conception Bay, became vacant. Mr Lawrence Coughlin, the mis-sionary at Harbour Grace, returned to England that year to meet with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, the body in control of English overseas mission-aries, and he resigned.

The Rev’d Mr Balfour, who was met at Trinity in the last issue of Anglican Life as the missionary for Trinity Bay, asked to be transferred to Harbour Grace and Car-bonear. Mr Balfour cited the terrible state of the economy in Trinity Bay, due to a terrible cod fishery the previous year, as a reason for his request. He could have applied to the courts for the fees owing by his parishioners collected as a debt due, as was often done in Newfoundland and in English colonies, but he did not want to take this step.

In 1775-76 when Mr Bal-four reached his new mission in Conception Bay he had to face a new reality. The ef-fect of Mr Coughlin’s tenure there had split the mission between the Anglicans in Harbour Grace, and those dissenting from the Angli-can church (Methodists) in Carbonear and in the settle-ments on the north shore. The people on the north shore wanted a Methodist teacher. Mr Coughlin, be-fore he came to Newfound-land, had been a Methodist preacher in Ireland.

Also Mr Balfour’s house was on lease, so he couldn’t use it because of legal issues, and because of distension among the people. He suc-ceeded in Harbour Grace, in spite of the problem of “½ licentioness , ½ enthusisms” meaning “ ½ wild living, ½ Methodism”. (sic) Also he

complained about his salary, a constant problem for mis-sionaries as the cost of living was high in Newfoundland.

Mr Balfour got the priest’s house back in 1778, but the people thought that they owned the house, not the church. Opposition abated, and Mr Balfour had a success when he acquired Edward Freeman to be the school-master in Harbour Grace, and had him paid by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Mr Freeman had already taught before being hired by the Society.

There was a terrible de-sire by parents that their chil-dren not lose the education that they had carried from England to Newfoundland. The schoolmaster at Harbour Grace had a high reputation, having often had boarding students (e.g. John Bray).

In 1782 there was a de-crease in the population of the area (3000 out of 6500), and the turbulent time led to much emigration to America. Also, the French conquest of Newfoundland had resulted in the deporting of much of the English population, but the population usually rebounded quickly.

Disruption caused by the Seven Years War may have caused the movement of part of the population from Conception Bay, as it was one of the prime areas ravaged by French invasions in those years.

At this time there was a school at Port de Grave, and another in Carbonear. Mr. George Fullilove was the schoolmaster at Harbour Grace for a few years. This probably means that school took place outside of the fishing season in order not to disrupt the family economy, which was mostly from cod fishing.

During those years Mr Balfour did several rounds of Conception Bay to visit his parishioners. He sometimes

traveled around four times a year, and sometimes as many as ten times a year.

At this time, half of the population of the bay was Roman Catholic, which means that most these peo-ple came from Ireland. There were 1000 members of the Church of England, and also many Methodists. In 1787 William Lampen began his long tenure as schoolmaster at Harbour Grace.

At this same time, there two bad years for field crops, which were pretty important as imported foods were extremely rare in Newfound-land, and really out of reach for ordinary people. Also, 1000 new people arrived in the spring as a result of the peace treaty in Europe be-tween England and France.

In 1793 the population was 1293 males, and 1131 females and 400 children; ledgers show 3772 Protes-tants, and 2654 Roman Cath-olics. The first list of males, females and children would have been connected to householders, while lodg-ers may have been males, servants, or bye-boat fishers who crossed the Atlantic Ocean every year to fish from the shore in their own boats, on their own account, or fishing servants.

In 1790 there was an-other bad year in the fishery, but more important for Mr Balfour was his bad health. In those years, the remedies for sickness were very few and probably not available in Newfoundland. He had been in Newfoundland for 30 years, and he was re-leased to come home with his salary. There would no further pay for a missionary in Conception Bay.

@anglicanlife

Kevin Smith

ColumnistI was encouraged re-

cently about the number of parishes that have signed up to accept refugee families from war torn Syria. This is no small commitment and re-quires an initial $20,000 and a crew of volunteers to assist the families once they arrive here. That means support for the families 24 hours a day – seven days a week - for a full year. This involves everything from helping them find hous-ing to filling out the many ap-plications for medical cards etc. Other congregations are donating funds to help the successful parishes deal with the cost.

This is a good thing to be doing and certainly falls into the category of doing God’s work!

Another Christian out-reach that sprang up in 2015 was the Furniture Bank on the northeast Avalon called Home Again. This organiza-tion is a child of the Eastern Diocese’s Society and Justice committee chaired by Rev Canon David Burrows of the Parish of the Ascension. Es-sentially Home Again is a non profit organization that aims to fill a gap in services for our most vulnerable citizens. They provide gently used fur-niture and household items to individuals and families in need. So far Home Again has helped furnish over 35 households for newcomers, those escaping abusive sit-uations, recent inmates and the un- or under-employed. Through a cycle of giving

and receiving, Home Again not only furnishes homes but also helps to empower individuals and families as they rebuild their lives.

Home Again works in partnership with commu-nity agencies and shelters to assist individuals who require furniture and house-hold goods for their homes. Their partner agencies play a critical role by helping to screen potential f u r n i -ture recipients. This helps the organization focus on their commitment to en-sure that those in transition have access to furniture and household items so that they can concentrate on future success.

They have requested peo-ple to consider donating all kinds of furniture from dressers, tables, chairs, dish-es, pots and pans and bed linens as well as a whole host of other items. They do not accept items that are soiled or stained, damaged by pets, broken or ripped, or from a smoker’s home.

They also need dona-tions to continue this wor-thy work. A charitable tax receipt will be issued for monetary donations. Dona-tions can be made payable to Parish of the Ascension – Home Again Furniture Bank Outreach. The address is 58 Smallwood Drive, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 1B1.You can contact them by email at [email protected] or by cal l ing Amy Tulk at 330-7070 or Maureen Lymburner at 325-4040.

This would rank well up there in the Church’s mis-sion to social outreach and is definitely worthy of support.

“It’s easier for a child to dream if they have a bed to sleep in.”

Kevin Smith is a gift planning consultant with the Anglican Church of Canada. He can be reached at (709) 739-5667 or by email: [email protected].

A Great Social Outreach

9JANUARY 2016


Pastoral Care Week in Port aux Basques a big success

back row: Father Lainey, The Rev’d Colbourne, and the Rev’d Petten front row: Joy Francis, and Maria Janes

Article byKaren Simon The week of October

26 to 30 was Pastoral Care Week at the Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Centre in Port aux Basques. A display table was set up in the main lobby in order to inform visitors and staff about the pas-toral services that are offered by the Clergy in the area of healthcare. It also was an opportunity for the Clergy to come together in fellowship, and spend some time with the staff and the patients.

On Thursday, and again on Friday, the Rev’d Mary Rose Colbourne of-fered a “Blessing of the Hands” service, and a nutritional break for the staff. It was a wonderful week, and it helped to bring the staff, the pa-tients, and the clergy closer together.

Pastor Ball, and Father Lainey

Happy New Year!

Ron Clarke

ColumnistHere we go again!

Fireworks, wild parties, etc.! It ’s “Happy New Year” time.

We h u m a n s a r e “strange”, very “strange” aren’t we?

How vigorously, phys-ically, we celebrate New Year’s Eve!

What and why are we celebrating??

We celebrate, I sup-pose, because some of us have survived another troublesome, dangerous year. 2015 has been, for thousands, millions even, no picnic!

We survivors, there-fore, shouldn’t we be “on our knees” in gratitude to God for bringing us safely through it all?

Sad to say, far too many people today don’t depend on God. All the “good” things they ex-perience come from “LUCK”. A good friend recently survived a bad accident. “How lucky was

I” he exclaimed. Most likely, a loving God re-ally deserved the credit. He seemed bewildered when I said so.

Well, thank God then for our surviving 2015!

B u t , w h at a b o u t 2016??

Internationally, na-tionally, locally even, 2016 seems very threat-ening. The whole world seems to be “in a mess”. Most of us seem very concerned.

Instead of fireworks and partying, therefore, shouldn’t we be turning to God, asking our Abba Father for all the grace, guidance and protection we need?

With God, of course, there is no New Year’s Eve, no “time” at all. So, every day is the appro-priate “time” to depend on Him.

Believers as we are, shouldn’t our New Year’s Resolution be:

“To love the Lord our God with all our hearts and minds”. And

“To love our neigh-bors as (much) as we love ourselves.”

So, we must, by our

words and deeds, make 2016 a year when all around us will see how truly wonderful it is to be a real CHRISTIAN!

A Happy, GODLY, New Year to all!

JANUARY 201610


I am a meeting nerd

Cynthia Haines-Turner

ColumnistIn the interest of full dis-

closure, I need to say that I am ‘meeting nerd’. I enjoy the ‘business’ of the Church, being a member of the Coun-cil of General Synod and a delegate to General Synod, both of which are governed by constitution and canons and a member of the Governance Working Group of the Anglican Church. I read and re-read the constitution and check it when-ever necessary to determine the process or procedure that has to be followed in a given situa-tion. I enjoy discussing the finer details of motions or reports or constitutional changes and can see the importance and value of every ‘jot and tittle’. I get that not all people are as enthralled with these details although I do have a number of colleagues who are.

That being said, the ques-tion is, ‘exactly how much do those things matter?’ Because with the best will in the world and with flawless constitution and canons and with the best of all possible rules, regulations and bylaws, there will always be times when a pastoral situation or a ministry setting will mean that in some circumstances, they do not allow ministry to happen. In fact, there are times when they will hamper or hinder us from serving one another the way we are called to do as Jesus reminds us when he said ‘the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve’.

A case in point - I attended the National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church this past summer and listened

as they debated, and then passed, a motion to provide for what is known in Anglican circles as lay presidency. It means that in very particular circumstances, a team of lay people will be licensed to pre-side at local celebrations of the Eucharist. The policy was ad-opted because it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide sacramental ministry in rural and isolated communities. It’s a problem we know well in our Church and we struggle to find our own solution. There are those who question the Luther-an policy - it would not be how we would choose to proceed as it goes against our Anglican practice and tradition. There are also those who wonder if this jeopardizes our full com-munion relationship with the Lutherans. As with other times when there is a question of which should take precedence, the question here is which is more important - our rules and our way of doing things or our relationships within the body of Christ? When the rules limit how we live out our faith as Christians, which should take precedence? Which matters more?

Yes, good order and con-stitutions provide a solid frame-work for ministry and give us continuity with our past as peo-ple of faith and our cherished traditions. But in those cases where there is a conflict and something has to give, it should be our human creations, not our God-given mission. As Jesus said “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath”

Confirmation students and the Rev’d MaryRose Colbourne stand beside the Operation Christmas Child boxes, which are packed and ready to go to less fortunate children of the world. These boxes were filled by the congregation of Holy Spirit Church, and by students from LeGallais Memorial School, in Isle aux Morts. Submitted by Dorothy Rector

Operation Christmas Child

One hundred and twenty-five boxes were brought forward on Sunday, November 15th, at St. James Church in Port aux Basques, and were blessed. The boxes were packed by members of the ACW Mission/Outreach. Submitted by Lisa Brown

11JANUARY 2016


The Harvest Festival supper for St. Matthews Church in Rocky Harbour was attended by a record number of people. All enjoyed the Jigg’s Dinner supper; bake sale & sale of knitted goods, preserves, crafts, etc. Submitted by Dale Decker

Rev’d Everett Hobbs

Columnist

Martha Reeves is an An-glican solitary (hermit, an-chorite) who lives in Oxford, England. She writes under the name ‘Maggie Ross’ and also had a blog, called ‘Voice in the Wilderness’. One of her publications , Writing the Icon of the Heart, is a collection covering various subject. One chapter is on ‘discretion,’ and what follows is largely from her essay on this subject as a Christian virtue (also called prudence).

Discretion is about our response to a partic-ular situation: our action is good rather than bad, right than wrong, helpful than harmful. Discretion is doing what is necessary or required at the time. The companion of discretion is ‘discernment’ , and they both come from the same root ‘discretio’. Discretion is to act appropriately accord-ing to truth which in turn is discovered by discernment (understanding the differ-ence between what is true and what is false).

Discretion is about others, not me, service to my neighbour - How can I be helpful? It carries with it over-tones of modesty, courtesy, reticence, patience and hu-mility, which are themselves desirable qualities.

When we are involved in a situation requiring our response, discretion is de-ciding what is the most helpful. We can be too help-ful. Sometimes we need to do nothing, only just be there. Our usual response is action. It can be easier to act than to refrain from

acting. We want to do something, when often it is better to do nothing. We tend to engage in some way or to offer advice. Things may work out best if we just leave them alone. We need wisdom and patience to recognize when our own in-terference only complicates matters. We need to avoid the quick fix. An immediate response may make us feel helpful and secure, but it may simply compound the problem. Ursula le Guin, in The Farthest Shore has the Mage counsel,” Do only what must be done and which can be done in no other way.”

Discretion requires space, silence, stillness and waiting. An example is the incident of Jesus and the woman charged with adultery in John’s Gospel. Rowan Williams, Archbish-op of Canterbury, showed discretion in dealing with the issues and personalities re the Anglican Communion conflicts, displaying neither judgment nor declaration. Discretion for him was , “How we work out, faithfully, attentively, obediently, what we need to do and say.” This means to be open to a larger vision, rather than the prejudices and biases we cling to. It requires really listening to others, treating them as persons with some-thing to contribute. The prerequisite to listening is silence. When we attain clarity in a situation, then we can say our ‘Yes’ to God and to neighbour.

The age we live in doesn’t make room for dis-cretion, and the Church is af-fected by that environment. We seemed programmed for instant gratification and immediate response, es-pecially with social me-dia. Discretion is unlikely in the hustle and bustle of our lives with the demand that everything be decided now. Without discretion we will make poor choices and decisions. Discretion for the Christian involves God and all the activities and dis-tractions in our lives doesn’t leave much space listen to him. We need to stop and step aside to engage in discretion.

We could make dis-cretion a priority for the New Year. I t can help us decide what God re-quires from us and how we should respond to his call.

Discretion

A commissioning of Lay Readers took place on November the first, at the evening service of Holy Eucharist, at Holy Trinity Church in Codroy. Harry Coates, Minnie Hilliard, Linda Kendell, and Elizabeth Carter were licensed as Lay Readers in the Parish of Grand Bay. They are pictured above with the Rev’d Stephen Maki.Submitted by Linda Kendell.

JANUARY 201612


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New Crosier for Bishop Peddle

Induction in Deer LakeOn November 1st, All Saints’ Day, the Rev’d Paulette Bugden was inducted as Rector of the Parish of Deer Lake. Archdeacon John Meade preached at the service, and also led the induction of the new Rector. The Rev’d Monica Coffin presided at the Eucharist. Lay Minister licenses were also presented during the service.

Article and photographs byThe Rev’d Paulettte Bugden


Bishop Geoffrey Peddle, Mr. Rocky White, and The Rev’d Jolene Peters

On November 29th, Bishop Peddle was presented with a new crosier to use when he travels in Labrador. It was made by Mr. Rocky White, and incorporates both the Labrador flag, and the spruce twig.

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Anglican Life JANUARY 2016

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Transcript of Anglican Life JANUARY 2016