Newsletter 10-3 "doorways"

When you see this picture of my doorway at home taken post-Christmas - the ladder indicates that we have shoveled off the roof - you might wonder what would entice me to leave the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec to come to Kamloops B.C. If I am honest, I cannot even blame Bishop Barbara, whose offer to join the St. Pauls Cathedral Ministry Team was at-tractive from our very first meeting. Rather, I believe it has been an innate tendency to seek adventure and new experiences that has led me to serve God in three Dioceses (Ontario, Niagara and Montreal) and now the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (APCI).

The Cathedral community is my fourth bearing the dedication to the Apostle Paul. St. Pauls, Belleville, was a mission church from the established Parish of St. Thomas where I served as curate immediately fol-lowing ordination in 1961. St. Pauls, Flinton, a lovely small brick building on the banks of the Skootamatta River winding out of the Canadian Shield is having a 150th anniversary later this month. Originally a point

in a three-village mission of North Addington, this St. Pauls actually came under my care twice as we restructured the northern tier of Ontario Diocese as the Land OLakes Parish. St. Pauls, Kingston, may have been the biggest challenge of my ministry. Now vigorous and thriving, it was on the verge of closing with its building condemned as unsafe, when Bishop K.C. Evans asked me to see if it could be renewed.

More immediately, I come in your midst after three Intentional Interim appointments in the Diocese of Montreal and a fourth appointment in a small village where two churches, Anglican and United, both struggled to sustain ministry. One of the attractions of APCI is the number of successful joint ministries. My wife Georgia was minister of Arundel United while I was at Grace Church in the same village, but the local populace regarded our exploration of joint ministry with rather less than enthusiasm.

Georgia is planning to visit Kamloops after Thanksgiving. She is the preacher on that Feast in our summer Church, Lac Marois Union Church, a non-denominational home for cottagers as well as the few Anglophone residents of Ste. Anne des Lacs.

Obviously my appointment here is not of the Intentional Interim variety. Those take upwards of two years of wide-ranging consultation to equip a parish for transition into a new era in ministry. I am happy to work as part of the ministry team with Bishop Barbara, Sandra and Tom Sugden, Melissa Green and our coordinator Claire Tosoff, to sustain the wonderful range of activities by which St. Pauls serves the mission of God here in Kamloops, and prepare for the appointment of a new Dean and Rector.

Volume 10, Issue 3 - doorways September, 2015

St. Paul s Circular

Worship at St. Pauls Cathedral

Chapel, Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - Holy Communion Cathedral, Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist

Chapel, Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. - Holy Communion

I Come in your Midst . . . by David Sinclair

Volume 10, Issue 3 - doorways Page 2

It is difficult to predict at this point when a new Rector will have accepted the position, and beyond that date, when they could arrive in Kamloops. In the meantime we need to give our heartfelt thanks to Bishop Barbara, to Sandra and Tom, to Dan, and of course to David Sinclair who has so graciously agreed to come across the country to help us out.

Stay tuned for more news as the search process continues.

In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself. Jiddu Krishnamurti, writer, 1895-1986.

A Prayer

Queens Diamond Jubilee

Almighty God, at the hands of priests and prophets you anoint your chosen servants with the oil of glad-ness and strengthen them with the gifts of your Holy Spirit: accept our joyful praise as with united voice we give thanks for the long and glorious reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth.

Renewing your blessings, pour on her your choicest gifts, and on all your people the spirit of humility and mutual service shown in the life and death of him who is the anointed King of all, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Church of England prayer for the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

The St. Paul's Circular is the parish newsletter of St. Paul s Anglican Cathedral, Kamloops, BC. Four issues are published annually: Lent/Easter; Pentecost; Fall; Advent/Christmas. Our aim is to glorify God by sharing stories about the ministries of our parish, both within and beyond our physical boundaries. The editorial board currently includes Ray Beal, Miriam Baskin, Mary Dove, Claire Tosoff and Chuck Kalnin.

A Very Warm Welcome to the Rev. Canon David Sinclair David, we are pleased to welcome you to Kamloops and be part of our parish family for the next few months. David will be with us for some time as part of the lead-ership team at the Cathedral, sharing in our ministry. He arrived in time to join several parishioners in ringing the Cathedral bells to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II on September 9th. David was offi-cially welcomed to the parish with a Rae Long cake, on his first Sunday here, September 13th.

Photos: Rae Long & Alison McKinnon.

Since April, a committee of nine has been at work on behalf of St. Pauls with Bishop Barbara as our leader, to find a new Rector and Dean.

The major task to date has been to develop a par-ish profile, a document that describes in some detail who we are as a community and the particular minis-tries and activities that are central to our mission as St Pauls Cathedral, Kamloops. The profile also highlights the priorities that we see for our future incumbent.

The Committee is most appreciative for the great feedback that was received from the congregation in the development of the profile. While not all com-ments and perspectives could be incorporated, the written responses have been retained for future reference.

The Bishop posted the position Canada wide in July, and it closed in August. A decision was made to extend the posting through September to ensure we reached potential candidates that may have been away for the summer. Applicants that express inter-est to the Bishop are provided with the parish profile to allow them to make a more informed decision about whether the position may be a fit for them.

Once the posting closes, the Bishop will consider the candidates and their references and then provide a preliminary short list of screened candidates to the committee to allow for the final short listing and sub-sequent interviewing and selection process to pro-ceed.

The Search Process by Jon Buckle, Committee Chair


On a gorgeous June 11th evening, choir members gath-ered at the home of Colleen Stainton for their annual end-of-the-season potluck dinner party. Heather and Norris Berg (below) were thanked for their guidance during the year.

Sheila Pearson (right) was honoured for being an active member of St. Pauls choir for the past 50 years.

It was a wonderful evening, en-joyed by all. Thank you Colleen for hosting the dinner.

A Gathering of our Choir

Photos: Phil McVie.

Spring and Summer at St. Pauls

Above from the left: Miriam Baskin got to polish the silver tea ser-vice for the Strawberry Tea; Wendy McLean helped serve the tea; deli-cious strawberries; St. Pauls planted a garden of hearts created by our children, youth and adults; Alison, Verna and Sandra were among those who rang the Cathedral bell in June, for the lost and missing aboriginal women. Right: Bud Forbes, Jennifer Ste Marie, Jo-Lynn Forbes, Mercedes Liburd and Ron Ste Marie at our information booth during Kamloops Citys mission day in Riverside Park. Photos: Rae Long.

Logging at 541 - 4th Avenue

The maple tree in the front yard of our property next door was Lifting up the sidewalk. So, Jim Edwards, Reid Albright and Rob Baker (from the Blue House Soci-ety) rectified the problem by re-moving the tree. In the photo to the left, Rob can be seen in the tree. Photos: Reid Albright.


There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in. Graham Greene, novelist, 1904-1991.

Prayer Shawl Ministry by Geri King

As we are passing through the portals of time, from summer sun to fall winds and blowing leaves from the trees, it is time to resume the shawl ministry. The Prayer Shawl Ministry comes together, being of like minded souls and fingers, to form a circle of needles clicking, chatter happening and tea, coffee and goodies. Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. (Matthew 25:4) We gather together every third Tuesday at 1:00 pm at St. Pauls Cathedral. All are welcome.

Below is a prayer from the internet, by Netagene in Birmingham, age 63. She became legally blind at age 59, but has sufficient sight and is still able to knit and crochet.

Fall Programs Resume

A number of our programs resumed in September. Sunday School registration began Sunday, Septem-ber 13th. For those not yet registered, children of all ages are welcome. Registration forms are available at the Cathedral or online at our blog site. Classes began Sunday, September 20th.

Welcome Back Sundae" was also held Sunday, September 20th, following the 10:00 a.m. service. A finger-food potluck luncheon and yummy ice cream sundaes were enjoyed by all. Some of our children helped serve the sundaes.

Youth Group is for those in grades 5 to 12. The first meeting was held Monday, September 14th. Friends and newcomers are always welcome.

Young Adults met Sunday, September 13th in the Cathedral parish hall and kitchen for a shared meal, fellowship and fun. This group is for those young adults who are no longer in high school and who are doing further education, travelling or just figuring things out. All are welcome.

Adapted from St. Pauls parish update for Friday, September 11th.

On Earth, content, but spiritually rich! Love and prayers in every stitch! For you, I made this shawl to use as through this life you walk Your private "closet", as you talk To God, whose promise sure, keeps your secret things secure. He is God over all.

Hands in the Dirt Gang by Chuck Kalnin

Its been an interesting growing season. The very hot summer affected harvesting dates. For example, the decorative corn grew very tall, but the cobs have only recently formed. We hope they will mature be-fore frost. Overall, though, we have grown and shared a lot of veggies with a lot of people, and the harvest continues.

The crop this year included the usual variety of sal-ad greens, squash, tomatoes and root crops, all of which did very well. It was Tonys responsibility to keep us informed of the progress of our watermelons, which were just harvested. Unique species this year included ground cherries, a round yellow zucchini and a flat-leaf kale.

WE continue to learn from our master gardeners, Jo-Lynn and Miriam. This years lessons, included seeding, transplanting, thinning and more. We en-joyed a very delightful lesson on pollinating squash.

Our time in the garden is more than just lessons and work. The fellowship is great and we have a lot of fun. One day included a rendition of Theres a Hole in my Bucket with Miriam and Chuck doing the parts of Lisa and Henry. Extra verses had Henry being sent to Home Depot for various items!

In August, Jennifer and Ron Ste Marie hosted a potluck luncheon for the gang. Thirteen of us met after church one sunny Sunday for more fellowship and a very delicious meal that featured veggies grown in our various gardens.

Update on Sponsoring Refugees by Verna Albright

In light of the world-wide attention to the plight of Syrian refugees, Refugees and Friends Together (RAFT) would like to invite members of the public to a refugee sponsorship information meeting on Tuesday, September 29th at 7:00 p.m. at Kamloops United Church (KUC), at the corner of Fourth Ave-nue and St. Pauls Street.

In the 1970s, KUC formed a Refugee and Resettle-ment Committee in response to the need of the boat people refugees fleeing Vietnam. That committee founded RAFT at that time to involve others in the wider community. Since then, RAFT has sponsored refugees from Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, the Congo, Columbia, Iraq and, most recently, Iran.

RAFT would appreciate your support and look forward to your attendance on September 29th. More information is available on the KUC website.


Primates World Relief & Development Fund (PWRDF)

Syrian Refugee Crisis Response

Throughout its history, PWRDF has been a vehicle by which Canadian Anglicans have responded to the needs of refugees. As far back as 1959, PWRF (as it was then known) was responding to the needs of refugees from India.

Today, the Syrian refugee crisis is making head-lines with heart-rending images and stories that are bringing the attention of the world back to this con-flict and its effect on the millions of Syrians and Iraqis who have been forced to flee their homes. PWRDF has been providing relief to Syrian refu-gees for years through this crisis, as well as to refugees in many other countries including India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Egypt and more.

We have heard from Anglicans across the country who want to do more to address the needs of the Syrian refugees. Here are the ways PWRDF con-tinues to support Syrian refugees:

Archbishop Fred Hiltz and PWRDF Executive Director Adele Finney released a joint statement calling for prayer and action regarding the Syrian refugee situation. (See the article to the right.)

On October 3rd, PWRDF teams across Canada will ride to raise funds for our programme partner, Refuge Egypt.

Since 2012, PWRDF has responded through ACT Alliance to the needs of Syrian refugees and displaced people in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

As we are in the midst of an election campaign, ask the candidates in your riding about their stand on the refugee issues.

Stay informed. Visit the PWRDF website for more stories as theyre available detailing our response to the needs of Syrian and other refugees.

Donate to PWRDFs ongoing Syrian refugee relief efforts. (To the right, see how you can donate.)

Adapted from Responding to the Syrian Refuge Crisis, posted Sep-tember 9, 2015, on the PWRDF website. The full article can be viewed on line at: http://pwrdf.org/2015/responding-to-the-syrian-refugee-crisis/

A Call to Prayer and Action

Let us pray, holding within ourselves a space for the bereaved and desperate refugees, and allow their presence within us to engender the action to take to meet their need.

Let us work with other churches and our communities to sponsor refugee families.

Let us call, write and speak to Government of Canada leaders and candidates to unite for expediting applica-tions of asylum seekers and those seeking resettle-ment in Canada, increasing the number of resettle-ment spaces for Syrians to a minimum of 10,000 avail-able to Government-Assisted Refugees, upholding the principle of additionality that recognizes that all pri-vately sponsored refugees are in addition to and not in place of Government commitments to resettlement, and eliminating barriers to the private sponsorship of refugees, including re-instatement of full Interim Fed-eral Health coverage for both privately sponsored ref-ugees and refugee claimants and lifting of the docu-ment requirements for Group of Five sponsorships.

Adapted from Call to Prayer and Action, posted September 3, 2015, on the PWRDF website.

How to Donate to Syrian Refugee Relief

On-line at: http://pwrdf.org/. Please designate your donation for Syria Response .

By phone for credit card donations: Please contact Jennifer Brown at: 416-924-9192 ext. 355; or free at: 1-866-308-7973.

By mail: Please make cheques payable to PWRDF and identified for Syria Response and send them to: The Primates World Relief and Development Fund The Anglican Church of Canada, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2.

Do not send your credit card number by email or fax.

At St. Pauls: Please designate for Syria Response on the cheque memo line.

PWRDF and DFATD begins a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program

PWRDF announced a new joint program with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). PWRDF will contribute $2,654,612 over five years towards the $17,697,412 project that will focus on maternal and child health in 350 villages in Burundi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Adapted from PWRDF and DFATD Begin 5-year $17.7 million Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program, posted July 8, 2015, PWRDF website.

On September 11th, PWRDF announced a $20,000 donation to the Syrian refugee crisis. Its expected that it will be matched by the recently announced Canadian government initiative.


An Ojibway Prayer for the Earth

Grandfather, look at our brokenness. We know that in all creation only the human family has strayed from the Sacred Way. We know that we are the ones who are divided and we are the ones who must come back together to walk in the Sacred Way.

Grandfather, Sacred One, teach us compassion, and honor that we may heal the earth and heal each other.

Doors & Doorways by Miriam Baskin

I have a love-hate relationship with doors and door-ways. What emotions are wrought from doors and doorways. Doors opening and doors closing. When is a door not a door - when it is ajar! I think every one has had that little joke asked of them. There are a lot of doors for doorways - French, Dutch, wooden, glass, louvered, saloon, storm, EMERGENCY. One could go on and on. I wont, but of course, not all doorways even have doors.

For me doors and doorways can be problematic. For instance, the doorway is open, the door is not in the space, but as you approach the space, suddenly that space is gone and the door has filled the door-way. Even if I didnt care what was happening in that room at that particular time, the door closing says, you are not welcome here at this time. Gosh what an uncomfortable feeling there can be. Or, what about the times when one is called to go through a doorway and then the door is closed behind you. Your heart begins to beat faster and faster and you think, oh no I am in trouble again! Why is the sound of a door closing so darn loud sometimes?

Throughout our lives we go through a myriad of doorways, to new experiences, new adventures, and through doorways that are going to be heart breaking and painful too, doorways that, if we had a choice, we would not go through, but, we must. As we all know, life offers us an unlimited supply of doorways that we enter of our own free will - at times for good and at other times not so much

I always marvel at that picture that has been done and done again of Jesus standing at the doorway of the heart and knocking. I always wondered as a child just how Jesus, as wonderful as he was, had managed to get into that humans chest to knock and, more so, why did that person not let him in? It seemed such a simple gesture. Of course as I grew older and more wise (?) in my faith, I under-stood the concept somewhat more.

What about when the doorbell rings and you are not expecting anyone, when you see a figure through the glass in the doorway - who can that person e? Is it the bylaw officer checking to see if the dog has his license (he does) or maybe just a parcel being dropped off, or flowers? Sometimes it is a friend with a cake to mark a birthday or an anniversary. What a delicious surprise awaits in the doorway!

On a winters day, how nice to be able to close up that doorway against the elements raging on the other side, your safety and security is once again restored as the home is warm and cozy because of

that door. Of course, not all raging stormy weather takes place on the outside of the door, but that is for another edition of the Circular.

I grew up on the east coast of Vancouver Island and my Dad made special storm doors that went over the normal doors. The doorway now had two doors, but the wind and rain never even thought about coming into our home! My Dad was like a doorway for our family, metaphorically speaking. In so many ways he was the DOORWAY to the rest of the world; through this doorway we began to see the world, carefully, protectively, gently, lovingly, as he eased us into the greater realm of humanity.

Recently, I had a doorway experience that I will remember for some time to come. My brother had fallen, banged his head, never regaining conscious-ness. Ben was sent back to his care facility to finish out his days. The time was near for Bens life here on earth to be ended. I went to Kelowna to see him. As I walked through the doorway to his room, I knew it was the last time I would do this. Painfully, I did what I needed to do and then left.

On the way back to Kamloops, I stopped at the cabin on lake Okanagan where my brother had spent so much time as a small boy and a grown man. The lake was a special place for Ben. Every-one had gone to bed as I sat in the dark listening to the waves lap against the shore, thinking about my brother, wishing him peace. Then ahead of me just beyond the railing of the deck out in the water, there appeared a scene - almost as a painting, not clear, but foggy, misty - a door in a doorway appeared, an old door, weather-beaten and worn - a figure showed up - I clearly saw the hand on the door knob - the door opened - a thin shaft of light came through the opening - the figure went through - the door closed. I was not to see any more. I had just seen Ben go through the door. The next morning I received the official call. Ben died as he walked through, closing the door on his earthly life. We put his ashes into the lake that he loved so much.


Every doorway, every intersection has a story. Katherine Dunn, American writer.

We are not citizens of this world trying to make our way to heaven; we are citizens of heaven trying to make our way through this world . . . We live as those who are on a journey home; a home we know will have the lights on and the door open and our Father waiting for us when we arrive. Reprinted from the Anglican Digest.

Doors & Doorways Seen

During the summer of 1987, the Oatway family visited the ruins of the Incas ancient home at Machupijchu, Peru.

Below: Two young boys, Michael and Chad, on the steps of a very large doorway.

Right: The mountain seen through the doorway is named Waynapijchu. These ruins were discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and have become a major tourist destina-tion. Photos: Dwight Oatway.

Machupijchu, Peru Carrowmore Portal Tomb, Ireland by Joy Gothard

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Sligo, is one of several historical sites with Neolithic portal tombs in Ireland. The sites are 3600-4000 years old. Far in the distance, in the photo below, is said to be the por-tal tomb of Queen Maeve on Knocknarea mountain. These gateways to the next world held the ashes of Irish kings and have been found in the most fertile valleys of Ireland. Photo: Joy Gothard.

Editor's note: There are about 190 portal dolmens in Ireland. They generally have an entrance feature, the 'portal', though this is often closed by a blocking stone. A most characteristic feature is a massive roof stone or slab, usually weighing many tons and inclined at an angle with the highest part over the entrance.

100 Mile House

The 2006 Assembly of the Angli-can Parishes of the Central Interi-or (APCI) was held in 100 Mile House, at the Emissaries of the Divine Light Retreat Centre.

At the left is the door to the historic Log Chapel.

Photo: Chuck Kalnin.

Portal Tomb, Newgrange, Ireland by Joy Gothard

This is the entrance to the largest Irish Neolithic portal tomb, located at Newgrange near the Boyne River Valley, north of Dublin, Ireland. On a clear night of the Winter Solstice, the light of the moon shines into the tomb creating a thin space for spirits to traverse from one world to the next. This tomb is older than the pyramids of Egypt and older than Stonehenge. Photo: Joy Gothard.

Where Rae Long Saw Doors

Clockwise from upper left: Ainsley behind the door of a British telephone booth; a small bird sits in the doorway To its birdhouse in Knutsford; the majestic doors of St. Pauls Cathedral, London; Daisy and Mollie in the rear doorway of Bridgets car. The dogs might be seen as a doorway too - for Bridgets visiting ministry. Photos: Rae Long


Creation, Poetry and a Travellers Companion An Interview with Allison Ryder by Chuck Kalnin

Who is Allison Ryder? Whats important to you - in life - in creation? Is there any sense of being on a mission in life?

Wow, that is quite the question to start off with Chuck! I will disregard the labels that we give each other to define our roles in human life and look at who I feel I am at a different level of being.

After some contemplation I feel I have no definitive answer. I conclude then that I am fluid. I am not who I was and I am not who I am going to be. This leaves me with who I am at this moment - the sum of my human and spiritual experiences navigating the now; energy and spirit connected deeply with Gods energy and power and His creation which is at once a mystery to me, but is also deeply known to me when I am present enough to recognize it. I believe part of my mission is to look carefully.

In partnership with the who, naturally comes the why. That question has been occupying my mind and my soul for many years. The why of me that I can discern at this time is to share my light; the light I shine shows my connection to Spirit, to crea-tion, to my energy, to my creativity and particularly to my human brokenness. When combined with struggle and gratitude, the result is an open sharing of my experience of Gods love with others. The why of me then is love and compassion.

The wild card in all of this is, of course, Ego. Ego likes to pop up a lot, blindfold me and lead me a merry dance off the path, spin me about and let me go, stumbling and falling, until I regain my footing. I believe another part of my mission then is to open-ly and honestly explore the journey that is the ten-sion between my human being-ness and my spiritu-al evolution; to seek wisdom and share what I have learned in a way that speaks to me, which would be through words and photographs.

How long have you been writing and sharing poetry? How and why did you start and how do you share it?

I have been writing poetry for four years but have only shared it minimally to date. I have shared online with a small group of people and have been encouraged and even pushed greatly by some of them in my writing. I have done a reading of my poetry and A Traveller's Companion was featured at the Sorrento Centre Book Shop. Currently I am waiting for Chapters Bookstore in Kamloops to con-sign the book this autumn.

I began to write in late 2011, in response to some photographs I had taken and the feelings that they

evoked and also to untangle the message my soul was desper-ately trying to make clear to me . . . I am starving, feed me. I wrote words to connect with the experiences of my life and the scenes I captured through the lens of my camera during that time. I wrote to re-learn how to see - to relearn how to play - to learn how to find joyful freedom.

How does your poetry reflect who you are?

My poetry reflects, at times, my struggles, my ob-servation of nature as a conduit to wisdom, and my desire to be present in the holy moments of my hu-man life through examination of spiritual connection and creativity.

Your book of poetry is titled A Travellers Companion: Inspirational Poems for the Journey. What does it mean to be a traveler on a journey?

To me it speaks to movement; either physical or mental movement. Beginning in one place and mov-ing through to another and another until a destination is reached, at which point a new journey may begin. Along the way the traveler gathers insight and under-standing, leading to compassion and to wisdom. A journey will provide the traveler with different experi-ences which can be used to nourish oneself and oth-ers through prayer, play and storytelling. Of course, part of forward movement involves getting lost, going round in circles and abandoning one route for anoth-er. Journeying is not an easy business!

Reviews and promotions of A Travellers Companion often mention four words in some way: creation, mys-tery, spirituality, wisdom. Which of these words are especially important to you?

Of all the words used in reviews to describe the title of the book, the most important for me is wisdom. This I seek most of all. To be able spend time in si-lence listening for what God would have me hear and to gain some insight into the playfulness and love of God through his creation is what I desire and what speaks to me most clearly. Water in all forms and forests and trees are all inspirational to me in my search for wisdom. Often while taking photographs in nature, words will begin coming to me and I will begin to feel and that is when the holiness of God is touch-ing me and my soul recognizes Him and responds. (see page 9)


There are so many doors to open. I am impatient to begin. Daniel Keyes, author, 1927-2014.

A Fund Raising Event

Dinner & Auction

Sunday, October 18th 5:00 p.m. in the parish hall

spaghetti & a silent auction

watch for more details

A Travellers Companion Interview (contd.):

What is your hope for A Travellers Companion? Do you wish for anything specific by sharing your poetry?

In addition to what I have outlined on the acknowl-edgements page of A Traveller's Companion, I will say that if the poems in the book touch the reader in any way, if the reflections help clarify or feed the read-ers own journey somehow, or if the words are simply read for the sheer enjoyment of the moment, then the book will have been all I could wish for. I hope copies of the book will be shared and might inspire discus-sion or thoughtful silence or meditation. I hope it wont be lost on a bookshelf gathering dust but sit out on nightstands, kitchen tables or desks and may-be have notes scribbled in it, which is one of the rea-sons why the left page is blank throughout the book.

You have previously commented this book is the result of stepping through a doorway. What did you mean?

For many years, I said yes to God, to Spirit, to Jesus. However in hindsight, I can see I was hesitant to commit fully to that yes and the actions I was being led to take. I had become very good at listening and then doing it my way anyway; selectively interpreting Gods will for me in a way that confirmed for me my own ideas about how and where I should be going. I am not saying I was cavalier in anyway but I did not fully trust that God would not only show me the way, but also walk alongside me, carry me, hold me and love me all the way. Ultimately, after many years of this battle of my ego and Spirits call I became very ill and I had no physical or spiritual strength left. I collapsed and in the physically and mentally painful year that followed I learned to trust fully in God. The doorway had always been there . . . I now saw it for what it was . . . Gods invitation to be free. Truly free. I took it and stepped through the doorway.

What would youd like to add about A Travellers Companion or about your poetry in general?

Thank you to those who have picked up a copy of my book already. I truly appreciate your support. I have signed copies of A Travellers Companion that can be purchased from me for $22.00. Please phone 250-828-2501 or email [email protected] to make arrangements.

The book can be borrowed from the Kamloops Library and the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior resources cart at the Cathedral.

For e-book lovers, the electronic copy is available on Kindle and Kobo.

Thank you Chuck for asking these thought provok-ing questions and for allowing space in the Circular to share.

ST. PAULS

9th ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

Food for the Journey

Photos depicting who, what, where or how you are or have been inspired in faith and hope on your journey through this year of change at St. Pauls.

Submission Deadline: November 8th Recipients Awarded: November 22nd

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Entry is open to all of Gods people. Entries are to be submitted by the photographer. Entries are to have been taken this year 2015. Entries are limited to four (4) per person. Include your name, phone number with each photo. A title and/or comments are encouraged. Please indicate if you wish your photos returned.

First, second and third place will be acknowledged with a certificate.

Two Honourable Mentions not already placed in top three will also be acknowledged with a certifi-cate.

Acknowledged photos will appear in the St. Pauls Circular.

All photographs will be displayed at the Cathedral.

Prints (4 x 6) may be dropped off at: The Cathedral Office: 360 Nicola Street. Photos (jpeg) may be sent by email to: [email protected]

GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT!


Sharing is sometimes more demanding than giving. Mary Catherine Bateson, American anthropologist.

Be an opener of doors. Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882.

OK, this one is troubling . . . Its the story of a rich man and Lazarus, the poor man just outside the rich mans gate. (Luke 16:19-31) The rich man dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. On the other hand, there was Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hun-ger with what fell from the rich mans table. It is quite the contrast.

Lazarus died. The rich man also died and was buried. Only in his torment in Hades does the rich man realize the chasm between him and God. He asks Abraham to have Lazarus bring him water. Abraham refuses, Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things. Then he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers so that they would not meet a similar fate. Again, Abraham refuses. They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.

The rich mans torment in Hades is not what is meant to catch our attention or even scare us. What ought to scare us is the detail in the parable that the poor man has a name, Lazarus, and the rich man does not. Something about the rich mans life leaves him nameless.

It is not, I think, that the rich man was bad. We certainly have no reason from the parable to think so. It is not, I think, that the rich man had great

Just Another Rich Man: A Biblical Reflection by The Rt. Rev. Stacy F. Sauls

wealth. I see no reason to think from the parable that the rich man is punished for his wealth. It is not, I think, that the rich mans gain was ill-gotten. Again, the parable gives us no reason to think so.

The point is that names are superfluous unless we are in relationship with one another. I do not need to know the name of someone with whom I have no con-tact. I do not need to know the name of someone who does not affect my life. I do need to know the name of those I love. And without love, I myself might as well have no name at all.

It seems to me that the rich mans failure is that he bypassed the opportunity to love Lazarus because there can be no love without sharing. His failure to share the scraps from his sumptuous table is startling given the picture of the man just outside his gate, cov-ered with sores, starving, and fighting off the dogs. Sharing is what gives us a name. Its what makes us who we are. Otherwise, were just another rich man unknown to anyone who cares.

Posted September 10, 2015 on the website of the Episcopal Network for Stewardship. The Rt. Rev. Stacy F. Sauls serves as Chief Operating Of-ficer, Office of the Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church.

A Doorway in Time - A Book Review by Mary Dove

A Doorway in Time, Herbie ODriscoll, 1991, Image Publishers.

Herbie uses this image, a Doorway in Time, in which to set his memoirs of his early spiritual journey. He states that he was profoundly shaped by his child-hood in the south of Ireland where he became per-meated with Celtic spirituality and its conviction that behind or hidden in the visibilities and intangibilities of the everyday was another level of reality.

In his book, he hopes, by example, to show read-ers how to use their own youthful experiences as keys to a vast spiritual world. Some of his examples include an afternoon at a Wolf Cub camp, walking scared and alone across an old road, an afternoon spent with a beloved friend and contemplating a stained glass window during class.

I think Herbie succeeds very well in recovering the way a child perceives and gives meaning to things that later can be used to open a door leading not so

much to the past as to a level of reality freed from time. In so beautifully describing to us these multitude of doorways from his early life to his understanding of the sacred in his everyday life, we are given a road map to follow. He is convinced that to look, not merely at reality but through reality, is the secret of spiritual experience, the avenue to the presence of The Holy, the door between the worlds.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, not only be-cause I was fascinated by scenes of Herbies early life but because I found that I was able to apply some of his universal experiences of childhood to my own early life and therefore walk with him through that mystical Doorway in Time. The book is available for loan from the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior Resource Centre.


Fund Raising 2015

Whats Christian Stewardship?

Christian Stewardship is everything we think, say and do after we say I believe.

Christian stewardship is how we invest in Gods stuff for Gods mission in Gods world.

We are called as individuals and as congrega-tions and communities into Cods mission. We participate by giving the gifts that God has entrust-ed to us. These gifts are everything that we have: our time, our talents and skills, and our treasure or physical resources. Christian stewardship includes all aspects of our lives. Its about our personal, work and family life. Its about the good manage-ment of donations, including those made in our church. Its about our congregational and denomi-national life, which flows from our individual and collective desire to be Gods mission in the world.

Being Christian stewards is a ministry process requiring support, education and spiritual practice over time. We are called as individuals and as congregations and communities into Gods mis-sion; and we participate by giving the gifts that God has entrusted to us. These gifts are every-thing that we have - our time, our talents and skills, and our treasure or physical resources.

Adapted from What is Christian Stewardship?, posted on the Stewardship Toolkit website of the Philanthropy Unit of the United Church of Canada.

Stewardship is . . .

How we spend our time. How we care for our body and make healthy choices. Our priorities around money. How we chose to employ our talents and gifts. How we manage our relationships. How we care for the environment. How we practice our faith.

Adapted from What is Christian Stewardship?, posted on the Stewardship Toolkit website of the Philanthropy Unit of the United Church of Canada.

Questions to Ponder

In Lukes passage about the rich man and Lazarus, what is Jesus call for us?

What does it mean to share and how do you share your time, your gifts, your resources?

How can we better care for the environment?

from the Treasurers desk

Summary of Revenue and Expense for the eight months ending August 31, 2015

Actual Budget Revenue Offering $149,356 $155,064 Rental Income 26,280 27,400 Other Income 21,369 24,152 Total Revenue $197,005 $206,616

Expense Salaries & Benefits $ 77,025 $102,302 Premises & Office 24,639 25,235 Programs & Other 26,193 32,832 Christian Sharing 47,575 49,016 Total Expenses $175,432 $209,385

Operating Surplus $ 21,573 $ - 2,769

When the chapel refurbishment and sound system projects were undertaken, the money to pay for them was borrowed from St. Pauls trust funds on the understanding that these funds would be replaced. A Fund Raising Committee has been formed, consisting of Elaine Parkes, Jim Edwards, Duncan MacRae and Diane & Jim Freathy, which has been tasked by the Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee to raise $50,000 to cover the costs of these projects and the supplementing of the sound system with a hard of hearing component.

The committee has organized several events for the fall, with the campaign kicking off on Sunday, September 13th. On Saturday, September 26th, a garage sale and flea market was held in the parish hall. Parishioners donated a lot of items that they no longer needed. The day was a wonderful time of sharing treasures with others, fellowship and raising some money for the Cathedral.

On Sunday, October 18th, a spaghetti dinner

and silent auction will be held in the parish hall begin-ning at 5:00 p.m. Donations for the auction are need-ed. More details will follow. Please save the date.

Donations need not only be made at these events. You can make a donation to the fund at any time. Please make your cheque payable to St. Pauls Cathedral and in the memo line make a notation for fund raising.

If you wish to help with these fund raising events, please contact Elaine Parkes: 250-374-2316 or [email protected]

What I possess, God owns. Howard Dayton, co-founder, Crown Financial Ministries.


Special Upcoming Dates for St. Pauls

September 26 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Garage Sale & Flea Market Parish Hall

October 9-12 Fr-Sa-Su-Mo BC and Yukon Anglican Youth St. Pauls Movement Conference 18 Sunday 5:00 p.m. Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction Parish Hall

Dates and times may change.

Am I Willing to Let Others & Myself In? by Sue Cane

How often do we shut ourselves away from the world behind closed doors, content with the status quo and afraid of the future? How often do we need door-ways for protection?

I've been pondering these thoughts since returning from my one-week trip to the Valen-cia region of Spain this past August with my daughter Debbie. Most of the single-family houses I saw seemed to hide deliberately behind high gated walls, fences or hedges, and I felt shut out, excluded. Houses had shutters on all their windows and a locked iron gate in front of their main entrance.

Many main streets in small villages were shuttered from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. for lunch and siesta. It was sometimes impossible even to tell what was behind the shutters - a store, a garage, a workshop, a cafe-bar-restaurant? I longed to take a peek behind these barriers to see the real life going on there. I found myself drawn to taking photos of doorways with their hidden mysteries.

What an amazing contrast between being literally shut out by an iron grille and being invited in through an unlocked door. To enter through a doorway can mean entering a magical new world. One day a doorway led us to a long set of stairs leading down into a church built in a cave underneath a hill where healing miracles were believed to have taken place. Most days, we enjoyed new tastes in restaurants af-ter the shutters went up, where we took a chance and chose dishes from a menu in a foreign lan-guage. Open doors made us feel welcomed.

On the other hand, some of the doorways in the medieval and older villages reminded us that closed doors can indeed be a blessing - we may need them to protect ourselves from hostile invaders. It's not always a good idea to automatically open the door to our home without first checking who is there.

Now, I wonder how often I hide behind my own shutters or locked doors, not always opening my-

self up to new possi-bilities. How many opportunities have I missed to welcome people into my own life? Was I too afraid of having my life dis-rupted? Did I some-times present myself to the world with a scowling face, thereby discouraging someone from striking up a conversation and possibly becoming a new friend? How many times did I miss a teaching or learning opportunity?

My mother was a wonderful role model. During the day her own door was always open, both literally and metaphorically, to friends and family who would drop in unannounced. She was always willing to stop what she was doing, welcome the visitor with a cheerful greeting, put on the kettle for tea, and enter into a meaningful conversation. But even my mother sensibly locked her doors at night or when the house was empty.

The beautiful stained-glass window above the altar in the St. Paul's Cathedral chapel re-minds me that Jesus stands at my doorway and knocks. It is my choice whether I let Him in and get to know Him better. I pray that I always hear His knock and that my own doorway will be open. Photos: Sue Cane.

Another Door in Ireland

Joy Gothard shares one more door seen in Ireland. Its the door of a sheep farmers home with the farmers boots neatly lined up outside, beside the door. Photo: Joy Gothard.


Destination Jedediah Island by Jon Buckle

The wind was thankfully blowing southeast as Briga-doon exited Sand Heads where the south arm of the Fraser enters into the Salish Sea, otherwise known as Georgia Strait. The crew consisted of a group from a Kamloops mens book club made up almost entirely of present and former members of the Cathedral. In addition to Lee, Dan, Russ and Jon, we were joined by Dans friend John from Winnipeg.

Though oilskins had been packed for the rain that was anticipated, the weather was mainly cloudy and the favourable breeze provided a welcome tailwind, aided from time to time in the lulls by the iron horse, a 92 HP Perkins. On the northwest horizon was a small blue bump in the middle of the strait, Texada Island, the most visible landmark close to our heading. Our destination, Jedediah Island, was tucked just to the south west of Texada and east of Lasqueti, but due to the earths curvature, the 42 nautical mile dis-tance rendered Jedediah beneath the horizon.

Our navigational challenges were answered by the onboard chart plotter, GPS, AIS and other marvels of our electronic age, but this provided a perfect segue for Dan to share how he and his wife Robyn had spent time with navigators in Hawaii who are reawakening an understanding and practice of the traditional Poly-nesians wayfinding, aboard ocean sailing canoes. Their amazing voyages took them to distant shores of the Pacific without the aid of compass, chart, sextant or satellite, but rather through an age old practice of becoming attuned to the ocean currents and waves, birds and the nighttime sky. We as westerners have a lot to learn of these now almost forgotten highly devel-oped skills.

Toward the end of the first day we made anchorage in a small bay on the West side of Jedediah Island, owned for about 40 years by Mary Palmer, who lived

and farmed the island before eventually sell-ing most of it to the Province as a park, twenty years ago. Today it is occupied chiefly by sheep and rumour has it that a few feral goats still survive from over 200 years ago when Spanish explorers put some ashore.

The following day the crew sent a landing party to explore the island and attempt to reach the height of land at the south end.

The trek proved to be rewarding in many ways as the heavily treed but rocky terrain had little under-brush but rather carpets of the most exquisite moss-es and lichens. Views of the neighbouring islands and straits tempted us as we climbed and the sum-mit also yielded a cairn with geo-cache containing log book and band aids to soothe developing blis-ters. Later in the day, the kayaks were launched and the crew explored a series of coves and the rich inter-tidal sea life nearby.

The next leg of the voyage took us south around the active military exer-cises within an area known as Whiskey - Golf, and on to Newcastle Island marine park beside Nanaimo. The crew circumambulated the island by foot while enjoying the old growth forests and historical mining and quarrying re-mains of a former industrial era on the island.

We were greeted next day by bluer skies and sun for the southeast return trip to port at Westham Island. The bonus was a northwest 20-25 knot wind! The crew took turns at the helm as we surged at 7-9 knots boat speed and had a nice taste of the

exhilaration and power of a fresh following breeze and a bit of a sea to send us home.

We were blessed with much good conversation, laughter, fine food and drink on this trip to Jedediah. One of my reflec-tions looking back

was of the many who have gone before us to navi-gate passages and provide the knowledge and re-sources to allow us to experience Gods creation in all its richness and complexity. By sharing our tales today, hopefully we in turn can be encouraging and nurturing of future way finders as they head off for new destinations.

Brigadoon under sail in the Strait of Georgia with Dan at the helm. Photo: Jon Buckle.

Lee, John, Jon and Russ on the wharf at Newcastle Island. Photo: Dan Hines.

Dan, Lee, John and Russ at the summit on Jedediah Island. Photo Jon Buckle.


St. Pauls Ongoing Schedule

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion: Book of Common Prayer Chapel Sunday 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist: Book of Alternative Services Cathedral Sunday 10:00 a.m. Sunday School: September to June Lower Parish Hall Sunday 12:00 noon Prayer Service: during ski season at Sun Peaks Mid-Mountain Chapel Sunday 2:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist: second Sunday, every other month The Renaissance Sunday 6:00 p.m. Young Adults Parish Hall & Kitchen Monday 7:00 p.m. Youth Group: every second Monday Parish Hall Monday 7:00 p.m. Contemplative Prayer: second & fourth Mondays Cathedral Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Centering Prayer Cathedral Tuesday 10:15 a.m. Peace & Justice Group: Tuesday to be announced Chapel Tuesday 1:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry: third Tuesday of the month Chapel Tuesday 2:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist: every second Tuesday Seniors Village Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Cathedral Committee: fourth Tuesday of month Cathedral Wednesday 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion: Book of Common Prayer Chapel Wednesday 12:00 noon Lectionary Bible Study Cathedral Wednesday 6:00 p.m. Out of the Cold Shelter: November to March Lower Parish Hall Thursday 2:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist: fourth Thursday of the month Berwick on the Park Thursday 7:30 p.m. Choir Practice Cathedral Friday 10:00 a.m. Friendship Fridays: third Friday of the month Parish Hall Friday 9:30 a.m. Thrift Shop: September to June Lower Parish Hall Saturday 8:00 a.m. Mens Breakfast: last Saturday of the month Parish Hall

Dates and times may change.

Left: As three long-term members left the Thrift Shop team, their dedicated in-volvement over many years was celebrated with cake. Thank you Ella, Iris and Shirley. Photo: Rae Long.

The Door Is Open . . . Come On In! by Elaine Neen

The volunteers, who give their time for this wonderful outreach project of St. Pauls Cathedral, have one primary goal . . . that is to help anyone in need, in any way possible.

If we are able to help someone open the next door appearing in their future by supplying items they need for success, our day is a success also. Sometimes that barrier can seem overwhelming for some of our friends - too high - too heavy - to open. Thats where we come in.

Many parents buy items for their children and have nothing left for themselves. We can provide a new outfit for Mom or Dad to wear for a job interview or to attend a school event with their children. Happiness and feeling pretty will help Moms mental health that, in turn, is felt by all other family members. Nothing can beat that. That is awesome!

St. Pauls Thrift Shop by Elaine Neen

What a wonderful time of year. The beginning of a new season for the shop with a multitude of new- to-you items for sale. All our fabulous, hardworking, volunteers are together again and many of our regu-lar customers were in to shop on our first day open. It is so good to see everyone again. Many thanks for the donations during the summer. We spent many hours cleaning, mending and pricing and our displays rival any store in town.

Heres a list of ideas for donations:

CLOTHING - SHOES - LINENS - KITCHENWARE - CHINA POTTERY - PICTURES - JEWELRY - KNICK-KNACKS

JIGSAW PUZZLES - TOYS - GREETING CARDS - GAMES BOOKS - MUSIC - MAGAZINES - YARN - FABRIC - CRAFTS

CLEAN, GENTLY USED ITEMS PLEASE

Please take the time to pop the clothing and linens into the washer before dropping them off. It would be such a help to us. At this time of year our most important request is for our friends on the streets. Please bring us boots, runners, warm clothing, toques, mitts, and especially, heavy winter socks as we are already getting requests. Thank you in advance from the Ladies of the Thrift Shop.

We would love to welcome more helpers Thursday mornings. Please come down for a visit and see if you like the fit!

Thrift Shop is open Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.


Doors in Transition by Barry Baskin

From rejection to acceptance. From victim to stand alone. I am okay. I can deal with this. As I accept status quo, rejection can be put on the back burner until it rears its ugly head once again and transition begins all over again.

I try to believe that failure is just part of life, but fail-ures personal connection clings on, reminding me of the importance of celebrating success vigourously and joyfully with all of ones passion that can mus-tered over.

As one door of opportunity closes, surely a new one will open to embrace, nurture and sustain. Many doors of opportunity will open at St. Pauls; and I look forward to growing as a better person as we pass through each one of them.

Chucks Chatter (contd):

Nelsons and Pearsons books deal, at least in some sense, with spirituality. In Wearing God, Lauren Winner also does so in a somewhat different way, reflecting on some lesser-known words, images and metaphors that are used in scripture to describe God. Winner explains, There are hundreds of meta-phors for God, but the church only uses a few famil-iar images. She suggests that these other words can open new doorways for us in our spiritual lives, and examines such lyrical metaphors such as cloth-ing, laughter, fire, laboring woman. She says that these metaphors work biblically and culturally, and [that] they can deepen our spiritual lives.

What can we learn from the scriptures about door-ways? What do NDEs and NDAs say about door-ways? How and why is any doorway important? These questions are at least an opportunity to reflect and meditate on our spiritual lives. We might merely realize that many doors exist - in a variety of forms - some real, others metaphorical. However, we see doorways in our own unique way and are attracted to some and not others. Whichever doorway we are attracted to and explore, as we pass through it, we go from what was to what will be. We change and grow anew - physically and spiritually - individually and communally. We are in such a process now at St. Pauls. May the Holy Spirit guide us to the door-way God would have us pass through. Amen.

Interesting Internet:

Diocese of Montreal: the website of our sister dio-cese. http://www.montreal.anglican.ca/

Heritage Ireland: information about the Carrowmore megalithic tombs, located in County Sligo. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/north-west/carrowmoremegalithiccemetery/

Kamloops United Church: news & information about Refugees and Friends Togethers (RAFT) efforts for spon-soring Syrian refugees. http://kamloopsunited.ca/

Machu Pichu Ruins: National Geographic s information about tours to the ruins. http//www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/peru-machu-picchu-tour/detail?adpos=1s1&creative=52164138218&device=c&matchtype=b&network=g&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc

PWRDF: information and news. www.pwrdf.org/

Sneem: information for the village of Sneem, site of the community art project The Way the Fairies Went. http://www.sneem.com/

World Heritage Ireland: information about one of the best known Irish passage tomb, at Newgrange. http://www.worldheritageireland.ie/bru-na-boinne/built-heritage/newgrange/

Opportunities for Ministry

BCYAYM Conference: BC and Yukon Anglican Youth Movements annual fall conference will be at St. Pauls, October 9th to 12th. Volunteers, cooks and helpers are needed. Please contact Joy Gothard.

Frozen Soup: The need continues. We would love for you to make some soup. Please remember that our neighbors often have dietary issues and pre-fer simple fare - so no spices or large chunks. Please mark containers with the type of soup and date made, and bring to the Cathedral Office.

Kitchen Angels: Kitchen Angels gather monthly for about an hour to reorganize, polish and clean. They seek recruits. Bring your rubber gloves and enjoy great fellowship and good coffee. Please talk to Carol Edwards.

Out of the Cold: St. Pauls shelter will be operating again this fall and winter. Many helping hands are needed. For more information, please contact Bud Forbes.

Peace & Justice: Add your voice to the discus-sion and action regarding peace & justice issues and outreach concerns. Monthly meetings are held in the Chapel at a time and day to be designated. Please talk with Joy Gothard.

The Sacred in the Everyday, An Exhibition: A group of parish artists are planning an art exhibition for this fall - focusing on Ordinary Time - the time in between where we live our lives. Please speak with Jennifer Ste Marie.

Thrift Shop: More helpers would be welcomed for Thursday mornings to help prepare the donated items for sale. Please come for a visit and see if you like the fit, or contact Elaine Neen.

Chucks chatter . . .

St. Pauls Anglican Cathedral Parish Founded 1884

360 Nicola Street, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 2P5 phone: 250-372-3912

e-mail: [email protected]

joyful - rooted - responsive - hospitable

Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Barbara Andrews Interim Priest: The Rev. Canon David Sinclair Honourary Assistant: The Rev. Sandra Sugden Honourary Assistant: The Rev. Tom Sugden Honourary Assistant: The Rev. Viktor Gundel Rectors Warden: Alison McKinnon Peoples Warden: Verna Albright Youth Coordinator: Melissa Green Music Directors: Heather & Norris Berg Office Coordinator: Claire Tosoff

visit our blog stpaulscathedral.blogspot.com/

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submission deadline for next issue: November 18, 2015

theme for next issue: tradition

Having the whole summer ahead of me leading up to this issue of the Circular, I decided to see when and where I experienced doorways in my life. As you might guess, I actually saw a lot of doors. Also, I talked to lots of people about doorways; the results are seen throughout this issue.

Doorways are openings through which to move from what is to what will be. My brother, Jim, tells of a friend who uses a magnifying lens to look into cracks of old dried-up tree trunks, etc. The lens becomes a doorway for a new awareness. Benign looking cracks and bits of lichen now become deep caverns filled with forests. Doors exist is such a wide variety of ways - doorways - in our lives.

While on an annual trip to Langdale with friends, I saw the installation seen in the photo to the right, mounted on the roof of an art gallery in Gibsons. I see a group of mini doors and I have reflected on this image a lot. Two of the pieces are in fact parts of actual doors that have been repurposed. Other pieces are created from recycled materials. As a testament to someones creativity, all of these pieces gel into a new life . What was has actually become what is, but the installation also acts as a doorway for contemplation and reflection.

My summer reading also touched on this theme of doorways. In The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain, neurologist Kevin Nelson takes a scientific look at brain functions that happen during near death experi-ences (NDE). Symptoms of NDE can mostly be ex-plained by brain functions. However, Nelson also

states that science and faith may not be as different as some might believe, and offers this insight: Do cold, hard clinical facts suck the divine nectar from our spiritual lives? My response is an emphatic NO! We are poised on the threshold of a new era that holds tremendous promise for a new level of spiritual exploration.

Patricia Pearson, in Opening Heavens Door, looks at near death awareness (NDA), exploring vari-ous common occurrences and experiences that occur to those who are dying - experiences that touch on the edge of the mysterious, holiness and Gods maj-esty. Delving into anecdotal stories and scientific research, Pearson reflects on might lay ahead for us as we pass through the doorway of death. (See page15.)

So I say to you: ask and it will be given you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. Luke 11:9 (NRSV).

Newsletter 10-3 "doorways"

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Transcript of Newsletter 10-3 "doorways"