STANDING TOGETHER, SHARING THE HOPESPRING/SUMMER 2013

This is LOVE: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and SENT HIS SON as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 1 John 4:10-11

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WELCOME“Branching Out”Dear Friends,

What a time we are living in!

Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby in the same year. The Lord is up to something! I was recently sitting in a discussion with some church leaders and when the topic turned to both of these men, everyone around the table agreed that a profound shift has taken place in the last few months.

At least in their early days, we have heard and seen them issue a challenge to the Church. Whether or not we choose to recognize Francis as a leader in the Church, his example ought to be noted. A man who, throughout his ministry, sought to care for the marginalized, live modestly and became a noted Jesuit; has chosen to model great humility. And Welby, who left a highly successful career in the oil industry to pursue a call to ministry, has been challenging both the church and corporate industries to care for those in need.

Two men, chosen in close proximity to each other, one as the leader of the

Protestant church, the other for the Roman Catholic – both are indicat-ing that the Church and the world around us needs to change. In his inaugural sermon, Welby said, “…at the same time the church transforms society when it takes the risks of renewal in prayer, of reconciliation and of confident declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ.”1

This is the reality that we at Threshold Ministries strive for. The past few months of this year 2

have offered me the privilege of having ‘An-nual Reviews’ with our staff – looking back to take note of the celebrations and to plan for the year ahead. Time and time again, as I listened, I was encouraged to hear from humble, yet confident, men and women who are making a huge difference in their communities and seeing transformation happen before their eyes.

As you read through this issue of The Candle, I hope you too will be encouragedby the good news of transformation that is happening across our country. These sto-ries are only a small portion of what is hap-pening. I have been in awe at how, through dedicated and faithful obedience to God, doors have opened, finances have arrived for projects and healing has occurred in the broken-hearted. It is in moments like these that one can feel like they are running just to stand still.

Words cannot accurately express the ap-preciation we have for your partnershipin the confident declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ throughout Canada.

Bless you in your support,

Shawn C. BranchNational Director

Threshold Ministries, founded in 1929 (as Church Army in Canada), is a predominantly Anglican Order of Evangelists. Our evangelists share the Christian faith through words and ac-tions while equipping others to do the same, across Canada.

Board of Directors: Dr. John W. Irwin - Chair The Most Revd T.O. Buckle - Vice Chair Mr. Ian Grant - Treasurer Mr. Andrew Barker Ms. Kathy Bell Mr. Peter BloomHonorary Board Members: Kris Hansen Fred KetchenNational Director: Shawn C. Branch

Subscriptions to our newsletters and prayer diary are available for free upon request, with donations greatly appre-ciated. They are available in both print and online formats. Please let us know which option you would prefer.

Editor: Amy StewartPrinted by: Rainbow Printing

Threshold MinistriesNational Ministry Centre105 Mountain View Drive Saint John, NB, E2J 5B5

Tel: (506)642-2210Toll Free: (888)316-8169

Email: hello@thresholdministries.caWeb: www.thresholdministries.ca

If you have a story for The Candle, or suggestions on how we can improve this magazine, please contact Amy at amy.stewart@thresholdministries.ca.

Threshold Ministries is a registered Canadian charity. Affiliated with the Evangeli-cal Fellowship of Canada and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. 3

WELCOME

1Justin Welby, “Inaugural Sermon” (Inauguration of the Ministry of the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral, March 21, 2013)

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CONTENTSThe Candle Spring/Summer 2013

17Grace8-9

Dean of Formation

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10-11

22-23

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CONTENTSThe Candle Spring/Summer 2013

PeterboroughOntario

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CrossWays6-714-15

Evangelist Support Raising This symbol identifies those Evangelists who seek support for their ministry through prayer and giving. It may be that you are drawn to certain Evangelists in this issue and would like to find out how you can partner with them in their ministry. To receive further information about Evangelist Support Raising, please email hello@thresholdministries.ca or call 888-316-8169.

sion that do not involve the inviting fellow-ship of family or friends. Our ministry at CrossWays is intended to be done through conversation, therefore, and please do not hear this as droll platitude, the ministers of this congregation are those who are in a position to have conversations.” says Barry. It is seldom Barry who leads the service but the people looking after the food and activi-ties themselves, who become the ones in a position to talk with people and share God’s love. Presiding over the service, Barry does not get up front and preach from a pulpit at the congregation, but instead just has con-versations with people and allows every ac-tivity to naturally progress to the next.

Important things that have worked so far:Serving God – they have sought and are still seeking the will of God. They believe they are getting better at recognizing the movement of the Holy Spirit and the many (sometimes frustrating) new life changes that attend His movement. They have given worship.People have come to know Jesus – This ministry is growing leaders but that leader-ship and gifting looks as different from tra-ditional leadership as CrossWays does from traditional worship. For example – no one has come forward to do what Barry does in leading the worship but people have offered the use of their acreage for a CrossWays family retreat and camp-out. Others have

In the small town of Barrhead, AB, located 121kms north of Edmonton with a popu-lation less than 10,000, there’s something special stirring. Threshold Evangelist, Bar-ry Rose along with his wife Sharon, have worked towards designing a ‘fresh expres-sion’ church and have called it CrossWays Café.Barry has dedicated his time every week, for free, to the CrossWays Café ministry. It is now in its four year of operation, of learn-ing and growing together with the commu-nity. The Sunday morning Café, based on the teachings of Jesus, is about welcome, radical hospitality and an easily entered space (non-threatening, not embarrassing, not person-ally invasive, not behaviorally challenging or demanding of certain behaviors). Everyone is welcomed just as they are. Jesus walked the roads and hills of Palestine giving to the crowds of washed, unwashed, criminal, re-ligious, criminally religious, good, diseased and sinful; all people who desired the love and attention of the incarnate God open ac-cess to his person. CrossWays is intended as an incarnational ministry and exists to en-able people to enter communion with Jesus and His people by becoming His people. Not an observer from a pew but a participant in the communication of the Gospel and the love of God.“Communion can only occur in communi-ty; there are very few testimonies of conver-

CrossWays exists to enable people to enter communion with Jesus and His people by becoming His people. Not as observers from a pew but participants

in the communication of the Good News and the love of God in Jesus.

Written by Barry RoseEvangelist

become excited about the Scriptures and consequently formed the core group of Sharon’s Bible studies, consequently growing desire to retell those sacred stories at CrossWays and at the weekly “Story Circle” for children aged 6 -12. They all bring their friends and family to CrossWays. They do not join committees and they may never offer worship leadership to the traditional congregation.The Scriptures are being read, and studied - The CrossWays congregation is distinct from the upstairs congregation with approx. 60 people who attend nowhere else. Most of these people were not attending any church before CrossWays and some of them had never been inside a church before. Some people know nothing of Christ or church initially. Working with a blank slate can be frightening at times for Barry describing it as “a breathtaking responsibility”.We have prayed - The building of a ministry team has not worked. We originally thought to use CrossWays as a missional avenue for the “upstairs congregation” but found that no-one was willing or able to tell the Bible stories (including retired clergy). The people while willing to “put the food out” were unwilling to talk to anyone about “religious things” be-cause they did not see themselves as ministers.The community is there and growing - The definition of the group is as fluid as the Holy Spirit that gives this body life, and the ritualization is also fluid. There are many different people and families of all sizes and races – the youngest regular attendee is 6 months old, the oldest is 60, there are many First Nations families, Dutch families, teenagers with-out parents, special needs kids and adults with and without caregivers, grandparents with grandchildren, and 3 generational families attending together all under one roof!It is with great gratitude that Barry thinks of the many, many people who have been part of the working structure of CrossWays over the last three and a half years. The people of Barrheads’ involvement has been foundational to the small, young and thriving community that now exists. Growth, change and movement are of the essence of human bodies both individual and social. By its very nature of being new, much like a newborn infant, it (but not necessarily the in-dividuals in the group) is incredibly fragile and can end as quickly as it began. By design CrossWays is malleable. In-deed, it has changed many times in the last three years, some-times on a weekly basis, and will continue to shape and form as God sees fit.

CrossWays Gospel Story Time

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Reed Fleming - leader ofStreet Hope Saint John, NB

played a short music video “Selah, Hope of the Broken World” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v1mgajZXqc) and said a short prayer before breakfast was served.

I could tell I was making everyone ner-vous at the sight of my camera strung around my neck. One after another, people lined up to tell me that they did not want their photo taken, some even sharing serious stories of their past to give me a reason of why they fear the lens. Not wanting to affect the group and getting a little discouraged, I went to put my camera away when a funny character named Fred tapped me on the shoulder. “Can you take my pic-ture?” he asked. I thought I heard him wrong, “Don’t worry, I won’t take your photo if you don’t want me to.” I clari-fied. “No, can you take my picture? I’d really like to have to my picture taken.” I was thrilled and agreed to meet him

Fred smiling for the camera

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After its launch in the fall of 2012, Street Hope Saint John began a hot breakfast program in partnership with Stone An-glican Church. This breakfast occurs every Saturday morning. 45-50 people come through the door with cold hands and hungry bellies.

I decided to visit them on a grey day in early March. As I went to take a photo of the building where they meet (Stone Church, Uptown Saint John), a man waiting to go in for breakfast hid behind a telephone pole to make sure I didn’t capture him in the photo. The leader of Street Hope SJ, Reed Fleming, along with Threshold Ministries Evangelist, Catherine Bonham, and his crew of volunteers, were greeting people with welcoming smiles and jokes as everyone found a seat. As 10am rolled around, the room was filled with the inviting smells of pancakes and coffee. Reed got up to welcome everyone with a kind word and

HOTCAKES WITH A SIDE OF GRACE

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Written by Amy StewartCommunications Officer

after breakfast for our photo session.

During breakfast, everyone was so thankful when they came up for first helpings of pancakes, then seconds and even thirds! There was never a leftover bite on the plate. After everyone was served, Reed went out and sat with the group laughing together as they ate their meal. Many came into the kitchen to give hugs goodbye to the volunteers saying, “See you next week”.

After cleaning up, I went over to visit Fred who was sitting at the far end of the room. After combing his beard, he smiled big for the camera and told me all about his life, stating right away that he was homeless. His raw honesty really sur-prised me. It reminded me of my missions trip years ago when I visited the slums of Belize City.

I got the warm fuzzies from a welcoming strang-er, being open, unashamed and full of joy just to

Catherine Bonhammaking fruit pancakes

chat with me, especially when he was the one who seemed to be struggling. It reminded me, yet again, of our earthly needs, wants and worries vs. the big picture - a glimpse of God’s grace. I believe Street Hope is really teaching everyone God’s grace and love, no mat-ter which side of the serving counter you are on.

Street Hope Saint John is fully funded by your gener-ous donations and would like

to let you know that they are in need of eggs, breakfast meat, coffee, juice, pancake batter,

milk and creamer. If you are in the Saint John region and would

like to donate food, please contact Reed at streethopesj@gmail.com or (506) 721-1788.

Free will donations are also greatly appreciated which can

be made online atwww.thresholdministries.ca or by contacting 1-888-316-8169.

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NORTH MEETS SOUTH:‘ARCTIC STORM’ SWEEPS THROUGH TORONTO

He’s been known as ‘Captain Glory’ for many years. On Tuesday March 4th, all those who gathered to hear him would agree that “Bishop Glory” is now equally as ap-propriate.Bishop David Parsons, Threshold Evangelist and Bishop of the Diocese of the Arctic, met with a good gathering of parishioners and visitors at Christ Church St. James Anglican to share his personal testimony, his passion for mission in the north, and his urgent plea for everyone present to stand firm in their faith to share it freely.Bishop David painted a captivating picture of the Arctic. He noted the need for men and women to hear the call of God and come north. He encouraged congregations

to be willing to set their clergy free for a span of time to serve the northern communities. Additionally, he made clear the need for all of us to be willing to sacrifice – to give it all, no matter what the cost – to pour out our very lives in reaching men and women with the Gospel of Christ, right where we are living.It is a rare occasion when a bishop takes off his suit-jacket to do multiple push-ups in the aisle in an attempt to underline the need for the Church

in Canada to ‘get mission-ready’. Bishop David made a much-appreciated presentation to The Rev. Dr. Murray Henderson, In-cumbent of Christ Church St. James, of two New Testa-ments translated into Northern lan-Bishop David Parsons and a friend in the North

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guages. One was completed quite recently – a labour of love for thirty-five years. The gifts were to emphasize two points:

1. The church is one in Canada, as the translation and publication of the New Testaments resulted from generous support from the Church in southern Canada.

2. The Word of God is active, alive, life-changing, as it opens our eyes to see Jesus, Saviour, Lord and Friend.

All in all, March 4th was a holy night, one of challenge and encourage-ment, informative and transformational.

We give God praise for David – ‘Bishop Glory’. May an Arctic revival of passion-ate recognition and renewed loyalty to Jesus storm across our landscape, north, south, east and west.

Written by Bruce SmithAmbassador

(Left to Right) Bruce Smith, The Rev. Dr. Murray Henderson,Bishop David Parsons and Peter Patterson (Warden).

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INTRODUCINGTHE NEW DEAN OF FORMATION RUTH JARVIS COLEMAN

We are thrilled to announce the ap-pointment of our Dean of Formation. After much prayer and discernment, Ruth Jarvis Coleman (AAMin, BEd, DipFCApp) joined our team in this role on April 1st, 2013. Ruth is no stranger to the mission and opera-tions of Threshold Ministries, having been with us since she married Ed Coleman shortly after his commis-sioning over 30 years ago. This ap-

pointment makes history by Ruth to be our FIRST FEMALE DEAN OF FORMATION IN CANADA!

Together, Ruth and Ed have been involved in ministry throughout Atlantic Canada and have led retreats and seminars across the country. In recent years, Ruth has been committed to empowering and strengthening the marginalized through her work with Early Child-hood Intervention and First Steps. She is committed to help Threshold Ministries further the Great Com-mission in Canada and has vision on how together we can see the church strengthened and equipped.

Until 2010, Threshold Ministries operated Taylor College in Saint John, NB, as its sole training op-tion for ministry candidates. Due to a lack of funding and decreased enrolment an alternative model was needed. Until early 2013 an appren-

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“THRESHOLD MINISTRIES is an energetic and forward thinking organization of leaders and evangelists on mission with Christ in the world. I am excited about what God is doing through this team. Their mission is current and relative to our time and culture. To be called to spiritually form people for this ministry is a delightful challenge.”

- Ruth Jarvis Coleman

Ruth receiving the Heather Stone Emerging Artist award, presented

at the Atlantic Craft Trade Show on February 4, 2012, in Halifax, NS.

ticeship model was used in partnership with St Stephen’s University for academics.

As Dean of Forma-tion, Ruth will lead this program by oversee-ing all of our student applicants and training for our ministry can-didates. She will work towards developing courses and workshops that will help the wider church community, equipping evangelists for the kingdom. In the weeks leading up to this ap-pointment, we received designated funding for this position – which was a true surprise and blessing!

We are grateful for Ruth’s wisdom and the counsel she provides. Please join us in praying for Ruth as she takes on this new challenge and ministry as well as for our candidates and the discernment over the future of our training program. We look forward to welcoming her in her new role at the National Gathering, this May 14-17, 2013.

Ruth will work closely with the National Ministry Centre team in Saint John, NB and can be reached at (506) 642-2210/1-888-316-8169 or via email:

ruth.jarviscoleman@thresholdministries.ca.

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Ruth posing with her daughter Rebecca Coleman - graduate of the BA Soc program (Hons) at UNB in 2009.

Ruth and her husband Ed Coleman (seen below) are both visual artists who create with paint and metal mediums. Photo taken at a retreat in New Brunswick in March, 2013.

The vision for Street Hope Whitehorse was presented a few months ago to the Vestries of The Church of the Northern Apostles and Christ Church Cathedral in Whitehorse, Yukon. This outreach ministry of Threshold Ministries in partnership with the Anglican Churches of Whitehorse has had a strong beginning. We celebrated the formal launching of this ministry on Sunday January 13th, 2013 at Christ Church Cathedral. We were pleased to have with us Shawn Branch the National Direc-tor of Threshold Ministries.We have begun an outreach ministry of compassion on the

streets of downtown Whitehorse. When I say “we”, I am referring to the small team of volunteers that make up the ministry team of Street Hope Whitehorse. One or two oth-ers are preparing for this front-line ministry. The Street Hope Team has also gained associate members who support this ministry in intercession and practical assistance. Our Bishop Larry Robertson stands strongly in support of us in this outreach minis-try and has given Street Hope White-horse permission to use the Old Log Rectory in downtown Whitehorse on Tuesdays and Thursdays as a base of operation.Over the past number of weeks effort has been given, to building the Team for Street Hope Whitehorse. We have shared meals together at supper- time on Thursdays in the Old Log Rectory where we have enjoyed Christian fellowship together by sharing in prayer and reflection on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have invited people that we have contacted

A NEW OUTREACH MINISTRY IS LAUNCHED!

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Photo above: Prayers being said over the core team of Street Hope White-

horse in the Cathedral during the Street Hope Whitehorse launch. This Street Hope Whitehorse team of eight is led by The Most Rev. Terry Buckle,

retired Archbishop of Yukon.

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through Street Hope ministry to these events. We see a community of com-passion emerging.A next step for Street Hope Whitehorse is the initiating of an outreach ministry named, “The Well”. “The Well” is a gathering place for Street Hope contacts. We share a meal together at 6:00PM and share in Christian fel-lowship together around our dinner table. The vision for this ministry of “The Well” comes from the Gospel of John chapter four, the story of the woman of Samaria meeting Jesus at a well. This particular expression of

Street Hope’s outreach ministry began in February and continues on the first Tuesday of each month in Christ Church Cathedral’s Hellaby Hall.Our Street Hope Team greatly values the encouragement, and financial donations that we have received from people in Whitehorse and beyond in support of this Gospel based outreach ministry. Thank you for your prayers and sup-port!

Written by Terry BuckleStreet Hope Whitehorse LeaderFor more info and to read our Vision State-ment please visit our website:

www.streethope.ca

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Shawn C. Branch, National Director of Threshold Min-istries, seen here at the pulpit of Christ Church Cathedral giving the Sermon during the Sunday morning service, Jan. 13, 2013.

The Rev. Rob Langmaid of the Parish of Watson Lake has published a new book titled “Forty Days with the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion: A Devotional Guide”

Langmaid argues that the latter is the case. He believes that the articles, which were written by English Reformers in 1533 and put in their current revised form in 1662, provide fertile ground for the growth of churches and believ-ers in the Communion. Furthermore, he writes, the articles not only can inform individual and corporate dis-cussions concerning Anglican identity, but can also serve as a basis of spiritual meditation.

How is it that the articles can do all this? Because the Reformers and the English church were careful to ground them se-curely in the Bible and in the first four

general councils of the Christian church and the three ecumenical statements of belief (the Nicene, Apostles’, and Athanasian creeds). In fact, Langmaid argues, a new consideration of the articles will

call Anglicans to renew their historical alle-giance to the Bible and the Lordship of Christ and thereby provide the backdrop for great-er and more effective diversity throughout the Anglican Commu-nion.

Besides taking the reader through forty days of meditating on the articles, this valu-

able contribution to Anglican and ecumenical thought includes two essays on the Articles of Religion and Anglican identity and a ver-sion of the articles in modern English by Peter Toon.

The book is available from Robor at Amazon.ca.

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Robert G.W. Langmaid is a minister in the Anglican Diocese of Yukon and a Threshold Ministries Evangelist. He is the fourth member of the past five generations of his family to be a member of the Anglican clergy.

Are the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England a dusty relic of the sixteenth century, with little to say to Anglican Christians in this brave new world of the twenty-first century? Or do they form a statement that is ideally suited to strengthen and unify them in their faith?

GEMS NIGHT OUT

SUCCESS!

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I would also like to give thanks for the success of our Gems Night Out event which was held in the Salish Centre in Sliammon. It was a night of pampering, fun and food, where women - mainly from the white community - provided free beauty treatments, massages, and even prayer for our First Nations sisters. Over a hundred women were in attendance, 15-20 of whom crossed the Salish Sea from Homolko, the Campbell River area, to join us. Many of the women were touched by the testimony of Marilyn Gray, a Christian woman and au-thor from Olympia WA, and sought prayer or wanted to buy her book.

We created a Facebook page for our event, which is what helped get the word out, and we also noticed that throughout the night our numbers kept increasing as the younger women texted their friends to tell them to come and check it out. Thank God for social media!

Our team feel that this event represented another breakthrough in our at-tempts to reach this community for the Kingdom of God, and a breakdown of some of the barriers that separate our white community of Powell River from our Sliammon neighbours which what we have been praying for. Thank You, Lord! Written by Catherine Morris

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Name on High says:

You came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord I lift Your name on high.

Dosen’t that message just make you want to smile and praise Jesus!! Bring-ing smiles to people’s hearts is what we seek to accomplish in the ministry of

Street Hope Peterborough. We want to see those we are serving find hope and freedom in their hearts through a living relationship with Jesus! Wheth-er it is helping someone who is down and out find a new clean place to live or giving someone free furnishings for their new home from The Mercy Cen-tre, it is all about building friendships

that bring smiles and hope in Christ! A simple haircut from Paul at The Brock Mission has built the self es-teem of many men as they struggle with their identity. Paul has been providing this compassionate service since 2008 on a monthly basis. Our bi weekly Movie and Meal outreach has also brought those 18

Free Haircutsat the Mercy Centre

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There is something special about a smile. It is really hard to be sad or to frown when someone is smiling. A little smile can totally change the mood of a day and the attitude of the heart. Smiles are contageous and what a different world it would be if there were more people smiling, seeking to make others happy and joyful around them! Prov-erbs 15:13 says: A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

My prayer is that you have a happy heart today. When I think about all that Jesus has done for us in His love towards us, we have good reason to rejoice and to smile! Just think for a moment about all that Jesus accomplished in coming into human flesh as God among us in Isaiah 9:6. The chorus of Lord I Lift Your

BUILDINGFRIENDSHIPSWITH A SMILE

Delivering free furniture to those in need

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Written byDarrin Gaudreau

Street Hope Peterborough Leader

we are serving joy as they have received a great home cooked meal and watched a wonderful Christian movie. Many times, our guests are wiping away tears of joy as Jesus has ministered to them through His love.

Gary, is another man who has been such a wonderful blessing to me in this minis-try as he has assisted me to move furni-ture to many people. Gary has many rea-sons to be thankful to Jesus and his smile is contageous. He knows what being alive in Jesus is all about and he serves Him with a joyful heart. When you have 5 minutes to spare, check out the short vid-eo clip on Street Hope at http://thresh-oldministries.ca/peterborough/ You will meet Gary in this video.

A smile and kind word can change a person’s day and a persons’s heart from despair to joy and meaningful purpose!

Let’s all give away a free smile today and see how Jesus will use it to change some-one’s life.

Street Hope Peterborough is fully funded by your generous dona-

tions. If you would like to donate cloth-ing, furniture or funds to this ministry,

please contact Darrin atdarrin.gaudreau@thresholdministries.ca

or 705)768-5550. You can also give online at www.thresholdministries.ca

PARTNER WITH US

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A Financial Overview

Why Should I Give to the General Fund?Unlike many charities that require their projects or ESR staff to raise anadditional 10-20% for the “office”, Threshold Ministries has been blessed with a generous number of people who still contribute towards the General Fund. This Fund pays for the often forgotten bills – like emergencies, crisis care, seeding new projects, staff development and the support staff salaries.

These salaries are those at the National Office, that provide for resources,admin support and financial oversight for all of our projects. Everyone at the National Office works to support all of our evangelists – whether it is helping with preparing advertising materials, fundraising resources, post-ers, mailings or financial advice; these salaries are paid for by those who contribute to the General Fund.

$1,005,459

$1,186,402

-$180,943

2012 OverviewTotal Income

Total Expenditures

Net Deficit

Summary from the 2012 Audited StatementsNote: As you’ll see from the figures above, at our 2012 year-end (September 31), we were in a deficit position. Since that time, a number of steps have been put in place to work towards being better stewards

of our financial resources. These include: more effective support and accountability for our projects; fundraising resources for those raising support and monthly review of all departmental finances. Because of this, we have seen a dramatic increase and turn around in our finan-cial management. If you would like to have a copy of our Audited Statements, please contact our Financial Office – (506) 642-2210 or financial@thresholdministries.ca

PRAY Join our team of intercessors who pray for us on a regular basis; fol-lowing along with our Prayer Diary.

FINANCIAL GIFTS Our ministry is entirely supported and funded through the sacrificial gifts of our partners, individuals like yourself and churches, who share our vision. You can give through cheques or money orders and/or credit card or online through PayPal and Canada Helps. You can also arrange for pre-authorized gift giving (setting up regular donations) which will save you on postage and cheques, and help us with budget planning.

STOCKS & SHARES Some individuals prefer to transfer shares, as their method of partnering.

ESTATES Leaving a gift in your will/estate.

FUNDRAISE FOR US Organize an event to raise funds and aware-ness for Threshold Ministries. Contact our office for supplies and how-tos!

THRESHOLD SUNDAY Host a Threshold Sunday and invite a speaker to share about the ministry, with a special offering being collected.

SPREAD THE WORD Most growth occurs through word of mouth. Perhaps you have friends or family members who would share our vision and you could let them know about us. We would love to introduce ourselves to them.

ONLINE Are you online? If so, get connected with us and stay up-to-date on news and stories from across the country by visiting us:

PARTNER WITH US

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@thresholdmin/thresholdministries

www.THRESHOLDMINISTRIES.ca

For more information on any of these options,please feel free to contact our National Ministry Centre hello@thresholdministries.ca - (506)642.2210

How you can help!

PUPPETS CAN SAY THE THINGS WE CAN’T, BUT WANT TO!David is the straight-man, feeds lines to Janet who picks them up, gives them a wry twist and turns them into zingers that always hit their mark and get a laugh. David maintains Janet is shy, and “gets herself out there by hiding in the puppet tent.” Janet is the one who calls Da-vid the straight man, but he likes to get in the tent too and do his magic tricks through his puppets, which is like doing them blindfolded with one hand behind his back. They are quite a couple and on Feb. 16 they shared their love and expertise of puppets with an enthusiastic crowd of puppeteers of every level at a work-shop in Saint John — at Taylor College to be exact, home of Threshold Ministries (formerly Church Army in Canada). This all makes per-fect sense because David and Janet met when they were both puppeteers at a Church Army Beach Mission at Great Yarmouth Beach in England.

David is aka Archdeacon David Edwards, Par-ish Development Officer for this diocese. Janet Edwards is a former teacher at Taylor Col-lege and a Threshold Ministry lay evangelist at St. James Church in Lakewood, Saint John. Together they took their workshop students through some of the basics of puppet ministry. They started the day by offering some of their own sketches with their own puppets — pup-pets who knew how to tell a Bible story, hone

in on the point, make it with the help of a few saucy comments or blatant jokes (whatever was necessary), and leave a lasting memory and understanding. Da-vid mostly played the straight man and Janet mostly did the puppeteering, but the rest of the day Janet was front and centre with the insight and information. Clearly she no longer needs to hide in the puppet tent in order to speak in front of a crowd.

She began with getting to know our Pup-pets. “If we want our puppets to be believ-able, we need to create them with charac-ter,” she said. “Everyone knows they are just stuffed objects with no real feelings, but during a presentation somehow they take on a life of their own. We talk, but the audience sees the puppet as the speaker. The task of the puppeteer is to make our puppets ‘come alive’. This can take some time because sometimes it seems these stuffed objects have character traits of their own, but the more time puppeteers spend with their puppets, the better they get to know them. The characters evolve and don’t need to be reinvented for each performance; as a result their character can be developed and extended.

You might expect that as a woman of

by Ana Watts

22Students at the puppeteer workshop at Threshold

Ministries National Ministry Centre

faith Janet would encourage the puppeteers to create sweet and caring characters. You would be wrong.

“Puppets can say things you can’t,” she said. “They can be brats, rude, all kinds of things. Generally speaking, puppets are ‘out there.’ In fact, I can only recall one submissive puppet in my career.”

David claims that in her shy days, Janet gave her characters the charac-teristics she wanted herself — like the confidence to speak out. “Puppets can ask all the stupid questions that everyone else is too afraid to ask.” Although there are still lines that cannot be crossed, even by puppets, the puppets’ courage to ask questions, disagree, push and be pushed can give Bible stories and les-sons the kind of context and clarity necessary for real understanding.

Janet devoted another session to humour, the basis for most puppetry. She admitted humour is very individual — David loves Monte Py-thon, but she doesn’t “get it” — however, there are some common humour traits. Exaggera-tion is especially useful in highlighting right and wrong; think of the parables. Exaggera-tion of puppet motion is also very effective, but timing is at the core. “Your story goes along

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and your audience is anticipating the les-son or a reaction and — you go in a com-pletely different direction!”

After some tips on writing a sketch — find an idea for a sketch in the lectionary, a mag-azine, the news, something from your own life or even straight from your imagina-tion. Often they are narrative or dramatic stories, but it is also possible to use puppets for “an instructive reading of the lesson.” In

some cases a puppet show can take the time usually re-served for the sermon. The bottom line is to know what message you want to com-municate and find a way to do that.

The puppeteers spent the afternoon using the things they learned in the morning

to create their own presentations for the afternoon. It’s not quite as easy as it looks, but it is lots of fun and the better puppe-teers get to know their puppets and their puppets’ friends, the better the results. People in Saint John, Moncton, Stanley and Shediac should be on the lookout for some great fun and some great lessons.

A special thanks to The Diocesan Synod of Fredericton Communications Officer

Ana Watts, for this story and photographs.

Janet and David EdwardsPuppeteering Pros

CAT

ALY

TIC

www.THRESHOLDMINISTRIES.ca105 Mountain View Dr. Saint John, NB, E2J 5B5TEL: 506.642.2210 TF: 1.888.316.8169 FAX: 506.657.8217 hello@thresholdministries.ca @thresholdmin /thresholdministries