anglicanlife

OCTOBER 2015

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Aye, aye Captain!

Article by

Sandra OConnor
Photos by

Rev. Shaun OConnor

For as we explore the

Bible, we explore our relationship with God, who then
opens the whole world for
us to explore. Thus spake
Captain James Cook during
his address to the openi n g c h a p e l at
Mint Brook Boys
Camp 2015.
With the
theme High Seas
Expedition, the
boys embarked
on a journey
to experience
Gods wonderful
love. Along the
way they learned
that Gods word
is true, comforting, surprising,
life-changing and for everyone. They got a taste of
what some of the earliest
Christians experienced in the
shape-shifting Bible-times
room, which became a

October 2015

A Section of the Anglican Journal

first-century home, a ship, an

island and more. No camp is
complete without games and
there were games aplenty.
Group games in the morning
reinforced lessons learned;
night games provided some
adventure and intrigue; the
games room was a big hit
and always saw a lineup
waiting to play Stratego; and
free-time games included

everything from water dodge

ball to lawn bowling.
There were many opportunities to explore the world
God created, as well as the
wonder of being created in

his image. As always, the trip

up the brook to the rapids
where we rafted and swam
was enthusiastically enjoyed.
Swimming and canoeing
were daily staples embarked
on with joy, particularly since
that week was the first really
warm one of the summer.
We observed stars galore far
from the towns lights using a
telescope and the naked eye.
Our creativity was explored
when we decorated clay pot
lighthouses. An obvious nod
to our theme, they reminded
us to share the light of the
Gospel and that Jesus is the
light of the world. At our
closing chapel, we lit them as
each boy shared some way in
which he saw or experienced
God during the week.
As one might expect,
living in close community for
a full week was new to many
boys. The Quiet Room
was a welcome retreat for
those needing some personal space. Daily duties,
consisting of teams for maintenance (oddly enough, a
very enjoyable task for some
was bathroom cleaning),
dishes, campfire and chapel,
enabled everyone to contribute to the life and work
of the community. Naturally,
conflict arose from time to
time, but we were humbled
at those times when we saw
forgiveness sought and offered freely; those experiences were moving for the
forgiven, the forgiver and
those privileged to observe.
Every year, we see boys
return to camp and new
ones arrive, and we
strive to give them a
glimpse of our Lord
and the life of Christ
in us. Some share
positive things that
are happening in
their lives and faith
and others carry
loads far too heavy
to be left to them
alone. Sometimes
it is challenging;
sometimes it happens very naturally
as we talk, teach and play. But
without a doubt, the enormity of the task set before us in
working with young people
becomes clear with each boy
we meet.

Harvest
Thanksgiving

The Earth is the Lords and all

that is in it, the world and all who
dwell therein. Psalm 24:1
The more time I spend on the
northeast side of Fogo Island these
days the more I realize why the celebration of harvest thanksgiving
was downplayed. Fertile land would
not be a choice description of the
landscape. Ours was an existence
sustained by the harvest of the sea
and we never thought to make the
sanctuary look like the stage head.
In later years when I arrived in the
Parish of Bonne Bay North (Rocky
Hr. and Norris Point) I witnessed a
full celebration of the essence of
the familiar lines of Psalm 24. The
opening words of which recognize
God the Creator; the following
words acknowledge the work of
Gods people.
In Bonne Bay the church was
decorated as I had never seen a
church decorated before: vegetables, jams, etc. of course but there
was a display of salt fish and woolen
mittens and socks and crafted goods

to the ideas of the self. The French

has a wonderful expression, joie
de vivre, for the delight that results
from the transformation and endless
possibilities that God has put before
us. Joie de vivre is joy in everything.
While thanksgiving is common
to most religions it is the nature and

from the materials of the earth.

The produce of the land and sea
was one thing but the display bore
testament to the skill and labour
of Gods people. The display was
a transformation of raw materials
into practical goods for the welfare
of humankind brought into a sacred
space as a gesture of thanks to
the Holy One who ultimately has
ownership. Nature is no accident.
Nature is purpose, goodness and
morality. There is more to the fruits
of creation than meets the eye.
Nature, human life and all, has
a beginning, a purpose and an end
that belong to the Creator. The whole
created order exists for something
beyond itself whether it is the eye
of a potato or one of Plutos moons.
With or without a notion of God
our culture holds fast to a sense
of purpose and direction essential

essence of Christianity. The central

act of worship is thanksgiving;
Eucharist is a Greek word for thanksgiving. In this sacrament we have
a simple meal of bread and wine;
bread from grains, leaven, skill and
heat and wine from grapes, fermentation, skill and patience. Common
elements artfully transformed again
into the body and blood of Christ--the Bread of Life. Grafted into
his body and made one with him
in the waters of baptism we are
transformed more and more to his
likeness as we partake in the meal
of the baptized community. Our
purpose, goodness and morality can
only be found in and through him.
We are well aware of the cost
of doing whatever we will with the
created order. Let thanksgiving
transform our wills to reflect that of
Gods generosity and purpose.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

The Most Rev. Percy Coffin

Archbishop

Western Newfoundland

OCTOBER 2015

Creationist or
Evolutionist?

Rev. Gregory Mercer

Columnist

Ever since Darwins theory of

evolution and natural selection
there has been an ongoing debate between creation and evolution. Theologically the dispute
centers on the origin of species
and the whole of creation. To
clarify, a creationist believes
that the universe and the origin
of life was a specific act of God,
according to the Bible, and
rejects any scientific theory of
evolution. Those who hold this
view are often of the Conservative Evangelical persuasion.
In his book, How to Know God
Exists, author Ray Comfort goes
to great lengths to prove this
point, even quoting world renowned scientists who question
the whole theory of evolution.
Stepping back in time he pulls
all the stops including Galileo,
Emerson, Darwin himself, and
even Albert Einstein who said, I
want to know how God created
this world. Of particular concern for the creationists is the
origin of human beings and the
rejection of human evolution.
Comfort in his book argues that
an increasing number of scientists, and in particular a growing
number of evolutionists argue
that Darwinian evolution (the
origin of species) is no genuine
theory at all. Notably, he says,
people like Jerry Bergman, Ph.
D., has compiled a list of 3,000
scientists and professors who
reject evolution. According to
Comfort, Nearly 8 in 10 Americans still are not buying the
theory 48 percent said God
created humans in the present
form Only 13 percent believe
in naturalistic evolution.
An Evolutionist, on the other
hand, is a person who believes
in the theories of evolution and
natural selection that naturally
occurring differences among
offspring lead to evolution of

different species. If God exists,

he played no part in the processes. Some evolutionists argue
that faith and science are
incompatible. But not all evolutionists share this particular
view. Many who believe in the
theory of evolution are also believers. It is interesting to note
that the pope and the Catholic
Church have recognized the
existence of evolution for many
years, with Pope Francis stating
the following on the matter:
God is not a divine being or a
magician, but the Creator who
brought everything to life, the
pope said. Evolution in nature is
not inconsistent with the notion
of creation, because evolution
requires the creation of beings
that evolve (Wikipedia). Dr.
Francis Collins, head of the
Human Genome Project, is one
of the worlds leading scientists.
Dr. Collins is known for mapping
the human DNA, the code of
life. He is also an atheist turned
Christian, a man with an unshakable faith in God and scripture.
In his book, The Language of
God, he makes his case for God
and for Science. His chapter on
Biologos in particular (Science
and Faith in Harmony) he states
that a growing number of biologists and serious believers
accept that God is not limited in
space and time and created the
whole universe and the natural
laws that govern it, including
the process of evolution. God
chose the elegant mechanism
of evolution to create microbes,
plants, and animals of all sorts.
Most remarkably, God intentionally chose the same mechanism
to give rise to special creatures
who would have intelligence, a
knowledge of right and wrong,
free will, and a desire to seek
fellowship with Him.
So what are you a Creationist or an Evolutionist? We can be
both. Recent polls suggest that
a large majority of people 90
percent or more still believe
in God, and yet it is rather interesting how much trust we
place in science, everything from
electronics, to weather reports,
to medicine. I would encourage
you to read chapter 38 of The
Book of Sirach, especially verses
1 15 (Medical science and faith
in harmony). But I leave you
with verse 13 which says, There
may come a time when recovery
lies in the hands of physicians,
for they too pray to the Lord.

Bringing church to
our seniors

We love to gather together on Sunday to worship our Father in Heaven. This is not always possible for some people. Violet was once a regular church goer of St. Peters
Church in Cartwright, Labrador. She can no longer get out to church so we brought
church to her. On Sunday, July 26, 2015, Archdeacon Nellie Thomas and I brought
home communion to Violet Dyson and her family at their home in Cartwright. We worshipped together and sang praises to the Lord. We were all so blessed to share this time
together. Thank you to Violet and her family for welcoming us into their home. Submitted by Christine Lynch

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

OCTOBER 2015

Isle aux Morts Confirmation What is your

legacy?

In the September issue

of Zoomer Magazine, Vivian Vassos wrote that It
is said that Buddha could
walk at birth. A lotus flower,
the symbol of Buddhism,
would bloom in his wake.
Jesus left another type
of wake. Mike Gantt in an
online blog writes that
Jesus left a greater inheritance than any ever left
by a human being. He
showed us the way to live
in this world. It is the way
of love, the way of cheerful
sacrifice.
What will you leave in
your wake?
As I write this I am in a
contemplative mood. I sit
on my deck in SpreadeaConfirmation at Holy Spirit Church in Isle Aux Morts. On May 31st the sacrament of Con- gle, Trinity Bay overlooking
firmation took place at Holy Spirit Church in Isle aux Morts. Bishop Don Young officiated the peaceful ocean. It is
in Archbishop Coffins absence. Rev Maryrose Colbourne prepared them for confirmation. early morning and the only
It was a lovely service with great fellowship and food following the service. Submitted by sounds I hear are that of a
Dorothy Rector.
tinkling brook, the chirping of birds and a gentle
rolling surf.
I wonder what will I
leave in my wake?
For the last 15 years I
have been encouraging
Anglicans all over the province to ensure that they
have their estate in order.
St. Georges Angli- Their name and conPeggy Sheppard, 4 That means having a legal
can Church, Cormack tact information(e-mail Pine Ave. Cormack, NL, will and I also encourage
is in the process of or postal)
A8A 2N9. Email:
them to consider leaving
expanding its photo
- Branch of service, peggysheppard@yahoo.ca
something in their wills for
display of veterans be- years served, rank, etc.,
P h o n e : 7 0 9 - 6 3 5 - their church. Some have
yond 1945 to include if known
heeded my advice and
7160
our modern day veter- 5 x 7 framed unitheir lives and that of their
ans. If you know of any formed photo suitable
Jean Pinksen, 409 churches have been blessCormack Veteran of the for wall hanging if pos- Veterans Dr. Cormack, ed with a planned gift of
Canadian Armed Forces sible
NL, A8A 2R7. Email: jean- some sort. Ministries of all
kinds from youth to music
or the RCMP who have
Thank you for your pinksen@hotmail.com.
served our country since assistance. Please conP h o n e : 7 0 9 - 2 1 5 - have been enhanced by
their generosity.
1945, please send the tact one of the follow- 0570
Others, Im afraid, have
following:
ing:
not followed through. Statistics tell us that 50 Percent of Canadians do not
have a legal will and that
only spells trouble for their
families who are left after
a loved one dies. Case
in point: A person I have

Cormack Church searching for

veterans

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Kevin Smith

Columnist

known for a long time died

recently without a will. She
owned a home and property. In order to deal with
it properly, the family now
has to go through a legal
process so that someone
will officially own the home
and be able to do whatever
they decide with it. With
hindsight, Im sure she
would have preferred not
to have left so much confusion in her wake.
On a more positive
note, I recently met with
an old friend of mine who
always answered in the
negative whenever I asked
him if he and his wife had
wills. Sometimes he would
tell me so even if I didnt
remind him of the importance of one. Well, this
last time, he told me without being prompted that
they were working with a
lawyer to finally get their
wills established. This is
another wonderful aspect
of this couples marvelous
wake that they are going to
leave. We must be thankful
for small mercies!
Kevin Smith is a gift planning consultant for the Anglican Church of
Canada. He can be contacted at
709 739-5667 or by email:
kevinsmith709@gmail.com

OCTOBER 2015

Position Available: Editor

Anglican Life in Newfoundland & Labrador
ANGLICAN LIFE in Newfoundland and Labrador is the newspaper
of the Anglican Church in the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador. A co-operative effort of the three Dioceses in
Newfoundland and Labrador, it is publishes ten issues each
calendar year with an independent editorial policy.
Anglican Life is a section of the Anglican Journal
Editor:
The Venerable Sam Rose
8 Croydon Street
Paradise, NL
A1L 1P7
Email: anglicanlifenl@gmail.com

New subscriptions, cancellations, & changes of address should

be sent to:
Circulation
The Anglican Journal (attn. Bev Murphy)
80 Hayden Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2
(416) 924-9192 (O) (416) 925-8811 (fax)
Email: circulation@national.anglican.ca
Each parish is responsible for maintaining its own subscription
list - please notify your parish office of any changes. Changes
sent to parish offices may take months to take effect. Please
also send your updated information to Circulation at the
Anglican Journal (above) or to Don Young at 34 Fraser Road,
Gander NL A1V 2E8.
Articles and photographs: Send to the Editor (above)
Letters to the Editor:
Send to the Editor, Sam Rose (address as above). All letters
must include the writers name, address, and telephone
number. Telephone numbers will not be published. Anglican
Life does not publish letters under nom de plume. Letters
should not exceed 300 words (one double spaced typewritten
page), and are subject to editing at the discretion of the editor.
These policies were adopted by the Anglican Life Committee.

Printed and Mailed by:

Webnews Printing Inc.
8 High Meadow Place
North York, ON, M9L 2Z5

Circulation: 19,500

Anglican Life in Newfoundland and Labrador is the newspaper of the Anglican Church
in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. A co-operative effort of the three
Dioceses in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is published monthly, except July and
August, with an independent editorial policy. The Editor has responsibility for all final
decisions pertaining to the design, layout, content and quality of each issue of Anglican Life. The publishers of Anglican Life are the three Bishops of the Dioceses of Eastern Newfoundland & Labrador, Central Newfoundland, and Western Newfoundland.
The Business Manager and Advertising Agent is the Joint Committee Officer.

What are we looking for in an Editor?

Advertising Rates and other information may be obtained from:

Bishop Donald Young
34 Fraser Road, Gander, NL, A1V 2E8
Phone: (709) 256-7701
Email: jointcommittee@nfld.net

Paid Subscription Rates:
Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00
Outside the province: $20.00
International: $25.00

Layout & Design by: The Editor

The Tri-Diocesan Management Committee seeks applications for the position of Editor for Anglican Life in Newfoundland & Labrador.

The Editor of Anglican Life should possess the following qualities:

- A personal faith in God and an active relationship with Jesus Christ which is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- Be able to provide a prophetic and pastoral voice to the church that encourages its
ministry and reflects the breadth and diversity of the church, in particular the Anglican
Church in Newfoundland & Labrador.
- Be able to share in and take responsibility for the writing of news, features, and
editorials that reflect critically and appreciatively on the churchs life, actions, and
decisions.
- Be able to provide analysis, commentary, and reflection on issues facing the church
and the world
- Be able to ensure that the newspaper operates at the highest level of professionalism
- Be able to safeguard the editorial independence of Anglican Life
- Be able to edit, design, produce, and lead the editorial direction of Anglican Life as
a ministry to the church and of the church.

What is expected of the Editor?

The Editor of Anglican Life should exhibit the following abilities:

- Be responsible for the overall editorial content of Anglican Life
- Write editorials at least five times each publishing year (ten issues)
- Be responsible for receiving material from parish reporters and keep a log of all
received materials
- Prepare the layout and design of the paper
- Edit material where necessary
- Work in conjunction with the Joint Committee Officer in matters of advertising and
finances;
- Be a liaison with regular columnists and contributors
- Meet annually with the Anglican Life Committee to do long term planning around
the context and ministry of the paper

Experience and Education

The Editor of Anglican Life should have the following educational and experience requirements:
- A relevant Post-Secondary degree (Journalism or Arts) or equivalent
- Experience in working with newspapers or magazines
- Experience with desktop publishing and related computer applications. The applicant should possess computer skills which include a working knowledge of publishing software (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Adobe Acrobat) as well as have
flexibility to work with hard copy articles
- Applicant should have some working knowledge and experience in maintaining
Anglican Life website and social media pages (Facebook, Twitter)
- Applicant is expected to be an active member of an Anglican parish in the Anglican
Church to Canada
- Knowledge, understanding, and experience of the church (Anglican Church of Canada, Anglican Communion, ecumenical)
- A lively, personal engagement with matters of faith, life, and social transformation

Applications should include:

- A short letter of application, including brief introduction of applicants life experience and Christian faith
- A complete curriculum vitae, including at least three references
- Sample(s) of a publication(s) created by applicant
- Two sample editorials
Please Mail completed applications by October 15, 2015 to:
The Rt. Revd Donald Young
Joint Committee
34 Fraser Road,
Gander, NL, A1V 2E8

For further questions please contact Bishop Don Young, Joint Committee Officer at
jointcommittee@nfld.net or phone (709) 256-7701

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

OCTOBER 2015

This was a special welcome given by Confirmation candidate Caroline

Cumbie at the opening of
the Confirmation service at
the Parish of St. John the
Evangelist, Topsail, Conception Bay South:
My name is Caroline
Cumbie and I am one of
the candidates for Confirmation this evening.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome our Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr.
Geoffrey Peddle, Bishop
of the Diocese of Eastern
Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thanksgiving
again

I would also like to welcome all our family, Godparents, and friends who
have come to witness our
Confirmation.
On behalf of my fellow
Confirmation candidates,
I would like to thank our
Confirmation teachers for
all their wisdom and guidance in helping us to prepare for this special day.
Thank you to Sharon Smith,
Lisa Cox, Susan Bonnell
and Maxine Reccord.
The purpose of Confirmation preparation is to
ensure that those who are
confirmed have a proper
understanding of what it

means to live as a disciple

of Christ within the life of
the Church.
During our Confirmation classes we learned
about the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed,
the Lords Prayer, and the
Holy Trinity.
We also learned about
the seasons of the Church
and the significance of
each one.
As we begin our service, we should all remember that we are servants of
God. We have a responsibility to be His hands and
voice in the world. Thank
you.

Justice Camp to take

place in Cuba
Submitted by

Rev. Bill Mous

The first-ever international

Justice Camp will bring together a
diverse group of Anglicans in Cuba
next May to explore the concept
of the common good with an eye
towards furthering Gods justice
and loving purposes.
Through a week-long program of directed immersion experiences, biblical reflection, worship, and relationship building,
participants form friendships and
develop skills to become effective
social justice leaders within their
own local communities. Issues
related to food security, economic
justice and civic engagement will
be featured throughout the camp.
The camps are a tangible expression of our baptismal promises, especially as they better equip
us to strive for justice and uphold
the dignity of every human being, said the Reverend Bill Mous,
one of the camps organizers. This

camp will also foster Cuban-Canadian relationships and explore

what it means to be the Body of
Christ at an international level.
Twenty-five Canadians over
the age of 18 will be chosen to
participate in the camp alongside
25 Cuban participants. In keeping
with the justice camp ethos, efforts
will be made to ensure participants reflect the Anglican Church
of Canadas diversity. Those interested in learning more about the
camp or desiring to submit an

Recently I attended a
large social event with
many in attendance. All
kinds of people were
there, including quite
a number of church
people.
For a while I just sat
and listened. Everyone,
it seemed was complaining about the weather
(it was a cold, cold July
day). Our governments
were attacked.
International threats,
terrorism, uncertain financial situations, etc.,
ominously clouds our
future, apparently.
Doom and gloom
seemed everywhere. But
now its October - Time
for Thanksgiving.
In this dreadful time
is there Nothing to be
truly thankful for?? Yes,
there certainly is! Lots of
things!!
The best news is,
and weve said this over
and over again, but its
still News to the multitudes who have not
heard, and to all those
who do not believe, that
we surely must be grate-

online application can visit www.

justicecamp.ca.
There have been seven Justice Camps since the first was
hosted in Winnipeg in 2005. This
Justice Camp is an innovative joint
initiative of the Diocese of Niagara
and the Diocese of Cuba which
are in a companion diocese relationship, along with The Primates
World Relief and Development
Fund and the Anglican Church of
Canada.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Ron Clarke

Columnist

ful, truly thankful that,

above all, and in the
midst of all, we have an
omnipotent, all-loving
Father God.
Nothing is too dreadful, or too massive, for
Our God to handle. Our
Creator Father will sometime, SOON, eliminate
all the evil weve engendered, and make ALL
THINGS NEW, gloriously,
everlasting NEW. PERFECT!
So, in joyful anticipation, let us thank our God
TODAY.

OCTOBER 2015

Building bridges with Africa

Submitted by

Bishop David Torraville

In this second reflection

on the trip that the Rev. Perry
Cooper and I made to Africa
in May, I will be sharing some
impressions of our time in
Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania at
the Consultation on Companion Diocese Relationships as
well as our time with Bishop
Francis Loyo of the Diocese of
Rokon in South Sudan.
The consultation was
funded largely through a
grant from the General Synods Ministry Investment Fund
and was originally planned for
Bujumbura, Burundi. However, because of the unsettled
political situation around
elections and the resulting
violence in Burundi, the consultation was moved to Dares-Salaam. As a result the
Burundian participants were
unable to leave their country
and were unable to attend.
Historically a number of
Canadian dioceses have had
long standing Companion
relationships with African
Dioceses and while not all
Canadian or African dioceses
in Companion Relationships
were able to attend, a number
of dioceses were represented.
There were participants from
the partnership dioceses of
Athabasca and Ibba, in South
Sudan; Montreal and Masasi, in Tanzania; Fredericton
and Ho in Ghana and Central
Newfoundland and Rokon, in
South Sudan. Representatives
from Ruperts Land, Edmonton
and Quappelle attended but
their partners from Burundi
and Uganda were unable to
attend. Archbishop Fred Hiltz,
our primate, members of the
National Church staff including Isaac Kawuki Mukasa and
the Rev. John Kafwanka, the
Director of Missions from the
Anglican Communion Office
in London also attended. The
Primate, the Most Rev. Bernard Ntahoturi from Burundi
was to act as our host but as he
was unable to attend; Bishop
James Alamasi of Masasi, undertook those responsibilities
and was the celebrant at our
final Eucharist.
The objectives of the Consultation were to: 1) Meet
one another in person and

give thanks to God for our

companion relationships.
2) Discuss how our dioceses
are engaged in the mission
of God. 3) Reflect on what is
working well and what is not
and why. 4) Grow in mutual
understanding and support.
5) Identify opportunities for
further collaboration. 6) Share
what we are learning about
Companion Relationships
with the wider Church.
For me the most useful
and inspiring element of the
consultation was the relationship building and while the
formal presentations were
helpful, the conversations
over breakfast, the informal
discussions around tea were
inspiring. We are people of
faith doing our very best,
prayerfully, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to Bishop David Torraville (right) is pictured with some young Anglican members of St. Albans Caproclaim the Kingdom of God thedral in Dar es Salaam, Africa. Photo: Perry Cooper.
where we are, to the people in
our neighbourhood, whether en in the church, the role of family, proclaiming hope and to Newfoundland and Labrathat neighbourhood be in the church in civil society. Gods Kingdom in Rokon, dor but his visa application
Juba, South Sudan, Winnipeg, They are, however, differences South Sudan. They do it with- has been twice denied. One of
Manitoba or MacCallum, Cen- among friends - within family. out a Diocesan Office, without the benefits of the conference
tral Newfoundland.
Free from political posturing diocesan financial resources, was to help us network with
On the last day of our and oneupmanship we said without salary, without even others who have sponsored
visit we attended worship at prayers for one another, we a vehicle to travel the Diocese. episcopal visits from African
St. Albans Cathedral, Dar es committed ourselves to sup- Their families support them- bishops so hopefully our next
Salaam. As the service began porting one another and we selves by subsistence farming. application will be more effecwe were invited to introduce found that in the family of Francis spent many years sep- tively crafted; satisfy Canadian
ourselves so we introduced Christ hope and joy abound. arated from his family during Immigration, and will be sucourselves, saying
the extended civil cessful.
we were from Cenwar; he spent seven
At present the Diocese of
tral Newfoundland.
months in prison Rokon has a fibreglass boat
When the service
being threatened which they can use to fish a
ended I was makwith execution, but tributary of the Nile. They are
ing my way to the
I have never met a developing a project to get
back of the church
person with such a small refrigeration truck
when a gentleman
exuberant faith, al- to transport fish to market
approached me and
ways ready to laugh in Juba. This is intended to
asked You are from
and to make oth- provide an income for the DiNew-found-land? I
ers laugh, always ocese, a market for fishermen
said, yes and he
ready to proclaim and work for a couple of peoresponded, I have
his faith, to pray, to ple transporting and selling
two daughters livencourage. To be the fish. I am hoping with so
ing in St. Johns.
part of a church, part many historic fishing commuIt really is a small
of a family which nities in our Diocese that we
world and a small
includes Francis and can provide some financial
church; over elevClement is an inspi- assistance to this project and
en thousand kiloration.
hopefully when Bishop Francis
metres away from
Over the years visits he will be able to share
home I meet a man Bishop Francis Loyo (left) with the Rev. Perry Cooper Francis and I have this and other dreams he has
with children work- (right). Photo: Perry Cooper.
prayed for one an- for the work and ministry of
ing and going to
other and one an- the Church in Rokon.
university in my neighbourThe comfort and embrace others families. The Diocese
Please pray for Companhood.
of the family of God was never and the Parish of Bonavis- ion Diocesan relationships
There is no doubt that clearer to me than in the time ta has helped Rokon repair around the world and for the
there are profound differences Perry and I spent with Bishop some of its churches damaged Episcopal Church of South
in theological approaches, on Francis Loyo and his associate, during the civil war.
Sudan and Sudan, the Diocese
a range of issues including Rev. Clement Lujang. These
Over the past several years of Rokon and Bishop Francis.
sexuality, the role of wom- are faithful members of our we have been inviting Francis

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

OCTOBER 2015

Parish community garden

Submitted by

Claudia Yetman-Long

On Sunday, August
16th at the Parish of
the Good Shepherd,
Mount Pearl, Bishop
Geoffrey Peddle held a
special blessing for the
Community Gardens
established by the parish. A very dedicated
team of parishioners
has worked hard to enhance our community
outreach ministry and
to make this garden
vision a reality. The
development of the
gardens complements
our Labyrinth Park area,
and goes hand-in-hand
with our weekly Community Caf. The Parish
is actively reaching out
to the neighbourhood
and community around
us. The Community
Gardens allow us to
grow and nurture Gods
world for many years to
come, and provide us
with a meaningful opportunity to build community partnerships
and relationships.
The Parish was successful in attaining a
Health and Wellness
Grant from the Provincial Department of
Seniors, Wellness and
Social Development
which helped offset the
start-up costs. At the
start of the project the
City of Mount Pearl offered their Green Team
to help with our venture. Working with this
talented, motivated and
knowledgeable group
of young people was
a joy and a blessing.
Securing these partnerships at the municipal
and provincial levels
helped move the project along quickly to
get it established this
year. We are grateful
for these partnerships.
Fourteen garden
plots were built. Some
are elevated to allow for
easier accessibility. Two
plots are designated for
our caf ministry, and

A new Parish community garden in Mount Pearl was blessed by Bishop Geoff Peddle (left) and the Rector of the Parish of the Good
Shepherd, Archdeacon Charlene Taylor (right). Photo: Claudia Yetman-Long.

one is designated for

our children to have
their own mini-plots
to develop. One plot
is assigned for parish
or community groups.
The remaining plots
were available on a first
come, first-served ba-

sis to any individual or

family in the area who
wanted to develop one
and all were very quickly adopted. A waiting
list was immediately
established.
One of the goals is
to make this venture

one for all ages, and

one where all ages can
work and grow together. Throughout the development to set up the
gardens, young people
worked side-by-side
with older people to
clear the land, make

There are fourteen raised plant beds for use in the park adjacent to the Church. Some of the
vegetables grown will be used at the Good Shepherds weekly Cafe ministry. Photo: Claudia
Yetman-Long.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

and fill the garden

boxes, and complete
the masonry work necessary for the elevated plots. Parents and
grandparents tend gardens with their children
and grandchildren. It
has truly become an inter-generational project
and a joy to witness.
The gardens are located behind our church
building on Richard
Nolan Drive, by our
beautiful Labyrinth Park
area. The Labyrinth next
to the gardens is always
open for all to use, and
is a wonderful place to
find peace, to meditate,
and to pray. The Labyrinth and Community
Gardens are adjacent
to the Mount Pearl walking trail system that runs
behind Church of the
Good Shepherd. For
more information about
the Community Gardens, please feel free
to contact the church at
cotgs@nf.aibn.com or
747-1022.

OCTOBER 2015

Backpacking New stained glass

with the saints window dedicated
Rev. Canon Gerald Westcott
Columnist

Newfoundland and Labrador has some of the most

beautiful landscapes in the
world. So this past summer I
was more intentional in getting
out on our trails and enjoying
our wilderness.
My daughter and I hiked
along the East Coast Trail from
Flat Rock to Torbay (arriving
just in time for Sunday service
at St. Nicholas). My son and I
backpacked from the Goulds to
Bay Bulls, and spent the night
near the famous Spout. He
and I also backpacked from
Trepassey to St. Marys through
the Avalon Wilderness Area,
spending the night at the be-

ginning of Peters River.

These were wonderful experiences of being present to
my family, exercising my body,
and soaking in phenomenal
Newfoundland scenery.
I did two more significant
wilderness excursions this
summer, but with an added
objective: to backpack in solitude with a saint! I was inspired
to try this after reading Belden
Lanes Backpacking with the
Saints: Wilderness Hiking as
Spiritual Practice.
My first solo hike with a
spiritual master was into Dunphys Pond in Terra Nova Park.
The bear pole to hang food
from and the clawed up bear
box at the site were somewhat
unsettling. After getting my
camp set up, I took my journal
and Thich Nhat Hanhs book
The Miracle of Mindfulness,
and made my way to the side
of the pond. The deep silence
of the forest was incredible.
It was only interrupted by the

occasional song from a loon.

Hanhs book is a simple
instruction on how to watch our
breath as a form of meditation.
So Im watching my breathing,
surrounded in deep silence
and thick forest, not a soul
around for milesand I cant
get the thought of a bear stumbling across me in my little
tent out of my mind. So much
for mindfulness! I packed up
and left!
My next attempt at solo
backpacking was from Brigus South (on the Southern
Shore) to Roaring Cove. This
was a beautiful experience of
being alone with God in the
wilderness. I brought Thomas
Merton with me and his book
Thoughts in Solitude. After

the sun went down, and I settled into my sleeping bag, Merton was a great companion for
my meditation into the night.
With the sounds of the sea roaring, the river rushing, the cool
and expansive night air on my
face, Merton, and the creation
around me, reminded me of
my own smallness in God, yet
my absolute oneness with God
and all of creation.
Backpacking with the
saints has opened new doors
for me to experience God in
creation.

Pictured above are the Rev.

MaryRose Colbourne, Rev. Duncan Granter, The Ven. John Meade, and Lay Minister Alonzo
Hurley at the dedication of a new
stained glass panel at Holy Spirit Church, Isle aux Morts on July
26th, 2015. This panel was dedicated to the Glory of God and in
memory of departed loved ones
of Holy Spirit Church. Submitted by Dorothy Rector.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

OCTOBER 2015

Serenity and
Thanksgiving

All Saints Church in Foxtrap has a Youth Ministry that is definitely alive and well. June 29th
to July 3rd, 2015 was a week of fun and learning during a very successful VBS called Everest, Conquering Challenges with Gods Mighty Power. There were 68 children ages 3 - 12 in
attendance with approx. 35 seasoned and new junior helpers ages 12 - 93. The energy and
love overflowed through the bible stories, music, videos, games and the great snacks. On
Wednesday, we acknowledged Memorial Day and Canadas birthday with prayers by Rev.
Margaret, singing O Canada in English and French as well as having a picnic lunch by the
flag pole on the church lawn. This year, as our mission, we recognized the challenges the
people in Nepal and Everest area are facing because of the devastating earthquakes. Our
daily givings were forwarded to the Primates World Relief to help in their work in Nepal.
Our week ended with a beautiful church service and family fun time with hot dogs, cake and
games in the Parish Hall. Great end to a great week. Submitted by Sandra Taylor.

The Parish of Isle aux Morts/Margaree & Fox Roost held a picnic at Cheesemens Park on
Sunday, June 14th. It was a lovely day with lots of food and great company. A big thank you
to the staff at Cheesemens Park for all of their help. Submitted by Karen Simon.
Go where life takes you, but plan ahead.

As a free spirit, you rarely look back. But you

should look ahead - especially to protect your
loved ones when youre no longer there.
All it takes is a little preplanning.
Decide now on the funeral options and funding
arrangements that best meet your needs. Youll
lessen the burden for those who are left behind.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I

cannot change. The courage
to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know
the difference. - Reinhold
Niebuhr
I think the serenity
prayer above, is a great
one to keep in mind this
time of year. Why Thanksgiving you ask?
Sure it may seem an odd
fit. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year where
we focus on all the blessings
in our lives and thank God
for our health and happiness. At least thats the idea.
I dont know about you,
but for me that is a struggle
some days. Parenthood is
hard. The doubt, the fear,
the constant second guessing yourself and your decisions. Raising kids is hard. I
was not blessed with a great
deal of patience and I have
still not managed to develop as much as I would like. I
often find myself regretting
raising my voice or getting
angry about something that
really didnt matter. It is hard
to always see the big picture, to always remember
to pick my battles and that
kids will be kids. At least
for me it is hard.
That being said, I have
been blessed with two
wonderful, healthy, clever,
spirited, independent little
boys. My little family is part
of a thriving, active faith
community. We have a nice
place to live, and two cars
to take us where we need
to go. Theres always food
on the table, and hot water
to bathe in. The boys have
more toys than they can
play with, and plenty of

Allison Billard
Columnist

clothes to wear.
But as I can count my
blessings, it is just as easy
to name the worries and
concerns I carry around
each day. The economy, as
I write this, is not doing so
great with a very low price
of oil. The environment is in
very real danger and there
are people starving all over
the world, including in our
great nation. And dear God
it is election season and the
politicians are out in droves
demanding your vote. It is
easy to get wrapped up in
all the negativity.
So this thanksgiving I
pray that we all worry less
about the things we cannot
change, support the causes
that are important to us (if
youre looking for one, the
environment needs you)
count our blessings. We
must thank God for all that
we have and ask for his help
and guidance to make his
world a better place. Simple
right? Maybe not, but Im
going to give it a try, will
you join me?

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anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

OCTOBER 2015

10

St. Philips plan ahead

The privilege
of listening

Cynthia Haines-Turner
Columnist

Its been just over two

years since I was elected to
the office of Deputy Prolocutor in the Anglican Church
of Canada during which
time the position has become more defined for me.
In many ways, it is a listening role - listening to the
concerns of our Church,
listening to differing points
of view and making sure
those points of view are
heard. Listening is not always a role that comes
naturally in a Church that
values action and results
and industry. But it brings
great dividends.
Take, for example,
when I attend the Sacred
Circle which met in Port
Elgin from August 16-22.
Sacred Circle is a national
gathering of Indigenous
Anglicans for prayer, worship, discernment, and decision-making. I was there
as an observer (in place of
the Prolocutor who had a
previous commitment) and
knew from the beginning
that I was there to listen
only. I have had experience
with intentional listening
when we have engaged in
the discussion of serious
issues as a Church but in
those instances, I always
knew that I would have my
chance to speak. As well as
being an observer to the
Sacred Circle, I was given
a job as a listener in one
of the talking circles. At
the end of each session, I
would reflect back to the
group what I had heard to
make sure I recorded accurately what had been said.
I admit that there were
moments when I wanted
to enter the discussion, to
make a counterpoint or

to provide information or
background - in short to
have my say. But that was
not my role.
It was a deeply moving
experience. I heard stories
of deep sorrow and great
pain. I heard the stories of
residential schools, stories
which need to be told and
re-told - each one as individual as the person telling
it. I was reminded once
again, that we have much
to answer for. Even in those
rare cases where there was
no actual abuse, there was
still the violence of taking
children from their homes
to place them in schools.
But those were not the
only stories I heard. I also
heard stories of love, hope,
faith, joy and yes, even of
forgiveness. As someone
who loves this Anglican
Church of Canada and who
has spent most of my life
in service to it, I am grateful for that forgiveness,
grateful that we are given
the opportunity to work
towards reconciliation with
indigenous peoples, grateful that in spite of our past,
we have received this gift
of grace. That does not
even begin to let us off the
hook, not for a second. But
it does hold out the possibility of a different future
for all of us - one that is
spoken of in the Covenant
of 1994.* My hope is that,
through the grace of God,
we will show the same generosity of spirit as we have
been shown when we work
towards establishing that
truly indigenous church
within the Anglican Church
of Canada.
*www.anglican.ca/im/
foundational-documents/
covenant/

Article by

Todd Martin
Photos by

L.G. Roberts

Reverend Edward Keeping

welcomed everyone in attendance at the Parish of St. Philips
Annual General Meeting and
gave thanks to God for His
continual presence in our lives
and in our mutual ministry and
for the guidance of the Spirit as
together we plan for the future
life of our parish. He then gave
praise and thanksgiving for
loved ones, friends and parishioners who have passed away
in 2014.
Reverend Keeping reported
our parish having completed
a 500 packet visitation to new
residents in the area offering
them an opportunity to join
our church community and
worship with us. In helping
our people grow spiritually
and responsively towards their
baptismal ministry, Rev. Keeping was also pleased with the
work we have done in the area
of teaching around our Mission
Statement and the section in
our weekly bulletin From the
Rectors Desk, Sunday school;
Confirmation classes; outreach

and fellowship; and the overall

dedication and faithfulness to
the ministry to which we have
all been called in this parish.
Our Rector reported having
received a financial contribution
from a parishioner for the sole
purpose of Cemetery Maintenance & upkeep. In light of
the continued work required in
our cemetery and planning for
future expansion, Rev. Keeping
suggested we as a group give
careful consideration to contributing to this fund. Our people
then had some time to reflect
on matters of concern regarding
the operation and maintenance
of our church property.
Our treasurer, Ms. Debbie
Collis then presented the Financial Statement and Proposed
Budget for the upcoming year.
Our parishioners reviewed and
pondered points of interest that
may require more consideration
within the coming year.
All committees reported
having a very successful year
with much appreciation for
the hard work, dedication and
commitment of all its members.
Before the election of new
members of vestry, Reverend
Keeping proceeded to congratulate and thank those who have

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

served three years as members

of vestry. After the election he
welcomed the newly elected
2015 Vestry Members: Carol
Bartlett, Ernest Jones, Cathy
Parsons and Karen Puglisevich
and thank them for offering
themselves for this ministry and
encourage the new vestry to
work together to have another
successful year in the life of the
church in this community.
As is the custom of past
years, the Reverend presented
Certificates of Appreciation to
the following people for their
past years service and hard work
on behalf of God and the people
of the Parish of St. Philip: Canon
Shirley Gosse, Reverend Russell
Osmond, Canon Don Morgan,
Nina Martin-Sheppard, Chesley
Barfitt, Larry Bradley, George
Sharpe, Cecile Bradbury, Ruth
Hiscock and Harvey Hiscock.
Reverend Keeping thanked
everyone for his/her faithfulness, support, encouragement
and work. He is looking forward
to the year ahead, journeying
together to build Gods Kingdom in this part of his vineyard.
He prays that our church will not
only continue to flourish, but
may be inspired to share the
love of God with all.

OCTOBER 2015

11

Parsons Pond recognizes Church Health

lay leadership
Check - part 4

continuous commitment, and dedication to their ministry

The 7:00 pm ser- and that of the parvice of Holy Eucharist ish. Also following the
on Sunday June 28th, service there was a
at St. Peters Church social time, so that the
Parsons Pond, was a congregation could
very special and spirit offer personal confilled service. It was gratulations to each of
during this service, the lay leadership perthat Rev. Terry Rose sons for their devoted
held a relicensing of ministry to the parish.
It is because of the
the parishs Lay Leadership. During the ser- dedication and comvice, appreciation and mitment of these peothanks of gratitude ple that the parish is
were bestowed upon able to live a vibrant
the lay leadership in and prayerful ministhe parish for their try in service to those
Submitted by

Rev. Terry Rose

they are called to serve

in their midst.
Pi c t u r e d a b o v e
(front row - left to
right): Marie Rose,
Nancy Brown, Marion
Parsons. (Back row):
Rev. Terry, Karen Bennett, Laura Caines,
Nora Shears & Sadie
Bennett

In this final section on a report

about the Church of England we
look at various remedies to heal an
ailing Church. What kind of Church
would we like? What is a healthy
Church?
There has always been change
in society but until the 19th century
it was very slow. And then it sped
up. Since the 1980s change has
been so rapid we can hardly keep
up with it . Combined with this
change , we are more in touch with
the widespread diversity found in
other cultures and religions. The
Church needs to deal with two
realities: a changing world and an
ailing Church , which in turn affect
each other. Here are some proposals from the study: they range
widely and are not specific.
What causes the Church to
decline? What causes the Church
to grow? God wants the Church
to grow: our job is to collaborate
with him. Two kinds of growth
- in holiness and in service to others. Churches that emphasize the
Holy Spirit are the ones currently
seeing numerical growth. If we
keep repeating the message of
decline, our outlook becomes
negative. Churches intentionally
seeking growth usually do. Inspired and committed leadership
is important but a collaborate
effort more effective. Need for diocesan strategy and parish mission
plans. Reaching new generation
essential, with a greater focus on
children and youth. Learning from
churches that are growing, while
recognizing that what works there
may not work here. Encouraging
local initiative.
Priority of glorifying God and
following Jesus, rather than numerical growth. The Church exists
to be the Body of Christ. Quality of
Church life as much as numbers?
Need for compelling vision

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Rev. Everett Hobbs

Columnist

with clear goals and a strategy to

achieve them. Simpler structures,
clear lines of accountability and
responsibility at all levels. Decision
making that is representative, nurturing local initiatives and aiming
for consensus, Balancing the slowness of decision making with desire
for rapid change. A blending of top
down with bottom up, ensuring
that the local is involved in decision
making. Using skills, expertise,
research and trends in culture as
they become available.
Enabling members to do new
things: taking risks and making
mistakes. Transformation of the
system by reform and renewal. To
embrace change, the diversity and
complications of modern living. To
recognize the value of diversity with
respect for other faiths. To focus on
what unites, than what divides. To
removes what hinders and obstructs - we can be prisoners of our
past, especially in holding on to
our buildings and possessions. To
adapt and change is critical if the
Church is to grow.
To be a community where people on the outside can find God. To
combine evangelism and social
action. Importance of hospitality,
welcoming everyone, providing
care and service as needed. Seeking the input of all members.
Less emphasis on projects,
programs, individual efforts, and
more on Jesus. Letting go of buildings or finding new uses. Churches
as centres of worship, education,
evangelism, prophecy. Knowing
our mission and being faithful to it.
Difference between predicting the future (often negative)
and imagining the future (more
hopeful) Seek out those who are
searching for truth, community and
spiritual concerns. Present Christ
crucified and risen, love the world
around us and share our vision.
To do nothing is not an option:
it will only allow the Church to
die. Listen to Paul: God gives the
growth, but a Paul has to plant, and
an Apollos water. Today we are Paul
and Apollos.

OCTOBER 2015

12

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