anglicanlife

MARCH 2016

A Section of the Anglican Journal

March 2016

Jagoda | Shutterstock

Less Really Is
More!

The Rt. Revd Dr. Geoff Peddle

Bishop

Eastern Newfoundland & Labrador

Mathematics came
easy for me in school but
I cant say that I enjoyed it
much. I was always more
interested in English
and History and Social
Studies because those
subjects addressed the
complexities of human
life in ways that I enjoyed
more. But the one thing
I did like about Math
was addition, more than
subtraction, and far more
than multiplication and
division. Years later
when I worked with
numbers in fields like
Calculus and Statistics
I was reminded of why.
For me, addition was
just so unthinkingly
simple. Adding numbers
together was easy and
I never had to think
about it. I could do it on
autopilot. Unfortunately,
what was true in my
mathematical journey
remains all too true in
my spiritual journey. I still
find it easier to add than
I do to subtract.
A s h We d n e s d a y,
Fe b r u a r y 1 0 , m a r k s
the beginning of Lent,
ending with Easter
Sunday on March 27.
The days of Lent are a
distinctive time in the
life of our Churchs year
to prepare us for Easter
by encouraging certain
spiritual disciplines so
that our lives may come
more fully into line with
the life of Jesus. Lent,
of course, is inspired

by Jesuss own life and

his 40 days of testing
and perseverance in the
desert recorded in Holy
Scripture. Lent can be
such a time of refocusing
for us if we commit
ourselves to better know
and serve God.
Life is pretty fastpaced today for most of
us and finding the time
to fit in even familiar
activities is difficult
enough let alone adding
additional spiritual
disciplines during Lent.
But if we are going to
keep Lent this year,
maybe we need to start
with a little subtraction, a
little de-cluttering. I have
said many times over the
years that Lent is as much
about taking up as it is
about giving up but it
seems to me that in our
modern over-planned,
over-scheduled, anxietyridden world a little
giving up might benefit
us more. Christians, in
my experience, often
find it much easier to
add than to subtract
(remember what I wrote
about addition being
so unthinkingly
simple compared to
subtraction?) and yet
Lent really needs to start
with subtraction. It can be
as simple as taking away
a few things to allow
more room to breathe
and focus better on what
is essential.
Of course, this letter
is really a matter of do as
I say and not what I do.
I am, to quote from the
Book of Common Prayer,
a miserable offender
when it comes to slowing
down. As I write with my
day planner before me
I note that every single
day of every single week
over the next month is
already scheduled.
Fortunately I have
until February 10 to
figure out what stays in
and what gets cut this
Lent.
And so do you
however you do the
subtraction.

The royal
banners
forward go,
The Cross
shines forth in
mystic glow,
Where he, the
Life, did death
endure,
And by that
death did life
procure.

Jaroslav74 | Shutterstock

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Young Girl Helps at Home and

Reaches Across the Ocean
Article by
Karen Torravile

Imagine what the world would look like if we all had the heartfelt desire to help
others, as young Valerie of Indian Bay has to helped her home community and
also refugees who are an ocean away.
The Revd David Coffin, Rector of the Anglican Parish of Indian Bay, recounted
how Valerie Oldford, who was nine at the time, raised funds after the church in
Indian Bay was lost in a fire in March of 2015.
Valerie, with her entrepreneurial ability, decided to have a bake sale and
made cross bracelets to raise funds in support of the congregation. Her
efforts, along with others who helped
her, were well rewarded, and she
raised
$1306.00 for her church.
In the fall of 2015, as Revd David
watched the plight of the Syrian
refugees streaming across Europe, he
was inspired to motivate Valerie and
her family once more to support others.
Little Valerie understood that there were
children and families, far from our rocky
shores, who were without homes and
fearfully facing the unknown.
Valerie had helped her home community,
and now she has taken up the cause to
have another bake sale to help those
she did not know an ocean away. Thanks
to Valerie and her support team a total
of $768.25 was given to the Anglican
Diocese of Central Newfoundland
Refugee Fund.
Thank you Valerie!
Photo by David Coffin

Pictured above, Valerie holds up her certificate of appreciation

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MARCH 2016

Youth Choir Started at the

Parish of the Resurrection

Syrian Family of
Five For St. Marks
Submitted by
Helen Escott

Photo by The Revd Canon Gerald Westcott

Submitted by
The Revd Canon Gerald Westcott

The new Youth Choir of the Parish of the Resurrection in South River
had its first performance on January 3rd. The choir is led by Tiffany
Whalen, and will be performing on the first Sunday of each month.

When Father Mark

Nichols, associate priest
with the Parish of St.
Mark the Evangelist,
attended a presentation
on refugee sponsorship
by the Association for
New Canadians (ANC) on
September 10th, he never
dreamt that the parish would
be welcoming a Syrian family
just over three months later.
On September 27 th a
pastoral letter from Bishop
Peddle was read during our
worship service calling on
the parishes of the Diocese
to respond in some way to
the Syrian refugee crisis. We
then asked the parishioners
if they were interested in
sponsoring a family, and
they overwhelmingly came
back and said yes. They
donated the required funds
in a very short period of
time which tells you a lot
about the generous and
compassionate people in
our parish community, says
Fr. Nichols. At worship on
October 25th, we were able
to announce that the parish
would be sponsoring a
refugee family.

The Power of Music to Connect Us

Emily F. Rowe

Editor

Music connects us
in a way that few other
things do. On January
10th, David Bowie died.
I spent the day working
on this issue of Anglican
Life and listening to his
music, and my periodic
checks on Facebook
showed a newsfeed that
filled up with peoples
personal favourite songs
of his, with their favourite
images, and even with
simple favourite memories
that were set to Bowies
amazing music. We all
have soundtracks in our

lives, and certain songs

can snap us back to a
moment in time with
an intensity that can be
almost overwhelming.
We vividly recall how we
felt when that song was
on constant replay.
How we listen to music
has changed so much,
and the ease with which I
can use my subscription
to Google Play Music to
almost instantly listen
to whatever I chose still
staggers me. How can
something so diverse
and so immense still
create such connections?
The thing about
music is that it connects
u s i n o u r s e a rc h f o r
greater meaning. A quick
internet search of any
popular song will give
you a lyrics meaning
result, showing what the
author was thinking or
experiencing when he or
she wrote the song; and
if there is a comments
section, youll read about
what the song means to
various readers/listeners
too.
And youre all
w o n d e r i n g how Im

going to connect this

to the Church? To be
honest, its one of the
s t r u g g l e s t h at I w i l l
have with writing these
editorials. Theres no
question that I am from
a generation who often
considers themselves
more spiritual than
re l i g i o u s . I a m a
regular attender of
church, and more-or-less
always have been, but
that doesnt mean that I
am disconnected from
my peers and a more
nebulous spirituality. We
shouldnt feel threatened
by those who find spiritual
meanings in music that
isnt overtly Christian.
We are all just searching.
And sometimes, the
search leads people to
God, though it may take
a lifetime to get there.
It s in t ere s ti ng to
me that one of the first
people to respond to
David Bowies death
on Twitter was Cardinal
Gianfranco Ravasi, who is
the head of the Vaticans
Council for Culture. He
tweeted the lyrics from
Bowies classic song,

Space Oddity, made

famous here in Canada by
astronaut Chris Hadfield,
ending with, and may
Gods love be with you
(David Bowie). Hadfield
himself tweeted, Ashes
to ashes, dust to stardust,
(referencing Bowies alterego, Ziggy Stardust), which
sounds very familiar to
those of us who are of the
religious mindset.
Were all searching
for meaning, and
sometimes that comes
in the form of a favourite
hymn, and sometimes
it comes from David
Bowie. And thats fine.
Its all good. If I see
religious meaning in a
song that wasnt written
to be religious, that isnt
a bad thing. If someone
else sees something
less defined, then thats
cool. We cannot help
but bring our own points
of view into play when
listening to music. But
were all connected, and
we learn from each other,
and continue down the
spiritual road, humming
our favourite tunes along
the way.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

The Maatouk family, a

husband and wife with three
young children, arrived in
St. Johns on December
19th. They are originally from
Damascus originally but
have lived as refugees in
Lebanon for the past three
years. They are part of the
25,000 Syrian refugees that
the federal Government
has committed to bring
to Canada by February
28th and were sponsored
through a partnership with
the Association for New
Canadians.
St. Marks had to raise
at least $20,000 to sponsor
the family. These funds are
required to cover the parishs
share of the income support
the family will receive for
their first year in Canada,
as well as start up costs and
other expenses such as
first months rent, damage
deposit, utilities hookup,
clothing, furniture, personal
care items, etc.
St . M a r k s h a s p u t
together a transition team of
20 people who will help the
family adjust to life in Canada
and integrate into the
community. Our transition
team was able to obtain
and furnish suitable housing
for the family with only 72
hours notice. Since their
arrival we have walked with
them through the settlement
process, providing
emotional support as then
learn to adjust. We have
assisted them in applying
for MCP, registering for
school and opening a bank
account. We have also been
providing transportation and
assistance with shopping, as
well as medical and other
appointments. We have
also been blessed with the
assistance of members of the
local Arab community and,
with their help, have ensured
that the Maatouk family has
been connected with the
Muslim faith community. We
look forward to helping them
reach their goal of becoming
self-sufficient members of
their new home.
The Maatouk family
is very grateful for the
opportunity to begin a new
life in a safe country and for
the parish volunteers who
have become their friends.
When asked why a Christian
faith community would
sponsor a Muslim family, Fr.
Nichols simply responds, It
is the Christian thing to do.
We are all Gods children
and so we need to take care
of one another.

MARCH 2016

News from St. Pauls, Baie Verte

Submitted by
Linda Pinksen

S t . Pa u l s A n g l i c a n
Church, Baie Verte had a
special birthday celebration
for a wonderful man on
December 13th, 2015:
Elikiam Banks who turned
90 on that date, is still a
faithful member of our congregation. His contributions through dedicated
attendance, on the spot
maintenance and church
greeter makes him still a
busy v o l u n t e e r i n o u r
congregation. He has a
fantastic memory and loves
to share past stories of early
days growing up in Middle
Arm, White Bay.
St. Pauls congregation
celebrated with him at the
Sunday morning Eucharist
officiated at by the Revd
Madonna Boone, and the
service was followed by
delicious pot luck meal.
Pictured with him are:
J e ff re y & C h r i s t o p h e r
(grandsons), his son
Glenn, and daughter-inlaw Brenda.
Moving Forward: Advent preparation gave a
new meaning to St. Pauls, Baie Verte with the
introduction of Beverly Snow as its Licensed
Lay Reader. Beverly performed her first service
on December 7th, 2015, under the guidance of
Frances Elgar. Beverly and her husband, Bill,
came to us with their gifts of music and singing,
and now we are doubly blessed with Beverly as
our lay-minister.
Beverly was formally presented with her layreaders license by the rector of the parish, the
Revd Canon Dawn Barrett on January 31st, 2016.
Congratulations, Beverly!

@anglicanlife

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MARCH 2016

Part Two of the series on formation and theological

education in our three dioceses:
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

Barbara Boone

Guest Columnist

Editor:
Mrs. Emily F. Rowe
9 Darling Street
St. Johns, NL
A1B 1V7
Email: anglicanlifeNL@gmail.com
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
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, (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.
Layout & Design by: The Editor
Printed and Mailed by:
Webnews Printing Inc.
8 High Meadow Place
North York, ON, M9L 2Z5

Circulation: 19,500

My Experience With
Theological Education
We have often heard
variations on the saying:
When one door closes,
another one opens
( A l ex a n d e r G ra h a m
Bell). In life we can
never know what door(s)
may open for us. After
retiring from a 38 year
career in nursing, I have
found myself preparing
to go through a door I
never expected to ever
approach, let alone have
open for me.
In 2013 a new
program called
E x p l o r i n g Fa i t h :
Theology for Life
was introduced to our
diocese. This program
is directed toward
anyone who wishes to
look more deeply into
their own faith, learn
more about leading a
life of discipleship or
wanting to enter the
ordained ministry. It is
an ecumenical program
open to everyone,
whether or not you have
a background in postsecondary education.
It is delivered in three
8-week modules a year,
through home study
of assigned readings
from the course text
and weekly gatherings
with a facilitator for
discussion. The program
focuses on the study
and interpretation of
scripture, studying the
traditions and institutions
of the Christian faith, and
looking at how we are to
use this to minister to
our community (whether
or not we are ordained).
The course assignments
give an option to choose
your topic depending
on your focus. If
preparing for preaching
ministry one can write
a sermon; if preparing
for pastoral ministry you
can reflect on a pastoral
experience; while those
doing education for
Discipleship can direct
the assignment toward

reflection on their own

f a i t h j o u r n e y. A ft e r
successful completion of
6 modules a certificate
of higher education is
obtained; with a diploma
in higher education after
12 modules. Completion
of 18 modules leads to a
Bachelor of Arts degree
in Theology.
The program was
developed out of
Glyndr in Bangor, Wales
and is now included
in the curriculum at
Queens College. It
allows a person to study
in their own area without
having to move to a
larger centre. There are
presently two groups
in our diocese: one in
St Johns, and another
in Labrador West. We
are in our fourth year
of studies, having
completed the certificate
level in December 2014.
I entered this
program to learn more
about the Bible, our
Christian faith, and more
specifically my own faith.
The option to write
personal reflections
gave me deeper insight

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

into my faith journey,

and how my growing
up in a family of faith
helped guide me. To
e n t e r t h e o rd a i n e d
ministry was not my
original intent; however,
with encouragement
of those around me
and the guidance of
the Holy Spirit I have
opened myself to be
considered for entry into
the diaconate.
This program, along
with the other programs
offered through Queens
College, provides
another opportunity
for anyone wishing to
train for ordination, or
those who wish to do
theology for personal
development. It opens
another path for us to
learn more about what
it is to be a Christian,
and how to live a life of
discipleship.

MARCH 2016

Celebration of New Ministry

Submitted by
Jean Nash

On Sunday evening, January 17th, we celebrated a service of New Ministry for the Revd Lynn Courage as
associate priest at the Church of the Ascension. May God continue to bless and strengthen her as she shares
her many gifts of ministry on our journey together in the service of Christ.

Conscience of The State

The Revd Gregory Mercer

Columnist

Nowadays, society
is no longer shaped by
the church, nor does
the church have the
same prophetic voice
in challenging issues of
injustice and other moral
concerns. In fact, it often
happens that when the
church tries to take issue
with any moral battle, it
is joined by other folks
who want to renounce
the religious right. We
see this particularly when
it comes to such matters
as abortion or euthanasia,
probably because even
some believers are

divided over these

issues.
N e v e rt h e l e s s , t h e
C h u r c h i s c a l l e d to
perform a prophetic role
in modern-day culture. In
both the Old Testament
and New Testament,
prophets were charged
by God to deliver
important messages to
their c o nt em p ora ri e s .
Th e y s e r v e d as Gods
conscience to those
they were sent to. In
the United States, the
third Monday in January
is a national holiday in
honour of Martin Luther
Kings (Jr.) contribution
to America. It was Dr.
Kings constant insistence
that the church exist as
the conscience of state
speaking prophetically to
those in power. It is the
churchs responsibility to
lobby the powers that
be against any form of
injustice.
O u r c h u rc h e s a re
doing a lot of fine work,
especially in terms of
their outreach efforts,
and in recent years they
have stepped up their
efforts in fulfilling their
mission to the poor, the

needy, the oppressed,

the imprisoned, etc. We
have food bank ministries,
gathering places for those
who live on the street,
prison ministries, clothing
banks, and the latest, a
furniture bank all to
serve the less fortunate
and helpless. Then there
are numerous overseas
missions, humanitarian
missions, PWRDF, and
the list goes on. In recent
months, our church in
particular, has stepped up
to the plate in sponsoring
Syrian refugees. I am
proud of our church. But it
seems that the church has
lost its power to influence
government on critical
issues of injustice.
What can be more
unjust than homeless
veterans, unclean water,
racism, the high murder
rate of aboriginal women,
the rights of the deprived,
and climate change, just
to mention a few? These
are real issues where
t h e c h u rc h n o t o n l y
has a voice, but has a
responsibility to speak
out and put pressure
on our political leaders
to act. This is probably

the most urgent need for

the church. I dare to say
that the church will not
reach its full potential, its
full maturity, without this
prophetic voice.
Now having said
that, the church also
has a responsibility to
pray for our leaders, our
governments, and for the

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

secular world. We also

need to pray that God will
raise up prophets among
us, people who will speak
on behalf of the church in
its ma n d at e t o t ack le
t h e a rea s of unjust
society. For the church
to remain silent is, in
f a ct , an in ju s t ice.

MARCH 2016

Central Newfoundlands Response

to the Syrian Regugee Crisis
Submitted by

The Rt. Revd David Torraville and The Revd John Watton

The response of the

Central Diocese to the
refugee crisis evokes
an Ephesians Chapter
four image of common
gifts being gathered
for powerful and life
giving ministries. Within
hours of receiving the
heartbreaking refugee
news stories, many
emails were sent from
of our parish clergy,
and our Bishop received
messages from a diverse
group of people and
organizations. Some
offers of help came from
parishioners, others
from people who may
not have been involved
with churches, but who
felt that our communities
of faith would provide
hope and leadership,
and would be a good
place to invest time and
gifts. We are seeing a
wonderful gathering of
resources, the formation
of partnerships, and
renewed energies
within our community.

The Diocese of
Central Newfoundland
has proposed to
sponsor one or two
f a m i l i e s , depending
on resources, and t o
p a r t n e r w i t h other
groups that connect
with, or who can
expand this vision. The
Cathedral Parish of St.
Martins in Gander has
agreed to spearhead
the actual settlement of
the families which we
will sponsor.
We have begun the
process of joining with

the Town of Gander

in its efforts to help
Syrian refugees, and are
delighted that through a
committee spearheaded
by the Town Council,
Gander is proposing
a community wide
approach to a
Sponsorship Program.
The community hopes
to settle up to six

The committee
spearheaded by the
To w n o f G a n d e r i s
reaching out to the
whole community: to
the provincial and
federal governments,
church groups, service
org a n i z at i o n s , t h e
business community,
and the general
population. We need

of all ages and a wide

r a n g e o f s k i l l s a re
already involved, and
are meeting regularly
to formulate a sound
and effective program
to welcome and support
refugees.
We thank God for
the emerging image
of a group of people,
with a wide range of

The St. Martins confirmation class is one of many groups of young people in Central Newfoundland
that are preparing fundraisers to support Syrian refugees.

families in Gander. The

family (or families) who
our diocese sponsors
will be included in this
number. We believe
that settling a number
of families in the same
town will give the
families a community for
support, and we believe
this will help them feel
more at home, and help
them settle into life in
Newfoundland.

t o f u n d raise, and to
identify people who can
help with medical needs,
education, language,
and social needs. Also,
people to help with
transportation, housing
and job searches.
Members of our local
medical community, the
Public Library, residents
of Gander with Syrian
roots, and numerous
community members

Helping clients
achieve their goals.
Taking the time to understand
your unique needs.

The Harnum Group

Cabot Place, Suite 390
100 New Gower Street
St. Johns, NL A1C 6K3

Tel: 709-724-7327
Toll Free: 1-800-776-0077
rick.harnum@nbpcd.com
david.harnum@nbpcd.com
www.bmo.com/nesbittburns

skills and various faith

perspectives being
drawn together by their
shared compassion to
work together to help
the stranger. This
is our opportunity to
shine: to show our love
for God by loving our
neighbour as ourselves.
To d a t e , w e
have received over

$35,000.00 from large

and small congregations,
from individuals, and
from church groups
all around the Central
Diocese.
These funds have
been raised in a variety
of ways. One person
made prints of their
artwork and donated the
proceeds; others have
organized bake sales,
hymn sings, a walkathon
and take out suppers.
One congregation
screened a movie. A
music teacher donated
the entire proceeds of
their Christmas recital.
One couple donated
the money they
received in celebration
of their anniversary;
others made generous
donations from their
family resources.
Still others took up
collections, or made
donations from general
funds. Some events
have been clergy led,
while other events have
been led by committed
lay people; some have
b e e n o rg a n i z e d b y
seniors, and one by a
nine year old girl.
In addition to
ongoing financial
support, we ask for your
regular and unceasing
prayers for the
Sponsorship Committee
of our Diocese, St.
Martins, the leaders of
the Town of Gander, and
the Gander Refugee
Outreach Committee, as
well as the Association
for New Canadians.
Most importantly of
all please pray for the
refugees, especially
those who will find new
and safe homes in our
province.

A Prayer as we Prepare to Receive Refugee

Families into Our Communities
Creator and friend, we ask for your blessing
on all Refugees and ask, as we set out hearts
to help, that you make us deeply aware of
possibilities of Grace for all.
Help us value each other and walk in a
realization that we all have much to learn, that
opinions evolve and change, and that if we are
willing to learn together and be brave enough
make mistakes, your hand will ensure the
blessing. Make us one with the wounded hearts
we are being called to serve.
As you trust us with our new families, we trust
in your Grace to guide us all.
Amen.

BMO Wealth Management is the brand name for a business group consisting of Bank of Montreal and certain of its affiliates, including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., in providing wealth management
products and services. BMO (M-bar roundel symbol) is a registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence. Nesbitt Burns is a registered trade-mark of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.
BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Montreal. If you are already a client of BMO Nesbitt Burns, please contact your Investment Advisor for more information.

Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Submitted by The Revd John Watton

MARCH 2016

Queens College Convocation 2016

Queens College will
hold its Convocation on
Thursday, May 12, 2016,
at St. Mary the Virgin
Church in St. Johns
beginning at 8:00 p.m.
This years Convocation
will be held during
the 175th Anniversary
year (1841-2016) of the
College and will have
several events spread out
over three days, running
from May 10-12th.
Degrees, diplomas,
and certificates will be
conferred on 13 new
g ra d u at e s f ro m t h e
various programs that
the College offers,
including the new Master
of Theology. Queens
will award two honorary
degrees. The Doctor of
Divinity (honoris causa)
will be conferred on the
Most Revd Fred Hiltz,
Primate of the Anglican
Church of Canada, while
Major William Tilley of
the CLB will receive the
Doctor of Canon Law
(honoris causa).
A rc h b i s h o p H i l t z
was ordained in 1978
and ministered in
several Nova Scotian
communities prior to
serving from 1984-1988
as assistant priest at the
Cathedral of All Saints,
Halifax. From 1988-1995

he was rector of St. Johns

Church in Lunenburg. In
1995, he was elected
suffragan bishop of the
Diocese of Nova Scotia
and Prince Edward Island
and diocesan bishop
in 2002. In June 2007,
General Synod elected
him Primate. He is being
recognized for the
outstanding leadership
that he has provided
to what he calls our
beloved church.
Major William G.
Tilley was the longest
serving Drum Major of
the Church Lads Brigade
Regimental Band for 63
years from 1939 to 2002.
He has been a member
of the CLB for 89 years
since joining in March
1927, at the age of 13.
Today, at 101, Major
Tilley continues his CLB
service as Archivist of
the Brigade, a role he
assumed in 1978. He built
the first Archives only to
lose them in the fire of
1992 that destroyed the
CLB Armoury. He then
meticulously rebuilt the
archives. In June 2006 the
Archives Room at the CLB
Armoury was renamed
the Major William G.
Tilley Museum.
Th e Co n v o c at i o n
festivities begin on
Tu e s d a y, M a y 1 0 t h
with a concert by The
Three Cantors who last

performed in St. Johns

in 2000. This highly
talented group consists
o f t h e Re v d Ca n o n
William Cliff (bishopelect of Brandon), the
Venerable David Pickett,
and the Very Revd Peter
Wall, with arranger and
accompanist, Angus
Sinclair. The concert
will begin at 8:00 p.m.
Proceeds from the ticket
sales will be donated
to Anglican charities.
Tickets are sure to go fast,
so book your tickets early
to avoid disappointment.
On May 11th, the
Convocation Eucharist
will be held at 5:45 p.m.
at St. Thomas Church
together with the
Anglican Foundation.
Presiding at the Eucharist
will be the Most Revd
Fred Hiltz. Delivering the
homily will be the Revd
Canon Dr. Judy Rois,
Executive Director of the
Anglican Foundation. A
reception will be held Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
following the Eucharist.
On May 12th,
the annual Alumni/
ae Workshop will be Geoff Peddle, Bishop of capped and so purchase
h e l d a t Th e R o o m s Eastern Newfoundland a ticket early to avoid
beginning at 9:00 a.m. and Labrador, on the disappointment.
Convocation will
with presentations by the u p c o m i n g 1 2 5 t h
Revd Canon Dr. Frank Anniversary of the CLB. b e g i n a t 8 : 0 0 p . m .
Cluett, retired Provost Tickets for the workshop, at St. Mary the Virgin
and President of the w h i c h i n c l u d e t h e Church on May 12th,
Alumni/ae Association, presentations, a nutrition with a reception to follow
on the History of Queens, break, and lunch, are Convocation.
and the Rt. Revd Dr. $10. Attendance will be
Photo Michael Hudson for General Synod Communications

Submitted by

The Revd Dr. Alex Faseruk

First Call Chaplaincy

Submitted by

In September 2014, the Anglican, Roman Catholic,

Salvation Army, and United Church chaplains entered into
a pilot project to consider a First Call Chaplaincy for the
St. Johns Hospitals. It worked so well that in January 2015,
the four denominations agreed to work together to ensure
a chaplain is always available for patients and families at
the General Hospital, the Janeway Hospital, the L.A. Miller
Centre, St. Clares Mercy Hospital, and the Waterford
Hospital. The Chaplain On Call responds to calls for
pastoral care Sunday to Thursday, from 5pm to 7am. Each
of the Chaplains On Call are qualified and competent to
provide pastoral support and spiritual care. If there is a need
for a denominational chaplain, the Chaplain On Call will
then make that contact. The denominational chaplains will
continue to visit on their regular rounds, and as requested.
This agreement was reaffirmed again for 2016, and the
document was signed by The Revd Faith March-MacCuish
(United Church of Canada), Major Barry Gray (Salvation
Army), The Revd Dr. Jacintha Penney (Eastern Health),
Monsignor Joe Barton (Roman Catholic) and The Revd
Canon John Courage (Anglican Church of Canada).

Participants in the First Call Chaplaincy project sign the official document.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

Photo by Barry Gray

The Revd Canon John Courage

MARCH 2016

Codroy Christmas pageant

Submitted by
Linda Kendell

On Sunday,Dec.20th, 2015, the Sunday

School children of Holy Trinity Church in
Codroy celebrated Christmas by taking part
in a pageant depicting the birth of Christ. An
awesome job was done by all the children. It
was a beautiful service and showed the true
meaning of Christmas as seen through the
eyes of a child.
Pictured are from left to right:
Shaydon Samms, Byron OQuinn, Malya Kendell, Olivia
OGorman, Matthew OGorman, Miranda Spicer, Storm
Fowlow, Olivia Taylor, Hayden Kendell, Jacob Taylor, Dylan
Kendell, Katie OQuinn (in back)

School Masters Part II

David Davis

Columnist

Readers of this column

may wish to consult the
first installment of it,
in the Anglican Life of
November 2015, f o r
an introduction to the
teaching environment
of the second half
of the 18th Century
in Newfoundland,
following the example
of teaching in England.
To c o n t i n u e t h e
story, there is some
confusion concerning
the school master at
H a r b o u r G r a c e ( M r.
George Jenner): what
years he was teaching
there? What years Mr.
Thomey was there in the
period from1767-1769.
By 1770-1771, John
Griggs was the school
master. The disparity
between the salary of the
missionary p r i e s t a n d
s c h o o l master was a
significant disincentive
for school masters to
stay at their posts. Also,
records show that next
year Mr. Griggs got the
Governors Certificate.
Mr. Griggs reported
in 1772-73 that there
was no school house
available, so that
progress with the school
was slow. Often there were
problems when the people
put up buildings by free
labour, and ownership
of t h e buildings was
then argued over in the
community. This may
have happened in this
case.
It should be noted
at t h i s t i m e ( 1 7 7 1 ) ,

the Society for the

Pr o p a g a t i o n o f t h e
Gospel (SPG) had only
four employees in
Newfoundland: the
missionaries Edward
Langman, James Balfour,
and Lawrence Coughlin,
and the school master,
John Griggs.
Interestingly, at this
time, the effect of Mr.
Coughlin began to be
felt. The rift between
Harbour Grace and
Ca r b o n e a r c a m e t o
life: the Dissenters and
Methodists in Carbonear
w a n t ed a Methodist
teacher. About this time
(1775), John Griggs left
Harbour Grace.
This was a period
in which life in
Newfoundland was
very challenging as the
trade from the American
Colonies, especially the
cities of Boston, New
York, and Philadelphia,
were changing over
from peacetime trade to
privateering. Privateers
from there raided the
coast of Newfoundland.
In 1778-79, Edward
Freeman became the
school master for
Harbour Grace and
Carbonear. Had they
resolved the request
from Carbonear for a
Methodist teacher? Was
there only one teacher?
Was he at Harbour Grace?
Mr. Freeman seems to
have had his own school
before being employed
by the SPG.
In the SPG records,
t h e re n o re p o rt s o f
school masters in other
places in Newfoundland

at this time. It is likely that

school masters that were
not connected with the
SPG were not mentioned
unless they joined the
SPG. There were at that
time c1500-1600 people
in St Johns. Were there
teachers there? In 178182 there was a winter
school at Port de Grave
in Conception Bay, and
another at Carbonear.
No doubt this seasonal
arrangement was used
so as not to interfere
with spring and summer
fisheries.
In 1782 Mr. George
Fullilove was found to
be school master at
Harbour Grace. There
were many poor parents
so he started a poor
school in the summer
for 40 students. This
was approved by the
S P G . Many types of
schools, paid and unpaid
by parents, were used
to meet the desire of
parents to have some
schooling in these distant
colonies. In 1784-85 Mr.
Fullilove went back to
England.
The next year there
was another school
master at Harbour
Grace. A Mr. Lamprey
(Lampen) was appointed
with 75 students and he
stayed for a long time.
There is still a Lampens
Lane in Harbour Grace,
running from the
entrance to the church
to the old graveyard. Mr.
Lampens employment
term was for five years,
with an increase in salary
of 5 provided he took
more poor children.

In 1788-89, Mr. Walter

Price, the missionary in St
Johns, formerly Curate
at Dartmouth in Devon
(England), opened a
poor school. Did he teach
in the school as some
missionaries did? Did
he have an assistant? His
wife? His sister?
A little more about
Mr. Lampen at Harbour
Grace casts some light
on the poor schools. He
taught 12 children for
free, 42 for pay, and 9
in the evening. This still
doesnt give us as much
information as we would
like. Were the evening
students free? Were they
adults?

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

In this period, as for

a long time to come,
the post of school
master was somewhat
interchangeable with
that of the missionary.
It was rare to have both
a missionary and a school
master in the same place.
Often the priest began
as a school master, and
this reality continued
for many years. How
m a n y s chool masters
(teachers) did a wide
range of church activities
in parishes, including
reading services as the
writer did.

MARCH 2016

The Cost of Discipleship God : Too Old

Fashioned?
(John 15:16). He calls
us to share our lives
with Him. He calls us
to commit ourselves
whole-heartedly to Him.
It is a call to say no to the
old life of sin. It is a call
to say yes to Jesus.
Jesus never promised
His disciples an easy life.
Discipleship often
involves pain and
tears. If we want to be
His disciples, we must
accept His supreme
The Revd Michael Li
authority as Lord over
every area of our life.
Columnist
We are no longer our
Jesus urged people o w n . J e s u s i s t h e
to count the cost of d o m i n a n t f a c t o r i n
d i s c i p l e s h i p ( L u k e our life. We are to live
14:25-35). Many people lives that honour Jesus.
have madethe decision We are to live lives that
to follow Jesus without hasten the coming of
first pausing to count the the day of God.
cost. To them, religion is
Jesus calls us to
a great, soft cushion. It f o l l o w H i m . A l s o
protects them from the He calls us to join the
hard unpleasantness n e w c o m m u n i t y o f
of life. Jesus makes Gods people. We must
total demands on His be a loving and caring
followers.
community before
Every Christian is we have something
called to discipleship. c r e d i b l e t o s a y t o
Jesus said, You did not an unbelieving and
choose me, but I chose broken world. Gods
you to go and bear fruit love among Gods people

is the most convincing of

arguments for the truth
of the Gospel.
The world is full of
bad news. Hatred, violence,
and war occur nonstop
around the world. The
Gospel of Jesus is
Gods good news for
the whole world. God
loves people of all races,
backgrounds, cultures,
and languages. We are
called to share the good
news of what God has
done in Jesus. Only
God can save us. God
has chosen to reach out
to the needy primarily
through His disciples. At
the Holy Eucharist, we are
spiritually strengthened in
order to serve God in the
world. This fellowship
meal is a foretaste of
heaven.
Jesus tells us to make
disciples of all nations
(Matthew 28:19). We
a re c a l l e d t o m a ke
disciples who will make
moredisciples. Whata
c h a l l e n g e ! What a
privilege! What a lifelong vocation!

Ron Clarke

Columnist

Not too long ago,

for us Christians, there
seemed so much about
God, about religion,
and about the church,
that was so sacred, so
unchangeable for so
long. We assumed that
it would go on forever.
But these last few
years important changes,
unforeseen changes,
have occurred. And
many more, it seems,
are on the way.
Take marriage, for
example. For centuries,
between a man and a
woman. The scriptures
apparently provided and
approved such a model.
Today the definition
of marriage has been
broadened so widely
that civil- marriages,
same sex marriages,
all are widely approved.
Indeed living together
and staying unmarried is
widely popular now.
Does God approve,
and bless all this?
And, of course, many

other dramatic changes

are occurring right now.
Tr a d i t i o n a l l y,
Christians died whenever
and however God willed
it, however painful the
end might be. Hes out
of his miseries, wed say.
N o w, h o w e v e r,
death-by-choice will
soon be with us. Doctorassisted death, which is
suicide in other words,
will be legal. Many
countries have already
legalized it.
Right now it all seems
so humane. We will
only euthanize people
who are suffering
terrible, unbearable, and
fatal pain, they say. Wed
do it for a sick animal,
the reasoning goes. It
all sounds reasonable,
doesnt it?
But, what kind of
slippery slope are we
erecting?
After a while, when
assisted suicide becomes
widely practiced, how
easy will it be to assist
anybody we want to get
rid of?
And what about
Gods control over our
live and death? Will he
no longer be in control?
Change today seems
to be occurring far too
quickly.
Will the time come
when Godly living will be
obsolete?
Cant happen! God
is the same yesterday,
today and forever! We
must not forget that! Hes
in control, and always
will be.

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.
To learn more, call the number below. Well send
you a free Wishes and Memories Planning Guide.
Well also provide you with a no-obligation
consultation.
So make your plans, today.
Then follow your path wherever it leads.

FUNERAL HOMES
Preplanning
Crematorium
Chapel
Monuments
Flowers

Corner Brook Deer Lake

Stephenville Crossing
Port aux Basques Burgeo
Port au Choix Lanse au Loup
Happy Valley - Goose Bay

634-0077 1-888-868-6800
During your most difficult times... we are here to serve you.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

6102663

MARCH 2016

10

Responding to Human
Suffering
h u m a n s u ff e r i n g . A
clear statement is found
in Micah: What does
the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to
love mercy, and to walk
humbly with your God.
Joan Chitister writes:
To those who have no
flame in their hearts for
justice, no unrelenting
understanding of the
other, no consciousness
of responsibility for
the reign of God, no
awareness of a call to
go beyond themselves,
Revd Everett Hobbs
no commitment to
Columnist
human community, and
no endurance for the
There is no shortage dailiness of it all may
of human suffering indeed be seeking God,
a n d i t t a k e s m a n y but make no mistake,
forms: natural disasters, God is still only an idea
poverty, diseases, wars, to them -precious as
tyranny, refugees, and it might be - but not a
the list goes on. How Reality. . . Zeal has to
do we respond?
do with caring enough
T h e r e
a r e about something to
three basic responses: have made being born
indifference, sympathy, worthwhile . . . Good
o r i n v o l v e m e n t . zeal is to be driven
Indifference is to do b y t h e l o v e o f God,
nothing, and to look to the point of loving
the other way.Sympathy everything, everybody
is toexpress concernbut . . .
little else. Involvement
We can respond to
means engagement and suffering in a number of
service. As Christians, ways. I have a threefold
we look to the Bible for a p p r o a c h : P r a y e r ;
guidance and examples Engagement; Support.
about responding to
Praying
for

others (intercession)
requires intention and
commitment, time and
attention. I try to do it daily,
for about twenty minutes.
To help me, I use lists that
are already prepared,
such as that from the
Leprosy Mission, the
US Church Army, and
we can also create our
own lists. You can find
resources online. I also
use the daily news and
bring that into my time
of intercession, at a later
point, and/or at the time
I hearabout it, and I can
offer a prayer. In this way
I try to attain a sense of
solidarity with those who
suffer and keep in touch
with the pain of others.
Wecan use our moments
of pain to pray for others
who are suffering in a
similar way. Ultimately,
it is not my prayer alone,
but in conjunction with
others, and joining with
Jesus in pleading to the
Father. In this way, I am
more likely to see the
worlds suffering through
the eyes of God, and
respond with the love of
God.
Engagement is
limited by circumstances.
In most cases I cannot
actually be with those
who suffer. What I can

do is advocate in some
way on their behalf. I
write letters and sign
petitions through such
organizationsasAmnesty
International and Christian
Solidarity Worldwide.
Again, these resources
are online. Lo c a l l y,
we can volunteer
with organizations and
programs which serve
others in need.
I support financially
a number of charities
which work to
alleviate suffering. My
method is to select
a single charity from
different groups I
have identified, such
a s r e f u g e e s , s t r e e t
children, illiteracy, health
issues,human rights, etc..
A useful resource in
all this the Sustainable
Development Goals
(SDG), adopted last
year by most of the
worlds nations through
t h e U n i t e d N at i on s .
In 2000 these same
countries adopted
the Eight Millennium

G o a l s , d e a l i n g w i t h
poverty and hunger,
e q u a l i t y, e d u c at i o n ,
c h i l d re n s d i s e a s e s ,
health, environment,
and sustainable
development. The target
for obtaining these goals
was 2015. This was not
achieved, although there
was much progress, and
the SDG replaced it with
a target date of 2030.
There are 17 goals and
169 targets. A regular
check on their website
gives us a window on
what is happening in our
world.
Finally, we need to
keep before us the words
of St Teresa of Avila:
Christ has no body but
yours; no hands but
yours. Yours are the
eyes by which he looks
with compassion on the
world. Yours are the
feet with which he walks
to do good. Yours are
the hands with which he
blesses the world. You
are his body.

St. Michael & All Angels Hosts Second Free Dinner

Photo by Jean Ellis

Article by
Barb Earle

On Saturday, January 23, 2016 the Parish of St. Michael & All Angels, St. Johns, held their second free community meal. The event
was organized by the Mission & Ministry Committee.
A delicious dinner of spaghetti & meatballs with cake and ice cream for dessert was served to approximately sixty-seven people in
attendance. We were pleased to have our Bishop The Rt. Revd Dr. Geoffrey Peddle and his wife Kathy join us. The children had
fun making crafts while adults and parishioners chatted and mingled with each other.
Our purpose of the event was to build community among those who are already members of St Michaels and welcome visitors
from the immediate neighbourhood and parts beyond.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MARCH 2016

11

ACW Executive in Margaree-Fox Roost

Submitted by
Karen Simon

Pictured above is the ACW executive for St Augustines in Margaree-Fox Roost.

Left to Right: Phyllis Carroll (Calendar); Roberta Strickland (Family Life and Youth); Shirley Osmond (Mission & Outreach); Arlene Lillington (Altar Guild); The Revd MaryRose Colbourne; Sharon Billard (President); Julia Spencer (1st Vice President); Joyce Clevett (Treasurer) & Bernice Sweet (Secretary) Missing: Lorena Kendall (Worship)

The S Word

Kevin Smith

Columnist

Th e f u n d a m e n t a l
principle of biblical
stewardship is that God
owns everything - we
are simply managers
or administrators
acting on his behalf.
Stewardship expresses
our obedience regarding
the administration
of everything God
has placed under
our control, which is
all encompassing.
Stewardship is the
commitment of ones self
and possessions to Gods
service, recognizing
that we do not have the
right of control over our
property or ourselves.In
other words, stewardship
is all that I do, with all
that I have, after I say, I
believe.
H o w e v e r, w h e n
priests talk about
stewardship and what it
means, Bishop Douglas
Hambidge suggests that
our eyes glaze over. He

says that if you tell the

congregation that the
sermon is on stewardship,
youll lose all of them,
exc e p t p e r h a p s t h e
parish treasurer, who
hopes youll drum up
a few more dollars to
ease the pressure on the
budget.
Why is this? Why has
stewardship or the S
word gotten so much
bad press? Bishop
Hambidge, a well known
stewardship writer and
preacher, suggested it
is a long, sad story: In
Canada, it began when
all necessary funding
came from the Church of
England. When that was
cut off and we were on
our own, we had to raise

money, and we called it

stewardship.
Douglas reflected
back on the various
campaigns which has
had limited success in
the past when it comes
t o s t e w a rd s h i p. Fo r
example, the Every
Member Canvass, the
Wells campaign and
the sector plan were
nothing more than thinly
disguised attempts to
balance the budget.
The problem,
according to Douglas,
was that deep down
inside, people were
convinced the real
motive of all stewardship
talk was to get them
to raise their financial
giving level, to provide

the church with the

support it needed to
keep going.
The Bishop wonders
if there is another way of
looking at stewardship in
relation to what motivates
our giving? He suggests
the best known verse in
the whole of scripture
says it all:
God so loved the
world that he gave.....
John 3:16
These words sum up
Gods attitude towards
giving and Gods giving
is motivated by Gods
love. The Bishop says
we have always known
this, but most of us fail
to relate it directly to
stewardship and our
approach to giving.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

What does this mean?

Bishop Douglas offers an
answer:
We are called not so
much to engage in
stewardship programs
as to be stewards. This
means that life is lived
as an offering of faith
and thanksgiving, and
in full awareness of the
giving of God, which
calls from us a life of
giving in response.
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

MARCH 2016

12

News from St. Peters, Upper Gullies

Submitted by
Jack Morgan

The congregation of St. Peters in Upper Gullies (C.B.S.)

has had reasons for celebration! There was a wonderful
Patronal Festival, where Mr. Clarence Morgan kindly
invited people to come and enjoy time on the farm and
a hay ride. Lunch was provided by the Mens Service
club. There was also an evening of dance and music,
with the talented Darcy and Regan Scott (pictured
above).
Also, the Revd Jean M. Smith was inducted as the rector
of the parish on January 17th (pictured on the right).

Pillowcase Dresses

Presentation to Sarah
Quinton

Submitted by
Lisa Brown

Photo by Jean Ellis

Submitted by
Bernice Stokes

Front Row: Myrtle Strangemore, Alma Porter, Gertie Tapp, Edna Reid, Marguerite White,
Sandra Spencer.
Back Row: Bessie Blackmore, Phoebe Payne, Cora Farrell, Claudine Matthews, Jennifer
Spencer.
Missing from photo: Diane Hewitt, Gail Northcott, Dale Barnes and Loretta Skeard.

Ladies of the ACW of St. James Church, Port aux Basques, recently made
72 pillowcase dresses for the children of Jinja, Uganda. These dresses
were blessed by The Revd Clayton Billard on January 31st at our 10:00 am
Church Service. The dresses will be hand delivered by Sandra and Jennifer
Spencer. This mother/daughter team will be traveling to Uganda on March
18th on behalf of Jorjas Journeys - Empowering Orphans.

Pictured above, Sarah Quinton is presented with her flowers

by Bernice Stokes, Altar Guild President. Also pictured are the
Revd Jonathan Rowe and the Revd Bill Noel.

On Sunday 6 December 2015, Sarah Quinton, a

long-time member of St. Michael and All Angels
in St. Johns was recognized for her devotion and
many years of service to the parish. With heartfelt
thanks and appreciation, she was presented with
a bouquet of flowers. Her friends sincerely hope
that all of Gods blessings will always be with her.
She has gone to take up residence in Ontario.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador