april 2013

RupeRt’s Land Newspublished by the diocese of rupert’s land – a section of the anglican journal

2A closer walk Holy Trinity studiesthe disciplines

3From the Bishop Alleluia! Christ is risen!The cheer of the disciples

6Giving Anglicans step upto the plate

7Wisdom Other ways of knowing

april 8 – feast of the annunciation

see page 8see page 5

Magnolias, Assiniboine Park Conservatory, Winnipeg, March 2013

LuxtonChristians join hands

KeewatinBoundaries under discussion

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He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Kamloops

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ANGLICAN

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80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2

LEGEND

See City

Diocesan Boundaries

Provincial (Civil) Boundaries

Produced by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, 2005.

Copies of this map can be obtained from Josie De Lucia:

jdelucia@national.anglican.ca, Phone: 416 924-9199, ext 294.

ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA

Edmonton

Calgary

Peace RiverPrince Rupert

Regina

SaskatoonKelowna

Prince Albert

Victoria

ARCTIC

ATHABASCACALEDONIA

KOOTENAY

NEW

WEST

MIN

STER

BR

ITISH

CO

LUM

BIA

SASKATCHEWAN

SASKATOONCALGARY

EDMONTON

QU'APPELLE

BR

AN

DO

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RUPERT

'S LAN

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OTTAWA

ONTARIO

HU

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TORONTO

NIAG

ARA

MOOSONEE

KEEWATIN

Vancouver

Kenora

Sault Ste. Marie

Timmins

BrandonWinnipeg

Toronto

Hamilton

Ottawa

Quebec

Gander

Corner Brook

Fredericton

Yellowknife

Halifax

Montreal

Kingston

St. John’s

London

Whitehorse

YUKON

QUEBEC

CE

NT

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FOU

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FOUNDLAND

FREDERICTON

MONTREAL

EASTERN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

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2 rupert’s land news Sapril 2013disciplines

Is Matthew 28:19 a call to discipleship? Yes, but I think it is also a call to

be "church". We have spent hours agonizing over what it means to be church.We haven't done that very well in the last 50 years. Often when we set out to cast vision for the church, we begin with what is missing, what we don't do well, what it would take to make us "church"? How do we get young people into the pews? How do we get more money to pay the bills? We don't feel much like a church of disciples. That was at the heart of a new initiative at Holy Trinity. It began at a Vestry Retreat when we began looking at our vision. We asked ourselves what are the things we are doing well; not even attempting to look at what needs to be fixed. It seems that whenever we try to cast vision for the church, our initial reaction and focus turn to all the deficiencies – all the "what we need ". It has been my experience, however, that when we go in that direction, the enthusiasm, the vision quickly begins to fizzle. We

wind up with a whole lot of paper attached to the wall and nothing really comes of it. What we need, I challenged the vestry, is renewal. So our visioning process is taking on a three-year look. We begin looking upward as we take a look at our r e l a t i o n s h i p with God; then we look inward at ourselves, and then we look outward to the community around us. O u r f i r s t p h a s e o f r e n e w a l i s looking at the age old spiritual d i s c i p l i n e s . We are using R i c h a r d Foster’s classic Celebrat ion of Discipline – the path to spiritual growth. This covers the inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting and study, the outward disciplines of solitude, simplicity, service and submission and the corporate disciplines of confession, worship, guidance

and celebration. I have been using these 12 topics as the preaching subject each week and the congregation has been doing their own study, prayer or meditation as they follow what we call the "Spiritual Disciplines Folder: A Closer Walk with God." How will we know that renewal has come to Holy Trinity? someone asked. A friend, David Young, sent me an email some time back

and said: The mark of a renewing church is that it becomes Christ-centered. Christ becomes more known, more influential, and more central in the life of t h e c h u rc h . Christ is lifted up, becomes p re - em i n en t and rises above programs, styles a n d t a s t e s . Renewal is a vibrant faith

journey of individuals and congregation. The outcome is changed lives, active witnesses, and service to Jesus Christ. Soul transformation happens in churches that gather by the well, encounter Jesus, drink life-giving water and enter into mission. I think that is at the heart of discipleship. It is at the heart of casting vision. It is at the heart of being Church.

Merv Lanctot is rector of Holy Trinity, Winnipeg

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A closer walkHoly Trinity seeks renewal through the classic disciplines

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Serving all faiths as a place of final rest

by Merv lanctot

We asked ourselves what are the things

we are doing well;

not even attempting to look at

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in his book celebration of discipline, the path to spiritual growth, first published in 1984, richard j. foster described 12 spiritual skills or disciplines.

• The inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, offer avenues of personal examination and change.

• The outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, help prepare us to make the world a better place.

• The corporate disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration, bring us nearer to one another and to God.

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Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

rupert’s land news 3april 20131 froM the bishop

the right reverend donald phillips

bishop of rupert’s land

With the completion of Lent, we have arrived at the

Easter Triduum (Great Three Days – Maundy Thursday through to the Day of Resurrection). We have met (and been met by) the Risen Christ in a fresh and new way. We do not merely “recall” or “remember” an act of God from 2,000 years ago. Rather, when we proclaim the Word and partake of the consecrated bread and cup we are re-living and proclaiming God’s victory over our evil and sin and celebrating the new life we have been given. The crucified and risen Lord is actually present for us as his disciples. In last month’s article (March RLN) I used the i m a g e o f a “ s p r i n g training camp” to describe the p u r p o s e o f t h e L e n t e n s e a s o n f o r the Christian disciple. The season of Lent is like a spring t ra in ing camp to a professional athlete. It is the time when she or he regains the strength, skills, wisdom and passion that they need in order to continue participating effectively in the life they have chosen. They intentionally submit to its disciplines and rigours in

order to become, more fully, who they are and who they want to be. So what does a professional baseball player do when they finish “spring training”? They play ball! There are a few verses in the Letter to the Hebrews which capture this image for the Christian disciple very well. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith ... [Hebrews 12: 1, 2a] I want to invite you to play a little with this image from Hebrews. Imagine a sports field in which this “great cloud of witnesses” are the sports fans who completely fill the stands to watch the team play. Imagine that Jesus is the “founder” of the sport you are about to play and is also its “champion” – having, through his own example as well as his accomplishment in the sport, made it possible for you to participate and excel. Jesus is present and visible

on the edge of the sports field – encouraging and reminding everyone on the field what they need to do to play well. T h e passage from Hebrews also refers to “the sin that clings s o c l o s e l y ” . An alternate

translation of this phrase reads as “the sin that easily distracts.” The author is not referring only to immoral acts or selfish motivations. This phrase refers to anything (even

wholesome things) that causes us to become distracted from engaging whole-heartedly in the sport, and from taking our direction from the “Coach.” The passage from Hebrews exhorts us to “lay aside” such distractions a n d t o “ r u n w i t h perseverance the race that is set before us.” Now take this imaginary s c e n a r i o and “lay” it across your life – the real one – the one that you and I participate in every day. The “cloud of witnesses” is still here. Jesus is still here. Where are you and I? Are we looking to Jesus as we make decisions each day that affect our lives and the lives of others? Are we expecting to receive wisdom and direction from the Risen Christ? Are we expecting help from the cloud of witnesses and from our fellow-disciples when we fall down or become confused? But perhaps the most important question is: what is the sport that we are engaged in as disciples of the Risen Christ? All four Gospels make it quite plain what the disciples of Jesus Christ are to be about after his Resurrection. Matthew’s Gospel is the most obvious. Jesus says: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” [Matt. 28: 19a) In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good

news to the whole creation.” [Mark 16: 15] Luke’s Gospel has Jesus emphasize the role of the disciples as witnesses. “... and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to

all nations, b e g i n n i n g f rom Je ru - sa lem. You are witnesses o f t h e s e t h i n g s . ” [Luke 24: 47, 48] In John’s Gospel, Jesus emphasizes t h e c o n - tinuing work of reconcil-iation. “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, s o I s e n d

you.” [John 20: 21] Unfortunately, we often envisage the fulfi l lment of these four versions of

Jesus’ commission as being carried out by a group of holy people, wandering around in holy clothes, and standing on the corners of first-century towns talking about Jesus. In reality, we are given these commissions to live out in twenty-first century Manitoba. They define the “sport” or “race” that we are engaged in. And they also define what our local churches are to be about. Everything we do as “church” should contribute to this “sport” in life. “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” i s not s imply a joyous acclamation of what God has done in Jesus. It is also the “cheer” of the sport through which we are to live our lives as disciples of Christ. Hear the encouraging cheers of the witnesses; look for grace and power from Jesus; give and receive support from your fellow disciples; play well!

Alleluia! Christ is risen!The cheer of the disciples

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What is the sport

that we are engaged in as disciples of the Risen

Christ?

rupert’s land neWs May deadline

Deadline for the summer edition of the Rupert’s Land News is

July 1, 2013Send your material to Terence Moore, Editorrlnews@rupertsland.ca

1-204-992-4205

In reality, we are

given these commissions

to live out in twenty-

first century Manitoba.

4 rupert’s land news Sapril 2013 observer

Observer

There's an old joke that goes, “How many Ang l icans

does it take to change a light bulb?” It has several punchlines. “Roughly 120. One to write the liturgy, one to compose the music for the liturgy and an organist and a choir. A priest to preside, a sub-deacon, a sacristan, servers, acolytes, and a congregation.” (That's the British version.) “Three – one to call the electrician to change the bulb, one to mix the martinis, and one to complain that the old bulb gave better light.” (American), and “Two – one to change the light bulb and one to protest because his grandfather had given the old bulb as a memorial to the protester's grandmother!” (Canadian) . There are

My interest was piqued when I saw an article

in the February issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, entitled “Asthma medication adherence: the role of God and other health locus of control factors”. The authors, from the Centre for Health Policy and Health Services Research at Henry Ford Health System (Detroit) and the School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore), state

probably versions of that old joke for every country that is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Now that I'm half-way through my eighth decade, I have been reflecting on all the changes I have seen in my lifetime, not the least of which are the changes I have experienced in the church. When I was but a little tiny girl (with a hey and a ho, and a hey-nonny-no!) church was every-Sunday attendance at a tiny Church of England in Wales parish in a small Welsh town (not exactly a bastion of Anglicanism!) My memories of those days include the musty smell of damp and dust, a dim church interior, very uncomfortable pews, and services conducted in 16th century English with a lot of incomprehensible

that medication adherence is an important predictor of disease outcomes yet medication use on average tends to be low in patients with chronic illnesses such as asthma. They examined the relationship between perceptions of God’s role in health and other factors in relation to use of inhaled corticosteroids. They used e lectronic prescription and pharmacy records to estimate how often the 1,025 patients

words ending in 'eth' and 'st'. At Sunday School (after, not during, worship) we used an expurgated version of the bible designed for the instruction of children (no Song of Solomon but we still got violent bits like the story of Jael hammering a tent peg into Sisera's head!) Yes, indeed, the church has changed! The Anglican aversion to change is well-documented, beginning at the beginning in the 16th century over such things as the 42 Articles (which got pared down to the current 39), and the various liturgies by Cranmer which Henry declared as “Too Catholic!” or “Too Lutheran!” Through the almost 500 years since the formation of the Anglican Church change has been

were taking their prescribed medication. They were asked whether they thought God, doctors, other people, chance or internal causes would control the course of their disease. Only 36 per cent of the patients in the sample were taking their medication as prescribed at least 80 per cent of the time. Patients who had a stronger belief that God or a h igher power determined asthma control were less likely to

take their medication. This relationship was stronger for the Afro-American group (323 persons) than the whites (702) in the three-month study, May to July 2007. The mean adherence rates were 39 per cent for whites and 28 per cent for Afro-Americans. The authors concluded that belief in God’s control of health appears to be a factor in use of asthma control medications. They proposed that doctors should discuss God’s role with their

asthma patients. The Bible records miracles such a s Je su s tu r n ing water into wine, Moses’ parting of the Red Sea and Christ walking on the Sea of Galilee, but these defy human understanding. Often, failure to take regular asthma medication results in frequent exacerbations, visits to the emergency department or even death. Asthma patients should pray to God and take their medications.

part of the mix. In the past 50 years there have been great changes in the Anglican Church of Canada – the angst caused by the introduction of new liturgies, the furor over the ordination of women (and more recently the elevation of women to the episcopacy) which saw whole congregations breaking away from the Anglican Church of Canada, the admission of the baptized-but-not-yet-confirmed to Holy Communion) and in latter days the near-schism brought about by same sex issues. There have been less dramatic changes, too, although they too have had a profound effect: the inclusion of women in the councils of the church at

the parish, diocesan and national levels; the fact that not all Anglicans can trace their family lineage to some part of the United Kingdom, the fact that increased immigration to Canada from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and southern and eastern Europe has changed the face of the Anglican Church, and the newcomers have given their gifts of music and worship forms to what used to be referred to as “the frozen chosen”. So many changes, but I prefer to think of them not as disruptive changes but as evolution. In my view, the Anglican Church is a kinder, more compassionate institution than it was when I was child. And that's a good thing!

God's role in health

How many Anglicans does it take to change ...?

The Rupert’s Land News welcomes spontaneous expressions from readers relating to our church, our diocese and our common life together. If you hear someone in your parish tell a story or describe a feeling that you think should be heard across the diocese, encourage them to write it down and send it to the Rupert’s Land News. Observations received before the end of April may be used in the summer paper.

Observer

by june M jaMes

by rene jaMieson

Observer

Kamloops

Peace River

ANGLICAN

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80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2

LEGEND

See City

Diocesan Boundaries

Provincial (Civil) Boundaries

Produced by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, 2005.

Copies of this map can be obtained from Josie De Lucia:

jdelucia@national.anglican.ca, Phone: 416 924-9199, ext 294.

ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA

Edmonton

Calgary

Peace RiverPrince Rupert

Regina

SaskatoonKelowna

Prince Albert

Victoria

ARCTIC

ATHABASCACALEDONIA

KOOTENAY

NEW

WEST

MIN

STER

BR

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CO

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SASKATCHEWAN

SASKATOONCALGARY

EDMONTON

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KEEWATIN

Vancouver

Kenora

Sault Ste. Marie

Timmins

BrandonWinnipeg

Toronto

Hamilton

Ottawa

Quebec

Gander

Corner Brook

Fredericton

Yellowknife

Halifax

Montreal

Kingston

St. John’s

London

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rupert’s land news 5april 20131 boundaries

The one thing of certainty in today’s church is that change

is constant. One of those upcoming changes relates to diocesan boundaries. God willing, the boundaries for Rupert’s Land will expand to include the southern region of the Diocese of Keewatin. Due to its geographic and cul tural make up, the immense Diocese of Keewatin has traditionally functioned as three separate

regions: Northern Manitoba; Northern Ontario and the Southern Region (roughly, those communities that lie near the Trans-Canada Highway). After extensive consul-tation with each of the regions and with approval of the Province of Rupert’s Land and General Synod, Archbishop David Ashdown will divide the Diocese of Keewatin into three parts. The Northern Manitoba

region will likely come under the Diocese of Brandon. The Northern Ontario region will become a new diocese under Bishop Lydia Mamakwa, who was consecrated in March 2010. The Southern region could join the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. The Diocese of Keewatin will remain as a legal entity but functionally will cease to exist as of January 1, 2015. At last year’s Synod, the Southern Region voted to join Rupert’s Land. The Southern Region inc lude s a s ec t i on o f southeast Manitoba – the communities of Pinawa, Lac du Bonnet, Fort Alexander and Manigotogan. It includes Ontario communities near the border with Minnesota – Rainy River, Emo, Fort Frances and Atikokan. It i n c l u d e s c o m mu n i t i e s along the Trans-Canada Highway – Keewat in , Kenora, Minnitaki, Dryden, Wabigoon and Ignace. It includes communities north of the Trans-Canada – Red Lake, Ear Falls and Sioux Lookout. Each of these communities is between two and seven

hours’ drive from Winnipeg. Some of the communities are quite small and may only have Sunday service a few times a year. Some have regular Sunday service with a non-stipendiary priest. Still others are served by a stipendiary priest. All have met their financial obligations to the Diocese of Keewatin. In addition to these communities, Churchill has also expressed a desire to join our diocese due to the transportation connection with Winnipeg. The 2012 Rupert’s Land Diocesan Synod voted to support exploring the possibility of the Southern Region joining us. With that motion, Bishop Don Phillips, the Rev Dr Cathy Campbell and the Rev Dr Lee Titterington travelled to Kenora on Jan 24, 2013 to meet with Archbishop David Ashdown and the Dean of the Diocese, the Very Reverend Jim Dugan. The conversation was very cordial and focused on several issues identified by the Southern Region Council. Specifically, we talked about:

• some ways in which both groups can get to know each other between now and the end of December 2014;

• the Southern Region maintaining some of its own distinctiveness – perhaps as an archdeaconry;

• the dis tance between congregat ions in the Southern Region and how to maintain connections, especially among clergy;

• recognizing and supporting non-stipendiary ministry;

• the role of St. Alban’s Cathedral;

• possible differences in clergy compensation and benefits;

• how best to represent the new parishes in our diocesan structure;

• property ownership and dispersal guidelines;

• w h e r e b e s t t o k e e p Keewatin archives; and

• congregational viability and vitality

Some of these items are covered by our canons and some by our existing policies. It was recognized by everyone that further discussion was also needed in some areas but there didn’t seem to be any ‘deal breakers’. Approval is required by the ecclesiastical province of Rupert’s Land, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada and our Diocesan Counci l . Likely this will occur this year. In addition, a number of task groups comprised of members from both Keewatin and Rupert’s Land may need to meet to determine specific ways to deal with some issues which are not covered by policy or canons. Another planning meeting was scheduled for March 21, 2013 to continue the discussion. We know change is never easy. However, we also know that change can be managed to assist those who are involved in the change to more easily deal with and work through possible concerns. With this possible expansion, exciting opportunities arise.

by rev dr lee titterington

Keewatin conversations

The Diocese of Rupert's Land is invited to grow

FORT ALEXANDER

LAC DU BONNETPINAWA

KEEWATINKENORA DRYDEN

RAINY RIVER

EMO FORT FRANCES

EAR FALLS

RED LAKE

SIOUX LOOKOUT

IGNACE

ATIKOKAN

MANIGOTOGAN

6 rupert’s land news 'deapril 2013christians

Ru p e r t ’ s L a n d Anglicans, like those across the country,

sharply increased their support for the Anglican Journal Appeal in 2012. Donations to the appeal from people in Rupert’s Land totaled $17,820, up 12 per cent from the year before. Across Canada, 2012 donations to the Anglican Journal Appeal totaled $491,259, an increase of 16 per cent over the preceding year. Proceeds of the Anglican Journal Appeal, after expenses, are split equally between the Anglican Journal and the dioceses in which the appeal is conducted. Because the expenses were higher in 2012, the shares of proceeds received by all dioceses are slightly lower. Rupert’s Land’s share of the 2012 proceeds is $5,651 compared to $5,890 the year before. The Anglican Journal Appeal is a direct mail campaign conducted from Toronto by the Anglican

Journal. It is an important source of revenue both for the Anglican Journal and for the diocesan newspapers such as the Rupert’s Land News. The diocesan papers are written and edited locally in each Anglican diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada. They are printed and distributed along with the Anglican Journal. The Anglican Journal Appeal incurred extra ex p e n s e s i n 2 0 1 2 fo r photography and printing to produce the appeal materials mailed to donors. Some of those materials can be reused next year, which may reduce the expense. Increased support for the Anglican Journal Appeal matched increased support within Rupert’s Land for the Rupert’s Land News. As we reported in the March paper, Rupert’s Land News readers in 2012 sent in 436 subscription donations totaling $10,275. The year before, readers sent 349 donations totaling $8,135.

by terence Moore

The 2012 results therefore represented a 25 per cent increase in the number of donations and a 26 per cent increase in the total value of donations. The only expense arising from the annual appeal for Rupert’s Land News subscription donations is the small cost of printing the self-addressed envelopes. Good response was achieved when the editor and advisory committee members of the Rupert’s Land News appeared at Diocesan Synod, delivered a self-addressed envelope to each delegate and appealed for donations. The Anglican Journal Appeal and the Rupert’s Land News subscription d o n a t i o n c a m p a i g n , therefore, both achieved increased support in response to an increased fund-raising effort. This suggests that Anglicans are quite willing to pay for their newspapers, but the newspapers have to go and ask for the support and make it easy to donate.

Giving in Canada is mainly a work of church-going people. This is quantified in the article “Charitable Giving by Canadians” written by Statistics Canada senior analyst Martin Turcotte and published in April, 2012. The article reports results of interviews with 22,000 Canadian adults in 2007 and with 15,000 Canadian adults in 2010 about their giving and volunteering. Those surveys found that the average annual donation from Canadians who attend church every week was $1,085 in 2007 (before the 2008 stock market collapse) and $1,004 in 2010 (when markets were low). By contrast, the average annual donation from those who do not attend church every week was $308 in 2007 and $313 in 2010. Non-church-goers apparently did not reduce their giving in response to declining markets – which is a good thing because they were giving very little to start with. Churches received 40 per

cent of Canadians’ financial giving in 2010, down from 46 per cent in 2007. The next largest class of donation recipients was health charities such as the cancer foundation and heart foundation, which received 15 per cent of Canadians’ donations. A February report from S t a t i s t i c s C a n a d a o n charitable donations which were reported on 2011 income tax returns shows that Manitoba once again had a greater proportion of givers than any other province. Charitable giving was reported by 25.9 per cent of Manitoba taxfilers compared to 25.0 per cent in Saskatchewan (the next givingest province) and with 23 per cent for the whole of Canada. The numbers o f t ax f i l e r s re por t ing charitable giving declined slightly from 2010 to 2011 in Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and British Columbia but increased in Manitoba and the other Prairie provinces.

Congratulations again, readers

Anglicans increase their giving

The February 2013 e d i t i o n o f t h e Ru p e r t ’ s L a n d

News included my short reflection piece, “On Being Disciples.” In that article I suggested that “disciple” was the word most often used by the early members of the Jesus movement to describe themselves, and then I made the following statement: “Check your concordance or do a quick online search and see how often the word ‘Christian’ appears in the biblical text… it appears not a single time.” As some readers will have no doubt discovered, on this latter count I was quite mistaken. The word “Christian” does in fact appear three times; in Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. How did I get that so wrong? Let me share a few lessons

learned from making such a basic error. Firstly, I would not have been aware of this mistake had someone not pointed it out to me. We too often back away from offering words of correction or challenge, fearful that we’ll hurt the other person’s feelings. Frankly, though, I’d rather have something pointed out to me than to remain oblivious to an error. In this case the “someone” who pointed out my mistake was David Pate, who is not only a retired priest of this diocese but also my father-in-law and someone who served as a priest-mentor to me when I was first ordained. David’s words were careful, but clear; I was wrong. “Didn’t you look it up in the copy of Young’s Analytical Concordance I gave to you when you were at St Paul’s?”

by jaMie hoWison

No, I’m afraid I hadn’t picked up that rather hefty volume, but instead had used an online “Bible browser,” which had produced not a single reference to the word “Christian.” Why had I left my copy of Young’s on the shelf ? Because it was easier to just type the word into the little search box on my Bible browser than it was to haul that big book off the shelf. Laziness, in other words. What I find remarkable is that while a sophisticated computer program could miss entirely the three references to the word “Christian,” the same can’t be said of Robert Young. A printer and publisher by trade, Young was a dedicated – and largely self-taught – linguist and Biblical scholar. That his massive concordance was completed fu l ly a century before the invention

of the desktop computer is something to ponder. Also worth pondering is how easily I turned to my laptop rather than to the Dr. Young’s sturdy book. The other lesson, though, is that as I wrote that original article I had it in my head that I had “read somewhere” that the word Christian was in fact a derogatory term used by the Romans to label the members of the Jesus movement. That is actually quite true, and here when I tell you to check the entry on “Christian” in The Oxford Companion to the Bible, I can assure you that I have done so – in the print edition! Yet when I was writing that reflection for the Rupert’s Land News, I didn’t check my sources, but rather went with that rather risky sense of having “read somewhere”… never a good

idea for the preacher or the writer. You see, had I checked a good, basic reference book I would have seen those three occurrences of “Christian” in the New Testament and I wouldn’t have been writing this article. So as I sit eating this little slice of humble pie, I’d want to say again how important it can be to offer those careful – and caring – words of correction to each other, because quite frankly it is so much better to be given the chance to correct or retract something than to keep wandering around holding on to groundless assumptions. And it is also good to be reminded that sometimes those things that can seem a little dated or which require a bit of extra work may actually be the most solid of resources. You can trust me on that count.

Oops What was that about the word “Christian”?

rupert’s land news 7april 20131

rupert’s land neWs

Publisher The Right Reverend Donald Phillips, Bishop of Rupert’s LandAdvisory Group Len Carlson, Lorraine West, Rev. Jamie Howison and Kelli StewartEditor Terence Moore Layout and Design Gwendolyn Penner

Subscription $20 per year Printer Webnews Printing Inc., North York, ONChange of Address Notify your parish or write to Rupert’s Land News, c/o Anglican Journal, 80 Hayden St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2 or email circulation@national.anglican.caSummer deadline The deadline for the May edition of the Rupert’s Land News is July 1, 2013The Rupert’s Land News is published as a section of the Anglican JournalPhone 1-204-992-4205 Fax 1-204-992-4219 Email rlnews@rupertsland.ca

anglican centre

Address 935 Nesbitt Bay, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 1W6Fax 1-204-992-4219 Website www.rupertsland.caAnglican Centre Toll Free 1-866-693-4418

Executive Assistant to the Bishop Susan Suppes 1-204-992-4212

Director of Finance Bernice Funk 1-204-992-4201

Office Administrative Assistant Cathy Mondor 1-204-992-4200

Diocesan Archives Wednesdays 9:00 am to 4:00 pmPhone 1-204-992-4203 Fax 1-204-992-4219 Email archivesdrl@gmail.com

nancy phillips

As the days begin to lengthen, we look forward to the return

of spring, which, for us here in Manitoba, still seems a very long way off. In the church, our focus turns to the penitential season of Lent. Lent is traditionally a time of abstaining from festivities (including the uttering of Alleluia) and, in years past, particular types of foods, such as meat and eggs. I recall as a child, in my eagerness to please God, I chose to give up carrots one Lent. I reasoned that it was a food that I enjoyed and so my giving it up seemed an appropriate fast. I’m not sure my mother agreed. Easter brings with it a sense of the completion of God’s work of salvation with Christ’s death and resurrection. The long journey through Lent has concluded with the joyous celebration of the resurrection of Christ and the promise of salvation for all. As an Anglican of long standing, I have heard and studied the story of Easter multiple times: from my perspective as a Sunday School student, as a teenager grappling with emerging life issues, as an adult facing the challenges of responding to life in a Christian way. The Easter story is one I have absorbed through so many years of being immersed in the church. Yet often, I think, my understanding of this wonderful mystery is so limited. My own wisdom has caught only the merest

glimpse of the truth God longs to provide to us. We often think of wisdom as being the information we can research and learn through books and knowledge: the more university degrees one has, the more wisdom we have accumulated. I enjoy digging into a good session of learning – delving into some research on the internet, reading a good book, or hearing an expert speak about a subject. But this “head knowledge” is only one aspect of Wisdom. We h a v e b e c o m e a s o c i e t y that values c e r e b r a l k n ow i n g – the facts and figures that are concrete, t a n g i b l e and reliable. But what if we were to ex p e r i e n c e the g i f t o f C h r i s t ’ s passion from a perspective other than the capacity of our intellect? The Wis- dom we hold a b o u t o u r f a i t h mu s t incorporate not only our minds, but also our hearts and our souls. In our Western culture, we are so accustomed to relying upon our mind, and our mind alone, to comprehend that which we find difficult to grasp. There are so many examples in the Bible of important truths that form part of our faith tradition and yet these truths seem perplexing and paradoxical. We search for explanations that will simplify and explain at a level we are prepared to accept. The Easter story of death and resurrection, of

bodily existence transforming into heavenly manifestation on Earth is one example of a story that can’t be fully grasped at the level of intellect alone. So how do we begin to incorporate other ways of knowing into our faith, and what might those ways of knowing look like? In her book, The Wisdom Way of Knowing, Cynthia Bourgeault (an Episcopal priest whose organization, the Contem-plative Society, is based in Victoria, BC), suggests

t h a t t h e Wisdom way of knowing “requires the whole of one’s being and is u l t i m a t e l y attained only through the yie lding of one’s being i n t o t h e i n t i m a c y of knowing a n d b e i n g k n o w n ” . S h e h a s d i s c ove r e d that this way of knowing God doesn’t h a p p e n apart f rom c o m p l e t e v u l n e r -abi l i ty and se l f -g iv ing. B u t t h e

knowledge of this underlying coherence in which all things hold together is both possible and inevitable. D i s c o v e r i n g a n d understanding God from a perspective other than intellect, requires that we spend some time developing our other faculties that assist us in the quest for knowing. Bourgeault refers to some of the tools that assist in this quest, tools such as spending some time apart from our usual routines, engaged in mindful work, sacred

chanting, meditation, prayer and engaging in an intentional rhythm and balance to the day, as gateways of perception – floodgates of perception, in fact. Bougeault’s exper ience of retreats where time to engage in these sacred rituals drew t h e m i n t o a d i f ferent focus, left her with a new perce p t ion of the world a r o u n d h e r . S h e felt herself immersed in Divine Love with a new awareness that beneath the shattered surface of the world, it was possible to see (not just deduce – but really see) how tenderly all things are being held in love. As we begin our Easter season, we enter this time with an understanding as Christians that we are saved. But what do the sacred road maps of our learned faith – of our wholeness – have to tell us about not just the state of our minds, but also our hearts and souls? How would the way in which we act out our faith as Christians change if we were to begin to develop

our ability to perceive the Kingdom of God and God’s call to us through the faculty of seeing the completeness of

God’s love for all creation? This is surely t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t call to us as C h r i s t i a n s a n d t h e response to the gift of the sacrifice of his own Son that God longs to hear from us.

For Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; She is so pure;

she pervades and permeates all things. She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the almighty so that nothing impure can find its way into her. For she is a reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God’s active power and image of his goodness. –Wisdom 7:24-26

God longs to sweep you into the river of Divine compassion as you commit all of yourself to tenderly caring for all of Creation. Let us open our whole beings – heart, mind, soul and body – as we respond to this great Love.

Other ways of knowingWisdoM

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There are so many

examples in the Bible of important truths that form part

of our faith tradition

and yet these truths seem perplexing

and paradoxical.

As we begin our Easter season, we enter this

time with an understanding as Christians that we are

saved.

8 rupert’s land news april 2013parish life

St George’s, TransconaFallow year

St John's CathedralLuxton area

Christians join hands

Because of increasing cos t s , dec l in ing sales and declining

vo lunteer support , St George’s will not operate its Garden Centre this year. Adult Ed / Movie nights on alternate Friday evenings (April 12 and 26) at Jim's or Helen's in St Vital. We gather at 6:30 and the movie begins at 7; we'll have a few munchies and the coffee pot will be on. Come view movies in a "new light" and participate in the discussion following. The A.C.W. meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1:15 pm in the church hall; April's meeting will be

Shift your thinking from church ministry to Christ's ministry, and

see what God can do." Good advice given to me from my neighbour, Linda Oxenham. We w e r e d i s c u s s i n g how to have an effective outreach ministry in our neighbourhood of Luxton. Her church, Tabernacle Baptist, a few streets over from St John’s Cathedral, faces similar challenges to our parish – it has a small, mostly senior congregation, with few local members. Both of us felt strongly that God was already working in Luxton and that we needed

on the 17th. Men's Fellowship: Usually held the las t Saturday each month (April 27th) – breakfast at 9:00 am downstairs at the church. Ask Derrick or see sign-up sheet on bulletin board for more information. St George's, Transcona gathers for BAS Eucharist service at 10:30 am every Sunday, including Children's Sunday School. On Monday

evenings at 7 pm we have our Contemplative Eucharistic Service; please join us to participate in a truly unique experience! H o m e c o m mu n i o n , hospital visits and prayers for healing are always available as requested; we a l so provide a monthly service (2nd Wednesday, 9:45 am) for residents of Park Manor PCH – more volunteers (especially singers) welcome!

to help with His work. An outreach ministry seemed impossible without enough people in our churches to run a program effectively. Linda decided to start a ministry-focused Bible study in her home for Luxton ladies from different churches. The group began sharing our hopes and dreams for our neighbourhood, and praying about them. Eventually, we discussed what we would need to get started. The answer: people and a place. With the Bible Study group added to the small group of volunteers from both churches and

two buildings available, the impossible became possible! Our first event was a Family Fun Night, where families had fun together with games and activities, a chance for neighbours to visit, and a Christian lesson for the kids. The first Family Fun Night was very small. It was clear that we needed a better way to reach our community, so we asked the help of every Christian in the area. In December, COLA (Christians of Luxton area) was created, launching a private Facebook group open to anyone who wanted to help share Christ with the

neighbourhood. Forty people signed up. The following month saw the success of the first official COLA-run Family Fun Night, followed by another in February. COLA has started up a weekly moms’ group at St John’s and, thanks to the support of both local churches, a COLA Kids Club was ready to launch in March. The COLA Facebook group has been used to encourage people to

pray, highlight social issues and community events, and help people find work. Luxton folks are taking their first steps through the doors of St John's and Tabernacle, seeing God at work. On our own we may not be able to accomplish much but when put our trust in God and are open to working with His Church instead of just our church, He can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

by pat allan

by Kelli steWart

For more information about our (scent-free) church or any activities, please visit www.stgeorgesanglicantranscona.ca/ or call our church office 204-222-1942. Links for our 100th Anniversary Booklet & The Bellringer (newsletter - includes archives) can be found on our website.

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