st. francis-in-the-wood winter 2009 newsletter

Winter Newsletter, 2009

St. Francis-in-the-Wood Anglican Church

IN THIS EDITION • The West Vancouver Care Centre • Partners in the Gospel • Special Events: Pub Quiz Night • Book Reviews • Pray Your Way: Parish Retreat on Bowen

Island • Spring Plant Sale Fundraiser • For the Guys - Men’s Breakfast • Movie Nights at the Home Study Group • Two Views on The Imaginarium of Doctor

Parnassus • Greg Mortensen: More Popular Than God? • Youth Ministry at St. Francis • Visions on the Road

W elcome to the Winter 2009 edition of the St. Francis-in-the-Wood Newsletter! Inside this issue you’ll find reports and pictures from our recent events; both at St. Francis and further afield! You can also find out a b o u t w h a t ’ s happening in and

around the parish over the next few months. We’re always on the lookout for feedback and contributions. Get in touch with us at the St. Francis Office:

St. Francis-in-the-Wood 4773 South Piccadilly Road, West Vancouver,

V7W 1J8 604 922 3531; [email protected]

http://www.stfrancisinthewood.ca

St Francis-in-the-Wood, Winter Newsletter

THE WEST VAN CARE CENTRE

O ur usual group of ten dedicated St. Francis parishioners took 24 Gift Bags (filled with fruit, chocolates, cookies, candies and an ornament), to the residents of the West Van Care Centre, 1675 - 27th Street, on December 10. Some of the residents do not have anyone who visit them, and they are always delighted to see us and to receive these gifts. The residents also enjoy the short monthly service and hymns held at the Care Centre by St. Francis. This is led by Angus with support of a few St. Francis parishioners. We wish more parishioners could join us at the West Van Care Centre on the fourth Thursday of each month for the short service starting at 10:30am. You would be welcome - and we could use a few more voices in our 'choir'.

George & Grace Coules

PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL

A s reported in the Fall 2009 edition of the Newsletter, St. Francis-in-the-Wood has been exploring the possibility of working with our neighbouring parish of St. Monica, H o r s e s h o e B a y . Specifically we hoped to appoint a new priest who would split his/her time 50/50 between the two parishes, and the costs would similarly have been divided equally. St. Francis is currently experiencing some financial challenges such that this shared arrangement is not possible at this time. It appears that St. Francis is going through a transition from a situation where we have historically relied on a relatively small number of large donors to a situation where the financial responsibilities for the church are spread more evenly amongst the congregation. There are many healthy signs in the life of our parish, and much to be grateful for and to be encouraged by. Numbers attending services and joining the church are growing, especially amongst families with children. The response to our recent stewardship program has been very positive with many people increasing their pledge of financial support. It is paradoxical therefore to find ourselves struggling to meet our operating costs. However, each challenge is an opportunity; and we are a community of faith; as such we believe that God is guiding us and has plans and purposes for us. Having begun to get to know the people of St. Monica, it has become apparent that we have much to offer one another and that perhaps God still wants us to work together. As well as being the rector of St. Francis I am also the Regional Dean and in this capacity and as the priest

of the neighbouring parish, I will be taking services at St. Monica one Sunday a month for the coming year; in addition I will undertake to provide pastoral care for St. Monica’s, in return St. Monica will make a regular financial contribution to St. Francis. Regular supply clergy will take services at St. Monica and at St. Francis on the Sundays when I am not there.

Such clergy will be well known (or will become known) to us – people such as Shirley Stockdill, Jeanette Stigger and Donald Grayston who have taken services here in the past. If we had appointed an assistant priest shared with St. Monica our pattern of Sunday worship would have inevitably changed – some Sundays the assistant priest would have taken services at St. Francis, with or without me being present, and we would have had to build-up relations with regular supply clergy for when both the rector and assistant were at one or other of the churches. So this new arrangement is actually not that different for us than if we had appointed the assistant as we had intended. But clearly there is a major change from what was originally envisaged when we began to explore the possibility of a partnership with St. Monica. At that time the plan was to increase our capacity for proactive pastoral care and outreach amongst

parishioners and our community. This new arrangement offers no such increase in our capacity. However, it does offer us new opportunities to grow and develop in both churches. Currently we at St. Francis find it hard to schedule activities because of all the church groups and outside groups that use the building during the


week; by partnering with St. Monica we will be able to hold events and programs at St. Monica for parishioners from both churches. Similarly, existing activities at both churches will begin to be opened up for all, so increasing participation and making them more viable. Despite the additional pastoral responsibility, I will be no less available as the rector of St. Francis to anyone who wants to see me or wants help with a pastoral situation. It is hoped that much of the additional capacity required for this arrangement to work will come out of sharing existing activities and developing new shared activities – doing things together rather than duplicating separate activities.

This new arrangement, which has the support of Bishop Michael Ingham, is a provisional and experimental response that seeks creatively to turn the challenges faced by both parishes to our mutual advantage. Where it will lead we cannot say at this time. The important thing is for us to be open to what God is doing amongst us, remembering the words Brother Francis heard when he stood before the cross in the ruined church of St. Damiano near Assisi: “Rebuild my house!”

Angus Stuart Rector

SPECIAL EVENTS

F or Fall this year, instead of the traditional Harvest Dinner, we had a new and fabulous event - PUB QUIZ NIGHT! Inspired and organized by Ian McBeath,

it was a combination of dinner and mind challenging questions. This was one of the best and most popular events we have had in quite some time with almost a hundred participants not just from St. Francis, but also from our neighboring parishes of St. Monica’s and St. Stephen’s. A pub style bangers and mash meal was served up, along with a

challenging and hard fought quiz! The evening was a great way to blend three West Vancouver congregations and get to know each other. As always we have lots of things on the events calendar including “Cabaret / Talent” evening. And there could be another “Car Rally” as we approach the Spring. Lots of time will be given as soon as we have dates for these occasions. And, with Lent and Easter approaching fast, soon Hot Cross Buns will be on the menu!

Louise Selby

The Cross of St. Damiano

Ian McBeath hosting the quiz

Avis Robinson, Louise Selby and Marilyn McBeath help serve dinner



BOOK REVIEWS THE PASSIONATE TROUBADOUR: A MEDIEVAL NOVEL ABOUT FRANCIS OF ASSISI Edward M. Hays Forest of Peace Publishing, ISBN-10: 0939516691

T his is an enjoyable, if long, fictionalization of the life of Francis of Assisi which helps us to relate to Francis as a real human being, which is not always easy given the bare bones of the mediaeval accounts that we have and the sometimes overly fantastic stories of the saint. That said, it is important to bear in mind that this is very much a work of fiction and departs quite widely in

places from the historical accounts. For example, we know very little of the early life of Francesco Bernadone which is where the novel begins – with a teenage Francesco going with his father to a merchants’ fair in France to purchase cloth for the business back in Assisi; even more so with the solo journey Francesco makes to Spain during the time of the Inquisition where he befriends both an elderly Jew and a young Sufi (Muslim) mystic – as far as I am aware, no such journey ever took place. However such fictionalizations are intriguing from the point of view of, “What would Francis have had to say to an elderly Jew in Barcelona or a Sufi mystic if he’d ever had the chance to meet them?” They raise important issues for us living in the twenty-first century, and the voices we hear in these conversations sound very contemporary to my ears – in other words they are anachronistic whilst at the same time helping us to engage with such inter-faith issues. The novel also offers many insights into life in the early thirteenth century and the political and religious events of the times, though beware once again history is mixed with fiction so do not take anything as fact without checking it out in other sources. But if you are already familiar with the story of Francis and the times in which he lived it is fairly easy separate fact from

fiction. Numerous important questions are addressed through conversations between Francesco and an older hermit figure, Antonio, who becomes something of a mentor to him; needless to say, Antonio is entirely fictional but offers a way for the author (and the reader) to dialogue with Francis and his times. There are many riddles in the story of St. Francis of Assisi as we have received it. For example, the relationship between Francis and his father, and the rejection by Francis of his parents and the home in which he grew up as well as the life to which he had become accustomed. It is hard to reconcile such saintly devotion with such apparent human animosity. Indeed without being there and knowing exactly how things played out, it is impossible for us to really understand what was going on between them and how Francis felt about it all. In the novel, Edward Hays makes an attempt to tell the story of how a loving relationship went so wrong and the grief Francis carried in his heart as he grew older. Another enigma in the story of Francis and the development of the Franciscan movement concerns the tension between Francis’ commitment to radical poverty and moves by others in the movement to soften this. Today I doubt there are any Franciscans at all who practice poverty as Francis himself understood it – barefoot, owning nothing at all, working but accepting no monetary payment, living in temporary accommodation. It is hard for us to comprehend, and yet Francis stands as a challenge to us and how we relate to worldly possessions and the meaning of our lives. Edward Hays does a good job of developing this tension in the novel without judging too much and without dispelling the enigma. There are many beautiful and insightful passages in the novel infused with vision and poetry. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Francesco runs naked through and beyond Assisi after the showdown with his father before the Bishop; he runs from Assisi into the wooded hills and comes across a natural pool; he enters the water as if entering a new baptism, and when he comes up out of it he sees everything around him pulsing with divine life: “I see nothing,” he exclaimed in great joy. “I see nothing!” whirling around and around with his outspread arms waving free, he sang out, “As I look at creation, I see no-thing! I no longer see things, only living beings. The fiery face of a living sun; the tall, aged oak brimming with life; pine and cypress trees and wild grasses swaying with life; small


yellow and blue mountain flowers as animated as little children; and even these centuries-old gray rocks – they are not things; they’re alive! It feels as if they are looking at me just as I am beholding them. They’re not only alive; they seem to be shimmering with awesome vitality!” Lowering his voice to a mere whisper, he said, “I have the sense that God is looking at me through each one of these members of creation.” (p. 231)

I also appreciate what Hays does in the novel with the stigmata Francis is reputed to have received shortly before his death and the connection between human suffering and the crucifixion of Christ. Whilst Hays treats the stigmata as literal in the novel it is also clear that Francesco comes to see all wounds, seen or unseen, as in some way as reflecting the wounds of Christ on the cross. This deepens the mystical insight that the crucifixion of Christ is paradigmatic of all human suffering – to be human is to suffer, and the crucifixion of Christ represents for us the Divine presence in suffering (God suffering in human experience), and through this Divine Presence there is redemption; suffering is not futile; there is hope; crucifixion leads to resurrection. A Passionate Troubadour is a long novel, and some parts move faster than others – I found the later passages as Francesco’s death approaches particularly drawn out – and there are a number of transitions – from the youthful Francesco the troubadour to the young energetic Francesco the man of God to the ageing (though not old by contemporary standards) Francesco who is increasingly infirm and incapacitated – but as a piece of creative historical fiction the novel is well worth the effort. There is a copy in the West Vancouver Memorial Library.

Angus Stuart

FRANCIS OF ASSISI: PERFORMING THE GOSPEL LIFE Lawrence S. Cunningham Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Company ISBN: 0-8028-2762-4

P ublished the same year as A Passionate Troubadour, this slim volume is the perfect

companion in terms of rooting our understanding of Francis of Assisi in the solid ground of history and rigorous scholarship – or perhaps it just seems that way because I was reading the two books at the same time. Many of the historical occurrences and personalities referred to in the novel reappear here,

which helps orient oneself to the times and places of the thirteenth century. Performing the Gospel Life has that rare quality of being not only rigorous and scholarly – Lawrence Cunningham is a Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame – but also accessible and easy to read. The story of Francis is told in outline for those who may not be familiar with it, but the real value of the book is in its reflection and exploration of the meaning and significance of that story. In his “Modest Foreword” Cunningham explicitly states that he seeks to counter the overly romantic sentimental stereotypes of Francis that depict him as little more than the patron saint of animals – “a tradition that has crystallized in those piously charming ‘blessings of the animals’ so beloved of certain Episcopal rectors” – or the concrete garden centre statues that epitomize what Cunningham calls “spirituality lite.” I think we know what he’s talking about! The concluding chapter, “Francis Reconsidered,” looks at how Francis has been viewed down the centuries and especially his rediscovery at that end of the nineteenth century, and how our understanding has evolved since then. At times Cunningham, a Catholic himself, seems overly concerned with presenting Francis as an orthodox Catholic. This is largely in reaction first to those who have sought to interpret Francis as a prototype evangelical protestant – unsurprisingly such people tend to be evangelical protestants themselves – and second to Cunningham’s concern to present Francis’ orthodoxy and fidelity to the Church and its structures in contrast to reforming groups that parted company with the Church such as the Waldensians aka the Poor Men of Lyons. But the emphasis on Francis being “Catholic” seems a bit anachronistic in that in the thirteenth century the Catholic Church was the only Church. Francis was orthodox for sure, but his faithfulness to the structures and hierarchy of the Church (in some ways the secret of his success) should not deny what is his clearly evangelical (in a good sense) outlook that the Protestants who came later could also identify with.


In between the “Modest Foreword” and “Francis Reconsidered” Cunningham explores various aspects of the life and teaching of Francis partly chronologically and partly thematically. He traces the beginnings of the story in Assisi and the particular significance of lepers in his conversion; the gradual gathering of companions and followers, including Clare; the relation of Francis and his group to the Church and comparisons with other religious movements of the time, both within and outside the Church. Two chapters stand out and no doubt have particular appeal: one on the stigmata (the marks of crucifixion in his body) that Francis is reputed to have received at La Verna in 1224; and the chapter that deals with his “Love of Creation.” Despite some evidence of redaction (you can see the join!), this latter chapter is particularly insightful and relevant for

relating our spirituality to contemporary environmental concerns. The chapter contains a simple but profound commentary on Francis’ “Canticle of Brother Sun.” At the end of the book “A Reading Essay” surveys some of the many writings about Francis and provides a helpful guide for further reading in various directions. And then there’s the true story of “The Prayer of Saint Francis”.... All in all, the book is robust, straightforward, scholarly and accessible – I wholeheartedly recommend it for those who wish to dig a little deeper into the meaning and significance of the story of Francis. There is a copy in the Vancouver Public Library.

Angus Stuart

FROM THE REGISTERS AT ST. FRANCIS

BBBBaptismsaptismsaptismsaptisms

Marcus Aidan Holland Massey

Christina Jytte McIntyre

David Andrew Kitchen

Torren Michael Joseph Boulanger

Jack Myles McCann

Julia Neve Runzer

Daqian Darren Lu

Funerals and Memorials Funerals and Memorials Funerals and Memorials Funerals and Memorials

Marion Josephine Luxford

Pansy Grace Van Aggelen

Jean Margaret Odlum

Hazel Maude Brown

John Conway

Leonard Roy Mierau

Darren Lu

Natalie Margaret Paruk & James Andrew Schagrel

Kim Louise McPhail & Michael Power

Naomi Lynn Farrell & Anthony Matthew Joseph Lissett

WeddingsWeddingsWeddingsWeddings


PRAY YOUR WAY: A PARISH RETREAT AT RIVENDELL, BOWEN ISLAND

O n the weekend of November 20-22 eleven members of our parish community took part in a retreat at the Rivendell Centre on Bowen Island. The retreat was led by our rector Angus Stuart together with Linda Leier and Mary Millerd, who led a number of times of silent meditation during the weekend. The theme of the retreat, “Pray Your Way,” was about exploring pathways of prayer and spirituality in relation to our personalities. Each participant completed the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator questionnaire before attending the retreat, and the results of this were explained on the first evening. Then on Saturday morning Angus began to make connections between our personality types and different forms of prayer and spirituality, including a “colour-coding” for personality and spirituality type. This was related to four distinct personality types associated with the four Gospels.

We also explored the opportunities and benefits of trying forms of prayer that may not necessarily be closest to our own personal preferences and predispositions – finding God in areas where we might consider ourselves weaker. Linda took this exploration a stage further on Saturday evening in int roducing archetypes of the “great stories” in our lives. This seeks to go behind the p r e f e r e n c e s o f o u r personalities to discover something of why we have such preferences. “What is your story?” is the question we were invited to engage with – Father, Seeker, Warrior, Sage for the men; Mother, C omp a n i o n , Ama z o n ,

Mediatrix for the women. The next Parish Retreat at Rivendell has been booked for Thursday, January 27 – Sunday, January 30, 2011 – in just about a year’s time. Book it into your schedule now and plan to come!


What some of the retreat’s participants said…

The parish retreat was a gift of sacred time and ultimate treasure. To be with such lovely people, so different in many respects yet united in a quest for peace through understanding of self and others was a blessing. We cooked together, walked in the rain together, prayed together and grew in the spirit together, all in this divine retreat centre nestled in the clouds of Bowen Island. It was a perfect weekend! We look forward to the next time we parishioners can come together in warmth and faith.

Neil and Penny Collett

The setting, serene in the mists of the mountainside and the quiet times of contemplation and prayer were deeply soul-nourishing, as were the opening and closing services and the participant-prepared food. For many years, I have appreciated Jung’s perspective on the inner and outer life – the unconscious and the conscious worlds bridged by the psyche. Having worked with dreams from a Jungian analytical process since 1994, I found that the weekend focus, based in Myers-Briggs typology and influenced by the works of Jung, heightened and amplified the narrative and contemplative times of the entire weekend. I look forward to more such opportunities.

Enid Muirhead

Let us get together to plan a special SPRING PLANT SALE

as a fundraiser for St. Francis.

We can start making indoor cuttings now and divide plants in our gardens as soon as the weather allows.

By the end of April or early May, we should have a grand collection for a Mother's Day plant sale in our garden at St. Francis!

If you would like to be involved in this wonderful 'playing- in- the-

dirt ' experience, please call Alice Hutchison @

604-926-3671

And remember,

you can still help by allowing our "gardeners" to help you

make those cuttings in your garden for you.

We need to get started now. I look forward to hearing from fellow gardeners

to set up our first meeting.

It will be great FUN, a good FUNDRAISER

and Brother Francis will be very pleased with our results!

Diana Hutchinson and Shannon Evans at the fall garden cleanup

Keith Coules cooking salmon

Angus Stuart, Neil Collett, Linda Leier and Mary Millerd

CALLING ALL GARDENERS!


FOR THE GUYS...

W e are hoping that the first Saturday in each month will be a time that all the guys in St Francis from now on keep firmly marked in their diaries! Starting on Saturday 6th February we are beginning a series of Men’s Breakfast meetings to enable men to come together and explore how we might live out the Christian life in today’s world The aim is provide an opportunity for men in our congregation, our parish and from elsewhere in West Vancouver, to meet together in an informal environment where we can network and feel free to discuss and debate our beliefs. Whether as a committed Christian, or never having opened a Bible in their life, everyone is welcome to come along. The plan is that we meet together for a good, full-English (!) breakfast at 8.00am and then spend about an hour addressing topics of common interest, aiming to wrap up around 9.30am. We are kicking off the first few meetings under the title, “Maintaining Christian Principles In …” and hope to be able to attract interesting speakers who have tested their convictions in the real world of business,

sports, politics a n d o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l fields. For our i n a u g u r a l meeting, John Weston, our local MP, has agreed to come along and speak for about 20 minutes

on “Maintaining Christian Principles in Politics.” We will not always have a speaker and the future content of these meetings will be decided by the group, so we will be looking for input and interaction from those who attend to help set the direction. If you are a “Man at St Francis” and want to join us, you will be most welcome. Please feel free to bring along your friends and neighbours. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Ian McBeath

BEACH The beach below our room Is waiting for water; It is waiting for the traveling moon To gradually pull the water up As one would pull up a sheet; To pull it over the bed of rocks and tidal pools. The moon is like my mother’s hand Brushing melted butter across un-risen loaves. The beach waits for the butter of its water To glide smoothly over its surface. Water, like oil, reflects light So the water reflects the sky. The seabed, with its sheet of water is nourished; Mollusks can feed, fish can swim.

When the rotating moon at last pulls the sheet of water back The now dry beach falls quiet and again is still. Up in our room looking over the strait, Our lungs echo the rhythmic motion of the tides across the beach. Air, like water, washes through

the channels of our bronchioles. Alveoli fill and empty to the rhythmic breathing. Tides of air are pulled up by lunar diaphragms. Air is like the beach water. Water is like air. Echoes penetrate us. Watching and listening we see what is part of us, And patterns move and sustain what we know.

Janet Nitins In memory of Barbara Nitins

MOVIE NIGHTS AT THE HOME STUDY GROUP RETURN!

O ne of the most popular series the St. Francis Home Study Group has explored over the past few years was a series: Faith in the Movies. Back in 2008, we discussed a range of movies with an eye to the spiritual. From modern blockbusters to classics; we discovered that movies can be a great way to provoke thoughts and reactions, and to help kindle discussions on our own faith journeys.

This spring, the Faith in the Movies series returns! Over four fortnightly sessions, we’re going to watch and discuss a range of films. This year, the theme linking all the movies is ethics re-examined. We’ll be watching a series of films which feature some questionable moral choices on the part of their characters and we’ll ask how we view those same choices in the light of our own beliefs. The four movies we’ll be discussing are still to be confirmed but they’ll come from this list. Since the best way to examine a movie is to see it more than once, you might want to watch some of them in advance (And even if you can’t make the sessions, many of them are worth seeing!) Changing Lanes (2002) Hotel Rwanda (2004) Godsend (2004)

The Ladykillers (1955 or 2004 remake) Crash (2004) The Village (2004) We’ll watch and discuss one movie in each session; and we’ll also enjoy a light meal together. The

sessions will take place at in the lounge at St. Francis (where we’ll be digitally projecting the films to give something of the big screen experience!) We encourage you to come to all the sessions to get the most from the series; but as we’ll be taking a different movie every week you can pop in for one or more of the sessions! The dates for Faith in the Movies are these Thursdays: February 11 and 25, March 11 and 25 And all the sessions begin at 7pm.

For more information on the Home Study Group, contact Marilyn McBeath at

[email protected]

Phil Colvin and Marilyn McBeath


Hotel Rwanda

Crash


DOCTOR PARNASSUS: A TEST OF THE IMAGINATION As the Home Study Group prepares to ask spiritual questions of a new set of movies (see page 11) Youth leader Phil Colvin and youth group member Luke Galvani went looking for meaning in Terry Gilliam’s latest movie: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. We begin with Phil:

C inema is, for me, the most exciting modern art form. Here is a medium where f i lm makers construct a series of visual images and a soundtrack, and then get to display it to an audience in a darkened room. Given how films can grab our attention, it’s a shame we ’ re of ten disappointed at wasted opportunit ies in the cinema. That’s why filmmakers like Terry Gilliam are so important. Gilliam embraces cinema’s potential. He looks to create incredible worlds of infinite imagination. Now he doesn’t always succeed in telling the most cohesive stories, but he does create works which transport us away from darkened rooms and into his vision. His latest work, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, is no exception. I’ll let Luke try and explain its complicated plot! Luke: The film begins with a traveling group of performers led by Doctor Parnassus. But there are many storylines that deal with battles between good and evil and, literally, dealing with the devil. The movie shows that in all aspects of life, even in the daily business of a traveling theatre company, you will always have a choice between good and evil. Phil: The idea of having theatre represent a battle for good and evil is nothing new. The ancient Greeks equated their pantheon of gods as ‘puppet masters’ and humans as their actors, or playthings. Doctor Parnassus plays out this conflict; with the eponymous doctor and the Devil acting as the ‘god’ figures and with the humans represented by a mysterious character called Tony. As Luke explains, the troubled production of Parnassus makes this character the most fascinating:

Heath Ledger played the diverse and unique character of Tony. But he died halfway through filming. Rather than abandon the film, Gilliam cast three actors to take over: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. The transitions between the four actors are so smooth that you don’t even notice at first. At times you can’t even tell which actor is which. In the duration of the film you realize that it is, in fact, better to

have different portrayals of the character rather than having one actor to play the role. It makes you really see the different identities and behaviors a character can have at any different moment. Luke’s right: although Ledger’s death was tragic; the result is that the role of Tony becomes much more

fascinating because we get to see all the shades of his unpredictable character. In other words; he simply feels more human! The struggle of the other characters to deal with this slippery individual reminds me of a mythological idea in early Christianity: that when God decides to create humans and give them free will, the angels are horrified that they’re going to mess up Creation! Speaking of creation, Gilliam’s film looks fantastic. Computer generated effects are used to show the world of imagination which Parnassus creates and Tony intrudes upon. They add quite a lot to the visual experience and are effective because they show you that people’s imaginations can often be a little jumbled and very abstract. Every time a different person walks through the “mirror of imagination,” they will travel into a unique and elaborate world that will pertain to their imagination and theirs alone. Gilliam’s film isn’t the most straightforward to understand, and will frustrate those who insist on their stories being very literal. However for those who like their cinema to involve big ideas, incredible visuals and unconventional narratives; Parnassus is a great combination of ancient storytelling and modern movie magic.

Luke Galvani and Phil Colvin

MORE POPULAR THAN GOD?

W hen I inquired about getting a ticket to hear Greg Mortenson speak last weekend, I was told, “He’s more popular than God!” No wonder – his book Three Cups of Tea has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 147 weeks. All his Vancouver events, a capacity of over 6000 people were sold out and I wanted a ticket. Then I realized I could make an attempt at getting a press pass. After all, I figured, I’m an author with a big American publishing company and a monthly contributor for a magazine in Idaho – that ought to be worth something? Sure enough one quick email and Penguin Publicity came back with two media tickets! I found out about Three Cups of Tea from the New York Times Book Review which comes out every Sunday. Among the many lovely benefits of being married to my husband Gary is my introduction to the New York Times – a great read on a daily basis. I spotted the review of Three Cups of Tea several years ago and I have to say, it is my all-time-favorite book. If you’re like me, you like a good read, a good yarn, a true story about someone doing something unique and remarkable with their life. This is the story of Greg Mortenson a young mountaineer from Bozeman, Montana who, after a failed attempt at climbing K2, stumbled upon an impoverished village in Pakistan. While he is cared for by villagers, he recognizes the need for a school – especially a school for girls. Over the next decade he builds not only one but 130 schools for girls in the rugged terrain of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. Greg Mortenson is a lovely unassuming man, shy and a bit rumpled but he is a man with a purpose. In all my travels and through all of the people that I meet, I am often asked, “What is my purpose. Why am I here and what am I meant to be doing?” God finds us. Just like this man’s commitment to promote

peace one school at a time in Taliban terrain, we too can be moved to fill a need where ever we are. Three Cups of Tea describes a ritual that takes place when any venture is undertaken. This is how relationships are built. The first cup of tea, the person is a stranger, the second, a friend and the third – family. Greg Mortenson is dearly loved and protected by people in these remote areas. His schools are never damaged in the on-going war because of his close ties with local authorities. All of his staff are local, his organization uses local materials and local labor. Even his accountant is a former Taliban member. An ancient African proverb says, “If you educate a boy you educate an

individual, if you educate a girl, you educate a community.” Mortenson’s philosophies about building relationships, empowering communities and educating girls have struck a powerful chord. Hundreds of communities, universities and even several branches of the US military have used Three Cups of Tea as a common read. I was given Mortenson’s new book, Stones into

Schools for Christmas. It follows up

where Three Cups of Tea leaves off.

It’s a great read too describing

exciting new projects, news of some

of the girls who have graduated and

are now playing a vital role in

education and health care in this

remote region. This winter, make time

to curl up with a cup of tea and a

good book. More popular than God?

Not quite, but close to it.

Caroline Sutherland

Greg Mortenson with schoolchildren in Afghanistan.


YOUTH MINISTRY AT ST. FRANCIS

T his Fall, youth groups at St. Francis went from Playland to the high seas, with some stops for personal reflection and contemplation along the way! On Mondays we had a series of drop-in nights we have featured YouLead sessions co-led by members of the youth group. Emily Galvani taught some basic shoulder and b a c k m a s s a g e techniques, whi lst Derek Klaver hosted Pirate Night! They’ve been a great way to build up the leadership

skills in the group and we’re going to have more of those as we get into the Spring. Meanwhile, our Ignite senior youth study group spent

several weeks exploring spiritual practices. We took a look at sacraments in the Anglican Church, and then examined personal spiritual disciplines such as centering prayer. This Spring, we will have a group of candidates exploring confirmation in the Anglican Church whom Angus and I will be working with during our Sunday evening Ignite sessions. Our youth band have also continued to be a part of our worship life at St. Francis; both on Sunday mornings and as part of our family service on Christmas Eve. As usual, the beginning of a new year has meant that the composition of the group has changed and we now have a new group of younger musicians and singers!

We’ll also have some spec ia l events coming up. Not least because it’s almost Shrove Tuesday. So make sure you’re in c h u r c h f o r Valentine’s Day for some fabulous treats and surprises

courtesy of the St. Francis youth! Phil Colvin

February 1st Olympic Breakfast Night February 8th Improv Night February 15th Pancake Monday February 22nd NO YOUTH GROUPS

March 1st Trivia Night

March 8th Pizza Night

March 15th Battle of the Rock Bands

March 22nd Mexican Night

March 29th T.B.A.

April 5th NO YOUTH GROUPS

SENIOR YOUTH GROUP DROP-IN

SPRING 2010 SCHEDULE MONDAYS - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

February 7th

February 28th

March 14th

March 28th

April 11th

April 18th

IGNITE SCHEDULE - SPRING 2010

CONFIRMATION CLASSES SUNDAYS - 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Youth Band

Practices each Monday from 5.00 - 6.15pm.

We play at All Age Services; but all youth are

welcome to come along and jam or sing with us!

Building rafts during Pirate Night!

Youth group Christmas Party


IN THE PALM OF MY HAND I am holding in the palm of my hand a stone. a very smooth stone; smooth and flat; a stone that is ancient; older than I can possibly imagine; millions of years old, who can say? At some point this stone was broken away from a rock; a rock that itself was subjected to extremes of heat, as it spewed forth from the depths of the earth, and extremes of cold by the inexorable heave of a glacier. Fire and ice, snow and hail, tempestuous wind.

I cannot tell how many times the stone was broken down, until this fragment, this shard, remains. I do not know in which riverbed it lay, or on what beach, for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years; buffeted by water and sediment, eroded, worn smooth, flat; held in the palm of my hand.

Given to me as a prayer, I carry it with me and hold it in the palm of my hand; and as I hold it, and as I feel the smoothness and the flatness, conscious of all the time and energy for it to become like it is today, I feel my life in the palm of my hand.

The stone is a sign to me that I am alive, and that life is a gift; and the only response I can give is to be thankful; thankful in whatever circumstances I find myself, whatever challenges come like wind and fire, and snow and ice, to mold me and shape me into the person that I am becoming.

For the stone is my life, and when I hold this stone, I know I hold my life, the very essence of who I am, in the palm of my hand; and I know that my life is held in being by Life itself, the Source, the Origin, the Almighty Consciousness, God if you will, for names will not contain what we must speak.

I am like a stone held in the palm of God’s hand – it’s a picture to convey what a thousand words cannot – each of us, a stone held in the palm of God’s hand; each of our lives an emanation of God’s life, of Life itself. God holds us in the palm of his hand and knows that he is alive.

Angus Stuart Based on part of a reflection given at

Darren Lu’s memorial service on January 23, 2010

Shoreline of Crescent City, California

st. francis-in-the-wood winter 2009 newsletter

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