Anglican National News

Anglicans take action at UN’s Rio+20

Ali Symons — 2012-05-16T08:00:00-05:00

Above the skyline of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a 39-metre Jesus statue spreads its arms over the slums and mansions of this sprawling city. The iconic statue, built in 1931 to represent peace, has now become a symbol for the work of thousands of Christians—Anglicans included—who are actively supporting the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which meets in Rio June 13 to 22.

Known as Rio+20, the conference marks the 20^th anniversary of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, known as the "Earth Summit." The event will gather leaders from governments, the private sector and NGOs to discuss a green economy and an institutional framework for sustainable development. Themes will include energy, food security and disaster readiness.

The goal is to produce an action plan, entitled "The Future We Want," with specific sustainable development goals for the UN's 193 member states.

A new resource pack, produced by the Anglican Alliance—a global Communion network focusing on development, relief, and advocacy—has been compiled to help Anglicans learn about and pray for Rio+20. The pack includes information on the conference and topic sheets with facts, action points and prayers on environmental justice, water, climate change and ecojustice.

The resource materials, designed for use on Rio Sunday (June 3), the People's Summit first global day of action (June 5), and during the conference, were developed with help from the Anglican Communion UN Office, Lambeth Palace, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, whose secretary is the Rev. Ken Gray of Victoria, B.C.

Anglicans have a long history of environmental activism. They have worked internationally through the World Council of Churches since the 1980s and Rio+20 is the latest focal point for this work.

Local Brazilian Anglicans are leading the way. Their Primate, the Most Rev. Mauricio Andrade, has invited the Anglican Communion to follow Rio+20 and take practical steps towards preserving the environment.

"With hope, audacity and renewed faith, I call on the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion around the world to assume their prophetic duty to ‘take care of Creation,'" he said in a recent letter. "We need to support the initiatives of organized civil society and make a strong appeal to the governments to take their responsibility for the life on our planet."

A People's Summit will run parallel to the UN meetings. Its goal is to build a common voice for justice among civil society groups, including churches. Anglicans are part of an ecumenical coalition that is organizing a space for religious perspectives. Anglicans also be involved in debates, workshops, roundtables and local advocacy. On June 22 at 5:00 pm, the Anglican cathedral in Rio de Janeiro will host a special service.

For more information and resources, follow these links to:

Anglican, Lutheran leaders visit Jerusalem

Ali Symons — 2012-05-09T08:00:00-05:00

National leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada will visit their counterparts in Jerusalem May 15 to 21 to discuss the development of full communion ministry in the Middle East.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz (ACC) and National Bishop Susan C. Johnson (ELCIC) will describe how the Anglican-Lutheran partnership evolved in Canada and encourage Bishop Suheil Dawani (Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem) and Bishop Munib Younan (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land) as they take their own steps towards a similar relationship.

The trip was first suggested by leaders of their respective international bodies, the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation.

"We know the benefit both personally and as churches of this form of deeper partnership and are excited about sharing our experiences as we have travelled this road together," said Bishop Johnson.

"It is especially important that in Jerusalem, the birthplace of Christianity, we do all that we can to support and encourage the remaining Christian population."

Christians are a minority in the Jerusalem region. They struggle to work towards peace with justice in Palestine and Israel. They also struggle with declining numbers as Christians emigrate elsewhere.

Joint mission work is one way to respond to their challenges. In Canada, Anglicans and Lutherans have been in a full communion partnership since 2001. This means mutual recognition of baptisms, interchangeability of clergy, and many areas of cooperative mission work, including joint advocacy against homelessness and global poverty.

In 2013 the denominations will hold their first joint national assembly in Ottawa.

Episcopalians (Anglicans) and Lutherans in the Middle East are just starting to explore the potential of such joint work. Bishop Dawani and Bishop Younan worked alongside each other as local ministers in Ramallah, Palestine. Now they have started to chart steps for larger-scale cooperation. Recently they appointed co-chairs of a joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission for their regions: the Rev. Canon John L. Peterson (Anglican) and the Rev. Sven Oppegaard (Lutheran).

Canadian Anglicans and Lutherans have longstanding, deep ties to the Middle East. Archbishop Hiltz and Bishop Johnson have both visited Jerusalem and their denominations have passed national resolutions that pledged to journey with Christians in that region through prayer and other means of support.

Recently Canadian Anglicans have started the Companions of the Diocese of Jerusalem group to raise awareness and funds for the diocese, which extends over Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. A companion diocese relationship is also emerging between Ottawa and Jerusalem.

Canadian Lutherans are active in the region through their partners, Canadian Lutheran World Relief and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which support a hospital and a vocational training centre in East Jerusalem. Bishop Younan has served as president of LWF since 2010.

With such rich and complex histories undergirding the trip, the Canadian delegation hopes that this visit will deepen a sense of joint mission for all involved.

"We're really going there not to tell them how to do it," said Archbishop Hiltz. "We want simply to share the Canadian story—the significant moments in our journey, some of the high points, the challenges, and the realities of what it's like to live in full communion."

The Canadian delegation also includes the co-chairs of the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission the Very Rev. Peter Wall (Anglican) and Bishop Michael Pryse (Lutheran) as well as the Anglican Church of Canada's Director of Resources for Mission and Communications and Information Resources Vianney (Sam) Carriere.

On the road? Find local Anglicans

Ali Symons — 2012-05-02T08:00:00-05:00

When Pam Thomson went on vacation to Cuba last February, she wanted to find a local Anglican congregation. The beaches of Varadero were beautiful, sure, but it was Ash Wednesday and she wanted to worship in her tradition.

The problem was that the resort staff had no idea where the Anglican churches were. They sent her off in a taxi to a different church that ultimately was a disappointment.

The Anglican Church of Canada in fact has resources for travellers like Ms. Thomson who want to connect with local Anglican congregations and communities while travelling for work or pleasure.

Dr. Andrea Mann, General Synod's global relations coordinator, is the hub of such help. She can advise travellers on where to worship and brief them on historic relationships in that area. For instance, there may be schools or development projects that have been supported by Canadian Anglicans, or a local priest who once studied in Canada.

Ms. Mann can also provide tips for those visiting other worship spaces—say synagogues, temples, or mosques—during their travels.

Like much trip-planning these days, some basics are already available online. Churches like the Episcopal Church (USA) or the Church of England have online parish finders that usually connect to church addresses and service times.

Sometimes knowledge of church structure is handy. For those travelling in Europe, the Church of England's Diocese in Europe is the place to start, though it expands beyond the continent-from Turku, Finland to Casablanca, Morocco.

For vacationers heading to Cuba, General Synod has recently added an updated online list of parish addresses, so people like Ms. Thomson can more easily connect from a resort. The Anglican Church of Canada has a longstanding relationship with the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba and more information is available in the online hub.

For many Anglicans, the rhythm of spiritual life continues during vacations.

"We may be lying on the beach but taking out an identifiable piece of time to worship is important because our faith doesn't go on holiday," said Ms. Thomson, who worships at Church of the Redeemer, Toronto.

She remembers a former priest who encouraged parishioners to bring back bulletins and pamphlets from churches they visited. These materials would be posted on a bulletin board as a sign of Christian fellowship.

Travellers can also pick up ideas for what to do in their own church, added Ms. Thomson. They can be inspired by architecture, music, or even preaching.

Ms. Mann notes that such experiences can deepen faith.

"The familiar is comfortable, lovely, certainly nurturing, and often positive," she said, "But it is just helpful in one's spiritual journey and sometimes transformative to worship in a different church, in a different country."

This is possible throughout the Anglican Communion, which includes churches in more than 160 countries. There is opportunity for both familiarity and variation.

"I've sat in Anglican worship services in Sri Lanka and I know where we are in the service because of the cadence of the liturgy," said Ms. Mann.

"‘Amen,' is the same in almost every language."

To learn more about finding Anglican churches while travelling, or to share your stories of travel and worship, email Dr. Andrea Mann, global relations coordinator.

Ginny Doctor: many homecomings

Ali Symons — 2012-04-25T08:00:00-05:00

God keeps calling the Rev. Canon Ginny Doctor to serve her people in different places. The Mohawk priest, 62, has helped raise Indigenous leaders in downtown Syracuse, N.Y., rural Alaska, and now Toronto, where she was hired as General Synod's new Indigenous Ministries coordinator in February.

The scenery varies, but the people and their needs are a constant.

"There has to be healing before we can do any effective leadership development," she said. "That's been my passion."

Raised on the Onondaga Nation in central New York state, Ms. Doctor spent 17 years running an urban native centre in downtown Syracuse. It was fulfilling work on one level; she helped people find jobs, clothing, and housing. But eventually she realized that the cycle of poverty would only stop if these people found God.

This realization sprang from her own spiritual awakening. When her grandmother, backbone of the local Episcopal (Anglican) church died, Ms. Doctor, a self-professed "holiday Christian," found herself returning to the pews, seeking a way to be both Christian and Indigenous.

She started out on vestry and soon was invited to national meetings, where she was amazed to find other Indigenous Episcopalians who had similar joys and struggles. Before long, Ms. Doctor was saying "yes" to visiting some of these people on a summer missions trip up the Yukon River, deep into Alaska's interior.

A love affair with Alaska
The boat trip was a turning point for Ms. Doctor. Out on the quiet river with five other souls, she felt she was in the presence of God. It rained a lot. They floated past mountains. When they came to a town the team would hop on shore to play guitars, talk about God, and "do church," as she puts it. Ms. Doctor was moved by the faithfulness of the people, who showed up to sing late into the night.

Ms. Doctor had caught the Alaska bug. She told the national Episcopal Church office she wanted to serve as missionary and they sent her back, this time to Tanana, a subsistence village of 300 in the Alaskan interior.

At first, life was tough. Ms. Doctor lived in a small trailer with an inch of insulation—a thin buffer against winter lows of -60 Celsius. She dropped 50 pounds in the first year just from chopping firewood and hauling water (there was no indoor plumbing). Every day her friend John would pop in "just to make sure she was still alive."

But it was here that Ms. Doctor could focus on developing leaders in an integrated way. She led Sunday School, worked with youth, and helped an elder discern his call to ordained ministry.

"I just helped out wherever I was needed," said Ms. Doctor. "It's all about building relationships and making relationships that last."

A solid team
Ms. Doctor's work caught the attention of then-diocesan bishop Mark MacDonald who talked her into leaving her beloved Tanana and becoming his special assistant in Fairbanks, Alaska. Ms. Doctor's many jobs included leading the David Salmon School of Ministry and travelling widely to train and empower Indigenous women.

She also deepened her own education through theological studies at the Vancouver School of Theology and was eventually ordained priest by Bishop MacDonald.

For almost 10 years Ms. Doctor and the bishop worked together, anchored in their shared faith. He taught theology; she taught healing. They both believed in "circular leadership," giving others a chance to lead. If the bishop could vision, Ms. Doctor, an expert planner, could chart a way to get there.

"He couldn't live without me," she jokes.

But in 2007 the duo separated when Mark MacDonald was elected National Indigenous Anglican Bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. Ms. Doctor continued as chief of staff for the Diocese of Alaska while Bishop MacDonald moved to Toronto.

This move wasn't a total surprise. The pair had been walking alongside Indigenous Anglicans in Canada as partners on the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and by attending their national Sacred Circle gatherings. Ms. Doctor was in fact present at the 1993 gathering in Minaki, Ont., where she first learned about residential schools—and heard the Primate apologize for them—within a few short days.

Ms. Doctor said the Canadian church's focus on Indigenous self-determination separates it from the U.S. church. This theme was a major attraction for Bishop MacDonald and eventually it called to Ms. Doctor too.

When Donna Bomberry, former Indigenous Ministries coordinator, retired last summer, Bishop MacDonald got on the phone to Ms. Doctor. It took some cajoling but she finally agreed to take the position.

Now Ms. Doctor works at raising up leaders who can take this self-determination to the next level, as Indigenous leaders focus on renewal and new governance structures, like area missions, begin to evolve.

But Ms. Doctor came under one condition: she could make her home on the Six Nations reserve near Brantford. Years of fresh Alaskan air had turned her off of city life and she had a bevy of cousins and aunts to welcome her back. She has found a log cabin (with running water) and a community to reconnect with.

"It's a lot like coming home," said Ms. Doctor. "I have lots of homes. I'm blessed."

My travels with +Fred

Ali Symons — 2012-04-23T08:00:00-05:00

General Synod Communications and the Anglican Journal, the church's editorially independent newspaper, have entered into a partnership to jointly distribute stories of national significance. General Synod Senior Editor Ali Symons wrote several features for the Anglican Journal about her trip with the Primate to the Anglican Church of Melanesia (forthcoming in the May issue). This story ran first on the Anglican Journal website.

I was so sick on our Fiji stopover. There we were in the Nadi airport, on our way to the Solomon Islands, and I was throwing up in every available receptacle, excusing myself from my coworkers because, of course, this was a business trip. What could be more awkward?

But Fred found me. I was at a low point, crouched on a curb between two taxis, and then there was the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, sitting down beside me, bringing some tissues, his face all kindness, his brow deeply furrowed.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has an antenna up for the vulnerable. Throughout the 11 long, hot days of our March visit to the Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands, the man could hone in on any pet or a baby within eyesight.

A scrawny cat wanders into a sunny lunchroom where we're eating with faculty from a theological college. When someone kicks it, Fred winces and tries to lure it back. "Puss, puss," he calls.

In an airport lounge, a tired mother plays with an equally tired baby on a blanket. Fred, passing by, waves a big hand. "Hiya, little guy!" The baby looks up in surprise.

How does such a big heart travel to a developing country, where needs jut out as exposed ribs, bare feet, or stories of kids who can't pay school fees?

Or worse, kids sold into prostitution—a problem that's increasing as foreign loggers move in to strip big trees from this green land.

There's hardly time to feel, it seems. Our team—Fred, Dr. Andrea Mann, global relations coordinator, and myself—is driven around all day to see busy, complex ministries throughout the Anglican Church of Melanesia. We visit four religious orders, two schools, a farm, a prison, and more.

Everywhere they greet us with songs, sung high and loud, and garlands of orchids, frangipani, ferns, turmeric.

Often, Fred is asked to "share the word," as local ministers say. Some of this he knows in advance, so he pulls out a handwritten sermon that usually wends its way back to the Marks of Mission.

But at the prison he has to wing it. We learn about this en route, as we're bumping towards the Rove Correctional Centre in the church's pickup truck. When we arrive we are ushered to the stage in front of several hundred inmates—tattooed, burly men, filled with nervous energy. I feel nervous too, but Fred prays slowly and takes a moment for silence.

"I've been called many things on this trip," he says, "Lord bishop, Archbishop, Primate of all Canada...but my name is Fred and I am a sinner."

The tension slips out of the room.

This is not Fred's first trip overseas. He went to India and Tanzania as diocesan bishop of Nova Scotia, and Burundi, the Middle East, and Cuba as Primate.

He has his own travelling rhythm: a well-worn duffle bag for vestments and a suitcase three-quarters packed with gifts. He wakes up early to journal and pray. When he can, he calls his wife Lynne, who sometimes holds up the phone to the furry ear of Joe, their beloved Golden Retriever, so Fred can say hello.

During the day, Fred is all grace as a traveling dignitary. He can shake hands and smile for the camera. But he clearly longs to be a man of action.

In some ways, it's a tricky time to be an international partner. Our church can't offer the funding we used to. Fred does not yet have a discretionary fund that would let him write cheques for the immediate needs he sees on these trips. There's a lot of talk about renewing our almost-50-year partnership with the church here, but not a lot of specifics yet.

On the last day, we try to nail down some details with Archbishop David Vunagi. Fred names the ministries that have touched him. How can we help a sisterhood finish their retreat centre? How can we connect with the vibrant youth ministry here? Support more theological students? We make plans and take notes.

But Fred is at his finest in the children's ward of the National Referral Hospital, two simple concrete rooms filled with families who have travelled days by boat and truck to get their sick kids some care. They have meningitis, malaria, bronchitis or worse, and Fred bends down beside each child. He learns their names. He learns their parents' names.

Compassion and action meet for moments here. Before he leaves each bedside, Fred smiles and gently places his hand on the sick child's head. He asks, "May I bless you?"

View photos of the Melanesian trip.
Watch video clips of the Melanesian Sisters performing an action chorus and the Franciscan Brothers playing panpipes.

House of Bishops Highlights, Spring 2012

2012-04-20T08:00:00-05:00

Our spring meeting at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ont., was held April 16 to 20 in a context of worship and Bible study. We opened and closed with a Eucharist, the first celebrated by Archbishop Terry Finlay, our chaplain, and the second by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, our Primate.

Archbishop Hiltz brought us together on the first evening with a brief reflection on his ministry. Now in the fifth year of his primacy, Fred invited comments from members of the House both on achievements and challenges during that time. Responses included several affirmations of his primacy as well as several areas where we felt the church should either be more active or play more of a leadership role.

We were honored to have with us Bishop Griselda of the Episcopal Church of Cuba, accompanied by Archdeacon Michael Pollesel, former General Secretary of General Synod who served as her interpreter and by Andrea Mann General Synod's global relations coordinator.

The Canadian church's relationship with the church in Cuba goes back 40 years, and is institutionalized in the Canadian church's involvement in the Metropolitan Council of Cuba which the Canadian Primate chairs. Bishop Griselda briefed us on the vibrant but struggling church that she leads. Her presentation was enhanced by a photographic slide show of parish buildings, some of which are magnificent and many of which sorely need renovation, which is hindered by the lack of resources.

Our meeting included several discussions on on-going work such as a discussion on Eucharistic hospitality in the context of Christian hospitality and discipleship. Recognizing that this is a complex matter requiring careful work and reflection, the House agreed to ask the Primate to strike a working group which will include bishops, theologians and people expert in congregational development to assist us in the discernment of appropriate guidelines for us to consider at our next meeting.

We approved revisions to the handbook of the Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO).

We heard several informational presentations including one on process for dealing with the Anglican Communion Covenant, one on several aspects of Indigenous ministries including the Mississauga Declaration and this summer's Sacred Circle, one on a General Synod initiative to gather national statistics on the church from dioceses and one on the pension plan for clergy and lay people.

We also heard several updates—on Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogues, on the continuing Indaba process, on the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative, on structural developments in the Diocese of Moosonee and on chaplaincy in the Canadian Forces.

What makes a competent priest?

Ali Symons — 2012-04-19T08:00:00-05:00

Some Anglican priests are preaching dynamos. Others are wise historians or gracious pastors. But what basic competencies should be present across all their ministries?

For the past three years, a commission has dug into this question and now they are inviting input on their draft proposal, "Competencies for Ordination to the Priesthood."

"This document is a celebration of the good things that are happening in church and a description of them," said the Rev. Canon Dr. Todd Townshend, chair of the Primate's Commission on Theological Education. "It also has an aspirational aspect. We aspire to do these things."'

The competencies range from the basic "has read the Bible" to "engages in pastoral leadership." The sections cover personal and spiritual formation, Anglican heritage and identity, cultural context, leadership capacity, and skills for teaching and learning.

Many points reflect a major culture change in the church-from maintaining institutions to participating in the mission of God. For example, one competency calls for priests to "[assess] strategies for active justice-seeking mission."

The eventual goal (after full consultation) is for the Anglican Church of Canada to adopt these competencies and commend them to those who develop leaders, especially theological institutions.

This is not a to-do list, said Mr. Townshend. The document is a description of what a person would need to gain in order to fulfill their vocation. Many of these skills develop over one's career.

Though just a slim four pages, these competencies are a big first in the Anglican Church of Canada. Previously, the only theological education standards were found in a House of Bishops document from 1986 called "Ordination Pre-requisites."

Over the past decade, Anglican leaders have explored the need for more coordinated standards. Currently, Anglican clergy are trained in some 12 schools across Canada from the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax to the Arthur Turner Training School in Pangnirtung, NU. No common document guides their formation.

In developing these competencies, General Synod has consulted widely. The 2010 National Gathering on Theological Education was the biggest event to gather input from bishops, priests, educators, and students.

General Synod 2010 asked the Primate's Commission on Theological Education to refine this and other work into competencies. Now the commission is at its final stages of consultation and will hear from provincial synods, the Council of General Synod, and other Canadian Anglicans before bringing the competencies to General Synod 2013.

"This document is important because it shows a common understanding," said Mr. Townshend. "We want to have something so that we can all say, that's a good list, we can fairly expect that, we should support that, and we should get behind making it possible."

So whether you're a priest, parishioner, bishop, or educator, you are invited to read the document and reflect on these questions:

1. What benefits might you see from working with a document like this for if you are a bishop, parish member, student, diocesan candidacy panel, training centre or seminary?

2. Who else might find benefit from the existence of a document like this in the church?

3. What gaps do you see that could be attended to in either an amended document like this or other exercise undertaken in the church?

All responses must be emailed to the Rev. Canon Dr. Todd Townshend by Sept. 30, 2012.

Other members of the Primate's Commission on Theological Education include the Rev. Canon Eric Beresford, Bishop John Chapman, the Rev. Dr. Mark Harris (ELCIC partner), and the Rev. Dr. Paula Sampson.

Your song could go global

Ali Symons — 2012-04-12T08:00:00-05:00

A Canadian writing team preparing materials for the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is seeking original music compositions. If chosen, your song could be sung around the world for this important ecumenical event.

The team seeks songs suitable for congregations and with words in French or English—ideally both. They can be hymns, praise choruses or shorter songs and must speak to the 2014 theme "Has Christ Been Divided?" based on 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. The deadline is May 31 and songs may be submitted by email.

"We thought the music would be an interesting addition," said the Rev. Amanda Currie, a member of the Canadian writing team and a Presbyterian minister in Saskatoon. "It would add to the music already available for celebrating Chrisitan unity and praying for that together."

Every year a different international team is chosen to develop resources for the eight days of prayer, celebrated in January. The resource package includes a worship service, a theological reflection, and a description of the ecumenical context in Canada. Songs are optional and have not been included in recent yearly packages.

Once the national team develops the week's resources, they are reviewed by the international coordinating body, composed of representatives from the World Council of Churches and the Vatican. Materials are then sent out to churches worldwide and are adapted to the local context; the Canadian Council of Churches does this in Canada.

Since the chosen song will be distributed internationally in this resource package, the composer must set up a copyright that will enable free use in a variety of worship and prayer gatherings.

Ms. Currie said that the Canadian writing team may chose to include several worthy musical submissions. The song will be available for ecumenical celebrations beyond the designated week.

Every year, Canadian Anglicans mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by joining other Christians in ecumenical services, cooperative mission or evangelism work, and pulpit exchanges.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began in 1908 and is one of the oldest ecumenical activities. It predates the 1948 creation of the World Council of Churches and all the Anglican Church of Canada's bilateral dialogues.

Songs may also be submitted by mail:

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
436 Spadina Crescent East
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7K 3G6
Canada

"This Joyful Eastertide"

2012-04-03T08:00:00-05:00

In this personal message, the Primate remembers the Easter images of his childhood church, Christ Church in Dartmouth, N.S. He also encourages Canadian Anglicans to “embrace afresh our calling as an Easter People.”

My love of Holy Week and Easter was nurtured early in life, in the church where I grew up.

Christ Church, Dartmouth (Nova Scotia) is cruciform in shape. Over the north transcept towers a window depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus with Mary his mother and John the beloved disciple at the foot of the Cross. The inscription reads "It is finished". (John 19:30) Over the south transcept towers the Resurrection Window. An angel greets the women who had come early in the morning to the tomb, saying "He is not here. He is Risen". (Luke 24:5) The great window over the altar portrays the Ascension of Christ and draws everyone's contemplation to the blessings of his promise "I am with you always, even to the close of the age". (Matthew 28:20)

It was in Christ Church that I first enjoyed the sweet smell of palm branches. It was there that I learned that Holy Week is a journey with Jesus. Following him day by day, the experience intensifies as we come to Maundy Thursday. Then we're with him hour by hour through the events in the Upper Room and in Gethsemane. By Good Friday, our following is moment by moment through his suffering death and burial.

It was at that church that I first experienced the kindling of a new fire and the lighting of the Paschal Candle that stood among the lilies around the lectern. It was there that I learned that Easter is not one day but 50 — a glorious festival. Week after week, we hear stories of the Risen Lord appearing to his followers and accounts of the apostles' preaching about the Resurrection and the new life that is ours in Christ.

Taught by faithful clergy and Sunday School teachers I know the Resurrection is not an idle tale as it seemed to some but the wondrous truth that "Jesus, who was crucified and buried, was raised up by God" (Luke 24:11) and of that said St. Peter, "we are all witnesses". (Act 2:32)

Grateful for that place where I learned this faith and hope, and for every place in which I have been privileged to preside and preach at Easter, I pray that this year's celebrations will be for all of us a time of great joy and renewed hope in Christ. For in him we are reconciled with God and raised to the new life of grace. In him we have confidence that things which were cast down are being raised up and that things which had grown old are being made new.

In this joyful Eastertide, may you and I embrace afresh our calling as an Easter People. May our hearts beat with the love of the Risen Lord and the hope and peace he bestows in the world.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

National Worship Conference attacks barriers

Ali Symons, General Synod Web Writer — 2012-03-26T08:00:00-05:00

The National Worship Conference is for clergy and laypeople who want to break down the barriers of worship life. It is for those who want to add more colour and life to Sunday mornings, and for those who need renewal. All are invited to gather for workshops, speakers, and worship in Winnipeg, Man., June 29 to July 2.

The National Worship Conference is a tradition of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and now, planning includes full-communion partners from the Anglican Church of Canada. It is also open to ecumenical participation.

Participants will explore the theme "Beyond the fortress" in conversations and symbols, said the Rev. Diane Guilford, the Anglican co-chair who serves alongside Lutheran Michele Barr.

During the first worship a wall of patio bricks will be set up for people to insert candles. These bricks will be moved and used throughout the conference to represent walls—exclusive and inclusive—that sometimes surround the worship experience.

This is one of many creative worship elements at the conference. There will also be liturgical dance, plenty of music and even a bonfire.

Ms. Guilford first experienced creative ecumenical worship as a student at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon. Now an incumbent at St. Stephen's, Winnipeg, she pushes boundaries with events like an outdoor baptism, framed by wild greenery.

The conference is designed to include the experience of smaller and rural communities, notes Ms. Guilford.

"Our hope and prayer is that when people leave they will be able to, no matter what the size of their church, integrate [new ideas] into their worship," she said.

Plenary speakers are Doug Cowling, a musician, author, liturgist, and regular contributor to CBC Radio and the Rev. Dr. Craig Van Gelder, professor of congregational mission at Luther Seminary.

Mr. Cowling will speak about liturgical development and the need for continual renewal, especially at the local level.

Dr. Van Gelder's teaching focuses on helping congregations adapt to dramatically changing contexts. He said he hopes to bring Biblical, theological insight to help participants think "beyond the fortress."

"What if God's spirit is in the midst of disrupting us out of our comfort zone out of our patterns of the past and into a new space to rediscover how to be God's people in this changing environment?" he said.

For Dr. Van Gelder, worship is an essential part of adaptation. Congregations must steward their tradition through worship while still adapting to change.

"I'm looking forward to disrupting [conference participants] enough to invite them into a space of risking," he said.

Registration is available online. (Early registration is $300. After April 30, registration fees will be $375.)
For more information, visit the website.