On December 1st, 2025, The Rev’d Fronie Squibb was ordained a deacon in Christ’s Holy Catholic Church during a ceremony held at the Parish of the Ascension in Mount Pearl. The parish extended its congratulations and blessings.

The post The Rev’d Fronie Squibb Ordained Deacon appeared first on Anglican Life.

On February 25 -26 the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador met for the 32nd Session of Synod, Part A. This gathering was like no other for many reasons, but one in particular—we meet entirely online through Zoom.

While the style of the gathering was different all the traditional elements remained, including:

• An Opening Eucharist
• The Bishop’s Charge
• Devotions led by Archdeaconries
• Financial Reports
• Elections for Provincial Synod and General Synod delegates
• Exploring our current and future ministry as a Diocese

Bishop Samuel Rose set the theme of our Synod with a heart-felt, realistic, and hopeful Charge to the Diocese. He reminded us of the work set out at Synod 2018 through the Report of the Commission on Parish Renewal and Viability, which is entitled Surviving or Thriving: The Future of the Church in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. The work of Surviving or Thriving had just begun in earnest when a global pandemic hit our shores. 

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the diocese to go into survival mode, and finances that had been earmarked for the work of the Commission had to be redirected to support parishes. While we are still making our way through these pandemic days, we have learned that the Church has been forever changed. 

Synod Part A received a report called A Way Forward to complement the 2018 Surviving or Thriving. This report provides data and financial trends in:

• Parish Revenue Declining
• Rising Deficits
• Assessment Arrears
• Principles and Process for Parish Sustainability and Reorganization 

In the A Way Forward presentation, we heard:

“Restructuring and finding new models of ministry is not just because of the pandemic, we have known for some time that demographic change, lower numbers attending worship, and declining financial resources have been part of our story for quite some time.  What the pandemic is teaching us is, we can no longer rely on the things we used to do to just get through. We have been and will continue to be changed by this global pandemic.”

In the midst of our reality as a Diocese, Bishop Rose reminded us that in times of uncertainty and change the one thing that is certain and never changing is our Saviour Jesus Christ—and thus “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering.”

The post “Let Us Hold Fast To The Confession Of Our Hope Without Wavering” Hebrews 10:23 appeared first on Anglican Life.

On February 25 -26 the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador met for the 32nd Session of Synod, Part A. This gathering was like no other for many reasons, but one in particular—we met entirely online through Zoom.

While the style of the gathering was different all the traditional elements remained, including:

• An Opening Eucharist
• The Bishop’s Charge
• Devotions led by Archdeaconries
• Financial Reports
• Elections for Provincial Synod and General Synod delegates
• Exploring our current and future ministry as a Diocese

Bishop Samuel Rose set the theme of our Synod with a heart-felt, realistic, and hopeful Charge to the Diocese. He reminded us of the work set out at Synod 2018 through the Report of the Commission on Parish Renewal and Viability, which is entitled Surviving or Thriving: The Future of the Church in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. The work of Surviving or Thriving had just begun in earnest when a global pandemic hit our shores. 

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the diocese to go into survival mode, and finances that had been earmarked for the work of the Commission had to be redirected to support parishes. While we are still making our way through these pandemic days, we have learned that the Church has been forever changed. 

Synod Part A received a report called A Way Forward to complement the 2018 Surviving or Thriving. This report provides data and financial trends in:

• Parish Revenue Declining
• Rising Deficits
• Assessment Arrears
• Principles and Process for Parish Sustainability and Reorganization 

In the A Way Forward presentation, we heard:

“Restructuring and finding new models of ministry is not just because of the pandemic, we have known for some time that demographic change, lower numbers attending worship, and declining financial resources have been part of our story for quite some time.  What the pandemic is teaching us is, we can no longer rely on the things we used to do to just get through. We have been and will continue to be changed by this global pandemic.”

In the midst of our reality as a Diocese, Bishop Rose reminded us that in times of uncertainty and change the one thing that is certain and never changing is our Saviour Jesus Christ—and thus “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering.”

The post “Let Us Hold Fast To The Confession Of Our Hope Without Wavering” Hebrews 10:23 appeared first on Anglican Life.

This year at Thanksgiving, we need to pause and be thankful to our Creator God who has been with us throughout these long pandemic days. We need to reflect on all that is good and gracious in our lives and how we can show our thankfulness through our actions. 

If you are thankful for the coronavirus vaccine, you can show your thankfulness by Paying it Forward to enable those in developing countries to receive a jab in the arm too.

Did you know, The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund has launched a new Vaccine Equity Fund to contribute to the worldwide vaccination effort from COVID-19? Money donated to this fund will be used to support our partners as they prepare for vaccine rollout in the coming months.

With the cooperation of the Anglican Church of Canada and our Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, PWRDF has created a fund for Anglicans eager to “pay it forward.” Now when you receive your vaccine, you have the opportunity to “pay it forward” and make a donation to PWRDF’s Vaccine Equity Fund.

“We must ask how we can share the benefits of health care and vaccinations many of us enjoy, with others who need it,” writes Primate Linda. “Canada will have excess vaccine—will we donate it to other nations? Will our government do its part to provide increased funds to COVAX [a pact among nations to share vaccines with all countries] to ensure that availability? Will we ask for a temporary suspension of trade restrictions (which currently control the price of the vaccine) so that production can reach heavily populated areas?”

Vaccine equity is a fundamental expression of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40), through which we demonstrate our love of God and of neighbour, says our Primate Linda.

To support PWRDF’s Vaccine Equity Fund, go to:
https://pwrdf.org/give-today/, click on “Vaccine Equity Fund.” You may also donate over the phone by calling Donor Relations Officer Mike Ziemerink, at 416-822-9083, or leave a voicemail toll-free at 1-866-308-7973, and we will return your call. Or, send a cheque with “Vaccine Equity Fund” in the memo field to: PWRDF, 80 Hayden St. Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 3G2. Donations may also support the “Love My Neighbour” movement. Thank you!

The post Give Thanks and Pay It Forward appeared first on Anglican Life.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic dominating our lives throughout 2020, climate change remains a pressing issue for PWRDF and its partners, for Anglicans in Canada, and for the world.

In 2020, PWRDF produced a number of resources focused on Climate Action. The resources showed how climate change intersects with our partners’ work, from health and women’s empowerment to food security, emergency relief and more. We want to continue to promote those resources in 2021, and build on them with the introduction of a three-year education focus called “Creation Care: Climate Action.”

We hope to bring the perspective of how climate change is affecting the developing world and how it is being addressed. We know that we have much to learn from our partners and hope our volunteers will be able to take that learning to their parishes, communities, and families.

On the PWRDF website, our Climate Action page includes resources and education opportunities.

There are many exciting ideas in the works:

• We will be creating videos and study guides that you can use to lead discussions in your communities or parishes.
• We will offer webinars that focus on Climate Action as it relates to PWRDF’s work, including Food Security, Health, Women’s Empowerment, Indigenous Peoples, Emergency Response, Refugees and Engaging Youth.
• We will continue to encourage the use of the resources that were prepared in 2020 including the seven Climate Action Leaflets. Use them as bulletin inserts if you are worshipping in-person; read them at in-person or online services; or include them in online bulletins or parish emails.
• We also encourage using the worship resource “A Covenant for Climate Justice.” A Service of the Word and a Eucharist service are available to use in whole or in part. There is even a sermon to deliver or download the video to share with your community.
• We will share ways to get involved with the For the Love of Creation Campaign, including participating in advocacy and hosting climate change conversations.
• Go the pwrdf.org for more information.

May we during this life-giving season of Easter, take advantage of these PWRDF creation care and climate action resources. And may we live up to our baptismal covenant to strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth (BAS, 159).

The post Easter, New Life, Creation Care, Climate Action appeared first on Anglican Life.

Moving is always a huge undertaking. Moving involves both physical and emotional work. As the staff physically packed up the building, stories were shared of past memories that brought both laughter and a tear. Stories of former staff, monumental diocesan decisions, embracing new and changing technologies—all part of the institutional memory of Synod Office.

Now we have moved to Church House—a new home for the workings of the diocese and a place to form new memories. 

The post Ministry Is On The Move…Literally! appeared first on Anglican Life.

Story telling is not an uncommon practice for Newfoundlanders & Labradorians. It is through story we learn about past traditions, local customs, and our culture.

For 20 years, PWRDF has worked with Indigenous communities in Canada as development partners. PWRDF is committed to nurturing and building relationships with indigenous communities, supporting the preservation of language and culture, and defending the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination. 

In British Columbia, the Nuu-chah-nulth (NCN) Language & Culture Program (NLCP) supports community initiatives that contribute to the preservation of the NCN language and culture. A total of 94 resource items have been developed as a direct result of NLCP funding. The “I want to learn the Nuu-chah-nulth Language” Facebook page has 1,300 members. There are 600 active adult learners of the Nuu-chah-nulth language and more than 12,500 indirect learners. The resources developed through the project have been celebrated and showcased by the 14 communities. (Source: pwrdf.org).

Puppets have long been used on television to engage young children while teaching them.  The Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na RaotitiÃhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC), a PWRDF partner in Kahnawake, Quebec, uses puppets to teach children as well, but instead of teaching their ABCs and 1-2-3’s, they are teaching the Mohawk language and culture. The episodes also teach culture and history, using mnemonics to help the children learn about the 50 chiefs of the Iroquois confederacy, or teaching one word in each of the 5 languages of the confederacy.  Other episodes use traditional legends like that of the Corn Husk Doll to teach values, including thankfulness and peacefulness. (Source: pwrdf.org).

Thank you for enabling storytelling to continue in the local languages of Indigenous communities. Your support is part of the story of PWRDF in Canada!

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