The theme: Growing in Faith is rooted in the Epistle reading for February 12, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. It speaks of growing in faith as a child grows and it also emphasizes that while it is God alone who gives the growth, there are many in the community who feed us and mentor as we grow.

Queen’s College is not just a theological college, we are a community of people committed to growing in faith together. Last year we adopted a new vision statement:
Queen’s College is an accepting, responsive, affirming, innovating, empowering community of theological learning and spiritual formation sending forth disciples to help transform society through God’s redeeming love.

We are dependent on the contributions of students, faculty, board members, and the wider community to foster our growth. We need people committed to growing in faith—people who are willing to learn new things and to be daring in their search for faith. And we need folks to mentor them and teach them—willing to one day be the teacher and the next to be the learner. We need folks who share a common vision of transforming society into the kin(g)dom of God, just as Jesus called us to do.

It is daring work and it is important work; it is sometimes difficult and painful, but it is always rewarding.

We are committed to keeping our community accessible to others and so we work diligently to keep our tuition affordable so all those who want to grow in faith have the ability to do so. And this is where you play an important role. We need your continued financial support to do this. We are not government funded—our funding comes from our supporting churches and from individual donors like you. Your contribution is vital if we are to continue this work in this place.

We are the only theological college in our province and we have students from multiple denominations and faith traditions. There is nowhere else that provides the educational and faith opportunities that we do.

People often think that we only train clergy, but actually we run a variety of programs and degrees, and the ordination stream is just one part of what we do. We train lay leaders and those who serve our communities in diverse ways. We are all called to grow in faith, and we are committed to helping you to do that.

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:9, “We are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.” And that is who we are. Each one of us called as a servant; called to community—to work together; called to equip ourselves in whatever ways we can to be God’s field and God’s building. 

Please support Queen’s College in our upcoming appeal.
 – The Rev’d Dr. Joanne Mercer, Provost

THE ASSOCIATE IN THEOLOGY (ATh) program is a course of study designed for people who are interested in increasing their knowledge and appreciation of Christian belief and practice. As well as developing their pastoral skills, this program also provides a theological base for persons assuming leadership and ministry within the life of their faith community. The ATh is a great follow up for anyone who has completed the Diploma Program, and for anyone who might be discerning a call to vocational ministry within the church. Courses completed in this program may also be applied toward the Bachelor of Theology by Distance. Assignments are designed to help students reflect on their own faith journey lived out in community, and how that fits with the bigger story of the church down through the centuries. We offer a variety of courses that explore the biblical, theological, and liturgical foundations of the Christian community. In keeping with technological and social change, ATh course are increasingly exploring ways to use platforms like Google Classroom and Zoom so that students can learn together in community regardless of geographical distance. 

THE DIPLOMA IN THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY is a three-year program that is intended for individuals who are beginning their studies in the areas of theology and ministry. The program introduces participants to the language, overall content, and processes used in the various disciplines of scripture, theology, liturgy, Leadership in the Christian community and pastoral ministry. Just as important is the strong emphasis on creating a community of learners who support one another in their studies. This is accomplished through weekly prayer and student discussion throughout the presentations. 

There is no required reading outside of class, nor are there written assignments or exams. Many of those participating are already involved in a variety of roles in their faith communities. Many are also searching—some for a new understanding of their faith, some for discernment of what they are being called to in these communities, and some for personal interest. 

DEGREE PROGRAMS – Queen’s College offers a variety of degree programs to meet the needs of all those interested in studying theology. For those seeking ordination we have the traditional Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Bachelor of Theology (BTh) Programs. We also offer a Bachelor of Theology by Distance (BTh by Distance) which enables students with official church sponsorship, to build on the ATh and work toward a degree while remaining in their home communities. We also offer a Master of Theological Studies and Master of Theology programs, that focus more on the academic study of theology, both programs offer the option of writing a thesis. Queen’s College is a diverse learning community. Our students, faculty, and staff come from a wide variety of faith traditions and cultural backgrounds. Thanks to technology we also gather from across the country, as well as from other parts of the world. 

A WORD FROM SOME CURRENT STUDENTS…

“Through Queen’s Diploma Program of Theology and Ministry, I have found answers to my initial ministry questions as well as more questions. The concept of a rolling admission to the program, the knowledgeable guest professors/speakers, and the use of technology to have us in a virtual classroom are supported by Dr. Carmel Doyle’s energy, wisdom, and dedication to the program.
Although all of my classmates are in Newfoundland and I live in New Brunswick, we are together each week through Zoom. Moreover, I was delighted when Nancy H. reached out to say she was coming to New Brunswick one summer. We were able to meet face to face, and plan to do so again.
Queens Diploma Program…is the time/place where I became part of a family that offers support for one another by messaging one another between sessions, sharing information on religion/spirituality, and expressing our needs for prayer.  The program offers a safe place to question, to explore, and to share in the way.”

-Lynda

“Student life at Queens College is rich and fulfilling. The Queen’s environment is such that students develop a love and loyalty towards the college that continues long after student life has finished.
Faculty and staff are dedicated to the Christian values of loving, supportive community and all who enter are accepted for who they are and wherever they are on life’s journey. Christian values are modelled and students work together in a caring, nonjudgmental environment. They share meals, laughter, troubles, conversation, and debate. They participate in social justice activities outside the college and work to create a fairer world.
There is a personal  transformation that occurs while attending Queen’s that enriches the lives of all. Students generally leave as more loving, caring, and perceptive inhabitants of our world. What more can you ask? Queen’s College rocks! Go Queens, go!”

-Karen

FROM THE THREE BISHOPS OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR…

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT QUEEN’S COLLEGE? 

•You can look at their website at www.queenscollegenl.ca
•Like and follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/queenscollegenl

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE WORK OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE?

•On Sunday February 12, your local Anglican church in Newfoundland and Labrador will have envelopes for the 2023 Queen’s
  College appeal for you to use
•Go to the website (see above) and make an online donation
•You can contact Queen’s directly and ask them how you can support them at (709) 753-0116

The post Queen’s College 2023 Appeal–Growing in Faith appeared first on Anglican Life.

With each new beginning there are new plans, new hopes, new possibilities.

And I love a new beginning—a new start. It is sort of like when your computer, phone, or tablet acts up, and you press restart and (most times) all gets sorted and you begin again. And I love this about our life of faith; we have restarts built into our liturgical year with Advent and Lent in particular, but we also have built into each liturgy when we confess our sins—the things done and undone—and share the peace of a fresh start.

Life at Queen’s College is also full of new beginnings and fresh starts. This Advent we will be doing a weekly podcast on the lectionary with invited guests sharing their thoughts on the readings and possibilities for preaching. “The (Be)coming of the Lord: Preaching the Promise and Challenge of Advent” will be available on our Facebook and YouTube pages. (https://www.facebook.com/queenscollegenl and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2xZJDX8aVYCwllquav4wGw/videos

In January we will be doing another “new thing”. We are offering an Intensive course as a means of preparing for Lent. “Call of the Cross: Preparing for Lent in a time of cultural and climate crisis” can be taken as a regular 3-credit-hour course, or as an audit. We are offering a special audit rate for those who have a leadership position in their faith community (clergy, lay ministers, Bible study leaders, etc.) of just $100. The audit will give you access to all of the classes and materials without having to do any of the papers or assignments. As a part of the January 27th class of this course, we will also be offering a free workshop, both in person and online, on preparing liturgies for Lent with the Rev’d Canon Dr. Boyd Morgan. This is part of our goal to provide affordable, accessible learning to all who are interested. For more information see our webpage: https://queenscollegenl.ca/

We have also been busy “restarting” things that we have not been able to do during COVID, such as in person gatherings and community meals. It is wonderful to see how our online interactions have maintained our community and built new friendships, and how quickly we connect now that we are in the same physical space. We already know so much about each other. It is important to note that this “restart” of in person gatherings does not mean we no longer connect online. These different types of interactions help feed one another. Some communication is better in one medium than another, and some folks flourish in different modes of interaction. 

So let us all flourish as we continue to begin again.

The post Let Us Begin Again appeared first on Anglican Life.

There are many facts I could give you about John and Kathy and their lifetime of service and ministry. They arrived in New World Island in 1964 with the intention of remaining for only a couple of years, but they soon found themselves creating a home where they would stay and serve for some 58 years.

Dr. John was the local doctor with a passion for gardening and accordion music. He set about collecting sod and soil as he visited his patients until he was able to create the garden of his dreams. He has been active in many community organizations and often provided music for worship.

Kathy was theologically educated at Union Seminary in New York City, and brought a wealth of knowledge to her roles in the church.  She provided lay ministry in the parishes of Twillingate and Gander Bay for many years.  She had leadership roles in the diocese and often led retreats.  They are passionate about rural Newfoundland, about boating, learning, and exploring.

But none of this information gets to the heart of who they are and the impact they have had on all those who have known them.

I have a picture of myself, Bishop John Watton, and Kathy Sheldon at our pre-ordination retreat May 1990. I may not remember everything Kathy said to us that day, but I remember the impression she made. I often would say that when I grow up, I want to be Kathy Sheldon. She has a gift of hospitality combined with a keen intellect. She just seemed to know things and she always seemed to be learning new things. And whenever you dropped in to see Kathy and John, they always seem to make time and to be fully present to you.

I think that is the thing. They have a way of making you feel welcome and valued and cared for.  They make time and space for folks to be. They listen and respond. They push when they have to, but are also gentle in spirit. They are human and humble and refreshingly honest. They have a gift of being fully present with you, that is not to be underestimated.

I am sure they will be very much missed in the parishes of Gander Bay and Twillingate, but I have to say that I am excited to welcome them to St. John’s, where I still hope to pop by for a visit and to be welcomed and challenged. There is still so much for me to learn, so eventually, when I grow up, I can be just like them.

The post Kathy and Dr. John Sheldon—The Kind of People You Want to Be When You Grow Up appeared first on Anglican Life.

The boards now cover both walls and record the names of people in a variety of programs. We still train people for ordained leadership in the Anglican Church, but our student body also includes people from a variety of denominations—or no denomination at all. We have people who have questions about faith and God and want a safe place to explore. We have folks who want the skills to offer care to friends and neighbours in times of loss and pain.

Each name on those boards is a story of someone who has chosen to equip themselves with the skills they needed to serve. Some have served in the church in towns throughout Labrador and Newfoundland; some have travelled the world. Many serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, deployed where and when they are needed. There are folks on that board who have served in your parish as your clergy and licensed lay ministers. And there are folks on our boards who quietly serve in your community: visiting, praying, and sharing their time and gifts with those in need.

This fall, we will be sharing some of these stories online and encouraging you to consider how you might support the continuing work of Queen’s College. So please follow us on Facebook (Queen’s College, Faculty of Theology | Facebook) and YouTube (Queen’s College – YouTube) and pray for us as we begin this new academic year. And if you are able, please donate to Queen’s College (Donate Now – QUEENS COLLEGE (canadahelps.org)), and enable us to continue this important work.

The post Queen’s College: Equipping People To Serve For 180 Years appeared first on Anglican Life.