This year we heard of the amazingly generous donations to the Resilience Fund (over $500,000); the diverse events that made up the Wild Ride over the summer months; and the heartwarming response to the Solar Suitcase campaign, which reached its goal of $320,000, enough to bring light sources to 49 health clinics in rural Mozambique and Madagascar to enable safe labour and delivery of newborns. This is all thanks to donors like you and me.

This summer I took a leap and became an Alongside Hope monthly donor. The amount you give can be as little as $10 per month, or as much as your heart and your situation allows. I am so happy with my decision! In a busy life, it’s one less thing to worry about; and I can rest assured that my support for Alongside Hope doesn’t get lost in best-laid plans that fall by the wayside. I know that my “regular” support is taken care of, and I can still respond to special appeals or seasonal projects that speak to me. Best of all, Alongside Hope knows my donation, and that of other monthly donors, is coming and can budget accordingly. I encourage you to consider this giving model as well. You can set it up easily on the website or by telephone.

The final two days of our time together focused on the crucial work of Reconciliation. We were privileged to be joined by Archbishop Chris Harper, Indigenous Anglican Archbishop of Canada, as well as members of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) and other special guests. From the perspective of right relations, we considered where the Anglican Church has come from and where it is at, where the Indigenous Anglican Church has come from and where it is at, and where Alongside Hope has come from and where it is at. A lesson learned from the Mapping Exercise is that we must not force Indigenous people to always be the teacher; those of us descended from settler peoples have a responsibility to learn.

We were encouraged to nurture right relationships through sitting together and deeply listening, listening to understand. An important aspect of this deep listening is in the telling of our stories one to another. And isn’t that what the Eucharist is all about? Gathering the people, telling the story, and breaking bread to bring us into right relations with God and with one another.

As The Rev’d Esther Wesley, former Director of the Anglican Healing Fund, was about to begin creating the Mapping Exercise with Suzanne Rumsey, Alongside Hope’s Public Engagement Coordinator, she observed, “I need to get to know you better if we are to be partners. And you need to get to know me better if we are to be partners.” As we continue the work of Truth and Reconciliation within the broader Canadian society and within the church, may we not lose sight of the importance of learning, building kinship, and going forward in a spirit of humility and respect. This does not have to be daunting, but it does have to be done. And we can start small. Read a book by an Indigenous author in your book club in 2026. Attend a powwow if you can. Show up at one of the events sponsored by your local Indigenous Friendship Centre or association. Offer to pour the tea or clean up. Keep showing up and keep talking to people and listening to their stories. Then tell those stories to others and get them engaged. Jesus himself modelled this for us.

As we enter the season of Advent and celebrate Emmanuel, God-with-us, let us allow the Light of Christ to illuminate the path forward and transform us all for the sake of the Kin-dom. God bless us, every one!

The post Reflections From Alongside Hope’s 2025 Fall Gathering appeared first on Anglican Life.

It will not matter that PWRDF is a well-run organization with laudable goals, ethical practices, and global partnerships if it does not have the support of everyday Anglicans like you and me to allow its work to continue to change lives. So this task of engagement is an ongoing and core function for the PWRDF staff, board, and volunteers. Work in the development and humanitarian aid sector is never a case of a quick fix, but of partnering with knowledgeable experts on the ground and walking alongside them as supporters. The global climate crisis has exacerbated existing challenges around food insecurity, access to clean drinking water, health and wellness, displacement and homelessness, violence, and injustices of many kinds. War, conflicts and gang violence also continue to rage around the world, and in our own country the work of indigenous/settler reconciliation and responding to natural disasters is ongoing.

Whether intentionally or not, the methods used by PWRDF to engage with Canadians bear a strong resemblance to those used by Jesus in his earthly ministry: story-telling; gathering helpers; traveling lightly; welcoming and respecting women and children; and upholding everything in prayer.

It is the sharing of stories that really makes the work of PWRDF come alive. These stories may be told by Canadians who have visited projects and partners abroad and come back sharing the good news and impact they have observed first-hand. Sometimes the stories are told by in-country partners who are invited to come to Canada and tell their own stories. Those involved in the actual projects on the ground are the true experts and can make the stories come alive for us. Videos of these visits, as well as videos produced in the field, are easily accessible on the PWRDF website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and X accounts. There is no lack of compelling stories of empowerment, education, environmental protection, improved health outcomes, and more.

The “helpers” are individuals and organizations around the world and here at home who participate in or support PWRDF and its projects through partnerships, donations, and supportive relationships. It is a large and varied team, with each one contributing their own gifts. The modest donation from a small Sunday School class in rural Newfoundland and Labrador is as important, and as appreciated, as large matching donations from wealthy individuals or organizations.

Jesus appreciated the offerings, the faith, and the opinions of women, children and the otherwise marginalized in society, and specially ministered to them. We know well the story of a young boy’s lunch of bread and fish that contributed to the feeding of multitudes of people one day in Jesus’ day. In many countries, the lives of women and children are especially imperilled still today, and PWRDF is aware that empowering the women leads to improvements for their families and communities, too. PWRDF also highly values the contributions of its Youth Council. The Youth Council is a forum for significant dialogue and engagement by and for youth with the wider PWRDF organization, including a seat on the PWRDF board. Recognizing the importance of educating a new generation of Canadians about global and humanitarian issues, as well as important domestic social justice concerns, PWRDF produces the SUPERFRIENDS resource for parish and home use. (You can order copies for free each year.)

For Jesus, traveling lightly meant being without a home of his own and accepting the hospitality of friends and supporters. For PWRDF, it means not having a large administrative footprint either at home or abroad. The 2022-2023 annual report reveals that Administration accounts for just 7.6% of the total PWRDF expense budget, and PWRDF does not have offices around the globe, but partners with and supports the work of other international organizations to maximize the impact it can make. As an organization, it takes seriously its responsibility to use all donations ethically and efficiently.

As Jesus modelled, PWRDF offers opportunities for staff, volunteers and supporters to come together to pray and to study scripture and to apply it to our world today. This is done through excellent Advent and Lenten resources for home or group use and through monthly Praying with PWRDF gatherings on Zoom. It takes place on the second Thursday of every month at 2:30 p.m. Newfoundland time, 2:00 p.m. in parts of Labrador. To participate, just sign up at this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/xa9pdIc. You will receive the Zoom link every month.

With summer surely just around the corner, may you enjoy rest and refreshment with those you love. And watch for information about this year’s Wild Ride, an opportunity for your group to come up with a simple fundraising activity to support PWRDF. We need you to share the stories and to share the load. Come, join the team.

The post Engaging With Canadians appeared first on Anglican Life.

Most of the readers of this publication, and indeed most of the members of our congregations, are no longer young. It is tempting to leave this work of saving the planet to the younger generations, and we must acknowledge that in many cases they are the leading lights of efforts to effect the necessary changes. But that does not absolve the rest of us from responsibility. 

It is also understandable if we perceive the problem as just “too monumental” for our measly efforts to make any difference, and throw up our hands in despair. Understandable, but again, not excusable.

For us as Anglicans, this should be a no-brainer. Every single time we welcome someone into the family of God through the sacrament of Holy Baptism we “join with those who are committing themselves to Christ and renew our own baptismal covenant.” After stating our credal beliefs in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we make a series of promises, the last of which is to “strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth.” More than belief or agreement, this series of questions entails calls to action. 

PWRDF is in the final year of what was to have been a three-year education focus, Creation Care: Climate Action. The global pandemic has meant that this process has taken four years, but PWRDF is now preparing to launch the education focus for Year Three: “Climate Change and Health.” All learning modules for Years One and Two, “Climate Action and Food Security” and “Climate Change and Gender,” are still available from the PWRDF website at www.pwrdf.org, and especially lend themselves to group learning experiences. 

This year’s focus began on Ash Wednesday with the 2024 Lenten resource, “Seeding Health: Lenten Meditations on the Climate Crisis and Well-being,” authored by biblical scholar Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat. If you have not signed up to receive the resource, it is not too late. You can still register for the remaining four weeks of Lent and the entire resource is available for download in PDF format from: https://pwrdf.org/lent2024/. On weekdays Dr. Keesmaat offers a reading from scripture, a reflection and a prayer; on the weekend, she invites us to ground the text in our own lives and situations through a series of questions to consider. The week ends with a “PWRDF Story” that highlights ways PWRDF partners around the globe, realizing the connectedness of all creation, are acting to safeguard creation. 

In the church, we are expert at studying important issues and talking about important issues; maybe a little slower to implement, to act. But where to begin?  Education is always a good first step, so I commend the excellent PWRDF resources noted above. For the crucial next step, the action, a tool developed by American marine biologist, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, can be most useful. Dr. Johnson has designed a Venn diagram for climate change and creation care (three intersecting circles) which asks us to consider three questions:
• What are you good at?
• What is the work that needs doing?
• What brings you joy and satisfaction?

The centre of the diagram, where the three circles intersect, is where your climate actions will be found. See Dr. Johnson’s website, https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com/climatevenn, to learn more about it, to download the tool and to watch her excellent ten-minute TED talk on climate action. The talk is her answer to the question, “What can I do to help address the climate crisis?” Dr. Johnson acknowledges that the challenge is enormous and involves transformation, but also asserts that “there is something meaningful each of us can contribute to climate solutions. This is the work of our lifetimes.”

And this is the work of our faith, the work we have covenanted to be about. So, let us as Vestries, Parish Councils, ACWs, Sunday Schools, Confirmation classes, and people of faith, commit to reading, reflection, prayer, and action for the care of all of creation in this and every season of our lives.

The post Creation Care: Not Seasonal But Covenantal appeared first on Anglican Life.

PWRDF’s vision of “working towards a truly just, healthy and peaceful world” is guided by Micah 6:8: 

And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

The world of development and relief agencies is a crowded one, with all competing for shrinking government funding and in a post-Covid climate of tightened purse strings for many Canadians. And most of these agencies are doing good work. Besides its excellent track record, impeccable reputation and industry-low administration cost of less than ten percent of total expenses, what makes PWRDF stand out from the crowd is its emphasis on partnership. I believe that is PWRDF’s way of walking humbly with God: realizing that we are all companions on the journey.

And PWRDF partners in two directions:  It partners with other agencies here in Canada to pool resources and make a greater impact; and it partners with agencies and organizations in developing countries who best know the situation on the ground and can identify the areas of greatest need. PWRDF is never the partner that implements projects; rather, its projects are locally-led, recognizing and respecting the knowledge and expertise of the partners in the field. Its people-centred approach ensures a respect for human dignity, with both sides of the partnership demonstrating a mutual commitment to quality and accountability.

Besides supporting development projects around the world, PWRDF also finds itself increasingly needing to respond to humanitarian crises—whether as the result of drought in Kenya, hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada, or the current wars in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza. In the year just ending, approximately two million dollars went to development projects while close to seven million dollars was allocated to humanitarian relief. As in the development projects, disaster relief efforts also rely on partners on the ground to ensure the aid is directed to the area of greatest need and that it achieves its intended results.

But there is one further partnership without which PWRDF cannot possibly achieve its objectives, and that is the partnership between PWRDF and its donors, people like me and you. Individually, we may feel that we cannot make a difference but together we can make “a world of difference”, as PWRDF likes to say.

So, as we are making our Advent and Christmas plans this year, please consider including PWRDF in those plans. Perhaps your ACW unit or choir would like to take on a fundraising project for PWRDF, or the parish might aim to “buy the whole farm” or purchase an entire irrigation kit to help 20 families in Kenya. There is something in the World of Gifts brochure that is included with this month’s Anglican Journal/Anglican Life to suit every area of interest and budget. 

When we partner with PWRDF we are following in Jesus’ footsteps. Jesus’ greatest concern is always for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized. His was a life of love, justice and mercy. And, as Mark records in one of the stories about feeding the multitudes, he invites us to partner with him. “You give them something to eat,” he says in Mark 6:37. Let us accept the invitation to partner with Jesus, through PWRDF, this year. And remember, the World of Gifts catalogue stays open all year long!

You can find World of Gifts online here: https://pwrdf.org/get-involved/shop-pwrdfs-world-of-gifts/

Christmas wishes for peace, justice, health and joy from your friends and partners at PWRDF.

The post Companions On The Journey appeared first on Anglican Life.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in 2023 approximately 177 million people—more than three times the population of Canada—will be forced to leave their homes or countries. It is the highest number in history. The journey to safety can often be very perilous, all-too-frequently meeting a tragic end. According to the United Nations International Organization for Migration, migrant deaths in the Central Mediterranean hit a six-year high in 2023.

“The majority of refugees are…living in exile for more than five years, and often decades,” says Carolyn Cummins, PWRDF’s Director of Fundraising and Supporter Relations. “The number of refugees in need of resettlement to another country has increased significantly, but unfortunately only a fraction will ever be offered an opportunity to relocate to countries such as Canada. The rest remain displaced, mostly in low to middle income countries which do not have the resources to care for their needs. PWRDF partners [such as the Act Alliance, the Anglican Alliance, and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank] are caring for displaced individuals and families with support for income generation, improved food security, medical care, counselling, and more.”

Naba Gurung, Humanitarian Response Coordinator at PWRDF, reports that many refugees at the Nyorugusu Camp in Tanzania have been there since the 1990s and know no other life. The camp is underfunded and overcrowded, and currently filled to three times its capacity. 

The fundraising goal for the 2023 Wild Ride is $50,000. You can register a team, register as an individual, or donate to an existing team or individual. Or just simply “donate now”! There is at least one team registered from our province so far, Book-lovers with Heart, (https://www.canadahelps.org/s/nMCxZf). If you form a team, how you raise the money is completely up to you. You can walk, run, cycle, bake cakes to sell, or anything you please. As the campaign says, “Put your stamp on it!”

Especially as we lead up to Thanksgiving, participating in this campaign would be a wonderful way to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives, especially those of us who have the luxury of living in our homeland, free of the fear of violence and persecution. Check out the website (https://pwrdf.org/wild-ride), speak to your rector or parish PWRDF representative, and let us push this Wild Ride right over the finish line. 

PWRDF Materials for you:

Did you know that PWRDF has printed materials available to every parish each year?  Make your PWRDF awareness/fundraising events more informative and inviting with specially-created brochures, bulletin covers, laminated placemats, bookmarks and donation envelopes. You can download and print your own or order them for delivery straight from PWRDF on the downloadable order form: https://pwrdf.org/get-involved/resources/annual-resources/. Then, plan your special PWRDF Sunday or other event. 

Your support of PWRDF is an excellent way to give life to at least three of the promises of our Baptismal Covenant: 

• Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself;

• Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being; and

• Will you strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth.

Whether you participate in this year’s Wild Ride or plan your own unique fundraiser, please continue to support the work of PWRDF through your prayers and your donations as we work towards a truly just, healthy and peaceful world.

The post Join the PWRDF Wild Ride While There’s Still Time! appeared first on Anglican Life.

Hard copies of this colourful and engaging resource can be ordered by parishes with their annual PWRDF resource order, or can be downloaded at pwrdf.org/get-involved/resources/children-and-youth/. The creators of the resource recommend it for children aged 7-9, but it easily lends itself to use with older children, youth, and adults. Suggested contexts include “children’s time” within morning worship, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, or intergenerational settings. The resource would also be an excellent component or add-on to confirmation preparation, linking the baptismal covenant with issues in the lives of Canadian children and “friends” around the world today. Not only do readers learn how PWRDF responds to the issues identified, but they are also encouraged to consider how they can themselves respond, in their own lives or by supporting others.

In addition to the wealth of information in the print or downloadable edition, the resource can be considerably expanded by following links to further learning in the form of documents, videos, and websites.

Continuing a practice begun with Super Friends 9, this issue links its theme, “Peace Builders,” to one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; in this case, Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Among the links included are a child-friendly page on the United Nations’ website, a virtual trip to the  Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, and instructions for making origami peace doves.

The magazine profiles young peace activists like Malala Yousafzai, challenges children to imagine what peace looks like to them, and recommends movies, shows and books that explore the themes of peace and conflict. There are also puzzles and a colouring activity to complete.

Super Friends 10 also considers the importance of listening, to both spoken words and body language, especially in times of conflict. Children are invited to identify their feelings by colouring them with the help of the Blobs, a collection of simple people-like shapes that demonstrate various emotions through stance, facial expressions or other body language. The exercise allows children to wonder about and acknowledge their own emotions in several hypothetical situations without having to name them aloud. It is a powerful tool.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine and too-frequent reports of violence and conflict at home and abroad in the daily news, this issue of Super Friends is timely indeed and provides a caring and age-appropriate means to discuss peace, and its absence, with children. The Super Friends team goes even further, though. On the PWRDF website, parents and leaders can access a Super Friends 10 supporting supplement, with tips for engaging children, background material, suggested additional resources, a recipe for making bread to share as Jesus did in Luke 24:30-31, and connections to scripture, like the Parable of the Mustard Seed and its depiction of the reign of God all around us and the call on all of us to advance that reign.

I commend this excellent resource to anyone working with young people and their families and encourage you to share its message of peace and justice with your adult congregations as well. Why not consider a peace-themed fundraiser for PWRDF this year so that its work and that of its “Super Friends” around the world can continue the fight to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives of all people around the globe.

The post Super Friends 10! appeared first on Anglican Life.