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All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.

Gerald J. Brown (Gerry as he was known), entered on the stage of life in Amherst Cove, Bonavista Bay. It was the beginning of a life that, as an adult, was motivated by a commitment to, and a deep respect for, family, friends, work, Church, and community.

As a long time member of Kiwanis International, he contributed to the community locally, nationally, and internationally. On the local level, he committed to the Annual Kiwanis Music Festival, which gave students an opportunity to display their talents and achieve recognition in various genres of music. Nationally and internationally, Gerry served in several offices including the position of Lieutenant Governor for Eastern Canada and the Caribbean. In addition, he served on many boards, including the Health Care Board of St. John’s, which recognized his “hard work and many hours of service.”

Through the Parish of St. Michael and All Angels in St. John’s, of which Gerry was a faithful parishioner, he assisted with both charitable activities as well as in administrative duties. Within the parish, he is fondly remembered by many refugees who found freedom in this province, and a warm welcome at St. Michael’s in the 1990s—a great work which was mostly unrecognized.

In retirement, he was appointee Honorary Treasurer of the Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. In recognition of his work, he was appointed by the bishop as the first lay canon of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist—an honour that was greatly appreciated.

For the greater part of his professional life, Gerry was a dedicated public servant at Revenue Canada. From them he received many awards which recognized the quality of his work and his strong leadership. One award that he especially valued was from “The Staff of St. John’s Taxation Centre with Special Recognition for his timeless efforts” on their behalf.

To his family and friends, he was a ready listener, and when requested, a solid source of advice.

Throughout his life, Gerry was energized by the desire to make the world around him a better place. None of us achieve perfection, but Gerry has left a mark for good on many lives—and they on him.

Wordsworth, in the poem “Ode; Intimations of Immortality,” writes:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home

In confidence of that faith in God, Gerry has gone home. A man of integrity; a gentleman’s gentleman. He will be fondly remembered by his wife, Lorraine (née Sheppard), his brother, Wilson, and his extended family, friends, and colleagues.

We thank the Creator for the gift of his life. May he now rest in peace.

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PWRDF was originally founded in response to a 1958 mining disaster in Springhill, N.S., leading Anglicans nationwide to support affected families. Established in 1959, it expanded to include “Development” in 1969. Last year, PWRDF collaborated with over 70 partners in 32 countries and was named among the 2024 Charity Intelligence Top 100 Charities.

Ottawa-based Cyan Solutions facilitated discussions that highlighted a theme of partnership and accompaniment, inspired by the biblical story of Jesus walking alongside disciples on the road to Emmaus. This story symbolizes the spirit of support and companionship that defines Alongside Hope’s mission, striving for global change through mutual care and solidarity.

The transition to Alongside Hope will take place over the next year, with updates to the website and social media scheduled for March 1, 2025. The iconic colourful globe logo will remain, aiding brand recognition during this shift. Alongside Hope reflects a commitment to walking alongside partners for a better world, embodying hope through shared efforts. Further details and FAQs will be provided in upcoming communications on the website, and questions can be directed by email to: pwrdf@pwrdf.org.

-written with information from the press release for the name change approval for PWRDF; for more information, please see: https://pwrdf.org/membership-approves-new-name-for-pwrdf/

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I have always been deeply moved by Luke 2:19: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” After the birth of Jesus, Mary’s quiet reflection becomes a profound moment in scripture. She isn’t swept up by the excitement or the miraculous events surrounding her; instead, she takes it all in, pondering the significance of the child she has just brought into the world.

Of course, even before this moment, during the months leading up to Jesus’ birth, Mary didn’t make a spectacle of the fact that she was carrying the Son of God. She didn’t seek attention or validation—her focus was inward, prayerful, and deeply attuned to the mystery of what God was doing through her.

This shows us something important about our own journey with God. Jesus was born to bring us into deeper union with him, and Mary’s example reminds us that this union requires a lot of reflection and prayer, not distractions or entertainment. In our busy world in which we are bombarded with new ideas every day, it’s easy to look for quick fixes or flashy solutions, even within the Church, hoping that some program or plan will “save us” or revive our faith. But as Mary shows us, a real relationship with God isn’t built on gimmicks. It’s built in the quiet places of our hearts, in moments of prayer, self-examination, and reflection on the mystery of Christ.

C. S. Lewis wrote that the Church’s primary task is to draw us to Christ and to make us “little Christs.” He said that if the Church is not doing this, then all its other works—cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself—are ultimately pointless. The mission of the Church is to lead us into transformation, to help us become more like Christ.

Like Mary, we are called to keep these things in our hearts, never letting them drift far from who we are. Her reflection was an active thing in her life. She prayed, she pondered, and she likely struggled with concerns for her son, wondering if she was doing all she could for him. (Doesn’t every parent?)

In the same way, our prayer lives should not be passive or neglected. We must take responsibility for our own spiritual growth, nurturing our relationship with Christ through personal prayer, reflection, study of the Bible, and daily commitment. The path to becoming more like Jesus is not lined with flashy slogans or shortcuts, but with genuine devotion, much like the quiet yet profound faith that Mary showed us.

Merry Christmas!

The post Quiet Reflection: Following Mary’s Example in Our Journey With Christ appeared first on Anglican Life.

In ministry, I think about the word “present.” This time of year, that is a word that is found on the minds of everyone, especially in the race against time (or at least that is how it feels for many) to get the things done that need to be on time. A number of years ago on social media, there was a post that had a list of the things that needed to be done by Christmas. The first thing on that list was “buy presents,” which was scratched out and next to it was written “be present.” That is the best thing we can be to anyone at any given time—be present to another person. The best present is your presence. You are special to God, and to show such a speciality is to be with someone else and when with someone else, leave everything else at the door and just bring yourself.

This year, I do not and would not care if there is a gift under a tree for me. I have enough stuff, and in some cases I have too much stuff. Yet what I look for most of all this year is for the people that I am with, to be present with me as I am present with them. As we observe Advent and Christmas, let us be present to God. The best way to be present to God is to be present to one another. We need not worry about what kind of present you are going to be: just be present and bring yourself. In bringing yourself, you bring God to someone who is in need of God and you can show them the love that God has for them in being present to them. Let us all bring God to each other and each other to God. In bringing God to each other, may we see the very presence of God in each other as, after all we are made in the image of God and it is such an image that is indeed a present to us all.

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At the top of this page, we see a photograph of Dean Bellamy, Dr. Rowlands, and Dean Whalen.

As mentioned above, this is the 325th anniversary of the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s, which is the oldest Anglican parish in Canada, and a National Historic Site.

OurCathedral.ca

709-726-5677  ✣  Office@OurCathedral.ca

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It must have been late last night, or early this morning, while I was still asleep, that high winds and torrential rain swept over the landscape, leaving in their wake some random leaves, floating like little ducks in about an inch of water all over my patio floor.

However, the fall leaves and shortening of days, and the resurgence of activities here at St. John the Evangelist, are reminders that summer is over, and autumn has made its debut.

I think the first sign here at St. John the Evangelist was the involvement of our ACW, in the preparation and serving of the regular fall lasagna dinner takeout on September 28th, with its usual success.

Sunday, October 13th, our church creative team adorned the altar for Thanksgiving, with vegetables and fruit, to mark the season of harvest and in thanksgiving for our abundance. But most importantly, this was done to inspire us to share our bounty with those less fortunate.

In the absence of Canon Noel, who was on a mission elsewhere that day, Archdeacon Greg Mercer led us in thankful worship, delivering both the biblical and human interest story of Thanksgiving, as well as directing the ukulele band in an appropriate Thanksgiving melody and song.

Donations have generously poured in which afford us well stocked tables for the flea market on October 26th. We are already in the stages of preparation for the fall market and the holly tea, scheduled for November 16th and early December respectively.

This could not be accomplished, however, without the help of our congregation, who volunteer and work as a team together for the glory of God.

“Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.”

Psalm 110: 3 (New King James Version)

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