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On September 27th, more than 250 guests arrived at the Upper Island Cove Community Centre to support the St. Peter’s Church, Goods, Services, and Talents (GST) Mission Work project by attending the third GST Dinner Theatre. The Dinner Theatre entails a hot turkey dinner, a collaboration of music from musicians of all ages within the parish and by friends of the parish, and of course, a vibrant comedic play centred on life in the town of Upper Island Cove from days gone by, performed by parishioners of the parish. The GST involves an online auction followed by the Dinner Theatre and is truly a celebration of goods, services, and talents local to our town and region with all hands coming together to use their gifts to support our parish. It takes many months of preparation and so many volunteers working together to make the GST online auction and Dinner Theatre a success. Only time will tell if the crew aboard the S.S. Medda (i.e., Meadow, a name place of the town of Upper Island Cove in true phonological form) sets sail to the coast of Labrador once more.

In response to the devastating North Shore wildfires this past summer, the Parish of Upper Island Cove was moved to love thy neighbour and is currently sponsoring a family who lost their home and all their belongings during the fires. This outreach mission work project was named, the “North Shore Wildfire Faith in Action” project. The project began in October and will continue until early November. The response to this project—while inexhaustive at this writing—has been remarkable. Resources shared thus far include generous donations from both churches from the Parish of Upper Island Cove and many faithful parishioners within the parish. A strong intention was to include the children of our faith community in this mission work. The J.A., C.L.B., and Sunday School programs are currently running a “Toonie Drive” where all donations collected will go towards the purchase of replacing favourite books, art, and baking supplies—activities the children identified as ones they enjoy doing with their family. It is our hope to bring a smile to these children during a difficult time in their lives, to give to them the spirit of God’s love, and to provide the children of our faith community an opportunity to live the Word, do God’s work, love their neighbour, and be the good they wish to see in the world. Support for this project has extended beyond a parish level and heartwarmingly includes a generous donation on behalf of the Upper Island Cove Volunteer Fire Department at the fifty-third Annual Upper Island Cove Fireman’s Ball. Our local volunteer firefighters were part of the emergency response effort to protect the communities along the North Shore during the wildfires. To receive such generous support to the parish in this mission work from a team of brave people who sacrificed so much during this unprecedented natural disaster is a clear example of deep divinity that comes from engaging partnerships in our community.

In 2022, the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador launched a strategic planning project led by Bishop Sam Rose called, “Set Sail: Charting the Course for Christ’s Church.” It is my hope reviewing the past couple of month’s parish activity captured in this article demonstrates strong examples of the Word “Setting Sail” in the Parish of Upper Island Cove: Strategic action of gifts of stewardship within our communities; dedication to serving the church community by bringing the church out of the church and into community-centric practice; deepening relationships with volunteerism and mission work, parishioners, and friends of the parish; and engaging community partnerships with community organizations, local businesses, and people collaborating to support our mission and outreach work. By embracing the core truth of the Living Word in big or small ways, whether that is smiling at a stranger, cooking the turkey for a dinner theatre, or organizing a call-to-action mission project, living the Faith of the Living Word is an everyday choice that transforms our relationship with the divine, and our perception of the world to one of the peace of Christ Consciousness. I conclude with the final verse of “Break Thou the Bread of Life” which sums up the healing power of practicing the Living Word, “Bless Thou the truth dear Lord, to me, to me. As Thou didst bless the bread in Galilee. Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall. And I shall find my peace, my all in all.”

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In my time in parish ministry, when I preside on Christmas Day, The Book of Common Prayer is the liturgy of choice, and I do so in the early morning celebration version of no hymns and no sermon; just the straight-forward liturgy beginning on page 67 and ending on page 85. No matter the liturgy used on Christmas Day, the gospel reading appointed for the day is John 1. There is much richness in the words of Christmas Day. In reality, because people are caught up in the other things of Christmas and not in the worship of God, people do not get the beauty of what it is and get caught up in the story that they are used to hearing in the proclamation of Luke 2. Yet in John 1, we are given this: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

As much as Christmas is seen as a joyous time, it is not a joyous time for everyone. Hence the reason why I always offer the celebration of the Eucharist on Christmas Day because Christmas Eve is not for everyone because of their feelings and emotions. There are those who would rather not be in the noise and bustle of Christmas Eve worship but rather the quiet and contemplative atmosphere of Christmas Day. The thing about Christmas Day is that we do indeed celebrate the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.

Christmas this year will certainly be different for me, as this is the first Christmas since the passing of my mom earlier this year. Yet the one thing I know that will unite me to her, and to those who have gone before me in faith, is the Eucharist on Christmas Day. Just as it is the feeling at every celebration of the Eucharist, we join with those who have gone before us in faith in celebrating that which we call mystery. As much as it may seem dark for those this year who have not had an easy year, the light of Christ is a reality. The light of Christ, the birth of the child Jesus, born in the poorest of places, yet the greatest of Kings—is a reality of light shining in the darkness.

This Christmas, may you find the light that you are longing for in your heart and in your soul, and know that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.

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It was planned by The Rev’d Charlie Cox, rector of the Parish of Grand Bank and the Parish of Fortune-Lamaline, and The Rev’d Robin Trevors, rector of the Grand Falls-Windsor-Bishops Falls Parish.

Rev’d Trevors facilitated the conference.He explained, “Charlie and I have been trying to set up this for the last two years, a ‘faith enrichment program’ for men of the Deanery.”

Rev’d Trevors outlined the focus of the weekend. “I chose the theme, ‘Yesterday, Today, and Forever’ for the weekend gathering, looking at the divinity of Christ and how He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

He added that it was also an opportunity for introspection for the men to look within.

“The weekend gave us the opportunity to look at our lives in the light of yesterday, today, and forever: not only our personal lives, but also our church lives and make a correlation of what we were, who we are, where we are heading, and how we are going to get there.”

Rev’d Trevors said he felt the men were blessed. “The music has touched their hearts very deeply and I think the experience they had was a very positive one.”

One participant, Tom Banfield, agreed entirely with that assessment.

“The leader opened up to us who God is and what He means to us. He challenged us to look at ourselves in comparison to what God has to offer. I, for one, went away looking at God regarding where I am in my spiritual thoughts; my heart was blessed when I left church Friday night.”

Banfield added, “The second day of the conference showed us again that God is one we can depend on, a God who loves us and leads us day by day. All He asks of us is that we would surrender ourselves to Him and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us from day to day.”

Rev’d Cox summed up his feelings on the weekend this way. “The energy in the room during the men’s weekend was very encouraging and inspiring. The gathering gave us the opportunity to not only fellowship with one another but also to reflect on who we are as people of God.”

All the delicious meals were prepared by the Anglican Church Women of Fortune, and Grand Bank.

The weekend ended with a joint service at All Saints’ in Fortune, with Rev’d Trevors as guest preacher.

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I think the Church needs to pay attention. Right now, Toronto Blue Jays fans are unifying the masses in a way the Church could only ever hope to do. They are better evangelists than the Church could ever hope to produce. And the dedication these athletes are eliciting is beyond anything any priest could ever expect.

Are these parallels superficial and over-simplified? Absolutely. But as Church leaders and Church goers, we must pay attention to what unifies us—not to mimic those things, but to understand what our fellow neighbours need. What this moment in times tells me is that what they need right now is a reminder that all hope is not lost, that there are ways for us to love each other, and that there is still meaning to be found in our lives.

By the grace of God, we have a chance to do that this Advent. In preparing for the coming of Jesus, we meditate on the meaning and character of hope. Which is the feeling we have in anticipation of the coming of Jesus and after his birth. Hope is also the person, Jesus, come to earth to reconcile all things to himself. All hope is not lost because Christ made a promise to us that there is a future without pain and suffering. In remembering Jesus’s birth, we witness love in its purest form, that of a child, and we commit to embodying that love in our lives. Christ’s sacrificial love empowers us to love one another. In waiting in expectation during Advent, we rediscover the meaning of the coming of the Messiah—a declaration of love to the entire world which is characterized by the defeat of death. The meaning in our lives comes from Christ’s promise of eternal life.

We have the message the world longs to hear. Let’s make sure we preach it this Advent Season. And let’s keep honouring what brings our people joy. Because it is in this listening and learning that we can hear the voice of God. We can learn from this moment in time. People want and need to hope and love and find meaning. Our calling is to teach them how to do these things year-round, not just during the World Series. I pray that Advent reinvigorates us for this task, which has become more important than ever.

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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!

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Including how tired one can get.

Fatigue is normal. Yet for the clergy who live in rectories, getting away often requires more effort to separate oneself from everything to recharge.

Thankfully, we have a wonderful continuing education  program to help us find ways to recharge. Within the listings of courses and other development  programs, there is a section all about retreats. I looked through those listings, and after consulting my wife and my bishop, I booked my first non-diocesan retreat of my ministry.

Outside of Newfoundland. Outside of Canada.

I made the journey to the Society of St. John the Evangelist Monastery and Guest House in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Firstly, the international travel and border process was much easier in my experience than one would hear about on the news. Secondly, why Cambridge? Why not something local?

I’ve been a member of the Fellowship of St. John the Evangelist since 2022, and I was familiar with what the Monastery offered. I knew their rhythm, I was familiar with the Brothers, and it felt right.

So, in the middle of June, off I flew, solo, to somewhere I had never been before. Long story short, it’s somewhere I long to now return to.

I initially had no idea what to expect of the retreat itself. I knew it was a renewal retreat for active clergy. I figured I’d likely be the lone Canadian at an American monastery. Thankfully, I was one of three Canadians.

After gathering for the Eucharist, the twelve of us on retreat met with Brother Curtis Almquist, the facilitator. Brother Curtis gave us the schedule, and informed us that these were invitations instead of obligations. We were invited to take part in daily worship (Morning, Communion, Evening, and Compline) and to attend the two group sessions each day, but we didn’t have to.

The retreat was ours to do what we needed to do to recharge. Explore the area, relax on a park bench, take in the monastery’s library, whatever was needed for us. I was initially floored. I expected there to be multiple sessions with notes to be taken, adherence to the routine, and other preconceived notions of a silent retreat.But there was only one expectation: rest and recharge.

I explored Harvard Square and its museums and galleries. I explored the historic Mount Auburn Cemetery. I sat on a bench at JFK Memorial Park multiple times. I enjoyed the peace of the guest house. I immersed myself in the daily liturgies and mealtime fellowship with the Brothers. I had the most encouraging spiritual direction session with one of the Brothers.

And I flew back home with a new outlook on my ministry. Six days away from home, three days of silence, and a whole new outlook.

To my colleagues of excellence in ministry, if you can book a retreat away from the province, do so. Your batteries need the recharge; your soul needs the recharge.

Congregations and parishes: encourage your clergy to retreat for a few days. They need to be at their best for you all.  And if you can friends, clergy and laity alike, I recommend retreating with the SSJE. It quickly became another spiritual home for me.

For more information, visit http://www.ssje.org

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Here in our province, prevailing activities are sometimes controlled by the diversity of weather. At St. John the Evangelist, activities and events, both spiritual and secular, are guided primarily by the church calendar.

Presently, we are into the season of autumn—the most magnificent time of the year before winter makes its debut. We are cognizant of this change when the leaves turn their hue from green to golden yellow and start falling off—hence the expression “fall”. The colourful and magical blanket covering lawns near and far all over the landscape is representative of this phenomenon, proving that October is indeed the fall season at its height.

As soon as everyone emerged and settled in after the summer break, our Church family adapted to activities relevant to this period.

On Tuesday, September 9, the ACW returned to their biweekly fellowship, food, and fundraising as part of outreach to the needy.

On Sunday, October 12th, the creative Altar Guild and Choir teams adorned the altar for thanksgiving with displays of fresh local fruit and vegetables and multiple decorations in thanksgiving of our abundance.

October is also popular for the recognition of All Hallows’—Hallowe’en. However religious connotations are often overlooked when it comes to Hallowe’en celebrations. The event is mostly perceived in a rather secular way by children’s display of pumpkins, ghosts, monster dress ups, and sweet treats.

However, it is not only about ghosts and goblins, but originated as a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer—similar to the harvest thanksgiving in our culture today.

Do you say there are still four months and come the harvest? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest.
-John 4: 35

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