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Without wanting to spoil anyone’s well-deserved downtime, it is worth remembering that food insecurity, wars, and other conflicts and natural disasters don’t take vacations; long after the story has faded from the front sections of our news sources and our own minds, the needs of women, men, children, and the rest of creation continue unabated. And, of course, there will likely be new crises as the 2026 wildfire season ramps up.

One story that we haven’t heard much about for several months is Hurricane Melissa and the massive damage it inflicted upon Jamaica last fall. From our partners in Jamaica we have learned that after hurricane made landfall, the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands immediately put its emergency response into action supporting urgent needs. Alongside Hope and other Anglican agencies met with the diocese to see what help and support would be useful as it recovered. Donations began pouring in.

The earliest needs identified across the affected western regions of the country were access to drinkable water, food, and temporary shelter materials such as tarpaulins. Many communities were difficult to reach due to damaged roads, unstable terrain, and blocked access routes. To address this, the Diocesan Task Force established satellite distribution points in the most affected regions, enabling teams to reach remote and underserved communities that were otherwise inaccessible.

With communication infrastructure severely disrupted, church congregations became critical information hubs. Church members relayed updates, often through sporadic mobile signals or messages sent via community contacts, which were essential for guiding Task Force decisions. These timely field reports helped identify urgent hotspots, prioritize areas where support was most needed, and inform the deployment of supplies and personnel. Local congregations served as trusted access points for communities. Their established relationships made it easier to identify vulnerable households, verify needs, and ensure that assistance was delivered safely and respectfully. In many cases, congregations also provided temporary storage, meeting spaces, and staging areas for relief operations.

Church volunteers formed the backbone of the operational response. They sorted, packaged, and labeled care items; loaded vehicles; and supported deliveries to remote and hard-to-reach communities. Their willingness to work long hours under demanding conditions significantly reduced logistical costs and enabled the Diocese to expand the speed and geographical reach of distribution efforts. With additional supplies and support made available from the local and overseas partners, the immediate needs for food, water, and personal care items were largely met.

Now, attention has gradually shifted to the more long-term concern of shelter. The Diocese recognized that tarpaulins, while useful for emergency shelters, were insufficient in the face of continued rainfall and high winds. As a result, plans for the construction of permanent shelters have begun and this will take significant human and financial resources to accomplish.

The Jamaica Emergency Appeal that Alongside Hope established back in the fall remains active and accepting donations, either online at:
https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E344492QE&id=113, by telephone at 1-866-308-7973, or by mail to 80 Hayden Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2. And, please, continue to pray for the resilient people of Jamaica as they attempt to rebuild their homes and their lives.

Your parish might like to organize a summer fundraiser specifically for Jamaica, or for Alongside Hope more generally. Summer is a great time to do something like this while many regular church activities are on a break. Personally, you may wish to consider becoming a member of Partners in Hope, the name given to our band of monthly donors. Let’s try to grow this group into a strong partnership that will allow Alongside Hope to know where its next dollar is coming from and respond more quickly as needs arise.

May God bless you all with a time of rest and refreshment this summer.

Donate to Alongside Hope’s Jamaica Emergency appeal. Give online or by phone at. Or you can mail a cheque to Alongside Hope, 80 Hayden Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 3G2. Please indicate “Jamaica” in the memo field.

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However, this year, all parishes in our community—and indeed most of Eastern Newfoundland—suffered an interruption to this special worship. Due to a severe winter snowstorm on February 18th, the ceremony had to be rescheduled. A similar weather event on Sunday, February 22nd, necessitated a second cancellation. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, Canon Jotie was able to livestream the sermon from his home.

During the forty days of Lent, Canon Jotie delivered an appropriate lesson each Wednesday and Sunday leading up to Easter Day on April 5th. Each delivery was focussed on the Light of the World, while at the same time recognizing the brokenness and God’s grace and mercy in prayerful healing and restoration.

On Tuesday, March 31st, our ACW ladies assembled and held a 7:00 pm service, which was arranged by president Betty Hiscock in compliance with our regular Lenten celebrations.

The Good Friday service on April 3rd, was focused on the Stations of the Cross. The line of parishioners, led by Canon Jodie, marched, then stopped to acknowledge each station, and read an applicable scriptural passage for each one. It was a special time for those who witnessed and participated in this rich tradition.

With snow in the air and flurries on the ground, we gathered at 7:00 am on Easter Sunday to welcome the morning with the Service of Light, New Fire, and Holy Eucharist, followed by the traditional Easter breakfast downstairs.

Then at 10:30 am, all the parishioners who were present, engaged in the Renewal of Baptismal Vows and Holy Eucharist.

It was a rewarding finale to the forty days of Lent, and the birth of another Easter Day.

Then God said, Let there be Light.
And there was Light.
– Genesis 1:3

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Reports were made on some groups who meet weekly for fellowship, a meal, and to take part in various service projects. The discussion was inspiring, and while the group hopes to attract younger men into their midst, they are pleased to report that some good things are happening. The Association’s objective is to promote fellowship among men throughout all parishes, and they would be pleased visit or discuss the idea in greater detail with anyone interested.

On this occasion, the men took part in a meeting followed by a soup and sandwich lunch. Brian O’Connell, the well known radio personality, came and gave a very informative talk on his experience with prostate cancer, and the importance of early detection. The day ended with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The Association is planning another event in October. For further information contact DAMA President Gerry Budden at 709-744-1991, or email:
buddengerald431@gmail.com

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Nearly 100 people came to St. Peter’s Church in Upper Gullies on April 8th to hear a special talk by Ann Marie Hagen on the Topic: “The Healing Power of Forgiveness.”

Ann Marie was witness to the murder of her father in Kingman’s Cove on the Southern Shore, by a neighbour who was experiencing a Schizophrenic episode, in 1979. The neighbour was committed to the Waterford Hospital in St. John’s, received effective drug treatment, and was eventually released into community housing in 1996. At that time, she met and forgave him, and pledged to be an advocate for him. He passed away in 2016.

Ann Marie’s story was retold on an episode of CBC’s “Land and Sea.”

Her message is very profound, and it speaks loudly to the healing power of forgiveness: how she was able to turn hate into acceptance and forgiveness.

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The decision to close the parish after sixty-three years in existence evolved from a process of discernment involving all parishioners over the past three years. In recent years, the parish had experienced a significant decline in membership to the point that it no longer had sufficient funds to support full-time clergy or to carry out its mission to promote outreach, fellowship, learning, and growing together as a parish. The decline in the number of worshippers and income also resulted in it becoming extremely challenging to make much-needed repairs on the aging building.

The parish had become a “senior congregation” of faithful worshippers, clearly realizing—as one lady expressed—”we are older, small in numbers, and we cannot do the things we did in the past.” The once-vibrant church community was simply no longer able to involve themselves in leading and managing the many ministries they had enjoyed participating in during years gone by. Over the past three years, the church lost its Men’s Group, Craft Group, ACW, and other services and ministries.

In May 2023, the Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, Samuel Rose, appointed Archdeacon Greg Mercer and Archdeacon Edward Keeping to the Parish of St. Augustine on a shared half-time basis. At that time, the parish entered into a period of discernment to consider the situation facing them: fewer worshippers, a significantly decreased level of income, and minimal community engagement and outreach. Archdeacon Greg Mercer completed his tenure at the church in September 2024. The Bishop then appointed Archdeacon Keeping to a half-time position as Priest-in-Charge, and the discernment process continued.

In the fall of 2025, parishioners were informed of the parish’s situation, and following extensive discussion and feedback, the vestry made a motion to “write the Bishop and ask him to dissolve the parish.” This motion was accepted by the vestry, and a letter was forwarded to the Bishop. A congregational meeting was called with the Bishop present on Sunday, February 1st, 2026. The Bishop listened to members of the congregation as they shared that they were ready to move forward with closing the parish. The congregation accepted the recommendation of the vestry that the church be deconsecrated and secularized.

Following this meeting with Bishop Sam, a letter was shared with the congregation indicating that the church would hold its last service on Sunday, April 5th, 2026. Having accepted this decision, the vestry decided to hold a Closing Banquet of Thanksgiving on Saturday, April 11th, 2026. This was a time to acknowledge the parish’s journey from its humble beginnings, celebrating in Brinton Memorial School in Churchill Park in 1963, to the first service celebrated in the then newly constructed St. Augustine’s Church on March 4th, 1969, to the present time. The banquet was an opportunity for thanksgiving, praise, and celebration. All present acknowledged the church’s history, the faithful clergy, and the dedicated ministry of the laity and all who called St. Augustine’s their spiritual home for the past sixty-three years.

On Sunday, April 12th, 2026, the Parish of St. Augustine of Canterbury was officially closed and secularized. While this was a somber and sad occasion for many, parishioners are accepting of this decision, having participated in a prayerful and rational process of discernment. As parishioners move forward to find their new places of worship, they are assured—as stated in the Liturgy for the Closing and Secularization of a Consecrated Building—that they are “comforted by the knowledge that the presence of God is not tied to any place or building.”

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At the ACW meeting of March 10th, our group gathered at the church hall in fellowship and prayer in an effort to plan fundraisers to meet our many commitments before the season stealthily comes to a close, with spring around the corner and summer approaching.

Before preparation starts for this busy time ahead, the course will be altered momentarily to pamper the women of the parish with a Quiet Day filled with enjoyable activities.

We will invite ACW members from other active parishes to participate, which is customary. This activity affords us the pleasure of interaction with other faiths outside our own church. We likewise reciprocate and acknowledge our neighbouring churches.

This has been scheduled to get underway during the last week in March—just before our two major fundraisers: a lasagna take-out in April and a chicken dinner in May. These fundraisers will enable our association to continue supporting much-needed charitable organizations.

When all these various proposed activities come to fruition, our ACW ladies will enjoy a short reprieve during the months of July and August.

We hope that more younger women will join us to participate in church activities. However, in today’s world, many are often too involved with work and family commitments. We hope that since the seed is sown in baptism, that seed will help germinate and eventually evolve into the spiritual commitment of more young families returning to church.

Then Peter said, silver and gold
I do not have, but what I do have,
I give to you.

– Acts 3: 6.

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On the streets of St. John’s, a bus is now doing more than moving people from place to place. Outfitted with cabinets, counter space, and supplies for daily outreach, the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador’s mobile wellness platform is on the road—bringing meals, basic care, and human connection directly to those who need it most.

The initiative emerged in response to urgent, visible need.

“In 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador experienced one of its coldest winters in recent history,” writes The Rev’d Canon Amanda Taylor, Canon for Justice and Peace. “As a result, many people were concerned for those in our community experiencing homelessness.”

The question that followed was a practical one: “What can we do to help fill this gap?”

The answer, now operating as the Community Connector, is rooted in presence as much as service. Taylor explains the bus offers “daily meals, housing support, basic health care, assistance with government documentation, clean needle supply, and distribution of personal hygiene items,” alongside something less tangible but equally essential—“a safe and welcoming space for street-involved individuals to access holistic wellness and community connections.”

For Bishop Samuel Rose, the ministry reflects both local experience and a broader theological commitment. “This initiative embodies the Church’s call to serve the marginalized and build inclusive communities where all are valued.”

The project is also deeply collaborative. Developed in conversation with outreach agencies, advocacy groups, and government partners, the initiative builds on existing work across the city while extending its reach.

“Our partnerships with organizations like End Homelessness St. John’s, and various outreaches underscore the collaborative spirit of this ministry,” Bishop Rose says.

With the bus now in operation, the program is supported by a combination of diocesan funding, community partnerships, and a $15,000 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC), awarded in 2025. That investment situates the Community Connector within a broader national shift in how AFC is supporting ministry across the country.

“In recent years, community ministries have become an increasing priority in the Foundation’s grant awards,” says Dr. Scott Brubacher, Executive Director of AFC. “In 2025, they represented approximately half of all grants awarded nationwide, reflecting a growing emphasis on projects that extend beyond church buildings and into direct engagement with local needs.”

Brubacher adds that, like the mobile wellness ministry in Anglican East NL, these initiatives often take shape through partnerships with health providers, social service agencies, and community organizations, and are rooted in long-term presence rather than short-term response.

From mobile outreach in Newfoundland to parish-based community hubs, newcomer support programs, and Indigenous–settler partnerships in other regions, AFC’s investments are helping to reimagine how the Church participates in community life across Canada.

For Taylor, the vision is both immediate and enduring. “We envision a society where no individual is left behind or overlooked,” she writes. “Through our mobile wellness platform, we strive to create a safe and welcoming place for street-involved individuals to access holistic wellness, build connections, and regain hope for a brighter future.”

Now on the streets of St. John’s, that vision is no longer theoretical—it is in motion—one stop at a time.

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