Ford Matchim’s column is one that I have had regular feedback about, and it’s always been positive. Readers have enjoyed his Reasonable and Probable Grounds to Believe column from the beginning, and he’s been a total pleasure to work with. I wish him all good things for the future, and am thankful for all that he’s done for Anglican Life over the years.

The Rev’d Jonathan Rowe is also stepping back from his role as a columnist. From the monthly statistics that I get from our website, I know that his columns are very widely read, and from emails that I’ve received, I know that they have been very much appreciated. My thanks to him for all of the thought-provoking columns. As his wife, it feels self-serving to “wish him well,” but I know that he’ll succeed in whatever the next chapter will be.

Happy summer to all the readers of Anglican Life. I hope that you all enjoyed this issue; it was fun to put together, and it has so many good stories from our Church in NL, and great columns in it too. See you in September!

The post Thank you to two columnists who are leaving Anglican Life appeared first on Anglican Life.

After work began on improving accessibility within the building, a temporary labyrinth was outlined on the floor of the south transept. Although it was small, it established energy and presence at the Cathedral, and a few people walked it. Also during this time, an outside labyrinth was built in the garden.

Connections with Veriditas (https://www.veriditas.org/), a nonprofit organization, led to a partnership with the Legacy Labyrinth Project (LLP) (https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/). The LLP began in 2013 with an aim to integrate the impact of the labyrinth experience with global peace and healing, bringing together labyrinth builders, supporters, and communities around the globe. The Cathedral now serves as the steward of the 9th labyrinth in this international partnership. This aligns with the “Strategic Set Sail Ship” “Transforming Discipleship,” and progresses our parish goal “to offer an exploration of alternate forms of spiritual contemplation and meditation through the Cathedral at Night Series and the installation of the Labyrinth”.

With the light shining in from the Fisherman’s Windows in early April, a 7-circuit, Chartres-styled labyrinth was created by master labyrinth builder and designer Lisa Gidlow Moriarty (www.pathsofpeace.com). Our labyrinth’s theme of “Ocean Health” symbolizes a journey toward ecological awareness and renewal. The official dedication of the labyrinth is scheduled for Sunday, September 29th, 2024, with a promise to draw people from near and far to share in the celebration and dedication service.

On May 4th, 2024, the Cathedral invited the community to come and walk the labyrinth. World Labyrinth Day is an annual event sponsored by The Labyrinth Society (TLS) https://labyrinthsociety.org/. Every year, on the first Saturday in May, thousands of people around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and celebration of the labyrinth experience. Participants “Walk as One at 1” local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next. Guided by a spirit of gratitude and peace, visitors began their journey through the labyrinth at the cathedral. All were presented with a sticker or button as a keepsake/reminder of their participation.

The cathedral is committed to building dynamic labyrinth programming for public and parish alike. This commitment is in keeping with its mission statement: to deliver ministry and outreach that meets people’s needs; and to nurture respect for all of God’s creation and, as a parish, take an active role in environmental stewardship. Planning is now underway for World Oceans Day on June 8th, 2024, promising further exploration of the labyrinth’s theme.

For more information on upcoming events and the labyrinth experience, visit our website https://ourcathedral.ca/labyrinth/. Join us on the labyrinth as we embark on a journey of reflection, connection, and reverence of our world.

The post Cathedral of St. John the Baptist’s Labyrinth appeared first on Anglican Life.

The imagery used by Jesus to describe the relationship between us and him and God is very trinitarian in its nature. God is indeed the vine grower. Jesus is the vine. We are the branches. If you have ever been to France or to the Niagara area of Ontario, you would be very familiar with vineyards. There are rows upon rows upon rows of vines which produce grapes. The grapes are used for eating, and used for the making of wine. Often branches are grafted into vines in order to produce the best possible grape for market. The production of such fruit is not an easy task, and it takes work. In order to have a good grape, the grape needs to be firmly connected to the bunch, the bunch needs to be connected to the branch, the branch needs to be connected to the vine, and the vine needs to be deeply rooted in the soil in order for the root system to take in the best of the nutrients and water to help in the assistance of photosynthesis (the process by which plants make food from the light of the sun). It all takes work. The other thing that takes as much work as working a vineyard is being the Church of Jesus Christ.

The Church—whether it be institutional or not—the Church takes work. One evening, a family invited their pastor to their home for a meal, and of course the family had a little Johnny. Of course little Johnny had a way with words. In making conversation with the family, the pastor asks little Johnny the question of what he wants to be when he grows up. Little Johnny answers by saying: “Reverend, I want to be like you because you only work one day of a week and; you got six days off.”

What happens in our congregations and parishes in the times we gather for worship, if anything, is a finished product. It takes time, it takes devotion, it takes prayer, it takes a whole slew of many things for 11 am on a Sunday morning to take shape. Yet it also takes a lot of work and a lot of patience to do the things that need to be done during the week. There are times when you can plan a week of doing things that you would like to do, and a phone call on a Tuesday evening during the supper hour can chuck those plans out the window.

Yet, there is something else that takes more work to keep healthy than the Church is our own relationships with God. We need to make sure that we are connected to the vine. Just as our relationships with other people take work, so too does our relationship with God; our relationship with Jesus takes work, and what needs to happen most of all is that we need to have a good connection to Jesus.

I think if Jesus were to teach such a saying in our own time, he would probably say something like the following:

• I am the charger, you are the tablet
• I am the charger, you are the iPad
• I am the charger, you are the cell phone
• I am the charger, you are the Fitbit

None of these things work unless they have a good connection to the very source which gives them power and/or battery life in order to work. Well, guess what? The same can be applicable to us as members of the Jesus Movement. How are we connected to him? How is your connection to him? Do you need to be plugged into him? Just as looking after the African violet for years took work, and so too does our relationship with God. So, I ask you: How is your connection? How is your battery life? What percentage of battery life do you have until you need to be plugged-in to the source of all life so that you can be charged and go and do what it is that the source of all life is calling you to do and to be? How is your connection to Jesus?

Well, no matter what percentage of battery life you may have, no matter the technological challenges that you may have, the worshipping community is the right place to begin order to get your battery charged. You have come to the right place in order to be connect to the source of energy, the source of all life. Not only is he found in the vine, but he is found in this place in bread and wine, and once we consume that in which He Is found we become Him in the world to others and for others. So, how is your connection?

I invited you to connect to him, in connecting to Jesus it will take work but the work will produce something great, something that will be fruitful not only for you, but for the kingdom as well. We are called to be good fruit; we are called to be the sweetness of God in this world, but in order to do that we need to be connected. Therefore, connect to God today and keep working to make sure that such a connection is not disconnected from the ultimate source.

The post The Vine and The Branches—African Violet Style appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post Palm Sunday Outreach appeared first on Anglican Life.

For me, the first signs of spring aren’t the changes in the weather but the sounds of birds in my backyard. The little starlings and robins begin singing as soon as the majority of the snow is gone. In April and May, these tiny birds sing loud and clear as they hang out on the power wires behind my house. They also pitch on my clothesline and sing to each other—calling out, I assume, to their mates. My neighbours’ house has some lattice that drops down from the roof. The birds see this lattice as a perfect place for nests to keep their eggs safe. As a result, for weeks, as these birds tend their nests, I can hear birdsong late into the morning. The birds’ songs can be heard inside my house even with the tv on!

These tiny birds return every year to my clothesline, sing their hearts out and once the babies can fly, they are gone until the next year! These little creatures always find their way back. Even though our Newfoundland winters vary in length and severity, the birds return to the same spot and usually at the same time. I assume the birds fly south for the coldest winter months, but their instinct is always to come back to where they were born and raised. How wonderful for us that these creatures instinctually return every year and as a result, we are blessed with their presence.

The tiny birds will only put their nests where they feel the safest. One bird always stays with the nest while the other forages for food. When the nest is being built, each bird brings back twigs and grasses to create a fluffy spot for the eggs to rest and mature. The birds dedicate themselves to the next generation to ensure the baby birds can grow up and continue the species. When I hear the birds return, a sense of hope and renewal lifts my soul—I always feel a sense of “lightness” and no matter how hard the winter months have been, the birdsong makes everything feel better!

So why am I nostalgic about birds in my column for Anglican Life?

For me, as a Christian, I get the same sense of well being within my church family. My church family is nurturing. It is comforting. My church family feeds my soul the way the little starling feeds her chicks. I rely on those at church to help me when I’m at my weakest. If I miss church services, someone always checks on me to see that I’m ok. Walking into a church service, I am always greeted by my church family members. They have smiles and are genuinely happy to see me. Even though I have a close relationship with my siblings and mother, those at church provide another level of comfort and closeness which can’t be found anywhere else.

This article is the last until September. I know many of you reading this will spend a lot of time at your summer places and away from your regular church homes. Please remember that every church has a family, and all church families will welcome you in the summer. While on vacation this year, drop in to your regular church family, or visit one you haven’t been into before—fellow Christians will nurture you no matter where you are from, and like the starlings and robins, they will feed you spiritually and in some cases physically, because you are part of God’s great family!

God bless you all this summer and may you continue to be nourished by his love.

The post Birdsong appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post Confirmation class raises money for school breakfast program, giving to the community, and taking care of their neighbours 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.

What people don’t often consider is that I actually wear two other hats, aside from the fedora.

The first is the one most are familiar with: the spiritual hat. I am a priest: the spiritual guide of the people I serve. I am called to guide and advise people on matters of faith, worship, and theological doctrine. To that end, I will now wear that hat, and give a little advice as we enter into the summer months.

Churches generally see low attendance during the summer. Many regular parishioners are away or otherwise engaged in the nice warm weather, enjoying whatever the brief respite from cold which pervades the rest of the year. Services still happen. Even if the priest is taking holidays there is often a deacon or licensed lay minister joyfully leading worship. But the number of people in the pews tends to be noticeably less than at other times (which, in some parishes, is already very low).

Does our spiritual life go on hiatus when the sun shines? Does a holiday from work, or a summer getaway mean that we need to getaway from church life as well? I would think not. Therefore, my advice is this: go to church this summer. If you’re still near home, keep going to church. If you’re away, find a local church wherever you are and attend that one. Not only will it sustain and enrich your spiritual life during the summer, but it will also encourage the spiritual life of those who lead or attend services every Sunday and feel the loneliness of those empty pews (and also give the joy of seeing new people visiting the church).

Okay, that’s one hat. Now for the other, lesser-known hat. This is the hat that many priests (myself included) feel less comfortable wearing. It’s the hat of church administration. Particularly, those aspects which involve finances. It’s uncomfortable because it often feels crass, worldly, and far removed from the spiritual calling to which we feel drawn. Nonetheless, it is an important hat, and one which we must wear. And wear without discomfort, for after all, our model is Christ, who faced questions and issues of finances boldly and without shame. So here is my advice:

Do not forget your church this summer. There’s a good chance things are tight right now. Winter is usually an expensive time, with heating costs and snow clearing. Insurance payments are probably due. Most churches are probably hoping that there was enough left in the bank after last year to cover costs until the fall, when donations usually take an upswing. But that’s not always the case. And even if it is, it’s probably a close thing.

And the bills still need to be paid. Each September most church vestries meet to have mild heart attacks as they look over the income/expense reports, trying to remind themselves that things will improve as they approach Christmas (assuming nothing goes wrong).

So please, take some time to make arrangements to keep your giving reliable throughout the summer. Help ease the worries and the burden your church may be facing. And, if you can afford it, why not give a little to support whatever church you’re visiting this summer? I’m sure it will help them still be there next year too.

So, there you have it. I’ve worn my two hats for this article. I hope they’ve inspire you to make a difference this summer, both for yourself and your church. Now I’m going to go put on my fedora, and hope it doesn’t blow off in the wind. God bless you!

The post Summer Church: Advice From A Priest With Many Hats appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post Meadows Hosts Successful Dinner Theatre appeared first on Anglican Life.

For the past three years, Rev’d Owen also served as Diocesan Chaplain, a ministry he thoroughly enjoyed and says, “where he found his true calling.” Glenys Holwell served for over 21 years as a lay minister at St. Paul’s, and would often accompany Rev’d Owen when serving in the other churches in the parish, or when on pastoral visits. She also sang in the choir for over 40 years. Both were very devoted and faithful in service and ministry. During the service, certificates were presented to both Rev’d Owen and Glenys on behalf of Bishop John Watton. Following the service, members of the parish, along with others from the community and area gathered for a wonderful meal in the church hall in thanksgiving for their ministry, and to mark the occasion of their retirement . We give thanks for their many years of faithful service and ministry, and the much good they did both in the parish and diocese; and wish them much blessing now in their retirement. We give thanks for all who came out to make this such a memorable occasion for them.

The post Rev’d Owen and Glenys Holwell appeared first on Anglican Life.