I’ve always known about John: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” We had the Godspell soundtrack when I was a kid, and I used to listen to it a lot. That’s the title of the opening track, and I loved it from the moment I first heard it. It’s uplifting! It’s hopeful!

Isn’t hope what we all need? What we’re all searching for? Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel that we all fight towards, even if it’s a faint glimmer. For Christians, that light is Jesus. The light of Christ is never dull or dimmed. But we are all human, and the things of this world get in the way and can cloud our sight-lines. But the light is never far, and John the Baptist is there, shouting, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29).

And when John sees Jesus and proclaims him to be the Lamb of God, he does what he’s been doing all along: he baptizes his cousin. Sure, he initially says that he should be the one being baptized by Jesus (Matthew 3:14), but Jesus disagrees, and so begins Jesus’ public ministry. This connection to Jesus through our baptisms allows the author of Romans (6:4) to write: “We are therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that … we may too live a new life.”

John is not a comfortable kind of figure. Matthew describes him as wearing clothes made of camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey. Something about John makes me think of an off-the-grid life of today—calling us all to change our consumerist ways, abandon oil and gas, and “get ourselves back to the garden,” to quote the amazing Joni Mitchell. John was never afraid to be who he was called to be—unapologetic in his decision to speak out for what he believed in, and for the laws of God. In fact, the choice to speak up for his beliefs eventually cost him his life.

John the Baptist never stopped pointing to Jesus. His own fame and followers never distracted him from that mission. At university, I was introduced to This is the Record of John, an anthem written by the English composer Orlando Gibbons. The text is taken from John’s Gospel, 1:19–23, in which priests and Levites are sent to question John the Baptist about who he is. John outright denies being the Messiah, never wavering and never tempted to take all the fame for himself. John describes himself simply, saying, “I am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord.”

John the Baptist reminds us that our calling isn’t always to be comfortable, but to be faithful—to prepare the way, even when the path is unclear. We are all encouraged to lift our eyes to the light, to listen for the voice in the wilderness leading to Jesus.

The post A Voice In The Wilderness appeared first on Anglican Life.

On April 11, Bishop John Organ ordained the Rev’d Annie Rose to the priesthood in Isle aux Morts, in the parish of Isle aux Morts, Margaree, Foxroost.

The Rev’d Dr. Bonnie Morgan ordained a priest in Upper Gullies

On April 29, Bishop Samuel Rose ordained the Rev’d Dr. Bonnie Morgan to the priesthood in St. Peter’s Church, Upper Gullies

The post Ordinations appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post Holy Week and Easter preparations at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. John’s appeared first on Anglican Life.

Aside from special Alongside Hope Sundays, there are other ways to help. Some Confirmation classes decide to designate the loose collection at their Confirmation service for Alongside Hope. Other ideas include donating the proceeds from one stall at the parish Spring Sale or Fall Fair to Alongside Hope, or hosting a concert in support of our work.

As the Alongside Hope tagline says, our name has changed; our work remains the same (and one of the new leaflets explains how we chose the new name). With USAID’s recent exit from the Aid and Development sector, the work of other agencies, like Alongside Hope, has become that much more challenging as we try to help fill the gap left by such a wealthy partner. In last month’s column, you read about the new Resilience Fund which seeks to do just that. A very generous and anonymous donor has recently offered to match donations made to the new fund until June 30th, up to $250,000. That’s a wonderful incentive to donate now rather than later. And, as always, donations to Alongside Hope’s equity in the Canada Foodgrains Bank are always matched 4:1 by the Government of Canada. It is always a win when donations are doubled or more. For those who like to see exactly what their donation will be used for, the ever-popular World of Gifts is open year-round for your convenience.

Obviously, the work of development and aid requires financial resources—and lots of them—but Alongside Hope also relies on your prayers and your participation. While each of our three dioceses has a Diocesan Alongside Hope Representative, they need parish reps to help promote the work and raise awareness at the local level. If you would like to know more about this opportunity to be part of the Alongside Hope team, please contact Doreen Klassen in the Western Diocese, Debra Gill in Central, Deborah Pantin in Eastern NL, or speak to your rector. The larger our team is, the greater impact we can make. You can make a difference!

The post New Resources to Help Parishes Help Alongside Hope appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post Sunday School in the Parish of Meadows appeared first on Anglican Life.

For whatever reason, we certainly know how to feast. I have never attended a function of the Church in which food was involved and there was nothing left over. I think that we certainly got the notice to feed five thousand and have twelve baskets of leftovers! Yet the thing that the world could certainly use a feast of in this moment, probably more so than any other time in history, is a feast of love. A feast of love could set aside a lot of the dull and morbid things we hear about in newscasts. A feast of love is something that we could all do with, and the best part about it is that we do not have to worry about calories or weight gain. A feast of love, once we take part in it, is something that is not only life-sustaining but also something that is life-giving. So, the question is, how do we love? We know it is easy to love the people we like, the people who make us happy to be around. But how do we love those that we do not like? How do we love those people who have done us harm? How do we love those people who know how to irritate us the most? The answer to that question is to love like Jesus. As the Emeritus Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, stated: “God’s love is everywhere, in all things, and that includes you.”

As we have just celebrated the best event ever in the history of salvation, namely the resurrection of Jesus, Jesus shows the world how to love when he asked Peter three times the question, “Do you love me?” Three questions of love to cancel the three times of denial. Even in the moments when Jesus was deserted, lonely, imprisoned, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick on the cross, in a post-resurrection moment of tenderness and compassion, Jesus shows how to love those who have treated us wrongly. We are to feast in such love. Not saying that it is easy, because after all, in the love that Jesus shows, it is shown with wounds, and it is in such wounds that we see love at its finest. If Jesus can love with his wounds, then we can love with our wounds as well. Yet, it will take time; but once we take the time to adjust to the wounds, we too can, and will, feast in love.

The post Feast of Love appeared first on Anglican Life.

Due to limited space at the time, a larger structure became necessary, and in 1974, the present building was constructed, consecrated, and opened for occupancy. As the years went by, I witnessed the arrival and departure of more than twenty priests—each leaving behind a legacy of unique and treasured memories.

Perhaps most significantly, I have observed various changes over the years, particularly in the past decade. These changes have not been so much in liturgy, but rather in communication. Social media has accelerated the way information is shared. Yet despite these advancements, we are witnessing a generational gap in church attendance—a trend not unique to our parish in Topsail, but evident across Canada. This shift has not gone unnoticed by our governing church body, which continues to reflect on the future of the Church—and the Church of the future.

We experienced a deep sense of disconnection during the COVID-19 pandemic—not only within our own congregation but also with neighbouring parishes—as online worship became the norm. It was during this period that the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador highlighted the importance of sustainability within the Church, leading to the creation of the Creation Care and Stewardship initiative. The Rev’d Jotie Noel was appointed as a Canon of this new mission, alongside three colleagues.

The congregation was informed of this fresh vision to broaden our Christian ministry, and a recovery plan was set in motion. Subsequent issues of Creation Care and Stewardship have reported encouraging progress. It appears that a welcome transformation is on the horizon for the Church—yet this in no way diminishes the depth and meaning of my personal spiritual journey at St. John the Evangelist over the past sixty years.

“He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” Acts 15: 41

The post The Church of the Future and the Future of the Church appeared first on Anglican Life.

Whenever food is involved, there’s usually an expectation that “the minister” will offer the blessing. I’m always happy to do so. Still, I’ve sometimes wondered: what would happen if I tapped a random person on the shoulder and ushered them toward the microphone instead? (Did your blood pressure spike just a little?) It’s a lighthearted thought, but also a reminder that every Christian—lay or ordained—should be ready to offer a word of thanks, whatever the setting.

Our Anglican tradition gives us a deep appreciation for the formal prayers of the Book of Common Prayer—and rightly so. But Jesus often spoke about the value of simple, heartfelt prayer. He praised humility and warned against showy, performative religiosity (see Matthew 6:5). “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” he taught (Matthew 18:4).

So perhaps a table grace doesn’t need to be complex. Something as honest and simple as, “God, thank you for your goodness, and thank you for this food,” might be just what’s needed.

In the Ash Wednesday Litany of Penitence, we ask forgiveness for “our failure to commend the faith that is in us.” Could a simple, sincere table grace—spoken aloud, in public—be one small way to answer that prayer? Maybe even a way to encourage others to do the same?

Anne Lamott, in her delightful little book Help, Thanks, Wow, offers a guide to this kind of simple prayer. It’s a great read for anyone exploring a more candid, approachable way to speak with God—and a great pick for a church book group.

So, next time someone taps you on the shoulder, what will your table grace be?

Andreas Thiel+

Rector, Parish of Salvage

The post Reflections From The Table appeared first on Anglican Life.

The heart of this issue lies with the concentration of power in the role of the bishop. Both at the diocesan level and through synod voting procedures, this power dynamic sidelines the voices of clergy and laypeople. Despite being the ones most intimately connected with parishioners—the very lifeblood of the Church—these individuals have little real say in decision making.

This is not a truly democratic system. It is a hierarchy that perpetuates control by a small minority, disconnected from the everyday realities of parish life. As long as this imbalance remains unaddressed, the church risks further decline—alienating its base, losing parishioners, and failing to attract new ones.

If the Anglican Church is serious about renewal, it must begin by sharing power. Bishops cannot continue to exercise veto power that overrides the collective wisdom of those working on the ground. Without meaningful reform, the Church’s relevance—and future—remain in jeopardy.

Glynda Seaborn

Corner Brook, NL

The post Letter to the Editor appeared first on Anglican Life.

The post New Server in the Parish of Meadows appeared first on Anglican Life.