The theme: Growing in Faith is rooted in the Epistle reading for February 12, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. It speaks of growing in faith as a child grows and it also emphasizes that while it is God alone who gives the growth, there are many in the community who feed us and mentor as we grow.

Queen’s College is not just a theological college, we are a community of people committed to growing in faith together. Last year we adopted a new vision statement:
Queen’s College is an accepting, responsive, affirming, innovating, empowering community of theological learning and spiritual formation sending forth disciples to help transform society through God’s redeeming love.

We are dependent on the contributions of students, faculty, board members, and the wider community to foster our growth. We need people committed to growing in faith—people who are willing to learn new things and to be daring in their search for faith. And we need folks to mentor them and teach them—willing to one day be the teacher and the next to be the learner. We need folks who share a common vision of transforming society into the kin(g)dom of God, just as Jesus called us to do.

It is daring work and it is important work; it is sometimes difficult and painful, but it is always rewarding.

We are committed to keeping our community accessible to others and so we work diligently to keep our tuition affordable so all those who want to grow in faith have the ability to do so. And this is where you play an important role. We need your continued financial support to do this. We are not government funded—our funding comes from our supporting churches and from individual donors like you. Your contribution is vital if we are to continue this work in this place.

We are the only theological college in our province and we have students from multiple denominations and faith traditions. There is nowhere else that provides the educational and faith opportunities that we do.

People often think that we only train clergy, but actually we run a variety of programs and degrees, and the ordination stream is just one part of what we do. We train lay leaders and those who serve our communities in diverse ways. We are all called to grow in faith, and we are committed to helping you to do that.

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:9, “We are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.” And that is who we are. Each one of us called as a servant; called to community—to work together; called to equip ourselves in whatever ways we can to be God’s field and God’s building. 

Please support Queen’s College in our upcoming appeal.
 – The Rev’d Dr. Joanne Mercer, Provost

THE ASSOCIATE IN THEOLOGY (ATh) program is a course of study designed for people who are interested in increasing their knowledge and appreciation of Christian belief and practice. As well as developing their pastoral skills, this program also provides a theological base for persons assuming leadership and ministry within the life of their faith community. The ATh is a great follow up for anyone who has completed the Diploma Program, and for anyone who might be discerning a call to vocational ministry within the church. Courses completed in this program may also be applied toward the Bachelor of Theology by Distance. Assignments are designed to help students reflect on their own faith journey lived out in community, and how that fits with the bigger story of the church down through the centuries. We offer a variety of courses that explore the biblical, theological, and liturgical foundations of the Christian community. In keeping with technological and social change, ATh course are increasingly exploring ways to use platforms like Google Classroom and Zoom so that students can learn together in community regardless of geographical distance. 

THE DIPLOMA IN THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY is a three-year program that is intended for individuals who are beginning their studies in the areas of theology and ministry. The program introduces participants to the language, overall content, and processes used in the various disciplines of scripture, theology, liturgy, Leadership in the Christian community and pastoral ministry. Just as important is the strong emphasis on creating a community of learners who support one another in their studies. This is accomplished through weekly prayer and student discussion throughout the presentations. 

There is no required reading outside of class, nor are there written assignments or exams. Many of those participating are already involved in a variety of roles in their faith communities. Many are also searching—some for a new understanding of their faith, some for discernment of what they are being called to in these communities, and some for personal interest. 

DEGREE PROGRAMS – Queen’s College offers a variety of degree programs to meet the needs of all those interested in studying theology. For those seeking ordination we have the traditional Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Bachelor of Theology (BTh) Programs. We also offer a Bachelor of Theology by Distance (BTh by Distance) which enables students with official church sponsorship, to build on the ATh and work toward a degree while remaining in their home communities. We also offer a Master of Theological Studies and Master of Theology programs, that focus more on the academic study of theology, both programs offer the option of writing a thesis. Queen’s College is a diverse learning community. Our students, faculty, and staff come from a wide variety of faith traditions and cultural backgrounds. Thanks to technology we also gather from across the country, as well as from other parts of the world. 

A WORD FROM SOME CURRENT STUDENTS…

“Through Queen’s Diploma Program of Theology and Ministry, I have found answers to my initial ministry questions as well as more questions. The concept of a rolling admission to the program, the knowledgeable guest professors/speakers, and the use of technology to have us in a virtual classroom are supported by Dr. Carmel Doyle’s energy, wisdom, and dedication to the program.
Although all of my classmates are in Newfoundland and I live in New Brunswick, we are together each week through Zoom. Moreover, I was delighted when Nancy H. reached out to say she was coming to New Brunswick one summer. We were able to meet face to face, and plan to do so again.
Queens Diploma Program…is the time/place where I became part of a family that offers support for one another by messaging one another between sessions, sharing information on religion/spirituality, and expressing our needs for prayer.  The program offers a safe place to question, to explore, and to share in the way.”

-Lynda

“Student life at Queens College is rich and fulfilling. The Queen’s environment is such that students develop a love and loyalty towards the college that continues long after student life has finished.
Faculty and staff are dedicated to the Christian values of loving, supportive community and all who enter are accepted for who they are and wherever they are on life’s journey. Christian values are modelled and students work together in a caring, nonjudgmental environment. They share meals, laughter, troubles, conversation, and debate. They participate in social justice activities outside the college and work to create a fairer world.
There is a personal  transformation that occurs while attending Queen’s that enriches the lives of all. Students generally leave as more loving, caring, and perceptive inhabitants of our world. What more can you ask? Queen’s College rocks! Go Queens, go!”

-Karen

FROM THE THREE BISHOPS OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR…

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT QUEEN’S COLLEGE? 

•You can look at their website at www.queenscollegenl.ca
•Like and follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/queenscollegenl

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE WORK OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE?

•On Sunday February 12, your local Anglican church in Newfoundland and Labrador will have envelopes for the 2023 Queen’s
  College appeal for you to use
•Go to the website (see above) and make an online donation
•You can contact Queen’s directly and ask them how you can support them at (709) 753-0116

The post Queen’s College 2023 Appeal–Growing in Faith appeared first on Anglican Life.

With each new beginning there are new plans, new hopes, new possibilities.

And I love a new beginning—a new start. It is sort of like when your computer, phone, or tablet acts up, and you press restart and (most times) all gets sorted and you begin again. And I love this about our life of faith; we have restarts built into our liturgical year with Advent and Lent in particular, but we also have built into each liturgy when we confess our sins—the things done and undone—and share the peace of a fresh start.

Life at Queen’s College is also full of new beginnings and fresh starts. This Advent we will be doing a weekly podcast on the lectionary with invited guests sharing their thoughts on the readings and possibilities for preaching. “The (Be)coming of the Lord: Preaching the Promise and Challenge of Advent” will be available on our Facebook and YouTube pages. (https://www.facebook.com/queenscollegenl and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2xZJDX8aVYCwllquav4wGw/videos

In January we will be doing another “new thing”. We are offering an Intensive course as a means of preparing for Lent. “Call of the Cross: Preparing for Lent in a time of cultural and climate crisis” can be taken as a regular 3-credit-hour course, or as an audit. We are offering a special audit rate for those who have a leadership position in their faith community (clergy, lay ministers, Bible study leaders, etc.) of just $100. The audit will give you access to all of the classes and materials without having to do any of the papers or assignments. As a part of the January 27th class of this course, we will also be offering a free workshop, both in person and online, on preparing liturgies for Lent with the Rev’d Canon Dr. Boyd Morgan. This is part of our goal to provide affordable, accessible learning to all who are interested. For more information see our webpage: https://queenscollegenl.ca/

We have also been busy “restarting” things that we have not been able to do during COVID, such as in person gatherings and community meals. It is wonderful to see how our online interactions have maintained our community and built new friendships, and how quickly we connect now that we are in the same physical space. We already know so much about each other. It is important to note that this “restart” of in person gatherings does not mean we no longer connect online. These different types of interactions help feed one another. Some communication is better in one medium than another, and some folks flourish in different modes of interaction. 

So let us all flourish as we continue to begin again.

The post Let Us Begin Again appeared first on Anglican Life.

Q. What is the theme word of your Winter 2020 Semester?
A. Resilience has to be my word for the College, our students, faculty members and community of friends of the College who have shown their hardiness and flexibility. It was a challenging semester…one like no other in my experience as a student, instructor, or administrator. We had a sequence of obstacles. We anticipated having our space refurbished with new flooring and painting by the start of the winter semester.  The tradespeople discovered there was asbestos in the sub-floors. That required major work to complete the asbestos removal. That caused a delay to accessing the college for on campus classes, chapel, and activities for the first week of the semester, so we had online classes. Then, we were just underway, and we were hit by “Stormageddon,” and we then had sequential snowstorms…and in mid-March we had to make the adjustments for COVID-19. Our students and faculty members rolled with the challenges. We stayed on schedule for classes, and finished the term on schedule. The resilience is not only showing the mettle of our people, but we are learning from it.

Q. What lessons are being learned from the experience of this global pandemic?
A. We are learning numerous lessons. I will name a few:
1. The capacity to be connected while being separated.  A few years ago, we started to use the internet to connect people for studies. We are now seeing the capacity to build substantial connections and community by prudent use of online technology. We continue to have an online community gathering for Mid-day Prayer and conversations each Tuesday at noon.
2. A second lesson, in my mind, is the value of our initiative in missional leadership and spiritual entrepreneurship. The world will not go back to the way it was. We must be serious about going into the world to connect in new and different ways. It gives opportunity to discern how we join God in bringing about the Kingdom in a restructuring world.
3. A third lesson, not new for most I hope, is the value of being rooted in the joy of the Gospel…the knowledge that God is faithful to us at all times, including in the mystery and confusion of this lingering global crisis.

Q. How will you prepare for the fall semester?
A.  While we do not know how things will resolve with COVID-19, we are planning for the fall semester and we are gearing up to offer a full program. We will adjust as needed. We do know we will likely need to allow some flexibility in our program regulations. We will consult regarding internships, both parish internships and supervised practice of ministry. As we move through the spring and summer, hopefully, things will become clearer and we will become more specific on course and program planning. We will continue to offer our usual online courses and our Associate program.

Q. What are you plans, considering you were planning to retire in July?
A.  I originally took the position of provost for three years. The Corporation asked me to stay on for an extra year while a new Provost was recruited. That year will end on July 31st.  But, like most others things on earth, COVID-19 has forced changes to plans. This time of turmoil is not a good time for change of leadership in any organization. I will stay on as Provost until things settle in to a new routine and stabilize enough to allow for a transition of leadership. I expect to be here for the Fall Semester.

The post An Interview With Queen’s Provost, Dr. Rick Singleton appeared first on Anglican Life.

I am one among the many in our Anglican faith community who is exploring not what Mission is, but how we go about mission. I have come to understand that mission is inherently social justice centred, and evangelization can be expressed in acts of compassion. The command to “love thy neighbour” is a command to engage in good stewardship and equitable distribution of the world’s resources. Mission cannot be separated from social justice, which cannot be separated from God’s message of love. Mission is about positive transformation. Jesus’ life reflects his purpose—transformation. Mission is transformative because we change as people seeking to do God’s work on earth. I have been told by some that we must be careful with doing “social justice” because then we are forgetting the Christian path and we may be teetering on the edge of secularization. I disagree with this. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ lived and died because he was a social activist. Jesus’ mission was concerned with changing the consciousness of the society as a whole. If we look to the person of Jesus, we can see that mission is not just a part of the church that is done alongside other things, but it is the whole purpose of church. It is how the church lives in relation to society and how it functions internally as well.

Missional work provides opportunities for bringing good news to the world and ways to concretely engage in that process. Engaging in missional work generates tremendous opportunities to create, explore, and transform. While there needs to be clarity around what mission is, it should not be limiting or restrictive. Part of mission work is to be proactive, to look into our communities and see where God is speaking. Our mission as a church is to be present in our communities. Our faith was founded by those who went out among the people and interacted in the communities they found themselves in. This is a powerful tradition that we must continue to practice in order to have healthy ministries and effective missions. The church, its leaders, and those of us who aspire to be her leaders, needs to actively search out opportunities for the church to participate in addressing injustices in our communities. We need to be vocal and active about the lack of affordable housing, the almost non-existence of supportive housing for those of us with complex needs and con-current substance abuse issues, and the ever-increasing problem of food insecurity. These issues are gross injustices on humanity in a country as rich and abundant as ours. We need to use our existing resources wisely. Church properties must be maintained and not allowed to fall into disrepair. Church properties should not be sold, but rather re-purposed. By repurposing our buildings, we can respond to human need by loving service. Within mission there is unlimited space for ministry to be practiced in new and exciting ways right alongside the traditional ways that have endured for centuries. We must always remember that our spiritual path is formed and directed by so much more than our own personal journey. Our journey changes shape by those around us and by the services that we provide to our families and communities. Learning to give of oneself makes a better, stable, loving community for everyone. Engaging in good works locally and globally, done in the name of Jesus Christ, is proclaiming the Gospel. Our Christian proclamation does not always need to use words. We can proclaim a very strong message by living a life centred on caring for the earth and all its inhabitants. Our mission, as instructed by Jesus, is to love God and love our neighbour. Mission is the manifestation of God’s spirit. Mission enables us to know God is present.

The post A Seminarian’s Thoughts on Mission appeared first on Anglican Life.

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“I walked down memory lane today at Queen’s College. But it was so much more than just a nostalgic jaunt. I walked slowly in front of the wall of esteemed of graduates going back for over 170 years. I read the names of my forbears—men who shaped my identity—and that of my parents and grand parents. These were the loyal and dedicated men who were called and then prepared at Queen’s to minister all across our great land. They framed, and constantly re-shaped the mold of dedicated Queen’s men. They became the respected religious leaders in every community in Newfoundland and Labrador, and were the authentic stuff of which legends are born. They were fearless men who braved every danger and comforted every broken heart. They never flinched in the face of harsh reality. They could be fiercely tough when facing adversaries, but they also had a gentleness of spirit. Their Ministry of Presence was all pervasive They were consulted in every situation and eagerly sought throughout all the joys and tragedies of life.”

Gerry Peddle’s full article will be available in the January issue of Anglican Life.

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On September 5th, 1978, the Report of the Tri-Diocesan Committee on the Role of Queen’s College recommended that upon the appointment of the new provost there be a “study of theological education on behalf of the three diocese to recommend and implement appropriate programs …” September 5th, 2018, was the 40^th Anniversary of that critical and courageous decision to launch a new age for theological education at Queen’s College and in the province.  The new Provost at the time, The Rev’d Dr. Canon Frank Cluett, facilitated the work of the Commission on the Future Role of Queen’s College, which presented its Report to the Corporation on April 27, 1981. Canon Cluett then led the development of a renewed curriculum and Faculty of Theology at Queen’s College.

This is also the 50^th Anniversary of the move of Queen’s College Faculty of Theology from Forest Road to the campus of Memorial University. The initial move was in March 1968. September 1968 launched the start of the first full academic year in the Main Building. Field and Spencer Halls, which were part of Queen’s College, had moved in September 1967.

Read all about these anniversaries and the celebrations that were held in the October 2018 issue of Anglican Life which comes out soon!

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