anglicanlife

MAY 2016

May 2016

A Section of the Anglican Journal

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

The Most Revd Percy Coffin

Photo Copyright: Robert Young Photography

Whats Come Over You?

and Catechism? Was it
not you who brought
her for Confirmation?
Was it not you who sent
her to Summer Youth
Camps?
Well yes, the father

Anglican.
Sorry, the Chaplain
concluded, you
messed up and the
Holy Spirit made her a
disciple.
This is a situation

The scripture puts it

simply, They were
filled with the Spirit.
These people had been
gifted with the dynamic
power of Goda power
that revitalizes and

Archbishop

Western Newfoundland

A professor at a
University received a call
form from a very upset
parent. How dare you,
the man began, I am
holding you personally
responsible for this. The
professor replied Me?
Responsible for what?
Yes, you, answered the
parent. The father of this
promising engineering
student was outraged
because his daughter,
destined to be a
Professional Engineer,
was going to chuck it
all in and head out into
the mission field to help
a poor country recover
from a natural disaster.
Isnt that absurd?
shouted the father. My
daughter already has
a B.Sc. in engineering
from your prestigious
institution and she is
going off to dig ditches
in Haiti. You, as Chaplain,
have encouraged her
to do this. I hold you
responsible.
The stunned
Chaplain said, Me?
What have I done? The
father continued, You
ingratiated yourself to
her, filled her head with
all that religion stuff.
She likes you; thats
why shes doing this
foolishness.
The Chaplain
counted to ten and
replied, Now listen
here. Was it not you who
had her baptized? Was
it not you who had her
attend Sunday School

Image M. Kaempfer / Shutterstock.com

said, but
Dont but me, said
the Chaplain, its your
fault that she believed
all that religion stuff;
its your fault that shes
gone and thrown it all
away on Jesus and the
Holy Spirit, not mine.
Yes, said the father,
But all we wanted
was for her to be an

that frequently stems

f ro m u n a c c e p t a b l e
behaviour, and it is
a timely story for the
Feast of Pentecost. The
early followers of Jesus
had been shocked with
fear and hid from sight
but had now broken
out and were calling
attention to themselves
by their odd behaviour.

refreshes, a power that

comforts and heals, so
that they went forth and
proclaimed what they
had heard and seen and
had become.
We received that
same Spirit when we
were baptized into the
death and resurrection
of Jesus. This is what
happened when we

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

were grafted into the

living body of Christ. If
we received the same
Spirit as did the first
disciples then why
cant we do marvellous
deeds? We have the
a s s u ra n c e f ro m S t .
Paul who claimed that,
to each is given the
manifestation of the
Spirit for some benefit.
Where violence and
hatred prevail acts of
kindness and gentleness
become heroics acts.
Wherever we witness
greed let our generosity
speak volumes. Think
about how the Kingdom
of God might be made
known if we lived with the
other fruits of the Spirit:
joy, peace, patience,
goodness, faithfulness
and temperance.
God has not held
back the Holy Spirit from
us. We are endowed
with her fullness for it
is by this Spirit that the
world can be changed
and now it is our turn to
show other whats come
over us. Thats the cost
of discipleship.

Loving Spirit,
loving Spirit,
you have chosen
me to be--you have drawn
me to your
wonder, you
have set your
sign on me.

Common Praise 657

MAY 2016

Canon Cluett to Receive Title

Of Provost Emeritus
Submitted by

The Revd Dr. Alex Faseruk

Photo Bill Harris / Queens College

At the upcoming Convocation of Queens College on May 12,

2016 at 8:00 p.m. at St. Mary the Virgin Church, the Corporation of
Queens College has votedto bestowthetitle of Provost Emeritus
on the Revd Dr. Frank Cluett. Thisis the first time that this title will
be bestowed by Queens College.

CanonCluett has served the church faithfully for decades!He

was born in Belleoram and following graduation from Queens
College in 1959was calledin the parishes of Topsail, Greenspond,
Buchans, and Corner Brook, as well as The Ascension in Hamilton,
Ontario.Canon Cluettwas the Provost of Queens College, Faculty
of Theology, for nearly 20 years. In 2005, he was the veryfirst
recipient of the degree of Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa)
awarded by Queens College and this year, in honour ofhis
meritorious serviceto his alma mater, hewill receive this additional
title, which is so richly deserved.

Canon Cluett pictured here as Queens College Provost

Good Friday and Easter in the Parish of Rose Blanche

Submitted by
The Revd Jeffrey Petten

Photo vicki Harris-Harvey

Passion Play in Rose Blanche

Passion Play in Burnt Islands

Photo Shirley Keeping / Winnie Munden

Photo Tammy Battiste-Farrell

On Good Friday, the confirmation candidates of St.

Michael & All Angels, Rose Blanche, and St. Georges,
Burnt Islands, made the Passion of Christ come alive for
their respective congregations. They were phenomenal in
their reenacting the story of our salvation.

back row : Shirley Keeping & Winnie Munden

front row : Arlene Keeping & Susie Munden

One of the things that is ongoing within the Parish

of Rose Blanche is a sewing/knitting ministry. It was
started during the time when The Revd Canon Kris
Gosse and his wife Pamela were in the parish. It
has since continued. In this ministry, the parish has
undertaken such things as making quilts for cancer
patients, making memory quilts for dementia patients,
knitting finger puppets, and more things than one can
ever imagine. This Easter, a group of ladies made an
Easter Banner for St. Georges Church, Burnt Islands.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

Part Four of the series on formation and theological education in our three dioceses:

A Further Look at the Education for Ministry Course

Marie Smith

Guest Columnist

In the article printed

in February 2016 issue
of the Anglican Life, I
touched briefly on EFM
(Education for Ministry).
I would like to take a little
more time to elaborate
on this very worthwhile
course.
The Education for
Ministry study course
is published by The
University of the South
in Tennessee, USA. The
university is an accredited
School of Theology, and
EFM is an extension
program which reaches
thousands of people all
over the world. The EFM
program provides people

with an opportunity to
discover how to respond
to the call to Christian
service and carry out their
ministries. (quoted from
the Prospectus for the
EFM program). We are
all by our Baptism called
to be ministers, but that
does not mean we all
have to be ordained.
What this program does
is provide us with the
knowledge we need to
be informed lay persons.
As the church moves
into the future, we are
f i n d i n g t h at w e a re
looking more toward the
growth and development
of a different form of
ministry through the
active participation of
the laity. EFM does not
train a person to the

Piety and Service

The Revd Gregory Mercer

Columnist

Both of my parents
were religious people,
but it was my mother
who taught me to pray
a n d i n t ro d u c e d m e
to pious acts such as
bowing my head when
I say the name of Jesus,
and bowing before the
Altar at the time of Holy
Co m m u n i o n . S i n c e
then I have learned a
few more acts of piety
not the least of which
is blessing myself at
the invocation of the
Trinity, genuflecting at
the words of Institution
while celebrating the
Eucharist, and bowing
again at the mention of
Christs humility while
re c i t i n g t h e N i c e n e
Creed, just to name a
few.
These pious acts are
not for show, nor are they
in any way displays of

exaggerated religious
emotionalism. And in
spite of the fact that most
of the time they come to
me automatically, they
are not artificial, nor
are they void of any
conscious involvement.
They are an integral part
of my love and devotion
to God.
Pious acts are a
recognition that we owe
everything to God, that
God is the Author of life
and of everything good.
God alone is at the top,
hence, to God alone is
due the entire devotion
of a persons life: both
worship and service,
and every act of piety
that recognizes Gods
place in our lives. But
if our piety has nothing
more to show outside
the walls of the church
building, then it calls
into question the very
nature of religion itself.
The apostle James says
it best, Religion that
is pure and undefiled
before God, the Father,
i s t h i s : t o c a re f o r
orphans and widows
in their distress, and to
keep oneself unstained
by the world (James
1: 27).
Maria Skobtsova, a
twentieth-century nun
remembered in Russia
as Mother Maria, said,
At the Last Judgment
I shall not be asked

extent of being ready

for ordination, but it
does prepare one to
be a knowledgeable
participant in the ministry
of Jesus.
As I mentioned in
my previous article,
EFM is not your typical
Bible study, however
a requirement of the
course is that you read the
Old and New Testaments
in the first two years.
The course runs over a
nine-month period for
each year of study for
four years, and includes
about three hours per
week of class. You sign
up for one year at a
time. The participants
are assigned readings
w i t h c o r re s p o n d i n g
course material and are

responsible for setting

their own learning
goals. Class discussion
and guided reflection
give the students an
opportunity to deepen
their understanding of
the material. The most
important part of the
study is the development
of skills in theological
reflection. As the skills
are sharpened and our
beliefs are examined,
we come to realize that
our faith traditions and
our relationship to our
culture play an important
role in our ministry, and
t h i s m a ke s u s m o re
aware of the many ways
in which we can show
Christs love to the world.
When I decided to
start the EFM program, I

was a bit nervous about

what I was getting into.
I thought it would be
difficult, and I worried
that I may not measure
up to the challenge.
However, it did not take
very long before I was
fully engrossed in the
topic and looked forward
with great anticipation
to our next class. Not
only did I thoroughly
enjoy the material, but
the discussion time and
theological reflections
were most engaging
and informative. After
completing the course,
I came away with
renewed enthusiasm
and appreciation for my
place in Gods ministry.

whether I was successful

in my ascetic exercises,
nor how many bows
and prostrations I made.
Instead I shall be asked if
I fed the hungry, clothed
the naked, visited the
sick and the prisoners.
(Excerpt from Common
Prayer, A liturgy for
Ordinary Radicals.)
As important as pious
acts are, they were never
meant to be confined to
worship and sanctuaries.
Liturgy at its best is when
it is made a visible witness
to the world around us.
Piety and service are not
separate acts, but part
of the total package of
ones devotion to God.
It is reverence joined
with love of God that
finds expression in good

works.
The act of giving God
daily service arises from
and flows out of the work
of cultivating piety, which
is the rousing of ones
spirit toward God daily
in both reverence and

love. When we make

it our daily calling, our
chief aim, to remember
our Lords goodness
toward us, then it is only
natural that our hearts
respond in gratitude with
acts of piety and service.
It all starts with paying
careful attention to Gods
goodness and favour
toward us, and then
telling God thanks.
Thank the Lord for
my dear mother who
taught me to bow my
head when I invoke the
name of Jesus, and who
showed me by example
what it means to live the
Christian life.

Image Tribalium / Shutterstock.com

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

This Fragile EarthOur Island Home

Kevin Smith

Columnist

Occasionally, when
we read Eucharistic
Prayer #4 in the Book of
Alternative Services, we
come across the words:
The vast expanse of
interstellar space,
Galaxies, suns, the
planets in their courses,
and this fragile earth,
our island home

Th i s i m m e d i at e l y
reminds me of our
s t e w a rd s h i p c a l l i n g
to protect our earth,
our environment, and
reminds us as to just how
poorly we are managing
that goal. This issue is
also an important part
of the Marks of Mission
which calls on all people
to safeguard the integrity
of creation and sustain
and renew the life of
the earth. Oftentimes,
we pay lip service to
these calls, and you
notice this especially if
you have done walking
in the country on a hike
or a fishing expedition.
Cans, bottles, and other
litter abound in the most
pristine of places.
All this was raised
to my consciousness
recently when I was
reading an unpublished
manuscript by Lynne
Marie Hickey, a writer
with a linguistic flair and
an accomplished painter

from Hants Harbour. She

wrote a fictional short
story about a house
cat named Oliver who
was separated from
his family near Port
aux Basques, and the
following excerpt is a
conversation between
the main character and
Queen Lynx.

One day when they

were exploring the
p at h s n ea r t h e l y n x
den, the Queen gave
an angry hiss. What is
wrong?Oliver asked.
Do you see that
bright, shiny thing on the
path? She asked.
Yes, I do, said Oliver.
It is a piece of glass
from a bottle. Humans
use bottles for drinking.
It causes many problems
for our animals and our
forests.she replied.
How does that little
thing cause so much
trouble? asked Oliver.
When animals walk

on it, they get their paws

cut and they sometimes
die because the cuts get
infected. Other creatures
think it is ice or water and
lick it..terrible cuts to
their tongues and lips
cause so much pain.
And then worst of all the
sun shines on the glass
and its rays are brought
together by the broken
glass and it can start a
fire. The flames spread
and our forests can be
destroyed. Do you see
all those black stumps at
the top of the hill?
Oliver looked up.
A f o r e s t f i r e
happened there last
year because of a glass
bottle left by a camper.
The great Queen sighed
with sadness.. many
animals died in that fire,
Oliver. And it will take
many years before the
beautiful trees return.
As they walked along
in silence, Oliver felt her
deep sorrow.

What a creative and

interesting way to discuss
pollution in the forest
and so refreshing to see
it through the eyes of an
animal! In fact, my last
statement comes from
another character in the
book, a small spectacleswearing mouse named
Johnny who complains:
I do wish people
would take their plastic
bags and garbage back
to their own houses when
they picnic on our island.
This fragile earth
is our island home. As
David Suzuki laments,
I hope theres a happy
ending. Thats all I have
left. Hope.
Kevin Smith is a gift planning
consultant for the Anglican Church
of Canada. He can be contacted at
709 739-5667 or by email:
kevinsmith709@gmail.com

Bringing The Church To Our

Seniors in Clarenville
Submitted with photograph by
Sherry Russell

Go where life takes you, but plan ahead.

left to right: Vinie Stanley, Phyllis Gosse, June Butler, Norma Dean, the Revd Sheila
Sceviour, Pauline Hynes, and Joyce Smith.

The Worship, Education, and Mission Committee of St. Marys ACW,

Clarenville, recently initiated a visitation program of visiting one senior
ACW member each week during Lent.
The first such visit was held on Saturday, February 13th at the home
of 92 year old Mrs. Vinie Stanley, a long serving member of St. Marys
ACW, who still knits and crochets tirelessly for her church.
The visit began with communion and a Lenten message delivered
by Deacon Sheila, and was followed by a cup of tea and chat.
What better Lenten activity could there be than reaching out to
seniors who arent able to regularly attend worship and meetings to
remind them that they are still respected and cherished members of
our organization?

As a free spirit, you rarely look back. But you

should look ahead - especially to protect your
loved ones when youre no longer there.
All it takes is a little preplanning.
Decide now on the funeral options and funding
arrangements that best meet your needs. Youll
lessen the burden for those who are left behind.
To learn more, call the number below. Well send
you a free Wishes and Memories Planning Guide.
Well also provide you with a no-obligation
consultation.
So make your plans, today.
Then follow your path wherever it leads.

FUNERAL HOMES
Preplanning
Crematorium
Chapel
Monuments
Flowers

Corner Brook Deer Lake

Stephenville Crossing
Port aux Basques Burgeo
Port au Choix Lanse au Loup
Happy Valley - Goose Bay

634-0077 1-888-868-6800
During your most difficult times... we are here to serve you.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

6102663

MAY 2016

Prayer Quilts Blessed

Submitted by
Dale Decker

ANGLICAN LIFE in Newfoundland and Labrador is the newspaper of

the Anglican Church in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
A co-operative effort of the three Dioceses in Newfoundland and
Labrador, it is publishes ten issues each calendar year with an
independent editorial policy.
Anglican Life is a section of the Anglican Journal
Editor:
Mrs. Emily F. Rowe
9 Darling Street
St. Johns, NL
A1B 1V7
Email: anglicanlifeNL@gmail.com
Advertising Rates and other information may be obtained from:
Bishop Donald Young
34 Fraser Road, Gander, NL, A1V 2E8
Phone: (709) 256-7701
Email: jointcommittee@nfld.net

Paid Subscription Rates:
Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00
Outside the province: $20.00
International: $25.00
New subscriptions, cancellations, & changes of address should be
sent to:
Circulation
The Anglican Journal (attn. Bev Murphy)
80 Hayden Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2
(416) 924-9192 (O) (416) 925-8811 (fax)
Email: circulation@national.anglican.ca
Each parish is responsible for maintaining its own subscription
list - please notify your parish office of any changes. Changes sent
to parish offices may take months to take effect. Please also send
your updated information to Circulation at the Anglican Journal
(above) or to Don Young at 34 Fraser Road, Gander NL A1V 2E8.
Articles and photographs: Send to the Editor (above)
Letters to the Editor:
Send to the Editor, (address as above). All letters must include
the writers name, address, and telephone number. Telephone
numbers will not be published. Anglican Life does not publish
letters under nom de plume. Letters should not exceed 300 words
(one double spaced typewritten page), and are subject to editing
at the discretion of the editor.

Pictured holding the quilts are Brenda Major, the Revd Kay Short, and Doris Randell.

On March 6th, 2016, nine prayer quilts were blessed by the Revd Kay Short
at the morning service at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Norris Point.
The quilts were made by the Bonne Bay North Prayer Quilt Group, and are
now ready to be distributed.

St. Peters Youth Choir

Submitted by
Jack Morgan

The junior choir at St. Peters Anglican Church, Upper Gullies, CBS recently
made their inaugural appearance at a venue outside their home church.
The choir were invited to sing at the World Day of Prayer Service at St.
Thomas of Villa Nova Roman Catholic Church in Manuels, CBS. The ecumenicalservice is held, on a rotating basis from year to year throughout
CBS by participating Churches. The choir received a warm reception and
many compliments by those in attendance.

These policies were adopted by the Anglican Life Committee.

Layout & Design by: The Editor
Printed and Mailed by:
Webnews Printing Inc.
8 High Meadow Place
North York, ON, M9L 2Z5

Circulation: 19,000

In the photo L-R: Sheldon Baird, Brandon Lawrence, Dalila Scott, Katie Scott, Joshua Taylor,
Terri Lynn Baird, Jennifer Warford, Austin Scott and on keyboard, Choir Director, Dr. Vicki
Greenslade. Missing from photo: Daniel Button, Anna Halley, Julie Halley, Bethany Scott,
Emily Young, Sarah Young and Regan Scott.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

102 Years of (Combined)

Service in Long Beach
Article and photograph by
Diane Vey Morawski

St Marks church
in Long Beach ,Trinity
Bay, celebrated two
dedicated ACW woman
at their church service
on February 28th, 2016.
Sylvia Vey received a 50
year service plaque, and
Gwen Peddle received
a 52 year plaque for
their involvement in the
ACW and the church
in Long Beach. Both
women, who are also
sisters-in-laws, have
been very dedicated
volunteers of the ACW,
taking on various roles
from president, treasurer,
and secretary, and they
are also dedicated
churchgoers to all the
churches in the south
west arm parishes.
Congratulations to
both women for their
selfless service to God
and their community.

Happy Valley - Goose Bay

Quilts
Article and photograph by
Archdeacon Nellie Thomas

CLAY 2016
Article by
Hannah Shirtliff

Have you heard about

CLAY? The Canadian
Lutheran Anglican Youth
(CLAY) Gathering is
the Anglican Churchs
national youth gathering
for young adults ages
1419 in 2016 (born
between 1997 and 2002).
Our next gathering takes
place in Charlottetown,
Prince Edward Island,
August 1721, and all
Anglican congregations
are invited!
CLAY was created in
2010 as an expression
of joint ministry between
the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Canada and
the Anglican Church of
Canada. CLAY builds
on the traditions of the
Canadian Lutheran Youth
Gatherings to create a
youth-centred program
that empowers young
people and builds
Christian leadership. At
CLAY well encounter
scripture in meaningful
ways, experience ancient
and modern ways of
worship, learn together
in special interest
forums, enjoy fantastic
social events, explore
Charlottetown, make
connections with youth
from all over Canada
and celebrate our life
together.
We
will
be
e x p e r i e n c i n g C L AY
through the theme of
Not For Sale, with a
focus on three areas:
salvation not for sale,
human beings not for
sale, and creation not

for sale. After CLAY,

we will share what
we experienced and
learned with others in
our home communities.
At the very heart of it,
we are children of God,
and we want to affirm
and respond to Gods
grace and faithfulness in
ways that are intentional,
practical and meaningful.
Youth can attend
the gathering as part
of a registered home
team. This is a group
of young people
from a congregation,
parish, diocese or other
organization, led by a
Primary Home Team
Leader (PHTL). Along
with the PHTL, a home
team includes youth and
may include additional
Home Team Leaders
(HTL) and/or Leaders in
Training (LIT) that their
community sends along
with them. For each adult
(over 21) added to a
Home Team, eight youth
can attend.
Online registration
opens February 1, 2016,
and the final deadline
for registration is June
30, 2016. All registration
and fee information can
be found on our website,
www.claygathering.ca.
You can also like us on
Facebook (Canadian
Lutheran Anglican
Youth Gathering), or
follow us on Twitter (@
claygathering). Were
looking forward to seeing
you in Charlottetown!

Western NLs P.W.R.D.F.

Diocesan Coordinator,
Mona Edwards, will host a fellowship
day, Saturday June 4th
at St. Georges Anglican Church,
Cormack.

From left to right: Irene Bird, Francis Hughes, Archdeacon Nellie Thomas, Shirley Winsor, Karen
Goudie. Missing from the photo: Lori Pope and Juanita Bishop.

The St. Andrews Church Quilters Group in Happy Valley-Goose Bay felt that
they wanted to reach out to the community and share Gods love. They felt
they would like to make quilts for Dialysis and Chemo patients at our local
Hospital.
The Quilters Group made a total of eleven quilts, and a knitted blanket to
give as well. Each quilt has been labeled with a Prayer for Peace and Healing.
Archdeacon Nellie Thomas blessed the quilts, and now the quilts are ready
for their owners.

Parish representatives, those interested in

becoming representatives, clergy, etc. are all
welcome at attend.
To register, or for more information, contact
Mona:
Phone: (709) 635-4606
email: monacedwards@nf.sympatico.ca
Facebook: Mona@PWRDF
mail: 140 Veterans Drive,
Cormack, NL A8A 2R1
Meals provided by Cormack ACW.
Registration deadline: April 30th, 2016

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

Outreach Shower held in Foxtrap

Article and photograph by

Sandra Taylor

The ACW women of All

Saints Parish in Foxtrap
hosted a shower for a
Lenten Outreach. Hygiene items, and clothing for children and
women were donated
by the congregation
and by friends. These
items were then distributed to Iris Kirby House
and Marguerites Place.

The ladies are (from left to right): Minnie Gullage, Dot Reid, Golda Hopkins, Marg Dawe, Barb Tilley

The Burial of the Dead

The Revd Michael Li

Columnist

The Bible does not

give instructions on how a
body should be handled
after death. The most
common type of burial
in the Bible was the dead
being placed in aboveground tombs, for those
who could afford it.For the
rest, bodies were buried

in the ground. In the New

Testament, tombs were
still the burial places of the
wealthy. Please note that
bothburial and cremation
are neither commanded
nor prohibited in the
Bible. It is best to leave
that decision to the family
of the deceased. In
todays society, the laws
of the land regarding
disposing of a body must
be followed.
The Book of Alternative
Services (1985) states
t h a t , Fu n e r a l s a r e
universal in the human
species, both historically
and geographically (p.
565). Within the Christian
community, funeral rites
consist of a number of
events spread over a
period of time. They may
include such elements
as prayers in the home,
prayers in the presence

of the body (whether in

the home or in church
or in an undertakers
premises), the reception
of the body at the church,
a liturgy of the word in
an undertakers chapel,
a liturgy of the word (and
possibly of the sacrament)
in church, the committal
of the body to the grave,
the flames, or the sea, and
the disposal of ashes at a
later date. (Ibid., p. 568).
Since my ordination
in 1973 I had been
conducting funeral
services with the body
p re s e n t u n t i l 1 9 9 6 .
Some people feel that
a memorial service
without a body seems like
having a wedding without
the bride. For the past
twenty-five years, more
and more people have
abandoned previously
established funeral

customs in favour of a new

pattern of memorializing
the dead (with or without
cremated ashes). They
seem to prefer a
celebration of life rather
than an observance of
the reality of death. It is
not wrong to focus on
the living, but we must
not ignore the reality of
death.
Some churches
allow eulogies at
funerals. Sometimes
a eulogy becomes the
centrepiece of the funeral
itself. Eulogies tend to
be so positive as to be
unbelievable. When
Phillip Jensen, the Dean
of Sydney from 2003 to
2014, was a young curate,
a funeral director pointed
out to him that in the
car behind the hearse
nobody spoke because
of grief. In the second car

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

of the funeral procession

people spoke well of
the deceased. But in
subsequent cars you got
the real story of the dead
persons weakness and
foibles (Phillip Jensens
Eulogies, May 28, 2007).
Eulogies may help
people process their
feelings. But, real comfort
comes to us when we lift
our eyes from the coffin
and turn our attention to
God. Death is inevitable,
but the death of Jesushas
destroyed all deaths.
Christians believe in
the resurrection of the
body. The dead body is
no longer housing the
person who has died.
When Jesus returns,
Christians will be given
a new resurrected body.
In my funeral sermons,
I usually begin by saying
something like this: We
arestill in shock. We are
here to share the sorrow
and painof the family. We
are here to feel their loss.
We are here to say goodbye to the deceased. May
Gods Word comfort and
strengthen the family,
friends and community.
Then, Ishall say brieflythat
we can give thanks to
God for the life and
Christian witness of the
deceased. I remind the
people present that we
should glorify God not
humans. I also remind
them nobody can take
away their memories
of the dead loved one
or dear friend. Their
remembrance of the dead
is their ongoing eulogies.
Finally, I preach brieflyon
theChristian hope of the
resurrection of the body.

MAY 2016

Girls Auxiliary, St. Lawrence Parish,

Portugal Cove
Article and photographs by
The Revd Amanda Taylor

A typical Good Friday for St. Lawrence Girls Auxiliary is re-enacting for story of the Crucifixion for the children in the morning, and
spreading Gods love to our seniors in the afternoon.
For years G.A. has presented the Childrens Liturgy on Good Friday Morning, using puppets to introduce the Crucifixion drama.
Children experience the Last Supper, walk with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane, help Him carry the cross and watch as He is
laid in the tomb.
After lunch their focus is on the seniors (of all denominations) of our community. The girls make baskets, fill them with
homemade cookies, fruit, Easter eggs, and an Easter tract from the Canadian Bible Society. Then, with the help of the leaders
and parents, the girls take the baskets to the seniors homes. This is a very rewarding experience for both the girls and for the
seniors.
Other outreach by our group includes Operation Christmas Child, Parish Christmas Hampers, and supporting a Foster Child. The
girls also help with Parish outreach programs, like our Guatemala Mission Team, and they will be involved in our Refugee project.
Girls help with Parish events, make Palm Crosses, Mothering Sunday Roses, perform dinner theatres, are a big part of our VBS
leadership team, and help wherever they are needed.
Our group presently has a membership of 31 Junior and Senior High School girls.

The girls who led the Good Friday Childrens Liturgy

Girls with Easter baskets ready to deliver

Seder Meal
Article and photographs by
Lorelie Cull

A very special and unique Seder Meal was held on March 24th at St.
Anthony. St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church was without power, so rather
than cancel the special Passover Meal it was held at the home of Ruby
Johnson, one of our choir members.
Twenty one guests graciously accepted the invitation and a Seder
Meal and a Newfoundland feast were enjoyed by all.
The Revd Paul Findlay officiated and volunteers provided the supper.

Doris Hancock, Margaret Rose, the Revd Paul Findlay

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

Let There Be Goats!

Submitted with photographs by

Trudi Martin &

Eileen Matthews

New Perlican is a
picturesque community
in Trinity Bay nestled
between the towns of
Winterton and Hearts
Content; these three
towns make up the
Anglican Parish of Hearts
Content.

cemeteries as well; we do
not know the religion of
these garden cemeteries
but most predate the
earliest stones in either
cemetery.
St. Augustines #2 is
well maintained, and each
year someone is hired to
mow the grounds. Our
annual Flower Service
is held in the summer
months. Unfortunately,

the goats stroll one by

one back to the Peddle
property and into their
lodgings.
Ronnie assured us
that the goats would
eat the alders and
vegetation. As a matter
of fact, he said that they
chew the new shoots
around the alders. This
prevents the sap from
going up the tree and

St. Augustines #1 has

been neglected over the
years, as has St. Marks;
but we are now working
to change that.
In 2014, the church
vestry consisted of
Wardens, Ken Peddle and
Boyd Martin, Secretary,
Eileen Matthews,
Treasurer, Trudi Martin,
and Envelope Secretary,
Christine Chislett. Betsy
Hefford, Sheila Piercey,
Marie McDonald,
Rayfield Harris, and Eric
Hiscock rounded out
the number of vestry
members. At one of our
vestry meetings, Eileen
Matthews brought up
our Cemetery #1 and the
shape that it was in. It
was in severe disrepair. It
was suggested that we
could get some goats
to eat the alders and
vegetation, and once that
was done we could then
concentrate on the other
issues which included a
new fence and a gate.
To be honest, most
of the vestry members
were hesitant with
respect to the goats. But
we all agreed that Eileen
and Trudi should talk
to Ronnie Peddle about
using his goats. Ronnie
and Mary Peddle have a
variety of animals. Their
goats graze on the hill
beside Cemetery #1. This
area is fenced, and each
evening when Ronnie
calls them, you can watch

kills the alders. They will

eat the high grasses down
to the proper level but
the grass will not die. A
bonus for us is Ronnies
ducks will go into the
area as well and eat the
ants. Ronnie believes
the goats will clear this
area within a two to three
year period. The only
concern he had was the
area needed to be fenced
to prevent the goats from
wandering on the road.
Armed with these
facts we went back to
the vestry. It was decided
the vestry would do
some fund raising for the
fencing and to do repairs
to the various grave sites
and the headstones and

the fence.
Many visitors
that come to the area
enjoy going to our old
cemetery to see the
graves of their distant
relatives. The headstones
are very old and some
are ornamentally
detailed. Today there
a re m o re v i s i t o r s t o
old cemeteries than
ever before as families
are researching their
descendants to complete
family trees.
The vestry prepared
a letter to send to our
local Anglicans as well as
those away. The support
was overwhelming. We
raised over $4,000. The

see the finished results.

We are also fortunate
to have two members
from our congregation
who have worked over
a period of several years
to ascertain the names
of all buried in all of our
cemeteries. This project
was undertaken by
Sheila Piercey and Eileen
Matthews, and they have
since devoted many
hours to the research
and feel that they are
90% accurate with their
listings of those buried
in both St. Augustines
cemeteries. The listing for
St. Marks from the 1800s
is a work in progress as
old records are not easy
to find. Their research

The helpful goats

N e w Pe r l i c a n h a s
two congregations:
St. Matthews United
Church and St.
Augustines Anglican
Church. St. Augustines
Anglican church is under
the leadership of the
Revd Irene Sutton. The
cornerstone of St.
Augustines was laid on
August 28th, 1919
and excerpts from St.
Augustines School log
books confirm the church
opened for worship on
April 25th, 1920. The
present church is the
third church to serve the
Anglican congregation
in this community. St.
M a r k s w a s u s e d i n
theearly 1800s; then the
first St. Augustines which
opened in 1886 (built
in less than 6 months),
and now the current
St. Augustines, which
opened in 1920 on the
same site as the first St.
Augustines.
There are three
known Anglican
cemeteries throughout
the community. There are
two prominent ones: St.
AugustinesCemetery #2
(located high on a hill off
Canvas Town Road), St.
Augustines Cemetery
#1 (located off to the
right of Canvas Town
Road), and the oldest
one known is St. Marks
(located nearer to the
harbour). New Perlican
has about five garden

Ron and his

goat

fence cost us just a little

over $2,000., leaving
funds to do further work
once the goats have
finished theirs.
The goats have been
chewing away since
the fall of 2015 and it is
amazing the difference
already! Driving by now,
one can see the various
headstones from the
road. We are excited to

The soon-to-be restored cemetery

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

will continue.
Of interest to those
who may be skeptical,
goats are used in many
wineries to chew the
bottom leaves on the
grape vines. This is much
cheaper than manual
labour. We also came
across an article about
goats being used to chew
their way through thick
vegetation surrounding
the Historic
Congressional
Cemetery in
Wa s h i n g t o n ,
D.C.
We are so
pleased with
what we have
seen in our old
cemetery and
will update you
in the future
once we, and
the goats, have
completed the
job.
We t h a n k
those who
contribute to
our Cemetery
fund on a
yearly basis!

MAY 2016

10

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,
My name is Susan
Green. My partner,
Brenda, and I are
members of the Anglican
Cathedral of St. John the
Baptist in St. Johns, NL.
We have five-year-old
twins, Michael and Lily,
who were baptized in
this church. We attend
Eucharist together as
a family on Sunday
mornings, volunteer at
Godly Play, take part
in special events, and
Brenda is a member of
the Vestry. We love our
church and the Cathedral
parish has loved us back.
But now we have a tough
decision to make.
Brenda and I are not
married. Weve been
waiting, and hoping,
for a long time that we
could get married in our
church. Not just for the
beautiful backdrop and
romantic atmosphere
that many couples seek,
but because we want
to have our spirituality
represented in our
marriage commitment.
In recent years, Michael
and Lily have been
asking if we are going
to be married and weve
typically responded with
yes, someday we will.
This has resulted in a flurry
of childhood excitement
about dresses, flowers,
parties, rings and cake.
They look forward to the
someday that they will
take part in the wedding
of their two momsan
event that seems so
natural and wonderful
to them, and they can
barely wait to plan it. But
now this someday seems
increasingly far away.
We have not told
Michael and Lily yet that
our church will not marry
us. Weve always talked
to them about how all
families look different
some with two moms,
two dads, one mom &
one dad, one parent,
s t e p - p a re n t s , f o s t e r
parents, etc. and how
we need to celebrate
diversity of all kinds. We
know that our children
will face questions and
scrutiny about their two
moms, especially as
they grow older, and we
try to equip them with
knowledge, strength
and respect to deal with
these challenges. We
know from experience
that the world is not

always a safe place for

LGBTQ folks, and like
all parents, we want to
protect our children
from hurt and pain. We
want our church to be
a place of shelter and
rest from the pain of the
world, and so far, that is
how our children have
experienced it. You can
therefore imagine how
confused they will be
when we tell them that
our church the place
we choose to take them
every week to teach
them about love and
caring for othersis also
a place where we are not
allowed to get married
like the moms and dads.
At five years old, it will be
one of their first lessons
in discrimination.
Brenda and I are
blessed to have a large
c i rc l e o f w o n d e r f u l
friendscaring and
generous people who
have long since found
other ways to nourish
their spiritual needs
outside of mainstream
Christian churches. We
sometimes joke that
we are in the closet
about our church-going
behaviour with our
friends since they find
it somewhat odd. They
sometimes ask us why we
would choose to attend
a church that does not
fully accept us. At best,
they see it as a place that
is backwards and out-oftouch with modern lives,
and at worst, hateful
and discriminatory. We
usually answer that we
have found genuine
acceptance and love
among the congregation
and that it is important
for us to stay and fight
from the inside. But, we
are starting to get tired
of the fighting and we
dont want our children
to inherit the fight.
This is going to be
a tough decision. The
possibility of leaving my
church family causes me
great pain. I am the
daughter of an Anglican
ministerI grew up in
rectories where church
stuff was daily life. I
was a Sunday School

student, a member of
the Junior Auxiliary, a
leader of the church
Youth Group, a Server,
a member of the Choir,
and a regular camper
at Mint Brook. I drifted
in and out of church
while moving around
in my twenties, but I
always returned to the
comfort and familiarity
of the Anglican Church
and found meaningful
ways to contribute to
ministry. Ive summoned
the courage many times
to share my personal
j o u r n e y o f c o m i n g
out as lesbian within
our church, believing
that it could make a
difference for other
LGBTQ parishioners and
those who were trying
their best to understand
us. I accept that the
church functions a lot
like a large family, and
that it can take hard work
sometimes to deal with
problems and maintain
healthy connections. In
my professional life I
am a social worker. I
spend a lot of time
working with individuals
who are trying to stay
connected with their
families, despite the pain
and abuse that families
can sometimes inflict on
one another. There are
times when families can
repair the harm and find
ways to support each
other, and then there are
times when I have to ask
my clients is it time to
create some space right
now and protect yourself
from further hurt? This
is the question that my
partner and I are now
asking ourselves of our
church family. Is it time
for us to create some
space right now from
the Anglican Church and
protect our children from
the hurtful message that
their family is somehow
wrong? The answer is
not yet clear.
Susan Green

Letter to the Editor of

Anglican Life:
After reading the
latest edition of the
Anglican Journal and
Churchman yesterday, I
went to bed with a much
longer list of prayers
than usual. The whole
response to whether
canon laws will finally
change to accept same
s ex u n i o n s i n t o t h e
Anglican Church hasnt
changed much in the
past 24 years. Well,
maybe the language to
describe opinions has
softened to be more
politically correct, but I
see little else in the way
of real progress. Yes,
the Bishops stayed in the
room, with the exception
of one, but Im not really
sure what that says to
me. Maybe just better
manners.
Ive reflected today
on a number of articles
Ive read as well as those
that Ive responded
to over the years
regarding this subject.
In particular a letter
to the Newfoundland
C h u rc h m a n Ja n u a r y
1992 which I responded
to. The seeds of that letter
were flaming embers
of brimstone and fire
about what constituted
a REAL Anglican and
Christian. It spoke of
man living with man or
woman with woman as
spouses would place
us on a plateau lower
than the animals. Against
Gods law and the laws of
nature. I was heartsick to
say the least! As a Mental
Health Social Worker at
that time, I frequently
witnessed the raw pain
and damage inflicted
upon people who
struggled with identity
and their faith. On a very
personal level, I was in
a dilemma because I
questioned whether I
should continue to
bring my children every
Sunday to the Church to
listen to such distorted
views of the world.
Well, I did raise them
in the Anglican Church

and theyve heard it all

first hand. Thankfully
h o w e v e r, t h e y w e re
raised to have discerning
minds. They are two
absolutely beautiful
children, adults now who
are very well adjusted
men, both married with
families of their own. Im
blessed with a daughter
in law and grandchildren,
as well as a son in law, all
of whom serve to make
this world such a better
place. It is unfortunate
that the Church is not a
comfortable place for
my married gay Son. And
no, I dont think he would
benefit from ministering
today, as his faith in God
is very well intact. Its just
that the God he believes
in is the same one that is
referred to in the lovely
hymn he remembers
from childhood. It goes
like All things bright and
beautiful, all creatures
great and small, all things
wise and wonderful, the
Lord God made them
all.
In conclusion, I will
continue to pray for
those who chose to
keep a narrow view of
what the bible says and
what constitutes a REAL
Anglican and Christian,
while I continue to pray
for patience. And, I
think Im going to see
about getting tickets
for that beautiful train
ride that Bishop Geoff
Peddle wrote about in
his Moments of Grace
column on January 17,
2016, where he speaks
of first class seating
for all, even the seekers
and doubters who arent
sure what they believe
just yet but know they
have found traveling
companions who will
love them anyway, and
share their sandwiches.
When the Conductor
calls out All Aboard she
really does mean All!
Thank you,
Joannie Coffin,
Mother, Grandmother
and Retired Social
Worker

Letters to the Editor: All letters must include the writers name and address.
Anglican Life does not publish letters from anonymous sources. As with all
submissions, they are subject to editing, and are published at the discretion of
the editor.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

11

Where is My Home?

Emily F. Rowe

Editor

As I write this, I have

just returned from a trip
back to Nova Scotia to
visit family and friends
who still live there. I had
the pleasure of taking my
eight-year-old to visit lots
of people and places that
I knew as a child, and it is
difficult to make that trip
home without thinking
about what home is.
There is that strange way
that I refer to it as going
home for a few days,
but while I am there, I will

say, Im going home in

a few days, meaning my
return trip to St. Johns.
So where is home? What
does that mean?
I was intentional about
including a weekend in
my trip to Nova Scotia,
partly because it is a
good time to see friends
who work in offices that,
unlike Anglican Life, do
not allow the flexibility
to take a few days off
at random times, but
also in order to go to
the little church that I
grew up attending in my
home town. I used to
go there every Sunday,
and my parents are still
active members. In
many ways, going to my
home means going to
my home church, and
the physical church itself
is wonderfully familiar. If
I say that it has a specific
smell, please dont think
of that as a bad thing!
We are all jolted into
memories by smells; it
is a powerfully evocative

A banner in my home church, All Souls, Oxford, N.S.

sense. Theres a strange

hot air blower in the
centre of the building,
which is a kind of A-frame
structure, and the mix of
wax (from the candles),
the slight mustiness from
the books (because the
building is left unheated
for most of the week),
and the hot smell from
the furnace mix into a
very distinct and wellknown scent.
But as much as

I enjoy being there, I

have enjoyed all of the
congregations that I have
belonged to. When I
moved to Halifax to attend
university, I became a
member of the Kings
College Chapel, and also
occasionally attended
two parish churches in
the metro area. When
I moved to Wisconsin, I
became a regular server
at All Saints Cathedral
in Milwaukee, and also

attended worship at the

seminary chapel. Our first
two parishes each had
four churches in them,
and I attended them all.
Then the Cathedral of St.
John the Baptist became
home for many years,
and now I feel at home
when I go to St. Michaels.
The thing is that the
idea of home is very tied
to family, and wherever I
have gone to church,
I have experience that
sense of family, and have
felt at home. Our parents
and grandparents may
not live where we do, and
the little church where we
began our journey may
not be our regular weekly
option, but we need
to seek out our family,
and seek out our home,
regardless of where we
live. The church isnt
the physical building,
as comforting as it may
be for us. If you live in a
new-to-you community,
and you want to make
feel like home, then find a
parish, and go to church.
Youll be welcomed, and
will find a new family
there.

Multi-Cultural Caf at St. Augustines

Photographs and Article
Submitted by

Rose Reid

pictured above: Bishop

Peddle with members
of the congregation
from St. Augustines
Pictured on the left and
far left: people enjoying
a wide variety of food
the was available in the
parish hall following the
service.

On January 22nd, Bishop Geoffrey Peddle attended a worship service and multi-cultural caf at St. Augustines parish in St. Johns. The
event was held in order to raise money for Syrian refugees, and for
displaced students in North Africa.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

12

Confirmation in Port Aux Basques

Submitted with photographs by

Lisa Brown

On March 6th, Archbishop Coffin visited St. James Church in Port aux Basques to administer the
Rite of Confirmation to fifteen children and two adults. The service started at 3:00 pm followed by a
potluck dinner in the Memorial Centre. This year our Confirmation Class completed a Stewardship
Project which raised $1060.00. This money was used to buy items from the World Gift Catalogue, such
as livestock, a bicycle ambulance, the gift of providing seeds for a Tanzanian Community, outfitting
a health worker, and a donation was made to Jorjas Journeys. A big thank you goes out to the
Confirmation Teachers Gail Northcott, Sandra Moss, Wendy Osmond, Suzanne Parsons and Andrea
Strickland for guiding these children through this important step in their lives.

Front row -- Calista Seaward, Jack Strickland, Liam Ingram, James Fagan, Jasmine Chaulk
2nd Row: Mackenzie Strickland, Brooklyn Anderson, Erica Osmond, Kaylee Mauger, Marcus Farrell.
3rd row: Jordan Pike, Andrew Osmond, Sophia Munden, Tyler Dingwell, Nicholas Davis.
Back Row: John Kendall, Archbishop Coffin, Jennifer Osmond

@anglicanlife

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anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

13

Beside The Still

Waters

Ron Clarke

Columnist

In every life there are

times of tempest. Storms
of temptation, frustration
and disappointment
buffet us frequently.
Waves of loss, pain, and
grief swamp our fragile
barks and threaten to
destroy us utterly. As
the philosophers of the
world maintain: Thats
the breaks! Thats life!
When assaulted by
storm, the Christian
frequently turns
for succour to his
Maker. Nothing more
dramatically emphasizes
our dependence on God
than tribulation. In their
most difficult moments,
even the seemingly nonreligious turn instinctively
to God.
Often, though, there
are for each of us those
blessed times of calm, of
sojourn beside the still
waters. In times of peace
and freedom from strain
or threat of danger, those
whose relationship with
God is superficial may
lose all sense of contact
with him. They may
become so absorbed
in the pleasures of the
h o u r, s o p o s s e s s e d
by the false sense of
independence, that their
awareness of God may

NOTICE FROM ST. PHILIPS PARISH

virtually disappear. They

feel no need for God in
the immediate security
of the moment.
Not so for the real
Christian. In times of
peace the benevolence
and love of God seem
very near and very real.
To the Christian lying
on a sandy beach on a
blissful summers day,
surrounded by bluegreen sea, azure skies,
sun-steeped cliffs,
and emerald hills, the
love of God is virtually
palpable. The summer
landscape is the Fathers
good garden; the soft
sigh of the wind, the
songs of the birds are
his music; the rich beauty
of summer, a plethora of
pleasant sights. Sounds
and scents, proclaim the
warm love of the Creator,
his greatness and power,
and his infinite concern
for all his creatures.
Surrounded by
summer beauty one
August afternoon,
o n e m a n re m a r ke d :
How wonderful must
heaven be if it is, as the
Bible suggests, more
wonderful than this?
And when we are in
the golden time of
autumn, a time of riotous
colour, of crisp, clear
evenings, and brilliant
starlit nights, again we
stand surrounded by
the Fathers beauties.
How insensitive and
thoughtless we are if we
ignore the Creator, the
giver. Winter and spring,
day and night, storm
and calm, all proclaim
the Fathers love. Let
us be truly thankful for
all his earthly gifts, and
gratefully anticipate the
wonders of his other,
even more wonderful
kingdom, to come.

The Anglican Parish of St. Philip is pleased to announce our

second annual Teaching Mission.
Our Mission leader this year is Shawn Branch
of Threshold Ministries (formerly known as Anglican Church
Army of Canada).
The Mission will be held in our church from Thursday, May
26th to Sunday, May 29th. The sessions will begin at 7:00 in the
evening, and will conclude with Sunday worship at 10:30 am.
We will have a gospel band in attendance to provide music and
singing for the occasion.
Our Parish is pleased to welcome and invite other Christians
to come and join us as Shawn opens up the scriptures for our
learning and to help us grow in our faith in our Risen Lord.
Please pray for Shawn and for our Mission; and please join us if
you can; and bring a friend with you.
The Revd Ed Keeping

image from creativecommons.org southpondnature.org

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

14

Smith Sound Confirmation Class Prepares for

Their Confirmation by Attending One
Article and photographs by

Harvey Locke

Confirmation
Preparation in the Parish
of Smith Sound
On Sunday, March 13,
2016 the Confirmation
Classes of Smith Sound,
five young people
from St. Aidans at Port
B l a n d f o rd a n d f o u r
from St. Mary the Virgin
at B u rg o y n e s Co v e
travelled, accompanied
by parents, sponsors,
class leaders and
their rector, the Revd
G e o rge S p encer, to
St. Martins Cathedral
in Gander to attend a
Confirmation Service as
part of their Confirmation
preparation.
The
purpose of the trip was
broadly to show the
candidates an actual
Confirmation Service,
and to promote a sense
of unity and identity with
other young people in
our Diocese.
The Confirmation
Classes from Smith Sound

Parish were extended

a very warm welcome
by the rector, the Revd
John Watton, and were
treated to a very nice
lunch provided by the
ladies of the cathedral
parish. It was a lovely
outing for the group,
greatly appreciated by
all, and provided some
interesting insights for the
Smith Sound candidates.
For one young person
it was actually a source
of some comfort: one
young man was heard
to remark that he was
greatly relieved that the
Bishops examination
was done as a group,
rather than individually.
The photos attached
here are of the Smith
Sound Confirmation
classes, along with Rev.
George Spencer and a
group photo of Bishop
David, St. Martins newly
confirmed youth, and
the candidates from the
Parish of Smith Sound.

60 Years of Service Recognized in Mount Pearl

Submitted with photograph by
Jean Nash

On Sunday, February 28, 2016,

Cindy Button, a member of
the Church of the Ascension
in Mount Pearl, was presented
with a certificate recognizing,
and in thanksgiving for, her 60
years of service and dedication
to the ACW (Anglican Church
Women). Her friends, and the
whole Parish family, sincerely
hope that God will continue
to bless her in her continued
service in this ministry.

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

MAY 2016

15

Three in One, and One in Three

belief in God as one,
and yet contended that
that the Son and the
Holy Spirit were God
as well as the Father.
This issue produced
extensive debate as
well as considerable
division. The search for
a resolution evolved into
God as Trinity, especially
in the pronouncements
of the Councils of Nicea
(325) and Constantinople
(381). The words used in
The Revd Everett Hobbs
the formulae reflected
the thinking of the
Columnist
t i m e ( u s i n g G re e k ) ,
The mystery of the as expressed in the
Holy Trinity is the central Apostles Creed and
mystery of the Christian Nicene Creed, and in
f a i t h a n d l i f e . Th e the act of baptism.
Athanasian Creed puts
The Trinity is not
it this way: The Father an explanation of the
is God, the Son is God nature of God, rather an
and the Holy Spirit is expression of it. It is not
God, and yet there are a puzzle or a problem
not three Gods but one to be solved by the
God. In the words of mind. Logically, it is a
John Henry Newman: contradiction. Countless
Firmly I believe and bookshave been written
truly, God is three and and sermons preached
God is one.
a b o u t t h e Tr i n i t y .
The early Church These may help us to
s t r u g g l e d w i t h i t s understand God more,

but they cannot explain

God. The Trinity is
more about prayer and
worship than about
study and speculation.
St. Columbus tells usthat
God the Trinity is known
not by words but by
faith. The Trinity is a
mystery, and relationship
t o m y s t e r y re q u i re s
w o n d e r, a w e , a n d
praise. God is beyond
human language butits
all we have to record
his self-revelation. The
language we use for the
Trinity shows the limits
of our knowledge and
understanding of God.
It is a paradox, which
is the most profound
way we can speak
about God. There is a
tradition (the negative
or apophatic way) which
avoids or limits language
a b o u t G o d . Wo rd s
are also problematic
whenwe dont distinguish
the literal meaning
from other forms, such
as poetry and story. A
fundamentalist reading
of the Bible takes all

wordsliterally.
The Trinity teaches us
that the nature of God
is a relationship of love.
The three Persons are
not different, but distinct,
having everything in
common and based
on mutual trust and
self-giving. We know
the Trinity through our
relationship with God,
grounded in this love.
G o d a s Tr i n i t y
confronts us with the
questions: What is God
like? Who is the one we
call God? Our God may
be too small because we
have moved little beyond
our childhood version.
We need to keep
growing God. Or our
God may be an idol and
a false god of our own
making. Not a carved
image, but in the form
of money, possessions,
success, power, status,
ideology, or whatever
we make more important
than God. Bonhoeffer
tells us thatif we do not
allow God to make us
in his own image, we

A Passion Journey For The Senses

Article and photographs by

Kimberly Pope

As our Lenten journey was drawing to a close at the Parish of the Ascension,
we embarked on a passion journey that reached in through our various
senses to touch our hearts and nourish our souls. It began with Palm Sunday, and the feel of the palm fronds in our hands. We listened, as the Revd
Alfred Wareham read the passion gospel. We watched, as members of the
confirmation class brought forward items to Canon David Burrows, who used
them to build the Crucifixion/Resurrection Garden in front of the Altar. We
journeyed on through Holy Week services, watching, listening and learning.
On Good Friday, the youth of our parish presented a dramatization of the
Stations of the Cross. The sounds of the cross being dragged to Golgotha
and the hammering of the nails reverberated throughout the church and
left a profound impression upon us. On Saturday evening we gathered for
the Easter Vigil taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the flames used to
light the Paschal Candle, passing the light on to each other. We gathered
at the font, renewing our baptismal vows. Then we gathered at the altar to
celebrate the Eucharist, tasting the bread and wine, and remembering our
Saviours death and resurrection. We witnessed the open, empty tomb in our
Crucifixion/Resurrection Garden, and saw the cocoons, which the Reverend
Lynn Courage along with the young children of our congregation had placed
on the tree on Good Friday, which now had emerging butterflies. On Easter
morning we gathered again, celebrating in the resurrection and singing our
praises. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

anglicanlife in Newfoundland&Labrador

will make him in our

own image for our own
convenience, security,
and comfort. The God
of the Bible calls us,
challenges us, upsets us,
that we may see the light.
Wo r s h i p i n g G o d
as Trinity will prevent
us centring on one of
Three while neglecting
the other two, such as
a preoccupation with
Jesus, but little attention
to the Holy Spirit. We
keep the Trinity before us
with the use of Glory to
the Father . . ., The grace
of our Lord . . . ; In the
name of the Father . . . .
A much used depiction
of the Trinity is an icon
by Andrei Rublev. I have
a copy in my bedroom
and stand before it each
morning after rising.
You can find it online. A
wonderful description
of the Trinity is found in
the hymn St. Patricks
Breastplate, beginning
I bind myself unto
myself today the strong
Name of the Trinity . . .

MAY 2016

16

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