ContactA Newsletter for the Council of the North Easter 2018 Responding to God’s Call to mission and ministry in the northern regions of Canada

NEW THIS YEAR! Placemats from Council of the North See p. 4 on how to order

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the “flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. —Galations 2:20 ESV”

Council anglican.ca/cn of the North

photo: shutterstock Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows A train derailment seven months ago, near Churchill, Man., leaves a rural sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from community isolated. The government and the company that runs the train have been your Father. squabbling in court. Little solution seems imminent.

Council anglican.ca/cn of the North Seven-month-old railroad derailment Council anglican.ca/cn of the North continues to vex Churchill, Manitoba Contact is produced by the ABOUT seven months ago, a flood period, beginning in the late 1880s, with Council of the North washed out the sole rail connection to the station finally finished in 1929. The Churchill, Man. That connection allowed landscape, with rocky outcroppings Bishop William Cliff resources to travel north (including and spongy muskegs, explains some of Chairperson fuel and food) and people to travel this extended timeline. (With global Email: [email protected] south (including those with doctors’ climate change, much of the permafrost Stories by General Synod appointments). In the intervening nine has become boggier, exacerbating the months, OmniTRAX, the company that already unstable muskeg.) Subscribe to our email list to operates the railroads, has argued that For almost 80 years, the railroad receive newsletters and updates responsibility for replacing the line rests has not only provided a material about the Anglican church’s with the federal government, saying connection to the rest of Canada, it has ministry in the Council of the it is a proviso of the constitution. The helped provide an identity for northern North. Go online here: Prime Minister’s Office counterclaims Manitoba communities. Being caught anglican.ca/cnml that legislation under NAFTA requires between the government and large OmniTRAX to repair those same lines. corporations makes the delivery of goods For all communications inquiries or On October 13, the federal government and services impossible, and further to share your stories or experiences gave OmniTRAX 30 days to replace the isolates these towns. about positive ministry projects in the tracks. Months after that ultimatum, the Bishop William G. Cliff, of the North, please email rail has yet to be replaced or repaired. , sees this as a [email protected]. From the very beginning, Churchill pastoral emergency. His congregants are has been caught in a mess of railroad in obvious distress. Speaking to him, and challenging construction hurdles. he is understandably frustrated by this The Anglican Church of Canada The first railroad was built over a 50-year seemingly intractable fight. Cliff wrote to See Derailment on p. 4

contact | easter 2018 | a newsletter for the council of the north | 1 ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE Roman Catholic and Anglican priests tackle tough challenges

LAST fall, 25 Roman Catholic and focused on the similarity in challenges number of their priests are from outside Anglican clergy travelled from all over shared by Anglican and Roman Canada. This intersects with populations northern to attend what they Catholic priests in Athabasca. The in places like Grand Prairie, where hope will become an annual ecumenical mission work concerned itself with immigrants in the service industry meeting. The meeting addressed both outside congregations and with have made towns much more diverse. concerns about how to work together local parishes. The concerns brought These concerns about newcomers, and in the North and how to be better forth included issues of lay engagement. people who have been in parishes for Christians to newcomers. The Anglican Lawton noted that both Catholic and as long as Alberta has been a province, area bishop, Fraser Lawton, described Anglican churches continue to be means that there should be a number the meeting as a “conversation about the concerned with how little people know of solutions for what could be a tricky things they had in common, and a good their faith, and by extension, whether problem. Lawton balances questions of start.” the clergy have “done a good job with Anglican engagement with hearing how The conference asked questions about catechesis.” Catholic partners in faith can “carry missions: what missions now look like, The question about what a out ministry and are able to help” with who is called to be a missionary, and catechetical good job looks like also mutual mission work, catechesis, and how best to support those who are called. encompassed the clergy. They noted community building. These introductory conversations made that people in their dioceses were less These concerns and challenges for a solid footing for deepened mutual interested in active parish life than can often be met by open and honest understanding. Lawton discussed the they once were. Lawton described the communication, and through explicit central goal of these questions as a kind problem as partly “being in competition planning. These are the ongoing goals of fellowship. The Bishop wished that for people’s time” and how to make of the Anglican diocese of Athabasca, those present would be “taking up time church life a priority again. and also of their fellow Christians. The with people’s concerns, and connecting There are other factors, which conference is the first step in opening an to each other.” are slightly more of an issue for the ecumenical process that will hopefully The connecting with each other Roman Catholic population, as a large bear much fruit. Ω

THE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH is a grouping of financially assisted dioceses, supported through grants by General Synod, that serve sparsely populated areas in the Arctic, Yukon, Northern and Central Interior British Columbia, Alberta, northern Saskatchewan, Manitoba; and northern Ontario. Specifically: • • Diocese of Athabasca • Diocese of Brandon • • Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh • Diocese of Moosonee • • •

2 | contact | easter 2018 | a newsletter for the council of the north Roman Catholic and Anglican priests tackle tough challenges

New Dean announced THE leadership gap in Athabasca has been filled by an excellent candidate, with first-rate skills and a deep understanding of the region. Athabasca is a deanery in north- central Alberta, going as far west as the British Columbia border, as far north as the Northwest Territory photo: contributed border, as far west as Saskatchewan, The village of Ivujivik and almost to Edmonton in the south. The new dean, the Very Rev. Jason Haggstrom, was installed on September 17, 2017. He has a wide range of plans, including starting Arctic Travels December, 2017 new ministries and continuing successful ones, and desiring for by Melanie Delva wider communities, especially in Reconciliation Animator for local Cree and Métis communities. The Anglican Church of Canada. Haggstrom has a long history in remote Western Canada. He THIS past December, I had the honour grew up in a small town between of traveling the Eastern portion of the Smithers and Terrace, in the northern Diocese of the Arctic with Bishop David interior of British Columbia, Parsons, Esther Wesley (Coordinator photo: contributed earning his first theology degrees of the Anglican Healing Fund) and the St. Columba’s Church in the Okanogan. This experience Rev. Victor Johnson (Regional Dean gave him some context for his new of Ungava Deanery). We traveled deanery. However, he has experience both the Hudson and Ungava Coasts The learning and “take-aways” for outside of the region. For example, of Nunavik, including 9 communities me from the trip are complex, and I am he moved around quite a bit after ranging in size from 200 to 1,000 people. still working through them. I learned a graduation, working 15 years with The only way to access the villages is by lot from the people, the land, the travel the Church Army, an evangelical plane, so we traveled mostly by Dash-8 itself. I was incredibly inspired by the and mission group founded in the and Twin Otter planes—a first for me! faith of the people. It is brilliant in its late 1920s. Haggstrom’s work with Anglican Mission in this area began in immediacy—God is seen and known the Church Army included social 1882. A couple of the communities have everywhere and in all things and people. service and general outreach work, clergy, but most are led by dedicated I was humbled as well — humbled by and involved travelling throughout and unpaid lay ministers who serve what I take for granted, my consumerism southeastern Ontario. He looks as everything from preachers of the in comparison to what is available forward to spending the next decade Word, to nurses, counsellors and church and valued in the North. Finally, I in Athabasca, until his retirement. building managers. was humbled by the weather—vicious Though he is new to the parish Everything was new and exciting for blizzards that brought everything to of St. James’ Cathedral, he talks of me — from my first visit to the local Co- a standstill and had us trapped in our the diocese being filled with tightly op general store which sells everything little hotel for days. I tend to think I knit communities, with a small-town from milk to rabbit skins, to the ski- am “in charge” of my life and it really intimacy. Part of this knowing is especially common among the Cree doos whipping up and down the street reminded me of Who is really at the and Métis people. In these parishes, through the towns. The first thing that helm! I am awash in gratitude. To my the discussion around reconciliation really struck me though, was the quality travel companions who taught me so centres on a yearning for authentic of light in the North. It is very hard to much and were so great to travel with, to community. describe. The light that time of year was the people we met who were unending Haggstrom enjoys the challenges in their kind welcomes and hospitality, low, but striking and the sky radiant with of reconciliation and community sun dogs. I couldn’t possibly describe and to God, whose grace in giving me building. The cathedral is a busy it properly but it took my breath away the gift of this experience is above all to everywhere we went. be praised. Ω See Dean on p. 4

contact | easter 2018 | a newsletter for the council of the north | 3 Derailment Resources from the Council of the North Continued from p.1 These resources are available free of charge. View, order and/or download at anglican.ca/cn/resources Prime Minister Trudeau in September, asking the federal government to “get NORTHERN WITNESS: A 5-Session on with it.” He received a note back in Bible Study from the Council of the North October, with vague reassurances of a forthcoming solution. The note was the Using themes of Solidarity, Mission & Service, last time he heard from the office. Cliff Trust & Treasure, Healing and Partnership, this sees no solution but to build the line. 5-module study uses stories of northern ministry There are companies willing to build to help illuminate the chosen Bible passages. the line, both in a larger financing sense, Each module also invites you to deepen your and with workers on the ground. The partnership with us in the Gospel. multi-national rail conglomerate Fairfax Order FREE colour copies from our resource order form page: anglican.ca/cnorder has shown some interest in possibly Download a PDF copy of Northern Witness: anglican.ca/cnnw building those lines, for example. The holdup is due to the ongoing battles between OmniTRAX and the federal Lent/Easter NEW! government. Bishop Cliff tells us that he

I have been crucified with Christ. It is has “no inside information—I am on the no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the “flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Placemats from who loved me and gave himself for me. outside, banging my fist, wanting to be —Galations 2:20 ESV ” Council of the North let in.” Two new placemats are available The metaphor of wanting to be let for order. in is a poignant one. The challenges of those who live in the North are often

Council anglican.ca/cn of the North 1. Lent/Easter poorly understood, and people feel 2. Every Occasion caught under heel. But there is some Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not Place your order through the hope, given that communities like one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. Council of the North website at Churchill have fierce advocates with anglican.ca/cnorder clergy like Bishop Cliff.Ω Every Occasion Council anglican.ca/cn of the North

Council anglican.ca/cn of the North

Dean

Continued from p.3

place, filled with child care, food banks, and related services. Haggstrom also runs a prison ministry, visiting members of his flock who are incarcerated. There is also an attempt to extend communities of clergy. He notes a new retreat for clergy, who come together to discuss the spiritual needs of the parishes they mentor. This occurred for the first time in autumn photo: mhalifu/wikimedia common 2017, but the hope is that it will be at least The Cathedral Church of St. James. an annual event. This does not mean that the community is not without its hardships. major cash crop for this region, and many was 138 a barrel.” This year could be considered Even with the economic downturns, economically difficult. The region of his parishioners depend on it to make where Haggstrom is dean is more about a living. There was a canola blight, which Haggstrom has a distinct hope that agriculture than resource extraction, affected most of the crops. This combined the community will thrive, with an though he notes the economy rests on with a worldwide depression in oil prices, ecumenical and pastoral focus that will each. This year was hard on both the so that according to Haggstrom, “People help expand the influence of the church farmers and the oil riggers. Canola is the cannot live as high as they did when oil throughout the region. Ω

4 | contact | easter 2018 | a newsletter for the council of the north