Parker Elected As the Next Bishop of Ottawa
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Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 10 Executive Archdeacon’s greeting Financial relief for parishes Community ministries coping Interview with the Bishop-Elect with COVID-19 May 2020 Parker elected as the next bishop of Ottawa PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN By Leigh Anne Williams After accepting his election, Bishop-elect Parker said, “We are called in this unusual The Very Rev. Shane Parker, who has been the time to be love in a world that is now filled Dean of Ottawa and Rector of Christ Church with fear. This is our time. We are called to Cathedral for more than 20 years, was elected give the compassion and wisdom of God in to be the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Ot- Christ to care for those who are afflicted, who tawa at an electoral Synod held on March 14. are isolated, who are terrified, and to give the He will be consecrated as bishop on May 31. compassion and wisdom of Christ our God “I am deeply grateful that you have af- to heal, to heal our world.” firmed a call that God placed deep within the Prior to the election, the nominees trav- centre of my being,” Parker told the Synod elled to four regional meetings across the members gathered in Christ Church Cathe- diocese to meet members of Synod and other dral. parishioners and to answer questions from He was elected on the fifth ballot, receiv- them. Parker told people at those gatherings ing 69.9% of the clergy votes and 51.7% that when he hears “reports of declining of the lay vote. Election requires 50 percent numbers of people and dollars, I get ener- plus 1 vote in both houses. Archbishop Anne gized, because I hear God telling us to see Germond, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical new possibilities for God’s Church; telling us Province of Ontario, thanked the five other to ask ourselves new questions like ‘Where nominees—Archdeacon Christopher Dunn, do we need to be?’ and ‘How can we be a Archdeacon Peter John Hobbs, Archdeacon resource in our communities?’ Brian Kauk, Archdeacon Kathryn Otley, and Outlining his vision, he said, “I see the the Rev. Mark Whittall—for offering them- possibility of a diocese that has a realistic selves as candidates in the election. and sustainable number of sensibly situated The election was held on the last day before parish buildings, with clergy teams, with all Anglican services in the Ecclesiastical Prov- sufficient streams of revenue from offerings, ince of Ontario were suspended to aid efforts property and endowments, and with truly to prevent the spread of COVID 19 (coronavi- helpful support from diocesan resources.” He rus). Attendance was limited to Synod mem- added that he sees “a diocese with vibrant, bers and essential staff as a safety precaution, diverse, intergenerational, nurturing parishes; while those who did attend were instructed to and a noteworthy, positive presence in all our maintain distance from each other. The open- communities—whether parish-based, in part- ing Eucharist service and election were live- nerships with others, or through the growing streamed from the diocesan Facebook page so The episcopal election was held in Christ Church Cathedral, reach of our Community Ministries.” that those who were not present could observe where Bishop-Elect Shane Parker has served as dean and the day’s proceedings. rector for more than 20 years. Archbishop Anne Germond Continued on page 2 chaired the Synod. PHOTO: ARCHDEACON CHRIS DUNN Page 2 • CROSSTALK • May 2020 FROM THE EXECUTIVE ARCHDEACON By gracious powers so wonderfully tune Le Cenacle. The hymn sometimes against hope, of care systems so that should sheltered, with the tune Le Cenacle ap- better times to come. another pandemic happen and confidently waiting come pears in The Hymnal 1982 of we will be better prepared? what may, The Episcopal Church. And when this cup you give is How will our faith in a we know that God is with us filled to brimming Resurrected God empower night and morning, Yet is this heart by its old foe With bitter suffering, hard to us to continue in faith to be and never fails to greet us each tormented, understand, the witness of Christ in this new day. still evil days bring burdens hard We take it thankfully and without world? to bear; trembling, The poem Von guten Machten, O give our frightened souls the sure Out of so good and so beloved a And when again in this same in seven verses, was the salvation, for which, hand. world you give us last poem written by Diet- O Lord, you taught us to prepare. the joy we had, the brightness of rich Bonhoeffer while in a We as Christians as an your Sun, The Venerable David Gestapo prison in Berlin. It In this time of COVID-19 Easter people are called to we shall remember all the days we was found in a letter dated with the haunted past of celebrate life over death, lived through, Selzer, Executive Dec. 28, 1944 addressed to Lent and a shadow of an the triumph through death and our whole life shall then be Archdeacon of the Bonhoeffer’s mother who Easter celebration, with of life in resurrected form. yours alone. was to turn 70 two days later. the constant repetitive During the pandemic, how Diocese of Ottawa By gracious powers so wonderfully The poem combines reflec- messages of handwashing, do we bring the “good news” sheltered, tions on the turning of time self-isolation, and distancing, of the Reign of God to those and confidently waiting come and on the end of one’s life; and with the images of in distress, to those who are what may, Bonhoeffer was executed on death, endless graphs, empty mourning, to those who are we know that God is with us April 9, 1945. Hymnwriter cities, and the experience exhausted from respond- night and morning, Fred Pratt Green provided a of anxious frayed nerves, ing to this virus? When the and never fails to greet us each translation of the modified we find ourselves like pandemic ends, how do we new day. form of the text in 1974 and Bonhoeffer ‘waiting come work in faith to rebuild our added the Joseph Gelineau what may,’ and hoping, communities and our health The Ven. David Selzer CLERGY NEWS Parker elected, from page 1 Research Ethics Board. STAFF A collection of his es- says written for the Ottawa NEWS Citizen’s Ask the Religion Ex- The Area Parish of The Rev. Carol Hotte perts column was published Renfrew-Pontiac was becomes Priest-in-Charge of by Novalis in a book titled dissolved by Bishop John St. Paul’s, Renfrew, full-time Answering the Big Questions. Chapman, effective Mar. until Oct. 1, 2020 and half- In 2010, he received the 19, 2020, following conver- time after that. Interfaith Ottawa Award for sations with parish clergy promoting interfaith dia- and lay leadership and with logue and cooperation. the concurrence of the Parker has trained in Archdeacons of the Diocese mediation and reconciliation of Ottawa. Parker earned degrees from and is an associate member St. Paul’s Renfrew be- Carleton University and was of the Ontario Association came a single-point parish a professional sociologist of Family Mediators. He has and reverted back to the before he studied theology established close connec- Deanery of Pembroke. at Saint Paul University. He tions with Coventry Cathe- was ordained priest in the dral (UK) and its ministry The Parish of West Anglican Diocese of Ottawa of reconciliation known as (above) Taylor Seguin Quebec was created as a in 1987. He served as assis- the Community of the Cross was appointed as Program new area parish. It includes tant curate in the Parish of of Nails; and with Saint Coordinator for Centre 105 St. Paul’s Shawville; Holy Trinity Cornwall for the next George’s Anglican Cathedral Drop-In Centre in Cornwall, Trinity Radford; and Holy The Rev. Eric Morin be- three years. From 1990 to in Jerusalem, which is deeply Ont., effective Mar. 2. Trinity Danford Lake comes the Incumbent of the 1995, he was the Incumbent committed to interfaith dia- Seguin grew up in Long along with all the chapels Parish of West Quebec on a for the Parish of Chelsea- logue and reconciliation. He Sault, near Cornwall. of: Christ Church Mani- full-time basis. Lascelles-Wakefield and also has led several pilgrimages to He completed a B.A. in waki; St. George’s Thorne served as the Archdeacon the Holy Land. religious studies at Queen’s Centre; St. James Wright; of Western Quebec in from He is married to Kath- University and then studied St. Stephen’s Kazabazua; 1994 to 1995. He served erine Shadbolt-Parker, who social service work at St. St. George’s Campbell’s as Executive Archdeacon practices family law. He has Lawrence College in Corn- Bay; St. John’s Moorhead; and Executive Assistant to two sons, Felan and Liam, a wall. St. Matthews Charteris; St. the Bishop of Ottawa until daughter, Rosemary, who is a Centre 105 founder the Stephen’s Greemount; St. 1999 when he was appointed priest in the diocese, and two Rev. Peter Cazaly hired George’s Portage-du-Fort; Dean of Ottawa and Rector granddaughters. Seguin as a support worker and St. Thomas Bristol. of Christ Church Cathedral. As the electoral Synod at Centre 105 right after he As outlined in his Christ concluded, Parker reiterated finished his studies at the St. James Otter Lake Church Cathedral profile, a promise he made as the college. He worked at Centre will function as its own Parker has served as a ses- nominees met with parish- 105 part-time for a year and parish assuming all of the sional professor in pasto- ioners in meetings in early a half.