The Anglican Church

Territory Bulletin 9 July 2019

Episcopal Election Bishop Barbara has announced her retirement effective December 31, 2019. Coordinating Council has met, an Electoral Committee has been formed, and an Electoral Assembly has been scheduled. The election of the first Bishop for the Territory of the People will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at St. Alban’s, Ashcroft. In accordance with Territory Policy 1.11: Nominating and Electoral Procedure for the Election of a Bishop for the Territory of the People Anglican Church the Electoral Committee issues this call for nominations. Call for Nominations Our policy specifies the following:  Nominations for the Office of Bishop must be supported by at least two members who are: o a Territory Assembly Delegate; o a member of a Parish Council within the Territory of the People; o any member of a parish may propose a name for nomination through either their Territory Assembly Delegate or Parish Council Member.  A nomination must have the consent of the nominee.  The two nominators as named above do not need to be members of the same body.  Nominators may only nominate one candidate. The Holy Spirit does surprising things and we do not know where our next Bishop is going to come from. It is important for all members of our church family to consider prayerfully whether they know of someone who may be called to be our next Bishop. The Nomination form is available on the Territory website. NOMINATION FORMS MUST BE RECEIVED BY EMAIL ([email protected]) BY THE ELECTORAL COMMITTEE ON OR BEFORE MIDNIGHT PDT ON JULY 29, 2019. Pray that our Territory will be guided by the Spirit in all we do and that we find the Bishop we need to take us where God is calling us to go. The tentative date for the Consecration of the elected Bishop is January 4, 2020. If you have any questions please contact Melissa Green, Chair of the Electoral Committee at [email protected] at 250-682-4866. Blessings,

Melissa Green Chair, Electoral Committee on behalf of the Electoral Committee Prayers…  For healing of Sheila Ponsford - in hospital in Vancouver and for her husband, The Rev Len Fraser and all the family at this difficult time.  For the parishes of St Timothy 100 Mile House, St Peter Williams Lake and St Luke Alexis Creek as they continue to search for a new priest to serve with them.  For new vocation for leadership in the church.  For the new Bishop to serve the Territory of the People.

 For Archbishop Fred Hiltz as he ends his time as our Primate.  For all attending General Synod, especially our delegates Ken Gray, Jo Ann Hinter, Dale Drozda, Marlena Anderson and Diane Collins.  For the five Bishops who have been nominated in the election of the new Primate: Jane Alexander (Edmonton), Ron Cutler (NS & PEI), Greg Kerr-Wilson (Calgary), (Huron), Michael Oulton (Ontario).  For Bishop Barbara during this time of transition to her retirement December 31, 2019

A prayer for General Synod - July 10 – 16, 2019 – Vancouver

God of our ancestors, God of our future, Who was and is and is to come, You have named us in baptism, And called us into friendship with you and one another. In General Synod, Give all participants grace to listen well, To speak with respect, To deliberate with wisdom, And to honour this gathering of your beloved Church; Through Jesus Christ, before whose name we bow in adoration and praise, now and for ever. Amen

Territory News Deacon’s Vocational Event has been postponed due to a lack of registrations at this time. Watch for a new time and place in the Fall. Treasurers and Wardens Workshop – Save the Date!! Saturday, September 14th to be held in the Cariboo Deanery – more information will be distributed in the weeks to come. EFM Graduate - Congratulations to Caroline Sharpe, St. Timothy's 100 Mile House, who completed her four year Education for Ministry program... a wonderful achievement and one which Caroline can be proud. Caroline is a Lay Minister of Word and Sacrament at St. Timothy's, and at the LMWS Study Day on June 15th was presented with a beautiful bouquet of roses from Bishop Barbara to honour her graduation in EfM. Well done Caroline!

Electoral Committee News The Electoral Committee hit the ground running at its first meeting on the evening of June 25 as they met in videoconference via ZOOM.

Chaired by Consultant Melissa Green, the meeting reviewed all aspects of the electoral process and finalized a stage-by-stage timeline culminating with the Electoral Assembly on September 28 at St. Alban’s Ashcroft.

The Nominating Committee, a sub-committee of the Episcopal Electoral Committee, was established with Ken Ponsford, Douglas Fenton, and Len Fraser agreeing to serve. Marlena Anderson or Brenda Munroe will join later. The Nominating Committee will oversee all aspects of seeking and accepting nominations, making sure the candidates are properly notified and vetted and ensuring delegates to the Electoral Assembly have accurate information about all the candidates well ahead of the Assembly.

On July 3, Coordinating Council approved the appointment of Melissa Green to the Electoral Committee. This appointment validated a motion made earlier at the Electoral Committee recommendation that Melissa chair the Electoral Committee pending her appointment to the Committee. Coordinating Council also approved a recommendation from the Administration Committee that Melissa chair discussions on the work of the Electoral Committee which take place at Coordinating Council.

Upon ratification of the timeline, which is posted on the Territory website, and other details at Coordinating Council on July 3, the call for nominations was forwarded to parishes, Territory Assembly Delegates, Archbishop Melissa Skelton and the Primate’s office on July 4.

Watch this space in future Territory Bulletins for updates on the progress of the election.

Submitted by Ken Ponsford Member-at-Large, Electoral Committee

OTHER NEWS Kootenay School of Ministry – has two planned courses for the fall of 2019 by Zoom videoconference:  P101 Being Anglican with instructor The Rev. Canon Dr. David Neelands, Dean Emeritus of Divinity, Trinity College, Toronto on Saturdays from September 14 – November 9, 2019.  P102 Evangelism Remixed: Learning from Biblical Narratives of Conversion with instructor The Rev. Dr. Judy Paulsen, Professor of Evangelism, Director of the Institute of Evangelism, Wycliffe College, Toronto on Tuesdays from September 10 - December 3. To see the webpage on the Diocese of Kootenay website, go to https://www.kootenayanglican.ca/kootenay-school-of-ministry Vancouver School of Theology (VST) Indigenous Studies Program Summer School – Offers holistic and interdisciplinary courses which examine sacred scripture, theology, and philosophy through the lens of indigenous thought. Click here for information and to register. Respect Justice Camp – August 13-19 in Windsor Ontario. Dioceses across Canada have hosted the Justice Camps which provide an important opportunity for the family of faith to gather and explore important justice-based themes including: Food, Advocacy, Environment, Poverty, Community, Shalom, Land, and International Justice Camps. More information can be found on the Anglican Church of Canada website here, or on the Justice Camp website here. Anglican Diocese of Montreal e-newsletter – click here for news from our Companion Diocese and the work they are doing – stop by the Territory office to see the piece of beautiful stained glass art presented to Bishop Barbara and the Territory by Bishop Mary Irwin Gibson, at our Assembly in Quesnel.

BISHOP’S SCHEDULE AND IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

July 7-9 Council of the North Grant Allocation Sept 1 Deadline Anglican Foundation Committee, Vancouver Grants July 10–16 General Synod, Vancouver Sept 8 St. Mary the Virgin/St. Andrew July 17 Cultural Camp near Lytton for Lillooet – parish visit Baptisms Sept 14 Treasurers & Wardens workshop July 21 St. Peter’s Monte Creek St. Peter’s Williams Lake 10-3pm July 27-28 St. Timothy’s 100 Mile House Sept 15-20 National House of Bishops, Niagara Falls July 29-August 12 Holidays Sept 21-22 Indigenous House of Bishops, Toronto Sept 22 Cariboo Group – Grace-on-the- Hill Toronto Sept 23-26 Council of the North, Toronto Sept 26 Administration Committee Sept 28 Electoral Assembly, Ashcroft August 18 Ashcroft parish visit Sept 29 Robson Valley Parish Visit August 19-26 Ordination of new Bishop – , Whitehorse Meeting of the BCY House of Bishops

On the Bishop’s travels throughout the Territory, she visits all our parishes and often has stories to relate when she returns to the office…. and this is one of them… Bishop Barbara was so impressed with the organization of the office at St. John the Divine, Quesnel… all the binders in one place, and clearly labelled… she just had to photograph it!

(and in my OCD world they would be sorted alphabetically … just saying!!) Margaret 