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ACW meets P.9 Sherehe at St. John’s P.8 True passion P.12 he t A SECTIONMessenger OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL SERVING THE DIOCESES OF ATHABASCA AND EDMONTON JUNE 2009 “We were called to walk together” BY MARGARET MARSCHALL Stand up, take action BY AMY CROY Less than a year after their first chance meeting at St. Paul’s in Edmonton was part of the 116 million an international gathering of bishops in Canterbury, people who stood against poverty last October. England, two Anglican leaders from opposite sides of Wouldn’t it be great if the whole diocese or even the the world have come together in a unique partnership entire ACC stood up for justice and prayed for an pledging to support one another, as they endeavour to end to poverty in their Sunday services on October do God’s will in their dioceses. 18, 2009? Let’s break the record again this year During a special Service of Thanksgiving at All and send a louder message than ever - achieve the Saints’ Anglican Cathedral, Edmonton, on May 25th, Millennium Developments. Jane Alexander, Bishop of the Diocese of Edmonton Why Stand Up and Take Action in 2009? and Sixbert Macumi, Bishop of the Diocese of Buye For the fourth year in a row, millions of people in Burundi, Africa, celebrated their new partnership. around the world will Stand Up and Take Action to They asked for God’s blessing, so that they “might show their support for the fight against poverty and build up the Church in unity and share the Good News, the achievement of the Millennium Development while growing in mutual affection and communion.” Goals (MDGs). “I never could have imagined this (partnership) a This year Stand Up will take place against the year ago,” said Bishop Jane. “Now I look forward to backdrop of a deepening financial crisis and a the next stage in our journey together.” slowing global economy. It is a time of great When the two bishops arrived at the Lambeth challenge for development in general and the MDGs Conference in July 2008 neither one had an in particular. Already we are seeing the potentially international partnership in mind. However, after devastating impact of this on the world’s poorest and several fortuitous encounters over the duration of the most vulnerable. We know that the current economic conference, which hosted 800 other bishops, God’s climate threatens to undo and possibly even reverse agenda quickly revealed itself. the very significant gains that have been made “It was clear we were called to walk together,” says towards achieving the MDGs. With just six years Bishop Jane. left to the 2015 deadline for the achievement of the Over the next few months, the bishops stayed in Goals, we cannot afford to let this happen. touch, learning more about each other and their very When do we take action in 2009? different dioceses. Gradually they hatched a plan to Bishop Sixbert and Bishop Jane of the Anglican Dioceses October 16th, 17th, 18th, 2009: From 12 a.m. GMT bring Sixbert and his wife Clotilde to Edmonton for a of Buye and Edmonton, make a solemn commitment to walk together in faith. The two bishops signed an (relevant local time) on the 16th October to 11.39 visit. On May 18 the good-natured Burundian couple th agreement on the May 25 Service of Thanksgiving held p.m. GMT (relevant local time) on the 18th October. touched down on snow-covered Canadian soil for the during Bishop Sixbert’s visit to the Edmonton diocese. For more information first time. They were greeted in their native languages stay in Edmonton, and were given a first-hand look Log on to www.standagainstpoverty.org or contact of Kirundi and French, as well as English and Cree at mission work in their sister diocese. They also Amy Croy, Youth / Young Adult Pastor, St. Paul’s by several of their new brothers and sisters in Christ, experienced some of the splendours of Alberta, riding Anglican Church, 10127 145 Street, Edmonton, including Bishop Jane and the Alexander family. to the top of Whistler’s mountain in Jasper, and Alberta CANADA T5N 2X6. Youth Line 780-920- Sixbert and Clotilde were hosted by members of observing a bison herd at Elk Island National Park. 7362. Phone: (780) 455-0771 Fax: (780) 453-1764 the local Anglican community during their ten-day >>SEE BURUNDI PAGE 6 E-mail: [email protected] Letter from Moosonee BY VERY REV. LEE BEZANSON Last October, Church in a northern milieu. She detailed issues mention that I thought Moosonee diocese might as the newly concerning the wide diversity in standards be a good choice. My reasoning was not based minted Dean of the of living that our brother and sister clergy on an inexhaustible supply of facts and figures Diocese of faced on a daily basis. To say the least it was a about that part of the world. In fact, I had never Edmonton, I presentation that touched all of us, and served been there. No, my reasoning was much more attended our to open the eyes of many. personal and stemmed from a chance encounter Diocesan Synod From that presentation it became obvious that some twenty-eight years earlier, while at and was witness the Diocese of Edmonton was going to try and seminary in Montreal, with an Anglican Bishop to an extremely do its part to support the efforts of ministry in who was making the round of seminaries moving the north both by prayer and by tangible forms speaking to the students. His name was Caleb presentation by of support. The question became which Council Lawrence and he left a lasting impression on Fiona Brownlee, representing the Council of of the North diocese? All were deserving but my mind as exemplifying what I believed and the North. She gave an eloquent testimony for the present only one could be chosen. In a hoped that all priests and Bishops might be. about the challenges and hardships of being the conversation with Bishop Jane, I happened to >> SEE MOOSONEE PAGE 5 2 / THE MESSENGER JUNE 2009 B i shop’s corner Messy Fiesta 2 Our first Messy Fiesta was such a success, we just needed to do it again. If you missed it the first time, here’s your chance to learn more about Messy Church in a fun, active and messy way. Join the Messy Church regional coordinator, and some local Messy Church practitioners for a fun-filled Messy Church information session. Location: St. Augustine’s Parkland, Anglican Church, 131 Church Road, Spruce Grove Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Date: Saturday, June 27th, 2009 Lunch is provided Please RSVP to [email protected] Feel free to send any questions to The Rev. Thomas Brauer at the same email address, or call (780) 908-6144. Plea to the Clergy: There are nearly three hundred ACW Life Members in the Edmonton diocese. In order to reach them all, I need your help. This year, the We, the Bishops of the Anglican Dioceses of Edmonton Corporate Communion for the ACW Life Members will be held at the Cathedral and Buye, on behalf of our people do make a solemn on Saturday, September 12th, 2009 at 11:00 am. The DAY and the TIME are commitment to walk together in faith. both different from previous years. I ask, for this one time, if you would be kind enough to find the ACW Life Members in your parish and tell them this news. We pray that God will bless this partnership, will help us Many thanks to you...our readers to experience through it the grace and peace of Jesus We asked, you responded. The numbers are in and this year’s Anglican Appeal yielded the third highest amount in the campaign’s history with an overall total of Christ, and will use it to make us more effective in our $561,347 in donations. sharing of the good news. “I’m sure that the current economic concerns of many Anglicans affected our final results. While our individual donor numbers went down by 927 donors from 2007, our average donation increased from $37.95 to $40.15, an all-time It is our prayer that through our partnership one with high,” said Larry Gee, Business Manager for the Anglican Journal. “The average another that we might grow in mutual affection and donation in the majority of dioceses increased from 2007. Another positive was communion, seek a more profound experience of truth, that we received $31,755 from 969 individuals who hadn’t donated before.” build up the Church in unity and give glory to Jesus Gross totals for Athabasca and Edmonton were $2,772 and $19,869 respectively with the “take-home” amounts being $1119 for Athabasca (75 Christ our Saviour. donors) and $8,399 for Edmonton (504 donors) after revenue distribution and expenses. Without your support diocesan newspapers across Canada would not be possible. Thank you. The liturgical colour will be green. to 4:00 p.m. at St. David’s Anglican Church The Messenger Notes from (corner of 85th Street and 79th Avenue in A section of the Anglican Journal. Education for Licensed Lay Readers Edmonton). Suggestions for topics, to Published 10 times a year by the the Bishop Lay readers must attend one (1) continuing register or for further questions, please Dioceses of Athabasca and Clergy Conference The next Clergy education session before the expiration of contact The Rev. Cameron Burns by email Edmonton, Alberta (no issues July and August) Conference themed, “Living a Missional their license.