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Many Dioceses Evade Pandemic Year Cash Crunch— 3 4 PM# 40069670 Hildegard of Bingen Communion beyond the human ANGLICAN JOURNAL Since 1875 anglicanjournal.com @anglicanjournal vol. 147 no. 1 january 2021 Many dioceses evade pandemic year cash crunch— at least for now Matthew Townsend, Tali Folkins, Matt Gardner and Joelle Kidd ANGLICAN JOURNAL STAFF The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a public health crisis. But its economic effects have also been profound— have prompted varied responses from dioceses across the Anglican Church of Canada seeking to maintain their financial health. To get a better sense of how dioceses are weathering the financial storm of the pandemic, the Anglican Journal reached out to executive staff members of Anglican dioceses across Canada. The resulting feedback offered a diverse picture. Some dioceses were able to provide more detailed responses to our inquiries, and not all were able to contribute to this report. But from PHOTOGRAPHICS the information the Journal received, a number of common trends emerged. Perhaps the most universal trend was the MORRIS : In October and as part of a years-long plan, the diocese of Fredericton sold some underused property near its cathedral. cost savings incurred from reduced travel Property sales—some planned, others in response to financial pressures—have helped some dioceses fill budgetary gaps. See WAGE SUBSIDY, p. 12 PHOTO COUNCIL OF CoGS hears of ‘transformative change’ across church GENERAL 4 Tali Folkins Toronto—it has been holding “listening groups” to a “seismic shift” underway—a perception that the SYNOD STAFF WRITER invite thought on the church’s future and strategic Anglican Church of Canada is “increasingly seeing direction, and hear how Anglicans are coping with the inevitability of large, transformative change, A first round of strategic planning consultation the unusual times brought about by the COVID-19 Pentecost change, on every level and in every way.” sessions with Canadian Anglicans has revealed a pandemic. On Nov. 6, Marshall and members of The sense of change does not seem to equate sense of profound change at hand in the church, the working group presented some of the themes with crisis, she added; there was an understanding the Council of General Synod (CoGS) heard at an that had emerged from the first round of 11 of these that the change could be for the better. online meeting Nov. 6-8. listening groups. “We know we’re still in that very in-between The Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG) The coronavirus pandemic, Marshall told CoGS, moment, that liminal moment … and so this also was formed in the fall of 2019 to put together a new appears to be revealing the church’s values but means we have the opportunity to make things new, PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED long-term plan for the church. Since the summer— also its areas of weakness, “helping us see the ways as scary or as exciting as that may feel,” Marshall with the assistance of Janet Marshall, director of that we’re fragile in new and different ways.” One said. congregational development for the diocese of theme that had emerged, she said, is the sense of See DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, p. 7 ‘Be still and know that I am God’: Hope in the year ahead, no matter what ANGLICAN VOICES4 By Naomi Beaver year we’ve had, it hasn’t been easy one of the things I’ve noticed is that precautionary measures), but people to hope. We hear stories, we read so many people give. For a while, we approach me, and I talk with them. ASK GOD TO give me the the news, we know people who have had donation requests within our I find I make more time to do things words he wants me to speak for been affected by COVID-19. I know community two or three times per that I don’t normally do every day— him. there are a lot of different questions week, and all of those times people because we can, for the moment. IHow can we come to know people have: “When is this virus didn’t hesitate. Different people Since the beginning of this God? As I prayed and meditated on going to end?” “Will it ever end?” “Is all came together and gave what pandemic, one of the verses that has this reflection on a late November the world ending?” they could. I notice that people pay stayed with me is Psalm 46:10: “Be morning, I thought about the In the midst of these questions, attention to each other more, too, still and know that I am God.” That approach of the Advent season. It’s I have seen people rely on God now acknowledging each other more. verse is powerful, when you think always been a big part of my life. more than ever. There are times, in Here, we’re not allowed to travel about it. No matter what’s happening Advent, for me, is hope—something our own community, when there are in and out as we please (we are in the world and no matter what’s that brings and gives hope. With the families in need. In this past year, told to stay in the community for See ‘BE PATIENT’ p. 4 2 anglican journal • january 2021 NEWS4 Sask. bishops recovering from COVID-19 “It’s been one of the most moving Joelle Kidd things of my whole life. I just feel people STAFF WRITER w it h m e .” Bishop of the diocese of Saskatchewan Diocesan Indigenous Bishop Adam Michael Hawkins is thankful for the Halkett was also diagnosed with prayers and support he’s received while COVID-19 around the same time. While in the hospital with COVID-19, and is he had been concerned about a potential encouraging people to be careful as the diocesan outbreak, Hawkins said he was pandemic continues. relieved to hear that the timing of the two Hawkins contracted COVID-19 in diagnoses was a coincidence: “It appears mid-November and was admitted to the that the transmission in our two cases ICU. When he spoke with the Anglican were completely independent.” As of Journal Nov. 24, he had been in the writing there seems to be no community hospital for eight days and said there were or church spread of the virus through the no plans yet for his discharge. (He was diocese. released from hospital in late November.) 5 Bishops have suspended in-person public worship National Indigenous Anglican Hawkins said his experience of the virus Adam Halkett in the diocese. In a post to the diocesan Archbishop Mark MacDonald, who spoke was sobering. “Having been in the ICU for (left) and Michael Facebook page, Hawkins noted, “The with Halkett Nov. 24, reported that the two days, the seriousness and the lethal Hawkins (right) Province may announce new regulations bishop was “doing much better, and his nature of COVID has been impressed both tested next week but I do not suspect that they symptoms have lessened.” Halkett was upon me—and in my own case, because positive for the will be robust enough to make a real at home in isolation at that time, and his I’m not getting better very fast. That’s coronavirus in difference.” daughter Katrina, who also tested positive, despite having taken all the precautions mid-November. Hawkins says his main appeal is for was feeling better. with hand-washing and mask-wearing, in Photo: Diocese of people to “take it seriously.” He also wants “He is extremely grateful for the public and my own office alike.” Saskatchewan to encourage prayer for those affected by prayers of everyone. It means a lot to him Hawkins wrote in a Facebook post the virus. “In the hospital at this time, and his family,” said MacDonald. PHOTO: DIOCESE OF Nov. 21 that the complications from the SASKATCHEWAN there are a lot of elders, there are a lot of Hawkins and Halkett have also been in virus included “some heart effect/damage people who are alone, apart from their touch. “I spoke with [Halkett] on Sunday that does not appear to be worsening,” and family and scared and quite sick.” and he seemed to be doing well…. I joked, that his doctor “is very hopeful the worst In his case, he says, he has been because we have this term ‘mâmawi,’ is over.” “completely overwhelmed and uplifted by which is Cree for ‘together.’ I said, ‘I think, Hawkins appointed Archdeacon the prayer and care of the church across buddy, we’re taking this a little too far,’” Andrew Hoskin as commissary and they the country. said Hawkins. g Edmonton church avoids COVID-19 outbreak after presence of infected person at service PWRDF World of Gifts Tali Folkins This is… perhaps one of STAFF WRITER keeps on giving the only times we ALL wanted The associate priest of an Edmonton “ church says her church is grateful for to FAIL a test.” having strictly followed COVID-19 —The Rev. Danielle Key, associate priest Thank you for your support of protocols after a close brush with the PWRDF’s World of Gifts this disease. church by AHS, Key, the church’s past Christmas. If you missed On Oct. 19, someone who had been musical director and five choristers all out on the opportunity to present during an in-person service the self-isolated for 14 days, and then got previous day at Holy Trinity Anglican tested for COVID-19. The person who support our partners, fear Church in Edmonton learned that they had tested positive also followed all not! The World of Gifts is had tested positive for COVID-19, AHS’s protocols.
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