ANGLICAN JOURNAL Since 1875 vol. 143 no. 8 october 2017 Church returns Métis land André Forget STAFF WRITER A Métis burial ground in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., appropriated by non-Indigenous Canadians more than 200 years ago, was returned to the Métis community in July, following the transfer of the land and buildings occupied by St. John the Evange- list Anglican Church to the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). For more than a hundred years, St. John’s, located at 136 John Street, stood on a plot of land beside the now-submerged Fort Creek as downtown Sault Ste. Marie Deacons’ conference combines grew up around it. worship, formal address, plenary But decades before the land was sold to discussions and socials. the Anglican Church of Canada in 1901, it had been a graveyard, first for the local PHOTOS: CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, VICTORIA Métis people, and later for the North West Company outpost erected near where the Fort Creek empties into the St. Mary’s River. Deacons focus on ‘real world’ issues In 2016, when St. John’s decided to merge with St. Matthew’s Anglican Church attendees with first-hand knowledge about to create a new parish, Emmaus Anglican Conference discusses If you don’t have informed issues of poverty and homelessness. Church, the diocese decided to return the Sharing from her own experience poverty, homelessness practice, you’re just flapping your property to its traditional owners. “ with the tent city, she noted that good arms in the wind. The transfer was first suggested more intentions are often not enough to make and reconciliation than a year ago by Archdeacon Harry —Canon Nancy Ford, board president, real and lasting changes in people’s lives, Huskins, executive officer of the diocese André Forget Association of Anglican Deacons in Canada and that “lovely acts of kindness that don’t See Four, p. 8 STAFF WRITER change anything” are insufficient if they When the Association of Anglican The conference kicked off July 27, in the aren’t coupled with a wider analysis of the Deacons in Canada (AADC) held its evening, with an address by Elizabeth May, structural barriers marginalized people triennial meeting July 27-30 in Victoria, leader of the Green Party of Canada. face. “If you don’t have informed practice, Projects assist B.C., the role of deacons as ministers to Reflecting on a famous line from you’re just flapping your arms in the wind,” those outside the church was front and Leonard Cohen’s song “Anthem” (“There she said. centre, according to incoming AADC is a crack in everything/That’s how the Deacons, Ford noted, have a unique all, regardless board president Canon Nancy Ford. light gets in”), May challenged the deacons role among Anglican clergy. Where priests generally have a primary responsibility to “The [wider] community was to engage with the tension between the a parish, deacons must reach out to the of faith embedded in our discussions and our perfection of God’s creation and the pain secular world—and in particular, to the conversations,” said Ford, who organized and brokenness of the world. marginalized. André Forget the conference along with fellow-deacon May’s words set the stage for the next Ford said she was encouraged to STAFF WRITER the Rev. Wallace (Wally) Eamer. “We were morning’s sessions, which featured a panel see that some of the deacons at the each enriched by not separating ourselves discussion by citizens of Victoria who Mkumba, Tanzania conference, who had questioned why into a group of deacons as clergy…we were had experience with homelessness and “Salaam Alaikum” (Peace to you). reconciliation issues were emphasized, left seeing the challenges of the real world.” addictions. The discussion was followed by The diocese of Masasi’s Bishop James feeling more engaged. “I’d been hearing Hosted by the Chapter of Deacons presentations on the particular challenges Almasi stands beneath the spreading for a while…‘Why are we looking at of the Diocese of British Columbia, the of homelessness for urban Indigenous branches of a large tree at the centre of the reconciliation and First Nations? It’s not an conference brought together more than people, and on food security. village, and pauses as the people seated issue in my diocese,’ ” said Ford. “After the 70 deacons from almost every diocese Ford, who was a regular Anglican before him acknowledge his greeting with presentations…people began to say, ‘I need in Canada, as well as representatives presence at the tent city that sprung up to learn more in my diocese, and I need the traditional response: “Alaikum Salaam” from U.S.-based The Episcopal Church, across the street from downtown Victoria’s to make sure other people understand the (And to you, peace). to talk about poverty, homelessness and Christ Church Cathedral in 2016, said it Many of the men wear the traditional reconciliation. was important that the conference provide See Deacons, p. 13 See Christians, p. 12 We hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! 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Thank you. 2 anglican journal • october 2017 FREDERICTON4 Diocese donates $80K to Healing Fund pain and suffering [to],” Edwards said in a Bishop: Church has letter addressed to Hiltz. “So, it’s actually our responsibility as the Anglican Church responsibility to set to do something to put that right.” things right Early this year, Council of General Synod, the church’s governing body By Gisele McKnight in between General Synods, voted to dedicate undesignated proceeds of Giving The Anglican diocese of Fredericton’s with Grace, the national church’s annual diocesan council, when it met June 22, fundraising campaign, to replenish the approved a donation in the amount of fund. $80,013.27 to the Anglican Healing Fund. The campaign hopes to raise $1 In 2003, the diocese and parishes million in 2017, enough to finance the To access stories contributed to the Indian Residential fund for five more years. exclusive to the web, go Schools Settlement Fund and the diocese to anglicanjournal.com The Healing Fund first began received a rebate in relation to that disbursing money in 1992, having grown • ACNA not contribution. out of the residential schools working a province The portion attributable to the diocese group established by then-Primate of Anglican could have been used for operation- Michael Peers. Communion, al spending, but council chose instead But when the Anglican Church secretary general to support ongoing healing programs. of Canada entered into the Indian clarifies The remainder received (approximately Residential Schools Settlement • Canadian $2,500) will be returned to the contribut- Agreement, a lump sum of $4,023,675 Anglicans take ing parishes. from its total obligation of $15,687,188 part in Season of “Funds should be used for the purpose went to the Anglican Fund for Healing Creation they were intended,” said diocesan and Reconciliation via the settlement treasurer Irene Adams, which elicited 5 Bishop “I think it’s important [to offer fund. g comments such as “appropriate” and David Edwards support] because the Healing Fund does “wonderful” from council members. tremendous work in bringing about Gisele McKnight is editor of the New Bishop David Edwards hand-delivered holds donation healing and reconciliation with a part of Brunswick Anglican, the diocesan the cheque to Primate Fred Hiltz in July cheque. our population that we, as the Anglican newspaper of the Anglican diocese of while in Toronto for meetings. PHOTO: GISELE MCKNIGHT Church, have been a part of causing great Fredericton. I T I O N R A N E D L U T H E I C A N / A N G L Canadian Church Calendar 2018 On sale now! Only $5 (plus tax) Meeting the Holy The 2018 Canadian Church Calendar presents Each image invites us to return to it again and again. images and texts that tell us of the abiding presence And each text invites us to consider the witness of of the Holy in the life of the world. our ancestors. Phone: 1-800-263-2664 • Fax: 1-800-461-8575 PO Box 9855 Woodslee Ave., Paris, ON N3L 3E5 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.parasource.com anglican journal • october 2017 3 HURON4 Church rents space to Muslim worshippers Tali Folkins church. Wilson says everyone he contacted STAFF WRITER about the idea, from the church wardens A Leamington, Ont., church is renting out to the diocese’s executive archdeacon, sup- space in its basement to local Muslims for ported it enthusiastically, and the church use as a mosque. went ahead with it. Since this spring, Muslim worship has The Muslim group worships in the been held in the basement of St. John the space Friday afternoons for about an hour, Evangelist Anglican Church, diocese of with many of its members visiting it for Huron, says the church’s rector, the Rev. individual prayers at other times. On Sat- Andrew Wilson. urday mornings, they use it for children’s The arrangement serves the church religious education. During Ramadan, because it provides income to fund its min- the church hall hosted traditional Muslim istry, he says; but it’s also an important part post-sunset meals. of the church’s outreach to Leamington’s Because the Anglicans and Muslims growing refugee population.