Who is St. Dunstan’s Worship Life Parish Life Communication Fellowship Pastoral Ministries Societal Ministries Facility Function Clergy Team Parish Vision Criteria for Parish Priest Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 1

Parish Vision

As people who are joyfully Christian, we are fellow travelers on a sa- cred journey. Open hearts, open minds, always open!

Mission Statement

Listening to God’s call and walking humbly with Jesus, we are seeking justice and loving kindness for all God’s creation.

Acting on the faith that we are born with a meaning and purpose, we build relationships with each other, our community and our world and offer this facility and ourselves, a warm and welcoming resource for the community

Our Cherished Core Values

 We value our journey of faith that has taken us to where we are at present and look forward to the future, confident in God’s continued leading.

 We provide a safe environment for all who choose to enter the community of St. Dunstan’s.

 We value a well-crafted, diverse method of worship which in- cludes expansive liturgy and the centrality of the Eucharist.

 We value music that honors the diversity within the parish.

 We value our children and seek ways in which to include them in the life of the Church.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 2 St. Dunstan’s - A Journey St. Dunstan’s Aldergrove can trace its roots to a little Anglican church in Milner, B.C. more than a century ago. As populations changed and moved away, the parish moved church buildings and all to St. Al- ban’s, Otter, B.C. (adjacent to the then #1 Highway through the Low- er Mainland). The parish thrived. St. Margaret’s, Bradner ideally sit- uated on the interurban line, also thrived. In the 1950’s a new mis- sion church was started in the little town of Aldergrove. The parish met in the Elks Hall while they awaited funds for the construction of the proper church.

As populations changed and moved away, all three churches strug- gled, St. Margaret’s, Bradner was eventually closed. St. Alban’s and St. Dunstan’s became a part of the Four Saints Langley with St. An- drew’s, Langley and St. George’s, Fort Langley. In the 1980’s St. An- drew’s, Langley and St. George’s Fort Langley became independent parishes. This left the parish of St. Alban’s and St. Dunstan’s strug- gling to survive.

The Parish made the decision in 1998 to combine services at the Larger St. Dunstan’s building located on 271st St. in Aldergrove. They then sold off the Rectory and the St. Alban’s building and pre- pared to plan for a new church building. Shortly after this decision was implemented fire destroyed the St. Dunstan’s building on Halloween Eve of 2000.

The parish met in a series of school gymnasi- ums. While it journeyed, it grew to the point that it would no longer fit in the building that had been damaged by fire. The old St. Dun- stan’s property was sold. A new property was found and a new church built ideally located on Highway #13 south of the corner of Fraser Highway and 264th St. The new building was officially opened in 2005, with the building and land debt being completely paid off in 2013. It accommodates the concepts of universal design with full handicapped access and in- cludes a wonderful worship space, Christian Education space and a large hall for gatherings. The present site is a highly visible, truly ac- cessible building which will serve the Anglican community in Alder- grove for years to come.

Over the last 17 years St. Dunstan’s has undergone the most amazing transformation from survival to death to new life. The past few years has seen the church community integrate into the local com- munity and invited them in to use our building. The synergy that has developed has been incredible and rewarding.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 3 St. Dunstan’s & The Aldergrove Community

Aldergrove is a community conveniently located at the Junction of Highway 1A and Highway 13 (264th St.) which runs directly north from the Aldergrove Border crossing. It has a population of approxi- mately 11,000 people. Aldergrove is located in the Township of Langley and is on the eastern border of the Township and spills over into west Abbotsford (the border is 276th St.) Aldergrove’s roots are primarily agricultural although in recent years it has become a bed- room community with residents working in other areas of the lower mainland. The community has very little industrial land within its boundaries but is close in proximity to the Glouchester Industrial Park (264th St. and 65th (Highway #1). The community has reached its growth potential as it is surrounded by lands in the Agricultural Land Reserve.

With Aldergrove being situated on the eastern border of the Town- ship of Langley, adjacent to the City of Abbotsford, our church con- gregation draws primarily from both communities, but we do have parishioners coming from throughout the Fraser Valley region.

The community is served by two K-5 schools (Parkside and Shortreed), one middle school (Betty Gilbert) and one secondary school 9-12 (Aldergrove Community Secondary School). Recently the School District has done an extensive review of projected school age populations and the statistics point to a decline for a couple of years and then a slow and steady increase over the forthcoming years.

NOTE: For a more complete picture of the demographics of the community please refer to Appendix A found at the back of the pro- file.

The community has two strip-style malls at either end of the town anchored on the east by Safeway and west with Save-on Foods. The downtown core has an aging mall anchored by Extra Foods. The downtown mall is presently going through some modifications and updates. The downtown core has store front businesses and restau- rants and several empty buildings for rent.

In 2011 the Aldergrove Core Plan planning process was completed and adopted by Council which gives some direction and security as to the type of development moving into the future for the communi- ty center area. Presently a composite recreation centre is being planned for the Aldergrove core area.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 4 St. Dunstan’s & The Aldergrove Community

In 2011 the community was the feature of a reality TV show called the ‘Million Dollar Neighbourhood’. This experience brought the community together and in fact many members of our church com- munity participated in various aspects of this endeavor.

The community is serviced by its own weekly newspaper, ‘The Alder- grove Star’. The paper is very receptive to news releases and infor- mational articles submitted to it. The community of Langley has two additional publications, the Langley Advance, and the Langley Times (affiliated with the Aldergrove Star).

The Aldergrove Festival Days Society holds two major events which St. Dunstan’s participates in. St. Dunstan’s maintains an information booth during the Aldergrove Fair Days celebration in July where we share fresh vegetables from our church garden with the Aldergrove community. The second event is the Christmas Light-up Parade in December where our wonderful choir marches in the parade singing Christmas carols for the on-lookers.

Aldergrove offers many attractions, some are well known through- out the province. One main attraction is the Greater Vancouver Zoo which exhibits over 800 animals. Another well known attraction is the ‘Bates Motel’ set currently being filmed. Aldergrove also boasts the last authentic Drive-in Movie theatre in Metro Vancouver where the poutine is out of this world! The Aldergrove Heritage Society’s Telephone Museum is very popular for all ages. Aldergrove is just minutes from away from the biggest and most popular Air show in B.C. called the Abbotsford Air Show.

Aldergrove is also minutes away from all your shopping needs includ- ing a beautiful brand new outdoor mall called Highstreet just a few kilometers east on Old Fraser Hwy. Aldergrove is home to numer- ous local wineries and popular berry and poultry farms featuring gift shops, restaurants and wine tasting events which offer some of the finest BC cuisine from local farmers. All these attractions are high- lighted in the Circle Farm Tour brochure. A major local attraction is the Aldergrove Regional Park which contains the Rock’n Horse Trail, a shared trail open to equestrians, cyclists, and pedestrians. It also includes two dog parks(1 on-leash & 1 off-leash) for canine enthusi- asts. Just a few kilometers north on the other side of Hwy 1 you can find all the quaint communities along the great Fraser River including the historical landmark Fort Langley where British Columbia was pro- claimed a Crown Colony on November 19, 1858.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 5 Worship Life

Worship at St. Dunstan’s has been described as an inclusive, spirit- filled journey. The journey begins at the door where we are warmly welcomed by the greeters. The sidespeople then give us the tools we need for the service. In the Gathering Place, we gather among meaningful symbols that have been carefully placed by the Liturgical Arts Team to connect us to the season at hand. We then move into the sanctuary where amid quiet meditative music, beautiful flowers, plants and hangings, we are free to be still and pray prior to the ser- vice. Following the service, we gather in the hall for food and fellow- ship.

Services and Liturgy

The service itself begins at 10:00 a.m. with a Gathering song led by our Music Director. Our journey continues through a well-crafted, spiritual service that is grounded in traditional Anglican Liturgy. The service expects and encourages intergenerational, congregational participation, including a Children’s Time and Ministry Moment. Presently, the Order of Service is typically on an overhead, projected onto two walls, and when warranted a bulletin format is used. The service is amplified through a microphone, worn by the Rector, and/ or a hand-held microphone.

The Altar Guild, lay assistants, lay readers, intercessors, sidespeople, servers, chalice administrators, healing prayer team, Music Director, choir and overhead/sound technician participate in visible, meaning- ful ways. Training and periodic refresher workshops are provided for all of these ministries.

The services are planned and prepared in consultation with the Rec- tor and the worship team. All suggestions are taken into considera- tion and incorporated when and where appropriate. At the end of each month the worship team and Rector critique the services and make decisions about what changes, if any, need to be made for the next year. The worship team has devoted some of their meeting time over the past years to studying the following books; “Re- Pitching the Tent” (Richards Giles), “Sharing the Banquet” (McLean and Cowling), and “Creating Uncommon Worship” (Richard Giles) and are always looking for ways to enhance and improve the worship services, while maintaining what newcomers describe as, “a sacred presence beyond the worship space.” The focus of the worship team is to create a space of reverence, hospitality and joy.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 6 Worship Life

Services and Liturgy (cont.)

Each service is a celebration of the Eucharist using the Book of Alter- native Services and the authorized Alternative Eucharistic Prayers. The intent is to inspire by the liturgy and related music to educate and challenge with meaningful, relevant sermons based on sound theology.

A Healing Prayer Station has also been added during the Eucharist for those who wish to have prayers said for them.

St. Dunstan’s offers other services throughout the week, such as the Going Home Eucharist on Wednesday evenings, Morning Prayer on Fridays (led by one of our Deacons), and a service for the senior resi- dents of Jackman Manor on Friday afternoon. Messy Church is also offered for children within our congregation and our community on the third Friday of the month. Our seniors and children are periodi- cally celebrated with a special Sunday service.

Our Annual Celebrated Services

January The Epiphany

February Annual General Vestry Meeting (AGVM) is incorpo- rated into the service and includes a light lunch in the Sanctuary

March/April Lent: Wednesday Evening Eucharist Holy Week of Easter:  Palm Sunday begins with the Blessing of the Palms and a procession with palm branches around our church grounds or within the community, weather permitting.  Eucharist is held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings culminating in the imposition of ashes  Maundy Thursday evening service is held in the hall with Foot Washing and a shared Eucharist followed by a simple soup supper. We then move into the Sanctu- ary for a Tennebrae Service, including the Stripping of the Altar.  All Night Prayer Vigil follows the Maundy Thursday Tennebrae Service, from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Good Friday

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 7 Worship Life Our Annual Celebrated Services (cont.)

March/April Holy Week of Easter:  Good Friday Service is at 10:00 a.m. and has focused on the Stations of the Cross in recent years.  Easter Vigil Service is a traditional service on the Sat- urday evening, beginning with the Lighting of the Fire and the Christ Candle. The Exultet is sung.  Easter Sunday is a celebration that Christ is Risen, Hal- lelujah!

May Rogation Sunday, Pentecost

June Trinity Sunday, St. Dunstan Day

July Outdoor Service followed by a Parish Picnic

September Welcome Sunday

October Thanksgiving / Harvest

November All Saints - All Souls with reading from the Book of The Dead Remembrance Day

December Advent 1: Advent Wreath-making Christmas Eve:  Carols in the Country at 4:00 p.m., Family Eucharist at 6:00 p.m., and Candlelight Eucharist at 10:30 p.m.

Liturgical Arts

Our Liturgical Arts Ministry was formally put into place when we moved into our present church and our congregation has long appre- ciated the way visual stimuli could enhance worship.

The alcoves that frame our stained glass window in front of the altar are hung with impressive seven metre long panels of cloth chosen to coordinate with the liturgical church season.

A spiritual tone is set by a large display board hanging in the Gather- ing Place (narthex.) This provides the Liturgical Arts team with a ‘blank canvas’ which they can decorate to enhance weekly scripture of special services. St. Dunstan’s is blessed with several artistic and creative members who support the Liturgical Arts Team.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 8 Worship Life

Altar Guild

This committed group is very busy about the church and are usually found in or about the Sancristy. They are active each Sunday prepar- ing for and supporting the worship service with special care taken to prepare the altar for the Eucharist. They arrange for the flowers which provide a distinctive and tasteful addition to the altar area. They oversee the flower chart (located in the church hall) where pa- rishioners can dedicate flowers to God, or in memory of a loved on or special occasion. The Altar Guild also assists with wedding and funerals in the sanctuary when requested to do so. Our Altar Guild provides intimate touches to worship by baking the bread for the Eucharist and providing a personalized baptismal towel for the newly anointed.

Music

Our congregation sees music as an integral part of the worship at St. Dunstan’s. Music is chosen collaboratively by the Rector and the Music Director from a variety of sources including: Common Praise, Songs for a Gospel People, the Iona Community, Taize, John Bell, and the Lutheran Song book - Renewing Worship.

The choir together with our Music Director very capably lead the people in song. Music is participatory, rather than performance based. The main purpose of our choir is to give leadership to music and voices united in the service so that the entire congregation sings. The choir rehearses Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings. During Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and a few other Sun- days during the year, the choir presents anthems that are inspira- tional and musically skilled. The choir hosts the Valentines Spaghetti Dinner each year and also presents a Christmas Cantata. Parish Life Baptism

Baptisms are celebrated several times a year, focused around (but not necessarily on) major celebrations in the church calendar. Prior to the baptism celebration, the parents and the god parents take part in a three part education series to educate and orient the family to the meaning of this important Christian event.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 9 Parish Life

Marriage Prep

The process and commitment to being married in our church is out- lined in a brochure published by the Parish. The brochure provides a sound template which informs the couple of the details and process to be followed to enter into marriage at St. Dunstan’s. The couple must be committed to meeting a minimum of three times with the pastor and attend the rehearsal prior to the marriage ceremony tak- ing place. The focus of the meetings is orientation to the ceremony and educational, not focused on marriage counseling. The church has a Marriage Coordinator to provide guidance and support to the couple and family.

Funerals / Celebrations of Life

The process for funerals in the church is outlined on a protocol sheet published by the Parish Council. The protocol provides a sound tem- plate which informs the families of all the details and the process for a funeral at St. Dunstan’s.

Christian Education for Children

In recent years we have offered church school for the younger mem- bers of the congregation. The number of children varies from week to week and curriculum is adapted and loosely follows the focus of the liturgy for the Sunday service. We have a dedicated group of adult and youth leaders who take the children for part of the wor- ship service each Sunday. The children in our congregation are val- ued and they play a very important role in our church community.

Youth

Youth programs at this point are non-existent. The youth are im- portant and do provide leadership in our Sunday church school and in the area of child minding but there is no formal program to direct- ly meet their needs. We do have a dedicated youth who is a dele- gate to Synod.

Same Sex Blessings

The Parish has recently been involved in three facilitated discussions regarding the issue of allowing same sex blessing in our church com- munity. These have gone very well and the issue has by and large been embraced positively.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 10 Parish Life

Library

The library is located in the Gathering Place (narthex) and is open to parishioners to sign out books on a self-serve basis.

Retreats

The Parish has over the years been involved in a variety of events that focus on reflection and visioning. The events hosted in past years include:

 Parish Council Quiet Day, often hosted at the beginning of the new parish council year to meet and discuss some of the initia- tives and ideas for the year ahead.  Parish Retreat - this was hosted on a weekend last November and was very successful and Attendees recommended that it be- come an annual event. It was organized by the Clergy Team with input from other leadership.

Adult Studies

Adult Studies have played a very important part of parish life and the continuing commitment to focused learning and spiritual growth. This Lent, many parishioners were involved in a contemplative pray- er group on Wednesday evenings which was led by our interim priest and her husband. It was extremely well received. In the past the church has had a vibrant group involved in the ‘Education For Minis- try’ program. In years past the congregation has participated in pro- grams such as:

 Weekly Bible Study  Book Studies  Anglican 101

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 11 Communication Social Media

Web Page

For three years St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church has developed and produced a comprehensive, and easy to navigate website that up- dates on a weekly basis and offers essential information regarding all vital aspects of parish life. Although the website is inclusive to parish life, it is not accessible for input by general membership. All information must be submitted through Administrative channels be- fore being added to the website, and must prove conducive to Parish standards.

The Website (www.st-dunstans.ca): the “Homepage” offers a brief synopsis of upcoming events and static events, our Caring, Sharing, & Preparing strategies, and a brief statement on ‘Who We Are’. The “Worship” page offers our views and beliefs in worship, times of worship service, and special services. The “Events” page offers a de- scriptive excerpt on the use of our “beautiful” building for secular events, ‘Upcoming Events’, and ‘Previous Events’, ending in a list of monthly static events. The “Weddings” page offers information on weddings, what services are available, and the facilities available for both the wedding service and the reception. On the “This Month” page you will find a calendar by month simply listing the static events found on the “events” page. On the “sermons” page you will find a list of key sermons throughout the year. Finally on our “Contact Us” page you will find our physical address, Parish Contacts, and a con- tact form for questions anyone might have about St. Dunstan’s.

Facebook

St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church Facebook page link can be found on our website. This is our social networking tool utilized mainly by clergy to keep the parish up-to-date on the daily, weekly, and monthly affairs of the church. It is also a P2P (person-to-person) conduit that allows parish members to comment on items and events of interest offering proactive points of view and productive suggestions. Facebook allows St. Dunstan’s Parish life to flourish and grow on the World Wide Web. Unlike our website, Facebook allows our Parish members the means to actively and effectively communi- cate over the internet with St. Dunstan’s Parish Life. St. Dunstan’s Facebook page should never be utilized for gossip mongering, per- sonal secular viewpoints and/or hidden agendas. As members are encouraged to be a part of our Facebook community, it is also strongly suggested that good Christian ethics are followed, and a positive outlook on all things be maintained at all times.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 12 Communication

Social Media

Twitter

Twitter is not currently being utilized, but is recognized as a ‘prime’ conduit utilized by the youth of our world. It is important that future clergy show an interest in the many forms of “social Networking” available to St. Dunstan’s and are willing to utilize twitter to promote St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church as a congregation numerical develop- ment tool specifically reaching out to the youth in our community.

Newsletter

The Parish is fortunate to have a dedicated individual who compiles and publishes a Parish Newsletter three times per year. She is a very competent photographer and writer which make her contributions engaging and current. Individual members of the Parish and clergy team are encouraged to submit articles regarding events, activities, seminars attended or other items that may be of interest to the Par- ish audience and beyond.

Fellowship

The fellowship that takes place at St. Dunstan‘s is valued as a crucial part of our Parish Life. We pride ourselves on the many and varied activities that take place which build a strong sense of community within the membership.

Social Events

The Parish is blessed with an active and energetic Social Committee. On an annual basis, the committee organizes light lunches for work parties, for our Vestry meetings, for our Maundy Thursday soup sup- per and for Parish visioning days. The Social Committee coordinates the Harvest Dinner and the Welcome Back Fall BBQ.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 13 Fellowship Special Events

We also have a committee that is responsible for ‘special events’ that puts on functions within our parish. Some of these events have been hosting plays, puppeteers, the Langley Chorus, the Joy Vox Choir, Elvis (impersonator event), the Watoto Children’s Choir and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Sunday Coffee

We have a very dedicated group of volunteers who ‘make this hap- pen’ each Sunday following our worship service.

Sunday Luncheons

Members get together as a family or with friends to provide a light luncheon on the 3rd Sunday of each month. As we are all actively involved in church activities, this does not happen on a regular basis, but is thoroughly enjoyed on those Sundays when it does!

Women’s Fellowship

This group, consisting of parishioners and community members, meets on Friday morning on a drop in basis. Many who attend bring some sort of craft project which they are working on, although this is not necessary. The idea is to simply gather together and get to know one another. This is also a time when some of the women knit the prayer shawls, an important part of our Healing Ministry. For the past few years, the group has also put on a pre-Christmas tea, with crafts and baked goods for sale. This year the group hosted a quilting day that they would love to see become an annual event.

Men’s Group

The “old Boys” is a network of talented men who do a variety of work around the building and grounds. They meet every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. for coffee and to solve the world’s problems. This is also their planning time, when they discuss and prioritize their current projects. They also host a men’s breakfast on the second Sunday of each month.

Two years ago at Vestry, a new program for the church was created - Sharing Our Time, Talents, and Treasures. The Old Boys offer their expertise to any member who has a project needing to be tackled. When the job is completed, the church member makes a donation to the church. The Old Boys have done some amazing work for us, in- cluding painting houses (inside and out).

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 14 Pastoral Ministries Stephen Ministry

This ministry has been in place for 8 years, and continues to provide valuable assistance to parishioners who are going through a difficult time in their lives. It is a one-on-one relationship, where Stephen Ministers commit to spending one hour per week with a Care Receiv- er for as long as they are needed. At present, we have one active Stephen Leader who attended a five day training developed by Ste- phen Ministries, St. Louis. Stephen Leaders in turn provide 40 hours of training for Stephen Ministers. Of 12 who have been trained, we have 8 active Stephen Minsters at this time, and 1 ongoing care giv- ing relationship. Since the ministry began, we have provided support for over 20 Care Receivers. Both Ministers and Leaders commit to a two year term. Or current Stephen Leader, who has been part of the ministry from its inception, needs a well-earned break, and is step- ping back. It is to be hoped that we can revitalize the ministry in the fall.

Pastoral Care Ministries

The focus of this ministry until recently has been on keeping in touch with parishioners through visits, phone calls, and greeting cards. As the congregation has grown and changed, we have found this system of support no longer meets our needs and we are in the process of developing a new model.

Healing Ministries

This ministry began 4 years ago when we incorporated Healing Pray- er into our weekly service. We have 8 trained parish members who are available in the sanctuary to pray with those who wish to receive prayer for themselves or for loved ones. In addition, we have two team members who have taken the Healing Hands training, and this is available after the service. The healing ministry is expanding, and there is now a small group who gather each Friday for Morning Pray- er, where healing frequently takes place. We continue to listen for God’s guidance as we slowly explore future possibilities for this min- istry.

Prayer Shawls

For the past 6 years a number of parishioners have been knitting prayer shawls for those who have gone through loss of loved ones, for those facing end of life issues, or for those who are dealing with other major challenges in their lives. The shawls are blessed as part of our Sunday worship prior to being given to recipients.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 15 Mission & Outreach - Societal Ministries

At the heart of our call to mission is the desire to extend the love and hope of Christ to those in need, building relationships with those we serve and partnerships with other resource providers in our commu- nity.

Aldergrove Food Bank & Friendship Centre

Parishioners provide both donations of food and financial support to the Aldergrove Food Bank. There is a wooden offering box in the Sanctuary for food donations, which are delivered when the box is full. The friendship Centre at the Food Bank forms a significant part of our ministry. Clients have the opportunity to enjoy homemade soup and to visit with each other and the volunteers when they attend the Food Bank on Tuesdays. Our team is made up of soup makers, servers, and a coordinator. We work in partnership with the Aldergrove Vineyard Church.

Jackman Manor

The parish participates in ministering to the spiritual needs of the residents of this senior extended care facility in the community. A service of Holy Communion with music and singing of the old favor- ite hymns is held on the 3rd Friday of each month.

Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services

We have established an ongoing partnership with the ANS, and work with them to provide shelter for youth under the age of 18 during extreme weather conditions. Our volunteers are prepared to open the facility, provide hot soup, personal care products, and a listening ear. They are also willing to stay overnight in the church in the event that ANS staff are unable to find safe, suitable placement for these young people who, for whatever reason, are presently living on the streets.

ESL Classes

Free English classes have been available for the past 4 years. Classes are especially popular with women, and our enthusiastic teachers offer a variety of opportunities for conversation, as well as assistance in getting to know the community and available resources.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 16 Mission & Outreach - Societal Ministries

Christmas Parade

Each year our choir participates by singing carols in the local parade. All parish members are encouraged to join in the Christmas spirit. We have had positive feedback from members of the community, especially regarding the fact that we sing carols rather than just Christmas songs, thus bringing a real Christmas spirit to the parade.

Aldergrove Days

Last summer during the Aldergrove Festival Days, some parish mem- bers harvested both lavender and vegetables from the church gar- den. They created lavender sachets, and offered these as well as fresh vegetables to festival goers. Several parishioners have entered in categories of the festival days competitions.

Global Outreach

Our Parish values the work of, and continues to support, PWRDF through our financial contributions, and through intercession. We continue to serve fair trade coffee at our functions. In December 2012, our priest and one parishioner travelled to Vancouver to hear Bishop Mark MacDonald. As a result, our parish became involved in Deanery discussions re: the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings held in Vancouver in September 2013. Our PWRDF rep attended the All Nations Canoe Gathering at the beginning of the hearings, and a group of about 15 from the parish participated in the Walk for Reconciliation. All agreed that it was a powerful experi- ence. We continue to explore ways in which we might connect with our local First Nations people.

Mission & Ministry

St. Dunstan’s Mission and Ministry is a multi-faceted program. The three key elements are:

 Garden - a community vegetable, fruit and herb garden which provides food not only for the Thursday Community meal, but also produce to use in the weekly cooking classes. Parishioners may also reap the benefits of the garden when invited.

 Kitchen Classes - cooking classes for lower income and new im- migrant families. The program consists of four series of classes, 3 hours per week for 12 weeks.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 17 Mission & Outreach - Societal Ministries Mission & Ministry (cont.)

 Garden To Table - a weekly gathering of people from the Alder- grove area who share in a meal prepared by and for themselves, along with members from St. Dunstan’s.

These programs are hosted by the people of St. Dunstan’s to provide a comfortable and safe place for learning and sharing.

St. Dunstan’s provides funds for these various programs through ap- plication for grants from local community support channels such as Van City, who have generously supported us for three years, as well as from funds raised within the church community to continue this work. Facility Building Maintenance

We value the fresh and inviting appearance of our church. The build- ing is maintained inside by a Parish family who act as custodians and are paid to fulfill that task. They look after the weekly cleaning and any cleaning that may be required after any special events through- out the year.

Grounds Upkeep

Our facility is so well complimented by beautiful grounds, the need to keep up with the gardening and landscape maintenance is critical. Twice a year a Parish clean-up day is organized, spring and fall, by members of the Parish. The efforts are coordinated by a dedicated Parish member. In between these events and in an ongoing basis, parishioners are encouraged (and many do) to come out and utilize their spare time to care for the gardens, cut grass, weed eat or do general ground maintenance.

Building Use and Receptions

All building use requests are directed through the administration office. The office handles all inquiries, and forms have been created to engage any potential user group. The office staff reviews expecta- tions, rates and other details necessary for the Priest or Executive Committee to make an informed decision. The Executive Committee reviews application for use of the facility for special events and any specific request about which there may be questions. Any request must fall within the scope of the Parish Vision if they are to be given any consideration.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 18 Facility Signage

Telling the story and informing the passing public is an important as- pect of sharing the St. Dunstan’s message. A well-lit sign in front of the church is maintained by a parishioner and the message for the week is based on the Priest’s input. Function

Finance

Our parish financial history is a multi-faceted story with significant accomplishments; the most notable is our having completely paid off our building and our land costs within a ten year period. For the size of our congregation our giving is exceptionally strong and accounts for approx. 82% of our annual budget. Our income from building use and fundraising are slightly below suggested levels and we have no income from endowments. On our operational side we have tended to have an annual deficit of approx. $20,000.00 for which we have been very creative in how we resource this issue. In recent years we have consciously striven for a balanced budget and our Stewardship team has an annual plan which is assisting us to move toward a posi- tive bottom line. We handle our own bookkeeping and have been using PowerChurch for 3 years. Our finances are reviewed annually by the Diocese as opposed to us having an audit. This in accordance with Diocese policy.

NOTE: Please refer to Appendix ‘B’ for additional information per- taining to church finance.

Office Administration

Our Parish Administrator very capably handles the office duties. The work is salaried with a 20 hour work week from Tuesday to Friday. The responsibilities of the Parish Administrator are many, but include ensuring the office hours are maintained from Tuesday to Friday (9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.), responding to both internal and external inquiries in person or via email, website, mail and telephone, prepar- ing the weekly worship service bulletin, and overhead, and coordi- nating the bookings of the church and meeting rooms. The Parish Administrator works closely with the Rector, as well as responding to their requests and administrative needs with the Administrative Warden.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 19 Function Stewardship

The Parish Stewardship initiatives are planned, coordinated, and car- ried out by the Stewardship Team. Work is done throughout the year to provide information and support around Stewardship within the Parish. The focus is on the work of Parish members as ‘stewards within our Parish and out-lying community’, offering a commitment of ‘time, talent, and treasure’ rather than on the financial aspect. Parish-wide visitations are done in order to provide further infor- mation and to discuss thoughts around ‘What God is calling us to do’ as individuals. A Parish Offering of ‘time, talent, and treasure’ are highlighted on the confidential ‘Intention Cards’, which are reviewed by the Envelope Secretary and Rector, before a financial total is shared with the Treasurer to use in the development of the Annual Parish Budget. The Stewardship Team members participate in the information sessions and initiatives organized by the Diocese, as part of the ‘Church Depot’ program.

Envelope Secretary

This very important and vital position is the responsibility of two committed Parish members. The dedication and diligence evident with these individuals is paramount in maintaining accurate records, which are current with quarterly tax receipts issued to parishioners. They carefully and accurately prepare an annual budget figure for planning purposes based on the parishioner responses to the Stew- ardship Campaign.

List of Committees

St. Dunstan’s Teams and Ministries

Altar Guild Pastoral Care Building Maintenance PWRDF Children, Youth & Families/Sunday School Social Committee Global Outreach Social/Hospitality Team Healing Ministry/Nature Special Events Team Liturgical Arts Stephen Ministry Mission & Ministry Stewardship Team Old Boys Women’s Fellowship Parish Council Worship Team

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 20 Clergy Team Bishop: Bishop Melissa Skelton Priest In Charge (temp): Rev’d Helen Tervo Deacons: Rev’d Kim Prokopchuk (on leave) Rev’d Linda Varin

Wardens: Theresa Tancock - Administrative Warden Charlie Fox - People’s Warden Lois Curtis - Rector’s Warden Music Director: Carol Tindall Parish Secretary: Linda Varin Parish Vision

Our Parish Vision for growth over the next five years:

To continue with the social outreach programs already in place.

To develop a new model for Pastoral Care.

To explore ways in which we may engage our youth more effectively.

To continue to attract and nurture young families.

To complete the discussions and come to consensus around the is- sue of Same Sex Blessings.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 21 Criteria for Parish Priest

Q. What gifts/skills do we seek in a Parish Priest candidate to walk the journey with us?

I. A youthful, energetic individual able to commit to an extend- ed appointment in the position of priest in our parish.

II. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills as evi- denced by the ability to listen and engage diverse individuals, groups, and ideas (inclusive of the same sex blessings discus- sion), work equally well with men and women, outgoing, warm with a strong sense of humor.

III. Support of pastoral and healing ministry, i.e. one who models care and compassion, and is sensitive to the emotional, phys- ical and spiritual intergenerational needs of this parish.

IV. Evidence of an ability and penchant for working with young families and youth.

V. Theologically grounded with the ability to offer liturgical guid- ance in a variety of ways including delivering challenging and engaging sermons based on scripture.

VI. Appreciates the value of music as an integral part of the wor- ship service experience and Parish Life as a whole, and a wil- ing and active participant.

VII. A creative open-minded forward moving thinker who re- spects past practice and traditions but is prepared to put forth new and innovative ideas for discussion and then act upon them once consensus is achieved.

VIII. Values ’Mission and Ministry’ as a part of Parish Life and demonstrates a capacity to nurture and grow our relationship with our local community.

Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open 22 Dear Candidate,

It is our deepest wish to convey how honored we are that you are considering our beautiful parish. Our par- ish profile was painstakingly designed and produced with care so that you might find it a comprehensive and easy to follow guide in learning about our parish, our community, and our place of worship.

We pray that your journey in this endeavor is a success- ful one, and we look forward to meeting with you. We thank you for your time and energy and wish you the very best.

“Questions for Applicants to Consider”

A. What attributes do you possess that set you apart from other candidates who may apply for this posi- tion? B. How important is the issue of Congregational Devel- opment in your ministry, and what one program or initiative are you most proud of having implement- ed in the past to respond to this area of need? C. What is your position on the issue of Same Sex Blessings and officiating them as a part of Parish Life? D. What role does music play in your worship services? E. The challenge of Pastoral Care is evidenced. How would you respond to the need for a new and im- proved Pastoral Care plan for our Parish? F. How would you develop programs and initiatives to engage children and youth in both learning about the scriptures and stories of the Bible and inte- grating children and youth into the worship service?

Praise be to God,

The Canonical Committee St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church | Aldergrove B.C. Open Hearts  Open Minds  Always Open

St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church 3025 - 264th St, Aldergrove BC, V4W 2W4 Tel: 604-856-5393 tel Fax: 604-856-5371 fax Email: [email protected] www.st-dunstans.ca 23

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