RECEIVING THE HOPE MISSIONAL MOVERS Two Taboo Subjects Pg 3 Pg 6 Pg 7 THETHE WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ IOCESAN TIMES DIOTIMES D JANUARY 2021 A SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL SServingerving tthehe AAnglicannglican CChurchhurch iinn NNovaova SScotiacotia aandnd PPrincerince EEdwarddward IIslandsland Photo: The bishops processing to the front steps of the Cathedral to offer prayers for the city. From left, Bishops Susan Moxley, Arthur Peters, Ron Cutler and newly consecrated Bishop Sandra Fyfe. Consecration service highlights the signs of the times: masked, socially distanced and limited attendance Photo left: Although masked for the service, the four bishops briefly unmasked and stood 6 feet apart for this group photo. Photo right: Bishop Sandra’s husband, Jim Fyfe, joined her at the conclussion of the service to offer his congratulations and to pose long enough for a photo. Rev. Sandra Fyfe was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island on Monday, November 30, 2020 7 - 8 pm. The entire service was broadcast live over Facebook and is still availabel for viewing at: www.facebook.com/Diocese-of- Nova-Scotia-and-Prince-Edward- Island-274107035933762 PAGE 2 JANUARY 2021 - THE DIOCESAN TIMES COLUMNIST St Bart’s glows with hope I am surprised that the preparation. The open shelter added spotlights so that we astronauts on the space along with a few animals and really do glow into the dark VOLUME 76 NUMBER 1 station have not reported the empty manger show up on night a new glow from eastern the front lawn at St. Bart’s in Christmas eve came and PAUL SHERWOOD Canada. The holiday lights on mid-December. This year we because of Covid restrictions Editor display in The Bog this year saw it in place before Advent our numbers had to be small are amazing, It is like we are Sunday. enough for proper spacing Also on the web: saying, “ enough is enough, we As time draws closer to but, once again, Jason came www.nspeidiocese.ca are going to do everything we Christmas, more animals up with an invitation to the can to brighten up our world.” Letters & News Items: begin to show up and on the Community to join the service Paul Sherwood, Editor I know that at our house we afternoon of December 24th from around the crèche on the PO Box 8882, have put out every strand of the children of the parish lawn and there were speakers Halifax, NS B3K 5M5 lights we own, and they went [email protected] Sunday School come and up too. We sang the wonderful 902.477.3040 up early too! place the Holy Family around carols of Christmas and we We are not alone either. the empty manger. When could hear the community Advertising: Angela Rush Many houses that had been ST. B ART’S BY THE BOG we arrive for the Christmas singing from the church yard. dark in former years are filled eve service much later that It sounded like the Angels [email protected] 905.630.0390 with “songbirds” grounded by Sarah Neish evening we find the figure of were joining in with the fine (Burlington, ON) the worldwide pandemic. the baby Jesus nestled in the folks from The Bog. straw of the manger and the This need to spread the It is almost time to take the Published monthly except in July Shepherds with their sheep light of Christmas; the season and promise. crèche down for another year, and August by The Diocesan Times of hope and joy seems to are standing there, There is but I think it may remain Publishing Company. be contagious; maybe as Father Jason has encouraged a choir of Angels on the hill up and lighted for a few Online editions available via the contagious as Covid 19! this show of community spirit above the scene and our hearts more weeks. We all need the diocesan website: We are fast approaching the by putting up our Parish are filled with joy. reminder of Hope and Joy www.nspeidiocese.ca Feast of Epiphany when most crèche very early and asking Because Jason suggested that we see when we pass by of us tuck our Christmas us to add to the display with the community feel free to St. Bart’s. I know our home decorations away for another our own contributions. The add to the tableau, we have will keep the lights burning Printed by and mailed from: year, This year we plan crèche is a gift to us from Rev many more sheep, a few cows for now as we await the end of Webnews Printing Inc., to leave our lights up and Billie and her late husband a donkey or two and even a this isolation. North York, ON James. James made the original glowing through the dark days border collie at the ready to I’ll keep you posted, of winter. We will call them figures as well as the shelter do some herding if asked! My Opinions expressed do not Aunt Madge necessarily reflect the views of the Winter lights, lights of hope and they have become a part Orin and Benny Smith have of our collective Christmas editor, the management board of The Diocesan Times, the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island or any representative thereof, except where expressly stated. All material subject to editing. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: The first day of the month BEFORE the month of publication: e.g., the deadline for the March edition is February 1st. Changes to your Subscription? Either online: www.anglicanjournal. com/subscribe Or write: Diocesan Times/Anglican Journal Circulation Dept 80 Hayden St Toronto, ON M4Y 3G2 [email protected] (416 ) 924-9199 Ext 259/245 Subscription rate for both The Diocesan Times and the Anglican Journal: $20 per year Single copies: $2 THE DIOCESAN TIMES - JANUARY 2021 PAGE 3 Receiving the hope we need Dear friends, the high altar. In that instant, my perspective changed. As 2020 was drawing to a close, I was on the brink of my new We have all had to face huge changes in our lives and in our ministry as your diocesan bishop. At the time, I was preparing expectations as a result of this global pandemic. It has affected for this new beginning in a variety of ways. I participated in our ability to be with our families and friends, to attend worship, a Zoom orientation session for new and incoming bishops. I and to travel, among other things. By the time you’re reading spent some time apart for retreat and prayer. I started packing this, Covid-19 will also have affected how we’ve experienced things to take to my new office. I prepared to say farewell to a Christmas. What Covid-19 will not affect, however, is the Parish I loved. In the midst of it all, and with the guidance and reality of the incarnation – God taking human form and coming contributions of a great team, I began planning for the official to be among us in the person of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God- beginning of my ministry – the service of Consecration and with-us. Installation on St. Andrew’s Day. I suspect there are times over the past nine months when we As life unfolded, however, things got more complicated. have all have felt discouraged or lost or lonely or forsaken in The number of Covid-19 cases began to rise in Nova Scotia, some way. In those moments it’s important to reorient ourselves and it was clear that things would not go as we had hoped to the story of our faith. We are still living in the Christmas for that service. And yet, in spite of all the changes we’d had season (at least until the feast of the Epiphany on January 6th). to make, everything still seemed okay, until the rehearsal. More importantly, we are still living in incarnational times. God Bishop Sandra Fyfe, Gathering there in the Cathedral with former diocesan bishops is still with us. Christ still walks with us. The Holy Spirit still (Archbishop Ron Cutler, Archbishop Arthur Peters, and Bishop guides us. We are never alone. God’s love and presence surround Diocese of Nova Scotia and Sue Moxley), Dean Paul Smith and a small tech crew, with us always. Prince Edward Island screens in front of us and no one else I became acutely aware of that yet again on the night of my While I realize around us, the reality Consecration. The Cathedral may have looked empty but it was finally sank in. I’ll filled with the power and presence of God as we were held in that there are admit to feeling a bit prayer and celebration throughout this Diocese and beyond. I many challenges discouraged. Even want you to know that I feel humbled and blessed to be serving after the service as your bishop in these strange times and I am hopeful about the ahead of us as began, it all felt very future. While I realize that there are many challenges ahead of we are trying strange. This was not us as we are trying desperately to figure out the way forward, I what any of us was also know that we can count on God’s guidance and grace as we desperately to used to at all. Then, journey onwards. As the Rev Dr. Joanne Mercer reminded us in figure out the at the appropriate her sermon on that night: we have everything we need. time in the service, As I begin my episcopal ministry among you, I am glad to know way forward, I I moved in place in that this ministry is one that we share.