WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT… CAN GREEN BE TOO GREEN? SUSAN WESTALL The Word of God or the Holy Bible, PAGE 3 A question of balance, PAGE 6 A life of dedication, PAGE 7 A section of the Anglican Journal NEWS • PERSPECTIVE • REFLECTION • FOR A GROWING CHURCH • JUNE 2009 Fresh Expressions: A mixed economy approach! ANDY KALBFLEISCH MISSION STRATEGY COMMITTEE On Saturday May 9, over eighty people, clergy and lay from Niagara and Huron attended our fi rst Fresh Expression Vision Day at St. James Dundas. Over twenty parishes were represented with some bringing teams of four or more. Presenters Nick Brotherwood and Ryan Sim led the group through a var- iety of video and PowerPoint presenta- tions as well as interactive, hands on activities designed to help participants Members of Youth Synod gather outside to think about doing church in new St Christopher's Church in Burlington. and innovative ways to reach out to the unchurched and dechurched alike. The day emphasized a mixed econ- omy approach to mission, where fresh expressions of church and traditional One to many: The power of community forms of church as we know them appear together. We concluded with a question and answer session where to leave voice mails about the same They vowed to take a stand against ship role of Youth Ministry as the Bishop Michael joined the panel and issue for the Prime Minister and their homophobia and bullying wherever vision unfolds and they invited Bishop articulated his passion for the role MPs. they encounter either. At the suc- Michael to affi rm his commitment to Fresh Expressions will play in the These change agents, ranging cessful passing of the Homophobia living out the diocesan vision in part- Diocesan Vision. in age from 13 to 21, emptied their motion, delegates presented a rainbow nership with them. pockets of change and sent $165 to fl ag to St. Christopher’s asking them Youth Synod would not hap- Me to We for clean water projects to fl y the fl ag every May 17. The dele- pen without the fabulous volunteers New Hall, New CHRISTYN PERKONS in Darfur in addition to the $345 gates pledged to volunteer their time from our host parishes; this time, St. MINISTRY CONSULTANT they had already donated at registra- and energy to a youth ambassador Christopher’s whose many volunteers Opportunities “You have the power to change the tion for Free the Children‘s project program that connects parishes to dio- were welcoming, interested in the world,” said Caustan de Riggs, from liberating children from sweatshop cesan youth ministry events, and is a delegates, and very engaged with the In the spring of 2008 the people of St. the ‘Me to We Darfur Now’ speaking labour. But they did far more than ask presence at diocesan events. whole process. The time and talents James and St. Brendan were faced with tour, as he addressed the delegates of leaders to take action! They commit- And they didn’t stop at challenging of the small group leaders, the MCs, both a challenge and an opportunity. The Youth Synod 2009 on Friday, May ted themselves to becoming mindful themselves! They invited the church Steff Browning and Dean Sutton- challenge was addressing the problems 1st at St. Christopher’s Burlington. consumers; to donating saved money to use gender-neutral language in lit- Greenhalgh, the Chair, The Rever- with the historic, but dilapidated Guild And indeed, those delegates were to their churches or other charities, urgy in diocesan worship services; end Bill Mous, the Chancellor, The Hall. It was run down, ineffi cient, and agents of change as they made strong and to becoming part of their par- asked the Diocesan Youth Ministry Venerable Dr. Steve Hopkins, and the across the street from the church which commitments to advocating for the ish stewardship teams. Delegates Committee and the Program Consult- Bishop are integral to the event’s suc- presented its own set of problems. But end of genocide in Darfur and edu- will be asking their local municipal- ants to set up the Youth Ambassador cess as are the ongoing support from along with the challenge came a great cating people at their parishes and ities and schools to fl y the rainbow Program, and to provide training to The Reverend Matthew Griffi n, Youth opportunity: the opportunity to com- schools about the crisis in the Sudan. fl ag on International Day against volunteer staff and Youth Ministry Synod Council Coordinator, and Mary pletely rethink our presence and min- They sent postcards to Prime Minis- Homophobia, and they challenged program participants about bullying. Gordon, Youth Synod Coordinator. istry in our city of Port Colborne. ter Stephen Harper urging him to take themselves to offer support to those Finally, the delegates of Youth Synod The minutes of Youth Synod 2009 can a more proactive role in the crisis, who have been hurt by homophobic 2009 affi rmed the Diocesan vision be found at www.zipsqueal.com along CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 and they called 1-800-GENOCID(E) language. and resolved to continue the leader- with photos of the event. 2 NIAGARA ANGLICAN JUNE 2009 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 » New hall, new opportunities petitions, video game tournaments, as small faith community is growing around a high school class is taught out of the well as monthly band shows. And the the love of fi lms: the community gathers Guild Hall, Youth Dances run every two fi rst ever Church at the HUB was held to watch a movie (one with meaningful weeks (now through the summer with on March 29th. This aims to be an inter- spiritual connections) and is followed by the inclusion of Air Conditioning), Out denominational, monthly youth service a time of discussion and prayer (in The of the Cold serves meals every week, with live music, video and discussion. HUB of course!). quarterly seniors dances are being run in The second adaptation of the reno- A third intentional decision of the conjunction with “Just for Seniors”, and vation project to the new hall was the church was to use the newly renovated the hall is now a much in demand build- creation of a small-scale cinema that hall as the location of an artisan’s mar- ing for rental by outside user groups. has become known as the Cinema at the ket. The Marketplace runs every Friday The most exciting thing about these Guild. There is no movie theatre in Port from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and capitalizes on new ministries and initiatives is the way Colborne, the nearest ones being in Wel- the Farmer’s Market that runs concur- they feed into each other. For example, land, Niagara Falls, or St. Catharine’s. We rently across the street. Already more a woman visiting the Marketplace may felt this was another way we could meet than a dozen vendors from the local com- also grab a coffee at The HUB and pick By faith, the parish undertook a sizeable to church anyways?). The HUB was a need in our city that would enable us munity have set up tables in the hall on up a schedule of upcoming shows at the renovation project that would ultimately intentionally designed to be a “youth- to build community at the same time. a regular basis and this number is grow- Cinema. Perhaps a week later she sends see the Guild Hall become the new face friendly” but “all ages” café serving Therefore, the renovations included the ing. Marie Butt has taken The Market- her daughter to a homework program of our parish to the community. It was fairly traded coffee and tea, as well as installation of quality sound and video place under her wing and in doing so has at The HUB and the mother returns to no small undertaking for a parish of our standard café fare (sandwiches, soup, equipment, partitions, lights, and even a made the Guild Hall a weekly destina- participate in the monthly “Reel-Faith” size. We embarked upon a three year cookies, biscotti, nachos, pizza, etc.) A popcorn maker. Of course the necessary tion for many local shoppers. “The only discussion forum. In this system, needs fi nancial campaign, applied for fi nancial common refrain among Port Colborne’s licenses were acquired that enable us to provision for marketeers is that their are being met, community is being built, grants, and dipped into our savings. But youth is that there is “nothing to do” and show fi rst run movies (not yet on video) products are locally produced or hand and faith is being nurtured. what was the purpose? To simply restore “nowhere to go”. The HUB was created and even charge admission! Bradley Shea made.” Hence on any given Friday, doz- The people of St. James and St. Bren- a beautiful old building, and continue to intentionally address both of these jumped at the opportunity to manage the ens of shoppers venture into the hall to dan have stepped out in faith by putting on with ministry as we had before? No! concerns. To this end, Aaron Moore Cinema and has also been recruiting fi nd artisanal breads, soy candles, hand some exciting new spins on something as Along with these renovations our parish was recruited to be the café manager community volunteers to assist him. “As made jewellery, or unique pottery. The boring as a ‘parish hall’. What once was re-launched our ministry into the com- and through hard work and commun- manager of the cinema I am proud of the ladies of St.