New Year’s Epiphany edition edition 2005 V ol. 59, No. 5 ● January 2005 2005 Fire draws ‘huge’ support for St. John’s Thorold parish overwhelmed the diocese and beyond has been their damage in the kitchen and in the church, has said St. John’s, Thorold, insurance coverage strength after a fire damaged the church on not been determined, nor has there been an had recently been updated. by community generosity Nov. 20. estimated cost of damage. There was also “They’ve got good coverage,” she said. n the face of adversity, they’ve seen “To arrive and see smoke billowing out damage to the offices, both upper and “But it’s a very traumatic event.” Ithe face of God and it is carrying them of the church was devastating,” said The lower. St. John’s parishioners could see “the through difficult days. Reverend Canon Dr. Cathie Crawford “It’s taking a long time ... there needs to face of God” in the “huge support” from A visibly moved rector of St. John’s, Browning, rector. be inventory taken ... there is so much that parishes across the diocese and from anoth- Thorold, said the overwhelming support she The cause of the fire, which started in the goes into a claim of this magnitude.” er denomination as well. and parishioners have received from across kitchen, and left heavy smoke and water Executive Archdeacon Marion Vincett See FIRE / page 3 Niagara’s A commentary by members of the Publisher’s newspaper Advisory Board and Editor odyssey Diana Hutton he Niagara Anglican tells the Niagara story of people Tand places, good news and painful news, says the Reverend Canon Charles Stirling. It has tried to do this in an open and honest way. It has tried to do this within a reasonable cost structure, that at times, sees some stories and pictures print- ed and others not. As chair of the Bishop’s Publisher’s Advisory Board (PAB), Canon Stirling said when the budget synod adjourns on Jan. 8, the Niagara Anglican must be granted a budget in order to pro- ceed into the new year. Without a diocesan subsidy of as much as $36,000, the newspaper may fold. Undaunted by the grim reality of losing its subsidy, volun- teer members of the PAB – Canon Charles Stirling, former gen- eral manager of Brabant Newspapers, a chain of weeklies in Hamilton; The Rev. Canon Kristine Swire, Carol Summers, ON, John Janisse of The Dunham ‘We can’’t Group and Pam Claridge, a newspaper publisher in Orangeville – are forging do it with our ahead with strategic plans that would legs cut out see the newspaper become self-suffi- from under cient. us.’ The board has welcomed to team Niagara Anglican Ted Manning as - John Janisse director of marketing. With a proven background in advertising and promo- tion, Ted has taken on the challenge – on a commissioned basis – of saving the newspaper by bringing in more revenue through advertising. Ted operates his own company in Thorold-St Catharines, and is a member of St. John, Thorold. (Ted is featured in this month’s Getting to Know You column on page 8.) Ted is confident that with combinations in the development of area advertising pages, calling on suppliers or services which need more than the local market, and aggressively going after national advertising, there will be a marked turn-around and increase in revenue. PAB member John Janisse said the group is being proactive in attempting to save the newspaper. But, referring to the possi- ble loss of the $36,000 diocesan subsidy, he added, “we can’t CRACOW ARTIST IMITATOR of Hans Pleydenwur’s “The Adoration of the Magi”, tempera on wood, do it with our legs cut out from under us.” c. 1480, National Museum in Poznan In reality, the newspaper can likely be produced on a subsidy smaller than $36,000. “I think the truth is that we need parishes to keep proper track of their subscribers, we need all subscribers to donate, we See NIAGARA / page 2 Parish viability task force created By JIM NEWMAN shifts occurring in downtown areas of our cities. Nor could we have accurately forecast the significant January 2005 task force has been created by Bishop Ralph increases in energy and operating costs that can quickly Spence to develop and make available tools for outstrip increases in parishioner giving. Bishop s Itinerary .. .....12 Getting to Know You.. .8 A determining parish health and viability. In the October issue of the Niagara Anglican, Deadlines.................... 4 People In News......... 12 Only a few years ago, most of us could not have Executive Archdeacon Marion Vincett reported during Editorial........................4 V iewpoint s....................5 imagined the dramatic new urban development taking the past nine months six parishes within the diocese of shape in many communities or the major demographic See PARISH / page 2 2 NIAGARA ANGLICAN January 2005 Conflict is behind the notion of clergy unions By ARCHDEACON IAN DINGWALL Congregational conflict is very much a The entire church community needs to taken more seriously and with added appre- fact of church life and it is found in all appreciate more clearly that when problems ciation, we need to be more open to evalua- n the news recently, we have heard of churches. arise, they should be dealt with in real, open tion. And, if evaluation is done in a respon- Isome United Church ministers Conflict is, more often than we like to and helpful ways – knowing that “the prob- sible and sensitive way, positive things will enrolling as members of the CAW Union. think or admit, a present reality that con- lem” is seldom the fault of just one of the happen. This has caused some lively fronts the Anglican Church of parties involved. Unfortunately when conflict and criti- conversations, and not a few Canada. In church land, we find it uncomfortable cism is spewed out in an manner that no one laughs and giggles. Someone, for According to sociological sur- and awkward to be open, frank and honest is able to understand or accept, it becomes a example, asked me if I had ever veys, a root cause of conflict is with each other. There are different reasons “we / they” battle. thought of a clergy union, to which found in the clergy versus the for this state of affairs but one is that often Dialogue I replied the only union that would laity debates, wrangles and hostil- both parties begin from a premise of cer- Dialogue is what is always needed and accept me as a member was the ities. Often at hysterical and high tainty – always “my certainty” without con- the parties involved most often need the Mothers’ Union – and then only on decibel levels. cern for other points of view. advice, support and perspective of an out- an honourary level! Most of us could cite occa- Struggle for power side person – be that the bishop or someone ARCHDEACON We ought not brush off this sions when conflict in congrega- And, of course, the struggle for power is else. (Notice the deliberate exclusion of the topic so easily and pretend, with IAN DINGWALL tions has bared a seamier side of always present and, unfortunately, people word “debate” which suggests each side’s humour, that it is not a serious matter. things that we prefer to ignore or deny. on both sides deny or ignore same. purpose is to batter down the opposition.) I noticed in a press report, for example, The dispute might be focussed on what For me, it raises the question of individ- In dialogue we meet as partners willing one or two Anglican spokespersons who Christianity is about, but personality clash- ual integrity and our lack of a personal and eager to work together for the common had indeed summarily brushed the matter es are part of the problem. sense of security which causes us to be good. quickly under the carpet. Very often no solution is apparent and defensive and hostile rather than open and I, for one, would never oppose the estab- Their words suggested the United the easiest remedy is to remove the priest to caring. lishment of clergy unions. Church, being congregational in polity, another environment. What does that solve? Obviously all congregations need to But I would rather see the Church (laity their clergy did not have the benefit or the So perhaps there is a need for a clergy assume a major role of responsibility in and clergy) working together in openness protection of bishops. union or, at least, a need to discover a better problem solving. Just as obviously, clergy and with mutual appreciation, speaking the That may be a valid point of view but method of dealing with personnel problems must too. truth to each other in love. surely it does not do justice to the subject. and conflict. If, for example, we clergy wish to be Niagara diocese’s newspaper odyssey Continued from page 1 Anglican was set against other need increased advertising rev- ministries for a share of funding enue, and until these make up the that would guarantee its survival. total bill, we need help from the A ministry diocese to make up any shortfall,” “The Niagara Anglican is and said Mr. Janisse. “Next year, this remains a ministry in our diocese, might be $30,000 – but it might ranking with all of the other min- also be $5,000.” istry programs,” he said. “Some In November, the diocesan voices indicated the paper should budget committee presented to be self-sufficient ... that would members of diocesan synod five make the Niagara Anglican the budget scenarios – using the New only ministry put to the task of Niagara process – but only one raising money.” (Scenario 5) will guarantee the For the past two years, the survival of the Niagara Anglican.