News from the Anglican Church of Canada

Above the skyline of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a 39-metre Jesus statue spreads its arms over the slums and mansions of this sprawling city. The iconic statue, built in 1931 to represent peace, has now become a symbol for the work of thousands of Christians—Anglicans included—who are actively supporting the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which meets in Rio June 13 to 22.

Known as Rio+20, the conference marks the 20th anniversary of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, known as the "Earth Summit." The event will gather leaders from governments, the private sector and NGOs to discuss a green economy and an institutional framework for sustainable development. Themes will include energy, food security and disaster readiness.

The goal is to produce an action plan, entitled "The Future We Want," with specific sustainable development goals for the UN's 193 member states.

A new resource pack, produced by the Anglican Alliance—a global Communion network focusing on development, relief, and advocacy—has been compiled to help Anglicans learn about and pray for Rio+20. The pack includes information on the conference and topic sheets with facts, action points and prayers on environmental justice, water, climate change and ecojustice.

The resource materials, designed for use on Rio Sunday (June 3), the People's Summit first global day of action (June 5), and during the conference, were developed with help from the Anglican Communion UN Office, Lambeth Palace, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network, whose secretary is the Rev. Ken Gray of Victoria, B.C.  

Anglicans have a long history of environmental activism. They have worked internationally through the World Council of Churches since the 1980s and Rio+20 is the latest focal point for this work.

Local Brazilian Anglicans are leading the way. Their Primate, the Most Rev. Mauricio Andrade, has invited the Anglican Communion to follow Rio+20 and take practical steps towards preserving the environment.

"With hope, audacity and renewed faith, I call on the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion around the world to assume their prophetic duty to ‘take care of Creation,'" he said in a recent letter. "We need to support the initiatives of organized civil society and make a strong appeal to the governments to take their responsibility for the life on our planet."

A People's Summit will run parallel to the UN meetings. Its goal is to build a common voice for justice among civil society groups, including churches. Anglicans are part of an ecumenical coalition that is organizing a space for religious perspectives. Anglicans also be involved in debates, workshops, roundtables and local advocacy. On June 22 at 5:00 pm, the Anglican cathedral in Rio de Janeiro will host a special service.

For more information and resources, follow these links to:

• access the Rio+20 resource pack
  
  
• learn about the World Council of Churches' work to support Rio+20
  
  
• visit the People's Summit website

National leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada will visit their counterparts in Jerusalem May 15 to 21 to discuss the development of full communion ministry in the Middle East.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz (ACC) and National Bishop Susan C. Johnson (ELCIC) will describe how the Anglican-Lutheran partnership evolved in Canada and encourage Bishop Suheil Dawani (Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem) and Bishop Munib Younan (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land) as they take their own steps towards a similar relationship.

The trip was first suggested by leaders of their respective international bodies, the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation.

"We know the benefit both personally and as churches of this form of deeper partnership and are excited about sharing our experiences as we have travelled this road together," said Bishop Johnson.

"It is especially important that in Jerusalem, the birthplace of Christianity, we do all that we can to support and encourage the remaining Christian population."

Christians are a minority in the Jerusalem region. They struggle to work towards peace with justice in Palestine and Israel. They also struggle with declining numbers as Christians emigrate elsewhere.

Joint mission work is one way to respond to their challenges. In Canada, Anglicans and Lutherans have been in a full communion partnership since 2001. This means mutual recognition of baptisms, interchangeability of clergy, and many areas of cooperative mission work, including joint advocacy against homelessness and global poverty.

In 2013 the denominations will hold their first joint national assembly in Ottawa.

Episcopalians (Anglicans) and Lutherans in the Middle East are just starting to explore the potential of such joint work. Bishop Dawani and Bishop Younan worked alongside each other as local ministers in Ramallah, Palestine. Now they have started to chart steps for larger-scale cooperation. Recently they appointed co-chairs of a joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission for their regions: the Rev. Canon John L. Peterson (Anglican) and the Rev. Sven Oppegaard (Lutheran).

Canadian Anglicans and Lutherans have longstanding, deep ties to the Middle East. Archbishop Hiltz and Bishop Johnson have both visited Jerusalem and their denominations have passed national resolutions that pledged to journey with Christians in that region through prayer and other means of support.

Recently Canadian Anglicans have started the Companions of the Diocese of Jerusalem group to raise awareness and funds for the diocese, which extends over Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. A companion diocese relationship is also emerging between Ottawa and Jerusalem.

Canadian Lutherans are active in the region through their partners, Canadian Lutheran World Relief and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which support a hospital and a vocational training centre in East Jerusalem. Bishop Younan has served as president of LWF since 2010.

With such rich and complex histories undergirding the trip, the Canadian delegation hopes that this visit will deepen a sense of joint mission for all involved.

"We're really going there not to tell them how to do it," said Archbishop Hiltz. "We want simply to share the Canadian story—the significant moments in our journey, some of the high points, the challenges, and the realities of what it's like to live in full communion."

The Canadian delegation also includes the co-chairs of the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission the Very Rev. Peter Wall (Anglican) and Bishop Michael Pryse (Lutheran) as well as the Anglican Church of Canada's Director of Resources for Mission and Communications and Information Resources Vianney (Sam) Carriere. 

When Pam Thomson went on vacation to Cuba last February, she wanted to find a local Anglican congregation. The beaches of Varadero were beautiful, sure, but it was Ash Wednesday and she wanted to worship in her tradition.

The problem was that the resort staff had no idea where the Anglican churches were. They sent her off in a taxi to a different church that ultimately was a disappointment.

The Anglican Church of Canada in fact has resources for travellers like Ms. Thomson who want to connect with local Anglican congregations and communities while travelling for work or pleasure.

Dr. Andrea Mann, General Synod's global relations coordinator, is the hub of such help. She can advise travellers on where to worship and brief them on historic relationships in that area. For instance, there may be schools or development projects that have been supported by Canadian Anglicans, or a local priest who once studied in Canada.

Ms. Mann can also provide tips for those visiting other worship spaces—say synagogues, temples, or mosques—during their travels.

Like much trip-planning these days, some basics are already available online. Churches like the Episcopal Church (USA) or the Church of England have online parish finders that usually connect to church addresses and service times.

Sometimes knowledge of church structure is handy. For those travelling in Europe, the Church of England's Diocese in Europe is the place to start, though it expands beyond the continent-from Turku, Finland to Casablanca, Morocco.

For vacationers heading to Cuba, General Synod has recently added an updated online list of parish addresses, so people like Ms. Thomson can more easily connect from a resort. The Anglican Church of Canada has a longstanding relationship with the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba and more information is available in the online hub.

For many Anglicans, the rhythm of spiritual life continues during vacations.

"We may be lying on the beach but taking out an identifiable piece of time to worship is important because our faith doesn't go on holiday," said Ms. Thomson, who worships at Church of the Redeemer, Toronto.

She remembers a former priest who encouraged parishioners to bring back bulletins and pamphlets from churches they visited. These materials would be posted on a bulletin board as a sign of Christian fellowship.

Travellers can also pick up ideas for what to do in their own church, added Ms. Thomson. They can be inspired by architecture, music, or even preaching.

Ms. Mann notes that such experiences can deepen faith.

"The familiar is comfortable, lovely, certainly nurturing, and often positive," she said, "But it is just helpful in one's spiritual journey and sometimes transformative to worship in a different church, in a different country."

This is possible throughout the Anglican Communion, which includes churches in more than 160 countries. There is opportunity for both familiarity and variation.

"I've sat in Anglican worship services in Sri Lanka and I know where we are in the service because of the cadence of the liturgy," said Ms. Mann.

"‘Amen,' is the same in almost every language."

To learn more about finding Anglican churches while travelling, or to share your stories of travel and worship, email Dr. Andrea Mann, global relations coordinator. 

God keeps calling the Rev. Canon Ginny Doctor to serve her people in different places. The Mohawk priest, 62, has helped raise Indigenous leaders in downtown Syracuse, N.Y., rural Alaska, and now Toronto, where she was hired as General Synod's new Indigenous Ministries coordinator in February.

The scenery varies, but the people and their needs are a constant.

"There has to be healing before we can do any effective leadership development," she said. "That's been my passion."

Raised on the Onondaga Nation in central New York state, Ms. Doctor spent 17 years running an urban native centre in downtown Syracuse. It was fulfilling work on one level; she helped people find jobs, clothing, and housing. But eventually she realized that the cycle of poverty would only stop if these people found God.

This realization sprang from her own spiritual awakening. When her grandmother, backbone of the local Episcopal (Anglican) church died, Ms. Doctor, a self-professed "holiday Christian," found herself returning to the pews, seeking a way to be both Christian and Indigenous.

She started out on vestry and soon was invited to national meetings, where she was amazed to find other Indigenous Episcopalians who had similar joys and struggles. Before long, Ms. Doctor was saying "yes" to visiting some of these people on a summer missions trip up the Yukon River, deep into Alaska's interior.

A love affair with Alaska
The boat trip was a turning point for Ms. Doctor. Out on the quiet river with five other souls, she felt she was in the presence of God. It rained a lot. They floated past mountains. When they came to a town the team would hop on shore to play guitars, talk about God, and "do church," as she puts it. Ms. Doctor was moved by the faithfulness of the people, who showed up to sing late into the night.

Ms. Doctor had caught the Alaska bug. She told the national Episcopal Church office she wanted to serve as missionary and they sent her back, this time to Tanana, a subsistence village of 300 in the Alaskan interior.

At first, life was tough. Ms. Doctor lived in a small trailer with an inch of insulation—a thin buffer against winter lows of -60 Celsius. She dropped 50 pounds in the first year just from chopping firewood and hauling water (there was no indoor plumbing). Every day her friend John would pop in "just to make sure she was still alive."

But it was here that Ms. Doctor could focus on developing leaders in an integrated way. She led Sunday School, worked with youth, and helped an elder discern his call to ordained ministry.

"I just helped out wherever I was needed," said Ms. Doctor. "It's all about building relationships and making relationships that last."

A solid team
Ms. Doctor's work caught the attention of then-diocesan bishop Mark MacDonald who talked her into leaving her beloved Tanana and becoming his special assistant in Fairbanks, Alaska. Ms. Doctor's many jobs included leading the David Salmon School of Ministry and travelling widely to train and empower Indigenous women.

She also deepened her own education through theological studies at the Vancouver School of Theology and was eventually ordained priest by Bishop MacDonald.

For almost 10 years Ms. Doctor and the bishop worked together, anchored in their shared faith. He taught theology; she taught healing. They both believed in "circular leadership," giving others a chance to lead. If the bishop could vision, Ms. Doctor, an expert planner, could chart a way to get there.

"He couldn't live without me," she jokes.

But in 2007 the duo separated when Mark MacDonald was elected National Indigenous Anglican Bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. Ms. Doctor continued as chief of staff for the Diocese of Alaska while Bishop MacDonald moved to Toronto.

This move wasn't a total surprise. The pair had been walking alongside Indigenous Anglicans in Canada as partners on the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and by attending their national Sacred Circle gatherings. Ms. Doctor was in fact present at the 1993 gathering in Minaki, Ont., where she first learned about residential schools—and heard the Primate apologize for them—within a few short days.

Ms. Doctor said the Canadian church's focus on Indigenous self-determination separates it from the U.S. church. This theme was a major attraction for Bishop MacDonald and eventually it called to Ms. Doctor too.

When Donna Bomberry, former Indigenous Ministries coordinator, retired last summer, Bishop MacDonald got on the phone to Ms. Doctor. It took some cajoling but she finally agreed to take the position.

Now Ms. Doctor works at raising up leaders who can take this self-determination to the next level, as Indigenous leaders focus on renewal and new governance structures, like area missions, begin to evolve.

But Ms. Doctor came under one condition: she could make her home on the Six Nations reserve near Brantford. Years of fresh Alaskan air had turned her off of city life and she had a bevy of cousins and aunts to welcome her back. She has found a log cabin (with running water) and a community to reconnect with.

"It's a lot like coming home," said Ms. Doctor. "I have lots of homes. I'm blessed."

General Synod Communications and the Anglican Journal, the church's editorially independent newspaper, have entered into a partnership to jointly distribute stories of national significance. General Synod Senior Editor Ali Symons wrote several features for the Anglican Journal about her trip with the Primate to the Anglican Church of Melanesia (forthcoming in the May issue). This story ran first on the Anglican Journal website. 

I was so sick on our Fiji stopover. There we were in the Nadi airport, on our way to the Solomon Islands, and I was throwing up in every available receptacle, excusing myself from my coworkers because, of course, this was a business trip. What could be more awkward?

But Fred found me. I was at a low point, crouched on a curb between two taxis, and then there was the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, sitting down beside me, bringing some tissues, his face all kindness, his brow deeply furrowed.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has an antenna up for the vulnerable. Throughout the 11 long, hot days of our March visit to the Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands, the man could hone in on any pet or a baby within eyesight.

A scrawny cat wanders into a sunny lunchroom where we're eating with faculty from a theological college. When someone kicks it, Fred winces and tries to lure it back. "Puss, puss," he calls.

In an airport lounge, a tired mother plays with an equally tired baby on a blanket. Fred, passing by, waves a big hand. "Hiya, little guy!" The baby looks up in surprise.

How does such a big heart travel to a developing country, where needs jut out as exposed ribs, bare feet, or stories of kids who can't pay school fees?

Or worse, kids sold into prostitution—a problem that's increasing as foreign loggers move in to strip big trees from this green land.

There's hardly time to feel, it seems. Our team—Fred, Dr. Andrea Mann, global relations coordinator, and myself—is driven around all day to see busy, complex ministries throughout the Anglican Church of Melanesia. We visit four religious orders, two schools, a farm, a prison, and more.

Everywhere they greet us with songs, sung high and loud, and garlands of orchids, frangipani, ferns, turmeric.

Often, Fred is asked to "share the word," as local ministers say. Some of this he knows in advance, so he pulls out a handwritten sermon that usually wends its way back to the Marks of Mission.

But at the prison he has to wing it. We learn about this en route, as we're bumping towards the Rove Correctional Centre in the church's pickup truck. When we arrive we are ushered to the stage in front of several hundred inmates—tattooed, burly men, filled with nervous energy. I feel nervous too, but Fred prays slowly and takes a moment for silence.

"I've been called many things on this trip," he says, "Lord bishop, Archbishop, Primate of all Canada...but my name is Fred and I am a sinner."

The tension slips out of the room.

This is not Fred's first trip overseas. He went to India and Tanzania as diocesan bishop of Nova Scotia, and Burundi, the Middle East, and Cuba as Primate.

He has his own travelling rhythm: a well-worn duffle bag for vestments and a suitcase three-quarters packed with gifts. He wakes up early to journal and pray. When he can, he calls his wife Lynne, who sometimes holds up the phone to the furry ear of Joe, their beloved Golden Retriever, so Fred can say hello.

During the day, Fred is all grace as a traveling dignitary. He can shake hands and smile for the camera. But he clearly longs to be a man of action.

In some ways, it's a tricky time to be an international partner. Our church can't offer the funding we used to. Fred does not yet have a discretionary fund that would let him write cheques for the immediate needs he sees on these trips. There's a lot of talk about renewing our almost-50-year partnership with the church here, but not a lot of specifics yet.

On the last day, we try to nail down some details with Archbishop David Vunagi. Fred names the ministries that have touched him. How can we help a sisterhood finish their retreat centre? How can we connect with the vibrant youth ministry here? Support more theological students? We make plans and take notes.

But Fred is at his finest in the children's ward of the National Referral Hospital, two simple concrete rooms filled with families who have travelled days by boat and truck to get their sick kids some care. They have meningitis, malaria, bronchitis or worse, and Fred bends down beside each child. He learns their names. He learns their parents' names.

Compassion and action meet for moments here. Before he leaves each bedside, Fred smiles and gently places his hand on the sick child's head. He asks, "May I bless you?"

• View photos of the Melanesian trip.
  
   
• Watch video clips of the Melanesian Sisters performing an action chorus and the Franciscan Brothers playing panpipes.

Our spring meeting at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ont., was held April 16 to 20 in a context of worship and Bible study. We opened and closed with a Eucharist, the first celebrated by Archbishop Terry Finlay, our chaplain, and the second by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, our Primate.

Archbishop Hiltz brought us together on the first evening with a brief reflection on his ministry. Now in the fifth year of his primacy, Fred invited comments from members of the House both on achievements and challenges during that time. Responses included several affirmations of his primacy as well as several areas where we felt the church should either be more active or play more of a leadership role.

We were honored to have with us Bishop Griselda of the Episcopal Church of Cuba, accompanied by Archdeacon Michael Pollesel, former General Secretary of General Synod who served as her interpreter and by Andrea Mann General Synod's global relations coordinator.

The Canadian church's relationship with the church in Cuba goes back 40 years, and is institutionalized in the Canadian church's involvement in the Metropolitan Council of Cuba which the Canadian Primate chairs. Bishop Griselda briefed us on the vibrant but struggling church that she leads. Her presentation was enhanced by a photographic slide show of parish buildings, some of which are magnificent and many of which sorely need renovation, which is hindered by the lack of resources.

Our meeting included several discussions on on-going work such as a discussion on Eucharistic hospitality in the context of Christian hospitality and discipleship. Recognizing that this is a complex matter requiring careful work and reflection, the House agreed to ask the Primate to strike a working group which will include bishops, theologians and people expert in congregational development to assist us in the discernment of appropriate guidelines for us to consider at our next meeting.

We approved revisions to the handbook of the Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO).

We heard several informational presentations including one on process for dealing with the Anglican Communion Covenant, one on several aspects of Indigenous ministries including the Mississauga Declaration and this summer's Sacred Circle, one on a General Synod initiative to gather national statistics on the church from dioceses and one on the pension plan for clergy and lay people.

We also heard several updates—on Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogues, on the continuing Indaba process, on the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative, on structural developments in the Diocese of Moosonee and on chaplaincy in the Canadian Forces.

Some Anglican priests are preaching dynamos. Others are wise historians or gracious pastors. But what basic competencies should be present across all their ministries?

For the past three years, a commission has dug into this question and now they are inviting input on their draft proposal, "Competencies for Ordination to the Priesthood."

"This document is a celebration of the good things that are happening in church and a description of them," said the Rev. Canon Dr. Todd Townshend, chair of the Primate's Commission on Theological Education. "It also has an aspirational aspect. We aspire to do these things."'

The competencies range from the basic "has read the Bible" to "engages in pastoral leadership." The sections cover personal and spiritual formation, Anglican heritage and identity, cultural context, leadership capacity, and skills for teaching and learning.

Many points reflect a major culture change in the church-from maintaining institutions to participating in the mission of God. For example, one competency calls for priests to "[assess] strategies for active justice-seeking mission."

The eventual goal (after full consultation) is for the Anglican Church of Canada to adopt these competencies and commend them to those who develop leaders, especially theological institutions.

This is not a to-do list, said Mr. Townshend. The document is a description of what a person would need to gain in order to fulfill their vocation. Many of these skills develop over one's career.

Though just a slim four pages, these competencies are a big first in the Anglican Church of Canada. Previously, the only theological education standards were found in a House of Bishops document from 1986 called "Ordination Pre-requisites."

Over the past decade, Anglican leaders have explored the need for more coordinated standards. Currently, Anglican clergy are trained in some 12 schools across Canada from the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax to the Arthur Turner Training School in Pangnirtung, NU. No common document guides their formation.

In developing these competencies, General Synod has consulted widely. The 2010 National Gathering on Theological Education was the biggest event to gather input from bishops, priests, educators, and students.

General Synod 2010 asked the Primate's Commission on Theological Education to refine this and other work into competencies. Now the commission is at its final stages of consultation and will hear from provincial synods, the Council of General Synod, and other Canadian Anglicans before bringing the competencies to General Synod 2013.

"This document is important because it shows a common understanding," said Mr. Townshend. "We want to have something so that we can all say, that's a good list, we can fairly expect that, we should support that, and we should get behind making it possible."

So whether you're a priest, parishioner, bishop, or educator, you are invited to read the document and reflect on these questions:

1.  What benefits might you see from working with a document like this for if you are a bishop, parish member, student, diocesan candidacy panel, training centre or seminary?

2.  Who else might find benefit from the existence of a document like this in the church?

3.  What gaps do you see that could be attended to in either an amended document like this or other exercise undertaken in the church?

All responses must be emailed to the Rev. Canon Dr. Todd Townshend by Sept. 30, 2012.

Other members of the Primate's Commission on Theological Education include the Rev. Canon Eric Beresford, Bishop John Chapman, the Rev. Dr. Mark Harris (ELCIC partner), and the Rev. Dr. Paula Sampson. 

A Canadian writing team preparing materials for the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is seeking original music compositions. If chosen, your song could be sung around the world for this important ecumenical event.

The team seeks songs suitable for congregations and with words in French or English—ideally both. They can be hymns, praise choruses or shorter songs and must speak to the 2014 theme "Has Christ Been Divided?" based on 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. The deadline is May 31 and songs may be submitted by email.

"We thought the music would be an interesting addition," said the Rev. Amanda Currie, a member of the Canadian writing team and a Presbyterian minister in Saskatoon. "It would add to the music already available for celebrating Chrisitan unity and praying for that together."

Every year a different international team is chosen to develop resources for the eight days of prayer, celebrated in January. The resource package includes a worship service, a theological reflection, and a description of the ecumenical context in Canada. Songs are optional and have not been included in recent yearly packages.

Once the national team develops the week's resources, they are reviewed by the international coordinating body, composed of representatives from the World Council of Churches and the Vatican. Materials are then sent out to churches worldwide and are adapted to the local context; the Canadian Council of Churches does this in Canada.

Since the chosen song will be distributed internationally in this resource package, the composer must set up a copyright that will enable free use in a variety of worship and prayer gatherings.

Ms. Currie said that the Canadian writing team may chose to include several worthy musical submissions. The song will be available for ecumenical celebrations beyond the designated week.

Every year, Canadian Anglicans mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by joining other Christians in ecumenical services, cooperative mission or evangelism work, and pulpit exchanges.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began in 1908 and is one of the oldest ecumenical activities. It predates the 1948 creation of the World Council of Churches and all the Anglican Church of Canada's bilateral dialogues.

Songs may also be submitted by mail:

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
436 Spadina Crescent East
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7K 3G6
Canada

In this personal message, the Primate remembers the Easter images of his childhood church, Christ Church in Dartmouth, N.S. He also encourages Canadian Anglicans to “embrace afresh our calling as an Easter People.”

My love of Holy Week and Easter was nurtured early in life, in the church where I grew up.

Christ Church, Dartmouth (Nova Scotia) is cruciform in shape.  Over the north transcept towers a window depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus with Mary his mother and John the beloved disciple at the foot of the Cross.  The inscription reads "It is finished". (John 19:30)  Over the south transcept towers the Resurrection Window.  An angel greets the women who had come early in the morning to the tomb, saying "He is not here.  He is Risen". (Luke 24:5)  The great window over the altar portrays the Ascension of Christ and draws everyone's contemplation to the blessings of his promise "I am with you always, even to the close of the age". (Matthew 28:20)

It was in Christ Church that I first enjoyed the sweet smell of palm branches.  It was there that I learned that Holy Week is a journey with Jesus.  Following him day by day, the experience intensifies as we come to Maundy Thursday.  Then we're with him hour by hour through the events in the Upper Room and in Gethsemane.  By Good Friday, our following is moment by moment through his suffering death and burial.

It was at that church that I first experienced the kindling of a new fire and the lighting of the Paschal Candle that stood among the lilies around the lectern.  It was there that I learned that Easter is not one day but 50 — a glorious festival.  Week after week, we hear stories of the Risen Lord appearing to his followers and accounts of the apostles' preaching about the Resurrection and the new life that is ours in Christ.

Taught by faithful clergy and Sunday School teachers I know the Resurrection is not an idle tale as it seemed to some but the wondrous truth that "Jesus, who was crucified and buried, was raised up by God" (Luke 24:11) and of that said St. Peter, "we are all witnesses". (Act 2:32)

Grateful for that place where I learned this faith and hope, and for every place in which I have been privileged to preside and preach at Easter, I pray that this year's celebrations will be for all of us a time of great joy and renewed hope in Christ.  For in him we are reconciled with God and raised to the new life of grace.  In him we have confidence that things which were cast down are being raised up and that things which had grown old are being made new.

In this joyful Eastertide, may you and I embrace afresh our calling as an Easter People.  May our hearts beat with the love of the Risen Lord and the hope and peace he bestows in the world. 

      Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The National Worship Conference is for clergy and laypeople who want to break down the barriers of worship life. It is for those who want to add more colour and life to Sunday mornings, and for those who need renewal. All are invited to gather for workshops, speakers, and worship in Winnipeg, Man., June 29 to July 2.

The National Worship Conference is a tradition of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and now, planning includes full-communion partners from the Anglican Church of Canada. It is also open to ecumenical participation.

Participants will explore the theme "Beyond the fortress" in conversations and symbols, said the Rev. Diane Guilford, the Anglican co-chair who serves alongside Lutheran Michele Barr.

During the first worship a wall of patio bricks will be set up for people to insert candles. These bricks will be moved and used throughout the conference to represent walls—exclusive and inclusive—that sometimes surround the worship experience.

This is one of many creative worship elements at the conference. There will also be liturgical dance, plenty of music and even a bonfire.

Ms. Guilford first experienced creative ecumenical worship as a student at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon. Now an incumbent at St. Stephen's, Winnipeg, she pushes boundaries with events like an outdoor baptism, framed by wild greenery.

The conference is designed to include the experience of smaller and rural communities, notes Ms. Guilford.

"Our hope and prayer is that when people leave they will be able to, no matter what the size of their church, integrate [new ideas] into their worship," she said.

Plenary speakers are Doug Cowling, a musician, author, liturgist, and regular contributor to CBC Radio and the Rev. Dr. Craig Van Gelder, professor of congregational mission at Luther Seminary.

Mr. Cowling will speak about liturgical development and the need for continual renewal, especially at the local level.

Dr. Van Gelder's teaching focuses on helping congregations adapt to dramatically changing contexts. He said he hopes to bring Biblical, theological insight to help participants think "beyond the fortress."

"What if God's spirit is in the midst of disrupting us out of our comfort zone out of our patterns of the past and into a new space to rediscover how to be God's people in this changing environment?" he said.

For Dr. Van Gelder, worship is an essential part of adaptation. Congregations must steward their tradition through worship while still adapting to change.

"I'm looking forward to disrupting [conference participants] enough to invite them into a space of risking," he said.

• Registration is available online. (Early registration is $300. After April 30, registration fees will be $375.)
  
• For more information, visit the website.

Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of the Egyptian Coptic Church since 1971 and a president of the World Council of Churches (WCC) from 1991 to 1998, passed away of natural causes on Saturday 17 March. In a letter to the church dated 18 March, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit paid tribute to Pope Shenouda's unwavering pursuit of Christian unity and peace throughout the Middle East and the world.

"As a leader he taught us that modesty is the best way to serve Christ," wrote Tveit, noting that Shenouda is remembered as "a strong believer in Christian-Muslim conviviality and cooperation. His initiatives in the field of interreligious dialogue contributed to the unity of the Egyptian people."

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, met Pope Shenouda during a meeting of Anglican Primates in Egypt in 2009. Archbishop Hiltz described him as "a source of great hope and strength to Coptic Christians the world over, including here in Canada.

Shenouda III held the ancient office of Pope of Alexandria and, as such, was a successor to Saint Mark the Evangelist who, according to tradition, brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to the great Mediterranean city in the first century A.D.

Tveit concluded his tribute with this prayer, "May Pope Shenouda's words, witness and memory strengthen the faith of Christians in Egypt and the Middle East; and, may his soul rest in the peace of the Kingdom of God."

Full text of WCC tribute to Pope Shenouda III

It may be hard for you to tag along as the Primate visits the Church of the Province of Melanesia, March 15 to 28. There may not be enough berths in the ship that will ferry him across the Solomon Sea. You may not have taken anti-malarial medication. You may not like roast pig.

But you can still follow Archbishop Fred Hiltz's adventures through the blog, "The Gospel Canoe," which I will write as I accompany him and Global Relations Coordinator Dr. Andrea Mann on the trip.

The blog title references a liturgical practice common in some parts of the church: to carry the Gospel into the sanctuary in a small wooden canoe. Often the procession includes traditional dancers and musicians on panpipes and rattles. 
The blog will capture anecdotes and insights along the way, with an eye to exploring how the Gospel is lived in this church and particular partnership.

While in Melanesia, the Primate will visit local Anglican diocesan leaders as well as the Melanesian Brotherhood and the Sisters of the Church. He is also scheduled to visit a hospital, a prison, and the site of John Coleridge Patteson University.

The relationship between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Church of Melanesia began more than 30 years ago with a collaboration in theological education. Several Canadian volunteers have worked as theology lecturers in Melanesia and other Volunteers in Mission and theological students have served the province in multi-year stints.

In 1995, one of these volunteers, Terry Brown, returned to the Church of Melanesia to serve as diocesan bishop of Malaita-a position he held for 15 years.

The Church of the Province of Melanesia was founded in 1975 and covers the Republic of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and the French Trust Territory of New Caledonia. Its Primate is the Most Rev. David Vunagi, who has a degree from the Vancouver School of Theology.

• Visit the blog, "The Gospel Canoe"

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has today revealed that he is to step down from his role at the end of the year.

His decision comes after 10 years in the post and after accepting the position of Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

In a statement issued from Lambeth Palace, the Primate of All England said, “It has been an immense privilege to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision. During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask your prayers and support in this period and beyond.

“I am abidingly grateful to all those friends and colleagues who have so generously supported Jane and myself in these years, and all the many diverse parishes and communities in the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion that have brought vision, hope and excitement to my own ministry. I look forward, with that same support and inspiration, to continuing to serve the Church’s mission and witness as best I can in the years ahead.”

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, was traveling to Melanesia at the time of the announcement and was inaccessible for comment.

Archdeacon Paul Feheley, his principal secretary, noted that Archbishop Hiltz and Archbishop Williams had formed a unique bond through regular visits in recent years."Archbishop Williams' time in office was a time of significant challenges," he said, "and throughout those challenging times, we benefited from his thoughtful, pastoral presence. One of the great joys for the Canadian Church was his visit in 2007 to our House of Bishops where he gave some very moving addresses on Christian Leadership as the Bishops prepared to nominate for the election of a Primate at the 2007 General Synod. I am certain that the whole Canadian church joins in wishing him well as he returns to teaching."

Archbishop Williams is the Focus of Unity for the Anglican Communion. He is convener and host of the Lambeth Conference, President of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and Chair of the Primates’ meeting. In these roles he travels extensively throughout the Anglican Communion, visiting provinces and dioceses, and supporting and encouraging the witness of the Church in very diverse contexts. As primus inter pares among the bishops, he has a special concern for those in episcopal ministry.

Following the announcement, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Canon Kenneth Kearon wrote to members of the Standing Committee informing them of the decision.

He asked them to remember Archbishop Rowan and his family during this time of transition and reflected on the Primate’s time in office saying it had “coincided with a period of turmoil, change and development in the Anglican Communion, and his careful leadership, deeply rooted in spirituality and theology, has strengthened and inspired us all in the Communion during this time.”

Archbishop Rowan’s announcement means that ACC-15 in New Zealand during the last quarter of this year will be his last as President of the ACC.

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said he was saddened to hear the news: “Our partnership in the gospel over the past six years has been the most creative period of my ministry. It has been life-giving to have led missions together, gone on retreats and prayed together. In his company I have drunk deeply from the wells of God’s mercy and love and it has all been joyful. He is a real brother to me in Christ.

“The last decade has been a challenging time for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. Thankfully, Archbishop Rowan is a remarkable and gifted leader who has strengthened the bonds of affection.”

For the official releasefrom Lambeth Palace and more information about Archbishop's Rowan's time in office visit here.

Watch or read the transcript of the Archbishop of Cantebury's interview with Press Association.

On March 13, the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), will visit General Synod offices to learn about the full communion relationship between the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).

Dr. Tveit will meet with Anglican and Lutheran staff and leaders to discuss the churches' joint mission work. He will also preach at a midday Eucharist where the presiding role will be jointly filled by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the ACC, and ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson. Archbishop Hiltz and Bishop Johnson will also participate in the day's meetings.

The Anglican-Lutheran full communion relationship was established with the 2001 Waterloo Declaration. The churches allow mutual recognition of baptisms and the interchangeability of clergy. Since then, joint mission work has flourished to the point that the churches are planning their first joint national meeting, to be held in Ottawa, July 2013.

"[Dr. Tveit's] visit is important and of mutual value," said the Ven. Bruce Myers, General Synod's coordinator for ecumenical relations. "He will have the chance to become better informed about the fruits and challenges of a decade of full communion between ACC and ELCIC, and to see how the Waterloo Declaration might serve as a model for other churches in the world."

Dr. Tveit, a Norwegian Lutheran, has experienced similar Anglican-Lutheran cooperation in northern Europe through the Porvoo Communion.

Dr. Tveit became General Secretary of the World Council of Churches in January 2010. At the time of his election, he was the General Secretary of the Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations. He has extensive experience in interfaith and ecumenical engagement.

This Toronto visit is one of many that Dr. Tveit will make to Canadian member churches. During his term, the General Secretary seeks to personally visit as many of the WCC's 349 member churches as possible.

The ACC was a founding member of the WCC in 1948. When the ELCIC became a denomination in 1986 it also joined the WCC.

Canadian Anglicans have a long history of WCC involvement. Former Primate Archbishop Ted Scott served as moderator of the WCC's Central Committee and currently two Canadian Anglicans, the Rev. Dr. John Gibaut and Natasha Klukach, serve as senior WCC staff.

"[Dr. Tveit's] visit will also allow the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada to engage with the top official of the world's largest and broadest fellowship of churches at a decisive time in its life," said Mr. Myers.

"Confronted by an increasingly tepid enthusiasm for ecumenism-and a commensurate shrinking of resources-the WCC is facing many of the same challenges as the mainline churches that form its membership."

On March 14, Dr. Tveit will deliver a public evening address on "The Unity We Seek: Exploring the Hopes and Challenges of Modern Ecumenism" at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Toronto.

• For more information about Dr. Tveit's visit, contact Bruce Myers, coordinator for ecumenical relations by email.
• Read Dr. Tveit's biography
• Learn more about the World Council of Churches
• Learn more about the March 14 public event in Toronto

The following announcement was made by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Primate, and Bishop John Chapman of Ottawa today.

The Rev. Laurette Gauthier Glasgow has been appointed Special Advisor for Government Relations for the Anglican Church of Canada (The General Synod and the Diocese of Ottawa) while also continuing as Incumbent for the Parish of St. James, Leitrim, in the Diocese of Ottawa.

In a joint announcement, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, and Bishop John Chapman of Ottawa, expressed delight in co-sponsoring this half-time position that responds to a long-standing desire on the part of the church to establish a government relations presence in Ottawa. This was also a key recommendation from Vision 2019, endorsed at General Synod 2010.

"This local presence will help facilitate the church's relationships with elected representatives and government officials in Ottawa, giving us a stronger voice, greater focus, and an enhanced capacity to contribute to public policy discussions and formation, consistent with the tenets of the Gospel" said the Primate. "This presence will build upon the church's efforts as an advocate for peace and justice."

Bishop Chapman whose Government Relations Advisory Panel on which Ms. Glasgow serves has been laying the groundwork for engaging government in meaningful dialogue on a range of policy issues and priorities, welcomed the joint initiative. "The time is ripe for us to move in this direction, to claim our place, as one religious voice among many in the shaping of policies and in constructive engagement on behalf of those for whom we speak," he said.

Archbishop Hiltz and Bishop Chapman noted Ms. Glasgow's extensive public policy and diplomatic experience, her sound theological grounding, and her experience in parish ministry and church governance as unique qualities and gifts that make her eminently suited to this new challenge.

 "You never know where the Holy Spirit will lead you, but you learn to trust that inner voice, to take the leap of faith, and to respond honestly and faithfully," Ms. Glasgow said. "I look forward to working with our partners in fostering greater cooperation and advancing the church's policy priorities." 

Ms. Glasgow, originally from Winnipeg, is no stranger to leaps of faith. She earned a B.A. from the University of Manitoba and an M.A.  in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University in the United States and served in the public service at home and on three continents abroad for more than three decades.

She read for Holy Orders in Europe and spent several summers at the Oxford Continuing Education School in Theology before being ordained deacon in Paris in 2007 and priest in Brussels in 2008. She served as an Assistant Rector in Brussels before returning to Canada and the Diocese of Ottawa. She  has served  as  assistant at Christ Church Bells Corners, Interim Priest in Charge at St. James Franktown and St. John's Innisville, and more recently as Incumbent at St. James, Leitrim.

Ms. Glasgow is also serves a member of the Ottawa Diocesan Council, the Spiritual Care Board of the Queensway-Carleton Hospital, and the Advisory Board of the Centre for Religion in Public Life at Kellogg College, Oxford, as well as an Ambassador for Women for Mental Health in Ottawa.

She is married to  Ross Glasgow, a diplomat. They are the proud parents of two children—Katherine of Ottawa and Robert who lives in London, Ont. with his wife Candice. 

Its ministry is a quiet one: pointing clergy and staff of the Anglican Church of Canada towards resources to improve their work. Now, after nine years of faithful service, the Continuing Education Plan (CEP) website has received a much-needed makeover.

The core elements are the same. The CEP website provides listings of courses, conferences, and events that relate to Anglican ministry. There is a section for news and an e-community with book reviews, course reviews, and a place for discussion.

New features include more robust search filtering and the opportunity to incorporate richer content like images and video. General Synod Web Manager Brian Bukowski converted the site to a WordPress content management system and has focused on improving the overall user experience with a new colour palette and cleaner graphics.

Although designed for the approximately 1,600 plan members in the Anglican Church of Canada, the CEP website serves a much wider audience. More than 12,500 people from 166 countries visit the site each year.

The website hosts an average of 350 to 400 program opportunities at any given time.

The Rev. Lynn Ross, CEP website editor, says that this is the only website in the Anglican Communion broadly devoted to continuing education and professional development.

"As far as I know we're the only ones doing this," said Mr. Ross. "We should be proud of that and proud of the creativity of the unit. We were pioneers in a way. The unit has been doing this for a long time."

Mr. Ross has been with the site since the beginning. A retired parish priest, he has also served on communications teams for Primates' meetings and two Lambeth conferences. Mr. Ross has visited many institutions listed on the site and monitors new programs by reading a fleet of email newsletters from schools and conference centres.

Founded in 1971, the continuing education program aims to help clergy and lay staff "develop their skills and enrich their working lives."

All paid clergy are automatically included in the plan and lay employees can join with their employer's approval. Members receive $450 annually, with a bonus each time they use their account. Funds can be used for books, computer hardware or software, equipment, or any continuing education program or course.

• Visit the new CEP website
• Get in touch to learn more or submit reviews
• Learn more about continuing education in the Anglican Church of Canada

Every Ribbon of Reconciliation looks different. Some are banners, sewn from fabric. Some are made of welded metal. Others are small, crocheted by careful hands. All represent a step towards reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.

Canadian Anglicans are invited to join this initiative of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC's mandate is to learn the truth about what happened in Indian residential schools and guide Canadians towards reconciliation.

"The Ribbons of Reconciliation project is an invitation to Anglican parishes and community groups—non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal—to meet each other and together discover why reconciliation matters." said Henriette Thompson, General Synod's public witness coordinator for social justice. "It's a learning opportunity."

The Ribbons of Reconciliation project is flexible. People can make and share ribbons in a way that works for them. Churches can exchange ribbons with Native friendship centres. Children on and off reserve can swap ribbons. A non-Aboriginal business leader could give a ribbon to an Aboriginal business leader.

Ribbons can be made of any material, or even take the form of an audio or video recording.

Churches and individuals are encouraged to plan a ribbon presentation or exchange between May 26, the National Day for Healing and Reconciliation, and June 21, National Aboriginal Day.

An online parish action kit is available to support this work. It includes an introduction to Ribbons of Reconciliation and a how-to, both provided by the TRC.

Liturgical materials are also available, including prayers for the TRC, collects, and tips for planning a worship service that incorporates themes of healing and reconciliation. These resources have been compiled over several years as the church has worked towards right relations between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals.

One step in reconciliation process
The Anglican Church of Canada is a party to the Indian Residential School Settlement and has been supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in a variety of ways.

Anglican leaders, including the Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, have been present at all national TRC events and local organizing committees have engaged Anglicans in TRC programs. Currently such committees are preparing for national events in Vancouver, April 13 to 14, and Saskatchewan, June 21 to 24.

The Anglican Church of Canada administered about three dozen Indian and Eskimo residential schools and hostels at various times between 1820 and 1969.

In its interim report, issued Feb. 24, the TRC encouraged Canadians to work towards reconciliation now.

"There is no reason for anyone who wants to contribute to the reconciliation process to wait until the publication of the Commission's final reports. There is an opportunity now for Canadians to engage in this work, to make their own contributions to reconciliation, and to create new truths about our country."

The TRC and the Anglican Church of Canada would like to see your Ribbons of Reconciliation photos and stories. Send emails to info@trc.ca and hthompson@national.anglican.ca or send stories by mail to

Truth and Reconciliation Canada
1500-380 Main Street
Winnipeg, Man.
R3C 3Z3

o   Access the parish action kit

o   Learn more about the Anglican Church of Canada's work towards truth and reconciliation

o   Learn about the National Day for Healing and Reconciliation

o   Learn more about National Aboriginal Day

o   Read the TRC's interim report and residential school history

o   Email Henriette Thompson for more information

The Community is the Anglican Church of Canada's dedicated social network, a place for people to discuss mission today. Today it launches with a hub for lectionary readings, forums, and topical blogs on children's ministry, French language ministry, liturgy, and technology.

"It's pretty simple," said the Rev. Jesse Dymond, General Synod's online community coordinator. "We're creating an open place for Anglicans to get together and talk about life in the church.

"Parishes and dioceses from across the country have both need and experience; why not bring the two together? Most of us already connect with our family and social circles online. Now we can do the same with Canadian Anglicans."

Features lectionary readings, blogs
For many Canadian Anglicans, the first draw of The Community will be the online lectionary readings, featuring the Anglican Church of Canada's adaptation of the Revised Common Lectionary.

This is the first time that a standard set of these readings is available in one place. Readings are automatically updated online and are available for rss subscription.

Members can join the conversation in a number of ways: they can comment on the lectionary readings, start a new topic, or join in the core blogs, written weekly by leaders on the ground across the Anglican Church of Canada. More sections will be added but the current selection includes:

Children's ministry with Fiona Brownlee, communications officer for the Council of the North and writer of the Virtual Church School curriculum

• French language ministry with the Rev. Maïda Vandendorpe, priest, Anglican Parish of Mascouche, Mascouche, Que.
• Liturgy with the Rev. Matthew Griffin, priest associate at St. John's Anglican, Ancaster, Ont.
• Ministry and technology with Brian Bukowski, General Synod web manager, and the Anglican Church of Canada web team

A place to see the broader church
For the section guides, The Community is an opportunity to share their expertise and invite others into the conversations they care about.

"I want us to ask different questions that might help us see what congregational development is about in a healthier way," said Mr. Koyle, who has 22 years of parish ministry experience and has recently written a book on discipleship and the catechumenate.

He thinks The Community can be a good place for the church to bring together the old and the new.

"[The Community] becomes another forum where we can come to terms with understanding what it means to be church in the current day in a way that's faithful to our past and the future God has in store for the world."

Mr. Griffin, who has worked in a variety of liturgical settings, sees the benefit of linking people in the broader church. He remembers how a former parishioner was transformed after attending a national General Synod meeting. He thinks The Community could offer a similar perspective.

"I think this has tremendous potential, both to identify gifts and to bring out new ideas," he said.

"For a lot of Canadian Anglicans, what they do in their parish church is normal and anything else isn't. What we're going to see [in The Community] are other parts of the church, other stories, and the forums are going to let us participate together."

Linked to Vision 2019
The idea for The Community emerged from the church's strategic plan, Vision 2019, which gathered input from Anglicans across Canada. Vision 2019 identified the need for "a national communication platform, integrated and accessible at the parish, diocesan, and national levels."

Mr. Dymond notes that this dedicated space allows Canadian Anglicans to customize their social networking experience apart from the corporate interests of Facebook or Twitter, where privacy is often a concern.

As online community coordinator, Mr. Dymond's role will be to work in and among The Community, encouraging participation, and connecting members. Some of his work will also involve in-person visits at synods or with others who are interested in how The Community might strengthen ministry in their areas.

"As I make connections with people across the country, it becomes quite easy to see this community as something like a parish, but different," he said. "It's definitely a fresh expression of what it means to be church."

• Visit The Community now
• Meet the Rev. Jesse Dymond
• Have a question? Get in touch.

The Anglican Church of Canada is releasing a series of 10 short podcasts to support people's personal devotions during Lent. The series "Solemnity and surprise" is written and delivered by Sister Margaret Hayward, a member of the Community of the Sisters of the Church. The first podcast, for Ash Wednesday, is available online now.

Sister Margaret guides listeners through the important Biblical texts of Lent, and the ups, downs, and surprising emotions that come with this special season.

In the first podcast, for Ash Wednesday, she contrasts the darkness of Lent with its hope of vibrant renewal. "Lent is the time to look inward," she said, "until our eyes pop open to the new light of Easter."

Podcasts are less than five minutes in length and are available by subscription through Podcaster and iTunes.

The Anglican Church of Canada web team has produced several other seasonal podcast series featuring members of Canadian Anglican religious orders. The most recent was the Advent series "Welcoming Christ," with Brother David Bryan Hoopes, Order of the Holy Cross.

Sister Margaret was born in Montreal, Que., and has a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Toronto. She joined the Community of the Sisters of the Church (CSC) in 1993, and made her life profession in 2000. Sister Margaret has been the Sister Provincial of the Canadian province since 2009.

CSC is an international community composed of four provinces: Australia, Canada, the Solomon Islands, and the United Kingdom.

Sister Margaret works part time at the national office of the Anglican Church of Canada in Toronto, where she helps manage abuse claims from residential school survivors. She views this as her work and ministry.

o   Listen to the first podcast now

o   Learn more about the Community of the Sisters of the Church

A busy synod, a gift of motorcycles, and a parish tour punctuated by sweet coffee: the annual Canadian Anglican visit to the Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba (Episcopal Church of Cuba), Feb. 1 to 13, was a success. View a photo gallery from Dr. Andrea Mann, global relations coordinator, or read her reflection below.

Imagine arriving at the opening of the 103rd synod of the Episcopal Church of Cuba at the cathedral in Havana. You are moved by shouts of greeting and directions, smiles and laughter, posters, art, and anticipation. More than 100 delegates, observers and guests from parishes and mission congregations of the Episcopal Church of Cuba, and its ecumenical and global partners, met February 3 to 5, 2012, to conduct the diocese's annual business, elect officials and committee members, participate in workshops and worship God.

"Synod," said diocesan bishop the Right Rev. Griselda Delgado del Carpio in her opening address, "es un camino, a way of being together in body and spirit through unity in Christ for God's mission."

Over the course of three days and nights, delegates heard diocesan leaders report on implementation of the national strategic mission plan, emphasizing child and youth formation, self-sustainability, and taking stock of existing properties and buildings. Other initiatives included a successful summer music festival and youth camp; two issues of Heraldo, the diocesan newspaper; a new pre-postulancy discernment program; chaplaincy and lay training; support to new seminarians; renovation at the diocesan centre and hostel; and much more.

News of the arrival of funds from the Anglican Church of Canada's Gifts for Mission gift guide was met with applause and cheering; a new motorcycle and side car could now be purchased for use by a priest otherwise relying on expensive taxis, hitchhiking, or an old bicycle. Lack of reliable transportation within urban parishes and between urban and rural mission congregations is an issue in the life and work of parish ministers, as for all Cubans. Part of the challenge is an aging public transportation system. Most Cubans, including Episcopal clergy and their families also live with very limited financial resources. On average, a Cuban priest earns $24 CDN per month.

Following synod, from Santiago to Camaguey and in every parish along the way, Cuban Anglicans opened their church buildings, homes, and hearts with radical hospitality to the four of us who travelled there. Many cups of Cuba's strong, sweet coffee were poured. Much fresh, seasonal fruit was picked and peeled. Chicken, pork, rice, and beans—the mainstays of Cuban cuisine—ensured our health and fitness for travelling. It was more than a sharing of food and lodging. People told stories of faithful purpose and hope. They shared ministries of visiting neighbours in need, plans to put fallow land under cultivation, the discovery of an old tile from a long-gone original church building, and transformation from Calvary to Resurrection.

It is a privilege and joy for the Anglican Church of Canada to be in partnership for mission and justice with the Episcopal Church of Cuba. We have much to learn and offer together in serving God's mission in the world. We share a commitment to local community ministry, concern for the impacts of climate change and Biblical teaching about creation and stewardship, perseverance in becoming self-sustaining, creative proclamation and evangelism in increasingly secular societies, and support for vocations, seminaries, lay ministry training, and holistic Christian formation.

Muchas gracias, Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba. Hasta Luego!

Dr. Andrea Mann
Global Relations Coordinator

• Learn more about the Canada-Cuba partnership
• Read a recent news story: "Spanish lessons, road trips show commitment to Cuba"
• Support the Episcopal Church of Cuba through the gift guide: help buy a motorcycle or give a boost to the summer music camp.