Bishop Michael s Easter Letter

Transcription

1 Yout invited to Soar and Roar Last call for submissions to creative contest for yout in our diocese Details Page 7 LENT wit LUKE - part 2 A daily devotional to guide you troug Lent to Easter Page 11 Scan to access te latest diocesan news A section of te Anglican Journal A Gatering Place and a Sounding Board for te People of te Diocese of Niagara MARCH 2013 Bisop Micael s Easter Letter As I write tis letter I ave just concluded a visitation to eac of te parises in te Brock Region and it was a wonderful opportunity for te Arcdeacon and me to spend some quality time wit te Rectors of te curces, and ear about te opportunities and callenges tat tey and teir lay leaders are facing at te present time. Tere is no doubt tat we eard ow callenging ministry continues to be in tese days and ow muc of a struggle it can be at times to make ends meet financially. In fact, it is clear tat as a diocese we will need to do some furter soulsearcing and we will need to find new models for ministry and governance, at every level of te curc, if we are going to be able to live into te Vision tat we ave discerned togeter. Wat was most striking in tis visit, owever, was te incredible spectrum of creative and innovative ministries tat are being undertaken in eac of tese parises! In one curc, cards were sent out to parisioners wo ave not attended for some time tat invited tem back to a special service. One rector as a program of making several telepone calls eac week as a way of staying connected to parisioners wo ave particular needs or concerns. New and creative Cristian education events are being eld. At least two congregations are offering Messy Curc services to young families, and te number of cildren in our congregations in te Brock region is on te rise! We are offering te wole spectrum of liturgical experience from traditional worsip services to very informal and ig energy contemporary liturgies, and in tose worsip services all kinds of innovations are finding teir way into our Sunday morning gaterings. Tese innovations include projectors and screens, preacing series and free flowing sermons tat unlock te gospel. Tere are also many new ideas for creating a focus on ospitality and evangelism. I was grateful to ear ow intentional congregations ave been wit regard to centering teir life and work on our Diocesan Vision, and I was impressed by te programs tat many of te congregations ave developed around stewardsip and justice-making. One paris opens its curc to te young people of te community at Cristmas time and offers tem te opportunity to acquire gifts tat tey can give to teir parents. Tere is a fair-trade cafe, a food and ygiene bank, involvement wit Amnesty International, flowers and fruit baskets tat are taken to sut-ins and tere is a great deal of partnering wit community organizations and ecumenical groups. Wat is clear to me, as I reflect back on tose visits, is tat we ave an outstanding pool of clergy and lay leaders and tat we are finding ourselves renewed, empowered and growing stronger in so Fabric artist celebrates Resurrection Te work as described by artist Susan Jonson Te image, a stitced piece, is an altar frontal for Easter, sized 61" wide by 41" ig. It was commissioned by Betany Episcopal Scool in Cincinnati Oio for teir capel, and is te sixt in a series of frontals I ave created for tem. Te stonework of te tomb is a composite fabric I made up, but all te rest of te colours are in silk. Mary Magdalene as just arrived at te tomb and is Poto: courtesy of Susan Jonson socked to see te stone as been rolled away; te ligt of Crist still issues fort from inside. Te colours to te left and rigt of te tomb are te colours of te rainbow, signifying God's covenant tey rise into a sunrise sky. Te last colour of te rainbow, te red, is for te blood of Crist. It bleeds into lilies of te field (Anemone Conoraria) wic grow wild in te Middle See BISHOP'S EASTER Page 2 See FABRIC ARTIST Page 3

2 2 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Bisop's Easter Letter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 many ways! Tis visitation was suc a gift and a blessing to me in my Episcopal ministry and we are already planning similar visits in oter regions. On Easter Sunday we read tat as Mary Magdalene stood outside te tomb weeping, se encounters Jesus and contrary to te status given to women in Jewis tradition se becomes te first witness to te resurrection. For Mary tis event was an experience of empowerment as se immediately goes to te disciples and proclaims: I ave seen te Lord. As God confronts Mary in te person of te risen Jesus, se is set free from er old perceptions of te presence of God in er life and er role in bringing fort te Kingdom. On Good Friday te sound of te cock crowing signaled te low point in Peter's life and ministry as e denied Jesus, not once, but tree times. It was a rock-bottom moment brougt on by fear, doubt and opelessness. We know, owever, tat in te days tat followed te resurrection, Peter's life was transformed and on te Day of Pentecost we will ear is address to te crowd, in te second capter of Acts, tat bears witness to te power of te Holy Spirit to empower and transform our lives and te life of te curc. As we gater again as a diocesan family on Easter Sunday morning, I pray tat we will all ave an experience of resurrection empowerment and I look forward to seeing, first and, ow tis is being lived out as I continue my visits to curces across Niagara. Susan and I wis you every blessing in tis Easter season. Bisop Micael joined Rector Joe Asselin, Jean Beaumont, Heater DiMarco and oters at St Cutbert s Oakville for a Ceilid and Robbie Burns celebration. Te Oakville Celtic Fiddle club played a variety of Celtic and Atlantic Canada music. Te evening also included piping in of te Haggis, food and beverages, great fellowsip and a sing-a-long. Poto: Tom Petrov Snap Oakville. Rigts purcased by paris wit permission to print. Te Resurrectional Life: Jesus and Les Misérables MICHAEL BURSLEM Wat differentiates Cristianity from every oter fait is te resurrection of Jesus Crist. However we interpret te Gospels, eiter literally or metaporically, tis is te foundational cornerstone of our fait. It enables us to live resurrectionally. By tis I mean we live in te 21st century as Jesus Crist lived in te first, constantly at odds wit te world. Te world upolds our rigt, wen attacked, to self defence. Jesus tells us to turn te oter ceek. Te world says we may coose wom we love and wom we ate. Jesus tells us to love, even our enemies. Te world DEADLINES DEADLINES DEADLINES advises us to store up treasures on eart. Jesus tells us to lay up treasures in eaven. Anyone wo tries to live by Jesus' standards appears stupid and weak to te worldly. To er or to im it's just folly. But Jesus assures us tat e as overcome te world. Tat e accomplised by is resurrection. We too may overcome, only by fait in is resurrection; by living in spite of all appearances, failures we are, victoriously or resurrectionally. An example of resurrectional living is given by te profoundly moving story of Victor Hugo s Les Misérables, wic as recently come to our movie screens. I would also encourage everyone to read te book, all Articles, announcements, potos and oter items for May, June and July sould be submitted by Marc 25 for inclusion in te May Niagara Anglican. Articles, announcements, potos and oter items for August and early September sould be submitted by June 20 for inclusion in te Summer Niagara Anglican. An example of resurrectional living is given by te profoundly moving story of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. 1,200 pages. Hugo, in te first undred or so pages, tells us of Bisop Bienvenue, wom e portrays as no ordinary bisop. He doesn't talk te talk of a bisop. He fearlessly visits tose outside is flock, even one professing a fait diametrically opposed to is. He patiently listens to im and calls im broter. He owever, forever cooses to walk te walk, not of a bisop, but tat of Jesus Crist. He lives simply and gives everyting e can to te poor. He opens is door, always unlocked, to suc a disreputable stranger as Jean Valjean, spurned by everyone else. He serves im wit fine silver and a bed, is first in 20 years. Not too surprisingly by morning te silver is missing; so is Jean Valjean. Te arm of te law returns im to te bisop's ouse, loot in and; te bisop tells te police tat e gave it all to im; so tey sould release im. He asks Valjean wy e left over te garden edge witout te silver candle sticks. Tat s grace. He ten exorts im to use te money to lead tencefort an onest life. Jean Valjean's life is indeed reformed; but not instantaneously. In te book, even wit is newly acquired wealt, e descends yet deeper into stealing; 40 sous from a ten year old cimney sweep, Little Gervais. Contemplating tis, e's so disgusted wit imself tat e decides ten to cange. Te rest of te story tells us by ow muc e did indeed cange. At te end of is life Valjean affirms tat to die is noting, but far worse is never to ave lived. Failing to live resurrectionally is worse tan deat itself. Te story reveals tat resurrectional life is costly. In te film tere are frequent images of te cross, so relevant to te story. It confirms wat G.K. Cesterton once said: tat te goal of te Cristian life is not to pursue appiness for oneself, expecting oters to be good, but to be good, so tat oters may be appy. Happiness of oters and ourselves is te by-product of living resurrectionally, like Jesus Crist. But we souldn't expect any brownie points. Jean Valjean, as te bisop before im, ad a ard, roug, gruelling, to us unbearable, life, but e lived victoriously. How often do we meet suc persons in real life? Or do we only in literature? A final tougt. In te past 100 years te goal of te Cristian life as become to escape ell and to acieve eaven in te next life, not tis. Jean Valjean descends into ell from is persistent tievery, but troug no merit of is own, e rises to acieve eaven on eart. Te story contrasts tose wo coose to live under te cross and tose wo don't. Tose wo do, te bisop, Fantine, te young revolutionaries at te barricades and Jean Valjean, rise again. Te oters? One commits suicide; anoter is sent to America. However, it, more tan any oter book, except peraps te Bible, encourages me to live resurrectionally, if not te good life, ten a life better tan I've lived before. In tis I know I'm not alone. Micael Burslem is a member of St. George s Paris, Guelp. m.burslem@sympatico.ca

3 MARCH HOLLIStorial Te official publication of te Diocese of Niagara, publised 10 times a year from September to June as a supplement to te Anglican Journal. Editor: Hollis Hiscock editor@niagara.anglican.ca Easter s story in fabric Te image (see page one) as interpreted by te Editor Advertising: Angela Rus niagara.anglican.ads@gmail.com Art Director: Craig Fairley Imagine Creative Communications Proofreading: Bryan Stopps Publications Advisory Board: Pam Claridge pclaridge@rogers.com Geoffrey Purdell-Lewis purdell-lewis@sympatico.ca Carol Summers crsummers@saw.ca Publiser: Micael A. Bird, Bisop Printed and mailed by: Webnews Printing Inc., Nort York, ON Subscriptions: $15/year. For new subscriptions or canges, please contact your paris or visit Submissions: We welcome letters, news and articles. Submissions must include full name and contact information of te autor. We reserve te rigt to edit submissions. Contact te editor if you ave an idea for a feature article. Diocese of Niagara Bisop: Micael A. Bird bisop@niagara.anglican.ca Administrative Assistant: Alison D Atri ext.310 alison.datri@niagara.anglican.ca Executive Officer: Micael Patterson ext. 257 micael.patterson@niagara.anglican.ca Visual images trigger memories and elicit inspirations far different from te artist's original intention or design. Five of us viewed and interpreted a painting, wile te artist was busy in anoter room. Upon er return, eac individual described er art from teir unique perspective. All were different. We enquired wat was in er imagination wen se actual did te painting. Se smiled broadly and replied, I just wanted to paint a cild visiting er grandparents. Reflecting on Susan Jonson's Easter image (page 1), I recalled encounters and experiences wic elped me to understand my fait more fully and its application to my personal life and surrounding world. Let me sare tese insigts. Mary Magdalene gazed into te dawn darkened tomb opening and was blinded by a penetrating, dazzling, unexplainable ligt. Tirty of us uddled on te dark cilly eastern side of Mount Sinai awaiting daybreak. Instantly te sun broke over te mountainous orizon filling our expectant bodies and souls wit warmt and ligt. It as always intrigued me tat te risen God sould first appear to a woman. It demonstrates, like a sudden burst of sunligt, te awesomeness of our surprising God, and a constant reminder tat God does move in mysterious ways to perform wonders. Te round stone, standing on guard, symbolizes tat wic was once sealed in deat is now opened into new life. Our group of tirty-five from across te globe was led down 100 steps below te streets of Nazaret. Tere, we were sown a seven foot diameter solid round stone, wic was rolled away from te entrance of a tomb. I took a potograp wic, years later would be te model, illustrating te first Easter, for a Curc s crystal glass window. Te rolled away stone is a sign signifying tat God often removes for us seemingly insurmountable obstacles blocking our life s journey, as well as opening up a new patway leading to eternal life. Tree lilies near te tomb entrance represent purity and resurrection as well as te Trinity Tree in One and One in Tree God's relationsip wit people as creator, saviour and sanctifier. Nova Scotia artist William degarte painted a wall sized mural Jesus Calming te Storm for a curc in a community were I served in Newfoundland. He localized is presentation by aving te boats, te fisers attire and te village mirror te nort-west coast of Canada's newest province, as if Jesus performed is miracle tere. He included tree seagulls denoting te Trinity. Bot Susan (flowers) and William (birds) were employing common signs or symbols to better explain te often unexplainable nature of God. Te rainbow colours transport us to te Old Testament were, following a devastating flood, God enacted a covenant wit Noa and all future generations, including us. I wear a rainbow cross lapel pin to remind me of God s covenant wit all umanity (rainbow), Jesus love for every person (cross) and my relationsip wit oter uman beings (rainbow cross pin). Above te tomb I see red flowers and grass growing out of te rocky terrain. Considering it was ewn out of solid rock, seeing vegetation sprouting and triving in suc unfriendly soil seems miraculous. Friends Marv and Anne toured te rock (my native Newfoundland), were Anne potograped a small bunc of yellow flowers growing out of a crevice in te rock. Returning to Ontario, se painted Survival, because for er, te flowers were te only sign of brigt colour and life in te midst of a barren landscape. Eventually tey gifted te painting to our family. Today it angs just inside our front door as a reminder, in Marv s words, tat out of te struggle to survive comes strengt and te joy of life. Te quotations a conversation between Mary and an angel encapsulate te commission Jesus bestowed upon is followers days after His resurrection. Today, te same covenant is employed wenever an individual establises a personal relationsip wit God. It is a four pronged mission. Firstly, we believe tat Alleluia Crist is risen and secondly, we are not going to be afraid to follow God. Te tird prong go tell is our duty to spread te good news everywere, and te final prong provides te assurance tat werever life takes us we will find God tere. Tis is wat Susan s image revealed to me... now wat do you see? Hollis Hiscock can be reaced at editor@niagara.anglican.ca Congregational Support and Development: Cristyn Perkons ext.460 cristyn.perkons@niagara.anglican.ca Catedral Place 252 James Street Nort Hamilton Ontario L8R 2L For a complete staff directory and more information, visit our web site: Te Diocese of Niagara lies at te western end of Lake Ontario, encompassing te Niagara Peninsula, Hamilton, Halton Region, Guelp and portions of Wellington and Dufferin Counties to include Selbourne and Mount Forest in te nort and west. Fabric art celebrates Resurrection CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 East, and are probably te lilies referred to by Crist wen e spoke of teir glory being greater tan te robes of Solomon. Te wite Easter Lily (Lilium lingiflorum), wile actually native to Soutern Japan, as long been a Cristian symbol of purity and resurrection. Te one stitced ere as miraculously sprung up since te stone was rolled away, and produced tree flowers. Because tis frontal is for cildren, and at te request of te Caplain, it as extra text on it so tat it can also be used as a teacing tool. Eigt quotations from te "man in wite robes" tell Mary tat Crist as risen and gone into Galilee, were se and te oter disciples will see im again. Te Artist Susan Jonson, a member of St. Jon s Rockwood, began working in fibre in 2003, aving been a full-time painter since Se belongs to te Connections Group of Fibre Artists, based across Canada and te United Kingdom, wic sponsors several sows annually. By invitation se as sown er works at te Biennale Florence, Treadworks, te Ontario Juried Quilt Sow, Insigts Elora, Touced by Fire Toronto, Te Talent Next Door for Cambridge and Guelp area and te Grand National Quilt Sow; on many occasions se was named best in sow. At St. Jon s, se served on Susan Jonson Poto: courtesy Susan Jonson numerous committees as well as being Curcwarden and Lay Delegate to Niagara Synod. Se was te paris's first recipient of te Order of Niagara. Her art for St Jon s includes a mural, several wall angings and a set of vestments wit frontal burse and veil for Advent. In oter curces, er murals, icons, altar frontal and stole can be seen in te Cildren s Capel at St. David s and St. Patrick s Guelp, and mural work in te extension of All Saints Erin. Se accepts commissions and teaces worksops trougout Soutwestern Ontario, and can be reaced at or rooster@quican.ca.

4 4 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Cursillo reaces tree decades HOLLIS HISCOCK Tis mont marks tree decades since te first Cursillo weekend was eld in sout western Ontario, and te milestone will be celebrated wit a worsip service and dinner. Mark McDonald from Milton attended te first Cursillo weekend and provides recollections from te beginnings for our readers Marc 17, 2013 celebrates te 30t anniversary of te first two Cursillo weekends in Niagara; weekend number 1 for men, weekend number 2 for women. Wile 1983 as been accepted as te official beginning of Cursillo in tis diocese, te actual beginning was two years earlier, wen Bisop Jon Botwell gave permission for te movement to start ere. Te next two years were ones of elaborate reviewing of te movement s goals and metods, and te mecanics of aving a tree day weekend at a local facility. After a year of fruitless searcing te Sisters of te Curc kindly gave permission for te weekends to be eld at St. Mildred s-ligtbourn Scool in Oakville. Tis meant setting up cots in te gymnasium for te participants and bringing in a complete cooking team for te small kitcen. Some Cursillistas from Huron kindly elped wit te latter, and team leaders from Toronto also volunteered teir services. Finally it was a go. Eac Cursillo weekend, wile adering to te standard 15 talks set out in te manuals, as its own special magic. Wat was impressive about te men s weekend was te fact tat for many it was te first time tat tey ad eard men, only men, talk about te Cristian fait, sing joyously and sare teir fait witout embarrassment or expecting teir wives to take te lead in tis curcy stuff. Also a poignant example from one of te clergy giving a talk on te sacraments brougt most of te men to visible and copious tears (like te 60s, you ad to be tere!). On te women s weekend te kitcen team needed elp, so several women from Oakville, wo ad been on previous weekends in oter dioceses left teir omes and families to move into te scool to save te situation. Despite some growing pains, te movement was up and running. Sortly afterwards one man wrote a letter to te Niagara Anglican, mentioning tat, after e ad come ome, is daugter said, Daddy must ave ad a good time, as e brougt ome a new spirit, and se liked it! Participants attending te first Cursillo weekend at St. Mildred s-ligtbourn Scool Oakville, Marc According to Carol Summers of St. Jon s York and Lay Director of Cursillo Niagara, Te Weekends ave canged in some ways since tose first two Mark was recalling. We no longer ave separate gender weekends, altoug te men and women are separated into teir own groups. Tere are beds instead of cots and te Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate provide te meals. Some tings ave stayed te same, Huron and Niagara still work togeter and many people are still profoundly impacted by te talks, music and fellowsip. Celebration to mark te Cursillo s 30t anniversary takes place at 4:00 p.m. on Marc 17 at St Cristoper s Burlington. Bisop Micael will officiate at te tanksgiving worsip, wit a dinner following. Tickets - $30 per person or $50 per couple. For Poto: Courtesy of Mark McDonald information and tickets contact Larry Collinson at d.duck4853@ gmail.com or call Also note tat Cursillo s Weekend number 48 will take place on April 11-14, 2013 at Mount Mary Cristian Retreat Centre, Ancaster. If you would like more information or would like to attend, visit te website at or call New vision for old curc HOLLIS HISCOCK Ascension Alive! as been given te green ligt by te Synod Council of Niagara Diocese. Tis means tat te paris, located in downtown Hamilton, can move aead on two fronts. Te first entails renovations to te istoric sanctuary and capel to meet te requirements of te worsipping congregation. Tis includes creating oly space for at least 100 people, as well as providing a social meeting area, kitcen and oter facilities for larger gaterings. Te second involves te paris receiving permission to enter into an agreement wit a private investment firm, wose responsibility will be to discern development potentials for te paris all section of te complex. Te long term vision is to ensure sustainability for Ascension paris, wose istory dates back to 1851 and to enable a continuation of its Cristian community outreac. According to Sue Vanderbent, wo co-cairs Ascension Alive! wit Jim Gibbs, te redevelopment idea as been in te works since Expressing er pleasure at te approval given by te Synod Council and wit te paris in full support, se reiterated tat it is not so muc about a building but te sustainability of te mission and presence of te Anglican Curc in te downtown core of Hamilton were te need to serve people is great. To forward te mission, Bisop Micael Bird as appointed Bisop Terry Brown as Bisop in carge of Ascension Paris and te Reverend Ronda Plougman as Priest in carge of All Saints Paris. Te two will be working togeter as Associates, including leading worsip, in eac oter s paris. Curc of te Ascension Hamilton Te Very Reverend Alexander Hewitt served as Interim Pastor at Ascension Paris. Poto: Jack Faulks Next mont in te Niagara Anglican Breating and making peace wit oneself Terry Gillin reflects on focused breating and is personal journey to peace. Wy not buy tings togeter and save money? Ron Adams suggests possible savings for parises troug group buying. Euodia and Syntyce Micael Burslem discusses ow tey are models for us in today's curc.

5 MARCH Working togeter is te answer JOAN TURBITT On October 4, 2012, ISARC (Interfait Social Assistance Reform Coalition) osted a prayer vigil at Queen s Park, Toronto. In attendance were members of te Carity to Justice Worksop organizing committee from te Moters Union (MU) of Niagara Diocese and Voices for Cange Halton. Financial supports, making travel to te vigil possible, were provided by te MU branc at St. Mattew on-te-plains Burlington. It was a gorgeous sunny day and very warm, a welcome respite from te cold and damp winter weater soon to appear. Te mood was serene and peaceful wile persons of many faits gave tanks. I tink everyone tere, including te press, government officials, bicycle police and tourists gave tanks for te glorious day and te opportunity to sare apples and leaves as a symbol of life and re-birt. Even toug I could not ear it, I could feel te common tread of sared spirituality. Wen many like minded persons come togeter, a wonderful day can be sared. How muc could be accomplised if we sare a goal and more people come togeter? Wat I learned for our work in Halton is to coose a goal to benefit many, and invite as many as possible to join in to make it appen. An opportunity to do tis occurred at te Moters Union Diocesan retreat in November Te sared goal was to move beyond a carity model of care and explore ow we can seek justice togeter. We used te parable of te Persistent Widow as a starting point for our discussions and reflections. Humanitarians of every fait old te strong belief tat good will prevail, and will come togeter to assist tose wo are witout, weter or not tey know te reasons wy. If God is te name we give for tat wic we old to be te Creator of te eavens, te eart and all of umankind in His name and image, ten it is to eac oter tat we must look for te solution to end created impoverisment. Coose a goal to benefit many and invite as many as possible to join in to make it appen. I believe te Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) to be a deliberate parable, a metapor to be used as a model to determine justice or injustice for any time, including today. Wo is te persistent widow today? Anyone rendered impoverised or oppressed by te deliberate and systemic disempowerment manipulated by te Government and corporate elites. Wo is te equivalent of te Judge from wom se sougt justice? Everyone wen it is witin teir power and indeed wen it is teir job to make te canges required to prevent or reverse conditions of impoverisment but wo coose greed over uman need. Included are tose wo seek to maintain teir wealt and power at te expense of te created poor. Tey are aware tat poverty is a social construct, wo willfully remain ignorant of tis travesty, wo instead blame tose affected and coose to deny tem teir basic uman rigts. All wo are not part of te solution are part of te problem. Wat is te difference between carity and justice from my perspective of being forced to receive carity wile I struggle for justice? Wen one is not being forced to receive carity for te necessities of life, tere would be justice. Tose wo believe carity is justice are te problem. Te 12t century Jewis pilosoper Maimonides believed tere were eigt levels of caritable giving. Tose range from #8 (giving begrudgingly) to #1 (providing a person wit te resources to become self-sufficient). Number 1 is te definitive answer. Ask us. Wat is possible wen tose wo experience injustice organize to seek justice togeter? We could bring about realistic cange if we ad enoug allies of like mind. True allies mean everyting. We, te people in society, are te electorate. If we wis to make canges to end poverty, ten everyone wo is affected or wo is aware of te situation and know and believe it to be unjust, must make te cange by voting for candidates wo pledge to act, and not vote for tose wo cause poverty to continue and maintain te status quo. To live te life of te widow is to be willing to callenge injustice werever it exists in our contemporary situation. Joan Turbitt, is a member of Voices for Cange Halton. To learn more go to Anglican Communion Alliance Making te Connection TRNIncome Tax & Bookkeeping Services Stay in te Comfort of Your Home. We Come To You. Individual $ Pensioners and Students $20.00 Family & Group Discounts Available Don't TAX your brain, let TRN ease te pain Meets 2nd Tursday of every mont King s Cristian College Burnamtorpe and Neyagawa Roads Oakville, Ontario 7:30 pm In Essentials, Unity; In Non-Essentials, Liberty; In All Tings, Carity EvEryonE WElcoME Deadlines and Submissions for Niagara Anglican Deadlines May 2013 Marc 25 Summer 2013 June 20 September 2013 July 25 Submissions Articles 750 words or less Letters to te Editor 300 words or less Reviews (books, films, music, teatre) 400 words or less Original cartoons or art contact te Editor Potos very large, ig resolution, action pictures (people doing someting). Include name of potograper. Questions or information: contact te Editor, Hollis Hiscock at editor@niagara. anglican.ca or Telepone: trnconsultingservices@yaoo.com Unit Cavendis Drive, Burlington, Ont.

6 6 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Community kitcen a uge success JOHN DENNIS Cooking and learning about nutritious food is a unique opportunity available at St. James te Apostle Curc in Guelp. Te Community Kitcen (CK), a one day free program, enables 12 participants from te Living on Less Program to work togeter and prepare simple delicious meals. Te main goals are to teac about te coices people ave in reducing te cost of food tey consume and aving a lesser environmental impact. Living on Less coordinator Jacqueline Gagnier said, We offer te Community Kitcen to give people a cance to come togeter as a community and learn ow to make easy low cost recipes. I know tat te attendees also develop kinsips wile working togeter. Tere is a lot of camaderie, bravado and umour too. Te recipes tend to be vegetarian because of teir nutritional value and reduced environmental impact. Te participants learn about te various ingredients suc as beans and lentils, and low cost metods of preparing and andling te food. Everyone sares in te preparation and cooking of te food, and eac takes ome a portion of eac dis prepared. Te CK empasizes te reduced environmental impact troug te use of locally grown vegetables. Te organic produce is supplied by one of St. James curc all users, Green Being Farms. Green Being distributes sares for its Community Sared Agriculture Program at te curc, and as agreed to excange sares for te use of te all. Tarra Young of Green Being Farms said, We love supporting te Community Kitcen by supplying vegetables from our farm. Knowing tat our food is being enjoyed by te greater community and tat it may contribute to better ealt and well being is ugely rewarding. Kay Speed, wo participated last year, concluded tat Se loved te experience of being involved wit te Community Kitcen. I tink te idea is a very good way of getting people to eat better and more resourcefully, wile turning te exercise of cooking into a social experience. Te Community Kitcen as entered its fourt year of operation. Jon Dennis is Curcwarden at St. James te Apostle Guelp. Community Kitcen recipes are available on te paris website - Priya Sridaran, Ann Cidwick, and Angela Hodgson preparing a salad in te Community Kitcen Guelp Poto: Kay Speed Auction was flurry of attention It was a colourful and successful nigt at St. James Curc Dundas wen rougly 300 interested buyers attended a remarkable carity auction. Te parking lot was overflowing and buyers struggled to find parking spaces on te nearby streets. Some of te items offered for sale were truly unusual for a Curc auction, including a igly prized Joan Miro signed etcing wic fetced a successful bid of $2,600 and an antique sterling silver calice earned a bid of $2,000. Wat was most gratifying to te organizers was te cooperation received from te community at large and curc parisioners. One morning wen scores of antiques and silent auction donations ad to be mounted and assigned lot numbers, over 30 volunteers almost spontaneously sowed up and te work was completed in record time. All of te activity and ard work over many monts was in aid of St. James and te outcome of te evening was receipts in excess of $25,000, eac cent of wic went to te Curc s ongoing mission and ministries. It seemed tat many people wanted to elp St. James out of a respect for its outreac programs and service to te community and beyond. For example, professional auctioneer Jane Del Guidice of Witeall Auctions, donated er services; and wile te budget for advertising was necessarily limited, te scope of te antiques offered for sale brougt international attention to St. James wit bids being sent in from as far away as Europe. Ken McDonald and Jed Gardner display an item for people to offer teir bids. People get ready to bid on items available for

7 MARCH Demand for food and ygiene products: paris responds WILL ALAKAS Wat started out as a small community building project, focused on te teacings of Jesus Crist being placed into action, as blossomed into someting so muc more for Holy Trinity Curc and te downtown community of Welland. Wit an eye toward te Diocesan Vision and social justice a small but very dedicated group of Holy Trinity parisioners, wit te Rector, banded togeter to explore and address te needs of te downtown community in te face of radical economic and employment canges. We began to explore wat we could do as a united paris family, one Body in Crist, to assist in meeting te unique needs of our community. We began by talking wit different community agencies tat minister and provide assistance to tose most in need. We found a demand not just for food to elp people get by until te next mont, but also for ygiene products, wic are bot expensive and costly to obtain. Often tose in need must coose between food or a ygiene item and not being able to afford bot. After consultation wit different groups, including various Cristian curces, we began to focus on a nice wic wasn t being met in downtown Welland. Wat te nice was and wat makes Holy Trinity unique is our ygiene contribution united wit our food pantry. PenFinancial staff and Holy Trinity parisioners display a van load of donations for te food and ygiene pantry. Our ygiene pantry is te only fully stocked one in Welland, were visitors can select for temselves products tat tey most require. Tis allows tem te dignity to make tose decisions tat affect teir personal care on teir own. A plea was made to our parisioners to bring in food stuffs and ygiene products. Te congregation responded generously wit eac parisioner bringing a unique item or items, and pledging to do te best tey could to maintain suc generosity. Finally as te weeks and monts passed enoug products ad been gatered to allow us to open our food and ygiene pantry to te public. We ad over 20 volunteers and we were oping to ave only a small number of clients wit wic to begin. We opened in February 2012, on te tird Tursday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. On tat first day we received over 100 people. On eac tird Tursday of subsequent monts, te number of tose participating and te ranks of volunteers ave increased. We ave over 130 cildren and over 140 adults registered. We receive rougly about 130 clients every mont, accepting anyone in need from te City of Welland. Tis continuing project was successful because te paris embarked on a courageous pat of spiritual exploration. We are united and surrounded by te love of te Trinity and nourised by te sacraments to become te resurrected people we are called to be, making Jesus Crist present for all te world. A testament to te wortiness of tis Crist-filled endeavour is tat rougly 75% of te congregation participate regularly in some capacity wit te pantry. In addition, PenFinancial, located in downtown Welland, generously donated one tousand dollars in food and ygiene products, and te Atlas Retirees contributed five undred dollars. Oter Anglican parises in a definitive display of ecclesiology and unity ave contributed to te pantry bot St. Paul s Dunnville and St. Jon te Evangelist Niagara Falls ad a collection of products for te pantry at Holy Trinity. Parisioners celebrating special anniversaries and birtdays, rater tan receiving gifts, ave Poto: Garry Spence requested donations to te pantry. Tis generosity and selfsacrifice allowed many people in Welland to obtain bot food and ygiene products before Cristmas, wen money and necessities tend to be stretced even more to te limit. All of tis bodes well for te mission of te Curc and its necessity to be at te forefront of not just teacing te trut but living it out as well. Te Reverend Will Alakas is Rector Holy Trinity Welland. olytrinity@on.aibn.com Young people get ready to SOAR and ROAR To te Editor SOAR means we are asking you to fly to new eigts ROAR is expressing your creative talents. You can WRITE an article (500 words or less); a song (wit or witout music) COMPOSE a poem; a music score DRAW a picture; a cartoon CREATE an artifact e.g. pottery, sculpture, fabric piece MAKE a video BE CREATIVE develop your own unique ROAR! Prizes will be awarded by a jury of yout Items may appear in/at: and adults in two age categories: te Niagara Anglican, or years of age te diocesan website, or years of age displayed at Yout Synod 2013, or CONTEST Soar! Te only requirement: te piece must reflect a connection between your fait and your life. Roar! LAST CALL for submissions: Deadline Marc 31, 2013 displayed at Diocesan Synod 2013, or all of te above! Send your SOAR and ROAR submission to: Te Editor, Niagara Anglican, 252 James Street Nort, Hamilton, ON, L8R 2L3 or editor@niagara.anglican.ca Please include your name, birt date, contact information and a brief description of your piece tat includes te connection between your fait and your life as illustrated by te work. Want more information or would like to discuss your idea: Cristyn Perkons : cristyn.perkons@niagara.anglican.ca, or Hollis Hiscock : editor@niagara.anglican.ca Likes Luke s letter Your "Letter from Luke" was very very clever. Well done. My family upbringing never paid muc attention to Lent and I ave pretty well followed tat pattern for over 75 years. Tis year migt be different. Wo knows? Ted Taylor, Burlington Te 2013 Canterbury Hills Summer Camping Season is now open for registration! Please pone or us, or visit our website for more information and camper registration forms. Spots fill up quickly! Pone: (905) c@niagara.anglican.ca Website:

8 8 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Book Review Best preacers are eard before tey preac Preacing: Te Art of Narrative Exposition Calvin Miller (BakerBooks, Grand Rapids, Micigan, 2006) CONNIE PHILLIPSON I took my first preacing course in Camrose, Alberta. Trougout te nigt, I exegeted (tried to interpret) te passage I ad to preac about te next morning. I knew tat preacing is not an academic pursuit. I am an Anglican because of a Good Friday sermon I eard from a pulpit orator of profound fait. Preacing as an eyewitness to te crucifixion, Dr. Leonard Griffit took me by te and to te foot of te cross tat eld te bloody body of Jesus Crist. Exegesis. Calvin Miller callenges preacers wo desire to turn te ink of te Bible into te blood of living experience troug te art of narrative exposition. I was ooked by tis imagery, and so anoter book on preacing made its way to our summer cottage. Miller believes wo speaks is more important tan wat is said, ence is focus on relational preacing. He advocates exegesis, beginning wit te preacer: Te best preacers are eard before tey preac, not during teir sermon nor because of it. Did St. Francis really say, Preac te Gospel, if necessary use words? Tis book is not for te defensive. Miller calls it as e sees it: Preacers ougt to do better, live better and preac better tan tey do. Preacers ougt to quit sinning. Still nobody knows better tan tose wo preac tat preacing is an art in wic a studied professional sinner tells te less studied sinners ow tey ougt to believe, beave and serve. Watever else te preacer does, one must live a life tat autenticates te sermon. Referring to te Sunday service as a gatering of troubles, Miller dismisses te need to tell injured and bleeding earts wo or wen Leviticus was written or te fate of te Hittites. Weekly te congregation canges and only te preacer wo recognizes tis constant cange earns te rigt to preac to tis revolving door of wounded souls. Miller raises question to focus te preacer s efforts in exegesis, content analysis, sermon preparation and style of delivery. He allows oter pulpit scolars to speak about te life, mind, spirit and movement of te sermon, and te pilosopy of preacing. He places is empasis on te altar, wic must inabit and aunt te sermon, as it calls people to a rendezvous wit God and encourages tem to touc te face of God to decide and be canged. In a Diocese were we strive for excellence in preacing, tis book will spur you to be te best you can be in proclaiming biblical trut. Te Reverend Connie Pillipson is Assistant Curate at St. Mark s Curc Oranageville. connie.pillipson@zing-net.ca People Condolences Te Reverend Ralp Blackman, Rector of St. George s Guelp, and family, on te deat of is moter Muriel Elisabet Blackman (February 4) in Vancouver. Te Reverend Ted Crabtree, retired priest from St. Catarines, wose wife Marian died on February 3. A Eucarist in celebration of er life was eld at St. Jon s Port Dalousie. Te family of Doreen Swift, O.N., from St. Jon s Winona, on er passing (January 27). Te paris of San Pablo Camaguey Cuba on te sudden deat of Arcdeacon Juan Antonio Gonzalez due to a cycling accident. St. Andrew s Grimsby is partnered wit te paris of San Pablo Camaguey. Te Reverend Artur Tribe, retired priest from Niagara, and family, on te deat of is wife, June (January 15) in Langley, Britis Columbia. A Memorial Service was eld at St. Alban s Acton. Katleen Randle, Canon Barry Randle and family on te deat of Katleen's fater, William Ruterford Sprowl (February 5). Te Reverend Owen As, Katy As and family, on te deat of Owen s mom, Megan (February 5). Appointments Canon Robert Fead resigned as Rector of St. George s St. Caterines and becomes Rector of St. Jude s Oakville, effective April 8. Te Reverend David Donkin was appointed Priest in Carge, on a part-time basis, of All Saints Hagersville (January 6). Te Reverend Ronda Plougman became Priest in Carge of All Saints Hamilton and Associate Priest at te Curc of te Ascension Hamilton, part time ( January 21). Bisop Terry Brown accepted te appointment as Priest in Carge of te Curc of te Ascension Hamilton and Associate at All Saints Hamilton, part time (January 21). Retirement Te Venerable James Sandilands submitted is resignation as Rector of St. James Dundas, effective July 31. In brief Yards of pennies Approximately 937 yards of pennies were collected and rolled at te Curc of te Nativity Hamilton. We began by trying to collect a Mile of Pennies to give to te Primate s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) for Just Food, and altoug our goal was not accomplised we did manage to raise $465.79, wic transformed into approximately 937 yards and we ad fun wilst being busy. Our next successful project was to fill a playpen wit items for te most elpless in our community. St. Mattew's House received everyting we collected food, diapers, toiletries and cloting everyting a baby could need. Next, we knitted woolly ats for sailors wo come to te Mission for Seamen in Hamilton. Tese seamen are mostly from warmer climates and tey become land locked wen te seaway freezes up, so tis is just a small way to let tem know tey are not forgotten. Submitted by Jeanette Piper. Teen wrote pageant Teenager Angelique Nigtingale wrote te 2012 Cristmas Pageant for St. Elizabet's Burlington. Te four temes of Advent Hope, Peace, Joy and Love were used to tell te story of Jesus' birt. It was performed by cildren and adults during worsip on te Sunday before Cristmas Day. Submitted by Jean Arcbell.

9 MARCH Handsome does ELEANOR JOHNSTON My grandmoter s sayings were enigmatic. It took me years to understand wy se answered, Come ere til I pick you up, wen I called for elp. Handsome is as andsome does meant Stop looking in te mirror. Do a good deed if you want to look good. Tis complements te advice, If you want to feel appy, just elp someone else. Hers was a opeful, active and complicated fait tat speaks to our time. One ting I notice, as I talk wit people of different parises, is tat many priests and liturgy committees are introducing new liturgies and intercessions, sometimes by borrowing from te Iona and New Zealand traditions, and sometimes by prayerfully writing wat seems appropriate to teir own congregations. Meanwile, te new ymns of te blue book no longer seem so weird. Attendance seems stabilized, wit curcgoers interested and selflessly committed to running curc activities. Some persist tat te curc is dying. ( We can do te mat - in 15 years tere will be no one left. ) Tis may be te sad trut for a few parises, but in te diocese as a wole, is a new curc not also being born? We ave agreed tat te status quo is no longer an option. Everyting, not just ow we express our fait but also wat we believe, is being reconsidered and restated. Tis sounds like too muc work for one paris or one diocese. Were can we find a coerent expression of a workable Anglican fait? It seems appropriate tat new ideas migt be found in a new venue, i.e., online. Wen a Facebook friend posted a link to ProgressiveCristianity. org, I found it fascinating. Te following words in italics are quotations from one of many Progressive Cristianity websites. Click and you are welcomed: YOU are te LIGHT! It s rigt tere. It s in your face. Pick yourself up. Mission To grow a global network of progressive Cristians and spiritual Wen we make mistakes, te Spirit doesn t condemn us to ell, but instead calls, Come ere till I pick you up. Seekers by providing resources and by encouraging open minded investigation of tis universe and all wisdom teacings. To spread te word tat God - or watever you call tat mystery of our creation and our being - is witin all and terefore we are all interconnected. and A global network and grassroots movement tat encourages intellectual integrity and sound scolarsip, as well as an educated approac to Cristianity and te world's religions tat is inclusive, compassionate, joyful and open. We follow te teacings of Jesus and are open to and aware of oter wisdom teacings. One of our main goals is to foster and encourage intentional community. Is tis website a store or a forum for teological debate? Bot, apparently. Next comes a link offering free podcasts of a priest s sermons. Dr. Ray writes: Te Cristian fait is a way of living, not a set of creedal beliefs. Constantine turned te fait into a belief system for te purposes of te empire but Jesus and Paul taugt a life pat tat, wen followed, brings a person near to te eart of God. Col. 3:12-17 offers guidance into te way of compassion, forgiveness, unity and love. Te future curc tat survives te demise of denominational and superstitious religion will be a religion built around ortopraxis rater tan ortodoxy. We can look to te internet and to te liturgies of Iona and New Zealand. We can study te Bible and oter oly texts prayerfully, and we can listen to our own propetic artists and preacers. Wen we make mistakes, te Spirit doesn t condemn us to ell, but instead calls, Come ere till I pick you up. It is encouraging tat Bisop Micael, in is recent Carge to Synod, rejoices in te great strides te Diocese as made in te past five years and reminds us to proceed by focusing on te wole point of our existence as a curc: Following Crist passionately, we pursue excellence, practice justice and grow. Notice te active verbs. As we seek to be doers of te word, to make our actions a modern, accessible expression of our fait, our curc s message will look good to tose wo ave in te past complained tat we ave lost te spiritual, tat we are only, superficially, religious. We are carged to look to te very core of our Vision and to ask tese questions: Wat does following Crist passionately look like for you in your life? Wat would it look like for your congregation? Hopefully, our answer is as good as it looks. Eleanor Jonston can be contacted at eleanorijonston@gmail.com St. Mattew's House food bank re-opened officially HOLLIS HISCOCK On one side of te wall, Mary-Lou Stoodley filled a sopping bag wit food for a waiting client, wile on te oter side of te same wall tree dignitaries cut te red ribbon signifying te official re-opening of te expanded Food Bank of St. Mattew s House (SMH) in Hamilton. Executive Director Steve Leigfield said te renovations mean tat SMH can better meet te needs of individuals and families tat are living in poverty in downtown Hamilton. SMH serves 700 families wic equates to 1,550 people montly or approximately 78 individuals daily, reported te Executive Director. Te face of poverty in Hamilton is canging, Board Member Micael Reill informed te approximately 50 staff, curc and community supporters gatered for te re-opening. As examples, e cited family diversities, seniors wit cronic ealt conditions and second and tird generation families living in poverty. He noted SMH is building its volunteer program, expanding its facilities and growing its interpreter resources to better welcome and serve people wose first or preferred language is not Englis. Ward Councillor Bernie Morelli praised te work of te many volunteers and said tat Hamilton Council as a strong sense of social justice for tose in need. Before cutting te ribbon to officially re-open te Food Bank, Mayor Bob Bratina tanked te unsung eroes wo work to ensure tat te work of te mission continues. SMH, an outreac of te Anglican Diocese of Niagara, is a caritable, non-profit and multiservice agency wic provides programs and services to meet te needs of families, cildren, seniors and individuals seeking assistance and support. More information is available at stmattewsouse.ca Staff member Mary-Lou Stoodley fills an order from te newly installed Food Bank selves. Mayor Bob Bratina, Board Cair Doug Smit and Councillor Bernie Morelli cut te ribbon officially declaring te Food Bank open for business. Potos: Hollis Hiscock

10 10 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Grave concern about downtown casino Do someting you enjoy to elp oters HOLLIS HISCOCK Local fait leaders of te Anglican Diocese of Niagara expressed grave concern about te possibility of a downtown casino in a letter sent January 30, 2013 to Mayor Bob Bratina and members of Hamilton municipal council. Wit te support of 18 Anglican curces in te Hamilton area, te fait leaders are calling on city council to ensure a casino is not located downtown. Te members of our curces envision neigbouroods of woleness, prosperity and justice, says Dean Peter Wall wose Catedral paris is located downtown. Wit so many good community development tings appening downtown, we believe locating a casino ere will be a significant setback for our city, Wall added. Te fait leaders contend tat locating a casino downtown would run counter to te city s own mission statement to be a ealty, safe and prosperous community. Tey point to a researc review commissioned by te Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, wic comes to te conclusion tat Hamilton's low income ouseolds are likely to bear significant social, economic and oter costs sould a casino be built downtown. Te fait leaders add tat tey and teir community partners are doing teir part, troug a variety of neigbourood initiatives, to truly make Hamilton te best place in Canada to raise a cild. Individual curces are engaging wit tis issue by raising awareness amongst teir congregations, offering space for grassroots groups like CasiNO to meet, participating in te recent rally at City Hall and organizing petitions to teir ward councillors. Te letter was signed by Arcdeacon Jim Sandilands, Arcdeacon Rick Jones and Dean Peter Wall, wo togeter oversee Hamilton s Anglican curces wic serve approximately 5000 people. Te curces are part of te Anglican Diocese of Niagara wose mission is to follow Crist passionately wile ensuring te growt of ealty, spiritually vibrant, justice-seeking fait communities. Te Very Reverend Peter Wall, Rector, Crist's Curc Catedral and Dean of Niagara can be reaced at x210 peter.wall@niagaraanglican.ca Love for curling enabled Hig Scool student Lindsay Geerkens-Beck to conduct a curling clinic, wic in turn provided a financial contribution to support te Routes Yout Centre (RYC). RYC provides a variety of programs to assist marginalized yout and yout-at-risk (8-20 years) in te community of Dundas and area. Te profit from te curling clinic, attended by 26 people, will elp support a Homework Club, an Afternoon Drop In and a Breakfast Club, among oter activities. Geerkens- Beck said se picked RYC because, I wanted someplace tat was local and involved yout as I can more easily relate to yout rater tan adults. Also, some people from my curc are involved wit te centre. Geerkens-Beck explained tat se got te original idea in my second year (2012) of te Yout Leadersip Training Program (YLTP). Sponsored by Niagara Diocese, YLTP is a residential program tat runs for tree consecutive years. Se continued, everyone in te marketplace said to involve someting tat you enjoy doing or else it won t be as enjoyable. And te first ting tat came to my mind was Lindsay Geerkens-Beck prepares for Curling Clinic Participants put into practice wat tey learned at te Curling Clinic Potos: submitted by Elizabet Steeves curling. Te purpose of my project was to gain an appreciation for curling and to teac people about a sport tat as come to be a big and important part in my life, se concluded. Te morning clinic was eld at te Dundas Granite Curling Club. For more information on RYC go to ttp:// record/dun5822 Sining Star for Curc CHRISTINA READ St. Cristoper s Burlington was onoured wit a Greening Sacred Spaces Award by Fait and te Common Good for outstanding contributions to environmental sustainability. Greening Sacred Spaces (GSS) is a program designed to assist fait communities in becoming more environmentally aware and responsible. Te awards are presented annually to recognize exemplary communities in taking up te call to be stewards of te eart troug conservation, prayer and meditation, education and action. St. Cristoper s is a community tat continually seeks to decrease teir environmental footprint and improve te quality of life in te greater community. Troug proper waste management practices, reusable dises, te installation of bike racks, and building improvements suc as double glazed windows, LED ligting and automatic outdoor ligting St. Cristoper s as managed to increase teir efficiency and conservation. In January 2013, te paris dedicated services to environmental awareness troug te liturgy and prayer. Furtermore, te congregation as been encouraged to use alternative transportation, learn about waste management in teir omes, conserve energy and water, and respect te environment troug environmental fairs, worksops and outdoor experiences offered by te curc. St. Cristoper s is a unique and inspiring community tat continuously aims to nouris te greater community troug several programs: Open Doors Program: Free cloting available to tose in need; Te Community Supper: Pay wat you can for a ot and nutritious meal (every Tuesday nigt from September to June), and; Halton Fres Food Box: a program wic provides fruits and vegetables (as muc locally produced as possible) at a significantly reduced price. Wile tis program targets tose on low incomes, working poor, seniors, young families and new Canadians, it is available to all, wit no restrictions. Greening Sacred Spaces congratulates St. Cristoper s Cristina Read (left) presents GSS Award to Noreen McNairn (centre) and Fern Partridge (rigt) of St. Cristoper s Burlington. Poto: Lisa Seiler Curc for receiving tis award. Cristina Read, Halton-Peel Sout GSS Coordinator, can be reaced at or cread@ greeningsacredspaces.net. For information on Greening Sacred Spaces, visit

11 MARCH Spend LENT wit LUKE Part Two Marc 8 to Holy Saturday, Marc 30, 2013 A daily devotion for eac day of Lent intended for individuals, couples and small groups, wic will cover te entire Gospel of Luke. You will need: Bible: Use your own copy, download an app or get free Bibles from Plan: Clip te back page of te paper and carry it wit you or place in your Bible for easy access. You can also download te back page by going to On te rigt, follow Quick Links 'inside our newspaper'. Te format: Four easy steps to follow eac day 1. READ te passage from St. Luke s gospel for te day; 2. REPEAT special words for you to repeat at least 3 times trougout te day; 3. REFLECT take a few minutes to ponder te question, especially its application for your own life; 4. REACT a practical someting coming out of te reading for you to do. Sundays: You will notice tat tere are no readings for Sundays, wic traditionally were not part of Lent, so you can follow te Bible readings at Curc or read any you missed during te week. Feedback: We appreciate your comments, suggestions or questions. Contact Hollis Hiscock at editor@niagara.anglican.ca or or 710 Asley Ave, Burlington, ON, L7R2Z3. We ope your life and te lives of oters will be blessed troug tis experience. Prepared by Hollis Hiscock and based on Passport to Life, a forty day journey following te Gospel story according to Luke written by Olivia Lee wo lives in Toronto. Se as written similar commentaries on te oter gospels, te Acts of te Apostles and New Testament letters. For copies of er books and oter information, se can be contacted at moldl@rogers.com or troug te Editor of te Niagara Anglican. Friday, Marc 8 READ Luke 11:1-13 Teacings about Prayer. REPEAT Lord, teac me to pray. REFLECT Wat is te value of persisting in prayer? REACT Say tis version of te Lord s Prayer 3 times today. Saturday, Marc 9 READ Luke 11:14-36 Signs of te Kingdom. REPEAT Jesus Crist is te ligt of my life. REFLECT Wat are te signs tat God is still in our world? REACT Ligt a candle and tink about were it needs to sine in your life. Monday, Marc 11 READ Luke 11:37 12:12 Parisees and Lawyers. REPEAT I will love God and sow justice to people. REFLECT How does Jesus prepare is followers for te ostility tey will face? REACT Forgive someone wo as been ostile to you. Tuesday, Marc 12 READ Luke 12:13-59 Dependence on God. REPEAT Today is my worry-free day. REFLECT Of wat elp to you is Jesus story about te ric fool in setting priorities in your own life? REACT Make a donation to a food box as a tanksgiving for your worry-free day. Wednesday, Marc 13 READ Luke 13:1-17 Spiritual Woleness. REPEAT I celebrate te good times of life. REFLECT Wat is God like according to te events and stories in tis capter? REACT Make a list of 5 good tings God as done in your life. Tursday, Marc 14 READ Luke 13:18-35 Te Life of Fait. REPEAT God bless Jesus wo comes in te name of te Lord. REFLECT Wat do te stories of te mustard seed, yeast and narrow door tell us about God s community or curc? Friday, Marc 15 READ Luke 14:1-34 Kingdom Priorities. REPEAT I ave ears, elp me to listen. REFLECT Wat do tese stories tell us about integrating people into God s curc? REACT Invite a person to worsip or to your curc group or activity. Saturday, Marc 16 READ Luke 15:1-32 Te lost Parables. REPEAT I am a sinner I ave repented. REFLECT How do you feel about welcoming back tose wo ave strayed from te curc? Wat are tese stories saying to you? REACT Next time you attend worsip, speak to a person you do not know. Monday, Marc 18 READ Luke 16:1-31 Te Use of Tis World s Goods. REPEAT I am faitful to God. REFLECT Wy is te srewd manager praised and te ric man not granted is wis? REACT Help someone in need today contribute to an individual or a community service. Tuesday, Marc 19 READ Luke 17:1-37 Te Marks of a Servant. REPEAT Make my fait stronger. REFLECT Wat marks of a follower of God can you identify in tis capter? REACT Tank God for 5 people wo ave done someting for you. Wednesday, Marc 20 READ Luke 18:1-17 Prayer and Self Rigteousness. REPEAT I will pray and never become discouraged. REFLECT Wy is te tax collector and not te Parisee justified? Wat does it mean for us? REACT Say a kind word to or tink a generous tougt about a cild you know. Tursday, Marc 21 READ Luke 18:18-34 Te Gift of Eternal Life. REPEAT First love God, and ten love oter people. REFLECT Wy did Jesus respond to te ric ruler so stringently? Wat are te implications for us?

12 12 MARCH 2013 For te latest news and events visit niagara.anglican.ca Spend LENT wit LUKE Part Two Marc 8 to Holy Saturday, Marc 30, 2013 Friday, Marc 22 READ Luke 18:35-19:27 Healing and Salvation. REPEAT Lord, ave mercy on me. REFLECT Eac person was given te same coinage ow was it used and wat is te message for us? REACT Tink of 3 talents you ave and ow you use tem for God and people. Saturday, Marc 23 READ Luke 19:28-48 Entry into Jerusalem. REPEAT My temple (my body) is a ouse of prayer. REFLECT Wat caracteristics of God did Jesus portray in te Palm Sunday parade? REACT Tomorrow, take a palm branc from your curc to a sut in. Monday in Holy Week, Marc 25 READ Luke 20:1-44 Jesus Identity. REPEAT I will pay to God wat belongs to God. REFLECT Look at te answers Jesus gave to different questions were te answers satisfactory? REACT Decide to wom you will give a gift as a tanksgiving at Easter. Tuesday in Holy Week, Marc 26 READ Luke 20:45-21:38 - Resurrection. REPEAT God give me strengt to deal wit life s situations. REFLECT How are Jesus followers to live wit all te orrors appening around tem? REACT Give a widow s offering to your curc or a carity. Wednesday in Holy Week, Marc 27 READ Luke 22:1-38 Te Last Supper. REPEAT Do tis in memory of me (Jesus). REFLECT How is te Last Supper different from or similar to te Holy Communion celebrated in your curc on a Sunday morning? REACT Plan to attend a weekday (not Sunday) Holy Communion tis week. Maundy Tursday, Marc 28 READ Luke 22:39-23:25 Arrest and Trial. REPEAT Jesus suffered for me. REFLECT Imagine you are part of te crowd; ow would you react to te treatment of Jesus? REACT Spend some extra time tinking about wat Jesus did for you. Good Friday, Marc 29 READ Luke 23:26-56 Te Crucifixion. REPEAT Fater, into your ands I commend my spirit. REFLECT Wat do we learn from wat appened on te first Good Friday? REACT Spend some extra time tinking about wat Jesus did on te cross for you. Holy Saturday, Marc 30 READ Luke 24:1-52 Te Resurrection. REPEAT Jesus is not ere, Jesus is raised from te dead. REFLECT Wat effect did te resurrection of Jesus ave on te people wo witnessed te appenings? REACT Plan to attend worsip tomorrow Easter Day and rededicate your life to te risen Lord. Letter from Luke part 2 Dear friends: As you read, recite, reflect upon and respond to my Gospel tis Lent, I ope you are gaining new insigts into te life and teacings of our Lord Jesus, and finding fres ways to bring te Gospel alive in your daily living. Last mont I introduced myself briefly. Tis time I want to igligt several special features wic I purposely included in writing my gospel. You may ave noticed some of tese already. My vocabulary and language are tose of te people for wom I was writing; opefully te readers can ten better understand te message of Jesus. I included details about te birt and cildood of Jesus wic te oter gospel narrators did not mention. You may ave noticed tat I maintained te importance of God's Holy Spirit in Jesus' life; tis sould serve as a guide and inspiration for future Cristian communities. Te triump of God's love and te joy of our Lord's belief and practice are recurring temes in my gospel. I did tis as a guidepost for tose wo would become followers of Jesus in te future and form te communities you call 'curces'. I empasized prayer as a central and vital factor in te life of Jesus. My gospel as a universal perspective and appeal wic could break down and supersede traditional cultural and racial barriers. Women and cildren received prominent positions and attention in my gospel, because Jesus was interested in all people, not just te men, as traditions seem to ave dictated. I was fortunate to ave discovered and eard several new parables wic Jesus ad told in is ministry. My favourites are te stories of te Prodigal Son and te Good Samaritan. I empasized Jesus concern and advocacy for te outcasts in society. I trust tat reading, tinking about and reacting to my gospel tis Lent as elped you gain more insigts into te teacings of Jesus Crist and ave strengtened your fait and commitment to God. Now you sould be ready to rededicate yourself as you celebrate Easter. Until next time. Your co-worker in Crist, Luke (Luke's letter was communicated troug te fingers of Hollis Hiscock). Marc 31 is Easter Day Celebrate by attending worsip or praying and sare te good news wit oters Jesus Crist is risen from te dead, Alleluia! Part one, As Wednesday, February 13 to Marc 7, 2013, appeared in te