Anglican communicators representing dioceses across the country, from B.C. to Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Anglican Church of Canada, gathered in person in Edmonton, and online on the Zoom videoconferencing platform, from June 16-18, for the Anglican Editors’ Association Annual (AEA) Conference.
Although AEA members continued to meet online during the COVID pandemic, this was their first opportunity to meet in person as a group since 2019. Many participants gathered at the conference venue, Trinity Lutheran Church. At the Indigenous Peoples’ Experience in Fort Edmonton Park, conference attendees received a powerful introduction to the culture and traditions of the Saulteaux, Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Nakota Sioux, Dene, Métis, and Inuit peoples.
Bishop Stephen London and the Rev. Stephanie London welcomed all to a banquet hosted by the Edmonton diocese at a hotel in the heart of Old Strathcona. Over a meal of roast chicken with Saskatoon berry sauce, Bishop London gave a candid and encouraging address. Since his consecration and installation as the 11th Bishop of Edmonton last September, London says he has gained a deeper understanding of the role of communications in the church beyond the parish level.
Widely acclaimed local journalist and scheduled guest presenter Senator Paula Simons was unable to attend the conference due to a flight cancellation. However, she has offered to lead a communications webinar for the AEA. The date has yet to be determined.
Former priest of the Edmonton diocese, the Rev’d Dr. Thomas Brauer, who holds a PhD from the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland and the Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts, led an informative session on “Picking the Perfect Picture.” Brauer, whose research looked at the experience of photographs and how that experience can be understood from a Christian theological perspective, guided an exercise in reading a photograph, selecting a photograph for a given story, and captioning a photograph to enrich a reader’s experience.
Members of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) communications team, including web manager Brian Bukowski, communications manager Alicia Brown and communications director Joe Vecsi, made virtual presentations at the conference. Bukowski and Brown demonstrated AnglicanNews.ca (https://anglicannews.ca/), a national, digital communications platform that is being developed with a core team of diocesan communicators. Several diocesan publications, including The Messenger, are in the process of joining the platform alongside the Anglican Journal (AJ). The new digital communications network will enable editors to easily share content, in a timely manner, with other publications while reaching a wider audience.
AJ Editor Tali Folkins led the AEA in a conversation about the editorial independence of diocesan and national church communications; a topic of intense discussion since the stipulation that the AJ be editorially independent was removed in a 2019 AJ governance policy adopted by General Synod (https://anglicanjournal.com/off-on-the-wrong-track/)
In addition to highlighting local ministry and connecting members of church communities through stories, diocesan publications are a means of garnering support for ministry made possible by the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF). Janice Biehn, PWRDF Communications and Marketing Coordinator; and Michelle Hauser, AFC Development & Communications Consultant, spoke at the conference about current international partnerships and youth ministry initiatives supported in part by the Wild Ride (https://pwrdf.org/wild-ride/) and Say Yes! To Kids (https://www.anglicanfoundation.org/say-yes-to-kids/) fundraising campaigns.
Gathering for the Closing Eucharist, led by Fr. Matt Koovisk and the Rev’d Erin Thomas of Trinity Lutheran Church, conference participants gave thanks to God for three full days of fellowship and information-sharing.
The AEA expressed appreciation for past president, sometime conference host and outgoing treasurer Mark Hauser, editor of Dialogue and communications officer for Ontario diocese, who is stepping down from the executive board. Returning to the role of secretary is Gisele McKnight, editor of the New Brunswick Anglican and communications director for Fredericton diocese. Fr. Matt Koovisk, formerly secretary, will now serve as treasurer. Returning to the executive for one more year as president is Margaret Glidden, editor of The Messenger and communications director for Edmonton diocese, and as member-at-large Emily Rowe, editor of Anglican Life, Newfoundland and Labrador dioceses.
God willing, Fredericton diocese will host the next AEA conference in May 2023.
