I remember thinking that I had really no experience in this world. Sure, I had acted as a webmaster for the web page of the Diocese of Kootenay and the BC and Yukon Anglican Youth Movement as a teenager, but editor of a newspaper? I had no clue how to design a newspaper!

Fortunately, I was well supported in those early days by the staff of the Anglican Journal,  most especially Saskia Rowley, the Journal’s graphic designer who was incredibly patient with a newbie editor that was learning the ropes. I felt supported by the other members of the Anglican Editors’ Association (AEA), all of whom were newbies at one point, too. I’ve been blessed to be a part of that community since  I began as editor (and I also served as both the secretary for two years and treasurer for two more years, too).

Most importantly, I’ve been blessed to be supported by the readership of this small, but mighty newspaper. I’ve never been wanting for content for each edition of the newspaper, and I’ve been blessed in this role to get a glimpse into the many corners of this diocese, and truth be told, I am richer for it. As I move closer to family (and yes, to a warmer climate), I will very much miss this work.

As I depart from this role, I think that some thank yous are very much in order: to the Rev’d Cheryl Kukurudz, who unfailingly sent out emails asking for content each month, and was another one of those people who supported me in this role. Thank you, Mother Cheryl – your administrative abilities and your kind and compassionate ear continues to mean the world to me, even though we’re far apart. Thank you to Bishop William Cliff, Dean Don Bernhardt TSSF, and Bishop Rachael Parker, all of whom were incredibly supportive of this paper and saw its’ value in the wider diocese and gave me the freedom to tell the varied stories of the Diocese. I personally have been blessed by your guidance and wisdom in my life.

Finally, thank you, dear reader: without you, there would be no point of creating this newspaper each month, as newspapers without readers is like a church without the people!

I won’t say goodbye forever, as I’ve learned the Church is an incredibly small place, but I will say that I hope and pray that God will continue to bless this newspaper as well as the people of the Diocese of Brandon. It has been my honour to be a part of it all, and I look forward to seeing what you all do in the coming months and years! 

The post A (Final) Word from the Editor: June 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

However much the architecture and history of the buildings themselves may call upon my heartstrings to do and be more within the Church, it isn’t the building or the trappings that truly call me to serve within the Church and outside the Church.  The true call for me lies in what a Cathedral stands for and what it speaks out into the Community surrounding it – both the city within which it exists and to the Diocese for whom it exists.

​The ‘cathedral” is named that because it is the building which houses or “hosts” the cathedra – the Bishop’s Seat.  I love the reality that every Church I visit and within which I am privileged to “come home and celebrate the sacred mysteries” essentially becomes the “cathedral” when I am there.  It is a reminder to me that where I go, so goes the work of the entire Diocese, and that really means that every single person who gathers to worship with me is an intrinsic and important partner in the work we all do together as the Diocese of Brandon.  We all worship, from time to time, in the Cathedral or a cathedral, as you and I worship together.  And do you know what that means?  It means that our Christian work and call to serve Christ in the community we live in, emanates from each and every one of our various “cathedrals.”

I have been having some powerful and energizing conversations of late about the role of Cathedrals within the Christian Church.  The Cathedral is at one and the same time two very distinct entities.  It is the Parish Church of the local congregation who call it home.  It is that place where congregants gather on Sundays and other days to break open the Word and share the Gifts of God in sacrament and actions.  It is the home of Bible Studies and AA groups.  It is the seat of arguments about whose pew is it or whether flowers should be on the altar or elsewhere.  It is a real, working parish church that does the local work of Jesus within the congregation.  That’s the first identity that a Cathedral holds.

​The second, and equally important identity a Cathedral holds, is that of being a shining light of Christ out into the community.  The Cathedral may be one of many, or simply a few, Anglican churches within a region, but it should always strive to become the heart of the Christian-Anglican presence for the entire community and Diocese.  It should do the work of serving the homeless, comforting the inconsolable, feeding the hungry, speaking truth to power on behalf of the powerless.  The Cathedral should be a safe harbour in a stormy sea for its own people (congregation and diocesan) and for all those who are Christ among us seeking to know that we are actively looking for Christ among us.

Some of you may be aware, and all of you should become aware, that our Cathedral Church of St. Matthew’s – like many of our local and smaller churches – is finding itself in a difficult financial place.  It may seem to many that the Cathedral is treated differently.  And oftentimes it is … as it should be.  It is the physical and geographical centre of our spiritual home as Anglicans in the Diocese of Brandon.  It is not more important; it is not more spiritually powerful; it is not more beautiful than any other of our Diocesan churches.  It is simply that touchstone which every single Anglican within Western Manitoba is encouraged to call their own.  The Cathedral is yours – it belongs to all of us.

​To that end, I would ask two things of all of you.  First, I ask that you share the following prayer together and individually each week.  Second, I ask that you take the time to read the monthly article that will be in The Mustard Seed entitled “The Cathedral Cloister” beginning in September.  You are also encouraged to send in your own thoughts, memories, hopes, dreams, possibilities for the relationship you have had or hope to have with your Cathedral.  St. Matthew’s needs you and we all need St. Matthew’s.  Together we will support and encourage our Cathedral to be both the congregational home for the regulars at St. Matthew’s and we will support and encourage our Cathedral to become all a Cathedral is meant be as a Beacon of Light and Hope in the Community and our Diocese.

A Prayer for Our Cathedral

 Creator of life, hope, and service, we uphold our Cathedral of St. Matthew. Open our hearts, eyes, minds, and hands, that we will know how You wish us to support our Cathedral.
May it truly become home for all of us. May it truly serve Your people in ways we cannot yet see. In Christ’s Holy Name we pray.  Amen.

The post A Word from the Bishop: June 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

​Over the past month, I have been learning how to be a Bishop.  How does one learn to be a Bishop, you might ask.  Well, it is a lot of trial and error.  Much repetition.  Tons of laughter.  It involves a lot of prayer.  It helps if you know how to wield a mop when the basement of the Cathedral floods.  A good GPS for the car is an asset too.  Essentially, it seems that learning how to be a bishop is a lot like learning anything new.  You have to be willing to ask questions, observe, try, fail, try again.  There’s no “right” way but there are some “wrong” ways.  Through it all, the learning Bishop needs to have trust and encouragement – from God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and from the people gathered around them.

​One of the things that I will have the privilege of doing as a bishop will be confirmations.  I have the privilege of meeting people – young and older – who are intentionally discerning how God is leading them to grow in faith.  When they make that decision to affirm their Baptismal Vows for themselves in Confirmation, they are taking that next step in becoming all God is calling them to become.

​Confirmation is not simply that fancy church service when the Bishop lays hands upon someone’s head and “presto” spiritual magic happens.  It’s more like the consecration of a bishop: hands are laid upon your head and prayers for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you in new ways and along a new path are shared.  And then the hard work begins – the learning of a new thing.

​I don’t know about you but way back when we still travelled by horse and carriage and I was confirmed, there was a bit of a joke that confirmation was graduation from church.  For me, that was a prophetic statement.  At almost 14 years old I was confirmed in a fancy dress with important people at the service.  We had a cake, and photos were taken with the Bishop of Niagara, and I was off … to hockey on Sunday mornings, lazy-sleep-in days, no more Sunday School unless I was roped into teaching with my mom.  I was confirmed and that meant I was a Christian grown-up.

​And then one day, a few years later, I realized that God didn’t stop speaking into my heart just because I thought I had “graduated” from church.  Apparently I was called to be a lifelong learner.  And the education of being a Christian – or becoming a Christian – got good!  Possibilities, dreams, and adventures came fast and furious.  Once I realized that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit were real “people” in my life, everything became more interesting.  Life didn’t get easier.  As a matter of fact, some things got harder as I realized that the “easy” decision isn’t always the “right” decision.  The Trinity became my partners in life.  I didn’t always listen to their advice, even though I should have.  Sometimes I wandered off and tried to leave them behind … and yet whenever I stopped and recognized how much I needed them, there they were – Companions on my Journey!  

​That journey with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, has led me through times of discerning who God was calling me to be.  Was I called to be a nun?  Nope – thank heavens.  (And yes, we do have Anglican nuns.)  Was I called to be a teacher?  In a way, but not how I thought.  I was called to be a deacon … and a priest … and a bishop.  But that is just my path.  

​Your journey will be as unique as you are.  Have you already been confirmed?  How are you walking in your Confirmation Vows and discerning where the Trinity is leading you?  If you haven’t yet been confirmed, what are you waiting for?  Put me to work!  I am your bishop and I want to share with you in that beautiful sacrament.  However, make sure you put your priest, or deacon, or lay reader to work as well.  Discerning confirmation is a commitment of the whole community!  Like becoming a bishop, you have to have trust and encouragement – from God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and from the people gathered around you.

​When you’re ready, let me know!  I really do want to share in the sacraments with you!  Any and all of them, as you are so called.  May God bless you on your Journey of Discernment.

The post A Word from the Bishop – May 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

KW: Welcome to the Diocese of Brandon. We know you’re not from Manitoba, so please, tell us first a little bit about where you grew up.

+RP: I was born in Lindsay, Ontario, but we moved around a lot through southwestern Ontario, so I don’t think of a specific place, but the area. We ended up in London, Ontario, which is where I went to university. Now I think of home as being where I am with my husband, Rob. If he’s there, it’s home. Between his postings with the Canadian Forces and mine in various dioceses, we’ve moved around a fair bit, so I don’t think of home as being a place so much as I think it’s a relationship.

KW: Where have you worked previously in the Anglican Church?

+RP: I started in the Diocese of Huron, because I graduated from Huron Theological College. That was the first nine years. Then, I worked in Halifax (in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) for seven years. It’s where I really began to understand what it means to be a priest. I enjoyed it tremendously and I learned a lot. I also worked part-time in the Diocese of Ottawa for a little more than a year. This was when Rob was posted to Petawawa, which is at the northwest end of the diocese. I did a lot of supply work for the Parish of the Valley. Then, we ended up in Alberta. With the best of fortunes, both of us were posted and I took over the Dayspring Ministries, based in Wainwright, east of Edmonton. I realize looking back that it was God’s calling that I learn about how different Canada can be from one place to another. Whenever I drive, regardless of where it is, I find it’s beautiful.

KW: How did you decide you were called to be a bishop?

+RP: I don’t know if I’d put it that way. It started in Edmonton, where I was nominated to be bishop there. I thought long and hard about it, prayed about the question of who I was and where I was going in this life. I’d never discerned anything in me previously that thought I would become a bishop. It was a series of steps. What would I do if I weren’t elected? Obviously, I’d stay where I was in the Dayspring Ministries. And I was happy with that. I liked what I was doing. With regard to Brandon, there was also the question of what would we do if Rob didn’t get posted? We decided we’d work that out later, and at that point, I felt an incredible sense of calm. The electoral synod was wonderful. We got to meet people, got to hang out with Cody, and really began to appreciate the gifts Brandon has. Rob kept giving me his “when are you going to freak out?” look.

KW: And now?

+RP: And now I am working as hard as I can to learn about the people and culture of this diocese. I have always been mindful of it, kept it in my prayers because I knew Bishop Bill from Huron, but every day I find I have learned something new. It’s wonderful. I’m grateful it’s easy to get around. I’m really not a city person and this city is big enough for me. I’ve been warned that I’ll have a lot of driving in my future, but I’m looking forward to it. I really want to see the north, so see places like The Pas and Churchill. And yes, I know I can’t drive to Churchill, but you can be sure I’ll go.

KW: What are you hoping you accomplish?

+RP: All I want to do is serve Christ. I don’t need much more than that. If I can serve Christ, I’m good to go. I don’t need any feathers in my cap.

The post A Conversation with Our New Bishop appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

​When we breathe out deeply, we allow our bodies to expel the heaviness that can get caught in our souls. When we stretch our necks and shoulders as we look up, we open our chests and stretch those muscles that hold tension and worry. The very acts of stretching and breathing deeply are actions we take that facilitate wholeness and health. The season of Easter is our season of wholeness and health. It is the springtime of our souls, and we should relish the gifts of newness and hope that come with it as we say, Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Over the past year our Diocese has lived what may have seemed like an exceedingly long Lenten season. As a community of faith, you pulled together in a strength you may not have known you had but of which God was always aware. You elected this new Bishop who asked that you might wait for her as she prepared her own parishioners for her leave-taking. And then finally, she was here – in time to walk through Lent with you! It seems fitting that the consecration of your new Bishop would be smack dab in the middle of Lent, reminding all of us that hope, and new life, and divine possibilities are indeed coming … in due season. The season in which we can sing out together: Christ is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

​Your due season is here. Jesus Christ is risen, and we have risen with him! The Diocese of Brandon is poised to begin a new Easter adventure with storytelling, faith-sharing, memory-making, family-expanding. Through our preparatory (and extended) season of Lent we have gained new perspectives, dreamed new dreams, and promised the Creator that we will walk in gentleness and peace into this Easter future unfolding before us.

​As a newly minted Bishop, I can tell you that there are times when the light of our Risen Christ is blinding. I am caught in my tracks as I consider the call that I share with you as we prepare to explore the Easter Garden that is our beautiful and expansive Diocese. I wonder if I can do this … I wonder if we can do this … and then I hear a quiet voice in my ear whispering, “Christ is risen indeed.  Alleluia!” As that insistent voice keeps whispering, I realize that I am being called to step out on my front porch – and into the parishes across the length and breadth of this Diocese, into AMC, north and south of this land Creator shares with us – and I am called to stretch out the fustiness of muscles tense with Lenten fears and breathe out the worries that come with new things, and I am called to yell out, “Christ is risen indeed.  Alleluia!”

​This Easter Season brings with it all sorts of brand-new things, but it first brings with it the truth that we are walking together into a new thing that Christ himself has prepared for us.  Right now, it is our call to stretch those muscles, take those deep breaths, and together cry out to the world, “Christ is risen indeed!  Alleluia!”

Editor’s Note: This column appeared in the print edition of the Mustard Seed under the heading “A Word from the Bishop-elect.” As of March 18, Bishop Rachael is no longer the Bishop-elect, but the duly consecrated eighth Bishop of Brandon! My apologies for the error.

The post A Word from the Bishop – April 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

This month of March brings with it some rather important celebrations in the life of the Church. On the 18th I will be consecrated your 8th Bishop of Brandon and finally able to officially begin the work I have been longing to do since last November. The 2nd and 3rd parts of Lent will be upon us, with Holy Week looming large. Easter Day falls on the last day of this incredible month when we are truly invited to live into the Resurrection lives we experience each day. (More on that in the April edition.) 

This Lenten season is one in which we, as a Diocese, are being invited to pray ceaselessly, ponder deeply, discern faithfully as we recognize that our Diocesan Lent is one which is changing all our lives. It will bring about  he formalization of new episcopal leadership. It will grant us an opportunity to break our Lenten fast and celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph as we participate together in the next generation of our Church Family becoming … 

This Lent I invite you to consider that word “becoming.” Who is it that God is inviting us to become as we establish new relationships one with another? How are we growing into who we will become? What will become of our Diocese as our shared ministry unfolds with a new bishop who brings a different perspective to the Family? How are you called to help me, as your new bishop, become who God is calling me to become? How am I called to help you live into the beauty and potential of who God is calling you to become as Christians, congregations, as a Diocese? 

As I approach the Consecration on the 18th of this month at the Cathedral, I do so with a healthy sense of wonderment and questioning who it is that God is helping me to become. I can see the changes that have begun in my own heart, mind, and soul since the election in November. In many ways, I feel as though I have been living in a season of Lent since then. I am aware that life cannot go back to the way it was. Nor would I want it to. I am cognizant that I can take not one step forward on my own steam, but only by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. I am living in a vulnerable, yet gentle, space in which Jesus’ presence is palpable, comforting, and challenging. I am in a very Lenten season. 

I invite you to join me in this intentional season of Lenten becoming … We are on a journey together which will change who we were and into who God is calling us to become. Our Resurrection Day is almost upon us, but we need this season of preparation to become ready for what God is preparing for us next. I believe what God is calling us to become is glorious! 

The post A Word from the Bishop-elect: March 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

As I write this, even though I haven’t left the parish quite yet, I’m in my final days as the Rector, and I think I can resoundingly say this: saying goodbye sucks, especially when you’ve enjoyed being part of the communities you’ve been ministering to. 

I still remember vividly the drive out from Richmond Hill, Ontario to Virden, Manitoba. It was a fraught experience, truth be told. I drove through multiple snow storms in January 2017, slowly making my way from Richmond Hill to Sudbury one day, from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie the next, from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay the next, and from Thunder Bay to Brandon on my final travel day, where I stayed overnight with the Bishop. On my first full day in Manitoba, I had a block heater installed on my car (my dealership in Toronto didn’t believe me when I told them that I would need a block heater) and made my way out to Virden. They welcomed this city slicker and over time, he became more and more a part of the community. I would eventually meet my congregations in Elkhorn, Melita and Reston and would get involved in those communities, over time, too. I’ve grown to love all four points of my parish, and I daresay they’ve grown to love me too.

Perhaps that’s why saying goodbye and farewell sucks so much. While I know that God has called me into new adventures, I have loved the adventures that I’ve been part of while here. I am not the minister that I was when I started on January 14, 2017, and I have the people of Virden, Elkhorn, Reston and Melita to thank for that. 

However, as the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, “to everything, there is a season,” and over time, I realized that my season as the Anglican priest in Virden was ending. “All good things must come to an end,” as the old saying goes.

It has been a good thing for me to be here. As I leave this place to continue my ordained ministry, this time in BC, I carry the lessons learned from each of you. Your resilience in the face of challenges and boundless love for one another have inspired and strengthened me. The love and support of these communities as I ministered here has been incredible, and I will be eternally grateful for all of it. 

While saying goodbye is never easy, I am comforted by Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” While our paths may diverge, I know that God will continue to work in this community, as He has done since time immemorial.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your warmth, kindness, and the countless ways you have enriched my life. Take care of yourselves and may God’s grace and peace be with you always.

The post Saying Goodbye appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

​Our world seems pre-occupied by the “idea” of love that is wrapped up in Valentine’s Day: chocolate, gifts, cards, jewelry. These all offer lovely sentiments, but they are quite temporal. Chocolates are quickly consumed. Gifts and cards can be forgotten or disposed.  Jewelry can tarnish. Of even greater import though is the fleeting nature of some of those “relationships” which begin on Valentine’s Day. Too often we get swept up in the romance of the moment and we look ahead into the future with cherubs and hearts dancing on the periphery, as if we’re wearing silly heart-shaped glasses.

​For many, that consumer “holiday” can be one of loneliness and pain as we look at others preparing for dinner dates and possibilities from a vantage point of singlehood or having lost a loved one ourselves. What is deemed the most romantic day of the year can become the most difficult day of the year for some in our communities. Valentine’s Day may not be all it’s advertised to be.

​This year, however, we have been given an incredible gift of stars aligning to provide us with another, greater opportunity to celebrate love on the 14th of February, as we will gather across our Diocese to share the truest, most intimate, and everlasting love that human beings can share – that of Jesus’ love for us recognized, acknowledged, received, and embraced on Ash Wednesday.

​This holy and gentle day on which we gather in solemnity within community is an opportunity for each of us to kneel at the feet of the One who reaches out His hand to raise us up.  It is that quiet and reverent liturgical day which invites us to come away for a while to pray alone and with others, that we might recognize that we have sinned, but we have not been lost. 

We will gather and listen to those gentle words: “Almighty God, from the dust of the earth you have created us.  May these ashes be for us a sign of our mortality and penitence, and a reminder that only by your gracious gift are we given eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.”  (Book of Alternative Services pg. 285)

​The outward and visible sign of the ashes traced on our foreheads is a symbol to all who see us, and to ourselves when we look in the mirror, that the most powerful form of love has been given to us as gift. Our valentine from God is that of the divine love God’s Son has shared, and continues to share with us, every single moment of our lives. The ashes we receive and show the world is the greatest reminder to us that we are loved.  We are loved completely.  We are loved as we are. We are loved eternally. Who could ask for a better Valentine than one which lasts for ever?

​As we prepare to dance to the music that has Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day tunes harmonizing together, may you feel the love of Jesus leading you as you dance in his loving arms.  And always remember that you are loved.  You are simply and wonderfully loved.

The post A Word from the Bishop-Elect: February 2024 appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

As my husband Rob drove past the outskirts of Brandon at the end of the day on 25 November, that thought kept coursing through my mind.  “I pray that this decision the Synod of the Diocese of Brandon has made will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”  As I write these words, I truly believe that they will be realized.

​At the Episcopal Synod in November, your delegates – clergy and laity – granted me the privilege and honour of what feels like the greatest invitation I have received in my vocation.  In your decision to call me to be your servant shepherd, you have issued the call for me and my husband to be part of the Brandon Family.  (And in case there was any question, we say “absolutely” with no hesitation!)

​In my post-election words, I spoke of adoption and my sense that I have been adopted by the Diocese.  I am not a child of Brandon.  I have not yet served in this vast and glorious geography. I admittedly know very little of it, but I am eager and giddy with joy to know that the Holy Spirit allowed our paths to

cross and encouraged us to come together as family.

​In the months since +William was called to serve in Ontario, I had been praying for him and for all of you.  I knew that there would be tears of joy that he had been called to serve in a new and exciting way, but I also knew that there would be tears of grief as one who had loved you and walked beside you was being called from your midst.  Not knowing that the road I was walking would join yours, my prayers were simply for a beautiful people walking a hard road through difficult times.  Through the summer I carried you in my daily prayers and simply asked that God would guide you and the one who would be called to join you.  Little did I know where my own road was leading.

​At the time of writing, I do not yet know when I will be consecrated 8th Bishop of Brandon.  My hope is to be on the ground the first of March as your Bishop-Elect, learning the diocese, meeting people, celebrating with joy when we can, and coming alongside those who are in sorrow.  My plan is to spend time in the first while sharing in what my Padre husband calls “a ministry of presence.”  My greatest desire is to learn who you are, what you love, what you don’t, and to witness the ways that each of you seek and serve Jesus Christ in the place where God has planted you.

​I believe that I have been placed in your Diocese by the Spirit in much the way my sister was placed in my parents’ arms the evening she became part of our family: with gentleness and a true call to love you and to be loved by you.  Together our Brandon Family will continue to seek out the will of the Lord and do His bidding right where we are.

The post A Word from the Bishop-Elect appeared first on The Mustard Seed.

My Sisters and Brothers of this 50th Synod of the Diocese of Brandon,

One of the long-held traditions of our synods has been the “Charge from the Bishop” which they would read during the opening eucharist. This charge was to help set out a vision for the diocese over the coming years and to give shape to the hopes and dreams we have as we continue to follow Christ. There would also be a committee formed to respond to the bishop’s charge, pulling out specific action points and suggesting ways, via motions, to begin to give some shape to how those hopes and dreams might be accomplished. It is an amazing process whereby the bishop will set the course of our diocese and to which we would respond by plotting that course and setting the sails, to use imagery that our last bishop was fond of.

This year, things will be a little bit different. As your administrator, it would not be right for me to attempt to do something that should only be the dominion of someone elected to be our servant shepherd.  My job is not to set the course.  Rather it is to do my best not to run us into the rocks while we await our new captain! Okay, enough nautical imagery for now.

Before I continue, I would like to extend our thanks to the people who have worked very hard to bring not one, but two synods together. Thanks to Rev’d Cheryl for managing the entire process for us. And Father Matt Koovisk, our secretary of synod for all his work before he leaves us for new adventures in BC. Thanks also to Teresa Levich, Deb Clevett and Father Chris Evetts for their hands on work. A huge vote of thanks to Archdeacon Kara and the episcopal search committee for all their work. And of course, thanks to Archdeacon Jonathan and all the good folks here at Redeemer & St. George’s for hosting us. There are no doubt people whom I have forgotten to mention, but please know that your work is very much appreciated, because these sorts of events only come together because of the work of many hands, so again, on behalf of all of us, thank you.

We have much to do over the coming two days, but our biggest job will be on Saturday, when we, the members of synod, elect a new bishop for this diocese.  To do that, I believe that we must reflect on our past before we can look to our future.

I have been blessed to have been in ordained ministry in this diocese since 2004, so I can say that I have seen us at some very low points but have also seen us do amazing things. When +William was elected in October 2015, the future looked very uncertain. We were, as a diocese, struggling financially, and having difficulty attracting clergy to come here. That is not at all unusual for a Council of the North diocese, but we were also suffering from several years of scandal which made our situation even more tenuous. In short, the road ahead looked very bleak. Personally, I wondered if our 7th Bishop might well be our last.

But then, the Holy Spirit reminded us, as so often happens, that God is not done with us yet. With new leadership came new vision and new hope. Faith grew and with that came a renewed energy. More new people came to our diocese, and with them came new approaches and priorities. Let me give you just a few examples of this.

One of the first things that was done was to look to our brothers and sisters in the north and make reconciliation more than just a buzzword, but a lived-out reality.  Our northern sisters and brothers were finally provided with the tools and resources to allow them to determine their priorities for ministry and act on them. I believe that there is now a new relationship with north and south, indigenous and settler.  This happened because of the vision of what should be, combined with the faith that said this is how it must be.  Vision and faith. This ongoing mission of reconciliation must remain a priority regardless of who our next bishop is going to be, and I’m confident that none of us would allow this diocese to take one step backwards when it comes to the good road we are walking together.

Another thing that was recognized is that some of the old models of ministry simply did not work well anymore. Not everyone called into God’s service would be a seminary-trained priest. Yes, having a Master of Divinity is wonderful, but it can also be a challenge for those who cannot afford the cost or lack the ability to relocate. Having said that, education is never a bad thing and should not be limited to those whose circumstances allow them to access it. It’s also important to recognize that theological education should not be reserved only for those seeking ordination.

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Any follower of Christ who wants to deepen their understanding of theology, scripture, church history, liturgy or pastoral care should have access. Because of the dedication of our laity, especially our lay readers, we are stronger and quite frankly could not possibly do a lot of what we do without them. Therefore we need to uphold our lay leaders and give them the some of tools of ministry that used to be mostly the domain of clergy.

As a result, through cooperation with Huron University College at Western University, the Licentiate in Theology, or LTh program was born. As many of you know, we have instructors, graduates and current students among us here today. And again, as you might know, this program is designed to be able to be accessed remotely and is also free of charge to anyone within the Council of the North. That’s us! This diocese, through the vision of our former bishop and others, created something that would have seemed impossible before. Another example of what vision, coupled with faith, can accomplish.

One final example that I would like to offer this evening is the ministry that is now taking place at our church camp. If you’ve been in the diocese for a while, you’ll know that not all that long ago, the camp was seen by some as a huge drain on the finances of the diocese.  A place that few people attended but soaked up a lot of money annually. People talked about getting rid of it somehow, as other dioceses have done with their camps. But again, through vision combined with faith, it was recognized that this camp could be seen as an anchor, pulling us down, or we could see it as an incredible opportunity for ministry and reconciliation. With some financial resources from outside our diocese, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears from within it, our camp has now been transformed into something that supports children from all walks of life, including various indigenous communities in the north and from Sioux Valley. From a burden, to a place of hope, love, acceptance and learning.  Vision and faith, over and over.

And as much as I know you all know this, we need to remember that the things we do over the next few days will have an impact that will be felt for many years in this diocese. This cannot be taken lightly because there is far too much at stake. We are prayerfully to decide who our next servant shepherd is to be, the person who will be responsible to walk alongside us in faith, helping us see God’s vision for a world that desperately needs good news.

Our reading from the 61st chapter if Isaiah reminds us of this. This particular part of Isaiah was believed to have been written after the exiles had returned from Babylon. They were returning to a home that no longer looked like the home they once had. Things had changed.  Who were they now? What would they need to do to remain faithful to who God had called them to be? Listen to these words again, “he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour —  to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.”

We live in a world that is, for so many, a world of sadness and pain. A world that values people by the weight of their bank account, the size of their house, the number of likes on Twitter. A world that tells many people that they do not matter, or are a burden, or simply doesn’t see them at all. But that’s where we come in. To bring good news to the oppressed, bind up the wounded and brokenhearted, to show people that they are indeed loved, that they matter, that God himself calls them his beloved. In a word, we are called to bring people hope. It is an awesome responsibility and because of that, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us in the following few days to give us a glimpse of the plan that God has for this diocese, for us, and for our new shepherd.

So here we are, gathered for the next couple of days to continue with what we pray will be vision and faith. My sisters and brothers, we have come so far, and with God’s help, accomplished so much. Let us recall these words from St. Paul that we heard earlier, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Our job is to continue to let those roots grow down into him and our lives be built on him.  What is God calling us into? Where is he leading us? I cannot answer that, except that I know that he is calling us forward. To do more, to be more, to learn more, and to love more.

We are called to move forward, not backward. So let us, with every prayer, and with every word spoken and heard in the coming few days, ask what God would have us do: to help us grow, to deepen our roots, and to strengthen our relationship with him, each other and the world that we are called to serve. Let us not fall back but continue to move boldly forward, seeking his vision and acting in faith.

After all, we’ve seen what happens when we do that! May God’s love and peace be with us all.  Amen.

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