Lieutenant the Reverend Jacob Friesen will serve the Diocese as the Assistant Curate at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Brandon, and the Reverend Barry Nadolny will continue to serve of St. Paul’s, Dauphin and St. Michael and All Angels, McCreary, but now as the Associate Priest. 

Congratulations, Deacon Jacob and Fr. Barry! May God grant you many years in your new ministries. 

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Congratulations to Cairo Humphries and Morris Moosetail on their wedding on July 16, 2022. The Reverend Barry Nadolny officiated the service in St. Paul’s.

May God grant you both many years together.

The Tri-Valley Parish/St. Mary’s, Virden
as submitted by the Rector/the Editor

As you may remember from the last edition of the Mustard Seed, the rector’s office was undergoing a bit of a facelift. As the last edition of the paper was being put together, the office was being painted, which necessitated me working from a folding table in the hall for about a week. It was not ideal, as I quite like having an office to work out of, but at the end of the day, I was willing to give up a week of working in my office to see this long-talked about project finally come to fruition.

The repainting of the rector’s office at St. Mary’s is now complete. Overall, it took about a week, between having to clean out the office (it’s absolutely amazing at how much can collect in an office), collect the new furniture from varied and sundry places, paint it and let it dry, and then put everything back in the office.

However, all is complete now, and I couldn’t be happier with the results (shown below). Many people have commented to me that it looks a lot more inviting than it did before without the giant desk in the way.

My thanks to go the family of Allison Done (sometime Warden at the Cathedral), who donated the desk, the Dean, who donated the two burgundy chairs, and Jennifer Andrew who made the whole thing happen. It had been a project we talked about for a while, and I’m so glad we finally got around to it!

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Born in August of 1946, and raised on Kingston Row in Winnipeg to adoptive parents Vida and Keith Christie, Jane developed a strong faith and love of public service. Early in her career at Manitoba Forestry, she fell in love with her boss, Bill Best. Within a few years, they married and their two children soon followed. Both Bill and Jane were dedicated members of St. Mark’s and later St. Bart’s Anglican parishes for many years. They were also active members of the Anglican Summer Camp community, with Jane serving as hostess for several years in the 1980s. 

After Bill died in 1999, Jane decided to give love another chance. After one date, she knew Chuck Morton would be the one. They married in 2003 and travelled extensively during their short time together. After Chuck died in 2008, Jane’s faith was tested again by a battle with breast cancer. While convalescing with family in Brandon, Jane made the choice to move there permanently, combining households with Christie and her growing family. There she became an active member of the St. Mary’s, Brandon and was ordained as a deacon for the parish on June 29, 2019. Jane remained active in the Diocese of Brandon, taking services in Carberry and Brandon right up to the Sunday before she passed. Her Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Bishop on October 1st at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. 

Rest eternal grant unto Jane, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her. May her soul, along with all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

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As a bishop I spend a great deal of time visiting in parishes and nosing about in parish halls. One of my favourite things to do is inspect the line of photos usually put up of all the former rectors of a parish. Often called the “Rogues Gallery”, I have my own place hanging on walls of parish halls back in Ontario. I see in them such faithfulness and commitment to the work of helping the people of the land through all of time. Dusty photographs of Ivor Norris standing proudly with confirmation classes; Or Wilfred Thomas standing by as the members of Synod stand around him. I often think that we are doing our best to honour their work, for in many ways we are their living legacy. 

You might think that what we leave behind when we depart this life is memory (often in the form of photographs) and stone – usually a headstone marking that we lived. Beyond a will and the financial settlements that follow us, the permanent testimonies of our existence on this earth are usually few in number. Unless you count the lives we have the chance to touch. I still tell stories of my grandmother, who died in 1972. I still remember stories about my great- grandfather told me by those who knew him late in his life – and he was born in 1857! 

You and I, while we live now are the living legacy of those who have gone before us. We are the love letter that previous generations have written to the future. This is a beautiful thought and it comes with a large dose of a sense of responsibility in that we are in the process of writing our own letter to the future. We are the people that others will one day tell stories about. We are making, right now, the memories that will be treasured – or worried over for generations to follow. 

The Diocese of Brandon is a place where we are learning to love and transform our lives into the Christ-like persons we are meant to be. We are proclaiming a gospel that is life-giving, and, reconciling us with the traumas and broken hearts of the past – this gospel is calling us to be brave about moving into the future to which God has created. The photographs on the wall, or the headstones with names we love are the remnants of the lives and loves who were once transformed and now rest with the Father in heaven. 

Be mindful as you spend time with the little ones, or the youth as you speak of your faith. It is our responsibility to pass on to them what was handed to us by those who taught us to pray. Be the love letter your ancestors wrote, and become yourself the message to the future upon which the next generations can rely. Be more than stone, and more than photograph. Be the loving arms which someone will remember long after you are gone. Be the heart of faith that others will teach long after your own heart is with God. 

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As of September 18, 2022, the Bishop has appointed the Reverend Jonathan Hoskin to be the Archdeacon of Brandon. Archdeacon Hoskin currently serves the Diocese as the Rector of St. George’s, Brandon and St. Luke’s, Souris. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Lakehead University, Thunder Bay; a Master of Divinity from Wycliffe College, Toronto; a Master of Sacred Theology from Emmanuel & St. Chad, Saskatoon; and an MA in Leadership from Briercrest Seminary, Caronport, SK. He was ordained as deacon and priest in the Diocese of Algoma in 2005, serving in the Dioceses of Algoma, Saskatoon, Calgary and Qu’Appelle before being appointed as the Rector of St. George’s and St. Luke’s in 2016. 

As of publishing, a date for his collation (installation) as Archdeacon has not yet been set.

Congratulations, Archdeacon Hoskin!

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MK+: Tell us a little about yourself!

JF: I was born in Victoria, BC. Both my parents served as Anglican military chaplains in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), so we moved around Canada often. I have lived in Victoria, BC; Suffield, AB; Cold Lake, AB; Petawawa, ON; Ottawa, ON; Fredericton, NB; Toronto, ON; and now Brandon! I did my undergraduate degree at St Thomas University in Fredericton, where I received a BA with honours in Philosophy. I attended seminary at Trinity College at the University of Toronto, and graduated with an MDiv this year. I am preparing to serve as a military chaplain. The Diocese of Brandon is where I will obtain the civilian ministry experience required for military chaplains. This year has been a big one for me because, in addition to graduating from seminary, completing Basic Training, moving to Brandon, and being ordained, on Thanksgiving weekend I am getting married to the woman I love, Samantha.

MK+: What brought you to the Diocese of Brandon?

JF: At least two things have brought me to the Diocese of Brandon. First, I have great respect for Bishop William. I first met Bishop William at the Ask and Imagine program at Huron College in 2013. My experience at that program was a major moment in my formation as a Christian and laid the groundwork for my discernment of my call to ordained ministry in the years that followed. Thus, when I had to find a bishop under whom to be formed in the first couple years of my ministry, Bishop William (and therefore the Diocese of Brandon) seemed a natural choice. 

Second, I think that God is doing really interesting things in this diocese, and that He is calling the church in this diocese to share in this work. The Diocese of Brandon is at the vanguard of the important work of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and of supporting distinct, Indigenous Christian identities and communities within the Anglican tradition. The Diocese of Brandon also has a long tradition of lay leadership, which will likely be crucial for the wider church in the years to come. Thus, there is lots to learn here, and there are many opportunities for experiences which I can bring with me wherever my ministry takes me.

MK+: Have you had any experience with the Diocese prior to your ordination?

JF: I was blessed with the opportunity to complete a virtual placement in the Tri-Valley Parish under the supervision of the Rev’d Matt Koovisk in the summer of 2021. The placement was a great experience- I learned a lot, and Fr. Matt was an excellent supervisor. I look forward to visiting the Tri-Valley parish in person soon!

MK+: What made you decide to go into ordained ministry?

JF: A few things brought me to ordained ministry. First, I grew up surrounded by strong role models for ordained ministry. My parents are both Anglican priests and my grandfather on my father’s side was a Baptist minister. I saw that they were doing interesting and important work which made a positive impact on the lives of others. Second, I have long been involved in various aspects of church life – parish council, committees, altar guild, lay reading, biblical and theological studies, and so forth. I found all this volunteer work to be rewarding and enjoyable, so it seemed natural to make a career out of it! Finally, I am particularly drawn to the specific context for ordained ministry for which I am preparing- military chaplaincy. Military chaplains have a major positive impact on morale and operational effectiveness in the CAF. As religious leaders who are ordained- or in possession of an equivalent qualification- chaplains care for CAF members and their families in ways which are distinct from any other caregiving profession. In these troubled times, I am grateful to be able to serve both God and country.

MK+: What excites you about moving to the Diocese of Brandon?

JF: I am excited to serve under Bishop William, to share in the important work the diocese is undertaking with Indigenous communities, and to learn from the lay leaders who are crucial to this diocese. I am also excited to experience a region in which I have never lived, but in which many of my forebears settled as Mennonites.

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