Synod issues identified by task force reports

By Ana Watts
The release this week (Feb. 16) of the Task Force on Rural and Struggling Parishes report , and the earlier releases of the Budget Support Task Force and the National Church, stewardship-based Planning Study reports, identified the major issues of the 130th Session of Diocesan Synod . The June 4-6 meeting takes place at the Trade and Convention Centre in Saint John. Resolutions presented to the 2007 Synod triggered the task force studies. Read the story.

Clergy College 2009
Online Registration is now available for Clergy College 2009 with John Bowen, Bill Imes and Willis Noble, 22-26 June 2009. All clergy are encouraged to take advantage of this educational opportunity organized and offered right here at home. The Registrar is the Rev. Paul Ranson. View the Bishop's letter dated 12 February 2009 and the 2009 Information Brochure.

PRISM Workshop in Bathurst on March21
A Prevention and Response Involving Sexual Misconduct workshop will be held March 21 at St. George's Church, Parish of Bathurst. All Anglicans, especially parish officers and those working with parish groups, are encouraged to obtain this required training for compliance with Policy B-3 on sexual misconduct. View the Executive Summary and the PRISM Workshop Agenda. Online Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 17. Registrar: The Rev. Leo Martin.

Remuneration and Benefits Regulations
A recent change in the address of the Anglican Church of Canada Pension Office required updating diocesan regulations under Canon Seven. Regulations 7.1 to 7.9 are available individually as part of the listing of Diocesan Handbooks (legislation) and as one handy bookmarked file linked from the Human Resources Committee web site.

Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee
The Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee of General Synod will be meeting in the Diocese of Fredericton 06 - 09 March 2009 at the Villa Madonna Retreat Centre, Rothesay. Part of the meeting agenda will be a visit to the City of Fredericton on Sunday, 08 March. An opportunity for interested Anglicans to meet with the Committee for lunch, a brief overview of its work and a Question and Answer session is being arranged. Watch for details.

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Surgery
Bishop Claude Miller is recouperating from knee surgery. He will return to his office in late March.

Prayer for Synod
Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding: be present with those who take counsel at Diocesan Synod in Saint John in June 2009 for the renewal and mission of our parishes, diocese and your Church in this place and beyond. As your disciples, teach us in all things to seek first your kingdom to your honour and glory. Guide us to what is right and grant us both the courage and patience to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Bishop's 2009 Deanery Visitation Schedule (tentative)
Shediac — February
St. Andrews — April
Fredericton/York — May
Fredericton/York — June
Kingston/Kennebecasis and Saint John — September

Appointments and Announcements
View An up-to-date list of Bishop's appointments and announcements.

Temporal Transactions

Open incumbencies

* Appointment process status:
     H - On hold
     T - Transitioning
     P - In parish profile preparation
     E - Accepting expressions of interest
     I - In the interview process
     A - Awaiting appointment

Diocesan openings
The Nominating Committee currently invites nominations for the following diocesan positions:

• Diocesan / Synod Nominating Committee (chair)
• Diocesan Council (member - Saint John Archdeaconry/lay)
  
• Diocesan Council Administration Team (chair)
• Investment (sub) Committee (member)
• Human Resources Committee (clergy member)
  

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RCL Lectionary (Year B)

Sunday, Feb. 22
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany (Green) (Proper 7) OR

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany (Green)
Propers 356; Isaiah 43:18-25; Psalm 41; 2 Corinthians 1:18-22; Mark 2:1-12;
Preface of the Lord's Day. OR

Propers 418; 2 Kings 2:112; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9;
Preface of the Incarnation.

Cycles of Prayer
Melbourne — (Victoria, Australia) the Most Rev. Philip Leslie Freier

Melbourne — Eastern Region — (Victoria, Australia) the Rt. Rev. Stephen John Hale
Melbourne — Northern Region— (Victoria, Australia) the Rt. Rev. Philip James Huggins

Melbourne — Southern Region — (Victoria, Australia) the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Warwick Wilson

Melbourne — Western Region — (Victoria, Australia) the Rt. Rev. Paul White

Visit these links:
Anglican Cycle of Prayer
Provincial Prayer Care
Diocesan Intercessions

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Rural and Struggling Parishes Task Force final report
View the Report linked from the Diocesan Council and Synod 2009 pages.

Fresh Start Facilitator Training Conference
Mount Carmel, Niagara Falls, Ontario
April 14-16
The program's goal is to build a culture in which the mutual ministry of the clergy and congregation starts off on the right foot, enabling the new relationship to begin with a “Fresh Start.” More information.

Vision 2019: An invitation to dream the church
An opportunity for Canadian Anglicans to to discern, dream, and decide where they think God wants the church to be in 2019. Archbishop Fred Hilts, our Primate, says “[it’s] an opportunity to say ‘here’s what I think our church needs to be about.’”

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Feb. 17, 7 p.m. Make a friend — Be a friend — Bring a friend to Christ at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Manawagonish Road in Saint John West. This evening of Personal Contact Technique in Living the Cursillo Mission includes worship, a teaching talk on how to relate naturally to others with the intent of shar

Feb.19, 7 p.m.  Woodsock Greater Chapter meeting, St. John's Church Parish Centre, Richmond Corner, refreshments at 6:30.

Feb. 21,  Camp Medley staff interviews at St. James the Less, Renforth.

Feb. 21, 11 a.m.  Diaconate Commission meeting, St. Luke's, Woodstock.

Feb. 22, 1 p.m. Camp Medley staff interviews continue (if necessary) Synod Office board room, Fredericton.

Feb. 23, 4 p.m.  Companioned Spiritual Formation, Synod Office board room.

Feb. 24, 1 p.m.  Council Episcopal Team, Synod Office board room, Fredericton.

Visit the Diocesan Web Calendar of Events

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Financial support for refugee sponsorships
PWRDF is please to announce it will provide "seed money" to parishes sponsoring refugees under the 50 Refugee families sponsorship project and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has agreed to match these funds. That means for each sponsorship, PWRDF will be able to provide about three months of income suport for the refugee family (based onCIC guidelines.)

Visit Diocesan PWRDF or PWRDF National

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March 2 - April 16, 12:15 p.m. From Heartbreak to Hope: Timely talks for Lent and Easter from Bishop Bill Hockin and Dr. Barry Craig, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Queen Street, Fredericton. Lent features Famous Last Words, and Easter is a Season to Celebrate. Everyone welcome.

March 31, 8:30 a. m.  Respectful Workplaces and Healthy Congregations workshop led by workplace consultant Sally Wells DiCarlo at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton and sponsored by its Spiritual and Religious Care Department. Registration before March 10: general $30: Spiritual and Religious Care members $20; students $10. After March 10: general $40; members $30; students $10. Registration information from <spiritual.relivious at rvh.nb.ca>.

May 5 & 6 ACW Diocesan Annual Meeting, St. Luke's Church, Main Street in Saint John. Dinner tickets $15. By April 20 send a stamped, self-addressed envelope plus a cheque payable to St. Luke's Senior Branch ACW to Pauline Long, 11 Wasson Court , Saint John, N.B. E2K 2K6.

May 9, 4 p.m. Mothers Day Spaghetti Dinner at Christ Church (Parish) Church, Fredericton. Dinner includes salad, garlic bread, desserts, coffee and tea. $6 per person, $15 per family, children under six eat free. Tickets available at the church, 451-0630.

Visit the Diocesan Web Calendar of Events

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Vancouver Island

The Bishop of British Columbia seeks to appoint a ¾ time rector to the Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Ladysmith, Vancouver Island (midway between Nanaimo and Victoria). Information and profile from <isecker at bc.anglican.ca>. Deadline for applications March 31.

Ingonish, Nova Scotia

The Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island seeks a rector for the Parish of Neil's Harbour with Ingonish, Nova Scotia. Information and profile from <bishopsoffice at nspeidiocese.ca>. Deadline for applications March 13.

Job listings for the Canadian church.

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Despite credit crunch, church microfinance agency ups lending
Ecumenical News International
Feb. 13, 2009

A church-backed microfinance institution has increased its field investments by one third, reaching out to poor people often excluded by the commercial banking sector. This comes at a time when financial markets have been battered by the global economic downturn. Read the story.

Church of England votes to ban British National Party clergy
by Martin Revis
Ecumenical News International
Feb. 11, 2009

The general synod of the Church of England has voted by 322 votes to 13 to ban its clergy from membership of the British National Party, which advocates the voluntary repatriation of immigrants to their countries of origin. Read the story.

Patriarch Kirill gives Russian minority churches cautious optimism
by Jonathan Luxmoore
Ecumenical News International
Feb. 11, 2009
Warsaw, Poland
Russian minority churches have voiced cautious optimism about their prospects under the country's new Orthodox patriarch, Kirill I, after messages of welcome from church leaders worldwide following his installation on Feb. 1. Read the story.

Fresh Start program sets clergy and congregations off on right foot
by Ali Symons

General Synod Web
Feb. 10, 2009

Awkwardness can abound whenever a minister takes up a new post: maybe the congregation is still basking in "the halo effect," from their previous, near-angelic cleric. Or maybe the new clergywoman keeps crossing signals with the parish council. Read the story.

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Anglican Church of Canada FAQ

Five Marks of Mission

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Did you know?

Based on parish statistical returns in 2007, the total financial support for ministry in the parishes of the Diocese of Fredericton is $7.2 million and it is contributed by 5,464 Identifiable Givers. [An Identifiable Giver is defined as "a person who is on a parish list and receives an income tax receipt for offerings."]

Archdeacon Geoffrey Hall

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