Author Archive: Kirsten McKnight

Prayers for Truth and Reconciliation

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On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we are encouraged to continue our prayers.

Gather with us in the Cathedral on Monday, 30 September, 2024, 5:30 p.m.

The Cathedral Office will be closed that day, in recognition of the holiday.

 

Creator God, Sunkwiyatisu and Gitchi Manitou,
Of peace, justice, and concord;
Open our ears, our eyes, our lungs, and our hearts,
Give us the spirit of condolence.
Instill in us the Good Mind.
Let us seek your justice in a broken world,
Let us search for understanding in your Creation.
Help us to be reconciled to you and to each other.
In the self-giving ethic of the Cross,
Let us be emptied of hatred and apathy,
Greed and selfishness.
Fill us with the wideness and wildness of your Spirit,
In the name of your First Son, Jesus Christ,
We ask all this. Amen.

~ Collect for Orange Shirt Day

 

You might also find the following of interest:

Visit from Indigenous Archbishop… and a corn boil!

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We were pleased to welcome National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Chris Harper to the Cathedral on Sunday, 15 September.

It was a privilege to learn from him. If you were not able to attend and hear him preach, watch a recording of the service.

Following worship, we were treated to a corn boil and picnic on the lawn. It was a beautiful and warm day, and many people stayed for food and fellowship. Special thanks to the Welcome and Hospitality Committee, and the many volunteers who pitched in to make the event possible.

Photos from the event are below, including some prep volunteers, Archbishop Harper with a Bishop's Crozier presented to him by the Parish of St. Andrews, and members of the congregation enjoying the event.

The NB Anglican has also posted an article about the Archbishop's visit to New Brunswick.

Back to School in Belize

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As another year begins at St. Hilda's Anglican Elementary School, the Belize Mission committee acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the teachers. May they and the students have a positive start to this new school year. Please keep them in your prayers.

Please also remember in your prayers our Cathedral high school scholarship students, Korey Kelly (grade 12), Caleb Martinez (grade 11), Sylvia Trapp (grade 10), and new scholarship recipient, Amalio Revolorio, who is entering grade 9.

Are you familiar with the story of how the Cathedral congregation became involved in Belize, and why we offer a scholarship program for high school tuition? Read on!

About the Cathedral's Belize High School Scholarship Program

In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school. High school is not publicly funded in Belize, and many families do not have the financial ability to pay for their children to attend. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.

Currently, the congregation of Christ Church Cathedral provides scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year, and we currently support one student in each of the four grades of high school. This additional education provides the teenagers with important skills and opportunities which can improve their lives.

The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a recently established preschool.

Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.

In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have continued on to post-secondary education, and all have gained knowledge and experience that will help them in their future.

We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.

You can contribute to the mission in Belize through offering envelopes or donate online.

If you are interested in participating in future endeavors benefiting the students in Belize, please contact the Cathedral Office to connect with members of the Belize mission committee.

Reflection: The Story of the Cross

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This story was shared by a member of our congregation, Andreas Decken.

Photo: Young servers assisting with worship in spring 2024. The crucifer is in the middle, holding the processional cross.

Sometime in the early 1990's, I was living in Hamilton, Ontario as a graduate student. One winter, I decided stay in Hamilton and not go home to Germany to visit friends and family as I usually did. That meant that I was going to spend Christmas by myself. Luckily, a friend of mine invited me to spend part of the holidays with her family. On Christmas Eve, we went to her Catholic church in Oakville, where her mother was very active.

Her Mom had a long conversation with the priest, who came over to greet me. He then told me that the cross bearer had not arrived yet and asked if I was willing to step into the role. Of course I agreed, and I actually thought that it would be rather funny for a Protestant boy to carry the cross at the Christmas procession in a Catholic church.

All was fine until the priest explained the details. He said, " Andreas, you know that I have to follow the cross no matter where you take it, so please do not walk out of the church as I will have no choice but to leave as well."

I was terrified of taking a wrong turn, but of course everything worked out well. It is one of those stories you never forget, and it is my "Story of the Cross".

- Andreas Decken, as told to Carol Ann Melvin

At the Cathedral, servers assist with a variety of duties during worship, including carrying the cross (the crucifer). Anyone interested in becoming a server (youth or adult) should contact the Cathedral Office or the Dean.

Fall Formation Opportunities

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Many Cathedral programs are kicking off or resuming over the next few days and weeks -- that is, during and for this Season of Creation.

Godly Play resumes (biweekly) on Sunday, 08 September.

Taizé Worship resumes (biweekly) Tuesday, 10 September -- and we are moving Taizé gatherings (back) to Tuesdays. The first session will be online via Zoom and afterward alternate biweekly with in-person/livestreamed in the Cathedral.

The Wednesday Spirituality Series resumes (biweekly) Wednesday, 11 September, at 3:00 p.m. in the Hall Lounge. September's theme will be the wisdom of creation-mystic Hildegard of Bingen.

Life in the Eucharist first communion preparation program launches on Saturday, 14 September (biweekly, 2-3:30 p.m. in the Cathedral) with its 2024 cohort -- which currently stands at 8 candidates.

An Art & Faith session (online, 5:30-6:15pm) is scheduled for Thursday, 19 September.  One session of Art & Faith will be offered each month for September, October and November -- then weekly during Advent.

Hoping to launch this (school-)year's edition of CYG (Cathedral Youth Group) on Sunday, 22 September.

Any inquiries or expressions of interest can be sent along to Kurt Schmidt, Cathedral Director of Christian Formation. Email <k.schmidt at cccath.ca>.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

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The Cathedral's Prayer Shawl Ministry began in 2006 during the early stages of the Parish Nurse and Health Ministry. It was under the leadership of the late Wendy Brien, and she soon invited Marilyn Lewell to join her in making the shawls.

Prayer Shawl Ministries exist worldwide, and provide shawls free of charge to anyone who requests one. We make them primarily for those who are undergoing stress in their lives, usually for health reasons, but we have made them for happy occasions as well, such as weddings and births. Since these are for the women, our team decided to make soft fleece blankets for men. They are washable and cozy, and provide much comfort.

Since the Cathedral Prayer Shawl Ministry began, we have made almost 300 shawls, and 82 blankets for all ages and genders. They are wrapped in tissue and presented in a gift bag, accompanied by appropriate, beautiful prayers. Some families have even buried them with their loved ones or wrapped the shawl around the urn during a funeral service.

If you know of anyone who would benefit from a shawl or blanket, please contact the Cathedral Office or the Dean.

Unfortunately, we have lost our team of crafters, and Marilyn Lewell is currently the sole maker of blankets and shawls. If you wish to become a knitter, crocheter, or blanket maker for the Prayer Shawl Ministry, or donate to the cost of the yarn and/or fleece, please let the Office know.

- by Marilyn Lewell

Volunteers needed for Corn Boil

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On 15 September, 2024, we will host a corn boil and picnic, following 10:30 a.m. worship. National Indigenous Archbishop Chris Harper will preach at the Cathedral during the service, and we hope that everyone in the congregation will stay for food and fellowship!

We need your help to make it happen. Many hands make light work!

Volunteers are needed for the following roles:

* Set-up – Arrange tables on lawn, some chairs, table cloths, disposable dishes, large garbage bins, serving trays, fill drink dispensers, butter & salt, arrange sweets, etc.  

* Kitchen Duty – Boil water, cook corn, put in covered trays to be delivered to Cathedral lawn, cut watermelon, clean kitchen afterwards

* Runners – Carry trays of corn from kitchen to lawn. Get any other supplies needed from the kitchen or sacristy during the event  

* Corn Table – Serve corn (napkins and paper plates will be on the table). Direct guests to a separate self-serve table with butter and salt

* Drink Table – Serve drinks. Direct guests to a self-serve sweets table, if they haven’t been there already

* Popcorn Machine – Make popcorn using our own machine

* Clean-Up – Put away garbage, pack up leftovers, bring serving dishes to kitchen, wash drink dispensers, put away tables and chairs, etc.

The Welcoming and Hospitality Committee will organize the purchase of supplies.

Donations of sweets will be appreciated.

Contact Andreas Decken to volunteer. Email: <adecken at unb.ca>. Thank you for your assistance in making this event possible!

Cathedral Faces: Angus McDonell, Tour Guide

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This summer, we are pleased to have Angus McDonell working as a Cathedral Tour Guide. He is working with Alex LeBlanc.

It’s my first time working as tour guide for the Cathedral and as a tour guide in general. I have been enjoying the work quite a lot. I love giving tours and learning the history of the Cathedral, for example, how it was built, who has been here, and so on.

I find the wide variety of people who come to visit to be quite impressive. You meet people from all over, with a lot of them travelling from Europe and Asia. You get to know them, and that’s fascinating. It’s surprising that there are so many people who come from around the world.

The tour that stood out the most for me was three weeks ago. I met a man, who grew up in the same town as my father. He was familiar with the Cathedral because of his former posting in Oromocto. During our conversation, we realized that we were third or fourth cousins! We were interested in a lot of the same things, and I found it really enjoyable getting to meet him.

It has been really great, working as a Cathedral tour guide. I am not part of the congregation, so previously, I had only been there a couple of times and never long enough to actually look around. However, it’s an incredible building with a lot to see. I found it quite interesting learning the Cathedral’s history, and I found it even more interesting being able to share the history.

This fall, I will continue working on my political science degree, and in the future, I am planning to go to law school.

Job posting: Cathedral Sexton

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Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton NB is seeking a Sexton, a position which is integral to our overall operations.

Reporting to the Dean of Fredericton and working with the Property Committee, the successful candidate will be tasked with maintaining Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Memorial Hall and the grounds in a clean and orderly condition, and performing minor repairs as required.

Work involves overseeing and monitoring building operations in person and via camera systems. Duties also include opening and closing of both buildings, set-up for special functions, and attention to the Cathedral clock and tower, sprinkler system, sump pumps and other equipment and appliances.

This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits, and flexible working hours, including occasional weekends and evenings.

Click here to read the full position description and qualifications.

Please submit a resume and a cover letter which explains why you have applied for the position and why you feel you are a suitable candidate. Applications may be submitted by mail, email, or in person during office hours (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Monday-Friday).

Please send your documents to: [email protected]

Christ Church Cathedral Office
168 Church Street
Fredericton, NB E3B 4C9

Applications must be received by end of day Thursday, August 22, 2024. Christ Church Cathedral appreciates all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.

 

 

New Brunswick Day 2024

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Once again, some of the provincial celebrations for the New Brunswick Day holiday will be held on the riverside Cathedral Green, next to the walking trail.

The Cathedral Office will be closed on Monday, 05 August. On that day, we encourage you to spend time with friends and participate in the celebrations!

New Brunswick Day festivities will be held on both sides of Queen Street, at the Legislature, the Cathedral Green, Beaverbrook Art Gallery and Officer's Square. Beginning at 12:00 noon, family-friendly activities and entertainment will include: cultural performances, music, art workshops, street performers, bouncy castles, face painting, and food. The Beaverbrook Art Gallery will have free admission, and the Legislative Assembly building will be open to the public, with photo ID.

The Cathedral will be open for guided tours from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Discover the unique history of the Cathedral in our city and province!

Emancipation Day will also be celebrated at the same time, with activities in Officer's Square. This recognizes the Abolition of Slavery Act enacted in 1834 by the British parliament, which became law across all the colonial territories claimed by Great Britain, including land that is now referred to as Canada. Commemorating Emancipation Day along with New Brunswick Day highlights its historical and present-day importance. Family-friendly activities will include music with DJ-Wakanda, a photo booth, local artists, and a photo booth.

A variety of food trucks will be downtown during the festivities, and the night will end with fireworks over the Westmorland Street Bridge.

Read the details, and come on down to celebrate history and heritage!