Jesus’s last instruction to his apprentices is often known as the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples.” But what if we translated that into the language of the trade school?
Category Archives: Formation
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Beliefs
Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of someone by action or omission, with or without that person’s consent, for what are claimed to be compassionate reasons.
Assisted suicide is counselling, abetting, or an act of aiding someone to kill himself or herself.
Members of the Coalition believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide should be treated as murder/homicide, irrespctive of whether the person killed has consented to be killed.
Purpose
To preserve and enforce legal prohibitions and ethical guidelines prohibiting “mercy killing.”
To increase public awareness of hospice/palliative care.
To promote improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care, and effective methods of controlling pain and suffering.
To educate the public on the harm and risks associated with the promotion of euthanasia and assisted suicide through the use of pamphlets, information seminars, media campaigns and research articles.
To co-ordinate and disseminate research and information on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.
To represent the vulnerable and, where appropriate, advocate before the courts on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Visit the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition to learn more
World Day of Prayer 2024
The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. The women who wrote the World Day of Prayer Service this year are from Palestine. The Theme is “I Beg You... Bear with one another in Love” based on Ephesians 4:1-3.
March 1, 2024 is the official date chosen as the World Day of Prayer.
Two World Day of Prayer services will held in-person in Fredericton:
- Friday, March 1, 2:00 p.m. at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, 1 William Street (off the Royal Road). Wheelchair Accessible. Refreshments to follow.
Storm date: Saturday, March 2, 2:00 p.m. - Friday, March 1, 7:00 p.m. at Brunswick Street Baptist Church, 161 York Street. Wheelchair Accessible. Refreshments to follow.
Storm date: Sunday, March 3, 2:00 p.m.
An online Canadian National World Day of Prayer Service will be held beginning at 2:00 p.m. AST on 09 March 2024. Reserve a ticket for free here.
The World Day of Prayer service video for 2024 is available to watch online now. The 58 minute video, produced by the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, can be watched at any time. A 6 minute devotional video is also available.
If you have questions about the work of the Council or the 2024 prayer services, please contact Deborah Heustis with Fredericton Women’s Inter-Church. Email <djheustis at gmail.com>.
Diocesan pilgrimage for young adults
One of the items on Kurt Schmidt’s to-do list for 2024 is a youth pilgrimage to Grand Manan Island.
Tentatively set for the Victoria Day weekend, the diocese’s half-time Director of Young Adult Formation hopes to lead 6-12 young people and chaperones in hikes, Eucharist, prayer and worship.
It was at the September new clergy orientation, when Kurt, a new employee, met the Rev. David Smith, new priest-in-charge in the Parish of Grand Manan. The two got to talking...
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Click here to read the article by Editor Gisele McKnight, on the NB Anglican website.
Ad-LENT-ures 2024
14 February - 23 March 2024
During the Season of Lent, all members of the Cathedral congregation are encouraged to consider individual or small group study or reflection. The 40 days of Lent are an excellent time to take on a discipline of deeper reflection on the Christian life, growing personally in discipleship as well as helping us grow as a community of Christian faith. (See BAS p. 282 and BCP p. 612)
MONDAYS ~ Six sessions beginning 12 February
Home Study and Eucharist
Lectionary study and Communion for a small group. Weekly rotating location in group members' homes, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Facilitated by Dean Geoffrey Hall. RSVP.
TUESDAYS ~ Five sessions, beginning 20 February
Art & Faith
An Ignatian-flavoured contemplative consideration of select works of sacred art related to the upcoming Sunday's gospel. Hosted by Kurt Schmidt. 5:30-6:00pm, Drop-in online via Zoom. Link through the Cathedral calendar.
Book Study: DFA
Book study of Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross by Richard John Neuhaus. Hosted by Alan Sears and James Kerr. 7:00-8:00 p.m., Hall Formation Room. RSVP to Alan Sears. Six sessions. Limited copies of the book available from Kurt Schmidt, $20.
WEDNESDAYS ~ Six sessions, beginning 21 February
Spirituality of Lent
Exploration of contemplative prayer traditions in the context of the liturgical season. Topics may include Centering Prayer, Celtic (Threshold) prayer, group lectio divina, praying with dreams, prayer and poetry, and Franciscan prayer. Various facilitators. 2:00-3:00 p.m. Hall Formation Room. RSVP to Kurt Schmidt.
Diocesan Book Study: LBD
Diocesan book study of Lent with the Beloved Disciple by Bishop Michael Marshall (2024 Bloomsbury Lent Book). Facilitated by Shawn Branch, 6:30 p.m., 60-90 minutes, online. Register through the Diocesan website to receive the Zoom link.
THURSDAYS ~ Seven sessions, beginning 15 February
Taizé Thursdays
Ecumenical and contemplative services of worship that incorporate simple song, scripture and silence. 5:30-6:00pm, alternating formats -- online via Zoom or in-person/livestreamed from the Cathedral. Drop-in. Link through the Cathedral calendar or Cathedral YouTube channel. Curious about Taizé? Read about an online session and in-person Taizé at the Cathedral.
Dante Group
Ongoing study group currently reading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1879-1880). Hosted by Alan Hall and friends. 7:00-8:00 p.m. Hall Lounge. RSVP.
FRIDAYS ~ Six sessions beginning 16 February
Stations of the Cross
Various versions of the ancient devotional/meditation on the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). 12:00 noon, Cathedral. Approximately 30-45 minutes long. Drop-in.
Contact Facilitators and Join
Please contact the facilitators directly to: express interest / ask a question / RSVP. Take special note of online options. Flexibility in schedules and locations may be possible within given restraints.
Geoffrey Hall <dean at christchurchcathedral.com> (506) 450-7761
Kurt Schmidt <formation at christchurchcathedral.com> (506) 259-3711
Alan Sears <asears at unb.ca>
Shawn Branch <sbranch at diofton.ca> (506) 459-1801
Alan Hall <alanwilliamhall at gmail.com>
Cathedral Office <office at christchurchcathedral.com > (506) 450-8500
Accumulated Faith – Peter Marty
Faith is a way of life that acquires its layers and contours incrementally, often imperceptibly.
Jason and I retreated to the ICU waiting room to talk about his mother’s precipitous decline. Moments earlier the attending physician had spoken of her imminent death. “Six to 12 hours—maybe,” he said. I wanted to chat with Jason.
Marie is very familiar to me from our congregation; her son far less so. A well-employed 44-year-old techie, he doesn’t take to religion. Best I can tell, it feels superfluous to his larger contentment in life. Because he looked uncomfortable with what was going on that day, I asked him if he was. “Yeah, I am. I don’t wanna be here.” Continue reading ...
by Peter W. Marty in the February 2024 Christian Century
Published on January 16, 2024
Young adults gather for Friday Night Lights
Did you know that faith-full young adults hang out in the Cathedral on some Friday nights?!
That's right -- since September, a small group of YA-types (people aged between 19 and 30) have been getting together at the Cathedral for biweekly 'Friday Night Lights' gatherings. These gatherings comprise food, fun, fellowship and faith in an informal, no-stress environment.
And a few members of the crew will be preparing in early 2024 for a pilgrimage experience in/to Grand Manan Island in May!
For more information about Friday Night Lights and/or the pilgrimage, please contact Kurt Schmidt, the Diocesan Director of Young Adult Formation.
