Category Archives: Formation

2023 ADVENT-ures

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The new Church year is once again upon us!

 Why not add something to your devotional life to mark a fresh start?

Choose from the following list of diverse opportunities on the Advent weekdays to deepen your prayer and/or study and/or worship.

MONDAYS - beginning 27 November

  • Spirituality of Advent – Prayer Series: Contemplative ideas and practices for Advent and beyond. Celtic Advent, Centering Prayer and Labyrinth Walks among the topics to be covered. Led by Kurt Schmidt. In person, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Cathedral Memorial Hall Lounge.
    * Please reserve your seat with Kurt for any/all sessions.

TUESDAYS - beginning 28 November

WEDNESDAYS - beginning 29 November

THURSDAYS - beginning 30 November

  • Taizé worship: A simple and contemplative half hour of scripture, prayer, silence and song. 5:30 p.m. start.
    30 November and 14 December in-person and livestreamed from the Cathedral.
    7 and 21 December on Zoom.
    * Link through the Cathedral Calendar or from Kurt.

 

DAILY / ONGOING

  • Divine Office: Regular, short daily prayer opportunity in the Cathedral. Morning Prayer at 8:45 a.m., Evening Prayer at 4:45 p.m. Weekdays.
    * Just drop in!
  • Dante Group: But reading Milton now! Reflective study of Paradise Lost. Led by Alan Hall. Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Cathedral Memorial Hall Lounge.
    * Just drop in!
  • Holy Eucharist: Wednesday mornings, 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral.

 

You are encouraged to add at least one new Advent-ure to your schedule this year!


Questions or expressions of interest can be communicated to Cathedral Director of Christian Formation, Kurt Schmidt by email <formation at christchurchcathedral.com> or by phone/text to (506) 259-3711. Thank you, and Advent Blessings!

 

Mess Makes Meaning Godly Play Podcast

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Caring for young children's spirituality is a delicate balance and can often be made more difficult when we grown-ups don't care for ourselves.  Struggling through religious or church-related trauma or even feelings of inadequacy when it comes to answering our children's big questions.  Mess Makes Meaning aims to equip parents/caregivers to remind them and their children they are deeply loved by interviewing some guests who are professionals in this vital work. With relatable humor from hosts and guests alike, this podcast is for you and created by Godly Play®

Everyday Godly Play has a Podcast! Mess Makes Meaning: lifting up children's spirituality for all the grown ups @everydaygodlyplay. This is a new resource for parents and caregivers! Mess Makes Meaning is available on any podcast platform - check out episodes, give it a listen and share it with your friends and family!  See the preview and list of episodes on Apple Postcasts.

Visit Goldy Play Canada

Deacon Competencies

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Potential deacons and priests in the Diocese of Fredericton both enter into a discernment process that helps to clarify if they are being called to ordained ministry.

Discernment leading to the diaconate
Discernment leading to priesthood

While the roles of deacons and priests are different, the qualities required for ordination are similar. The Diocese seeks to ordain people who are:

Gatherers and builders of the community
Rooted in Christ-centred spiritual practice that is Anglican in approach
Emotionally and relationally mature
Able to offer strong leadership and to work collegially under the authority of others
Good listeners and lifelong learners
Good stewards of their body, mind and spirit, and of the other relationships in their lives

The Iona Report was helpful in delineating diaconal competencies to guide in both the discernment and function of the ministry of the deacon. Competencies are arranged into seven areas each of which are described as they are aligned with the deacon at the 1) time of selection, 2) the time of ordination and, 3) in life-long learning.

Area A: DIAKONIA AND THE DIACONATE
Area B: HUMAN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING
Area C: SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
Area D: PRACTICAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Area E: CHURCH POLITY AND DIACONAL MINISTRY IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE
Area F: SCRIPTURE
Area G: CHRISTIAN HISTORY

Download, view or print the Competencies for Deacons

Advent candles made by Mothers’ Union

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On Saturday, 28 October, the Cathedral Branch of Mothers’ Union got together in the Cathedral Hall Kitchen to make sets of Advent Candles.

We have been making these beeswax candles for at least 20 years now. It is the major fundraiser for our group. Each fall, the purple and pink wax is ordered from a company in British Columbia, and we are always surprised at the various shades of these two colours that we receive. Equipped with our hair dryers, we arrive at the Hall kitchen, prepared to make and assemble the sets we hope to sell that year just prior to Advent. We know these candles have become a major part of the Advent celebration in the homes of Cathedral members and others who seek them out each year.

This activity was traditionally carried out at our October Wednesday night meeting, but last year we needed to meet on a Saturday to get it done. We so enjoyed that Saturday morning, and the lunch that followed afterwards, that we decided it would be nice to repeat that this year. About half of our 15 members were able to participate. You will see our members selling the $20 sets, that include 3 purple and 1 pink candle, in the Cathedral starting on 12 November through to the first Sunday in Advent.

The photo below is from our Spring Retreat that took place on Mactaquac Lake. Back row left to right: Sandra Noftell, Bonnie Greenwood, Rosa Macaulay, Susan Black, middle: Kelley Hall, Diane Nash, Susan Watson, Susan Colpitts-Judd, Michele Leblanc, front: Lilian Ketch, Isabel Cutler. Missing from photo: Kathleen Snow, John DosSantos, Joanne Barfitt and Diane Radford.

Understanding the cultural realities of children and youth today

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Youth

Janet Craswell and Angela Pupino say ministries with children and youth were severely impacted by the pandemic and are still rebuilding in most churches. They say a truly intergenerational church must embrace the voices and concerns of younger people and acknowledge the unique cultural realities that shape the lives.

Lewis Center for Church LeadershipThere are very few intergenerational spaces left in our society. School, work, even some housing is segregated by age. One of the blessings of the church is that it is intergenerational. It always has been. But as an intergenerational body the church must also be “intercultural,” understanding and embracing the cultural realities of each generation.

Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking of children and youth as the church of tomorrow. They are not. They are ... Read more

Cathedral Sunday intercessors meet

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PrayerThose who lead Sunday intercessions gathered on Tuesday, November 7th with Deacon Isabel Cutler to discuss and share resources used in this ministry of prayer.

An invitation had been made to others with interest in joining the team which is comprised of about 12 individuals. Assignments are currently determined by way of the Cathedral Signup for worship and all were encouraged to sign up well in advance to facilitate planning and to make opportunities open to all who participate.

Prayer leaders facilitate the prayers of the congregation and encourage all who worship to be actively involved in the process by offering their intentions and petitions in silence or aloud reflecting their own need and those known to them. While there are several categories often routinely addressed like: prayers for the church, the world, the ill, those who have died and those who mourn, it's not necessary, possible or preferred to pray for "every thing or every body every time." The main goal is to assist the assembly in its corporate prayer.

Among topics of discussion were Anglican "models" of prayer, preparation time, pros and cons of extemporaneous vs formula prayers, the context of the day's scripture or season, the value of diversity, style and content, the need to be cautious with politically-loaded opinions, instructing God about how to behave, and resisting preaching through prayer. The usual or most common categories included in the Sunday intercessions or prayers of the people were identified.

Attendees were also encouraged to offer resources they have found helpful in preparation. Among were many that can be found online including:

Several books in print were briefly discussed noting that many are available at a reasonable cost by way of a web search of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) number which often discovers items on sale or used book sources as well as affordable e-book options.

If you're interested in this ministry your welcome and encouraged to content Isabel Cutler or the Dean to explore. Mentoring or tutoring can be arranged to assist in becoming an intercessor.

GMH

Social media and marriage: 5 essential tips

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Social media has become so pervasive that it’s hard to even remember what it was like without it. These days, it almost takes more intention and effort to avoid it than to join in. Friends and family use it for events and parties; it’s where all the latest trends seem to pop up, and people even gain celebrity status just by sharing their lives on it.

It begs the question: what impact has it had on marriages and relationships? While there are probably a few positives, one could argue that the effects skew pretty negative. The good news, of course, is that you can avoid this outcome. Here are five essential tips to ensure that social media doesn’t harm your marriage.

1. Set boundaries.

Are you in agreement about what is and isn’t okay to share about each other and your relationship? What about who you communicate with or are “friends” with? What should you do if an ex reaches out? Even if these things are not an issue for you, it’s good to have a conversation just to make sure you’re on the same page. And if it has caused conflict in the past ...  Read more

The Way of Discernment

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The Way of Discernment
by Elizabeth Liebert
Westminster, John Knox / 2008 / 170 pages

The Way of Discernment invites the reader into a series of experiments leading to discernment as a way of life and as a way of making decisions in the light of faith and a corresponding desire to follow God’s call. Liebert says: “Discernment means making a discriminating choice between two or more good options, seeking the best for this moment. These choices, while personal and conditional, are set within the community of faith and honor our previous well-made decisions” (p. 10). This text grew out of the author’s extensive experience with discernment as personal practice, her deep understanding of the Ignatian and biblical traditions of discernment, and her experience in making this important spiritual practice accessible to members of the reformed Christian tradition. The book itself is practical in its goal to serve as a facilitator of discernment for the reader.

Unique among texts on discernment of Spirits, it succinctly describes how discernment has been understood in Christian tradition; seamlessly provides a brief theology of discernment from Scripture, Ignatius of Loyola, and Calvin; and creates a seven-step framework for making an important decision through spiritual discernment.

These seven steps create the structure of the book, which treats each step in turn, always offering descriptions of processes that assist discernment. After treating the foundational dispositions necessary for discernment (interior freedom and awareness of one’s desires), foundational chapters include directions for specific practices. “The Awareness Examen” helps a person notice interior movements. “Remembering Your Personal History” personalizes one’s grounding, and “Seeking Spiritual Freedom” opens self to God’s influence. “Framing Your Discernment Question” helps one correctly identify the choice to be discerned.

The practice of “Gathering Relevant Data” sets up the remainder of the volume. It describes what to include as relevant data in a prayerful context with advice about noticing affective response to the information as it emerges. Honoring difference in personality styles and ways of discovering data, seven more practices are offered as “points of entry”—memory, intuition, somatic awareness, imagination, reason, religious affections, and nature. Each discerner is left free to use any or as many of these entry points as is helpful. The chapter on religious affections is unique in treating both Ignatius Loyola’s teaching on as well as Jonathon Edwards’ the final steps in the process are confirming one’s decision after formulating it, then assessing the entire process.

This is a text for spiritual directors, formation directors, pastoral counselors, and ministers who can put it into the hands of anyone who desires to make a decision that takes into account both one’s own life with God and the effect on important relationships of a decision. This book provides holistic, accessible, and solid guidance for practicing discernment across the spectrum of Christian denominations.

Janet K. Ruffing, RSM

5 Key Principles for Fostering Generosity in Children

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Generosity for children

Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says the church needs to renew efforts to foster generosity in our children. She shares five principles that can help instill the joy of giving in the next generation of givers.

How can we help our children become responsible, generous, unselfish people? This question is critical to the church as it looks to shape the next generation of faithful givers. It is even more critical to families confronted with the “gimme-gimme-gimme” mindset our consumeristic culture pushes onto their children from the most tender age.

While the need to instill generosity in younger generations is more critical than ever, it is also more challenging than ever before. Some of us are old enough to remember ... Read more

Diocese welcomes new clergy with an orientation day

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What’s it like working in the Diocese of Fredericton? September 27 was set aside as an orientation day to help five new clerics and one new employee get a snapshot of their roles.

The Rev. David Smith (Parish of Grand Manan), the Rev. Robert McLean (Parishes of Fredericton Junction and New Maryland), the Rev. Isabel Cutler (deacon, Christ Church Cathedral), the Rev. Rick Cunningham (deacon) and the Rev. Nicholas Saulnier (Parishes of St. Mary, York; Marysville and Stanley), as well as director of young adult formation Kurt Schmidt were in attendance, as well as diocesan staff and two territorial archdeacons.

The day began with the regular Wednesday service at the Cathedral, and moved to the hall for the remainder of the day...

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Click here to read the article by Editor Gisele McKnight, on the NB Anglican website.