Category Archives: Other News
Trusting the Call – Matt Allen August Newsletter
What does it take for you to go somewhere you have never ever been before? For some people they become filled with fear and never want to go, others they just need the money and they are already on the plane, and others still just need to hear the voice of God and they will be there no matter what the barrier.
I had the privilege of going down to French Guiana at the end of July to celebrate the 20th anniversary of having an Inter-Varsity group (GBU) in French Guiana. In 1996 there was a group of university students from Martinique who came to French Guiana to plant a GBU in the second largest city, Kourou, and there were a bunch of bumps along the way but they knew that they were called their so they faithfully followed. Since then GBU in French Guiana has expanded to the other university in Cayenne and onto 3 different High schools. All of this has happened by the initiative of volunteers and students because there are currently no staff workers there.
For me it was also my first time in French Guiana and it was a mixture of exciting and scary to go to a place where I did not really know anyone but I had heard so many good things about. For me, seeing the teaching that was there, the way in which they celebrated and my time interacting with students it was a strong confirmation that I am being told to go somewhere I haven’t really ever been before. I am stepping out in faith and I hoping and praying that my contributions can have the same impact as those first students had when they first got off the plane and started ministering on the University campus. But so far what I have seen is so encouraging.
Funding report
This past little while I have been back in Winnipeg and I have been able to fundraise the first 30% of my budget so in the next month I am aiming to get to 100% of my fundraising. I want to thank all of those people that have already supported me. If you or anyone you know would like to support the ministry of Inter-Varsity I would love to come and meet with you and tell you how that might be possible.
Matthew Allen
Liberian refugee family has arrived!
With a violent civil war and years in a refugee camp behind them, Phillip, Esther, Arene and Catherine flew more than 10,000 kilometres from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to Brussels to Montreal to Fredericton this week. The long trip is only the start of their challenging journey.
FIRST CANADIAN PICNIC – The Rev’d Rick Robinson and his wife Nancy took the refugee family from Liberia swimming and for a picnic at Woolastook Park on July 31. Pictured with them are Arene, Catherine, Esther and Phillip. The young people also enjoyed dancing to music at the event which was celebrating Black heritage in New Brunswick.
A smiling welcoming committee waved balloons, welcome signs and Canadian flags at the airport. Parishioners came from the cathedral, Christ Church Parish Church, St. Margaret’s, St. Mary (York), All Saints in Marysville and Anglican parishes around Gagetown. Four exhausted people who hadn’t slept for two nights looked bewildered by all the attention.
“They were overwhelmed, probably feeling as if they had landed on another planet, but we made them feel as welcome, safe and comfortable as we could,” said committee member Doug Milander from the cathedral. “When we drove up to the door of the apartment building and I said, “this is your home,” Phillip began to sob.
“I don’t know what he had expected, but he could not believe what was happening. By the time he saw the spacious rooms, homey furnishings, and all the food, he cried harder. He thanked us and shook our hands many times.”
Phillip’s wife Esther deplaned in an airline wheelchair and walks very haltingly with a cane. The teenaged children look healthy and were curious. Everything is new for them: 24/7 electricity, potable running water, modern bathrooms and appliances.
Representatives of the Archdeaconry of Fredericton await Phillip, Esther, Arene and Catherine at Fredericton Airport on Wednesday.
“This is an incredible and emotional experience for everyone,” said Kelly Humber-Kelly from St. Margaret’s who completed much of the paperwork related to the refugee sponsorship. “Everyone on the committee thanks you for the prayers, funds, and donated items you have given to this project in the past several months.
“But it’s no longer a project. These are people with hopes and dreams, a family who needs our help and loving care to regain their independence and transition to a new life in Canada.”
Updates will be provided as events unfold for the family. Ongoing prayers are appreciated.
Ann Deveau
Catherine and Arene
NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival 2016
NotaBle Acts is a theatre company dedicated to the development and production of new plays by aspiring and established New Brunswick dramatists. This focus can be seen even in their name; yes, the capital N and B in NotaBle Acts stand for New Brunswick! The Cathedral is pleased to host “First Sight” written by our very own John Ball on July 24, 26 & 27 at 7:30 p.m. Read more about NotaBle Acts Summer Theatre Festival.
Street Scenes: Three Site-Specific Plays
The three winners of NotaBle Acts’ 2016 call for site-specific plays will be performed promenade-style, with the audience viewing three short plays that take them on a walking tour of scenic locations in downtown Fredericton, starting at Christ Church Cathedral and ending in the historic Garrison district. Each play runs approximately 15-25 minutes. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on if you like, and dress for the weather and bring a raincoat or umbrella if threat of rain.
John Ball
First Sight by John Ball. Audience members taking a tour of historic Christ Church Cathedral will get more than they bargained for when a romantic comedy springs into life around them.
Directed by Len Falkenstein and starring Melissa McMichael, Miguel Roy, Judy Lavigne, and Lucas Gutierrez-Robert.
More about John Ball At the University of New Brunswick
Ralph and Laura and the River Valley Promo by Gordon Mihan. Serial failed entrepreneur Ralph Lawrence and his sister, Laura, decide to give it once last shot, filming a commercial for his new venture, Lawrence of Arugula Boat Tours on the beautiful St. John.
Directed by Jesse LaPointe and starring Jean-Michel Cliche, Arianna Martinez, and Lee Thomas.
Fort Faith by Jean-Michel Cliche. In a neglected corner of a colonial empire, two soldiers, one English, one French, continue to play out their historic grudge, long after their armies have forgotten and abandoned them.
Directed by Alexa Higgins and starring Ian Goff and Jesse LaPointe.
Street Scenes
Starting at Christ Church Cathedral, 168 Church Street
July 24, 26 & 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $12 Regular, $10 Senior/Underage, $7 Student
available at the door.
NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival web site
NotaBle Acts on Facebook
Bishop’s Pastoral – 13 July 2016
A Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Fredericton Concerning Proposed Amendments to Canon XXI of the Anglican Church of Canada (The Marriage Canon). First Reading Carried at the Meeting of the General Synod Held in Toronto, July 7th – 12th 2016.
July 13, 2016
Dear Friends,
I have taken a day to reflect upon the events of the last two days of the General Synod before writing this letter to you. As you may have heard there was a good deal of confusion about the vote caused by an error with the voting coding. My first task is to explain that to you before I go to the implications of the passing of the motion.
Members of Synod discussed the amendments to Canon XXI on three separate occasions. On Friday evening there was an introduction to the Canon by various people which was followed by discussion in small groups. Then on both Saturday and Monday there were similar discussions in larger groups. Later on Monday the Synod began the formal debate and that evening a vote was taken.
In order for the motion to pass, a two thirds majority was required in each separate house of the Synod. This is the case because it is the changing of a Canon. As with our Diocesan Synod there are three houses: Laity, Clergy and Bishops. When the result was published on the floor of Synod it was found that the motion had passed by the required majority in the Houses of Laity and Bishops, but failed by less than 1% in the House of Clergy. There was then a motion brought to the floor to have the result “reconsidered” – that was denied after some discussion. Consequently, we left the floor of Synod on Monday evening thinking the motion had failed. You may have seen the media coverage.
The Synod voted using electronic means. During Tuesday’s business various questions were raised about the accuracy of the computer system. A motion was moved and carried for the printed record of who voted and how to be given to the Synod. Seven paper copies were provided and an electronic version was published on the Synod app for all members to access.
Two issues emerged from this process. Some votes in favour of the resolution in the House of Clergy had not been recorded. In the end it was another issue which caused the decision of the evening before to be overturned. Each member of Synod was given an electronic “clicker” to vote with. What was discovered was that a mistake had been made with the information given to the computer company for the coding of the “clicker” belonging to the Venerable Michael Thompson, the General Secretary of Synod. His code registered him as a non-voting member of clergy, rather than a voting member of the House of Clergy. His vote was then placed in the House of Clergy. This resulted in the two thirds threshold being reached in each house. As a result, the Amendments to Canon XXI were passed on first reading.
I am sorry for this long explanation, but I wanted to be sure that you understand what happened. My comment on this is that this was extremely difficult for all concerned. Those in favour of the change were deeply upset on Monday evening, as were many opposed when the change happened on Tuesday.
What are the implications for the Diocese of Fredericton? Firstly, I want to acknowledge that no matter which way the vote had gone there would have been hurt and there is now hurt for many who are opposed to the changes. I also fully understand that we are not united as a Diocese on this matter and we need to listen to each other. I am the Bishop to everyone in the Diocese and will make myself available to you as I am able. That being said, I will be on Vacation from Wednesday July 20th until August 13th.
What we all need to appreciate is that the changes to Canon XXI have not finally been approved by the General Synod – that cannot happen until its second reading in 2019, the next scheduled meeting. Until then all Dioceses have been asked to enter into a study of same sex marriage in preparation for 2019. It is my intent to enable this to happen. As it is, the Marriage Canon of our Church remains unchanged.
It is my plan that there will be a meeting of the members of our Synod in the Fall (probably September) and details of this will be made known as soon as they are available. As your Bishop I will not authorize same sex marriages in this Diocese during the next 3 years in line with the requirements of the General Synod resolution.
As those of you who watched the “live stream” of the debate will know, I spoke against the motion and you should know I voted against it. I wish you all to understand that I voted as I did for two reasons: my understanding of the nature of Marriage; and my concerns for some of our indigenous peoples and allied to this, issues around the Anglican Communion.
As a pastor it is my belief that everyone should be included in the life of our Church and I have to say that at a personal level I am still coming to terms with the implications of all that has happened this week. I will be better able to comment when I have had more time for further reflection.
As you are aware during my short episcopacy I have tried to help us all to concentrate on matters of mission. I still believe we have to do this and it is my intention to redouble our efforts. I would ask those who feel uncomfortable (there are people both in favour and opposed to the changes) to bear with us. We do not know what the future holds and I ask that we stay together for the sake of the Gospel.
I want to thank our General Synod delegates for their diligence both before and during Synod. We spent a good deal of time together and were very supportive of each other in sometimes trying circumstances.
I ask that we now turn to prayer as we discern ways forward. It is the only place where I think we can go. Jesus is Lord!
In His Name,
+David Fredericton
Sexton Required
Sexton at Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton NB
Permanent full-time position, 40 hours per week
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
Definition: This is custodial work in the cleaning and care of Christ Church Cathedral and the Memorial Hall. Work involves maintaining assigned premises in a clean and orderly condition with the goal of institutional health and safety. Minor repairs as required. Duties include sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and scrubbing floors, waxing and polishing floors and furniture, cleaning washrooms, cleaning windows, lights, walls and maintaining the cleanliness of the kitchen. Work also involves shoveling snow, removing ice from entrances at both facilities, mowing lawns, routine preventative maintenance, maintaining fire safety equipment and generally assuring access and security of both facilities. Duties also include setting up/taking down for special functions held at the Church and at the Hall as required. The successful candidate will report to the Dean of Fredericton with performance assessed on an ongoing basis. Other related responsibilities may be assigned as necessary.
Qualifications: Completion of Grade 12 and a minimum of three years’ experience in custodial and maintenance work; or equivalent combination of training and experience. Strong interpersonal skills, good communications skills and a comprehensive knowledge of the Diocese of Fredericton and Cathedral policies specific to the job function are required.
To Apply: A completed application, including resume and covering letter may be sent by email or surface mail. Application deadline is 04 July 2016
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. A criminal reference check consistent with the Safe Church Policy of the Diocese of Fredericton will be required.
Sexton Search Committee
Christ Church Cathedral
168 Church Street
Fredericton NB E3B 4C9
(506) 450-8500
christchurchcathedral.com
search [@] christchurchcathedral.com
Run for the Word 2016
Locations: Florenceville-Bristol, NB; Fredericton, NB
Date: Saturday, June 4, 2016
Time: 9:30 AM – On-site registration; 10:00 AM – Opening ceremony
Run for the Word (R4W) is a fundraising event held in New Brunswick since 2013. This annual event aims to connect the Canadian Bible Society (CBS) friends and supporters together to raise funds for the Bible work in Canada and around the world. Participants join by committing to run or walk from 1km to 5km and to raise funds for the various Bible translation, distribution and engagement programs of the Canadian Bible Society.
Visit the Run for the Word website
to register, read stories,support a runner and for more resources
Making the Bible available for Canadians
This year, Run for the Word is raising funds for Bible translation, distribution and engagement programs in Canada. CBS partners with over 100 churches and organizations to distribute God’s Word to those who need it. Through partnership with various ministries in Canada, CBS is able to bring God’s Word to
- Men and women in prison
- Children and youth in summer camps
- New refugees/migrants
- Canadian soldiers
- First Nations communities
- The Visually-impaired
- And more!
Every year, CBS receives hundreds of requests from organizations who have identified the Scripture needs of people they minister to. CBS partners are able to determine what Bible version or format (e.g. print, audio, Braille) would be best for those who receive them. They are responsible for making sure that the Bibles produced by CBS end up in the hands of people who hunger and thirst for God’s Word.
Through the generosity of supporters, CBS is able to produce these Scriptures year after year. As a result, people are able to read the Bible in their heart language and lives are transformed.
Holocaust Memorial 2016
The Annual Holocaust Memorial Observance
Sunday April 10, 2016 at 3:00 pm.
Sgoolai Israel Synagogue
168 Westmorland Street, Fredericton
The keynote speaker is Faigie Schmidt Libman.
Faigie Schmidt, an only child, was born into an affluent family in Kaunas, Lithuania in 1934. Her mother Batia was a surgical nurse and her father Faiva owned a successful bookstore. The Nazis invaded Lithuania in the summer of 1941 just before her seventh birthday. They confined the Kaunas Jewish community into a crowded ghetto. In October 1941 Helmut Rauca the SS Master Sergeant of the ghetto ordered everyone to assemble. He divided families into two groups. One group of families was machine-gunned over open pits that became their mass graves. Rauca’s killing unit murdered more than 10,500 Lithuanian Jews that day. Miraculously, Faigie and her family were not selected. They survived to live three more years of forced labour, hunger and turmoil in the ghetto. In 1944 as they were losing the war, the Nazis sent the remaining Kaunas Jews to concentration camps. Faigie’s father went to Dachau in Germany. She and her mother went to Stutthof in Poland.
Children were routinely murdered upon arrival at the camps, but the day Faigie arrived at Stutthof the ovens were not working. This unforeseen event gave Faigie’s mother a chance to save her daughter. It would be the second time she deceived the Nazis and saved 
her daughter’s life. Faigie and her mother worked digging trenches at Stutthof and three smaller labour camps. In January 1945 they were forced on a death march where for days faltering meant death. The Soviet army liberated them from the death march near Danzig. They later learned that Faigie’s father had been killed during a death march from Dachau.
While living in an Austrian displaced persons camp, Faigie’s mother located her sister in Montreal. In 1948 they immigrated to a new life in Canada. Faigie married her loving husband Benny Libman in 1952. They had four children and many grandchildren together. Faigie became a kindergarten teacher. Her mother remarried, obtained her Canadian nursing certification and worked in Montreal for many years.
In June 1982 Faigie learned that Helmut Rauca had been arrested by the RCMP for the murder of 11,500 Lithuanian Jews. To her horror he had been living a few blocks from her North York home. It was a turning point for Faigie. She resolved to tell her story and teach about the dangers of hatred and intolerance. “I owe my survival to my belief in God, my mother’s courage and heroic actions and unforeseen miracles,” she said.
Sincerely,
Israel Unger
Chair Holocaust Commemoration Committee
Proclamation 2016
Proclamation is the reading of God’s word aloud in public and in its entirety from beginning to end traditionally over a 10 day period. Reading schedules have been developed integrating Old Testament readings with Psalms, Proverbs and New Testament readings.
For many Canadians, both those who listen and read it is a remarkable new experience. But the roots are as old as the book of Nehemiah, where in the eighth chapter, Ezra and the priest reads the law aloud to the whole assembly of Israel from beginning to end and spiritual renewal follows.
As well as reinvigorating the church, Proclamation is a public witness. The events bring together many different congregations, parishes from many denominations and confessions. This co-operative spirit makes a powerful statement of unity to the community. (from “Proclamation” on the Canadian Bible Society web site)
For many Canadians, both those who listen and read it is a remarkable new experience
In Fredericton, Proclamation 2016 is an event during which all are invited to hear the reading of God’s word aloud in public and in its entirety from beginning to end over a 10 day period. Reading schedules have been developed integrating Old Testament readings with Psalms & Proverbs and New Testament readings.
More than an event, it is an opportunity to experience the bible read as it was intended, aloud. In Nehemiah 8, Ezra engages this process with the priest and together they read the bible aloud to the whole assembly of Israel from beginning to end. The story bears witness to spiritual renewal in those who hear this proclaimed word.
As well as reinvigorating the church, Proclamation is a public witness. The events bring together many different congregations, parishes from many denominations and confessions. This co-operative spirit makes a powerful statement of unity to the community.
Ten years ago, during Proclamation 2006, 40 Churches and 6 groups participated. More than 1300 voices proclaimed the Word of God. Plan to join us this year to be a part of this experience of Christian unity!
Proclamation will be held in Fredericton from May 4 – May 13, 2016 at St. Anne’s Chapel of Ease at Christ Church Parish Church, 201 Westmorland Street.
May 4 – May 13, 2016
All neighbouring Christian churches, regardless of denomination, are invited to participate, and to be part of the Proclamation event. All group and religious organizations are encouraged to sign up.
Want to help out?? We are currently seeking readers and hospitality volunteers from each participating community. Please call Rev Priscilla Geisterfer <geisterferp at hotmail.com> (506) 260-7637, for interest in Reading, and Gladys Lacey-House, <lhouse at nb.sympatico.ca> (506) 454-3381 for interest in Hospitality.
Help bring Proclamation to life here in Fredericton!