News

Summer Ordination

There was a full house at St. John’s Cathedral on Tuesday as Bonnie Dowling and Abraham (Monybony) Kuol Chuol were ordained to the priesthood, and Dan Thagard and Lorna Howell were ordained to the diaconate. It was a joyful celebration- congratulations, Bonnie, Abraham, Dan, and Lorna! Please keep these four

Indigenous Spiritual and Pastoral Care Grads

The United Centre for Theological Studies graduated its first five students with a diploma in Indigenous Spiritual and Pastoral Care this spring. The diploma was created by the University of Winnipeg to train students as spiritual care providers in hospitals, jails, and missions. The instructors are proud of the students, who worked hard over

Province of Rupert’s Land Elects New Metropolitan

On Thursday, June 18, the Provincial Synod of Rupert’s Land elected a new Metropolitan, Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson of the Diocese of Calgary. As Metropolitan, Greg with continue in his role as bishop of that diocese. He transferred to Calgary three years ago after six years as the Bishop of Qu’Appelle,

Rupert’s Land Clergy Graduation

A big congratulations to Rupert’s Land priest and deacon, Steven Scribner and Tanis Kolisnyk, who graduated from the University of Winnipeg on June 12! Steven completed his Master’s of Divinity and Tanis completed her MA in Theology. Tanis’ thesis on the Indigenous Anglican path to self-determination can be read here.

TRC Report Leads to 22 Days of Action

They may have tried to kill the Indian in the child, but instead they have awakened a gentle spirit of reconciliation.  On June 2, 2015 in Ottawa the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) delivered its final report to the government and Canada. The event included a few days of events ahead

Hungry for Theology?

St. Margaret’s, Winnipeg, to Offer Theology Courses in 2015-2016 It can be hard to find a comfortable place to talk about theology, and with dwindling programming in Masters-level theology courses in Western Canada, it’s increasingly difficult to find a classroom to study it in. Saint Margaret’s, in partnership with St.

Visit from the Anglican Communion’s Director for Mission

Rupert’s Land is please to be welcoming John Kafwanka, Director for Mission for the Anglican Communion, on Sunday, June 14.  John works out of the Anglican office in London, England, and met Bishop Donald at the African-Canadian companion diocese consultation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in May. After listening to

Golden Jubilee for Four Rupert’s Landers

On Trinity Sunday, May 31, 2015, David Pate, Peter Flynn, David Jackson, and Duncan Wallace celebrated the 50th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood at St. John’s Cathedral. The four men were ordained priests together on June 13, 1965, the entire theological class of St. John`s College that year. Unfortunately,

Lieutenant Governor Presents Medal to St. Peter’s Parishioner

May 12 was Manitoba’s 145th birthday. To celebrate the auspicious event, the Queen’s representative in the Province, His Honour the Honourable Philip S. Lee, Lieutenant Governor presented gold medals to five citizens dedicated to history and heritage in Manitoba. http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/ manitoba_day.html Of the five exemplary citizens honoured on May 12, one name is

60 Years at St. Stephen & St. Bede

      In their 60 years of ministry, St. Stephen & St. Bede have learned the essence of the Lund principle that churches should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act differently.      On May 3, the Church of

Pembina Hills Ordination

St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church, Swan Lake, was filled with well-wishers on Saturday, April 25 for the commissioning and ordination of the Pembina Hills Ministry Support Team of the Anglican Diocese of Rupert’s Land. Pembina Hills parishes are: St. Paul’s, Clearwater; St. John the Evangelist, Pilot Mound; St. John the Baptist, Manitou;

New Eucharistic Prayer Used at St. Chad’s

Bishop Donald Phillips gave permission for the use of his recently composed Eucharistic Prayer at a Confirmation Service that he presided over at St. Chad’s on April 26th. Six young St. Chadians had spent a year preparing for this occasion, which included the blessing of pottery chalices painted by the candidates. Bishop Donald was

Indigenous Anglicans in Canada: A New Agape and the Path to Self-Determination

Deacon Tanis Kolisnyk has recently completed her Master’s thesis, which looks at self-determination among Indigenous Anglicans in Canada. Indigenous Anglicans in Canada: A New Agape and the Path to Self-Determination. The encounter between Indigenous peoples and settlers in North America is rife with challenges, missed opportunities, and marred by colonial

The Last Keewatin Baptism

I am a retired priest at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Fort Frances, Ontario. I would like to share with you a story about the last baptism in Keewatin Diocese. In the summer of 2014, our grandson, Daniel, his wife, Krystal, and their three little boys, who

Blessing of the Oils

On Sunday, March 15, folks gathered from across the Diocese to renew their vows and observe Mothering Sunday. At the same time, little oil bottles were brought from far and wide to be refilled and consecrated for use in healing and blessing throughout the year. Our new steward of the

The Sledding Priest

Priest and archdeacon Godfrey Mawejje was spotted this week at a sledding party with the children of his parish. The people of St. Clement’s, Mapleton, were thrilled to see that Mawejje, who arrived in the area from Uganda two decades ago,  has become a true Rupert’s Lander! What about you

Prayer for South Sudan

The following letter is from Reuben Garang, the priest at Emmanuel Sudanese Mission in Winnipeg. He requests our prayers for his home country and our brothers and sisters there. March 5 was the deadline set by the East Africa regional body, IGAD,  for South Sudan’s warring parties to end the

St. Matthew’s Maryland Community Ministry Wish List

The drop-in at St. Matthew’s is currently in need of the following emergency food supplies: Soup Kraft Dinner Baked beans Large Pasta Sauce Large bags of pasta Rice Cereal (cheerios, corn flakes, rice krispies) Chili or stews Canned vegetables & fruit Single serving size items Snacks for kids lunches: snack

CURRENT ISSUE

The Whole Armour of God

This issue begins with a farewell from Bishop Geoff. He reflects on the journey that he has shared with all of us during his time as Bishop in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, and how we can look to the future of the Church with hope. Before we welcome our new bishop, I invite you to sit for a prayerful moment with Bishop Geoff’s farewell message and continue to pray for the future of the Church.

Next, Bishop Rachael Parker writes on what the armour of God means for us all, and what it means for our future bishop. She writes that this kind of armour is not something we should take on or off as it suits our mood, but that it should be one which is integrated into our skin. Just as we can never be dry from the waters of our baptism, so, too, can the armour of God never leave us.

Following this, Marcel DeGagné tells us about his search for what the soul is within each person, and how this sparked his journey to become a spiritual care provider. He believes that regardless of faith or creed, each of us has a ‘Burning Ember’ within us — a unique presence which is integral to each of our lives.

After this is the Convening Circular for the 120th Session of Synod, which most notably includes information about those who are currently nominated to be our next bishop. You will find the candidates’ answers to some questions, CVs, and short video interviews, among other pieces of valuable information.

Then, Bishop Don Phillips connects the famous passage from Ephesians about the armour of God with its Old Testament roots. He also explores what it means to live this out in our daily lives, and how our future bishop should do the same.

Lastly, Durell Desmond’s poem “The Angel and the Demon” encompasses themes relating to temptation, resilience, and salvation. Overall, the Demon could be taken as a metaphor for anyone who has made mistakes and is looking for redemption, while the Angel could be taken as a metaphor for Jesus.

Peace be with you; I hope you enjoy.

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