On October 25, 2008, Associates of the Sisters of St. John the Divine gathered at All Saints Anglican Church in Vernon for a Quiet Day and meeting.

Deacon Chris Ross was the speaker and led us into 2 meditations on Celtic Prayer. Celtic prayer is a journeying from our soul — the art of presence. "Prayer helps us to reach the unknown." The first meditation was a lead into 2 questions that we individually meditated on:
1. What is the greatest need in your prayer life?
2. What is blocking you from getting that need?
Over a bag lunch and goodies supplied by Lee Splett, we had a short meeting before the next address by Chris. She mentioned that "growing older" was the flowering of the spirit — a growing of the soul. Prayer can heal thought. Celtic Prayers are never self-engrossed, and prayer is a "state of mind."

We concluded with the Eucharist, celebrated by the Rev. Peter O'Flynn.

For those who attended, it was a day of spiritual renewal and fellowship. The next meeting will be a Quiet Day, 9:00 a.m. March 21, 2009, at St. Margaret's Church, Peachland. Everyone is welcome.

Christine Muise Inducted at Golden

photo by ken dimond

GOLDEN INDUCTION— Nov. 9, 2008, in an evening service, Bishop John installed The Rev. Christine Muise as the Incumbent in the parish of St. Paul's Golden.
Back row (left): Rev. Bill Inglis, Rt. Rev John Privett, Rev. Canon Derrick Smith.
Middle row: Rev. Yme Woensdregt, Rev. Christine Muise, Rev Dirk Pidcock.
Front row: Madeline Archibald

AMAZING GRACE at Salmon Arm and
All Across Canada

By Norman Denney

Rev. Brian Smith, priest-in-charge, St. John's Anglican Church, Salmon Arm, accompanied by drummer Paul Karding and pipers David Teece, Frank Reynolds and John Angus, leads the congregation in the singing of Amazing Grace on Sunday, Nov. 23. Anglican congregations across the country were invited to participate, which St. John's did with the full sounds of bagpipes, organ and drum. All parishes were encouraged to videotape their rendition and send it to the national office to be edited into one big Amazing Grace video and put up on the web for all to enjoy by Christmas. It started as an idea that took off and ended as a symbol of unity for the church from coast to coast.

An Amazing Thank You to an Amazing Church

By Fiona Brownlee
Communications Officer, Council of the North

"Oh mamaskatayihtakohn
Shewayihchichuwin
Ka winisheniyan wahyo
Christ ah chi wiskiiwiit"
(Amazing Grace in East James Bay Coast Cree)

All across Canada in churches, prisons, college chapels, youth gatherings, and wherever Anglicans met over the last 6 months Amazing Grace was sung. It was sung with enthusiasm, with love and with support for the Council of the North. It was sung in a variety of languages and to a variety of instruments.

Even before the actual Sunday of singing, November 23, 2008, groups of Anglicans were gathering to sing the hymn. They sang to show their unity. They sang to show their love for God. They sang to give a donation to the Council of the North. By mid-November these donations were around $4,000. It was a sign of support in such difficult and trying times.

The church in the northern part of Canada continues to struggle with the rising prices for goods, social instability in many of its communities, and the after effects of residential schools. The Anglicans who live in these communities have experienced the rest of the Anglican Church of Canada reaching out to them with love and support. They have seen the videos of Canadian Anglicans singing Amazing Grace. They have heard about the offering of the "toonies." They have gathered and sung the hymn Amazing Grace and made their donations.

Marion Jenkins one of the coordinators of the Henry Budd College of Ministry reported this: "Christ Church, The Pas, MB in the Diocese of Brandon, a Council of the North diocese was amazing singing Amazing Grace that morning. We sang the first verse in English, then in Cree, then all the other verses. The congregation made it's way to the chancel and sang the first verse again in English. Not everyone was there yet so we kept on singing in Cree and in English. People were generous. It was great fun and holy chaos."

As the members of the Council take in what happened on this special Sunday for the church, they would like to say thank you, ekosi (Muskeg Cree), megwetch (Ojibwa), naqurmiik (Inuktitut), kitatamihin (Plains Cree), mahsi (Gwich'in), gunalcheesh (Tlingit) as they look forward to the new year and the new ministry projects that they will be able to take on.

photo by frank warburton

ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY— St. Margaret's Church, Peachland, held their annual Angel Bazaar in early November selling many handmade garments and home made produce and crafts, together with books and toys and many assorted other assorted gifts. Angels are Phyllis Papineau (left), Wendy Warburton, Norah Slater, Gale Quesnelle and Rennee Quesnelle.