Some of you may know that in 2016, I left Halifax to work in the Yukon, a strange and foreign land to me where I would find friends and community.
I loved the work I did in the north, it was varied and all encompassing, drawing on skills I had, those that were rusty and those yet to be developed. I functioned as Priest-In-Charge of Old Crow, inside the Arctic Circle, isolated, accessible by only air, no road goes into Old Crow. While there we built community, bought an old store for a dollar, had it renovated and as a community we build a church …Archbishop Fred Hiltz, as one of his last official acts in office, came to bless the new church and community. Something important happened those first three (3) years, as we build community together, trust began to grow stronger and stronger with each passing year. Only through the grace of God, was I given the ability and opportunity to make a difference in lives that needed to touch something tangible and life giving. I did not go north with an agenda, instead I vowed to listen more than I talked, and be available as needed when the opportunities presented themselves. The people were fond of saying that their “Geehee,” translated as “one who speaks the Word of God”, buried their dead, baptised their babies, although there were a few adults as well, married a few young couples wanting to start a family with the church’s blessing, and blessed their homes and community. I was truly blessed beyond measure.
The coming of Easter and the Lenten season are important to me …I enjoy the opportunity to consider, reflect, reassess and plan forward. We are called to be humble leading into Easter …all too often we miss that little piece, but it is such a huge part of life’s puzzle. As I move into lent and with humility set my eyes firmly on the Easter season, I am reminded of the love Jesus showed to the world through his willingness to be humbled, coming to earth in human form, willingly allowing the pressures of the day to affect and strengthen his love for mankind, to follow through to death on the cross. I am so thankfully it did not end there …his great love drew him up out of the grave, to win over sin and death forever, giving us hope of a greater existence, one that goes beyond the grave.
The people of the north have a right to the same Jesus, often we forget, like us they too are searching for the risen Jesus, the Jesus that can calm their minds, raise them out of their feeling of loss and despair …some of which we imposed on them. Sometimes church in the north looks very different than what we expect …living amongst the people, listening to there troubles, especially during Covid, becoming community together …that’s church and regardless of how it looks, the same Jesus walks with us everyday.
In the Spring of 2019, there was a Synod held in Whitehorse, Bishop Larry Robertson was retiring and leaving the Diocese, as a result Bishop Lesley Wheeler-Dame was voted in as the new Bishop of Yukon. I was in the process of preparing to leave Old Crow and come home to Halifax when the new bishop ask to have a meeting before I returned to Old Crow. As a result of that meeting, I was asked if I would be willing to be 27th Rector of Christ Church Cathedral, starting in October, and later I was asked to be the 6th Dean of Yukon. A new challenge and opportunity to spread my wings further, a new opportunity to step out in faith. The learning curve was steep, but with God’s generous help I had a successful ministry and remained there for three (3) additional years.
We are an Easter people, death and resurrection is part of our spiritual journey bringing us together from all points of the compass. May we learn to build community together.
Masi Choo (Thank you) and Blessings
