The Anglican Church Women Board has drawn inspiration from its special hymn, The Love of Jesus Calls Us (CP 434), written by Canadian, Herbert O’Driscoll, formerly Dean of the Diocese of New Westminster and occasional visitor in our Diocese. Each verse seems to have something to say that is particularly pertinent. While the opening two verses stand for all time, the first with its expression of joy and thanksgiving for unsolicited blessings that are gratefully received, as well as for the many generations of faithful Christians, the second verse continues with the sense of joy that Christians, as “companions on a journey”, have in serving Christ. The third verse asks us to follow Jesus such that we “challenge all that limits [in order] to change, to learn, to grow”, knowing that to those seeking his kingdom, every door is opened. Well, certainly current times present numerous challenges and we are being asked not to be limited by these challenges; indeed, to see these challenges as opportunities for new learning and growth, relying on our faith in Jesus to open the door in order for change to occur.
An immediate challenge to the Anglican Church Women Board’s ability to promote its Annual Project, Supporting Parents: Stories That Matter, has been the absence of in-person regional gatherings of women at which those attending would have had the opportunity to be inspired by a dynamic presentation regarding the value of the Project. To meet this challenge, we are very appreciative that a short presentation available at the Mothers’ Union Rally on Nov. 7 by Positive Parenting Program Coordinator, Maxine Simpkin, is now available on both the webpages of the Anglican Church Women and the Mothers’ Union on the diocesan website: www.nspeidiocese.ca. Just click “Ministries” on the diocesan website and these webpages are there.
In speaking about the need to be adaptable to change, would anyone before the world changed in mid March 2020 have imagined that a virtual Electoral Synod for a new bishop would be needed, let alone a virtual Ordination and Consecration of the Bishop-elect? By the time you are reading this, the virtual Consecration, with all Covid precautions in effect, will have taken place (November 30, St. Andrew’s Day). The organizers of this event did not let challenges limit them, and there were many to address!
With our 17th Diocesan Bishop, Rev. Sandra Fyfe, duly installed in her Cathedra with the diocesan crozier in hand, we can look forward to an in-person celebration at some point in the future.
As Diocesan Mothers’ Union President, Mary Stone, noted in the Mothers’ Union December 2020 column in The Diocesan Times, the challenge in organizing a virtual Rally was to retain the essence of the Mothers’ Union Rallies – the praying, listening, learning, participating, and enjoyment – but via an online platform! Lots of factors ensured a successful outcome of the Rally with its theme, Hope & Confidence, not the least being the technology guidance and support of Tanya Moxley, who, as Mary has noted, “makes all things technical seem easy”.
The Anglican Church Women Board will be relying on Tanya’s expertise as they plan and execute a virtual Faith & Fellowship, live streamed and recorded, with the 2020/21 theme for Anglican women from Micah 6:8 : Do justice . . . Love kindness . . . Walk humbly with your God. The date is Feb. 6, 2021 (Feb. 13 in case of inclement weather); 10:30 – 12 noon at St. John’s, 2187 Larry Uteck Blvd., Bedford. You are invited to participate on-line (with limited in person attendance) in a fellowship of worship and learning, featuring special guests. Presenting on the Mothers’ Union’s positive parenting program in support of the Board’s 2020/21 Annual Project, Supporting Parents: Stories That Matter, will be Kathleen Snow from Fredericton. Highlighting the Mothers’ Union ministry will be Diocesan President, Mary Stone. The following day, Sunday, Feb. 7 is Women’s Ministry Sunday, and a major focus of this Sunday in 2021 is the ministry of the Mothers’ Union. For the Eucharist on Feb. 6, the Celebrant will be St. John’s Rector, Rev. Randy Townsend and the Homilist will be the Board Chaplain, Rev. Lori Ramsey.
The final verse of The Love of Jesus Calls Us hymn has been a particular inspiration for Anglican Church Women in recent years, as it speaks very directly to “swiftly changing days”, the need to be “God’s co-creators in new and wondrous ways”, that women and men together must “transform the earth, [such] that love and peaceand justice may give God’s kingdom birth”. So, yes, we are challenged in many ways, but we will not allow these challenges to limit us. Rather, with our love of Jesus as our guide, we will see them as opportunities “to change, to learn, to grow”, a great resolution to start the new calendar year.
