Youth, elders advise Indigenous Ministries

In close-knit Indigenous communities, gatherings are often intergenerational—grandparents mix with new moms and dads while kids play underfoot. This sense of family is what Indigenous Ministries seeks to develop with new youth and elder councils, recently convened to guide the department. The two councils met in Vancouver, May 11 and 12, and their work will continue to be intertwined.

"Getting together through Canada"

This Pentecost Sunday, May 27, Anglican and Lutheran leaders in the Holy Land will issue a joint pastoral letter informing their churches that they are fully committed to establishing closer relations, and in time, full communion.

Anglicans take action at UN’s Rio+20

Above the skyline of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a 39-metre Jesus statue spreads its arms over the slums and mansions of this sprawling city. The iconic statue, built in 1931 to represent peace, has now become a symbol for the work of thousands of Christians—Anglicans included—who are actively supporting the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which meets in Rio June 13 to 22.

Anglican, Lutheran leaders visit Jerusalem

National leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada will visit their counterparts in Jerusalem May 15 to 21 to discuss the development of full communion ministry in the Middle East.

On the road? Find local Anglicans

When Pam Thomson went on vacation to Cuba last February, she wanted to find a local Anglican congregation. The beaches of Varadero were beautiful, sure, but it was Ash Wednesday and she wanted to worship in her tradition.

The problem was that the resort staff had no idea where the Anglican churches were. They sent her off in a taxi to a different church that ultimately was a disappointment.

Ginny Doctor: many homecomings

God keeps calling the Rev. Canon Ginny Doctor to serve her people in different places. The Mohawk priest, 62, has helped raise Indigenous leaders in downtown Syracuse, N.Y., rural Alaska, and now Toronto, where she was hired as General Synod’s new Indigenous Ministries coordinator in February.

My travels with +Fred

I was so sick on our Fiji stopover. There we were in the Nadi airport, on our way to the Solomon Islands, and I was throwing up in every available receptacle, excusing myself from my coworkers because, of course, this was a business trip. What could be more awkward?

House of Bishops Highlights, Spring 2012

Our spring meeting at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ont., was held April 16 to 20 in a context of worship and Bible study. We opened and closed with a Eucharist, the first celebrated by Archbishop Terry Finlay, our chaplain, and the second by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, our Primate.

What makes a competent priest?

Some Anglican priests are preaching dynamos. Others are wise historians or gracious pastors. But what basic competencies should be present across all their ministries?

Your song could go global

A Canadian writing team preparing materials for the 2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is seeking original music compositions. If chosen, your song could be sung around the world for this important ecumenical event.

With the Primate in Melanesia–virtually

It may be hard for you to tag along as the Primate visits the Church of the Province of Melanesia, March 15 to 28. There may not be enough berths in the ship that will ferry him across the Solomon Sea. You may not have taken anti-malarial medication. You may not like roast pig.

But you can still follow Archbishop Fred Hiltz’s adventures through the blog, “The Gospel Canoe,” which I will write as I accompany him and Global Relations Coordinator Dr. Andrea Mann on the trip.

Egyptian Coptic Church leader dies

Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of the Egyptian Coptic Church since 1971 and a president of the World Council of Churches (WCC) from 1991 to 1998, passed away of natural causes on Saturday 17 March. In a letter to the church dated 18 March, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit paid tribute to Pope Shenouda’s unwavering pursuit of Christian unity and peace throughout the Middle East and the world.

World Council of Churches leader visits Toronto

On March 13, the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), will visit General Synod offices to learn about the full communion relationship between the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).