The Diocese: A Community Working Together (by the Rev Dr. Neil Mancor)

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In my work as part of the Diocesan staff, I often get asked questions about the Diocese. People want to know what the Diocese is planning or what might be done about a given situation. There will be wondering about what The Diocese does for us. But when you think about it, what is the Diocese of Montreal?

It could be Bishop Mary, the Vicar General and Archdeacons who help lead all of us. As Anglicans, we are an episcopal Church, and that leadership is important. Perhaps the Diocese is the bishop working with the Diocesan Council and our annual Synod. We are, as the saying goes, episcsopally led and synodically governed, and those meetings when we all gather are necessary and significant expressions of our diocesan life.

Or maybe the Diocese is the Bishop and the staff who work at 1444 Union. Ours is a diverse and energetic staff all of whom care deeply about our diocesan family and can offer helpful, practical services to everyone. On the creative side we have gifts to share to help bring new energy and ideas and make them happen.

All of this is good, but I think there is something missing when thinking about the Diocese. Because the question suggests an “us” and a “them”, an institution that is remote from the reality on the ground. But maybe, the Diocese is the Bishop, the Synod, the staff, the leadership and all the parishes together. Maybe the Diocese of Montreal is all of us, the People of God, working together.

Some of the greatest encouragements I have seen around the Diocese this year all come from places where we have worked together and shared our time, energy and resources. A couple of examples.

This year at our annual clergy retreat, members of our Diocesan Spiritual Directors group led us in prayer and meditation. We have a wonderful group of spiritual directors who meet regularly and are willing and very able to work with you, individually in your own spiritual journey, or at your church. They can put on retreats and lead quiet days. At our retreat they brought many gifts which blessed us in new ways as a clergy group. They can do the same for you – so ask!

Last year I worked with the stewardship team at St George’s Place du Canada on a campaign that focussed on increasing participation in automated giving. We also used the Environics maps the Diocese commissioned to focus more upon who lives all around the Church and how the congregation might connect with them. The good news is that they significantly increased the number of people on automated giving which is making a difference. They also are finding new interest from the younger adults who live in condos all around them. With the arrival of the very energetic Rev Helen Liddell as their new priest and St Michael’s mission moving into the annex, St George’s is well positioned to move towards flourishing. So, we are planning a new stewardship campaign with many good news stories to tell. We share our time and resources and, together, are making a difference.

This year you will be hearing a great deal about the Bible Story Walk (see p.1), pioneered by Lee Ann Matthews. The basic concept is to create an installation for outside Church buildings that might appeal to people walking by and invite them into the ongoing story of faith. Using the creation story as told by Godly Play, Lee Ann has created a series of beautiful panels that combine art and wondering questions. We are interested in moving this installation around different locations in the Diocese – let us know if you are interested. We launched in May at St Paul’s Greenfield Park. There the priest Trevor Potter, together with the congregation, have embraced this project enthusiastically and we are very interested to see what will happen there.

These are a few of the ways all of us, working together, can make a difference in the lives of our parishes, and so in the life of the Diocese of Montreal. Because the Diocese is all of us and when we work synergistically we can have an impact. But it takes all of us: we all have gifts to share and, together, we can make a difference.

Excerpt from Anglican Montreal Summer edition

https://montreal.anglicannews.ca/the-diocese-a-community-working-together/

Bishop's Message June 2023 (Anglican Montreal)

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photo by Janet Best

Bishop’s Message Montreal Anglican June 2023 edition

I am reflecting on the Book of Acts, chapter 2. Fresh from his own experience of the Holy Spirit filling him on the Day of Pentecost, Peter preaches an inspired sermon to a group of hecklers – and gets a tremendous response! Three thousand people are converted and are baptized! A new community is formed and begins to live out its faith. Acts 2:42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” We hear that line whenever we repeat the promises at Baptisms or Confirmations. What do you suppose that looked like in the lives of those converts? I wonder what that means to you? What does it mean as we help nourish new believers? How do we stay fresh in our own faith?

The new community of faith in the early church did not have any of the trappings that many of us associate with church – no building, no set pattern for prayers, no New Testament. They had the Bible that Jesus used – the Old Testament, and they had Jesus’ teaching about how to pray, “Our father in heaven...”. Whenever they broke bread together, they remembered him and shared the story of his death and resurrection. They also had the witness of the disciples and apostles who had journeyed with Jesus and they practiced the art of being followers of Jesus. They also had the experience of the Holy Spirit, animating this new community. The community grew as it reached out into the wider community with its newfound joy and hope and identity in Christ Jesus.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is animating us as well. I see many signs of life and faith and growth around the Diocese. Easter services were very well attended (where there was electricity and heat!). New believers are coming forward for Baptism and Confirmation. I recently attended a regional service in the Townships with 140 in attendance, including new people! Many of our churches found ways to thrive in the pandemic, and have learned how to reach out beyond themselves and their comfort zones. We are becoming more diverse linguistically and culturally. We are doing good work caring for our neighbours, who are God’s beloved friends. I am excited about what God is up to! I believe that we are becoming something new.

+Mary

Message de l'évêque Anglican Montréal édition juin 2023

Je réfléchis sur le chapitre 2 du livre des Actes des Apôtres. Fort de sa propre expérience du Saint-Esprit dont il a été rempli le jour de la Pentecôte, Pierre prêche un sermon inspiré à un groupe de chahuteurs - et obtient une réponse formidable ! Trois mille personnes se convertissent et sont baptisées ! Une nouvelle communauté se forme et commence à vivre sa foi. Actes 2 :42 dit : "Ils étaient assidus à l'enseignement des apôtres et à la communion fraternelle, à la fraction du pain et aux prières". Nous entendons cette phrase chaque fois que nous répétons les promesses lors des baptêmes ou des confirmations. Selon vous, à quoi cela ressemblait-il dans la vie de ces convertis ? Je me demande ce que cela signifie pour vous. Que signifie le fait d'aider à former de nouveaux croyants ? Comment rester actifs dans notre propre foi ?

La nouvelle communauté de foi de l'Église primitive n'avait aucun des attributs que beaucoup d'entre nous associent à l'Église - pas de bâtiment, pas de modèle de prière, pas de Nouveau Testament. Elle disposait de la Bible utilisée par Jésus - l'Ancien Testament - et de l'enseignement de Jésus sur la manière de prier : "Notre Père qui es aux cieux...". Chaque fois qu'ils rompaient le pain ensemble, ils se souvenaient de lui et partageaient l'histoire de sa mort et de sa résurrection. Ils avaient aussi le témoignage des disciples et des apôtres qui avaient cheminé avec Jésus et pratiquaient l'art d'être disciples de Jésus. Ils ont également fait l'expérience de l'Esprit Saint, qui animait cette nouvelle communauté. La communauté s'est développée en s'étendant à l'ensemble de la communauté avec sa joie, son espérance et son identité nouvellement trouvées dans le Christ Jésus.

Je crois que l'Esprit Saint nous anime également. Je vois de nombreux signes de vie, de foi et de croissance dans le diocèse. Les célébrations de Pâques ont été très suivies (là où il y avait de l'électricité et de la chaleur !). De nouveaux croyants se présentent au baptême et à la confirmation. J'ai récemment assisté à un service régional dans les Cantons de l'Est avec 140 personnes présentes, y compris de nouvelles personnes ! Beaucoup de nos églises ont trouvé des moyens de prospérer pendant la pandémie et ont appris à aller au-delà d'elles-mêmes et de leurs zones de confort. Nous sommes de plus en plus diversifiés sur le plan linguistique et culturel. Nous faisons du bon travail en nous occupant de nos voisins, qui sont les amis bien-aimés de Dieu. Je suis enthousiaste à l'idée de ce que Dieu est en train de faire ! Je crois que nous sommes en train de devenir quelque chose de nouveau.

+Mary

The Montreal School of Theology (MST) seeks to fill the position of Director of Field Education

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The Montreal School of Theology (MST) seeks to fill the position of Director of Field Education. The School is an ecumenical consortium of theological colleges affiliated with McGill University, and is a warm and dynamic environment for theological education and formation for ministry