Synod 2003 - Archbishop's Charge - Forty-Ninth Session of the Synod of the diocese of Athabasca
Dear Friends in Christ,
I welcome you all to this 49th meeting of the Synod of the Diocese of Athabasca. We meet in the name of Jesus Christ as the body of Christ in this part of His Kingdom in Northern Alberta.
First of all, I want to give due recognition to both the clergy and lay leadership of this diocese for their dedicated and committed leadership that they provide and will continue to provide to the communities that they are serving. It is important to take the time to acknowledge the gifts that you share with others and we who are the family of the Church need to be intentional about the celebration of those gifts. Thank you and may God continue to bless you in your several ministries.
It is perhaps an understatement when I say that we are meeting in a time of turmoil within the family of the Church. The pain of division as a result of a New Westminster Diocesan Synod's decision to bless same-sex couples as well as New West's Bishop's decision to proceed against the council of the National House of Bishops has left a number of parishes feeling left out of the Family of the Church. The subsequent action in the USA of a Diocese electing an openly gay bishop that was later confirmed by the National Assembly of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America is an added cause for concern.
We in this Diocese cannot afford to avoid this very difficult issue of homosexuality .The challenge that we face is to deal with homosexuality as we have done with other issues in the past, from the perspective of the Anglican way which is through a discussion of scripture, tradition and reason. It is through this process that a reasonable solution can and will be found. However, I must be totally honest when I say that I am fearful that we are already into the process with little or no reference to any of the three foundation blocks of our Anglican heritage. There is evidence that the two sides are lining up in full battle formation with the so called Evangelicals on the one side and on the other, the Liberals. I ask simply, where are the traditional, middle-of-the-road Anglicans? And why has this issue gained so much prominence? There is no question about the growing polarity that threatens to divide our Church.
I have deep concerns not only with the Church but now with the recent decision of our Federal Government to redefine the legal definition of Marriage. Let me stop here and remind all of you that I wrote a message to the members of this Diocese in which I suggested that you write your Member of Parliament informing him or her of your opinion on the decision to change the definition of marriage. After all, democracy is still government by the people and not by a committee of the Supreme Court.
The action of the Federal Government has been without consultation with any Church organization and now a whole new perspective is brought to the blessing of same-sex couples. Furthermore, a careful reading of the Ingham document on the blessing of same-sex couples indicates quite clearly that the signs of the liturgy that are used signify a marriage and not a simple blessing. When you use the symbols of marriage along with the same vows, we are talking about marriage. Therefore, I am firmly convinced that both the Government's actions and Bishop Ingham's liturgy for the Blessing of Same-sex Couples have trumped any desire on the part of the Church to enter into a theological debate on the blessing of same-sex unions. We in the Church must address the issue of marriage and not blessing of same-gender couples. This means that the agenda of General Synod must be a debate on the Marriage Canon and not simply a blessing of same-sex couples as a justice issue.
I am further convinced that if, and that is still a big if, the Federal Government is successful in the redefinition of marriage, then the Church has a responsibility to examine that definition using the traditional Anglican method of scripture, tradition and reason. In that proposed definition, and I caution you all because at this point it is speculation as to what that definition contains, we may discover that it would be wise for the Church to withdraw from its present relationship with the Government. By that I mean that we in the past have provided the services of our clergy for the purposes of performing marriages for the communities that we serve. After an honest review, we may discover that it would be more faithful to our traditions and faith community if the Government was to be responsible for performing all marriages and the Church could then confine itself to celebrating the blessing of marriages according to its faith requirements. I make this observation because I feel that creeping into the debate there is an atmosphere of inevitability. With the Government changing the definition of marriage from what they voted in favour of only four years ago, I have had people say to me that the debate is over and the Church should just get over it.
I am sorry but to simply 'get over it' is not good enough. We are part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion which has not moved in this direction and, in point of fact, the 1998 Lambeth Conference voted 90% in favour of holding to the traditional view of marriage which is one male and one female. We in this Diocese have and will continue to recognize the importance of the traditional marriage and family values that have served us well for centuries. Therefore, I uphold and expect this diocese to. uphold, the present teaching of the Church about same-sex relationships. This means that no clergy of this Diocese may bless or perform the marriage of same-sex couples. However, we have an obligation to pray, to listen and to participate in the debate with the wider Church as a catalyst for healing and not division. We, need to pray that our Church may discern the mind of Christ to enable this division to be averted and that we as a family may have the courage and will to obey what we are called by Christ to do.
I appreciate the fact that you have upheld the parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster who have withdrawn from their diocesan relationship because of the decision of the Synod of New Westminster to authorize the blessing of same-sex couples. Further, I want you to know that this has not been an easy decision for any of them involved in this dispute, especially Bishop Buckle who has latterly put his ministry on the line as he tries to find ways to support the people of faith in the parishes involved. Continue to pray for all involved, especially for Bishop Terry Buckle, for through the power of the Holy Spirit an answer will be found. That solution in time will be of God's doing. It is through faith in Christ and not through anger or resentment that true healing will become a reality .The pain of broken relationships, both within and outside the Church, stands as stark evidence of the need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In spite of that turmoil, I want you to know that we have in our Diocese some real strengths and challenges that should not be undersold nor taken lightly. We have the gift of small parishes scattered across some of the best countryside in Canada. The gifts of the people of faith who meet regularly to worship and work are the greatest gifts of all. But they too are facing challenges. Small numbers and rising utility costs are a cause for concern. Stewardship and congregational development along with providing pastoral ministry are the next subjects I want to address.
Stewardship is perhaps the most misunderstood word in the church. Some respond by saying "all they want is my money". That is indeed unfortunate for in a careful study of the term stewardship you will discover that the true meaning of being a steward is simply how we respond to the presence of Christ in our lives. Further, you will discover that stewardship is mentioned throughout scripture and signals how you and I live responsibly in the world that God has created. It means that we have been given certain gifts and it is our responsibility to respond in our ministry of service to those around us. If there are people who have less and are in need, it is our responsibility to share from the blessings that we have received. As stewards of the land and property, farmers that you all know try to do everything in their power to improve on what they have received. As Canon Dale Huston reminded the clergy a couple of years ago, we are blessed, like no time in the history of the Church, with great wealth. The problem that was identified is that we, like society at large, are in danger of being addicted to wealth. How we deal with those several issues around being a good steward defines our commitment to Christ and His teachings. In a very real sense, Stewardship is a spiritual issue. We must rise above the negativity and greed of our society and focus on the mission of the Gospel. I remind you of the history of this Diocese. With no money Churches were built, the Gospel was preached and the message of Hope in Jesus Christ was received.
My challenge to you at this Synod is to endorse and support the Episcopal Endowment Fund for the future work of your Church in Northern Alberta. The idea behind this fund enables all of us to put forward a bequest as a gift of love to ensure the work of the future Church. Congregational development must be taken seriously as we look at areas of our Diocese where churches are struggling under heavy costs and yet the communities are not reflecting a population decline. I refer to places like High Level which has experienced steady growth since the mid 1970' s. In High Level, we have a small house Church which is faithfully served from Fort Vermillion. We need to be more proactive in finding the proper support for developing ministry opportunities in High Level. The problems of short term employment in the community must be addressed as a challenge and not a deterrent for ministry .This is a challenge that I place at the feet of the whole Diocese and not just the Parish of Fort Vermillion. We must learn to partner with other Church bodies such as Church Army and take from what we have learned in Fort McMurray and apply that to a ministry of building up a new part of the family of the Church. Providing ordained, pastoral ministry has been a very real challenge these past few years. A goodly number of people have indicated a desire to serve in the Diocese, and yet for various reasons, the numbers that accept the call have diminished. There are a lot of practical reasons for this, such as second vocations, rural ministry not part of their wish list and so on. However, I want you to know that we have several people who are at various stages of training coming from within the Diocese and we are going to need a few more. At the youth camp I challenged the youth to consider the vocation of the priesthood as a valid calling. To support that issue I would suggest that all of the leadership of the diocese make available to the youth of all parishes the opportunity to serve at the altar .The next step in my own formation was afforded me when I was encouraged to read part of the service, then lay reader, and before I knew it, I was on my way to theological college. There is no question in my mind that those priests who have come from within the Diocese have been able to do very well. There do not seem to be any cultural problems.
While addressing the issue of ordained ministry , I am pleased to inform this Synod that I am now convinced that the institution of a perpetual Diaconal Ministry would be of benefit to the welfare of the Church in this Diocese. To that end I have asked each member of the Bishop's Council for their written opinion for which I was very grateful. I have also been able to acquire standards that are used in other dioceses and am committed to going forward. There needs to be a good understanding on the part of the Diocesan family before we actually begin the process of ordination and implementation; however, I am convinced in the wisdom that requires the potential members of the Deaconate be classified as Diocesan clergy as distinct from parish clergy. The licensing process would reflect that.
At a previous Synod we accepted the Covenant with the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and committed ourselves to the full involvement of Indigenous People in the life of the Diocese. As part of the Covenant, due recognition is given to the cultural identity of first nations people. This is born out in the use of the Cree language in services in Wabasca and the use of a miniature teepee as an ambry in the sanctuary. What does excite me most are the discussions that I have had with the leadership of the Pentecostal Church in Wabasca with a view to developing a long standing relationship leading to eventual reunion of the Church family in Wabasca. An attempt at using the Alpha program as a bridge to this goal has been suggested and hopefully the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us in this journey.
With regard to the Residential Schools issue, the Diocese has paid its share of the Settlement Fund, the details of which you will receive from the Secretary Treasurer. There is, however, another class action suit that is being pushed along and I am certain that our chancellor, Bill Paul will inform you on that. The point that does concern me is the fact that to date there has not been any substantive change in the attitude of our national structure in responding to the genuine pain of those people who worked in residential schools and who were not abusers. I addressed this at a recent meeting of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples but more work needs to be done.
Last, but certainly not least, is the need to acknowledge the work of the Rev. Shaun O'Connor in providing leadership in the development of a Diocesan youth Camp. Shaun and the people he has gathered around him have been able to provide an excellent environment of faith and learning. I was so impressed with the group that I met with in August at Camp Artaban. They were young men and young women who were taking seriously the challenge and responsibility of being members of the Church. There was full participation in the worship, and the music was excellent. When I suggested that they consider the priesthood as a possible vocation, they listened and didn't treat the issue lightly. Hopefully, with the plans for a Provincial Youth Synod, participation from our Diocese will be high which would result in a Youth Synod in the Diocese of Athabasca. Given the opportunity the Youth of our Church will prove that they are not the Church of tomorrow but very much the Church of today.
In conclusion, I believe that given all of the uncertainty in our society and the fall-out resulting from decisions made in parts of the Church that we have a perfect opportunity to be what God has called us to be -the Church -the Body of Christ. Now is the time to reclaim our agenda and be who we are. It is time like never before to be a Church where people in their sorrow and pain, theirjoys and celebration, are enabled to discover the blessings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
May God uphold you all in His love and care!
+John
Archbishop of Athabasca
Metropolitan of Rupert's Land