"like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house"

1 Peter 2:5

The livestream on YouTube and the diocesan website also linked to the diocesan Facebook page, Anglican Conversation will begin at 3:30pm. The livestream will begin with a video featuring music from around the diocese and images of diocesan parishes at worship, in ministry and in community. The livestream of the liturgy from Christ Church Cathedral will begin at 4pm.

“Love is going to the next level.” Those were the words printed on the small strip of paper recognizable to all who have ever cracked open a fortune cookie or popped a Christmas cracker. This particular fortune was held up to the screen for all to see by the Most Reverend Melissa Skelton as she began her remarks during the February 11, 2021 Farewell Party honouring her seven years of servant-leadership in the Diocese of New Westminster. “Love is going to the next level” she read...

Diocesan Communications, with the assistance of a committee advising Bishop John Stephens with the organization of the February 28th Installation and Seating of the 10th Diocesan Eucharist is asking for photographs. Submitted photographs that are chosen will be added to a video, livestreamed prior to the commencement of the 4pm liturgy.

We are looking for photographs of parishioners at worship, offering compassionate service to the community and beyond, and fellowship events.

The photos need to be larger than "websized" so please make sure that you haven't compressed them for "email" or "web" before they are submitted.

Also, we don't need to receive a large number of photos from any one source, up to 6 would be very much appreciated.

Please send your .JPG and/or .PNG photo files to info@vancouver.anglican.ca, as email attachments, inserted pictures, Dropbox links, Google large file transfer programs, etc.

Many thanks to all who have submitted photos over the past 10 days, we are putting together a fine collection of images.

Twelve parishioners and two clergy joined the St. Bart's Ash Wednesday “Drive-In” service on Feb 17.  Two home deliveries of consecrated ashes/prayers were also made. St. Bart's and their neighbours down the road, St. Hilda's, Sechelt have continued a tradition of offering the distribution of ashes to their greater communities and that hasn't changed because of COVID-19.

Click "Read More" and check out the Ash Wednesday service led by Rev. Clarence Li and Deacon, the Rev. Steve Bailey.

Many thanks to photographer, Jane Dittrich of the Parish of Christ Church Cathedral (Jane is also a regular and valued contributor to Diocesan Communications) for these photos from Saturday, February 13, 2021.

As much of North America was experiencing a nasty cold snap with record low temperatures, winds and snowfall we in Vancouver had our first (perhaps only??{fingers crossed}) sampling of real winter weather halfway through February. February 10-15, although chilly and a bit snowy, the Vancouver weather was extremely mild compared to most other locales. However, the Saturday when Jane snapped these shots was the snowiest February 13 in 72 years. One would need to go back to 1949 to find a February 13 when more than 9cm of snow had fallen.

An archival backlog is a reality for all archivists. At some point or another, a backlog will exist — this is inevitable. But, as we’ll soon discover, that can be addressed, and to great effect.

IMAGE

Marché Riley stands in the row in the Archives at Nanton Avenue with the newly organized backlog (Now, no longer a backlog)

Please follow this link and download the latest issue of the UAM Newsletter.

To find out how you can help out and volunteer please contact Reverend Seegers by email.

Here is a link to the UAM website, please bookmark.

More than five years ago our Anglican Bible Study started meeting in the Media Room of Fleetwood Villa Retirement Residence in Surrey. Two long-time parishioners (then in their late 80’s) had become residents there and so we moved our group for Wednesday afternoons to the Villa and a mix of residents and parishioners gathered.

Peter Bailey, who is the lay Lougheed Archdeaconry representative to Diocesan Council and in lay leadership at Christ Church, Hope has ask that diocesan communications circulate information from the BC government's Resilience BC program.

The application period will be open until Monday, February 22 at 2pm. There is a simple two-step application process:

STAGE 1: Submit a brief written, online application by the deadline.
STAGE 2: Subject to the number of applications received, participate in an oral interview with the Ministry.

Please click "Read More" for details and links.

Stewardship365 is an online curriculum that empowers local congregations to expand their vision of stewardship beyond money to include the currencies of relationship, truth, wellness, gracious leadership, time and place.

Through this process, participants will create a year-around stewardship movement enabling the congregation to shift from maintenance to mission, from scarcity to abundance and from fear to grace.

You are invited to participate in the Diocese of New Westminster version of Stewardship365 which will be facilitated by John and Joan Beck by registering here.

By following the 'Read More' prompt you will discover more information about the course and an invitational promo video from the presenters.

This Lent, choose from a number of recommended resources to take the journey from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week (February 17 - April 2, 2021). Choices include small group gatherings or individual study and they are available online and in print. For further Lenten resources, you can also check out the Lent and Holy Week "boards" on the diocesan Pinterest account. 

Please access and bookmark this link as it will be updated.

February 22 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day—a day set aside by Canadians to bring particular attention to the issues of human trafficking and modern slavery in Canada and around the world. On this date in 2007, the Parliament of Canada voted unanimously to develop and implement a national anti-trafficking action plan.

This year, the Anglican Church of Canada designates February 21, 2021 as Freedom Sunday, an opportunity to learn about human trafficking and slavery in Canada today. While our observance of this day typically takes place near February 22 (Human Trafficking Awareness Day), study and liturgical resources can be adjusted for other days throughout the year.

Please follow the link

Image: RysaVector/Shutterstock

Please follow this link for the article

Clergy, elders and lay representatives gather at the Ninth Indigenous Anglican Sacred Circle in 2018, which followed the formation of the Jubilee Commission and included discussion of a draft document on guiding principles of the self-determining Indigenous church. Photo: Anglican Video

Please follow the link for article

The Rev. Emily Garcia, assistant rector at Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, shows the space she set up for viewing the church’s Easter Vigil in April 2020. This year, churches will be entering their second Lent during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Emily Garcia, via Facebook

This February 15 article by David Paulsen post on the Episcopal News Service online garnered a lot of traction on the Diocese of New Westminster's Facebook page and elsewhere. Follow the link for the article.

Join us on-line for an evening of music and spoken word to celebrate Black History Month. The concert features renowned local artists Dee Daniels and Marcus Mosely accompanied by pianist Bill Sample. 

Register here to receive the link to watch this concert. Registration is free, but donations in support of the Cathedral’s arts programming are welcome. Donations can be made here. 

Spring Street Community Kitchen is a partnership between St. John’s Anglican Church, Port Moody; Inlet United Church; and All Saints Catholic Parish.

We will have a live demonstration featuring one-pot meals. As always, there will be opportunities to ask questions and share conversation with others! Our guest chefs are members of the Spring Street Community Kitchen planning team.

Donations raised in support of our Spring Street Community Kitchen are being re-gifted to the communities we serve. Funds raised in February will be gifted to Crossroads Hospice Society, which provides compassionate care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

**Pre-registration is required for this free event** – please email your name and email address to SpringStreetCommunityKitchen@gmail.com to be included on the list to receive Zoom connection information. 

Session 1

Saturday, March 20 10:00am – 12pm  

Session 2

Saturday, April 10 10:30am – 12pm  

Session 3

Saturday, May 15 10:30am – 12pm  

Session 4

Sunday, June 13 7:00pm – 8:30pm In honour of National Indigenous Day – Evening Event: Walking Together in Silent Prayer

This interactive and prayerful workshop will focus on the relationship between the church and Indigenous people in Canada. Our goal is to reconcile ourselves to the truths of that relationship that are complex and sometimes contradictory. Part history lesson, part lesson of the heart, we will explore how we, as Christians, can let go of the struggle to accept these truths, and how we can prayerfully work to open ourselves to new, and renewed, relationships with Indigenous people.  

Facilitated by Mary-Ellen Kelm and Katherine Murray.  

Registration: $50, scholarships available (If you need a scholarship, please contact st.dunstans@telus.net before registering).  

Register Here

Follow this link to the full posting on the St. Dunstan's website

Greetings from the Eco-Justice Unit

We would like to invite any parishioner and any parish to participate in this world-wide interfaith offering on March 11 at 11am. (locally at that time around the world).

Please visit the Green Faith Facebook page or the Faith and the Common Good website  to get a picture of this effort world-wide.

An opportunity for both clergy and lay to develop skills in congregational and organizational development.

DETAILS TO COME.

For inquiries now... and registration & program information as it becomes available follow this link.

Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster, the Right Reverend John Stephens's Ash Wednesday homily for the people of the Diocese of New Westminster.

Archbishop Skelton is working from home and at the Synod Office preparing for the final liturgy of her episcopacy, the Installation and Seating of Bishop John Stephens as the 10th Diocesan on February 28 at 4pm and her return to the Seattle area to reunite with her husband, Deacon, the Reverend Eric Stroo.

Although bittersweet, Her Grace is very much looking forward to the Online via Zoom "Farewell Luncheon" with Synod staff on Wednesday, February 24.

Bishop John Stephens's orientation facilitated by Archbishop Melissa continues.