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TRINITY WELCOMES FR ROB SWEET!!
Celebration of New Ministry: Archdeacon Dawn Henderson with Fr. Rob Sweet
The congregation of Trinity is delighted to welcome our new rector, Fr Robert Sweet.
Fr Rob celebrated his first worship service with us on Sunday June the 8th. Archdeacon Dawn
Henderson presided at our Celebration of New Ministry on July 17th.
Rob was born in Africa. His parents were missionaries to the Ngambai people in the
Republic of Chad. Rob grew up in Toronto,and for twenty years served as a member of
the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service. He worked in uniform patrol, the youth bureau,
plainclothes, the detective office, community services, and crime prevention. He was a
member of the Canadian Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers.
Rob studied theology at Wycliffe College (University of Toronto). Among his classmates
were Algoma priests David Hardie, and Dick and Linda White.
In 1994, Rob graduated from Wycliffe and was ordained. He and his family (wife, Ruth; daughters,
Sarah and Elizabeth) moved to the Diocese of Saskatchewan, where he served as a regional dean.
In January of 2004, Rob was appointed Dean of Caledonia and Rector of St. Andrews
Cathedral, Prince Rupert, BC.
Rob and Ruth are delighted to return to Ontario, where all their family members reside, including
grown-up children (Sarah, Elizabeth, Matthew, and Jesse), young grandchildren (Noah and Jacob),
and mothers (Viola Guy and Hazel Sweet, who look forward to coming to Parry Sound by train).
Music is one of Robs main interests. He plays guitar and mandolin. Other interests include
community events, the French language, and the study of birds and other wildlife. He is looking
forward to enjoying the fitness trails of Parry Sound.
Welcome to a new time in our church.
An appeal for prayer on the eve of Lambeth
Historic apology to residential schools students seen as a beginning
Algoma's Bishop Ferris to retire in fall
Vision and principles of communications
Welcome to a new time in our church.
We hope the Trinity web site will give you a sense of who we are and of our commitment to
spreading the good news of God in Jesus Christ by word and example.
We are located on beautiful Georgian Bay, where Gods handiwork is simply gorgeous! As for our
Trinity family, Gods presence animates all we do. Our worship, social gathering, loving outreach,
and many other activities express our commitment to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to respect
the dignity of every human being, and to strive for justice and peace.
We hope this visit via the Internet will convince you to come to Parry Sound and experience our
hospitality in person.
God bless to us this new year.
In your mercy grant us time for the task,
Peace for the path,
Wisdom for the work,
And love to the last.
Shalom
(Shalom is often translated as peace but has many other shades of meaning: health, wholeness,
justice, prosperity, unity.. )
To learn more about us, visit our Parish Profile page
To learn more about Parry Sound and its attractions go to Town of Parry Sound
An appeal for prayer on the eve of Lambeth
ARCHBISHOP FRED HILTZ
PRIMATE, THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
JULY 15, 2008 -- This week about 700 Anglican bishops from throughout
the world will gather at the University of Kent in Canterbury, Eng.,
for the 2008 Lambeth Conference. In convening this once-a-decade
gathering, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has expressed
his hope that the bishops' relationships with one another in Christ
will be deepened and that our capacity for compassionate and
courageous leadership will be strengthened.
On July 20th the opening service will take place in Canterbury
Cathedral - a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people worldwide.
It will be a moving moment when the Archbishop sits in the chair of
Augustine who arrived in England in 597. The gospel will be proclaimed
in many languages. The Eucharist will be celebrated. To receive the
sacrament in such an international gathering as Lambeth is to be
reminded of the words of the Communion hymn:
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
One cup of blessing which we bless -
And we, though many, throughout the earth,
We are one body in this one Lord.
(#73, Common Praise)
A typical day at this conference will begin with worship. On July 29th
the Anglican Church of Canada will host the celebration of the Holy
Communion. I will preside and our National Indigenous Bishop, Mark
MacDonald, will preach.
Following the Eucharist and breakfast, the bishops and spouses will
gather for bible study. The focus will be the "I am" sayings in the
Gospel of John. And then five bible study groups will come together to
form an Indaba group. Indaba is an African word meaning "meetings for
purposeful discussion among equals." Discussions will focus on a wide
range of themes, including Anglican identity, living under the
scriptures, fostering communion in the interest of mission, the gospel
and social justice, being Christian in a multi-faith world.
Afternoon sermons are "self-select." They too will cover a wide range
of themes - from evangelism to ecumenism to environmental concerns.
Evenings are set aside for plenary sessions - some for bishops only
and some for bishops and spouses. A number of groups, agencies and
societies host receptions later in the evening.
The London Day is July 24th. Everyone is invited to lunch at Lambeth
Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the
heart of London, and for tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. This
day will also feature a march led by Archbishop Williams in support of
the Millennium Development Goals.
Considerable time will be given at Lambeth to a proposal for a
Covenant among the churches in the Communion. At a time of great
tension and strained relations, it is hoped that a Covenant would
enable us to maintain the highest degree of communion possible.
Bishops will study what is known as the St. Andrew's Draft and provide
feedback which will then be taken into account as the Covenant Design
Group prepares yet another draft for presentation at the 2009 meeting
of the Anglican Consultative Council in Jamaica.
The blessing of same sex unions will undoubtedly be discussed. While
some describe this matter as a Communion-breaking issue, many more are
deeply committed to an ongoing conversation guided by the principles
of intentional listening, mutual respect, constructive dialogue and a
capacity for tolerance of a variety of theological perspectives. For
some, the conversation centers on how we read and interpret scripture.
For some, the conversation needs to be expanded to include the benefit
of scientific research. For some, the critical question is "what
constitutes loving and responsible pastoral care of gay and lesbian
couples who desire to live in monogamous, life-long committed
relationships?"
My hope is that our conversations will reflect the charity expected of
all those who follow Jesus. I pray that we will not break communion
with one another but rather renew commitments to abide together in the
fellowship of Christ's love and peace.
Please pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury, for all the bishops and
their spouses, and all those who provide staff support and volunteer
service to the conference.
What follows is a list of the daily themes throughout the conference.
21 July Monday
Celebrating Common Ground: the bishop and Anglican identity
22 July Tuesday
Proclaiming the Good News: the bishop and evangelism
23 July Wednesday
Transforming Society: the bishop and social justice
24 July Thursday
London Day
25 July Friday
Serving Together: the bishop and other churches
26 July Saturday
Safeguarding Creation: the bishop and the environment
27 July Sunday
Worship at Canterbury Cathedral or a parish in the Diocese of Canterbury
28 July Monday
Engaging a Multi-faith World: the bishop, Christian witness and other
faiths
29 July Tuesday
When power is abused: gender relationships
30 July Wednesday
Living Under Scripture: the Bible and the bishop in mission
31 July Thursday
Listening to God and Each Other - the bishop and human sexuality
1 August Friday
Fostering our Common Life: the bishop, the Anglican Covenant and the
Windsor Report (1)
2 August Saturday
Fostering our Common Life: the bishop, the Anglican Covenant and
theWindsor Process (2)
3 August Sunday
Preparing to Go Home: the bishop as a leader in God's mission
Pray that through this conference, our beloved Church here and
throughout the world will be renewed in the call to be "God's People
for God's Mission".
Historic apology to residential schools students seen as a beginning
ART BABYCH
Jun 11, 2008
OTTAWA
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, today said he was moved by
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's apology to victims of residential schools and is optimistic that the
historic apology - made on behalf of the Canadian government - will be followed by action.
"I was equally grateful for the apologies - and that's what they were - offered on behalf of the other
political parties," he said in an interview with the Anglican Journal on Parliament Hill after Mr. Harper
delivered the apology in the House of Commons June 11, followed by apologies from the other party
leaders. "I was very encouraged by their determination to make sure that this apology is seen as a
beginning, and that it will be accompanied by actions that will significantly improve the quality of life
for First Nations people in this land," the primate said. The government's apology was directed at the
generations of victims of what Mr. Harper called "a sad chapter in our history" and asked for
forgiveness for the students' suffering and for the damaging impact the schools had on aboriginal
culture, heritage and language.
Aboriginal leaders and abuse victims, among them Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of
First Nations, were in the chamber as Mr. Harper delivered the apology.
"Today, we recognize this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place
in our country," said Mr. Harper. "The Government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the
forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly.
"The Government of Canada now recognizes it was wrong to forcibly remove children from their
homes . to separate children from rich and vibrant traditions," he said. "We apologize for having done
this."
To read the rest of the story, please visit the Anglican Journal Web site,
http://www.anglicanjournal.com
Algoma's Bishop Ferris to retire in fall
Solange De Santis
Staff writer
Bishop Ronald Ferris of the northern Ontario diocese of Algoma, who also served as bishop of the
Yukon, said he intends to retire, effective Sept. 30, 2008.
"Thank you, Algoma, for what has been a most joyful and productive era in our lives. We will miss
you dearly. You have been wonderful friends and co-workers in Christ's mission," Bishop Ferris said
in a letter to clergy and members of the diocese, which is based in Sault Ste. Marie.
"Jan and I leave feeling loved and supported and we take with us a wealth of joyous memories," he
wrote. "We are deeply appreciative of the prayers, encouragement and friendship we have
encountered in every corner of Algoma over so many years
In an interview with the Anglican Journal, Bishop Ferris, who will be 63 in July, said he and his wife
Jan are planning to move to the west coast, possibly to the Langley, B.C. area southeast of
Vancouver.
The Ferrises have six adopted sons and daughters who are now adults, and four grandchildren (a fifth
is due in August). "We have three children in the Yukon, one in Victoria and one in Chilliwack (B.C.)
. One is in New Zealand and will probably be relocating to the lower mainland (around Vancouver),"
Bishop Ferris said.
(Bishop Ferris' son Ramesh is currently cycling across Canada to raise awareness of polio. The tour
is featured in the June issue of the Journal.)
The bishop has no specific plans for the future beyond "just enjoying retirement and having some
decompression time and time to reconnect with our family."
In his letter to the diocese, Bishop Ferris noted that he has led the diocese for 13 years. "Combined
with the 14 years I spent as bishop of Yukon, I have now been continuously travelling for 27 years!"
he wrote.
To read the rest of the story, please visit the Anglican Journal Web site, www.anglicanjournal.com
Vision and principles of communications
Feb. 23, 2007 -- The following document was prepared by General Synodıs Communications and
Information Resources Committee and endorsed at its meeting in February. The document is being
forwarded to the Council of General Synod with a request that it also adopt the document as the basis
for the communication practices and policy of General Synod and that it commend it to the church at
all levels.
Vision
Communication is at the heart of who we are as people of faith. We are human
beings created in the image of the God who called creation into being. We are people of faith who
have been shaped by how our ancestors came to understand God as living word. We are people of
this fractured world who have responded to Gods good news of reconciliation in Jesus Christ. We
are disciples of Christ who have been called to go forth and share that good news with others.
Communication is central to our understanding of ourselves and of God.
The God we have come to know and follow is one who communicates with humankind.
Communicating is integral to Godıs nature. Creation itself is an act of communicating. Human beings
have been created to communicate with God and we need other human beings with whom to
communicate. The prophets give voice to Godıs self-revelation of love and longing as well as despair
and disappointment with Godıs people. The gospel writer John describes Jesus as Godıs Word
made flesh, an intimate act of communication with and commitment to humanity. Our God is a god
who communicates and engages with creation.
Therefore it is not enough for us as Christian people simply to communicate about God. We must
communicate in a way that reveals the character of the God whom we worship. We must show who
God is by how we communicate with others and with one another. How we communicate is as
important as what we communicate. We might even say that how we communicate is the message of
who and what we are as Godıs people. That is why principles of communication are critical to what
we do.
Principles
There are many principles of communication that illustrate the character of God and of Godıs people.
Five are listed here but these are not exclusive of others.
1. Transparent: Our communication should be clear and understandable. If written, the material needs
to be jargon-free with a level of literacy to match the audience for whom it is intended. If non-verbal,
the images need to reflect the diversity of Godıs people so that it is clear that the message is intended
for all. In addition to transparency in how the message
is given, it is critical that the content be honest and focused on helping Godıs people to see and
understand what is happening in the world, in their community, and in their church.
2. Timely and accurate: In order to communicate with clarity and integrity, the communication,
whatever it might be, needs to be timely and accurate. Accurate information that is received when it is
needed will enable people in the church to participate more fully in its life, its ministry and its
decision-making. Mistakes, when made, should be freely acknowledged and accurate information
given.
3. Participatory: Since part of the goal of communication in the church is to enable the people of God
to be the body of Christ, then clearly communication needs to be participatory. People within the
church must be included in the communication and invited to respond, to converse, to reprove, to add
, and to enliven both the process and the product. When our communication is outside the church, the
same principles hold true. As God invites response, so do we.
4. Mission-driven: The church does not exist for itself; rather its purpose is to participate in Godıs
mission, to be Christıs body in the world. How we frame that mission and the particular goals we
have in meeting it may change from time to time. Yet at all times, our communication should reflect
our current understanding of that mission and be driven by it. Our telling the story needs to be flexible
in approach, multi-levelled in expression, and theologically framed. The priorities of what and how
we choose to communicate should reflect our mission and Godıs mission.
5. Respectful of others: In keeping with Godıs character, our communication with others, whether
within or outside the church, should be respectful of and charitable to others. This holds true both for
the audience with whom we are communicating and those whom we depict through the full range of
our communication practices including writing, photography or film. Our work needs to be humanely
spirited those with whom or about whom we communicate.
These principles are not for a communications department alone. Communication is part of the work
of all of the General Synod. Therefore, communication and the principles upon which it is based need
to be integrated into the overall operation of the national church. Integration in itself is an important
principle of communication because, without it, our message becomes fragmented and diluted.
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