Starting with close of nominations for deputy prolocutor.
Starting the Youth presentation…Judy Steers talking…talking about new primate….things to come….thunderstorm starting outside (aside)……talking about projects, ecojustice etc. Now slides and stories.
Talking about Ask and Imagine program, Forum in 2008. Subsidising youth etc. Now talking about funding requirements – resolution will come on this. Nationally organised program. Lots of wide circles (is this a theme hmm?)
Abp Athabasca comes to speak – not on agenda – talking about Bp up North in 19th century (1893). Servanthood ministry. Bp Tony Burton addresses also.
More presentations….have to admit not entirely paying attention at the moment….ahem.
Anglican Council of Indigenous People Presentation Introduction, songs, drumming. Greetings…celebrate and welcome Bp McDonald national indiginous bishop. Introducing elders, guests, United Church of Canada guests, SecGen of National Indiginous Network, US friends.
1993 Gathering of National Indiginous leaders. 1995 GS covenent to build national network supported. Talking about litigation over residential schools. Indiginous Covenant Implementation Comission. (Being bombarded by acronyms here…somebody help meeeee)
Abp Andrew talking about formation of the national indiginous bishop now. Talking about Primate authority….would never go into diocese without diocesan bishops say-so (a pointed remark, perhaps). Authority moral, and this authority was needed to find Bishop. Accolading Bp Mark McDonald.
More talks. Bp Mark McDonald now on stage. Presenting gifts – stole and mitre etc… Some more words…”reality is now here”. Ummmm…more presentations and gifts. Talking about journey just beginning, with other denominations too.
SecGen of National Indiginous Network called. Church one week ahead of itself (?)….good start for churches…another shawl….he will be buried if they keep this up.
Bp Mark McDonald speaking…you are my relatives. Tremendous honour to be here. Native stories, to be successful in life young men must carry high the teaching of their elders (hmm). Tribute to indiginous bishops in Canada. Another step along the road re appointment of national bishop…issue before society is being treated like an alien in own land…very hard.
Every nation tribe etc given unique authority by H.S. My position is to try and midwife that reality. Sit in council with elders and seek to understand what spirit is saying to them.
At moment here of much risk and danger…..best place is here (Winnipeg) where the waters come together.
I’ve had many successes but more failures…talking about Canadian father….thank you so much for this opportunity.
Introductions of nominees for Deputy Prolocutor
Heather Dixon
Chancellor Robert Falby
Matthew Keyhaus (sp?)
Rob Marsh (sp?)
Sheila Vanderputten
And, we are done (in many, many ways…..)
PS…..Rev Canon Susan Jonson elected ELCIC leading bishop
Hey, Peter… It’s the 22nd today…
Ah, copy and paste problems……heh…..
[...] BLOGGER– Writing from the deluxe facility; Now for the rest of the day; General Synod evening session 21/6/07 … [...]
Interesting to know Judy Steers is up there. (Say hi from me if you see her.) I was on a panel with her in Niagara last year, discussing The Issue. She said (and this is almost verbatim): “Can we stop talking about the trajectory of scripture? Cos that would imply that these 66 books have some kind of unity, and that would imply there is something supernatural about them. And we all know from first year Biblical studies that that is not the case.” No wonder we have difficulties agreeing on other things.
Blessings!
John
it’s interesting that judy steers seems to get all of this recognition for creating these new initiatives at the national level. in reality, her work with ‘ask and imagine’ was already happening before she was brought onto the national scene. and most of what has happened, is all online stuff – which the initiative began prior to her and is most likely being run/organized by the national church web-staff. why is she being paid!?!
everyone is patting her on the back, but for what? there was no mention at all in her presentation of young people being converted, in fact, i am quite certain that faith in Jesus Christ is not a priority for her.
Hello.
I just came across this posting and I’m not sure who “B” is, but I would like to address a few of the points you raise in your comments. First off, I am not getting any ‘recognition’ for ‘creating’ these initiatives. I am (if I may quote or at least paraphrase St Paul) the one who contributes to some of the planting, and God gave the growth. I have done, I believe, good and faithful work which I was called and invited to do based on my experience and training and am not seeking ‘pats on the back’ or whatever that might imply. I have been called to do a certain ministry and share good news. I’m not looking for kudos.
Yes, the Ask & Imagine program existed before my time at the national church and in 2004, in response to the national church’s stated vision for youth leadership development, the national church partnered with Huron University College/Faculty of Theology which hosts the Ask & Imagine program for Anglican Youth. It seemed like a good idea to partner with an existing program which has as its goal the spiritual, leadership, theological and ministry skills formation of young people, rather than reinvent the wheel at great cost (I would like to point out that there is still no budget at the national level to support any youth initiatives).
The Generation website (the ‘online stuff’ to which you refer) is something I have been involved in since its inception in early 2006 – first as a volunteer consultant then later I was hired by the Primate’s office on a 1/4 time contract (paid for by a grant from Ecclesiastical Insurance in the UK) to oversee the design, set-up and management of this site. The national church web staff does not run, write or organize generation.anglican.ca – they have enough on their plate just managing anglican.ca, though Brian (the web manager) and I do work collaboratively. The management of this site is what I am paid for, as well as working collaboratively with all departments in linking youth to programs and projects within the wider church.
Finally, the time constraints of the presentation at General Synod did not allow me to share with synod the multitude of stories of young people and how their lives were changed, their faith renewed, their sense of vocation deepened by their participation in Anglican youth events and initiatives. There are many stories, of conversion, of re-dedication and of renewal. I would be happy to share some of those with you in conversation some time.
Lastly, our Lord told us that our eyes are no places for specks of sawdust or for planks, and I would humbly ask, as a brother or sister in Christ, that you refrain from slanging my faith or making public assumptions as to whether or not faith in Jesus Christ is a priority for me. You could ask me about my priorities in my ministry, rather than making pejorative comments about me publicly in this forum.
Last comment – for John Bowen…that is perhaps what I said but there was a MUCH wider context for those comments; there were statements made before and after them and taken on their own, they can be interpreted in ways I clearly did not mean in the Niagara discussion. I’m not sure what you intend by including that statement in this thread – I hope I am wrong, but I can only assume it is an attempt to discredit my integrity as a theologian, teacher and Christian.