Convocation - Atlantic School of Theology

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Convocation

2008

Vol. 14 No. 1 Summer 2008

www.astheology.ns.ca

Best Practices Institute 2008-09

Best Practices Institute 2008-09

“So that all may learn and be encouraged.”1Cor. 14:3

The Best Practices Institute offers AST graduates and other church leaders sustained professional learning opportunities, collaborative interaction with colleagues, and leadership from world-class experts and local facilitators, both on-campus and at a distance.Opening Workshop: 26-27 Sept. 2008

With internationally respected congregational systems consultant Peter Steinke, author of How Your Church Family Works, Healthy Congregations and Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What.

LeadINg through

anxiety, change & conflict

Cost of ParticipationStream A – The Cohort : 20 participants maximum$450 for the full year program includes all in-session meals and printed resources.Stream B – The Workshop : 40 places available$125: AST Alumni Rate$150: Community RateCost covers plenary sessions and lunches.

This third in the series of Best Practices Institutes is aimed at those in positions of congregational leadership who are guiding their charges through anxious and stressful times of transition and change. JAneT MARShAll, our facilitator, brings expertise and experience as a consultant in the field of congregational development in the areas of: context and identity based visioning and planning; self-assessment ministry reviews; amalgamations; conflict, church governance; and leadership development. A co-founder of Potentials and senior consultant since its inception, Janet opened Potentials East in Halifax NS in 2006.

For More InformationContact BPI Event Coordinator Sue Reid at ASTTel: 902-423-6939 Email: [email protected] visit our website: astheology.ns.ca

“ Steinke inspires courage in leaders to maintain the course, unearth secrets, resist sabotage, withstand fury, and overcome timidity or doubts.”

anxiety, change & conflict

NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS!CALL OR EMAIL FOR A FORM

AST MAGAZINE Summer 2008 / 3

A Fuller Brush Mission? by The Revered Canon Eric Beresford

While AST has been blessed with relatively steady enrollment over the last nine years, declining enrollment is a fate befalling most universities, concurrent with the declining attendance witnessed in many of your congregations. We aim to attract more students because we believe our ecumenical and thoughtful approach to

education is producing leaders desperately needed in the world today. As there is an accelerating world population, how can it be that our large institutions are seeing fewer and fewer participants? Have we become so fragmented a society that we no longer can support our institutions?

The response to this fragmentation has been through ‘niche marketing’, or targeting a product, service or institution to a small, well-defined audience. It’s almost full circle, if you can hearken back to the days of the Fuller Brush Company, when visionary Nova Scotian Alfred C. Fuller deemed it more expedient and effective to fill the countryside with personal, door-to-door salesmen than to fill newspapers with big, expensive, “sledgehammer” style advertisements.

It can be tricky to find the target audiences these days, and to get the number of targeted messages out that is required. Luckily, as an institution, AST has you, our alumni and friends. Your ministry is a context that gives you the opportunity to pro-mote and celebrate this institution, even as you promote and celebrate (or defend, as the case may be!) your home church, parish or pastoral charge.

So be our Fuller Brush women and men. Go out and demonstrate the value of your ecumenical education, and talk about your call. Help the others in your life see that this kind of education can be beneficial to them as well —whether they are called to ministry or whether they are lawyers, accountants, teachers, social workers, medical professionals, or any other profession that helps others, deals with ethics, or calls for a depth of purpose.

AST’s 2008 graduating class included students from all walks of life, including a teacher, a nurse, and a dentist who was formerly the Associate Dean of the Dalhou-sie Dentistry School. There were also students straight out of their undergraduate degrees, and others who received their call and sought out AST for its inclusive and balanced curriculum. Our “niche market”, our target audience, is tucked away in the pockets of your communities all across this country. Help us find them, guide them, and shape them into the leaders this world needs.

INSIDE4Convocation 2008

6 What’s Happening On Campus

9 , 10 People News

The centrespread of this magazine is AST’s new recruitment poster/ brochure. Please help us spread the news about the value of AST’s ecumenical education, and the importance of answering your call. Detach the poster, and post in your church, worship centre, local university or wherever else you think it may reach interested potential students. Or give it to someone you feel may be wrestling with their call.

AST Magazine is a publication of Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, NS, published on the authority of the Senate and its Publications Committee.Published on paper twice annually in October and May, AST Magazine is mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Agreement # 40016126.Acting Editor: Charlene Boyce YoungPlease address correspondence to: The Editor, AST Magazine 660 Francklyn Street Halifax, NS B3H 3B5ISSN: 1207-7771email: [email protected] address: http://www.astheology.ns.ca

Cover photo:© Tammy Mcallister | Dreamstime.com

4 / AST MAGAZINE Summer 2008

Convocation 2008

Nineteen new alumni emerged from AST’s May Convocation. Themed Faith in Action, the convocation featured a special guest address by her Honour, Mayann E. Francis, Lieutenant Gover-nor of Nova Scotia.

The first annual Lieutenant Governor’s Faith in Action award was pre-sented to Timothy Crooks, the Executive Director of Phoenix Youth Pro-grams. Mr. Crooks has been working with Phoenix Youth Programs since 1988, becoming the Executive Director in 1998. During his tenure, Phoenix programs have expanded to a full continuum of care unique in Canada.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Faith in Action Award is a new award housed at Atlantic School of Theology, which will be presented annually to a Nova Scotian whose faith has inspired significant public service, high profile or otherwise. The benefits of this service go beyond the recipient’s immediate faith community to the public at large.

The award is accompanied by The Hiltz Prize, a cash prize of $500 presented by the Board of Governors of AST in honour of the work and ministry of Archbishop Fred Hiltz, an AST graduate deeply committed to the wellbeing of communities in Nova Scotia and beyond.

The Prendergast Prize in New Testament Studies is another new award, honouring Archbishop Terrance Prendergast, the first Jesuit Archbishop of Halifax, who is now the Archbishop of Ottawa. Terrance Prendergast taught at AST from 1975-81. This award was presented to MDiv graduate Nicholas Hatt.

Adult Education Certificate in Theological StudiesLynda Anne Downing, Bedford, NSNorma Lord, Hammonds Plains, NSTanya K. Moxley, Hammonds Plains, NS

Graduate Certificate in Theological StudiesMichael R. Giffin, Kentville, NSMargot Ruth Roach, Tatamagouche, NS

Master of Theological StudiesGerald Frank Gabriel, Cornwall, PEIJean Marie Davis Kerr, Cole Harbour, NSNoreen Elizabeth Richard, Halifax, NS

Master of DivinityKelly Anne Burke, Dartmouth, NSMatthew W. H. Fillier, St. John’s, NLKevin S. Frankland, Grand Manan, NBNicholas Hatt, Chester, NSLydia E. MacKinnon, Little Narrows, NSBasil Alexander Mosher, East Walton, NSCarolyn Ann Rushton, Sackville, NBHelen Anne Ryding, Halifax, NSRosemarie Sheppard, Labrador City, NLB. Galen Smith, Port La Tour, NSKimberley Dawn Waite, Summerside, PEI

sent forth to demonstrate faith in action


Scenes from AST’s Convocation 2008. Above, left: AST President, the Reverend Canon Eric Beresford and departing AST Board Chair Marilyn Sweet pose with the Honourable Mayann Francis, Lieutenant Governor of NS and the Most Reverend Anthony Mancini, Archbishop of Halifax; top, faculty, students and others line up for the procession; left, the procession enters, singing; bottom left, Timothy Crooks accepts the first annual Lieutenant Governor’s Faith in Action Award from AST President Eric Beresford and Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor of NS; bottom, the Reverend David MacLachlan congratulates Nicholas Hatt, winner of the Prendergast Prize.


ALUMNI COUSINS In late May, AST Librarian Joyce Thomson was pleased to

host a visit from a Presbyterian delegation from the island of Vanuatu, recently made famous by the television series Survivor. The Presbyterian community in the Erromanga province of Vanu-atu was originated by 19th century missionaries the Rev. John Geddie and wife Charlotte, the Rev. George Gordon and Ellen, and the Rev. James Gordon, whose service is commemorated by AST’s Gordon Room.

On CampusWhat’S haPPeNINg

New Trees Spruce Up AST The weeping willow above was donated by the Pine

Hill Alumni Sites Marking Committee, and delivered by the Reverend Bob Latimer. It was rooted from a cutting from the James Ross House, Durham, NS. There was a Presbyterian theological school operated by Dr. James Ross from that location during the period 1854-1857, which was one of the antecedents of Pine Hill and AST. A commemoration will be held this summer in Durham at the Pine Hill Alumni AGM, July 12-13.

On the afternoon of the AST Convocation on May 3, 2008, in the presence of several students, AST CAO Dave Myatt planted the willow on the AST property, on the front lawn near the front walkway.

A plaque will soon be placed beside this willow.Below, a line of pines and spruces have been installed

along the fence just above the pumping station. These will grow to eventually hide the chain fence, and offer a bit of a wind block off the water.

PUMPING STATIONAs part of the work HRM has been doing toward improv-

ing the harbour, the pumping station located on the waterfront behind the AST residence is now, at long last, working, and has been since February.

Watch AST’s website for announcements of upcoming lectures.

In April, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs (CCEPA) presented Toby Heaps, Editor, Corporate Knights, who spoke on the topic, “Powering the Green Economy: Solutions for Sustain-able Prosperity.” Photo courtesy of www.robertsonbuilding.com.

CCEPA was pleased to present its first Annual Lecture on Ethics in Public Affairs in May, featuring Preston Manning speaking on the topic “Re-engaging Canadians in Democracy”. Photo courtesy of Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, www.ahfmr.ab.ca/

The Nicholson Lectures took place in late April / early May, and featured Luke Powery, pictured centre., who addressed “Preaching and the Presence of the Spirit.”Photo courtesy the Princeton Theological Seminary, www.ptsem.edu/.../2007engleinstitute.php


AST iS commiTTed To excellence in ecumenical theological

education and vocational competency. The curriculum is at once rigorous and flexible, utilizing the gifts and expertise of the faculty, the Atlantic context within which AST is located, as well as being hospitable to the talents and interests of students. A chief aim of the curriculum is the cultivation of inspired leaders, both lay and ordained, equipped to take up the challenges facing churches and communities in the decades ahead. AST is pleased to offer full-time, part-time and summer / distance learning options to meet the needs of tomorrow’s spiritual leaders.

660 Francklyn Street Halifax, NS B3H 3B5

Tel: (902) 423-6939 Fax: (902) 492-4048

[email protected]

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Donations

Our dynamic faculty brings a commitment to excellence in theological teaching and research to our graduate-level programs. In addition to the full-time faculty listed here, AST has a full complement of part-time and sessional faculty providing a broad spectrum of learning opportunities. Learn more about faculty’s research interests and publications at www.astheology.ns.ca.

Master of Divinity / MDiv (Honours) (On Campus or Summer / Distance)The MDiv program is offered on campus or through an online/ distance format for those who need to undertake theological studies from their home base. This program combines supervised pastoral ministry in your local context, with online academic study and on-campus summer intensives. Both on-campus and distance options fulfill UCC educational requirements for ordination.

Master of Arts (Theology and Religious Studies) In partnership with Saint Mary’s University

Master of Theological StudiesGraduate Certificate in Theological Studies Available on campus or online

Adult Education Certificate in Theological Studies Available online

Financial assistance available to qualified candidates. Generous assistance available to UCC candidates for ordered ministry.

PrOGrAm OFFErINGS

mEET OUr FACULTY

dr. JoAn cAmpbellNew Testament Studies BSc (Hons.) (University of PEI); BEd (Hons.) (University of PEI); MRE and MA in New Testament Studies (University of Saint Michael’s College); PhD in New Testament (University of Saint Michael’s College: Toronto School of Theology) [email protected]

The rev. dr. Jody clArkeField Education and Pastoral Studies BA (Dalhousie University); MDiv (Trinity); DMin (St. Stephen’s) [email protected]

dr. dAvid deAneSystematic and Historical Theology BA, MA , PhD (University of Dublin, Trinity College) [email protected]

dr. AlydA FAberSystematic Theology and Ethics BA (University of Guelph); MA (University of New Brunswick, Fredericton); BTh , MDiv (McGill); PhD, Theology (McGill)[email protected]

The rev. dr. rob FennellSystematic and Historical Theology BA (University of Winnipeg); MDiv (Emmanuel College, University of Toronto); MLitt in New Testament (University of St. Andrews, Scotland); ThD in Systematic Theology (Emmanuel College, U. of Toronto)[email protected]

The rev. dr. dAvid mAclAchlAn New Testament Studies & Early Christianity BA (University of Toronto); MDiv (Emmanuel College, University of Toronto); DTheol (Basil, Switzerland) [email protected]

dr. ThomAS mcillwrAiThDirector of Distributed Education BA (St. Thomas University); MA (UNB); BEd (St. Thomas University); MA (Th.) (St. Michael’s College); DMin (St. Stephen’s) [email protected]

dr. SuSAn SlATerHebrew and Old Testament Studies BA & MA (Concordia); PhD (McGill)[email protected]

AST is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the US and Canada.

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WELCOME to the Most Rev. Anthony Mancini to Atlantic Canada in his ca-

pacity as the Archbishop of the RC Diocese of Halifax. Not his first time in the port city, he arrived in Canada from Italy via Halifax in Dec. 1948, two days before his third birthday. Ordained in 1970, he comes to us from Montreal, and was installed on

Nov. 28.

ANNIVERSARIESOf 25th Graduation: The AST Class of ’83. Of Marriage: 50th: The Rev. George (PH’48) & Helen Ma-cLean, Scotsburn, NB, in Sept. 25/07. 60th: the Rev. Russell (PH’59) & Margie Burns, Charlottetown, PE, on Jan 28. Reagh and Rose -Marie Dennis of Halifax. Rose-Marie served as sec-retary to several AST Presidents. Of Ordination in 2007: 55th: the Rev. Dr. Morley Hodder (DD’01), NL & ON. 50th: the Rev. Dr. Hector Swain (PH’57, AST’79), Mt. Pearl, NL. 45th: the Rev. Melvin Ralph (PH’62), Mt. Pearl, NL. 40th: the Rev. Fred Hickman (PH’67), St. John’s, NL; the Rev. Ambrose Newbury (PH’67), Clarenville, NL. 25th: the Rev. Dr. Tony Newell (AST’82), Deer Lake, NL, com-bined with his 50th birthday.

APPOINTMENTSMrs. Elsie Pottle, retired Lay Pastoral Minister, was installed President of NL Conference of the UC in May. Appointed Of-ficer Coordinator at the Maritime Conference UC Office, Sack-ville, NB, in June was Jennifer Whittemore, in the place of Shir-ley Streatch who has retired. The Rev. Canon Charles Ferris, QC, formerly Diocesan Chancellor from 2000-07 in the AC Diocese of Fredericton, is now Chancellor to the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada. New Diocesan Chancellor for NB, appointed by Bishop Claude Miller (AST’88) is Clyde Spinney, QC, long-time active on diocesan committees, AC cur-sillo movement, local congregation and Scouting, and is the As-sistant Deputy Attorney General of NB. The Rev. Bill Morton is now priest and rector of the AC parish of St. Stephen, NB, mov-ing from Petitcodiac. Appointed priest-in-charge of St. James AC, Moncton, for two years beginning Nov. 1 is the Rev. Donald Hamilton. The Revs. Valerie and Karman Hunt, as of Dec. 1, are serving respectively the AC parish of Gagetown and the parish of Cambridge-Waterborough, NB. Appointed full-time rector and part-time associate priest, respectively, of St. John the Baptist AC, North Sydney, as of Jan. 1/08, were the Rev. Gloria McClure-Fraser and the Rev. Carl Fraser. The Rev. Charlotte Youland is now serving Bridgedale Pastoral Charge, Riverview, NB. The Rev. Carol Mullin (AST’95) is half-time Retired Supply at Hillsbor-ough (NB) UC. The Rev. Roland Hutchinson (AST’74, ’84) be-gan in Feb. as Sunday Supply at St. James UC, Petitcodiac, NB. The Rev. Michael Joseph Walsh, JCL (MDiv ’88) was appointed to the Office of Associate Judicial Vicar for the Halifax Regional Matrimonial Tribunal effective March 19, 2008.

PeOPle neWS AWARDS RECEIVEDMr. Bev. Smith, Prince William-Southampton parish, an AC dioc-esan layreader for over 60 years, was presented the Diocesan Award of Merit by Bishop Claude Miller (AST’88) on Aug. 28. He and spouse Elizabeth were also presented with framed pewter ornaments of the 4 churches of the parish and feted with a pot lunch farewell lunch as they prepared to move to Fanny Bay, BC. Jocelyn Greene, Executive Director of the UC’s Stella Burry Community Services, St. John’s, NL, in Oct. was presented with the Memorial University of Newfoundland Alumni Award for Outstanding Community Ser-vice. Sr. Lorette Gallant, founder of Les Jeunes chanteurs d’Acadie, Moncton, was recognized by the NB Choral Federation on Mar. 28 with the 2008 Award of Distinguished Service for her “outstanding commitment & responsibility to choral music, & ... long-term con-tribution to NB’s choral community”.

CONDOLENCESTo the Rev. George Demmons (PH’68) whose mother, Niel, died in Sept., followed by that of his brother Peter. To the Rev. George (PH’52) and Geraldine Barrett, Dartmouth, & family on the death on Oct. 25 of son Paul, age 50; also to Paul’s wife Mary Ann. To RC priest, the Rev. Bernard Sloan, Riverview, NB, and siblings in Fredericton and Halifax on the death of their mother Marion in Moncton on Nov. 17, age 89. To the Rev. Hugh Farquhar (PH’63, AAST’99), Riverview, NB, & family on the death of his brother the Rev. Alex. To the Rev. Ron Maund (PH’68), Moncton, and family on the death of his mother, Violet, on Mar. 11 in Charlottetown, age 93. To the Rev. S. Anne Meredith (MDiv ’87), whose husband of 23 years, Bruce Meredith, passed away in October 2007 after a long battle with cancer. To the Rev. Earl Leard, whose wife Elinor (Har-wood) died in January of this year. Also to all the family and friends of those mentioned in the following section.

DECEASEDOn Oct. 1 at age 77, the Rev. Harold Hilder (PH’55) died in Fred-ericton; Army Chaplain, and UC congregations in ON & the Mari-times during 35 years; Retired Supply in Lincoln, NB, at time of death. Jean Atkinson, Shediac, NB, on Oct. 8, who had served as an organist for over 52 years and treasurer of UCW. The Rev. Alphonse Sormany, Moncton, on Oct. 25, at age 93. Ordained in 1939, he served as a missionary of the White Fathers, in Malawi, for 20 years; from 1972 until retirement in 2002, he has ministered in Moncton. The Rev. H. Arthur Murray (PH’65), Saint John, NB, on Nov. 7. On Dec. 11, Sr. Corinne Savoie, Moncton, at age 90; a teaching sister with Les Filles de Jesus, she served in Belledune, Dalhousie, Barachois & Rogersville, NB, and L’Ardoise, NS. Jennie Johnson, organist at St. David’s UC, Scotch Settlement, NB, for 67 years, El-der, WMS 50-year pin recipient, UCW life member, died at age 96 on Dec. 17. The Rev. Levi Mehaney (PH’56), Gambo, NF, who had served on the Pine Hill Advisory Committee at AST, died Nov. 23 at age 78; ordained in 1956, he retired in 1986. The Rev. Dr. Bill Beach (PH’55), St. Albert, BC, died Jan. 15, in 77th year; ordained 1955, served UC in Stanley, Truro, Moncton, Sackville, Dir. of Con. Ed. at St. Stephen’s Theological College in Edmonton, then 3 Alberta congregations, and ending service in community education. On Jan. 25, the Rev. Royden Ferris (KC ’61, ’64) died in Saint John, NB, his birthplace; born 1935, ordained 1965 (deacon), 1966 (priest), served 7 AC parishes in NB, retiring in 2000. Ralph “Deane” Lockhart, organist and choir director of Hillsborough (NB) UC for more than 50 years, died Feb. 27. The Rev. Albert George Layden died in St.

AST is grateful to the Rev. Roland Hutchinson (MDiv’74, MTh’84) for compiling Friends Far and Near.


John’s, April 24, 2008, age 62 years. The Rev. Alexander Farquhar (PH’51) on Mar. 9 at age 82, in Halifax; athlete; minister of 6 UC Pastoral Charges in NS, ON, QC; one of the authors of the UC Creed in 1968; recipient of Award of Merit, 1992, from Can. Jewish Congress in recognition of leadership in liberation of Soviet Jews. Aged 89, the Rev. Major. (ret’d) Harold Higgins (PH’62), Sprin-ghill, NS, on Mar. 9; lumbering, soldier, farmer, carpenter, Light Heavy Weight boxing champ of NS, lay preacher (3 locations), or-dained 1962 serving 2 Mar. UC Pastoral Charges, Resource Dev. Officer for NS government. John Merlyn Cook, 75, former mili-tary chaplain and United Church minister, of Deep Brook, An-napolis Co., passed away March 6, 2008, in Annapolis Royal. A Pine Hill grad, he was ordained in 1957. Rev. Msgr. William John Stanislaus Wamboldt, JCD, Priest of the Roman Catholic Arch-diocese of Halifax, Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Bridgewater, died at home in St. Joseph’s Rectory, on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Fa-ther Robert J. McDougall died on February 7, 2008. On Mar. 25 in Moncton, Sr. Suzanne Leger (Marie-Placide), NDSC, at age 97.

ELECTEDArchdeacon Dennis Drainville, Gaspe, QC, was elected Co-ad-jutor Bishop in the AC Diocese of Quebec on Oct. 12; ordained in 1982/83, he served amidst the Toronto poor for 3 years, then at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, and AC chaplain at McGill U, followed by political activity as an NDP MLA in ON, and then as a full-time CEGEP instructor in Gaspé where he also was Sun-day Supply at Gaspe-Cap-Aux-Os UC Pastoral Charge and AC Archdeacon.

NEW LOCATIONSThe Rev. Cathy Laskey moved in Nov. from Pictou area in NS to the AC parish of Heart’s Content, NL. The Rev. Calvin Ginn has transferred from the Maritimes to Lewisporte, NL. The Rev. Silas Rodgers (AST’72) is Retired Supply of Summerville-Lethbridge, NF, United Churches.

ORDAINEDOn May 27 at NL UC Conference, East District: John Davis (AST’07), settled on Brigus-Cupids Pastoral Charge; Sharon Earle-Marshall (AST’07), settled at Shoal Harbour Pastoral Charge; Ettie Gordon (AST’07), settled in Port Blandford; Desmond Jagger-Parsons, settled at Trinity UC, Kitchener, ON; Albert Layden (AST’07) settled in Campbellton, NL; Harry Templeman (AST’07) settled in Musgrave Harbour. By NL Conf., West District, at Springdale: Chris Andrews (AST’07), settled at Carmanville; Heather Manuel (AST’07). Gethin Edward (KC), St. Andrew’s, NB, to the transitional diaconate, on Sept. 16 by Bishop Claude Miller. On Dec. 6 in Halifax, ordained AC priests were: the Revs. William Burt, Shirley Cole-McFadden, Laurie Omstead; Cathy Pharo (AST’07), now incumbent-in-charge, Alberton-O’Leary, PEI; Ken Turner, and Gary Yetman. At the same service, Ray Carter, Lynda Downing and Arran Thorpe (AST’07), the latter now pastoral assistant, parish of St. Nicholas, Westwood Hills, were ordained deacons. Ordained AC deacon on Jan. 20 in Woodstock, NB, was Jasmine Chandra, spouse of the Rev. Terence Chandra, Andover, NB. The Rev. Bruce Rideout (MDiv’07), now serving with the La Scie Pastoral Charge, NL, was ordained in the United Church of Canada as of June 1, 2008.

PRINTThe Cape Breton Post featured the Rev. Ray Purchase (PH’49) who had retired in 1973, took up violin, and has preached 275 times in retirement including at Knox UC, Glace Bay on Sept. 23, his 90th birthday. The Rev. Dr. Sue Moxley (AST’84) was interviewed on Nov. 12 by CTV News, Hfx, as she prepared to be installed as AC Bishop of NS & PEI. Introduced as the only AC bishop who is a mom, she reflected that responses included that her elec-tion was “a sign of hope for some people”. When asked about her role, she identified “nurturing people”. A Nov. UC Observer article highlighted the concern of the Rev. Brian McIntosh, Toronto & formerly of the Maritimes, and others over the justice program budget cuts of the UC. A Nov. 12 news article in the Times & Tran-script featured the Rev. Steve Berube (AST’91) and Chair of the Board Paul Burns of St. Paul’s UC, Riverview, NB, on the “Better, not Bigger” $1.2 million renovations. A Jan. 5 article in the same news publication on the same topic of church building renova-tions found the Rev. Stephen Fram (AST’89), Grace UC, Dart-mouth, among those interviewed. The Jan. UC Observer carried an interview with the Rev. David MacDonald, UC Special Advisor for Residential Schools. Another article, “How to start a concert series in your church”, quoted Malcolm Macpherson, committee chair of the Music Under The Steeple series at First UC, Truro, and Dora McGrath, facility manager, St. Matthew’s UC, Hfx, where the annual 5-day Halifax Pop Explosion is held. The Rev. Kevin Little (AST’90), Upper Tantallon, NS, provided a series, “Religious Idolatry and Truth Telling” for the first quarter 2008 issue of the ecumenical devotional publication These Days. The Rev. Phil Mul-ligan, Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, was the feature in-terviewee in the “Personalities” section of the March 28 issue of Riverview This Week.

RETIREDIn NL, retirements included: the Rev. Bill Williams (AST’91) who last served at Clarenville-Deep Bight UC Pastoral Charge, where he continues as Retired Supply. Archdeacon John Sharpe, on Aug. 31, from Christ Church Parish Church, Fredericton, and from par-ish ministry.

STAGE, TUBE & PODIUMPerforming the play “Fools for the Lord” at the ACW Annual Meeting, held in Sydney, NS, in April were the Rev. Valerie Rhymes (AST’93) and Roz MacLeod. Ordination preacher at NL Confer-ence of the UC on May 27/07 at Bethany UC, Carbonear, was the Rev. Dr. Wayne Cole (AST’88) on the topic “When All Your Price Tags Get Changed”. The Rev. Bonnie Baird (AST’94) assisted by Retired Bishop Arthur Brown (ON & formerly of NS) led a Blessing of Schoolbags Service among her new AC parish family, St. Martin’s, Western Shore, NS. With Bishop Claude Miller (AST’88) as guest speaker and the Rev. Robert Salloum, rector, leading the Service, St. Alban’s AC, Riverside-Albert, NB, celebrated their 100th anniver-sary in Sept. NB Provincial Court Judge Michael McKee was guest speaker at the Tri-Community Annual Prayer Breakfast [Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe] on Oct. 26 at which a special tribute to his late brother the Rev. Peter McKee (RC, d. 2006) was being included. Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling (AST’84) was theme speaker on the topic ‘Christ The King’ at a Nov. 3 Renewal Network Conference at Wel-lington Sq. UC, Burlington ON. The AC Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz (AST’78), and his principal secretary Archdeacon Paul Feheley, were guest question-fielders at a clergy event on Nov. 26 at


St. Clement’s Church, Dumfries, NB, which ended with Eucharist open to the public. On Nov. 30, the TV program ‘The Naked Ar-chaeologist’ interviewed Dr. Eileen Schuller (former AST profes-sor), McMaster U, Hamilton, ON, in their ‘forensic analysis attempt to discover the author of the ancient [Dead Sea] scrolls’. Audrey Daley (AST’07), Candidate Supply of the Alma-Albert (NB) UC Pastoral Charge, joined the cast of the annual 2-night (Dec. 7-8) production of ‘Bethlehem in Albert County’. The Rev. Dr. Doug “Stretch” MacEachern (PH’56), Moncton, looked at the problem of human suffering during a Lenten Bible Study ‘Book of Job’ series at St. John’s UC.

TRAVELSNicholas Hatt (MDiv’08), Chester, NS, as part of the AC In-ternational Internship Program for Theological Studies, served the Parish of St. Andrew, San Ignacio, Belize, from May-Aug. and was chaplain to three AC schools. The Rev. Foster (PH’64, AST’81) & Dorothy Jenkins, Pictou Landing, NS, travelled to Abbotsford & Vancouver, BC, for Dec. & Jan., including visits with family.

BEST WISHESFor improved health: To Austin March, retired Lay Pastoral Minis-ter, NL. To the Rev. Russell Small (AST’74), Harbour Grace, NL, as he recovers from eye surgery. For studies ahead: To Ron Shaw (AST Cert.’06), Riverview, NB, radio/TV journalist/announcer, having been received as a candidate for ordered ministry.

CERTIFICATES RECEIVEDEight AC, Bapt., RC & UC registered nurses of Bathurst, Freder-icton, Moncton and Saint John, NB, received Certificates as Parish Nurses following completion of 2½ years of study under the NB Parish Nursing Ministries in partnership with the International Parish Nurse Resource Centre. Congratulations to: Eloise Bannis-ter, Claudette Chiasson, Isabel Cutler, Sr. Ernestine LaPlante, Beth Lawson, Myra Murphy, Margaret Payne-Chenard, and Nancy Wiggins. They are NB pioneers in this field of ministry.

SUBMITTED UPDATESThis is a small sampling of information returned on the Alumni Re-Connection form that was distributed last month with the Annual Fund Appeal mailing. Have you submitted yours yet?

Who would you like to reconnect with?The Rev. G. Earl Leard, Pine Hill, DD ’46, retired in 1984. The Rev. John Robert Wayling, Pine Hill DipTheol ’50, after a long international career spanning several continents, retired in 1983. He is currently residing in Halifax.Father Angus J. MacLeod, Holy Heart ‘52, is retired and living in Sydney. In his retirement, he is serving as chaplain to the Holy Angels Convent, Sydney, NS.The Rev. Clifford R. Moase, Pine Hill MDiv’52, retired in 1992 and is currently recognized as the Minister Emeritus at Wilmot United Church in New Brunswick. The Rev. Robert S. Latimer, Pine Hill MDiv’54, retired in 2000 and is living in Truro, NS.The Rev. Melvin R. Ralph, Pine Hill MDiv’62, retired in 1998 and is living in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland.

The Rev. F. John Adams, MDiv’65, is living in St. John’s NL, and retired from active ministry in 2004. The Rev. Brian Gee, Pine Hill BDiv’63, ThM’70, lists his current employment as “retired (and recycled)” as of 2008.M. Garth Maxwell, MSLiH’72, retired in 2002 and is living in Fredericton, NB.Daniel Gunn, MDiv’75, lives in Truro Heights. The Gunn clan maintain a high profile in the local church community.The Rev. John A.C. Wilson, MDiv’76, is the minister at Alberton-Elmsdale Pastoral Charge in PEI. He is scheduled to retire in 2009.Professor Gobin Sawh, MTS’77, retired in 1991 and is living in Halifax.. He suggests some briefs from lectures would enhance the alumni magazine.The Reverend Brian Hannon, MDiv’81, is currently serving the Hant’s Harbour Pastoral Charge in Newfoundland. (Rupert) Joseph Manchester, MDiv’85, is currently serving as retired supply for the Emmanuel Methodist Church in Bermuda. Dr. Joyce Deveau Kennedy, MDiv’86, is retired from teaching but still active in the adult learner community.The Rev. Joan L. Berge, MDiv’87, retired in 2002 and is living in Baden, Ontario. Joan recently set up the AST display at Confer-ence. Thanks, Joan!The Rev. Beth Johnston, MDiv’87, serves the Kings United Pasto-ral Charge in Cardigan PEI.The Rev. S. Anne Meredith, MDiv’87, is currently the minister for the Enniskillen-Tyrone Pastoral Charge in Ontario. Nancy L. Warder, MDiv’91, retired in 2002 and is residing in Newfoundland.Marilyn J. Moore, DipThMin’95, is a L’Arche House Leader in Saint John, NB. Following her AST diploma, Ms. Moore earned a Certificate in Pastoral Liturgy (’96) and a Certificate in Religious Education (’01) from St. Paul University in Ottawa.David Spears, Dip.ThMin’95, retired from Procter & Gamble in 2004.The Rev. Randy Townsend, DpThMin’95, MDiv’00, is a Rec-tor / Pastor /Priest with the Parish of St. John’s Anglican Church in Halifax. Randy also continues to ably lead the AST Alumni Association, but is aiming to find a replacement soon! If you are interested in being more involved with the Alumni association, email [email protected] or call 496-7943. Dr. Nancie Erhard, MTS’97, is an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s University.Mrs. Helen Murphy, DipThMin’97, is employed with Wheelans White Chartered Accountants in Yarmouth.The Reverend Alfreda Smith, DipThMin’99, is currently living in North Preston and serving her community as a supply preacher. In 2004, Ms. Smith was ordained under the Atlantic Baptist Conven-tion.The Rev. Lisa Vaughn, MDiv’03, is the Senior Pastor /Rector/Priest of the Anglican Parish of Hatchet Lake and Terence Bay.Mrs. Mary Jolynn Harrison (née Van de Valk), MDiv’05, is mar-ried to the Reverend Ian Harrison, MDiv’05, and they are living in St. Martins, NB.The Rev. Jonathan Walter Tait, MDiv’05, is currently the minister for St. David’s Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ontario..... tonnes more to follow, so stay tuned. Check our website, where we will post more, and watch for the fall issue, wherein we will profile some of our vibrant alumni community!


faCulty and Staff neWS

aNNouNCeMeNtSAfter twelve years as United Church Formation Director, the Rev. David Hewitt departs from AST for new ministry challenges. For the past seven years, David has balanced the half-time ministry at AST with half-time ministry in the Cornwallis Pastoral Charge (Canning and Kingsport, NS). In moving into full-time ministry leadership with New Minas United Church, David looks forward to focusing his energies within

one ministry context and to “work closer to where I live.”

DeceasedFormer faculty member Shelley Finson died early in February, 2008. Leni Groeneveld, who served as the Pine Hill Executive Secretary until her retirement in 2006, died in May, 2008.

New Staff! New UC formation director Sally Shaw will assume office July 1, 2008. Diana Ginn, Chair of the Pine Hill Board, made the announcement in May. Ordained by London Conference of the United Church of Canada in 1992, Sally comes with experience in full- and part-time ministry. Having served in rural, suburban and urban locations, in single and multi-point Pastoral Charges, in solo and team ministry, and in a variety of Conferences, Sally brings a plethora of gifts for the preparation of Candidates for Ministry.

Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving, Mauritz Erhard, joined AST staff in February. Mr. Erhard brings significant experi-ence in fund raising having served as Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving for Union Theological Seminary in New York. Closer to home, he spearheaded a significant capital campaign for the Atlantic Region of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Mr. Erhard is working with us on a contract basis in order to restruc-ture the work of the Advancement Office in accordance with the new priorities set by the Board of Governors. Mauritz is married to Dr. Nancie Erhard, MTS’97.

New Staff and Faculty Families!Recently wed: Heather Fillmore, reception, and Peter MacDonald; and Physical Plant staff Jim Reimer and Renée Reimer (née Hughes).

A new daughter, Chora Deane, was born March 16th to Jennifer and Dr. David Deane. Chora joins big sister and hero Sophie, born Feb. 5th, 2007.

Public Appearances, Print, Publications and Other NewsDr. David Deane gave a keynote address entitled “Violence and the imagined other: Thinking 9/11 through theological categories” at the conference “Theology and 9/11” at Colorado State Uni-versity on Feb 15th and in late May, presented “Barth’s Ethics of Reconciliation and Patristic approaches to Scripture: The Case of

Matthew 25” at “The Trinity and Holy Scripture: Interpreting the Bible for the Church” conference at Tyndale University College, Toronto. The latter presentation will be published as part of the book “The Trinity and Holy Scripture” by Brazos Press in 2009. Also, Dr. Deane’s keynote address from December’s CCEPA “Freedom in Religion” series has been released on DVD and is available from the CCEPA website for $15.

Rob Fennell published his first book, co-edited with David Zub, in May 2008. It is a collection of essays written by Canadian theo-logians in honour of Harold Wells, who retired from Emmanuel College (Toronto) in 2006 and was Rob’s doctoral advisor. The book is entitled Love and Freedom: Systematic and Liberation Theol-ogy in the Canadian Context. Rob also recently published essays on the suffering of God and the Social Gospel, and on the United Church’s history of Biblical interpretation. In June 2008, at the Canadian Theological Society’s annual meeting in Vancouver, he presented a paper on Martin Luther’s approach to the Bible. Rob was honoured this spring to be accepted into an education program at the Wabash Centre. The Wabash Center supports teachers of religion and theology in higher education. All Wabash Center programs are funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.

Invisible We See You: Tracing Celtic Threads Through Christian Community Nancy Cocks$19.95. 2006 Novalis, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada.ISBN 10: 2-89507-605-7

Captivating reflections, poems, stories and liturgy written by Nancy Cocks during her three years spent at the Iona Community. Nancy was faculty at AST until this spring, and

is also the author of the ever-popular Fergie series and Growing Up with God: Using stories to explore a child’s faith and life.

Dr. Laurence DeWolfe is the author of a monthly column, called “Progressive Lectionary” in the national magazine of the Presbyterian Church. At a recent Cana-dian Church Press Awards ceremony judges commented on his work, “Good use of biblical references to challenge and stimulate ... fresh insights ... the reader is not ‘preached

to’ but led to do further reflection.” Laurence also co-authored a book of history, published by McGill-Queens in December. “The Blue Banner” is the history of the Church of Saint David, Halifax. As convener of the Presbyterian Church’s Committee on Theolog-ical Education he attended the denomination’s General Assembly in Ottawa, June 1-6.

Jody Clarke’s biggest challenge this year was that of keeping the momentum afforded by his sabbatical. Faculty workloads have a way of crushing such important initiatives, sadly Jody’s experi-


What aSt Faculty are reading now...

Marilynne Robinson, Gilead (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2004)

Gilead is written as a letter from an elderly Congregationalist pastor to the son of his late marriage, now seven years old, as the old man faces death and reaches forward in writing to the young man who will come to adulthood years after his father has gone on. As the boy’s mother puts it, “your father is writing your ‘begats,’” reflections on where—or whom—the child has come from. Along the way, John Ames offers reflections on his own life and ministry shaped into a prayer of desire and loving counsel for his son, imagined within the ‘begats’ as a young man setting out along his own path.

As the letter unfolds we become aware of a quiet and intense drama unfolding within the present of its writing, through which we come to see as much of John Ames as in anything he offers by way of retrospection or counsel.

This is a lovely book; to read it is to stand under the blessing and the commissioning John Ames has crafted for his son, to be turned again towards the importance of small things and fine discernments within our relationships, to be called to reconsider our difficult forebears (and contemporaries) and to question ourselves, to encounter life as a kind of sacrament to which the responses, ultimately, are vocational and offered in the key of gratitude.

You can find an extended review of this novel and an interview with Marilynne Robinson on-line in Religion and Ethics Newsweekly vol. 829, March 18, 2005.

—Susan Slater

ence was no exception. However, the three major articles that he completed were all accepted for publication. “The Therapeutic Covenant: A Psychotheological Pathway to Dynamic Engage-ment,” “Pastoral Diagnosis: Accessing the Psychotheogical Themes of Freedom and Meaning” will be in up-coming edition of The Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling. “The Meta-psychology of Character Change: A Case Study of Ebenezer Scrooge” will be in the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health. Speaking of Scrooge, Jody did a workshop at the 2008 Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education’s National Conference in Victoria, on the dynamic spiritual journey of Ebenezer, arguing that the kind of personal transformation that Dickens was narrat-ing sixty years before Freud, is in fact possible. This workshop is now expanding and will be a pre-conference seminar at the 2009

Spiritual Care Summit in Orlando. The title of the seminar will be “Dynamic Spiritual Care Goes to the Movies.” It will include “A Christmas Carol,” “Zorba the Greek,” “The Waking of Ned Devine” and a handful of other films that make spiritual demands on the human fabric in a way that pushes to a deeper level of self discovery. In May, Jody along with Brian Duggan will be facilitating a conference wide workshop for the Canadian Football Official’s Annual Conference on Conflict. Later in the month he will be doing a workshop for the Atlantic Therapeutic Touch Network entitled, “Psycho-Spiritual Distress and Trauma: Finding Meaning after Hell has Broken Loose.” In June, Jody will be presenting at a national gathering of people who experienced workplace deaths in their families.Also this spring, Jody will be working with Glenn Breen and Buffy Harper as they work both on the task of providing CPE programming at the IWK and develop the Health Care Centre as an accredited teaching sight.

Terry Slaunwhite, Physical Plant Manager, is participating in a series of meetings and workshops around sustainability with other campus representatives from the Maritime Region.

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Convocation - Atlantic School of Theology