EMERALD ECHOParish Newsletter

St. Bride of Kildare, Pitt MeadowsSt. Columba of Iona, Halfmoon Bay

The Traditional Anglican Church of Canada

Vol. 7 No. 1: Lent 2016

What price unity: Is it possible??

Many times, when you go to one of these large scale conferences, you often wonder what changes might result from all the lofty words spoken, the resolutions crafted and adopted, just before everyone checks out of their hotels and leaves for their journey home.

But just occasionally, the visit you make to that conference, or synod or clericus retreat bears an unexpected, but hoped for harvest. This has been my fortunate experience: first of all at the ‘Congress of Catholic Anglicans’ in Fort Worth and more recently at the Provincial Synod of the ACC on Athens Georgia, USA. Subsequent to these two meetings the distribution of the letter below should be like soothing balm – of Gilead? – to those of us who have longed to see action taken to heal long-standing wounds, especially where the wounds, whilst painful, are superficial pinpricks from human desires and vanities.

It needs to be understood that this letter of support relates solely to the churches in the USA. At this time, there is no confirmation of a similar process underway in Canada, although it is gratifying to read this from Archbishop Janzen of the ACCC in the Christmas edition of the ‘Diocesan Chronicle’: ‘In North America, discussions are proceeding with the Christian Episcopal Church, the Anglican Province of America, the Diocese of the Holy Cross, and the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province). It is hoped that these discussions will eventually lead to intercommunion between these jurisdictions and ourselves, and in the course of time, perhaps organic union as one traditional Anglican church worldwide.’

And, of course, we in the TACC pray that these sentiments might come to pass for all of us in in the

Traditional Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Catholic Church around the world….”

INTERJURISDICTIONAL LETTER OF SUPPORT December 23rd 2015

We the undersigned bishops of the Continuing Anglican churches, as indicated below, pledge to work cooperatively, in a spirit of brotherly love and affection, to create a sacramental union and commonality of purpose that is pleasing to God and in accord with godly service to our respective jurisdictions.

Additionally, we will endeavor to hold in concert our national and provincial synods in 2017. Our goal for this meeting will be to formalize a relationship of communio in sacris.

During the intervening period, we will work in full accord toward that end. We will seek ways to cooperate with each other, supporting each other’s' jurisdictions and communicating on a variety of ecclesiastical matters. We will maintain regular monthly communication by teleconference.

The Most Reverend Walter Grundorf, The Anglican Province of America

The Most Reverend Mark Haverland, The Anglican Catholic Church

The Right Reverend Paul C. Hewett, The Diocese of the Holy Cross

The Most Reverend Brian R. Marsh, The Anglican Church in America

May the sun rise and shine on their work…….

News from Fr. David…….Lent and me……

“I want you to be the first to know: I mean, I found this to be absolutely incredible, and yet it is true: and it’s true for you as well!!!” “What is true for us both?”“We’re brilliant, geniuses: well, I mean to say, we all are!!”

Did you realize that we can tell the difference between two chemicals: and then decide how much of each one would be good, and how much of each we should discard? It doesn’t matter which chemical you pick: metals, like iron and copper, salts like sodium, potassium or magnesium, as well as all those odd things like iodine, or those bad ones like nicotine or tar!! This is all done without us having to think about it. So, I am brilliant (& so are you) Just don’t ask me how I can do this: for that I would have to learn the language of my body, the language of the cells which, all assembled in something close to the right order, is what I am: but with one clear exception: that is the spark of life which was lit at the moment of my conception: my very first birthday

candle, a true a loving Gift of God, lighting my way in the intricate assembly of what was to become me, as I grew gently nurtured and tenderly loved in my mother’s womb.

The language of cells is to be learnt through the study of human physiology, and of genetics: where the key role of nucleotides has led to their being called the ‘building blocks of life’ - Adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, & uracil.

“Happily, it is not necessary to hold the details of DNA structure in your mind at all times!   As the sugar and phosphate sides of the molecule are constant they are frequently represented by parallel lines.  Even better, each of the nitrogen bases is conveniently represented by the first letter of its name.  These conventions allow the simplified representation of the molecule shown in the figure below

Or, even easier, a section of a DNA molecule is often abbreviated to show the bases of just one strand:

A T G G C T A C”

(http://ircamera.as.arizona.edu/NatSci102/NatSci102/text/

nucleicacid1.htm)

So, if we believe that our life begins at conception, then we might ponder on the fact that even as we, ‘the occupant of the body’, so to speak, are not able to understand this language of the cells that is happening at every moment of our earthly life, then perhaps we can

comprehend the wonderful elegance and complexity – and beauty - of the language of the cells, as an ‘organic’ language, a language where the communication is accomplished by synapses and receptors, and weak electrical signals: in short an immensely complex and beautiful system, designed and perfected by Our Creator, for Whom all life is precious, and treasured.

And we need to understand that for God, all life is precious, even that life which denies Him, that assaults Him, and harms Him: or any of the people - the faithful believers - who stand alongside Him. It is the divine hope and prayer that these sad and lost antagonists will come to see Him as their Lord and Saviour: for when they confess Him as Lord and Saviour they shall be able to look to the promise of an eternal salvation like the thief on the Cross.

Thus it is our job to bear witness to the joy of the Christian faith: not in any noisy or loud way, but in the example of our life lived, by our efforts – especially during this Lenten fast - to meet the demands of those two great commandments: ‘OUR Lord Jesus Christ said: ‘Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’

DRM+

Light Relief: from Michael Townsend…

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?WITNESS:     Yes.ATTORNEY:  And in what ways does it affect your memory?WITNESS:     I forget..ATTORNEY:  You forget?  Can you give us an example of something you forgot?

We are all concerned with the plight of the refugees who are coming to our regions from a very different life in the middle east: Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan: perhaps we might take to heart the isolation which so many will feel, isolated because nobody can understand you, and it must be so stressful: so a friendly hello and a smile can go a long way to make someone’s day, as they set about the task of building a new life, first of all, learning the language!

More from Michael Townsend:

ATTORNEY:  Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?WITNESS:  Did you actually pass the bar exam?

With thanks to Fr. David Chislett SSC for this article from his blog http://www.fministry.com/

The excerpt from the Reverend Doctor Eric Mascall’s book, ‘Corpus Christi’ reminds me of the certainty of Fr. Michael Shier that the

tabernacle had to be central on the altar: both at St. Peter & St. Paul, Kitchener Street, and at the new church on Graham Avenue, Burnaby. This because the priest who taught Fr. Shier when he was curate at a London parish was none other than the rector of the neighbouring parish: the Reverend Doctor Eric Mascall. Fr. Shier also told me that if anyone made critical comments about how I celebrated the Mass, I was to tell them that Dr. Mascall had supervised and personally approved of this for my teacher!! DRM+

Jesus truly present . . . where should the Tabernacle be?

Devotion to Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, is common enough among Anglicans these days. Over many years, however, I have observed that this devotion tends not to exist among “rank and file” worshippers where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved out of sight in a side chapel. Indeed, in that scenario, prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament becomes the habit of the devout few rather than of the many.

On his excellent blog, Father John Hunwicke reminds us of Eric Mascall’s disquiet over the same phenomenon. He quotes from Mascall’s Corpus Christi: Essays on the Church and the

Eucharist (1965 ed). Thankfully, after much experimentation – and even architectural vandalism - there is a movement in Anglican and Roman Catholic circles to restore the centrality of the tabernacle. If any readers have doubts about this, I urge you to think about the passage from Dr Mascall:   

The fundamental facts about the Blessed Sacrament are its publicity and its centrality. It is not a secret treasure, hidden away in a corner to be the object of devotion of the abnormally pious; it is the gift of God to his body the Church. The method of reservation which is advocated by many - though fortunately a diminishing number - of our [Anglican] bishops . . . whereby the Consecrated Elements are placed in a safe in the church wall and removed from association with the altar, seems calculated to encourage almost every wrong view of the reserved Sacrament that is conceivable. Could anything be more likely to detach the reserved Sacrament from its organic connection with the Church’s Liturgy than the provision that the place of reservation ‘shall not be immediately behind or above a Holy Table’?. . . It is therefore, I would suggest, most desirable that the Blessed Sacrament should normally be reserved in as central a place as possible, upon the high altar of the church, and that regularly some form of public devotion to the Eucharistic Presence should be held, if possible when the main body of the congregation is assembled. 

Note: the book ‘Corpus Christi’ is out of print on Amazon.ca and not available from ABE books:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&sortby=96&an=eric%20mascall, but there is a good selection of his other titles, as Fr. Mascall’s writing is accessible and interesting….

The Africa AppealWe now have at

http://parishofstbride.webs.com/

You can send donations to either: The Parish of St.

Bride, c/o 20895 Camwood

Maple Ridge, B.C. V2X 2N9 or

Parish of St. Columba, c/o Box 894, Sechelt, BC,

V0N 3A0Please ensure that your cheque is

made out to the parish, with a note saying ‘Africa Appeal’

St Bride’s Mission

Mass at noon each Thursday, followed by lunch and discussion:‘The Imitation of Christ’ by Thomas à Kempis.

Location: The Meeting Room at St. Peter & St. Paul, 7772, Graham Avenue, Burnaby, V3N 1V4.

Congo (DRC), Cameroon & South

Sudan

The Africa AppealSouth Sudan News.Have you ever met anyone who has never experienced the pleasure of reading a book as the evening summer sky darkens and you have to turn on the light so you can see to read to the end of the chapter? I just received a note from Bishop Garang in South Sudan, in which he writes: ‘It was a great joy for the congregation because the people who had never seen light in their lives and it was a great encouragement to them and to the entire Diocese.’ He is speaking about the great cathedral project in the Diocese of Aweil, where there are so many serious concerns, as a result of the recent war elsewhere in the country. The Bishop writes: ‘Thousands of people are starving and many are

sick and there is fear that many will lose their lives as a result of starvation and diseases if nothing is done. So we need to pray for God’s intervention to let the needs be known. We thank God for the peace and we need to pray for reconciliation, forgiveness and lasting peace in South Sudan. Parts of the team of the rebels arrived at Juba in December and some are expected this month and the formation of unity government needs to be done this month. There is economic crisis in the country which needs prayers for God’s intervention.’ A ‘Huffington Post’ report states: ‘The peace agreement that (South Sudan) President Salva Kiir finally signed on August 26 2015) - that will hopefully ensure an end to South Sudan's current conflict - includes justice provisions that offer a chance to break a decades-long cycle of brutal abuses that South Sudanese have endured with no hope of recourse.’ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elise-keppler/hope-for-justice-for-sout_b_8055438.html)It is hard for us to comprehend the joy which people feel when they see that their home community is starting take shape and become a true community: what is being achieved by Bishop Garang, his clergy and people in South Sudan is very much like the work which was started in Britain in the 19th century by the Oxford movement in East London, Portsmouth & other places where the quality of life was poor – like the quality of life in South Sudan!Bishop Garang writes: ‘The rise of the prices because of the economic situation in the country has made things to be very difficult and life

difficult for the people of South Sudan. A bag of cement was 150 pounds (CDN$35.68) but now has gone up to 700 pounds (CDN$166.52). We were able to do plastering, painting of the church inside, construction of toilet/bathroom, made some benches and installed solar panels. We still need 7000 USD for three more solar panels, benches and toilets/bathroom and 25000 USD for fencing of the church compound. Therefore we ask for your prayers for God’s provision and thank you very much for your concern and continued support.’

So what happened when the church opened for service? Was it too big?

DRM+

The Atheist Delusion

By Phillip Lamarsh

Atheist Richard Dawkins and others are fond of quoting the ancient Spanish philosopher Seneca on religion. "RELIGION is a comfort to the masses, foolishness to the wise and useful to the powerful."

There is a big problem with this statement:

What does Seneca mean by religion? What do you mean by religion? What do I mean by religion?

It doesn't take much thought to realize that the word can have many different meanings depending on the person who is using it. Your concept of religion is different from mine. It doesn't matter whether you are an atheist, agnostic, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh - or simply bewildered. We all have different ideas of what religion is. In addition to this our concept of it changes with our circumstances and our mood. A Christian preacher may feel atheistic, agnostic and full of faith all on the same day. Our concepts of religion are not rigid. Seneca’s statement has little meaning and is rather foolish.

Dawkins is foolish. He claims that there is no life after death. He might be right but since he is not dead, how can he know? Nobody knows. The mark of a true scientist is that he will rigidly question his theories. I think Dawkins needs to know more about the scientific method. He also claims that the scientific elite are 80% atheists. This is not true. Einstein said that science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind. He also said that Albert Schweitzer was like Jesus- he put his life where his mouth was. Many of the great scientists were deeply religious. Newton was and had his theological writings published after his death. Alan Turing changed his ideas from Christian, atheist and back. He was a thinker. Bertrand Russell lectured about why he was not a Christian. I was disappointed with it and found it rather weak for a man of his stature. In a radio broadcast he also said what the world needs is Christian love.

I am religious because my prayers are answered in such a way that it would be impossible for me not to believe in DIVINE LOVE.

Bible StudyThe group meets at the Ferguson’s, (T. 604-463-5300) on every second & fourth Tuesday (from September 12th) 20895 Camwood Ave.., Maple RidgeTopic: ‘The Acts of the Apostles’Mass 7.00 pm, discussion to follow.

Why do they do that?

If you have any questions about what happens during divine worship, let us know with a short note to the editor (drm274@hotmail.com ) and we will try and give you the answer in the next Emerald Echo.

Websites. http://www.traditionalanglican.ca/

www.parishofstbride.webs.com/apps/location/

http://www.parishofstcolumba.com/

Fr. David Marriott SSC 604-551-4660

ALL SOULS’ MEMORIAL LISTFebruary 1 St. Bride of Kildare

2 Charles Peyton Bishop (Priest)2 Hilda Trehearne5 George Edwin Harron6 Thomas Phelps7 Enid Allison Ratcliffe9 Princess Margaret (Armstrong Jones)9 Cornelius Kroeker

10 Margaret Florence Jonassen 20 Peter Price (Priest)

22 Daniel Thomas Gardner 27 Frederick (Frits) JacobsenMarch 1 David Samuel Thomas 2 Frances Elizabeth Caroline Neville

If you wish to receive the Emerald Echo electronically, please drop a note to the editor at

6 Terence Gordon Trehearne7 Ralph Johnson8 George Donovan9 Lucille H. Mellish11 Irene Gardner13 Kenneth Oliver Bardwell15 George Edwards19 William Osburne Campbell21 Arthur James Watson Roberts21 Archibald Dell Walsh21 Mary Myrtle Reta Walsh23 George Frederick Bentley24 Dorothy Greene28 Filip Sexton Moline28 Robert Mansfield, Sr (Priest)30 John Hallett Low (Priest)

April 2 Wallace Alonzo Snow5 Beryl Edwards5 Evelyn Edwards5 Vadic Glendorn Snow7 Fay Butler7 Ethel Cox10 Margery Etheral Ferguson11 Denis Francis Connolly14 Betty (Laura) Chidwick21 Christopher Marriott

22 Albert Raymond Edwards (Priest)22 Elsie Geraldine Connolly23 Michael John Barnett23 Frances Mildred Stewart24 Stanley Kermeen25 Geoffrey Marriott25 Rev. Dr. Peter Toon29 Edith Butterworth

May 3 Daniel Scott 5 Gordon Wilfred Atkinson

5 John Lucas Donovan7 Joan de Catanzaro9 Colin Whitaker10 William Campbell

Services forJanuary, February, March & April 2016.

St. Bride St. ColumbaFeb-7 MassFeb 10 Mass (Ash Wednesday)Feb-14 Evensong MassFeb-21 MassFeb-28 Evensong MassMar-6 MassMar-13 Evensong Mass

Mar-20 MassMar 24 Mass (Maundy Thursday)Mar 25 Good Friday liturgyMar 26 Easter Vigil & MassMar 27 MassApr 3 MassApr 10 Evensong MassApr 17 MassApr 24 Evensong MassMay 1 MassMay 8 Evensong MassMay 15Mass