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St. Martin of Tours Anglican Church Gabriola Island, B.C.
Crossword Newsletter May 2012
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
Bishop ‘s Thanks 2
Rev’d Anne 3
Family Night 4
Special Congregational
Meeting Minutes
5
Shared Ministry 7
What makes a Healthy
Church in BC ?
10
11 St. Martin’s Parish
Council Minutes
Easter Sunday Picture
Gallery
12
St. Martin of Tours
Facebook page
17
Things to Share and
Ponder
19
PWRDF 20
St. Martin’s Foster Plan
Children
Bangladesh
21
Holy Humour 25
The Commons
Mark Your Calendar
25
27
2
THANKS TO ST. MARTIN’S
For those who were unable to be at St. Paul’s on April 29th, Bishop James
Cowan thanked the people of St. Martin’s from the pulpit. His sermon
spoke about Christ’s desire for our unity as Christians while, throughout
Christian history, we have continually split from one another other. The
Bishop thanked us for our ministry and our hard work to begin a sharing-
in-ministry with the United Church. He also thanked us for our faithful
presence on Gabriola and our support of Anne and her work with us at St.
Martin’s !
3
“The Lord himself has given us the time and space necessary to learn and put into practice
the service of love that He continues to teach us”- Rule of St. Benedict.
On one of my drives in the last few weeks, I heard a program on CBC about the possible imple-
mentation of all-year schooling in British Columbia. Instead of having a 10 week break during
the summer (which was originally created to allow children to work on the family farm) students
would have multi-week breaks in each quarter of the year. Teachers, parents and students phoned
in to offer their thoughts about all-year schooling. Various concerns were brought forward (such
as finances and child-care) but the main question was, ‘what sort of rhythm of education works
best for our children’?
This debate got me thinking about rhythms of life, particularly our spiritual lives, both as indi-
viduals and as a community. I see a great desire in our world for that ‘alternative life style’ that
will allow us to live more deeply and justly. How often do we speak of Christianity as an
‘alternative life style’, that is an alternative way of living?
We have our rhythm of life built beautifully into the structure of our worshipping life together.
Our Liturgical Year gives our communal life the shape and rhythm of Jesus own life. It guides us through
feasts and fasts and invites each of us into the rhythm of death and resurrection. And so are our weeks
formed: there is the rhythm of work and Sabbath, and of death and resurrection (traditionally Fridays are a
remembrance of the crucifixion, Saturdays of Holy Saturday and each Sunday is a celebration of the Resur-
rection.).
Did you know that in the BCP it asks every adult Christian to write a personal Rule (or rhythm) of Life?
This invitation is based on wisdom distilled in our monastic traditions. St. Benedict realized that our daily
use of time is incredibly important to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. So he crafted a day in
which people lived the “rhythmic succession of prayer, work and study”. Balance in these three elements,
Benedict found, acknowledged and fed the whole person and helped community as a whole function well. A
simple structure provided the framework, or the atmosphere, in which the deep rhythms our faith calls us to
live, could grow and flourish. The rhythm of gratitude. Of forgiveness. The ebb between community and
solitude; the flow between prayer and service to others. The rhythm of adoration (praise) that moves to in-
tercession.
How would you describe the rhythm of your life? Many people have told me that, now retired on Gabriola,
they are busier than they were in their working lives. Is it a rhythm that supports your faith? Is it the rhythm
you long for? And when you think of the rhythm of our communal life together, what might we better do to
live into the rhythms of our faith?
Query:
As you may already know, one of my interests is language in liturgy. I’m curious to know what words you
use to praise God. Do ‘glory, laud and honour’ still work in our day and age? Let me know:
4
Milestones
Birthdays
May 1 Vic Wiebe
May 4 Lynn Holden
May 23 Barbara Huston
Anniversaries
May 19 Vic & Karnet Wiebe
Family Night:
Discerning Hearts & Enquiring Minds
In our Baptismal liturgy we pray that our children will have “enquiring and discerning hearts” (BAS 160). The
Hebraic understanding of heart, as we know, means both heart and mind. What a beautiful thing to pray for our
children ! Indeed, what a marvelous thing to hope for adults in their lives of faith. How do we as a church uphold
this prayer that we offer at baptism?
With this question in mind, a small committee has been brainstorming and speaking with local families on the
Island. We learned that what young families would welcome would be a shared meal, activities for children, and
time to explore the very basics of Christian spirituality. Formal Sunday worship, we learned, is actually quite
intimidating.
On Saturday May 12th, 5-7pm, St. Martin’s will host its first exploratory family night! We will have a meal
together, an interactive tour of the church, a sharing circle for discussion, a story and craft. At this first evening,
we hope to discern how we might enable both parents and children to grow “enquiring and discerning hearts”
together. Should this be a ministry into which we as a community are being called, we hope to offer another eve-
ning in June.
We will need:
Tea/Coffee & milk
Simple veggie dip
Goldfish crackers (or some child-friendly cracker)
Pasta
Sauce
Grated Cheese
Desert (ice cream & sprinkles? Or Cupcakes?)
Numbers: TBA when RSVPs received
Please let Nicki Westarp know if you would be willing to donate any of the above and/or the labour involved in
their preparation. If your support comes in the form of your presence or ideas for future evenings please speak to
Shelagh Huston or Jill Marsh.
5
Minutes of the Special Congregational Meeting
April 10, 2012 4:30 pm at the United Church Hall
Regarding the Shared Ministry Agreement with the Gabriola United Church Draft 10
Present: Rev. Anne Privett, Rev. Linda St. Clair, George Westarp, Hilary Plowright, Rob Plowright, David
Soy, Jim Charlesworth, Digby Jones, Diane Parks, Carolyn Pullano, Pam Hodgkins, Angela Nutter, Rose
Jones, Corinne Carlson, Jamie Lawrence, Sally Lawrence, Jacquie Jessup [18]
Regrets: Heather Gray, Robert Gray, Elizabeth Beale, Linda Hass, Sue Lissack, Jean Seaton, Jill Marsh, Rob
Brockley, Susan Brockley, Helen Hagan, Vic Wiebe, Karnet Wiebe [12]
Rev. Anne led us in the following prayer for discernment:
Gracious God, you call us into community so that we may grow in Your likeness. Guide us, we pray, as we
journey forward in Your love. Affirm us when we discern rightly; strengthen us to reconsider when we do
not. Open our hearts to the future to which you are calling us so that we may show people Jesus. Amen
1. Good News: Legal opinion received from Lawyer regarding the Building Fund monies.
Summary of Report : Report to Parish Members re Building Fund Monies
We retained the services of Ms. Fiona Hunter, a trust specialist, with the firm of Horne Coupar in
Victoria to give us an opinion as to our options for this fund. She was advised of the origin, growth and
purpose of the Fund as well as the change in our current circumstances. She was also advised that there
is no separate governing document (trust deed) setting out the conditions under which the Fund can be
used, but that the money was intended generally to assist with the purchase of an existing structure to use
as a church, or to build one of our own. She was also informed that we have recently passed a resolution
not to build or buy at this time.
We inquired if a court order would be necessary to set out what could be done with the money held
in the fund.
Ms. Hunter referred to the Canons as they apply to us and the Fund. She was asked specifically if
we could either periodically or regularly use the fund or at least the income earned by it to help meet ex-
penses of a salaried minister on either a half-time or fulltime basis. The reply was that we did not need a
Court Order in this case and could indeed use the Fund for salaries. A special resolution stating our desire
to use some of the money for salaries, should be presented to and approved by the Parish either at an
Annual General Meeting or one specifically called to deal with this matter.
If in future, the balance of monies including capital, is to be transferred to general funds, it is rec-
ommended that the view of the Diocese be sought as well, before we proceed.
Cont’d
6
2. Questions arising from the Introduction to the Shared Ministry Agreement
When does the Shared Ministry begin? When the Minister arrives but the agreement will be
signed as soon as a favorable vote has been determined.
Acceptance of the Shared Ministry Agreement as follows:
1 Preamble = agreed
2 Intent - request the following changes: In this [change to that] Model
… joint worship will occur within [change to after] 12 months
3 Description … keep as is
4 Leadership… keep as is but with more emphasis on congregational development
5 Worship keep as is
6 Marriage keep as is
7 Governance… keep as is
8 Finances. E. h clarify that only two signatures are required to sign a cheque
9 Understand that maintenance & capital in accordance with “generally accepted accounting princi-
ples” not the same thing
d. #2 are not included in the first year
10 Property keep as is [request a copy of UCC Policy Document]
11 Denominational … keep as is
12 Review of … Parish Keep as is
13 Review of … Agreement Suggest moving part d to the Appendix A as changed
d. The minister/priest shall [delete submit a monthly report & change to report monthly to the Parish
Council (ACC) and Board (UCC)] containing … administration.
3. Shared Ministry email Vote April 22, 2012 Pam
The decision to be made regarding the shared ministry is most significant within the life of St. Martin of
Tours Gabriola and the Parish Council wish to ensure that everyone can participate.
MOTION: It is therefore proposed that the [Church of St. Martin shared ministry] vote shall be conducted
on Sunday April 22, 2012 [with friendly amendment or a later designated date M/S Jamie/Linda] in the fol-
lowing manner:
1. Each member of the community will be invited to vote by ballot. Ballot papers will be made avail-
able and votes should be deposited in the box provided after the service.
2. In recognition of the significance of this decision it is further proposed that members of the congre-
gation unable to be present on 22nd April [or a later designated date] may vote by signed letter or
email from a personal webmail account so long as the vote is submitted by Friday April 20th [or a
later designated date]. The Scrutineer will ensure such ballots are deposited in the ballot box on
Sunday April 22, 2012 [or later designated date].
3. The result of the ballot will be published on Monday April 23, 2012
M/S Pam Hodgkins/Rob Plowright Carried Unanimously as amended
3. Chancellor’s comment re: Lutheran Anne
Since there is no formal Shared Ministry Agreement with the Lutheran’s the Chancellor has recommended
that the word Lutheran be removed from our advertizing, website, bulletins etc until we establish an official
shared ministry with the Lutherans
Closed in prayer
Adjourned 7 pm M/ Rob
7
Hi all -
We are happy to tell you that both congregations voted today to agree to
the Shared Ministry Agreement! For GUC, the vote was 32 in favour and 3
against (members: 21 to 2; adherents: 11 to 1). For St Martin's the
vote by 42 people was unanimous.
We are feeling really encouraged by such a strong majority of support.
At the same time, it's important to acknowledge the opinions of those
who were not in support, and of those who perhaps voted yes but are
hesitant still.
Blessings,
Nancy & Jacquie
Shared Ministry Co-chairs
Shared Ministry Agreement between St. Martin of Tours Anglican Church and
Gabriola United Church
Thank you to everyone on the Shared Ministry Committee and especially to our co-
chairs Jacquie and Nancy!
Thank you, St. Martin's, for your faithfulness and trust as we take this step together.
As per Diocesan advice, separate worship services will continue for the next year as
we hire and discover if our new minister/priest is a good fit. Our congregations will
join together in many other good things like outreach and education projects.
Rev. Anne
8
What is an Ecumenical Shared Ministry?
http://www.ecumenism.net/smb/
It is people worshipping and serving God in a unified way while still maintaining their denominational identity and con-
nections.
It is any combination of denominations sharing a program, mission, ministry or building.
What do Ecumenical Shared Ministries look like?
Ecumenical shared ministries take many forms. They may be as simple as sharing programs and/or staff. Some congre-
gations may share a building only and otherwise maintain their own denominational ministry and services. Sometimes
several denominations may have one ordained minister and alternate the forms of worship of the participating denomi-
nations. Sometimes several denominations may have one ordained minister and one common service that meet the
needs and requirements of each denomination. Sometimes several denominations share and maintain church buildings
in a number of locations and rotate services. Many other combinations are possible, but the primary focus of this Hand-
book is on congregational shared ministries.
Over the past 30 years such ministries have become an exciting option in Canada, for a variety of reasons. In some
cases, a commitment to an ecumenical model of ministry is the primary motivation for collaboration. In other cases, de-
clining membership and resources move congregations in both rural and urban settings to consider shared or collabora-
tive ministries. Small, isolated, or ecumenically committed congregations from different denominations may choose to
worship together so that in this way they may be able to continue as a community of faith in an alternate form. In other
cases the formation of a new ministry in a community may prompt those involved to deliberately choose to form a col-
laborative ministry from the outset.
The Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, and United Churches in Canada have formed (as of November, 2006) a
national ecumenical shared ministries task force, which will collect and disseminate resources about ecumenical shared
ministries. http://www.ecumenism.net/smb/
This webpage is intended as an initial location for compiling some of the resources available about Ecumenical Shared
Ministries. As well, we are developing a directory of ecumenical shared ministries. We seek your support in this develop-
ment, so that we can be as inclusive as possible. Please send us your contact information and a brief description of your
shared ministry.
Some existing resources
· Ecumenical Shared Ministries Handbook (2011 edition)
Information for congregations interested in becoming (or already being) ecumenical shared ministries. It is pre-
pared by the Ecumenical Shared Ministries Task Group, which has representation from the Anglican Church of
Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, and the Presbyterian Church in Can-
ada.
Using material initially developed by ecumenical shared ministries in northern Alberta and British Columbia, and
reviewed by the Anglican-United Church Dialogue, they have prepared this Ecumenical Shared Ministries Hand-
book. This material is intended as a resource for those engaged in or contemplating the establishment of an ecu-
menical shared ministry, and those interested in learning more about the dynamics of ecumenical shared minis-
tries. The guidelines in this handbook are not authoritative, and need to be utilized with reference to the relevant
policies, regulations and practices of the participating denominations.
Shared Ministries Bureau
9
\
What is an Ecumenical Shared Ministry?
http://www.ecumenism.net/smb/
It is people worshipping and serving God in a unified way while still maintaining their denominational identity and con-
nections.
It is any combination of denominations sharing a program, mission, ministry or building.
What do Ecumenical Shared Ministries look like?
Ecumenical shared ministries take many forms. They may be as simple as sharing programs and/or staff. Some congre-
gations may share a building only and otherwise maintain their own denominational ministry and services. Sometimes
several denominations may have one ordained minister and alternate the forms of worship of the participating denomi-
nations. Sometimes several denominations may have one ordained minister and one common service that meet the
needs and requirements of each denomination. Sometimes several denominations share and maintain church buildings
in a number of locations and rotate services. Many other combinations are possible, but the primary focus of this Hand-
book is on congregational shared ministries.
Over the past 30 years such ministries have become an exciting option in Canada, for a variety of reasons. In some
cases, a commitment to an ecumenical model of ministry is the primary motivation for collaboration. In other cases, de-
clining membership and resources move congregations in both rural and urban settings to consider shared or collabora-
tive ministries. Small, isolated, or ecumenically committed congregations from different denominations may choose to
worship together so that in this way they may be able to continue as a community of faith in an alternate form. In other
cases the formation of a new ministry in a community may prompt those involved to deliberately choose to form a col-
laborative ministry from the outset.
The Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, and United Churches in Canada have formed (as of November, 2006) a
national ecumenical shared ministries task force, which will collect and disseminate resources about ecumenical shared
ministries. http://www.ecumenism.net/smb/
This webpage is intended as an initial location for compiling some of the resources available about Ecumenical Shared
Ministries. As well, we are developing a directory of ecumenical shared ministries. We seek your support in this develop-
ment, so that we can be as inclusive as possible. Please send us your contact information and a brief description of your
shared ministry.
Some existing resources
· Ecumenical Shared Ministries Handbook (2011 edition)
Information for congregations interested in becoming (or already being) ecumenical shared ministries. It is pre-
pared by the Ecumenical Shared Ministries Task Group, which has representation from the Anglican Church of
Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, and the Presbyterian Church in Can-
ada.
Using material initially developed by ecumenical shared ministries in northern Alberta and British Columbia, and
reviewed by the Anglican-United Church Dialogue, they have prepared this Ecumenical Shared Ministries Hand-
book. This material is intended as a resource for those engaged in or contemplating the establishment of an ecu-
menical shared ministry, and those interested in learning more about the dynamics of ecumenical shared minis-
tries. The guidelines in this handbook are not authoritative, and need to be utilized with reference to the relevant
policies, regulations and practices of the participating denominations.
· Towards greater co-operation in ministry
A communiqué issued by the church leaders of Saskatchewan in December 1990 encouraging shared
ministries. Shared ministry is a distinctive contribution of Canadian churches to ecumenical structures. A
shared ministry is normally a congregation in which a single minister is called to serve by two or more
denominational bodies. The congregation belongs to each denomination and the minister is responsible
to the respective judicatories.
· That They All May Be One: Building Shared Ministries
Notes from the 1999 Urban Shared Ministries conference held at Lumsden, Saskatchewan. The notes
were prepared by the Rev. Peter Wyatt, who was associate general secretary for theology and ecumenism
for the United Church of Canada.
http://www.ecumenism.net/smb/
Ecumenical Shared Ministries in British Colum-bia Resources for Ecumenical Shared Ministries in Canada
British Columbia
Chetwynd Shared Ministry (Chetwynd)
Christ Lutheran Church, Terrace (Terrace)
Church of St. Paul (Barriere)
Clearwater United Church (Clearwater)
Faith Lutheran Church (Kelowna)
Hillcrest United Church & St. Mary Magdalene
Church (Fort Nelson)
Hope Trinity Shared Ministry (Mackenzie)
Logan Lake Christian Fellowship (Logan Lake)
Mount Zion Lutheran Church (Smithers)
Naramata Community Church (Naramata)
Robson Valley Shared Ministry (McBride &
Valemount)
St. Andrew's & All Saints Anglican-
United (Chase, Celisto & Sorrento)
St. Andrew's United and St. Mary the Vir-
gin (Lillooet)
St. Columba's Anglican-United
Church (Port Alice & Port Hardy)
St. David by the Lake Anglican/United
Church (Celista)
St. John Gaulbert Anglican-United
Church (Port McNeill)
St. John the Divine Ecumenical Minis-
try (Crawston, Hedley, Keremeos)
St. Martin of Tours Anglican/Lutheran
Church (Gabriola Island)
St. Mary's Anglican/United (Sorrento)
St. Paul's-St.Cuthbert United Anglican
Church (Princeton)
St. Peter's and St. Paul's Ecumenical
Church (Gold River)
St. Peter's Shared Ministry (Hudson's
Hope)
Trinity Anglican-Lutheran Church (Port
Alberni)
West Coast Mission - St. Aidan-on-the
Hill & St. Columba (Tofino & Ucluelet)
Windermere Valley Anglican-United
Shared Ministry (Brisco, Edgewater,
Invermere & Windermere)
10
11
St. Martin of Tours Parish Council
St. Martin’s Parish Council Tues. April 10, 2012 9 am at Angela Nutter’s 1880
Starfish Place
Present: Anne, Angela, Jacquie, Corinne, Pam Regrets: Vic, Linda, Rob
Opening Prayer: Corinne
Welcome: Chair Anne
Approval of Agenda additional items M/S Angela/Pam
Minutes of the Meeting on March 14, 2012 - errors or omissions M/S Corinne/
Angela
Warden’s Report Angela
Successful Easter Service – well attended and lively
Clergy Report Anne
Thank you to the Altar Guild for their Holy Week preparations
Correspondence: None
Treasurer’s Report
March 2012 [as distributed] M/SCorinne/Anne
Business Arising from Minutes None
New Business
1. Report from Lawyer re: Building Fund: Summary to be distributed to congregation
Corinne
April 10, 2012 Report to Parish Members re Building Fund Monies
We retained the services of Ms. Fiona Hunter, a trust specialist, with the firm of Horne
Coupar in Victoria to give us an opinion as to our options for this fund. She was advised of the
origin, growth and purpose of the Fund as well as the change in our current circumstances.
She was also advised that there is no separate governing document (trust deed) setting out
the conditions under which the Fund can be used, but that the money was intended generally
to assist with the purchase of an existing structure to use as a church, or to build one of our
own. She was also informed that we have recently passed a resolution not to build or buy at
this time.
We inquired if a court order would be necessary to set out what could be done with the
money held in the fund.
Ms. Hunter referred to the Canons as they apply to us and the Fund. She was asked
specifically if we could either periodically or regularly use the fund or at least the income
earned by it to help meet expenses of a salaried minister on either a half-time or full time ba-
sis. The reply was that we did not need a Court Order in this case and could indeed use the
Fund for salaries. A special resolution stating our desire to use some of the money for salaries,
should be presented to and approved by the Parish either at an Annual General Meeting or one
specifically called to deal with this matter.
If in future, the balance of monies including capital, is to be transferred to general
funds, it is recommended that the view of the Diocese be sought as well, before we proceed.
12
St. Martin of Tours Parish Council
2. Musician’s Contract Angela
Email requesting clarification of terms in the contract by Leah & Steve ACTION Anne will rewrite
3. Chancellor’s comment re: Lutheran Anne
Since there is no formal Shared Ministry Agreement with the Lutheran’s the Chancellor has recom-
mended that the word Lutheran be removed from our advertizing, website, bulletins etc
Until we establish an official shared ministry with the Lutherans
4. Shared Ministry email Vote April 22 Jacquie
(Note: The following motion was presented to those members present at the Congregational
Meeting at 4:30 April 10, 2012 at the United Church Hall)
The decision to be made regarding the shared ministry is most significant within the life of St.
Martin of Tours Gabriola and the Parish Council wish to ensure that everyone can participate.
MOTION: It is therefore proposed that the [Church of St. Martin shared ministry] vote
shall be conducted on Sunday April 22, 2012 [Later amended or a later designated date
M/S Jamie/Linda] in the following manner:
1. Each member of the community will be invited to vote by ballot. Ballot papers will
be made available and votes should be deposited in the box provided after the
service.
2. In recognition of the significance of this decision it is further proposed that mem-
bers of the congregation unable to be present on 22nd April [or a later designated
date] may vote by signed letter or email from a personal webmail account so long
as the vote is submitted by Friday April 20th [or a later designated date]. The
Scrutineer will ensure such ballots are deposited in the ballot box on Sunday April
22, 2012 [or later designated date].
3. The result of the ballot will be published on Monday April 23, 2012
Adjournment: 10:50 am M/Corinne
Closing Prayer: Angela
Next Meeting: May 15, 2012 at 7 pm United Church [Opening: Vic Closing: Anne]
13 Easter Sunday, April 8th
Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed
Pictures Richard Pullano
14
Easter Sunday, April 8,
Baptism of Laura, Sarah and Anna
Celebrants: Rev’d Anne Privett,& Rev
Linda St. Clair
I baptise you in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
I sign you with the cross, and mark you as
Christ’s own forever
Pictures Richard Pullano
15
Easter Sunday: The
Blessing of the Pil-
grims
Rob and Susan are
walking part of the
Camino Mozarabe, also
called, the Via de la
Plata. It is actually a
more ancient route than
the well-known Camino
frances.
Pilgrimage in its truest sense is relig-
iously motivated travel for the purpose
of meeting and experiencing God with
hopes of being shaped and changed by
that encounter." (The Way is Made by
"Happy are the people whose strength is in you! whose
hearts are set on the pilgrims way" Psalm 84:5.
Pictures Richard Pullano
16
St. Martin of Tours Easter Cross in
Robert and Heather Gray’s Field
The Tradition of the Decorated
Easter Cross at St. Martin of Tours
The wooden cross was built about 12
years ago by Robert Gray and Rev’d
Donald Gordon. Originally, the un-
adorned cross was carried into the
church by Robert and Rev’d Terry Allen
at the beginning of the Good Friday
Service. About five years ago, Richard
and Carolyn Pullano mentioned to the
Grays that at their church in Winnipeg,
the cross had been festooned with flow-
ers on Easter Sunday. This seemed like
a wonderful idea and with the help of
the Altar Guild, flowers are now
brought to church on Easter Sunday to
decorate the bare ‘rugged’ wooden cross
to transform it into a living symbol of
beauty and new life.
However, this was not to be the end of
the story because one Easter Sunday,
Picture courtesy of Phyllis Nygaard
Heather was sitting in church when
she had an inspiration. She whispered
to Robert that wouldn’t it be a great
idea to transport the cross to one of
their fields and plant it there as a tes-
timony to the community during the
Easter Season.
Over the years, many people have
commented on the beautiful cross
when they have seen it at the Grays
and nevermore so than this year.
What a wonderful way to spread the
Good News and to let people know
about St Martin’s. This year, a num-
ber of parishioners accompanied the
cross to the Gray’s. Perhaps this
could be part of the tradition in future
years ?
The Tradition of the Decorated Easter Cross at St. Martin of Tours
17
Communications Department Goal :
use social media to make a difference in real peo-
ple’s lives.
You can find it here. http://www.facebook.com/
groups/191373044234456/
What an opportunity to not only spread the
word about St Martin’s but also to spread
the Good News not only to Gabriola island
its community but the world !
Survey Reveals 5 Opportunities for Churches on Facebook
http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/2010/09/survey-reveals-5-opportunities-for-churches-on-facebook/ September 22, 2010 by Paul Steinbrueck
What started as a platform for connecting friends has become one of the hottest marketing platforms for companies, non-profits
and… churches. With 500 million active users, it’s no wonder everyone is talking about Facebook.
Many people have been strongly encouraging churches to connect to people with Facebook pages (myself included). Much has also
been written about the general principles of social media (it’s not another broadcast channel, it’s a platform for engagement, connec-
tions and conversations). But very little is known about how churches are actually using Facebook or how people would like to en-
gage with their church in Facebook.
So, recently, in an effort to gain more information about church Facebook use, OurChurch.Com conducted an extensive survey.
Most respondents indicated they don’t think their church is doing a particularly good job with Facebook. While those results could
be perceived as negative, a closer look reveals some big opportunities for those churches willing to embrace the world’s largest so-
cial network.
1. Communicate More – Clearly people would like to see their church do more on Facebook.
2. Ministry Pages – A second opportunity for churches is for individual ministries to engage with people through Facebook pages.
3. Facilitate Connections – A third opportunity for churches is to help their people connect with one another.
4. Evangelism – A fourth opportunity for churches is to encourage and train their people to develop relationships with those who
are not Christians and show God’s grace and love to them.
5. Facebook Ads – A fifth opportunity for churches is to use Facebook ads to reach out to people in their community.
Why should churches use Facebook?
· 1 in 3 people you meet have a Facebook profile!
· Over 50% of UK pensioners are on Facebook – it’s
not an exclusively ‘young’ thing any more.
· If Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd larg-
est in the World!
These statistics change the tone somewhat of Jesus’
great commission to go to the ‘ends of the earth’!Put
simply – Facebook is where people are, that’s where the
church should be.
Did you know we have a Facebook page
devoted to St. Martin of Tours Anglican
Church?
18
How To Make Your Church Facebook
Page Work For Seniors
Adapted from:
http://www.internettoolboxforchurches.com/church-facebook-pages-for-seniors
by REED SHOAFF
in FACEBOOK FOR CHURCHES, SOCIAL MEDIA
What if half our church’s people were cut off from a place where
the other half could gather, minister and be ministered to, learn,
and connect?
With such a significant number of our church members within the
senior and soon-to-be-senior demographics, we should carefully
consider the steps we can take to help keep our older members
connected with their church in the 21st century.
A Pew Internet Project study shows strong social media growth
among older adults. Yet another study shows an incredible 923%
growth on Facebook for U.S. adults over 55+.
Why do seniors want to use Facebook?
In a word; relationships.
If we were to take a look at the 20 million Facebook users in the
U.S. over the age of 55, we would find that they have an almost
singular use for Facebook—to stay connected to family and friends.
You’re just not going to see this demographic growing digital crops
on Farmville or posting about what they ate for lunch.
As a church, we want Facebook Pages that allow seniors to feel
easily connected with their church.
Offer help
Many of our older members may be sick, recovering, lonely or sim-
ply in need of a visit from someone. We can offer pastoral care (to
an extent) with your Facebook Page. Demonstrate that your church
cares for its members in many ways, and loves every opportunity to
minister in this way. Include an easy way to contact your church.
A bridge to connect us
A church Facebook Page that caters to the needs of seniors is a
Facebook Page that will cater to everyone, because it connects
everyone. Incorporating these simple ideas will help bridge that
gap, so the 50% over 50 are able to stay connected to their church.
How have we considered our seniors’ needs in your church’s
online efforts? We would be very interested to hear. Com-
ments are always welcome!
19
Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come
Rabindranath Tagore
Things to Share and Ponder
For Old Age by John O'Donohue May the light of your soul mind you, May all your worry and anxiousness about becoming old be transfigured, May you be given a wisdom with the eye of your soul, to see this beautiful time of harvesting. May you have the commitment to harvest your life, to heal what has hurt you, to allow it to come closer to you and become one with you. May you have great dignity, may you have a sense of how free you are, And above all may you be given the wonderful gift of meeting the eternal light and beauty that is within you. May you be blessed, and may you find a wonderful love in yourself for yourself.
Please submit anything you would like to
share to:
hplowright @shaw.ca
20
Clean Water Improves Health and Lives
in Tanzania
April 23, 2012
By Simon Chambers
0 Comments
A woman shows her joy at being able to
pump clean water in Tanzania. Photo:
Zaida Bastos
PWRDF and the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) worked
with the Diocese of Masasi to bring
clean, drinkable water to over 33,000
people living in 10 villages in Tanza-
nia. In a country where the dry climate
makes growing food very difficult ¾ of
the year, access to clean water is incredi-
bly important! Neema Ndedya, a resi-
dent of Mkwapa village, said:
I used to walk 8km to carry a bucket
of 20 litres of water every day. Over-
all, I spent four hours a day fetching
water. Of course, 20 litres was not
enough for my family, who needed
120 litres—an average of 40 litres
per person per day. Those days are
behind us. Now, it takes me less than
30 minutes back and forth from the
water well. Because of the short
distance, my family helps and we can
each carry a bucket. It makes my
burden lighter and we can have more
water for domestic use and keep our-
selves clean.
Access to clean, safe water has
helped to improve not just
the lives of women like Neema
in the communities, but has also
improved their health. Water
borne diseases including cholera,
diarrhea, and typhoid are less
common in the villages now.
30 men and 30 women in the
region learned to manage the
water resources. The villages
now have water management
committees which have planted
trees around the water points,
fenced the wells off to protect
them from vandalism and know
how to repair and maintain the
water points. A water attendant
is always present to oversee and
manage the use of the water
points, and to collect user
fees. The fees help to fund the
maintenance of the wells. Vul-
nerable people including orphans,
people living with AIDS, the
elderly, and people with disabili-
ties are exempt from water fees.
21
St. Martin of Tours
Plan Children
22
St. Martin of Tours Plan Children
23
Cont’d
24
25
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human
because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a
whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said,
'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'. The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?' The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasion-
ally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.' The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like'. Without missing a beat,
or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute'.
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explain-
ing the commandment to 'honor' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our
brothers and sisters. Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed
that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisi-
tively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mum?' Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and
make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.' The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said,
'Mummy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'
The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the
group picture. 'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or
'That's Michael, He's a doctor.' A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was
a large pile of apples.. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray Take only ONE . God is watching.'
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.
A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples'.
Holy Humour
TEXAS BEER JOINT SUES LOCAL CHURCH OVER LIGHTNING STRIKE!
A bar called Drummond's (in Mt Vernon, Texas ) began construction on an expansion of their building, hoping to "grow" their
business.
In response, the local Southern Baptist Church started a campaign to block the bar from expanding - petitions, prayers, etc.
About a week before the bar's grand re-opening, a bolt of lightning struck the bar and burned it to the ground!
Afterward, the church folks were rather smug - bragging about "the power of prayer".
The angry bar owner eventually sued the church on grounds that the church... "Was ultimately responsible for the demise of
his building, through direct actions or indirect means."
Of course, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise.
The judge read carefully through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's re-
ply.
He then opened the hearing by saying:
"I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that
what we have here is a bar owner who now believes in the power of prayer, and an
entire church congregation that does not."
True story!!
26
Announcements
1. Sign up for garden space at Namaste Allotments
2. Website Update
Participation Opportunities
1. Help serve food at the Spring Fair - May 5
2. Volunteer to track Membership
3. Workbees - Saturdays 10-12
4. Join a Team; Attend Council - next Council: May 1 at 7pm
Events
1. Many Goings-on at the Commons - Commons Calendar
2. Gabriola Commons Spring Fair - May 5, 10-2
3 . 'Dinner at My Place', 6 menus on offer - March thru May
Commons Contact Info
Quote of the week: “We do not choose survival as a value, it chooses us.”
- B.F. Skinner (submitted by Jinny Hayes)
Commons Contact Info
Updates brought to you by: The Communi-
cations Team of the Gabriola Commons
*please contact us if you or someone you
know wants to be added to our emailing
list*
675 North Road, Gabriola Island BC
website: www.gabriolacommons.ca
email: info@gabriolacommons.ca
phone: 250-247-9977
booking the Commons:
www.gabriolacommons.ca/booking.html
Events
1. Many Goings-on at the Commons
2. Gabriola Commons Spring Fair
Several groups and individuals use our commons space to hold events, workshops, and meetings.
Check out our Commons Calendar for more information about what's happening.
To book space at the Commons, visit www.gabriolacommons.ca/booking.html, leave a message at 247-9977 or email book-
ings@gabriolacommons.ca.
Get in on some special island cooking in support of the Commons! You can now sign up for a great dining
experience
provided by fellow Islanders in their homes. For only a $30 donation, you can enjoy a gourmet dinner on one (or more!) of the following themes:
April 27 - Mediterranean - hosted by Mary Joyce Gillis & Jenni Gehlbach
May 2 - Food Allergy Menu (specialized for each guest) - hosted by Maureen Karagianis
May 18 - East Indian - hosted by Ulrike Porat
View full menus at http://www.gabriolacommons.ca/index.html
3. Dinner at My Place
27
MAY
St Martin’s Garage Sale May long weekend Saturday May 19th 8-12 at the Nygaard’s 363 Lyngale Place
Set up & drop off items Friday May 18th 10 am BBQ for Volunteers 5 pm bring your own meat and either salad/vegetable or dessert to share
Barbara Huston’s 90th Birthday Celebration Sunday May 20th
Come and Go 2-6 pm St. Martin’s is providing the finger food. Please bring some savoury finger food. Cake cutting at 4 pm at 1725 Petkau For more info contact Jacquie 247-8308 or Jill 247-8767
JUNE
Games Night & progressive potluck dinner Friday June 15th 5:30 pm at the GUC Church Hall
Sign up sheet in Church Hall for choice of Appetizer, Salad, Main or Dessert
Ladies Outing to Coombs for Lunch Tuesday June 19th 10:05 ferry Car pool Sign up sheet in Church Hall Drivers & participants needed
AUGUST
Church Picnic TBA
SEPTEMBER
Games Night with Soup & Sandwich Friday Sept 14th 5:30 pm at the Church Hall
NOVEMBER – Remembrance Day
All Saint’s Celebration Thursday November 1st TBA [Pam Hodgkins]
DECEMBER
Wine & Wisdom New Year/Advent Party Finger food snacks potluck Saturday December 1st at 7 pm at the church hall
28
Prayer Wheel
To make a request for prayers and/or thanks for prayers or to participate in this
ministry please contact Phyllis reeve at 247– 7889 or tpreeve@shaw.ca
Caregivers
Meeting
Meets at 2pm
on the first
Wednesday of
the month.
Gabriola
United Church
For more infor-
mation call An-
gela
Handbell Ringing
There will be a workshop for those interested in handbell ringing.
This will be on May 18th at 10:30 - 3:30 with a pot luck lunch.
For more information phone Margaret Taylor 247 2025
Donations for the Food Basket for People for a
Healthy Community, Gabriola
Please support this vital ministry to those in need
Donations of food may be placed in the basket as you
enter church or you may contribute financially using
the Food Bank jar at coffee time.
Pastoral Care Ministry
I’m pleased to announce that Carolyn Pullano is the new Pastoral
Care Coordinator at St Martin’s.
Please contact Carolyn if if you know of anyone in need of support in our parish
or community Ph # 250-325-2747 or Email cpullano@gmail.com
The Pastoral Care Ministry cares for all and empowers people to assist in bring-
ing Christ’s healing to people through people” Carry one another’s burdens…”
Gal 6:2
29
Bulletin Announcements
to Jacquie by Wednesday at 5:00pm
jmjessup@shaw.ca or phone 250-247-8308
Rev Anne’s Schedule:
April 30-3: St. Martin's (1st: Clericus in Parksville; 3: Newly ordained clergy, Victoria)
May 5-11: St. Paul's (5: Safe Church workshops, Nanoose Bay; 10: Cobble Hill Clergy Day)
May 12-17: St. Martin's (12: Family Night!)
May 19-24: St. Paul's
May 26-31: St. Martin's (19: Liturgy Committee, Victoria)
Interim Priest: Rev. Anne Privett ph# 250-247-8648 E-mail:
aprivett@bc.anglican.ca
Wardens: Angela Nutter, Vic Wiebe
Prayer Wheel: Phyllis Reeve tpreeve@shaw.ca
Hilary will be away on holiday for the months of May
& June and so please submit your articles to Jacquie
Jessup at:
250-2478308 or Email jmjessup@shaw.ca
who will be producing the newsletter for those two
months.