March 2, 2022

Dear People of the Kootenay,

On this Ash Wednesday, I greet you in the name of Christ, the One we follow on the road to the cross, who knows our griefs and sorrows, who leads us into Life.

Early this morning I joined in an international ecumenical prayer service for Ukraine, organized by the World Council of Churches, Anglican Communion, and many other alliances.  There were several thousand church leaders from around the world in this worship service.   The Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury have called for this Ash Wednesday to be a day of fasting and prayer for a Just Peace in Ukraine

We heard from pastors and priests across Ukraine and on the Ukrainian borders receiving refugees; they expressed gratitude for our prayers, asked for our continued prayers, and for help with food, as there is already a shortage.  The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund PWRDF has already sent out $20,000 to aid refugees on the Ukrainian border, and will continue to collect donations.   

We pray for God to establish a Just Peace.  We pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones,  for safety for those who are fleeing, for safety for those who are hiding in shelters from gas strikes and shelling, for wisdom from God for leaders, for courage and strength for Ukrainian peoples.  We pray for an end to the senselessness of war.   

I was moved and profoundly grateful that the organization of the ecumenical church has enabled support to be quickly mobilized on the ground in Ukraine.  

Cesar Garcia of the Mennonite World Conference spoke on Ephesians 1:  “The hope to which God has called you”. Hope is the ability to see another reality and to act on this, to envision a peaceful future, to establish communities that embody hope.  For followers of Christ, believing that tomorrow will be different enables us to act toward that future today.  He invited us to commemorate Lent by being Hope.

To turn to another matter, some of you will have heard of the open letter to the Primate and the Council of General Synod calling for repentance for the Anglican Church regarding the unfortune mishandling of allegations of sexual abuse in past years.  The letter is here:   https://www.acctoo.ca/open-letter/  along with the Primate’s apology.  As a member of the Council of General Synod, I will be involved in formal response to this letter when the Council of General Synod gathers next week in Toronto.  Of course, we all recommit to the continuous work in our Church, national, parishes, and diocese, regarding compassion for survivors of sexual abuse, for justice and healing for those who have been hurt in or by the Church, for just processes for handling complaints, for proactive work to create a safe church. Before our last synod in May, the Diocesan Council of Kootenay was working on needed updates to our Sexual Misconduct Policy, and asked for better clarification of our process for handling complaints.   Tomorrow night Diocesan Council will be considering a new draft of those revisions.  Many thanks to Kate, our Executive Assistant and our interim Executive Officer Alan Akehurst for their careful work on this revision. Pray for Diocesan Council as we tend this important piece of the work of the Church. I also ask your prayers for the Primate and the Council of General Synod.  

I am delighted to announce the appointment of our new Executive Officer, The Rev. Rita Harrison, who will begin the last week of April. The Reverend Alan Akehurst, interim Executive Officer, will have some days of overlap with her as she begins.  There will be further introduction of Rita later.   We welcome her back to the Diocese of Kootenay and look forward to working with her in this Diocesan role.

Lent means “Spring”;   as we breathe more deeply anticipating being able to gather more in person in our worship and in community life, may we also discover this Lenten Season the places where God is working for new life, in our hearts, our relationships, our communities, and our world.  

If you have not been able to participate in an Ash Wednesday service, the service at 7:00 p.m this evening will be live streamed from St. Michael and All Angels Cathedral, https://ccsmaa.ca/ with me presiding and the Dean, David Tiessen, preaching.

May you have a Holy Lent. 

Yours in Christ,

+Lynne      

March 3- Provincial House of Bishops, BARDS, Diocesan Council

Bishop Lynne is participating and teaming up with St. George's West Kelowna. For more info or to support their fundraising efforts click the icon below

March 6- Bishop to preach for St.Mary's East Kelowna

March 8- Travel to Council of General Synod (CoGS)

March 9- Planning & Agenda Meeting

March 10-13 Council of General Synod

March 12- Warden & Treasurer Zoom Workshop

March 15- Ministry Committee

March 16- Ordinal Task Force, Provincial Executive Committee

March 20- Happy birthday to Bishop Lynne, who wears many hats (quite literally!) as our Bishop and Provincial Metropolitan and balances it all with humility, grace, and a touch of humour. I know the Diocesan staff can speak on behalf of many when we say we value the work she does and the way in which she does it. Blessings on your year ahead Bishop!

O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servant +Lynne as she begins another year. Grant that she may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen her trust in your goodness all the days of her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Details & Registration: HERE