KOOTENAY CONTACT
-June 22, 2022-
Sacred Circle, Port Elgin, Ont., 2015 Source
June 21- National Indigenous Peoples Day + Day of Prayer
Creator God, from you every family in heaven and earth takes its name. You have rooted and grounded us in your covenant love, and empowered us by your Spirit to speak the truth in love, and to walk in your way towards justice and wholeness. Mercifully grant that your people, journeying together in partnership, may be strengthened and guided to help one another to grow into the full stature of Christ, who is our light and our life. Amen
Bishop's Letter
June 22, 2022
Dear People of Kootenay,
Greetings as the Season of Summer arrives. June 21, National Indigenous Day, is also the summer solstice, one of Earth’s Holy Days, a day to give thanks for the faithful seasons, and the beauty, goodness and abundance of God’s Creation. As we face the challenges of responding to Climate Change, I think a crucial part of our spiritual lives is to live with immense and conscious gratitude for the gift of the Earth, of all Creation, including the Sun itself, without which we could not live.
Edward Hays, a Roman Catholic priest, in his book Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim, (which I have used in my own prayer life for years), has prayers to celebrate this longest day of the year and the gifts of the Sun. I offer you one adapted version for your prayers as we begin the season of Summer:
Holy is this time of midsummer, and holy are you, O God.
From your burning heart you drew forth a fiery ball
and flung it into space.
Your laughter shook the empty cosmos and echoed again and again
until the darkness of space resounded with your love and with fire.
You reached in again and drew forth fire and seeded it like yeast
in each atom, plant and animal, each bird and fish, each unique human.
And you gave us a special star, our sun, aflame with a life-evoking energy
to make our planet green and fertile,
sun-soaked in your love.
As we celebrate this solstice feast,
open our eyes to the countless wonders
and to the sparks of fire-life that you have planted in each of us.
May this holy and magical time
be aglow with star-fire and God-light
as we once again begin the sacred season of summer.
Amen.
I pray that over the season of summer you will find ways to renew your relationship with Earth. I invite you to create your own prayers of thanksgiving and awe for Creation; how do you express praise to Creator?
I also want to commend to you the Seasons of Creation material that has been put together by the Social Ecological Justice committee of our Ecclesiastical Province. There is a tool kit for creating your own local pilgrimage (short or long) to look at ecological issues in the neighborhood right around your church building or community. Perhaps you could gather a small group to create a Saturday morning pilgrimage for your parish in the summer or in September. As we continue to discern our local mission, perhaps such a pilgrimage would alert us to a local need we could meet, for example a stream clean-up, removal of an invasive species in our neighborhood, putting up a bike-rack in our parking lot….please send us pictures if you do a pilgrimage or project.
I have heard of many imaginative and engaging ways parishes marked National Indigenous Sunday this year (June 19), deepening our Anglican commitment to live into the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. If you did not have a chance to hear it, the video of the sermon from the Rev. Dr. Raymond Aldred, Director of the Indigenous Studies Program of the Vancouver School of Theology is available below.
May God bless you as you begin this season of summer; may you find restorative time!
Yours in Christ,
Bishop Lynne
Territorial acknowledgement for the whole Diocese of Kootenay:
We acknowledge that the land on which we gather in the Diocese of Kootenay is the traditional unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples, the Ktunaxa and Kinbasket Peoples, the Secwepemc (Shuswap) Peoples, and the Sinixt (Arrow Lakes) Peoples. We seek a new relationship with the first peoples here; one based on honour and respect, and we thank them for their hospitality. We pray that we may live more deeply into the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Diocesan News
In Loving Memory
A memorial service for the Rev. Jeff Donnelly will be held Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 1:30pm at:
St. Saviour's Pro-Cathedral
701 Ward Street
Nelson, BC V1L 1T3
Nelson, BC V1L 1T3
kokaneeanglicans@gmail.com
For those unable to attend in person, the service will be available to view by zoom. A recording will also be made and posted online in the days following the service. The zoom link will be emailed out by the Diocesan Administrator a few days prior to the service.
June 28 is Bishop Lynne's 35th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. Blessings on your continued ministry in the Diocese and throughout the Province.
The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
Artist: Jesus Mafa
"Mary, More than a Maybe!"
Advent Retreat with Bishop Lynne
November 24-27, 2022
Bishop Lynne + music minister Rev. Juanita L. Austin will lead an advent retreat at Sorrento Centre.
For an event description and further information, click HERE. Registration will open soon through Sorrento, stay tuned for the link when available.
June 11, 2022: Bishop Lynne joined the Proud Anglicans group at the waterfront for the Kelowna Pride Parade.
June 6, 2022: Bishop Lynne and Rev. Sue Basek at the deconsecration service for St. Michael's and All Angels in Balfour. Thanks to Michael Cone & John Lavender for the photos and video.
The Nelson Star published an article on the deconsecration:
Praying with our Partners in Mission- Daily Intercessions
Facebook Night Prayer
With the exception of Monday evenings, night prayer will be on hold from July 23-September 4, 2022. The Bishop will be at Lambeth Conference and also has personal vacation time scheduled while overseas. Thank you to Linda Lagroix & Cindy Corrigan who will continue to lead prayer on Mondays through to end of August.
2021 AMH Inclusion Bursary Report:
Calendar of Events
Upcoming Schedule Highlights
____________________________________________________________
June 23 General Clericus
June 24 Clergy Conference Planning
June 26 Sermons at St. James Armstrong & St. George Enderby
June 28 Territory Meeting
June 30 Synod Planning Committee
July 1 Canada Day- Diocesan Centre Closed
July 2 Memorial Service for Rev. Jeff Donnelly
July 3 Sermon at St. Andrew's Trail
July 5 Synod Planning Committee
July 7 Provincial House of Bishops, BARDS
July 10 Sermon at St.Paul's Golden
July 11-15 Chaplain at Camp OAC
July 21 Synod Planning Committee, BARDS, Finance Meeting
July 24- Aug 31 Bishop will travel to England for Lambeth + stay for vacation
Bishop's 2022 Sermon Schedule
St. Peter's Naramata- June 19
St. James Armstrong- June 26
St. George Enderby- June 26
St. Andrew's Trail- July 3
St. Paul's Golden- July 10
St. Mary's Sorrento- Sept 18
St. David's Celista- Sept 25
St. Saviour's Penticton- Oct 9
St. John's Salmon Arm- Oct 16
All Saints Vernon- Nov 13
Clergy Birthdays- July
Happy birthday to our Executive Officer Rita Harrison (July 10) and Rev. Richard Simpson (July 21).
Save the Date
September 1- October 4, 2022: Season of Creation
October 1, 2022: Diocesan Synod (virtual)
October 17-20, 2022: Clergy Conference at Sorrento Centre
**There will be no clericus meetings held in July or August**
Additional Events/Resources
Summer Programs at Sorrento Centre
Sorrento Centre is hosting a variety of camps and events for children, teens and adults. Click here for event info and registration.
2022 Season of Creation Resources
The season starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.
- Includes prayers and resources for current and previous years
- Includes resources on "how to have a conversation about climate" and "self care as creation care", connection to advocacy options
"Archbishop of Canterbury issues call to prayer for the fifteenth Lambeth Conference"
Bishop Lynne and her spouse will be attending Lambeth Conference this summer! View the prayer guide HERE
News & Resources
The Highway
The HighWay has launched a new website making it easy to view and share articles and news online.
Diocese of Kootenay Website
A few of the resources available...
- Staff Directory, Committee Listings
- Sermons & Lections
- Mental Health & Wellness
- National Truth & Reconciliation
- Find a Church
- Pathways & Ministries
- Events Calendar
- Forms
Last Laugh
If you are clergy, warden, parish treasurer or LLM and you have not been receiving communications related to these roles, please email admin@kootenay.info to advise of your role and which parish you are associated with so we can add you to our contact lists. Please ensure you check your junk email folder as well.