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Bishop Larry and the Edmonton Arctic Prayer Fellowship
FALL PRAYER LETTER
DEAR FRIENDS
It is 4C out. Rain is lightly falling, It feels like summer's over and fall has arrived. Despite all this I pray that the warm breeze of the Father’s merciful grace will touch you and yours as the business of this season takes hold.
School is beginning, people are back from holidays and the new faces of those who have moved into the communities are appearing. The summer for us has gone very swiftly indeed. With our diocesan Synod and the Lambeth Conference taking place during this summer, it seems that it is over and I have missed most of it in the north. I look at my canoe that has not moved since last year and hope I will get a few days in it before it gets too cold.
Family – Our children have grown up before our eyes. It seems not that long ago they were in school doing the things that little boys do. David now is 30 and has just received a promotion as the night manager where he works. When I remember the insecurity of the past I give thanks to God to see David taking responsibility and the respect he has been shown in this promotion. Jonathan, our middle child at 27 goes in September to the last session of four years of training. In December he should be receiving his ticket as an electrician. He is talking about moving to Whitehorse after. They just seem to get farther and farther away. Our youngest Timothy (21) has finished a 4 yr honours degree and is working for a year to figure out what to do with his life. Having a girl friend really complicates things. Welcome to life.
Sheila continues to work for the NWT government as a document examiner. I had a bit of excitement. I was nominated this summer in the Yukon election for Bishop. The election became a stalemate in that it takes a majority of 66% of the votes and so, since that could not be achieved, the election was delayed indefinitely. Bishop Terry Buckle, Bishop of the Yukon is staying on for awhile instead of retiring. Life goes on.
Diocese – This summer we had our Diocesan Synod where we celebrated our 75th anniversary as a Diocese. I have had the honour of being part of it for 33 years. It is my home. My family grew up here. We grew in grace here. In this diocese God called me to be a Church Army Captain, then a Deacon, then a Priest and finally a Bishop. What a patient and surprising God we have. He can take the least of us and make us useful. We had the pleasure of having our Primate and Metropolitan with us. It was truly a time to look back at what God has done, but also to look ahead to what God can do and will do if we are faithful.
We had the pleasure of have the Rev. Sue Oliver with us as the priest in charge of Ft. McPherson for 3 years. She has done a wonderful work there for us. God has called her to University Chaplaincy in Edmonton and we wish her all the best. I pray that we will get another priest who will work as hard as she has in Ft. McPherson.
As people come back from holidays things are beginning again for a new year ahead. Youth Groups, Bible Studies, Confirmation Preparation and many other meetings will be starting up. Please pray that God will supply the necessary volunteers and wisdom needed to meet the needs of the parishes. Pray also that people will respond to God’s call as I believe that God will always call those needed to do his will in the parish. If this is not being done it often means that some are not responding to his call.
This year the parishes will be challenged to consider what they are doing for outreach in their community and the world. If we are to respond to God’s call that always involves outreach. He sent us out to the entire world, not just our parishes. Sometimes I think we are too inward looking, considering too much our own parishes without reaching out around us to share the love of God that He has so generously given us. I believe without a doubt that one of the major signs of a growing church is seen in their outreach. I give thanks for parishes like Yellowknife who conscientiously put a tithe of their offerings away for outreach and mission. We live in a world full of loneliness, pain and hurt, and the Church has a message of salvation, love and healing to offer. They have Jesus to offer. There is no better message.
The Diocese has a Server on the Internet called Arcticnet. www.arcticnet.org As it grows and becomes more used, it will be a center for information and a place of teaching. I will be sending all my mail to there. It will allow each parish or parishioner who wishes, to have a website of their own --- which will have it’s own email address, as well as having all information designed for diocesan reading. I use my site to store projects I am working on so I can reach them and work on them from any computer attached to the internet. It is a place to exchange ideas and in the future I hope to be able to put up training programs on it for lay readers and other interested to learn. This August, we had the Rev. Ron Barnes come to
Hay River and Yellowknife to do some Training Workshops for people on how to use the Arcticnet. It was good to see the excitement it generated as a tool to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to our world.
As many of you are aware the financial situation is very tight. The Council of the North grant has been frozen for 5 years so, as our costs go up, it becomes harder to make things meet. I have 4 fewer clergy in my area than I had when I became a Suffragan Bishop 9 years ago. We have to begin to think of new ways to minister to people. One possible way is to get ordained clergy to volunteer 3 – 4 months of their time to serve in a parish in the diocese. In the past these have been retired priests. They (and their spouse) would live in a rectory and serve as priest-in-charge for the time they are there. If needed the diocese would provide transportation to and from the parish plus a small allowance while they were there. It is hoped that they could strengthen the lay ministers to make them better able to continue inthe parish when they have gone. If any clergy are interested in this adventure, please contact me. [Link]larryr@arcticnet.org
Lambeth Conference - My wife and I had the privilege to attend Lambeth Conference in Canterbury England. It truly was a wonderful experience. There were 650 bishops and their spouses from all over the world. We gathered not to make decisions but to discuss and share. There are some issues that are dividing us. There are however many more that unite us. There is also a big world that God has called us to reach out and to serve. We listened to each other's concerns, fears and pains. We prayed for each other and I hope we got to understand each other better. For my part I learned many things. I have heard first hand of some of the hunger and poverty that exist in many parts of the world. One bishop in Africa shared how violence in his land has brought about hunger and poverty for his people. He spoke of having no churches to worship in and few homes for his clergy. They are all destroyed. His clergy have not been paid for months and many have had to seek employment
elsewhere. I have read about these sorts of conditions, but it never registered with me like it did when he shared his story that included not only hardships but stories of victorious living in spite of all the hardships. As I listened I saw God working in a mighty way. I learned that we are truly a global Anglican family and in a world of widespread communication what we do here in the Anglican Church of Canada will affect our sisters and brothers around the world. I listened to stories from India and Africa about the damage done to them, not by decisions they have made, but by decisions we in the western world have made. We need to be sensitive to the hurt we cause the rest of body before we make decisions. As St. Paul says what is permissible is not always advisable or good for all. For me this Lambeth Conference has changed the way I look at the Anglican Church. We really are a global family and we need to look out for each other.
Mission of Reconciliation: I have been asked to be part of a team that will travel to a diocese in Kenya to conduct Missions of Reconciliation in many of the parishes. The people of the Diocese have just gone through much violence which has caused much hunger and homelessness. There is also much suspicion in the church often directed to others in the church. Many have been hurt in various ways. The Bishop has asked Invitation to Life Ministries to visit his diocese to conduct Missions of Reconciliation in the churches. Four teams will be sent. I have been asked to lead one of the teams. I will have to raise about $4000 to cover my costs. I believe that God will provide that through his people. Please pray that God would bring His healing love that will reunite the people in Jesus. Pray for the team members that their needs will be supplied and that they have the wisdom to present Jesus as the one who brings reconciliation, hope and love to a people who desperately need
Him.
Travel
Fall brings travel for me. In September 11 – 15, I will be in Edmonton to attend the Provincial House of Bishops and the Council of the North. From October 21 - 23, I will be in Victoria B.C. to attend a National Cursillo Secretariat, and then on to Toronto to attend the Arctic Fellowship Meeting on the 25th. Then I travel to Niagara to attend the National house of Bishops (October 27 – 31). In November I will be in Kenya for 16 days on the Mission of Reconciliation I mentioned. As well I will also be traveling to the Kivallik Deanery and several other parishes to conduct parish visits. Pray for traveling safety. Pray for my family as I travel. May God our Father keep them safe.
Some other items of prayer
Capt Erin Sawatzky has been appointed part time to Holy Trinity parish in Yellowknife to do youth work.
An Auction is been organized in Yellowknife to raise funds for the building of the New Cathedral on November 21
The parish of Coral Harbour will be dedicating their new Church building this fall
The parish of Yellowknife would value prayers as they consider how best to make the church more handicapped accessible.
It is the power of prayer that moves the hands of God. This letter as well as other prayer requests will be listed on my website as I get them in the section called “Bishop's Prayer Concerns”.
Jesus continually called His disciples to pray. He often took them into quiet places to pray. I pray for you and your parish, that time is taken for prayer and refreshment. I thank you for your prayers and support. I will be writing briefly again in November with my Christmas Prayer Letter.
Bishop Larry
Bishop Larry at Canterbury Cathedral
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Meal time at Lambeth Conference
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Bishop Larry and Sheila Robertson outside
Canterbury Cathedral
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At our Diocesan Synod - Iqaluit
Rev. Loie Mike - Pannirtung NU
Rev. Ron Mclean - Yellowknife NWT
Rev. Lucy Nester - Coal Harbour NU
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Primate Fred Hiltz
Rev. Jean Simailak - Baker Lake, NU
Rt. Rev. Andrew Atagotaaluk
Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald - Anglican Council of Indegious Peoples
Rt Rev Ben Arreak
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Rev Dawn MacDonald - Zacceaus Ministries
Rev & Mrs. Marney Patterson - Invitation to Live Ministries
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Bishop Paul Idlout - Retired
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Lay Readers of Repulse Bay, NU
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