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Saturday, November 15th, 2008
Lay Readers’ Study Day and Commissioning Service
St. John the Baptist Church
233 Ste. Claire Avenue
Pointe-Claire
with guest speaker, Archdeacon Janet Griffith-Johnson.
Click here for photos
Saturday, September 27th,
2008
“Proclaiming the Good News with a
Clear Voice”
Carol Hague: Voice Trainer
Click here for photos
Eighteen Lay Readers
gathered at Diocesan College for a
day of fun and laughter, learning
and insight into the basics of
public speaking. Voice teacher Carol
Hague ably shared with us the do's
and don'ts of how to breathe, stand,
and how to use our airflow to get
the most out of our voice. Straws,
rubber bands, and making funny
sounds were included in our
exercises designed to teach us how
to breathe in deeply and how to
breathe out with a voice that
maintained both power and control.
Each of us was given several
opportunities to read out loud to
each other and then receive feedback
from Carol and from others in the
group. Even though we had just this
one short workshop together, many of
us gained significant insights into
what was blocking our voice and how
we might improve our breathing,
posture, and voice tone and volume.
Many thanks to Carol and to all
those brave Lay Readers who became
vulnerable with other in order to
learn better how to 'preach with a
clear voice'.
Saturday, May 31st,
2008
“Preaching the Good News”
The Rev. Mary Irwin-Gibson
Click here for photos
The Rev. Mary Gibson
led a lively, day-long workshop on
“Preaching the Good News” on
Saturday, May 31st. Mary addressed
such questions as, “What makes a
sermon good and memorable?”, “How do
we communicate the gospel in such a
way that we hold on to people?”,
“What is the Mission in our Church,
our Diocese, our World?”
From Mary’s long personal experience
of preaching, she shared her ways of
preparing, searching, spending time
with God, and exploring what God is
saying to His people. She pointed
out that preparing a sermon is an
act of worship, and emphasized the
importance of honesty, and being
real and relevant.
Sharing with us a number of
excellent resources to help with
sermon preparation, Mary also drew
our attention to readings from a
variety of translations. She read to
us several passages from Eugene
Petersen’s “The Message” as well as
the New Revised Standard Version.
Another helpful part of the day was
a discussion on how we feel when we
visit new churches and when we go to
preach in an unfamiliar place. Mary
shared some techniques she has used
to connect with people in the pews.
Some ideas included stories from
everyday life, surprising the
congregation with unexpected
questions or humour, even cartoons,
and standing where it is possible to
maintain eye contact with the
people.
Towards the end of the workshop, we
moved into small groups to work
together on a set of Sunday
readings. Mary asked, “What would be
your opening line? What is your
punch line? “How would you capture
your listeners and draw them into
the teaching?”
This was a Saturday well-spent. Mary
Gibson shared generously of her
expertise and her experience, and we
all left feeling thankful for her
teaching.
submitted by Sue Winn
(MP3 audio of the day available
through Tim Smart) |
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May 5th,
2008
Four of our Lay
Readers graduated with an EFM Certificate from the
Montreal Diocesan Theological College on Monday, May 5th,
2008. They are left to right: Gloria Augustus,
Kevin Carlin and Geraldine Kavanaugh,
(missing Shirley Newell and Yvonne Wakeland).
Congratulations to
these Lay Readers for four years of hard work!
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Wednesday, May 7th
Annual General Meeting and Dinner
Trinity Memorial Church,
5220 Sherbrooke St. West - Montreal
Please
click here for President's
Report to the Annual General Meeting |
April 25th and 26th, 2008
Spring Lay Readers' Retreat
Manoir d’Youville - Chateauguay
Click here
for photos
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Lay Readers in Song
“Sing unto the Lord a new song!!” And 40 Lay Readers did just that
throughout their recent retreat at Manoir d’Youville, Chateauguay.
Ken Gray, an accomplished jazz pianist and Anglican priest, taught
us “a cappella” singing – no instruments, just voices.
Many of the tunes were from the Iona Community. This
group emanates, not only from an island in Scotland, but also from
the inner city slums of Glasgow. Reflecting the mission emphasis of
Ken Gray, they implore people to worship God whatever their
circumstances, and to allow themselves to be fed and loved by Him.
“The God of Heaven is present on earth,
In word and silence and sharing,
In face of doubt, in depth of faith,
In signs of love and caring.” © Iona Community
The theme of the weekend was “Immersion in Love”, and
we moved from the immersion of baptism to immersion in the word, to
the world’s need for justice, to prayer and Eucharist, accompanied
by the songs of faith.
Ken advised us that Christianity is not static – it is a process
into which we enter. We move through experience that connects with
the experience of other people, like intersecting waves from
multiple drops of water falling on a pond.
We enter the experience through Baptism, with its four-fold process
– invitation, preparation, celebration and discipleship. So how do
we invite people to Baptism? How do we prepare them? How can we
celebrate with them? And how can we offer them a meaningful
follow-up?
These were challenging questions – do we really invite people to
Baptism, or do we wait by the phone?
In one church, the parents write a letter to their child, explaining
why they want them baptized. As the parents read their letters in
church, during the Baptismal service, you could hear a pin drop, so
meaningful were their words.
And the follow-up? Some stay, some go on – touched by a community of
faith and a God of love.
We looked at immersion as a principle for all parish ministry. Ken
told us about the “Justice Camps” initiative of General Synod, and
Environment Justice Camp 2007 in particular which Ken co-chaired.
These are week-long experiences for a group of people selected from
various backgrounds. Half of the participants are under 30, half are
over. There are local people and distant, rich people and street
people, men and women. During the camps, they have looked at
environmental issues in Victoria and native issues in Winnipeg. They
assessed pollution on a Pacific beach and met in a Wal-Mart parking
lot to discuss urban development. This “hands on” experience helped
solidify a new awareness of the interconnection of life, God’s love
for justice and our part in a web of relationships.
Ken emphasized that the wisdom is to be found in the group, each
person contributing his or her own perspective. The word of faith
can then emerge, giving its unique voice to be heard in issues that
affect us all.
We looked at photos of a strange, upside-down church building that
has been erected on the Sea Wall in Vancouver. Its steeple is
downward, supporting the whole inverse structure on the thin point
of the inverted spire. The nave points skyward. We remarked on the
limited interaction with terra firma. We saw that is it difficult to
get into! Is it a work in progress, or a frail structure about to
tip over? Certainly, it’s a different orientation of a familiar icon
of our faith.
Then someone remarked that the name of the Vancouver statue is
“Device for rooting out evil”.
We went on to sing songs of faith until late in the
evening.
Somehow, words and music conspire to shape our outlook. We read John
15, “If you love me, keep my commandments”, then listened to a
rendition of Tallis’ “If ye love me”.
How do these amazing words, “If you love me?” shape our ministry?
And words and ministry point to Jesus’ promise in John 17 “that I
myself may be in them”. We considered the fact of God’s presence,
regardless of our feelings, regardless of our tendency to pull away,
to fall back if His presence is not felt.
There is a deep mystery to this feeling of God’s presence. Ken urged
us to fight to keep the mystery – we’re not meant to know
everything, but to keep and proclaim the faith. We risk living
vulnerably, realizing that it’s okay that everything doesn’t “come
together”.
We discussed our roles as Bible study leaders, prayer leaders and
participants in the Eucharist.
He recommended starting a Bible study with a centering silence,
being open to the Spirit of God. He speaks in the text, the silence,
in each other. Whatever the text of Scripture, the leader needs a
carefully prepared series of questions. Questions facilitate our
confrontation with truth, bringing out the meaning of these texts
for our lives here and now.
Ken likened intercessions in a Sunday service to playing jazz. There
is improvisation in jazz, but limits are set by the tempo, harmony
and chords that make up the piece. Likewise, intercessions must fit
the size and shape of the service. “Ubi Caritas” can frame a prayer
session; on Canada Day, “O Canada” can be improvised on the organ,
forming a backdrop for spoken words.
We recalled times and places where we had celebrated Eucharist – in
a shack on a mountaintop in a blizzard; in a hotel room; in a
service with 20 police in full bicycle riding gear, on “bike to
church Sunday”; with a funeral during the Sunday morning service;
with a wedding at the 8:30 am Sunday morning service.
We compared services large and small, indoors and outdoors, and
decided that God had been powerfully present at all of them. At
non-services, too – one church found their family service too
strange for new people, so a regular pot-luck supper became their
Communion.
Leadership can be difficult! “Clergy need the support of informed
and sensitive laity”, Ken said. “Then they can make the tough
decisions.”
“Come all you people,
Come and praise your maker.” © Iona Community
We concluded with the simplest of advice,
“Keep the faith.”
Submitted by Ian Sinclair |
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Saturday, March 29th
“Handling the New Testament Scriptures with Integrity”
Prof. Ian Henderson
Click here for photos
On Saturday, March
29th, 2008, Dr. Ian Henderson, Professor and New
Testament scholar, led a full-day workshop for
Lay Readers on the topic, “Handling the New
Testament with Integrity”. The teaching took
place in the Reading Room at Montreal Diocesan
Theological College, and, as with all the Lay
Reader workshops, was open to all interested
people.
Dr. Henderson began the day with a discussion of
the Bible as a tool useful for learning, a tool
that can be used for different purposes. This
discussion led to a lively discussion about
other everyday tools that serve many purposes.
With humour and fun, the Lay Readers were
invited into discussion about “handling” the
Bible, and the meaning of “integrity”.
With reference to the Articles of Religion,
particularly Article VI on the sufficiency of
the holy Scriptures for salvation, and Articles
VII and VIII on the Old Testament and the
Creeds, those present examined the question,
“What things are necessary for salvation.”
Using passages from Scripture as Case Studies,
Dr. Henderson addressed the following questions
and statements from the Articles. “What is the
Gospel?” “The Old Testament is not contrary to
the New.” “ the Church…may (not) so expound one
place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to
another,” (Art XX)
Those present were grateful for the challenges
posed by Ian Henderson, to give careful thought
to speaking the truth and to handling the
Scriptures with integrity as they fulfill their
roles as Lay Readers.
Saturday,
February 16th, 2008
What does it mean
for Christians to read and interpret the Old
Testament?
The Rev. Dr.
Patricia Kirkpatrick
Click here for photos
The Rev. Dr.
Patricia Kirkpatrick led the Lay Readers’
Workshop on Saturday, February 16th. The topic
was “What does it mean for Christians to read
and interpret the Old Testament?”
Dr. Kirkpatrick shared her passion for history,
her understandings of human experience and her
vast knowledge of the Scriptures. She drew us
into the experience of Israel in exile, and the
stories that were written by prophets and
teachers in exile. Dr. Kirkpatrick illustrated
differences between the Hebrew Bible and the
Greek interpretation. She encouraged the Lay
Readers to question, to reflect and to read the
stories that inform our understanding and our
faith.
Dr. Kirkpatrick is an exciting teacher who
constantly interacts with her students, engaging
them in question and reflection. She challenged
us and left us with much to think about.
At this workshop we were also glad to have with
us, the Rev. Tim Smart, newly appointed by the
bishop as Pastor to the Lay Readers.
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Leading Public Worship: MP, EP, Bas, BCP
The Rev. Michael Johnson
Click here for photos
On January 26th,
the Rev. Michael Johnson led a workshop for 20
Lay Readers and Ministry leaders. The topic was
“Leading Public Worship”.
Father Michael provided the participants with
many valuable resources, and invited them to
work in groups to plan a service of Evening
Prayer. Teams planned the liturgy, selected
hymns, crafted prayers and chose to do a homily
based on “For All the Saints”.
The highlight of the workshop was worship in the
College Chapel, and an opportunity to review the
experience of leading and participating in this
special service.
The next workshop will take place on February
16th, with the Rev. Dr. Patricia Kirkpatrick.
The topic is “What does it mean for Christians
to read and interpret the Old Testament?” |
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Voices of the
Hymn Sing
September 25th, 2007 at Trinity
Memorial Church |
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