PAX St. James' Day 2012

Pax ST. JAMES’ DAY 2012

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PAX: ST. JAMES’ DAY 2012 | 1

A Practical Holiness | Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins

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‘Pour out upon all your people that spirit of self-denying service which is the mark of true leadership.’ So prays the Priest on behalf of all the People, from the collect

of the day, at the St. James’ Day liturgy. Self-denying service, or cross-shaped discipleship, is a core value of the People of St. James’ because it is a way of life to which Jesus Christ calls each of us. This value is the mark of true leadership—or rather, servant leadership.

I have been asked to address the theme of this edition, taking ownership of your membership, with particu-lar reference to parish governance: how, and why, are we structured the way we are? Really, it is Christ who governs. The rector, literally the ‘one who rules,’ is in fact the Holy Spirit. So governance, that is, how we listen and act, is essentially a work of faithfulness. The challenge for every church is to organize itself in such a way that it functions with the expectation of the grace of God – the way of faithfulness.

Perhaps it is because the Mass and sacramental living are so integral to who we are becoming in Christ Jesus that sacrifice and service are essential in our Parish makeup. Such values resonate in the collect for St. James. We cherish our baptismal dignity in Christ. Through the gift of our Anglo-Catholic heritage, we understand that our baptismal journey challenges us to pursue daily conversion to Christ, and consoles us with the assurance that each one of us has a unique vocation by virtue of our baptism. We treasure the call to holiness. But our heritage and our neighbourhood inspire us to live a practical holiness, since we can never separate the mystery of the Mass from the mystery of discovering and serving Christ in one another, espe-cially the least among us.

The people of St. James’ have taught me the primacy of these core values when being faithful to Christ: service and sacrifice; baptismal dignity and vocation; a practical holiness which favours the least. The govern-ance of St. James’—our focus, structure and culture of taking counsel together—is inspired and sustained by these values.

The focus of our ministry is articulated through the Parish mission objectives,: invite and welcome; prayer and formation; relationships and fellowship; justice and mercy; and financial equilibrium. These objectives describe the corporate baptismal vocation of our com-munity of faith.

The Parish is structured in such a way that we take counsel together with an expectation of and depend-ency on grace – for Christ to govern, we need to listen to one another (and to the Holy Spirit) and act together (under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit). What does this look like?

Three bodies (or instruments) take counsel together as servant leaders, each with a unique and comple-mentary role: Vestry (every member of the Parish), the Board of Trustees, and Parish Council. Each member of the Board of Trustees has taken responsibility for the oversight of a mission objective, since all the guilds and ministries are organized under the five mission objectives. These bodies each attend to its business structured on the mission objectives. The Parish exec-utive (Rector and Wardens) meet once a month to oversee and support the work of these expressions of servant leadership. The support ministries of St. James’ (communication ministries, office managers, building manager and business manager) serve to uphold and enable those ministries which are grouped according to each mission objective.

Whatever our place, role, or office at St. James’, our baptismal vocation is a high calling to servant min-istry and leadership. The way of faithfulness is both deeply demanding and yet unimaginably reward-ing. As members and leaders at St. James’ may we be ever renewed by the spirit of self-denying service. It is truly a privilege to journey with you in this way of faithfulness.

Saint James, pray for us.

2 | PAX: ST. JAMES’ DAY 2012

It was a Monday afternoon and I was straightening up the Narthex cupboard.

To the left of the Narthex —as you enter the front doors of St. James’ — at the bottom of the

choir-loft staircase, is a small closet. Here those of us who assist with the service hang our coats and post schedules; there is a telephone and a charging station for the hearing-assistance headsets. It’s not that this closet was terribly cluttered or disordered in any way. I was straightening up because I had recently been asked to head the Narthex Guild, and thought this would be as good a place as any to begin my duties. I would start with some light housekeeping, take inventory, get a feel for the place.

I came to St. James’ less than a year ago. A friend was dying and I was in dire need of spiritual direction. By one connection or another, I met with Fr. Mark. We had a conversation, and then another conversation and, as these things tend to go, the thing I thought I came to talk about turned out to be something completely different. At some point I must have volunteered to do something, and I was unceremoniously given a set of keys for easy access to the church building. There seemed to be no question of not trusting me. I was surprised by this, and suspicious. It played to my low self-esteem. Who was to say I wouldn’t make off with the altar candlesticks? What exactly was I doing here, anyway?

What exactly was I doing here, anyway?

Because now I was attending prayer workshops and showing up for quiet days. I was being asked to do things. Brand-new to Anglo-Catholicism, I was not new to churches and church involvement but it had been a while since I’d felt settled somewhere. The liturgy was one of the most formal I’d experienced, but curiously also one of the most comfortable, like a wedding dress with running shoes. I sat in the pews one Sunday and considered my options, as in a romantic comedy, but with church in the Tom Hanks role. There seemed to be

an invitation here and I did not know whether to accept or decline. So I sat and sat, and then there I was, on a Monday, cleaning the closet, as I might in any place that was my home.

The liturgy was one of the most formal I’d experienced, but curiously also one

of the most comfortable, like a wedding dress with running shoes.

C.S. Lewis writes about a short motorcycle ride he took where at the beginning he did not believe in Jesus and at the end he did, and he could never exactly pin-point the transformative moment. I also cannot say what happened to me—just that I understood I belonged. I walked through a door anticipating a dank, windowless room, empty except for Death sitting on a bench tying his shoelaces. But instead, just like the wardrobe which opened out into Narnia, my Narthex cupboard gave me entrance into some larger reality. Here is a whole world, a kingdom, even, where not Death but Love resides.

Keys to the Cupboard | Leah Postman


By love, I don’t mean any natural tenderness which is more or less in people according to their constitutions, but I mean a larger principle of the soul, founded in reason and piety, which makes us tender, kind, and be-nevolent to all our fellow creatures as creatures of God, and for His sake. It is this love that loves all things in God as His creatures, as the images of His power, as the crea-tures of His goodness, as parts of His family, as members of His society, that becomes a holy principle of all great and good actions. The love, therefore, of our neighbour is only a branch of our love to God. For when we love God with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our strength, we shall necessarily love those beings that are so nearly related to God, that have everything from Him, and are created by Him to be objects of His own eternal love. If I hate or despise any one man in the world, I hate something that God cannot hate, and de-spise that which He loves.

From William Law, “A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life” (1728), ed. P. G. Stanwood (Paulist Press, 1978), p. 293.

I have never wanted to be the damsel in distress. I always thought Rapunzel should have used her golden hair and some kind of pulley system to escape from her tower. I’ve wanted to be the

knight in shining armour, rescuing the needy and distressed. I’ve wanted to be the generous and com-passionate one whom my friends and family members can call at any time for any reason, knowing that I will take care of things for them. So Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, in which he describes a paradox of strength in weakness—even delighting in weak-nesses—made no sense to me. Who would want to be weak? And why would God want his saints to be weak? No, I would be strong so that I could take care of the weak.

For a few years, between graduating from univer-sity and moving to Canada, I probably appeared to be strong. In that time, I did stints as a project manager for a web analytics division at IBM, a strategy and technology consultant, and a Public Relations direc-tor and project manager for Cycorp, doing research in Artificial Intelligence. I had plenty of time and money and regularly volunteered with the youth at my church, sang in the choir, and supported several different family members and missionaries around the world (and regu-larly went wakeboarding, mountain and road biking, rock climbing, and camping in my spare time). That was a time of thriving, a place where I felt strong. And from there, perhaps because of the hubris it encour-aged in me, I gave it all up, moved to Vancouver, and began my Master of Christian Studies degree at Regent College.

Since arriving here, I’ve felt in many ways as if I’ve become weaker and weaker, needier and needier. I went through my first serious depression here, relying on friends to support me. I used up all of my savings on the costs of my schooling and took out student loans. I wrestled with the veracity and value of the Bible and had to rely on the faith and prayers of my friends and family. I struggled in less-than-healthy dating relation-ships which encouraged damaging exercise and eating

habits. I met and married my husband in three months; we had a small ceremony, the timing of which alienated most of my family and friends; and six months later, I was pregnant and unable to complete my final paper to graduate. My husband and I were both students, trying to raise a little girl between classes and research, with only student loans to pay the bills and a lot of stress and anxiety. Through each of these struggles, I told myself that all of this was merely a season and that I’d come out of it stronger, better able to relate to others who suffer in worse situations.

But I don’t find much comfort in the hope that I’m coming out of it stronger and that the season of struggle will soon give way to a season of carefree bounty. I don’t actually think that’s true at all (unless that final season is the eternal one). Perhaps it’s mostly because I’m now in my mid-thirties and a mother of two, but I’ve noticed that I’m coming out of each season weaker, more tired, more needy. Not only do I have less to give to others, but I need others to give to me. My husband and I are both from the States and our family live far away. While I never intended to ask my family for help, it’s discon-certing to have no one nearby who is “obligated” to help out, if we need it.

In this most recent season, I’ve needed a lot of help. My husband was working two part-time jobs; I was working two part-time jobs; he was finishing his thesis; I was taking care of our three year-old daughter; I was pregnant with our son; and we were living in a 600 square-foot condo. My Gramma died. My husband and I had our worst fights ever. We started marriage coun-selling. My mom and sister were dealing with pretty serious traumas and calling me daily for emotional support. Several months into the pregnancy, I had something like a stroke and was kept overnight at the hospital, and released the next morning with no clarity as to what had happened and therefore fearing for a recurrence. For months upon months, survival mode was our “normal.”

Sometimes I let my mind wander and recall just how we did survive. It was you. It was the kindness of our


Weakness | Jen Amundgaard


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Saviour through you, the saints, the members of St. James’ who babysat our daughter, brought us many, many delicious meals, visited us at the hospital, cleaned our kitchen and bathroom, did our laundry, took our daughter to the park and to Science World, hosted and gave generously at my baby shower, brought us bags and bags of baby clothes, anointed us with holy unction, prayed over us, counselled us, brought the body of Christ to our home. When I delivered our son, the presence and prayers of the saints were almost tangible in my hospital room. I’ve known of your love and prayers in ways that I’ve never known—never experienced the Church before. I feel I owe you all a debt that I could never repay.

Perhaps this feeling is what it is to be knit to all of

you: to receive seamlessly from you and to feel that no matter where I live, I can never stray from you. We’ve been the Church together, we’ve tasted the hol-iness of membership in Christ’s body. My needs have offered you all ways to be strong, ways to love and see the Spirit’s fruit. I stand back and look in awe at Christ’s bride and all of her love and beauty that I’ve tasted through you in the past year. Christ’s power has shown radiantly through you as you’ve tended to me and my family. Similarly, through my neediness (which I’ve hated), I’ve received something I can only describe as “home.” That’s part of why we named our son after you: Dylan James Amundgaard. For the rest of my days, his name will be a witness, an ebenezer, of Christ’s power made perfect in my weakness.


We have been together as an editorial team for the past seven issues (since Christmas 2010), and have greatly enjoyed serving you, our Parish, by providing an avenue in which many of you can share your ideas, your concerns, and your journeys. We are grateful for your contributions, whether photographic, artistic, literary—whatever they may be.

The first two issues of PAX in 2012 (Easter and St. James’ Day) have been funded through the generos-ity of a few parishioners. We are still seeking sponsors

for the remaining two issues this year—and beyond. Partial funding of an issue is also most welcome; and of course, we deeply appreciate subscription contributions of $10/year. To inquire about becoming a sponsor, please contact any of the editorial team members.

A happy and blessed St. James’ Day!

Jen Amundgaard, Tracy Russell, Paul Stanwood, and Mother Jessica

Dollars and $ense | Angela Van Luven

What does membership in the Parish of St. James’ mean to me – as an indi-vidual and as the Treasurer of the Church?

As an individual, I feel that membership, or a sense of belonging, is very important in any aspect of life. If one doesn’t feel a part of something, then one’s purpose is diluted and one’s desire to help, to make something grow, to make a difference, is lost. I believe that being a member of St. James’, firstly in the sense of being a

part of the corporate worship of this community, con-firms my commitment to the Parish family. Secondly, I believe that putting ‘my mouth where my heart is’ (or perhaps that should be, ‘putting my money where my mouth is’), is to commit oneself further by becoming totally involved in the life of the Parish. In my case, it was by accepting the appointment as your Treasurer. As such, I love being able in my small way to contribute to the sustainability of this wonderful place we call St. James’. And I feel it an honour and a privilege to be a member of this Parish.

Thank You from the PAX Editorial Team!

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The Guild of St. Cecilia | Gerald Harder

Many members of our Parish belong to a guild, offering their service to God and their brothers and sisters through membership in a group with a specific

and common purpose. The newest liturgical guild at St. James’ is the Guild of St. Cecilia, a group whose mandate is to lead the gathered faithful in the worship of God through music. Most particularly, the role of the guild is to support one of our Parish mission objectives: “To deepen our life of prayer and formation in Christ.” Guild members are also members of the choir, express-ing their commitment to Parish membership by their musical support of the liturgy.

St. Cecilia, the patroness of musicians and church music, is one of the most venerated martyrs of Christian antiquity. The oldest historical account of St. Cecilia is found in the Martyrologium Hieronymianun, from which we know that her feast was celebrated in the Roman Church in the fourth century. Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches on November 22. Medieval pictures of St. Cecilia are numerous; since the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries she is often repre-sented as playing on the organ, evidently to express what was often attributed to her in panegyrics and poems, that while the musicians played at her nuptials she sang in her heart to God only (“cantantibus organis illa in corde suo soli domino decantabat”). In this way she was brought into closer relation with music.

Why a guild? Renewing the choir as a liturgical guild brings it into alignment with all the other groups in the Parish which serve to support the liturgy, and reflects some of the characteristics which were already present in this group. Formation as a guild brings with it a renewed commitment to a life of corporate and personal prayer, increased opportunities for fellowship, formal-izes membership with a rite of admission, and provides support for the Organist and Choirmaster in the form of a guild executive.

The regular liturgical season of the Guild of St. Cecilia runs from Michaelmas to Corpus Christi. Rehearsals are on most Thursday evenings during that period. The first step towards membership is an interview and audition with Gerald Harder (myself), the Organist and Choirmaster. If you are interested in serving in the Guild of St. Cecilia, please feel free to speak with me.

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Redevelopment of Clinton Hall: Viable and Approved by the St James’ Parish Council | Doug Ibbott

“The most significant decision since the building of St. James’ Church” is how one parishioner has described the plans for the redevelopment of Clinton Hall

(aka Parish Hall). Another parishioner describes it as “a bold and promising move...” Both sentiments seem to re-flect the level of interest and excitement felt by many at St. James’ towards this project proposal for a variety of rea-sons. The rationale for redevelopment is two-part and is aligned with our Mission Objectives:

1. To enhance the ministry of St. James’ Church and;2. To use the resources we have to increase revenues to

meet the financial requirements of our church for generations to come.

On Saturday, June 16, the St. James’ Parish Council met to discuss and approve the redevelopment of the space currently occupied by Clinton Hall. The original motion for approval by Parish Council was as follows:

“Parish Council approves of the concept to redevelop the space occupied by Clinton Hall into leased commer-cial space with space available to St. James’ Church to use for church and cultural events, and recommends this concept to the Trustees of St James’ Church for their con-sideration and approval.

The Parish Council also recommends that the mon-ies required for the pre-development funding (PDF) not be allocated out of the current operating budget of the church, nor out of any of the funds being held by the St. James’ Parish Foundation for the benefit of the Parish”.

This motion was presented at the outset of the Parish Council meeting to sharpen the focus of our gathering. This was our third Parish Council meeting discussion on the Clinton Hall Redevelopment Proposal which was first presented on February 18, 2012. There had been ample information and discussion over the past three meetings which reflected a healthy process of parishioner input on this significant proposal. In addition, many hours of prep-aratory work by the Viability Working Group enabled us to proceed in an informed and timely manner.

At the February 18th meeting, Parish Council voted in favour of forming a Working Group to investigate the vi-

ability of a project to demolish Clinton Hall and replace it with a multi-story structure for use of St. James’ Church with other space to be leased for revenue purposes. The Viability Working Group members were selected by Clergy and Trustees to employ their knowledge and ex-pertise to examine the following: Construction Issues; Heritage Allowances; Diocesan Support; Lease Potential; and Financing. At our second Parish Council meeting on May 19th, the Viability Working Group reported that all five areas were indeed viable. This initial analysis provided parishioners with pre-development information to move forward with the next stage of the proposal – approval by the Parish Council and recommendation to the Trustees for their consideration and approval.

In addition to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ar-ticulated at the May meeting, an email site was established to gather additional questions which were shared at the June meeting. Many thoughtful questions were posed, and comments offered—some practical in nature, regarding physical plant, finances and accommodation of existing programs while some challenged us to consider the “gen-trification” issue, keeping in mind the legacy of May Gut-teridge at St. James’, and empathy for our neighbours who could be affected by this project. We are fortunate to have a St. James’ mission statement to guide us through each transition—to ensure that we continue to be aligned with our purpose as a church in this community. Following the completion of FAQ’s, we experienced a group discussion process, called “Two Stars and a Wish.” Stars represented aspects of the proposal which generated enthusiasm, ex-citement, and support. Wishes represented concerns, wor-ries, misgivings or questions which needed answers.

Break out groups generated excellent feedback for the Parish Council and St. James’ Trustees for their considera-tion. Some highlights included:

‘Stars’ – generating income for St. James’; enhanced space for all ministries; enhanced accessibility (store front); long term sustainability.

‘Wishes’ – contribute a portion of our income to the neighborhood; 50% space for cultural use to benefit from city grant; space for non-profit organizations; care taker and Saint James Music Academy to remain; sensitivity to


Redevelopment of Clinton Hall: Viable and Approved by the St James’ Parish Council | Doug Ibbott

impact on community; need to define how the building would be used.

Once each discussion group reported on their “stars and wishes” and main points identified, an open mike was facilitated to cover further issues related to the proposal. One parishioner expressed full support of the project and committed $1,000 towards it. Another parishioner em-phasized the need to accommodate programs already in place. The original motion was moved, seconded and open for questions. The first recommendation was to separate the motion into 2 separate motions; one concerning the support of the project, and the second regarding funding. The motion was carried (see June 16, 2012 Parish Council minutes).

The motion regarding “support of the project” was amended to include the “leasing of commercial and cul-tural space.” This motion was carried and generated many questions and comments. One parishioner advised that a city grant could be available for the development process if the project is described as “Enterprising Non-Profit”. On more than one occasion during the meeting, support was expressed for ongoing accommodation of the Saint James Music Academy, a significant cultural program for children in our neighbourhood. On balance, one parish-ioner advised that “...to be financially viable, the church must have the option to use and control space.” Another comment was offered that “long-term leased ‘commercial space’ makes sense, but long-term leased ‘cultural space’ is unclear.” It stands that ‘cultural space’ is strongly sup-ported, but I believe that this point will require further elaboration and clarification. The amended second mo-tion was carried unanimously with improved wording which stated, “The Parish Council recommends that the monies required for the pre-development funding (PDF) not be allocated out of the current operating budget of the Church, nor out of any of the funds currently being held by the St James’ Parish Foundation for the benefit of the Parish”.

So what’s next? The Board of Trustees will need to con-vene a new working group to identify all costs and mon-itor the process carefully.

Now that the Parish Council has approved this proposal

to go forward to the St. James’ Church Trustees for their consideration and approval, it will be processed through the following stages:• Presentation to Diocesan Council• Engaging a development planner to produce both a

Development Plan and Business Analysis• Presentation to the Trustees for approval• Presentation to the Parish Council for approval• Presentation to the City of Vancouver and Mort-

gage Company which require Trustee and Diocesan approval

We have been thorough in our decision-making process-es and, hopefully, we will be just as conscientious in our vetting of the proposal through our own governing body, the Diocese, a development planner, the mortgage lender and the City of Vancouver.

At the opening of our recent Parish Council meeting, Father Mark spoke about “...being in a season where we need to use our imagination and think outside the box. We, as a community, are challenged to cut back in drastic ways or we need to see if God will bless us with new ideas and imagination to keep growing as a Parish. We are en-gaged in corporate discernment.”

This is an exciting project proposal, and although there are many hurdles to overcome, funds to raise, challenges to meet and our mission to uphold, it is possible that we can achieve this goal which will enhance and strengthen our ministry at St. James’ for generations to come. We need to be sensitive to God’s will in this matter. All deci-sions need to be made to the glory of God and aligned with our mission. The scripture contained in the May 13 Mass booklet is pertinent to our relationships as we work together toward this goal: “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15). Our process needs to combine Christ’s commandment of love for each other with the gifts of our intellect and corporate discernment to make the best deci-sions for the “Parish as a whole.” As we enter this journey together, if we walk with Christ, the destination will be right.


Home | Clarke Jackson

After I moved into the Downtown Eastside twelve years ago, I would walk down Main Street regularly, running into Bob Gauthier (former St. James’ member as well as Rector’s

Warden, who lived in Delta but moved to Mexico several years ago) who was always on “his way to church.” He eventually indicated where he attended, and all I could picture was that strange “Spanish Mosque” with no signage to indicate what it really was.

When I mentioned I was a “lapsed Anglican” who hadn’t set foot in a church in over fifty years, he encour-aged me to come for a service and eventually, having nothing to do on a Sunday, decided to give it a whirl. I had great difficulty trying to figure out what was going on—the bells; the smells; the making of signs of the Cross; the standing and kneeling; the ornate vestments, and, of course, the magnificent choir!

I went to coffee hour where Bob introduced me to several parishioners. Caught up in the mystique, I returned the following Sunday trying to understand the service (this was before the Mass booklet outlining the service in detail was conceived). Week after week I attended, and followed the service with coffee hour—where no one I had previously met spoke to me. But the friendly clergy were the saving grace. Finally

realizing Confirmation was coming up, I asked Fr. Gilbert if I could attend in order to get a real handle on Anglo-Catholicism, even though I had been confirmed sixty-five years earlier. He agreed, and I came out of the program far more knowledgeable, and prepared to become fully engaged. I joined several groups, started attending more and eventually met what was to become my “church family,” becoming increasingly closer to our Dear Lord.

This continues today: each week as I leave, it’s with a strong sense of having had a wonderful conversation with my God, who listens and advises. I have developed an incredible warmth and love for St. James’, its family and all that it represents. So much has been added to my life through St. James’. My love for the Church con-tinues to grow with time.

At coffee hour, I now attempt to greet the newcomers and disadvantaged and encourage those with ques-tions about St. James’ to continue to attend and become involved. God speaks to all, always welcoming every-one to his home. I’m so very happy I “stuck it out,” for the returns to me have been immeasurable from both a spiritual and social standpoint.

I AM truly at home!

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ASKBEAR!

To Find GodRobert Herrick (1591-1674), from Noble Numbers (1647)

Weigh me the Fire; or, canst thou find A way to measure out the Wind; Distinguish all those Floods that are Mixt in that watery Theater; And taste thou them as saltlesse there, As in their Channel first they were. Tell me the People that do keep Within the Kingdoms of the Deep; Or fetch me back that Cloud againe, Beshiver’d into seeds of raine; Tell me the motes, dust, sands, and speares Of corn, when summer shakes his eares; Show me that world of stars, and whence They noiseless spill their Influence: This if thou canst; then show me Him That rides the glorious Cherubim.

Dear People of St. James’,Here’s my guide to meetings at St. James’.

Parish Council: It meets only four times a year—a pity since the food is good and often comes my way. Its purpose is to:

•Develop and review the ministries of the Parish by making recommendations to the Rector and Wardens, the Board of Trustees, and the Vestry;

•Co-ordinate the planning of events;•Enable communication between the Guilds and Ministries

of the Parish.Anyone may attend, and the heads of every guild and min-

istry are expected to attend. This is a great way to understand and contribute to the ministry and mission of the Parish.

Board of Trustees: The food is poor, the cats are allowed and it meets nearly every month. It is hard work not only for me but for all who attend. The agenda is usually full and busi-ness-like, and action items and decisions abound. Trustees are responsible for oversight of the finances—including the budget, property issues, policies and procedure. Standing committees, task-groups and associated entities may report to the Trustees. You, as the Vestry, elect the People’s and Associate Warden, and three members at large. My master appoints the Rector’s Warden and Treasurer, who, like all his decisions, should be at the direction of his Master.

Vestry: It usually looks like an ‘annual general meeting.’ This seems to be the fullest and most formal gathering of Church members. I usually sleep through it, in spite of my master’s protestations that it’s vitally important for elections, appoint-ments, receiving reports including financial statements, and major decisions in parish life.

Rector, Wardens and Treasurer: At this monthly meeting, without food and cats, they seem to talk about all the same things as in the other meetings, except staff and clergy matters. More sleep for me.

Coffee Hour and Potluck Suppers: These are the best ways to get to know folks at St. James’. No agenda with decisions and action items, yet plenty of food and fellowship—and no felines.

— BearBear is the first resident canine at St. James’ Rectory. As a member of the

Greenaway-Robbins and parish family, he is privy to many and varied meet-ings, conversations, and gatherings. Though usually silent, in this column he offers his perspective on parish life.



Reaching Out | John Conway

In his final sermon Fr. Michael Forshaw exhorted our parishioners to “Reach Out.” So it is a pleas-ure to be able to list the various people and agencies which the Outreach Committee has

been able to support since our last Patronal Festival of St. James’ a year ago.

•InSeptember2011werespondedtothePrimate’sWorld Relief and Development Fund appeal by sending $500 for their program of famine relief in East Africa.

•InJanuary2012weweregladtohelpthePacificBaroque Orchestra with a grant since they have provided free concerts in the Church for our parishioners two or three times a year.

• In Februarywe supported theParish Librarywith a grant of $300 for the purchase of new books. Do look for these during the Coffee Hour!

• At the same timewe respondedwith a smallgrant to International China Concern, which

looks after orphans in China. Sadly their offices were burnt down, and they needed help for replacements.

•InAprilwegavetheCanadianMothers’Uniona donation to assist their work for families in Africa.

•InMay,wesupportedtheDowntownEastsidenewspaper with $700 for a special issue about the problems currently facing our neighbourhood.

•Lastmonthwehavejusttakenoutasubscriptionto become one of the Canadian Companions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. They will be sending us news and views about how they carry out the church’s mission in Jerusalem, where our Rector served at one time.

If any of our readers has a concern, either local or overseas, to which the Outreach Committee might respond, please contact us at any time.

I joined theMothers’Union (MU) as a fairlynewmum in 1975 at the invitation of Rita MacLean, Branch Leader, along with several other mothers with young children at St. James’—namely, Mary Hamilton, Linda Adams, Betty Tickell and Lillian Morgan, who for many years was Sunday School Superintendent. We all attended the 9:30 Family Mass and the Sunday School flourished. MU was heavily involved withSunday School activities; the May Queen festival, when we held our famous Maypole dancing and cake-walk; baptisms and receptions; and had our own toy and children’s clothing stall at Canterbury Fair. At that time we really had no idea what MU actuallyencompassed, using it as a vehicle for fellowship

and social gathering monthly as parents, along with a strong spiritual element. It was only when I took office as Area Representative for New Westminster, attended a National Conference, and then became newsletter editor on National Council, when it was based on Vancouver Island 1993-6, that I really redis-coveredMothers’Unionandunderstoodwhatitsaimsand objects were all about. It has now become a way of life, and through it I have friends all over the world.Globally, Mothers’ Union has grown phenomen-

ally during the last twelve years. It has 4 million members in eighty-three countries, 98% of which are in Africa and South-east Asia and the remaining 2% intherestoftheworld,includingtheUK,Australia,

Being a Member of the Mothers’ Union | Celia Dodds


New Zealand, Canada and the West Indies. We maintain contact with all our members through the Worldwide Wave of Prayer, praying for five or more different dioceses for five days, throughout the year. Our first and second objectives are still very relevant in today’s society, upholding the estate of marriage and family life, without exclusion of divorcees or same sex couples, and bringing up our children in the faith. However, our fourth and fifth objectives have taken on a much broader perspective since the Society’s incep-tion in 1876; maintaining conditions in society for stable family life and the upbringing of children and helping those families who have met with adversity. With the spread of membership in Africa, we have taken on many new concerns and respond to many crises, from natural disasters to genocide. Our three global initiatives are the Literacy and Development (MULDP)inSudan,BurundiandMalawi;theFamilyLife (FLP) inUganda; and theWorldwideParentingProgram (WWPP) in seventeen countries. We feel duty-bound to support these global programs and our Make a Mother’s Day fundraiser does just that. The Relief and Development Fund sends grants to MUCommunity Development Coordinators in countries experiencing floods, famine, genocide and other dis-asters, and trains facilitators to conduct reconciliation workshops in war-torn countries like Rwanda. No money ever goes to government or agencies, only to trained workers.

IntheUK,Mothers’Unionisbecomingahouseholdname, and the government seeks its opinion on any-thing relating to families. The latest campaign is the Bye Buy Childhood which seeks to restrict the media and retailers from advertising inappropriate clothing and toys for children. Here in Canada membership is very small and scattered over thousands of miles, but we have two national projects. The Northern Clergy Families Fund, which the Edwardian Strawberry Tea held on June 24th addressed, sends donations of $950 to clergy families in the northern dioceses of Canada on a rotational basis, many of whom live on the poverty line and some without a stipend. Our second project, the Parenting Program, is starting up and we have just trained eleven facilitators, representing six dioceses. I am one of these facilitators and will be offering a course here at St. James’ in October. We would dearly like to increase our membership, but want to stress thatjoiningtheMothers’Uniondoesnotmeanacom-mitment to attend monthly meetings. If one agrees with our Aims and Objectives, then one can become a Diocesan member who pays annual dues and sup-ports us. Membership is open to both women and men. And members receive regular newsletters and updates. One receives immense satisfaction and pride frombelongingtotheMothers’Union.

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Whats and Whys of Being a WardenBrian Rocksborough-Smith

What is a Warden? What to wardens do? What is the warden’s role in church governance and parish life? As a new appointee to this important

role in the leadership of our Parish, I’m delighted to attempt an answer to these questions.

In early times, wardens were ‘protectors’ and ‘guardians’ – they protected the people from the priest and the priest from the people. Today we don’t need to be bodyguards for the clergy, though we must support their welfare. Today the clergy and people share equally in the running of the parish, with the wardens and parish rector together sharing leadership and assuming a large portion of the responsibility for the parish.

Here at St. James’, consistent with diocesan canons and our church position descriptions, we have three wardens. Wardens are officers and trustees of the incorporated Parish of St. James whose primary responsibility is for the property of the Parish. Wardens are members of the Board of Trustees and the Canonical Committee. They share with the Rector the pastoral and spiritual concerns of the Parish.

Wardens are officers and trustees of the incorporated Parish

of St. James whose primary responsibility is for

the property of the Parish.

The People’s Warden is elected by Parish members at the Annual Vestry Meeting for a three-year term (to be staggered with the term of the Associate Warden), and serves as a connection between the people of the Parish, the Board of Trustees, and the Parish Council. The Associate Warden is also elected by Parish members at the Annual Vestry Meeting for a three-year term, and assists and provides support to the work of the People’s and Rector’s Wardens. The

Rector’s Warden is appointed by the Incumbent, and is responsible for serving as a ‘sounding board’ to the Incumbent and for providing counsel and assistance to the Incumbent.

Our team of wardens is responsible to the vestry and participate with clergy in leading the Parish to fulfill its mission. Diocesan Canon #14 states that wardens are expected to oversee, care for and admin-ister buildings, records and funds of a parish, make an annual report and ensure there is an audited financial statement for the Annual Vestry Meeting. Wardens may delegate these responsibilities to other persons.

Wardens assist in guiding the implementation of Parish programs and serve on the Parish Council and the Nominating and canonical committees. We see that the Board of Trustees completes an annual review of its performance, and provides a work plan and calendar of events with regular follow up. We ensure that Parish membership lists are kept up to date, and maintain remuneration and regular super-vision and evaluation of clergy and staff. We also oversee mission objectives and projects and assist in preparation of agendas for regular meetings of Trustees, Parish Council and the Vestry.

Working together as a team and striving to demon-strate good leadership, communication and listening skills wardens are expected to engage with parish members, newcomers and visitors, understand and value diversity among perspectives and appreciate the need for appropriate confidentiality. Attendance at scheduled and impromptu meetings, familiarity with the minutes of Trustees’, Parish Council and Annual and Special Vestry meetings, and reasonable knowledge of Parish history, policies and finances are expected. As well, wardens are expected to be know-ledgeable about diocesan canons as well as civic, provincial and federal legislation and statutes per-taining to Parish activity.

With all these tasks, responsibilities and expecta-tions, why would anyone want to be a warden?


To me, being a warden means having the oppor-tunity to help St. James’ move forward into the future. I believe that being in a position to assist and encourage this complex multitude of activities is an awesome honour, privilege and opportunity. In our increasingly secular society, St. James’ is a beacon within our neighborhood and the Anglican com-munity. The beauty of holiness and the living of a Christ-centered life rooted in our Anglo-Catholic tradition are clearly being discovered here. Such discovery, enabled through living our welcome, for-mation, fellowship, justice and mercy and financial equilibrium mission objectives, happens because of

the hard work, dedication, commitment and love of many faithful parishioners, facilitated through our team of Wardens.

I like being part of this team. I appreciate the wonderful history and traditions of St. James’. I appreciate our inspirational Rector, our dedicated clergy and hardworking staff and volunteer leaders. I believe we are a church demonstrating effective gov-ernance and decision-making. I am grateful for the privilege of being part of the wonderful St. James’ team of wardens. Thanks be to God—to everyone at St. James’—for this opportunity.

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New MeMbers of our christiaN faMilyAt the Easter Vigil Mass, we wel-comed Dylan James Amundgaard into God’s family, and on the feast of Pentecost Julian Alan Bastow was baptized. Welcome to our new members!

May they rest iN PeaceIn the past few months, we have learned of the deaths of several St. James’ parishioners and former parishioners. We give thanks for their lives, and remember them in our prayers: Viola Kempton, George Clapp, Dianne Varty, and Shirley McAllister. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace and rise in glory.

coNfirMatioN 2012In May, several members of our Parish made their promises at the Diocesan service of Confirmation. Jason Christianson received the sacrament of Confirmation, Anne Kennedy and Marilyn Perry re-affirmed their prom-ises, and Jesus Cristobal Esteban was received into the Anglican Communion. Congratulations to all.

fr. Michael – 25 years of PriesthooDOn July 3rd, Fr. Michael Forshaw joy-ously marked the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. On July 8th, he celebrated Low and High Mass for a final time before retir-ing from his position as Honorary Assistant priest at St. James’. Fr. Michael will remain with us as a parishioner and member of the Sanctuary Guild.

haPPy birthDay DiaNa browN!On May 12th, Parish members

(including the rector) paid a visit to Diana Brown as she celebrated her 104th birthday communion, cap-tured in the photo on the cover. Please keep this remarkable lady (who has been a St. James’ parish-ioner since the 1920s!) in your prayers.

sPriNG eDucatioN aND forMatioN sessioNsOver seven Sundays following our Easter celebrations, the Education and Formation sessions explored the seven sacraments of the church: baptism, Eucharist, rec-onciliation/confession, marriage, ordination, anointing and con-firmation. Our thanks to Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins, Fr. Bill Crockett, Paul Stanwood, Mother Jessica Schaap, Canon Douglas Williams, Brian Rocksborough-Smith and Fr. Matthew Johnson for offering these sessions.

This series was followed by one on Anglicanism and Anglo-Catholicism that helped us understand our history and identity as Anglo-Catholics. Thanks to Canon Douglas Williams, Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins and Paul Stanwood.

NoMiNatioN for the orDer of the Diocese of New westMiNsterIn response to a request from members of the Parish, and with great appreciation for his many years of service, the Rector and Wardens have submitted the documentation to nominate Philip Green to receive the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster. Our Parish is also very pleased to hear that Brian Strehler was nominated by Bishop Michael Ingham to receive the Order in rec-ognition of his years of service to the

Diocese. The service at which they will receive the insignia of the Order will be held on Sunday, October 28, at 4pm at Christ Church Cathedral.

house MassesThe Parish is currently experimenting with the monthly offering of a House Mass in different geographical loca-tions throughout the city. This is an opportunity to participate in the Eucharist in a domestic and intim-ate setting, which lends itself to our getting to know one another better. If you would like to offer your home, please contact Fr. Mark or Mother Jessica.

eDwarDiaN strawberry teaOn June 24th the Mothers’ Union, assisted by the younger members of the Parish, hosted an Edwardian Strawberry Tea. Entertainment was provided by Ruth Greenaway-Robbins, Gerald Harder, and members of the Saint James Music Academy. This delightful social event was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

New builDiNG ProJectAt the Parish Council meeting of June 16th, a motion was approved to explore the concept of redevel-oping the space occupied by Clinton Hall into leased commercial and cul-tural space with space available to St. James’ Church. The concept was recommended to the Trustees of the church for further consideration.

Joyce locht – PostulaNt for the DiacoNateParishioner Joyce Locht has been affirmed by Bishop Michael Ingham as a candidate for the diaconate. Please pray for her as she seeks God’s guidance and for wisdom in discern-ing this call.

Did You Know? Parish Life at St. James’

Edwardian Strawberry Tea, June 24, 2012. Hosted by the Mothers’ Union

Thursdays’ Latino Lunch, June 10, 2012. Anita, España, Vitalina, Ingrid Mendez

Spring Recital (5th Anniversary), June 1, 2012.Saint James Music Academy

Aboriginal Day, June 17, 2012.Young Wolves Lodge

Synod, May 11, 2012. Bishop Michael, Mtr. Jessica, Fr. Clarence

Edwardian Strawberry Tea, June 24, 2012. Kael, Marlaina and Desiree Vincent

Welcoming our newest member, June 17, 2012. Peter and Julie Lind

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303 East Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC, v6a 1l4Telephone: 604 685 2532 Fax: 604 685 7605

Email: [email protected]

www.stjames.bc.ca

our vision: Discovering the beauty of holiness in our lives and neighbourhood, by living a Christ-centred sac-ramental life rooted in the Anglo-Catholic tradition.

PAX no. 15 © 2012 St. James’ Anglican Church Editorial Panel: JenAmundgaard (on leave), Paul Stanwood, Tracy Russell, Mother Jessica Schaap Designer & Art Director: Jen Amundgaard Writers: Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins, Leah Postman, Jen Amundgaard, Angela Van Luven, Gerald Harder, Doug Ibbott, Clarke Jackson, Bear, John Conway, Celia Dodds, Brian Rocksborough-Smith Photography: Joyce Locht, Randy Murray, Tracy Russell, Elaine Jan, Christine Hatfull, Pam Vincent, Chris Loh Distribution: Mary Brown Archivist: Jane Turner

PAX is free, but voluntary subscriptions of $10/year are welcome. PAX aims to be financially self-sustaining and therefore donations to sup-port this ministry are greatly appreciated, and may be offered through your envelope (clearly marked PAX), mailed to the church office, or sub-mitted on the church website with a credit card. The material printed in PAX is produced by members and friends of St. James’ Church in Vancouver, Canada. A theme-based call for submissions is issued two to six weeks prior to each edition in the Sunday church bulletins. All submissions to PAX will receive acknowledgement of reception and be reviewed and edited by an editorial panel made up of the managing editor of PAX, a Warden, a member of the clergy, and one additional parishioner. Submissions are reviewed to the extent that they fit the mandate of PAX. All submissions may be edited for length, the max-imum being 500 words unless otherwise specified.

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PAX St. James' Day 2012

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