What do
- a voyage from Iceland to Scotland in a 107-year-old, little Dutch sailing boat,
- the Very Very Reverend Dufferin Dumble,
- a bomb-scare at St. Hilda’s, Sechelt,
- a sermon delivered from a wooden dinghy in the Salish Sea.
have in common?
“Bruce Morris“
Bruce, former Archdeacon for Deacons in the diocese of New Westminster appointed to St. Hilda’s, Sechelt, retired from his ordained diaconal ministry at the end of May 2022. The St. Hilda’s community and some of Bruce’ family and friends honoured him and wished him well in his retirement at a service and reception on May 29.
Bruce has been a member of St. Hilda’s since arriving on the Sunshine Coast in the mid-1980s and has ministered as a deacon for last 27 years. During that time, he has served with at least 10 clergy, and has been a constant guiding star for both clergy and laity, full of grace and compassion. However, Bruce’s primary ministry has been, as is the case for deacons in the diocese of New Westminster, beyond the parish and in the community, largely in ways unseen by most of us. For the last seven years, Bruce was collated Archdeacon for Deacons, a role that serves and supports deacons across our diocese. All this to say that while Bruce has been an active minister of the clerical team at St. Hilda’s, he has had a significant ministry serving others beyond the bounds of St. Hilda’s Parish.
In his ministry at St Hilda’s, between rectors during COVID restrictions, he intended to lead a service by Zoom from his sailboat “Capella” on the Salish Sea. However, the cell signal wasn’t strong and consistent enough where he was moored, so he set out rowing around in a wooden dinghy, which he had made, in search of a better spot for cell coverage. As a member of the congregation that morning, it was hard not to covet his spot out in the sun on the sparkling salt water. In his most recent sermon on the occasion of his retirement (posted here)
Bruce spoke of a wonderful transcendent time, as he passaged from Saltspring Island back to Secret Cove, in which he felt he was journeying with the presence of the Christ of Creation, a feeling of oneness with the divine. That is something we all might be sensitive to, placed as we are, in midst of this wondrous creation.
You will see, among the photos, one of the Quite Reverend Dimbly Rumble addressing the congregation. The Quite Reverend Rumble is the son of the Very Very Reverend Dufferin Rumble, who, in the person of Bruce Morris, addressed the congregation of St. Hilda’s several times over the years, much to their delight and to great hilarity. Bruce has a wonderful sense of humour, which must be a heritable trait, as Bruce’s son Ian (aka The Quite Reverend Dimbly Rumble) seems to be similarly blessed.
This autumn, taking advantage of retirement freedom and fully indulging his passion for sailing, Bruce is planning to sail from Iceland to the Faroe Islands and onward to the Shetland Isles, the Orkneys, Hebrides and ultimately to Scotland. He will be one of twelve working passengers with a small permanent crew on “Tecla,” a two-masted 80-foot Dutch fishing boat built in 1915. This voyage is symbolic of the break that Bruce considers important between him and St. Hilda’s so that we can have time to hear God’s call for the next stage, unhindered by the habits and patterns that we have established over the 27 years of his ministry. He asks for the prayers of all of us as he, and we, seek guidance for life after he retires from his ordained ministry as deacon.
And the bomb scare? Well, Bruce has been involved with Boy Scouts for years, and in the mid-1990s, Bruce, with another scout leader, designed a summer camp for Cubs themed on spy-craft and espionage. The Cubs received (simulated) coded messages from CSIS on the church fax machine, searched for (simulated) bombs and used instructions to disarm them. Over a decade later, post 9/11, a church staff member discovered a brown paper bag, containing wires, and lights and pieces of broomstick – which looked rather bomb-like. They called the RCMP, who called the bomb squad, who brought in a robot to disarm the threat. The connection to Bruce was eventually made and he got a proper dressing down from the RCMP detachment chief. This incident is one of the many stories of the rich relationship between St Hilda’s and Bruce Morris.
All the best in your retirement, Bruce. To paraphrase your paraphrase at the end of your sermon: “We pray that God… may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him even more, so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know the hope to which the Father is calling you…” Blessings.
IMAGES
- Archdeacon Bruce Morris, gifted with a prayer shawl from St. Hilda's, receiving blessing from the congregation
- Terry 'Coyote' Aleck, ODNW, St. Hilda's Indigenous Teacher-in-Residence, performs The Welcome Song to begin the service
- Archdeacon Bruce Morris about to read the Gospel. the rector, the Reverend Steve Black and deacon, the Reverend Taras Pakholchuk of St. David and St. Paul, Powell River
- A touchless COVID-times blessing for Bruce and his new beginnings
- Bruce's son, Ian, revives a role invented by Bruce himself. The genius of The Quite Reverend Dimbly Rumble had parishioners howling with laughter!
- Marg and Bruce Morris enjoying the post-service speeches and antics
- Bruce receiving a gift certificate for Talewinds Books and a lovely bottle of scotch for sipping while he reads; presented by Janet McIntosh
- The first assault on the retirement cake; Bruce is aided and abetted by his son Ian and Marg.
- Bruce proudly showing off grandbaby photos to Marisa Alps and Michele Mocellin
Photos: Bruce Pond