Breathing in the Love of God

A Celebration of a New Ministry -

The Installation of the Reverend David Taylor, August 26, 2015

There are thousands of compelling stories in the diocese of New Westminster. Many have been told, and many more have yet to be told, but for the past 20+ years the story of St. Dunstan’s, located in the still primarily rural municipality of Aldergrove is without a doubt one of the most interesting and most significant.

There used to be two parishes in the area, St. Alban’s and St. Dunstan’s. In 1994, following the induction of the Reverend Beverly Stewart as rector, she challenged the two small parishes to look beyond their Sunday worship routine and led them through a process of visioning and planning which would culminate in a new church building and a new concept of what it meant to be a serving and worshipping community. Beverly was/is a progressive Christian in every sense of the word. In 1996, the two parishes amalgamated into the one faith family of St. Dunstan’s. The St. Alban’s building was sold and a financial plan, capital campaign, diocesan loan and a private donation were put in place to move things forward. In 2000, a Molotov cocktail started a fire that burned down the old church and a four year journey began, culminating in the dedication by Bishop Michael Ingham of the new building on May 19, St. Dunstan’s Day, 2004, followed nine years later by the consecration of the building by Bishop Ingham again on May 19 of 2013, now that all of the construction and property purchase debts were paid off. It is a beautiful building; bright, modern, utilitarian but attractive and reflects what the community learned during their years of setting up Sunday worship in school gyms and other locations, which is that church is not about buildings but about people. That realization inspired the design of the current church and the mission and ministry of the community residing there.

In 2008, the Venerable Beverly Stewart (she was collated Archdeacon of Fraser in 2001) retired and the new rector, the Reverend Paul Guiton was chosen by the St. Dunstan’s community and appointed by the bishop. The parish continued to develop and during Paul’s incumbency became a place that was known to offer hospitality to the rest of the diocese for conferences and liturgies as well as compassionate service in many forms to the Aldergrove area. In the words of the current Archdeacon of Fraser, the Venerable Stephen Rowe who preached at the 2013 Service of Consecration, “(St. Dunstan’s) is a jewel in the crown of our diocese and a place of safety and welcome for the community…this is a building for God’s use, not just a place that taps everyone’s energy keeping it clean and tidy.” For the eighteen months following the January 30, 2014 retirement of the Reverend Paul Guiton, the parish flourished under the loving care of interim priest-in-charge, the Reverend Helen Tervo.

Bishop Melissa Skelton; Executive Archdeacon of the diocese, the Venerable Douglas Fenton; and the Archdeacon of Fraser, the Venerable Stephen Rowe worked closely with the parish on the development of their parish profile and the rector’s job posting. The profile and posting were twice circulated all over the Anglican Communion, however it was a priest of the diocese, the Reverend David Taylor who was offered the ministry opportunity. Ordained on July 21, 2009, David served as curate and as assistant priest at St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale. An excellent student, David was at the top of his Vancouver School of Theology grad class and gave the address at commencement. During his time at St. Mary’s he became an important part of pastoral and worship ministry particularly in his role as pastor to children, youth and young families. A skilled and creative musician/composer David released his first recorded collection of music “Awaken Love” earlier this year. He is married to a priest of the diocese, the Reverend Andrew Halladay, currently vicar of St. Augustine’s, Marpole and as of this writing in late August 2015, they are in the final stages of adopting a boy who has been their foster child for the past two years.

So this is the context that brought everyone together for a Celebration of a New Ministry, the Induction of the Reverend David Taylor by Bishop Melissa Skelton as rector of St. Dunstan’s, Aldergrove on the evening of August 26, 2015.

It was a great night. The sanctuary was full, with a large contingent of the parish present, more than forty clergy attended and two dozen plus members of the Parish of St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale arrived in a chartered bus. Bishop Melissa Skelton who had just returned from her honeymoon was relaxed and happy and remarked the next day that she was overjoyed by the fabulous energy that she’d experienced the night before. Andrew and David’s foster child, Nathan was present and he circulated around the space, playing, visiting and alternating periods of time in the arms of his two dads. During the traditional welcome to the deanery and archdeaconry, the Venerable Stephen Rowe called Nathan to join his dad in the chancel area and gave him a wrapped gift of a toy car which not only delighted Nathan but the congregation as well.

The preacher the Reverend Andrew Halladay began his address saying “I am the rector’s spouse.” This was greeted by enthusiastic hoots and applause to which he quickly answered “Nice to start these things (homilies) with applause.” He went on to say that at David’s St. Mary’s farewell party a long time parishioner gushed, “David is perfect.” After the laughter died down, Andrew said that he could list the reasons why David isn’t perfect, but that might say more about him than about David. Andrew gave some brief history of the development of Christian faith following and because of the protestant reformation, how the reformation had made faith “more personal.” The development of one’s faith particularly for an ordained person can easily turn into “clericalism”, which is when a priest’s personal beliefs and desires inform and overly influence the congregation they serve. This runs the risk of the rector becoming either a saint or despised. Andrew cautioned that this is what happens when ministry and even something as specific as the induction liturgy becomes all about the priest, for “the service tonight is about everyone, not just about David. It’s about the entire community who: live together, worship together, serve together.” Andrew spoke about the upcoming Symbols of Ministry section of the liturgy and pointed out that they really aren’t symbols but “tools of ministry…they are real”. Andrew asked the congregation to consider themselves not just symbolically the Body of Christ but actually the real breathing Body of Christ. In a dramatic illustration of this concept he taught the congregation one of David’s spiritual breathing exercises, instructing all those present to breathe in the Love of God, breathe out fear; breathe in the Love of God, breathe out frustration; breathe in the Love of God, breathe out pain; continuing this pattern until you breathe in the Love of God and breathe out the Love of God.

After the homily, the liturgy progressed through the series of events to where the newly installed rector, stands before the community and begins the Eucharist with arms extended, saying “The peace of God be always with you”. Bishop Skelton celebrated the Eucharist and the capacity congregation formed two long lines in front of their bishop and their new rector both offering the bread of Holy Communion, the Body of Christ.

The current mission statement of the Parish of St. Dunstan reads:

Listening to God’s call and walking humbly with Jesus, we are seeking justice and loving kindness for all God’s Creation. Acting on the faith that we were born with a meaning and purpose, we build relationships with each other, our community and our world and offer this facility and ourselves, a warm welcoming resource for the community.

With the ordained leadership of their new priest, the Reverend David Taylor, the Parish of St. Dunstan’s is going to discover new and inspiring ways to live into their mission statement as disciples of Jesus Christ, glorifying God in the community of Aldergrove and beyond. Please keep them in your prayers.

PHOTOS
1. The Bishop and new rector pose for some shots after the worship
2. The Preacher, the Reverend Andrew Halladay
3. Most folks seated in the “clergy area” seem to be enjoying the homily…others not as much
4. The hug after Bishop Skelton introduces the Reverend David Taylor to the St. Dunstan’s community as leader of their shared ministry
5. Bishop Skelton leads the welcoming applause
6. David and Nathan are welcomed by regional dean, the Reverend John Sovereign and archdeacon, the Venerable Stephen Rowe.
7. “The peace of God be always with you”
8. The two Communion lines
9. The bus and driver waiting to return St. Mary’s folks to the city.
 

Check out more photos on Anglican Conversation, the diocesan Facebook page.