The Reverend Christine Rowe began the worship Sunday morning, May 1st, 2011 at by welcoming the congregation. She thanked everyone who had been involved in the organization of the combined service bringing together the six North Vancouver Anglican worshipping communities and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church also located in North Vancouver.
Christine asked that all the people in the congregation visiting from Gloria Dei please raise their hands. This request resulted in the hand-raising of 20-25% of the capacity congregation. They were acknowledged with an enthusiastic round of applause. Following the welcoming of the Lutheran visitors, Christine then asked each of the North Vancouver deanery parishes to identify themselves also with a show of hands but made particular mention of: St. Agnes’ who were also celebrating the first day of the new ministry of their new Incumbent, the Rev. Stephen Muir and St. Clement’s who were supporting parishioner and baptismal candidate Kristina Xue Fong Lee, her family and sponsors.
The combined choirs co-directed by St. Catherine’s Organist and Director of Music, Siiri Rebane and Gloria Dei’s Organist and Director of Music, Annabelle Paetsch led the music in worship.
The preacher for this special service of Choral Eucharist with Baptism celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Waterloo Declaration was Gloria Dei Interim Pastor, Kim Staus.
Pastor Kim began his sermon by saying how happy he was to be asked to speak at a gathering commemorating this important event in the histories of the two denominations.
He admitted to “weeping tears of joy” at the signing of the declaration in 2001 and had desperately wanted to be present but his ministerial responsibilities precluded his attendance. The Waterloo meetings were of particular significance to Kim because of his years of ministry in the northern regions of Canada. During those years he had come to know Anglicans, Presbyterians and others through his experience as a pastor in sparsely populated areas.
He was particularly close to Bishop John Hannan the former Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Caledonia and jokingly admitted that because of the Bishop's signature he thought Bishop John’s surname was Caledonia and was surprised at the amazing coincidence. For Kim, Bishop John modeled contextual ministry, he got out among people and met them on their turf. Kim remembered Bishop John coming to his home and entertaining his then young children by making impressions in play doh with his Episcopal ring.
Pastor Kim went on to speak about shared ministry and stated that he believes that the current resources of the North Vancouver worshipping communities gathered that day are enough to move forward.
“It’s God’s Spirit that is moving us together.”
He went on to discuss some of the shifts that happened in the ELCIC around the ordination of Bishops because of the changes that had evolved from the Waterloo Declaration.
Kim then focused on the Gospel read that day, John 17:1-6, 15-23 and how those words related to Kristina’s upcoming baptism. Kristina with all her gifts is being called to make God's name known and he went on to comment on the juxtaposition of Kristina’s education in Computer Science and the language and ritual (some might say archaic) of Anglican liturgy. Pastor Kim asked, “how will that work out? What will both components bring to and benefit from each other?” In his opinion the result of the Waterloo Declaration is a parallel situation.
Here we are 10 years later talking about how Lutherans and Anglicans can do gospel-centred ministry is North Vancouver. The conversation that is taking place today in North Vancouver and other places around Canada might not have happened without the Waterloo Declaration.
Kristina’s Baptism, presided over by her priest, the Rev. Dr. Lynne McNaughton was a joyful welcoming of a new member into the Family of Christ and was certainly one of the highlights of
the morning.
Congratulations to Kristina and to the people of North Vancouver who are embracing the changes necessary to ‘Grow communities of faith in Jesus Christ to serve God’s mission in the world’
Christine asked that all the people in the congregation visiting from Gloria Dei please raise their hands. This request resulted in the hand-raising of 20-25% of the capacity congregation. They were acknowledged with an enthusiastic round of applause. Following the welcoming of the Lutheran visitors, Christine then asked each of the North Vancouver deanery parishes to identify themselves also with a show of hands but made particular mention of: St. Agnes’ who were also celebrating the first day of the new ministry of their new Incumbent, the Rev. Stephen Muir and St. Clement’s who were supporting parishioner and baptismal candidate Kristina Xue Fong Lee, her family and sponsors.
The combined choirs co-directed by St. Catherine’s Organist and Director of Music, Siiri Rebane and Gloria Dei’s Organist and Director of Music, Annabelle Paetsch led the music in worship.
The preacher for this special service of Choral Eucharist with Baptism celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Waterloo Declaration was Gloria Dei Interim Pastor, Kim Staus.
Pastor Kim began his sermon by saying how happy he was to be asked to speak at a gathering commemorating this important event in the histories of the two denominations.
He admitted to “weeping tears of joy” at the signing of the declaration in 2001 and had desperately wanted to be present but his ministerial responsibilities precluded his attendance. The Waterloo meetings were of particular significance to Kim because of his years of ministry in the northern regions of Canada. During those years he had come to know Anglicans, Presbyterians and others through his experience as a pastor in sparsely populated areas.
He was particularly close to Bishop John Hannan the former Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Caledonia and jokingly admitted that because of the Bishop's signature he thought Bishop John’s surname was Caledonia and was surprised at the amazing coincidence. For Kim, Bishop John modeled contextual ministry, he got out among people and met them on their turf. Kim remembered Bishop John coming to his home and entertaining his then young children by making impressions in play doh with his Episcopal ring.
Pastor Kim went on to speak about shared ministry and stated that he believes that the current resources of the North Vancouver worshipping communities gathered that day are enough to move forward.
“It’s God’s Spirit that is moving us together.”
He went on to discuss some of the shifts that happened in the ELCIC around the ordination of Bishops because of the changes that had evolved from the Waterloo Declaration.
Kim then focused on the Gospel read that day, John 17:1-6, 15-23 and how those words related to Kristina’s upcoming baptism. Kristina with all her gifts is being called to make God's name known and he went on to comment on the juxtaposition of Kristina’s education in Computer Science and the language and ritual (some might say archaic) of Anglican liturgy. Pastor Kim asked, “how will that work out? What will both components bring to and benefit from each other?” In his opinion the result of the Waterloo Declaration is a parallel situation.
Here we are 10 years later talking about how Lutherans and Anglicans can do gospel-centred ministry is North Vancouver. The conversation that is taking place today in North Vancouver and other places around Canada might not have happened without the Waterloo Declaration.
Kristina’s Baptism, presided over by her priest, the Rev. Dr. Lynne McNaughton was a joyful welcoming of a new member into the Family of Christ and was certainly one of the highlights of
the morning.
Congratulations to Kristina and to the people of North Vancouver who are embracing the changes necessary to ‘Grow communities of faith in Jesus Christ to serve God’s mission in the world’
Images: Top left, the Reverends Jeremy Clark-King and Christine Rowe. Middle Right, Pator Kim Staus. Lower left, Kristina's Baptism. Below, Siiri Rebane leads the combined choirs.