NEW COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY FOR COUNCIL OF THE NORTH

Prince Albert (SK)–Bishop Michael Hawkins, Chair of the Council of the North, is pleased to announce that Hauser Communications, based in Napanee, ON, has been chosen to fulfill a one-year contract to provide communications services for the Council.

The new Communications strategy will focus on sharing stories of the Council that reflect the Church’s 5 Marks of Mission. According to Bishop Hawkins, “We have stories to tell to the entire Church: stories of heroic and sacrificial service, and stories of individual and community transformation through the Anglican Church’s ministry of presence and Gospel proclamation.”

Bishop Barbara Andrews (Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior) describes stories of northern ministry as stories of “facing challenges with creativity.”  Many have also described the Council as the proving ground of the church—a place where new strategies and new ways of doing ministry are tested. In this way, the Council plays a special and integral role in the ongoing life of the wider Church—squarely facing the difficulties of the Canadian Church’s work in the 21st century with openness and courage.

Hauser Communications, with experience in developing print, video and online resources for the Church, will focus on the collection and sharing of these stories of the Council.

In the initial stages, the work will centre on preparing for the Joint Assembly in Ottawa, including assisting the Chair and Co-Chair to prepare a video presentation, and on refreshing the Council of the North Month resources to be distributed to parishes in mid-July.

In terms of a long-term and broader approach, HC will develop an improved, more financially sustainable communications infrastructure that can succeed over the long-term.  This will be an infrastructure that requires minimal ongoing mentorship and guidance, and a communications plan that can be continually updated and evaluated.

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Media Enquiries:
For more information on the Council of the North or Hauser Communications, please contact:

Michael Hawkins: Tel.: (306) 763-2455; Email: bishopmichael@sasktel.net  or Mark Hauser (Principal) or Sharon Dewey Hetke (Associate): Tel.: 613-354-6387; Email:cnc@national.anglican.ca

Bishops

From West to East

Diocese of Caledonia – Bishop William Anderson

Diocese of Yukon – Bishop Larry Robertson

Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior – Bishop Barbara Andrews

Diocese of the Arctic – Bishop Andrew Atagotaaluk

Diocese of Athabasca – Bishop Fraser Lawton

Diocese of Saskatchewan – Bishop Michael Hawkins (Chair)

Diocese of Brandon – Bishop James Njegovan

Diocese of Keewatin – Archbishop David Ashdown

Diocese of Moosonee – Bishop Thomas Corston

Diocese of Quebec – Bishop Dennis Drainville

Archdeaconry of Labrador – Bishop Cyrus Pitman

General Synod

Treasurer – Hanna Goschy

Director of Communications – Vianney (Sam) Carriere

Welcome to the Council of the North Month! Council of the North Month is held in September this year.  In partnership with Anglican Appeal, the Council of the North is happy to provide you with these educational and fundraising materials.

So why September? Why not another month?

September is traditionally the time across the country when, as Christians, we give thanks to our Creator God for the harvest of the year. Many of our parishes celebrate this by Harvest Festivals. It is also the time of the year when people in northern communities go out onto to the land to hunt;  to hunt, caribou, geese, ducks, deer, and moose, in order to provide for their families and communities.

This month in the north is a time for communities to come together in Hunters’ Festivals and give thanks to our Creator God for another successful harvest. These festivals usually end with a community feast.

We would like to invite you to consider hosting a community feast that would involve a stew traditional to your area and homemade bannock.  This would be an opportunity for your parish to support a ministry of the whole church and to increase awareness in your parish of this ministry.

From all of us who live, work and worship in Anglican churches in the north thank you for partnering with us as we move from a mission shaped by structure to a structure that is shaped by mission.

Resources:

Cover Letter 2012

Ideas List

Bannock Recipe

Bulletin Cover

Bulletin Cover (Grey Scale)

Collect

Bulletin Inserts 2012

Bulletin Insert 2012 (grayscale)

Response Form

The Council of the North is a grouping of financially assisted dioceses, which are supported through grants by General Synod. There are 9 dioceses, the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior and the Archdeaconry of Labrador. They are in sparsely populated areas such as the Arctic, Yukon, Northern and Central Interior British Columbia, Alberta, northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba; northern Ontario, northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Council of the North  is comprised of all bishops of the assisted dioceses in the Anglican Church of Canada. The Council  administers the General Synod’s grants for northern mission and meets twice a year to share information about the unique challenges faced by smaller ministries in the north.

They work together to provide pastoral and sacramental ministry to all who are living in isolated communities in Canada’s North.

The chair of  the council is Bishop Michael Hawkins, Diocese of Saskatchewan.

History

The Council of the North began in 1970 when the National Executive Council of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada appointed a taskforce to consider the challenges and opportunities for ministry in the northern parts of Canada. The following year this taskforce was replaced with the Primate’s Taskforce on the Church in the North. In 1973 this taskforce became the Primate’s Council on the North. By 1976 this body had evolved into the present Council of the North.

Recent Developments

The Council of the North is aware of the financial challenges facing all levels of the church today. To that end the Council is working in partnership with the Resources for Mission department and others to raise the funds needed for ministry projects.

The Council is moving from mission shaped structure to structure shaped by mission. Will you join those living and working in the area served by the Council on this journey?

Donations

If you or your parish are interested in supporting the Council of the North please contact Bishop Michael Hawkins, Chair of the Council, and he will assist you.

Communications
For all communications inquiries or to share your stories or experiences about positive ministry projects in the North, please contact either Mark Hauser or Sharon Hetke.

Facebook

We have a Facebook page and invite you to join us there for regular updates.

• 2012 Council of the North Prayer Cycle
• A collect has been written for use when praying for the Council of the North. Collect
• Other resources, Bulletin Covers, Buttons, Coin Boxes, Placemats, Activity Calendars, and Offering Envelopes,  can be ordered on the Resources Order Form page.