Thrive! family program offers new approach to youth ministry

An Anglican parish in the Diocese of Huron is partnering with a local United Church of Canada congregation to develop an intergenerational ministry program for parents and youth. Originating in the community of Essex, Ont., Thrive! A living manual for families is a joint ministry project between St. Paul’s Anglican Church and Essex United Church … Continued

Anglicans across the Communion united for women’s rights and gender equality

Thursday, March 8 marks International Women’s Day. In countries around the world, rallies, celebrations and demonstrations will be held to acknowledge the achievements and the struggle that women experience for equal rights. For Anglicans, the global nature of the struggle for women’s rights and gender equality is reflected through networks in our worldwide Anglican Communion. … Continued

Primate’s letter calls for support to Palestinian refugees

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, is calling on the Canadian government to increase support for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following a sharp reduction in contributions from the United States. In an open letter to MP Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister for International Development and La Francophonie, … Continued

‘Demanding more’

The heart of America is aching in the aftermath of yet another tragic school shooting, this time at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Fourteen young people, a geography teacher, an athletic director and a football coach were murdered. As this community buries its children, thousands and thousands of people across the United … Continued

#MeToo and the Church—Part Four: The Safe Church Commission and ecumenical initiatives

Read Parts One, Two, and Three. Even before the #MeToo movement brought the issue of sexual misconduct to the forefront of public conversation, confronting gender-based violence and abuse had emerged as a priority across many provinces of the Anglican Communion. At a communion-wide level in 2016, the Anglican Consultative Council passed resolutions aimed at transforming … Continued

#MeToo and the Church—Part Three: Perspectives on Indigeneity, colonialism and the legacy of the residential schools

Read Parts One and Two. For many Indigenous peoples in Canada, the increased public attention to sexual violence in the wake of the #MeToo movement can carry a very different meaning than it might for non-Indigenous peoples. The historical experience of colonization, widespread abuse of children in the Indian residential school system, the resulting intergenerational … Continued

Bishop’s Confirmation Day in Montreal to build community and prayer partnerships

Montreal youth project coordinator Lee-Ann Matthews pointed out that confirmation after baptism is “not really the end of your faith journey; it’s just the beginning”. In the Anglican Diocese of Montreal, the question of how the diocese could support the faith journeys of those undergoing confirmation—also known as confirmands—became the pondering and project of Matthews … Continued

#MeToo and the Church—Part Two: Development of sexual misconduct policies

Read Part One. The development of sexual misconduct policies across the Anglican Church of Canada starting in the early 1990s reflected wider historical changes in public attitudes towards sexual abuse and harassment. The  public acknowledgement of sexual harassment developed largely out of the women’s rights movement and second-wave feminism in the 1970s and 1980s. This … Continued

#MeToo and the Church—Part One: How can Anglicans respond?

The #MeToo movement has led to an explosion of public discussion around the prevalence of—and disclosure of personal experiences about—sexual violence, harassment, and abuse. In the months since use of the hashtag began trending on social media following allegations of sexual violence by public figures such as Harvey Weinstein, thousands of survivors have shared their … Continued

Lay Spiritual Renewal pilot project earns positive feedback

The Diocese of New Westminster is garnering positive reviews from participants in its Lay Spiritual Renewal pilot project—a “uniquely Anglican” retreat weekend that organizers are hoping will expand into a nationwide program for spiritual formation. Pro Mundi Vita—a Latin term meaning “For the Life of the World”—saw its first two retreat weekends last October at … Continued