The Bishop's Annual Dinner (Nov 26, 2015)

Peace with justice: Making the Israeli-Palestinian conflict an election issue

While teaching at St. George’s College in Jerusalem during the 1990s, the Rev. Canon Dr. Richard LeSueur took up residence with his family on the top floor of a school run for Palestinian children. The school was run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, overlooking the no-man’s land that separated East and West Jerusalem until 1967.

Currently an advisory board member of the Canadian Companions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, LeSueur initially moved to Israel during the First Intifada. He was present in September 1993 when news broke of the Oslo Accords, a historic peace agreement between Israeli and Palestinian officials. LeSueur recalled the “staggering” experience of euphoria on the streets of Jerusalem, with Palestinian flags—until then illegal—flying everywhere.

Election resource identifies political priorities for Anglicans

Just in time for the 2015 federal election, a new non-partisan resource offers support for Canadian Anglicans to engage with parties and candidates on a range of vital issues rooted in shared prosperity and protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

Entitled Compassion, Justice and Reason: An Anglican Approach for Election 2015, the free downloadable resource consists of double-sided sheets on 10 different justice issues highlighted by the Anglican Church of Canada and rooted in the Marks of Mission.

Canadian Council of Churches Federal Election Resource

The Canadian Council of Churches—in collaboration with KAIROS, Citizens for Public Justice, Project Ploughshares, Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, and the Church Council on Justice and Corrections—has compiled a resource for Canadian voters in preparation for the 2015 Canadian federal election.

The resource identifies a range of priority issues, offers sample questions you can ask of candidates, and provides links to resources where you can learn more about these particular issues.

We invite you to use this resource to:

• think through your own election priorities;
• call a group together to prepare for meetings with candidates;
• go deeper into issues you care about and work on them with others;
• organize and participate in all-candidates meetings in your riding.

Primate Hiltz: The Right and Responsibility to Vote

“Most gracious God, we give thee hearty thanks for this good land of Canada in which we live, and for the freedom we enjoy. Keep us mindful of our duties and faithful to our trust; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

(Service for Young People, Book of Common Prayer, p. 626)

As a youngster, I memorized this prayer, and it is still dear to my heart. In its call to gratitude, it takes me from a pondering of the beauty and bounty of this land, all of which we celebrate especially at this time of year, to a pondering of all the freedoms we enjoy—social, religious and political.

Walking with Indigenous peoples: Making reconciliation an election issue

Reconciliation has been on the hearts and in the minds of our church for decades. In 2015, the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, the  #22Days project, and eighth national Anglican Indigenous Sacred Circle among others further highlighted the issue of reconciliation with Indigenous people, putting it front and centre for and within the Anglican Church of Canada.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Woohoo! Long weekend! Celebration!

So here we have our one day of the year that we designate as a time to be thankful for the harvest of the past year.

That seems problematic to me; for a number of reasons.

Firstly: we’re called, as Christians, to be a joyful, thankful people. So we really ought to be thankful every day. 1 Thess 5.16-18 reminds us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

CBC Radio Interview with Bishop Mary Irwin Gibson (June 2015)

This interview is part of a series to help people to get to know our new Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. This interview is from the CBC and it was taped in June, 2015.
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Here is a radio interview with Bishop Mary Irwin Gibson before she was installed in September. Bishop Gibson is the first female Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. This interview was aired on Daybreak on June 16, 2015 at 10:09 AM.

Click here to hear the interview.

Gazette Article Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (September 2015)

This article is part of a series to help people to get to know our new Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. This one is from the Gazette and it was published in September 2015.
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Mary Irwin-Gibson is not only the first woman to become bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal but also the first fluently bilingual MBA.

She will be consecrated as spiritual leader of the 165-year-old diocese in a ceremony at Christ Church Cathedral Tuesday evening.

Her communication skills and business training could come in handy as the church navigates plummeting membership, agonizing decisions over aging heritage buildings and the diverse needs of a diocese that stretches from the Outaouais to the Eastern Townships.

CBC Interview with Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (September 2015)

This article is part of a series to help people to get to know our new Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. This one is from the CBC and it was published in September 2015.
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The Anglican Diocese of Montreal has the first female bishop in its 165-year history.

The Very Reverend Mary Irwin-Gibson was installed as the twelfth bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal at a consecration ceremony at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral on Tuesday evening.

Meet Montreal's first female bishop

Prior to taking up her role as bishop-elect earlier in September, Irwin-Gibson was rector and dean of St.George's Cathedral in Kingston, Ont.

Before that, she served in parishes in and around Montreal for 28 years.

St. Philip's Christmas Bazaar

Each year the people at St. Philip's put together a special fund raising event that has garnered a reputation as one of the best Christmas Bazaars in the city. Please join us on this wonderful day for this annual pre-Christmas event!

When: Saturday, November 14th from 10 am to 2 pm.

Where: The Memorial Hall (7505 Sherbrooke St. West).

Parishioners will be welcoming the wider NDG/Montreal West community as well as people from across the island of Montreal. There will be fabulous raffles as well as St. Philip's famous homemade baking, scrumptious candy & fudge, and sweet jellies & jams.

You can also find fine hand-knitted sweaters & scarves, linens, one-of-a-kind antiques, furniture, books, elegant jewellery, videos/CD's/puzzles, and many other items suitable for a variety of tastes and budgets. And speaking of taste, be sure to stay for a hearty soup & sandwich lunch prepared and served by the men of the parish.

Come with your Christmas list and leave with the warmth and fellowship of St. Philip's!

For more information call the church office at (514) 481-4871 or email us at office@stphilipschurchmontreal.ca

Anglican Article: Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (June 2015)

This article is part of a series to help people to get to know our new Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. This one is from the Anglican Church of Canada and it was published in June 2015.
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The Anglican Diocese of Montreal has elected the Very Rev. Mary Irwin-Gibson as its new bishop.

Currently the dean of St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston, Ont., Irwin-Gibson will be the first female bishop in the 165-year history of the diocese. She was elected in the fourth ballot at the June 6 diocesan synod, beating out three other candidates—the Ven. Bill Gray, the Rev. Karen Egan, and the Rt. Rev. Dennis Drainville.

Video - Consecration of Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson

Related
CBC Radio Interview with Bishop Mary Irwin Gibson (June 2015)
Gazette Article Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (September 2015)
CBC Interview with Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (September 2015)
Anglican Article: Bishop Mary Irwin-Gibson (June 2015)
Mary Irwin-Gibson Elected as the First Female Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal
The Visions of the Nominees for Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal
Nominees for Anglican Bishop in the Diocese of Montreal