Saturday, December 20, 2008

Amazing Grace Video

Watch the Amazing Grace Video online:
http://www2.anglican.ca/amazinggrace/video.htm

The long-awaited Amazing Grace compilation video has been released as a gift to the Anglican Church of Canada. Called Amazing Together, the 10-minute documentary includes video clips from hundreds of congregations that sang "Amazing Grace" on Nov. 23 and submitted their renditions to the national office before Dec. 1.

Over 500 videos were sent in out of 2,000 churches in Canada. Singers were asked to donate a toonie to the Council of the North, a group of dioceses involved in work and ministry in Canada's north, and to date over $30,000 has been raised.

Canadian Anglicans sang the hymn on beaches, in remote chapels, a cappella, in labyrinths, and with jazz ensembles.

"I think the program is absolutely beautiful," Lisa Barry, senior producer of Anglican Video wrote in an online reflection. "It's folksy and wobbly and full of Spirit and hope and I love it."

In a press release about the video's success, Archdeacon Michael Pollesel, general secretary of General Synod, said "Amazing Together stands as a strong example of what Canadian Anglicans can do when something captures their imagination. We often hear church unity described as a fragile thing. This demonstrates conclusively that in the hearts and minds of Anglicans from coast to coast to coast, the church is strong and it is united."

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Check out Lisa Barry's behind-the-scenes reflections on the video:
http://www2.anglican.ca/amazinggrace/video.htm#story

Friday, December 12, 2008

Christmas Message from National Leaders

Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz and National Lutheran Bishop Susan Johnson speak of the Prince of Peace and share Christmas memories in a special joint message now available online. The Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada have been in full communion since 2001.

The four-minute Christmas video message can be downloaded for use in parishes and elsewhere. http://www2.anglican.ca/primate/christmas/

A transcript is also available. http://www2.anglican.ca/primate/christmas/transcript.htm 

 

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Advent Musings.... by Bishop Gordon Light


Advent Musings 1: Stilling the Heart

The Rt. Rev. Gordon Light

Bishop of the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior

 (This is the first of "Advent Musings," a series of meditations  published on anglican.ca each Monday in Advent.)

 

Lord it is night.

The night is for stillness.

Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.

What has been done has been done;

what has not been done has not been done.

Let it be.

The night is dark.

let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you.

The night is quiet.

Let the quietness of your peace enfold us, all dear to us, and all who have no peace.

The night heralds the dawn.

Let us look expectantly

to a new day,

new joys,

new possibilities.

In your name we pray. Amen.

There is a story behind this prayer. As the writing team for the New Zealand Prayer Book was in the midst of its work in the 1980s, one member of the group wrote out these lines after a difficult day. But thinking it was just a collection of throwaway verses, he tossed it in a waste basket. Someone found and kept it, and it was included in the section for Night Prayers. It has also become part of the service of Night Prayers of many other churches, including our own. It is a wonderful prayer.

A year ago I was invited to lead an Advent quiet day in St. John's, Quesnel, B.C. We used this prayer as the focus of our time together. On that day, I asked the participants to think of using the word "Advent" in place of " the night." So our prayer that day was this:

"Lord it is Advent...Advent is for stillness...Advent is dark...Advent is quiet...Advent heralds the dawn..."

We explored something of the darkness of this season that calls for light; sought to open ourselves to the stillness and quiet our souls need in the crowded days of shopping, planning and preparing for Christmas that is a hallmark of our culture; and we considered the dawn that Advent announces-the birth of Jesus-heaven's promise to be with us no matter what. This is a good prayer to pray at any time, but I think especially in Advent. You might consider making it a daily prayer.

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The Anglican Church of Canada

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