Clergy burnout hidden threat for ministers

by Virginia Battiste, Saskatoon Star Phoenix Dr. Roy Oswald has some advice for churches who want to keep their pastors in long-term ministry. He says it can help to avoid both clergy burnout and the frequent changes of clergy that can be disruptive and costly to a parish. “We live in a high stress culture
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: May 17, 1997 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6177
Categories: News • In this article: clergy, Saskatoon, workshop Transmis : 17 mai 1997 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6177
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : clergy, Saskatoon, workshop

Forging liaisons between neighbouring congregations is goal of Covenanting 2000

Giving visible witness to Christian unity is the goal of a number of Saskatoon churches which have joined themselves together in Covenanting 2000.

Rev. Walter Donovan, of Calvin Goforth Presbyterian Church, is an enthusiastic supporter of the Covenanting 2000 project. His church has been twinned with Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church for a two-year period.

Donovan is one of the eight church leaders and representatives who has signed the Covenanting 2000 pastoral letter encouraging local inter-church initiatives. It has also been signed by leaders and representatives of the Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Mennonite Ministerial, Orthodox Church of America, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Catholic Churches, and the United Church of Canada.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: May 16, 1998 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6016
Categories: News • In this article: Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon Transmis : 16 mai 1998 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6016
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon

In memory of Winifred O’Rourke

Winifred M. O’Rourke, a founding mother of the Saskatoon Centre for Ecumenism, went to be with her Lord on October 8, 1997 at the age of 85. When the Centre was begun, she was responsible for setting up the library, spending many hours in organizing and cataloging the books. Her work and love of the Centre has been appreciated in so many ways through the years. Winifred also had a remarkable library of her own. Following her passing, her daughter Jennifer O’Rourke made many of those books available to the Centre. It is with sincere gratefulness that we have accepted this generous gift, as the collection of books has made a valuable addition to our library. For those of us who had the opportunity to know Winifred, it is like having a part of her with us.” All the books listed elsewhere in this issue are from this collection, and are available for borrowing. We wish to publicly thank the O’Rourke family for recognizing her mother’s deep love and understanding of ecumenism and thereby realizing that by passing on these books to our Centre, Winifred’s memory will continue to live on in the hearts of many people.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: June 1, 1998 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=2229
Categories: Memorials • In this article: Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon Transmis : 1 juin 1998 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=2229
Catégorie : Memorials • Dans cet article : Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon

Family’s faith stands on twin foundations

When Bernie and Shirley Karstad were considering marriage, they had an added twist to consider. While both were dedicated, devoted and active church members, the catch was that they belonged to different churches. Neither had any interest in switching to another church tradition. Adding further complication, each was bringing children from a previous marriage into
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: September 26, 1998 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6035
Categories: News • In this article: interchurch families, marriage, Saskatoon Transmis : 26 septembre 1998 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6035
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : interchurch families, marriage, Saskatoon

Through the looking glass: faces and phases of Christian unity

As Alice through the looking glass, when we enter the world of ecumenism everything seems to be a little bit different. Through the looking glass, everything looks different, we look at it differently and we experience it differently. The Saskatoon Centre for Ecumenism is hosting a national Summer Ecumenical Institute that will assist us to
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: June 6, 1999 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6254
Categories: News • In this article: events, Saskatoon, Summer Ecumenical Institute Transmis : 6 juin 1999 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6254
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : events, Saskatoon, Summer Ecumenical Institute

SONday citywide millennial celebration

What will you be doing on Jan. 2, 2000 — the first Sunday of the new millennium? Church leaders in Saskatoon hope you’ll be among the many thousands expected at SaskPlace to attend SONday 2000, a “city-wide day of celebration of Our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.” The 15-member task force organizing the event explains
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: December 4, 1999 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6181
Categories: News • In this article: events, millenium, Saskatoon Transmis : 4 décembre 1999 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6181
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : events, millenium, Saskatoon

Thousands attend SONDay 2000 church service

by John Goranson, Saskatchewan News Network Saskatoon’s largest-ever church service drew thousands of Christians intent on celebrating their faith together at Saskatchewan Place, despite -22 degree temperatures and a frustrating 45-minute traffic jam Sunday. “It’s so packed. I’ve never seen it this full for anything — and for a church thing that’s really great,” said
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: January 3, 2000 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6199
Categories: News • In this article: events, millenium, Saskatoon Transmis : 3 janvier 2000 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6199
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : events, millenium, Saskatoon

Good neighbours: now they’ve put it in writing

Good neighbours: McClure United and Holy Spirit congregations have always been close; now they’ve put it in writing If Covenant 2000 were a play, Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church and McClure United Church would be well into the second act. The two churches recently signed a formal ecumenical covenant, committing themselves to breaking down barriers
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: February 26, 2000 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=6037
Categories: News • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada Transmis : 26 février 2000 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=6037
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada

Churches sign covenant agreement

It was more than 30 years in the making but on Sunday, parishioners from Holy Spirit Roman Catholic and McClure United parishes stood side by side.

Old and young sang beautifully together. They taught their children together, hugged, prayed and worshipped as brothers and sisters in Christ at Holy Spirit Parish. Afterward, they walked together through the streets of Saskatoon to break bread together at a community lunch at McClure United.

This was done to mark the signing of a new covenant between the parishes which has been discussed since 1966 and which both pastors hope will mark the beginning of an even better relationship.

“I believe this to be the will and the work of the Holy Spirit that has brought us to this moment. It is not merely our efforts or our decisions,” said McClure’s Rev. Ron McConnell.

Holy Spirit pastor, Rev. Bernard de Margerie, agreed. He said the covenant means that the two congregations pledge to grow together to “help create a more stable relationship that is more worthy of life within the Body of Christ.”

In his portion of the joint sermon, McConnell compared the covenant relationship to a marriage.

“The questions people most often ask about the covenant include: ‘Does this mean you’re exactly the same now? Do you now see everything the same way? There are no more differences?” The answer is — are you kidding? Does that sound like any marriage you have ever known?’ ” he said.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: March 8, 2000 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=8
Categories: News • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada Transmis : 8 mars 2000 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=8
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada

Friendship draws two churches closer together

It was a Valentine in the form of a covenant signed by a Roman Catholic bishop, a United Church Presbytery chair, two local pastors and members of their congregations on the eve of Feb. 14.

The covenant was the formalization of a long friendship between McClure United Church and Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Parish. The covenant was written, according to the document itself “in response to the call of Jesus, “that they may all be one and that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21-23).

“You must have been listening to the Spirit,” said Sister Anne Keffer, director of Saskatoon’s Centre for Ecumenism, where the official document signing took place.

“On behalf of the whole church, I thank you. I thank God.”

In total, some 40 members from the two congregations were present for the signing ceremony which involved joint prayer and reflections on healing and reconciliation.

Rev. Bernard de Margerie of Holy Spirit Parish, a past director of the Centre for Ecumenism, said the stages of the relationship between the churches were like any other. It first involved a courtship, which built into a relationship. The covenant itself was a gesture of solidarity, followed by the joint celebration of the formal covenant on Sunday. The last step will be ongoing faithfulness.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: March 8, 2000 • Permanent link: ecu.net/?p=9
Categories: News • In this article: Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada Transmis : 8 mars 2000 • Lien permanente : ecu.net/?p=9
Catégorie : News • Dans cet article : Catholic, Christian unity, covenant, ecumenism, Saskatoon, United Church of Canada