PRINCE ALBERT — In 2020, Thomas McCallum was in northern Saskatchewan with his friend Teddy Williams travelling around and playing music for communities in the north. Since that time Ted Williams, who was a summer student, discerning his future, in the parish of Nipawin, returned to the diocese and is now the priest for St. Matthew’s in Tisdale and All Saints in Melfort.
McCallum returned to Ontario to pursue his music career and now lives in Halifax. He did not forget his time in our diocese and put on a concert in February entitled From Saskatchewan with Love. The concert was free in support of Cree ministry in Saskatchewan.
Also playing with him was Karis Tees, who spent two summers in the diocese as a VBS instructor. Matt (a friend of Brody’s from Saskatchewan) played while his wife Amy Bird read a passage from Canon Edward Ahenakew’s book “Voices of the Plains Cree.”
Brody Albers and Jordan Draper spent a week in Nova Scotia recruiting King’s College students for VBS, promoting the work of our diocese and deepening friendships with their brothers and sisters in the Halifax area.
The visit included Holy Communion at King’s College Chapel, a weekend retreat with the chapel students, including sung offices and a daily sunrise Holy Communion, and the Monday night concert at St. George’s Round Church supporting an upcoming video project in the diocese.
The Rev. Eugene Merasty was also going to Nova Scotia, but was unable to attend as he was overwhelmed with many funerals to lead in Stanley Mission.
Alber said they stayed at Trinity House. Trinity House was originally a nine-bedroom rectory for St. George’s Church. The house was built to accommodate their minister and his many children. Subsequent ministers to St. George’s did not need such a large house and so the parish converted it into a boarding house.
In lieu of rent, students donate what they can to the church. When they visited, there were five permanent lodgers. Each tenant is responsible for looking after the work entailed in inhabiting a house, laundry, kitchen duties, cleaning, etc. If a student is in need of shelter for whatever reason, they can stay there until their situation improves.
The money is being raised to help pay to produce a baptismal video looking at the role of the different people in the service, and the meaning of baptism as an entrance into the church and the family of God in an indigenous perspective. Members of St. George’s Round Church in Halifax pledged to match what was raised at the concert ($1,500).
To produce a quality video, it will cost $50,000. The diocese has received a grant from the Anglican Foundation for $15,000 and with other donations have about $25,000 towards the $50,000 bill. If you or your parish would like to donate, please send a cheque to the Synod Office or you could e-transfer money to [email protected].
The diocesan affiliation with Nova Scotia goes back to the 1990s when Anthony Burton became bishop and continued his relationships from his time in Nova Scotia. Bishop Michael Hawkins also had a connection to Nova Scotia and it still continues today with Brody and Jordan.
