Link: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/tears-of-joy-for-new-diocese I very much like this comment:
I've met Michael a few times. He's referencing the small, scattered villages across the north, which mostly, are served by locally raised-up clergy at the level of lay reader. His diocese has 110 lay readers, less that 30 priests, and most do it without pay. Most of the communities are fly in, boat or snow mobile (in winter). Subsistence hunting is common. Languages are Cree and English. He's talking about the new diocese being about integrity of faith in vastly different circumstances than the southern and European and not about creating a new governance system for the church. If you've ever heard a church sing in Cree, you'd get the Pentecost thing. There's something unique in relatively simple life, close to the lakes, rocks and trees. Many "thin places". They believe culturally about spirit being imminent and immediately present, and it shows in worship. It is not English culture. It is Cree and northern culture. The diocese is highly traditional in practice and outlook. Link to Bishop Michael's diocese: http://www.skdiocese.com/about-us/ I don't know that I can explain any better. It is hard to do. There are settings with people where the spirit just seems to be ever present. I expect some day for the people of the north to lead us back and into new all at once.
I pray that the work for the indigenisation of the Canadian Church to continue. People should be able to come to Christ with their own traditions alongside the Eucharistic Service, and not be put away! I do think though that Canadians are more sensitive about the Aboriginal heritage and cultural presence in the making of our Nation, more than the Americans do with the First Nations in the United States. Here are some prayers for the creation of this new Diocese, all from the contemporary liturgy of the Anglican Church of Canada: O GOD of eternal light, heaven and earth are the work of thy hands, and all creation singeth thy praise and beauty. As in the beginning, by thy Spirit, thou gavest life and order unto all that is, so by the same Spirit redeem us and all things; through Christ our Lord. Amen. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, especially for this new Diocese, which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church; that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. MAY the faithful ancestors of this Nation pray for us. Amen. + (A meditation on the Lord's Prayer.) ETERNAL Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of thy name echo through the universe! The way of thy justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Thy heavenly will be done by all created beings! Thy commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For thou reignest in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.
http://www.anglican.ca/resources/liturgicaltextsonline/ The first prayer is from the book, Occasional Celebrations, under the heading of blessings for the environment. The second prayer is from the Book of Alternative Services, under the heading of Occasional Prayers, of the prayer for vocation and ministry. And the third meditation is from the Appendix of the Supplementary Eucharistic Prayers, Services of the Word, and Night Prayer. I just render them into traditional English, simply because I swing that way, lol.