Fresh Start in the Diocese of Niagara

How to welcome your new squatter-priest, diocese of Niagara style.

Welcoming a new priest is just as important as welcoming anyone else into our church community – and all the more challenging as they bring their new gifts and opportunities to a leadership position.

In the Diocese of Niagara, we believe that transition is happening even before a new priest is welcomed into your parish. With that in mind, FRESH START sees itself as a resource to parishes, parochial committees and clergy once news of a move is announced.
After the new incumbent arrives, clergy will receive an invitation to join a clergy FRESH START group, which meets on a monthly basis for two years. In Niagara , commitment to this program is a condition of employment. The clergy group offers a place for questioning and affirmation, through what can sometimes be a difficult time. Remember, for many clergy this is a personal as well as a professional transition.

It is understandable that Niagara is one of the dioceses using Fresh Start to introduce new priests. After all, they have had such a lot of practice at the clergy-conga in St. Hilda’s alone. In less than a year there was Brian Ruttan with his congregation of zero – come to think of it there was no-one to introduce him to; then Martha Tatarnic – actually there was no-one to introduce her to either since she brought her congregation from St. Jude’s; then Cheryl Fricker – yet again with no introduction needed since she brought her own troop of Celts.

Perhaps it should be renamed False Start in Niagara.

The diocese of Niagara redefines evangelism – again.

Normal people in charge of normal churches view success as increasing their people-to-building ratio. The diocese of Niagara’s bishop Michael Bird views success as exactly the opposite.

Shamelessly plagiarised from a comment on SF.

Celts invade St. Hilda’s!

Rev. Cheryl Fricker of St. Aidan’s Oakville has obviously been told by her masters in the diocese of Niagara to put some people in St. Hilda’s building – anyone at all – to make it appear that the diocese is doing something useful there.

From the diocese of Niagara web site here:

Description: All are welcome to join us every Sunday at 8:30 am in the spirit of St. Hilda to celebrate communion together using the songs and prayers form the Celtic Christian Tradition.

Looking for a later service?

Description: If 8:30 is too early for you, please join us at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church at 318 Queen Mary Drive for our 10 AM family Eucharist. Take Rebecca east to Forsythe, go North on Forsythe to Queen Mary. The church is at the corner of Queen Mary and Stewart Street. All are welcome!

Little pretence is made that there is actually any need for an 8:30 service at St. Hilda’s since, if 8:30 is too early, come along to St. Aidan’s building. We are all one happy family – we all really attend St. Aidan’s anyway.

Cheryl makes even less effort to disguise the fact that the congregation at St. Aidan’s is simply using St. Hilda’s building to make a political statement here:

Early Celtic Communion
St. Aidan’s, Oakville
Every Sunday Morning at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church 1258 Rebecca Street, right next door to the Library. All are welcome! 8:30 AM

It’s just as well that Celts are used to a cold, damp environment since Cheryl isn’t getting up early enough to turn on the heat.