The challenge of distance

In the far northern community of Moose Lake, Man., in the Diocese of Brandon, St. John’s Anglican Church is a beacon of light. The Aboriginal residents have seen their share of difficulties over the years, from flooding of traditional lands (by Manitoba Hydro) to epidemic suicide rates. Council of the North grants allow this parish, with an average Sunday attendance of about 30, to pay a salary to the Rev. Clara Lambert, a local indigenous priest.

“The recent confirmation class of 30 bright aboriginal young people was a joy to behold,” says Brandon’s Bishop Jim Njegovan.

Council of the North
$2,504,000

In recognition of the fact that resources are not evenly distributed across the whole church, General Synod makes grants to a group of dioceses known as the Council of the North.

There are 11 dioceses in the Council of the North. They are in sparsely populated areas such as the Arctic, Yukon, Northern and Central Interior British Columbia, Alberta, northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba; northern Ontario, northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

In these parts of the country, costs, particularly of travel, are high but financial resources are scarce. Grants to the Council of the North assist dioceses with huge essential-spending discrepancies (a two-litre carton of milk, for instance, often costs a family more than $7).

Your money helps support the work of the Anglican church in these lively, challenging places.

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