Following the passing of Revd Siegfried Hettasch please find the eulogy given by his daughter, Hannie (Hettasch) Fitzgerald, along with the remembrance tribute given by Revd Olaf Andersen.
Eulogy
Dad first saw the light of day on February 1st, 1915, in Nain, Labrador where he was the youngest of 6. As was the custom for Missionary children in those days, he was sent to a boarding school in Kleinwelke, which was near Bautzen in Germany. During holidays, he stayed with his Uncle Hans (who was a friendly person), and his aunt Tante Lottie who apparently was extremely strict! However, maybe Dad needed some discipline when you hear him tell of his escapades while at the boarding school….
There was a teacher who was not liked very much, and one day while the teacher was absent from the school, some of the boys, including Dad got his bed out of his room and hoisted it up a tree in the school’s garden! Needless to say, when the teacher came back late in the evening, he was not happy!
Another time, Dad and his pals got up to other mischief for which they had to pay a fine to the local municipality….when it came time to pay up the boys came in and one by one, each put their share of the fine, penny by penny, on the desk……
At the age of 16, he left school and went to Herrnhut, Germany to become an apprentice and learned wall-papering, upholstery, carpeting and saddlery over a period of 4 years. He traveled everywhere by bicycle, once cycling from central Germany to the west of Holland to visit relatives! After his apprenticeship, he went to England for 3 years of Theology, and 9 months of medical training (which was required of missionaries), where he also learned to speak English.
He was ordained as a Deacon in the Moravian Church on August 14th, 1938 after which he returned to Labrador. Missionaries in those days had to be a “jack-of-all-trades” and Dad was no exception. He was a doctor, a dentist, a teacher, a mechanic, a justice of the peace, a hunter, a fisherman and sometimes a referee in local family fights!
While stationed at Nain, he met and fell in love with a Dutch teacher whom he married August 18th, 1940 and they had 4 children, the first of whom died at the tender age of 9 months when a bad flu epidemic took over the whole village of Hopedale in 1942.
The only way to travel within Northern Labrador in the 1940’s and 1950’s was by boat, dog team or plane depending on the season. In the summer Dad’s Inuit church members went to their fishing camps spread out across the region, so Dad needed a boat if he was to visit them. While stationed at Hebron, he saw an unused 40’ lobster boat hauled up on shore at Saglek, (a US Airbase) some miles north of Hebron, and asked if he could buy it. He was told it was not for sale, but later when the boat had been dragged over the rocks to the water’s edge and had a hole punched into her side, Dad was told he could have her for free. He patched her up, built on a bigger cabin, and the “Hebron” was born and used by Dad for many years. We all have many happy memories of trips on the “Hebron”.
When skidoos came on the market, he bought one for his own use. While on a hunting trip one winter, his skidoo blew a gasket. Unfortunately no-one had spares, so being the jack of all trades that he was… he cut a new one out of the bottom of his frying pan and left the holey remains of the frying pan suspended over a dead tree!
Dad had dentures from the age of 12 years when he developed rickets which caused all his teeth to fall out. Out of necessity, he learned to make his own dentures. This was a good thing because of the time he was checking a trout net, then had a coughing fit which resulted in his teeth falling into the harbour!! He often joked that perhaps one day he would catch a fish wearing his false teeth!
Dad was fluent in 4 languages; English, German, Dutch, and Inuktitut. He often acted as translator for visiting VIP’s. In 1976 at the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Moravian Church in Nain, he was translating into Inuktitut what the Church VIP members were saying, and vice versa when the locals spoke. At one point, he got a bit mixed up and started paraphrasing one English speaker’s words, instead of translating into Inuktitut!
Dad was always full of stories and loved to talk to outside churches about his life and work. He would tell them about the time he was conducting a burial in the graveyard when the ground was wet; he stood too close to the edge which caved in. He had to keep a straight face as he climbed out and carried on with the service as if nothing had happened.
Dad always loved having children around him. When he retired in 1980, after 42 years of service, it was natural for him to want to be near his grandsons, Paul and Tim; who were living in Aylmer, Quebec at that time. Because of this he built a house in Perkins, Quebec where they lived for 16 years.
In 1996 he and Mom moved into Sarsfield nursing home, where they were given the best of care and became part of the family. He was always a gentleman, and will be missed by all.
In finishing, I would like to say the Lord’s Prayer in Inuktitut:
Nalegak Gude, atatavut Kilangme, attit nertortaule,
nalegaunet Kailaule; pijomajat piniartaule nuname sorlo Kilangme;
uvlome piksaptingnik tunitsivigitigut; idluinivut issumagijungnaikkit, sorlo uvagut idluitulivigijivut issumagijungnairvigigaptigit oktortaulungnermut pitinata; piulitigulle ajortumit;
Nalegaunek pitsartunerlo, ananaunerlo, pigigangne issoKangitomut,
Amen.
Remembrance Tribute
As a child, teen, and adult, the name “Hettasch” has always been synonymous with the Moravian Church in Labrador. I remember my parents talking of Rev. Paul “Pa” Hettasch. I also had the honour of working for 2 years with one of Siegfried’s sisters, known to everyone as “Auntie Kate”. She was certainly ahead of her time as far as women in ministry go. Then there was Siegfried…..young Hettasch ….. as many of the older people referred to him.
While serving the Church in Labrador for a few years and struggling with the Inuit language, I worked with an elderly gentleman who was very patient and understanding. He encouraged me by saying that I pronounced the Inuktitut words very well, especially when reading them. The problem was, understanding what I was reading! I asked this man about previous Ministers and how they were understood by the Inuit people. He made the following reply;
“If you want to hear the Inuit language spoken grammatically correct, listen to Rev. Peacock. If you want to hear it spoken as the Inuit speak it, listen to Rev. Siegfried Hettasch”.
Siegfried was a very practical man and therefore was understood by the Inuit people. If you wanted something done, you learned to do it yourself. If you wanted something fixed, you learned to fix it yourself. I believe that this was something all of the people in Labrador appreciated about him. I remember the many hours he spent in the engine house, which was the village power plant, getting the lights to go on again. I remember someone telling the story of a caribou hunt when Siegfried’s snowmobile got a broken piston….he fashioned a new piston head from a tin cup. The engine started, and even though there was not much power, he managed to bring the caribou to the nearest community where spare engine parts were available.
Traveling by open boat with family and friends, or on a mission trip for the church, Siegfried was the captain, first mate, and engineer. He knew the land, respected nature and was very knowledgeable about directions. All this was in the days of compass and common sense….there was no GPS then.
I believe that the greatest compliment I could pay Siegfried would be to say that he was a “people-pastor”. He made time for people, he tried to understand them and how they lived. He knew their strengths and their weaknesses, and worked to the best of his ability with what he had.
From someone who knew Siegfried Hettasch and who wishes he could have known him better, “Servant of God, well done
Rest from your loved employ.
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter your Master’s joy!”
Summer Youth Camp 2013 - Our Future
Saturday 15 December 2007
Wednesday 28 November 2007
Rev. Siegfried Hettasch, 1915-2007
Rev. Siegfried Hettasch passed away on November 25. The Moravian Church in Labrador would like to express condolences to his family members.
He was born in Nain, the son of Rev. Paul Hettasch; ordained in 1938, and began his ministry in Nain. His mother tongue was German, but he was fluent in Inuktitut and English. Rev. Hettasch was serving in Hebron at the time of relocation and followed his flock to Makkovik, where his language ability helped ease the transition for some.
Many people speak highly of his being a jack-of-all-trades. A church record book at Makkovik lists the following as his profession: saddler, upholsterer, decorator, paperhanger, missionary……no doubt his own humor coming through there. Add to that the other duties he is known to have had in Makkovik: taking care of things medical when the nurse was away; maintaining the mission boat; doing carpentry work; hen keeper and gardener; and the list goes on. Caribou hunters tell the story of how Rev. Hettasch’s snowmobile broke down while hunting inside of Davis Inlet. He made a packing for a cylinder head from a cast-iron frying pan, using an axe and a chisel!
Rev. Hettasch was predeceased by his wife Frieda (1913-2001).
Here are the funeral arrangements as provided by his daughter, Hannah:
Visitation on Monday, Dec.3rd, 2-4 and 7-9pm, at Kelly's Funeral Home on
Carling Ave, Ottawa.
Funeral on Tuesday, Dec 4th, at 10am in the Chapel at Kelly's with interment
of Mom AND Dad together in Capital Memorial Gardens following.
Rev. Olaf Andersen will be officiating.
Sr Joan Andersen
Chairperson, MCNL
He was born in Nain, the son of Rev. Paul Hettasch; ordained in 1938, and began his ministry in Nain. His mother tongue was German, but he was fluent in Inuktitut and English. Rev. Hettasch was serving in Hebron at the time of relocation and followed his flock to Makkovik, where his language ability helped ease the transition for some.
Many people speak highly of his being a jack-of-all-trades. A church record book at Makkovik lists the following as his profession: saddler, upholsterer, decorator, paperhanger, missionary……no doubt his own humor coming through there. Add to that the other duties he is known to have had in Makkovik: taking care of things medical when the nurse was away; maintaining the mission boat; doing carpentry work; hen keeper and gardener; and the list goes on. Caribou hunters tell the story of how Rev. Hettasch’s snowmobile broke down while hunting inside of Davis Inlet. He made a packing for a cylinder head from a cast-iron frying pan, using an axe and a chisel!
Rev. Hettasch was predeceased by his wife Frieda (1913-2001).
Here are the funeral arrangements as provided by his daughter, Hannah:
Visitation on Monday, Dec.3rd, 2-4 and 7-9pm, at Kelly's Funeral Home on
Carling Ave, Ottawa.
Funeral on Tuesday, Dec 4th, at 10am in the Chapel at Kelly's with interment
of Mom AND Dad together in Capital Memorial Gardens following.
Rev. Olaf Andersen will be officiating.
Sr Joan Andersen
Chairperson, MCNL
Sunday 28 October 2007
News from abroad...
Brother Russell Winfield was with us for a year from last September, and as he continues his work for the Moravian Church overseas, we hear from him on his arrival in Cape Town, South Africa…
Dear Labrador Friends,
Hello from Cape Town, my home for the next twelve months!
I miss being in Labrador a lot – it doesn’t seem long ago that I was just settling in Makkovik and dressing as a pumpkin for Halloween parties. It will seem strange this winter not having the snow, in fact we are just moving into summer here, and not getting to spend Christmas in Makkovik, Easter in Hopedale or seeing the ice break up in Nain will be sad, I do terribly miss being there with you all.
Below I have tried to outline a little bit of what has been happening over the last few weeks…
District Six, Cape Town
Cape Town is beautiful – I am living in an area called District Six, which has had a tumultuous history following the forced relocation of non-whites during apartheid into townships, and now is undergoing the slow process of land being returned to the people who were forcibly removed, and homes rebuilt. No homes survived as they were all bulldozed, and indeed one of the few original building that remains is the Church that I am working for. The Church is on the left of the picture, and then on the right is the house I am staying in, that was formally a Church manse, but is now used as a B&B, it is a lovely place for me to stay.
District Six as an area is itself somewhat of a paradox. During the day all is relatively calm and peaceful, however I am unable to go outside in an evening. This I guess is true of many parts of Cape Town, but there is an element of danger here that I have not experienced before. Travelling on the trains is also not to be done, nor are the buses particularly safe! What this means is that I am now exploring the option of purchasing a car, which will help with my own travels but also with the youth and the older people in the Church.
My work
My work here is varied but my role here for the next twelve months is threefold:
1. Provide pastoral leadership for the District Six Church
2. Develop a vision for outreach with the Technical College (situated next door)
3. Explore and develop the concept to use the facilities in District Six as a training centre to learn about mission and missional imagination in the context of Cape Town.
Well that’s what they tell me anyway. It all seems quite daunting to be honest!
What it has meant in the first few weeks is that I have begun to try and establish links with the young people in the area, attending youth groups and events, to evaluate what work is already taking place. I have also begun the process of identify what other organisations and work is ongoing so that we can support that and not duplicate anyone else’s work. I am keen to get involved with social justice related projects, such as homelessness, as I feel this is important for both the Church to be active in and also for the wider community to be passionate about. It will be interesting to see how things develop and I am very much in God’s service as I do not have a clue!
On Saturday the Church suggested it would be beneficial to attend the Women’s Conference about 90 minutes drive outside of Cape Town, so off I went. The clue was in the title of the conference really – I arrived to be the only man but they seemed pleased enough to see me, all 212 (two hundred and twelve!!) of them, and I had an enjoyable time learning about the work they have been doing. One of the challenges that I face the world over is introducing myself – my pronunciation of R’s is obviously not what it should be and so invariably I become “Wilson” or “Whistle” or “Roger”! As I vaguely attempt saying my name a third or fourth time to some confused person I can see them begin to glaze over and so they opt for just using my surname – which is usually adapted to “Winfred” or “Wilford”. All in all it means I have to be pretty alert to anyone calling my name as I have a number of pseudonyms!
Cooking
The weather is hot here, well after 12 months in Labrador most things seem hot I guess, and not to be outdone – I have begun cooking somewhat disastrously ‘hot’ meals. Now I am not the next masterchef by any stretch of the imagination but I have begun branching out slightly. I started with a simple beef stir fry which was nice but a bit plain, until I discovered something called Chilli Atchar – which sounded like it would do the trick, so I bought a jar and chucked about a quarter in with my stir fry. Reading the ingredients told me the main ingredient was green chilli’s, and for any accomplished chef this may have set the alarm bells ringing. Sadly I am no accomplished chef. I tucked in and it seemed to have a bit of oomph to begin with, and then it just went downhill. My mouth felt like it had just exploded and my eyes began to water, I persisted though as I had made it myself, and that was not a good idea either. Come half way through the plate I could no longer see due to tears, my nose had well and truly joined the party, and my mouth was now seriously in danger of giving up the fight completely. In a blind panic I managed to find my way to the bathroom and grabbed the first thing that I could – mouthwash. Now I don’t know what goes in a mouthwash, but “Never mix with Chilli Atchar” should be on the label! It basically just became some sort of nuclear event in my mouth. After about 2 hours of a near death experience (for my mouth at least) things began to calm down and I was able to bring a bit of balance back to my day, and a few days and I can begin to taste things again. Still, a lesson learnt at least.
Until I am more settled that is about all the news for now, it doesn’t seem much at all but I think people thought I had disappeared completely and so wanted to put something in writing.
I shall write again before Christmas when I will have a lot more news about the work I am doing and a lot less about cooking disasters!
God Bless,
Russell
What it has meant in the first few weeks is that I have begun to try and establish links with the young people in the area, attending youth groups and events, to evaluate what work is already taking place. I have also begun the process of identify what other organisations and work is ongoing so that we can support that and not duplicate anyone else’s work. I am keen to get involved with social justice related projects, such as homelessness, as I feel this is important for both the Church to be active in and also for the wider community to be passionate about. It will be interesting to see how things develop and I am very much in God’s service as I do not have a clue!
On Saturday the Church suggested it would be beneficial to attend the Women’s Conference about 90 minutes drive outside of Cape Town, so off I went. The clue was in the title of the conference really – I arrived to be the only man but they seemed pleased enough to see me, all 212 (two hundred and twelve!!) of them, and I had an enjoyable time learning about the work they have been doing. One of the challenges that I face the world over is introducing myself – my pronunciation of R’s is obviously not what it should be and so invariably I become “Wilson” or “Whistle” or “Roger”! As I vaguely attempt saying my name a third or fourth time to some confused person I can see them begin to glaze over and so they opt for just using my surname – which is usually adapted to “Winfred” or “Wilford”. All in all it means I have to be pretty alert to anyone calling my name as I have a number of pseudonyms!
Cooking
The weather is hot here, well after 12 months in Labrador most things seem hot I guess, and not to be outdone – I have begun cooking somewhat disastrously ‘hot’ meals. Now I am not the next masterchef by any stretch of the imagination but I have begun branching out slightly. I started with a simple beef stir fry which was nice but a bit plain, until I discovered something called Chilli Atchar – which sounded like it would do the trick, so I bought a jar and chucked about a quarter in with my stir fry. Reading the ingredients told me the main ingredient was green chilli’s, and for any accomplished chef this may have set the alarm bells ringing. Sadly I am no accomplished chef. I tucked in and it seemed to have a bit of oomph to begin with, and then it just went downhill. My mouth felt like it had just exploded and my eyes began to water, I persisted though as I had made it myself, and that was not a good idea either. Come half way through the plate I could no longer see due to tears, my nose had well and truly joined the party, and my mouth was now seriously in danger of giving up the fight completely. In a blind panic I managed to find my way to the bathroom and grabbed the first thing that I could – mouthwash. Now I don’t know what goes in a mouthwash, but “Never mix with Chilli Atchar” should be on the label! It basically just became some sort of nuclear event in my mouth. After about 2 hours of a near death experience (for my mouth at least) things began to calm down and I was able to bring a bit of balance back to my day, and a few days and I can begin to taste things again. Still, a lesson learnt at least.
Until I am more settled that is about all the news for now, it doesn’t seem much at all but I think people thought I had disappeared completely and so wanted to put something in writing.
I shall write again before Christmas when I will have a lot more news about the work I am doing and a lot less about cooking disasters!
God Bless,
Russell
Thursday 25 October 2007
Inuktitut Bible Project Update
On October 23-24, 2007 Hart Wiens, Director of Translations with the Canadian Bible Society and Sarah Townley, Hilda Lyall, and Sophie Tuglavina, Inuktitut translators, met for two full days and completed the translation of the first book of the ‘Walking with Jesus’ children’s series. The title for the first book is called "The Birth/Childhood of Jesus".
The completed translation continues in the process of being typeset, where the format of the Inuktitut text is prepared for printing. Hopefully once the typesetting is done a print of the first book will be available for use by Christmas.
The team plans to meet again after Christmas to continue to work on two more of the six book series. The text will be made available to the Lay Ministers for reading during the Christingle services on Christmas Eve.
Sr Sabina Hunter
The completed translation continues in the process of being typeset, where the format of the Inuktitut text is prepared for printing. Hopefully once the typesetting is done a print of the first book will be available for use by Christmas.
The team plans to meet again after Christmas to continue to work on two more of the six book series. The text will be made available to the Lay Ministers for reading during the Christingle services on Christmas Eve.
Sr Sabina Hunter
Wednesday 3 October 2007
Birthday greetings to...
Happy Birthday, Brigitte Schloss!
October 3, 2007, Rev. Dr. Brigitte Schloss turns 80! And she is just a growing girl…..in knowledge, wisdom, and spirituality. She has her PhD but says that academics in itself don’t necessarily make you a good human being…..you have to listen, and learn, and keep on growing. And, she says, Labrador has taught her most of what she knows. This is where her heart really is, even though her health now keeps her from traveling north.
She came to Labrador as a missionary teacher in 1950, arriving in Makkovik on her birthday, where she taught for two years. Then three years in Nain. In 1955 “They made me leave Labrador to go on furlough!” but she couldn’t wait to get back. And in 1956 when she returned to Nain on the Winnifred Lee, as she rounded the bend, small boats were heading out to meet the ship. People in the small boats began calling her name and she knew she was back in “heaven”.
After Nain, she taught in Happy Valley (1959-1971) with time away to complete her B.A.(Ed.), and later her M.A. After that she went to Toronto/London, Ontario, to obtain her PhD in Language Teaching and Learning. Upon completion she became a Professor at MUN, and Co-ordinator of the TEPL Program. This position (1981-1988) got her straight back to Labrador where she always longs to be.
By this time she was interested in doing full time church work and obtained a terminal sabbatical.
In 1988 the Provincial Board of the Moravian Church in Labrador asked if she would do chaplaincy in St. John’s.
In 1988 also, she lost sight in one eye. This helped her decide to retire and devote more time to her church work. In 1995 she was ordained, in Nain, on her birthday!
Brigitte Schloss still visits in-patients at hospitals in St. John’s. She has had to give up pastoral visits to the penitentiary and Waterford Hospital, but enjoys meeting with Labradorians whenever they come to visit.
Just this weekend, she sent down a bag of knitted goods, her own handiwork, to contribute to the Ladies’ Sewing Circle sale here in Makkovik, but I know we are not the only community she does this for.
She continues to support lay ministers in each of the four churches in Labrador, and that is very highly appreciated.
If you are in St. John’s, you can catch her service the last Sunday of each month, at the chapel in the Health Science Center.
So it is with great pleasure that we wish Brigitte many blessings on her 80th birthday, from all her friends in Labrador!
Sr Joan Andersen
Chairperson, MCNL
October 3, 2007, Rev. Dr. Brigitte Schloss turns 80! And she is just a growing girl…..in knowledge, wisdom, and spirituality. She has her PhD but says that academics in itself don’t necessarily make you a good human being…..you have to listen, and learn, and keep on growing. And, she says, Labrador has taught her most of what she knows. This is where her heart really is, even though her health now keeps her from traveling north.
She came to Labrador as a missionary teacher in 1950, arriving in Makkovik on her birthday, where she taught for two years. Then three years in Nain. In 1955 “They made me leave Labrador to go on furlough!” but she couldn’t wait to get back. And in 1956 when she returned to Nain on the Winnifred Lee, as she rounded the bend, small boats were heading out to meet the ship. People in the small boats began calling her name and she knew she was back in “heaven”.
After Nain, she taught in Happy Valley (1959-1971) with time away to complete her B.A.(Ed.), and later her M.A. After that she went to Toronto/London, Ontario, to obtain her PhD in Language Teaching and Learning. Upon completion she became a Professor at MUN, and Co-ordinator of the TEPL Program. This position (1981-1988) got her straight back to Labrador where she always longs to be.
By this time she was interested in doing full time church work and obtained a terminal sabbatical.
In 1988 the Provincial Board of the Moravian Church in Labrador asked if she would do chaplaincy in St. John’s.
In 1988 also, she lost sight in one eye. This helped her decide to retire and devote more time to her church work. In 1995 she was ordained, in Nain, on her birthday!
Brigitte Schloss still visits in-patients at hospitals in St. John’s. She has had to give up pastoral visits to the penitentiary and Waterford Hospital, but enjoys meeting with Labradorians whenever they come to visit.
Just this weekend, she sent down a bag of knitted goods, her own handiwork, to contribute to the Ladies’ Sewing Circle sale here in Makkovik, but I know we are not the only community she does this for.
She continues to support lay ministers in each of the four churches in Labrador, and that is very highly appreciated.
If you are in St. John’s, you can catch her service the last Sunday of each month, at the chapel in the Health Science Center.
So it is with great pleasure that we wish Brigitte many blessings on her 80th birthday, from all her friends in Labrador!
Sr Joan Andersen
Chairperson, MCNL
Monday 24 September 2007
Pastor Olie Andersen reaches 40
Pastor Olie Andersen has reached 40 years of ministry, and we have recieved the following note from his congregation:
"Hello to our Labrador Friends! Pastor Olie Andersen has reached his 40th Anniversary as an ordained minister serving our Lord and Savior. The Saratoga Moravian Church in Wisconsin is having a special celebration Sunday, Sept. 23rd. We would love to include any special greetings from his family and friends in Labrador. I know this is late getting to you, but maybe you could pass the word around and/or forward this to the appropriate people. Please email any greetings you may have and we will share them during the worship service. If anyone would like to send a card later it would be more than welcome too. Please give thanks during you worship for this servant of God and his witness to Jesus word.
Serving Christ,
Jeanne Eggebrecht
smoravch@wctc.net
Saratoga Moravian Church"
And Sr Joan Anderson has sent back the following message on behalf of the MCNL:
"Dear Olie,
Congratulations on your 40th anniversary of ministry. What about the stamina and endurance of these Labradorians, eh?!
Labrador is proud to have one of our own serving God and others for the many years that you have answered the call.
We wish you joy on your special day of celebration, and as you reflect back on your years of ministry, may they bring you a strong sense of accomplishment.
May God bless you and Rita, who has worked beside you through it all.
Sincerely,
Joan Andersen
Chair, Moravian Church in Labrador"
"Hello to our Labrador Friends! Pastor Olie Andersen has reached his 40th Anniversary as an ordained minister serving our Lord and Savior. The Saratoga Moravian Church in Wisconsin is having a special celebration Sunday, Sept. 23rd. We would love to include any special greetings from his family and friends in Labrador. I know this is late getting to you, but maybe you could pass the word around and/or forward this to the appropriate people. Please email any greetings you may have and we will share them during the worship service. If anyone would like to send a card later it would be more than welcome too. Please give thanks during you worship for this servant of God and his witness to Jesus word.
Serving Christ,
Jeanne Eggebrecht
smoravch@wctc.net
Saratoga Moravian Church"
And Sr Joan Anderson has sent back the following message on behalf of the MCNL:
"Dear Olie,
Congratulations on your 40th anniversary of ministry. What about the stamina and endurance of these Labradorians, eh?!
Labrador is proud to have one of our own serving God and others for the many years that you have answered the call.
We wish you joy on your special day of celebration, and as you reflect back on your years of ministry, may they bring you a strong sense of accomplishment.
May God bless you and Rita, who has worked beside you through it all.
Sincerely,
Joan Andersen
Chair, Moravian Church in Labrador"
Wednesday 12 September 2007
FASD Awareness Day
Sunday 9th September was the International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness day (ninth day of the ninth month, related to the nine months of pregnancy).
The Department of Health & Social Development (DHSD) here in Makkovik partnered in the afternoon service.
At four intervals duringthe service, Elsie Evans, Community Health Worker, read out facts about FASD.
Afterwards a meal, prepared by DHSD, was shared in church.
More information on the day can be found at: http://www.fasday.com/
The Department of Health & Social Development (DHSD) here in Makkovik partnered in the afternoon service.
At four intervals duringthe service, Elsie Evans, Community Health Worker, read out facts about FASD.
Afterwards a meal, prepared by DHSD, was shared in church.
More information on the day can be found at: http://www.fasday.com/
Wednesday 29 August 2007
A Belated Thank You
I realised I had not written a note on the blog about the conclusion of my time in Labrador other than the postings about the Summer Camp we ran in July, and to pass on my sincere thanks for the truly wonderful time I enjoyed in Labrador.
The end of camp also sadly signalled the end of my time in Labrador (for now), and I departed home for England via Vancouver. I have had an enjoyable month back home catching up with friends and family and it has been a real privilege to be able to speak about the wonderful experiences and people I met in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik and Happy Valley Goose Bay.
My 11 months in Labrador was a truly life changing experience and I genuinely loved every moment, from getting used to the cold weather, to trying new foods, to being involved in Church and community life.
I wish I could write every single persons name from every community as way of thanks but that would take far too long, but my thanks and prayers are with you all.
I can be personally contacted on russjw@hotmail.com. One day I do hope to return to Labrador and spend more time with you all, God willing, I will just have to be patient and see what the future holds.
The Moravian Church in Britain & Ireland are now sending me to South Africa to help work with a Church in District 6 of Cape Town, a different type of challenge, and this winter won’t feel the same without the snow, skidoo, and seal skin gloves!
I miss you all,
Yours in Christ,
Br Russell Winfield
The end of camp also sadly signalled the end of my time in Labrador (for now), and I departed home for England via Vancouver. I have had an enjoyable month back home catching up with friends and family and it has been a real privilege to be able to speak about the wonderful experiences and people I met in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik and Happy Valley Goose Bay.
My 11 months in Labrador was a truly life changing experience and I genuinely loved every moment, from getting used to the cold weather, to trying new foods, to being involved in Church and community life.
I wish I could write every single persons name from every community as way of thanks but that would take far too long, but my thanks and prayers are with you all.
I can be personally contacted on russjw@hotmail.com. One day I do hope to return to Labrador and spend more time with you all, God willing, I will just have to be patient and see what the future holds.
The Moravian Church in Britain & Ireland are now sending me to South Africa to help work with a Church in District 6 of Cape Town, a different type of challenge, and this winter won’t feel the same without the snow, skidoo, and seal skin gloves!
I miss you all,
Yours in Christ,
Br Russell Winfield
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Moravian First Nations Outreach
The first meeting of the Moravian First Nations Outreach will be held in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on October 5.
This is the same time and place as the meeting of the Board of World Mission.
Loren Jendro, Will Sibert, Bishop Paul Graf and Sabina Hunter will be there.
This is the same time and place as the meeting of the Board of World Mission.
Loren Jendro, Will Sibert, Bishop Paul Graf and Sabina Hunter will be there.
Tuesday 21 August 2007
Labrador Fishery Legacy Workshop
Each year the Battle Harbour Historic Trust organizes the Labrador
Fishery Legacy Workshop. The topic for the 2007 workshop is the role of
the churches in the lives of people who lived and worked on the coast of
Labrador and made their living from this incredible fishing industry.
Guest speakers will present a series of talks on a variety of topics
including the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Southern Labrador,
the Moravian Church on the North Coast, the influences of itinerant
ministers and clergy, and other topics related to the significance of
the Churches in the coastal communities.
2007 is an ideal time for this workshop as it is the 150th anniversary
of the consecration of St. James the Apostle Anglican Church at Battle
Harbour. The Trust, in conjunction with the Anglican Church, is
planning a celebration to mark this historic occasion. The workshop
will coincide with the celebrations which will take place on Sunday,
August 19.
For more on Battle Harbour information please visit www.battleharbour.com
For more information on the workshop or traveling to Battle Harbour,
call Gordon Slade (Chair, Battle Harbour Historic Trust) at 709-728-6329
or email gordonslade@yahoo.ca or information@battleharbour.com
Fishery Legacy Workshop. The topic for the 2007 workshop is the role of
the churches in the lives of people who lived and worked on the coast of
Labrador and made their living from this incredible fishing industry.
Guest speakers will present a series of talks on a variety of topics
including the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Southern Labrador,
the Moravian Church on the North Coast, the influences of itinerant
ministers and clergy, and other topics related to the significance of
the Churches in the coastal communities.
2007 is an ideal time for this workshop as it is the 150th anniversary
of the consecration of St. James the Apostle Anglican Church at Battle
Harbour. The Trust, in conjunction with the Anglican Church, is
planning a celebration to mark this historic occasion. The workshop
will coincide with the celebrations which will take place on Sunday,
August 19.
For more on Battle Harbour information please visit www.battleharbour.com
For more information on the workshop or traveling to Battle Harbour,
call Gordon Slade (Chair, Battle Harbour Historic Trust) at 709-728-6329
or email gordonslade@yahoo.ca or information@battleharbour.com
Friday 3 August 2007
Revd Sam Propsom
Many of you will know the news of Revd Sam Propsom's recent ill health, here is a link to keep up to date with his progress:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samuelpropsom
Please keep Sam, Debbie and all the family in your prayers.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samuelpropsom
Please keep Sam, Debbie and all the family in your prayers.
Tuesday 31 July 2007
Past photo's
Here are a couple of photo's taken and supplied by Sr Brigitte Schloss.
Two cannons overlooking Nain harbour. Photo taken in the 1980's. One cannon was moved here from Okak. They stood in front of the church and were fired to welcome the Harmony (Moravian Mission ship) when it arrived. They have since been buried under landfill.
This photo was taken in 1952 in Nain. It shows Rev. F. W. Peacock and Nain elder, Martin Martin, looking at the newly printed revised New Testament in the Inuktitut language. On the inside cover page, it reads: TESTAMENTITAK; London; The British and Foreign Bible Society; 1952.
Friday 20 July 2007
The Oldest Protestant Church
Last week I was privileged to help Labrador Moravians celebrate their 550th anniversary as the oldest Protestant church by presenting two lectures at the Labrador Interpretation Centre in North West River. The anniversary event featured the Hopedale School's brass band under the inspiring direction of Ms. Nicole Burt, award-winning music teacher at Amos Comenius School. Mr. Amos Lyall of North West River and the provincial chair of the Moravian Church in Labrador, Ms. Joan Andersen of Makkovik, presided. My anniversary lectures included these reflections.
In 1457, sixty years before Martin Luther began his Reformation in Germany, followers of the reformer Jan Hus settled in a small community in northern Bohemia. Hus's attempt to reform and revive a church in crisis had led to his arrest, trial, and subsequent burning at the stake in Constance four decades earlier, resulting in upheaval and bloodshed among the Czech people.
Eventually a national church movement emerged, in search of spiritual, theological, and institutional renewal. Hus's revival and martyrdom spawned a spectrum of different factions, especially radical Taborites (named after their main city) in southern Bohemia and more moderate reformers under Archbishop Rokycana of Prague.
Yet even in Prague's famous Tyne Church, where Rokycana continued Hus's legacy as a powerful reform preacher, people led by the archbishop's nephew, Brother Gregory, a tailor, came to believe that hope did not lie with institutions and individuals but in communities guided by Christ through his Holy Spirit. The movement around Brother Gregory grew and received new spiritual impulses from Peter Chelcicky, a lay theologian and original thinker who powerfully contrasted the church of his day with the apostolic ideal. In his most famous book, The Net of Faith, Chelcicky compared the Christian message based on Scripture with a large fishing net that pulled humans from the ocean of the world.
As humankind struggled for salvation, two great whales had torn the net of faith-a worldly pope and a pagan emperor. Chelcicky counselled his fellow Christians to abstain totally from earthly power and to separate themselves wherever possible from the world.
Brother Gregory's group, influenced by people like Rokycana and Chelcicky, moved into the mountain village of Kunvald, in the parish of a congenial and blameless priest, Father Michael. This separation from the world, expressed in the move to Kunvald in 1457, marks the beginning of the Old Moravian Church. Over the next ten years, the movement defined itself gradually as a religious fellowship separate from the Roman Catholic Church and distinct from other Hussite groups.
This process of normative self-definition transformed the group into a Christ-centered body of believers with its own priesthood and bishop, elected by the drawing of lots. Their most distinctive spiritual experience was the effort to arrive at unanimous decisions in community. "Thus God renews his church by renewing his Holy Spirit," they declared in an early synodal statement, "so that they might serve him and each other through the love of the Spirit, so that in the last days like in the beginning of the apostolic faith many are of one heart and of one soul." Their search for unity in unanimity found expression in the official Latin name for the Moravian Church, Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren), and the Czech original name, Jednota bratrska (Brotherly Community).
Setting high ethical standards for themselves, Moravians have always sought to avoid conflict and competition with other Christians by planting their missions in places where no other missionaries had gone-as, for example, on the north coast of Labrador. Although they were often persecuted, Moravians nevertheless made significant cultural contributions, such as translating the Bible into the common language of people who received them. They also promoted universal education for male and female children, which became a reality in Labrador as early as 1780. One of the founders of modern education was the seventeenth-century Moravian bishop Amos Comenius, after whom the school in Hopedale is named.
In the fifteenth century, people in German-speaking areas of Moravia responded to the evangelization of the Czech Brethren but experienced much repression after the Thirty Years War. Many German-speaking Moravians fled to Saxony, where Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf permitted them to practice their religion freely and settle on his estates in Herrnhut.
Zinzendorf renewed the old Moravian Church in 1727 and established a worldwide missionary effort.
There is an especially relevant link between the Old Moravian Church in today's Czech Republic and Labrador Moravians. Among the earliest missionaries to the Inuit who established Nain in 1771 was a couple from Moravia, Johann and Elisabeth (Ertel) Schneider. Johann's and Elisabeth's families were leaders in preserving the old Moravian Church in Moravia during the persecution. On 19 February 1776 in Nain, Johann Schneider baptized Kingminguse, who became the first Inuk to be converted in Labrador.
That baptism related Labrador to Moravia in a direct way, spiritually and personally. The Schneiders later pioneered in Okak and Hopedale and lie buried in the oldest graveyard in Hopedale, where their withered stone markers can still be seen today.
Dr Hans Rollmann
(Dr Rollmann is Professor of Religious Studies in Memorial University and can be reached by email: hrollman@mun.ca)
In 1457, sixty years before Martin Luther began his Reformation in Germany, followers of the reformer Jan Hus settled in a small community in northern Bohemia. Hus's attempt to reform and revive a church in crisis had led to his arrest, trial, and subsequent burning at the stake in Constance four decades earlier, resulting in upheaval and bloodshed among the Czech people.
Eventually a national church movement emerged, in search of spiritual, theological, and institutional renewal. Hus's revival and martyrdom spawned a spectrum of different factions, especially radical Taborites (named after their main city) in southern Bohemia and more moderate reformers under Archbishop Rokycana of Prague.
Yet even in Prague's famous Tyne Church, where Rokycana continued Hus's legacy as a powerful reform preacher, people led by the archbishop's nephew, Brother Gregory, a tailor, came to believe that hope did not lie with institutions and individuals but in communities guided by Christ through his Holy Spirit. The movement around Brother Gregory grew and received new spiritual impulses from Peter Chelcicky, a lay theologian and original thinker who powerfully contrasted the church of his day with the apostolic ideal. In his most famous book, The Net of Faith, Chelcicky compared the Christian message based on Scripture with a large fishing net that pulled humans from the ocean of the world.
As humankind struggled for salvation, two great whales had torn the net of faith-a worldly pope and a pagan emperor. Chelcicky counselled his fellow Christians to abstain totally from earthly power and to separate themselves wherever possible from the world.
Brother Gregory's group, influenced by people like Rokycana and Chelcicky, moved into the mountain village of Kunvald, in the parish of a congenial and blameless priest, Father Michael. This separation from the world, expressed in the move to Kunvald in 1457, marks the beginning of the Old Moravian Church. Over the next ten years, the movement defined itself gradually as a religious fellowship separate from the Roman Catholic Church and distinct from other Hussite groups.
This process of normative self-definition transformed the group into a Christ-centered body of believers with its own priesthood and bishop, elected by the drawing of lots. Their most distinctive spiritual experience was the effort to arrive at unanimous decisions in community. "Thus God renews his church by renewing his Holy Spirit," they declared in an early synodal statement, "so that they might serve him and each other through the love of the Spirit, so that in the last days like in the beginning of the apostolic faith many are of one heart and of one soul." Their search for unity in unanimity found expression in the official Latin name for the Moravian Church, Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren), and the Czech original name, Jednota bratrska (Brotherly Community).
Setting high ethical standards for themselves, Moravians have always sought to avoid conflict and competition with other Christians by planting their missions in places where no other missionaries had gone-as, for example, on the north coast of Labrador. Although they were often persecuted, Moravians nevertheless made significant cultural contributions, such as translating the Bible into the common language of people who received them. They also promoted universal education for male and female children, which became a reality in Labrador as early as 1780. One of the founders of modern education was the seventeenth-century Moravian bishop Amos Comenius, after whom the school in Hopedale is named.
In the fifteenth century, people in German-speaking areas of Moravia responded to the evangelization of the Czech Brethren but experienced much repression after the Thirty Years War. Many German-speaking Moravians fled to Saxony, where Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf permitted them to practice their religion freely and settle on his estates in Herrnhut.
Zinzendorf renewed the old Moravian Church in 1727 and established a worldwide missionary effort.
There is an especially relevant link between the Old Moravian Church in today's Czech Republic and Labrador Moravians. Among the earliest missionaries to the Inuit who established Nain in 1771 was a couple from Moravia, Johann and Elisabeth (Ertel) Schneider. Johann's and Elisabeth's families were leaders in preserving the old Moravian Church in Moravia during the persecution. On 19 February 1776 in Nain, Johann Schneider baptized Kingminguse, who became the first Inuk to be converted in Labrador.
That baptism related Labrador to Moravia in a direct way, spiritually and personally. The Schneiders later pioneered in Okak and Hopedale and lie buried in the oldest graveyard in Hopedale, where their withered stone markers can still be seen today.
Dr Hans Rollmann
(Dr Rollmann is Professor of Religious Studies in Memorial University and can be reached by email: hrollman@mun.ca)
Tuesday 17 July 2007
Summer Camp 2007 photo's
If you wish to see more of the photo's from the Summer Camp please visit this link:
http://www.4shared.com/dir/3255682/bd5979c1/sharing.html
You will need the password everything
http://www.4shared.com/dir/3255682/bd5979c1/sharing.html
You will need the password everything
Saturday 14 July 2007
Summer Camp 2007
On July 1st till 8th 29 young people from the Moravian Church gathered at Gosling Lake Christian Youth Camp, Labrador. Some 10 months previous the late Bernie Broomfield had the vision to reinstate the youth camp for Moravian young people from all across Labrador, and this camp was the fulfilment of that vision.
The camp was attended by 6 young people from Hopedale, 6 from Makkovik, 6 from Nain, 9 from Happy Valley Goose Bay, and 2 from North Carolina, USA. The leadership team was made up of one person from Hopedale (Sarah Jensen), one from Makkovik (Rebecca Pretty), one from HVGB (Sabina Hunter), one from Nain (Russell Winfield) and 3 from North Carolina, USA (Revd Tim Byerly, George & Glenna Tasedan). We were also fortunate to have Emily Osmond and Joshua Wahl who are working full time for the Labrador Christian Youth Camp this summer.
The camp was attended by 6 young people from Hopedale, 6 from Makkovik, 6 from Nain, 9 from Happy Valley Goose Bay, and 2 from North Carolina, USA. The leadership team was made up of one person from Hopedale (Sarah Jensen), one from Makkovik (Rebecca Pretty), one from HVGB (Sabina Hunter), one from Nain (Russell Winfield) and 3 from North Carolina, USA (Revd Tim Byerly, George & Glenna Tasedan). We were also fortunate to have Emily Osmond and Joshua Wahl who are working full time for the Labrador Christian Youth Camp this summer.
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On Sunday the young people from the coast arrived (on 3 separate planes), the US contingent was already in town, and the Happy Valley participants travelled out to the camp. After sharing in some food and playing some games (Volleyball and Touch Football) we settled into our groups for the week and took the time to get to know each other.
Each day followed a fairly simple pattern for the morning. Firstly we would serve breakfast at around 8.30am for an hour (expertly prepared by George everyday). The young people would filter in throughout this hour, and immediately following breakfast we would move to a time called “Daybreak” – a 20 minute session basically opening the day up to God, singing a couple of songs and giving the chance for the leadership to share a few thoughts. After this we would have some free time for the young people to relax whilst the leaders spent time in prayer for 15 minutes or so.
The rest of the morning would be split between “Explore” and “Create”. Within “Explore” the young people would be split into groups of 4 or 5 with a leader(s), and would look at the day’s theme, discuss different subjects, have role playing games and just be able to share things within that group of friends. “Create” was a time for creative work – and the youngsters would rotate between: photography, creative writing, photo framing, food, drama and music. This would take us up to lunch – which the young people prepared.
The afternoons were slightly more varied depending on whether we were on site or off site. On site activities included canoeing, archery, hiking, t-shirt painting, and volleyball. Off site activities saw us visit the 5 Wings Swimming pool twice (Tuesday and Friday) and the Soccer pitches to play the Goose Bay All Star team (we beat them 13 – 2!). After these acitivites when we were off site we visited Pizza Delight, A&W and Subway for food. When we were on site we had the privilege of two ladies from Happy Valley (Ann Marie and Wilma) visiting the camp site to cook the meal for us all. On Wednesday evening we stayed in Goose Bay a little longer to go ten pin bowling.
On the Friday of camp we visited Happy Valley congregation to serve a buffet of food and present an informal service, inviting the local congregation and friends, as well as Hopedale music band, who were in town for the 550th Celebrations. Despite being a very warm evening this was a lovely time for us all to share in worship together. On the way home we treated the young people to a visit to Tim Hortons for a drink and a donut!
The evenings on camp site were mixed between celebrations – in which we sung songs, performed drama skits, interviewed staff, and looked at photo’s of the day, along with more informal activities such as a quiz, and on the last night, a dance. Each evening ended with “Simmer Down” – an end of day review as we gave thanks to God for the day just enjoyed.
During the week the camp was also featured on CBC Radio, CBC Television, and The Labradorian Newspaper.
Despite some problems with flights up the coast, all the young people made it home safely by Monday afternoon, and back to their respective communities. The details given here are brief, so please do talk with the young people from your community to find out more about our week together.
We thank God for a wonderful week, for 29 wonderful young people, for the wonderful weather, and the chance to serve Him in this way.
Yours in Christ,
Br Russell Winfield
Friday 13 July 2007
Summer Camp thanks...
The young people of Labrador have just finished their week long summer camp and here is a list of companies and organisations that helped make it happen (in no particular order). Pictures and report will follow shortly.
Also each congregation fund raised for the young people and the activities.
Thank you to everyone who made this camp happen.
- Torngait Services
- Voisey Bay Nickel Company: http://www.vbnc.com/
- Innu Mikun: https://www.provincialairlines.com
- Aurora Energy: http://www.aurora-energy.ca/
- Serco: http://www.serco-na.com/
- Valley Business Equipment Inc
- Scotia Bank
Also each congregation fund raised for the young people and the activities.
Thank you to everyone who made this camp happen.
550th Celebrations
The weekend of July 7 and 8 was an enjoyable one for Moravians in the Lake Melville area. Guest lecturer Hans Rollmann, professor of Religious Studies at Memorial University, as well as the ten members of the Hopedale school band, arrived on Friday afternoon, in time to take in the buffet supper provided by the Moravian Youth Camp. Campers and their leaders held a gathering in the Happy Valley Moravian Church to give an overview of their week at camp. A good crowd showed up to enjoy the meal and the band music and the PowerPoint presentation. You could not help but notice the joy and enthusiasm amongst the campers and staff. There was a fine balance of activity at the Gosling Lake Camp: athletic, creative, and reflective.
On Saturday evening, Dr Hans Rollmann spoke to a nearly full house at the Labrador Interpretation Center. He gave a very interesting and informative talk about the early beginnings of the Unitas Fratrum in Czechoslovakia, as well as the history of the Moravian Church in Labrador. Sandra Watts, director of the Labrador Interpretation Center, had arranged to have the photo exhibit “Labrador Through Moravian Eyes” on display there. She had also secured copies of Dr. Rollmann’s book “Labrador Through Moravian Eyes” and these were available for sale.
Refreshments were provided during an intermission, after which the Amos Comenius Memorial School Band under the direction of Nicole Burt, delighted us with their music (brass and woodwind). They have a repertoire of hymns learned during the year, since they play once a month in the Hopedale church for Sunday services.
On Sunday morning, the band played for the church service at the Happy Valley Moravian Church. Zipora Hunter remarked that she was very proud that her grandson, a member of the band, was there to take part in the 550th celebration. She, along with her late husband, Rev. Renatus Hunter, had been part of other milestones in the Church chronology, and could hardly have imagined while taking part in earlier celebrations, that their grandson would be a part of the 550th celebration! By the way, the preacher at this service was Rev. Tim Byerly from North Carolina, who had just finished serving as pastor at the Moravian Youth Camp, Gosling Lake. In response to a comment that these members of the Hopedale band are the church of the future, he said that really they are the church NOW.
On Sunday evening, Dr. Hans Rollmann and the Hopedale school band again went to the Labrador Interpretation Center, to an appreciative crowd, though smaller than the first evening, about 75% full. Stella Saunders, representing the St. John’s fellowship, was there to enjoy the second evening of history and music, Moravian style. The Master of Ceremonies, Amos Lyall, was moved by the fellowship and sharing. Everyone was impressed at the wealth of knowledge that Dr. Rollmann has of Moravian history. Zipora Hunter said, “He knows more about us than we know ourselves!”
Dr. Rollmann brought back to Labrador, valuable books that he had borrowed from Nain and Hopedale, having made digital copies of them at Memorial University. He was able to point out to us certain facts which are not common knowledge to most Labradorians. For example, Nain has a copy of the first extended Biblical text, published in Barby, 1800, containing extracts from the Gospel, for Passion Week readings, that had been translated into Inuktitut. The FIRST such book in Labrador Inuktitut! It was possibly an important factor in the receptiveness of the Inuit to the gospel. Another book was probably the first Labrador liturgy, published in 1830 at Bautzen, near Herrnhut, in Inuktitut. There are also newsletters printed in Nain dating back to 1902! The Moravians greatly promoted and aided the development of a high standard of literacy in Labrador.
Dr. Rollmann organized an international symposium on Moravian history in 2002 that was held in Makkovik and Hopedale. Articles presented by the historians during that symposium will get printed into a booklet this year, thanks to Dr. Rollmann’s initiative. More information about Moravians in Labrador can be found at Dr. Rollmann’s website: www.mun.ca/rels/morav/index.html
All in all, the weekend of July 6-9 was indeed a memorable one.
On Saturday evening, Dr Hans Rollmann spoke to a nearly full house at the Labrador Interpretation Center. He gave a very interesting and informative talk about the early beginnings of the Unitas Fratrum in Czechoslovakia, as well as the history of the Moravian Church in Labrador. Sandra Watts, director of the Labrador Interpretation Center, had arranged to have the photo exhibit “Labrador Through Moravian Eyes” on display there. She had also secured copies of Dr. Rollmann’s book “Labrador Through Moravian Eyes” and these were available for sale.
Refreshments were provided during an intermission, after which the Amos Comenius Memorial School Band under the direction of Nicole Burt, delighted us with their music (brass and woodwind). They have a repertoire of hymns learned during the year, since they play once a month in the Hopedale church for Sunday services.
On Sunday morning, the band played for the church service at the Happy Valley Moravian Church. Zipora Hunter remarked that she was very proud that her grandson, a member of the band, was there to take part in the 550th celebration. She, along with her late husband, Rev. Renatus Hunter, had been part of other milestones in the Church chronology, and could hardly have imagined while taking part in earlier celebrations, that their grandson would be a part of the 550th celebration! By the way, the preacher at this service was Rev. Tim Byerly from North Carolina, who had just finished serving as pastor at the Moravian Youth Camp, Gosling Lake. In response to a comment that these members of the Hopedale band are the church of the future, he said that really they are the church NOW.
On Sunday evening, Dr. Hans Rollmann and the Hopedale school band again went to the Labrador Interpretation Center, to an appreciative crowd, though smaller than the first evening, about 75% full. Stella Saunders, representing the St. John’s fellowship, was there to enjoy the second evening of history and music, Moravian style. The Master of Ceremonies, Amos Lyall, was moved by the fellowship and sharing. Everyone was impressed at the wealth of knowledge that Dr. Rollmann has of Moravian history. Zipora Hunter said, “He knows more about us than we know ourselves!”
Dr. Rollmann brought back to Labrador, valuable books that he had borrowed from Nain and Hopedale, having made digital copies of them at Memorial University. He was able to point out to us certain facts which are not common knowledge to most Labradorians. For example, Nain has a copy of the first extended Biblical text, published in Barby, 1800, containing extracts from the Gospel, for Passion Week readings, that had been translated into Inuktitut. The FIRST such book in Labrador Inuktitut! It was possibly an important factor in the receptiveness of the Inuit to the gospel. Another book was probably the first Labrador liturgy, published in 1830 at Bautzen, near Herrnhut, in Inuktitut. There are also newsletters printed in Nain dating back to 1902! The Moravians greatly promoted and aided the development of a high standard of literacy in Labrador.
Dr. Rollmann organized an international symposium on Moravian history in 2002 that was held in Makkovik and Hopedale. Articles presented by the historians during that symposium will get printed into a booklet this year, thanks to Dr. Rollmann’s initiative. More information about Moravians in Labrador can be found at Dr. Rollmann’s website: www.mun.ca/rels/morav/index.html
All in all, the weekend of July 6-9 was indeed a memorable one.
Saturday 30 June 2007
Makkovik Sunday School
Makkovik Sunday School has just finished for the current year after an eventful 9 months of fun, games, teaching and learning about God.
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The Sunday School was expertly led by Rebecca Pretty, the music teacher from the school who brought passion and a tremendous commitment to the group. She was ably assisted by Cathy Semigak.
The Sunday School uses the Veggie Tales curriculum which has been great fun, and it was from Makkovik setting the standard of Sunday School that Nain borrowed the idea to use this resource as well. It really has been a blessing to have a good curriculum as it eases the burden from the volunteer leadership.
The parents of the children have been incredibly helpful, supporting the leadership and also assisting in many of the activities. The final Sunday School of the school year finished with a big party and was enjoyed by all.
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The Sunday School was expertly led by Rebecca Pretty, the music teacher from the school who brought passion and a tremendous commitment to the group. She was ably assisted by Cathy Semigak.
.JPG)
Once a month the Church has held a family orientated service and encouraged the Sunday School to take part, and they have also produced much of the decoration on the walls of the Church with posters of memory verses and bible passages they have learnt during the week.
The Sunday School uses the Veggie Tales curriculum which has been great fun, and it was from Makkovik setting the standard of Sunday School that Nain borrowed the idea to use this resource as well. It really has been a blessing to have a good curriculum as it eases the burden from the volunteer leadership.
The parents of the children have been incredibly helpful, supporting the leadership and also assisting in many of the activities. The final Sunday School of the school year finished with a big party and was enjoyed by all.
Tuesday 26 June 2007
Car Wash Fundraiser
The kids from the Happy Valley Moravian Church raised $270.00 dollars on June 17th, 2007 that went towards their youth program Youth Quest and sending 9 kids for Camp July 1-8, 2007. Unfortunately due to a forest fire that was close to town, they were ordered to cut it short by the Town Office. The kids had a great time and enjoyed the time!
Friday 22 June 2007
Nain Sunday School
Some weeks back we wrote (see post on May 24) about a new Sunday School starting in Nain, and here are some pictures of the young people enjoying their time. So far numbers have been great, we started with 17, then went to 25, then up to 37, then last week 17 again (it was Fathers Day).
This weekend will be the last Sunday School of summer (June 24th) before starting up again in September.
A big thank you to everyone who has been involved, especially all the volunteers who come along on a Sunday, Big Land and Northern Foods for donating juice, and the Family Resource Centre for allowing us to use their building.
Enjoy the photo's...
This weekend will be the last Sunday School of summer (June 24th) before starting up again in September.
A big thank you to everyone who has been involved, especially all the volunteers who come along on a Sunday, Big Land and Northern Foods for donating juice, and the Family Resource Centre for allowing us to use their building.
Enjoy the photo's...
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Some of the children with "Bob & Larry" .JPG)
.JPG)
Engrossed in the puppet show
Monday 11 June 2007
Bernie Broomfield Memorial Merit Award
The Moravian Church received donations after the death on November 12, 2006, of Chairperson Bernie Broomfield. The Provincial Board decided that since the youth had been a strong focus of attention under Bernie’s leadership, a merit award would be given out each year to a youth who was active in the Moravian Church. An award of two hundred dollars would be handed out at the closing of Sunday School in June of each year. The Provincial Board asked each congregation for a candidate’s name, and from these one was chosen to receive the award.
(Sunday School leaders Cathy and Rebecca)Sr Joan Andersen,
Chair, Moravian Church in Newfoundland and Labrador
(Sr Joan Andersen presenting Cathy with her award)
The first recipient of the Bernie Broomfield Memorial Merit Award is Cathy Semigak of Makkovik. Cathy is a Level II student who has been helping Miss Rebecca Pretty with the Sunday School ever since September. She was confirmed in the spring of 2006. She has played with the violin group in church on a couple of occasions. She attends church services in the afternoon and has done Bible readings at that time. Ms. Pretty says, “She has been a great help with the Sunday School and the students really enjoy her presence. Cathy, thanks for all of your hard work in helping with Sunday School! Please continue to lift Cathy up in prayer as she continues in her Christian walk.”
(Sunday School leaders Cathy and Rebecca)Sr Joan Andersen,Chair, Moravian Church in Newfoundland and Labrador
Friday 8 June 2007
Unity Board Meeting Report by Sr Joan Andersen
It was great to feel the unity and diversity around the table at the Unity Board Meeting held in Barbados. There were representatives from most provinces around the world. (See link on right for more information.) The language spoken at Unity meetings is English, but away from the table you could hear Spanish, Swahili, and German. The various English accents lent a special flavour to the discussions. It was interesting to be reminded that South Africa, where Unity Board President Angelene Swart comes from, has eleven official languages. And here in northern Labrador we sometimes think that having two is a struggle!
(Photo courtesy of Moravian Church East West Indies Province web site) Rev. Robert Hopcroft seated at bottom right.
The bus picked up delegates at 7:30 each morning and returned us to our hotel around 9:00 p.m. We had full days, with meals cooked and served by ladies from the Moravian churches in Barbados. (We quickly acquired a taste for flying fish, ocra, and mangoes!)
Each morning started off with devotions at Sharon Moravian Church, conducted by a different minister from the Barbados area each time. Bishop Sam Gray played the organ at these services. Then we moved to the D. C. Moore Educational Centre next door where the meetings were held. There Bishop Gray started each day with Bible Study. This was a very meaningful time. Everyone got a lot from these sessions which had the theme “Discerning God’s Mission Through our Unity AND Discerning Our Unity Through God’s Mission”. There was singing and prayer also.
It was good to hear the reports from each province. I learned that some provinces, especially in Africa, are increasing their congregations rapidly. I presented the report on our Labrador province and told them about our desire to find full-time ministers for each of our four congregations. The Unity promised to support our efforts in prayer. Some suggested we write our request to their provinces to see if any candidates would step forward to serve. They also encouraged us to try to find our own candidates from Labrador to ordain. It was enlightening to hear of challenges faced in other provinces and how they are being dealt with.
On Saturday all delegates were given a bus tour of all the Moravian churches in Barbados. The tour guide was Rev. Dorothea Rohde who is the minister at Gracehill Moravian Church. She gave us some historical insights into the Moravian presence in Barbados. That afternoon we went to a picnic being held by three church congregations as part of their celebration of the 550th anniversary of the worldwide Moravian Church and were happy to have members of the Unity present to join in the festivities. Bishop Sam Gray showed more of his talents by entering the sack race, lime and spoon race, and being a genuine good sport (see below!).
On Sunday each minister was assigned a church in which to lead a service. Since I am not a minister, I got to accompany Sister Angelene Swart to Penuel Church at 8:30 a.m. and Mount Tabor Church at 10:00 a.m. Both congregations are served by Rev. Dr. Cicely Athill-Horsford . Penuel Church is very small and modest, with about fifteen persons present. But the singing and fellowship in that congregation was fantastic. Mount Tabor had an attendance of about two hundred. I was struck by the large number of youth, and persons of all ages who were in attendance. Some of the youth accompanied the singing with tambourines. One young girl sang a solo that she had written herself. Two more youth did the Bible readings. The whole congregation belts out every song of praise with vigor. The singing was lively with some clapping.
The Unity members went to the manse for a dinner prepared for us by church members. Then at seven o’clock we went back into Mount Tabor Church for an evening of song, dance, and instrument playing by mainly youth, and some adult choirs. Several churches took part in this presentation. Each Unity delegate was announced, giving name and where from, and was then led in on the arm of one of the young choir members. It was a gala occasion. One choir had even learned a song in Swahili especially for our African visitors.
This is the 550th anniversary of the worldwide Moravian Church, but it is also the 275th anniversary of the beginning of mission work by the Moravian Church. This work continues, and two new mission areas have been identified. One in Lima, Peru and one in southeast Kenya. Mission work started in the Caribbean, so it was fitting that we should meet together in the Caribbean at this time. We had a warm welcome and were treated royally. All delegates came away refreshed spiritually, with new ideas and information, and supportive of our brothers and sisters in this Moravian family.
Front row: Cora Antonioa (Nicaragua), Clement Mwaitebele (Southern Tanzania).
2nd row: Paul Gardner (Jamaica), Angelene Swart (South Africa), Brinmore Phaul (Guyana).
3rd row: Wayne Burkette (U.S. Southern Province), Peter Green (Alaska), Jackie Morten (Britain), Sadock Simwanza (Tanzania, SW Province),.
4th row: Joan Andersen (Labrador), Maarten Mingoen (Suriname), Bishop Nicodemo (Western Tanzania).
5th row: Frieder Vollprecht (Germany), Leopold Pixley (Costa Rica), Erord Simae (Tanzania, Rukwa Province), Bishop Sam Gray (South Carolina, U.S.A.)Top: Errol Connor (Eastern West Indies).
Sr Joan Andersen
Chair, Moravian Church in Newfoundland and Labrador
Carl Sonnichsen reports on the Genaille's Labrador Tour
I would like to report on the 2 weeks in which Bert and Liz Genaille were present in Labrador ministering to verious communities through song, testimony and preaching.
It was my pleasure to accompany the Genailles during their time here and can say they are a wonderful couple to work with. Both of them have a real heart to share the simplicity of the Gospel with others and also have a longing to bring people to a deeper walk with God.
I should acknowledge a husband and wife in North Carolina, USA, who, previous to the Genailles plans to come, were praying for Labrador and had contacted Tribal Trails (mentioned below) about the Genailles testimony on TT's website, with no knowledge of their plans to come to Labrador. We see this as part of God's grand plan beyond our doing. We are also grieved to hear that the husband, Fred, has succumbed to cancer only 1 month after discovery. May God give his wife, Judith, the grace to go on.
The morning after arriving, Bert and Liz were interviewed on CBC Radio for about 15 minutes. The recorded interview would be aired several times throughout the week. Laura and I had the Genailles stay with us when they arrived and are grateful to our friends, Herman and Linda, who so graciously fed all of us a couple of good traditional meals at their home.
The Genaille's being interviewed for CBC Radio
The first 2 nights in Northwest River were well attended. Being acquainted with Country Gospel, I was able to accompany the Genailles with my harmonicas. I thought it would only be during our time in Northwest River but it continued on the entire tour. I was glad to be able to help in that way. With the number of CD's sold on the first 2 nights in NWR, I was wondering if there would be enough to go around through the entire tour. There were also a number of people from Goose Bay who drove the 40 minutes to meet the Genailles. A number of people from Sheshasheit, an Innu community across the River, also came.
After 2 nights in NWR, we made our way up Labrador's Coast, stopping for the first 2 nights in Hopedale. Thanks to Marjorie for setting up 2 different homes for us as accommodations, as well as to the Flowers clan for putting us up. Shortly after arriving in Hopedale, the local radio station gave the Genailles time to introduce themselves to local residents. I ended up interviewing them along with a couple songs from some of their CD's. We met in the Moravian Church the first night. Since the Genailles are flexible in their style, part of the night turned into a time of singing for everyone who attended. During the stay in Hopedale, the Genailles were able to take in some of the traditional Children's Day celebrations. It was also good to get about town a bit and meet with various residents. The concert for the 2nd night would be held in the gym of the Amos Comenius School.
Bert speaking in Hopedale
Some of the young people in Hopedale
The very next morning, we left for Makkovik and were assured that there would be several skidoos and kamotiks to pick us up. Sure enough, there they were, almost into June and still beating around town on top of the remainder of last Winter's snow, of which there was plenty, especially in Makkovik. As usual and in style with Makkovik, we received a very warm welcome. Bert brought the message for the 4 p.m. service and a couple of primer songs for the evening. After a cold plate for all those who attended, the evening service began a couple of hours later. Uncle Jim (87 years old) and Henry came along with their instruments of choice and joined in on a few numbers.
A Makkovik welcoming party!
The very next morning, we were taken by skidoo and kamotik back to the airstrip to make our way to Natuashish, the only Innu (Mushuau Innu) community on the Labrador Coast. A resident pastor with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland picked us up and both he and his wife so kindly looked after our lodging and meals. We ended up staying in Natuashish for an extra night due to inclement weather to the south (Makkovik, actually) which kept any flight from getting to us. This would reduce our 2 nights in Nain to just one. But it wasn't without reason. I was able to visit with a young couple that 3rd evening who I have known from the past to help them through some issues they are struggling with. During our stay, both Bert and I were able to visit with the Chief and some of the staff as well as with another family. With a handful of Christians there in Natuashish (workers from the outside) it was good to take in the Christian fellowship. The Christians there are actively involved in the community and are seeking to be a testimony for Christ in various ways. During our time in Natuashish, Bert and Liz were interviewed over telephone by the OKalaKatiget Radio Society in Nain.
Our last day would be spent in Nain, the most northern Inuit community in which Laura, the kids and I lived for 5 years. The Genailles were able to meet some of the staff at OKalaKatiget Radio Society. We made our way to visit with several homes before the evening concert in the Moravian Church. It was good to see the number of people out.
Outside Nain Church
The Genailles were well received in each community, as well as the 120 CD's which they brought with them. They left with barely a handful of CD's. They have another CD coming out which was not available during the tour.
Nain congregation
Though there was a minimal amount of more in-depth, one-on-one counseling, I observed that the Genailles were a great encouragement to both believers as well as to those on the fringes who have not made a decision for Christ. I, myself, was blessed to spend 2 weeks with Bert and Liz. Their love for God and people has been an inspiration to me, and I know to others. It was also good to laugh together (and boy did we laugh). It was difficult to see them go, but we hope to see them return again along with possibly others who will also come to minister to the Labrador communities around us. There were others that were wondering why the Genailles didn't come to their communties such as Postville and Rigolet. Possibly next time when there is more time set aside for such a tour.
Carl, Liz and Bert
A common thread that ran through this tour was people's acquaintance and admiration of the television program our Mission (NCEM) produces called Tribal Trails, a half-hour Native Gospel program that is aired all across North America. People equate Tribal Trails to authentic and down-to-earth people whose lives God has transformed, and the Genailles were no exception. People in each Labrador community respected and admired the Genailles for their genuine character and approach.
After arriving back in Goose Bay, the Genailles would minister in 2 local churches- the Happy Valley Moravian Church and the Northern Cross Community Church, as well as the Labrador Correctional Centre. They were also invited to accompany 2 local men who bring music to the elderly residents of the Paddon Home.
A big thanks to all those who oversaw the needs of our transportation both on arrival and departure in each community as well as moving the equipment from place to place. Thanks also to those who helped to get the word out and the posters hung before the Genailles arrival.
The funds for this tour came from several places: The Northern Canada Evangelical Mission, the Moravian Church of Newfoundland & Labrador and the Moravian Mission of North Dakota and the reduced fees and free flight arrangements were made by our friends at Air Labrador. We are grateful to all these people for making this tour possible through their generosity.
Lastly, thanks to those of you who backed up this ministry through prayer. We believe this was much more than just a musical tour. It was evident that hearts were touched and we will trust God to build on the work He has begun.
Thank you, Bert and Liz, for coming to Labrador to share your hearts, lives and the Gospel with the people here.
Gratefully submitted,
Carl Sonnichsen
Northern Canada Evangelical Mission
EDITOR'S NOTE: A special mention should be made for Carl's efforts and dedication in arranging, organising, and bringing to fruition this special trip. Without his hard work none of this would have happened. Thanks Carl.
Sunday 3 June 2007
Unity Board Meeting
The Provincial Board meeting was held in Barbados last month and below is the letter sent to all provinces from the Chair of this meeting. Our own Sr Joan Andersen attended this meeting representing MCNL and she will post her own report shortly.
THE UNITAS FRATRUM
THE UNITY BOARD MEETING
BARBADOS, MAY 18-24, 2007
MESSAGE TO THE PROVINCES OF THE UNITY
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
We the members of the Unity Board of the Moravian Church, Unitas Fratrum, meeting in the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados greet you in the name of Jesus our Chief Elder. We have chosen for our theme: Discerning God’s Mission Through Our Unity.
We expressed our appreciation to our immediate past President, Br. Robert Sawyer (Southern Province, U.S.A.) for the leadership he gave to the Unity during his tenure as President. Sr. Angelene Swart (South Africa Province), Vice President of the Unity Board was elected as President in November 2006. Our meeting elected Br. Paul Gardner (Jamaica Province) as Vice-President. We have been inspired by Br. Sam Gray’s daily Bible Studies throughout the meeting. We enjoyed the generous hospitality of our host the Barbados Conference of the Eastern West Indies Province. It has been a joy to share in worship in the congregations and to have fellowship with members and their families.
As we meet we are cognizant of the fact that we are gathered in a year of special anniversaries. It is the 550th Anniversary of the Unitas Fratrum, the 275th anniversary of Moravian Missions, and the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. It is indeed a moment of special significance and as a Unity we recognize the need to recommit ourselves to be faithful to the Mission of our Lord. We must continue to treasure the legacies of our church and forge ahead to be relevant in the various contexts within which we are exercising ministry. It means that we should be faithful stewards as we build bridges of harmony and peace across the world; across cultures and peoples. The Abolition of the trading in Africans reminds us that we must recommit ourselves to uphold the dignity and worth of all human beings who are created in the image of God.
The reports that we received from the Provinces provided us with an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful things that God is doing in the Provinces of the Unity. The area of new work being undertaken represents the church’s commitment to continue to do mission both within and without our respective Provinces. We had to grapple with the challenges being experienced by many of our provinces and empathize with our sisters and brothers as they seek to discern God’s will in the face of many challenges.
The Czech and the Honduras Provinces continue to be a concern of the Unity. We ask you to commit these Provinces of the Unity to our Lord as we pray for real unity in this our 550th year of witness. The fellowship that these provinces enjoyed has been fractured and we remain resolute in our attempt to search for restoration of such fellowship to all parties within the Unity. As we work towards this realization, we must recommit ourselves to the principles of the Unity; affirming and embracing this unity of the church in its diversities. We must remain a single church of mutual accountability to the Unity Synod and the Unity Board.
We accepted the Moravian Church in Congo and the Moravian Church in Zambia as Affiliated Provinces. The Moravian Church in Northern Tanzania, Moravian Church in Eastern Tanzania and Zanzibar and the Moravian Church in Malawi as Mission Provinces. The South-Eastern section of Kenya was accepted as a new Mission Area under the supervision of Western Tanzanian Province and the San Juan de Lurigancho area of Lima, Peru was accepted as a Mission Area under the supervision of the American Board of World Mission. Our decisions will be taken to The Unity Synod for ratification.
Sisters and brothers, we are conscious of the nature of the world in which we are exercising the ministry of the Church. We ask each Province to be discerning of the time and the context within which such ministry is being exercised. We urge you, therefore, to commit to prayers the work of our Church in all the Provinces of the Unity.
May God grant us success in our work and in our attempt to heal relationships within the Unity.
Yours in His grace,
Angelene Swart
President, Unity Board
THE UNITAS FRATRUM
THE UNITY BOARD MEETING
BARBADOS, MAY 18-24, 2007
MESSAGE TO THE PROVINCES OF THE UNITY
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
We the members of the Unity Board of the Moravian Church, Unitas Fratrum, meeting in the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados greet you in the name of Jesus our Chief Elder. We have chosen for our theme: Discerning God’s Mission Through Our Unity.
We expressed our appreciation to our immediate past President, Br. Robert Sawyer (Southern Province, U.S.A.) for the leadership he gave to the Unity during his tenure as President. Sr. Angelene Swart (South Africa Province), Vice President of the Unity Board was elected as President in November 2006. Our meeting elected Br. Paul Gardner (Jamaica Province) as Vice-President. We have been inspired by Br. Sam Gray’s daily Bible Studies throughout the meeting. We enjoyed the generous hospitality of our host the Barbados Conference of the Eastern West Indies Province. It has been a joy to share in worship in the congregations and to have fellowship with members and their families.
As we meet we are cognizant of the fact that we are gathered in a year of special anniversaries. It is the 550th Anniversary of the Unitas Fratrum, the 275th anniversary of Moravian Missions, and the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. It is indeed a moment of special significance and as a Unity we recognize the need to recommit ourselves to be faithful to the Mission of our Lord. We must continue to treasure the legacies of our church and forge ahead to be relevant in the various contexts within which we are exercising ministry. It means that we should be faithful stewards as we build bridges of harmony and peace across the world; across cultures and peoples. The Abolition of the trading in Africans reminds us that we must recommit ourselves to uphold the dignity and worth of all human beings who are created in the image of God.
The reports that we received from the Provinces provided us with an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful things that God is doing in the Provinces of the Unity. The area of new work being undertaken represents the church’s commitment to continue to do mission both within and without our respective Provinces. We had to grapple with the challenges being experienced by many of our provinces and empathize with our sisters and brothers as they seek to discern God’s will in the face of many challenges.
The Czech and the Honduras Provinces continue to be a concern of the Unity. We ask you to commit these Provinces of the Unity to our Lord as we pray for real unity in this our 550th year of witness. The fellowship that these provinces enjoyed has been fractured and we remain resolute in our attempt to search for restoration of such fellowship to all parties within the Unity. As we work towards this realization, we must recommit ourselves to the principles of the Unity; affirming and embracing this unity of the church in its diversities. We must remain a single church of mutual accountability to the Unity Synod and the Unity Board.
We accepted the Moravian Church in Congo and the Moravian Church in Zambia as Affiliated Provinces. The Moravian Church in Northern Tanzania, Moravian Church in Eastern Tanzania and Zanzibar and the Moravian Church in Malawi as Mission Provinces. The South-Eastern section of Kenya was accepted as a new Mission Area under the supervision of Western Tanzanian Province and the San Juan de Lurigancho area of Lima, Peru was accepted as a Mission Area under the supervision of the American Board of World Mission. Our decisions will be taken to The Unity Synod for ratification.
Sisters and brothers, we are conscious of the nature of the world in which we are exercising the ministry of the Church. We ask each Province to be discerning of the time and the context within which such ministry is being exercised. We urge you, therefore, to commit to prayers the work of our Church in all the Provinces of the Unity.
May God grant us success in our work and in our attempt to heal relationships within the Unity.
Yours in His grace,
Angelene Swart
President, Unity Board
Thursday 24 May 2007
Nain launches a new Sunday School...
This week see's the launch of a new Sunday School in Nain.
Each Sunday at 1pm volunteers from within the community will host a Sunday School for 5-10 year olds (and a few younger ones).
Elsie Diamond and Russell Winfield are getting the group started and will create a schedule so that all the parents and volunteers can get involved. The Moravian Church has kindly donated the curriculum (Veggitales) and is funding the craft resources each week. The teaching is split into six 8 week modules and we start with "Faith" this Sunday.
For those in Nain please do send your children along and speak to Elsie or Russell about volunteering. For those outside of Nain, please keep the group in your prayers.
Location: Family Resource Centre, Nain
Time: 1pm -2pm
Ages: 5-10 (younger children welcome but parents must remain)
Each Sunday at 1pm volunteers from within the community will host a Sunday School for 5-10 year olds (and a few younger ones).
Elsie Diamond and Russell Winfield are getting the group started and will create a schedule so that all the parents and volunteers can get involved. The Moravian Church has kindly donated the curriculum (Veggitales) and is funding the craft resources each week. The teaching is split into six 8 week modules and we start with "Faith" this Sunday.
For those in Nain please do send your children along and speak to Elsie or Russell about volunteering. For those outside of Nain, please keep the group in your prayers.
Location: Family Resource Centre, Nain
Time: 1pm -2pm
Ages: 5-10 (younger children welcome but parents must remain)
Tuesday 22 May 2007
Happy Valley Church Choir performance...
For those in the Happy Valley Goose Bay area, this Thursday (24th May) @ 7pm the Happy Valley Church Choir are due to perform at the Arcturus Theatre, $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and children.
All are encouraged to attend what will be a wonderful time of worship and fellowship.
Please call Sr Sabina Hunter for more information.
P.S. I will also try and ensure someone with a camera is in attendance so we can post some pictures.
All are encouraged to attend what will be a wonderful time of worship and fellowship.
Please call Sr Sabina Hunter for more information.
P.S. I will also try and ensure someone with a camera is in attendance so we can post some pictures.
Friday 4 May 2007
The Inuktitut Bible
In 2005 the Moravian Church in Newfoundland & Labrador (MCNL) and the Canadian Bible Society partnered to gather, correct and edit the current Inuktitut Bible that is presently in 7 books and print it in one complete edition.
The MCNL had sought volunteers who are all seasoned translators in their own right, whowere willing to commit to this important project and they included Andrea Webb, Sarah Townley, Sophie Tuglavina, Hilda Lyall, and Amos Onalik.
Presently the spell checking and correcting of all the New Testament is completed, and there are now 8 books that still need to be completed and they are: Joshua, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah.
Once completed, hopefully by the end of May, pre-publishing can be done this summer and typesetting can begin in August, and printing in October.
The translators received training in March of 2007 in the use of a program called Paratext. The Canadian Bible Society uses Paratext for all their translation projects. Another program called Keyman allows the translators to type the unique symbols in Inuttitut, for example the symbol for the long vowel sound or the small K.
The translators are using the new spelling system that was developed by the Torngasok Cultural Centre. With these great tools, they are translating a children's reading series called"Walking with Jesus". Using the Good News Translation and the current Inuktitut Bible as helps, this translation will be easier to read and understand.
The original Inuktitut Bible was translated by German Missionaries and they had translated that Bible from the Martin Luther Version. The MLV is difficult to read and understand even in English, so this new translation will be more helpful, understanding, and easier to read.
Pray the translators will continue on in their great and awesom task. They have been patient, understanding, and are able to work together. May we continue on in this great purpose, for all to know God's Word.
Sr Sabina Hunter
The MCNL had sought volunteers who are all seasoned translators in their own right, whowere willing to commit to this important project and they included Andrea Webb, Sarah Townley, Sophie Tuglavina, Hilda Lyall, and Amos Onalik.
Presently the spell checking and correcting of all the New Testament is completed, and there are now 8 books that still need to be completed and they are: Joshua, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah.
Once completed, hopefully by the end of May, pre-publishing can be done this summer and typesetting can begin in August, and printing in October.
The translators received training in March of 2007 in the use of a program called Paratext. The Canadian Bible Society uses Paratext for all their translation projects. Another program called Keyman allows the translators to type the unique symbols in Inuttitut, for example the symbol for the long vowel sound or the small K.
The translators are using the new spelling system that was developed by the Torngasok Cultural Centre. With these great tools, they are translating a children's reading series called"Walking with Jesus". Using the Good News Translation and the current Inuktitut Bible as helps, this translation will be easier to read and understand.
The original Inuktitut Bible was translated by German Missionaries and they had translated that Bible from the Martin Luther Version. The MLV is difficult to read and understand even in English, so this new translation will be more helpful, understanding, and easier to read.
Pray the translators will continue on in their great and awesom task. They have been patient, understanding, and are able to work together. May we continue on in this great purpose, for all to know God's Word.
Sr Sabina Hunter
Thursday 3 May 2007
Sr Schloss writes with an update on her work at the St John's fellowship...
In 1988 I took early retirement from my position at Memorial University in order to go back into full time church work. The Board suggested visiting Moravians that are in - or are sent to - hospitals or the prison. Since in this Province, chaplaincy is done on a denominational basis (e.g. Anglicans care for Anglicans, R.C. patients by R.C., etc.) I was warmly welcomed by the various pastoral care committees in all the institutions. It turned out that a number of Moravians also live in the area – either they were married here, had jobs, or special needs (mental health, addictions, or previous convictions.)
On the first Christmas I was asked to conduct a candle service. From this, regular monthly services in a hospital chapel developed. They are publicly announced and open to all. Attendance varies from 2 or 3 to 20. At the candle service, there are usually 30.
From the outset and for several years I took classes at the local Anglican seminary (Queen’s College). The Bible Society invited me to over three terms on the Board. When the local Council of Churches was formed, I became a member of the executive and still am. At every ecumenical or interfaith function, I am invited to represent our church. When the 250th anniversary of the Moravian presence in Labrador was celebrated, the sisters of the Roman Catholic hospital organized a service of Thanksgiving in which nearly all the other denominations participated.
My ordination (in Nain, 1995) opened the doors even wider. Unfortunately, for health reasons, I reluctantly gave up the regular visits to the Penitentiary and the psychiatric hospital. Visits to the acute hospitals (children’s and general) continue as needed. So is the representation on the pastoral care committees and the Council of Churches. Visits elsewhere are also made to outpatients and in crisis (e.g. news comes that a family member has died, often through suicide).
I am deeply grateful to the church for having me called to this service through which I can still serve the Labrador people.
The opportunity and needs are great.
Pray the Lord of the Harvest.
Respectfully submitted,
Sr Brigitte Schloss
St. John’s Fellowship
On the first Christmas I was asked to conduct a candle service. From this, regular monthly services in a hospital chapel developed. They are publicly announced and open to all. Attendance varies from 2 or 3 to 20. At the candle service, there are usually 30.
From the outset and for several years I took classes at the local Anglican seminary (Queen’s College). The Bible Society invited me to over three terms on the Board. When the local Council of Churches was formed, I became a member of the executive and still am. At every ecumenical or interfaith function, I am invited to represent our church. When the 250th anniversary of the Moravian presence in Labrador was celebrated, the sisters of the Roman Catholic hospital organized a service of Thanksgiving in which nearly all the other denominations participated.
My ordination (in Nain, 1995) opened the doors even wider. Unfortunately, for health reasons, I reluctantly gave up the regular visits to the Penitentiary and the psychiatric hospital. Visits to the acute hospitals (children’s and general) continue as needed. So is the representation on the pastoral care committees and the Council of Churches. Visits elsewhere are also made to outpatients and in crisis (e.g. news comes that a family member has died, often through suicide).
I am deeply grateful to the church for having me called to this service through which I can still serve the Labrador people.
The opportunity and needs are great.
Pray the Lord of the Harvest.
Respectfully submitted,
Sr Brigitte Schloss
St. John’s Fellowship
The new blog...
I would like to sincerely congratulate our volunteer worker from England, Br Russell Winfield, for coming up with the idea for the Labrador Moravian blog! He has moved the Labrador Moravian into the modern age. Thank you, Russell, for your great work. We look forward to more stories from your post in Nain.
This is also a good means to hear from Moravians who have travelled afar and would like to keep in touch with their church. It's a good place to exchange views and ideas also.
With high regard,
Sr Joan Andersen
Thursday 26 April 2007
Broadcasting from Nain…
Fran Williams is part of the team that broadcasts television and radio from the OKâlaKatiget Society in Nain, Labrador. Some of you may be familiar with the name Ok Society as it is sometimes referred.
The radio station has been broadcasting from the old mission house since June 1985. The OKâlaKatiget Society was first incorporated in 1982. The building, shown in the picture below, was originally built by the Hudson Bay Company and became a Cottage Hospital before being a boarding school house, and then finally its incarnation as Radio and TV centre.
This summer a new building project is being undertaken and will be hopefully completed by February 2008 allowing the OKâlaKatiget Society to move into new premises.
Fran started working at the OKâlaKatiget Society in Nain back in May 1984, and she is now a part of a team of 10 people, 4 of whom work on Radio, 4 on TV, and 2 in management roles. I have listed the current employees below.
The radio show broadcasts from Nain and can be heard from Happy Valley Goose Bay all the way up to Nain, with a potential target audience of roughly 7,000 people. There is live content broadcast from 1pm-3pm and 4pm-5pm Monday to Friday, and while they are not on air then CBC North is played.
On a Sunday morning they have two hours devoted to religious content. From 10–11am they broadcast the Nain Moravian Church Inuktitut Service live as the Church has been equipped with the necessary technology allowing this to happen. This means that this native language service can be heard across coastal Labrador by anyone with a radio. They also broadcast from 1-4pm on a Sunday afternoon, giving 20 hours total broadcast time per week.
There is a real mixture of content on the radio, including local news and interviews, a mixture of music styles and lots of requests. Fran says she enjoys the variation that her job brings, which means the job is never boring and allows her to keep up-to-date with both regional and national news, and meet lots of interesting people. Also as it is plays such a key role within the community they are very quick to receive feedback on the things that do and don’t work.
They have a great website set up with loads of information and it is well worth checking out at www.oksociety.com This is updated by the radio team daily with community news.
Current Employees of the OKâlaKatiget Society are as follows:
Fran Williams (in picture below)
Mitchell White (in picture below)
Bonnie Lyall
Joanna Dicker
K.Naeme Tuglavina
Maria Harris
Sarah Abel
Sybella Tuglavina
Paul Murphy
The radio station has been broadcasting from the old mission house since June 1985. The OKâlaKatiget Society was first incorporated in 1982. The building, shown in the picture below, was originally built by the Hudson Bay Company and became a Cottage Hospital before being a boarding school house, and then finally its incarnation as Radio and TV centre.
This summer a new building project is being undertaken and will be hopefully completed by February 2008 allowing the OKâlaKatiget Society to move into new premises.
Fran started working at the OKâlaKatiget Society in Nain back in May 1984, and she is now a part of a team of 10 people, 4 of whom work on Radio, 4 on TV, and 2 in management roles. I have listed the current employees below.
The radio show broadcasts from Nain and can be heard from Happy Valley Goose Bay all the way up to Nain, with a potential target audience of roughly 7,000 people. There is live content broadcast from 1pm-3pm and 4pm-5pm Monday to Friday, and while they are not on air then CBC North is played.
On a Sunday morning they have two hours devoted to religious content. From 10–11am they broadcast the Nain Moravian Church Inuktitut Service live as the Church has been equipped with the necessary technology allowing this to happen. This means that this native language service can be heard across coastal Labrador by anyone with a radio. They also broadcast from 1-4pm on a Sunday afternoon, giving 20 hours total broadcast time per week.
There is a real mixture of content on the radio, including local news and interviews, a mixture of music styles and lots of requests. Fran says she enjoys the variation that her job brings, which means the job is never boring and allows her to keep up-to-date with both regional and national news, and meet lots of interesting people. Also as it is plays such a key role within the community they are very quick to receive feedback on the things that do and don’t work.
They have a great website set up with loads of information and it is well worth checking out at www.oksociety.com This is updated by the radio team daily with community news.
Current Employees of the OKâlaKatiget Society are as follows:
Fran Williams (in picture below)
Mitchell White (in picture below)
Bonnie Lyall
Joanna Dicker
K.Naeme Tuglavina
Maria Harris
Sarah Abel
Sybella Tuglavina
Paul Murphy
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