Church of Saint Barnabas, Victoria BC

Primate Visits Melanesian Brotherhood

In March 2012, the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz visited the Melanesian Brothers and the other Melanesian religious orders in the Solomon Islands. General Synod senior editor Ali Symons was along and wrote a blog of the trip, The Gospel Canoe.

The Melanesian Brotherhood is an Anglican religious order of several hundred men who live in small households in dozens of villages throughout the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. They join in village life, teach children, present the Gospel through drama, and heal the sick. There are far more men wanting to become brothers than can be accomodated. Only 120 can be accepted each year.

The Parish provides some financial assistance to the Brotherhood, usually for the purchase of rice from Australia, to supplement their often meagre food supply from gardening, fishing and foraging. The approximately 120 novices learn much better when not under-nourished. At the Brotherhood's headquarters and two regional headquarters the running joke is "Brothers, today we live by faith" when there is naught but tea and a biscuit for the day.

We welcomed Br. John Blyth back to St. Barnabas on May 5 for a meeting of Companions of the Brotherhood.

For the past seven years, Companions of the Brotherhood at St. Barnabas have collected outreach donations to help the Brothers. When Br. John goes to the Solomons, we are often able to send him off with a draft for $1000 or so, which will buy about SI$7000 worth of imported rice to help feed the novices and brothers at the headquarters and regional headquarters. The novices are able learn much more easily and are more resistant to malaria when they are adequately nourished. Sadly, the Canada Revenue Agency does not allow parishes to give income tax credit for donations to foreign organisations.

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Primate's World Relief and Development Fund

The PWRDF is accepting donations for several natural disaster relief funds through CanadaHelps.org See the PWRDF website for articles on these disasters, and for other means of donation.

Horn of Africa Drought Relief

Eleven million are facing famine in Africa. The Government of Canada will match contributions to the PWRDF's Horn of Africa Drought fund and other eligible charities until Sept. 16, 2011, with funds for its own East Africa Drought Relief Fund.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief

Earthquakes beginning March 11, 2011, and a resulting tsunami wrecked a portion of the east coast of Japan. Donated funds will be forwarded to the Anglican Church of Japan and partner organizations.

Kingcome Inlet Flood Relief

September 25, 2010, the village of Kingcome Inlet on the British Columbia coast, was flooded by torrential rains. Most community members were evacuated to nearby Alert Bay. To rebuild their lives they need help to replace food, clothing and liveable facilities, and to remove debris. Donated funds will help the Dioceses of British Columbia and New Westminster in this work.

Those wishing to support the restoration of St. George's Church at Kingcome Inlet in particular should contact the Diocese of British Columbia at 1.800.582.8627 or 250.386.7781

A video showing some of the flood damage has been posted on YouTube.

Haiti Earthquake Relief and Reconstruction

In January 2010, the worst earthquake to strike Haiti in 250 years killed over 200,000 people and displaced another 1.5 million.