Doing Things Differently – the Parish of Stanley
Doing things differently in the Parish of Stanley began when the Rev. Canon Bonnie LeBlanc retired at the end of 2021.
It fell to Fredericton Archdeacon Kevin Stockall, now retired, to arrange for fill-ins, which included the Rev. Nicholas Saulnier.
But Kevin retired and Nicholas was temporary, having since returned to the Canadian Armed Forces as a military chaplain.
So it fell to Archdeacon Paul Ranson to fill the gaps.
“They needed people to do pulpit supply, and Paul knew I had a desire to do more ministry,” said lay reader Eva Morton.
In the recent past, Eva had taken the Clinical Pastoral Education course for pastoral and chaplaincy at hospitals, and a course with Dr. Ken Neilson. She was ready, and the Parish of Stanley was willing.
That was two years ago, and these days, Eva has taken on a stipendiary lay role called pastoral visitor, reporting to vestry, while ensuring parishioners are looked after and there is a service each Sunday.
“People in the parish know there’s always going to be someone doing a service there,” she said.
Eva created a roster that includes herself, the Rev. Canon Ross Hebb, the Rev. Debbie Edmondson, and lay readers Beresford Price and Mark Moir, both from the Parish of Ludlow & Blissfield next door.
“We set it up to be as easy as possible,” said Eva.
But Eva does more than a service a month. On Mondays, she picks up parishioners on the way to a seniors’ gathering. She leads the devotional at ACW meetings. In the middle of the month, she leads a service at Nashwaak Villa, the local nursing home. This fall, she even did a dispersal of ashes. And of course, she does pastoral visits — at home, in the nursing home and in the hospital.
“I do whatever pops up,” she said.
That has included attending the Stanley Fair, and attending the Stanley food bank’s fundraisers.
“I like the idea of the church being a visible presence in the community,” she said. “If I’m available, I try to go. I am immersed in the life of the Parish of Stanley. I think that’s what the job entails.”
EUCHARIST
When the Rev. Canon Ross Hebb retired, he took a full year off, then “carefully and prayerfully thought about what to get myself into,” he said.
He knew of two places near Fredericton that needed priestly coverage: Benton and Stanley. The fact that they are out-of-the-way rural parishes appealed to him.
He’s witnessed the emptying out of rural communities, losing their stores, their bank, their school. Sometimes the church is all that remains, and it becomes vital to parishioners, even if they are few in number and cannot afford a priest.
“As rural institutions leave, the church remains,” he said. “We have to put our money where our mouth is.”
So he’s happy to help a couple of rural parishes, offering a service of Holy Eucharist once a month, and notes Stanley is about to mark 145 years.
“145 years of faithfulness cannot be ignored,” he said. “It should be celebrated.”
He makes sure to include congregational singing during the services, selecting familiar tunes everyone knows, even though there is no musical accompaniment.
“Hopefully they’re getting something that has nothing to do with Hebb and everything to do with our Lord and Saviour,” he said.
He’s come to enjoy his time in the Parish of Stanley.
“They’re making do and getting along the best they can under somewhat trying circumstances,” he said. “It’s important for them not to feel deserted, forgotten by the rest of the church.
“It’s one of the reasons I go. You’re still valued, you’re still part of the body of Christ.”
PARISH OF LUDLOW & BLISSFIELD
Mark Moir leads a service when there are five Sundays in a month.
“I love going to Stanley,” he said. “We have someone who looks after the readings and the music, and I do the message. Everything comes together.”
Mark takes no credit at all.
“I think it’s the Holy Spirit working in us,” he said. “The people are so grateful, so dedicated and faithful. There’s something special about that church.”
For Beresford, it is about following a calling, this one beyond his own parish.
“There is a difference in doing this just to do it, and doing it spiritually,” he said. “We all have different gifts to share, and we all present the tools we have in different ways. It gives the congregation variety.”
He sees the Parish of Stanley as willing to try something new because of the change thrust upon them.
“We have to take different approaches in presenting things,” he said. “I think it's admirable that we [get to] keep the spirit of God alive in this area. If nothing is tried, then it falls by the wayside and is forgotten.
“We cannot let that happen.”
DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
At the 139th Diocesan Synod on Nov. 2, Archbishop David Edwards, in his charge, outlined several diocesan priorities, three of which were, re-shaping ministry on the ground; new styles of ministry; and sharing resources.
He cited the Parish of Stanley as a prime example of re-shaping ministry: “Three lay readers from other parishes, along with local lay readers and two clergy, supporting Sunday worship and other ministry on a monthly basis.”
In speaking of new styles of ministry, he said, “What we will see emerging are different types of ministers: priests, deacons, lay readers, evangelists, church planters, congregational developers, itinerant ministers.”
And finally, the willingness of lay readers from a neighbouring parish to step in is an example of sharing resources.
Mission and ministry director Shawn Branch sees what’s happening in the Parish of Stanley as a snapshot of what’s to come in other parts of the diocese.
“This reflects the changing reality for some parishes and communities where the historic norm of one priest in every parish isn’t viable,” he said.
“Rather than having to consider no worship or no presence, this model provides us with the ability to care for the current congregation and continue to be a presence in the community.”
For Eva, she believes she is where she is supposed to be, enjoying it and blazing a trail, even if she didn’t set out to do so.
“It’s all God’s doing, really,” she said. “And these people are amazing, so flexible, so willing, so accommodating. They’ve been generous in their attitude about everything.”
No one from the vestry was available to comment.
Watch for more stories of parishes and leaders adapting to changing times in upcoming editions of the NB Anglican, under the title Doing Things Differently.
Photo captions:
1. The Parish of Stanley hosted an appreciation dinner for local firefighters Oct. 18, a sign of their continued presence in the community.
2. Pastoral visitor Eva Morton
3. The Rev. Canon Ross Hebb
Submitted photos