Bishop makes lateral move

Albert LeGatt has been named Roman Catholic Archbishop of Saint Boniface. He replaces Emilius Goulet, who has served in the position since 2001 and has now passed the mandatory retirement age of 75. LeGatt was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan in 1953, was ordained in 1983 and has been serving as Bishop of Saskatoon since 2001. The Diocese of Saint Boniface, in eastern Manitoba, has 113,495 parishioners in 103 parishes, served by 75 diocesan priests, 36 religious order priests, 24 permanent deacons and 307 religious sisters and brothers.

More Cuts Coming

Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC), the relief and development agency for most Mennonite denominations, is facing a budget shortfall that could be as high as $1.5 million for the year ending August 31. MCC Canada and its five provincial partners had increased their budgets by 10 percent for this fiscal year, but donations have fallen, particularly in BC and eastern Canada. As a result, MCC Canada has cut its spending by 5.5 percent for the last three months of the fiscal year, and will draw on reserves and increase fundraising efforts. A further 6.4 percent cut is planned for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

Bargain camping

The Scott Mission in Toronto is offering over 600 children from low-income families the chance to attend camp this summer at its 100-acre campground. The cost for a six-day camp is $618 per child, but thanks to donations from the mission's supporters, families pay between $10 and $40. The mission also offers an in-city summer program for about 100 children and youth.

They can't even pray for more workers

The first Camp Quest is being offered this year in the United Kingdom, with 24 children and youth expected to attend. The camp will have the usual swimming, canoeing, fishing, archery, and campfire activities but will also teach "science, free thought and humanist principles" to "encourage critical thinking and provide children with a summer camp free of religious dogma." Supported by atheist Richard Dawkins, the camp is designed for "the children of atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers and brights." Camp Quest was founded in 1992 and currently offers seven camps in North America, including one in Ontario, which has suspended operations for the 2009 camping season due to lack of staff.

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President should be left out

Christian Heritage Party leader Jim Hnatiuk has criticized the Canadian government for supporting the reinstatement of Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales. Hnatiuk said Zelaya is a Leftist who has repeatedly violated the Honduran constitution. He also stated that Zelaya was not the victim of a coup but that the Honduran courts authorized the military to depose Zelaya and to install an interim president to finish his term, after which there will be new elections.

He's still communicating

The Word Guild honoured Brian Stiller of Toronto with a Partnership Award at its annual Write! Canada writing conference in Guelph, Ontario, June 19. The Partnership Award is presented periodically by The Word Guild to acknowledge exceptional support and encouragement of Canadian writers and editors who are Christian. The Word Guild said Stiller "has exemplified excellence in his communication skills, his use of mass media, and his advocacy that Christians understand and effectively interact with contemporary culture." Stiller was founder and editor-in-chief of Faith Today magazine when he was president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (1983-1996). Stiller also directed Faith Today to start the annual God Uses Ink writing conference in 1984, which was transferred to The Word Guild in 2001 and renamed Write! Canada. In addition, he has hosted several television series, authored ten books, done considerable public speaking and been a frequent media commentator. Stiller recently retired after serving 14 years as president and CEO of Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto.

Do they also serve donuts?

After seven years of planning, Kerr Street Ministries in Oakville, Ontario has begun construction of a new $4.5 million, 18,000-square-foot Dream Centre across the street from its current location. The new facility will include a gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms, a full-sized kitchen for community meals and more. It will house all of the ministry's programs, which serve children, youth and low-income families. The ministry has raised 70 percent of the cost of construction. The building contractor is Vicano Construction, builders of Tim Hortons restaurants.

Listen to a magazine

CCM magazine, which was originally launched in 1978 as Contemporary Christian Music magazine, closed down in 2008. However, Salem Publishing is now relaunching CCM as a digital magazine. The new format allows the magazine to include audio and video segments.

July 9/2009