Get Updates
Join our email list to receive news on urgent actions & ongoing work. Current Issue...
"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs. "
~Frederick Douglass, escaped slave
Local Heroes
September 2008
Noella Project, Quebec City
Since 2001, the refugee outreach committee at Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Quebec City has been working on reuniting refugee families, mostly from Central Africa, through the Private Sponsorship program. The Cathedral has a small volunteer group who meet regularly – and also have a student group who help out with fund-raising events and concerts as well as student information sessions and social events that bring refugees together with students. They have also had events giving refugees a chance to perform their music to a Quebec audience. Since 2007 they have had a Rwandan family of seven and a Congolese family of four accepted and welcomed into their community.
Thank you Holy Trinity for your support and generosity to some of the most marginalized people in our society, and for being such a welcoming community. For additional information about their work, you may contact Louisa Blair at leblair[at]sympatico.ca.
August 2008
Diocese of Ontario – “Virtual march” to support Millenium Development Goals – At the suggestion of Bishop George Bruce of the Diocese of Ontario, three archdeacons led small delegations to local MP’s offices with letters reminding the federal government of its MDG promises. This happened on the same day as the Bishops’ march in Central London, England in solidarity with the 600-plus bishops and others who walked to draw attention to the MDG’s as well as the Anglican Communion’s work in helping alleviate extreme poverty.
In addition, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR) have included a special page on the “virtual march” on their website just for Canadians, and posted a copy of the Diocese of Ontario’s letter. For more information check the Diocese of Ontario website – www.ontario.anglican.ca, which also includes a link to the EGR site where you can join the “virtual march”.
May 2008
St. Mary the Virgin, Whitewood, Qu’Appelle will be celebrating 125 years of continuous ministry in 2008 and will be having a weekend of celebration and thanksgiving on June 21 & 22.
Liam Olsen, 8 years old, who attends St. Anne’s, Steveston in Richmond, BC with his grandmother Rev. Gladys Olsen did a 5 km run in support of PWRDF and the emergencies in China and Burma. In one week more than $1,600 was pledged to Liam. See our website story and a photo of Liam.
We are delighted that the following youth groups have held Side-by-Side: Off-the-Grid events recently:
St. George’s, Georgetown, ON
Christ Church & St. Michael & All Angels, Beaconsfield, QC
St. John’s, Ancaster, ON
All Saints, Collingwood, ON
Anglican Youth in Ottawa diocese
Christ Church, Fredericton, NB.
February 2008
How our Local Heroes Celebrated Christmas
St. Mark’s Church, Halifax, NS – parishioners sold hand knitted goods and festive food items at their Sugar Plum Sales with all donations being provided to PWRDF.
Eileen Scully, Coordinator for Ministry and Worship in Church House made Christmas crackers for each table setting which included jokes and chocolates inside. They also included PWRDF HIV-AIDS prayer cards, plus one of the bulletin inserts and the instructions for the AIDS –awareness bead broach. Their donation was the equivalent of what it would cost for a dinner for 12 at a restaurant to PWRDF. The back of the pew bulletin stories were used to advise their guests of the donation.
James Turgeon-O’Brien of St. Mary’s Anglican/United Church in Sorrento, Diocese of Kootenay, BC – during Lent collected bottles from his church community and soon raised $200. The event was so popular that the bottles kept coming – until October in fact, when he finally presented a cheque for $480 to PWRDF for the HIV/AIDS program.
Thank you to all those who made special efforts and contributions over the Christmas period, to those of you who purchased Christmas cards and made donations in lieu of Christmas gifts and those who responded to our Appeal. Your support is gratefully acknowledged – and you are all heroes.
December 2007
St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa as part of their speaker series, invited Bishop Mark MacDonald and Robert Watts from the Truth and Healing Commission to speak about Confronting our Aboriginal History: Toward Healing and Reconciliation. Jane Maxwell moderated the lively event and CBC provided media coverage. If you would like more information about the event, PWRDF will be happy to connect you with Jane.
October 2007
This month we are celebrating:
Mrs. Marj Keen, Parish Representative, All Saints, Weyburn Saskatchewan – we were delighted to hear from our Diocesan Representative, Basil Pogue about Marj Keen’s involvement with PWRDF for over 30 years. Marj believes strongly in her ministry on behalf of PWRDF and found many creative ways to promote the fund, including selling produce from her garden and donating the money raised. We understand that her replacement, Debbie Hubick is another live wire, although can this be rwarded. Good luck Debbie in the years ahead – and thank you Marj.
St. Peter’s, Kingston, Ontario –James Leveille, his wife, Debbie and Mary Crawford were instrumental in raising $2,000 to support PWRDF’s HIV and AIDS work. For more information October 2007 Diocesan paper.
September 2007
This month we are celebrating:
Emmanuel Church in Halifax, NS who held an annual “Have a Heart” Sunday in support of PWRDF’s HIV and AIDS initiative Partnership for Life. The parish provided small heart boxes for Lenten observance. The congregation members place a quarter a day into the boxes for the forty days and return the boxes on Easter Sunday.
St. George’s, Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec, Anglican Church Women – who regularly support PWRDF’s HIV and AIDS initiative, Partnership for Life through different fundraising activities.
August 2007
Basil Pogue, PWRDF Diocesan Representative for Qu’Appelle, took part in the PWRDF delegation visit to Mexico in March 2007. He has, to date, spoken to seven congregations about the work that PWRDF is doing in Mexico. The communities he spoke to were centered in rural Saskatchewan and he has bookings for more sessions in September and October. His article about the trip was published in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle newspaper.
July 2007
The Three Cantors – we celebrate a recent concert given by the Three Cantors at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa and their continuing support through the Huron Hunger Fund of PWRDF. Since 1996 they have been giving concerts and contributing to PWRDF 100% of the proceeds of the sale of their CD’s. The cantors are Anglican priests – Rev Canon Bill Cliff, Rev Canon David Pickett, Very Rev Peter Wall. Angus Sinclair is accompanist to The Three Cantors.
For the rest of the year their schedule includes Montreal, Hamilton, Sudbury, Owen Sound, Thunder Bay, Hanover and Simcoe. For more information on the Three Cantors concert schedule and sale of CD’s, please refer to www.3cantors.com
June 2007
U2charist - to those who participated in this exciting and engaging church experience with an internationally known U2 tribute band – we salute the planning team in the Diocese of Toronto, Simon Bell, Erin Dewhirst, Tay Moss, Beverly William and Jason van Veghel-Wood.
PWRDF Refugee Coordinators – we bless and thank our Refugee Coordinators who work so hard to navigate the realms of sponsorship agreements, government and legal processes, local communities and ecumenical groups. Supporting refugees has been central to PWRDF’s mandate since the fund was started as a Christian response to a deep need. It is challenging, emotional and sometimes lonely work. We thank all of you who are involved who much such a difference.
May 2007
We have been advised of some interesting fundraising events in support of our HIV & AIDS work in Africa :
St. Paul’s Church, Nanaimo, BC – reached out to beyond their own parish community for an evening of Tapas and Music with jazz provided by seven young men from Woodlands School and the Nanaimo Community Band played music from the 50’s and 60’s. As Gordon Youngman, on behalf of the Reaching Out Committee of St. Paul’s said “we cannot go to Africa, so we give of ourselves in service, and send the monetary rewards with love”.
St. Thomas’ Church, Brooklin, Ontario – Trystan Yates-Owen, a first year student at Trent University had his long hair clean shaven for PWRDF partner, John Wesley Community Centre HIV Orphan support Program in Etwatwa, South Africa.. With the help of the St. Thomas’ AIDS Response Team (S.T.A.R.T) pledges were collected before the event and $3,900 was raised. To read more about the event and photos, please visit our story.
St. John’s Blackstock, Ontario –Celebrating its 4th Annual Valentine’s Day dinner, 82 diners enjoyed a community gourmet dinner and raised over $2,000 for PWRDF. The dinner was prepared by Chef Daniel Plouffe, husband of Rev. Mary Bell-Plouffe, St. John’s Incumbent,. Chef Daniel was ably assisted in the kitchen by his daughter Lisa and son James. Rev. Thami Mhlana from the Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa was the guest preacher and brought personal stories and realities of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Thank you – to all the volunteers who worked on these, and other events to promote the work of PWRDF in your parishes, Dioceses and in your communities. Every little helps and makes a huge difference in the lives of others.
April 2007
Church of the Epiphany, Ottawa, held an evening of romantic music from the golden era of Gershwin, Hammerstein and Rogers in February in support of PWRDF’s Partnership for Life program;
St. Peter’s Dorchester, Ontario held a successful soup lunch in support of PWRDF;
St. James’ Church, Port Daniel, Quebec, under the leadership of Stephen Dow, the children used PWRDF water materials to present a session on water and through this, together with the congregation, they learned more about this precious resource.
Emmanuel, Spryfield, Nova Scotia – the youth group held a successful fast to raise funds for PWRDF. They had some discussion and education time on HIV and AIDS, using a map of the world to pinpoint the countries stricken with the pandemic.
The ACW of St. James Church, Smithers, BC in the Diocese of Caledonia has a unique relationship with PWRDF. Since 1959 the ACW has operated the St. James Thrift Shop and from the day that it opened, 25% of the proceeds have been given to PWRDF. In a ten-year period, this amounted to almost $13,000. Am is an amazing number of quarters, loonies and toonies.
February 2007
This month we are celebrating:
St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Arnold’s Cove invited the communities of Arnold’s Cove, Come By Chance and Sunnyside, Newfoundland to a PWRDF joint HIV and AIDS service at the end of November. With a band and local soloists, the congregation was touched by the music. St. Michael’s also raised funds last year for PWRDF from a flea market in September and World AIDS day service in December.
Marian Lucas-Jefferies, former PWRDF Board member and now Assistant Curate at the Parish of Upper Kennebecasis in Apohaqui, NB was recently in South Africa on behalf of the Canadian Co-operative Association to visit and review a PWRDF supported project in Soweto – the Soweto Home-Based Caregivers Co-operative. In the three years since her last visit, Marian has seen how the care giver’s have become competent, skilled home care workers with new career aspirations and management skills, all committed to providing quality care to the lepers of South African society, people living and dying of HIV and AIDS. Because of these people, there is hope. The rest of Marian’s story and photos to appear shortly on our 
website.
Alison and Chris Longson spent part of October and November visiting with friends and holidaying in Africa. While there, they took time out to visit with PWRDF partners – read more of 
their story.
January 2007
This month we commend:
St. Mark's Church Halifax - the PWRDF Committee prepared "Festive Boxes" which were offered each Sunday in Advent as a fundraiser during the coffee hour. They raised $300 from twoonie donations for home-made candy treats. Each Sunday they also used our pew bulletin stories and the partner information from our story gallery that were highlighted in the leaflet during the liturgy. Thank you, Sharon and David for initiating these events.
Anglican Church Women of Christ Church, Cherry Valley, PEI - for continuing to support our Fund with their contribution of $400.
St. Peter's, Winnipeg - KIDS Coffee Club (the daycare mentioned earlier) for their interest and initiative in the AIDS Photo Exhibit.
Robin Major, Deacon, St. Mary's Kirkland, QC - for the wonderful work and enthusiasm he is demonstrating around selling and promoting Fair Trade products on behalf of PWRDF and his commitment to social justice. Please read his Fair Trade Travel Log in the Montreal Unit of PWRDF January 2007.
As Robin says: "Work of organizations like PWRDF and the fair trade movement must grow until all the world's poor are paid a fair wage. It is simply what must happen so that they will not hunger for food, so that they'll have enough of an income to have the dignity of buying their own food, or paying for school for their children, or buying medicine for their sick. Christ wants us to be like him, servants of each other, especially the poor who cry out for justice. Every fair trade sale makes a big difference to the life of that poor person who produced it. One step at a time, one day at a time, in the loving arms of the Father, through the teachings of the Son, in the Power of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom comes where God's justice for the poor is done."
December 2006
The Gilbert family of Nanaimo, BC. Cathy Gilbert contacted me (Yvonne Lane) recently as she wanted to make a donation to PWRDF in lieu of gifts. After some discussion, we provided her with information about some of our projects and after consultation with the children, they decided that they wanted to support a project which will help to secure a good supply of water for a community in Tanzania. As Cathy says:
"I encourage everyone to think of ways they can share this Christmas. Most of us have something we can offer to others at this time of the year. Many of us talk about being "broke" -- but are we really? Winston Churchill said "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". Our thanks to Dave and Cathy Gilbert and family.
Alma Currie and Edna Hamilton of Kingston, NB - Last month we celebrated Bishop Claude Miller raising $50,000 from his 500 km walk-a-thon in support of the PWRDF Partnership for Life initiative and this month we are celebrating a group in that Diocese who were enthusiastic to take up the cause. Alma, who is an octogenarian, planned to walk a mile a day to complete 100 miles -- enthusiasm is contagious. The young mothers who gather in the parish hall on Wednesday afternoon for coffee club were also inspired and gathered pledges and walk to fight AIDS with their tots in strollers.
November 2006
Diocese of Fredericton and parishioners who walked to support the Bishops Walk and raise funds for PWRDF HIV and AIDS programs. More...
Parishes of St. Albans, Glen Williams and St. Pauls, Norval and Rev Grahame Stap who have generated interest and support to raise funds for water projects in Tanzania.
Diocese of Ontario for arranging a visit by Stephen Lewis which raised $20,000 for PWRDF. More...
October 2006
Jancis Stead, St. Lukes, Ottawa who used our coin boxes to collect $1 coins every time she used the dishwasher. She recently submitted $50 to her parish treasurer to forward to PWRDF. Credit can also be given to Rev Barbara Maynard of St. Lukes who suggested doing something similar when leaving the tap running while brushing teeth.
Violet, 92 years young, St. Clements, North Vancouver who has single-handedly sold ten of the STOP AIDS bracelets.
August 2006
Carolyn Vanderlip, from the Diocese of Niagara has been working diligently as the PWRDF Refugee Coordinator in that diocese for many years and recently attended a meeting on behalf of the Canadian Council for Refugees in Geneva on refugee resettlement. Read about the meeting and her onward visit to Kosovo on our website.
July 2006
Volunteers in Calgary joined together to raise awareness and hope. Alison Longson, Diocesan Representative for Calgary organized a display for the Partnership for Life Initiative at an event called "Glimmers of Hope" organized by the Mennonite Central Committee. Brian Stewart a reporter with the CBC was the main speaker and emphasized the enormous value of small faith based organizations in mobilizing and banding together in the fight against HIV and AIDS. He acknowledged that both the media and international institutions recognize the front line advantage that faith-based organizations have and highlighted our advantage as being innovative and cost-effective. He applauded the long-term sustainability that comes when organizations are faithfully connected to communities remaining long after the media have left. See photos and story in the Act section of the Partnership for Life website.
May/June 2006
St. Paul's, Halifax - for their coffee house community who recently lost one of their members to an AIDS-related illness and who created a square for the Ribbon of Hope in her memory. They found this to be a big step in the healing process.
Youth and staff from St. Thomas' Owen Sound, Ontario who participated in a 32-hour famine with the M' Wikwedong Native Cultural Resource Centre and learned about native spirituality through a talking circle, sweat lodge, pipe and prayer ceremonies and the drum circle. They raised $2,500 for the Canadian Indigenous Program and had some wonderful experiences in the process!
St. George's Haliburton, Ontario who have created an Outreach Quilt in the design of a bookshelf and charge $20 to have names included on the book spines.
St. Mark's, Kaslo, BC - a small parish with a few faithful worshippers who have committed for over a year a twoonie a week for A Generation without AIDS.
Betty McNamara, our Diocesan Representative in Fredericton, NB
who wrote about her day with Stephen Lewis -- see the story on our website.
St. George's, Westbank, BC who raised over $1,200 from a pub night and the sale of bracelets for the Partnership for Life Initiative.
Rosemary Gosselin of St. George's, Clarksburg, Ontario who works so hard in her community with the help of her priest, Rev. Ben Burry to get the word out about PWRDF and who delivered a very moving Mother's Day Homily on May 14, 2006.
April 2006
Soul Revolution Youth Group, St. George's, Calgary
On April 7-8, a group of youths (12-18 year olds) came together to fast for 30 hours in support of PWRDF's "Enough for All" water campaign. They went without food for 30 hours to deepen their relationship with God and to raise awareness that clean-free-fresh water is a human right. The 11 participants were involved in community park clean up and wrote letters to the Premier and Prime Minister challenging them to take a stand in ensuring that everyone had access to clean water and to stop the commodification of water. The group raised $360 towards PWRDF water campaign.
Emmanuel Youth Group Spryfield (Halifax)
On April 21-22 the youth group held their tenth successful fast to raise funds for PWRDF's Partnership for Life initiative. This year's theme was "A Generation Without AIDS". They began the event on Friday evening with a moving worship service and continued with two days of fun games, educational activities and interesting discussions. Along with raising over $700.00 for Partnership for Life, they held a food-bank drive and gave their church a thorough cleaning.
May this inspire other youth groups to take action!
March 2006
Dawn Purcell and St. Timothys & St. Paul's, Hatchet Lake, Nova Scotia Sunday Schools who raised more than $1,000 from a "Bowl-a-thon" in support of the Water, Enough for All! Campaign
Betty Anez and the ACW of St. Andrews, New Carlisle, Quebec who held a potluck supper and viewed the video "For a Generation without AIDS" and created an awareness about our programs. They have committed to have a similar yearly event.
February 2006
St. Michael's Parish Kids in Hamilton, Ontario, organized a "Pennies for Water" Advent fundraising project.
Nancy Vincent and Pauline Marshall of St. Timothy's, 100 Mile House, BC sold AIDS pins and bracelets and decorating their small church with our Ribbon of Hope. Like many others who have hosted the Ribbon, they provided additional denim squares with their messages.
Margaret Cool of Holy Trinity Cathedral, New Westminster, BC accommodated and facilitated, at short notice, a partner's visit to British Columbia with an event at the Cathedral. See Issue #33 of Under the Sun Spring 2006.
January 2006
Shirin Theophilus, the PWRDF Representative at St. Anselm's Anglican Church in Vancouver, organized a PWRDF Awareness evening of music and dinner. The tables were decorated with autumn leaves and PWRDF placemats with the main table with glasses filled with water and a middle brass pot empty, representing the water scarcity in the world. For stunning photos of the event, please view their website. Shirin used the Enough for All worship service and inserted readings, songs and recitals reflecting the multicultural aspect of the parish. What a talented group!
Katherine Powell and Irene Walback, Youth Leaders of All Saints Anglican Church in Erin, Ontario, put together a worship service using our water materials to their young youth group. After each youth presented their reading or prayers, they silently walked to a water jug, held it high and poured a quantity of clean water. The children participated by putting pictures of plants on a large board to indicate the growth of food; the youth handed out Kairos water cards and the service was followed by a soup lunch served by the youth.
Jane Short of Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver, designed and produced a gift giving card . These donor gift cards were for use by parishioners to provide a gift of money to Primate's Fund in lieu of giving Christmas gifts. They raised almost $1,000.
Dave Chisholm, Diocesan Representative for Ottawa, did an interactive presentation on water to the confirmation class (ages 11-16) at St. John's, South March (Near Ottawa, Ontario). Dave reports that the children really got enthused over the bottled water aspect of the presentation. He noted that he had to be careful on how he covered this topic as it was in a rural area with most of the participants on well water so they are often forced to use bottled water. He bought some water bottles from the dollar store and put the KAIROS labels on them -- they loved it!
Ridley College Students in St.Catherine's Ontario, with the help of Chaplain, Rev Tim Novis raised $1,500 for Hurricane Katrina through PWRDF.
