Synopsis
Qu’Appelle is a Diocese of the
Anglican Church of Canada, and part
of the world wide family of the
Anglican Communion. In some ways,
we are a large diocese covering
196,846 square kilometres in the
south of the civil Province of
Saskatchewan. This area of Canada
has a climate with extreme
temperatures of (-40 C in winter, to +40 C
in summer) and little rainfall.
(40 - 50 cm per year).
Southern Saskatchewan is mostly
open farm land. Naturally-occurring
trees are small and sparse. Agriculture,
along with oil and natural gas,
make up the majority of the economy.
The Qu’Appelle Diocese stretches
from the Manitoba border on the
east to the Alberta border on the
west; from the U.S.A. border in the
south from Estevan to the north/east,
include Kamsack, Yorkton,
north/west to Kenaston, Kindersley
and (see city) Regina being
centrally located in the Diocese.<View
Map>
The Anglican population of just
over 10,000, gathered in 103
congregations. These congregations
are grouped into 44 parishes
(19 urban and 25 rural) and served
by about 50 full, part-time, non
stipendiary and retired clergy.
Urban parishes average about 300
members on the parish role. The
average rural parish has about 150
members. Rural parishes consist
of two to six active congregations.
Half the population of Saskatchewan,
500,000 people live within our
Diocese boundaries, with only 11,550
Anglicans. As you can see,
we are "thin on the ground", and
that is where we become a small
diocese. We are divided into 43
parishes, many of which embrace
several congregations to give us
a total of 109 congregations.
We are fairly evenly balanced between
urban and rural members.
Regina is our "see city" where
St. Paul cathedral, is located and the
diocesan offices can be found.
History
The Diocese of Qu’Appelle was created
by the Synod of the
Province of Rupert’s Land. Our
first bishop: Adelbert Anson,
from Lichfield Diocese, was consecrated
as the first bishop of
Qu’Appelle on June 24, 1884. The
Church of St. Paul in the city
of Regina, after having pro-Cathedral
status for many years,
became the Cathedral of the diocese
in 1973.
It has always been the goal of the
diocese to become self-supporting.
with the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel, the diocese finally
achieved self-support in 1975.
Worship and liturgy in the diocese
has always been rooted in a
strongly-sacramental tradition
with a desire to be innovative, meeting
the needs of succeeding generations
. The vast area of the diocese
and its sparse population, together
with a continuing decline in rural
areas, has challenged the diocese
to be creative with structures for
local ministry and to work at giving
all members of the church for
ministry.
The leadership and ministry of women
has always been significant
in the diocese. Ordained women
in the diocese have held the posts
of archdeacon, regional dean and
honorary Canon of the Cathedral.
About 15% of the population in
the diocese are Aboriginal.
In addition to congregations on
several Reserves, the diocese is
working with Native people to establish
ministries in the urban native
populations.
Ministry
In the context of a growth toward
full communion, Anglican parishes
are involved in a mission-outreach
project in new suburban locals/
neighbourhoods, with other respective
denominations, such as;
Lutheran & United Church missions.
In the last decade, parishes could
no longer afford the traditional
stipendiary priest-model of local
ministry, these parishes, with the
cooperation of the diocese, have
developed new models of local
ministry.
These approaches place an emphasis
on the education, supply and
demand for all members of the congregation,
ministry and the local
discernment of leaders for Parish
teams, including the selection of
persons for ordination.
Some urban parishes are looking
at these examples to extend the
ministry in the church community.
Sincerely, Duncan
Wallace
Tenth Bishop of Qu’Appelle
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