Bishop's Dinner celebrated
the success of our youth camps
by Ana Watts
New Brunswick Anglicans celebrated the renewed success of Camps Medley and Brookwood and raised nearly $9,000 in support of the Camps Faith for a Lifetime Capital Campaign at the Bishop’s Dinner in 
Fredericton last Friday evening, Nov. 9. More than 120 people attended the $120/plate gala event at the Delta Fredericton and received the added blessing of a stirring address from the Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews. The president and vice-chancellor of Thorneloe University in Sudbury, Ontario, prolocutor of General Synod and a member of the Primate's Theological Commission titled his talk ”Until Christ Is Formed In You – Nurturing our children in the Christian Faith."
As the father of two teenage daughters, he spoke eloquently about the prayers, hopes and dreams parents have for their children.
“If we give them everything, indulge them and encourage them, will they grow up prejudiced? Arrogant?” he asked. “What is important is how our children know and understand their relationship with Jesus Christ. “
Our churches are full of children, he said. There are stained glass windows from the early 20th century through to the 1950s that depict children. But where are the children now? Will the church exist tomorrow? Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey maintained the church is always one generation from extinction, but the question about children is not “why are the children not in church?” It is more fundamental. The question is, “Why are children important.”
“The magic of childhood is a modern concept,” said Dr. Andrews. For most of time, children were little more than farm machinery. They were important because they took on the name of the family, took on the land, and were a pension plan for their parents.
In Mark 10, however, people brought young children to Jesus and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus welcomed them and showed that children are significant and important in themselves. “They are fully human in the image of God and deserve recognition and respect.”
Dr. Andrews went on, however, to focus on the initial part of the title of his talk – “Until Christ is Formed in You.”
“When we close away our inner child, we shut out Jesus. We come to Jesus in child-like humility –– as Jesus humbled himself even unto death. A display of weakness and vulnerability reveals a child-like glory.”
Dr. Andrews closed his address with a prayer, during which he invited his audience to visualize the faces of their children and their grandchildren. In thanking him, Bishop Claude Miller called the prayer a “blessing, a moment of grace.”
Dr. Andrews also took part in an impromptu graduation ceremony, 
complete with “Pomp and Circumstance.” Master Corporal Kent Greer of the Canadian Armed Forces and a layreader at Christ Church (Parish) Church in Fredericton, is preparing for ordination. His first step was to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Education from Laurentian University, which is federated with Thorneloe University. He completed the course on-line and received his diploma in the mail last spring. Dr. Andrews re-presented it to him at the bishop’s dinner.
Liz Harding, recently appointed year-round director of Camp Medley, spoke briefly about the camp’s successful summer, with a focus on the spiritual growth of camp staff.
The Diocesan ACW and the Parish of Shediac are among the Camp Campaign’s major supporters and took the opportunity to present their annual contributions honouring their original pledges at the dinner. The cheques were for $12,000 and $5,000 respectively.
