Anglican Foundation supports

rebuilding of unique Iqaluit cathedral

By Fiona Brownlee

We have all seen an image of St. Simon & St. Jude’s Cathedral –a large igloo shaped building looming over the landscape of Iqaluit, Nunavut– and marveled at how our church fits into such a different place and culture. In the fall of 2005, Anglicans across the country grieved with their brothers and sisters in the arctic when it was announced that a fire damaged the beautiful cathedral church of St. Simon & St. Jude. They grieved even more when they learned that the cathedral would have to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. The cathedral represented the indigenous culture in which it was situated and had become the home for unique works of art from communities across the arctic.

The destruction of St. Simon & St. Jude’s left a deep impression on Anglicans across the country. The Anglican Foundation of Canada recognized this and moved to assist the effort to rebuild the cathedral. The Anglican Foundation, a national organization made up of roughly 350 individual members and 450 corporate members across the country, gave a big boost to St. Jude’s fundraising efforts. Through its elected Board of Directors, the Foundation lent the diocese of the Arctic the extraordinary amount of $250,000 under special terms, and provided a grant of $15,000 toward the reconstruction project. As many will note, the foundation’s loan is above and beyond the normal amount awarded for building projects.

The sense of connectedness with St. Jude’s, engendered by the Foundation, can be found throughout the Canadian church. Many Canadian Anglicans have responded to the need of the cathedral by holding a variety of fundraising events. Such fundraisers have been held at St. John’s, Lunenburg in the diocese of Nova Scotia and PEI and Christ Church Cathedral in the diocese of Ottawa.

The renewal of St. Jude’s has brought Anglicans together to rebuild the Arctic cathedral so the people of the diocese of the Arctic might continue with the journey on which God has called them. Building in the Arctic is an expensive, difficult and lengthy undertaking. It is expensive because every item used during construction must be shipped from southern manufacturers. It is difficult and lengthy because the environment limits the amount of time for construction each year. The environment is also fragile and needs careful maintenance so that the building will be sustainable and compatible with its surroundings.  In the fall of 2007, thermosyphons were laid in the building’s foundation. Before further construction could take place, the syphons had to sit in the ground undisturbed for a year to allow the permafrost to refreeze.

The members of the Anglican Foundation of Canada are thrilled to be part of the reconstruction of St. Jude’s Cathedral. At a time of great need, the Foundation’s gift is a sign of faith in its brothers and sisters of the arctic. The Very Rev. John vanNostrand Wright, Executive Director of the Foundation, was delighted to present the loan and grant cheque directly to the Rt. Rev. Andrew Atagotaaluk, the Arctic’s diocesan bishop, at the June 2008 diocesan synod in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

If you are interested in assisting the Anglican Foundation of Canada to do more of this exciting work, please contact its staff by email at foundation@anglicanfoundation.org or by telephone at (416) 924-9199, ext 253 or 322. An annual membership in the Foundation, with full voting privileges, is only $50 and gives you the opportunity to share in stories like the rebuilding of St. Jude’s Anglican Cathedral in the Diocese of the Arctic.

The Anglican Foundation generously contributes to building and renovation projects across Canada. The Church of the Resurrection in the Parish of the Nerepis and St. John, which was blessed by Bishop Claude Miller on Sunday, April 19, is a recent one.

Fiona Brownlee is Communications Officer for the Council of the North.

 

 

Diocesan Communications
21 April 2009