Anglican family gathers for dinner
by Ana Watts
The Anglican family of the Diocese of Fredericton gathered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fredericton on Friday evening, May 7, in celebration and thanksgiving for the election of our Bishop Claude Miller 
as Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada. The ballroom was crowded with tables, the food and company were delightful, the speakers thoughtful as well as light-hearted, the music was sublime and the Companion Diocese of Ho was on the bishop's heart.
The evening began with a brief examination of Archbishop Miller’s life as presented by Keith Dow of Kingston, who first met him as a technical engineer and property appraiser. Mr. Dow was impressed and amazed by his knowledge, thoroughness and expertise, not to mention his drawings and insight.
Years later Mr. Dowe was again impressed when, as chair of a committee formed to furnish Bishop’s Court with appropriate antiques, he asked Archbishop Miller for rough sketches of the rooms with their dimensions. Again he got the detailed engineering drawings.
Mr. Dowe also noted that only 15 years after his ordination to the priesthood Archdeacon Miller was elected a bishop, and that during the last five of those years he had completed a doctoral degree. Impressive achievements to be sure. He also said that Claude Miller also continues to be Claude Miller — husband, father, grandfather, wood worker, fan of his grandsons’ hockey teams, renovator of the Miller family home in Salmon Beach … “as well as friend, counselor, mentor, chief executive officer and chief shepherd.”
The after dinner speaker was Archbishop Miller’s predecessor in the diocese, retired Bishop Bill Hockin. He chose “Simply Anglican” as the title of his presentation “because the world in which we live becomes more complex every day,” he said. A self-confessed Luddite, Bishop Hockin lamented computer crashes that could precipitate nervous breakdowns and even the new complications associated with watching television.
“People all over are hungry for simplicity because the world is so complex,” he said. “In the midst of that complexity we long for simplicity and the simple revolution has begun. Of course we know after a time of reformation comes simplicity, like Cramner’s recognition of two sacraments instead of seven, the preference to pray only through Jesus, rather than myriad saints. He even simplified the dress of the clergy.
“The Anglican Church of Canada is already going through a difficult time … we are a church in need of focus and clarity … of having ‘confidence of a certain faith; in the comfort of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope’ (Burial of the Dead, BCP page 599).
“Complex theological debate is useless to the mother of a lost child, a farmer with a failed crop. We need mercy and love, not moralist recriminations. The simple Anglican faith is sensible, rational, comfortable — reasonable with that ‘holy hope.’”
Bishop Hockin lamented obstacles to worship for anyone, as he lamented the obstacles to mobility he encountered last year when he was confined to a wheelchair following an accident.
“I am not advocating a dumbing down of our liturgy and heritage. When I was in a wheelchair the ground-level doors of the Delta Hotel swung open to me and someone immediately came to me and pushed me in the direction I needed to go. There is nothing entry-level or dumbed down about the Delta Hotel. If we are still in the business of having a place where people can come in and find the faith of Jesus we need our doors to be opened wide, and someone to give us a push in the right direction. We must respond with the Gospel, focused and clear and our worship must be accessible. I call that “simply Anglican.”
Toward the end of his talk Bishop Hockin made reference to his wife Isabelle but called her Elizabeth by mistake. Although he apologized to his wife he was pleased with the laughter of the audience. “That’s great,” he said. “I had hoped there would be some humour in this.”
Archbishop Miller and his wife Sharon refused to accept a gift in honour of this occasion, preferring instead that any money that might have been spent on one would go toward the needs of our Companion Diocese of Ho.
Archdeacon Patricia Drummond, organizer of the event assured the Millers that any money left from the proceeds of the dinner would indeed be directed to Ho, but she presented Mrs. Miller with a bouquet of flowers.
Diocesan Chancellor Clyde Spinney, master of ceremonies for the evening, also presented Bishop and Mrs. Hockin with a token of appreciation.
Music for the evening was coordinated by Christ Church Cathedral organist Willis Noble and featured classical guitarist Stephen Peacock and soprano Sally Dibblee.
Archbishop Miller brought the festivities to a close with thanks for the gift of servanthood. “And thanks for this celebration of an Anglican Family Dinner. It is a little taste here on earth of the banquet of Heaven.”
He told the crowd he is trying to listen more to God these days rather than to be like God — in control.
“Thank you for your prayers for me, and please, in the next few weeks, pay attention to God, listen to what he has to say, pray for General Synod, and trust in God.”
Diocesan Communications
11 May 2010
