Clergy Conference educational, enlightening and entertaining
by Ana Watts
The annual Clergy Conference at Rothesay Netherwood School (RNS) the last week of August “Hit the mark,” according to the Ven. Vicars Hodge, 
of the Nerepis and St. John. The Rev. Gary Nikolosi, expert in congregational development and this year’s guest speaker, “fit the bill as someone who could assist our Nicodemus priority of ‘training our leaders for a different future.’”
The Rev. Paul Ranson, Saint John Inner City Ministry, agrees. “Gary was a dynamic and passionate speaker. He focused on the need for the church to re-evaluate her methods of communicating the Gospel in order to connect with our post-Christian culture.”
“I found the suggestions and ideas very helpful and confirming,” says the Rev. Canon Keith Osborne, Pennfield. “Although it was nothing new, it was good to be reminded and strengthened in the resolve to re-package our message and bring our ministry to bear in more creative ways. I feel that as clergy we are now better prepared to be and to lead the Church in our post modern context.”
“They (Clergy Conferences) just keep getting better each year,” says the Rev. Chris McMullen, Lancaster.
Clearly the professional development aspect of the conference was a success, but there was more.
“I was pleased with the time we had with Bishop Claude,” says Mr. Ranson. “His talk was thoughtful, encouraging and pastoral.”
Several clergy also mentioned the depth of their fellowship was enhanced at this conference, especially in times of prayer.
“The highlights for me were the times of spontaneous prayer and laying-on-of hands … for Stone Church, our various colleagues serving as chaplains, the bishop, Geoff Hall, and the synod staff, among others,” says Mr. McMullen.
He also appreciated the prayer partnerships arranged by the Rev. Eileen Irish of Portland. “She put all the clergy names in a hat and we each drew one. We will pray for that person daily for the next year, contacting them to see how they are doing and what we can pray about for them. Next year we will draw names again and choose new partners.”
“In addition to all this, our times of common prayer were, for the most part, creative, worshipful and inspiring,” says Mr. Ranson. “And to top it all off — our annual co-ed clergy basketball game was fun, intense and there are no fatalities to report. It was a win on all sides!”
Mr. McMullen has organized the conference game for at least the past five years and is pleased to announce that this year Dean Keith Joyce, Christ Church Cathedral, wins the prize for the Most Valuable Player and the Rev. Jasmine Chandra, Parish of Rothesay and RNS chaplain, takes the award for Best Effort.
The annual clergy conference has been held the last week of August at RNS since the time of Bishop Bill Hockin. The venue is popular, but not available during the school year. The end-of-summer timing is not great for all clergy, however, especially those with school-age children, like the Rev. Canon John Matheson of St. Andrews.
“I was able to attend only one of the conference sessions. I would like to register my usual observation that the last week of August is possibly the worst week to hold the annual clergy conference. For those of us who have children in school (a rare breed, to be sure), it is the last week of summer vacation, a time to shop for school supplies and to enjoy time together. Other dioceses, I have noted, hold their clergy conference in the fall, after things have ‘settled down.’”
Last word on the conference goes to Archdeacon Hodge: “It seems clear to me that whilst New Brunswick is one of Christendom’s last bastions — the signs are very clear that we have entered a new time and paradigm. We need new strategies for ministry in a rapidly changing culture. The Gospel has not changed — but the way we minister and serve the world as Church is needing radical change. If we refuse to recognize this we will be left behind like the dinosaurs.”
