The Silent Night Project:
Can music change lives?
by Ana Watts
Two years ago the “Amazing Grace” project raised enough money to change, perhaps even save, many lives. Anglicans across the country sang Amazing Grace, filmed their efforts, and contributed funds to The Council of the North. The Council is using the proceeds of the wildly successful project to launch a suicide prevention program throughout the northern dioceses of our vast Anglican Church of Canada. The Silent Night project is intended to be the same kind of blessing to our military chaplains.
At General Synod in Halifax last summer, at the request of our Primate,
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Silent Night project was launched in support of the Anglican Military Ordinariate. “Silent Night has a way of bringing the whole world together, if only for a few minutes of quiet, as we reflect on God’s will for love and peace throughout all nations,” he said.
Like the Amazing Grace project, the Silent Night project encourages all congregations and church groups across the country to sing the popular Christmas hymn on (or before) the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 28), film the performance with a video camera or even a video camera phone, and collect $2 from each participant. Then we are asked to upload the video to the General Synod YouTube page by Dec. 14 and send the money to the national church (directions coming soon). The videos will be compiled in a documentary and released in time for Christmas.
“Members of our provincial council have already taped our contribution,” says Archbishop Claude Miller. “We did it at our meeting in Prince Edward Island in September. I encourage all the groups and congregation in our diocese to support this project. It really is a symbol of our common life and will contribute to the extraordinary work being done by our military chaplains around the world.”
Military chaplains serve wherever Canadian Forces are stationed and engaged in military or humanitarian duties. They may serve the Eucharist aboard navy ships, counsel women and men who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, support military families through grief. And a chaplain is always at the head of the solemn procession when soldiers carry a flag-draped casket on its journey home.
Ana Watts is Diocesan Communications Officer. She participated in the Silent Night project in early June at the Anglican Editors conference in Halifax.
Other stories on chaplains:
In Appreciation of our Chaplains
A ministry of presence
