Amazing diocesan asset largely unknown
by Ana Watts
The best kept secret in the diocese is a wonderful asset, a gift to ministry, the subject of several articles in the New Brunswick Anglican, 
and an amazing and free source of information and inspiration with more than $2,000 worth of new holdings added this summer alone.
Do you know what it is?
If you don’t, you’re not alone. Despite its amazing assets and even its positive reviews, far too many New Brunswick Anglicans don’t know the Diocesan Resource Centre exists.
“In his charge to Synod 2001, then Bishop Bill Hockin called on the diocese to develop a library of faith-building resources to be used at the parish or deanery level,” says Archdeacon Pat Drummond who was Diocesan Christian Education director at the time. “Synod responded with overwhelming support as well as a sizeable grant and I was asked to coordinate the effort.”
As it happened, Church House in Toronto was in the process of dispersing materials and many of these valuable resources were made available to our centre. The Diocesan ACW, Christ Church (Parish) Church and other parishes and individuals also made grants to buy many more resources as well as appropriate furniture and electronics. And the Diocesan Resource Centre found a comfortable home at Anglican House in Saint John.
Every year since its inception a university student, hired through a federal summer employment grant, has catalogued and processed new resources — kits, videos, dvds, cds, and books for both children and adults. The result is a collection of more than 1,000 items and programs that encourage and reinforce spiritual growth available to New Brunswick Anglicans.
They are available to be borrowed free-of-charge just for the asking, and the asking can be in person, by phone or even e-mail. The items are mailed out to borrowers at a distance, who pay for the return postage when they are finished with them.
This year’s student is Caileigh Marks who lives in Quispamsis and worships at St. Mary and St. Bartholomew in Saint John. She will enter her second year at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John in September. She works for the Diocesan Resource Centre, Anglican House and Ten Thousand Villages, all of which reside in the Anglican House building at 116 Princess St. Her on-site supervisor is Kevin Richardson who assumed the manager position at Anglican House last fall. (Caleigh and Kevin are in the photo at the top pf this article.) He changed the Anglican House layout to make it more user-friendly and ensure that topical and popular items are in plain sight. Ten Thousand Villages offers fine gifts made by third-world craftspeople and ensures they receive fair compensation for their talent and efforts.
“The next time you’re in Saint John you really should check out this gem of a building on Princess Street,” says Pat. “You’ll find Anglican House’s church and religious supplies, Ten Thousand Villages’ gifts, and lots of surprises when you go upstairs to look in the Resource Centre. You will be truly amazed.”
Contact all three operations by phone — 506/693-2295, and e-mail — angbk at nbnet.nb.ca.
09 August 2011
Diocesan Communications
