The Moravian Church in Newfoundland and Labrador (MCNL) held its Provincial Synod in Happy Valley Moravian Church annex on October 22 and 23. Delegates from Happy Valley, Nain, Hopedale, and Makkovik met together, along with Labrador’s representative on the American Board of World Mission (BWM), Loren Jendro. A new Chair of the Provincial Board was elected. She is Linda Saunders-McLean of the Happy Valley Moravian Church. Other Board members include Sarah Jensen of Hopedale, Myrtle Groves of Makkovik, and Bob Lyall of Happy Valley. Nain plans to hold a congregational meeting in the near future to choose their member. Rev. Glenna Tasedan, ordained minister, automatically becomes a Board member.
Other items on the agenda were the Book of Order, which is now ready for translation and printing; reports from each congregation; and financial reports. The financial outlook looks bleak after the next five years. With the resources it has at present, MCNL can only guarantee to fund a total of two ordained ministers for about five years. By then, the grant provided by the BWM will have ended, and unless MCNL can raise more money within our province, the churches will have some hard decisions to make.
Highlights from the four congregations include:
a) Nain. The church in Nain has been registered as a heritage building (also the mission house) by the Heritage Foundation of NL. The Nain Heritage Committee has secured funds to begin renovations next year (and will continue to write proposals for the huge sums required). In the meantime, the elders feel that the building is structurally unsafe, especially when there are large numbers attending services. A motion was passed at Synod recommending that the Nain congregation find an alternate space to hold services until renovations make it safe.
b) Hopedale. The chapel servants at Hopedale were commended for the fine work they are doing in keeping the Boys and Girls Brigade going. It meets each week for educational, spiritual, musical, and physical activities. It is a great way to involve the age group that usually drops out from attending church once they ‘graduate’ from Sunday School. Not only that, five of the chapel servants obtained funds to enable them to take advantage of Alpha training in Newfoundland. These are wonderful signs of growth and dedication in the Hopedale Moravian Church.
c) Makkovik. Makkovik has been nineteen years without a resident minister, but the chapel servants have been steadfast in keeping their church going. There are at least seven persons who take turns holding services. Commendation was given to Caroline Andersen, church treasurer, for her exemplary service of record keeping for many years. Given the small population of Makkovik, the congregation is to be commended for the amount of funds they are able to raise to meet expenses.
d) Happy Valley. Happy Valley has had extensive renovations made to the minister’s house (manse) through the assistance of an outside source. It certainly improved the living conditions for our resident minister and her husband. The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay also laid down a new water & sewer line, which greatly improved the water quality and pressure in the church annex and manse.
e) St. John’s fellowship. Rev. Dr. Brigitte Schloss sent a report from St. John’s. At the age of 83, Brigitte still visits the acute care hospitals when they call saying a Moravian is a patient. She also holds a service once a month at the chapel in the Health Science Centre. And whenever some government department invites leaders of various denominations to attend their functions, Brigitte makes sure the Moravian Church is represented. She continues to be a faithful supporter of all church work and workers in Labrador.
Gratefully yours,
Joan Andersen, Retiring Provincial Chair
Summer Youth Camp 2013 - Our Future
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Moravian Music Festival for Youth
The Moravian Music Festival was held in Makkovik this year, from June 29 to July 2. This is the third year for the event. It was made possible thanks to a donation from Rev. Dr. Brigitte Schloss. Smaller donations were also received from Aurora Energy and Nunatsiavut Government’s Recreation Fund.
Poor flying weather played havoc with our schedule, and Nain was unable to travel at all. Christopher Guindon and four members of Nain’s school brass band plan to reschedule for late August or sometime in September. At that time they will play in church.
Rev. Glenna Tasedan of Happy Valley Moravian brought four members of her hand chimes group, and Nancy Barfoot brought four members of the Boys and Girls Brigade in Hopedale. They joined the Sunday School children of Makkovik, as well as two of Natalie Jacque’s violin students, for workshops and a concert. Besides workshops in vocal, violin, and hand chimes, Andrea Andersen of Makkovik instructed groups in use of the Inuit drum as a percussion instrument to accompany some favorite hymns chosen by the participants.
The Music Festival was dedicated to two fine musicians who served their churches for many years, but passed away in January: Amos Lyall and Inga Andersen. Amos was the former Vice Chair of the Provincial Board for the Moravian Church in Newfoundland and Labrador. He was also an acolyte for the Happy Valley Moravian, and organist on many occasions. Inga learned to play the organ in 1932 and continued to do so for over 60 years. Throughout her life, Inga served the Makkovik church well by being a Chapel Servant for many years and remained a Lifetime Chapel Servant until her death. In 2009, at the age of 95, Aunt Inga played on stage alongside her brother Jim (age 90), to visitors from a cruise ship. Her passion for music will be missed by all.
After the concert held in church on June 30, the participants were able to take part in the Canada Day activities in Makkovik, as well as tour the museum, fish plant, and walk Poet’s Path.
Saturday 27 March 2010
A welcome to Sr Glenna & Br George Tasedan
Someone has answered the call!
The Moravian Church in Labrador is pleased to announce that we now have an ordained minister to serve the congregation in Happy Valley.
She is Rev. Glenna Tasedan. Glenna and her husband George drove from their home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to take up their post, arriving on February 12. The weather was not the best as they trekked across the Trans-Labrador Highway. Their UHaul went off the road twice! But thanks to travelers who stopped to help, they arrived safe and sound.
We would like to say a big thank you to Ron and Miriam Lyall who drove from Happy Valley right into Quebec to meet them.
Bishop Paul Graf officiated at the ordination ceremony which took place on February 14, 2010, at the eleven o’clock service in Happy Valley. Also present was his wife Jane, and Loren Jendro, North Dakota, Labrador’s representative on the Board of World Mission.
The Provincial Board is happy to welcome Glenna to serve in our Moravian Province, and a hearty welcome to George. It is a big step they are taking. We trust that this move will be a good one. It will not be an easy time. They arrive just when the Moravian Church in Labrador is trying to promote the idea of greater stewardship.
We pray that their transition will be smooth and that they will find companionship and good will amongst the members of the Happy Valley congregation. Glenna is a talented musician and this gift will be a blessing to the congregation. She hopes to revive the choir and involve the youth through music ministry.
We wish her well.
Sr Joan Andersen
The passing of Amos Lyall
The Moravian Church in Labrador lost a fine member in January, 2010. Amos Lyall passed away after battling cancer.
Amos served as Vice Chair of the Provincial Board of MCNL. He had been acolyte and organist for the Happy Valley Moravian until a few months before his death. His cheery smile and positive outlook were always an inspiration.
Amos should also be recognized as the person who recommended working on the Inuktitut Bible, getting all books of the Bible under one cover. This project finished in 2009 with the launch of Gudib UKausingit.
Amos contributed in many ways to his church and was a huge supporter of all those involved in the work of the church.
Joan Andersen
Amos served as Vice Chair of the Provincial Board of MCNL. He had been acolyte and organist for the Happy Valley Moravian until a few months before his death. His cheery smile and positive outlook were always an inspiration.
Amos should also be recognized as the person who recommended working on the Inuktitut Bible, getting all books of the Bible under one cover. This project finished in 2009 with the launch of Gudib UKausingit.
Amos contributed in many ways to his church and was a huge supporter of all those involved in the work of the church.
Joan Andersen
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