Missions Conference Reflections:

Last week, we read a wonderful reflection from Canon Donald Lawton inspired by the Diocese of New Westminster’s Missions Conference (May 30th). I was so pleased that we had a delegation from St. John’s in attendance. It was an inspiring day exploring our faith in action (what is Mission other than that?!) and where God is calling us, as individuals, as parishes, and as a wider diocese. I asked the other members of the delegation to share a few words about their experience. I hope that this may inspire and encourage you to take the opportunity to attend a diocesan service or learning opportunity in the future. It is wonderful when the wider church gathers together!  

Thanks be to God!

CG+

Norma Lawton

Archbishop John reminded us that we have gospel work to do; we have good news to share and we have to pay attention to the Holy Spirit to change and move to a new future. It's all about grace.

Erica Northcott

One of the highlights from the Mission Conference 2026 were the morning presentations from Archbishop John (Stephens) and Bishop Michael (Curry), both with very different styles and powerful messages. Looking around at familiar faces and new, I really saw how much a part of a global family we all are...brothers, sisters, cousins...and there is HOPE for the future.  I appreciated the opportunities to chat, discuss, explore our faith both as a family unit and as individuals that included a variety of subjects that affect our communities. It was a brief day communion that reflected and resonated welcome, renewal, forming, caring, love, hope...all guided by Spirit in us all. 

Melanie Hackett

This was my first time attending the conference. One of the highlights for me was when Bishop Michael Curry, an African American, told a story of doing an ancestry test, discovering that he is part Irish, and turning to our archbishop John Stephens who has Irish heritage to exclaim, 'Hey cousin!' Everyone cracked up - but here in Squamish, Elios and I have no biological family, and this is the case for most of the people that I know here. Many of us have tried very hard to create 'forged family' or 'chosen family'. It's my priority to provide that for my child, and we've found some of it here at St John's. I loved Bishop Curry's reminder that we are all family (and indeed that Jesus's very last human act as he hung on a cross was to declare his beloved friend and his mother as 'mother and son'), and I am so grateful for this community and the ways in which people here have been family.