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| Feature Article – December 2007 |
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New Start for O.S.L.
by Clare Edwards
Something new is happening in Manitoba. After a year of discussion, the weekend of Fri 26/Sat 27 Oct, 2007 will be marked in the Order of St. Luke History book as an important weekend.
It was a weekend of ‘firsts’, but before that, a bit of background.
From 1985 when I first joined the International Order of St. Luke the Physician (O.S.L. for short) until 2006, the organization made some Regional changes: Manitoba and Saskatchewan were originally together as one Region but after the Revd. Paul Crossland became Regional Director the Region split, Manitoba and Saskatchewan becoming Region 10 and Region 14 respectively. This cut the Regional Directors’ areas into a more manageable size. Since I first joined the Order there have been four Regional Directors. The last was the Revd. Canon Ann Goodwin from Winnipeg, who resigned in summer 2006.
While Ann was Director she did extensive travelling throughout our Region and a Board was set up in Winnipeg to help with the day-to-day business of the Region. Ann’s vision has enabled us to move to where we are today.
It was thought that having a smaller Region it would mean that the Regional Director would have less travel and more time to spend helping the Chapters in the newly named Region 10. To some extent that worked, but most clergy throughout Manitoba, no matter where they live, are busy people, juggling parish, diocese, family and other commitments in their monthly schedules, leaving little time for extended travel. Those of us who live north of the 53rd parallel know that it takes a full day of travel to get anywhere south of Swan River; Flin Flon to Swan River takes about four hours. Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids, the northernmost point in the Brandon Diocese, rarely if ever make it to diocesan meetings. That is just a case in point for our own diocese, let alone the Province.
The Region was without a Director through the winter of 2006/07 and in March the Board in Winnipeg began to look around for a successor. All the Winnipeg clergy were far too busy for the responsibility and travel involved. Hazel Birt began letting her fingers do the walking, phoning around the Province in the hope of finding someone willing to take on Manitoba. When I got her call, I said I would be willing to look after the northern half if someone in Winnipeg or Brandon would take the south. This started discussions in earnest. Shortly after, our North American Director, The Ven. Larry Mitchell was throwing around the idea of a Regional Directorate and asking people for input. When the Board heard this they set up a meeting by teleconference with the Board in Winnipeg, the North American Director and the Chaplains from each Chapter in the Region, which included the Revd. Jim Brown from Brandon, and me in Flin Flon.
From the conference call it was decided to split the Region into three: The North. Brandon/ Interlake, and Winnipeg/South. The Area Directors are: Hazel Birt (Winnipeg), the Revd. Jim Brown (Brandon/ Interlake) and myself for (North). The Regional Directorate is made up of a Chairperson, the three Area Directors, a Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity person, and a representative from each Chapter. Any can hold more than one position.
Above: The Ven. Larry Mitchell, the Revd. Clare Edwards,
Hazel Birt (Winnipeg) and the Revd. Jim Brown
On the evening of Oct 26 the O.S.L. Region 10 became the first Region to officially form a Regional Directorate and Hazel Birt, the Revd. Jim Brown were inducted as Area Directors and I was inducted as the Chairperson and an Area Director. As this is a completely new direction for the Order we have been given different medallions that set us apart from Regional Directors. The Area Director’s medallion is light green in colour and the Chairperson’s is dark green.
As I said, it was a weekend of ‘firsts’. This was also the very first Annual Region 10 Conference and on the Saturday afternoon we held our very first AGM. We are treading slowly and carefully as we begin our first year, looking for innovative, practical ideas that will work well. It is an exciting time and with three Area Directors and a host of capable presenters we are looking forward to expanding O.S.L. throughout Manitoba. All eyes from the other Regions throughout N. America are focused on us as they watch and learn from us. As most Regions have been facing the same problems, some on a much larger scale, both geographically and numerically they want to know if this structure will work for them. No pressure.
If there are any parishes out there that would like to host a Healing Workshop or a Healing Service please get in touch with either Jim Brown or me and we will make arrangements for it to happen. Or, if there are any individuals who would like more information on the International Order of St. Luke the Physician please contact me.