Conversations in Formation - A Lenten Series at Christ Church Cathedral
One of the oldest traditions in the church is the baptism of adults at the Easter Vigil. In keeping with this we are inviting you to consider whether it may be time for you to be baptized. Adult baptisms and the other rites will all take place at the Cathedral at our Easter Vigil at 8:00 pm on the evening of April 8.
Please contact the Vicar through the church office HERE if you are seeking baptism, or any other of the rites that occur at the vigil – confirmation, reception into the Anglican Communion.
Lent is the traditional season for reflection and preparation for baptism, or other rites of admission into Christian life and community, that occur at the Easter Vigil.
You are also invited to join in a series of conversations on four Saturdays in March about the Christian faith and life. The talks will be led by three of our priests, who will each present a perspective on the range of topics and then engage in the discussions emerging from these topics.
This series is intended for those preparing for baptism, confirmation, reception into the Anglican Communion or reaffirmation of their baptismal vows - and also for anyone seeking to deepen and ‘reboot’ their faith, or anyone seeking an opportunity to question and explore these aspects of faith and belief with others.
The dates and topics are:
March 4 - The Bible - encountering, interpreting and living with our written sources.
March 11 - Worship - the practice and purpose of ritual and prayer in the sacramental life.
March 18 - Doctrine & Theology - Core concepts and ways of understanding and also questioning them that support and nurture faith.
March 25 - The Gospel message and its implications for our lives and for the life of the world.
Your guides and conversation partners for this series will be:
The Reverend Canon Bill Tarter
Bill is from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was ordained a Roman Franciscan priest in 1983. After leaving the Franciscans, he spent his career in education and eventually became an elementary school principal. He and Darcy have been together for 34 years and moved to Victoria full-time in 2018. He was an associate priest at St. John the Divine church before coming to the Cathedral. He is also a member of the Community of Francis and Clare, which is an Anglican Franciscan community and serves as their Guardian.
The Reverend Canon Doug Friesen
Doug was ordained in the Diocese of Ontario in 1983 and then joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a chaplain in 1985. He married Jeannine, the curate who replaced him at St. Peter’s, Brockville. Jeannine and Doug were posted to Royal Roads in 1993 and began a relationship with the Cathedral. Their kids, Jacob and Beata, were both baptized at the Cathedral in 2001. Doug is now retired and cooks for the interim priest-in-charge.
The Reverend Ross Bliss
Ross is the current Vicar at Christ Church Cathedral. He previously worked as a Library manager and also has been a musician most of his life, specializing in Jazz and Blues guitar.