The former Regions of Lunenburg and Southwest Nova have been combined with the Parishes of Blandford and Chester to create a large consolidated region encompasssing the South Shore of Nova Scotia from the western edge of the Parish of Hubbards all the way to Yarmouth.
One of the key projects of the new region over the next several years will be the integration of a new regional identity, the development of a regional structure which will address the needs of such a geographically extensive and diversified community of faith and mission and, the appreciation of a new set of shared objectives within our mandate of doing the work of the Gospel in our appointed service area.
The former region of Southwest Nova brings a close-knit and demographically diversified regional council to our common project, while the former Region of Lunenburg has a long-standing tradition of a large and stable membership on Regional Council and a highly organized agenda of topical presentations at Regional Council Meetings. In 2008/2009, for example, the former Lunenburg Region arranged for presentation events related to , "Stewardship," "Emerging Concepts in Regional Roles and Resources," and a session entitled "Telling Your Story," at the Annual General Meeting. In May of 2009, as would be the case for all functional Regional Councils througout the Diocese, the membership would be invited to gather for a "Pre-synod" issue and motion exposition based on the convening circular of synod.
There has been a strong tradition in both the former region of Southwest Nova and the former Region of Lunenburg, of using the Council as an educational tool for regional leaders and parishes, and of finding creative ways to share resources for program initiatives that would have been inaccessible to individual parishes because of organizational demands or cost factors. One such recent initiative, for example, was a two day seminar on Christian Education strategies and resouces for all ages hosted by Holy Trinity, Bridgewater. The seminar was organized by a representative from Augsburg Press and the A.B.C. who came from Toronto for the event. We were pleased to welcome participants from as far away as Annapolis, Dartmouth and Halifax who asked to be included in this program.
Another dimension of Regional Life on the South Shore has consisted in the efforts of the largest and most structurally diversified parish communities such a St. John's, Lunenburg, Holy Trinity, Bridgewater and Holy Trinity, Yarmouth to actively enlarge events that started as parish-based undertakings to include regional participation. , has had an especially distinguished history, for example, of hosting high profile musical festivals. The repatriation of the " was developed as a Regional celebration. Holy Trinity, Bridgewater, recently hosted an evening Regional Service of Prayers for Peace on the day of prayers for peace appointed by the United Nations. The Parish of Yarmouth will host a "Fresh Start" program for Regional clergy and congregations in transition within the current program year.
We look for forward to continuing and enlarging the tradition of cooperation, innovative and timely programing and shared resources that has been fostered throughout the area now encompassed by a new, canonically-designated Region of our Diocese.
