Bishop recognizes continuing, outstanding and faithful service

By Ana Watts

During synod, two New Brunswick Anglicans were recognized for their many years of continuing, outstanding and faithful service to the diocese. At the gala synod banquet at Rothesay Netherwood School, in the presence of the Primate and hundreds of other dedicated New Brunswick Anglicans, Lawrence Carpenter and Frank Morehouse were each presented with a Bishop’s Award of Merit. Truly these men personify the theme of Synod 2009 — Celebrating God's Grace ... Responding to God's Challenge.

The Rev. Chris Hayes of the Parish of Richmond nominated Mr. Carpenter and presented him to Bishop Claude Miller. “Lawrence Carpenter served the parish as treasurer for more than 50 years,” said Mr. Hayes. He has been a diocesan layreader for many years and served many times as warden and synod delegate. “He was also a significant benefactor when we built our new church.”

The new church and parish centre in Richmond is simple yet practical. It provides for congregational worship, three Sunday school classrooms, a nursery, modern washroom facilities, kitchen and storage space. The one and only step in the entire building is the one up into the sanctuary. It is warm, comfortable, useful for many kinds of functions and accessible by all. It replaces an inadequate building rendered useless by cold in the winter.

“But the new building was neither for our convenience nor comfort. It was to facilitate activities that reach out to the community,” says Mr. Hayes.

The Ven. David Barrett of Sussex, in his capacity as member of the Archives Committee, nominated diocesan archivist Frank Morehouse and presented him to Bishop Miller.

“Frank takes his job very seriously,” said Archdeacon Barrett. After extensive consultation he redesigned parish registers to meet modern standards; designed an attractive bishops posters now displayed in most parishes; and he instituted the regular Archives Corner feature in the New Brunswick Anglican. But without doubt, his diocesan photography project is his greatest contribution to the diocese. Over five years he traveled the diocese photographing the exteriors, interiors and even some of the communion silver in every church building in the diocese.

“Frank is a perfectionist and sometimes he went back two and even three times to get just the right shot,” said Archdeacon Barrett. “Each church had to be surrounded by blue sky and fluffy white clouds.”

The Morehouse collection is resident in the Diocesan Archives, http://anglican.nb.ca/admin/archives/, was shown at the 2008 Lambeth Conference, has been featured on calendars and is regularly used on the diocesan website and in the diocesan newspaper.

Mr. Morehouse is also a layreader and active in the parish of Bright.

 

 

Diocesan Communications
30 June 2009