October Newsletter

News from the Synod in Belize.

Shaw attended the Synod (diocesan convention) of the Diocese of Belize in Belize City in mid-October. Their Synod is held every other year. He extended greetings from President Stewart Wicker of SAMS and from Bishop William Love of the Diocese of Albany: to the Synod, to Bishop Philip of the Diocese of Belize, and to Archbishop John of the Anglican Province of the West Indies.

The Synod and the Bishop Philip honored Shaw for the work that he has already done with the on-line theological seminary, on behalf of the Diocese of Belize.

While at the Synod, he 1) was asked to facilitate the formative meeting of a new commission pertaining to Total Ministry in the parishes of the Diocese, 2) gave a presentation for Synod attendees about the Anglican Online program. Several Synod members expressed an interest in taking courses. 3) Because of the way that he addressed the Spanish speaking members in Spanish during his presentation, he was subsequently asked to be one of the translators for the Spanish speaking Synod members, and 4) he had a separate meeting with students, and all who attended were Cursillistas, and most had been team members.

In a pre-Synod meeting between Shaw and Archbishop John of the Province of the West Indies, the Archbishop put his stamp of approval for the Belizean program and suggested that Shaw might contact the two Anglican seminaries in the Caribbean about a joint venture of some sort. That is a step by step process, but Bp. Philip of the Diocese of Belize has already started to contact the other seminaries as part of this effort.

Bishop Philip and Archbishop John welcome people in North America and Africa to participate in the program, alongside the Belizean students. The courses are in English.

If you are interested in participating in classes with Belizean students, please contact Shaw.

Cultural factoid:

Because he has a Doctor of Ministry degree, most people in Belize and (now somewhat across the Province of the Caribbean) refer to Shaw as “Dr. Shaw”. That is, he is called Dr. Shaw by most people except for Bishop Philip and some others who are beginning to call him “Doc” when not formally introducing him, perhaps a cultural indication that he has become part of the diocesan team.

Shaw with Bishop Philip of Belize and Archbishop John of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, October 2012, immediately after Shaw’s meeting with the Archbishop.