Lots of you know that after I was ordained in 1980 the United Church shipped me from seminary in downtown Toronto to my settlement charge in outport Newfoundland. I ran around between five congregations and figured out how to adapt to a very different world, including becoming bilingual. Our son Isaac, now a United Church minister, was born there and we have travelled back numerous times through the years because of lasting friendships and our affinity with the rugged land and sea scapes.
On the map above you can see Frederickton, one of my five preaching points, and to the north both Fogo and Change Islands. Through the family connections of Frederickton folk we have friends on Change Islands and visit there each time in Newfoundland. Even though is seems that most of the world knows about Fogo Island because of the Fogo Island Inn, these isolated communities struggle in many ways. When the fishery declined so did populations with young people leaving for opportunites elsewhere.
It's been years since Change Islands has had a resident nurse, even though the small population is elderly, and the doctor is scheduled to visit only occasionally. Fogo was just in the news because the only doctor on the island, which is home to several communities, is leaving in June. Mayor Andrew Shea says this summer is set to be the first time since 1792 that the island has not had some sort of resident doctor. The trip off island from both Change Islands and Fogo to Gander takes several hours and some long-time residents are choosing to move because of precarious health and the need to be closer to physicians and hospitals.
This made me think of the realities for congregations of all denominations as well. Finding a minister/pastor/priest who is willing to reside on the islands is next to impossible and these are now part-time ministries in most situations. The pastoral charge I served has been without a minister for some time now, even though it is now "only" three congregations. It might be suggested that medical care is more of an essential service than spiritual care yet churches have been the heart and soul of many of these more remote communities for centuries. They will disappear as the last of the elderly souls go to their various rewards.
After we snooped in different cemeteries on Change Islands I joked with one of our friends, feisty but quite eldery, that there are now more dead people on the islands than living. She snorted and agreed, but it is a serious truth, and it saddens me that a remarkable way of life is waning.
Summer home of friends on Change Islands
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