The Most Rev. Terrence O. Buckle, Archbishop of Yukon, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of BC & Yukon

For the past few months darkness has hung over the North like a blanket, but now as we move into the season of light it is as if that cold dark blanket of winter is being lifted off of us and the sun in its spring-time brilliance is providing a most welcomed life-giving light and warmth. Easter is like that. Its message of hope lifts off of us the cold dark blanket of emptiness and offers us the good news message of the life–giving light and warmth of resurrection hopefulness through our Lord Jesus Christ. As the sun shines in its’ spring-time brilliance so Jesus shines in the brilliance of His glory as the resurrected Christ, Saviour of the world.

We are challenged as a diocese in northern Canada to respond to what we see happening in our northern society. We are an area of Canada with a small population. Our congregations are small in numbers. Many of our members are into their senior years. Children and young people and young adults are not too evident among our congregation members. And yet before us is possibility, potential and hope for expanded mission and outreach ministry.

Mission and ministry needs stare us in the face but sometimes we can’t see it and sometimes we cannot respond to that which we do see. But this does not mean that we do not want to care, to reach out, to share and to demonstrate the good news of God. So often it is just that people have grown tired or it is that they don’t know how to really go about it. It weighs upon us sometimes like a heavy winter blanket that is hard to get out from under or even too comfortable to leave to discover the possibility of life and ministry in the power of the warm life-giving light and love of the living and present Saviour of the world.

This is the Easter challenge, to live together the new life that is ours in Christ our Risen Lord and to allow the new life that the Gospel offers to come to us more fully, and to blossom out into the glorious fullness of fruitful service to our Lord. This we are called to do among those with whom we share life in this northern part of Canada that we know as the Diocese of Yukon or wherever we might reside. By God’s grace we can do it together. May it be so. Archbishop T.O. Buckle

Yours sincerely in Christ,

T.O. Buckle Archbishop of Yukon