St. Peter's Comox Anglican | Anglican Church in Comox, BC

8:30 am Traditional Eucharist

10:30 am Island Liturgy

Readings

Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Romans 5:1-8;

Matthew 9:35-10:23

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When I was appointed Rector’s Warden in 2025, I did not imagine at the time what this past year would become for St Peter’s. It is written in Ecclesiastes that there is a “season for everything under heaven” and this year quickly became a “season of change” when Rev Sulin announced she would be leaving St Peter’s.

At the time we faced a wilderness of uncertainties with more questions than answers. Will we find a new priest? What kind of priest should we pray for? Can we even afford a full time Rector? Will people stay? Will former parishioners return? Will our offerings sustain? Who can we find to be our admin assistant and where should the office be located? Who can we find to lead our worship what will they be like? Who should serve on the search committee? What should we include in our Parish Profile? What kind of future do we hope for at St Peters and what kind of ministry gifts are needed to shepherd us? Might young people return? What should be done with the Rectory and how will we pay for the significant repairs and renovations that are needed? Should we rent it out as a residence or convert it to offices? Will a new Rector wish to use it as their residence? Can our outreach ministries be sustained or should they be reduced or paused?

During this season of change we have worked together praying and listening for the Spirit’s guidance and God has been faithful every step of the way. Soon, in another 4 weeks’ time, Rev Francis Delaplain with his family will arrive to serve as our new Rector. They will move into a beautifully refurbished and repaired rectory thanks to the provision of two generous estate donations. With these answers to prayer, I have learned to trust God anew and many of us are sensing a fresh breeze of the Spirit blowing bringing hope in the future.

We wrote last fall in our Parish profile that:

“St Peter’s has the mission spirit of new beginnings and a forward-looking church and St Paul’s words to the Philippian church still resonate with us today: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”

Let us continue to listen and trust in God’s goodness and above all, walk in His love and give it away to a thirsty world.

The Reverend Francis Delaplain, the new incumbent at St Peter’s Anglican church in Comox beginning July 1st, is no stranger to Canada’s North. Born in Fort St John, B.C., he grew up in a community south of Whitehorse and had most of his career in Yellowknife and then Hay River in the Northwest Territories for a further decade. Fortunately, his wife, Kassandra, knows Vancouver Island well having been born and raised in Nanaimo.

Francis was only 13 when he had the first foretaste of what has become his life’s passion and path. On a holiday trip with his family, they took in a church service in the town of Watson Lake, the Yukon, and he was asked to read a reflection to the congregation. After the service, the pastor surprised the youngster by complimenting him on the way he did the reading and suggested that he should consider ministry as a future career. That comment resonated with him and remained a significant influence.

“I have always loved the church. As I grew up it sustained me in many ways.” Throughout his academic journey, his community continually reinforced his sense of vocation. As a result, he later chose to pursue a Master’s degree in Divinity at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As he ponders his new appointment to St Peter’s, he believes his priorities as a priest are: first, to live and teach in such a way that people’s faith and relationship with God are strengthened; second, to help make scripture relevant to people's everyday lives; and finally, to be approachable, to care for individuals and to demonstrate hospitality.

A full and challenging mandate

On his return to Yellowknife from seminary, he took a pastor’s post with a non-denominational congregation for eight years. Then, with encouragement from the Anglican Diocese of the Arctic, he accepted the post as priest at St Andrew’s Church in Hay River.

Along the way, he and Kassandra Spencer met and married while in Yellowknife. Kassandra is a professional social worker with expertise in child protection and is assigned by the territorial government to train others in this field across the NWT. While moving to Comox, she will continue this role requiring her to return to the territory on occasion.

Their decade in Hay River included a number of dramatic episodes – a massive flood that inundated many homes including the church, and two occasions of wildfire that evacuated much of the community. St Andew’s had set up a food bank when the town’s facility closed down because of COVID and subsequently created a thrift store as well. During these natural disasters, both facilities served as a major distribution point for those in need and have continued as an outreach service to the community.

Kassandra and Francis have a daughter and a son, Esha and Byron. Their daughter is taking an Arts degree at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo and their son goes into grade ten at highschool in Comox.

Supporting a teen-aged family takes up a fair chunk of their “downtime”. For example, Kassandra drives 15 hours to take Byron to a hockey tournament. A love of animals and time with cherished friends means much to Kassandra. Francis enjoys hockey and golf and is very happy that their new residence in Comox borders a snow-free golf course. A love of books fills stray hours for them both.