Editor Kristin Jenkins and Charlie, the Anglican Journal mascot.
Happy 135th birthday, AJ! I love birthdays, don’t you? I learned from Nana, my maternal grandmother, an intelligent woman who kept her health and her marbles into her 105th year. Nana lived life with a robust interest that never faded. She celebrated every birthday with a passion. If anything, her joy over this annual event increased, and she would tell anyone within earshot that it was her birthday, days before or after the actual date. She called it her “birthday time.”
This year, we are celebrating the 135th birthday of the Anglican Journal. She may be a bit on the slim side, but she’s looking pretty good, wouldn’t you agree? And her vitality, her interest in everything around her, and her ability to share it with you is about to get a great big boost.
As the 16th editor, I join a long line of men and women who have proudly carried the baton for this grande dame of the Anglican Church of Canada. And there is much to be proud of. The newspaper has a vibrant history that reads like something out of a John le Carre novel, complete with takeover bids, strategic partnerships, explosive expansion and a female editor who had to hide her true identity for almost 20 years! But the Journal has also been a prophetic voice for our beloved church and a mirror in which we can see our faith reflected in all its wondrous forms. We are committed to walking alongside the evolving church, especially through challenging times. You, dear reader, are an integral part of this history as well as an important part of the future.
We want to know what you think. In the past few months, we’ve featured articles on environmental stewardship, poverty and homelessness, innovative parish initiatives such as Fresh Expressions, Back to Church Sunday and alternative worship services. We’ve reported on Haiti, Sacred Circle, the 2010 Olympics, sex trafficking, refugee sponsorship, and much more.
We want to learn the best ways to connect you to other Anglicans. Are you online? Do you read the newspaper versus the website? What issues interest you most and how would you like to receive more information about them? To get the answers and guide our strategy, we are conducting a comprehensive survey of readers and online visitors. Watch for more details in the Anglican Journal, in your diocesan newspaper, and on the website, anglicanjournal.com.
We want to expand our readership and be environmentally responsible, too. We want to appeal to younger readers, including families and youth. We are launching a new website this month that will provide an improved online news destination in a simple, user-friendly format. You’ll be able to comment on content and engage in a conversation with visitors anywhere in the Communion. You can wade in on a Letter to the Editor, a column, a news story or a feature. You’ll be able to share your views in an online poll, watch video clips and slideshows and join the AJ Facebook community.
Together we are moving forward, into the future.