A long-time Anglican parishioner has left a generous bequest to help train lay ministers in the diocese.
Elizabeth Hyde left $10,000 as a cash legacy to the lay training fund, administered through the Educational Trusts Board. Her daughter, Charlotte, said her mother was adamant that the funds were needed to support opportunities for training lay people rather than clergy.
“Lay ministry and leadership development is an important component of our diocesan vision for the renewal of our Church,” said Ansley Tucker, who is the board vice-chair as well as dean of Christ Church Cathedral and diocesan administrator. “Ms. Hyde’s gift provides an unexpected and welcome infusion of cash into our lay ministry fund and will allow the Educational Trusts Board to expand its reach. We are very grateful.”
Hyde had a lifelong passion for history. Born in Hertfordshire, UK, Hyde earned a history degree from the University of Oxford (St. Hugh’s). She and her husband moved to Canada in the 1950s, settling in Winnipeg where she earned a PhD in medieval history from the University of Manitoba. Charlotte joked that her mother considered any event after 1500 as “recent.” Her obituary noted she enjoyed activities such as “translating Latin cartularies.”
Following a relocation to Victoria in the mid-1980s, Hyde joined parish of St John the Divine, Victoria, and volunteered through the 1990s in the diocesan archives. Hyde died on September 10, 2020, at the age of 91.
The lay training fund was established to help lay people acquire training to equip them for service in the church, and any lay person in financial need can apply for the funds (which are a maximum of $1,000 per grant) to cover course fees, travel, accommodation, meals, learning materials and other specified expenses toward training offered by a formal institution.
Lay people can apply by completing the lay training application found on the diocesan website at www.bc.anglican.ca/diocesan-committees/other-committees or under Resources>Funding>Educational Trusts Board. The Board meets five times per year, and the deadlines for application are January 15, April 15, May 15, August 15 and October 15. Applications can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed the synod office.
By Susan Down, with files from Tara Saracuse.
