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Archbishop urges state not to ‘dictate’ over marriage: Ministers should not overrule tradition on the issue of same-sex marriages, the Archbishop of York has said.

Jan 28th, 2012 by

From the BBC

Dr John Sentamu, the second most senior Church of England cleric, told the Daily Telegraph that marriage must be between a man and a woman.

He supported civil partnerships, he said, but only “dictators” tried to overturn history and redefine marriage.

Dr Sentamu also said the Church should do more to avoid its leadership being mainly white and middle class.

The government will open a consultation on the issue of same-sex marriages in March. A consultation on the subject by the Scottish government ended last month.

‘Tradition and history’

But the Archbishop told the Telegraph that it was not the role of government to “gift” the institution of marriage to anyone.

“I don’t think it is the role of the state to define what marriage is.

“It is set in tradition and history and you can’t just (change it) overnight, no matter how powerful you are.

“We’ve seen dictators do it, by the way, in different contexts and I don’t want to redefine very clear social structures that have been in existence for a long time and then overnight the state believes it could go in a particular way.”

Dr Sentamu pointed out that bishops in the House of Lords did not seek to obstruct the introduction of civil partnerships between same-sex couples in 2004.

“We supported civil partnerships because we believe that friendships are good for everybody.”

He said the Church also had no opposition to plans to allow civil partnership ceremonies to take place in places of worship, if agreed by the religious denomination in question.

But Dr Sentamu said the Church would not stand idly by if the government sought to allow same-sex marriages to be on a par with heterosexual ones.

He said: “If you genuinely would like the registration of civil partnerships to happen in a more general way, most people will say they can see the drift. But if you begin to call those marriage, you’re trying to change the English language.

“That does not mean you diminish, condemn, criticise, patronise any same-sex relationships because that is not what the debate is about,” added Dr Sentamu.

The archbishop said: “The Church has always stood out – Jesus actually was the odd man out. I’d rather stick with Jesus than be popular because it looks odd.”

Prime Minister David Cameron told the Conservative Party conference last year: “I don’t support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I’m a Conservative.”

Black churchgoers ‘leaving’

Dr Sentamu also said both black parishioners and white working class churchgoers were poorly represented in the Anglican church.

“Where we have lost out is black people who had been realised Anglicans, who are now joining Pentecostal churches. That’s a huge drain,” he claimed.

“Heaven is not going to be full of just black people, just working-class people, just middle-class people, it’s going to be, in the words of Desmond Tutu, a rainbow people of God in all its diversity,” he added.

The Archbishop said he had never encountered racism from white clergy during his rise through the ranks of the Church.

But he said: “When I was a vicar there was a lady who didn’t want me to take her husband’s funeral because I was black. I took one funeral and at the end a man said to me, ‘Why did my father deserve to be buried by a black monkey?’ We received letters with excrement in.”

Posted in Anglican Communion | No Comments »

Archbishops suggest ‘open-ended engagement’ with breakaway Anglicans

Jan 20th, 2012 by

This has been a long time in coming, doesn’t go far enough – actually, I’m not sure it goes anywhere – is full of Rowanesque ambivalence and…. come to think of it, I’m not sure it says anything useful at all. Still, here it is:

Archbishops Rowan Williams of Canterbury and John Sentamu of York have suggested that the Church of England and the Anglican Communion ought to be in “an open-ended engagement” with the Anglican Church in North America.

The organization is made up of individuals and groups that have left the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, as well as those that have never been members of those two provinces. It includes entities such as the Reformed Episcopal Church, formed in 1873, and the Anglican Mission in the Americas, founded by Rwandan Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini and Moses Tay, the now-retired primate of the province of South East Asia, in 2000.

Williams and Sentamu made their remarks in a report to the Feb. 6-9 sessions of the Church of England’s General Synod.

The report comes in response to a resolution the synod passed two years ago in which the Church of England recognized and affirmed ACNA’s desire “to remain in the Anglican family,” but said it was not yet ready to be in full communion with the breakaway entity.

The archbishops said that theirs was “a report on work in progress since the consequences of the establishment of ACNA some two and a half years ago are still emerging and on a number of issues any assessment at this stage must necessarily be tentative.” They offer some details on three issues: the range of possible relationships between other Christian churches and the Church of England, how a “particular local Church” can be accepted as part of the Anglican Communion, and under what circumstances the orders of another church might be recognized and accepted by the Church of England.

They noted that General Synod determines the nature of its relationship with other Christian churches and that the Anglican Consultative Council‘s constitution allows for new members by decision of the Standing Committee of the Communion and with the assent of two-third of the primates of the Churches already listed in the constitution. And, they said, people ordained in churches that accept the historical episcopate may be received into the Church of England and be authorized to minister.

The February 2010 resolution referred to “the distress caused by recent divisions within the Anglican churches of the United States of America and Canada,” and the archbishops said that that distress will continue “for some considerable time.” The divisions occurred over the decisions of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada related to full inclusion of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people in the life of the church, the ordination of women and the authority of scripture.

“Wounds are still fresh,” Sentamu and Williams write. “Those who follow developments in North America from some distance have a responsibility not to say or do anything which will inflame an already difficult situation and make it harder for those directly involved to manage the various challenges with which they are still grappling.”

Thus, they said, the outcome of the open-ended engagement that they suggest “is unlikely to be clear for some time yet, especially given the strong feelings on all sides of the debate in North America.”

The two men stressed that the Church of England “remains fully committed to the Anglican Communion and to being in communion both with the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church.”

The actual  report is here.

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Posted in Anglican Church in North America | 6 Comments »

Theology school needs salvation: School implementing cost-cutting and fundraising measures to avoid bankruptcy

Jan 9th, 2012 by

From The Province

The Vancouver School of Theology has declared itself in danger of bankruptcy.

The school’s board of governors voted to declare a state of “financial exigency” on Wednesday, as it requires “extraordinary action” to avoid insolvency.

“The declaration of financial exigency is a formal necessity that will allow the board of governors to take the difficult steps that will restore the financial health of the school so it can continue its task of educating leaders for the church and world,” the school said in a statement.

It reports that a series of financial hits – including the 2008-09 economic downturn that created losses in its endowment funds, which were invested in securities – as well as the loss of funding from the United Church in 2011 and a reduction of funding from the Anglican Church are factors that have put it in economic straits.

“All of a sudden the economy tanked and that severely damaged the endowment funds,” said the school’s acting principal and dean, Stephen Farris.

“We are in a difficult financial situation,” he added. “It is serious but not disastrous.”

He said the pronouncement of “financial exigency” would make possible the layoff of tenured professors, which may be required to balance the books.

The school is embarking on a series of cost-cutting measures, including staff cuts, restructuring, fundraising and new partnerships in order to turn its situation around.

Farris is planning a meeting with students to explain the situation on Monday.

“This is still a really good school,” he said.

“You chose this school for a reason and the reason is still there. We will make sure that good quality education carries on.”

School spokeswoman Shannon Lythgoe said enrolment is healthy, with approximately 140 full-and part-time students enrolled.

“This does not impact our students’ ability to complete their courses of study or our ability to intake students in the future,” she said.

Lythgoe stressed that student bursaries remain well-funded and the school expects that it can turn things around.

“The analogy is being on a canoe and looking toward a waterfall and having the opportunity to change course – that is what we are talking about,” she said.

The school was founded in 1927, and has grown to offer studies in the United, Anglican and Presbyterian churches. Students can pursue general theology courses and train for ordination at the institution, which offers diplomas and degrees ranging from 10 months to three years.

I wonder how Regent College, Vancouver is doing…

Posted in Anglican Church of Canada | 4 Comments »

What the future may hold for conservatives who remain in the ACoC

Jan 2nd, 2012 by

An interesting editorial from the Anglican Planet:

WELL I DON’T KNOW if you have been keeping score, but it would seem that the courts have pretty consistently sided with the provincial churches in the property disputes that have been brought before them. Although we might have hoped and prayed otherwise, perhaps it should not surprise us that a secular judiciary has made its judgment on formal matters of canon law which it understands, rather than on the substantial matters of doctrine which are beyond its grasp. There are of course still some cases before the courts, but as we watched two iconic churches, St. John’s Vancouver (formerly St John’s, Shaughnessy) and Christ Church Savannah, courageously move en masse to new homes this fall, we cannot but think that the matter has been decided. We wish God’s blessing on those churches who have boldly made this decision, and praise God that our fellowship in Christ is not determined by synods or supreme courts. So where does this leave those of us who remain?

As a result of the recent legal decisions, one cannot help but recognise that the threat of property disputes to the ACC is now significantly diminished. These have been a real concern to many dioceses, not just the prospect of losing buildings, but also that lawsuits are simply money pits for everyone involved.  Now that that the legal question seems to be settled, we can expect certain prelates to lead their flocks more boldly into a glorious liberal future.
Furthermore, it would seem that the pendulum of theological liberalism has not yet swung to its furthest point. Although, the progressive campaign has been an incremental one, it shows no sign of running out of steam. This fall the progressives in the Diocese of Toronto, who have already been given license to bless same-sex unions set their sights further yet, when they passed motions to memorialize General Synod to reopen the Marriage Canon, and to petition their bishops to remove any barriers to the ordination of actively homosexual men or women. Perhaps most alarming about this, is that they passed these motions against the expressed will of Archbishop Colin Johnson. While, he would not be described as a theological conservative, Archbishop Johnson has been relatively successful at maintaining unity within his diocese. It would seem his tempering influence to the progressive agenda may no longer be effective.

We also need to take stock of the losses conservatives have suffered in recent years. We have experienced the loss of formidable long-serving churchmen such as brothers Harry and Tom Robinson and Fr. Robert Crouse. They have entered into their rest in Christ. But we have also been weakened in our witness as we have lost many talented priests and congregations through the fracturing of the Communion. Many of the churches who have left have encouraged numerous vocations, whose ministries will now bear fruit outside of the ACC.

At this time of year, it is much safer and more prudent to look back rather than forward, yet we at The Anglican Planet have never been terribly committed to the safe path. So let us speculate for a moment about what the future holds for conservatives remaining within the Anglican Church of Canada.

If we look south at the example of Mark Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, things do not look great. Despite all of the verbal reassurances that there is room for diversity in the Episcopal Church, the persecution that he has suffered at the hands of TEC has been unconscionable. It remains to be seen if the liberal victors in the Anglican Church of Canada will follow that course of tyranny, or become magnanimous in their ascendancy.

It seems to me that we are heading into some tough years for theological conservatives who choose to remain in the Anglican Church of Canada. Those of us who are committed to reforming from within will not likely see a lot of success. In all likelihood conservative clergy will be passed over for preferment, or out of conscience be prevented from accepting it. It would seem like the political options have been tried. But things are not entirely hopeless because we worship a God whose power is made perfect in our weakness. So, while it might seem that success in ecclesial politics is unavailable to us, what is still available to us is the glorious opportunity to faithfully preach the word of God, and disciple Christians, for this we should give thanks. Let us close the book on 2011 with the encouraging words of Bishop J.C. Ryle:

“Forever let us thank God that the building of the one true Church is laid on the shoulders of One who is mighty. Let us bless God that it does not rest upon man. Let us bless God that it does not depend on missionaries, ministers, or committees. Christ is the almighty Builder. He will carry on His work, though nations and visible Churches do not know their duty. Christ will never fail. That which He has undertaken He will certainly accomplish!”
A Joyous Christmas from your friends at The Anglican Planet

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Posted in Anglican Church of Canada | 40 Comments »

Handwriting is on the wall for many Quebec churches

Dec 26th, 2011 by

From here:

In Trois-Rivieres, Que., in November, the Anglican Church turned over its oldest church in the province to the municipality, which will restore it as a cultural centre. The French-speaking congregation of about 30 was unable to come up with the $2.5 million needed to repair the historic building, built in 1754 by the Roman Catholic Recollet order.

In return for ceding St. James Anglican Church to the city, the parish retains the right to use the sanctuary in perpetuity.

But in rural areas, where many congregations have as few as 12 members, the outlook is grim, said Dennis Drainville, the Anglican bishop of Quebec City, whose diocese stretches from Trois-Rivieres to the Lower North Shore and from the Maine border to Schefferville. The diocese counted 25,000 members 50 years ago; now the total is about 3,000.

Rural depopulation particularly affects English-speaking communities, Drainville said. “All numbers are declining in the region but the anglophone population is declining at a 50-per-cent faster rate than the French-speaking population,” he said.

Eight churches in the diocese closed this year and Drainville predicted that 50 of the remaining 80 will shut down over the coming decade.

While selling urban real estate can help boost church coffers, there are few takers for isolated country churches, Drainville said.

“I sell a church in the Diocese of Quebec and I’m lucky if I have 50 cents for a coffee,” he said.

In the Lower North Shore, near Labrador, 10 isolated Anglican churches are dotted along a coastline accessible only by air or water, Drainville said.

“Some of those communities have almost no children left in them. So the handwriting is on the wall. Those communities are going to die,” he said

 

If 50 out of 80 parishes really do close down in the next ten years, it sounds like the death knell for the Diocese of Quebec.

Posted in Anglican Church of Canada | 14 Comments »

Pastoral letter from Archbishop Duncan

Dec 23rd, 2011 by

We’ve not been covering the events Archbishop Duncan is referring to in his letter below, as they’ve been covered very well on blogs South of the border, refer to events taking place South of the border (with the exception of the involvement of ACiC through AMiA), and frankly – don’t really need us to chime in on it as well.

However, I did want to share this letter from Archbishop Duncan which seems to me to be a very wise response.

TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA:
Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. This letter is a brief report to you all about those events and about our efforts to find a path forward. The present reality is brokenness. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.

The resignation of nine Anglican Mission bishops, including the Bishop Chairman, from the House of Bishops of Rwanda, changed relationships with Rwanda, with fellow bishops and with the Anglican Church in North America. The resigned bishops lost their status in our College of Bishops as a result of their resignation from Rwanda. The Anglican Mission also lost its status as a Ministry Partner, since that status had been predicated on AMiA’s relationship with Rwanda. In addition, confusion and hurt has been created in Rwanda and in North America, and there is much serious work ahead of us.

Representatives of the Anglican Church in North America and of the Pawleys Island leadership met today in Pittsburgh. For the Anglican Church in North America the starting point was the importance of our Provincial relationship with the Province of Rwanda (a sister GAFCON Province) and with His Grace Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, of our relationship with the North American Bishops Terrell Glenn and Thad Barnum and all the clergy licensed in Rwanda, and of our relationship to those represented by the Pawleys Island group with whom we were meeting. We, as the Anglican Church in North America, have been deeply connected to all three, and we can only move forward when issues and relationships have been adequately addressed and necessary transitions are in progress.

The agreement from today’s meeting in Pittsburgh was that the Anglican Church in North America is prepared to enter into a process by which our relationship with those who will rally to the Pawleys’ vision and leadership (Anglican Mission in the Americas, Inc.) might be restored to a status like the one existing before the Ministry Partner decision of 2010. All those at the meeting today agreed “that there were no subjects that were not on the table.” For the Anglican Church in North America, these subjects must include leadership, relationships, and jurisdictional participation in a way that is fully Anglican.

We made a partial beginning. Bishops Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters agreed to lead the negotiations from the Anglican Church in North America. Bishops Doc Loomis and TJ Johnston will lead from the AMiA side. There is much about what has happened that will have to be faced. The other part of this beginning will be to come alongside P.E.A.R. and their designated bishops (Barnum and Glenn), clergy, people and parishes in North America as they discern their next steps. The good news is that we know a God who has called us and who is able. [I Thess. 5:24] We are sure that He wants all the pieces back together in an ever-more dynamic, ever-more-submitted, ever-more transformed and transforming North American Church. [John 17]

Keep praying. With God nothing shall be impossible. [Luke 1:37] And besides that, He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. [Rom. 8:28] Blessed Christmas!

Faithfully in Christ,

Archbishop and Primate
Anglican Church in North America

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Southern Cone approves Anglican Communion Covenant

Dec 21st, 2011 by

From here:

At its recent November (3 to 11) meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, the Executive Committee of the Province of the Southern Cone of America, together with its Bishops, voted to approve the Anglican Covenant. The Province views the covenant as a way forward given the difficult circumstance of watching certain Provinces of the Anglican Communion propose novel ways of Christian living in rejection of Biblical norms.

In response to these novel practices the Southern Cone had held churches in North America under its wing for some time while the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) was formed. However, the Province has not maintained jurisdiction over any local churches there for over a year. As a result, all so called ‘border crossings’ by any provincial members ceased (as of October, 2010) even though the Southern Cone still remains in impaired communion with US and Canadian Provinces. It is hoped that the Covenant can now provide Communion stability.

One of the Bishops commented, “We believe that life in the Communion must be maintained by a basic level of accountability if, in fact, we are a family of interdependent churches. The Covenant helps fulfill this role. Naturally, house rules should be kept to a minimum. But being a member of a family has responsibilities that must be ‘lived into’. Right now, a small faction in the Communion continues to do ‘its own thing’ enjoying many privileges and few responsibilities of family.”

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Posted in Anglican Crisis | 3 Comments »

A Christmas message from Bishop Don Harvey

Dec 19th, 2011 by

December, 2011

Dear Friends in Christ:

And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed…….Romans 12:2

Not only have my brother bishops empowered me to write this message on their behalf, but it is being sent to you without them having opportunity to see it in advance. That indicates a level of trust that I by no means take for granted.

In fact, taking things for granted is a theme I want to reflect upon in this brief message as we approach this glorious season. Because so much has been attached to the Festival that really has nothing to do with what we really are celebrating, it becomes easy for even the devout Christian to take it for granted and get so caught up in what the culture has transformed into something so completely foreign to what it really is meant to be.

When the media and so many people we know keep wishing us “Happy Holidays” it is so easy to take it for granted that this is what it is, forgetting that their word holiday is derived from our grand old word Holy-Day.

Sadly, we can take for granted that this is the way things are and there is no point in us trying to turn them into what they should be.

We are told in Scripture not to conform but to transform. But, I fear that conformity is a tremendous temptation when we are surrounded by so many aspects of this season that we not only take for granted, but we may even begin to feel that they are not so bad after all.

Let us remind ourselves that most of us in the Anglican Network in Canada are where we are this Christmastide, without buildings we loved and friends we once cherished, because we were not prepared to take things for granted. We had the courage to say that because we had to be faithful to Holy Scripture, we could not follow the path down which so many of our leaders were trying to take us. We had to take a stand that involved saying firmly that without that Baby in the manger,there was no other way by which we could be saved.

We knew the price making this stand would take, and came to realize the reality of what it means “to give and not to count the cost”. And most of us would willingly do it again.

That experience, I believe, should embolden us as a Church to reclaim this Commemoration of “the birth in time of the timeless Son of God” for what it really is.

Because of what happened that first Christmas night, the world never would be the same again. And, when the impact of what really happened hits us, neither can we be the same again.

It is our prayer that as we gather around the manger, the enormity of His Love will so enflame our hearts and change our lives, that even while we celebrate we will share that message with others.

Your bishops and their wives (Stephen and Nona; Ron and Jan; Trevor and DeeDee; Charlie and Judy) join Trudy and me in sending our love and warmest greetings to each one of you, in whatever part of our extensive Diocese you may live. The shared love that comes with this greeting is another very special thing that none of us will ever take for granted.

Come, strong men, and see
This high mystery,
Tread firm where the shepherds have trod,
And watch, mid the hair
Of the Maiden so fair,
The five little fingers of God*

Yours in the Infant Jesus,

The Right Reverend Donald F Harvey
Bishop and Moderator

* G. K. Studdert Kennedy The Unutterable Beauty

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Posted in Anglican Network in Canada | No Comments »

The End of Canterbury: Will the sun set on the Anglican Communion?

Dec 10th, 2011 by

You can read the whole piece at the Weekly Standard. A few pertinent quotes:

The Archbishop of Canterbury is going to resign next year. At least that’s the story making the rounds of newspapers in London, and the interesting part is not that the 61-year-old Rowan Williams should be willing to give up another decade in the job. Or even, if the Telegraph is right, that the clergy and his fellow bishops are working to push him out…

Anglicanism remains widespread, with 80 million members around the world, from the Episcopal Church in the United States to the followers of Henry Luke Orombi, archbishop of Uganda. England is still the largest Anglican province, with 26 million members, at least nominally. But far more Anglicans are in church on a Sunday morning in Kenya and Nigeria than in Britain, and the center of Anglican belief is now firmly in Africa—a major part, as Philip Jenkins noted in his 2002 book The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, of the nearly complete conversion of sub-Saharan Africa to Christianity over the last 100 years.

The rise of the African church could have made Canterbury an important player in international relations—not exactly a rival to Rome (Catholicism’s one billion adherents make that unlikely) but at least a second European center with which Africans would have felt a relation and to which they could have looked for intellectual and ecclesial authority…

The current archbishop is a cultivated, intelligent man: a published poet and literary figure with theological sophistication and a talent for administration. Rowan Williams never possessed either the international star-power of someone like John Paul II or the intellectual depth of Benedict XVI. Still, he has more or less succeeded in his decade-long attempt to hold Anglicanism together with a kind of quiet, British suasion.

He pursued that end, however, mostly by trying to make himself an utterly neutral figure, beginning his reign as archbishop, for example, by leaving the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, an important British pro-life group. And his Laodicean pose has led him into such inanities as his 2008 call to enact some form of the “unavoidable” sharia law in Great Britain—even while his fellow Anglicans in Nigeria were being attacked by Muslim mobs…

The last full meeting of the Lambeth Conference—the once-a-decade meeting that brings together leaders from all the national churches to discuss and pass denomination-wide legislation—did not go well, back in 2008. African bishops pulled in one direction, holding separate meetings and hinting at schism, while the Western leaders pulled in the other direction, demanding that all churches in the communion embrace their views on human sexuality. That the church kept any unity at all was a tribute to the meliorating work of the Archbishop of Canterbury. And with Williams no longer at the helm, little will be achieved at the next Lambeth Conference.

While not wishing to be judgemental, I’m reminded of John F. Kennedy’s famous misquote of Dante on June 24, 1963: “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality.”

Posted in Anglican Communion, Anglican Crisis | No Comments »

The Anglican Planet interviews Bishop Don

Dec 5th, 2011 by

Read it all here. Some highlights:

TAP: How do you answer those who claim that you are leading a rebellious, breakaway church that is creating more divisions?
DH: I was ordained in 1963. The things I taught and believed then are exactly the same as I am teaching now. If anyone is a breakaway it is probably the Anglican Church of Canada. They’re the ones who have changed their doctrines. ANiC had two objectives for Anglican people. If they wanted to remain in the Anglican family and be faithful to Holy Scripture, we had an alternative for them, which we don’t think was provided by the body they were in.

…

TAP: What advice or warning do you have for those orthodox clergy who say they are called to be faithful martyrs within the ACC, that they would never leave?
DH: I would have a request – that they would be far more public in what they are saying is wrong. They’ve been terribly silent. Four years ago a letter from the ACC Primate and the four Metropolitans declared my ministry and the ministry of anyone in ANiC as “invalid.” I can put up with “irregular.” Our ministry is not invalid; the way we were ordained could be irregular. I have yet to hear any bishop speak out publicly and say we’re not invalid and call on the church to change its statement. That letter was to be read in every Anglican church in Canada. Many elderly people thought I had betrayed them. I was not relinquishing my ministry but a church that was unfaithful. There are lovely exceptions of where people have been kind to us – but never in public.

…

TAP: Throughout Church history there have always been bad bishops who behave and/or believe badly. When do you leave a church?
DH: If I have to make a choice between unity – which is very important – and truth, I’m going to have to go for truth. My tipping point, as I said, was at the Winnipeg Synod. Someone asked me why I looked so glum and I said, “I’ve just lost my church!” I was a cradle Anglican. I’ve never been anything but an Anglican. I’d been involved in the Anglican Church for over 60 years. There was a lot of soul searching and tears but ultimately I knew I had to make a statement. The church I was ordained into in 1963 is not recognizable today (even though many of the changes are good).

…

TAP: What vision do you have for ANiC? Is it at a new stage in its development?
ANiC is [moving] beyond the stage of providing a lifeboat for people who want to leave the ACC. Our role now is to go to the highways and the byways to the un-churched. For the most part, people who have not left by now are not going to leave. ANiC still sees itself as a place of refuge for those who can no longer accept what they are being taught by the churches they’re in. Now we also see a responsibility to plant churches, to proclaim the unadulterated gospel, to restore Holy Scripture to the way it is envisioned in the 39 Articles, especially in our seminaries. The lifeboat metaphor we used in the early days of ANiC is now turned into a fishing boat. We want to reach those many people for whom Christian faith is not even on the map but they are striving for something, for a message of comfort that will put purpose into their lives. They have not heard the gospel, the core message of salvation.

…

TAP: Does it feel good to be opening churches rather than closing or merging churches?
DH: It’s a great pleasure. Almost without exception you see the excitement, even in those parishes that have been put out of their buildings. I’ve been to all three in New Westminster area. People had to come to terms with what their building was in relation to their faith. They loved their buildings – some had memorial gardens. And yet the clergy have said over and over again to me that the day they sent their letter to their bishop saying they were coming with us, there was a lot of sadness, but at the same time a great burden fell off their backs. Closure comes gradually and life goes on. While people felt they had been unjustly dealt with [in the courts], God had opened new doors for them. And they are moving on.

TAP: Some orthodox Anglicans within the ACC are disturbed when ANiC plants churches in dioceses or regions that are still very orthodox. It seems to create unnecessary animosity.
DH: We’ve only gone to those who have already left or were leaving. It is because a group has come together and said “We’re either going with you or we’re going out of Anglicanism altogether.” We’ve always been invited in and the nucleus was already in existence. There are enough people needing to be churched in those areas for the ACC conservative parishes and for us. I’m not aware of any case – no doubt there could be some – where a conservative parish lost to us. Some people may want to come to us not because they agree with our stand but because they disagree with their diocese on some matter that is not doctrinal at all. So we try to screen for that. They have to go through a memorandum of understanding.

…

TAP: Most growth in ANiC seems to occur right after a diocese approves of SSBs. Would you agree?
DH: In our very early days, there certainly was a connection between the adoption of SSBs and increased membership. However, that no longer seems to be the case and several of the recent dioceses to adopt SSBs produced very little movement. For example, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island resulted in one priest realigning and a small number of people forming into a church plant.
There are people across the ACC who claim that when their particular diocese goes past the point of no return, they are going to take a stand, but meanwhile they will fight the battle from within. If they do seek to join ANiC, they will be made quite welcome, but the longer this goes on, those who will take action are getting fewer.
Personally, I still think that those who come merely because of discontent with SSBs will not be happy. They must see this as part of a much deeper problem and realize that at the national level the battle for reform from within already has been lost. As is often the case with cancer, when the patient fails to respond to various treatments, radical surgery is the only option left.

…

TAP: ACC bishops have to retire at 70. You’re 72. When will you retire?
DH: ANiC has a policy of 70 for Moderator. I was never elected or appointed by ANiC. I was the only bishop they had at the start. The Diocesan Council gave me an extension for another two years. Someone told me, “You’re playing in overtime.” I said, “I’m playing in sudden death overtime but that’s when the important goals are scored.”

Posted in Anglican Network in Canada | 3 Comments »

Diocese of Toronto has approved two motions on human sexuality

Nov 30th, 2011 by

From here:

The diocese of Toronto synod has approved two motions on human sexuality, none of which changes its current experimental guidelines limiting same-gender blessings to about 10 parishes with permission from the diocesan bishop.

At its meeting on Nov. 25 to 26, the synod approved—by a narrow vote of 257 in favour, 229 opposed – a motion to send a memorial to General Synod asking that the marriage canon be amended “to allow marriage of all persons legally qualified to marry each other.” The church’s law governing marriage, Canon 21, defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The Toronto synod also approved a motion requesting the Canadian House of Bishops to “withdraw the February 1979 statement on human sexuality which prevents the ordination of persons in committed same-gender relationships.”

The latter motion seems rather redundant, since the 1979 statement is so routinely flouted by the ACoC that most people were unaware of its existence.

I wonder whether the words ““to allow marriage of all persons legally qualified to marry each other” would have found their way into the first motion if the B.C. polygamy ruling  had gone the other way?

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Anglican Church of Canada tests the water for $25 million fundraiser

Nov 21st, 2011 by

Read it all here:

The Resources for Mission (RFM, formerly department of philanthropy) will soon be testing whether Anglicans across Canada are ready to support a nationwide initiative to raise $25 million over five years to support new ministries of the church at all levels.

The Council of General Synod (CoGS), at its fall meeting Nov. 18-20, approved the document entitled, Together in Mission: the Whole Church for the Whole World (TIM), as “appropriate for use in testing a case for support” for the initiative. It also authorized the use of previously allocated funds of $268,640.00 from 2011 to be used in 2012 for TIM and stewardship education programs.

The campaign–which involves a partnership between General Synod and participating dioceses–has identified four “challenges” that will require new financial resources. They are: leadership, worship, sharing and peace and justice. These are all “grounded in the Marks of Mission and Vision 2019 (the church’s strategic plan),” the document states.

Additionally, COGS has approved a balanced budget for 2012, although beyond that, the financial future looks somewhat bleak:

At its Nov. 18-20 meeting here, a balanced budget was also forecast for 2013 with “no further staffing cuts” before 2016.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that declining revenues coupled with cost-push inflation could mean that General Synod will once again face a deficit budget in 2014. This deficit could balloon to $1 million by 2016, according to a report submitted to CoGS by the church’s Financial Management Committee (FMC).

 

 

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Council of General Synod hears from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Nov 20th, 2011 by

From here:

ELCIC Convention
COGS heard a report from Cynthia Haines-Turner, COGS’s representative to the National Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), full communion partners of the Anglican Church of Canada.

Ms. Haines-Turner shared highlights from ELCIC’s June convention in Saskatoon, which she described as “intense” and “prayer-filled.”

Among other work, the convention passed several resolutions relating to human sexuality. Delegates approved a policy statement allowing rostered ministers to preside at or bless legal marriages, including those between same-sex couples, according to the laws of the province. They also approved a policy paving the way for the ordination and installation of gay and lesbian pastors.

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Synod Liveblog, Day 3

Nov 4th, 2011 by

8:30 – 8:45 Bible study – Bishop Trevor Walters

We are speaking this morning about wise and foolish virgins

From the crowd: “really?”

Really.

Matthew 25

The Kingdom is about continued preparedness. This is a difficult Gospel. In the context of what Matthew is trying to press home, coming to the kingdom means that you have to say yes. Do you have enough oil? Are you prepared? So, what’s so important about oil? Oil anoints for the purpose of ministry.

The foolish bridesmaids believe that the groom is coming just as much as the wise. They had their lamps ready, and looked forward to being included in the party in heaven. They are in the right place and are found amongst the wise, and know what is expected of them. Christians belief that Jesus is returning make them orthodox, but not necessarily those who are going to enter the kingdom.

Most Christians expect to go to heaven, are often found in the right place, and they know that they need to be ready. So what distinguishes the wise from the unwise? What is it in your life that is going to burn and light the pathway to heaven? If you were a torch, what is the supply of oil that is going to keep your torch alight on your way to heaven?

The oil of the Holy Spirit is what brings life. The oil that brings freedom and life and wholeness. What is going to burn in our lives today for the kingdom of God? What are the passions that are God’s passions that are longing to come to light, that is going to set our churches ablaze, that are going to bring Canada and the US to see the light of God.

We know what happens when we are not prepared and are faced with an emergency – we are at risk. Spiritually we are at risk if we are not spiritually prepared. Ask yourselves, “What is it in my life that is going to stand the test of heaven? What is it that will burn bright in this life? Perhaps colour splashed upon the canvas, perhaps music, whatever your gifts are.

8:45 – 9:30 Multicultural and Asian Ministry — Bishop Stephen Leung

I will try to go through what I have done in the past year so that you will get a cross section of what we have done in the ministry.

(Read Acts 16:6-10)

Just like any missionary, Paul had to organize the trip under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We often claim we do the same – if we really do God’s will, we have to be ready to give up what ever we think is the best in our planning. Sometimes, our strategic planning and the planning of the Holy Spirit converge, but sometimes they diverge surprisingly. We sometimes have to surrender our plans in order to give enough space for God in His planning. In this case the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from following His well thought out plan. The Spirit did
not stop Paul from preaching, just in these two regions. God always has the better plan.

Now with this teaching in mind, we have to ask, what God will entrust to ANiC in Gospel ministry, particularly in the area of multicultural and Asian ministries. This must be God’s call to ANiC in response to the changing face of Canada. If the gospel is for everyone in Canada, ANiC needs to take the courageous step of engaging past their own cultures. When we are sent by God to preach the gospel and make disciples of ALL nations, we are called to be cross cultural missionaries, both inside Canada and overseas as well.

Vision of Multicultural and Asian Ministries

Asian Canadian Church Research Centre

–conferences and training

*To explore the development of relevant pastoral care and give nurturing support to leaders.
*There was an inaugural Conference in March – “Discerning the contemporary Culture: Challenges and Christian ministry in a permissive age.” The conference was well attended by people from many different denominations.

Multicultural Ministries

Ministry among the Chinese restaurant workers and chefs (Bible study after their work, which is from 10:30 to midnight or later). A ministry of Good Shepherd Vancouver. We are able to reach these unreached people because they won’t come to the church on Sunday.

Ministry among Africans

Supporting a Sudanese Pastor of St. John’s Surrey together with Good Shepherd Vancouver and St. John’s Vancouver. We provided him the opportunity to study theology full time. This has spread the message in Vancouver that ANiC is very serious about ethnic churches.

Ministries among Chinese speaking people.

–in Calgary, Richmond, Vancouver, and potentially a Mandarin project in Toronto.

Ministry among the Muslims

–Supporting St. John’s Vancouver to hire a Farsi speaking Iranian pastor (who converted from Islam), who is pastoring a small group who are on their way to joining ANiC

–A potential to start a ministry centre for West Asians in Canada.

Mission partnerships with Asia

–Two Mission teams

–Karen refugees at Thailand/Myanmar border
–abandoned disabled Children in China.

From Thy bounty 2011 Fund raising concert target was $20,000 and we raised $38,000 for these mission trips. This is God’s work.

Video presentation on Myanmar. Good Shepherd Church works together with the Anglican Karen ministry and the Karen refugees, which is in turn supported by the Anglican Church of Thailand.

Video presentation on the ministry to abandoned handicapped Chinese children.

Mission partnerships with Asian provinces.

9:30 – 10:00 ARDF

Anglican Relief and Development Fund Canada, Canadian arm of Anglican Relief and Development Fund.

Claus Lenk and Nona Leong, members of the board of ARDF Canada

–Our province’s global aid arm

–Registered Canadian charity

–Works in partnership with Provinces and dioceses in the Global South.

Through the ARDFC we can partner with suffering Anglican brothers and sisters in the Global South and help them to help themselves. We do not send missionaries; this is all help generated in the local communities.

106 projects in 32 countries for $4.9 million US (ARDF) – helped 550,000 people.

ARDFC began in 2010 and completed our first project this spring.

“For the first time in the history of giving within the church we see true partnership, not [colonial] patronage” –Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi

Projects are vetted and approved by the board, then are vetted and approved by Global South primates.

We completed our first project in Kenya, partner the Diocese of Maseno West, Kenya.

Raised $50,000 for mosquito nets and malaria education.

Current Project is in the Congo. Goal to raise $50,000 to provide help returning refugees rebuild their lives and livelihoods after years of civil war. Will provide tools, seeds, training. Also training in reconciliation to heal from the tribal wars.

10:00 – Noon — Business Session

I am not going to be able to keep up with typing the motions, etc, so I am going to try to get an electronic copy from the ANiC office and post it later. I have to leave at noon, so there won’t be any reports of the afternoon proceedings.

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Synod Liveblog, Day 2

Nov 3rd, 2011 by

Registrar – Do we have quorum? We do.

Bishop Don declares Synod open and ready for official business.

Secretaries appointed.

Introduction of special guests–

Bishop Don – I don’t have a list in front of me of special guests to introduce, therefore you are all very special.

Privileges of the house extended to visiting bishops carried unanimously.

Resolutions committee named. Call for resolutions.

Introductions and welcome

Greetings from REC Bishop and Rector of Church of our Lord (who are graciously allowing us to use their church building for Synod)

Bishop Charlie introduces Bishop John Guernsey (Bishop of the new diocese of the Mid Atlantic).

Talk – Biblical Stewardship and your congregation, Bishop John Guernsey. I will post the notes from the talk when I get home.

Lunch Break

Talk: How to grow a church – Canon Phil Ashey

Develop a vision and develop a plan

–What kind of Christian does God want your church to produce?

–What kind of church would produce this kind of Christian?

–What kind of leaders would be needed to create this kind of church?

–What kind of clergy could develop the leadership to create this church?

–Go in the strength you have. Not in the strength you wish you have, but the strength you actually have.

Acts 2:37-47 is a Polaroid snapshot of a church that is about to grow. It describes a growing church, doesn’t it? How often do we experience church as the most exciting place to be, a place you would be willing to orient your life around like these first believers did in Acts?

Jesus’ #1 priority between his Ascension and His Second Coming-
Through the power of the Holy Spirit to establish and develop Biblically functioning communities who are experiencing daily the supernatural dimension of the normal Christian life!

What are the marks of a fully functioning Biblical community?

–People are cut to the heart by Jesus focused preaching.

–Fellowship will be real and deep and vulnerable.

–People will have integrity with the surrounding community.

–Because they have these core gospel values that shape their life together, God will “add to the number daily those who are being saved”.

Growing churches do not have to be all things to all people. They have a strong senior pastor and as a congregation are prepared to take risks.

What did George Barna find out about growing churches in North America? he discovered the same thing they discovered in the book of Acts!

The churches that are growing in youth ministry are the churches that have multi-generational mission teams.

Leading a church in the 21st century requires leaders who will:

–Lead by visions and values not simply by virtue of position

–Clarify and articulate purpose and mission

–Commit to a lifelong process of developing people

–Acknowledge the importance of their role as teacher/equipper/coach

–Practice lifelong learning and encourage others to do the same

–Communicate effectively using narrative stories

–Process skills in leading people and organization through transition.

A SWOT analysis for emerging Anglican churches

Strengths: What plan do you have to build on them?

–freedom to experiment

–we have a great story to tell in a culture that loves stories

–our emphasis on building community outside and inside the church.

–faith that allows space for mystery

–holistic faith that leads to personal and social transformation.

Weaknesses: What plan do you have to overcome them?

Opportunities: What plan do you have to take advantage of them?

Threats: what plan do you have to deal with them?

Conclusion: What is the value of planning?

God did it … Isaiah 37:26

Noah did it … Genesis 7-9

Nehemiah did it … Nehemiah 1-5

David did it … 2 Samuel 7

Jesus told parables about it … Matthew 7:24-27

Luke 14:28-30

Luke 14:31-31

Luke 16:1-8

So what’s YOUR plan?

Bishop Charlie Masters and Bishop Trevor Walters: Welcome of parishes who are new since last synod.

Testimony, Biblical Literacy (E100) — Church of the Good Samaritan

Planting Anglican Churches – Rev. Ray David Glenn, Rev. David Roseberry, Bishop Julian Dobbs

David Roseberry — Anglican 1000′s goal is to replant Biblically faithful Anglican churches in North America. Anglican 1000 started with Archbishop Bob Duncan in 2009, when he challenged the ACNA to plant 1000 churches. What is happening with us is a change in culture. The reason we say that it is incredible now is because we essentially treat church planting as a phenomenal thing, because it doesn’t happen that often. But the culture we are asking God to help create in our new fellowship is a culture in which church planting is normal. Where we reach out to new pockets of people with the love of Jesus and plant churches.

Anglican 1000 is not the church planting arm of ACNA. We do not plant churches. We celebrate, find, bless, encourage, equip those who do. The people who plant churches are here in this room, the bishops, the rectors, the missionaries, the lay people, you all plant churches. We are the movement, not the muscle. The muscle is here in this room. I was interested to hear a little bit about it — there is some amount of conversation, people are in essence looking in the rear view mirror and asking “was it worth it”, and I want to tell you, as I look in the windshield of where we are going, I can tell you the future is enormously bright.

In the rear view mirror, objects are closer than they appear. The rear view mirror can look sweet, but we need to look through the windshield. I know kind of where we are, but I have just heard seven or eight new plants that I didn’t know about and aren’t on our website yet, but of the ones we have counted, we have 150 new plants in the last two years. For comparison, over 15 years TEC planted 350 new churches. That doesn’t count the churches that are in the pipeline. I don’t know how many churches are being planted, and that is a good thing, because it means that the church planting movement is growing.

The most important thing that Anglican 1000 does is to gather in an annual summit. It is 48 hours of nonstop love, fellowship, support and connection. The one challenge we have now is not money, or will, but leaders. We need to pray for labourers to come into the field of church planters.

Bishop Julian Dobbs — I am excited about Anglican 1000 and the replanting of Biblical faithful Anglican churches in North America. I originally come from New Zealand, the home of the Rugby World Cup. I come from a country, like Canada, that comes from a post Christian generation. I have planted churches in a post Christian culture. By 2031 approximately 1 in 12 Canadians will be Muslims. The Muslim population in Canada is expected to double in 20 years. Our challenge is to plant churches that will change the culture in Canada with the transformational love of Jesus Christ.

We are beginning to offer a Saturday seminar called “Are you a church planter?”. We’d love to come into your area with this seminar, so you can invite people who God might be tagging for church planting. Finally, what about you? Maybe God’s planting you to plant a new church in Canada. Brothers and Sisters, I am encouraging you to invite us to come share this vision for planting Biblical faithful Anglican churches in Canada. The God in heaven will give you success. God bless you!

Planting ANiC churches, RD Glenn “Now it is my turn and I have 32 seconds…”

Church planting working group has been meeting now for a couple of years. We are an advisory group. We advise the bishop. We:

1. Articulate theological foundations.
2. develop policies
3. receive applications for funding. The great irony is that these are applications for funding that we do not have, but we believe that the Lord will provide.
4. Provide training and support for church planters.

First business session – financial. Claus Lenk

Moved by Claus Lenk, seconded by Ray David Glenn.

Be it resolved that the financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, from the Charted accountants be received as presented”

Carried unanimously. Carry on treasurer, please, you are on a roll (Bishop Don)

Moved by Claus Lenk

“Be it resolved that the budget be adopted as presented”

Discussion has ensued…

Motion carried unanimously.

An ANiC Sojourner Fellowship

Building Christ’s Church in a Changing World.

Claus Lenk

I am speaking on behalf of Bishop Charlie, myself, and Mark ? reaching out to Anglican “orphans”

From “Orphans” to “Sojourners”

From Shelter to Mission

Church planting in Cyberspace. This is about social networking revolutionizing the way we act and think and do. We may prefer face to face relationships but it is just not possible often.

What would a Sojourner Fellowship do?

–Orphans connected into a fellowshipping community. An increased opportunity to participate in the life of the church.

–Available to minister to ANiC parishioners who cannot attend their churches

A Virtual parish.

A fellowship that will build the church by developing a virtual community with tools and resources to support individuals, grow local fellowships and expand the ministry of existing congregations.

Who would be part of the fellowship?

Primarily Anglican orphans, people who want to start an ANiC church who are not quite ready?

How do we get there?

Follow the ANiC church planting model
Take a step at a time
Self funding

For info contact soujourners@anglicannetwork.ca

Motion moved by Claus Lenk

Be it resolved to appoint the firm of Wormald and Co. as auditors of ANiC for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.

Carried unanimously.

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Synod Liveblog – Lay Conference

Nov 2nd, 2011 by

This talk is being recorded – I am not getting half of what he is saying, I strongly encourage you to watch the recording when it finally is up on the website.

Healthy, Holy and Missional: Rebuilding Anglican Leaders and Congregations in North America.

The Rev. Canon J. Philip Ashey
The American Anglican Council

Just waiting for everything to start….

Introductions and housekeeping, etc.

Opening prayer

“I am here today because I believe the local congregation is God’s plan A for transforming local congregations in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Plateaued and perplexed – getting our churches growing. We have 900 congregations. Roughly 700 of them are remnant groups who walked out of buildings or lost them. If we don’t do something in the next ten years these congregations may disappear. How can we contribute to Anglican 1000? How can we make these congregations grow?

Paradigm shift in the way we have to think about church.

From Gutenberg to Google. We have experienced a shift from a broadcast age to a digital era. Print era 400 years, broadcast era 40 years, we are now in the digital era.

Trying to force our Anglican churches into other models (Willow, Saddleback, etc.) doesn’t work. We may be able to learn from these models, but we can’t simply Anglicanize them and expect them to work.

There is a yearning for spiritual life in your community today, and this is the kind of yearning that we have to figure out what can we do as Anglicans that can draw these people to Christ rather than Edgar Casey?

We need to understand the increasingly secular and post – Christian culture in Canada.

The Church is becoming less theologically literate

Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life

Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating

The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church. We need to take this on in a winsome way.

The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible

As in the days of Nehemiah

Understanding our context as North American Anglicans

We need:

Evangelism

Discipleship

Local Community Outreach (God has placed us in a community that he desires us to transform)

Partnering with a Global South Anglican diocese (you will help the diocese, but they will help you in ways that you can’t begin to imagine).

Plant a church (in every congregation you will have people who are willing to and will choose to plant a church)

The model I am going to choose was field tested in Jerusalem over two thousand years ago. (Nehemiah rebuilding the walls)

Without the walls, the people could worship, but the enemies could disrupt the worship and demoralize them.

We in AniC have

Returned from a Babylonian captivity to false religion and an exile withing a religious culture hostile to our faith.

Re- established a place of true and faithful worship, but we are surrounded by the rubble and residue of the past.

What do we need to confess and repent

Pride: Anglicanism/tradition over mission

Sentimentality: Ritual over obedience

Presumption: Rugged individualism over community: Christianity without power.

Disobedience: Lack of discipleship and holiness

Anger: Dwelling on past hurts,

Sloth: Indifference to lost people

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the god of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:43

Are You Laying a Foundation in PRAYER?

A Prayer driven church: who are your intercessors?
Vital role of the Rector: Pastors who Pray for their People
Prayer Ministry coordinator: Teach the church to pray.
Specialized Prayer Teams: healing, deliverance, evangelism
Prayer Space: Prayer Rooms and Hours
Prayer Shield: Prayer covering for clergy and leaders

“Oh Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today…” Nehemiah 1:11

Have you assessed your ministry context?

Internal Assessing our congregation www.transformingchurch.net

Spiritual gift of the congregation can give you clues on where you should be focusing.

External Assessing our community

www.missioninsite.com

www.perceptgroup.com

A Better Process to Learn from Others

1. Calling from God
2. Assessing the Community
3. Examining ways God is working in similar communities
4. Finding God’s unique vision for your church
5. Adjusting that vision as you learn the context.

What are you ding to identify, recruit and equip leaders (lay and clergy)

Nehemiah 2:17

What is your Vision? Rebuilding the walls was the mission, the Vision was what Jerusalem would look like after the walls were build.

Vision answers the question “What is our goal?”

Nehemiah 2:17-18

We are going to move into small groups now….

What are your core values – and the disconnects?

Deep seated beliefs about what is important to our church and about our church’s place in the community and the world

Real commitments that drive a church day by day and how we operate

Principles and Practice of Biblical Stewardship.

Bishop John Guernsey

The handout for this session is such a good summary, that I will just scan and post it when I get the chance.

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CONTAGION: International Push for Same-Sex Blessings Spreads

Nov 1st, 2011 by

Read it all here:

Like a fast spreading virus, the recognition of same-sex unions is spanning the Anglican Communion. Events over the past three months suggest that the lack of consequences for violating the Communion’s moratorium on same-sex blessings have emboldened dioceses and provinces to expand or begin the practice.

In North America, some dioceses have approved and expanded same-sex blessings. In July, Canadian Bishop John Chapman began allowing parishes in the Diocese of Ottawa to perform same-sex blessings contingent on a written request to him and written permission for each instance. Previously, only one parish had permission “to bless permanent, intimate and loving couples of the same gender, civilly married” as a way to “test the Spirit.”

Eight Canadian dioceses permit the blessing of same-sex unions: New Westminster, Montreal, Niagara, Huron, Ottawa, British Columbia, Toronto, and Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The Anglican Church of Canada’s General Synod did not legislatively approve the blessing of same-sex unions at their last meeting in 2010. Instead, it published a report on sexual discernment that summarized the various discussions that took place at synod. The report acknowledged that blessings do occur as part of “the continuing commitment to develop generous pastoral responses” to gays and lesbians. Canadian Archbishop Fred Hiltz offered these actions as proof that the province was still exercising “gracious restraint.” The official word from the Anglican Communion Office was that “Canada has not formally breached the moratoria,” according to spokesperson Jan Butter.

[.....]

Even more disturbing than the increasing number of dioceses permitting same-sex blessings openly or by default, is the concerted effort by TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada to convince others to approve them. TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was invited to the South African Synod of Bishops in September where a key item of discussion was the pastoral guidelines. The bishops’ statement said they were “encouraged and energized” by her presentation, noting that, “While we acknowledge some differences between TEC and ACSA (for example, with respect to human sexuality), nevertheless we affirm the value of ongoing dialogues, exercised through truthfulness and sensitivity towards one another.”

In addition to the presiding bishop’s visit, TEC will also be attempting to promote acceptance of same-sex blessings in South Africa through an Indaba-style conference on human sexuality and justice issues to be held this month in Durban. The gathering is being convened by the Chicago Consultation, a coalition of TEC GLBT rights and social justice groups, and the Ujamaa Centre, a theological and ideological advocacy group based on liberation theology.

TEC also presented their case for same-sex blessings during the Inter Anglican Liturgical Consultation (IALC) meeting on marriage, held Aug. 1-6 in Canterbury, England. The consultation was to examine the “theology of marriage,” the “cultural contexts of marriage,” and the “shape and elements of the ritual,” but the agenda also included a presentation on same-sex blessings by the U.S. delegation led by Prof. Ruth Meyers of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and Bishop Thomas Ely of Vermont. The TEC representatives staged a mock blessing of the union of two women and invited conference attendees to take part in the liturgy and prayers. The new chair of the IALC, the Rev. Dr. Eileen Scully from the Anglican Church of Canada, was supportive of TEC’s presentation. However, a report in the Church of England Newspaper claimed one participant said the majority of the IALC members did not support it. While some believed it was unbiblical, others objected to TEC’s “aggressive” push to insert their agenda into a meeting that was supposed to focus on traditional marriage.

“What we’re seeing here is a spiritual sickness that is spreading from North America around the world. The longer the Communion’s leadership fails to effectively address the sickness, the further it spreads,” said American Anglican Council CEO, Bishop David Anderson.

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Diocese of Montreal: Tentative agreement reached on shared episcopal ministry

Oct 29th, 2011 by

From here:

MONTREAL—Bishop Leonard Whitten, retired bishop of Western Newfoundland, will provide some guidance to several clergy and parishes in the diocese of Montreal who disagree with its bishop’s positions on same-sex marriage if details of a tentative agreement can be worked out.

The tentative agreement on “shared episcopal ministry” was disclosed by Bishop Barry Clarke of Montreal Friday, Oct. 27, in his address at the opening eucharist of the annual diocesan synod. He described the move as a pastoral response to the concerns of parishes and clergy unable to accept positions he and the diocese have taken on the issue in recent years.

Rev. Canon Bruce Glencross, among critics of the diocesan positions, said in a conversation that the rough outlines of an agreement were worked out at a meeting October 19 between the two bishops and six clergy of the Montreal diocese, but a number of details remain to be settled.

He said some of the clergy are expected to request Bishop Whitten’s ministry as individuals without implicating their parishes; this will be the case for him and his own parish: St. John the Baptist in Pointe Claire. Some of the other parishes, he did not know which ones, would probably join their clergy in asking for this ministry.

Canon Glencross said the arrangement would help the affected parishes and priests adhere to their convictions within the Anglican Church of Canada.

Bishop Clarke said in his address that the accord is “a pastoral response to a need that needs to be addressed.” He said parishes and clergy availing themselves of the arrangement would still ultimately be under his authority.

“I would continue to be the diocesan bishop of both the bishop and the parishes.”

Considering those last two sentences, it’s hard to see how this makes much difference.

 

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Synod Liveblog

Oct 29th, 2011 by

Just a little reminder to everyone that I will be live blogging synod. Stay Tuned!

Posted in ANiC Synod 2011 | 1 Comment »

Bishop John Chapman’s charge to synod

Oct 28th, 2011 by

Wherein he declares that the recent negotiated settlement with ANiC established the diocese’s “title to our lands” (emphasis mine):

Before I begin this important task, I need to say something about our ongoing relationship and struggle with the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). We cannot be faithful stewards of Word, Sacrament and Ministry if we do not also attend to our difficulties and struggles. These matters may, on the surface, not seem “spiritual” or “prayerful” enough to warrant our attention and our resources – but they do. God is present in all of our activities, in our weakness, confusion and anger as much as in our prayers.

In this spirit, I am thrilled to be able to announce to you that, in short, our legal issues have concluded. Of course there are and will continue to be pastoral concerns and community problems that will continue to need attending, but our legal issues are resolved. I am grateful to everyone who shared in this process on both sides. It was our will from the very beginning that even in the midst of some very frustrating times, we would negotiate a peaceful resolution. You need to feel very proud of your negotiating group and the many who assisted behind the scenes include among others, Glenn Lockwood, Michael Herbert, David Selzer and Jude Green. They all served you well and represented our beloved diocese in a manner that was smart, compassionate and generous in spirit and intent. Our formal negotiating group included Chancellor Robin McKay, Steve Williams and Porter Heffernan from the firm of Emond Harnden, Dean Shane Parker, Solicitor Alan Winship, Vice-Chancellor Ann Bourke, the late Archdeacon Ross Moulton and me. We did our very best to act in a manner that would be consistent with what we presumed would be the wishes of this diocese.

While we compromised in some areas, we were at least able to establish title to our lands hence sell the property of St. George’s to ANiC and resume diocesan activity in St. Alban’s Church. Albeit whenever this kind of conflict arises, they do not conclude with a winner or loser. Rather, these are tragic times in the life of the church. There is so much more we could have been doing. I do however take some comfort and solace in the fact that given the circumstances that unfolded, we did our very best to be faithful witnesses to the faith that sustains us and, we intentionally took leadership from the Holy Spirit whom we sought in our prayers and actions. I also take comfort in being able to say to you that representatives from the “other side of the table” did likewise – thanks be to God.

What the bishop left out:

Since, as part of the settlement, the diocese paid St. Alban’s a sum, by the bishop’s reckoning that must mean that ANiC sold St. Alban’s to the diocese, establishing that the ANiC congregation owned St. Alban’s.

In actual fact, as I understand it, the negotiated settlement didn’t establish the ownership of anything, making bishop Chapman’s remarks little more than a wish fulfilment fantasy.

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