FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 January 2009
Bishop Ronald Ferris, recently retired Bishop of Algoma (in Ontario), has announced that, effective immediately, he will minister as part of the Anglican Network in Canada under the Primatial jurisdiction of Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. Bishop Ferris is the third Canadian bishop to be received under Archbishop Venables for ministry in the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC).
While Bishop Ferris will focus primarily on church planting in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, he will be available to assist Bishop Donald Harvey in episcopal ministry.
“Bishop Ferris has been an unwavering advocate of orthodox Anglican and Christian beliefs and practices within the Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops,” said Bishop Harvey. “He has always supported the stand taken by the Anglican Network in Canada, even when the vast majority of his peers opposed us. Bishop Ferris is a gifted man of God who is highly respected in his former diocese and throughout Canada. He has a true pastor’s heart and is wholeheartedly dedicated to Christ’s ministry and service. I am grateful for the privilege of ministering together.”
“After 28 wonderful years as Bishop, first in the Yukon and then in Algoma, I am delighted to embark on a new challenge – new church development,” said Bishop Ferris. “My decision to relinquish the licence I held for so many years within the Anglican Church of Canada was not taken quickly or lightly. My wife and I deeply value our many years in Algoma and the Yukon and are thankful that during our time in Algoma the diocese remained united as a “communion partner diocese” and committed to upholding the teachings and disciplines of the Anglican Communion.”
Bishop Ferris retired September 30, 2008, having served as Bishop of Algoma since 1995. He had previously served as Bishop of the Yukon from 1981 until 1995. Bishop Ferris holds a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (1995) from Thorneloe University in Sudbury, Ontario, a Doctorate of Ministry (1995) from Pacific School of Religion in the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, as well as a Doctorate of Divinity (1982) from Huron College in London, Ontario. In 2004, Bishop Ferris was a candidate in the election for Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
A growing number of biblically faithful Anglicans in Canada, distressed by the seismic shift in the theology and practice of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC), have joined ANiC in order to remain in the mainstream of Anglicanism globally and historically. Today, ANiC numbers three bishops, 66 priests and deacons and 26 parishes with about 3200 Canadians in church on an average Sunday.
ANiC is under the Episcopal authority of Bishop Don Harvey and the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone (based in South America) – one of the 38 Provinces in the global Anglican Communion. The Anglican Church of Canada is also one of these 38 Provinces.
Members of the Anglican Network in Canada are committed to remaining faithful to Holy Scripture and established Anglican doctrine and to ensuring that orthodox Canadian Anglicans are able to remain in full communion with the vast majority of Anglicans around the world.
See, look what happens when I say “nothing’s happening”? I should get paid not to say that near people who like a quiet life.
PS: “While Bishop Ferris will focus primarily on church planting in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia”. I can think of a few folks who might be choking on their coffee regarding that one. I think that’s superb BTW – the church planting, not the coffee choking!
You really should, Peter….
I’m fine with the coffee choking, too—but maybe that’s just me.
Great news. That’s Canada covered then – West, Middle and East. Wonderful.
Welcome Bishop Ron. The mission field is great and the land is fertile. Plant away.
Actually it would be nice to have a Bishop for the whole of Ontario too. Bishop Harding in Manitoba is quite a way away although I know he will go anywhere.
It will be interesting to see how New Westminster tries to spin this…
The Anglican Journal had this
Remind me, was he that gracious with +Don and +Malcolm? At least they have got relinquished orders and licenses straight.
can someone fix my link that was supposed to be on ‘this’ ?
http://www.anglicanjournal.com/100/article/bishop-ferris-leaves-canadian-church/?cHash=6533a351f7
Fixed – admin
Won’t it just, Gordon! Do please email us any blog fodder you might come across on that subject.
Sorry I’ve been awol for the last little while, I just started homeschooling my eldest (K-6 section of the school is great, 7-8 not so much), and we’ve been a little busy around here….
Homeschooling – great! We homeschool our four, not easy but certainly worth it.
Good to hear – both a Bishop for the West and the homeschooling. We started homeschooling in ’87, so have successfully completed that phase…
And we homeschooled our four. Such a happy time.