An Oakville Diocese of Niagara church has this advertisement in a local paper:
Now, everyone is welcome in the Oakville ANiC parish too, of course; except we don’t feel the need to stress All or sexual orientation or anything else.
This leads me to speculate on whether this advertisement is an oblique pot-shot at ANiC; it couldn’t be though, could it? Surely not.
I wonder if I’d be welcome.
Only if you didn’t bring your camera….
Well I’d go but I think my beliefs as a fundie anglo-catholic would not be appreciated. Mind you they don’t mention one’s investment portfolios. So will I be judged on my natty attire from Value Village? I wonder if I brought some of my skid row friends along how they would deal with the bizarre behaviour some of them have? It seems that this sign leaves out a lot of possibilities re discrimination. Why didn’t they just say Jesus is our Saviour and he loves us all so come on in and welcome.
Heresy in the extreme and apostasy at its best – notice I did not say worst. If it were at its worst there would be a call to repentance and acceptance of both the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture. If beliefs mean nothing what is the need for any church – and with the name they have chosen one must as what are they trying to incarnate?
We can only advise persons to refrain from this invitation as they will be lead as “sheep to the slaughter”- that is to believe in some superior being but definitely not the God of the Scripture and definitely not in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Isn’t that the service where nobody shows up?
“Or any other label the world tries to put on you”
Neo-con?
Right-winger?
Bigot?
Homophobe?
Fundie?
Schismatic?
I find the bird interesting. The dove of Noah – trying to find a place to rest. Not the dove of the Holy Spirit – plunging downward with searing power.
#6 You are right, and if I recall correctly, God judged the world with a flood and wiped out everyone but Noah and his family. Seems a little narrow a story to evoke for such an inclusive church.
All I can say is “yeah, that’s going to get me up on Sunday morning and convince me to part with my hard-earned cash.” This advertisement has all the allure of weak, tepid tea. I say let them use this advertisement as much as they want – see how it well it works for them.
“regardless of your beliefs” ????
Does this mean that Jews, Mulsims, Hindus, Sieks, Budhists, Wickens, athiests, etc are all “welcome”? I have to wonder just what does “welcome” mean. Does it mean you are welcome to come and be changed by the Teachings of Jesus? Or does it mean you are welcome to come and not change at all, just keep on doing and believing what you already do?
#9…AMPisAnglican ~ Maybe it means you all are welcome to come and teach us your way and convert us….after all, we are really not Christians any longer, at least not those of us in the ACoC.
#10 The institution is certainly off the rails, but I wouldn’t generalize that to say that everyone who attends an ACoC church isn’t a Christian.
Kate – The only way one can attend (& support) an apostate enviornment or institution and remain Christian is if their motive is to change the apostate nature of said enviornment or institution. Technically this opposition places them outside the ecclesiastical nature of the ACoC and into a nether land of hope and time.
I believe Gerry was referring to those Anglicans who have abdicated the three fold nature of our church for a new paradygm.
I don’t think the situation is as black and white as that for a lot of people.