This occurred in the US, but I fear it could be a harbinger of what we might face in Canada if ANiC loses the legal battle. From the The Saint Barnabas’ Blog:
The ongoing saga of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, New York has much to tell us about the spiritual health of the Anglican church in North America. The saga began several years ago when the thriving congregation at the Good Shepherd decided to withdraw from the Episcopal Church because they could no longer stomach the liberal and non biblical direction which the national church was heading in.
There then began a bitter legal wrangle concering the ownership of the Church building. The Episcopal Church pumped a fortune into legal fees in order to claim that those wanting to depart were abandoning the faith of the church founders. They won the court case and were able to claim the property, funds and fabric of the church. What was deeply unpalatable at this stage was the manner in which the Diocese served very short notice on the priest, a family man with four children, to vacate the vicarage. Why was this so cruel? Because they had no need for the property prefering to leave it padlocked and empty than support a Christian family in crisis. For details of that sorry episode you can click here.
Rather wonderfully the Catholic church came to the rescue offering the abandoned congregation a place in which to worship. That congregation has since doubled, a clear sign of God’s blessing, wheras the church that remained has dwindled and died. Now for the really revealing part of this very shoddy episode….
…having claimed that those leaving were not able to uphold the desires of the church founders the Diocese of New York has spitefully sold the building, at a third of the cost the congregation were offering, to the Muslims! How truly shameful that the Episcopal authorities were so full of hatred and malice that they could stoop to such depths. This is undoubtedly the first ever instance of a major Christian body throwing a thriving congregation from their church building only to sell it to a non Christian organisation. Am I alone in thinking that those involved are exposed as being very little people, easily threatened and lacking in grace and charity? Why could they not allow the people to remain in the building they had maintained and cared for? Why did they refuse to even sell the building too them instead adding a legal caveat on the sale of the property barring the new owners from doing business with the original congregation? After all they did not need the building and could have supported a Christian presence for the community.
I have been told that similar circumstances happened during the departure of those against WO. they formed the Anglican Catholic Church in Canada and I have been told by certain priests, that to this day it is impossible for the ACCiC to purchase anything from the ACoC. I hope someone from the ACCiC can verify this. If this second hand information is true it speaks to the blindness of those of us, myself included, who now may be in similar circumstances.
Maybe your article should be called “God’s Forces At Work.” Why? Clearly once Good Shepherd cut free from TECUSA and after a painful departure moved out from under their dark cloud, God blessed them – with a new rectory, and worship space, and… drum roll please… a doubling of the congregation. Do I hear an AMEN!?
Yes, of course the diocese should have swallowed their pride an sold the properties to the people of Good Shepherd, but look what God can do when people take a stand for the Gospel.
This incident and the current cases now before the Supreme Court in British Columbia shows the truth expressed in Phillippians 3:17-21 and even more directly in Ephesians 6:12. We are indeed called to stand for the Gospel – Ephesians 6:13-18. We know who controls the apostates and he will show no mercy or compassion for those faithful to the Gospel.
This is further evidence that the TECUSA and the ACoC have lost any and all claims to be Christian. They have relented and are ready and willing to serve the gods of political correctness and social acceptance.
Frank, when you speak of TEC and the ACoC that way, I expect you’re referring to the overall leadership and general direction of these organizations. We can’t forgot that there continue to be some godly people (including a few bishops) in both organizations who need our prayer support. I expect the pressure on the orthodox is inversely proportional to their size. As their ranks dwindle, the spiritual opposition is likely intensifying. We need to pray for their witness to the truth of God’s Word and for their spiritual protection.
When the Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church wanted to buy a long unused Anglican Church building in Porquis Junction, Ontario, he was told that he could buy it but could not use it to hold services. So this is not something new.
For Joy #4
I am aware that there are some – albeit few – bishops and other clergy that claim to be orthodox. However, we have yet to see any real action by any of them to challenge the advance of the apostates. The tragedy is that their lack of action is and will continue to lead many from the faith. The “proof of the pudding” so to speak will show at the General Synod coming up in Halifax as well as their support, or lack thereof, of the orthodox congregations with regard to the property disputes. I am confident you understand there can be no unity between orthodoxy and apostasy but despite this fact it appears that those bishops and clergy that claim to be orthodox are content to try and unite the two or worse still sit back and hope apostasy will go away. These need to read carefully the Scripture passages and analyze their action or lack thereof to see if they are indeed honouring their vows made at their ordination. Failure on their part is leading many from the faith. We do have the promise that “the gates of hell will not prevail” but that promise is null and void if we, collectively or individually, are determined to “spit in God’s face”.
We do indeed pray for courage on the part of those who claim to be orthodox but also pray for the conversion and repentance of the apostates.
The ACCiC did buy, or have use of, a former ACoC church building in the Gander Bay area of Newfoundland. The last time I looked at the ACCiC website, however, that mission was not listed, so it may not have been a successful venture.
Frank # 6 “However, we have yet to see any real action by any of them to challenge the advance of the apostates.” Their very presence is a challenge, besides I’m sure in the Christian sense there is no advance. Any possible perceived forward movement is both temporal and temporary. To paraphrase “They have but a short time.”
For Stuck in Toronto (I really feel sorry for you!!)
The very presence of those who claim to be orthodox might be a challenge. However, I would tend to believe that if there was some sign of their opposition to the apostasy that clearly reigns within the ACoC. One such sign would be clear and direct opposition to the actions by the Diocese of New Westminster and Niagara with respect to properties of orthodox parishes. Tragically the facts demonstrate the claimed orthodox bishops and clergy have resigned themselves to live with apostasy.
OK Frank, I told ya before, If you live in such a paradise – invite me for tea – or somethin! We all live with apostasy, it’s how we do it that matters. Many that I have heard from who currently remain in tec and acoc, do the “how” IAW scripture.
Is this their idea of love and charity with their neighbours?
I wonder if they are still using the BCP where it says; Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith……
For Joyce #11
They may well use the words but they use their own translation. Until they come to repentance and true faith, there will never be any change. Their master is definitely not the same as our MASTER.
I agree with Don’t Panic. God is good. Praise to Him. The diocese turned down an offer from the departing parish for an amount that was three times the amount the Muslims gave them. So the diocese sells the property for a song and rightly gets public opprobrium whereas Father Matt’s parish gets a larger worship space. Sweet irony.
Is this any surprise…… It will happen here, over and over and over for any ANiC or other churches who are of anglican descent that try to purchase a defunct Anglican ACoC church……
Seriously folks, let them close the doors and sell them or let them rot. It is a shame that the ACoC will go this route, but they will, they won’t be able to help themselves. It will be the old “Don’t get angry, get even” thing with them only they will get even in anger.
blessings all.