A letter in the Abbotsford Times:
An open letter to the people of St Matthew’s Anglican Church from the leadership of Mountain Park Community Church . . .
From time to time all of us face adversity. It is even more challenging to face adversity when it comes from those who are your family.
St. Matthews Anglican church is under adversity from their own family simply because they sought to stay true to the historically accepted and globally embraced convictions of their Anglican tradition.
At these times of adversity it is important to have people stand with you for support, encouragement and strength.
The following is a letter of support from Mountain Park Community Church to Saint Matthews Anglican Church:
To our brothers and sisters in Christ at St Matthew’s Anglican Church,
Please know that the Mountain Park Community Church continues to stand with you as you go through these difficult times.
As our brothers and sisters in Christ, we support you and continue to pray for you in the midst of uncertainty regarding your future worship space.
We respect the principled stand you took two years ago when you decisively voted to stand on the authority of scripture in spite of the attendant consequences.
Your grace under fire, your indomitable spirit, and your joy in the midst of suffering are an inspiration to all of us.
We are deeply saddened by the unnecessary ill-treatment you have suffered as a result, and are grieved that your stand might cost you the building you have built, paid for, worshipped in and maintained for many years.
As you stand for truth, the authority of God’s unchanging word set out in the Bible, the teaching of the church as it has been understood and taught throughout Christian history, and for the life-transforming good news of Jesus Christ, know that we stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
Like our city and country, our church community is enriched by diversity – with different histories and distinctives.
However, as a church, we are united by one common faith that demands we order our lives according to the clear teaching of God’s holy word as it has been understood since the beginning of the Christian church.
Abbotsford has been – and continues to be – blessed by St Matthew’s faithful ministry through the years.
We deeply value and are very grateful for your contribution to our community.
We believe that God has amazing things in store for St Matthew’s and that He will use this adversity to grow and prosper your ministry for your good and His glory – regardless of the building you worship in and carry out your ministry from.
Know that we as a sister congregation in Abbotsford support you, and are praying for you, as you continue to stand for the truth of God’s word and seek justice, and not eviction, from your church by the courts.
When Henry VIII broke away from Rome he didn’t surrender his buildings. He had replaced the Pope with the king. Catholicism continued in England, although it was subject to various forms of persecution, with most members going underground until 1832 when the Catholic Emancipation Act came into force. From Henry’s perspective it was okay to walk away with all the assets. From the Catholic perspective the English rebels took the dioceses away from the Mother Church in 1534. In today’s situation, who is the rebel? Should the rebel be allowed to keep its assets?
Michael – since you have gone back some 5 centuries to argue the ACoC cause may I point out a couple of unspoken discrepancies.
1. There is a great difference between political and spiritual rebellion.
2. The Church of England was in existance prior to Henry’s Tap dance on the Popes head. Similar but for less reason than when the Church of Rome earlier in history declared itself head of the Apostolic Christian Church, causing the “Great Schism between East and West.
3. The existing Christian Celtic Church before the Romans ever came to the Isles was eventually disbanded (or absorbed) by the Pope setting clear precedent.
4. None of this was right than nor can it be right now.
This letter is a beautiful example of that which is greater than the sum of its parts. ……… Love. Praise God.
Brilliant, just brilliant! I hope that our Christian brothers and sisters in Anglican Churches in Canada who are taking a stand know they have a great deal of love and prayers (as well as local action) in support of them throughout the world. Blessings on your heads & keep faithful.
Oh, and Michael – it’s a silly comparison. Henry was King of England and the conflict with the pope had little to do with the church, but much more to do with Henry’s autonomy as king and the desire to show the pope that he (Henry) ruled England, not the pope. He kept the buildings because they were on English soil and were part of his kingdom.
The ACoC has broken away from 20 Centuries of Christian morality in its approval of same-sex relationships – a morality based in the atoning work of Christ for his church. And the ACoC has abandoned centuries of Anglican teaching on Christian morality. And when they were rebuked by other provinces and bishops, and when the Archbishop of Canterbury asked them not to proceed with SSB’s to demonstrate their unity, they ignored him. So, who are the rebels? Quite clearly it’s the ACoC.
#4 – if you could get Canterbury to say something that clear, it would greatly help certain lawsuits.