Vancouver Canada, Anglicans divided

A press release from ACiC:

Bishop Attempts to Evict Orthodox Congregations
26th June

The Anglican parish congregations of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour (formerly St. Andrew's) and St. Simon's, Deep Cove received notices threatening eviction from the Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. Bishop Ingham told the leadership of these churches that, unless they "reconsider the actions" taken, they are "to seek alternate worship space for those whom you lead." A third congregation, Richmond Emmanuel Church, (formerly Emmanuel Church, Richmond) received a "Notice of Closure" threat. Earlier in the Spring, the leadership of all three churches, in response to the actions of the Bishop and Diocese contrary to Holy Scripture, and with the unanimous support of their congregations, ended their relationships with the Diocese and Bishop. In letters dated March 29, 2004, the Priests and Wardens of these parishes said, "Therefore, and regrettably, as of this date, your services as our Bishop are no longer required and our relationship with you and with the Diocese of New Westminster is hereby severed. We are in a state of broken communion."

Two congregations (St. Simon's and Pender Harbour) who bought and paid for their church land and buildings have claimed ownership of their respective properties and resources. The Pender Harbour congregation told Bishop Ingham that..."Given that the trust relationship between the people of the Parish of St. Andrew's, Pender Harbour, (now Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour) and the Bishop and the Diocese of New Westminster has been broken by the actions of the Diocese and Bishop, and given that the land, church building and resources have been acquired, built and maintained wholly by the Anglican constituency of this community, it is our congregation's intention to retain the beneficial ownership of the said properties, buildings and resources for present and future orthodox Anglican ministry in this locale." The congregation at St. Simon's made a similar decision.

In the June 23rd letter Bishop Ingham claims that, "Parishioners may choose to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and worship elsewhere, but a Parish may not "leave" a Diocese nor declare that it is no longer part of the Anglican Church of Canada." He has made this claim before in demanding compliance with unorthodox positions he has taken. However, never before have three entire congregations chosen to break communion with their Diocese and Bishop, and be threatened with eviction for doing so. It is without precedent in Canadian Anglican history.

While the Diocese holds the property deed for Pender Harbour in trust for the parish, it is the people of that congregation and the community who have resourced, built and maintained the church and properties. St. Simon's, a separate legal entity, owns its church property and building, and the Diocese has no legal interest in it. It is the intention of both these congregations to retain the places of worship and ministry that they have worked so hard to build. Given that there are no remaining parishioners in either locale, the threatened eviction action of the Diocese and Bishop can only be seen as vindictive, punitive and financially manipulative, revealing a priority of possessions over people. Having been rejected by the Anglican constituency in these communities, the Diocesan leadership is now attempting to financially inhibit any continuing ministry by taking the congregations' buildings and resources.

All three churches remain Anglican congregations as members of the newly constituted Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC), a missionary body formed under the gracious sponsorship and legitimate Anglican authority of the Archbishops of Rwanda, SE Asia, Congo, Kenya and Central Africa in response to the present crisis of faith in the Anglican Church of Canada. These congregations, along with three other British Columbia congregations, presently continue their worship and community work under the temporary adequate episcopal oversight of the Rt. Rev. Thomas Johnston, an Anglican Mission in America Bishop. The ACiC is providing a place of spiritual integrity and safety from which congregations persecuted and threatened by their Diocesan government can continue authentic Anglican ministry, and a platform from which new churches, faithful to the true Anglican tradition, can be planted.

For further information please contact:

the Rev Ed Hird+, ACiC Acting Media Contact Person, ed_hird@telus.net 604-929-5350

http://www.acicanada.ca/
the Rev, Barclay Mayo, ACiC Acting Coordinator, Mission Strategy at 604-883-1371.