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  ANiC Newsletter: 25 March, 2013 ... pdf version
    

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ANiC news

Easter joy
Bishop Don has written ANiC members an Easter letter which is posted on the ANiC website. In the letter he discusses the enthronement of both Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby and relates his surprising encounter with the now pope while visiting Argentina five years ago. The letter begins with reflection on John 20:20: "Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord." Bishop Don writes:

Perhaps because it is an example of one of the greatest understatements in all of Holy Scripture, I find this to be one of the more memorable texts coming from the four accounts of the Resurrection! It certainly gives a whole new dimension to the word "glad" while at the same time declaring in a single sentence the emotions of credulity, surprise, and above all, joy as these men and women came to the realization that the broken, dead body they had placed in the tomb a couple of days before, now was alive, vibrant and above all triumphant.


ANiC news
ANiC and ACNA events calendar
April 4-7 – New Wineskins 2013 conference in Ridgecrest, NC
April 12-13 - Men’s seminar offered at Blackburn Hamlet Community Church (Ottawa, ON)  
April 17-19/20 – ANiC regional assemblies in both Vancouver and Burlington
April 27 – Bible-in-a-day seminar, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Richmond, BC)
May 7 – St Aidan’s appeal to be heard at Osgood Hall, Toronto
May 11 – Bible-in-a-day seminar, Robson Square (Vancouver, BC)
May 13-15 – ACNA clergy women’s retreat in Woodbridge, Virginia
October 21-27 – GAFCon 2 planned for Nairobi, Kenya


March 31 deadline looms for ANiC Assemblies
If you have not registered yet for one of the assemblies, please don't delay. Registration fees increase after March 31! Assembly information – including the agenda and a link to online registration – is available on the ANiC website. Also note that the special hotel rates negotiated for the assemblies end soon – if they haven’t already. Please check our website for details.

All are welcome to register and enjoy the fellowship, spiritual encouragement and practical ministry wisdom the assemblies offer. You don't need to be an official delegate. Just register as an observer.

For those attending the eastern assembly, full descriptions of the workshops – which are offered twice during the Assembly – are posted on the ANiC website.


60 minutes to feature ANiC Assembly speaker
On Sunday evening, March 31, CBS’s 60-Minutes news program will feature a two-part update to their 2001 story on the Lost Boys of Sudan. It follows the “lost boys” from a refugee camp to North America and well into adulthood. Bishop Abraham Nhial – a featured speaker at ANiC’s combined Assembly in Vancouver, April 17-20, will be among those profiled in the story.

In his talks in Vancouver, Bishop Abraham will share his life journey as well as speak to the current situation in Sudan and South Sudan. Even if you aren’t able to attend the entire Vancouver Assembly, you can come to Bishop Abraham’s presentation on Thursday evening, April 18 at Good Shepherd Church in Vancouver. No registration required for this free, public evening session. See the ANiC website and agenda for details.


ANiC member shares expertise on Shroud of Turin
On
March 27, Professor Phillip Wiebe will speak at Trinity Western University (Langley, BC) on the topic of “The Shroud of Turin: Authenticity and Significance for Theology”. See the university website for details.


Bible-in-a-Day seminars in BC
St John’s Richmond (BC) is hosting the Bible-in-a-Day course, April 27, 930am – 3:30pm, at the Melville Centre for Dialogue at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 8771 Lansdowne Rd, Richmond, BC. St John’s Richmond developed the course back in 2009. BIAD; this is the first time this seminar will occur outside a church setting. The Revs Sean Love and Ben Roberts are the presenters. Bible-in-a-Day will be held again on May 11, starting at 9:30am, in Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. Information and online registration for all sessions is available online.


A heart for world missions
Speaking to the 2013 Anglican 1000 summit, the Rev Bill Haley talked about the importance of instilling World Missions “DNA” in new churches. He told the assembled church planters that an inner city congregation he planted, right from the beginning, designated 30 per cent of the budget for world missions.

At that same event, Anglican Relief and Development Fund screened a new, (almost) 7-minute video which shows how ARDF’s sustainable development work is making a profound difference by helping Anglican churches in the Global South serve the deep needs in their communities. The video focuses on a vocational training centre established by the church in Aru in NE Congo – with ARDF funding – which is retraining unemployed ex-soldiers and giving them marketable carpentry skills – as well as introducing them to new life in Christ. This video would be appropriate to show during church services.

ARDF-Canada (or ARDFC) is currently supporting a similar initiative in Recife, Brazil. The funds we raise are building a training centre operated by the Diocese of Recife. You can see more on this project here, including a video of the pastor of the church with whom we are privileged to partner in this work. Additional ARDFC materials which can be used within the church setting are posted on the ARDFC website. ARDFC has “ambassadors” within most ANiC congregations. If your congregation does not yet have an ambassador and you’d like to volunteer, please email Ed Lewis. ARDFC is able to offer charitable donation receipts for Canadian tax purposes.


Help us keep up-to-date
With more that 1500 pages on our website now, we depend on help from our friends to alert us when we’ve missed updating information. Please check your congregation’s webpage on the ANiC site and let us know if anything needs updating. Also, if you find anything else either missing, incorrect, or simply “old”, please do let us know. You can contact Marilyn (communication) or Daniel (webmaster). Also, be sure to alert us to any news from your congregation that will be of interest to the broader ANiC community.


ANiC parish resources
Does your parish have its own logo? If not, check on the ANiC website where you’ll find already created parish logos using the ANiC shield. Logos and other parish resources can be downloaded from the  ANiC website.


Archdeacon to make rapid descent
It’s all for a good cause. Archdeacon Darrell Critch has announced that he will rappel from the heights of Atlantic Place – one of St John’s, NL highest buildings this July as part of fundraising for Easter Seals Newfoundland. Drop Zone 2013 participants traditionally dress up as a super hero, however Darrell+ believes the children at Easter Seals are the real heroes so he plans to not pretend to be one. Instead, he will wear his cassock. Where once we had the Flying Nun, now we have the Falling Priest. If you wish to support Darrell+ in this descent, you can donate online. For more information about the St John's Easter Seals Drop Zone 2013, visit www.thedropzone.ca


Parish news
St Aidan’s (Windsor, ON) – The appeal of an earlier, 15 August 2011 court decision, involving St Aidan’s (ANiC) and the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of Huron will be heard before the Ontario Court of Appeals on May 7 at Osgood Hall in Toronto. Please remember this appeal in your prayers. If you would like to support St Aidan’s appeal, please send your donation to ANiC, designated for the legal fund.

Eternal Hope Anglican Church (Carleton Place, ON) received great local media coverage in connection with the ordination of the Rev Dave Kemp to the diaconate.

Good Samaritan (St John’s, NL) also got excellent media coverage with a terrific full-page article in The Telegram. The story revolves around Good Samaritan’s partnership with the Easter Seal’s House both in sharing a facility and in ministry. Good Samaritan’s heart for the poor and disabled found a good fit with Easter Seal’s mission. The resulting facility arrangement is working extraordinarily well for both.

Please email parish news to Marilyn or call 1-866-351-2642 ext 4020.


Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) news

Anglican 1000 video posted
Key sessions from the recent Anglican 1000 church planters’ summit in Wheaton, Illinois are now posted on AnglicanTV.


Reconciliation or peacemaking
Controversy has swirled around the actions of ACNA priest the Rev Tory Baucum, rector of Truro Church in Virginia, whose commitment to peacemaking led him to forge a friendship with (US) Episcopal Church Diocese of Virginia’s Bishop Shannon Johnston. This relationship was them showcased by Archbishop Justin Welby as an example of reconciliation overcoming differences. However critics point out that those theological differences go to the heart of the Gospel where there is no room for compromise. While Bishop Johnston had assured Tory+ of his orthodox theological beliefs, his actions over the past few weeks, immediately following the event in England which the friendship had been profiled as exemplary, demonstrated that his belief system was far from orthodox. Now, in light of Bishop Johnston’s actions, both Tory+ and his ACNA bishop, Bishop John Guernsey, have written saying that
“this relationship with Bishop Johnston can no longer continue”.


Diocese of San Joaquin update
Two churches in ACNA’s Diocese of San Joaquin have decided to relinquish their buildings rather than continue the financially crippling legal battles.


Bishop Chuck Murphy’s heir named
VirtueOnline reports that Bishop Philip Jones of All Saints Dallas will succeed Bishop Church Murphy as Apostolic Vicar of The Anglican Mission (formerly AMiA) in December 2013. The Anglican Mission has been a friend of the ACNA.


Other news in brief

Canada
LifeSiteNews reports that
“Canada’s House of Commons voted 149 to 137 [corrected final vote was 150 to 137] on Wednesday evening to pass an NDP-backed bill that would add “gender identity” to the Canadian Human Rights Act… The bill has been controversial, with critics arguing that the bill would effectively abolish the distinction between male and female under Canadian law.” Of those voting, all members of the opposition parties – NDP, Liberal, Green and Bloc – supported the bill. However, it only passed because 17 Conservative MPs, including four cabinet ministers, voted for the bill. See the LifeSiteNews article for insight into the potential implications of this bill.


The Anglican Church of Canada’s Council of General synod (CoGS) has determined that General Synod will not be asked to make a determination on the
Anglican Covenant when it meets this summer. “Instead, the governing body will consider a motion that continues the conversation and delays a final decision… until the next General Synod in 2016.”


The Anglican Church of Canada Council of General Synod (COGS) honoured
Roger Spack (Diocese of Montreal and a former board member of Anglican Essentials Canada) with one of the four Anglican Awards of Merit announced this month.


United States
Professor
Ephraim Radner (Wycliffe College, Toronto) wrote an Amicus Curiae letter to the Texas Supreme Court bringing to the court’s attention the actions of the US Episcopal Church (TEC) in disciplining bishops who signed an earlier amicus brief submitted to that court – which argued a position that opposed TEC’s legal position on the hierarchy within the US Episcopal Church. He concludes, “the actions of the Appellees [TEC] amount… to intimidation and vindictive behavior against citizens who are honestly and disinterestedly engaging in sharing their expertise with the court.”

Bishop Daniel Martins, one of the bishops facing TEC’s discipline, reacted to criticism of the “Accord” that the bishops signed. While defending the decision to sign and explaining his understanding of the implications, he also writes
”Today, I think it's safe to say that all nine of us are processing some degree of anger and are feeling substantially alienated… We feel manipulated and victimized. We are nowhere near happy about this outcome, even though we stand by our decision to accept the Accord.” He concludes, “So we opted to cut our losses and live to fight another day. We did not compromise on anything of essential importance.


The now independent Diocese of
South Carolina has pointed out that, by suing the diocese in the Federal Court while the case is still before the state court, TEC is pitting the two courts against each other. “The national church’s suit is an apparent effort to move a state property rights case to a court that might support the denomination’s seizure of local assets,” said the Rev Jim Lewis, Canon to Bishop Lawrence. “It seems to be more focused on undermining the state court’s authority and prolonging the litigation than addressing the underlying issue.”


England
Archbishop Justin Welby was ceremonially enthroned as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury on March 21. His election to the office had been confirmed in a legal ceremony on February 4. Media focused on the fact that a female cleric – the Venerable Sheila Watson, Archdeacon of Canterbury – enthroned Archbishop Welby. You can see a guide to the elaborate event, the sermon preached by the Archbishop, and Canon Chris Sugden’s report on the event.

Among the many letters the new Archbishop received was one from the GAFCon Primates – leaders of the Ugandan, Nigerian, Kenyan, Sudanese, Rwandan, and Southern Cone (in South America) Churches. The key point in their letter was
“We encourage you to stay true to the 'faith once delivered to the saints' and as you do we will stand with you for the sake of Christ.” There had been rumors earlier that many Global South Primates would boycott the enthronement over the Church of England’s move to allow clergy in same-sex partnerships to become bishops. VirtueOnline provides some insight into the behind-the-scenes arrangements to accommodate both the theologically “liberal” Primates and the Fellowship of Confessing Anglican/GAFCon Primates at the enthronement ceremony and attendant activities.

Presiding Mouneer Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East) also wrote urging Archbishop Welby to correctly diagnose the theological gaps within the Communion,
“…to use a more collegial and participatory approach, rather than a central approach, when dealing with matters of the Communion”, and to resist cultural pressures to compromise Biblical teaching.

For more on the Archbishop himself, EV News provides insight into the complex influences on his life. The author notes the strong evangelical influence of Holy Trinity Brompton and his involvement in Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU) during his student days. His Christian influences are broader, however:
“Alongside his Evangelical heritage, Welby has been strongly influenced by Anglo-Catholic and Roman Catholic spirituality. For the last decade he has been a Benedictine oblate, attached to Elmore Abbey near Newbury and committed to following Benedict's Rule in his daily life. He has a Roman Catholic spiritual director, Nicolas Buttet, founder of the Eucharistein community in Switzerland.” The article also conveys Archbishop Welby’s fervent and confident commitment to evangelism: “The task of the church, he insists, is 'to go out and ... to reconvert our land, to transform its society and all that goes with it.'” For more insight into the man, you can read the unauthorized biography of Archbishop Welby which has just been released.

In the current edition of Anglican Unscripted, hosts, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger discuss all the current controversies and news in the Anglican world including the new Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement, the irregularities in the election of a Primate for the Tanzanian church and issues involving the Rev Tory Baucum, Rector of the Anglican Church of North American’s Truro Anglican Church.


Rome
Bishop Gregory Venables (Argentina), a long-time friend and supporter of ANiC, is also a close friend of Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. Bishop Greg says the pope
“is a devout Christian and friend to Anglicans, who has stood in solidarity with the poor against government corruption and social engineering… He is consistently humble and wise, outstandingly gifted yet a common man. He is no fool and speaks out very quietly yet clearly when necessary.” Anglican Ink reported that the pope considered the Anglican Ordinariate established by his predecessor quite unnecessary. Bishop Greg and Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio frequently worked together on social issues, especially recently in recent years as the political elite in Argentina have made it their personal mission to bring down the Cardinal and the Catholic Church.

The Anglican Communion News Service reports that among the many guests at Pope Francis’ inauguration was the leader of the Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew – the first time a patriarch from the Istanbul-based church has attended a papal investiture since the east and west branches of Christianity split nearly 1000 years ago.


France
LifeSiteNews reports that 1.4 million people march through the streets of Paris in support of traditional marriage and demanding that the French people be allowed to decide the future of marriage by referendum. The report states that
“A bill which has passed the National Assembly is set for a debate and vote in the Senate April 4-12. Despite massive public opposition it is likely to pass with the strong backing of Socialist President François Hollande.”


New Zealand
In May, the Rt Rev Philip Richardson will be installed as the new Archbishop of New Zealand – one of three archbishops leading the tri-partite Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. He succeeds Archbishop David Moxon, the Anglican Communion’s recently appointed chief ambassador to the Roman Catholic Church.


Egypt
The Anglican News Service reports that five Egyptian Churches – the Coptic Orthodox, the Catholic, Evangelical (Presbyterian), Greek Orthodox and Anglican – have joined together to form the Egypt Council of Churches. In the announcement, Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis, leader of Egypt’s Anglicans, said “It is so important that this council is born at this time while Egypt is going through a very challenging circumstance politically, socially and economically. It means a lot for the churches to face these challenges together with one heart and soul."” 


Tanzania
Bishop Bill Atwood, writing in a recent American Anglican Council newsletter (received by email), discusses the election of a Primate for the Church of Tanzania. Not only was the election itself fraught with irregularities, but immediately following the election the current Primate’s home was attacked by thugs in the middle of the night. While the Archbishop and his family were not hurt, the night watchman was severely injured.


Nigeria
International Christian Concern reports that, once again, at least twenty people have been killed by a series of bombings targeting buses in a predominantly Christian neighbourhood of Kano. Once again, the Islamist militant group Boko Haram is thought to be the perpetrator.


Soul food

Just for laughs
A client brought a litter of Golden Retriever puppies to the local veterinary clinic for inoculations and worming.

As the look-alike pups squirmed over and under one another in their box, the experienced vet realized it would be difficult to tell which had been treated and which hadn't. The vet turned on the water faucet, wet her fingers and moistened each dog's head as she finished giving each one the necessary shots.

After the fourth puppy, the vet noticed her hitherto talkative client had grown silent and was looking rather reverent.

As the animal doctor sprinkled the last pup's head, the owner leaned forward and whispered, "I didn't know they had to be baptized, too."

www.mikeysFunnies.com


Thought
Young people need models, not critics. ~ John Wooden (Legendary basketball coach)


And now a word from our sponsor
How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him… so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

…present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

… For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 6 ESV



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