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Archbishop Venables declines ACC request to stay away
Despite a request by ACC Archbishop Fred Hiltz’s to stay out of the country, Archbishop Greg Venables will attend ANiC’s “Compelled by Christ’s Love” in Vancouver this weekend. In an open letter on the internet, Archbishop Hiltz told Archbishop Greg his visit “…represents a breach in what is considered normative in protocol among Primates and Bishops throughout the Communion,” Archbishop Hiltz added that the visit would “…further harm the strained relations between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Anglican Network in Canada.” The letter was publicly released before being received by Archbishop Greg and two days before his scheduled arrival in Vancouver. Archbishop Greg told the Globe and Mail “My number is there on the Anglican Communion network… this is only my humble opinion, but if somebody really wants to talk to me, they can pick up the phone and talk to me. Do you write a personal letter, between primates, on the Internet if you seriously want a personal dialogue?”
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The Anglican Journal reports – Archbishop Greg declined the request. |
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Read the Globe and Mail story – 22 April 2008, Anglican Primate blasts South American rival |
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Read the National Post story – 22 April 2008, Anglican leader pulls rival’s welcome mat |
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Diocese of New Westminster’s version – Archbishop of Canterbury recognizes only Anglican Church of Canada |
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The Vancouver Sun – 22 April 2008, Archbishop against gay unions ignores plea … |
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Canadian Press, 23 April 2008 – Anglican church warns against visit … |
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CBC, 24 April 2008 – Controversial bishop’s visit threatens to further rift among Anglicans |
ANiC national conference opens tomorrow
Archbishop Greg will celebrate and worship with well over 300 registered guests gathering in Delta, BC for the ANiC Compelled by Christ’s Love conference. The event, which will feature a number of global Anglican Communion leaders, will culminate Saturday afternoon in a special service of celebration, commissioning and communion. Also on Sunday, Archbishop Greg will speak at St John’s (Shaughnessy) in Vancouver, while other Communion leaders will speak in other ANiC churches in the area. For conference information, see our website.
Anglican clergy deny charges
On April 21, clergy in six British Columbia Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) churches denied charges they have abandoned their ministry. In February, Bishop Michael Ingham of the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of New Westminster issued a “Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of the Exercise of the Ministry” to nine Anglican priests and two ordained deacons. These priests and deacons – including world renowned theologian, the Rev Dr J I Packer – all serve in churches where parishioners had voted to join the Anglican Network in Canada.
In their response, the clergy and deacons point out the glaring lack of evidence as required by church canons (bylaws). The clergy conclude their response by declaring: “We have… determined that in order to uphold our ordination vows, we must leave your jurisdiction, and by this letter, we hereby relinquish the licenses we hold from the Bishop of New Westminster. Each of us will receive a license to continue our present parish ministries from Bishop Donald Harvey. In this way, we will be able to continue our Anglican ministry within the Anglican Church, under the jurisdiction of and in communion with those who remain faithful to historic, orthodox Anglicanism and as part of the Anglican Communion worldwide.” See our news release and the Anglican Journal coverage.
Anglican Church of Canada rejects alternatives to litigation
Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, at their April 14-18 meeting, declined an ANiC request for national-level negotiations over church property. In a letter to the Anglican Church of Canada’s (ACoC) bishops, Bishop Don had asked for a meeting of representatives from the ACoC and ANiC to discuss alternatives to litigation over property disputes. But the Anglican Journal reports that the bishops brushed off the offer of high-level talks, saying it was a diocesan matter and “…any meetings need to occur with the appropriate parish and diocesan leadership”. Archbishop Hiltz also claimed it would be difficult to begin talks while court is on-going. “We can’t be weighing in once the processes are started,” he said. But as a blogger questioned, “…is it not possible for parties to drop a case in light of out of court settlements?”
Bishop Don said he was disappointed but not surprised. He said he was fully aware of the sensitivities of "diocesan autonomy" but “…had hoped the Primate would have attempted to facilitate negotiations between the dioceses and the Anglican Network parishes.”
Federation asks bishops to challenge innovations
Anglican Essentials Federation also sent a letter to the bishops asking that church stop innovations which effectively changed church doctrine when not challenged. In a news release, April 20, the Federation expressed disappointment that the HoB's report seemed to indicate that the Federation request was not addressed.
Historic confirmations
Twenty-six adults at the Church of the Good Shepherd (Vancouver) received the “apostolic rite of laying on of hands in Confirmation” on April 20 in a service conducted by Bishop Don. This was the first ANiC Confirmation service and the first at Good Shepherd in many years. “It was a very moving service for me, and for all who participated,” reported Bishop Don, who also commissioned parish leaders as they undertook their roles in the new structure. The first Sunday of May will see both a Confirmation and an Ordination at St. Albans, in Ottawa.
More clergy granted ANiC licences
Bishop Don has issued more licences under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. This brings the number of licenced ANiC clergy to 22: two bishops, 18 priests and two deacons. The new ANiC priests are:
Joy Vernon (Duncan, BC)
Paul Charbonneau (Oakville, ON)
Gerald Brodie (St Catharines, ON)
Charles Masters (Lowville, ON)
Ray David Glenn (Lowville, ON)
Bishop Don will ordain two more clergy this Sunday, April 27: the Rev Dr Ken Deeks (Church of the Resurrection, Hope, BC) to the priesthood; and Jim Salladin (St John’s Shaughnessy, Vancouver) to the diaconate. This will be a joint Ordination service with the Anglican Coalition in Canada (ACiC), our Common Cause Partner, ordaining a deacon.
Support for GAFCon delegates
Bishop Don has written ANiC parishes requesting support for ANiC delegates attending GAFCon.
If you wish to support delegates to GAFCon you can send your cheque, payable to Anglican Network in Canada, to: Claus Lenk, Treasurer, Anglican Network in Canada, Box 1013, Burlington, ON, L7R 4L8.
Membership choice
Thanks to everyone who responded so far to our request to let us know how you wish your Network membership designated under the new structure – as an ANiC membership or a AEN membership. Please note that you can join ANiC or transfer between AEN and ANiC after the April 28 requested reply date. However, your prompt responses will help us organize our records. Finally, please let us know if you change your email address – either by emailing or simply replying to an email from us.
News shorts – Canada
More media coverage of Anglican Network in Canada
VirtueOnLine, 22 April 2008 – Orthodox Canadian Anglicans set to make ecclesiastical history
VirtueOnLine, 20 April 2008 – Anglican Church of Canada chooses litigation over negotiation
Anglican Journal, 18 April 2008 – Bishops decline request from network for national talks
LifeSiteNews.com, 22 April 2008 – The split widens: Leader of traditional Anglicans to speak…
Orthodox Canadian bishop resigns. Takes parish in Dallas
The Rt Rev Tony Burton, Bishop of Saskatchewan, is resigning to take on ministry in Dallas, Texas. Bishop Burton, an orthodox Anglican says it was a difficult decision to make, but adds the call to Texas is a "positive" one. A source told VOL that Burton is a user and defender of the classic Prayer Book (Canada 1962). Burton is a mainstream Anglican and, while orthodox, is not a part of GAFCON. See the Anglican Journal story.
News shorts – USA and North America Lambeth
Another church leaves TEC; changes name
The exodus from the Episcopal Church (TEC) continues in the US. For example, Good Shepherd Church in Tomball, Texas, has become St. Timothy's Anglican Church, after recently splitting from TEC. The Houston Chronicle reports that the Rev. Stan Gerber, most of his staff and an expected majority of churchgoers will worship in a local junior high school. Gerber says, "The culture has begun to influence the church, rather than the church influencing the culture." In his farewell sermon Sunday, Gerber said he could "…no longer stand by and adhere to false teachings of the leadership of the national church."
TEC bishops reject early meeting to depose Bishop Duncan
A special May meeting that was planned for a vote to depose Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh has been scrapped. The Living Church reports that the Canon to the Presiding Bishop announced April 16 that members of the House of Bishops voted not to meet before the Lambeth Conference in July. Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori had polled TEC bishops April 8 on whether to hold an extraordinary meeting in May.
News shorts – International
Lambeth
The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a video message on YouTube (with transcript here), says he would like the Lambeth Conference to be a time for bishops to encounter God and each other – as well as a time to equip them to be better bishops. Speaking of the proposed Covenant, he said, “We don’t want Lambeth conference to be creating a lot of new rules, but we do obviously need to strengthen our relationships and we need to put those relations on another footing.”
The Church of England Newspaper reports that bishops attending the Lambeth Conference will be asked to affirm their willingness to abide by the recommendations of the Windsor Report and work towards the creation of an Anglican Communion Covenant. Bishops attending Lambeth must have a "…willingness to work with those aspects of the [Lambeth] Conference's agenda that relate to implementing the recommendations of [the Windsor Report], including the development of a Covenant," Dr. Williams wrote in his Advent pastoral letter of 14 December 2007.
Robinson is Lambeth-bound despite lack of invitation
The openly gay US bishop at the forefront of the crisis dividing the Anglican Communion is to “marry” his partner in June and attend the 2008 Lambeth Conference in Canterbury this summer, despite not being invited. Bishop Gene Robinson will also be in the UK next week promoting his new book. The Times Online reports his presence at the Lambeth Conference may put a wrench in Archbishop Rowan Williams' plans to distance Lambeth from the issue.
Worthwhile reading: Bishop of Recife interview
In an informative interview with David Virtue, the Rt Rev Robinson Cavalcanti discusses his journey since being deposed in 2005 by the liberal primate of Brazil because of his orthodoxy. The contrast with another bishop not invited to Lambeth, Bishop Robinson, is stark.
Church of Nigeria denounces claims of violence
The Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin A. Kwashi has responded to allegations attempting to link a reported attack on a Changing Attitudes leader in Nigeria to the Anglican Church or GAFCon leaders. The Archbishop for the Province of Jos, eloquently points out the absurdity of these allegations and the trigger-happy statements from British bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury. He says in part, "Simply to accuse the Anglican Church of being the perpetrator of a physical attack on the streets of a large [Nigerian] city does not make sense. If a Nigerian Bishop or church leader were mugged in England, would the Archbishop of Canterbury, or even the Church of England in general, be blamed for this? That the Archbishop of Canterbury, backed by a group of English bishops should – without evidence being presented – choose to accuse any other person(s) of resorting to violent crime and illegal acts, is in fact to resort to the unchristian bullying and behaviour which they so abhor.”
Arson kills 19 girls in Ugandan Anglican school
Ten school employees were held in connection with a fire that killed 19 Ugandan schoolgirls, a senior police official said Saturday. The officer said police suspect that Monday's fire at Budo junior school was started by arsonists. Witnesses reported a loud bang as the building burst into flames. The doors to the dormitory had been locked from outside, forcing young survivors to struggle through tiny windows as their sleeping quarters filled with smoke. Police are following two leads involving disgruntled school staff. Thousands of people attended a prayer service for the dead girls in the capital Friday, where Anglican Bishop Samuel Balagadde Sekadde spoke of 10-year-old Yvonne Namaganda, who rescued six of her classmates before being overcome by fumes when she returned to help a seventh. Please keep in your prayers the surviving children and all the families affected by this tragedy. Tragic details of the fire can been found here.
Evangelism-discipleship behind Province’s growth
It's intensive but a new church growth program in the Anglican Church in Nigeria is causing membership and discipleship to soar, making the region the fastest growing province in the Anglican Communion. VirtueOnLine reports that the church has grown from 18 million to 25 million in the last two years. The Rt Rev Ikechi Nwachukwu Nwosu, Bishop of Umuahia in Eastern Nigeria, says his diocese started 15 years ago and now has 1.2 million practicing Anglicans in five dioceses out of a population of 2.5 million. The "1+1+3" program encourages individuals, including clergy and bishops, to lead one person to Christ and then to disciple them for the next three years. Bishop Nwosu says, "Every Anglican is a one-on-one agent of conversion. Each must disciple that one person for three years and then that person must disciple someone else. It has had a multiplying effect."
Sudan’s new Primate installed
Amid joyful celebration and colourful ceremony, the Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul was enthroned April 20 as the fourth primate of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) at All Saints Cathedral in Juba. The service marked a new day for many Sudanese Christians whose nation continues to suffer the effects of the 20-year civil war. Saying that Rome was not built in a day, Archbishop Kolini told Sudanese Episcopalians that they need patience and knowledge. "Take your time," he said, "not for yourselves, but for the glory of God."
Primate calls for arms embargo on Zimbabwe
The Primate of South Africa has called on the UN to impose an arms embargo on Zimbabwe, fearing escalating violence in that nation and more refuges displaced. See the prayer item below.
Soul food
Just for laughs
Our local Catholic church has plans to bring their parishioners to services by bus; they plan to call it mass transit
Food For Thought
"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." - Mother Teresa
Prayer requests
Sunday, April 27, has been declared a day of prayer by the Anglican Communion Office for Zimbabwe, a country teetering on the brink of civil war following the refusal of the current regime to honour recent election results.
Please pray for GAFCON: For all aspects of the arrangements; for the security issues; for those in leadership; and that visas would be obtained by those planning to attend.
Please also pray for our ANiC conference which is underway this weekend.
Please pray for our parishes facing legal action – St Mary’s (Victoria), St George’s (Lowville), Church of the Good Shepherd (St Catharine’s) and St Hilda’s (Oakville). Pray for God’s will to be done in the court decision (expected any day) which will have such an affect on the three Niagara-area churches.
For the primate and bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada that they would have a change of heart and choose to pursue amicable negotiations with ANiC rather than continue litigation.
Please continue to pray for Ceri Hynes, wife of the Rev Howard Hynes (Conception Bay South, NFLD). Ceri is recovering from a muscle and skin graft to repair a deep open wound on her leg. Please pray for quick healing and God’s special ministering to her as she must remain immobilized in hospital to allow the graft to take. Pray also for Howard and the children at home coping without wife and mother.
And continued prayers for Archie and Barbara Pell. May they continue to feel the security of our Lord's presence in the midst of their illnesses and trials.
Don’t forget the Common Cause Partners cycle of prayer.
And now a word from our sponsor
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Editor’s note:
Jim Carriere has joined our team for the next six or seven weeks. Jim comes from a broadcast journalism background and is a seminary student. He will cover newsletter responsibilities while Marilyn enjoys vacation time. Marilyn will be away effective May 7, returning June 1. If you need assistance during that time, please contact Jude Carriere (yes, Jim and Jude are married!).
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