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Handle with prayer!
News – ANiC and AEN
Costs Awarded against Vancouver Area ANiC Parishes’ Trustees
Mr Justice Kelleher today ordered the Trustees of four Vancouver area ANIC parishes to pay “costs” to the Bishop and Diocese of New Westminster resulting from the trial approximately one year ago. The amount of “costs” is still to be determined, but does not cover actual legal expenses of the diocese. Generally, 30-35% of actual legal expenses are recovered.
The trial judge also ordered the parish of St Matthews to allow the diocese to hold one service per week at St Matthews in Abbotsford. Counsel for the parishes had argued that the trial judge did not have the jurisdiction to make any orders as to what should happen in the church properties pending the outcome of the appeal as those are terms that only the Court of Appeal can decide.
“What is very surprising about these supplemental decisions is that the judge chose to ignore all the case law in respect of costs and the issue of indemnification of Trustees for their costs in similar trust cases”, said Cheryl Chang, Chancellor for ANiC. “Although the judge in his trial judgment found, “…The plaintiffs are also trustees of their respective parish corporations, and bring the current proceedings in that capacity”, he decided today that the Trustees were not acting as Trustees “in the ordinary sense”. Therefore, in his oral reasons, he said this was an exception to the case law involving costs.”
This supplementary decision will be appealed as part of the greater appeal. The matter is set to be heard in the BC Court of Appeal commencing September 13, 2010.
Parish reaches out to community… with free lemonade!
St Chad’s (Toronto) is planning to offer “Lemonade on the Lawn” each Sunday afternoon this summer as a result of their initial success and in an effort to get to know people in the community. On the weekend of June 19-20, St Chad’s was invited by the local city councillor to participate in a “Feet on the Street Festival” marking the completion of a new streetcar route on the busy road beside St Chad’s current home. During the festival, St Chad’s parishioners gave out free, ice-cold lemonade – which was much appreciated on that hot, humid Sunday afternoon. They also offered free, gently used items (furniture, clothing, books, etc.), and gave out invitations to a complimentary Alpha dinner and movie. Rector, the Rev Barbara Richardson reports, “What a great day it was! All kinds of people came by, and many received invitations to the Alpha dinner. We were thankful to St Hilda’s, Oakville, for the loan of signs, one of which invited people to drop in for free prayer.”
Youth leadership conference
The annual youth leadership training conference at St John’s Vancouver is slated for August 30 – September 2. The conference is aimed at 17-23 year old youth/college aged leaders or potential leaders and is designed to grow disciples, teach leadership skills and Biblical strategies, and help young people gain confidence in teaching the Bible. The speaker is Steve Jaffrey of Youthsurge Australia.
ANiC parishes in the media
St Hilda’s (Oakville, ON) – Parishioner and AEC blogger David Jenkins on the National Post’s blog, Holy Post, explains that St Hilda’s (like other ANiC parishes) left the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) because of the theological drift “away from a coherent belief in Christian basics…” Responding of the oft-heard charge of “homophobia”, he says, “Even though the most conspicuous reason cited for parishes leaving the Anglican Church of Canada is opposition to the blessing of same sex-unions, there is no desire on the part of these parishes to become aloof from the lost and broken – gay or straight. The one place that should always welcome all, including society’s misfits, is the Christian Church.”
St Matthew’s (Abbotsford, BC) – The leadership of a local evangelical church has written an open letter of support, published in the Abbotsford Times, for the clergy and parishioners of St Matthew’s, encouraging them in their “principled stand” and resulting litigation. They write, “We are deeply saddened by the unnecessary ill-treatment you have suffered… 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… 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.”
Christ the Redeemer (Moncton, NB) – In an article entitled, “New Anglican Church group growing across New Brunswick”, the Telegraph Journal featured the recently established Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Moncton, New Brunswick which is now establishing satellite churches in Sussex, Miramichi and Saint John. The article quotes both the Rev Don Hamilton and Bishop Charlie Masters on the rationale for establishing ANiC churches in New Brunswick and the mission of ANiC churches. It says, “Both Masters and Hamilton said the Anglican network is reaching out to people of all faiths, not just disillusioned Anglicans. "We have a job to do," Masters said. "We're not really looking back to see where we have come from. Our job is to present the good news of Jesus across Canada."”
Clarification on giving to the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
ANiC’s registrar Brian Ellis, who is a Chartered Accountant who specializes in international tax matters, tells us that there is an exception to the general rule that residents of Canada cannot get a credit for donations made to charities that are not registered charities in Canada. This rule would include donations made, for example, to ACNA. Brian says, “If a Canadian resident donor has US source income of any type, dividends, interest, etc., then donations made to US charities are eligible for the donation credit on a Canadian tax return up to a limit of 75% of the donor’s US source income.” Brian advises, however, that donors considering using this provision should check their specific tax situation with their tax advisors to make sure that the provision is applicable to their specific set of circumstances.
Calendar of upcoming events – for your interest and prayer support
July 23 – Holy Trinity (Marlborough, MA) – Ordination to priesthood of the Rev Michael Bickford
Sept 13-16 – BC Court of Appeal hearing in Vancouver
Sept 17-19 – St Luke’s – Spiritual renewal with Bishop Malcolm & Archdeacon Paul Crossland
Sept 18 – St George's Ottawa, Day of Prayer in preparation for the ANiC synod
Nov 3 – Clergy day, Ottawa, ON
Nov 4-6 – ANiC synod with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, Ottawa, ON
News shorts – Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
ACNA Diocese of Fort Worth wins legal battle
While the case is far from closed, Bishop Jack Iker and the Diocese of Fort Worth have won an important decision in the Texas Second Court or Appeals. According to the diocese’s news release, the court ruled “that there cannot be a second Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and a second Corporation of the diocese”. The court also affirmed that the ACNA diocese of Fort Worth is the ‘original’ diocese. Some who did not leave TEC with Bishop Iker and the rest of the diocese had declared themselves to be the true diocese and, with TEC’s help, had brought legal action against the now ACNA Diocese of Fort Worth. So the court was faced with two parties both claiming to be the same entity – the Diocese of Fort Worth. The release states:
“While it declined to settle the question of “identity,” the appellate court affirmed that conventions of the Diocese and the Corporation formed in 1983 and led by Bishop Iker voted in 2007 and 2008 to withdraw from membership in TEC and enter into membership in the province of the Southern Cone, and that Bishop Jack Iker and the Corporation's board were all duly elected to their positions.”
News shorts – Canada
Interview with Zacchaeus Fellowship members
In an interview posted on the AEC blog, representatives of the Zacchaeus Fellowship – which advocates for and ministers to those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions – talk about their experience at the recent general synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) where synod defeated a motion to include the voice of “ex-gays” in the next round of Church discussions on sexuality. They also talk about the scientific research on same-sex attractions and how the church, as the bride of Christ, is the target of Satan’s efforts to defile and destroy her.
Dr Sumner’s take on the ACoC general synod
In an article written for the Living Church, Dr George Sumner, principle of Wycliffe College (Toronto), concludes by advising “traditional” Anglicans on how they should respond. He says, “…traditional parishes, dioceses, and groups, be they catholic or evangelical, need to invest their energies in becoming a vigorous and distinct fellowship of witness, locally and jointly, within the Anglican Church of Canada… At the local level, they need to pray for the welfare of the larger Church, and find in its midst a future and a hope. A number of younger, more traditional bishops, recently elected, are in this regard a source of encouragement… Being simultaneously loyal, local, coherent, and catholic will be the challenge for the conservative Anglican minority… Amid all our very real troubles, rumors of our death, like Mark Twain’s, have been exaggerated. Traditional Anglicans have, at the ground level, their calling and their work, on behalf of the whole and with hope for the future, before them.”
Conflict in the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) over accepting Pope’s offer
VirtueOnline reports that the former rector of St John’s the Evangelist in Victoria, BC has been expelled and excommunicated because of his refusal to go along with the rest of the Traditional Anglican Communion in accepting the pope’s offer of unity. According to the article this may portent more widespread unhappiness within the TAC over the move to “Rome”.
Report from the National Forgiveness Summit
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Don Hutchinson reports from the recent gathering of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders at the National Forgiveness Summit in Ottawa. The Summit was a response to the Prime Minister’s request two years ago for forgiveness concerning past injustices related to residential schools. The summit, which included senior government and aboriginal leaders, was a step in the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Mr Hutchinson notes that, “while my European cultural positioning often encourages looking forward and moving forward, the aboriginal cultural positioning encourages looking back, learning from the past, and seeking the healing of past pains in order to have the freedom and the wisdom to move forward while remembering the lessons of the past in the process.”
News shorts – United States
Presiding Bishop’s international campaign continues
Following trips to Canada, Scotland and England earlier this month, the Presiding Bishop of the
Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, has headed to Australia and New Zealand for a two week visit. According to official TEC sources, the trip is about “building relationships” and will focus on “conversations around human sexuality” and “leadership development and theological education”. She preached in both Auckland and Christchurch on June 27. (Former Edmonton bishop, Victoria Matthews, is now bishop of Christchurch.) On July 4, she will preach in the Diocese of Brisbane – the diocese of the Primate of Australia, Philip Aspinall.
The Anglican Church League in Australia has issued a statement protesting the Presiding Bishop’s visit which expresses sadness that she had been invited and notes TEC’s defiance of the majority of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury. It continues:
“This alarming behaviour has been compounded by a virulent attack on Anglicans in America who wish to remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture. The Presiding Bishop has been responsible for pursuing, in the secular courts, those who oppose her program of revision, as her agents seek to remove orthodox clergy and take over the property of faithful, Bible-believing congregations. Katherine Jefferts Schori bears a great deal of responsibility for the current turmoil, division and anguish in the Anglican Communion. It is entirely inappropriate that she should be welcomed into any diocese in the Anglican Church of Australia.”
The Episcopal Church’s 16 countries
The Anglican Communion Institute (ACI) has posted a short analysis of Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori’s recent focus on the Episcopal Church’s (TEC) presence in 16 countries, in addition to the US. The average Sunday attendance for TEC parishes in these countries totals just over 42,000.
Haiti 16,631
Honduras 12,340
Dominican Republic 3058
Puerto Rico 2342
Virgin Islands 2041
Ecuador 2017
Churches in Europe 1302 (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy & Switzerland)
Columbia 1081
Taiwan 680
Venezuela 489
Micronesia 138
The ACI analysis adds:
“TEC is not, of course, the only “international” church in the Anglican Communion. Others include the West Indies, Central America, Southern Cone, Ireland, West Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, Indian Ocean, Jerusalem and the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Melanesia and Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia.
“But the most international of all Anglican churches remains the Church of England. In addition to churches extra-provincial to Canterbury in Spain, Portugal, Bermuda, Ceylon and the Falkland Islands, the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe includes parishes or missions in forty-three countries with a weekly attendance of 12,600.”
Task force appointed to develop liturgies for same-sex blessings
Task force members were announced this week to work on liturgies for same-sex blessings in the Episcopal Church (TEC), as authorized by TEC’s general convention in 2009. The resulting liturgies will be ready by the next general convention in 2012.
TEC missionary asked to leave Haiti
The Rev Lauren Stanley has been asked by Haitian bishop Jean Zaché Duracin to leave. The reason given by official TEC sources was that the post-earthquake reconstruction had entered a new phase requiring a different skill set. The Rev Stanley was also asked to leave the Sudan in March 2009 by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul.
Other US news
Church of England – June 18 2010 – California… Church cases back before State Supreme Court
Christian Post – June 23 2010 – Episcopal head likens Anglicans to ‘teenagers’
New Haven Register – June 27 2010 – Priest leaving Episcopal Church in New Haven to follow evangelical calling [the Rev Geoffrey Little, of Connecticut, joins the ACNA]
News shorts – International
Bishop N T Wright’s appointment to St Andrews School of Divinity draws fire
Since being appointed in April to a Chair in New Testament and Early Christianity at St Andrews School of Divinity in Fife, Scotland, the school has met with a call for a funding boycott due to Bishop Wright’s opposition to the ordination of clergy who engage in homosexual behavior. An openly homosexual priest, the Rt Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow and a St Andrews graduate, is urging graduates to withhold donations to the school.
Canterbury and York weigh in on women bishops debate
The Church Times reports that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York intend to amend the legislation introducing women bishops into the Church of England “to help secure the continued place of traditionalists in the CofE. They are proposing “small but significant changes” to the draft legislation which will be debated at the Church’s General Synod in early July. According to the Times, “The key proposal is to make the provision of traditionalist bishops part of the Measure itself. As a result, the authority of these men would derive from the Measure and not be delegated by the diocesan bishop, who might be a woman.”
Battle looming over powerful Anglican Communion’s Standing Committee?
The Church of England Newspaper suggest that there is a tug-of-war over control of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion (ACSC), a recently created entity formed by combining the standing committees of the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council. Earlier this year, Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis of Jerusalem and the Middle East resigned in disgust from the ACSC and now, in the last few days, the Bishop Azad Marshall (Iran) quit. The Primate of Uganda, Archbishop Henry Orombi, while a member has refused to attend meeting as long as representatives of the Episcopal Church (TEC) are members. The article suggests that, with the “conservative” members of the ACSC walking away, the Archbishop of Canterbury will be hard pressed to restore credibility to the group. A further challenge is TEC’s anticipated maneuvering to place a delegate, Bishop Ian Douglas, on the ACSC in contravention of the Anglican Consultative Council bylaws. The Anglican Consultative Council has detailed Bishop Douglas’ ineligibility.
News in brief from around the world and the Communion
Afghanistan – A TV documentary that aired in Kabul the end of May exposing the names and faces of Afghan Christian converts has brought renewed persecution and calls for the government of President Hamid Karzai to enforce Islamic Sharia law calling for public execution of any converts. There have since been reports of arrests and torture to extract the names of other Christians and locations of Christian fellowships… and impending execution.
A letter from Afghan Christians in New Delhi, India written on behalf of their brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, details the situation and asks the Body of Christ around the world to pray and to advocate on their behalf. They report that aid agencies suspected of evangelism have been expelled and Afghan Christians are being hunted and captured. Even the Muslim relatives of Christians are targeted. They say, “Please pray for us and for this critical situation, pray for those who are arrested, and those who are under investigation. Please come together and help your Afghan brothers and sisters in Christ, as we are sentenced to death, we are arrested, we are under investigation, the Afghan Government kills us because we believe on Jesus Christ… this is the time to raise your voice for your brothers and sisters, for our children, for our old parents, for the execution of thousand Afghan believers. This is the day that all of us should come together and pray, think, help and raise our voices to the International Community, to put pressure on the Afghan Government to stop killing, persecuting and executing Afghan Christians, to give us freedom of religion, to respect and accept us as Afghan Christians.”
Please pray for persecuted Afghan Christians, for pressure to be exerted on the Afghanistan government, and for Christians to act on behalf of their brothers and sisters in lands of intense persecution. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada suggests a possible response.
Pakistan – Reports are emerging from Pakistan of a wealthy Muslim landowner kidnapping and forcing an 11-year-old boy from a Christian family into slave labour. The child, Danish Masih, works often in iron chains from 4am to 11pm, while his Muslim persecutor tries to bribe him to convert to Islam. The child’s impoverished parents are employed by the landowner and in debt to him. The parent’s efforts to recover their son have been unsuccessful due to the power and influence of their tormentor. Unfortunately, such abuse of poor Christians by powerful Muslims is not uncommon in Pakistan.
Other reports from Pakistan tell of a Christian university professor and his wife beaten and in critical condition in hospital because they would not convert to Islam, and three grade eight students who were expelled from school for refusing to convert.
According to the Church of England Newspaper, “The Bishop of Karachi (Pakistan) reports that Islamic Jihadist groups in Pakistan are attempting to recruit poor Christians for use in terror attacks.” Using financial incentives, these Christians are recruited to Islam, radicalized and are expected to be used as suicide bombers targeting churches.
Uganda – The President of Uganda has denounced western pressure to liberalize its morality. The Church of England reports that President Yoweri Museveni rejected efforts to manipulate African morality, saying homosexuality was un-Christian and un-African. The remarks were made on June 3, the day set aside to honour Ugandan Christian martyrs who stood against the homosexual advances of the King of Uganda between 1885 and 1887.
Other international news
Church of England – June 11 2010 – Archbishop expels Americans from ecumenical groups
Guardian – June 25 2010 – Don’t ignore our voices, archbishops
Anglican Mainstream – June 25 2010 – When diversity trumps truth, the Church has nothing to offer the poor
The Ugley Vicar – June 21 2010 – The Southwark and the coming Anglican crisis
Telegraph – June 27 2010 – Row over appointment of female cleric as Commons chaplain
Church of England Newspaper – June 25 2010 – People may leave, but congregations may not quit the Church of Nigeria
Soul food
God’s created order marred by sin
Life matters - In a short, well-worth-your-time, 3-minute 40 second video the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s legal counsel responsible for advocating on life issues, Faye Sonier, discusses why these matters are so important to her. She explains how during recent life-threatening illness she herself could have qualified for euthanasia under proposed rules and how her mother chose to give her life when doctors were advising abortion. She wishes Canadians understood that abortion in Canada is totally unregulated and available through the entire nine months of gestation. She also wishes people understood the huge difference between a patient’s right to refuse treatment – which is fully legal – and assisted suicide. You can also see Faye’s blog on Christianity.ca.
Vancouver Roman Catholic Archbishop Michael Miller is calling on every member of his diocese to become engaged in the pro-life movement. According to LifeSiteNews, he wrote a pastoral letter on June 20 in which he said, “We can make a difference; the time is now, and the tide is turning. No issue is more important for our society and country. It calls each of us to be part of the solution to the tragedy of abortion and to the growing threat of imposed death for the elderly and infirm.” He said Roman Catholics are obliged as citizens and Christians “to foster a church of life in the public arena” through their vote and even possibly running for office. He continued, “I urge you to become personally involved. Let us act in small and large ways – to pray, to witness, to volunteer, and to support the pro-life groups in our local communities.”
Resources
In a fascinating two-part series in the Wall Street Journal, well-known management consultant Gary Hamel examines how one Church of England cleric decided to tackle the problem of a shrinking congregation by getting parishioners involved in mission. In part one, he lays out the problem:
“Today, less than 3% of the British population attends a Church of England service in a typical month—this according to a recent CoE report. That’s down by nearly 50% from 1968. A survey by Tearfund, a Christian charity, found that a third of Britain’s population is now “de-churched.” These are former parishioners who no longer attend weekly services. The fact that more than 50% of UK residents still describe themselves as Christians makes the decline of Britain’s “established” church all the more perplexing. As one website put it, “If the Church of England was the national football team, we would have sacked the manager long ago.””
In part two, he describes assistant vicar Drew William’s strategy to make the church “less like a hierarchy and more like a community” – a strategy that grew the church from 500 to 1600 in six years. The strategy was “mission-shaped communities”. These articles are worth reading!
Just for laughs
The Sunday School teacher had just finished recounting how angels rescued Lot and his family from Sodom but how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. Fascinated little Billy excitedly announced, "My Mommy looked back once while she was driving and she turned into a telephone pole!"
The minister's prayer one Sunday was unceremoniously interrupted by a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified and firmly clamped her hand over his mouth while silently conveying her displeasure. After church, still miffed, she asked Tommy, "Whatever made you do such a thing?" Tommy replied soberly, "I prayed and asked God to teach me to whistle, and He did!"
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Please pray...
That our nation would return to God and His moral principles.
For ANiC projects, church plants and parishes, and for their proclamation of Good News to those in their communities who desperately need new life in Christ.
For our bishops and clergy and their families.
For donations to ANiC to help meet the current budget shortfall.
For funding of the Anglican Relief & Development Fund Canada’s Kenya Malaria Prevention Project. Donations are urgently needed to begin this life-saving and life-changing project.
For adequate funding of the legal cases and disputes involving ANiC congregations:
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For the Vancouver-area parishes appealing the earlier court decision, and for their legal counsel Geoff Cowper & Stanley Martin as they prepare for the appeal to be heard Sept 13-16. |
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For the Ottawa congregations which are newly embroiled in legal action. |
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For St Aidan’s in Windsor, as litigation is about to move forward, increasing expenses. |
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For all the congregations involved in court proceedings and disputes. Pray for a continued focus on, and blessing upon, their ministry in the midst of this turmoil. Pray for peace for the wardens and trustees who are on the front lines and bear the burden of risk and responsibility. |
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For the leaders and parishioners of the dioceses pursuing eviction of and legal damages against ANiC congregations and wardens. |
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That we would seek to glorify God by our conduct in all court proceedings. |
For those in positions of leadership and influence in the Anglican Communion, that they would seek to honour and obey God above all else.
For Christians in Afghanistan who are being hunted, arrested, tortured and face execution, as well as Christians in Pakistan who are persecuted and face daily injustice and oppression.
And now a word from our sponsor
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Matthew 6:19-24 ESV
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