Clergy at two Ontario churches suspended
The clergy of two Anglican churches in Ontario have been suspended with pay in the wake of several congregations voting last weekend to put themselves under the authority of a South American archbishop over theological issues that include the blessing of same-sex unions.
The diocese of Niagara yesterday informed St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Oakville and St. George’s Anglican Church in Lowville that it was appointing new administrators to the parishes. …
Rev. Paul Charbonneau, the rector at St. Hilda’s, said in an interview yesterday that he intends to stay with his flock, perhaps at another venue, despite receiving a letter stating he is under discipline for “breaking the canons,” he said. …
Story from The Globe and Mail (Toronto).
See also Diocese of Niagara; St. Hilda’s Oakville and St. George’s Lowville.
(Photo of the Rev. Paul Charbonneau courtesy St. Hilda’s Oakville.)
North West Australia not going to Lambeth
Bishop David Mulready, of the Diocese of North West Australia, has written a Pastoral Letter to the churches of his diocese –
“Many Bishops around the world have questioned whether Lambeth will be able to deal adequately with the present crisis. While most Australian Bishops will be attending Lambeth, I have decided not to attend, after many months of prayerful consideration and conferring with others. While I understand the argument that it is better to be present and make my views known, I don’t believe that anything worthwhile will be achieved. …
The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) is being organized by a group of Archbishops and other leaders from Africa, South America and Asia, as well as England, Canada and Sydney’s Archbishop Peter Jensen, together representing over half of the 55 million Anglicans world-wide. I have decided to attend this conference which promises to be positive and future looking. …”
Read the full letter on the DNWA website. PDF file.
Jerusalem Pilgrimage plans for GAFCON
After consultation with a number of church leaders in Jerusalem, and around the world, the pilgrimage of the Global Anglican Future Conference will now take place from June 22nd – June 29th.
An important Consultation in Jordan from 18–22 June will include the conference leadership, theological resource group, those bishops serving in majority Islamic settings and other key leaders.
The Jerusalem pilgrimage will focus on worship, prayer, discussions and Bible Study, shaped by the context of the Holy Land.
“We are very grateful for the feedback that we have received on the many complex issues that confront us,” said Archbishop Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney and a member of the leadership team. “The emphasis of our time together will be our future in the Anglican Communion and the reformation and renewal of our common life rooted in the Holy Scriptures and our common faith in Jesus Christ.”
Participants will include bishops and their wives, key clergy and laity.
The press release and brochure are available now on the GAFCON website.
Church Society: Open letter to the Primates of the Global South
An open letter to the Primates and faithful Anglicans of the Global South
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Anglican Communion is a voluntary association of national and provincial churches.
The Bible teaches that Christians should not be in fellowship with those who are false teachers (1). By any reasonable reading of the Bible views held by the present Archbishop of Canterbury are such as to mean that sincere Christians should not be in fellowship with him. (2)
We therefore call on you, as leaders within the Anglican Communion, to break fellowship with the present Archbishop of Canterbury until such time as he renounces his published teaching. Read more
Address to Sydney Standing Committee on Lambeth 2008
Archbishop Peter Jensen has released the text of his address, last night, to the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney –
“The decision of our Bishops not to attend the Lambeth Conference in 2008 is the culmination of ten years of thought, prayer and action. We have played our part in challenging false teaching and practice, always hoping that those who have flouted the strong position taken by the last Lambeth Conference would turn back in repentance. As part of this, we have developed strong fellowship links with the many Anglican christians all over the world who feel as we do that the crisis over human sexuality is of momentous significance, and who are determined not to accept unbiblical teaching and sinful practice. …”
Read his full statement (PDF file). See also the statement released by the Standing Committee in response –
ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF SYDNEY
MEDIA RELEASE
18th February, 2008Statement from Standing Committee supporting Archbishop of Sydney Dr. Peter Jensen on Lambeth and Gafcon
Standing Committee wholeheartedly supports the Archbishop and his Bishops in their decisions relating to Lambeth and Gafcon Conferences, recognising the cost to them of such decisions.
Standing Committee fully endorses the remarks of the Archbishop as outlined in the statement given by Dr. Jensen at the February 2008 meeting of Standing Committee.
We give thanks to God for the unreserved commitment to biblical teaching of the Archbishop and his Bishops.
Sydney Standing Committee supports Archbishop on Lambeth Decision
The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney has given its full support to Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen’s decision not to attend the Lambeth Conference.
The decision was announced earlier this month and this was Standing Committee’s first meeting since then. Read more
What does Gospel-centred ministry look like?
Tim Keller, from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, speaks on “What does Gospel-centred ministry look like?” at the first Gospel Coalition Conference last May.
Very helpful.
Video and audio downloads of the plenary session are available here.
More Canadians join Southern Cone
Seven Anglican congregations voted this weekend to accept the episcopal oversight of Bishop Donald Harvey… under the Primatial authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables …
See the voting figures in the full press release from The Anglican Network in Canada.
See also “Anglican rift grows deeper” from The Ottawa Citizen –
“Meanwhile, parishioners at St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver prayed on Sunday for unity and strength in dealing with ‘the hurdles that lie ahead’ as they gathered for the first time since last week’s landmark vote.”
Second Ottawa congregation votes to split
For the second time in less than a week, an Anglican congregation in Ottawa has voted to leave the diocese over the contentious issue of same-sex marriage.
Parishioners of St. Alban the Martyr Saturday night voted overwhelmingly in favour of the break …
Story from The Ottawa Citizen. (images courtesy St. Alban the Martyr.)
Vancouver Island priests inhibited
The two priests of St Mary of the Incarnation, in Victoria (Metchosin) were inhibited late Friday afternoon by Diocesan Archdeacon, the Venerable Bruce Bryant-Scott.
The Venerable Sharon Hayton, rector, (pictured) and the Rev Andrew Hewlett, assistant priest, received notice late Friday afternoon (February 15), that disciplinary action was being commenced against them although no charge was given under the Church’s canons. Read more
The Nature of Worship – by D B Knox
Church Society has made available on its website a classic 1957 article by Dr Broughton Knox on Worship –
“The Reformers taught that faith is worship and is the basic way of acknowledging God’s essential character of self-giving. The application of this doctrine to the private devotional life is straightforward. Every day brings its opportunities of trusting God, and so acknowledging that He is trustworthy, that He is indeed a God of love. So all life becomes worship and there is no divorce between Sunday and the weekday.”
Read the whole article on the Church Society website (pdf file). DBK was Principal of Moore College for 26 years.
First Ottawa church breaks from diocese
One Anglican congregation has broken away from the Ottawa diocese over same-sex unions, and another votes Saturday on whether to follow suit.
This week, Rev. Alex Lewanowicz, minister for Bearbrook, Navan and Vars, gave up his minister’s licence with the Anglican Church of Canada and agreed to serve here under a South American archbishop instead. “For integrity’s sake, I’ll put my money where my mouth is,’ he said Friday. …
Report from the Ottawa Citizen. (Photo: Anglican Network in Canada.)
Update: see also “Five Anglican parishes set to separate from Church”.
GAFCON Response to Evangelical English Bishops
Five GAFCON Bishops have responded to a letter which was signed by 20 English bishops and released in late January –
To Bishop David James and colleagues
Brethren
We have received your letter encouraging us to attend the Lambeth Conference with you.
We trust that we are united in faithful obedience to the Scriptures and also to the Anglican Formularies. We understand your desire to continue to support the efforts of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As GAFCON Bishops and primates, we share with you a commitment to the communion and its future. We ask you to understand that we have reached a different conclusion and request you to understand our decision. Read more
Canada vote encouraging, says bishop
Retired Sydney bishop Ken Short says the strength of the vote to break with the Anglican Church in Canada by the Vancouver congregation led by his son, the Rev David Short, will encourage other congregations considering a similar move. …
Russell Powell reports for SydneyAnglicans.net
Press coverage of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Canadian news agencies are reporting on the vote of St. John’s Shaughnessy to join the Province of the Southern Cone –
Anglican Church Loses Largest Congregation
“Rev. Short said his parish asked to be put under the jurisdiction of a Canadian bishop who shared its orthodox views, but they were offered a compromise that was not satisfactory. … Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…