St. Mary’s Metchosin aligned with majority of Anglicans
“As the minister at St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin, I write in response to the editorial ‘When churches lose their way’ of April 8.
I too am saddened that the apparent “fighting” appears to have distracted us from our mission as a Christian church. However, the picture is a much bigger one, and the stand we have taken was a matter of being faithful. …”
Sharon Hayton is the Rector of St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin on Vancouver Island. She writes in the Victoria B.C. Times Colonist.
See our earlier stories here. (Photo: Diocese of British Columbia.)
British Columbia parishes to be merged
Shrinking attendance at Island churches is forcing the Anglican Church of Canada to close one Victoria parish and merge eight others in an effort to shore up the diocese’s finances.
St. Alban’s Church will be shuttered in the next one to three years as part of an Island-wide restructuring confirmed at the Diocese of B.C. leaders’ conference in Metchosin at the weekend.…
– Report from The Province. (Crest: Diocese of British Columbia.)
Prayers requested for Bishop Bob Duncan ahead of TEC HoB meeting
“Bishop Don [Harvey – Anglican Network in Canada] is asking for special prayer this week – and particularly on Thursday – for Bishop Bob Duncan, bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and leader of the Common Cause Partnership, for his diocese and for the Episcopal Church (TEC) house of bishops.
As anticipated, TEC Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori has written TEC bishops informing them of her plan to have Bishop Duncan deposed at their meeting on Thursday of this week (Sept 18) in Salt Lake City. She will be charging Bishop Duncan with abandoning the communion of the church.…”
– from Anglican Essentials Canada. (Photo: Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada at St Mary of the Incarnation, Metchosin.)
Bishop Don Harvey reflects on Lambeth
My dear members of our ANiC family, For the past three weeks, I have been combing the Internet for news from Lambeth. And there has been no lack of it. The blogs and (especially UK) media have been full of information. Making sense of all that information, however, has been a challenge. This is my best effort to make sense of Lambeth from this side of the Atlantic.
One of the key benefits of this Lambeth conference was the opportunity it afforded Anglican leaders from throughout the world, including our own Primate, Archbishop Greg, to meet together in groups, as well as one-on-one, to discuss important matters. There have been many reports of positive “indaba” and Bible study group meetings.
There have also been reports of frustration. Frustration that Lambeth, by design, did not produce any further clarity on the crisis – no clear direction, no decisions. However, this was indeed by design and was cited by bishops who chose not to attend as one of the factors in their decision. Two Primates – one attending Lambeth, one not – spoke passionately and eloquently of the intransigent anti-Christian actions of the North American churches, actions that precipitated the crisis. I have great respect for both Archbishop Deng Bul (Sudan) and Archbishop Orombi (Uganda) for their courage in taking their stands when silence would have been far easier. …
– Read all of Bishop Harvey’s comments at the Anglican Network in Canada.
See also his Reflections on GAFCON.
(Photo: Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada at St Mary of the Incarnation, Metchosin.)
Church denied leave to appeal
Anglican Network in Canada, 11 July 2008:
Today, a judge of the BC Court of Appeal, Madam Justice Rowles, denied a request by the congregation of St. Mary of the Incarnation in Metchosin (St. Mary’s), for leave to appeal an earlier decision related to use of their church building. Read more
Bishop Don Harvey reflects on GAFCON
“By standing apart from the Anglican Church of Canada, we have endeared ourselves a ‘great cloud of witnesses’ who are with us step by step along the way. It is wonderful to be part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and know that we are doing our part to keep it faithful to the Rock from which it was hewn. …”
– from Anglican Essential Canada.
(Photo: Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada at St Mary of the Incarnation, Metchosin.)
Judge orders congregation to leave their church building
This press release has just been issued by the Anglican Network in Canada –
29 May 2008
A B.C. Supreme Court judge, Madam Justice Allan, has ordered the congregation of St. Mary of the Incarnation in Metchosin (St. Mary’s), to hand over their church building to the diocese of B.C. in the Anglican Church of Canada, pending the resolution of a trial over who is entitled to ownership of the building. Read more
Anglican Church of Canada chooses litigation over negotiation
News Release from the Anglican Network in Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops has rejected an overture from the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) to seek negotiated settlements of property disputes rather than pursue litigation.
Bishop Donald Harvey, moderator of ANiC, expressed his disappointment, and said that, while he was fully aware of the sensitivities of “diocesan autonomy” and wasn’t surprised at this response, “I had hoped the Primate would have attempted to facilitate negotiations between the dioceses and the Anglican Network parishes.” Read more
Diocese of British Columbia changes locks
On Saturday, this news was posted on the Diocese of British Columbia website:
The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia… has asserted its ownership of buildings at 4125 Metchosin Road, in the District of Metchosin, by securing the property with a change of locks and the installation of a monitored alarm system. … (Full press release here – PDF.)
According to LC.net/Canada, a judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court, has now ordered the Diocese to allow the people back into their building in time for Sunday services.
For background, see our earlier stories. (Photo: Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Network in Canada with Sharon Hayton and Andrew Hewlett of St Mary of the Incarnation.)
Realignment and Gospel Unity in Canada
Over the weekend, more Canadian churches voted on their relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada –
Islanders split from national church
“Parishioners from a Vancouver Island Anglican church have become the latest Canadian congregation to separate from the national body, primarily over the issue of same-sex marriage. … St. Mary, located in the rural Victoria suburb of Metchosin, will now align with the Anglican Network in Canada…” Read more
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
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…