Can the new St. John’s Shaughnessy really tell you anything about God?
From their website –
“St. John’s Shaughnessy is a small but flourishing congregation, living our calling as Christians by faithfully walking the Anglican path. Our road is less travelled.
We do not claim absolute knowledge of the Divine. We really welcome everyone and are enriched by the dynamic tension of differing beliefs. We embrace doubt. Pray hopefully. And celebrate diversity.”
This is the new Diocese of New Westminister congregation using the building vacated by St. John’s Vancouver. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)
‘Anglican Church of Canada worship returns to St. John’s Shaughnessy’
“The Venerable John Stephens, Archdeacon of Vancouver has arranged a rota of clergy to conduct Sunday services and musicians to lead the music in worship beginning Sunday, September 25th at 11am with a Celebration of Holy Communion. …”
– from the Diocese of New Westminister website.
Related: Largest Anglican Church congregation in Canada leaves historic church home.
And from the St. John’s Vancouver website:
“We will pray that He will continue to use this space for His glory, and that many may come to know Him in it in the future.”
“On September 18, we will have regular services at 8am, 10am, and 6:30pm. The 10am service will finish differently. Near the end of the 10am service we will thank God for his grace at giving us our home at St. John’s Shaughnessy for the better part of the last century. We will pray that He will continue to use this space for His glory, and that many may come to know Him in it in the future. We will then depart the building together and drive to our new location at 5350 Baillie, arriving together. We will thank God for his grace and provision and sing . After this, at approximately noon, a light lunch will be served at our new location and there will be an opportunity to explore where ministries will be happening and enjoy our new home.”
Letter of support for St John’s Shaughnessy
To Canon David Short, Rev Dr Jim Packer, the wardens and the Church Council of St John’s Church Shaughnessy and other churches in the Anglican Network in Canada in Vancouver, Canada.
May 24 2009
Dear friends in Christ,
We greet you warmly as members of the Church of Christ and of the Church of England. Our Anglican Mainstream steering committee, which includes church leaders from all parts of the British Isles as well as a number of members of the Church of England’s general synod, met together on 21st May and resolved unanimously to assure you that we stand together in fellowship with you as brothers and sisters in the Christian faith and we recognize in you the marks of authentic Anglican identity, faith and practice.
We therefore send you this message of solidarity, encouragement and support in prayer as you enter a judicial process on Monday 25th June to enable you to continue to use the property and resources that God has entrusted to you in the service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the good of all the people of Vancouver.
Yours in Christ
Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of Anglican Mainstream
Canon Dr Chris Sugden, Executive Secretary
Bishop Wallace Benn, Trustee
on behalf of Anglican Mainstream’s Steering Committee.
– from Anglican Mainstream. See also this related letter.
Petition in support of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Just a reminder about that petition…
Petition in support of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Many from around the world have signed the online petition in support of the churches of Good Shepherd and St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, against expected action by the Diocese of New Westminster.
Read the St. John’s website to discover some reasons for signing – or see our related posts.
If you haven’t yet signed it, please consider doing so. The text of the petition, released on October 18, says,
We, the undersigned, as active clergy and lay members of the Anglican Communion, stand with those parishes in Vancouver that are part of the Anglican Network on Canada, affirming that they are authentically Anglican.
The petition is available here – and there’s an equivalent petition for members of the Church of England. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney)
Vancouver Magazine on St. John’s Shaughnessy
“On a Sunday morning earlier this year, hundreds of Anglicans pour through the doors of St. John’s Shaughnessy Church. The stately grey building at the corner of Granville and Nanton is home to a well-heeled and diverse congregation: parents with a clutch of teenage sons, elderly women in wheelchairs, youthful couples.
Sitting near the front with her husband is soft-spoken, 72-year-old Gail Stevenson, who has attended the church her whole life. Closer to the back, sitting all by himself, is 46-year-old Steve Schuh. Many of the parishioners sit in the same pew week after week—pews that may soon be pulled out from under them. …”
– Jonathan Graham at Vancouver Magazine reports on the challenges facing St. John’s Shaughnessy and like-minded churches in that city. (Hat tip: Ed Hird.)
St. John’s Shaughnessy responds to New Westminster
From St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver –
The Diocese of New Westminster (DNW) initiated action against St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. Matthias – St. Luke Vancouver on August 26th and is seeking to take over governance of the parishes. We are deeply disappointed by this action as it fails to recognize:
- repeated attempts by the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes to seek dialogue before litigation;
- repeated statements from the Primate of Canada that any such action will damage the public witness of the church;
- repeated calls from the Anglican Communion to refrain from such hostile action
It is a sad irony that the Diocese invoked Canon 15 on the same day that the Archbishop of Canterbury released his Pastoral Letter to all Bishops of the Anglican Communion reflecting on the recent Lambeth conference saying: Read more
No place like home – St John’s Shaughnessy
“I don’t think the people at St John’s have been as happy since Christmas 2001”, commented a member of St John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver Canada. That was the Christmas before the Synod and the Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster agreed to permit parishes to bless same-sex unions. …
– SydneyAnglicans.net have published this report by Mark Calder on his recent time with St John’s Shaughnessy. Please be encouraged to pray for the members of St. John’s.
Archbishop Gregory Venables at St John’s Shaughnessy
“People still need to hear about Jesus – and if we don’t tell them, who will?” Archbishop Greg Venables preached at St John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver last Sunday (April 27 2008).
The audio of his sermon has now been posted online. Listen to his challenging and Christ-honouring talk at the St. John’s website.
Direct link to audio: Windows Media. mp3.
St. John’s Shaughnessy stays focussed
David Short, the Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, writes –
A number of people have asked me what has happened since our Vestry vote of February 13th to join the Anglican Network in Canada and receive the Episcopal oversight of Bishop Don Harvey under the jurisdiction of the Southern Cone. Across the country, 14 other congregations have voted to join the Network and the response of the different dioceses has been varied. … Read more
Updated website for St. John’s Shaughnessy
For all who are upholding St. John’s Shaughnessy in their prayers – their website has been updated – and has a new address.
The new website can be seen at stjohnsvancouver.org.
St. John’s Shaughnessy video on YouTube
An ~80 minute video from St. John’s Shaughnessy, produced in 2007 to help members think through the reasons for and implications of Anglican Realignment, has been placed on YouTube.
It features interviews with St. John’s Rector, David Short, and with theologian Dr J I Packer and is very helpful. Recommended.
Watch the video (in 10 segments) here. (Start at the bottom right video.)
Bishop Ingham sends ‘notice of presumption of abandonment’ to St. John’s Shaughnessy
Bishop Michael Ingham has asked eight of his clergy to formally declare whether they’re in or out of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The priests have been involved in a series of meetings in which congregations in two Parishes in the diocese have voted to join a foreign Church. Read more
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
St. John’s Shaughnessy has voted to join Southern Cone
Members of what is described as the largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada voted strongly Wednesday to split with Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over his support for same-sex blessings.
“It means that the community speaks with one mind,” said St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church spokeswoman Lesley Bentley, after a preliminary count showed that out of 495 ballots cast, only 11 opposed the split and nine abstained. …
The vote means the church, which has more than 700 members, will break with Ingham and join with the conservative Anglican bishops of the Diocese of the Southern Cone, which includes Argentina and Paraguay. …
Report from The Vancouver Sun.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…