No, I don’t trust you — The importance of accountability, structure, and submission
“There are two people I would never trust: myself, and anyone who trusts himself/herself.
What do I mean by this, and why do I say it? …
When the parish of which I was vicar, the West Hamilton Anglican Parish, left the ACANZP ten years ago, many resisted the idea of joining up to another denomination. Why not be an independent church – pure, and freed from the shackles of a parent body? My response: ‘You’d be crazy to place that sort of trust in me or the vestry!…’”
– Vicar General Michael Hewat, reminds us of the need for accountability – in the latest e-mail update from the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand.
Tactics for the Spiritual Battlefield
“If we are to be effective as soldiers of Christ, we need to understand and employ strategies and tactics which will defeat the enemy, seizing his territory and releasing the captives.
In order to do this, we need military-type discipline: unquestioning loyalty and obedience to our King Jesus. We also need sound spiritual-military strategies. …”
– In the February 2021 “Ministry Matters” newsletter of the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand, Vicar-General, the Rev. Michael Hewat, encourages churches to be ready to adapt methods of proclaiming the gospel.
And it’s a good reminder to pray for the progress of the gospel in New Zealand.
‘FCANZ recognises WHCC as authentically Anglican’
Here’s an update from The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans NZ, who have now posted the media release we previously reported.
While the update on the FCANZ website doesn’t add to the headline, here’s some background on West Hamilton Community Church (WHCC).
West Hamilton Parish and the wilderness
“One of our harshest critics here, a former Diocesan Manager, opined in the Waikato Times that we have consigned ourselves to the religious wilderness.
I can’t help thinking that’s not a bad place to be…”
– The Rev. Michael Hewat, Pastor of West Hamilton Community Church, writes about his experience of being forced out of the Anglican Church of NZ. (PDF file)
Published back in March on the Latimer Fellowship website.
‘GAFCON in talks with New Zealand parish’
“The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans is in talks to offer alternative episcopal oversight to a breakaway New Zealand congregation, The Church of England Newspaper has learned…
A spokesman for the GAFCON secretariat in Sydney confirmed there had been “initial contact” with the parish leaders…”
– story from Anglican Ink. Please continue to pray for West Hamilton Community Church (as it is now called) and the Pastor, Michael Hewat. (Photo: Affirm.)
Once were Anglicans
“‘If anyone else thinks they have reason for confidence in their Anglican heritage, I have more.
Baptised an Anglican at three months, confirmed at 11 years, my parents are Anglicans, both sets of grandparents were Anglicans, my father is an Anglican priest, I attended Anglican schools. An Anglican of Anglicans, I studied theology for five years, have served as a curate and vicar for the past twenty, have sat on two General Synods. As to zeal… no one has ever questioned that.’…
Last Friday my licence from the Bishop to serve as vicar of the West Hamilton Parish was withdrawn. It was withdrawn because I had withdrawn my submission to the authority of General Synod. …
In deciding to withdraw my submission to the authority of General Synod I have asserted that the Bible is the Church’s supreme authority.”
– The Rev. Michael Hewat, until now the Vicar of West Hamilton Anglican Church – explains his departure from the Anglican Church – in the Waikato Times.
Related: Update following meeting with Bishop Helen-Ann, 11 July 2014 (PDF at West Hamilton Parish).
“In view of the overwhelming majority supporting Vestry’s and my refusal to submit to the authority of General Synod, Kimberley and I will offer ourselves as pastors to all who wish to remain with us – either here or on another site.”
(and other documents here.)
Please pray for Michael and the congregation in this uncertain time – and give thanks for their obedience to the revealed word of God.
Update, 25 July 2014: “Church defectors forming new flock in funeral home.”
“Former manager of the Diocese of Waikato Russell Armitage said Michael and Kimberley Hewat’s decision was ‘almost incomprehensible’ and took them down a ‘no-exit route into the religious wilderness’. [Oh yes – just like Hebrews 13:13 – ed.]
(Photo: Affirm.)
‘Anglicans mad only if they ignore Bible’
“Amid the swirl of opinion around the Anglican General Synod’s decision to commit to finding a way to bless gay couples, the epithets for orthodox Anglicans have mounted: anti-gay, homophobic, wrong, immoral, betrayers of Jesus, unloving, judgmental, intolerant, bigoted, ostracising, unjust and hypocritical. Doubtless an incomplete list, but enough to paint a nasty picture…”
– In this opinion-piece for the New Zealand Herald, Michael Hewat (Vicar of the West Hamilton) argues that the NZ Anglican General Synod has failed ‘the LGBT community’.
Related: Same-Gender blessings: NZ General Synod votes. (May 14 2014)
Back to basics for Anglican Church
“A Hamilton vicar wants to take the Anglican Church back to basics and get leaders preaching from the same song sheet.
Vicar of West Hamilton Anglican Parish, the Rev Michael Hewat, is ‘concerned’ at the fact some church leaders say they do not believe in the resurrection and the virgin birth. …
‘The fact is that if the church is not preaching the Gospel then people are not going to come along,’ Mr Hewat said. He hopes to take the church back to basics today with a day-long seminar Restoring Confidence in the Gospel.”
– Report from the Waikato Times.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…