Parishes Grateful for Interim Court Order
A judge in the Ontario Superior Court in Hamilton, Mr. Justice James Ramsay, has ruled today that, for the next couple of weeks, the Anglican Network in Canada parishes of St George’s Lowville and St Hilda’s Oakville can retain exclusive use of their church facilities. …
– from a press release from Anglican Essentials Canada.
Diocese of Niagara: ‘Negotiations in vain’
“The Diocese of Niagara and two breakaway parishes represented by The Network entered into good faith negotiations Tuesday to reach an agreement on temporarily sharing two local Churches, St. Hilda’s in Oakville and St. George’s in Lowville, however, no agreement could be reached specifically on the issue of shared services.
The matter will now be resolved in a court hearing tomorrow…”
– Press release from the Diocese of Niagara. (Photo: Bishop Ralph Spence of Niagara.)
Obama: I will work to grant legal benefits of marriage to gay couples
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sought the support of voters in the homosexual community Feb. 28, telling them in a letter that if elected president he would work to pass laws important to that constituency and would use the “bully pulpit” to urge states to grant same-sex couples the legal benefits of marriage. …
Full story from Baptist Press. (US President Theodore Roosevelt referred to the White House as a ‘bully [i.e. wonderful] pulpit’ meaning a great platform from which to push an agenda.)
Bishop Howe: Briefing for TEC Bishops
The House of Bishops will receive an informal presentation on the “Anglican Bishops in Communion” proposal that was shared with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori during a 50-minute meeting on Feb. 21 at the Episcopal Church Center. The House of Bishops meets March 7-13 at Camp Allen in the Diocese of Texas.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori expressed no objections to the plan during the meeting… The Bishops in Communion plan is a modified version of the “Episcopal Visitor” concept announced by Bishop Jefferts Schori during the fall House of Bishops’ meeting in New Orleans. …
Read about the new proposal, which seems unlikely to be warmly received by many orthodox parishes, in The Living Church. (See also this earlier report.)
(Photo: Bishop John Howe of the Diocese of Central Florida.)
New Colin Buchanan Kids CD
Australian Christian singer Colin Buchanan has announced a new kids Christian album – “Super Saviour” – to be available in March.
Details and an mp3 preview are available on his website.
‘It’s a tragedy for the Church’ – Archbishop Venables
Archbishop of the Southern Cone, Gregory Venables was interviewed on CBC Radio in Canada earlier this week.
It’s very very sad that it should come to this, it’s a tragedy for the church, for the church in Canada and for the church throughout the world – but it shows how serious the division is.
We are grateful for this transcript of the interview (the audio is available here in RealAudio format). Questions are from CBC’s The Current presenter Anna Maria Tremonti – Read more
‘More San Joaquin congregations opt to remain’ says Episcopal Church
A growing number of Episcopalians in the Diocese of San Joaquin are opting to remain within the Episcopal Church (TEC), as the Fresno-based diocese prepares for an anticipated March 29 special convention that would elect a provisional bishop.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, in a letter to be distributed via a new diocesan newspaper, notes the proposed convention date and reassures the people of the diocese that work is ongoing “to ensure that you and your fellow Episcopalians may continue to bless the communities around you well into the future.” …
Story from Episcopal Life.
Two New West parishes ask for same sex blessings
Two parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster have voted to ask to be added to the list of places where same sex blessings may take place.
St. Mary’s Kerrisdale in Vancouver, and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Whonnock, Maple Ridge, by large margins voted to ask Bishop Michael Ingham to grant his permission for the parish to conduct services for persons in committed, monogamous same sex relationships. …
Full press release from the Diocese of New Westminster.
Archbishop Venables to visit Fort Worth
Archbishop Gregory Venables, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, has accepted an invitation from Bishop Iker to make a pastoral visit to the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth during the first weekend of May. He will be accompanied by his wife, Sylvia. Read more
Two new bishops in Tasmania
Former Sydneysider and Moore College graduate Ross Nicholson is one of two new bishops consecrated at St. David’s Cathedral in Hobart this evening. Ross served on the ACL’s Council and was a clerical Vice-President in the early 1990s. Please pray for Ross as he serves the Lord Jesus in this new role.
See the press release from the Diocese of Tasmania.
(Photo: Diocese of Tasmania.)
Photos of the service have been posted here.
Competing services held at Ontario church
More than 100 members of [the Rev. Paul Charbonneau’s] flock turned out for what could be the last service he celebrates at the half-century-old building on Rebecca St. in the town’s west end. …
The Diocese parachuted in a relief reverend yesterday morning, ostensibly to preach to disenfranchised St. Hilda’s parishioners upset by the move. The only problem? There weren’t any. …
Story from The Toronto Star. See also the latest reports from St. Hilda’s Oakville.
Archbishop Gregory Venables interviewed on Canadian radio
“The Current” on CBC Radio in Canada has run a story on the developing Anglican split. Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone was interviewed by telephone from Buenos Aires.
Read about the programme on the CBC website – and listen to a RealAudio file of the segment. (It begins about 2 minutes 30 seconds into the file – it runs for 20 minutes.)
Sir Marcus Loane gives thanks
On Sunday, at a special service at St James’ Turramurra, Sir Marcus Loane marked the 50th anniversary of his consecration as bishop in February 1958.
SydneyAnglicans.net has the story.
(Photo: Ramon Williams.)
The Lambeth Decision: Dean calls briefing on 14th March
‘The Lambeth Decision: Refining or Redefining Anglicanism?
Sydney’s Bishops are not attending Lambeth – What do we do?’
It’s been announced that Dean Phillip Jensen is planning an afternoon briefing on the reasons for, and implications of, recent decisions concerning Sydney’s participation in world Anglicanism.
To be held in the Chapter House at the Cathedral on Friday 14th March, 1:30 – 3:30pm. The speakers will be –
Phillip Jensen – Should we break fellowship? Why? When? With whom?
Mark Thompson – What has happened in World Anglicanism to bring us to this point?
Robert Tong – What can Lambeth achieve?
Russell Powell – What is GAFCON all about?
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
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…