Vancouver churches to appeal to Supreme Court of Canada
This news release is just in from the Anglican Network in Canada:
“This is not the path any of us would have preferred; however, we initiated court proceedings when threats to replace trustees began to be carried out and when the Diocese caused banks to freeze two parishes’ bank accounts.”
Parishes initiate appeal to Supreme Court of Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12 December 2010
Vancouver, BC – After several weeks of consultation within the parishes, the Trustees of four Vancouver-area churches have instructed their legal counsel to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada of a BC Court of Appeal decision (November 15, 2010) which removed their right to use their church buildings. Read more
BC Court of Appeal dismisses appeal
From The Anglican Network in Canada –
“The congregations have always said that if they are forced to choose between their buildings and their faith, they will choose their faith. That position remains unchanged.”
15 November 2010
In a decision released today, the BC Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by four Anglican Network in Canada churches in the Vancouver area.
The four parishes – St John’s (Vancouver), St Matthews (Abbotsford), Good Shepherd (Vancouver), and St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver) – had appealed a November 25, 2009 decision of Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher awarding beneficial ownership of church properties to the Diocese of New Westminster in the case involving the split in the Anglican Church. The Diocese of New Westminster’s counter appeal of Mr Justice Kelleher’s decision granting a sizeable bequest to the ANiC congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd was also dismissed. Read more
ANiC parishes Appeal Court Decision
24 December 2009
The trustees of four Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) congregations in the greater Vancouver area have filed an appeal of Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher’s BC Supreme Court decision of November 25, 2009, in order to preserve their vibrant Anglican ministries. The four parishes, St Matthew’s (Abbotsford), St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver), St John’s Shaughnessy (Vancouver) and Church of the Good Shepherd (Vancouver), have an average Sunday attendance of approximately 1500 people and are involved in many ministries throughout the week serving their communities. Read more
J I Packer on New Mission
Dr J I Packer recently preached on “New Mission” from Acts 8:1-25, at St. John’s Shaughnessy.
Characteristically helpful, encouraging, and challenging. Hear it from the St. John’s website. (Direct link to mp3.)
Photo: Oak Hill College.
ACL message of support for Vancouver churches
“The Anglican Church League commends the leadership of the Anglican Network in Canada on its godly response to the decision of the B.C. Supreme Court.
We remain committed to supporting the faithful men and women of the four congregations (St John’s Shaughnessy, St Matthew’s Abbotsford, St Matthias & St Luke West 49th Vancouver, and Good Shepherd Church East 19th Vancouver) who have suffered over the past months and now face a measure of uncertainty about the future.
Throughout this ordeal it has been apparent to those who have been watching around the world that these four congregations are facing persecution for their steadfast resolve to remain true to the word of God. In this they have shown themselves to be faithful disciples of Christ and true heirs of the Anglican heritage of Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley and others. We have been encouraged by their graciousness amidst extraordinary provocation and by their refusal to surrender biblical principles for the sake of an illusory peace. With or without their buildings they are the blessed people of God who by their example are blessing others.
The ACL Council encourages all its members to continue in prayer for these four congregations, and in particular those who serve them in leadership, at this difficult time.
Mark D Thompson
ACL President.”
Related: Nov 25, 2009 letter from St. John’s Shaughnessy Leadership.
British Columbia Supreme Court issues mixed decision in church property dispute
Anglican Network in Canada News Release
25 November 2009, 4:30pm PST
Mr. Justice Kelleher found that the Bishop of New Westminster did not have legal or canonical authority for his purported termination and replacement of the Trustees…
Without deciding the issue, Mr. Justice Kelleher also expressed his opinion that “the parish properties are held on trust for Anglican ministry as defined by the [Anglican Church of Canada].”
Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher of the British Columbia Supreme Court issued a mixed decision today in the case involving the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) Diocese of New Westminster and four Greater Vancouver parishes in the Anglican Network in Canada.
The four parishes – St Matthew’s (Abbotsford), St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver), St John’s Shaughnessy (Vancouver) and Church of the Good Shepherd (Vancouver) – had asked the courts in early September 2008 to clarify their Trustees’ responsibilities in light of hostile action taken by the Diocese of New Westminster. Read more
David Short to take a break
Rector of St John’s Shaughnessy (and Honorary Canon of St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney) David Short is taking a break to recover from the stress of recent months. Please pray for our brother, his family and the church at St John’s.
“This is a strange place for me personally (although not uncommon for clergy I am discovering), and for us as a church, yet this too is from the hand of our heavenly Father. As we await the court decision be certain of God’s continued sustaining grace.”
News via Anglican Essentials Canada blog. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney.)
Death or life in Vancouver
The Ecumenical and Multifaith Unit (EMU) of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, Canada is co-hosting a workshop “Challenges for the church in a post-religious culture”. Bishop Michael Ingham will be one of the panelists.
From the EMU website: “Currently the [EMU] committee is advocating the use of Prayers for Peace from other faith traditions (see Multifaith Prayers for Peace), both in regular services and in personal meditations, as an affirmation of our common spiritual goal for peace on earth.”
By contrast, hear this sermon by Canon (of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney) David Short at St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, preached back in June –
“The point of the resurrection is that God has made Jesus LORD over everything.”
– from the St. John’s website.
Please continue in prayer for all who labour in the teaching of God’s word, that they always may be faithful.
(Logo: Ecumenical and Multifaith Unit of the Diocese of New Westminster.)
ANiC Parishes v New Westminster – Day 4
“Today was a short day in court, ending just after noon, which although surprising, was a great relief. The Rev David Short, rector of St John’s Shaughnessy since 1993, was on the stand for only a couple of hours when many of us were expecting more than a full day. …”
Full report here – (not yet on the ANiC website) – and please continue to pray. (GAFCON photo: Joy Gwaltney) Read more
ANiC Parishes v New Westminster – Day 3
Gail Stevenson became a member of St John’s Shaughnessy 68 years ago when she was baptized in a “small brown wooden building” at age 5. …
She recalled Rev Harry Robinson’s world renowned ministry which she described as “very powerful, very transforming and very Biblical”. Visitors to Vancouver – especially from Toronto and England –would come to St John’s because of his preaching. She said the ministry carried on under Rev David Short, describing it as “a seamless transition… very evangelical, very Biblically based”.
She was “disturbed” by Bishop Ingham’s preaching on Easter Sunday in 1994. She read his book, Mansions of the Spirit and found his teaching “foreign to what I had learned”. …
– from the ANiC report on Day 3 of the court proceedings in Vancouver.
New Westminster court case begins
“The trial before BC Supreme Court Justice Stephen Kelleher over the lawsuit brought by members of four dissident congregations against the Diocese of New Westminster began today (May 25) in Vancouver.
Those bringing the suit, 22 leaders in the four congregations, including three former diocesan priests, have left the Anglican Church of Canada, but want to keep their parish buildings, which the Diocese of New Westminster says it owns. …”
– A report from the Diocese of New Westminster. (Photo: St. John’s Shaughnessy building.)
Canada case concerns us all
“Last week I attended a fascinating talk given at St Andrew’s, Roseville by Mrs Lesley Bentley, a churchwarden at St John’s, Shaughnessy in Vancouver. Sydney Anglicans have a greater interest in St John’s than most Canadian churches because Canon David Short, a Sydney-trained minister, is the rector…”
– Bishop Glenn Davies writes at SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Russell Powell.)
Parishes and New Westminster mediation unsuccessful
“After one and a half days of mediation with Chief Justice Donald Brenner acting as the mediator, the Diocese of New Westminster and four Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes – St. John’s (Shaughnessy), St. Matthias and St. Luke, and Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver, and St. Matthews in Abbotsford – failed to reach an agreement. The dispute over church properties will now proceed to trial in the BC Supreme Court commencing May 25. …”
More in this PDF file (direct link) released by the Anglican Network in Canada.
(Photo: St. John’s Shaughnessy building.)
Vancouver: ANiC’s initial legal submission
The Diocese of New Westminster has placed online copies of its initial legal submission and also that of the Anglican Network in Canada – relating to St John’s Shaughnessy and other ANiC parishes in Vancouver.
Both are PDF files (direct links): The ANIC submission. The New Westminister submission. (Thanks to Ed Hird.)
From the ANiC submission –
“The Plaintiffs seek a declaration that the Parish Corporations of each of [these parishes] … hold the Parish property in trust for their congregations for the purpose of ministry consistent with historic, orthodox Anglican doctrine and practice…”
The latest from Canada
It’s a little way off, but you might plan to hear Lesley Bentley, spokeswoman for the Anglican Network in Canada (and member of St John’s Shaughnessy) when she visits Sydney in May.
She’ll be speaking on the state of the Anglican Church in Canada, and the story of the Anglican Network in Canada. The meeting is being hosted by St. Andrew’s Roseville, 8:00–9:30pm on Tuesday 12th May.
Download a PDF flier (180kb, direct link).
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…