‘Dissident Anglican priests have to move — but not before Christmas’
“Neither side in a long, bitter war over Anglican Church property in Vancouver and Abbotsford expects any Christmas services will have to be moved elsewhere this December.
But Vancouver-area Anglican Bishop Michael Ingham began moving Tuesday to replace the dissident priests at four congregations that have failed to obtain legal control of Anglican Church properties valued at more than $20 million…”
– report from The Vancouver Sun on how the court decision will affect ‘dissident priests’ and their congregations. Your prayers would doubtless be appreciated.
(Statement from the Diocese of New Westminster here.)
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
Idea for your church: Garage Sale Giveaway
Some Canadian churches are running garage sales with an difference:
“The only way to explain that God’s love is free in a tangible way … is to say every item here is free.”
Read about it here. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)
New Westminster files cross-appeal
“The diocese of New Westminster has filed a cross-appeal of a November decision in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
The cross-appeal was filed in response to an appeal filed by the trustees of four Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) congregations in late December. …”
— report from The Anglican Journal of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Related: New Westminster news page.
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
Follow up on BC Supreme Court decision
“ANiC chancellor Cheryl Chang has written to the four Vancouver-area churches involved in the recent court proceeding reporting on a meeting held November 30 with the leaders of the four churches and their legal counsel. She says that while there are clear grounds for appeal, no decision has been made.…”
– Report from the ANiC newsletter for December 10, 2009.
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.
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
ANiC parishes court case continues
The court case in Vancouver continues. The Anglican Network in Canada has posted its latest summaries – as well as reports from the Diocese of New Westminster – on their website.
Latest reports are about Day 6, Tuesday June 2 and Day 7, Wednesday June 3, 2009.
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.
ANiC Parishes v Diocese of New Westminster trial updates
If you have read the Diocese of New Westminster account of the opening day of the court proceedings, you’ll certainly want to read the ANiC report.
Mr. Cowper stated, “The question before the Court is whether the division created by the Defendants’ doctrinal and liturgical innovations justifies the expulsion of the plaintiff congregations from the church properties they funded, maintained and have long considered their church homes”.
It’s on The Anglican Network in Canada website.
Update: This account of yesterday’s proceedings has just been received, but is not yet on the ANiC website –
Day 2 – Trial of ANiC Parishes v Diocese of New Westminster — May 26, 2009
Read more
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.)
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.
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.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…