Realignment and Gospel Unity in Canada

Posted on February 25, 2008 
Filed under News

Pacific Coast Anglican AwakeningOver 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…”

St. Catharines church votes to split from Niagara Anglican diocese
“For her entire life, Phyllis Wilson has worshipped in the Anglican Church’s Niagara diocese, but on Sunday she voted to break away from the pack.
‘It’s been coming for a long time,’ the 84-year-old said after the congregation at Church of Good Shepherd in St. Catharines overwhelmingly voted to leave the diocese. …”

News Release from the Anglican Network in Canada
“Three more Anglican congregations take decisive votes: 24 February 2008

Three more Anglican congregations voted today to accept the offer of episcopal oversight of Bishop Donald Harvey, Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), under the Primatial authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables and the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. All three churches accepted this offer with strong majorities. Since this offer of episcopal oversight was first extended in late November 2007, 15 parishes and congregations have voted to accept the offer and join ANiC.”

The three churches which decided this weekend to accept Bishop Harvey’s spiritual care are: Church of the Good Shepherd, St Catharines, Ontario; Church of the Good Shepherd Vancouver, British Columbia; St Matthias and St Luke, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Also in the Vancouver area the Common Cause Partnership is holding the Pacific Coast Anglican Awakening: First Steps service on Sunday, March 2nd. Bishop Bill Murdoch of the Anglican Province of Kenya and Anglican Communion Network Dean for New England will be preaching. Details here (pdf).