From Here

Dear Friends:

I write to you with a few brief reflections coming out of the House of Bishops meeting and in particular my thoughts with regards to the released statement that this meeting has generated.

I believe it is important that I express to you my profound disappointment with this statement and the deliberations that took place.  My own words in response to the first draft of this statement, spoken on the floor of the House of Bishops, make this clear:

“I do not believe that this statement honours the faithfulness that the Diocese of Niagara has brought to this particular issue. I do not believe it honours the faithfulness we have offered to the Anglican Church of Canada.  I do not believe that it honours God’s Mission for the Diocese of Niagara as we have discerned it.”  These comments apply equally to the final draft as well.

I wonder, how does one honour what the Diocese of Niagara perceives is God’s mission for it: to have been instrumental in the breakup of a 400 year old communion is a rare and unusual calling. And it is one that the Diocese of Niagara has prosecuted with such rigour and diligence; Michael Bird is right, it should have been mentioned in the HoB statement.

While I agree that the statement does represent the majority view of the bishops present, I want to state clearly that I do not support the moratoria as it has been articulated.  Even more disappointing is the fact that an opportunity has been missed to find a creative and generous solution to one of the most momentous challenges our church has faced in many years.

And the Diocese of Niagara is nothing if not creative and generous in finding a solution to its little problem; it was the first thing that came to mind as I was sitting in the court, listening to their lawyer argue the diocesan case for seizing the ANiC buildings.

Since Bishop Bird intones: “I do not support the moratoria as it [sic] has been articulated”, we can only assume that his agenda for SSBs will closely follow that of Ottawa, Montreal and New Westminster.

I will be making a more formal statement on this subject and the direction I believe the Diocese is now called to undertake in a few days time.

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support and the level of engagement that we have experienced as our new vision for the Diocese continues to emerge and I look forward to continuing this process at our synod this weekend.

Please continue to pray for the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit in the days and weeks to come.

Yours faithfully in Christ,

+Michael Bird,

Bishop of Niagara.

Unexpurgated version of Essentials blog post