A special announcement from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Anglican Church of Canada.
As we all know, the Anglican Church of Canada is committed to healing and reconciliation with those it wronged 70 years ago. It is now taking the radical step of seeking healing – deep healing in the words of the Primate – for the legacy of lawsuits launched against wayward congregations that had the nerve – the temerity – to defy, yes, I did say defy – the reigning ecclesiarchy to depart our Beloved Church for a competing organisation that made the audacious claim to be Christian. As if our Beloved Church isn’t.
Parishes may obtain a Parish Action Kit that will contain a Ribbon of Reconciliation; as a gesture of good faith, the ribbon will not be rainbow coloured. And even if it is, no-one will be compelled to accept it unless they want to be identified as a recalcitrant non-reconciler and added to a list that will be sent to Justin Welby.
In this way, the work of truth sharing, healing and reconciliation between those whose buildings have been bulldozed and those who did the bulldozing will be consummated in renewed relationships, mutual understanding, respect and love.
Because, in the end, all you need is love.
Well, I dunno, but if the marriage canon gets corrupted, even if the “local option” becomes official, I’m outta here all the same.
The ACoC is in the real estate business…………mostly selling to housing developers.
The ill conceived concept of a ‘church on every corner’ has paid off in ways too numerous to mention. Tongue in cheek……….partially.
If the ACoC is genuinely interested in truth and reconsiliation it would immediately return legally stolen properties and defrock ALL apostate so-called bishops including the Primate. Any claim without these actions can only be described as BOGUS.
Seems a bit radical to me Frank. In one of my quiet moments I have actually wondered if The ACoC is really an institution………………or do they only ‘play at doing church’!
Is there story on the construction site picture if I may ask ?
Yes, it is a photo of St. Hilda’s Church being demolished (more photos here) after it was sold by the Diocese of Niagara.
In brief:
St. Hilda’s congregation voted unanimously to join ANiC (which, at the time, was under the Province of the Southern Cone) in February 2008.
A few days later, the Diocese of Niagara inhibited our rector, convinced the bank to freeze our account and began court proceedings to take possession of the building and rectory.
During the next 4 years of legal wrangling, the diocese had partial access to the building for Sunday services and other activities. Since they had no people, they moved in another Oakville congregation to give the appearance that they needed the building. The diocese promised to keep the church open for worship should they win the legal battle.
After the 4 years and the court losses in New Westminster and Windsor, the congregation decided that further expensive legal action would be unlikely to be fruitful, so a deal was struck with the diocese. In effect we gave the diocese the church building and the rectory both of which were promptly sold for around $2 million and $650 thousand respectively. Rather comically, the rectory was sold to the owner of the PinkCherry sex toy company.
Altogether, a squalid little tale of avarice and deceit.
A concise and accurate picture of events. The lying was particularly revealing.
All you need is love. And reconciliation. And a ribbon. And cash, of course.