Category Archives: Diocese of BC

Where are the dioceses in Canada getting the money to sue ANiC?

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It looks as if they are sharing the load. Here the Diocese of New Westminster is giving the financially troubled Diocese of BC $14,000 to pay for its lawsuit. Perhaps more importantly, the money is coming from the pockets of the average person in the pew who has no idea that it is being used to sue fellow Christians.

The Network, on behalf of the Church of the Open Gate, has sought leave to appeal the Judgement given by Madame Justice Allan with regard to the Church of St. Mary of the Incarnation, Metchosin. The Judge has reserved judgement and we are awaiting word on the appeal. The Diocesan Council of the Diocese of New Westminster has agreed to share in the costs of the court case concerning the initial appeal. They have given the Diocese of British Columbia $14,000 in costs as a result of the research done by the Diocese of British Columbia. The Bishop will write to the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of New Westminster to thank them for their generosity.

Anglican Church of Canada may be sharing legal costs

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Primate Fred Hiltz has always denied that the Anglican Church of Canada has a concerted strategy in dealing with parishes that have left the ACoC for ANiC, supposedly preferring instead to let each diocese come up with its own plan. These minutes from the Diocese of BC synod from 2008, while not new, seem to indicate the reverse:

Bishop’s Remarks
The Bishop reported that the Diocese was back in Court on May 8th concerning the building currently being used by the Anglican Network. This was previously the home of the parish of St. Mary, Metchosin. Mme. Justice Allan reserved Judgement. It is hoped the Judgement will come in two or three weeks. The Affidavits were extensive. The Reverend Larry Scyner is the Priest-in-Charge of St. Mary, Metchosin. There is a sense in the parish of quiet satisfaction and encouragement about moving ahead.

The Bishop, the Chancellor and the Diocesan Executive Officer are going to Toronto on Monday, May 26th to meet with the leadership of other Dioceses which are in similar situations. The discussions will include the possibility of sharing legal fees. The Diocese of British Columbia has already spent about $40,000 and the Diocese of Niagara has spent about $250,000.

As of 2010, the Diocese of Niagara has already spent well over $320,000 on legal fees and has been rather shy about saying where the money is coming from; perhaps it is scrounging from other dioceses. One aspect of the legal proceedings between the ACoC and ANiC is not mentioned by sober, restrained, respectable people, so I thought I’d bring it to light: a side-benefit of the lawsuits is that it is depriving the ACoC of funds that it might otherwise use to the detriment of the Gospel. Admittedly, the money is ending up in the hands of lawyers, but even lawyers do less damage to God’s kingdom than the Anglican Church of Canada.

Open rebellion in the Diocese of BC

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Before we get started, I’d like to point out that Bishop James Cowan found time to hobnob with Prince Charles today, so he probably Add an Imagedoesn’t much care that his parishioner-peasants don’t trust him; after all the important thing is keeping up appearances – and he is wearing a lovely hat.

The Diocese of BC is in trouble financially as its members flee to churches that are less diverse and inclusive. Because of this, when he’s not schmoozing with Royalty, James Cowan is planning on “restructuring” the diocese – and as everyone who works in business knows, that means someone is for the chop.

Thus, a team of hit-men cleverly concealed behind some randomly chosen acronyms – DMRT/DMIRT/DCDT – are visiting parishes to determine whether to terminate them. It seems that parishioners have caught wind of what is afoot, though:

First we have Indaba Resistance:

He then distributed five questions, and suggested we break into small groups and discuss the questions. A number of people objected to “more small-group stuff.” There was strong resistance to small-group discussion. (Comment: “We’re small-grouped to death and nothing ever comes of it.”) There was anger expressed by people who did not want to discuss “another bunch of irrelevant questions.”

Followed by Process Resistance:

The Rev. Michael Wimmer suggested we be given the opportunity to talk about our emotions and responses to the material that had been sent out to us. He suggested that “We ought to have been consulted about the process in which we are asked to participate.” Mrs. Doreen Huston said we have all been talking in small groups amongst ourselves, ever since this information was circulated, “but at least let us get those big things out in the open, first” so that once we have expressed our feelings, we can then go and talk about the process.

Garnished with Listening Process Resistance

Someone got up and asked that the DCDT listen to the complaints about what is going on in the diocese with regard to all these papers that tell us we aren’t doing enough. The general feeling was that we were not listened to.

And after a Forced Indaba session, Outright Rebellion:

When the small groups reported back, there was a great deal of dissatisfaction expressed about the DCDT process. Comments were made such as “We don’t trust anyone at the Synod Office any more. We’re sorry to say this, but we don’t trust the Bishop any more, either.”

I wonder what Prince Charles would make of it all.