Category Archives: Diocese of New Westminster

Diocese of New Westminster wants to know more about Islam

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And why not? Islam could fill the gap in the diocese left by the departure of Christianity.

CaptureFrom here:

This event will seek to open up avenues of conversation.  What do we know about Islam and Muslims?  What do we appreciate?  What do we fear?  How do we understand current geo-political struggles, including terrorism?  What is the capacity of Islam for pluralism, democracy, human rights and the secular?

It’s interesting that there don’t seem to be any events organised by Muslims to understand Christianity better; Muslims may not feel the need because they are more secure in their beliefs.

The organisers of this event suggest: If possible, bring something that can be shared. A severed head, perhaps.

Diocese of New Westminster’s eco-quackery unit stirs up debate

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As well it might. It wants to increase sales tax in order to improve the well-being of “those who really struggle financially”. I’m surprised this hasn’t occurred to anyone before: take more money away from the impoverished to improve their lot; a lie so audaciously brazen everyone thinks it clever.

The increase in sales tax is to be used to fund more public transport – a worthy endeavour, no doubt, but one which the poor will not enjoy because their taxes have gone up and they won’t be able to afford it.

This is known as eco-justice, the latest Anglican replacement for the long outmoded pie-in-the-sky, fundamentalist fantasy of eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Who needs that when there is public transit?

Still, there’s probably no sales tax in hell, so it could be an improvement over living in Vancouver.

From here:

As Metro Vancouver residents prepare to vote in an upcoming transit referendum, members of the Diocese of New Westminster Eco-Justice Unit are hoping to promote discussion on wider issues of social and ecological justice.

Starting on March 16 and running through May 29, Elections B.C. will administer a plebiscite through a mail-in ballot in which voters will be asked to approve a 0.5 per cent increase to the Provincial Sales Tax in order to fund new transit projects.

[…..]

“Metro Vancouver Alliance is committed to a Yes [vote],” Marquardt said. “But let’s talk about it. Let’s think about it. Let’s engage people. Let’s think about what our role is as Anglicans in terms of reflecting ecologically, theologically and [on] the well-being [of] those who really struggle financially…being able to get where they need to go.”

So there you have it: Anglicans are still helping people get where they need to go. The only difference is that the destination used to be heaven, now it is a stop on the Millennium Line Skytrain.

Diocese of New Westminster moves its office to St. John’s Shaughnessy

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St. John’s Shaughnessy has been costing the diocese of New Westminster $20,000 per month to stay afloat. It’s so empty that it resembles a mausoleum. As a parish, it is a failure; what more fitting setting for a stifling Kafkaesque bureaucracy than the tomb of the interloper that deliberately displaced a once thriving congregation.

The only thing that concerns me is: will there still be room for all the same-sex couples?

From here:

The new Diocesan Office will accommodate existing Synod staff requirements with room for growth and change. There will be meeting rooms available to welcome the various committees and structures of the diocese large and small and these venues will also be appropriate for study

and research. A large classroom/training facility will also serve as a meeting room occupying the former gymnasium. The existing Trendell Lounge will be shared with the Parish for its fellowship time and receptions. Community user groups will be sought for the unused lower floor and the third floor with this income contributing to offsetting costs to the diocese.

The Business Administrator for the Diocese of New Westminster, Rob Dickson had this to say regarding the key components of the renovation project:

“This project is a good use of Diocesan resources now and for the future as the special synod imagined. it will benefit the diocese as a whole, the archives and the Parish by employing an asset of the Parish and the diocese.”

A flood of same-sex couples inundates St. John’s Shaughnessy

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St. John’s Shaughnessy, having ejected over 800 people from its former congregation, is finally seeing the fruit of its labours: one same-sex couple. It only took three years.

From here:

When I visited St. John’s, Shaughnessy for the first time I was immediately taken by how committed the congregation was to welcoming new worshippers and how committed everyone was to the mission of the church. Everyone shook my hand and asked me to come back. I eventually came back more often and now have chosen to become a parishioner at St John’s.

Eventually Douglas and I requested to have our marriage blessed at St. John’s, Shaughnessy. The Parish Council granted this permission and every parishioner that spoke to me about our Blessing Ceremony was encouraging, supportive and joyful for our happiness. As much as my rebirth as a Christian began before I attended St. John’s, this experience has given me deep conviction to the church and specifically to the ministry of St. John’s, Shaughnessy.

At our reception, after the Blessing Ceremony, a friend summed up my feeling more than I could say. He said that in our lifetime, as same-sex partners, we could never have imagined that we could ever legally marry. “And to have a Blessing Ceremony in a church is almost un-believable and to have this occur in a church that was so welcoming is just beyond my wildest dreams.” I felt like he had read my heart.

I am so grateful to everyone at St John’s for making me feel so welcome and allowing me to fully participate in Christian life without reservation because it allows me to feel God’s love and to love all of you.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life in the Diocese of New Westminster

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To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Christ Church Cathedral hosted an evening of musical entertainment.

From here (page 13):

Of course when one is inside an Anglican Church and two or three or more are gathered there is always bound to be some congregational singing and Jubilation was no exception. At the halfway point the four soloists led the audience in an enthusiastic rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from Spamalot.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life is a Monty Python song that had its origins not in Spamalot, but in the film Life of Brian. In spite of Monty Python’s denial that the film mocked Christ and his crucifixion, it seems to me pretty obvious that it did. While I don’t think such mockery should be banned, I do think it is an odd choice of song to be sung in a supposedly Christian cathedral – even in a Diocese of New Westminster cathedral.

Judge for yourselves:

Anglican cognitive inclusivity

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Anglican clergy love meaningless clichés: their judicious deployment helps prevent sceptical laypeople from pinning down the actual beliefs of their shepherds. Slipperiness is everything. Here is a new one from the Diocese of New Westminster: cognitive inclusivity.

Anglicans with $30 whose inclusion is suffering from depleted cognition can go here to have it recharged:

Plenary speaker Bishop Melissa Skelton, Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, Anglican Church of Canada, will help us explore the liturgical experience of reverence.

Four workshops will explore justice and holy in our music, worship and community organizing, cognitive inclusivity, and hospitality.

St. Anselm’s and the Future of Environmentalism

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The Diocese of New Westminster’s St. Anselm’s is hosting the talk by the CEO of the David Suzuki foundation. A discussion more pertinent to the church would have been one that probed the future of Canterbury approved Canadian Anglicanism. The answer might have proved too unsettling; as it is, the David Suzuki representative should feel right at home since Suzuki, in his autobiography (pp. 391), notes: “I have been an atheist all my adult life”Peter Robinson Talk 8.5 x 11

Fairy tales and the gay man’s journey

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“Fairy tales and the gay man’s journey” is a five week Pride event put on by the Diocese of New Westminster’s Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral. It will be led by Holy Trinity’s rector, who is himself gay, Rev. Dale Yardy. As the invitation says:

HTC-pride-post-image-v2-1024x600Join us for a five week journey as we listen to, and unpack through small group reflection and conversation, the wisdom and spirituality of five beloved fairytales as applied to the gay man’s journey.

Rev. Yardy explains more in this CBC interview. Apparently, it has a lot to do with the ugly duckling feeling alienated and excluded: it’s an LGBT metaphor – I bet no-one saw that coming. Just to be clear: it has nothing to do with the word “fairy”.

Let there be light. Pink light

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The Diocese of New Westminster held its annual Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist last weekend, complete with a rainbow candle holder and over 100 people in attendance, not one of whom noticed the oxymoron contained within “Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist”.

Reverend Laurel Dykstra – please note my restraint in saying nothing about the reverend’s surname – was not only the preacher at the service but organised the Anglican contingent at the Pride parade later in the day:

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The marching Anglicans felt right at home with polyamorists:

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Sin City Fetishists:

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Justin Trudeau:

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And a plausible candidate for the next bishop:

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I am unclear as to whether the Sin City Fetishists participated in the Holy Eucharist or not.

Rev. Dykstra chose to preach on Genesis 32: 22-31, Jacob wrestling with the angel. I am sure that you are well aware that Jacob’s homoerotic wrestling with the angel until he received a blessing is a prophetic foretelling of the struggle between gay Anglicans and the church: the wrestling will continue until a blessing is obtained. What else could it possibly mean?

From here:

Let there Be Light

The 6th Annual Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist took place on the Sunday of the second long weekend of the summer, August 3, 2014, again at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver.

As has now become traditional at this liturgy, after the processional hymn (for 2014 it was Morning Has Broken led by harpist/vocalist Clare Morgan) and the Dean’s welcome the Service of Light is offered. The presider opens with these words:

“The lighting of a candle is a simple act yet becomes a powerful sign. For when we don’t have the words or don’t know how to pray, a small candle burning brightly expresses our prayer that is always with us – and becomes more powerful with each candle lit.”

Two candles on the Altar and six candles on a rainbow candle holder placed on the Altar were lit: in the face of fear; in the face of violence; in an age of AIDS; for hope; for healing; for courage; for community and for resurrection.

As a buffer between the Eucharist and the Raunch, a “complimentary continental brunch prepared and served by members of the Christ Church Cathedral faith community” was offered before the march. How civilised. How Anglican.

St. Matthew’s Abbotsford is going through a bumpy patch

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In 2011 the 500 member congregation of St. Matthew’s Abbotsford was ejected from its building by the Diocese of New Westminster.

In 2012, the rector of the diocese of New Westminster’s version of the parish, Rev Allen Doerksen, declared that one day the church will become self-sustaining. That day has not yet arrived: the parish is still being funded by the diocese and is now going through a bumpy patch.

What’s more, the church’s furnaces need replacing so, to avoid a bumpy cold patch, the parish is asking the Diocese of New Westminster for $150,000 to fix them.

Both St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. John’s Shaughnessy – which is bleeding $20,000 per month – were kept on artificial life-support by Bishop Michael Ingham to demonstrate to the world that the diocese’s ersatz Christianity works. It doesn’t. The new bishop, Melissa Skelton, will have some difficult decisions to make soon; before the diocese starts going through a bumpy patch.