Category Archives: Diocese of New Westminster

Diocese of New Westminster: where have all the orthodox clergy gone?

Posted on by
15

An article in the Diocese of New Westminster’s paper laments the lack of orthodox clergy in the diocese.

It seems that most of the orthodox clergy and laity have defected to ANiC or other denominations and now the writer wants them back. Being “open” is not enough: orthodox clergy should be encouraged into the diocese by the leadership. Currently, there is even a perception that the diocese is hostile to orthodox clergy. Who knew?

The article doesn’t delve into how this could be achieved. How can a diocese that the orthodox have abandoned because they are convinced the diocese first abandoned the Gospel possibly entice them back? The only way is for the diocesan leadership to repent; if such a miracle is imminent, it is a well kept secret.

From here (page 12):

One of the geniuses of Anglicanism over the centuries has been our ability, and until recently in our part of the world, our insistence on ensuring a balance exists between Anglicans of all stripes, be they liberals, conservatives, high church, low church, etc… This focus is embodied in the tradition of alternating between liberals and conservatives in appointing archbishops of Canterbury.

Sadly, this balance no longer exists in this diocese. With the unfortunate departure of entire parishes and continual leakage of individual parishioners to the Network and other denominations, the presence of orthodox clergy and laity in this diocese is miniscule. Regardless of what side of the fence any of us may be on, or if we are in the shrinking middle, nobody should be pleased with this state of affairs.

It may not be well known, but the few conservative parishes that remain are having a difficult time attracting clergy and laity as there is a general perception out there that this diocese is hostile to those of that persuasion. I hope the leadership of this diocese will make a concerted effort to encourage orthodox clergy and laity to come to this diocese in order to bring a more balanced tone of Anglicanism to the lower mainland. Simply being “open” to this wing of the church is not sufficient.

Dean Peter Elliott fills in for Michael Ingham

Posted on by
10

Bishop Michael Ingham has retired. The Very Rev. Peter Elliott has taken over Ingham’s administrative duties in the Diocese of New Westminster. I am unsure whether this is a harbinger of Elliott’s eventual installation as the next bishop and he is getting in some practice, whether it means he won’t be bishop and he really is just filling in, or whether it is of no significance at all in the matter of bishopric succession.

I really can’t understand why anyone would want to be the bishop of such a fractious, financially unstable diocese; I suppose the lust for power is blind to such trifles.

From here:Peter Elliott

The Very Rev. Peter Elliott, Dean of the Diocese of New Westminster and rector of Christ Church Cathedral became Administrator of the Diocese and took over the day-to-day administrative functions of the Office of the Bishop assisted by Synod Staff. During the month of September and in collaboration with Synod Staff, the Nominations/Search Committee will produce materials both electronic and print to communicate information about the Diocese of New Westminster (Diocesan Profile) to encourage nominations.

The Diocese of New Westminster at the Vancouver Pride Parade

Posted on by
7

More than 500,000 people attended the Vancouver Pride parade on Sunday.

130 of them attended the Diocese of New Westminster’s special Pride Day service in the Cathedral; 60 of them may have been there for the free brunch.

So go the diocesan plans to fill the 600-seat cathedral.

proud anglicans

Dean Peter Elliot takes comfort in something the Pope said

Posted on by
7

In a recent interview the Pope said:

If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge that person?

Since the Catholic Church hasn’t changed its view that while same sex attraction is not sinful, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered”, the Pope was obviously referring to a celibate gay person.

This did not deter the Diocese of New Westminster’s Dean Peter Elliot from taking the Pope’s statement and using it to imply that he suddenly supports gay marriage.

So goes the tortured logic of liberal Anglicanism.

Dean Peter Elliot’s talk is aptly named, The Spirit of the Time.

From here:

Obviously the furthest thing from the Pope’s mind when he held his impromptu press conference last Sunday evening was that his remarks about gay people would be received, in Vancouver BC, at the beginning of Gay Pride Week. This annual festival culminates on August 4 with Vancouver’s largest parade with well over 100,000 people downtown.

It wasn’t always so. For generations homosexual people were relegated to the sidelines of society, forced to hide relationships and encouraged to lie. The first pride parades attracted but a few participants and often incurred the ridicule of homophobic onlookers. But over the years a transformation – you might even say transfiguration-of consciousness in Canadian society occurred. Many things contributed to this change of mind including the decriminalization of homosexuality, the increasing numbers of LGBT people ‘coming out’ to families and friends, the public face of the gay men’s health crisis of HIV-AIDS, and an exploration of sexuality by scientists leading to the conclusion that homosexuality is simply a normative variation in human nature, in and of itself, morally neutral.

The Anglican Church of Canada and its sister church in the US, the Episcopal Church have been deeply involved in this discussion: for well over a decade, church councils and conventions were dominated by heated debates about the place of LGBT people within the church and the status of our committed relationships. This diocese of New Westminster became a primary location for this: through the leadership of our Bishop Michael Ingham and the passionate voices of laity and clergy this became the first diocese in the Anglican Communion where, in 2002, a rite for the blessing of committed same sex relationships was authorized. In 2003 Canadian courts followed, opening the institution of marriage to same-sex couples, a position that was later endorsed by federal Parliament and the provincial legislatures. Within the last year the President of the US has advocated for same sex marriage, and then last Sunday the Pope made his comments.

[…..]

Pope Francis, in his statement If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge that person opens the possibility that the good news of Jesus includes all of God’s beloved children. It is in Christ that all of us seek transformation so that we too can take our part in bringing liberation and dignity to all people-taking our part in the bending arc of the universe toward justice.

The worthy Dean has been so busy exerting himself in the bending arc of the universe, he missed the Freudian slip.

Diocese of New Westminster to hold Pride Day service in Cathedral

Posted on by
19

As the invitation notes: the diocese “welcomes and affirms people of all gender identifications and sexual orientations.”

The distinction between affirming people and affirming anything and everything they feel inclined to do is one that appears to be lost on the Diocese of New Westminster.

I take that back. Anyone who succumbs to the temptation of building an oil pipeline or who indulges in “resource extraction” will definitely not be invited to a service at the cathedral to celebrate his achievement. Unless he is gay and a Buddhist.

From here:

05-07-2013 11-08-35 PMCelebrate God’s gift of diversity by marching with your Anglican sisters and brothers in the 2013 Vancouver Pride Parade!

All are welcome — GLBTQ people, friends, family and allies — to join us in the continuing work of creating an Anglican faith community that welcomes and affirms people of all gender identifications and sexual orientations.

Our Pride festivities (which you may join at any time during the day) will include:

8am: Worship at Christ Church Cathedral’s 5th Annual Pride Day Service.
9am: Post-worship brunch at the Cathedral with your fellow marchers.
10 to 11:30: Making our way from Christ Church to the start of the parade. (Location details to follow.)
12noon: MARCHING

ALL AGES: Ours is a family-friendly group… bring kids, strollers, wagons, scooters, bikes and trikes. Decorate them if you have time! And, child or adult, be sure to dress your bright, festive best!

“It doesn’t matter whether you are Buddhists or Christians, Jews or Gentiles, the world needs people who lead Christ’s life”

Posted on by
18

That statement was made by Archbishop Paul Kim, Primate of the Province of Korea during a sermon at Christ Church Cathedral in the Diocese of New Westminster.

It fits well with the mushy theology of the diocese, as do Paul Kim’s views on blessing same-sex unions.

The problem is, it does matter: if Christianity is true then the statement is nonsense. A Buddhist would not accept Christ’s Divinity, his freely-chosen atoning death on the cross, his Resurrection, or the gift of eternal life through Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice. A Buddhist is “dead in his sins”, is unreconciled to God and has dubious prospects in the hereafter. Moreover, although the world may need people who lead a Christ-like life, those who attempt to do so will not be saved by their works, since we are saved by grace not works.

This leads me to conclude that Archbishop Paul Kim either: doesn’t believe that Christianity is true; doesn’t know what it is; or is illogical. Take your pick.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are Buddhists or Christians, Jews or Gentiles, the world needs people who lead Christ’s life.”

These were the words spoken by the interpreter, the Reverend Aidan Koh, (Chaplain, St.James Episcopal School, Los Angeles) near the conclusion of Archbishop Paul Kim’s address at a Celebration of the Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral marking the Birth of John the Baptist, Tuesday, June 25th, 2013.
Archbishop Kim, en route to the Diocese of Peterborough in England (there are 6 Korean clergy in ministry in that diocese) from the Episcopal Asiaamerica Ministries Conference that ran June 20th to June 24th wanted to stop in Vancouver to visit the Diocese of New Westminster and to pay his respects to Bishop Michael Ingham and his legacy of prophetic witness.
Archbishop Kim has been a vocal advocate in the Asian region and across the Anglican Communion for justice, particularly as it relates to sexuality.

 

The budgetary woes of St. John’s Shaughnessy

Posted on by
6

In 2013, St. John’s Shaughnessy is anticipating an income of $151,000. Operating expenses will be $445,000 and a replacement roof will cost $213,000, leaving a deficit of $507,000.

To cover its financial embarrassment, St. John’s is asking the Diocese of New Westminster for a number of restricted funds to be made unrestricted.

That’s what happens when a large, conservative, congregation that emphasises the Gospel is evicted to make room for a small, liberal one that emphasises social justice.

SJS money

St. John’s Shaughnessy embracing doubt

Posted on by
1

St. John’s Shaughnessy has a new website whose first page trumpets that one belief is as good as any other, doubt should be “embraced”, diversity celebrated and – in what is probably a subconscious dig at J.I. Packer – Knowing God is presumptuous. Unsurprisingly, their road is one “less travelled” – particularly by Christians:

St. John’s Shaughnessy is a small but flourishing congregation,
living our calling as Christians by faithfully walking the Anglican path.
Our road is less travelled.

We do not claim absolute knowledge of the Divine.

We really welcome everyone and are enriched by the dynamic tension of differing beliefs.
We embrace doubt. Pray hopefully. And celebrate diversity.

Another clergy-person bites the dust in the Diocese of New Westminster

Posted on by
2

The Rev. Gertrude (Trudy) Lebans has quit her position as rector of the Parish of St Laurence, Coquitlam; she is retiring. Rev. Trudy climbed the ecclesiastical ladder (or, depending on one’s perspective, slid down the episcopal snake) from the second most liberal diocese in Canada – Niagara – to the most liberal diocese – New Westminster – about eight years ago.

As is only right and proper for a model of liberalism, the Parish of St Laurence has a colourful Integrity logo, a quote from Solomon Ibn Gabirol (although the name is misspelt) and a promise of justice, peace and positive social change.

Rev. Trudy believes that the Resurrection, rather than being anything as crass as an event, let alone historical or, perish the thought, physical, is really a process, an unfolding, a wafting as we ride the wings of the spirit.

Another clarifying point for us is that resurrection is not an event so much as a process, an unfolding experience in which we become more secure riding the wings of the spirit…… Happy Resurrection!

After the struggle, after the doubts and fear that things will never be all right, comes the promise. And we will hear the music and we will feel the wind on our cheeks and one more time we will rise in freedom and joy.

I wish Rev. Trudy all the best on her escape from both the Diocese of Niagara and New Westminster: no wonder she hears music and feels wind on her cheeks.

Incidentally, there is nothing that trivialises an event of cosmic significance quite so effectively as preceding it with “Happy”. Even though they prove my point, I have accommodated to “Happy Easter” and “Happy Christmas; but never, “Happy Resurrection”. “Happy Armageddon” has a pleasant ring to it, though.