Category Archives: Diocese of Ottawa

On the occasion of a Baptism and the Re-Naming of a Transgendered Person

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St. Alban’s in Ottawa used to house a congregation that, in 2008, aligned itself with ANiC. Negotiations with the Diocese of Ottawa resulted in the ejection of the resident congregation and the installation of a transplanted congregation, an oft repeated ACoC strategy to create the illusion that it needed the buildings. It’s the ACoC version of church planting: Potemkin Planting.

Since then, interesting things have been happening. For example, in September, a baptism service was accompanied by a Liturgy for the Re-Naming of a Transgendered Person.

Apparently, such renaming liturgies are not as uncommon as the naive might suspect. The House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, “a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice-oriented, queer-inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient / future church”, has one. When I read the article below I assumed that a re-baptism had taken place – something that was considered by the CofE – but, it seems the liturgy is merely a renaming.

In the interest of complete inclusion, the originator of the renaming liturgy – Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber – also offers an annual liturgical blessing for bicycles.

Even in the face of all the evidence, some clerics are still genuinely shocked that a common secular view of the church is that it spends much of its time plumbing the depths of the absurd.

From here:

On the occasion of a Baptism, and the Re-Naming of a Transgendered Person

Eliot, you too will be anointed today, just as you were anointed at your own baptism many years ago.  You continue to bear the name of Christ, the anointed one, beloved child of God.  We re-affirm that today.  That has not changed.  But some things do change.  Often our faith journeys can take twists and turns as we live and grow into the people that God created us to be.  Today you take on a new name as a testimony to the person you have become and as a testimony to the God who welcomes us as his children, loves us through all the twists and turns of our life journeys, and promises to make all things new.
[…..]

The truth is, I may never be able to understand what it’s like to be a non-binary gendered trans person.  I don’t even know if I said that right.  But, at least in our better moments, by the grace of God, we are able to be generous by offering our support to a fellow traveller who bears the name of Christ on their faith journey.

Soon, we will turn to Davis and we will pledge to do all in our power to support him in his life in Christ.

Then not long after that we will turn to Eliot and pledge as follows:

“Eliot, we will walk with you.”

Diocese of Ottawa voting on whether to divest from fossil fuels

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From here:

Delegates from 114 area Anglican congregations will decide this weekend whether to make a major statement on climate change by divesting their diocese of $1 million in oil and gas stocks.

“It’s become a moral and ethical issue,” said Carleton University biology professor and ecologist Lenore Fahrig, one of a small group of church members who will table four climate change-related motions at the Anglican annual diocese synod, or summit, beginning Friday.

“We know how it’s affecting nature and we know how it’s affecting people and we know how to avoid it,” she said. “It is entirely about profits, about money. What divestment does is make the statement that we have to pull out of this fossil fuel-based economy.”

Local Anglican churches have a combined stock portfolio worth $30 million administered centrally, she said.

Fahrig, a member of the St. Matthew’s Church congregation, has been speaking with Anglican groups about possible oil and gas divestment for more than a year.

“I’ve done at least 15 presentations around the diocese,” she said, “and pulled together a small team of people interested in this idea.”

The group will table four motions:

  • To divest locally in oil and gas companies.

  • To propose to the General (national) Synod meeting next summer that the entire Anglican Church of Canada divests of oil and gas stocks.

  • To launch an education program on climate change for all local churches.

  • To devise a plan to “de-carbonize” all Anglican churches.

If the motion passes, delegates will be forcibly de-carbonized.  Their cars will be impounded, they will be given bicycles to ride home and they will be searched for plastics before leaving. Technology items such as iPhones and computers will be liberated since they depend on fossil fuel for their production. Plastic lens spectacles along with all synthetic cloth garments, including cassocks, will be confiscated.

Nude delegates will be invited to cover themselves with copies of Greening Sacred Spaces: A Practical Eco-Spiritual Workshop, available for purchase in the foyer. No credit cards, please – they are plastic.

Anglicans in Ottawa Pride parade dress more modestly than other participants

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Here is the standard of modesty that Ottawa Anglicans had to beat:

Less than modest

It wasn’t easy, but the six participating Anglican parishes put their heads together and came up with the innovative but, I must say, less than entirely inclusive idea of putting clothes on. Notwithstanding their modest attire, they still managed to stay “in touch with the theme of this year’s Capital Pride Festival” and that, after all, is what Christianity is really all about:

modest Anglicans

More here:

Among the hundreds of parade participants were scores of Anglicans from at least six parishes: St. Alban’s, Church of the Ascension, St. John the Evangelist, St. Michaels and All Angels, St. Marks, and St. James the Apostle. Marching as a group under the banner of Integrity Ottawa, they formed largest Christian group in the parade.

“We have found this to be a wonderful opportunity to make clear that there are parishes in our diocese who are intentional in their welcome to the GLBT community,” wrote Ron Chaplin of Integrity Ottawa, on the diocesan email list. Although Anglican marchers dressed more modestly than many of the participants, many seemed in touch with the theme of this year’s Capital Pride Festival – “Be Loud, Be Proud.”

Bishop John Chapman says that St. Alban’s, Ottawa is about to become "totally welcoming and inclusive”

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Obviously, until the Diocese of Ottawa took possession of the building in July 2011, the parish specialised in being unwelcoming and exclusive – which is odd, since the old unwelcoming St. Alban’s has about 100 people [correction: the number is 200] attending its Sunday services and the welcoming New St. Alban’s had absolutely nobody until the diocese moved another parish’s congregation into the building.

What the bishop really means, of course, is that the New St. Alban’s believes that active homosexuality is a Biblically approved lifestyle: the new rector, Rev. Mark Whittall, eager to reinforce the point, marched in the Ottawa Pride parade.

From here (page 13):

As you probably know, the Diocese has returned to St. Alban’s more than three years after the previous clergy resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada to join the breakaway Anglican Network in Canada. It is most regrettable that the parish felt it needed to take this step because they opposed the direction the national church was taking.

However, through mediation and negotiation an agreement was reached for the clergy to leave the church so that we could re-establish the Anglican Church of Canada here.

We should point out that only the clergy were forced to leave – the members of the congregation are most welcome to stay. We also hope to build up membership with the help of former parishioners

who were alienated by the direction taken in recent years.

We are recovering our ancient mission as an Anglican church to be totally welcoming and inclusive. That means that everyone, including the poor and the marginalized, are assured of a warm welcome here.

 

 

All Saints Sandy Hill, Ottawa may be for the chopping block

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From here:

July 16, 2011 — All Saints Sandy Hill is a parish of about 120 people, more than half of whom you will find worshipping together in our lovely sanctuary on a Sunday morning, and nearly half of whom are regular, generous, identifiable financial supporters.

Now, in 2011, we are nearing a tipping point.

The responsibility to maintain and improve our century-old building and hall, constructed for a congregation twice our size, is beyond the capacity of the congregation. Engineers tell us millions of dollars will be needed over the next decade to conserve our buildings.

Meanwhile, the desire to get on with our mission as an inspired and active Christian community in the heart of Ottawa has never been stronger. Therefore, the people of All Saints Sandy Hill are in an active state of discernment.

[….]

Even in the face of these uncertainties, you may rest assured that it will be worship and action as usual at All Saints until Christmas, and possibly until
Easter 2012.

Funnily enough, The Sandy hill congregation are currently meeting in the recently vacated St. Alban’s, left more or less empty by the ANiC congregation’s recent departure – the result of an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Without the All Saints influx, the diocese has a lot less than 120 people with which to convince onlookers that they really needed the St. Alban’s building, yet the building in danger of closing is All Saints, not St. Alban’s.

Perhaps Face Saving has become the sixth mark of mission.

Anglican Potemkin congregation alert

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The Diocese of Ottawa’s version of St. Alban’s in Ottawa is obviously having a little difficulty placing bodies in the pews now that the ANiC congregation has vacated the premises.

To create the illusion of an active parish, the diocese is importing the congregation from All Saints’ Sandy Hill – and closing it for part of the summer:

 

Enquiries on this Anglican congregation shell game may be directed to what appears to be an abbreviated email address: assh@on.aibn.com.

Grabbing some wine at St. Alban’s

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Today, the Diocese of Ottawa’s version of St. Alban’s in Ottawa had its first service in the building that used to be the home of an ANiC parish. It has an odd way of advertising the Communion service. Here it is from Twitter:

Grab some wine before brunch on your way to the Market. Eucharist @ 10am. Daly & King Eddy.

Is this a desperate attempt by the author to conceal with a veneer of trendiness his embarrassment at believing in antediluvian, recondite rituals? Have they actually opened a wine bar in the narthex? – some churches have a Tim Hortons, so it’s only natural that Anglicans would have a wine bar. Is the author of the tweet likening the Blood of Christ to an incidental diversion while en route to the important business of the day – brunch?

Or is the Diocese of Ottawa merely confirming to the ANiC parish that it made the right choice when it left the diocese?

Diocese of Ottawa succumbs to flagrant capitalism

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The Diocese of Ottawa is deep in debt and wants to build condominiums, townhouses and offices on diocesan owned land in the hope of generating income to replenish its dwindling coffers.

Although, to convince naysayers, the diocese appeals to its promoting of the arts, non-church events and social programs, not much is made of the fabled “mission” of the Anglican Church – perhaps because the real mission is to stay afloat.

From here:

In a decision that Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes argued lacked transparency, city council’s planning committee today approved the Christ Church Cathedral development plan.

The committee’s decision included sending the proposal for a final approval to city council tomorrow. This, Holmes said, is “short-circuiting the public process” because there have been more private meetings to discuss the proposal than public consultations.

The proposed developments include a 21-storey condominium, a row of four townhouses and a 12-storey office building that currently does not have confirmed ownership.

The land affected by the proposed development is bordered by Bronson Avenue to the west, Sparks Street to the south and Queen Street to the north, with St. Peter’s Lutheran Church to the east.

Several individuals and community group representatives attended the meeting to express either support or opposition. Some of the key areas of opposition circulated around continued debates on the height of the 21-storey proposed condominium, availability of affordable housing and lack of available visitor parking.

Bronson Avenue resident James McGraw said the proposed plans will “overwhelm the cathedral” because of the height.

Supporters, however, cited the development as a source of stable revenue for the cathedral.

Representatives from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa said the cathedral faces upwards of $100,000 per year in restoration costs and repairs. They said this compromises the church’s ability to contribute to social programs in the city.

The church hosts more than 300 non-church events, is an active promoter of the arts, and assists in the funding of many social programs, they said.

It is the $350,000 of debt “that is overwhelming us” and not the height of the proposed developments.

 

 

Archdeacon David Selzer and the Nazis

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In its battle with ANiC over church property, the Diocese of Ottawa acquired St. Alban’s Church and ANiC retained St. George’s. Not inconsiderable sums of money were also exchanged, with the diocese coming out well ahead – not that the diocese is primarily interested in money. Not at all.

The Diocese of Ottawa has no congregation to put into St. Alban’s, so it is moving a shelter for the homeless there instead. The only problem is, the residents who live close to St. Alban’s don’t want to live next door to a homeless shelter.

Archdeacon David Selzer, exhibiting the kind of tact that distinguishes many ACoC priests, made the point that the residents had no basis for complaining by comparing them to Nazis. The Ven. David Selzer doesn’t live in that neighbourhood himself, of course, nor does he plan on moving there – even after the property values plumment.

From here:

OTTAWA – An Ottawa Anglican Diocese official is comparing neighbourhood opposition to the relocation of a downtown homeless centre and comments by those opposing it to “Nazi Germany.”

After a heated meeting with area residents Monday night, archdeacon David Selzer is “appalled” by comments describing the homeless.

“There was a huge degradation of people using Centre 454 as human beings,” said Selzer.

“People were saying we ought to get rid of these people, carted away. It sounded like Nazi Germany.”

Centre 454 — currently at 216 Murray St. — serves 250 people daily and operates during the day.

Many downtown residents are opposing its move to St. Alban’s Church at 454 King Edward Ave — where it operated from 1976 to 1999. In 2000, the centre moved to its current spot, but that lease expires at the end of January 2012.

Coincidentally, Archdeacon David Selzer appears to have no inclination whatsoever to make any comparisons between the North American abortion industry and the Nazi holocaust – even though the comparison is rather apt. That is because he is staunchly pro-abortion – making him, also, staunchly hypocritical.

The Rev. David Selzer, the rector of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and an outspoken supporter of abortion rights, is leaving Buffalo to start a new ministry in Ottawa.

Selzer, who is 56, will be joined by Pastor Ann Salmon, 51, also of Good Shepherd, to lead a joint congregation of Anglicans and Lutherans in Ottawa, the first of its kind in Canada.

Selzer and Salmon, along with their spouses and children, will be honored Aug. 24 at the church at a special ceremony.

Selzer came to Good Shepherd in November 1995 and became a vocal advocate for abortion rights in Western New York, offering a contrasting viewpoint to local Catholic leaders who are opposed to abortion………

He served as chairman of the board of Planned Parenthood (now Planned Parenthood of WNY) and was the moderator for the WNY Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.