The Anglican Church of Canada is proposing to share office space with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada:

Anglicans and Lutherans plan joint gathering, consider sharing office space

Sharing space for national offices in the future would result in a “huge cost saving,” said Archbishop Hiltz. But “this is not something that is simply driven by our current financial circumstances,” he added. “There’s no question that has some impact, but I really think that what’s driving it is the commitment that we made as churches in 2001.”

Possible scenarios for sharing office space haven’t been worked out yet, said Archbishop Hiltz. “A shared office might be that one office moves into the other or together we move into a brand new location and open a new office together. Or certain areas of ministry are centred out of the ELCIC office, and other areas of ministry of centered out of the Anglican office,” he said. “Who knows what could come of this? There could be an ecumenical office that could represent more than Anglicans and Lutherans.”

I am sure that the sweetness and harmony that exists between the Diocese of Niagara and ANiC in sharing parish buildings can be used as an archetype for sharing office space with Lutherans. One could ask for no more than the dissilient magnanimity displayed by the diocesan lawyer in this message of  inclusiveness and tolerance:

“that the Incumbents, Church Wardens and congregants now associated with the ANiC not attend or be present at the properties on Sunday, May 11, 2008 from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and each Sunday thereafter.”

In addition, the lawyer specifically asked us to post this “timely and direct communication” on the Anglican Essentials website, “requesting that members of the three ANiC congregations not attend or be present on the properties from 7:00 a.m. To 10:00 a.m. this Sunday and on subsequent Sundays.”

Lutherans, watch your back.