Tag Archives: Diocese of New Westminster

The Diocese of New Westminster does Godspell

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And, surprise, surprise, when the production opens in Christ Church Cathedral in May, the diocese will “dare the audience to consider Christ anew” by having a female Jesus and portraying the crucifixion as a regrettable episode of school bullying taken a step too far. This article goes on to speculate that the “production of Godspell will instigate fresh thinking in those who come to see it.” Not really, it’s entirely predictable.

Was the crucifixion of Christ a supreme act of bullying? Godspell Director, Rev. Andrew Halladay and Director of Music, Rev. David Taylor believe that Jesus was bullied. Bullying is a hot topic — not just in Canada — but also around the world. In March, both the Liberals and the Conservatives introduced bills meant to influence the way that Canadian educators deal with bullies in our schools.

What does it mean to have the role of Jesus played by a woman? By casting theological student Clare Morgan as Jesus, Halladay and Taylor break from the typical Godspell formula. The role of the typical Godspell Jesus is difficult to fill. The role requires a male soprano. When Halladay and Taylor began casting their Godspell, they already considered inviting a woman to play Jesus — to honor the talent that confronted them and to dare the audience to consider Christ anew.

The Diocese of New Westminster doesn’t know what “scorched earth” means

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At a recent diocesan council, the following comments were made about the three buildings that were awarded to the diocese as part of its legal action against ANiC:

Bishop Michael pointed out that DC has spoken in the past and made decisions about the three parishes that are the subject of this plan; St. Matthew’s, Abbotsford, St. Matthias and St. Luke, Oakridge and St. John’s Shaughnessy, primarily regarding funding.

Bishop Michael reminded DC of Assistant Treasurer Jim Stewart’s words that no diocese has ever planted three churches on “scorched ground”.

What Jim Stewart and Michael Ingham meant was that there are no people in the parishes that reverted to diocesan ownership. That is because the congregations decided that it is better to follow Christ than Ingham and so forfeited their buildings.

Stewart misquoted: he meant “scorched earth”. “Scorched earth” is “a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area.” Had the parishes adopted a scorched earth policy, they would have set fire to, or otherwise demolished their buildings before they fell into the hands of the enemy. But they didn’t – they just left.

Even Jesus left with congregations; not that the diocese would miss him. All that remains is – as Stewart himself noted – a mausoleum: death and the stench that accompanies it.

Diocese of New Westminster to spend $4.5 million in an attempt to revitalise seized parishes

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Having won the court battle for the buildings of St. John’s Shaughnessy, St. Matthias and St. Luke, and St. Matthew’s Abbotsford, the Diocese of New Westminster must decide what to do with them. Since it has no substantial congregations in the buildings, the diocese has concluded that it must “plant three new churches” to “establish Diocese of New Westminster, Anglican Church of Canada worship” in the parishes. The diocese makes no mention of worshipping Jesus.

The money is to come from “the assets of the parishes returned to the diocese by the courts of Canada” along with funding from the diocese.

In any other circumstance the diocese would quietly close non-viable parishes but, in this case, there would be too much loss of face and Bishop Michael Ingham is prepared to spend $4.5 Million to make sure that doesn’t happen. I expect that it will anyway.

The whole document is here.

Note the last sentence: the parishes have a limited time in which to spend $4.5 million to “become vital and sustainable” before they are put on the chopping block.

Lawyers awarded the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster

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The lawyers who conducted the litigation for the Diocese of New Westminster against the ANiC parishes which left the diocese, received an honorary Order of the Diocese of New Westminster.

Otherwise known as DOOM: Diabolic Order Of Mephistopheles.

From here:

In a ceremony on October 21, 2011, the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster (honorary) was conferred upon each of George Macintosh, Q.C., Ludmila Herbst and Tim Dickson in recognition of their work in defending the Anglican Diocese and the Bishop of New Westminster in property-related claims brought against those parties by the Anglican Network in Canada.  The Diocese and the Bishop were successful at trial in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, on appeal in the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and in opposing an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Diocese of New Westminster: Christians have much to learn from the Koran

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Lest anyone should start with the wrong idea: it’s not that we have much to learn about Mohammed’s paedophilia or the finer points of exactly which part of the anatomy must be amputated for various and sundry crimes. No, apparently, we Christians are simply too loving and the Koran can teach us how to balance our love with “justice”. No, no, not the stoning adulteresses type of justice, the “tolerating economic systems which keep whole nations in poverty” justice, about which the Koran has much to enlighten us, apparently. When it isn’t waxing eloquent on the joys of removing the heads of infidels.

From here (page 11):

My impression (from, admittedly, a reading of this book alone) is that the Qur’an has much of value to say about justice and how we should build, and live in, what the author calls a community of the middle way. It has less to say about the Christian virtue of love.

This discrepancy may permit us to correct our own faith. It often seems that many Christians will go the extra mile and more in loving response to an individual in distress while at the same time tolerating economic systems which keep whole nations in poverty. The message of the Qur’an might help us attain a better balance between love and justice. In all events, we have much to learn and even perhaps much to make use of.

Occupy St John’s, Shaughnessy

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The Diocese of New Westminster, having secured legal ownership of St John’s, Shaughnessy’s building, is looking for a new rector for the church. Such is the paucity of suitable contenders in Canada, that Michael Ingham on a recent trip to Canterbury, asked Rowan Williams for suggestions.

And now, according to this, Rowan Williams has come through:

Archbishop Rowan Williams has followed-up and recently sent +Michael a letter suggesting two possible candidates for the Interim Ministry position at St John’s, Shaughnessy.

It looks as if Rev. Giles Fraser or Rev. Graeme Knowles might have found a new job.

Diocese of New Westminster: St. Matthew’s Abbotsford does Facebook

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Here is an odd trend: when an Anglican Church of Canada diocese evicts an ANiC congregation from its building it starts a Facebook page. It happened at St. Alban’s, Ottawa and now at St. Matthew’s Abbotsford where we can learn what the new parish is all about:

Who out there thinks Abbotsford needs a congregation that pays more than lip service to the Great Tradition; interacts energetically with the best in biblical and theological scholarship; grounds its worship in the Eucharist; is open to learning from everyone, including other religious and secular philosophies; is inclusive of all (period); where gifts and talents aren’t used to serve a leader’s vision but radically shape the very nature of the community; fosters an aesthetic that makes room for beauty in music, poetry and the visual arts; teaches children not merely information but the rhythm’s of worship; and where the priest is someone who takes the time not only to help people in crisis or grief but who participates in a mutual “confession of life” through spiritual friendship?

If you like the sound of that or, you like it but notice missing pieces in the description, you may want to check out St. Matthew, Abbotsford, a place in formation; a place and a community where thoughtful, classic, Christian Spirituality is what we’re after though we’ve certainly not arrived at our destination! The congregation is in its beginning phase; if you or someone you know might be interested in helping shape this “path” please pass this note on.

As the new incumbent notes, the parish “is inclusive of all (period)”. I assume “(period)” is intended to signify that the inclusivity is so vast in its encompassing that a normal full stop insufficiently emphasises the impossibility of adding to what is already embraced by this “place in formation”.

It’s hard not to notice, though, that while Allen Doerksen is eager to learn from “other religious and secular philosophies” he isn’t so keen on mentioning – or even including – Jesus, his death on the cross, his resurrection or our need for his atoning sacrifice because of sin.

That must be the trend: throw out a believing parish, throw out Christianity along with it then, having no congregation, no financial support and no integrity,  attempt to drum up business by starting a Facebook page that sputters about “thoughtful, classic, Christian Spirituality”.

The Diocese of New Westminster’s remarks on the death of the Reverend Dr. Harry Robinson

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From here, my emphasis:

Dean Peter Elliott focused his opening remarks on the funeral of the Reverend Dr. Harry Robinson that took place that afternoon, 1pm at St. John’s Shaughnessy.

Peter said that Harry was one of the great figures of the Diocese of New Westminster and at the forefront of the Evangelical movement in Anglicanism.

Harry retired as the Rector of St. John Shaughnessy. There were many people from the D of NW at Harry’s funeral. In retirement, Harry attended a number of diocesan churches including St. Mary’s Kerrisdale and Christ Church Cathedral and for a number of years celebrated Morning Prayer at St. Mary’s. Up until his death Harry remained a Priest in the Anglican Church of Canada.

It’s interesting to note that Rev. Harry Robinson was appointed rector at St. John’s Shaughnessy in the late ‘70s when the parish was not faring too well. He helped build it into the largest Anglican parish in Canada and planted a faith in Jesus that would later provide the strength for St. John’s to follow its conscience and leave the Anglican Church of Canada.

The diocese’s drawing attention to the fact that Harry remained a priest in the ACoC couldn’t mean that they are using this circumstance to make a tawdry case for their claim that, all evidence to the contrary, evangelical priests really are welcome in the Anglican Church of Canada, could they?