The Diocese of New Westminster has launched its Order of the Diocese of New Westminster.

The Inaugural Investiture Eucharist of The Order of the Diocese of New Westminster was celebrated in Christ Church Cathedral at 4:30pm on November 1st, 2009.

53 individuals representing 41 different parishes accepted nomination to be the first recipients of the order and 49 of those were present at the worship service to receive the medallion from the Venerable Ronald Harrison, personal congratulations from the Right Reverend Michael Ingham and the official certificate from the Very Reverend Peter Elliott while Judge Robert Watt, Warden of the Order read the citations.

The Right Reverend Ralph Spence retired Bishop of Niagara was the guest preacher and Bishop Michael presided at the Eucharist.

The Diocese of Niagara has been awarding The Order of Niagara for some years now; it was started by John Bothwell – as indeed were many other things that now trouble the diocese. A number of parishioners in St. Hilda’s, ANiC were awarded the Order of Niagara; they don’t wear them much, though.

There is significance in the fact that Ralph Spence preached at the New West inauguration, since he sought inspiration from Michael Ingham for much of his tenure. Spence preceded Michael Bird in Niagara both in chronology and heresy; Michael Bird was left to deal with the legacy of his predecessor’s excursions into apostasy, and from this:

Certainly the four departing churches and the attending legal costs have brought forth courage and caused stress at the top level of the diocese.

it is clear that recent events have taken their toll on Bird.

I suspect Spence had no idea of the storm he was unwittingly unleashing when he encouraged the gay agenda in Niagara. While he was still bishop, my wife was unfortunate enough to hear a snippet of an address he gave to a group of Anglican ladies. The question of same-sex-blessings was raised and Spence pooh-poohed any idea that trouble would follow a decision to go ahead. “The fuss will blow over” he said; for him it did, since he retired, leaving Bird to summon the courage to continue the direction set by Spence and pioneered by Ingham. Of course, this does not exonerate Bird since he is forging ahead along the course set by Spence with maniacal enthusiasm; still, he can’t be happy that Ralph did not warn him about the troublemakers just waiting to cause[d] stress at the top level of the diocese.

Perhaps that’s why Spence is pontificating in Vancouver and not Niagara.