Anglican Bishop Attempts to Evict Orthodox [Anglican] Congregations

Anglican Bishop Attempts to Evict Orthodox Congregations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2004

The Anglican parish congregations of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour (formerly St. Andrew’s) and St. Simon’s, Deep Cove received notices threatening eviction from the Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. Bishop Ingham told the leadership of these churches that, unless they “reconsider the actions” taken, they are “to seek alternate worship space for those whom you lead.” A third congregation, Richmond Emmanuel Church, (formerly Emmanuel Church, Richmond) received a “Notice of Closure” threat. Earlier in the Spring, the leadership of all three churches, in response to the actions of the Bishop and Diocese contrary to Holy Scripture, and with the unanimous support of their congregations, ended their relationships with the Diocese and Bishop. In letters dated March 29, 2004, the Priests and Wardens of these parishes said, “Therefore, and regrettably, as of this date, your services as our Bishop are no longer required and our relationship with you and with the Diocese of New Westminster is hereby severed. We are in a state of broken communion.”

Two congregations (St. Simon’s and Pender Harbour) who bought and paid for their church land and buildings have claimed ownership of their respective properties and resources. The Pender Harbour congregation told Bishop Ingham that...”Given that the trust relationship between the people of the Parish of St. Andrew’s, Pender Harbour, (now Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour) and the Bishop and the Diocese of New Westminster has been broken by the actions of the Diocese and Bishop, and given that the land, church building and resources have been acquired, built and maintained wholly by the Anglican constituency of this community, it is our congregation’s intention to retain the beneficial ownership of the said properties, buildings and resources for present and future orthodox Anglican ministry in this locale.” The congregation at St. Simon’s made a similar decision.

In the June 23rd letter Bishop Ingham claims that, “Parishioners may choose to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and worship elsewhere, but a Parish may not “leave” a Diocese nor declare that it is no longer part of the Anglican Church of Canada.” He has made this claim before in demanding compliance with unorthodox positions he has taken. However, never before have three entire congregations chosen to break communion with their Diocese and Bishop, and be threatened with eviction for doing so. It is without precedent in Canadian Anglican history.

While the Diocese holds the property deed for Pender Harbour in trust for the parish, it is the people of that congregation and the community who have resourced, built and maintained the church and properties. St. Simon’s, a separate legal entity, owns its church property and building, and the Diocese has no legal interest in it. It is the intention of both these congregations to retain the places of worship and ministry that they have worked so hard to build. Given that there are no remaining parishioners in either locale, the threatened eviction action of the Diocese and Bishop can only be seen as vindictive, punitive and financially manipulative, revealing a priority of possessions over people. Having been rejected by the Anglican constituency in these communities, the Diocesan leadership is now attempting to financially inhibit any continuing ministry by taking the congregations' buildings and resources.

All three churches remain Anglican congregations as members of the newly constituted Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC), a missionary body formed under the gracious sponsorship and legitimate Anglican authority of the Archbishops of Rwanda, SE Asia, Congo, Kenya and Central Africa in response to the present crisis of faith in the Anglican Church of Canada. These congregations, along with three other British Columbia congregations, presently continue their worship and community work under the temporary adequate episcopal oversight of the Rt. Rev. Thomas Johnson, an Anglican Mission in America Bishop. The ACiC is providing a place of spiritual integrity and safety from which congregations persecuted and threatened by their Diocesan government can continue authentic Anglican ministry, and a platform from which new churches, faithful to the true Anglican tradition, can be planted.

For further information please contact: the Rev Ed Hird+, ACiC Acting Media Contact Person, ed_hird@telus.net 604-929-5350 http://www.acicanada.ca/ or the Rev, Barclay Mayo, ACiC Acting Coordinator, Mission Strategy at 604-883-1371.

Bishop Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5AI Telephone (604) 684-6306 Fax (604) 684-7017 1-800-665-1105 (B.C. only)

On March 31, 2004, a lawyer acting on your behalf, Mr. Robert Kuhn, wrote to me enclosing your undated letter which recites certain actions taken at a Vestry held on February 15, 2004. Subsequently, the, Incumbent of the Parish, Mr. Hird, has resigned as a Priest of this Diocese and the Anglican Church of Canada. Acting presumably with your consent, and as your spokesperson, he has made, public statements declaring that your Congregation has left the Anglican Church of Canada and considers themselves a Missionary Parish of the Diocese of Rwanda in North America. Notwithstanding such actions, you and others continue to occupy and worship in the Parish buildings.

I write to advise you of the Resolution approved by our Diocesan, Council at its June meeting, held June 22. The Resolution is as follows:

Whereas the Incumbent of the Parish of St. Simon,s Deep Cove has declared himself no longer subject to the jurisdiction, license or discipline of the Bishop of new Westminster, Anglica Church of Canada;

And whereas the Incumbent and others continue to occupy and worship in the Parish buildings, notwithstanding such unilateral actions on their part,-

Be it resolved that this Council ask the Bishop, in consultation with the Regional Archdeacon, the Regional Dean and one or more of the legal officers, together with such others as he may deem appropriate, to consider the implementation of an alternative form of Organization structure, pursuant to Canon 1503 (a) together with such corollary actions as may be necessary, and to report back to the September meeting of this Council as to such actions provided that notice of this Resolution shall be given to the Incumbent and Wardens of the Parish by the Bishop (or the Chancellor on his behalf) before such alternative form of Organization structure is implemented.

You will see from the Resolution that the Council has asked me to implement an alternative form of Organization structure for the Parish. I have been asked also to take such actions as may be necessary for that purpose. I will be away on summer vacation much of July. It is my intention to begin the consultation process described in the Resolution on my return. Meanwhile, I would invite you to seek out alternate worship space for those whom you lead. I am asked by Council to act on this matter and report back by the September meeting (to be held September 14).

Parishioners may choose to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and worship elsewhere, but a Parish may not "leave" a Diocese nor declare that it is no longer part of the Anglican Church of Canada.

I would be pleased to meet with you on my return in the event that you wish to reconsider the actions which you have taken. If you wish such a meeting, would you please contact the Executive Archdeacon, the Ven. Ron Harrison or the Commissary, the Very Reverend. Peter Elliott, in my absence.

Hmmm, the Pender Harbour congregation paid for all their buildings and properties, but the Diocese still received a property deed for it. Can they successfully fight eviction? And the Diocese has no legal interest in St. Simon's but they still got an eviction notice unless they "reconsider". Is the Bishop's threat just hot air?

in all honesty I don't know - that depends on the provincial property laws - I wonder if any of the Anglican Freepers out there know anything about Canadian law?

Those who care should pray for Ingham to be converted from a Saul into a Paul -- or that God remove him from the earth immediately.

If you don't have guts for that kind of prayer, you don't have the guts for this high stakes spiritual war.

interestingly, for once we disagree. Not that we shouldn't be praying for the deliverance and salvation of those who are lost and confused by the attacks of the enemy - that's not what I mean. Rather, I would submit that those who voluntarily and energetically serve the enemy, at some point cross a line (i.e. knowingly or unknowingly give their souls to the enemy) from which there is no return short of a full fledged exorcism. While I don't know for a fact that ingham has crossed that line, he is dangerously close to doing so if he hasn't already done so. Because of that I would encourage only those with signficant training and experience in spiritual warfare to even attempt what you suggest; and only when the Lord leads them to do so. Courage is good, but in itself not sufficient in cases like this.

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