What is this trial about?
In the last year, when Anglican churches voted to seek temporary Episcopal oversight under ANiC (The Anglican Network in Canada) various dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada responded by seeking to seize properties and replace elected trustees. The purpose of joining ANiC was to remain in communion with the worldwide Anglican Church and receive leadership from an orthodox bishop. St. John’s and three other local ANiC churches have asked the Supreme Court of B.C. to clarify who are the proper trustees of our congregations (the ones we elected or the ones appointed by the diocese) and for what purposes the buildings are held in trust. We are asking the court to recognize we are committed to remaining Anglican and for continuing to worship in our churches. We are the first churches asking the court to rule on these issues. Previous cases have only involved rulings on interim use of buildings.
Isn't it about blessing same-sex relationships?
The blessing of same-sex unions is the presenting issue. The core issue is a deeply profound theological difference in the understanding and interpretation of scripture and what it means to be “Anglican”. It is clear that the Diocesan leadership no longer believes, adheres to and or seeks to preserve the core doctrines of the Anglican Christian faith, such as the uniqueness of Jesus, the physical resurrection, and the authority of Scripture, or the accepted teachings of the Anglican Communion.
A court hearing about church seems extreme. How did we get here?
Over the last ten years, the leadership of St. John’s has been working through local, national and international processes to resolve this issue. There has been no resolution that would keep St. John’s in communion with the world wide Anglican Church for this generation and the next. We have sought mediated solutions but none has proved successful. In August 2008, after the Diocese of New Westminster sought to seize the property and replace the clergy and trustees at St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. Matthias & St. Luke, the trustees of these churches, along with St. John’s Shaughnessy and Church of the Good Shepherd, were forced to go to the courts for clarification. This decision, as with all the decisions related to this matter in the last 10 years, was done after much prayer and the reviewing of alternatives. It was not done in haste.
How can I help or participate?
There are a number of ways in which you can participate and help as individuals, families, and within your small groups.
PRAY: Please include in your individual, family, and Bible study prayer times, prayers for the trial process, God’s protection, His will to be done and growth in His kingdom in Vancouver.
GIVE: You can give to the legal fund through the church offering or by dropping off your gift to the church office. Please make cheques out to ANiC – St. John’s Project and designate it to the legal fund.
ENGAGE: Be prepared to speak about your faith when the opportunity arises and seek to explain the Gospel.
