Canada: Letter from Trustees of 4 Vancouver Churches

Anglican Mainstream
September 10, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We greet you in the name of the risen Christ, the first and the last and the living one.

On July 10, 2008, the bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster invoked Diocesan Canon 15 against the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes of St. Matthew’s Abbotsford (SMA) and St. Matthias and St. Luke’s in Vancouver (SMSL), effective August 25, 2008. Notice of this action was only served on the parishes on August 26, 2008. The bishop has purported to dismiss all the Wardens, Trustees and Parish Council members of both parishes and has ordered the Clergy to leave the buildings by mid-September. Earlier letters from the diocese demanding the clergy leave the church buildings, suggested that Parishioners who support their clergy should leave with them. The bank accounts of both parishes have been frozen and cheques for staff salaries and payments to missions (among other expenses) cannot be cashed.

While we dispute the validity of the Canon 15 notice, the bishop took these steps in order to gain control of the church buildings and take over the assets of the parish. In a memo to New Westminster clergy dated August 26, the Rev. Peter Elliott, Commissary for the bishop, indicated that they had taken steps against only two parishes “at this time”. We know that the two remaining ANiC parishes in Vancouver – Good Shepherd and St. John’s (Shaughnessy) – will be next. In fact, St. John’s has already received a letter demanding the clergy leave the premises, although no date was given. Good Shepherd is not currently in their church building, so a similar demand letter has not been received. However, the congregation has taken the same vote to join ANiC and their rector, Rev. Stephen Leung, has relinquished his licence for ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada along with the clergy of the other three parishes. the rest

Trustees of:
Church of the Good Shepherd
St. John’s Shaughnessy
St. Mathias and St. Luke
St. Matthew’s Abbotsford