ANiC Newsletter - Anglican Network in Canada

ANiC Newsletter
3 December 2012
Handle with prayer
ANiC news
ANiC and ACNA events calendar
December 9, 3pm – Ahmed Shafeghat ordained deacon at Good Shepherd (Vancouver, BC)
January 13, 3pm – Shihoko Warren ordained to the priesthood at Good Shepherd (Vancouver, BC)
February 16 – Liveword Women’s Conference, Vancouver, BC – Theme: “On eagle’s wings”
March 4-6 – ACNA’s 2013 Anglican 1000 church planting summit in Wheaton, IL
March 12-14 – 2013 ANiC Clergy Retreat with Canon Phil Ashey at Cedar Springs, Washington
April 18-19 – Regional ANiC assemblies in both Vancouver and Burlington
May 13-15 – ACNA clergy women’s retreat in Woodbridge, Virginia
October 2013 – GAFCon 2 planned for Athens, Greece
Co-adjutor bishop elected
Bishop Charlie Masters was elected as co-adjutor bishop for ANiC on November 14. He will take
over from our moderator and diocesan Bishop Don Harvey when he steps down in mid-2014.
Bishop Charlie has served as suffragan bishop for eastern Canada and ANiC’s national director.
The Rev Brian Kirby was featured in his local newspaper which published a photo of Brian+ with
Bishop Charlie shortly after the election. Bishop Charlie’s election was also featured in Anglican Ink.
Synod report
Some of the presentations from synod are now posted on the ANiC website. You’ll also find Bishop
Don’s Moderator’s Charge posted online, as well as photos. You’ll especially enjoy the photos from
the first ANiC Hockey Night in Canada game. Additional photos of the opening Eucharist are
posted on Facebook.
In addition, we are posting audio of the sessions as we receive it. Technical difficulties have
delayed the posting of audio from the first two days of synod.
Treasurer, Claus Lenk, reported that ANiC’s finances are improving and we have been able to
reduce last year’s deficit.
It is anticipated that synod 2013 will be electronic and will be focus on the budget and council
elections.
New ANiC council members elected
On the final day of synod, members elected council members to fill seven vacancies:
• Two lay members were elected: Claus Lenk (re-elected) and Victoria Huyer
• Five clergy members were elected: the Rev Darrell Critch (re-elected), Archdeacon Paul
Crossland, the Rev Paul Donison, Archdeacon Michael McKinnon, and the Rev George
Sinclair (re-elected).
These join three council members whose terms are continuing: David Gibbs, Ed Lewis and Joel
Reinhardt. Council is chaired by ANiC’s moderator Bishop Don.
ANiC council meeting highlights
Highlights of ANiC’s council meeting at the end of November include:
• Bishop Don formally designated Bishop Charlie Masters, our newly elected coadjutor, as chair
of council and the executive committee of council. In order to take on this new responsibility,

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Bishop Charlie stepped down from his long-time role as ANiC’s national director. John
MacDonald will now assume this position.
• Gratitude was expressed to Bishop Don for his long-time chairmanship of council and to
retiring council members: Michael Bentley, Archdeacon Dan Gifford, the Rev Ray David
Glenn and the Rev Mike Stewart.
• Bishop Charlie appointed Bishop Ron Ferris to head a taskforce to consider the relationship
of the various components of all aspects of Church governance.
• The following were appointed: Treasurer, Michael Bentley; Secretary of Council, the Rev Paul
Donison; members of the Executive Committee of Council will be Bishop Charlie, the Rev
George Sinclair, Victoria Huyer, Dave Gibbs and Claus Lenk; Chair of Canons and
Constitution Committee, Victoria Huyer; Chair the of Audit and Finance Committee, Ed Lewis;
Chair of the Legal Committee, Chancellor Mike Donison; Chair of Church Planting,
Archdeacon Michael McKinnon. The Nominating Committee Chair will be determined later.
• Council approved a motion to allow Asian & Multicultural Ministries in Canada (AMMIC) to be
incorporated in order to facilitate its ministry.
• The financial report for the first four months of our current fiscal year – which runs from July
through June – was encouraging, showing we are doing slightly better than anticipated.
• Council is planning to meet in person three more times before next synod.
Asian & Multicultural Ministries in Canada (AMMiC) video
Those gathered in Ottawa for ANiC’s synod were treated to an inspiring presentation on AMMiC’s
work ministering to immigrants from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds. As these ministries
take root, congregations are forming and churches are being planted. AMMiC has set a goal of
growing to 1000 members – from visible minorities – within five years.
An excellent 6-minute video shown to synod is now posted on the AMMiC website and YouTube.
This would be an excellent video to show your congregation to give parishioners a sense to the
multi-cultural breadth of ANiC’s ministry.
Cuba calling
Time is running out for those wishing to apply to accompany Bishop Trevor Walters on a mission
trip to Cuba. This trip is open to leaders and clergy from ANiC parishes which are willing to
seriously consider entering into a financial partnership with a Cuban Anglican church. There is no
cost to trip participants. More information is on the ANiC website.
Consider this short-term mission trip opportunity
Please consider participating in a short-term mission trip to minister to abandoned and disabled
children in Sanmenxia, Henan Province, China, 16-31 July 2013. The mission team will serve
together to demonstrate Christ’s love and offer hope and opportunity to these abandoned and
disabled children living in a welfare centre. This video of the children and the opportunity – posted
on the AMMiC home page as well as on YouTube – will tug at your heartstrings!
For more information, please see the brochure. January 8 is the deadline for expressing your
interest by contacting AMMiC. This will be the second missions team AMMiC will have sent to
these little ones. The first team went in the summer of 2011.
AMMiC also is tentatively planning another short-term mission trip to Thailand/Myanmar in 2014.
Stay tuned for more information.
Clergy retreat, March 12-14
Canon Phil Ashey will be the speaker at our next clergy retreat, March 12-14 at Cedar Springs
Christian Retreat Centre, near Abbotsford, BC. His topic is leadership. Parishes, this is a great

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investment in your clergy. Please consider making it possible for them to participate. More
information is on the ANiC website.
Canon Ashey is COO of the American Anglican Council (ACC) which has been developing
resources for Anglican leaders. ACC offers leadership training through both Sure Foundation and
the Clergy Leadership Training Institute and now is developing a program to help clergy coach
other clergy. The goal is to have a network of ACNA clergy around North America who are welltrained
and capable of helping their peers through ministry challenges. You can learn more through
this week's two-minute Anglican Perspective video.
Ordinations
The Rev Peter Robinson was ordained to the priesthood, December 2 at St George’s (Burlington,
ON). Peter serves at St Peter by the Park (Hamilton, ON).
The Rev Jim Carriere was ordained on December 2 at Church of the Good Shepherd (St
Catharines, ON). Jim serves at Good Shepherd.
The Rev Shihoko Warren will be ordained as a priest on Sunday, January 13 at 3pm at the Church
of the Good Shepherd Vancouver. Shihoko has begun conducting monthly Japanese language
services in Vancouver. Sixteen were present at the first service, including some seekers.
Bishop Don heads to Recife
The current edition of the Anglican Unscripted newsmagazine video mentions that our moderator
Bishop Don Harvey will be in South America for the December 7 th consecration of Bishop-elect
Miguel Uchoa of the Diocese of Recife. This diocese is now coming under the ecclesial authority of
the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans with oversight exercised by Archbishop Bob Duncan of the
ACNA and Presiding Bishop Tito Zavala of the Southern Cone.
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund Canada’s current project is building a training centre
connected to a church in the Diocese of Recife.
Parish and regional news
Christ The King (Toronto, ON) celebrated its second anniversary with a service on November 25.
Please email parish news to Marilyn or call 1-866-351-2642 ext 4020.
Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) news
Church of England to consider recognizing ACNA clergy orders
In response to a question at the Church of England General Synod, the Chairman of the Council for
Christian Unity revealed that a special committee will review the orders of clergy in the ACNA and
advise CoE archbishops on whether the CoE could recognize ACNA orders.
The Apostle, ACNA’s magazine is now online
ACNA’s magazine, The Apostle, is now available online here. You’ll read about mission
partnerships, church planting, training and equipping clergy and congregations, and the merger of
congregations in Victoria, BC which formed the current Church of Our Lord. The magazine also
contains ACNA’s four-page annual report covering July 2011 – June 2012.
ACNA priest and wife die in car accident
Father Wolfgang and LaDonn Krismanits of ACNA’s Diocese of San Joaquin were killed in a traffic
accident on November 27. They leave two daughters, 15 and 24 and a grieving parish, St James
Anglican Church in Sonora, California.
Other news in brief
Canada
• The long time church building of ANiC’s Church of the Messiah (Ottawa, ON) now houses a
Diocese of Ottawa (Anglican Church of Canada) ministry to the homeless. The renovations

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needed to accommodate this ministry in the 145-year-old building cost a million dollars
according to the Ottawa Citizen.
• Anglican Ink reports that the bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada’s Diocese of Quebec
“has authorized his clergy to perform rites for the blessing of same-sex unions”
United States
• Diocese of South Carolina – A special diocesan convention endorsed the withdrawal of the
diocese from the US Episcopal Church (TEC). Bishop Lawrence told the convention the
resistance movement within TEC, of which the diocese had been a part, had proved fruitless
and it was time to get on with ministry to a broken world. He said, “We have spent far too
many hours and days and years in a dubious and fruitless resistance to the relentless path of
TEC… I believe it is time to turn the page.” He noted that the “collision” with TEC leadership
was caused by theology, morality and church polity. Speaking of the diocese’s new status, he
said "For now and the foreseeable future, having withdrawn from our association with the
Episcopal Church, we remain an extra-provincial Diocese within the larger Anglican
Communion.”
A handful of congregations and clergy who oppose the decision are expected to choose to
“re-associate” with TEC. The departing diocese has confirmed to the Christian Post that any
congregation which lawfully elects to return to TEC “may do so and take their properties with
them”. TEC’s presiding bishop, her chancellor and a lawyer they have hired in South
Carolina have been busy pulling together TEC loyalists from the departing diocese to act at
plaintiffs in the anticipated litigation.
Members of the Anglican Communion Institute write, “It is becoming increasingly apparent as
we witness developments unfolding in The Episcopal Church that secular litigation objectives
are paramount, trumping other principles such as the fundamental norms of Christian
conduct, the canonical integrity of the church, ancient standards of catholic ecclesiology and
even the pastoral care of TEC’s own people.” The paper then goes on to detail TEC’s
unprincipled actions and pursuit of “a strategy of adversarial attack” in its dealings with the
Diocese of South Carolina. A follow-up article is here.
Finally, in an open letter to TEC bishops, the Anglican Communion Institute accuses the
presiding bishop and her associates of uncanonical and “perhaps even unlawful” behavior
and urges the bishop to “take the necessary steps to restore the good order of our church”.
They tell the bishops that “the evidence is overwhelming that they have violated canons and
engaged in discussions deceitfully… We believe that you are called upon to pursue all
canonical and spiritual means to bring these matters into the light before your college and the
church at large. Your vows require you to rectify misdeeds that have been committed. You
are called upon to rein in the misuse of authority and canons by those, like the Presiding
Bishop and her legal staff, who have supervised the squandering of our human and material
resources.”
• Although the practice is long-standing in parts of TEC, the first Sunday of Advent marked the
official launch of a new TEC rite to bless same-gender unions.
• VirtueOnline notes that 69 US Episcopal Church dioceses now “fully embrace” same sex
blessing ceremonies.
England – The Church of England general synod meeting in mid-November narrowly defeated a
measure to allow women bishops. The vote passed the two-thirds majority threshold in the house
of bishops and clergy but fell short by five votes in the house of laity. Those who opposed the
measure stressed that their no vote was motivated by the inadequacy of protections offered in the
measure for those within the Church who are not able in good conscience to accept the ministry of
women bishops.

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One supporter of women bishops who chose to vote against the measure explained, “It simply is
not true that [the measure] made appropriate provisions for the two minorities of less than a third of
Church members who cannot accept the ordination or consecration of women as being consistent
with their understanding of scripture and tradition… People seem to have forgotten the promises
that were made to the minority that their integrity would not be challenged as fully-fledged and
authentic members of the CofE during the current and ongoing "period of reception" of the whole
issue of ordaining and consecrating women. It would have been disastrous for a Church to
flagrantly over-ride assurances it once gave.”
Reactions have been predictable. The secular media and “liberal” wing of the Church have
characterized the outcome as a rejection of women’s ministry, a blow to equality and an
embarrassment for the Church, although The Guardian noted that 33 of the 74 lay members who
voted against the measure were women. Canon Dr Chris Sugden provides a response to the
mischaracterization of the vote while Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council responds
to the vitriol leveled at the theological conservative and traditional Anglo-Catholic minorities in the
Church who helped defeat the measure. Anglican Mainstream has compiled a wide range of the
responses.
In response to the “uncomprehending fury and frustration that have greeted the failure of the
Measure and the one-sided reporting on the issue”, eight members of general synod have written a
letter published in the Times of London explaining that, while they support having women bishops in
the Church, they voted against the measure “out of a sense of over-riding concern for the Church of
England’s minorities, and for the promises made to those minorities. Our vote against stemmed
from the Measure’s failure to honour the inclusiveness which we believe fundamental to the future
of Anglicanism.”
The Daily Mail reports that “…members of the General Synod’s House of Laity have secretly called
an emergency meeting so they can hold a vote of no confidence in their Chair, Dr Philip Giddings,
who spoke forcefully against the reform.”
Last week, the Archbishops of the CoE issued a statement saying they had “…decided that a
process to admit women to the episcopate needed to be restarted at the next meeting of the
General Synod in July 2013”. Anglican Ink reports that the chairmen of Anglo-Catholics and the
conservative Evangelicals have issued a joint statement pledging to cooperate with the
Archbishops’ plan and calling for future legislation to include adequate safeguards to protect those
in the Church who are opposed to the innovation of women bishops.
Prior to the vote, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali called attention to a report which had been
commissioned “…to prepare the Church for a theological and ecclesiological debate on the
question of women in the ministry and especially in the episcopate.” However, the report, known as
The Rochester Report, had been largely ignored as “many were not interested in such a
fundamental debate but wished to initiate a process for the appointment of women bishops in the
Church as soon as possible. This process takes for granted secular assumptions about justice and
equality rather than asking what the Bible means by such terms.”
Uruguay – The Anglican Journal reports that the Anglican Consultative Council has turned down
the request of the Diocese of Uruguay to move from the Province of the Southern Cone to the
Province of Brazil. The Diocese of Uruguay has been at odds with the Southern Cone. In its
request, Uruguay indicated that Brazil theologically views are more similar to those of the diocese.
Zimbabwe – According to the Zimbabwe Mail, “The five-year property wrangle between the
Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) and its defrocked Bishop Nolbert
Kunonga came to an end last week when the former won the right to control the properties at the
Supreme Court.” Bishop Chad Gadiya and the Diocese of Harare were awarded costs. However,
Kunonga, who started his own denomination when he was deposed in 2007, is attempting to block

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implementation of the ruling and refusing to vacate, even resorting to violence. Anglican Ink has
the background.
Egypt – Amid growing protests and violence, the Egyptian president and parliament have begun
enshrining Sharia law in the country’s constitution, consolidating power, and dashing hopes for real
democracy. Please pray for Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis, the Anglican Church in Egypt and all
Egyptian Christians. The Economist has more background.
Congo – Renewed fighting in parts of this vast country has led the Anglican Church there to
declare a week of prayer, from November 26 through December 2. Archbishop Bob Duncan asks
that we join with these suffering brothers and sisters in praying for peace.
Soul food
One of the greatest threats to Christianity
Well-known Christian apologist Josh McDowell believes that internet pornography is perhaps “the
greatest threat to the cause of Christ in two thousand years of church history”. He says:
“Well, the stats which I have documented,” explains Josh, “show that upwards of fifty percent of
pastors struggle with pornography. Sixty-two percent of men who attend evangelical churches
regularly struggle with pornography, and upwards of sixty-five to sixty-eight percent of
teenagers. This is probably the greatest threat to the cause of Christ in two thousand years of
church history, because it so undermines your life, your walk with Christ and your beliefs. My
fear is that many pastors are not addressing it because they’re involved in it. Somehow, we’ve
got to get the leadership in the body of Christ addressing this…
“Once you become involved in pornography, it takes over all your thinking, your morals, and
your life. You have to understand: pornography just takes over your life. It takes over your
relationships—your view of people, of women of children. And as a result, it doesn’t leave room
for your walk with Christ. You can’t become involved with pornography and have a healthy walk
with Christ.”
To help address this threat, McDowell has launched “Just 1 Click Away”, a website devoted to
helping those struggling with porn as well as to providing resources and training for parents who
want to prepare and forearm their children for this threat.
Persecution of Christians growing
The Zenit reviews Cristianophobia, a book by journalist Rupert Shortt, in which Shortt claims that
about two hundred million Christians are being persecuted – more than any other faith group – and
this persecution has grown dramatically in the last decade. He also says that this persecution is
under-reported and Christians in jeopardy are seldom supported by those in the west since the
prevailing secular view is that religion is an irrational and the greatest cause of violence.
Resources
• Good Christmas video: Have a look at this compelling, 3-minute video that would be great
for use in services or youth groups.
• Confident Christians – Apologetics Canada is planning its third conference, this time in
Abbotsford, BC on the weekend of March 1 -2. Speakers include Dr William Lane Craig and
John Patrick, MD. Past conferences have been excellent. Resources and information is on
the Apologetics Canada website.
• Doing good – You’ll be inspired by this article on the Gospel Coalition website about one
church’s decision to love their community and how that affected their city.
Just for laughs
A woman invited some people from church to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old
daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing"

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"I don't know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you've heard Mommy say before.”
The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner"
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Christmas thoughts
Christmas is weird. What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out
of your socks
He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.
www.mikeysFunnies.com
And now a word from our sponsor
For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will
fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will
call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when
you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your
fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares
the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:10-14 ESV
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
May the wonder of God’s great Gift fill you with joy.
Newsletters will resume in the New Year.