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25 November 2009
Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher issues a mixed decision.
> See ANiC news release
> See ANiC backgrounder
> Letter to 4 ANiC parishes from Chancellor Cheryl Chang
> See Mr Justice Kelleher’s Reasons for Judgement
> See the Diocese of New Westminster news release
25 May 2009
The global Anglican Communion is going through a wrenching realignment, precipitated in no small part by the actions of the Anglican Church of Canada which departed from Anglican teaching and practice.
The dispute in which Anglican Network in Canada parishes now find themselves embroiled is a result of this growing split in Canadian and global Anglicanism over foundational, time-honoured Anglican beliefs:
• The authority and inerrancy of Scripture
• The uniqueness Jesus Christ
• The doctrine of Christian marriage
Since parishes first began voting to join the Anglican Network in Canada in early 2008, dioceses in the Anglican Church of Canada have actively sought to seize these parishes’ properties and replace the duly-elected wardens of the parish. Although these parishes have consistently and repeatedly sought mediation or negotiation to address the issues at dispute, the parishes have found themselves in court.
Beginning in early 2008, Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes in the following communities have found themselves in court:
• Victoria, BC (in the first half of 2008)
• “Golden Horseshoe”, ON (ongoing)
• Windsor, ON (ongoing)
These court cases have simply addressed the question of which party would have access to the parish facilities until the ultimate question of who should control the property is decided.
That “trust” case was tried in Vancouver beginning 25 May - 11 June 2009. The questions before the court were:
• Who is the rightful trustee of parish corporations?
• For what purposes are the properties held in trust?
It may be several months before Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher delivers his decision.
We are seeking to retain the church properties so we can continue our ministries in these properties. Each of the churches involved makes full use of its property every week for a variety of ministries, which cumulatively involve over 1500 parishioners plus hundreds of members of our communities.
Support – and assurance of prayer – for these parishes in dispute with the Diocese of New Westminster has come from Anglican leaders around the world. Most recently, letters of support have been received from:
• Bishop Wallace Benn and Anglican Mainstream, Church of England
• Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and the Steering Group of the Fellowship of Confessing
Anglicans in the UK and Ireland
• The Venerable Michael Lawson, on behalf the Church of England Evangelical
Council (CEEC) which he chairs
• Archbishop Yong Ping Chung, retired Primate of Southeast Asia
• Bishop Bill Murdoch, Anglican Diocese in New England
Prayer service:
For parishes, members and friends holding prayer services specifically for the legal case a prayer service and prayers (adapted from those used by St John’s Shaughnessy) are available:
> Prayer service – as both a Word and PDF document.
> Prayers – as a PDF document
For more information see:
> Daily updates from the trial
> ANiC background fact sheet
> ANiC news releases
> Resources from St John’s Shaughnessy
> Court documents posted to the Diocese of New Westminster website:
> Information posted to the Diocese of New Westminster’s website:
> Articles in the media and on the Internet
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