Rev. Andrew Hewlett, the parish’s assistant priest, said the people there don’t agree with the theological course chosen by the Anglican Church of Canada.
The people of the congregation “who built the church, paid for it, banged in nails and painted the walls” should have an opportunity to decide on their future, said Hewlett. The same-sex marriage issue “is the presenting issue that gets a lot of press but I think there are deeper issues to do with theology, how we understand Christ, how we understand the Gospel and how we view scripture,” Hewlett said.
Bryant-Scott said the breakaway group “has done something illegal and inappropriate.” A parish leaving the church “simply is not possible,” he said.
“Individuals join churches; individuals can leave churches. An entity, a parish, cannot leave the diocese.”
People can form another church on their own, said Bryant-Scott, but can’t take the organization with them.
Discipline proceedings have begun against the two clergy involved, Hewlett and the Rector Sharon Hayton. Both have been “inhibited,” meaning they cannot participate in ordained ministry.
“I’m hoping to meet with them as soon as I can,” Bryant-Scott said.
Illegal? What, do they have a Church Police?
What about the violation of Church Order that +Ingham et. al. have perpetrated on the Anglican Communion as a whole, the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Diocese of NWM? Doesn’t that violation of Church Order deserve some response?
While 2 wrongs do not make a right, please stop pretending that you are trying to uphold Church Order when you were the ones to violate it in the first place.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Funny how the Diocese and the Province can leave the Faith once Delivered, clearly abandoning the teaching of the Church since ~30 AD and then claim to be legally stealing property and alleging overarching control, isn’t it? Does that apply in sex abuse and misconduct of clergy when the Diocese or Province doesn’t want to be responsible? Even Canadians should be able to see the double-standard, especially since they have observed their southern neighbor for so long. But, alas, they seem to be just as dysfunctional as the ECUSA/TEC/GCC whom they follow and “stand behind”.
Perhaps the ABC should consider the actions of these two, the ACCanada and ECUDA/TEC/GCC a bit more closely and consider “supplementary jurisdiction” a Christian reality and not just a theoretical Sharia construct?
Welcome to the Hotel Canada Anglican
You can check out, but you can never leave.
If people can organize to form a congregation……..a parish……..then it seems to me that PARISHES are the ones who organize to form a diocese. It goes from the BOTTOM UP, and not from the TOP DOWN.
When it comes to parish property, the bishop may have all four aces in his hand. But I’ve read somewhere in the Scriptures that the Lord Himself will pull down the mighty and raise up the humble and meek. That trumps 4 aces any day. So we shall see what we shall see.
Individuals build churches. Individuals pay for churches. When they want to leave, they should just send the diocese the deed and also the bill for their volunteer time and effort for building, maintaining, leading, balancing the books, teaching, etc. Gas vouchers should be presented for attending meetings. The sale of the building should suffice to reimburse those who are leaving. The diocese is right: individuals CAN leave (and then present a bill for their services).