New Rector for Manitoba ANiC Parishes

This letter was just released to the Anglican Essentials Manitoba mailing List. It is a true joy to be able to announce this.

Dear Friends

I am delighted to bring wonderful news about our Lord’s provision for the two Manitoba ANiC parishes, Church of the Resurrection in Brandon and the Church of the Redeemer in Dauphin. For several months now we have been in a search for a full time and permanent rector. Bishop Malcolm Harding has been serving in that capacity on a temporary basis, with the understanding that we would find a permanent rector in the Lord’s timing, and we have been greatly blessed by Malcolm’s leadership. Our search and prayers have been answered, our God is so good!

The Rev Paul Crossland has accepted our invitation to become the first permanent rector of both parishes. This will be effective September 1st 2008. Paul will of course be accompanied by his wife Ann, who is a retired licensed priest.

As the Rev Crossland is currently a priest in the Diocese of Athabasca in the Anglican Church of Canada, his move to ministry in ANiC will require a certain protocol or procedure. Paul has submitted his resignation to his current Bishop and parish, but remains a priest in the ACoC until he completes his obligations to his parishes (late August). At that point he will relinquish his license as a priest in the ACoC to his Archbishop (Bishop John Clarke). He then will be licensed by Bishop Don Harvey as a priest under the Southern Cone, and begin his ministry in ANiC in the Westman area. This process of licensing will also apply to Ann.

We are very blessed that the Crosslands have accepted our invitation. Many of you are familiar with the Crossland’s and know of their ministry from their time in the Brandon Diocese. Paul has a strong background in renewal and spent many years involved with Anglican Renewal Ministries. We know that this is the Lord’s will for both the Crosslands and the ANiC churches in Manitoba, and praise God for his unfailing protection and grace.

Your servant in Christ

Phil Varcoe

Pentecost Sunday in Dauphin

It is appropriate that as we celebrate the “tongues of fire” that spread in that upper room on Pentecost, so we celebrate a new ANiC parish in Manitoba this Sunday. Today was the inaugural Sunday service for the “Church of the Redeemer” in Dauphin, Manitoba. It was our privilege to attend and celebrate this service with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

The Incomprehensble Reactions of Heritical Leadership

Here is a short reflection by Father Larry Winslow on some recent actions of the ACoC including trying to stop Archbishop Venables from visiting Canada.

The Incomprehensble Reactions of Heritical Leadership

First, the haughtiness and failure to understand the limitations of their “authority” by the ACofC hierarchy is so clearly evident. They just don’t seem to “get it” that their heresy and attempts to foist it upon the Christian people who are theoretically “under their control” is simply amazing and, to Christians, totally unacceptable (in the best of the political implications of the term).

Shifting Times in the Anglican Community

I was recently asked to write a letter outlining the crisis in the Anglican Church. A longtime Anglican from a smaller outlying community wanted a summary she could share with other Anglicans as well as local media. I seems appropriate to post it here as well.

SHIFTING TIMES IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY

March 2008

Over the past few years the Anglican world has been experiencing an underground shift that has now resulted in a physical and emotional breakaway. This is a historical event which will affect every Anglican parishioner in Canada from coast to coast.

Palm Sunday Praise

Palm Sunday was the Church of the Resurrection - Brandon’s first Sunday Service. It was a wonderful time of worshiping our Lord. I posted an email to the Anglican Essentials Manitoba email list about the service:

Dear Friends

Greeting in the name of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ!

As most of you know, the Church of the Resurrection - Brandon celebrated its first Sunday service, this Palm Sunday. It was a glorious sunshiny day, and a wonderful start for this new ministry. We came together in the “canteen building” at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum at the Brandon Airport. For many, it was a culmination of months of planning, and with it came a real sense of the Lord’s Peace.

Bishop Malcolm Harding (one of two ANiC Bishops along with Bishop Don Harvey) serves as our interim rector, and led us in the service. Father Larry Winslow assisted Bishop Malcolm. A couple of youth were here and one of them Nicole, was our server. About 70 people were present at the service including about a dozen children. Many items to be used in services like chalices and linens were donated, and were blessed before the service began.