It is with some sadness that I write this letter. But it is also with gratitude, knowing that the Lord has allowed me the privilege of being involved with Anglican Essential Manitoba. I can’t thank you enough for your support and prayers over the last three years.

Over three years ago Anglican Essentials Manitoba was formed. An executive was chosen and several general meetings and events followed. Our email list grew to become one of the largest “Essentials” mailing lists in Canada.

Not long after AEM formed, a national Essentials conference was held in Ottawa. A plan was outlined creating two groups within Essentials, the “Federation” and the “Network”. The Federation was to develop and implement a strategy working from within the Anglican Church of Canada. The Network prepared the “Lifeboats” in case the need for them ever arose. Well as most of you know, the Anglican Network in Canada launched almost one year ago.

When Anglican Essentials Manitoba originally formed, its executive was composed of both Federation minded and Network minded people. There were a few more Network than Federation people. With the launch of the Anglican Network in Canada, several Church plants have begun regionally. My time and that of other Network people has been, by necessity focused on these “plants”. That I’m sure, has been evident by my emails over the past year.

Anglican Essentials Canada and the “Federation” are in the process of reorganizing. But that is occurring largely separate from the Anglican Network in Canada. In my opinion the two groups are moving apart naturally, although remaining mutually supportive of one another. As my focus must remain on the Westman ANiC Churches, I can no longer function as the Anglican Essentials Manitoba co-chair. Lisa Murray MacDonald remains as the other co-chair.

There are a few “Federation” people remaining on the AEM executive, and I pray that they will reform and carry the Anglican Essentials Manitoba – Federation banner forward. They will need your prayers and support as they continue to work on reforming the Anglican Church of Canada from within. Please also remember the ANiC Westman Churches (Brandon, Dauphin, Kinosota) in your prayers.

Your servant in Christ

Phil

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

It was a joyful service, bringing together Anglicans who had scattered to several different denominations in Dauphin over the past year. Many had been meeting together in a House Church/Bible study for several months. This was an opportunity to Worship and have Communion together for the first time in a while.

ANiC Suffragan Bishop Malcolm Harding preached and celebrated the Eucharist with about 35 enthusiastic people. The service started with local lay leader Jim Houston reading a letter of acceptance from ANiC Moderator Bishop Don Harvey. In that letter he officially welcomed the Church of the Redeemer – Dauphin into ANiC. The service continued using the “Kenyan Rite”. That Rite has also been used in the Church of the Resurrection – Brandon and is a very interactive liturgy that keeps the congregation involved. There was great worship music from the music team. The service included a Sunday School and a prayer team.

Bishop Malcolm’s sermon focused on the Holy Spirit. He included examples from his times in Dauphin in the 70′s and beyond. It was a very effective way to tie the Pentecost message to a personal and relevant experience. The service certainly left people with both encouragement as well as an exhortation to spread the Gospel as our Lord commanded us.

Following the service a luncheon followed. Everyone stayed and it was a great time for the four of us from Brandon to get to know the Dauphin folks better. How wonderful it was to be able to share this day with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, from Dauphin.

Praise the Lord! He is so Good!

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).

Second, the complete disregard of the ACofC hierarchy, for the true and sincere “pastoral care” of all Anglicans in accordance with the founding documents of Reformation Anglicanism is utterly disconcerting. In their haughtiness and self-worshipping nature they find that their “intellectual theories” outweigh the clear and concise teachings of Almighty God in His Divinely Inspired Holy Word! Setting themselves up as their own gods, and in an attempt to p[project a false image of their own holiness, they attempt to railroad those who would continue adhere to their “love” of the ACofC over the teachings of God, often for sentimental and sometimes for monetary reasons, into following them into the deepest reaches of the kingdom of Satan.

Thirdly, in that same spirit of haughtiness, they seem to feel that they continue to have authority over those who have had enough of and rejected their multitudinous heresies and have desired to continue in the faith of Reformation Anglicanism under a Christian primate. And they reel in wonder and sensations of insult when they are rejected and buffeted by the express desire of Christian Anglicans to continue to live in and under that which they have, in their heretical actions, rejected.

Fourthly, the vehemence and vengefulness of these “loving” persons is clearly illustrated in their actions when their falsehoods are rejected. They are clear examples of vehement, vengeful hatred in their “inclusive” response to those who wish to stand firm under the Holy Word of God.

Of course there are many other observations that could be made. But the above suffices to clearly illustrate what is happening and is evident in these examples.

How should true Christians react to all of this? First we need to resolve to stand firm in our faith and not be deterred by their awesome Satanic demonstrations. Second, we need to pray in true love for their humanity and that in some way they can eventually be reached in the Name of Almighty God and His Divine Salvation offered only through His Son Jesus Christ Who IS, “The Way, The Truth, and The Life! We need to truly love these poor misguided in souls with the True Love of the Only Christ pouring through our beings. Like us, they are truly creations of Almighty God and are in need of being brought to Repentance and Forgiveness that can only come in the Cross of Christ. We need to keep this fact in their vision and interact with them with love without lowering our guard to their temptations. And third, we need to sincerely pray for those who recognise all this but have determined to remain within their prevue in order to witness to Christ and try to effect the redemption of that hierarchy that, in its deepest soul, is sick in the heretical kingdom of Satan. Their courage demands our prayers as, with renewed onslaught from that sick hierarchy, they are going to be increasingly facing the offensive of the forces of evil! That hierarchy now has its back to the wall and will respond with all the vehemence, vengefulness, violence, and vilification that can only arise from the depths of Satanism! Pray for these brothers and sisters and be prepared to support them as required!

In Christ,

+Larry

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.

The issue at the heart of this shift has been a challenge to the authority of Scripture, as God’s Word written. Even the uniqueness of Jesus as Lord and Saviour has been challenged. The current presenting issue is the blessing of “same sex” partners. This was voted on at the recent 2007 Synod in Winnipeg and passed as being “not in conflict with core doctrine.” A second motion to allow local dioceses to perform same sex blessings was narrowly defeated (by 2 votes). But many in the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada have stated that they will go ahead with the offering of blessings. The Anglican Church of Canada has shown by its actions that it wishes to follow the trends of society, and uses the ever popular buzz word of the day “inclusivity”. While the Church should strive to include all, having inclusivity at the cost of compromising the Gospel is unfaithful to the traditional teaching of the Anglican and Christian faith.

The Worldwide Anglican Communion has repeatedly warned the Canadian and American Anglican Churches, that they would be seen as choosing to “walk apart” from the Communion if they continued implementing changes contrary to the traditional teachings of the Anglican Church and Holy Scripture. For some time concerned Canadian Anglicans have gathered together under the name of “Anglican Essentials Canada”, for information and support. This group of Orthodox Anglicans has since formed into two main groups. The Essentials Federation is composed of those who have chosen to remain within the Anglican Church of Canada while striving to bring its leaders back to its historic teachings. The Network are those who see the Anglican Church of Canada as continuing on its present course regardless of the warnings; and therefore feel called to step out from the national Church while retaining their membership with the Worldwide Anglican Communion.

In the last few months several parishes and a number of small groups have realigned as the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). ANiC is led by Bishop Don Harvey (Newfoundland) who is assisted by Bishop Malcolm Harding (Manitoba). ANiC is connected to the Anglican Communion through the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone (South America) and their Archbishop Gregory Venables.

The largest parish to join ANiC is St. Johns Shaughnessy (Vancouver) which was one of the largest Anglican Churches in Canada. One of the smaller groups to join is the newly formed Church of the Resurrection (Brandon). Many in this group have left their parishes not because of issues with their Pastors who have been faithful preachers of the Word, but rather because they felt to stay would be seen as being supportive of the liberal directions the Anglican Church of Canada have taken. Over the past few years, these people have strived within the church to call its leaders to repentance and return to traditional teachings. At this moment in time however these groups feel they have now been called to take a stand and step outside the Canadian Church as a faithful witness to other Anglicans across this nation.

What we have witnessed is the “latest wave” of Anglican realignment within Canada. If the Anglican Church of Canada maintains its present course, Anglicans may see further “waves” of realignment with ANiC as an Orthodox and viable Anglican alternative.

By Phil Varcoe

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.

The liturgy used for this service is based on the Kenyan Rite, and was a lovely service that included plenty of responses by the congregation. Reg and Heather Hickmott with their son Justin, led the music which included several hymns and a number of choruses. A children’s talk was done by Lynn Levenick. The Sunday School was looked after by Ann Varcoe, Jackie Herbert, Grace Toews, and Lorraine Lenaghan, and had a Bible story and crafts time. With twelve or so children they were kept pretty busy. How wonderful to see so many children at this first service!

Bishop Malcolm gave the homily and asked the question (as did Pilate in Mark 15:12), what do we do with Jesus? The service included communion, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was tangible from beginning to end. The hour and a half (or two, I’m not even sure) flew by. It was over almost too soon. But there was the promise of a meal and fellowship time afterward, and just about everyone stayed.

There are too many people who helped and are very involved in the planning to mention them all, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Marylou, Bishop Malcolm’s wife. She has been a tireless planner and encourager, and is appreciated by all.

I must mention the wonderful support we received from the many visitors who chose to celebrate this first Sunday with us. People came from Kenora Ont, Dauphin, Boissevain, Hartney, Gladstone, Birtle, Foxwarren, and others that I’m sure I have missed. What an encouragement to worship with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I must also mention the wonderful letters and emails we have received from many people on this email list and elsewhere. The ways in which the Lord has supported us through to this day are many and sufficient.

The day finished up too soon, and by mid afternoon we were locking up the doors to the “canteen building”. And of course looking forward to Easter Sunday and beyond with excitement, as we continue to trust in Jesus to lead us.

Blessings

Phil