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1a) http://www3.telus.net/st_simons/ A CALL TO PRAYER AND FASTING TODAY FOR THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE
St. Simons Church North Vancouver and Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church Pender Harbour invite our friends in Christ to join us as they will for a time of prayer, fasting (as led by the Spirit) and vigil. To stand and light candles for Christ, the way, the truth and the light, and for the historic and biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman.
When: Tonight Friday April 1st to Saturday April 2nd - group prayer starts at 7 pm PST and launches the 24hr prayer and fasting (as the Spirit leads) vigil that will end at 7 pm PST on Saturday April 2
Where: St. Simons Church N.V. 1384 Deep Cove Road, North Vancouver, B.C. and Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour, B.C. or at a location of choice if unable to join us in person (we anticipate believers will be praying and lighting candles in their homes and churches from Mexico to Minneapolis, from coast to coast in Canada and other points in the world).
Dear friends we thank the Lord that there is victory in Christ and that the darkness cannot stand up to the light. We pray that as land, buildings and more are being sacrificed, we stand for righteousness and the gift of marriage in a deeply confused society in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
CONGREGATIONS will leave church (buildings) over same-sex blessings… (canada.com) http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/news/story.html?id=5f1b77a9-0242-456e-a2c5-19b70048168b Vancouver Province, March 31st 2005 Thursday Congregations will leave church (buildings) over same-sex blessings By Ethan Baron, Staff Reporter (Photo and byline: Rev. Barclay Mayo has agreed to vacate his church (building) in Pender Harbour. Duane Burnett-Coast Reporter) Fighting has ceased on one front in the battle over same-sex blessings in the Anglican Church of Canada.
Under threat of court orders, two congregations have decided to give in to the diocese and vacate two church (buildings), in North Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast.
"It's illegal what they're doing, and it's unjust, but we will turn the other cheek and move forward," said Rev. Ed Hird of St. Simon's Church in North Vancouver.
"We could be trapped in legal battles and lawsuits for the next 10 years, and it would seriously harm our ministry," he said. "We want to focus on Jesus' love for people."
The two congregations split from the Anglican Church of Canada over its approval of same-sex blessings in the New Westminster Diocese.
The diocese ordered them out of church buildings and earlier this month threatened to obtain court orders to force them out.
Now Hird and Rev. Barclay Mayo of Christ the Redeemer Church in Pender Harbour have agreed to get their flocks out of church buildings by May 31st.
"It's good," said New Westminster Diocese spokesman Neale Adams. "Neither us nor them are going to waste resources on a fight in court."
Vancouver Sun Newspaper, April 1st 2005 Friday, p. B2 Breakaway churches agree to vacate Anglican buildings by June 1 [THE PROVINCE] Two conservative congregations that broke away from the Anglican Church -- in Deep Cove and Pender Harbour -- are being kicked out of their church (buildings) after a long battle with the Diocese of New Westminster.
Rev. Ed Hird said he and his congregation have been told by the diocese they must get out of their Deep Cove church (building) by April 1st. Over the Easter weekend, the congregation voted to go along with that.
"We could have stayed and fought but we're leaving the building," said Hird. "We will choose to be gracious in this, even though it's a great injustice."
In Pender Harbour, on the Sunshine Coast, Rev. Barclay May and the congregation at Christ the Redeemer church have agreed to leave their church (building) by June 1.
Mayo said that decision was made "after we had some time to pray about things and to consult with our legal advisors, although we still believe we have a claim of beneficial ownership on the property because the people who were here have essentially been paying all the bills for (26) years."
The ouster is the latest salvo in a long-running battle between the Deep Cove and Pender Harbour churches and the diocese, which oversees Anglican churches in the Lower Mainland, over the issue of blessing same-sex unions.
Hird and Mayo and members of their parishes were among those who walked out of a diocesan synod after it voted in 2002 to allow the blessings.
George Cadman, chancellor of the diocese, said the congregations gave up permission to use the church (buildings) when they quit the Anglican Church of Canada one year ago.
"We obviously have no objection to Mr. Hird or any others choosing to gather," Cadman said. "The difficulty is they're doing it in buildings that belong to Anglicans in the Diocese of New Westminster."
Hird said his congregation plans to hold future church services at Lions Gate Christian Academy in North Vancouver.
Mayo said he will hold services beginning the first Sunday in June at the Pender Harbour Music School. As for the future of the congregation, "That will be up to the Lord." Sources: North Shore News, with files from Dana Hansen.
Vancouver Sun Newspaper, April 1st 2005 Friday (Subscription Required) Breakaway Deep Cove church agrees to vacate its building by the end of May NORTH VANCOUVER - Members of St. Simon's conservative breakaway church in Deep Cove are being kicked out of their church after a long-running battle with the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster(...)
FORMER NEWWEST Priest gets the boot … (northshoreoutlook.com) http://www.northshoreoutlook.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=43&cat=23&id=401242&more= Priest gets the boot By Jennifer Maloney, North Shore Outlook, BC Mar 31 2005 A local reverend says he and his followers are being kicked out of their 60-year-old church because of their refusal to endorse same sex unions.
"Based on our lawyer's advice, we realize we've been thrown out," said Rev. Ed Hird, rector for St. Simon's Church in Deep Cove. "It's unjust; it's unfair. We don't think it's legal, but to go any further wouldn't serve our church."
Three years ago St. Simon's members voted to leave the Diocese of New Westminster, which represents the Lower Mainland in the Anglican Church of Canada, after the Diocese voted in favour of blessing same sex unions. Hird and three other Lower Mainland priests formally resigned from the Diocese and joined the Anglican province of Rwanda, Africa, which doesn't endorse homosexual relations.
Since then, Hird has received monthly letters from the Diocese asking him to turn over the building. On March 8, Hird received another letter from the Diocese, this time asking him to leave the church by April 1 or suffer legal consequences.
"They've never actually gone that far," he said. "The problem with being dragged into court is the Diocese has deep pockets. We're just one local congregation trying to get on with telling people Christ loves them.
"It's not exactly an even playing field, but we can't win at that level because we just don't have the money."
As of June 5, St. Simon's Sunday morning services will be moved to the Lions Gate Christian Academy at 421 Seymour River Place.
Hird, one of the (longest serving) clergymen on the North Shore, has been with St. Simon's for 18 years and says it's a big sacrifice for his congregation to move because many people have been attending the church for decades and paid for its upkeep and repair. The building, he said, was bought by members of the congregation in 1949 and is legally incorporated. "We see it, quite frankly, as a deep injustice to steal this building from the very people who built it," he explained. "But we have to be forgiving, and gracious and carry on with our lives."
A spokesperson for the Diocese said they had been trying to solve the issue amicably for years, but felt it was time for to bring the dispute to an end.
"The Diocese did not feel a priest could leave the church and take the property with him," said Neale Adams, Diocese communications officer. "The property belongs to the Diocese. That has been the position of the Diocese."
Adams said parishes have not been forced to endorse same sex unions and in fact only seven of its 78 parishes have voted to bless them. He added five other parishes have protested the Diocese's decision to allow same sex blessings by not paying their annual dues, but they are still formally members.
"No priest has to bless same sex unions," he explained. "A parish doesn't have to have blessings take place if they don't want to."
Rev. Sarah Tweedale has been appointed rector to St. Simon's by the Diocese and Adams said the church will remain open to anyone who wishes to worship there
ANGLICAN SPIN CENTRAL.CA: "Evicted parishes will vacate buildings." http://anglicanjournal.com/extra/news.php?newsItem=2005-03-30_mns.news Still no "pro-Integrity hard-case liberal Calgary Bishop defenestrated*" on front web-page. Cluck, cluck … (anglicanjournal.com) *thrown out the window
1g) http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/na.cgi?nationalupdates/050330news Anglican congregations to vacate their premises (BC Christian News) Two Anglican congregations that were instructed to leave their buildings after their clergy resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada have decided to vacate the premises by May 31(...) Rev. Ed Hird's church will now meet for worship at Lions Gate Christian Academy beginning June 5; that same week, Barclay Mayo and his congregation at Christ the Redeemer (formerly St. Andrew's) in Pender Harbour will begin meeting at the Pender Harbour School of Music(...)
1h) http://www.nsnews.com/issues00/w022100/wright2.html 'Gay pride' vs. 'Married pride'? North Shore News, Noel Wright, Feb 21st 2000 (Five years later)
BULLY for Anglican priest the Rev. Ed Hird of St. Simon's, Deep Cove, who has had the intestinal fortitude to publicly disagree with his bishop's views on homosexuality.
The Anglican Church of Canada presently forbids same-sex marriages. But Bishop Michael Ingham and other Vancouver Anglicans are preparing to endorse the next best thing by voting next year on blessing gay and lesbian unions in church ceremonies. For Rev. Hird, that is not in line with "classical, orthodox Anglican values."
We're into a veritable minefield with this issue, of course. Anglicans are not the only denomination it has split -- as any United Church member can tell you(...)
1i) http://www.nsnews.com/issues02/w091602/093302/opinion/093302op3.html North Shore News, Friday September 20th 2002 (Almost Three Years Later) Gay lobby is going to get their way by Trevor Lautens HERE'S one of the most confident predictions this prophet has ever made: within short years, heterosexual Christians with strong Bible-based beliefs, as well as devout Muslims, Orthodox Jews and others of conservative faith, plus non-religious commentators who disseminate anything "homophobic" - all will be in the closet, and homosexuals will be fully outside of it(...) In practice, I predict Robinson's bill will advance the silencing of clerics like North Vancouver's Rev. Ed Hird, now leading an international campaign against the blessing of same-sex "unions" approved by his superior, Bishop Michael Ingham of Vancouver. More than that: I believe that, in fewer years than you think, all Christian churches will be persuaded or bludgeoned into accepting practising homosexuals. Gay crusaders will be sure to triumphantly install homosexual priests precisely in the pulpits now occupied by the Hirds of the church(...) lautens@axionet.com
2) http://www3.telus.net/st_simons/crier.htm Remembering Nana -an article for the April 2005 Deep Cove Crier, North Vancouver, BC
Nana Allen, my maternal grandmother, died with her prayer book and bible by her bed. I was never successful in talking her out of using the "old-fashioned" Book of Common Prayer, and 'getting with the program'. Nana to me symbolizes the deep Judeo-Christian roots of our beloved Canadian nation. She knew in her heart that I would one day become an Anglican priest, even when I was running from God on the top of Mount Seymour ski hill. Nana, while outwardly a very gentle and proper 'English' lady, was inwardly a prayer warrior who never gave up on her family or her nation. Nana's passionate love for our nation came out most strongly when she watched Hockey Night in Canada, fervently cheering for her favorite team 'The Montreal Canadiens'.
I love Nana very deeply, though she passed away many years ago in March 1982, just before my throat operation where I received my voice back. It was hard for Nana to watch me lose my voice, as she was so deeply committed to my calling to the Anglican priesthood. I remember her saying that she wanted to live until I became ordained as a deacon. Then after my first ordination, she decided that she wanted to live until I became priested which she did as well. Within a year of my priesting, she had gone to be with the Lord.
Why am I an Anglican priest today? I believe in my heart of hearts that I am a priest because of my Nana's powerful prayers and personal witness to a biblically faithful Anglicanism. Nana's life embodied to me the heart and soul of genuine Anglican Christianity. Sadly most of the faithful congregations that my Nana attended have since been swallowed by other agendas.
Nana was also a devout Anglophile and royalist. Though she had never been to England, it very much functioned for her as 'the mother country'. Nana was probably more English than the English. My parents finally persuaded her at age 80 to fly to England with them. While she enjoyed the trip tremendously, she felt that England had changed!
As someone who has been ordained now in the Anglican Church for 25 years, and still loves the Anglican Church deeply, I must say similarly to my grandma's comment that the Anglican Church has changed. I value healthy, necessary change, but I grieve when the core values of the Anglican Church are discarded in the relentless search for temporary relevance. I have sadly had to face that we now often dealing with another gospel, another religion, another faith than the biblical Anglican Christianity that my dear Nana stood for.
I believe that the Anglican Church is the 'canary in the tunnel' for our great nation of Canada. It is not a co-incidence that the assault on marriage first hit the media through the controversy among Canadian Anglicans, particularly in BC. If marriage is not a core institution worth fighting for, then what is? Our Canadian passivity has made us vulnerable to serious cultural meltdown of everything that made Canada great. My grandparents' and parents' generation put everything on the line to defend our great nation in World War I and World War II. How can we do any less in the current battle for the soul of Canada?
We say in the pre-amble to our Constitution that we acknowledge the Supremacy of God. It is time for us as Canadians to turn our words into actions. Our founding forbearers were determined in the words of Psalm 72 that 'he would have dominion for sea to shining sea'. Our original name "The Dominion of Canada" was chosen to deliberately reflect that spiritual commitment as the core of our nation.
The same-sex marriage bill before our parliament is one more sign that our nation's democratic and moral values are under radical attack. Many believe that the so-called protection for the churches under the proposed Bill C-38 is paper-thin, just waiting for the next Federally-funded court challenge or the next provincial human-rights tribunal.
My cry is that God would keep our land glorious and free, that God would have mercy upon our rebellious land, that mercy would triumph over judgement. God's heart of love is that we would repent of our turning away from our godly Judeo-Christian heritage and turn back before it is too late.
When I remember my dearly beloved Nana, I am reminded that we have a great heritage as Canadians. Let's not squander it.
The Rev Ed Hird+ Rector, St. Simon's Church, North Vancouver Anglican Communion in Canada http://www3.telus.net/st_simons/
3a) http://www.lifenews.com/bio875.html Terri Schiavo Dies After Enduring 13 Day Court-Ordered Starvation by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com Editor, March 31, 2005 (...)"It's her 14th day without food and water. You can imagine, it is not a pretty sight," Terri's brother told reporters early Thursday before her death.(....)
Terri's struggle for life has ended this morning. December 3, 1963 - March 31, 2005 Statement of the Schindler Family Pinellas Park, FL - As you are aware, Terri is now with God and she has been released from all earthly burdens. After these recent years of neglect at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and care for her, she is finally at peace with God for eternity. We are speaking on behalf of our entire family this evening as we share some thoughts and messages to the world regarding our sister and the courageous battle that was waged to save her life from starvation and dehydration. We have a message for the volunteers that have helped our family: Thank you for all that you've done for our family. Thank you to the hundreds of doctors who volunteered to help Terri. Thank you to the fifty doctors who provided statements under oath to help Terri. Thank you to the lawyers who stood for Terri's life in the courtrooms of our nation. From running our family's website, to driving us around, to making meals, to serving in so many ways-thank you to all of the volunteers who have been so kind to our family through all of this. We have a message for the supporters and people praying worldwide: Please continue to pray that God gives grace to our family as we go through this very difficult time. We know that many of you never had the privilege to personally know our wonderful sister, Terri, but we assure you that you can be proud of this remarkable woman who has captured the attention of the world. Following the example of the Lord Jesus, our family abhors any violence or any threats of violence. Threatening words dishonor our faith, our family, and our sister, Terri. We would ask that all those who support our family be completely kind in their words and deeds toward others. We have a message to the media: We appreciate your taking Terri's case to the nation. Please afford our family privacy to grieve at this time. The patience and graciousness of the on-site media here at hospice has been deeply appreciated by our family. We have a message to the many government officials who tried to help Terri: Thank you for all that you've done. Our family will be forever grateful to all of the outstanding public servants who have tried to save Terri. We have a message to all of the religious leaders who tried to help Terri: Thank you to all people of faith who demonstrated love for Terri and strength of conviction to defend the sacredness of all human life as a precious gift from God. Our family is highly honored that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, would speak out so boldly on behalf of our sister, Terri. We have a message of forgiveness: Throughout this ordeal, we are reminded of the words of Jesus on the cross: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Our family seeks forgiveness for anything that we have done in standing for Terri's life that has not demonstrated the love and compassion required of us by our faith. We have a message to parents worldwide: Our family would encourage parents to spend time with their children and to cherish each and every moment of each and every day with them as a precious gift from God. We have a message to Terri from her family: As a member of our family unable to speak for yourself, you spoke loudly. As a member of our family unable to stand under your own power, you stood with a grace and a dignity that made your family proud. Terri, we love you dearly, but we know that God loves you more than we do. We must accept your untimely death as God's will. Terri, your life and legacy will continue to live on, as the nation is now awakened to the plight of thousands of voiceless people with disabilities that were previously unnoticed. Your family intends to stand up for the other "Terri's" around this nation and we will do all that we can to change the law so others won't face the same fate that has befallen you. We have a final thought to share: Our family had hoped this day would never come, but as it has now arrived, we ask ourselves a question in these incredibly sad circumstances: What would the Lord Jesus ask us to do in a moment like this? In John's Gospel, Jesus responded to the questions of the rabbis, who asked why a man had been born blind. He said: "it is so that the works of God might be made manifest through him." God's plan for Terri is unfolding before our eyes. Our prayer at this time is that our Nation will remember the plight of persons with disabilities and commit within our hearts to defend their lives and their dignity for many generations to come.
4)http://www.reason-for-hope.com Bishop TJ Johnston Teaching Videos Now Available Videos of Bishop TJ's Talks at the 18th Annual Renewal Mission 2005 are now available on DVD, or VHS, through the Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC). These videos are tremendous tools for preparing and equipping any congregation being plunged into spiritual warfare by the liberal revisionists.
A brief synopsis: Disc 1 : +TJ challenges churches to take seriously their role in transforming the societies God has placed them in by boldly proclaiming and living God's Word. Using 9/11 as a powerful example, he demonstrated how the American people crowded churches immediately after the disaster but within 60 days church attendance was back to normal. The disaster drove the people to church but sadly the church did not offer them compelling reason to stay.
Disc 2: +TJ uses his communication and case building skills, honed through his experience as a trial lawyer, to inspire and prepare the viewer, to become part of a team who will irresistibly challenge society to live by accordance to God's will. Powerful, practical teaching.
Disc 3: Part one is the Sunday morning sermon at St. Simons. +TJ used the daily reading, Judges 6, to compare the present position of Orthodox Anglicans in North America with Israel as it was being constantly attacked by the Mideonites. God chose Gideon, who was hiding grain, in the winepress to save it from the Mideonites to be the mighty warrior destined to free Israel from their attacks. He challenged St. Simons to stand firm and become a Gideon in defending Orthodox Anglicans against the onslaught of 'liberalism'. Brilliant and challenging teaching. Part two is pure celebration as 102 faithful Anglicans are confirmed by a God fearing Bishop.
This series of videos will do much in preparing any congregation for the challenges they are facing.
The costs of the series is $30.00 Canadian on DVD, $37.00 on VHS. For prompt shipment, e-mail stuart@lightspeed.ca. http://www.reason-for-hope.com
5a) http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/074_2005-03-24/HAN074-E.htm#Int-1189889 House of Commons Hansard - March 24, 2005 Mr. Stockwell Day (Okanagan-Coquihalla, CPC): Mr. Speaker, to be constrained by parliamentary rules to only 10 minutes to speak about a law intending to alter a social definition, marriage, that has existed since time immemorial is a challenge indeed, but one which I will try to meet.
A far more serious defect in the debate is the disturbing act of tyranny on the part of the Prime Minister and the leader of the NDP who are muzzling their MPs and forcing them to vote a certain way on such an important topic.
On the issue itself, first allow me to give a historic overview. Discussions on marriage certainly are not new. In the historically reputable journals of a Jewish physician by the name of Luke, almost 2,000 years ago, he recorded a debate between Jesus and various religious and community leaders. It is clear in their discussions that the monogamous nature of marriage was accepted as the norm despite the fact that the Hebrew culture had embraced polygamy during an earlier time in its social development.
Jesus used that opportunity to underline the fact that the earliest writings of Mosaic tradition, notably the Pentateuch account, made it clear that the God of the Hebrew people intended that marriage would be between one man and one woman exclusively(...)
As we seem to be close to altering the definition, we must be prepared to ask the tough questions relating to the consequences of such a monumental change(...)
First, if the Liberals' law is passed, will sex education in the schools, including elementary grades, include the same portrayals of sexual activity which presently exist in heterosexual instruction? Will there be the same presentation of homosexual activity? Of course there will.
Second, will we see changes in terminology in our systems of public registration, for instance, in the use of words like "husband", "wife", "father", "mother", et cetera? Of course, these terms will gradually dissipate and fall into disuse. It is already happening in Ontario in the registration systems.
Third, is it true that Scandinavian countries which expanded the marriage term have statistically reported depreciation, that is a lessening of appreciation, for heterosexual commitment to marriage? Yes, in those jurisdictions the social indices themselves are clear. Fewer heterosexuals feel legally compelled to officially marry and more children are born outside of marriage's traditional terms. Some people may say that is a good thing. Some may say that it is not. That is simply a fact and it is tragic that the notion of what is best for children gets so little discussion in this debate.
Fourth, following the move for marriage to include homosexual, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender relationships, will polygamists demand to be included also? Of course they will. They already are asking to be included. Even non-religious polygamist groups in Canada are asking as well as those who are polygamists within their religions. As a matter of note, the few polygamists and bigamists whom I personally know are kind, caring and loving toward their children and their multiple partners. I am sure there are also abusive polygamists just as there are abusive homosexual and heterosexual couples. However, being kind does not translate into having the right to call oneself married any more than the two elderly sisters who are raising an orphaned nephew can call themselves married, even though they have a full right to all of the social and financial supports that were available to the married heterosexual parents.
Fifth, will religious freedoms be protected and respected? No, they will not be. These freedoms are already disappearing. Marriage commissioners who choose not to marry homosexuals are being fired. A Knights of Columbus chapter in British Columbia is in court because it chooses not allow a lesbian group to use its facility for marriage ceremonies. The list goes on. Even the Supreme Court would not guarantee religious freedoms, so let us not lure people into thinking that the religious factor will be protected. It will not(...)
5b) http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/074_2005-03-24/HAN074-E.htm#Int-1189712 House of Commons Hansard - March 24, 2005
Mr. Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon-Wanuskewin, CPC): (...)Do we honestly believe as Canadians that the Liberal government will protect those rights of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience when only a few years ago the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister assured Canadians that they had no intention of changing the definition? In fact they have done that very thing. They have broken that promise. Promise made, promise broken(...)
6a) http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/index.php?p=5748 4/1/2005 (The Rev. Dr. Terry Fullam's former congregation of the best-selling book "Miracle in Darien"* is now under liberal assault) To order the Miracle in Darien book, click on http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=236198&cat=21677&type=3&dept=3920&path=0%3A3920%3A18841%3A18842%3A21677 Filed under:* General- kendall @ 2:10 pm
March 29, 2005
The Rev. Christopher Leighton(...)
I write to inform you that the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Connecticut, having received and considered reports that I have submitted to them, has determined in accordance with Title IV, Canon 10 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, that you have abandoned the communion of this Church.
As you know, this is a most serious finding, one which leads to the Inhibition of a priest's ministry, and in the absence of a clear renewal of relationship with the bishop and the Church, will lead to deposition from the priesthood of this Church(...)
Yours in Christ,
(signed)
Andrew D. Smith Bishop
6b) April 1, 2005 PUBLIC STATEMENT BY ST. PAUL'S DARIEN
We are greatly disturbed by the increasing pressure and threats that have been made(...)
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