From: KEN EVANS [SMTP:evansfuneralhome@sympatico.ca]
Sent: November 29, 1997 9:55 PM
Subject: Introduction
These introductions are a great idea since mail is arriving constantly
from all over creation. My name is Ken Evans. My wife and I and our 2
small children have recently purchased a funeral home and moved to
Arthur Ontario from Shawville Que. I feel a bit out of place as I am an
Anglican and a prayer book and more or less conservative on top of
that. I have been trying to keep up to speed on this whole controversy
through a good friend of mine who is a United minister in west Que. I
am very concerned with the statements of Rev. Phipps. I believe that
together with the endorsement by the general council reflect a growing
trend towards convictionless religion in many of our mainline churches.
While not quite as controversial as this situation the Anglican church
has slowly been sliding in the same direction for some years now. I am
happy to receive any and all E-mail on this and other such subjects. I
am not a theologian by any stretch but I do enjoy a good debate.
*********************
Letter to the Ottawa Citizen, Tuesday Dec 3, 97
Frankly, I’m fed up with people like Charles Levy, and other trinitarians
teaching their false doctrines of the trinity and divinity of Christ
(Moderator a humanitarian but hardly a Christian." Nov 7). As a
regular Bible reader and strict Unitarian, (believer in the Oneness of God),
I can say that the trinity dogma has nothing to do with the Bible but is an
invention of the pagan church at the conference of Nicea which took place
in the 4th century (325 A.D.) in Rome. Jesus made it clear that he was not
God in Mark 10:18 when he said "Why do you call me good? There is
none good but God alone." In this verse he left no room for divinity.
Thus Rev. Bill Phipps was absolutely right whn he said that Jesus was
not God. Only God is God.
How can anybody know the only true God when they believe in the
Trinity and worship three gods in a godhead instead of one unique God?
How can you disgrace God by stating He had a mother, a brother (named
James), an adopted father and was a carpenter. This is sacrilegious. Thus
Catholics, Orthodox, Pentecostals and other trinitarians (like Charles Levy)
are not true Christians. True Christians are those who believe in the
oneness of God and believe that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God.
This is what monotheism means.
Unlike Mr. Phipps, I do believe in Heaven and Hell.
- Charles David Young, Ottawa
********************************
To: Copple, Tony
From: towigg@zeus.Cable-Lynx.Net (Ted Wigglesworth)
Date: Tue, 02 Dec
Hi Tony
Thank you for your acknowledgement of my letter. [ Reprinted below]
Those of us who live in Alberta are very familiar with Bill as he was the
executive secretary of Alberta and Northwest Conference for a number of
years. I am one of the original four who put together the articles of
association that brought into being the Association of covenanting
congregations within the UCC. Our emphasis was to give people a place to
stand within the UCC that was faithful to Jesus Christ the head of the
Church and was faithful to the principles of the United church and its
Basis of Union.
I have been the minister of two small rural congregations in Alberta.
When a small problem arose in one of these congregations Presbytery
executive decided to remove me (dissolve the pastoral relationship) even
after the congregation had voted for me to stay. This happened on the 22
January 1997. I appealed this decision to Alberta and Northwest Conference.
On the 5 November 1997 the appeal report was handed down. The letter you
received was a very brief look at some of the implications. It ties in with
what Bill and the executive of general council are doing in order to
silence ministers and congregations from speaking out. It is a move that
has been in the works for many years. If the presbyteries with there
preponderance of clergy have to go along with the edicts of General Council
even when they have not been remitted to presbyteries and/or congregations
and if any dissent can be handled by the removal of any clergy without
reason and with no recourse. Then the preaching of the gospel of Jesus
Christ as we know it in the UCC has come to and end. This is how serious
the issue of my dismissal is.
I have a complete copy of report that I can email to you if you are
interested. Let me know what text you can receive.
While the moderator has changed his latest statements to better reflect the
whole of the church remember that Bill is a words smith and will change the
words to sound in the way he thinks you will accept them. He will change
his way of speaking according to the group he speaks to. His ultimate
intention is to change the UCC to the church that reflects his first
interview with the Ottawa Cit. He will use any means to do this. The most
effective means in the long plan is to change the way the structure works.
This is not a flashy out there thing like his interview but it is where the
real miracle of Jesus Christ and the Holly Spirit can take place if we as
people who believe in Jesus are willing to take a stand.
I hate to say it but all the public protest will do little good. You have
already seen how the executive of General Council has affirmed both Bill
and the Basis of Union even though Bill denied 17 of the 20 articles of
faith. They are very good at double talk.
The only way to make sure that we can proclaim the Gospel is to insure that
the principles of the Basis of Union are guaranteed in law. That is what
my case can do if I have the financial support to keep going.
If you are interested in continuing this conversation let me know.
Your servant in Jesus Christ
- Ted Wigglesworth
***********************
This is the letter referred to in Ted’s letter above]
From: towigg@zeus.Cable-Lynx.Net (Ted Wigglesworth)
To: REV4AL@aol.com ("Brian Wilkie \"'Al Dowber'\""), dj027@freenet.carleton.ca ("'Andrew J.B. Stirling'"), hopkinsb@octonline.com ("'Bert Hopkins'"), cadep@aol.com ("'cadep@aol.com'"), cburton@nf.sympatico.ca ("'Carole Burton'"), d.m.fisher@sk.sympatico.ca ("\"'Dave Fisher'\" etc.)
Subject: Thoughts and introductions
Date: Fri, 28 Nov
Hi Brian and all: Some of you will have this information. I am Ted
Wigglesworth, Past Chair of the NACC and unemployed United Church Minister,
Removed from the pastoral charge by the executive of Coronation Presbytery
without cause, under the care and oversight provisions of the Manual.
With this message I am sending an announcement produced by Bob Blackburn
about my situation. I also have the complete 53 page report from the
Alberta Conference Appeal Committee in my computer now and can send a copy
to anyone who is interested.
ABSOLUTE POWER CLAIMED FOR PRESBYTERIES
IN THE WIGGLESWORTH DECISION
ATTENTION ALL MINISTERS AND CONGREGATIONS ! ! ! ! !
On November 5th, in handing down its decision to refuse an appeal
launched by the Rev. Ted Wigglesworth, the Alberta and Northwest Conference
of The United Church of Canada has made alarming claims concerning the
power of presbyteries. If these claims are upheld, any presbytery will be
able to remove a minister any time it wishes, without consulting the
congregation or the minister. The decision says:
"A Presbytery may act on the belief that a certain minister should
not continue to serve a certain pastoral charge without laying a charge or
alleging misconduct or any other matter which would subject that minister
to discipline."
It says also that "The Presbytery is authorized to act to dissolve the
pastoral relationship either (a) on request from the minister, or (b) on
request from the Pastoral Charge, or (c) on its own initiative when its
assessment of the situation mandates action, but neither the minister nor
the Pastoral Charge has taken steps to request a change. Citing clauses in
the Basis of Union (6.4.1 and 6.4.16) which give a presbytery oversight of
congregations and ministers, the 53-page document says "It is in
the spirit of these sections that a presbytery must have the authority to
act when, for whatever reasons, it judges that the pastoral relationship
cannot be maintained."
According to Wigglesworth's lawyers, these statements are contrary to
the Basis of Union, the United Church Manual, and the laws of Canada. They
would leave every congregation and every minister exposed to the whims of
their presbytery, and without recourse. Wigglesworth is appealing the case
to the Church's Judicial Committee and will go on , if necessary, to civil
courts.
On January 22/97 the Rev. Ted Wigglesworth, then minister in the
Bashaw-Mirror pastoral charge, was dismissed by Coronation Presbytery on
one day's notice, without warning and without any charge being laid. His
salary ceased on June 30, and he has not been allowed to seek a call
anywhere within the United Church. The chairman of the Bashaw-Mirror
official board has confirmed that the dismissal was not due to any misconduct.
In response to Wigglesworth's appeal, the Conference appointed a panel
which held three two-day hearings and met July 18 to decide. Their
decision, rejects the appeal, and rules that the Conference, Presbytery and
Wigglesworth must pay their own legal costs. His legal costs could exceed
$150,000.00.
The National Alliance of Covenanting Congregations has started a fund
to help in this landmark case, and in other such cases. Please send
donations to NACC Legal Defence Fund. 5300 Drenkelly Court, Mississauga,
Ontario L5M 2H4. Tax receipts will be given.
Please note that to go forward in this challenge of what our church
higherarchy is doing. We will have to raise a minimum of $20,000. A very
worthwhile mission to all of the ministers and pastoral charges of the
United Church.
Your servant In Jesus The Christ
Ted Wigglesworth