20.04

Anglican Primate announces retirement
Toronto, ON—Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, will retire next summer following General Synod and the election of a successor. Hutchison, who was elected Primate at the last General Synod in 2004, made the announcement at a meeting of the Canadian House of Bishops in Niagara Falls, Ontario, after privately notifying the four Canadian Metropolitan archbishops of his decision. Hutchison says he only intended to be Primate until the next General Synod in 2007. The House of Bishops will submit a list of no more than five nominees for the General Synod in Winnipeg next summer, where clergy and lay members will elect the new Primate. (Anglican Church of Canada)

Vice-president appointed
Mississauga, ON—Dirk B. Booy is the new executive vice-president for World Vision Canada. Booy was previously vice-president of international and Canadian programs at Word Vision Canada for almost four years, responsible for programming in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Canada. Booy also served as national director of World Vision Tanzania from 1995 to 2002, managing one of the organization’s leading development and relief programs in Africa. He has also worked with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in Tanzania as program director and in Sierra Leone as team leader. In his new role, Booy will be responsible for the operational leadership of World Vision Canada. (www.worldvision.ca)

Seminary president appointed to second term
Fresno, CA—Jim Holm has been appointed to a second term as president of Mennonite Brethren (MB) Biblical Seminary, ending in June 2011. As president, Jim oversees the seminary’s ministry at three different sites: Fresno, California; Langley, B.C., part of the ACTS Seminaries; and at Manitoba’s Winnipeg Centre for Ministry Studies on Canadian Mennonite University’s campus. Jack Falk, chair of the seminary board of directors, says that during the past several years, Holm has been very active in building connections with the seminary’s sponsoring churches.

Bill preserves conscience protections
Edmonton, AB—Members of the Alberta legislature could soon be debating a private bill that would protect Albertans from losing their jobs or facing lawsuits because of their beliefs against same-sex marriage. Conservative MLA Ted Morton is sponsoring Bill 208, which he says will enhance the “right to disagree with and criticize government policy.” Bill C-38, which legalized same-sex marriage by redefining marriage, includes very limited protections for people of faith and religious institutions who won’t endorse same-sex marriage, including marriage commissioners. If Bill 208 passes, Alberta would become the first province in Canada to put such protections in place. Morton says he sees no reason why other provinces could not follow suit. (Today’s Family News/Focus on the Family Canada, Cochrane Times)

Union’s pro-gay stance challenged
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is refusing to let Roman Catholic member Susan Comstock conscientiously object to its open support of same-sex marriage. Comstock, employed by the Treasury Board of Canada, is asking that the portion of her union dues used to fund its campaign in support of Bill C-38 be diverted to charity and that the union should scrap its internal policy of “zero tolerance of homophobia and heterosexism.” PSAC has denied both her requests, claiming that a clause in its constitution allowing members to divert their dues to charity for reasons of religion or conscience does not apply to her. Comstock first filed a complaint in October 2004 with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which they dropped a year later. She is now seeking a federal judicial review of that decision. (Today’s Family News/Focus on the Family Canada, Ottawa Sun, LifeSite News)

International Day of Prayer announced
Canada will rejoin its international partners on November 12 for International Day of Prayer (IDOP) Sunday, with this year’s theme as “Blessed are the Persecuted.” IDOP Canada is asking Canadian churches to pray especially for the four focus areas of Belarus, India, Uzbekistan, Israel/West Bank and Gaza. The IDOP Canada partners—including the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Religious Liberty Commission, Open Doors with Brother Andrew (Canada), Voice of the Martyrs Canada, The Bible League, Christian Aid Mission and International Christian Response—are putting together a downloadable resource kit and DVD to assist congregations and others to pray effectively for the persecuted Church in these countries. (www.idop.ca) 

Seven writers in running for “Best New Author” award
Toronto, ON—Seven Canadian writers made the short list for the “Best New Canadian Christian Author” contest—first prize is $1,000 and the publication of the winner’s first book with Castle Quay Books. The annual award will be handed out this year June 14 at The Word Guild’s annual Canadian Writing Awards Gala in Mississauga, Ontario. Four non-fiction works and three novels are vying for first place. Finalists include Donna Carter, David Donaldson, Nan McKenzie Kosowan, Marcia Lee Laycock, Keith Marward McDonald, Emily Wierenga and Vi Wilson. Thirty-one entries from across Canada were submitted, up from 28 in 2005 and 19 in 2004. (The Word Guild)

Christian alternative to MySpace launches
Nashville, TN—In the midst of increased numbers of warnings about the potential dangers of using social networking, internet-based platforms like MySpace.com, a site billed as a “Christian alternative” to such services launched in March. People can interact online and post profiles, photos, video and music on xianz.com by invitation only. According to a news release from the site’s originators, xianz.com is a Christian-based social networking site that offers “the same functionality and much more” than other similar secular sites. The site reportedly offers “a safe environment for teens and people of all ages” to interact, and includes such built-in safeguards as settings that permit only people of the same age range to communicate. (Patricia Paddey)

Internet Evangelism Day held
May 7 was designated as worldwide Internet Evangelism Day (IED) by a group of ministries, churches and individuals as a day to highlight the potential and create awareness of online evangelism through blogs, chatrooms, websites and e-mail. The Internet Evangelism Coalition, with leaders such as Sterling Huston, chair of the IEC and director of special ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Tony Whittaker, promoted and endorsed the day with members of the coalition helping facilitate the development of IED resources. Whittaker says he hopes IED encouraged broader and more effective use of the internet for outreach and motivated churches “to create new websites, or modify existing pages to become user-friendly and enticing to non-Christians in the community.”