ANiC consecrates new crop of bishops
ST. CATHARINES, ON—Anglicans are traditionally consecrated as bishops in magnificent cathedrals. However, Trevor Walters, Charlie Masters and Stephen Leung were consecrated as "bishops in the Church of God" without benefit of stained glass or neo-gothic architecture.
The service was held November13 in a borrowed facility, Bethel Community Church, set amidst Ontario vineyards in rural St. Catharines.
The trio is part of a fledgling Anglican body, The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), which has no cathedral to its name but finds itself blessed frequently by other Christian communities. The Canadian Staff Band of the Salvation Army provided the fanfare.
ANiC was started in 2007 by three retired bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada who left retirement to oversee the new, more theologically conservative body. But aware that age would eventually catch up with them, their hope was to consecrate a new generation of bishops.
The three new bishops are all former ACC priests who had realigned with ANiC.
The trio was consecrated by Robert Duncan who is based in Pittsburgh. Fifteen North American bishops laid hands on the three, in a service attended by almost 600 people including more than 60 priests and deacons.
With the Ontario/Manitoba border as the dividing line, Walters, 60, will serve as regional bishop of Western Canada while Masters, 58, will be regional bishop in the East. Masters will continue as National Director of ANiC while Walters will still minister at his parish, St. Matthews in Abbotsford.
Leung, 54, will continue to pastor the Church of the Good Shepherd in Vancouver but he will also serve Asian Anglicans across the country. He is currently exploring the possibility of a Chinese church plant in Calgary.
Eventually ANiC hopes to have a congregation within a 20-minute drive of 90 per cent of the Canadian population. It currently numbers 33 parishes and eight "forming congregations."
"We are small but we have a big God," says Masters. "We pray for a big harvest."
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
