February 25, 2008
News Release- Anglican Diocese of Niagara

On Sunday February 24, 2008, services were held at 9 AM in St George’s Church, Lowville, and St Hilda’s, Oakville. The traditional service at St George’s was led by the coadjutor Bishop of Niagara, The Rt Rev. Michael Bird and the newly appointed priest-in-charge of the parish, the Rev. Susan Wells. 150 people attended. At St Hilda’s the service was led by Canon Brian Ruttan, priest-in-charge of the parish. About 40 people attended. Some of those in attendance were members of St Georges and St Hilda’s but the majority of worshippers at both services were drawn from various surrounding parishes.

The media have generally regarded this show of diocesan support and resolve as somehow illegitimate. In doing so they have not understood the issues deeply enough. Anglicans have always regarded the church as a diocesan family. The idea of an individual and autonomous congregation is foreign to Anglicanism. The Bishop is the chief pastor of all the parishes in the diocese and each individual priest is given charge of a parish by the Bishop to function there under the Bishop’s direction. The people of the Diocese of Niagara regret deeply the actions of the parishes of St George and St Hilda which represent a rejection of the authority of their Bishop and a fracture in their diocesan family and. What happened at St George’s and St Hilda’s last Sunday was a natural response by Anglicans to this unfortunate and unnecessary break.

Bishop Bird and members of the senior staff of the diocese met on Monday to prepare for meetings on Tuesday with representatives of the Anglican Network. The results of these negotiations will shape the ministry in the two parishes in the short term while more permanent legal resolution is sought.

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