Diocese of New Westminster proposes moving its offices to St. John’s Shaughnessy

Since most of the congregation left St. John’s Shaughnessy, the building has been costing the diocese $20,000 per month to maintain. The diocese is finally publicly admitting that the rump congregation of St. John’s has little use for such a large building:

St. John’s (Shaughnessy) has the stewardship of a building that is far beyond their current parish needs. They are in active search for a complementary “tenant”.

The diocese wants to:

lease a significant space from the Parish of St. John’s (Shaughnessy) at a rate that would be approximately half of the current occupancy cost …….. We currently occupy approx. 4100 sq. ft.; the space we are looking at in the Admin and Christian Education Building is approx. 11,000 sq. ft. – the complete lower floor with entrance on the Cartier side of the building.

The congregation that was chased out of the building thoughtfully kept it in good condition for the new tenants:

It has been determined that the building structure is very sound.

Although, sadly:

The building systems (air management, heating, electrical, single glaze windows, etc.) are at the stage of requiring updating to current standards. The building’s roof is in need of replacement and is scheduled for 2014.

As the document notes:

This is an opportunity for the Diocese.

An opportunity to convert a building designed for worship into one designed for administration; and that, after all, is what being a Missional Church is really all about.

4 thoughts on “Diocese of New Westminster proposes moving its offices to St. John’s Shaughnessy

  1. Well, we used it do much to it’s 1950s capacity is pretty good is as busy as it was in the 50s is when people really used to go to Church. Now, people just don’t want to set foot into the place? What happened? What really happened? Something just doesn’t seem to work?

  2. John, you know what happened, the people went up the hill to the rented building at 5350 Baillie. I saw you there on Sunday.

    Ingham said two years ago that they would support SJS for two years (using money from selling the rectories, I believe), and then they’d be on their own. Seems to me the crisis is upon them. We have a congregation of 800+ that lovingly tended that building for decades – I suspect we will not be invited to rent it back. Not that we’d want it if Synod Office was occupying the parish hall.

  3. Is there any ACoC church that has prospered after most of its congregation left for the ANiC or the AMinA or whatever, or just left?

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