Every year St. Hilda’s Anglican Church, ANiC has a garage sale where all the items are free. It is an outreach to the community to illustrate the love, grace and salvation of God which is offered to us free through Jesus Christ.
This year was a little different because it was our last Garage Sale Giveaway before we have to relinquish our building to the Diocese of Niagara. This was a week of “last times”, since Friday was also the last Freebie Friday, a St. Hilda’s outreach to a local high school which will cease when we move.
This year, in addition to handing out our usual card, the following was distributed:
We are moving!
Years ago when I was ministering at my first church in Quebec I walked over to my office and noticed a “For Sale” sign placed on the lawn of the church. A local prankster thought it would be a good joke. In our newsletter I used that situation as a eye catching title: CHURCH FOR SALE! I then spoke about ministry etc. I never would have thought that years later I would be facing the real thing.
After 53 years on Rebecca Street we are losing our beloved St. Hilda’s Church building.
We live in a world and a culture where many foundational Christian beliefs are currently under attack. This is experienced even within the church itself. The main issue is the blurring and compromise of the good news of Jesus Christ and the elevation of the authority of church leadership over the authority of the Bible. As a consequence, many churches find themselves within a structure that compromises their conscience. This was our case. The result was after a long dispute with our former leadership we find ourselves homeless, but not church-less. We the people are His church.
We remain in communion with the greater part of the worldwide Anglican Church through the auspices of the Anglican Network in Canada. This being said, we will begin a new chapter of our church history when we start using the facility at the Knights of Columbus Rental Hall on Wallace Road near the intersection of Speers Road and Third Line. Our first celebration is on May 27th. And thereafter at 10:30 am on Sunday mornings.
We as a congregation will, with God’s help, continue to show the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ, continuing with all our ministries, preaching and teaching the Gospel and sharing the love of God in our community.
Pastor Paul Charbonneau
St. Hilda’s Church
Here are some photos; for all of them, go here:
I know that God smiles on the wonderful faithful community of St. Hildas. Peace to you all.
I will say one thing… inspite of the vibrancy at my own church. The ACC has by and large screwed itself. Notwithstanding my personal beliefs regarding the “question” there is certain degree of lunacy required to pursue the blessing of same sex marriages at the expense of the greater good – that is keeping the family together.
I truly lament the destruction of God’s church.
Eph 3:20… I very much appreciate the sentiment of your comment. In thinking of “God’s church”, it is important to keep in mind that it is so much bigger than any one denomination or tradition. It cuts across man-made organizational structures and geographic boundaries, and extends through centuries of history. It is circumscribed only by the response given to Jesus Christ’s penetrating question, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20)
Eph
Although your “lament for the destruction of God’s church” is laudable, it misses the point.
The thoughtful supporters of the ACoC’s position on same sex issues believe that their church MUST take this path to be faithful to their understanding of Christ’s call to inclusiveness etc. Theirs is not a calculation that factors in “keeping the family together”. They believe their position is Biblical Revelation.
ANiC believes that the ACoC’s position is a violation of the clear reading of scripture in both testaments and a denial of 2000 years of church teaching. We believe that the ACoC has left God’s family, not the other way around.
Of course there are other voices on both sides, but this is the core disagreement.