In a flurry of phone calls with his wardens and lawyer Bob Kuhn, Mr. Hird reaffirmed his lawyer's contention that Michael and the Diocese of New Westminster have no legal interest in the St. Simon's community, and they will vigorously oppose any attempt to put a rector in at the church while the legitimate rector is absent.

"Any attempt to disrupt the worship will not be countenanced. Our assistant priest the Rev. John Lombard is in charge of the services in our absence, even though Ingham has said that the Rev. Sarah Tweedle has been assigned to the parish this Sunday. Hird has been the rector their for18 years and ordained for 25 years. He is a native of Vancouver.

Mr. Hird's deacon the Rev. Ron Gibbs and his youth pastor the Rev. Ken Bell are with him at the AMIA conference.

Hird said his family have been in the diocese for three generations, and views the move by Ingham as especially egregious. His parish came under the ecclesiastical authority of the Most Rev. Emmanuel Kolini Archbishop of Rwanda a year ago when Hird and 11 congregations across Canada requested alternative episcopal oversight to get out from under Ingham and the Anglican Church of Canada over their betrayal of biblical faith and practice. The Canadian General Synod recently voted to affirm the sanctity and integrity of same-sex relationships.

The orthodox priests requested alternative episcopal oversight after the forced withdrawal of Yukon Bishop Terry Buckle by the Canadian House of Bishops.

A council of five primates chaired by Southeast Asia Primate Yong Ping Chung designated American AMIA Bishop T.J. Johnston to function as their bishop. Archbishop Yong Ping Chung is the chair of the council of the five international primates.

"His attempt to wrest the parish away from the oversight of the Rwanda Primate is both unfortunate as well as legally null and void," said Hird. "My license was transferred to Rwanda a year ago and our congregation voted 100 per cent at their annual vestry meeting to become a church of the Province of Rwanda."

"Some feel that Ingham is the Saddam Hussein of the Anglican Church in Canada. He never let's go, it is all a matter of timing. He has a scorched earth policy with orthodox believers. I am not surprised that he made his move when we were out of the country," said Hird.

The Rev. Barclay Mayo, rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour, formerly St. Andrew's said, on hearing the news, "this decision is just part of the ongoing diocesan harassment of orthodox clergy and congregations and we believe it has no legal standing. I am not totally surprised that Ingham moved when he did. With legal counsel we contend that Bishop Ingham has no interest in these properties owned by this congregation and we have no intention of vacating the premises unless he has a court order."

"Contrary to what was stated in diocesan announcements, Anglican ministry has not been abandoned in Pender Harbour but has in fact been continuous and is expanding as we move to minister in other Sunshine Coast communities," he told VirtueOnline.

On Saturday Carolyn Spence, Redeemer's Pastoral Assistant was ordained to the Diaconate, and a Youth and Children's Worker, Anna Mayo was hired by the church to meet the growing need for ministry to young families in the community.

"I have instructed my wardens to welcome diocesan representatives to worship with them but not to allow them access to the pulpit. We do not believe they have any authority over this congregation," he said.

Bishop T.J. Johnston, under whose authority the priests now serve, said that Ingham's move is a wake up call to the way revisionist North American bishops act and it should demonstrate again to the primates who are meting in Ireland next month just who and what they are dealing with.

"It demonstrates both aggressive and offensive attitudes and actions that these revisionist bishops are willing to engage in to win the spiritual wars for the soul of the church," said Johnston.

"I am troubled when Bishop Ingham tells his Diocesan Council that he has exhausted 'every possible avenue' of reconciliation with the priests and those members of their
congregations who had followed them. This statement points to his total disregard for the admonition and direction of the recent Windsor Report. In that Report he was admonished to engage in repentance and regret, an attitude he has never displayed in his relationship with these parishes. The clear mandate of the Primates and our Lord Jesus Christ is that we are to walk in humility and repentant attitude in our leadership as overseers of the church. Bishop Ingham consistently disregards this critical calling upon his life and ministry."

"At another level I am thankful that Ingham has revealed his hand at this historic moment. The primates meet next month and my prayer is that they will address this situation directly," said Johnston.

Bishop Johnston said he was deeply thankful for the faithfulness and leadership both lay and ordained at St. Simons Church in North Vancouver and Christ the Redeemer, Pender Harbour. "On behalf of the overseeing Primates who are extending temporary adequate episcopal oversight we want to assure these churches of their commitment to stand with them in the face of this aggressive action by Mr. Ingham." Bishop Johnston is based at St. Andrews Church in Little rock, Arkansas.

On hearing the news Archbishop Bernard Malango of Central Africa said, "this is a big disappointment to me and the rest of the primates. This action by Bishop Ingham is one more nail in the coffin of the Anglican Communion. He was warned by the Primates of the Communion after their meeting in Brazil that he should not proceed to bless same-sex unions and he did. This action against these godly priests is unconscionable. It will be addressed in Ireland next month."

Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda reacted by saying, "it is not his [Ingham's] church it is God's church. His actions are a joke. We will address this issue in Ireland next month at the Primates meeting."

In speaking to the pastors of the affected communities it obvious that the contention that ministry has been abandoned was patently false.

END