Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Change

Yesterday morning we had a special staff meeting at the Anglican Centre (where I work). At that meeting Bishop Victoria announced that she is resigning from her position as Bishop of Christchurch, effective from 1 May 2018.

Later, at 4 pm, this announcement became public. You can read it here. Bosco Peters has published a note about this and offers other links to relevant information. I join with his call for prayer for +Victoria as she discerns God's next step for her life and ministry, and for the Diocese as we make our next steps.

I have worked for and with +Victoria since 21 January 2010 - just over eight years, most of which have been dominated by our earthquakes and their aftermath. In that time we have had three different locations for the Anglican Centre and five different locations for Theology House. This last 16 months we have been in a common location and it is by far the best of the locations to work in. Bishop Victoria will leave her role with many things settled which were previously unsettled.

Through everything +Victoria has been utterly faithful to God and energetically determined that the God of Jesus Christ is at the front and centre of all we do.

Now we enter a period of change. I know we who live and work within the Diocese will be praying for God's help and for God's will to be done. If you are reading this outside our Diocese please pray for us.


6 comments:

Jean said...

She has been a faithful servant during what must have been one of the most unsettling periods within the Diocese. May she enjoy a rest before following where God leaves her to next.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jean;
I have not had the privilege of meeting Bishop Victoria, but all of your Bishops are well-regarded on my side of the fence. I was sorry to hear that Bishop Victoria has given notice of her resignation. I do not live in Christchurch, but the Bishop must have had the fortitude of Rowan Williams plus Winston Churchill. May God bless her in her prosperity. By the way; someone here ought to think of nominating Ven Dr Peter Carrell for the episcopate.

Nick

Father Ron Smith said...

Dear Peter,

The following link was passed to me this evening relating to the possible future of Bishop Victoria.

You may choose (or not) to share it on this thread. (Agape, Ron)

https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/about-the-diocese/corporate-information/synod/2018-electoral-synod/list-of-nominees/

Peter Carrell said...

Hi Ron
Yes I am aware of that news and I am aware that it is being circulated widely through our church. I know you will be praying with me and many others, including Toronto Anglicans, that Bishop Victoria will find the next path according to God's will.

Peter Carrell said...

Hi Sam
Earlier this afternoon I posted a comment from you and a reply from me. I then away to watch some cricket and decided I had misgivings about posting your comment and have come back home and deleted it along with my reply.

There may be a time and a place for evaluation of Bishop Victoria's ministry and of the timing of her announcement but I do not think it is here where Victoria is not engaged and thus not part of defending her record and explaining her decisions.

I stand by my comment of her faithfulness to God in the discharge of her episcopal ministry because she has always placed God the Trinity front and centre of her work and her decisions. That, of course, is not the same as asserting her infallibility and I am well aware that a number of her decisions have been judged to be fallible by (as the case may be) a few, some or many.

The early date of her finish, 1 May, has been a surprise and (so I understand re some Facebook comments reported to me) the occasion of not a few remarks. As someone directly affected by that timing I will simply say that I see more pros than cons.

Anonymous said...

Thinking about miracles--

https://theconversation.com/do-you-believe-in-miracles-why-they-make-perfect-sense-for-many-93832?

BW