Diocese Begins 140th Anniversary Celebrations

Bishop launches refugee sponsorship initiative to mark milestone

Posted March 1, 2015

On March 17, 1875 the Diocese of Niagara came into being, having held its inaugural Synod in Hamilton. Passionately following Christ has looked different from generation to generation, but Niagara's response to God’s mission over its 140 year history has been unwavering.

Plans are being put in place for events to reflect upon the Diocese's past in order to pick up the best threads of its history and weave them into a beautiful new tapestry for ministry. The Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz has accepted an invitation to attend Synod as part of our anniversary celebration. 

The theme of the 140th Anniversary is “Celebrating Lives Transformed, Transforming Lives Together.” At Bishop Michael's direction, one of the key aspects of the anniversary celebrations will be a refugee sponsorship initiative to compassionately respond to one of the most pressing human needs of our time: the plight of refugees. With the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq, the number of refugees in need of resettlement has never been so great.

sponsored refugee familyIn a letter to the clergy and people of the Diocese, Bishop Michael wrote, "time and time again, we have seen that when we come together and make room for Christ, the possibilities are endless. Sponsoring a refugee family doesn’t just change their life; it changes everyone’s life." Jesus was himself a refugee, and as a long-time sponsor of refugees, the Diocese is in a unique position to respond to this humanitarian crisis. The goal for the initiative is to raise enough funds through our anniversary celebrations to equip parishes to sponsor up to 50 refugees. On average it costs approximately $25,000 to sponsor a family of four.

To realize this goal, the Bishop invites all Anglicans in Niagara to join him in making an offering in thanksgiving for the life-changing ministries found throughout the Diocese of Niagara. In recognition of our 140th anniversary, a gift of $140 or some multiple thereof has been suggested. Many generous donations have already been received, including one from the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, Archbishop Colin Johnson, who was so greatly inspired when he heard about the initiative. Donations can be made online or by sending a cheque payable to the Diocese of Niagara with "140th Anniversary" in the memo line to the Synod Office.

http://niagaraanglican.ca/140anniversary/