(6 Nov 2014) The Rt Rev. Charles Masters was installed this evening as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Network in Canada by Archbishop Foley Beach

(6 Nov 2014) The Right Reverend Charles Masters was installed this evening as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Network in Canada by Archbishop Foley Beach, primate of the Anglican Church in North America. 

The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) comprises churches spread from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland to New England, and counts more than 4500 worshippers attending each Sunday.  Bishop Masters succeeds ANiC’s founding diocesan bishop, Bishop Donald Harvey – who is now Episcopal Vicar of the diocese.  

The installation service took place at St Peter and St Paul’s Anglican Church, in the heart of our nation’s capital, Ottawa.  The service coincides with ANiC’s annual diocesan synod – an assembly of church leaders from the 71 congregations which form ANiC, gathering for spiritual renewal, Bible teaching, fellowship, direction setting and diocesan governance.

The theme of synod, which runs from November 5-7, is “Now a People: A Bible People, a Gospel People, a Global People” and denotes the fact the diocese has matured, moving from formation into mission.  In its early years, ANiC’s focus was on gathering disaffected Biblically faithful Anglicans.

Yesterday, synod members walked to Parliament Hill to meet with elected leaders and pray for the nation of Canada.  Earlier today, in his Bishop’s Charge, Bishop Masters outlined his five priorities for the diocese and its members.  These are:

Bold witnesses – Each one equipped to share the Gospel
Biblically grounded – Each one having a solid knowledge of the Word of God. 
Loving children – Every church focused on vital ministries to children and youth

On mission – Engaged in our communities, nations and world, showing and sharing the love of God
Planting & growing churches – Every congregation focused on planting another congregation

In addition to Archbishop Foley Beach, a number of bishops participated in Bishop Masters’ installation including:

·         from outside North America, Archbishop Greg Venables (Argentina);

·         from the Anglican Church in North America, Bishops Peter Beckwith, Bill Atwood, John Guernsey, Julian Dobbs, Felix Orji, Eric Menees and Charles Dorrington; and

·         from the Anglican Network in Canada, Bishops Donald Harvey, Ron Ferris, Malcolm Harding, Stephen Leung and Trevor Walters.

ANiC became an ecclesiastical body in 2007 and, in 2009, a founding diocese in the Anglican Church in North America.  The Anglican Church in North America now unites more than 112,000 faithful Anglicans across the continent. 

Members of the Anglican Network in Canada are committed to remaining faithful to Holy Scripture and established Anglican doctrine and practice.  Through the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, ANiC is in full communion with Anglicans worldwide – the vast majority of whom are committed to established, Biblically based Christianity and historic Anglican traditions.

ANiC’s mission is “Building Biblically faithful, Gospel sharing, Anglican churches.”