Bishop Michael Ingham announced April 2nd he will be retiring from his position on August 31st, 2013.
“The Diocese of New Westminster has been at the forefront of positive change in the Church for decades” he said. “From the ordination of women, to support for indigenous peoples, to the dignity of gay and lesbian Christians, to inter-faith dialogue – it has been a privilege to serve a Diocese living and growing at some of the leading edges of the Anglican Church of Canada.”
“Easter is a good time to look forward to the gift of new life both for myself, and for the Diocese.”
Bishop Michael said he was particularly pleased to announce the creation of two new initiatives in mission as his final act of leadership. One is a new ministry to Korean Anglicans to be located at St. Stephen’s Church in Burnaby. The other is a Filipino Anglican ministry to begin at Bishop Hills’ Memorial Church in Vancouver. Both will commence later this year.
The Bishop will attend the Canadian-African Bishops International Dialogue in Cape Town, South Africa, at the end of April.
He will preside over the regular annual Diocesan Synod in May (which will not be an electoral Synod), and will ordain two new deacons in June. The Bishop will lead the diocesan delegation to the General Synod in Ottawa in July.
Bishop Michael has served as the 8th Bishop of New Westminster since January 1994. He is currently the longest-serving active Anglican Bishop in Canada. He is the author of two books: Rites For a New Age (1985), and Mansions of the Spirit (1997), as well as numerous articles and essays in other books and publications.
Simon Fraser University will honour him with the Degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) in June this year.
He holds degrees of Doctor of Divinity from both the Vancouver School of Theology (1998) and the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts (2009).
The process of the election of a new bishop, which is governed by the Canons of the Diocese, will commence at the April meeting of Diocesan Council. Chancellor George Cadman will advise the Council at that time on the next steps to be taken.
The Dean of the Diocese, the Very Reverend Peter Elliott, will, in accordance with Diocesan Canons, assume administrative responsibilities as Commissary on September 1st until a new bishop is installed.
For further information please contact the Diocese of New Westminster Communications Officer, Mr. Randy Murray, at 606-684-6306 ext. 223.
Click to download BISHOP MICHAEL'S LETTER OF RESIGNATION
and a copy of this NEWS RELEASE