Briefs

Archbishop Peters to retire

Archbishop Arthur Peters, 65, has announced he intends to retire as bishop of the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and as metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Canada, effective Feb. 28, 2002. As of February, 2002, he will have served 20 years as bishop and five years as metropolitan. The diocesan synod, set for May 24-26,2001,will schedule an episcopal election for the fall of 2001.

Staff

Harding to retire

Bishop Malcolm Harding, of the diocese of Brandon said he plans to retire effective July 31. An episcopal election is set for October 19, 2001. Dean James Njegovan will administer the diocese until a new bishop is elected.

Staff

Dean asked to withdraw

Dean John Wright, 58, of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria has been asked by a diocesan review committee to remove himself from the daily operations of the cathedral school because of inappropriate remarks he is alleged to have made to children.

He and the diocese of British Columbia are also named in a human rights complaint by a former cathedral employee.

Bishop Barry Jenks said these issues prompted the diocese to ask General Synod for a national sexual misconduct policy for the Anglican church.

A diocesan review panel reported in February that a sexual response team handled allegations of inappropriate comments to children made by Dean Wright improperly and too slowly.

The committee recommended that Dean Wright write “sincere letters of apology to all complainants against him,” have minimum contact with youth servers and choristers and that he obtain counseling until yearend.

Staff

Stores set to close

The United Church of Canada, citing financial pressure due to residential schools lawsuits, said it plans to close six book stores across Canada.

The church’s General Council Executive, which consists of representatives from across the country, said it will cease funding retail outlets and concentrate on a central order and distribution centre that will distribute primarily resource materials produced by the UCC.

“Everything the national church is doing is influenced by … litigation and settlement costs concerning residential schools,” said Gordon How, general secretary, division of communications for the United Church.

Seventeen staff members will be affected, Mr. How said. No date has been set yet for the closings, but a final decision will be made in November. The bookstores, located in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, N.B. and Grand River, Ont., have been losing $200,000-$300,000 overall per year for the past 10 years, Mr. How said.

Staff