A new joint Anglican and Lutheran parish, to be known as Trinity church, has been formed in Port Alberni, B.C. The new church came about when two churches – All Saints Anglican and St. Alban/Christ the King (an existing combined Anglican and Lutheran congregation) – voted to approve the merger.
While the two churches are roughly equal in size and income, neither had the “critical mass” to be all that it could be, said Rev. Patrick Tomalin of St. Alban.
Bishop James Cowan of the Anglican diocese of British Columbia and Bishop Gerhard Preibisch of the British Columbia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada were scheduled to be present on March 28 to celebrate the merger.
Initially, the clergy of the two former congregations will work together. Rev. Dianne Tomalin, formerly of St. Alban, will become rector of the parish. Mr. Tomalin will retire in May and Rev. Peter Switzer of All Saints will retire in June.