Parish tests out new mission model

The diocese of New Westminster has taken over the governance of St. Mark’s, Vancouver, to allow its priest and parishioners to try out “new models of ministry,” the diocesan newspaper, Topic, has reported.  

St. Mark’s will operate like a mission and be governed by a 10-member “mission board” that is responsible to the bishop and the diocese.  

Rev. John Marsh, priest in charge at St. Mark’s, said the 40-member church hopes to serve its diverse urban neighbourhood by becoming “a place for persons for whom traditional Christianity long ago ceased to make much sense.”

This does not, however, mean that the parish is rejecting the historic Christian creeds, said Mr. Marsh. “We’re going to try hard to discover what it really means when you make these creedal affirmations – how do you live that out?”