Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, was filled to capacity on Sunday, March 2 as the Very Rev. Doctor Logan McMenamie was consecrated bishop in the church of God and installed as the 13th bishop of the diocese of British Columbia.
The Most Rev. John Privett, metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and the Yukon presided and was the chief consecrator.
The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, was the chief celebrant of the eucharist. The Most Rev. Caleb Lawrence, assistant bishop and diocesan administrator, and the newly consecrated bishop, the Rt. Rev. Logan McMenamie, assisted him.
Assisting bishops were the bishops of the ecclesiastical province, including the Rt. Rev. Melissa Skelton, bishop of New Westminster who had been consecrated the day before in Vancouver, and the Rev. Greg Mohr, British Columbia synod bishop, ELCIC.
Also present were a number of retired bishops, along with the Rt. Rev. Remi de Roo, retired bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Victoria.
Following his robing, Bishop McMenamie was presented with the symbols of his office: Mr. David and Mrs. Ann Mathie presented him with his cross; Mrs. Jane Miller presented the episcopal ring and Mr. John Walton presented him with his pastoral staff.
Immediately following his consecration, Bishop McMenamie was installed by Archbishop Lawrence as the 13thbishop of the diocese of British Columbia.
In his sermon, the Rev. Canon Dr. Martin Brokenleg spoke about changes that are taking place in the episcopate with the circumstances of time and location. He went on to state that the model of bishop is in flux. And so he suggested, “the wisdom of the historic people of this island may provide the model of an episcopacy for our time and location.” He continued, “For centuries, the Lekwungun people have survived well by following a chief, a Si’em. The Coast Salish word Si’em doesn’t actually translate as ‘chief.’ It translates as “head man,” or ‘leader,’ with none of the executive, hierarchical or authoritative qualities of the English word, ‘chief.’”
Dr. Brokenleg went on to describe the Si’em, saying that “the work of the Si’em is to be the head of his loving family, the people he is related to in every way. He knows them and they know him. He maintains the identity of the community; he welcomes all into the feast hall and ceremonies, and he maintains his position by relationship, by his familial connection with everyone and everything.” He concluded his sermon by saying, “This day, we bring Fr. Logan McMenamie, our relative, to be transformed into out bishop, our Si’em in the church of God.”
The similarities between the cultures of the church and First Nations were again brought out during the installation ceremony when Musgamaqw-Dzawada’enuxw Hereditary Chief Okwelagame, Alex Nelson of Kingcome Inlet, spoke to Bishop Logan on behalf of the First Nations people. He said, “We have the Big House; you have the big cathedral. We have our cedar neck band; you have your great cross. We have colourful robes; you have your colourful robes. We have our ceremonies; you have your pastoral staff. We have our talking stick. You have your incense: we have our sweet grass. You have your great ceremonies, like this afternoon’s service. You have your concerns; we have our concerns.”
The chief went on to thank the church for the good relationships between the present-day church and Kingcome Inlet, in particular noting the financial help the community received following the floods two years ago.
Many musical traditions came together throughout the service with the Victoria Brass, fiddlers, bagpipes, liturgical dancing, First Nations drumming and traditional and contemporary hymns sung by members of the various choirs of the cathedral, while the bells of the cathedral rang out to the city that the new bishop was being consecrated.
