Letter from Bishop Anna, read Sunday, February 4, 2024

To the good people of St. Matthias,

In September I came to give you the news that the diocese was open to the possibility of selling the St. Matthias property.  

I am writing today to tell you that after negotiating with several interested parties, we have not been able to reach a deal that we feel is satisfactory.  We have discerned that it is best, at this time, to step back from the possibility of selling the St Matthias property.  We may revisit this possibility at a future date but at this point will take at least a one year pause.

I am grateful to all of you for your patience during this time and your grace in living into the possibility of the sale of your church building.   I am especially grateful to Marilyn Denton for her participation in the negotiating team, to Colleen Lissamer for her wise and faithful leadership. And to Brendon Neilson for ensuring the parish and diocese’s interests.   

I will keep you apprised of any further developments and look forward to continuing to discern with you how St. Matthias can best continue as a faithful and life-giving incarnation of the love of God.   God is at work in your community and each of you as you incarnate a ‘church without walls.’

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

+Bishop Anna