Parishes leave Anglican church

TORONTO -- Seven congregations voted Feb. 15-17 to cut ties with the Anglican Church of Canada. They join 10 other Anglican parishes that have left the national church because of theological differences on blessing same-sex unions and related issues.

Six Anglican parishes in Ontario, eight in British Columbia and three in Alberta have formed Anglican Network in Canada, which holds more traditional views. The Anglican Church in Canada counts about 2,300 congregations.

Ten of the dissenting congregations have voted to align themselves with the Anglican Communion's more orthodox Province of the Southern Cone, which covers most of South America.

The dissenting churches are being asked to hand over the keys to their buildings or face legal action to have them removed from the properties.

"If they don't turn in the keys, we are planning to go and physically try to take possession of the parishes," the Rev. Richard Jones, an official in the Niagara diocese, told the Toronto Star.

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