The Honouring Our Commitment campaign is on track. It's a three year campaign to raise $1.6 million dollars, the diocese's part of a national effort to pay the Anglican Church of Canada's share of the residential schools settlements.
Authorized unanimously two years ago at a special Diocesan Synod, the campaign involves every parish in the diocese currently paying their share of diocesan finances. As a group, the parishes had collected just over half a million dollars, or 31.5 per cent of the total. Another $1.1 million remains to be raised in 2005 and 2006.
While the overall total just about a third of the three year total, the efforts of different parishes have been varied. A few have yet to start a campaign, while others are well on their way. Campaign Co-chair Linda Robertson of St. Catherine's, North Vancouver, anticipates a major campaign "push" this fall will be helpful in helping the diocese reach its collective goal.
Nineteen parishes should be singled out for their efforts to date _ all have raised at least 40 percent of their parish goal. Some are large, and some are small. Their work to date should be an inspiration to the rest.
The well above-average parishes with the percent of their parish goal reached and actually sent in - as of the end of 2004 - are the following: