In January of 2012, Rev. Dr. John Oakes resigned as Chair of the Diocesan Evangelism Unit after 13 years of ministry. He was about to embark on a year of unpaid leave from his position as Rector of Holy Trinity, Vancouver to take a Visiting Fellowship position at the Yale Divinity School. It was a good time to close a chapter in his ministerial life and relinquish the leadership of the Evangelism Unit.
In 1998, during his curacy at St. Cuthbert’s, Delta, then St. Cuthbert’s Incumbent, Rev. Dan Anonby suggested to John that he extend his ministry to include the diocese and John chose the Evangelism Unit, succeeding Rev. Trevor Fisher as Chair.
The Evangelism Unit began in 1988 as part of the diocesan initiative Stewards in Action (SIA) at a time when the world-wide Anglican Communion was promoting the Anglican Decade of Evangelism. For the first 15 years there was strong representation from around the diocese but as with many of the Unit groups founded in the wake of SIA, membership decreased as new types of ministry evolved in the church.
The Evangelism Unit did remain intact and made it a priority to plan and produce at least one diocesan event per year to draw people together in community as well as offering them exciting ways of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their neighbourhoods and beyond. The most recent event was held November 13th, 2010 and featured Rev. Judy Paulsen, a member of the Speaker’s Bureau of the Wycliffe College, Institute of Evangelism.
The Rev. Paul Woehrle, rector of St. David’s, Delta had expressed to John an interest in the Evangelism Unit Chair ministry so John communicated his interest to Bishop Michael. Bishop Michael invited Paul to accept the appointment and confirmation of Paul’s acceptance was received May 3, 2012.
The Unit’s members-at-large are very excited about Paul’s appointment and are looking forward to their first official meeting together.
In 1998, during his curacy at St. Cuthbert’s, Delta, then St. Cuthbert’s Incumbent, Rev. Dan Anonby suggested to John that he extend his ministry to include the diocese and John chose the Evangelism Unit, succeeding Rev. Trevor Fisher as Chair.
The Evangelism Unit began in 1988 as part of the diocesan initiative Stewards in Action (SIA) at a time when the world-wide Anglican Communion was promoting the Anglican Decade of Evangelism. For the first 15 years there was strong representation from around the diocese but as with many of the Unit groups founded in the wake of SIA, membership decreased as new types of ministry evolved in the church.
The Evangelism Unit did remain intact and made it a priority to plan and produce at least one diocesan event per year to draw people together in community as well as offering them exciting ways of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their neighbourhoods and beyond. The most recent event was held November 13th, 2010 and featured Rev. Judy Paulsen, a member of the Speaker’s Bureau of the Wycliffe College, Institute of Evangelism.
The Rev. Paul Woehrle, rector of St. David’s, Delta had expressed to John an interest in the Evangelism Unit Chair ministry so John communicated his interest to Bishop Michael. Bishop Michael invited Paul to accept the appointment and confirmation of Paul’s acceptance was received May 3, 2012.
The Unit’s members-at-large are very excited about Paul’s appointment and are looking forward to their first official meeting together.
Stay tuned to future issues of Topic and postings on the Evangelism Unit pages of the diocesan website for further developments.
Images: Top, Rev. Dr. John Oakes, (back), Rev. Paul Woehrle (foreground). Middle right, Andrew Davis of St. Mary's, Kerrisdale a 10 year+ member of the Evangelism Unit.