Mike Stewart (bishop)

Stewart is a native of the United Kingdom. He studied for the priesthood at St John's College, Nottingham, and was ordained as a deacon in 1989 and a priest in 1990. He began his ordained ministry as curate at St. Paul's Church, Ealing, and then as vicar at St. Cuthbert's, North Wembley, for nine years. In 2002, Stewart and his family immigrated to British Columbia, where he became an associate priest at St. Matthew's Anglican Church in Abbotsford. Stewart is married to Marianne and they have five children.{{cite web |title=Mike Stewart |url=https://www.graceabbotsford.com/news/mike-stewart |publisher=Grace Abbotsford}}

Around the time of Stewart's arrival in Canada, St. Matthew's delegates, along with delegates from eight other churches in the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, walked out of the diocesan synod and asked for alternative episcopal oversight in objection to the synod's approval of same-sex blessings.{{cite news |last1=Larmondin |first1=Leanne |title=New Westminster Synod and Bishop approve same-sex blessings |url=https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2002/06/new-westminster-synod-and-bishop-approve-same-sex-blessings.aspx |access-date=1 November 2022 |work=Anglican News |date=18 June 2002}} After the synod, a group of clergy dissenting from the synod's decision sought alternative episcopal oversight. After efforts to establish alternative oversight failed, in May 2008, Stewart and other clergy relinquished their orders in the Anglican Church of Canada, and St. Matthew's sought oversight from the Southern Cone and joined the newly formed ANiC.{{cite news |title=Diocese of New Westminster moves to evict breakaway clergy |url=https://anglicanjournal.com/diocese-of-new-westminster-moves-to-evict-breakaway-clergy-8096/ |access-date=8 December 2022 |work=Anglican Journal |date=September 3, 2008}} The church was involved in litigation over the ownership of its property; the Supreme Court of British Columbia (a trial court jurisdiction) in 2009 affirmed that the property belonged to the Diocese of New Westminster.{{cite news |title=Court rules church properties remain with diocese of New Westminster |url=https://anglicanjournal.com/court-rules-church-properties-remain-with-diocese-of-new-westminster-8833/ |access-date=8 December 2022 |work=Anglican Journal |date=November 26, 2009}} The higher B.C. Court of Appeal affirmed the ruling, and the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear the case, resulting in St. Matthew's leaving its prior building.{{cite news |title=VANCOUVER, BC: Congregations Evicted from their Church Buildings |url=https://virtueonline.org/vancouver-bc-congregations-evicted-their-church-buildings |access-date=5 December 2022 |work=Virtue Online |date=May 19, 2011}}

After Trevor Walters was elected to serve as ANiC suffragan bishop for western Canada, Stewart succeeded him as rector of St. Matthew's.{{cite news |last1=Hopes |first1=Vikki |title=Parishioners prepare to move from St. Matthew's Church |url=https://virtueonline.org/abbotsford-bc-parishioners-prepare-move-st-matthews-church |access-date=18 March 2024 |work=BC Local News |date=June 24, 2011}} Stewart also served as archdeacon for the Fraser Valley area. In 2021, Stewart was one of two finalists in the election for ANiC diocesan bishop; Dan Gifford was elected.{{cite news |last1=Careless |first1=Sue |title=ANiC: Dan Gifford new Coadjutor Bishop-elect |url=https://anglicanplanet.net/anic-dan-gifford-new-coadjutor-bishop-elect/ |access-date=18 March 2024 |work=The Anglican Planet |date=November 18, 2021}} Stewart was elected bishop suffragan in ANiC's 2023 election, and he was consecrated by Foley Beach in Abbotsford on March 23, 2024.{{cite web |title=ELECTION OF VEN. MIKE STEWART CONSENTED BY COLLEGE OF BISHOPS |url=https://www.anglicannetwork.ca/news/2024/1/11/election-of-ven-mike-stewart-consented-by-college-of-bishops |publisher=Anglican Network in Canada |access-date=23 March 2024}}

• {{cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=Mike |title=No Crowds Present: Reflections on Contemplation and Divine Friendship |date=2007 |publisher=Fresh Wind Press |location=Abbotsford, British Columbia |isbn=9780978017460}}
• {{cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=Mike |title=Taking Prayer Seriously |date=2009 |publisher=Anglican Network in Canada |location=Burlington, Ontario |isbn=978-1-897538-06-7 |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5925e7646a49636041956a8d/t/5952ccba197aea1f2cab9ad2/1498598588477/16-Taking+Prayer+Seriously-Feb2014.pdf |access-date=18 March 2024}}
• {{cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=Michael |title=In His Time |date=2020 |publisher=Anglican House Publishers |location=Huntington Beach, California |isbn=9781732344853 |url=https://anglicanhousepublishers.org/shop/in-his-time/ |access-date=18 March 2024}}

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• [https://www.anglicannetwork.ca/leadership-staff/2017/6/1/the-reverend-canon-mike-stewart ANiC staff profile]

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Category:Living people

Category:Canadian bishops of the Anglican Church in North America

Category:1965 births

Category:Alumni of St John's College, Nottingham

Category:English emigrants to Canada