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Former national youth worker joining Canadian Anglican Primate's staff


From wfn@wfn.org
Date 14 Feb 2001 12:51:52

Note: this news story also appears at the website of the Anglican Church of
Canada, http://www.anglican.ca

Former national youth worker joining Primate's staff --
Replaces Gordon Light, who soon leaves for B.C.

by Leanne Larmondin
Web Manager
Anglican Church of Canada

TORONTO
He last served the national church 20 years ago as a youth worker. When
Rev. Michael Thompson returns to Church House next summer, he will be
principal secretary to the Primate.

At present, Mr. Thompson is the incumbent priest at St. Cuthbert in
Toronto. His appointment is effective Aug. 15.

Mr. Thompson succeeds Canon Gordon Light, who has been principal secretary
to Archbishop Michael Peers for nine years. He is leaving to join his wife,
Archdeacon Barbara Liotscos, on the West Coast.

Ms Liotscos, former ministry and worship consultant for General Synod, last
summer became archdeacon of Kootenay and assistant to Archbishop David
Crawley, Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon.

Mr. Thompson, who completed his master and doctor of divinity degrees at
Trinity College, University of Toronto, has served St. Cuthbert's since
1992. He also served in parishes in Edmonton and Wetaskiwin, Alta.

Prior to his Toronto parish ministry, he worked in several capacities at
Trinity College, including as dean of men between 1988 and 1992.

He will be a familiar face to veteran national church employees and
committee members, as he served as national co-ordinator for the Anglican
Youth Movement from 1978 to 1980 when he was in his early 20s.

He is a frequent contributor to The Practice of Ministry in Canada, an
ecumenical quarterly publication, and last year, co-authored an ABC
(Anglican Book Centre) Publishing book entitled Seeking the Seekers. His
co-author was another former national church staffer, Rev. Paul MacLean,
who worked in congregational development.

Mr. Light will be wrapping up his duties after next July's General Synod
and then rejoining his wife and his western Canada roots. Well known as a
founding member of the musical group Common Cup and a composer of church
music, Mr. Light was dean of the diocese of Cariboo and rector of St.
Paul's Cathedral, Kamloops, for eight years before coming to the national
office in 1992. He was ordained in 1969 in the diocese of Cariboo and
served parishes in Edmonton and Rupert's Land dioceses.

In an interview, Mr. Light said he hopes to return to parish ministry but
has no job yet lined up.

The principal secretary to the primate is part of a three-person team in
the Primate's office. It will be Mr. Thompson's responsibility to research
and draft papers and policies, work with the House of Bishops and its
various committees and co-ordinate much of Archbishop Peer's correspondence.

- 30 -

For more information, contact Archbishop Michael Peers, (416) 924 9192;
e-mail: primate@national.anglican.ca

Links and background:

Critical review of Seeking the Seekers;
-- MinistryMatters, fall 2000 issue
<http://www.anglican.ca/mm/2000/fall/mm15.html>

PMC: The Practice of Ministry in Canada magazine (online)
< http://www.pmcmagazine.com/>

Christian folk music with a contemporary flair: Common Cup brings four
clergy together from across Canada - December, 1999, feature about Gordon
Light's music group
< http://www.anglicanjournal.com/125/10/af06.html>

MinistryMatters/Faces of Ministry feature on the Primate's Office
<http://www.anglican.ca/mm/1998/faces/mm03.html>

Toronto's St. Cuthbert's parish
< http://www.interlog.com/~stcuth/>

Leanne Larmondin
Web Manager
Anglican Church of Canada

http://www.anglican.ca
600 Jarvis St.
Toronto ON  L5E 2G1
(416) 924 9199 ext. 307
ll@anglican.ca


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