Brood Of Vipers: How I Survived The Anglican Church 2

In January 1988 I left St. James for the first time and began attending St. Alban's since I was living in their parish in Richmond.  At St. James I felt perpetually lonely and socially isolated.  Even though people were polite, civil and in their remote upper middle class way friendly it felt nothing like community and I felt as though I had wasted six years of my life.

St. Alban's was a friendly and welcoming parish.  The rector seemed particularly interested in knowing me better and we had some very interesting chats together.  Others in the parish seemed to find me interesting and it was nice feeling a little bit wanted in church.  I didn't exactly feel at home in St. Alban's.  Everyone there, like the vast majority of Anglicans were very middle to upper class and I felt very much like a poor relation.  As always I had to struggle to get by.  St. James was not a generous employer and for me it was always a feat to pay the rent, phone and hydro on time and still have enough food to eat and money for bus fare as well.  These people and I were on totally different wavelengths. 

Another individual moved into my house with me, a former coke addict and dealer whose life had had a dramatic turn around as he met God for himself.  We began to develop a kind of street ministry together focussing especially on the gay community and AIDS sufferers downtown.  Certain people from St. Alban's became interested in what we were doing, a few contributed financially and two women ended up joining us.  We soon lost some of our friends as they concluded that we were dangerous fanatics.  A woman with status in the church hosted a get together.  We were watching a video of a prominent British Evangelical.  He said some things that we found to be particularly significant, especially concerning the cost of discipleship.  After we saw the video we were asked to share comments and insights.  I opened my mouth and said that it would seem that the fellow from England was simply declaring what Jesus commands us, that we must leave and forsake all if we wish to follow him.  In this living room full of Christians who likely had never not one of them forsaken so much as an RRSP to follow their Lord the hostess loudly and rudely castigated me.  Everyone silently backed her up.  We shook their dust from our feet and left.

Knowing already that we weren't going to be made welcome we returned in 1989 to St. James.  We were right.  We soon became hated there.