Pastoral Letter from Bishop Anna
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13
To the good people of the Diocese of Islands and Inlets,
As we move through Holy Week and Easter 2025, I wanted to write and let you know about some of
the sacrificial acts of faith and love I am seeing in the diocese.
First of all, I commend the good people of St. John’s, Duncan who are sacrificially and lovingly giving
over most of their land so that 130 units of much-needed affordable housing can be built in their
community. The diocese was approached about using our land for this build after another site in town
fell through, and I am so impressed at how the community has responded to the call. Despite the
inconveniences that a major multi-year build will bring on their congregation, St. John’s has put the
needs of the community above their own and have said yes to this life-giving project that is critically
needed in their community. I am proud of how, through this project, we are living into our baptismal
promises to love our neighbors as ourselves and to respect the dignity of every human being.
As that project gets underway in Duncan we are also, at long last, beginning to move folks into the 85
new units of affordable housing at our Dawson Heights site in Saanich. Dawson Heights Ltd. is wholly
owned by the Diocese and, with these new units, now has a total of 183 units of affordable housing.
This project has taken over 8 years from vision to completion and has only come to fruition because
of the tireless work and determination of the volunteer board.
I would also commend to you the gracious and courageous folk of St. Dunstan’s who vacated their
building and began worshipping with Two Saints Parish in January. That partnership is proving to be
life-giving, and Diocesan Council has just accepted a conditional offer on the St. Dunstan’s Property.
We will know in July whether this $7.5 million sale will go through. If this sale does go through,
Diocesan Council will be entrusted with stewarding those funds in a way that contributes to the long
term ministry of the diocese as a whole. We will all be in bound in gratitude to the good people of St.
Dunstan’s.
William Temple, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942-1944, famously said that the
church is the one institution that exists primarily for those who are outside of it. The faithful,
courageous and sacrificial decisions that the people of our diocese are able to make speaks to the
depth of faith and witness in this place.
In gratitude to be able to serve among you and to witness to the cruciform shape of all of Creation in
which God is always and everywhere making all things new,
The Right Rev Anna Greenwood-Lee
bishop
A copy of this letter is attached below.