OUR HISTORY

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Our history of worship and service began with three parishes, St. Annes, St. Barnabas and St. Martin in the Fields.   The three Anglican parishes of St. Anne, St. Barnabas and St. Martin-in-the-Fields represent over three hundred years of Anglican ministry in the north-west area of Winnipeg. The last fifty years have seen significant changes in the demographics of the area, as well as in society in general, and in the lives of those who profess membership in main-line churches in particular.

 

Each of our three parishes had seen a decline in membership from two decades ago, and the average age of our members has increased. We were all faced with increased pressure to raise funds in order to pay for clerical staff and to maintain our buildings. It has became more difficult to provide relevant ministry to the communities in which we are located. 

 

However, there is a critical need to share the Gospel in word and deed with the people of this area.  Technologically we are the most connected society in history - yet at the same time the most separate socially. There is growing need and desire for something in which to believe and to hope for in the world.

 

We believe that our three parishes were being called into a new form of shared ministry; that together we can imagine and establish a vital and viable Anglican presence that will be faithful to God’s call to proclaim the Gospel in north-west Winnipeg. Our vision was to become one parish. This we accomplished in January 2014 creating the new parish called St. Francis.