Free Protestant Episcopal Church (Canada)

Background of the Church

The early story of the work of the Free Protestant Episcopal Church in Western Canada is the story of the life of the Most Rev'd Charles K.S.S. Moffatt, D.D. (1907 to 1989) of Brandon, Manitoba, its founding and first bishop.

Charles Kennedy Samuel Stewart Moffatt was born on 2 March 1907 in Lisconauss Ughnacloy, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

At some point he emigrated to Canada and was ordained a pentecostal minister and received a doctor of divinity degree.

Dr. Moffatt on 5 October 1952 became the pastor of the Apostolic Church of Pentecost (also known as Full Gospel Apostolic Tabernacle) which was then located at 550 Sixth Street, Brandon, Manitoba. He succeeded the Rev'd V.W. Jonat as pastor of this church. Dr. Moffatt was a gifted preacher, hymn writer, and musician. He was unusual for a pentecostal minister in that at least twice a month he would celebrate the Holy Communion Service for his congregation - most pentencostal pastors stress a preaching ministry and celebrate the Lord's Supper only once a year at Easter. On 3 February 1957 Dr. Moffatt conducted his final service at this location, the growing congregation having purchased the former St. George's Anglican Church building (built in 1905) at 801 Tenth Street (corner of Tenth Street and College Avenue). Dr. Moffatt conducted his first service in this new location, renamed Emmanuel Church, on 10 February 1957. Clergy at this time: The Rev'd Dr. Charles K.S.S. Moffatt - pastor; Mrs. Myrtle M.E. Moffatt - deaconess and church organist; Mr. R.J. Halsey - deacon, choirmaster, and Sunday School superintendent; and Mr. Monte Schappart - deacon and youth ministry leader.

Around 1955 Dr. Moffatt discovered the Free Protestant Episcopal Church and its St. Andrew's Correspondence College (Tottenham) Ltd. of London, England. He took several of its theological courses and graduated in 1957 becoming a Fellow of this school. On 2 June of that year, another one of this school's graduates, Dr. Emmett Neil Enochs of Los Angeles, California, USA, was cons. in St. Andrew's Collegiate Church, Tottenham, London, by the Rt. Rev'd Charles Dennis Boltwood, Rector of the College and then Coadjutor bishop to the Primus of the FPEC, the Most Rev'd William Hall, as Missionary Bishop for Los Angeles. Upon his return to the USA, Bishop Enochs contacted the other North American Fellows of the College and asked them to support him in inviting Dr. Boltwood to come to the USA to found branches of the FPEC in both the USA and Canada. With Primus Hall's blessing, Dr. Boltwood spent between 16 August and 24 September 1958 in the USA where met various St. Andrew's Fellows and preached in many churches. Dr. Moffatt was consecrated to the episcopal bench of this church body on 24 August 1958 by Dr. Boltwood assisted by Dr. Enochs in the Church of St. Joseph of Arimathea, Los Angeles, California, USA, as FPEC Bishop of Manitoba. On 7 October 1962 Dr. Moffatt was raised by Dr. Boltwood, who by then had become Primus of the Church, as "Metropolitan Archbishop of Canada and the Northwest Territories" for the Free Protestant Episcopal Church. (It should be noted here that the title "archbishop" in proper Anglican usage is never for the head of a jurisdiction. It is for the senior bishop of an organised ecclesiastical province in which there are at least two diocesan bishops; the archbishop may serve as one of the diocesan bishops in his province.)

Besides his church interest, +Moffatt was active in four organisations: the Orange Lodge, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, and the Kiwanis.

In the Orange Lodge, he was Deputy Grand Chaplain of British America, Past Grand Master of the Royal Black Knights of Canada, Past Imperial Grand Master of the British Commonwealth, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Orange Benevolent Society of Saskatchewan (which operates the Orange Children's Home in Indian Head, Saskatchewan) from the spring of 1981 until his death. At the time of his death, + Moffatt was Chaplain of the Right Worshipful Grand Orange Lodge of Manitoba.

In his work with the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem - Priory of Canada, +Moffatt was the chairman of the Brandon Branch of St. John Ambulance from 1979 until his death, and served on the executive of the provincial council. In 1981 he was made an Officer Brother in the Order. In 1989, on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, he was presented with the honour of becoming Chaplain to this Order.

For many years, Dr. Moffatt served as the Brandon chaplain for the International Order of St. Luke the Physician.

In Kiwanis, of which he was involved with for over thiry years, he was past president of the Kiwansis Club of Brandon; a past Lieutenant-Governor of Division Three, in which capacity he served two terms; and a Past Governor of the Western Canada District of Kiwanis International during 1980 to 1981.

By 1975, internal difficulties resulted in the closure of Emmanuel Church at its Tenth Street location and the lost of most of the congregation. Part of the reason was that Bishop Moffatt tried to maintain a mixed Anglican-Pentecostal form of worship which over time made some of his flock join the Anglican Church of Canada or pentecostal-type churches. For the remainder of his life, Dr. Moffatt rented out the premises for what was left of Emmanuel Church at 47 - Seventh Street North, Brandon. It was at this time that he incorporated his work in Western Canada as The Free Protestant Episcopal Church (1975) Inc. under The Corporations Act of the Province of Manitoba on 28 November 1975. After his death the church collapsed, leaving his mission stations of Calgary in Alberta, Regina in Saskatchewan, and Brandon and Winnipeg in Manitoba without their visiting pastor and they disappeared. The corporation was dissolved on 15 March 1991. Members of the Board of Directors during this time were as follows: The Most Rev'd Dr. Charles Kennedy Samuel Stewart Moffatt, DD [president] 1975 to 1989; Mrs. Myrtle Mary Evelyn Moffatt [sec/treas] 1975 to 1986; Dr. Philip H. Wiebe, MA, PhD 1975 to 1979; Mrs. Shirley Wiebe 1975 to 1979; Mr. Alex Kostiew 1975 to 1991; Mrs. Pauline Kostiew 1975 to 1991; Mr. Ralph Crichton Redden 1979 to 1989; Mrs. Vivian Olive Redden 1979 to 1991 [president from 1989 to 1991]; Mr. William M. Ryan 1979 to 1991; and Mr. Brian John Nelson [sec/treas] 1986 to 1991.

+Moffatt assisted at several consecrations of bishops for the FPEC in North America during his lifetime. In addition, on 9 September 1984 he officiated in the consecration as chief consecrator of the Right Reverend Wilbur W. Lyle (8 October 1907 to 25 March 2000), as Bishop for the Diocese of British Columbia in the Reformed Episcopal Church of Canada. This consecration service occured in St. Paul's Reformed Episcopal Church, 628 Royal Avenue, New Westminister, British Columbia. Part of the Episcopal Orders of the FPEC are derived from the REC and as both jurisdictions are in the Anglican tradition, Dr. Moffatt's involvement was deemed appropriate. The FPEC episcopal succession continues on in the Reformed Episcopal Church of Canada with +Lyle's participation in the consecration of the Rt. Rev'd Dr. Michael Fedechko on 29 August 1993 as REC Bishop of Eastern Canada and in the consecration of his two immediate successors as REC Bishops of Western Canada: the Rt. Rev'd Edward A. "Ted" Follows on 12 September 1993, and that of the present diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev'd Charles William Dorrington on 23 June 1996. After the death on 30 April 1982 of the Most Rev'd Albert J. Fuge Sr., Archbishop of the FPEC in the USA and International Primus, Dr. Moffatt succeeded to the office of International Primus on 7 July of that year which he held until his death.

During his years as an pentecostal minister and even after his consecration as a bishop in the FPEC, Dr. Moffatt ordained many men as ministers for non-episcopal evangelical church groups. On 16 September 1984 he ordained to the priesthood the Rev'd DeForrest Wakefield Fletcher, assisted by the Rev'd John D. Kelher, rector of Old St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Tacoma, Washington State, USA, and by the Rev'd Jack M. Terry, minister of First Presbyterian Church in Puyallup, Washington State. Old St. Peter's was an old Anglican parish founded in 1873 that had left the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia of the PECUSA and had gone independent. The Rev'd Mr. Fletcher then became associate priest at Old St. Peter's until he succeeded the Rev'd Mr. Kelher as the rector in 1996. Dr. Moffatt never demanded that Old St. Peter's become part of the FPEC and it remained independent until 1992 when it joined the traditional Anglican jurisdiction known as the Episcopal Missionary Church. So far research has found that he only ordained one person for the FPEC in Western Canada. On 15 August 1961 he ordained as a presbyter, the Rev'd Arthur Talfourd Foulger-Edington, B.D., M.A., M.Th., Litt.D. (1915 to 1970). The Rev'd Dr. Foulger-Edington had been a minister in a non-episcopal church until he joined the Free Protestant Episcopal Church. Dr. Foulger-Edington maintained an oratory for the FPEC in his home in New Westminister, British Columbia, until his death on 4 January 1970.

Background of the Church & Present Status

The Synod of the FPEC in Canada in 1986: Most Rev'd C.K.S. Moffat, DD (Primus of the World Church); Most Rev'd B.C. Eckardt, LLD, DD (Metropolitan Archbishop for the Dominion of Canada and Northern Territories); Rev'd Canon E.B. George, PhD, LittD, ThD (Chancellor); Venble L. Stotesbury Leeson, DD (Archdeacon & Chaplain to the Metropolitan); and Rev'd Eric C. Naylor, DD.

+Moffat died on 7 November 1989 at the Brandon General Hospital. His funeral was held at the Central United Church in Brandon. He was predeceased by his wife Myrtle on 25 December 1986, and by his son-in-law Ralph C. Redden in August of 1989. He was survived by his daughter Mrs. Vivian O. Redden, four grandsons and their wives, and six great-grandchildren.

The Rev'd Benjamin Charles Eckardt, LL.D., D.D. (1902 to 1993), long time pastor of First Church of Christ (Disciples), 430 Elizabeth Street, London, Ontario discovered the FPEC at about the same time as Dr. Moffatt in a similiar manner. When Dr. Boltwood arrived in the USA at the start of his 1958 tour to establish the FPEC in North America, Dr. Eckardt met him in New York City and was consecrated by him as FPEC Bishop of Ontario in that city on 16 August 1958. On 23 October 1968 Dr. Eckardt was elevated to the position of Archbishop of Ontario by Primus Boltwood. In August of 1982 he was appointed to succeed Dr. Moffatt as Metropolitan Archbishop for the Dominion of Canada and Northern Territories shortly after Dr. Moffatt assumed the office of Primus. Archbishop Eckardt was industrious in the work for the FPEC. At the time of his death on 18 January 1993 in his 91st year he had clergy/missions in the following Ontario communities: London (Rev'd Dcn. Matthew J.C. Tuz), Toronto (Ven. Arcdcn. Arthur Downes, Rev'd Frederic Albert Scott, Rev'd Paul Refalo, & Rev'd Paul John Tuz), Holland Centre (Rev'd William J. Coke), Owen Sound (Rev'd Lewis A. Short), and Windsor (Rev'd Michael Frank Stoyka). After his consecration, Dr. Eckardt maintained a basically Anglican form of worship at 430 Elizabeth Street. Unfortunately, after Dr. Eckardt's death his London congregation reverted back to the Disciples of Christ. However, the congregation reveres Dr. Eckardt's memory and to this day his portrait, dressed in his episcopal rochet and chimere, hangs in the church building.

In June of 1971 a FPEC synod was held in London, Ontario, probably as a lead up to the main FPEC conferance which was held later in New York City in October of that same year. At the London synod three bishops for the USA branch of the Church were consecrated in +Eckardt's church. On 18 June 1971 Gordon Albert Da Costa was cons. by Primus Dr. Boltwood and Bishops Benjamin Charles Eckardt, Charles K.S.S. Moffatt, Albert John Fuge Sr., and William Carson Thompson. On 19 June 1971 William Elliot Littlewood (1910 to 1978) and Russell Grant Fry were cons. by the same bishops as above plus Bishop Da Costa. Just to confuse the record, on the new bishops' consecration certificates different official chief consecrators and assistants were listed (mix and match) even through all bishops present were involved in the laying on of hands. From these three bishops the orders of the FPEC entered many other churches as shown below:
From +Da Costa: On 8 August 1976 he sub-conditione consecrated Andre Leon Zotique Barbeau, Andre LeTellier, and Jean-Marie Breault, bishops of the Catholic Charismatic Church of Canada
From +Littlewood: On 22 October 1972 he consecrated in his home church, St. Luke's Chapel in the Hills, Los Altos Hills, CA, USA, the Rt. Rev'd Dr. Walter Hollis Adams (1907 to 1991), founder of the "Anglican Episcopal Church of North America". The next day, in the Chapel of Miracles, at that time located in Pacific Grove, CA, +Adams exchanged consecrations with +Herman Adrian Spruit of the Church of Antioch - Malabar Rite. On 3 July 1981 +Spruit and +Joseph Laverne Vredenburgh, Archbishop of the Federation of St. Thomas Christians, exchanged consecrations in the Chapel of Miracles, Mount View, CA, USA. Many church bodies are derived from Bishops Spruit and Vredenburgh.
From +Fry: On 22 December 1974 he cons. both Bishops Thomas James Kleppinger and Troy A. Kaichen. On 16 March 1975 he cons. Bishop Michael Dean Stephens. All these bishops were involved in various conservative continuing Anglican churches bodies.

When Dr. Moffatt died in 1989 he had not indicate whom he wished to succeed him as Primus, and the Constitution of the FPEC did not have any procedure to select a new Primus other than that of appointment by his predecessor. (In February of 1979 the FPEC missionary bishop of France and Germany the Rt Rev'd Horst K.F. Block basically appointed himself as Primus of an schismatic FPEC, but the rest of the Church ignored him.) After Dr. Eckardt's death in 1993 the position of the FPEC in Canada was especially delicate as it was the province of the Primus to appoint bishops and archbishops for the Church. Luckly common sense prevailed and normal Anglican practice was adopted by the remainder of the Canadian FPEC (all the above mentioned Ontario residents). The clergy of the Church met and elected the Rev'd Lewis A. Short to become Metropolitan Archbishop for all of Canada. Episcopal oversight was given to the Most Rev'd Robert Randolph Rivette (1916 to 2004), the FPEC Metropolitan Archbishop of the USA until such a time Dr. Rivette could consecrate the Rev'd Mr. Short. Unfortunately Archbishop-elect Short died in June of 1993. The Rev'd Matthew John Carles Tuz of London (born 1951), son of Lt.Col the Rev'd Paul John Tuz of Toronto was elected by the clergy to become head of the Canadian Church. Matthew Tuz had been ordered a deacon by +Eckardt and under special episcopal warrant of +Rivette had been ordained a presbyter by Bishop-elect Short in early 1993. On 3 July 1993 he was formally consecrated and installed as Metropolitan Archbishop of Canada by Dr. Rivette in an eastend municipal owned church in London, Ontario. On 4 February 1999 The Free Protestant Episcopal Church was incorporated once more in Canada under the Statues of the Province of Ontario (registration number 1333161) with its head office in London, Ontario. In the year of 2000 the Trustees of the FPEC in Canada consisted of: Most Rev'd Matthew J.C. Tuz (Archbishop), Venerable Arthur Downes (Archdeacon & Secretary), Mrs. June M. Eckardt, and Mr. Graham C. Porter.

In 1994 it was determined that the Right Rev'd Dr. Edwin Duane Follick, MSLS, PhD, DTh, DC had been the legal Primus of the Church since Dr. Moffatt's death as he was the senior most cleric of the FPEC at that time. Dr. Follick had been ordained a presbyter of the FPEC on 15 July 1958 by Bishop Emmet Neil Enochs.

Please also see Free Protestant Episcopal Church - General History.