Sweeping changes to the Anglican Church on Vancouver Island, including the closing of a number of churches in Greater Victoria, will proceed.

The changes, recommended in a report commissioned by the Diocese of British Columbia, which governs Anglican churches on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, were endorsed at a sitting of the church synod during the weekend.

Rev. Christopher Parsons, spokesman for the diocese on the issue, said there was enthusiastic support at the meeting for moving ahead. However, he conceded that for some, change will be difficult.

“Change is not easy. Nobody likes change. But I think the church has a call to be prophetic, and to get into reality that it needs to do things differently in order to live out what God calls us to do,” Parsons said.

Planned changes over the next 18 months include:

St. Paul, Esquimalt, is to be “disestablished.” It is to become a hub church for the area and rededicated with a new name, while retaining its title of “St. Paul’s Garrison” for part of present or future facilities.

St. Saviour: disestablish; sell or lease; encourage parishioners to move to new hub church; Rainbow Kitchen to become a diocesan ministry and move to another location if necessary.

St. Martin in the Fields: disestablish; lease or sell; encourage parishioners to join new hub church.

St. Columba: disestablish; sell or lease; encourage parishioners to join new hub church.

All Saints, View Royal: disestablish; sell or lease; encourage parishioners to join new hub church.

St. Philip, Oak Bay: disestablish; move to St. Mary, Oak Bay site; sell or lease St. Philip’s site.

St. Mary, Oak Bay: disestablish; St. Philip’s congregation move to St. Mary’s site; rededicate church with new name.

St. Dunstan: disestablish; become hub church for area; rededicate with new name.

St. Mary, Saanichton, St. Stephen’s, South Saanich, Brentwood Anglican Chapel: given until Sept. 1 to develop business plan for three parishes to work together; interim report to diocesan council and diocesan transformation team by June 30, 2010.

In a proposal to be revisited in a year, St. Peter, Lakehill and St. David’s, Cordova Bay are to be given one year for discussion about establishing a shared ministry among St. Peter’s, St. David’s and St. Michael and All Angels, Royal Oak.

St. Peter’s and St. David’s will be disestablished and the two parishes will be moved to the hub church of St. Dunstan if the initiative fails.

A second sitting of the synod will be held before May 2 to deal with outstanding issues, Parsons said.

Parsons is the rector for two parishes slated to close — St. Columba and St. Martin in the Fields.

He said he doesn’t know what the future holds for him. “It’s definitely a test of faith,” he said.

“But there’s been overwhelming support from people to say that human resources and doing creative new ministry is important. And if we actually gather all of our resources together, we’re actually going to be needing more clergy, more staff people to do and live out what God calls us to do.”

bcleverley@tc.canwest.com