Facts about The Open Door

Re: “Noble sentiments, mediocre deeds” (Letters, June 7)

Having been director of The Open Door for a number of years (prior to the present directorship) I feel inclined to address some of the issues brought up by the letterwriter.

First, as of approximately seven years ago, the congregation of St. Stephen’s Church split because of doctrinal differences. The majority created their own church, Emmaus Anglican Church, under the auspices of the Anglican Network in Canada, a separate Anglican body.

Because there were so few members left in the original body of St. Stephen’s, Emmaus took over the leadership of The Open Door, and St. Stephen’s (thus the Anglican diocese) became only the landlord of their ministry and offered them a home for their ministry.

Last year, due to financial issues, we accepted that we could no longer exist as a parish, and as of Jan. 1 it no longer does.

May I also point out that St. Stephen’s, through The Open Door, has served the indigenous and Inuit population for the last 27 years, providing care of different types. That’s no small amount of time. Robert M. Grier, LaSalle