Bishop post ‘big deal’ for Cliff

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This article was published 28/02/2016 (3752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Dioceses of Brandon will consecrate its seventh bishop in 92 years on Tuesday.

Rev. Canon William Cliff is replacing Rt. Rev. James Njegovan, who retired on July 31 after 13 years as bishop.

“This is a big deal. This is about as big a deal as it gets for me personally,” Cliff said. He was elected from a pool of six candidates during a synod on Oct. 31.

The 49-year-old comes to the Wheat City from Huron University College at Western University in London, Ont., where he served as the parish priest and rector of St. John’s Chapel for 13 years.

The bishop-elect assumes a diocese bruised by allegations that the outgoing bishop’s son, Noah James Bernard Njegovan, stole tens of thousands of dollars of church money while he was executive archdeacon of the Brandon diocese.

Last August, the junior Njegovan pleaded not guilty and to charges of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000 and faces a Court of Queen’s Bench trial by judge alone.

The insurer for the Anglican Church of Canada, The Diocese of Brandon is also suing Njegovan to recover the money.

The allegations against the younger Njegovan, who is not currently an active priest, haven’t been proven in court, and he’s presumed innocent.

His next court dates are in the spring.

“I think people are looking for a way forward that doesn’t blame the past and has some genuine joy in what we share together in Jesus. That’s where I’m putting my focus. The matters before the courts will be resolved by the courts and we always seek reconciliation and forgiveness,” Cliff said on the matter.

The older Njegovan, who told “Anglican Journal” his retirement wasn’t connected to his son’s legal matters, has been very helpful in the transition, Cliff said.

“(He) has been wonderful in giving me counsel and encouragement and making sure that I don’t step on landmines if there are landmines to be stepped on,” Cliff said.

Cliff called his new diocese, which includes 50 congregations spanning the western portion of Manitoba from the Northwest Territories to the American border “an impossibly large area.”

“I’m one guy and I’m going to do my absolute best. People here need to teach me how to be their bishop. That’s the thing I’ve said repeatedly — I need to learn and I’m willing to learn. I like to preach, I like to be out with people, I love the life of the church, so I’m excited about spending time with people,” Cliff said.

“I genuinely am excited by anything God has to send …a year ago I’d never have believed I’d be sitting here now so I’m astonished by the people of Brandon’s confidence in me and I’m grateful for it and I’m excited by it, actually. Genuinely excited.”

The native of Wyoming, Ont., recognizes several parallels between Brandon and Ontario.

“I grew up near Sarnia, which is a town of about 25,000 — so very similar in outlook and understanding. I grew up in a rural area, so I’m used to that,” he said.

Cliff said The Diocese of Huron has one of the largest First Nations’ congregations in Canada, and he’s looking to grow similar relationships with Manitoba’s indigenous people.

“My important thing is to listen to the stories of the people here. They were here long before me and they will be here long after me, so I think a level of humility in the face of the knowledge that is out there that I do not have, is a logical response,” he said.

He’s also looking to carry over his extensive work with younger Anglicans worshippers — the average age of his old parish was between 18 and 22. Cliff is acclaimed for “Bull with Bill” a lecture series addressing issues surrounding modern Christianity. He said he’s looking into ways to engage Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College students.

“I think that’s a really important time for people to struggle with what they know, what they’re learning and how they find their way in the world,” he said.

Cliff, who holds an undergraduate degree in music, is one of the Three Cantors: a trio of Anglican priests who perform everything from Broadway tunes to Gregorian chants in hundreds of concerts across the country, raising money for charity.

Cliff said he doesn’t know how the diocese will look a year from now: his main goal is to be taught how to be an effective bishop.

“My father was a marine engineer on an old steam ship. He could tell you what the RPMs were by feeling the deck plates under his feet and looking at his watch. He taught me that sometimes listening to the machine will tell you more than talking to it or talking at it or tinkering with it.”

Cliff will be consecrated by the Most Rev. Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Archbishop of Calgary and Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Brandon.

» tbateman@brandonsun.com, with files from Ian Hitchen

» Twitter: @tombatemann