Retired Sydney bishop Ken Short says the strength of the vote to break with the Anglican Church in Canada by the Vancouver congregation led by his son, the Rev David Short (pictured), will encourage other congregations considering a similar move.

“I understand from David that there are 13 other parishes in Canada who are poised to take this position at their vestry meetings and the fact that 98 per cent have voted so strongly at St John's, is a very strong encouragement for them,” says Bishop Short, who has been in phone contact with his son since the groundbreaking vote.

St John’s Shaughnessy, which is the largest Anglican church in Canada, voted at a significantly well-attended congregational meeting to seek episcopal oversight from the Diocese of the Southern Cone.

The parish has more than 700 members, and has been opposed to the support of same-sex blessings by local Bishop Michael Ingham, since 2002.

“The vote shows the value of the strength of biblical preaching at St John's over the past few decades, and because of that people are strongly standing for what the word of God says,” says Bishop Short.

Anglican theologian James Packer is a member of the congregation and described people in the church as having ‘a fair consensus on the issue’.

That was reflected in the vote - out of 495 votes cast, there were only 11 opposed and nine abstained.

Bishop Short says the strength of the vote may well serve to bolster morale within the church through any difficulties that might result from the decision.

“It's an encouragement to the congregation itself at St John's so that should some form of persecution or pressure come, the fact that such a high percentage of them have stood together will give them further encouragement and incentive to proceed and press on.”

The vote means the congregation will break with Bishop Ingham and join with the Diocese of the Southern Cone, which includes Argentina and Paraguay.

Similar votes have been held in churches in the United States, which now come under the oversight over conservative Bishops elsewhere in the world, including Nigeria.

David Short’s Sydney roots

The Rev David Short has served in the Anglican Church for 15 years in Canada and 10 years in Australia.

Mr Short was on the staff at St Matthew’s, Manly and Christ Church, Gladesville, as well as serving in Yagoona and Wollongong.

He also served with the Department of Evangelism.