John Stephens | |
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Archbishop of New Westminster Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon | |
Church | Anglican Church of Canada |
Province | British Columbia and Yukon |
Diocese | New Westminster |
In office | 2021–present |
Predecessor | Melissa M. Skelton |
Previous post(s) | Archdeacon, Diocese of New Westminster; Rector, St. John's Shaughnessy |
Orders | |
Consecration | January 23, 2021 by Melissa M. Skelton |
John R. Stephens is a Canadian Anglican archbishop. Since 2021, he has been the tenth bishop of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), and since 2025 he has been metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon.
Stephens grew up in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia and was raised in the Anglican Church. He earned an undergraduate degree in science from the University of British Columbia and graduated from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon. After ordination, he served a rural three-point parish in the Diocese of Huron.
In 1995, Stephens returned to British Columbia and became rector of St. John the Divine, Squamish. He was appointed rector of St. Philip's Church in Dunbar in 2001 and assumed an additional role as an archdeacon of the diocese. [1] In 2016, Stephens became rector of St. John's Shaughnessy, which was rebuilding in the wake of the departure of most of the congregation during the Anglican realignment. [2]
In October 2020, Stephens was elected coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster to succeed Melissa M. Skelton. She consecrated him a bishop at Christ Church Cathedral on January 23, 2021, in a mostly unattended service due to COVID-19 restrictions. Stephens was installed as bishop on February 28, 2021. [3] In January 2025, Stephens was elected to succeed Lynne McNaughton as metropolitan of the province, assuming the title of archbishop of New Westminster. [4]
He is married to Ruth, and they have two adult children. [1]
The Diocese of New Westminster is one of five dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and the Yukon of the Anglican Church of Canada. The see city is Vancouver. The current bishop is the Most Reverend John Stephens. He was consecrated as the coadjutor bishop on January 23, 2021, installed as diocesan bishop on February 28, 2021, and elected as the Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon on January 18, 2025. The Dean of New Westminster and rector of the cathedral is the Very Reverend Christopher Pappas and the Executive Archdeacon is the Venerable Nick Pang.
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