John Newton, sea captain and later priest who wrote the words to “Amazing Grace”
All congregations throughout the Anglican Church of Canada were invited to sing "Amazing Grace" on Sunday, Nov. 23, and have it videotaped, and many of the videos have been posted, several from the Diocese of New Westminster
 
A sampling of the videos has turned up efforts by St. Clement, North Vancouver, St. Andrew's Langley, St. Thomas, Vancouver, and even the Diocesan Synod Staff. (Click on the name to see the singing.)
 
The singers also gave a two-dollar contribution (a "Toonie") to the work and ministry of the Church of the North, the grouping of nine dioceses in northern Canada assisted by southern dioceses due to high costs but scarce resources.
 
The massive job of editing the videos together into to one will be undertaken by Lisa Barry, Senior Producer for Anglican Video, and put up on the web by Christmas. The national Church has set up a website, which gives more details, and links to many more videos.
 
"Amazing Grace," hymn number 352 in Common Praise, the most recent Anglican Church of Canada hymnbook, was published by the Rev. John Newton in 1790. It is usually sung to the tune "New Britain," a melody that has associations with the bagpipe. Newton was a sea captain and slave trader who later became an Anglican priest and, late in life, advocated the abolition of slavery.