Anglican Mainstream

Anglican Mainstream has received this detailed comment on the Report on Relations between the Anglican Church of North America and the Church of England

1. It is good that the Faith and Order Commission, under the chairmanship of +John Hind, has identified the major issues in this regard.

2. They have shown that it is the Church of England which decides with which church it is in communion. They have not shown how this is consistent with belonging to an existing world-wide Communion.

3 They claim that churches of the Anglican Communion are those whose bishops have been invited to attend and to vote at Lambeth Conferences.

4 And they distinguish this from membership of the ACC.

5 They also make a useful distinction between churches which are in communion with the C of E and churches whose orders the C of E recognises. It is important to remember that these are not at all the same thing.

6 The statement declares unequivocally, that the C of E is in communion with the Anglican Church of Canada and TEC but says nothing about ACNA as far as this issue is concerned.

From the above a number of issues arise:-

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From ENS

Archbishops Rowan Williams of Canterbury and John Sentamu of York have suggested that the Church of England and the Anglican Communion ought to be in “an open-ended engagement” with the Anglican Church in North America.

Report submitted to Members of General Synod

Read here  Download GS Misc 1011

15. Where then do matters currently stand concerning ACNA on each of these three issues, namely relations with the Church of England, relations with the Anglican Communion and the ability of ACNA clergy to be authorised to minister in the Church of England?

16. The Synod motion rightly began by referring to “the distress caused by recent divisions within the Anglican churches of the United States of America and Canada.” That distress, in which we share, is a continuing element in the present situation and is likely to remain so for some considerable time.

17. Wounds are still fresh. Those who follow developments in North America from some distance have a responsibility not to say or do anything which will inflame an already difficult situation and make it harder for those directly involved to manage the various challenges with which they are still grappling.

18. We would, therefore, encourage an open-ended engagement with ACNA on the part of the Church of England and the Communion, while recognising that the outcome is unlikely to be clear for some time yet, especially given the strong feelings on all sides of the debate in North America.

19. The Church of England remains fully committed to the Anglican Communion and to being in communion both with the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church (TEC). In addition, the Synod motion has given Church of England affirmation to the desire of ACNA to remain in some sense within the Anglican family.

20. Among issues that will need to be explored in direct discussions between the Church of England and ACNA are the canonical situation of the latter, its relationship to other Churches of the Communion outside North America and its attitude towards existing Anglican ecumenical agreements.

21. Where clergy from ACNA wish to come to England the position in relation to their orders and their personal suitability for ministry here will be considered by us on a case by case basis under the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967.

+Rowan Cantuar: +Sentamu Ebor:
December 2011 4

From Anglican Ink

TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA:

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Recent events within the Anglican Mission in the Americas have challenged us all. This letter is a brief report to you all about those events and about our efforts to find a path forward. The present reality is brokenness. The vision, however, that governs our fledgling Province remains unchanged: a Biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America.

Read here

By David Virtue, VOL

A story in the Church of England newspaper suggesting a chill had descended over relations between the Church of Nigeria and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in the wake of the creation of a diocese for Nigerians in America by the Church of Nigeria is false, VOL has been told.

"I serve at Nigerian Archbishop Nicholas Okoh's request on the leadership team of a national Church conference called the Divine Commonwealth Conference. We are working very closely together. The new diocese in CANA – The Missionary Diocese of the Trinity – is something that has been discussed for a while as a way of giving more structure and visibility to our Nigerian clergy. It is an integral part of CANA and directly under my authority," CANA missionary Bishop Martyn Minns told VOL.

"George Conger has got it wrong, CANA continues and is flourishing."

"I sit in the college of bishops of CANA and ACNA and there is no chill," said recently consecrated CANA bishop Julian Dobbs.

"There is no foundation to think that a 'culturally-based diocese' indicates anything but growth for CANA. We are planting new churches, ordaining new deacons and priests and fully engaged in Christian mission across the country. It is a fiction to say there is any friction or turmoil between CANA and ACNA. We're in full    Gospel partnership with each other," noted Dobbs.

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By Sue Nowicki, Modesto Bee

The Rev. Eric Menees, new bishop of the San Joaquin Anglican Diocese, might feel a little like David facing the giant Goliath.

First there's the lawsuit seeking ownership of 31 of the diocesan parishes and the diocesan headquarters in Fresno. Then there are nine more lawsuits filed against the independently incorporated parishes that also are part of the diocese. Finally, there are the multimillion-dollar assets of the diocese, which remain frozen pending the outcome of the lawsuits.

The giant in this case is the Episcopal Church, which was not happy when Menees' predecessor, the Rev. John-David Schofield, was the first bishop in the country to lead his diocese away from the national church and its increasingly liberal theology. Schofield and the 40 parishes loyal to him are under the oversight of the theologically conservative Anglican Church in North America, which allowed them to stay with the worldwide Anglican Communion, to which the Episcopalian church belongs.

Seven other parishes in the diocese chose to remain Episcopal and came under the leadership of an Episcopal bishop chosen to oversee the parallel Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.

In a recent phone interview, Menees said he faces several challenges as he replaces the retiring Schofield, but indicated he is not intimidated or discouraged by them. "The simple answer is that I took this job for the sake of the Gospel," he said. "For me, while the lawsuits are an issue that I have to address, my primary concern is bringing people into the kingdom of God. If we do that with buildings, wonderful. If we do that without buildings, wonderful."

Read here

Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, Wall Street Journal (Hat Tip: Stand Firm)

Read article here

From BabyBlue Online

Live from the Investiture of the Rt. Rev’d John Guernsey as the first bishop of the ACNA Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic at Truro Church, Fairfax, VA.

The service began with a joyous celebration of hymns and songs led by a joint choir made up of members of the new diocese. People are not phoning in their singing, any minute now the roof could pop off. This is awesome!

We're here at Truro Church in Fairfax and the church is packed with very joyful people. The new Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) diocese enters the ACNA as the largest diocese. It spans the area of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

Last May, the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV) Synod elected the Rt. Rev'd John Guernsey as the bishop of the proposed ACNA Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. In June, the ACNA's Provincial Council affirmed the creation of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Bishop John Guernsey who had been overseeing the congregations that had separated from The Episcopal Church and moved under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Church of Uganda before transitioning directly to the ACNA, was confirmed as the first diocesan bishop by the ACNA College of Bishops in June.

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From St John's Shaughnessy website

By David Virtue, VOL

When Archbishop Robert Duncan, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), inaugurated his new Anglican province, he did an extraordinary thing. He invited two men to stand with him who, in effect, represented the boundaries of what he understood orthodox Anglicanism to be.

The first was Archbishop Jonah, Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America. The other was Pastor Rick Warren, America's leading evangelical churchman, pastor and popular author.

Duncan defined the margins of North American Anglicanism that was, on the one hand, liturgical and historical, and on the other, evangelical, gospel driven and discipleship. It was a shrewd and brilliant move even though not everyone agreed with it, especially many of those who disagree with him over the ordination of women to the priesthood.

Nonetheless, he brought into clear focus that ACNA would be clearly evangelical and mission oriented, concerned for making disciples, nurturing converts to the faith, and reaching out in Kingdom love to people everywhere who might be open to the Good News about Jesus. Today, the Anglican Church in North America unites some 100,000 Anglicans in over 800 parishes in 29 dioceses. It is a Province-in-formation in the global Anglican Communion that is committed to reaching North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ.

At a time when The Episcopal Church has clearly abandoned evangelical faith and witness for "doctrines" of inclusion and diversity, Millennium Development Goals and pansexuality, Archbishop Duncan's clear and unalloyed witness to Scripture as the final authority on all matters of faith and practice is resolute and uncompromising. He and his new Anglican province are evangelical in ethos and conviction and proclaim the evangel to all who will listen.

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By Tim Dalrymple, World Magazine

Same-sex marriage in New York threatens the rights of those who oppose it

When the legalization of same-sex marriage takes effect in New York on July 24, one in nine Americans will live in places where gay couples can marry with the imprimatur of the state. For the estimated 42,600 same-sex couples in New York, the new law brings changes to their state taxes and healthcare benefits, as well as their access to adoption and inheritance laws. But what will it mean for churches and ministries in the state, or for Christian professionals and business owners who may not be comfortable offering their services to same-sex couples for moral and religious reasons?

Republican state senators negotiated a provision to protect churches, parachurch ministries, and religious nonprofits, as well as their clergy and employees, from lawsuits or state penalties if they should refuse to provide their services or facilities for same-sex ceremonies. They also won inclusion of a "poison pill," so that a court decision striking the religious conscience provision would invalidate the entire law.

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by Sydney Nichole Thomas, World Magazine

Anglicanism has begun a global and North American reformation, according to Archbishop Robert Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), who recently delivered his annual state of the church address, describing the growth and challenges faced by orthodox Anglicans. Duncan serves as both head of the ACNA and bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The worldwide Anglican Church has 39 provinces, and historically the Anglican province in the United States has been the Episcopal Church. But because of the theological and numerical decline of the Episcopal Church, American Anglicans hope the ACNA soon will be recognized as an alternative province.

As a province-in-formation within the worldwide Anglican Communion, the ACNA unites 100,000 Anglicans in nearly 1,000 congregations across the United States and Canada and represents four former Episcopal dioceses.

Read here

From Anglican TV

From AAC

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

During this past week, the Provincial Council of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) met for the third time, marking two years of growth. Although nearly all of the leadership of the ACNA has come out of the American Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada, dating from the theological realignment of the last ten years, there is a desire to keep what was good from the former times, and discard what was erroneous or heretical. This is easier on a theological level and more difficult when it comes to things like canon law.

Based on canon law models from selected Global South provinces, an ACNA canon law structure is now in place, and it is influenced by the solid and thoughtful portions of North American canon law experience as well. It's quite interesting and actually exciting to look at the differences in organization and tradition between those who come out of the Canadian experience and those who come from the American Episcopal experience. Given that historically and culturally there are some significant differences and rivalries between the two nations represented, it is a real blessing to have an Anglican Province that spans the border and to be in a meaningful relationship with fellow believers. I do think that the delegates from the United States now know all of the words to all of the verses of "O Canada" and sing it as enthusiastically we "Americans" might sing "The Star Spangled Banner." I put 'American' in quotation marks since our brothers and sisters in other nations in both North and South America can also claim the word 'American.'

Read here

AnglicanTV

Kevin Kallsen and Archbishop Venables discuss the Anglican Communion… with some very surprising answers.

By David W Virtue, Virtueonline

Lawsuits will not hinder churches' mission to grow the church

Even as the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV) faces the possibility of losing nine properties in a fierce legal church battle with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, three orthodox Anglican bishops have called for a summit to stimulate church growth and new church plants.

Bishops Martyn Minns, (Nigeria) Dave Bena (Nigeria) and John Guernsey (Uganda), buoyed by ACNA Archbishop Robert Duncan's call last June to plant 1000 new Anglican churches by 2015, are launching a new initiative to reach the lost in their communities and to plant new worshiping communities within the ADV.

They are asking people to meet November 20 at the Church of the Epiphany, Herndon, for "The Bishops' Summit on Church Growth and Church Planting." Featured speakers include rectors David Roseberry, who planted and leads the growth of Christ Church, Plano; John Yates, who leads the growth and steady planting of The Falls Church; and William Beasley of Redeemer Anglican Church, a newer plant now meeting on several campuses in the Chicago area.

The theme of the Summit will be: "Growing Our Churches, Multiplying Our Impact." "Our dual foci will be to help each congregation and leader in the ADV to reach the lost in their communities with the love of Christ and grow their churches; and to show how even small congregations can help plant worshiping communities on a shoestring, say the bishops in a joint news release.

"We'll have workshops on Evangelism for Cowards, Growing Your Church, Lay Planters Like Me, and more. You will hear about the exciting work of Anglican 1000, led by Dave Roseberry in response to Archbishop Duncan's call to plant 1000 Anglican churches by 2015." You can read this here .

Read here

Exclusive interview with David Virtue, VOL

VOL: What is your overall take on this gathering of African Bishops from 12 African nations?

DUNCAN: This, the Second All African Bishops Conference has lacked the clarity of the first All African Bishops' Conference. What I believe we learn from this conference six years later is that Anglicanism without a confession is in a troubled place. The contrast between the spirit of GAFCON and this conference was striking. The prayerful, joyful always aware that God-is-right -here attitude of the African Church was present only when we worshipped or shared relationally. The sessions at the conference were dominated by Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and social solutions where the gospel of Jesus is not the driving force.

By and large, the folks in Entebbe were the same folks at Lagos and many of the same folks in Jerusalem, but this conference lacked that great enthusiastic spirit that the joy of Jesus invariably displays. Conference presenters were more often good-hearted NGO's, but what exuded and continues to exude from the bishops of Africa was not so often on the podium since bishops were not so often on the podium. The agenda, apart from worship and Bible studies, was far more dominantly social than spiritual. Nevertheless and as always, the Lord did great things for many who shared in the conference and He is able to work all things together for good. (Rom. 8:28)

VOL: Did you feel accepted and affirmed as the new Anglican boy on the block?

DUNCAN: Over and over again, bishops all across Africa expressed to me their affection and respect for the stand that I and all of us have made and their sense absolute oneness in the gospel.

Read here

By Charles Raven

On Sunday 15th August, Bishop Trevor Walters, Area Bishop (West Canada), preached at two churches in Worcestershire. In the morning he visited the congregation at Christ Church Wyre Forest, an 'extra mural' Anglican church plant near Kidderminster and then went on to preach at the parish church of Christ Church Lye in the industrial north of the county.

At Christ Church, Bishop Trevor took as his text Jesus' words in Luke 12:32 'Be not afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.' He spoke powerfully about the way that the expectation of Jesus' return as a real event in history underpins the Kingdom's reversal of worldly values and how we need to guard against a lazy reading of the Bible which accommodates it to what is fashionable.

Bishop Trevor's message came with an integrity which arises out of his many years of pastoral experience and the costly stand for the gospel which  he and his colleagues in the ACNA have taken.  Bishop Trevor continues to be rooted in the congregation of  St Matthew's in Abbotsford, BC where he was previously rector and under whose leadership a series of new churches were planted, despite a long running, continuing and costly battle to resist ejection from the church's property by the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada.

It was a great privilege to share in this experience of gospel partnership and a very encouraging reminder that despite so much compromise with the prevailing secularism, a new and vital paradigm of Anglican faith and order is emerging.

Rev Charles Raven

From AAC

There is much positive progress to report in the Anglican realignment, with the orthodox Anglicans coming together and becoming stronger. The maturing of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is proceeding apace and showing that it has real staying power. At our recent meeting in Amesbury, Massachusetts, the ACNA gathering took part in the installation of Bishop Bill Murdoch as the diocesan in his new pro-cathedral. The feeling as the service progressed was "this is us"-this is the ACNA growing and expanding, and now the New England area has a cathedral and a settled bishop.

Additionally the ACNA approved and welcomed two applicant dioceses, the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes (ADGL) and the Anglican Diocese of the South (ADOTS). These dioceses have the potential of having some churches fully seated as members, and other churches maintaining ties to another ACNA judicatory for the time being-having dual citizenship if you will. In ADOTS, some of the churches that I have covered as a CANA bishop are maintaining ties to CANA, but are also partner parishes with the new diocese. This allows a transition time that avoids abrupt endings of established relationships.

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By David Roseberry, Treading Grain

Our guest blogger today is The Rev’d Canon David Roseberry, Rector of Christ Church, Plano, Texas and Chair of Anglican 1000.  He writes today of the Anglican 1000 initiative: