Fr Chad+

Thank you for the information.

We all are grateful that both REC and APA leaders are
asking the hard questions.

Charles+




--- Father Chandler Holder Jones
<fatherchad@...> wrote:

> Updates from the Bishop
>  
> 
> To say that the world of Anglicanism is in a state
> of flux would be commenting on the obvious.  As
> Anglicans in this ever changing world, we are
> affected by what is happening around us in the
> larger context.  This past week I was in
> Summerville, S.C. for a meeting of our Federation of
> Anglican Churches in the Americas.  At this Meeting
> we received applications from the Episcopal
> Missionary Church (EMC) and the Anglican Church in
> America (ACA) petitioning us to become Federation
> members.  Both were received.  It was good to see
> Bishop William Millsaps and his wife Martha along
> with EMC priest Fr. Victor Morgan at the Meeting. 
> Representing the ACA were Bishops George Langberg
> and David Moyer who serve respectively as President
> and Vice President of the ACA House of Bishops.  Not
> represented for the second meeting was the Anglican
> Mission in America (AMiA), which gave the Federation
> cause to wonder what its intentions are concerning
> membership in the Federation.  Bishop Riches will be
> making inquiry of the AMiA leadership concerning
> this.  
> 
>  
> 
> At a private session with the REC bishops while in
> Summerville, S.C. we discussed our mutual concerns
> about the Convocation of Anglicans in North America
> (CANA) and the article published from Falls Church,
> Virginia that indicates Archbishop Peter Akinola
> will allow applications from women clergy to be
> licensed by CANA to continue their ministries.  The
> question whether or not CANA will itself purport to
> ordain women has yet to be determined.  The text
> further asserts that although the Church of Nigeria
> does not currently ordain women, Archbishop Akinola
> has stated that he recognizes that there needs to be
> freedom for CANA to take a different direction
> because of its North American cultural context. 
> This statement is of the greatest concern to us as
> we are in a Covenant Union relationship with the
> Church of Nigeria, not CANA; we agreed among
> ourselves that we want a clear statement from
> Archbishop Akinola as to his theological position on
> this matter of vital concern.  I am personally
> distressed about this situation, particularly since
> both the APA and the REC have put much prayer, time
> and effort into this Covenant Union. To now see it
> possibly going down the proverbial drain is beyond
> disappointing.  We will keep you informed of any
> answer or word from the Archbishop.  We will stand
> firm in our commitment to historic Catholic Faith
> and Practice and the male character of the Sacrament
> of Holy Orders.
> 
>  
> 
> We currently have a number of pre-mission starts
> beginning in different places in our Diocese.  At
> the Standing Committee (SC) Meeting on Friday
> January 26, 2007, we officially received Christ the
> Redeemer, Warner Robins, GA, All Saints',
> Greenville, SC, Holy Cross, Anderson, SC, and St.
> Stephen's, Franklin, NC; mention was made about
> three other mission starts or plants, the Fellowship
> of Northern Kentucky, the Fellowship of Venice, FL
> and Epiphany Mission, Leesburg, FL.  Someone asked
> what a Fellowship is as this is a new designation. 
> A Fellowship is a new word for an old concept of a
> "pre-mission."  It is the beginning of a church
> plant that has, metaphorically, not taken root yet. 
> The idea is that we attempt to attract a critical
> mass of people in order for a group to be officially
> designated as a Mission Church.  Such a group is on
> life-support from the local priest or deacon, with
> assistance from the Diocese; once the group gets to
> where it can support its own effort, it can choose a
> name for itself and become an official Mission of
> the Diocese.  
> 
>  
> 
> Among others items of discussion at the SC Meeting
> was the proposal to create a unified Sunday School
> curriculum.  The idea is to begin sharing materials
> and concepts that are successful in parishes and can
> be reproduced and used by others.  I will appoint a
> committee and perhaps have a report on this subject
> by DEUS Synod time.  If any of you has a desire to
> serve the Church in this way, please let me know by
> e-mail or telephone.  
> 
>  
> 
> There has been discussion among a number of members
> in the DEUS about the proposed Provincial Synod to
> be held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in
> 2008.  This gathering was originally planned as a
> joint Synod/General Council of the APA/REC.  One of
> the big obstacles is the cost that was estimated to
> be around $1,500 per person, including airfare,
> hotel, registration and meals.  Because of this
> difficulty, I have discussed with Bishop Boyce and
> Bishop Shaver the prospect of not planning our
> Provincial Synod in Victoria and it has been decided
> that we will make alternative plans.  Bishop Boyce
> still has plans to have his Diocese of the West
> Synod there.  Incidentally, the 2008 DEUS Synod has
> been planned in Annapolis (Crownsville) Maryland,
> sponsored by St. Paul's Church.  (Their new building
> is presently under construction).  I discussed with
> the REC Bishops last week the problems of the
> Victoria venue and the fact that we are not
> financially in a position as a Province to
> underwrite the event.  They were very understanding
> and realize that this change is not any indication
> of our lack of interest.  I expect that a number of
> our clergy and others will attend as a delegation to
> show support for the REC and while there enjoy the
> many attractions of the area.  The Provincial
> Council will make plans for a Provincial Synod
> somewhere in the middle of the country for a
> business-only session.  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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