>Announcement: Women's Ordination Jay L. Greener Oct 31, 2003 >For Immediate Distribution >10/31/03 > >Contact: Jay L. Greener >Communications Officer >The Anglican Mission in America >719-650-1706 >jay@... > >Anglican Mission in America Announces Policy on Women's Ordination > >After an extensive and thorough process of study and reflection the >leadership of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) has announced its >newly >adopted policy on the ordination of women. > >Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda and Yong Ping Chung of South East >Asia, sponsors of the Anglican Mission, have provided the guidance to >ordain >properly qualified and called women as deacons, but not as priests or >bishops. > >The decision follows two years of intensive study and input on the part of >a >special commission chaired by the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Rodgers. Bishop >Rodgers, >formerly President of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Pittsburgh, >indicated that to his knowledge, it is the most extensive study and review >of its kind on the issue of women's ordination. > >Commission members, who represented a variety of views on the topic, read a >large amount of background material, dealt with the biblical texts and >considered the best way forward. Along the way a major document was >produced-likely the only one of its kind-outlining the various options, the >pros and cons, and the exegesis related to each position. The report was >then considered by the leadership of each AMiA congregation, and feedback >was received. After this, the findings went to the House of Bishops in >Rwanda in early October for their deliberation, and finally to the >sponsoring Primates of the Anglican Mission for their decision. > >As promised when the Anglican Mission was formed in 2000, the two women who >had already been ordained Priests and had affiliated with the AMiA, will be >permitted to continue their ministry as priests, serving on staff where >called. However, women who seek affiliation with the Anglican Mission from >this point on, who are already ordained as priests, will be asked to serve >as deacons. Also as promised, women deacons will only be appointed to >minister where they are openly received. > >"As baptized Christians, we all have a call to ministry," observed Bishop >John Rodgers. "As a missionary movement, we need the full and active >participation of all our members, ordained and lay. This is true of both >women and men in our midst. We need godly women to provide important >leadership and ministry as lay leaders, and when so called, within the >sacred order of deacons." > >The full 142 page report of the study commission is now available on >CD-Rom, >for a cost of $5 each. To order, please contact the Anglican Mission in >America's National Mission Center at 843-237-0318, or email >info@.... The Rev. Charles A. Collins, Jr., S.B.R., M.Div. Hospice Chaplain 289 Hastings Dr. Goose Creek, SC 29445 Home: (843) 832-6408 Office: (843) 554-4048 E-mail: evanglican@... Weblog: http://www.palmettoanglican.blogspot.com/ "If there were any word of God beside the Scripture, we could never be certain of God's Word; and if we be uncertain of God's Word, the devil might bring in among us a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea himself to be a god. If the Church and the Christian faith did not stay itself upon the Word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation, no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he were in the true Church of Christ, or in the synagogue of Satan."-- Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, Reformer and Martyr _________________________________________________________________ See when your friends are online with MSN Messenger 6.0. Download it now FREE! http://msnmessenger-download.com