CANA: Its growth, vibrancy and vision

http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/index.php/2007/12/13/cana-its-growth-passion-and-vision/

[Anglican Mainstream] 14 Dec 2007--CANA Press release, 10 December 2007, Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns

“We are thrilled to welcome these four new bishops to CANA. They will minister to our growing flock of orthodox Anglicans here in the U.S. and bring an incredible depth of pastoral care to CANA congregations. CANA is not primarily concerned about ‘doing’ church but about ‘being’ church. Our greatest desire is to be ‘a people with whom God is pleased to dwell’ so that his love can be reflected through our lives. We know that without Him we are nothing but with Him there are no challenges or obstacles that we cannot overcome,” said CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns.

“These past few months have been an exciting time for all of us. We have grown at a remarkable rate. We have done so in the face of relentless opposition and some of the largest lawsuits ever mounted by The Episcopal Church against its own clergy and congregations. We now number about 60 congregations and over 100 clergy in twenty states and with a total average Sunday attendance of approximately 8,600 - larger than seventy percent of the diocese in The Episcopal Church. We have been blessed by the wonderful diversity of the congregations and the common commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,” Minns continued.
“CANA has a passion for people - all people everywhere, black and white, rich and poor, single and married, young and old - and we believe that our most effective way of demonstrating God’s promises for them is through the life and witness of local churches that are beacons of light and communities of hope. We are committed to strengthening marriages and families because we believe that God’s plan for humanity is best lived out in the context of Christ centered homes where children know they are loved. We know that we live in a broken world where people are often treated as objects to be used or manipulated and often discarded and we renew our commitment to the sacred worth and dignity of every human being. We believe that there is no person outside the reach of God’s love.”

The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (http://www.canaconvocation.org/) currently consists of approximately 60 congregations and 100 clergy in 20 states. CANA was established in 2005 to provide a means by which Anglicans living in the USA, who were alienated by the actions and decisions of The Episcopal Church, could continue to live out their faith without compromising their core convictions. CANA is part of the Common Cause partnership that includes representatives of more than 250 Anglican congregations that are connected to the rest of the Anglican Communion.