News from the Anglican Church in North America

Honest Conversation and a Commitment to Prayer in the Carolinas

Meeting at Camp St. Christopher in John’s Island, South Carolina, Archbishop Duncan and seven bishops representing Anglican dioceses and networks in the Carolinas came together for a day of open conversation and prayer.

The challenge of overlapping geographic dioceses was addressed by the Governance Task Force of the Anglican Church in North America at its Provincial Council in June of this year. Noting the good work that has been done in New England under the leadership of Bishops Murdoch and Barnum, the task force expressed the conviction that “geographic density will follow relational density,” and encouraged its bishops to take the first steps toward greater unity.

Following the meeting in South Carolina this Monday, Archbishop Robert Duncan was encouraged: “I called the meeting to begin the discussion of how we bishops with overlapping juridictions might build unity among us. We didn’t gather all bishops who lead Anglican groups, but we began with those who are connected or discerning connection to the Anglican Church in North America. It was a very good day for the Kingdom.” Keep reading

ANiC’s St. Aidan’s (Windsor, ON) loses appeal; request prayer

Canon Tom Carman, rector of St Aidan’s, reports:

“In its decision, the Court of Appeal, upheld the conclusions of the trial court judge, Justice Little, on both the matter of St Aidan’s property and the St Aidan’s bequeathment and finance fund. In addition, the Diocese of Huron was awarded partial costs in the amount of $100,000....

... “The people of St Aidan’s are understandably disappointed in this decision, however, we believe that the Lord has a plan for us and are trusting in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Keep reading

One of the challenges facing the Anglican Church in North America is that of overlapping jurisdictions. Hopefully the ACNA will respond creatively to this challenge. Consolidating the different groups of clergy and congregations under different jurisdictions in the same geographic area into a single diocese is not the best response to this challenge. The result is that groups with different and even disparate theological outlooks are lumped together without respect for their differences. It leads to competition and conflict as each group vies for hegemony in the diocese. Invariably one group comes to dominate the diocese while the other groups are marginalized.