Most of this session was devoted to documents produced by the Common Cause Partnership. This group is made up of different jurisdictions that have agreed to work together in mission and ministry, knowing that they are stronger together than any one jurisdiction is alone.
The members now include the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), the Anglican Province of America (APA), the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC), The Anglican Communion in Canada (ACIC), the American Anglican Council, The Anglican Communion Network, The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), The Anglican Essentials Federation in Canada (AEF) and Forward in Faith, North America.
Three years ago, this was a loose association of bishops. Now it has bylaws, and Articles of Partnership. The Common Cause has produced a theological statement of purpose and practice and they have established a “vetting” process for new jurisdictions to join them. I thought you would be interested in knowing a little about these principle players in Common Cause. The following bishops introduced their jurisdictions this afternoon.
The Rt. Rev. David Bena, retired Suffragan bishop of Albany NY:
“I’m with CANA now. A year ago, we didn’t exist. Martyn Minns was consecrated in Nigeria less than a year ago. Now we are 40 parishes strong. 15 are ex-patriot Nigerian congregations. Our first council is Nov 1-3 in Northern VA. All are invited to come and be our special guests. “
The Rt. Rev. Don Harvey, Anglican Network in Canada:
“The Anglican Church of Canada held their recent Synod and I want to tell you some very specific things. The Anglican Church of Canada did not ratify the Windsor Report. They passed a motion to ratify a report of the Windsor Report. The Windsor Report was overwhelmingly defeated. Then they decided that same-sex blessings are not in conflict with core doctrines. But then bishops defeated local option of performing same sex marriages by 2 votes in the House of Bishops.
“This was followed by some bishops who said they would do them anyway. Several bishops said they agreed in principle, but their dioceses would not tolerate the change so they abstained. The next Synod is in 2010 and they are looking at changing the marriage canon to change “one man and one woman” to persons.
“We were encouraged by Global South Steering Committee report. Parishes are now waiting between 3-4 years for confirmation. Common Cause can change that in Canada.”
Bishop Richard Boyce Anglican Province of America, Diocese of the West:
“The Anglican Province of America goes back to late 60’s. [Those involved with ECUSA left over women’s ordination.] In 1991 we came together to merge with another jurisdiction, the Anglican Church of America. That merger held together 2.5 years and came apart when one bishop departed. Walter Grundorf was elected Presiding Bishop. Walter and I created the missionary district of the West in 1998 with l parish. Now I have 21 parishes with 2 missions coming in soon. In 1997 we started merger talks with the Reformed Episcopal Church, which is on hold right now due to our heavy involvement with Common Cause and the rapidly shifting status within the Communion. Now we hope to see the new Common Cause ecclesiastical structure come to fruition soon. Bishop Grundorf and I have been working on this for so long and are thankful for the progress made.”
Bp. Ray Sutton, Ecumenical Bishop and Suffragan of the Reformed Episcopal Church’s diocese of Mid-America:
“I serve with our Presiding Bishop, Leonard Riches and Bp. Royal Grote, the Bishop of diocese of Mid-America. The REC began in 1873 when 1/3 of clergy in TEC split. Over next 20 years, some parishes went back into TEC because they wanted to become one family again. That almost happened 1939 with the TEC Bishop of Eau Claire. His commission concluded positively on REC orders [consecrations of bishops we in line of Apostolic Succession and ordination of priests was “catholic” and valid] and proposed that Anglicanism could have two “lungs” HOB for REC and HOB for TEC. This decision and the lengthy papers attached were sent on Dec 7, 1941. Most archbishops and bishops never received that letter as America entered World War II.
“ After the war, the spirit had changed in both PECUSA and REC. The REC had two mindsets: sizeable number of clergy and bishops wanted to return to TEC; another group determined we needed to stay small and pure. There was no further dialog until late 1980’s. I was appointed Ecumenical Officer in 1989 worked with Ed Salmon. (Bishop of South Carolina) Shortly before 2003 GC, we were very explicit with TEC that if they did approve a practicing homosexual the dialog would be destroyed. I worked 14 years for this and it was a very sad day for me when it happened.
“The REC today has regained its original vision. We have 140 parishes with new church plants about every 6 weeks. And our church plants are not from disaffected Episcopalians. Evangelicals have taken the last 40 years to recover “catholic” practice.
“We have three Seminaries. Our Faculty has to sign an oath of conformity every year that they will not teach anything contrary to Holy Scripture and the faith “once delivered to the saints”. It is by the Grace of God that the REC never split and never had theological deviancy. Our oldest seminary is outside Philadelphia; Summerville SC is our2nd Seminary and it is predominantly African-American. In the late 1880’s, we took emancipated slaves that could not be ordained in TEC and trained them for ordination. [TEC canons did not allow for African-Americans to be ordained]. The commandant at the Citadel in Charleston walked with the candidates for ordination from Charleston to Philadelphia to make sure they would be ordained.
“Our third Seminary is in Houston. We have missions in Germany, South America, Russia, and Romania. We signed an official concordat with Nigeria in October 2004 after two bishops from the REC and Bishop Grundorf from the APA flew to Nigeria to meet directly with Archbishop Akinola. Once conversations broke down with TEC, we went directly to the Anglican Communion to establish concordats, aided by Martyn Minns and Todd Wetzel of Anglicans United. We are very excited about the future.”
These groups are alive and vibrant and excited to be working together. I wish I could share with each of you the privilege of meeting these people and hearing their stories. God is in this! He is very much in all of this. Peace to you and a good night’s sleep. Cherie Wetzel for Anglicans United in Fort Worth, Texas.
