http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/index/ en Frank@pitanglican.org Copyright 2009 2009-06-29T18:46:33+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/constitution_and_canons_of_the_anglican_church_in_north_america_as_ratified/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/constitution_and_canons_of_the_anglican_church_in_north_america_as_ratified/#When:18:46:33Z The final texts of the Constitution and Canons, as ratified by the Inaugural Assembly in Bedford, Texas, are now available. The final texts of the Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church In North America are available.  The Constitution is available here.  The canons are available here. Documents 2009-06-29T18:46:33+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/inaugural_assembly_concludes_with_call_to_build_the_kingdom_of_god/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/inaugural_assembly_concludes_with_call_to_build_the_kingdom_of_god/#When:17:42:40Z Bishop-elect Todd Hunter sent delegates and participants of the Inaugural Assembly out with a charge to help build the Kingdom of God.  “No one cares about our ‘brand’ or our internal disputes.”  It is about making new Christians. “Do we have the imagination for entering the world of unchurched American’s and experiencing things from their point of view – while keeping our bearings in Christ?”  This was Anglican Mission bishop-elect, the Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter’s challenge to the final plenary session of the Anglican Church in North America’s provincial assembly in Bedford, Texas.  Hunter – a past president of ALPHA USA – is currently focusing on church growth through reaching unchurched Americans in the western states.  He committed, God willing, to start 200 of the 1000 churches newly installed Archbishop Robert Duncan said he wanted established during his five-year term leading the Anglican Church in North America. “Why would God create a new Anglican province?” Hunter asked rhetorically.  Not to relieve the pain and angst of the past, he responded, but to help build “the Kingdom of God”.  Our loyalty, he said, cannot be in denominations or “church brands;” no one cares about our “brand” or our internal disputes.  It isn’t about creating more Anglicans, he said.  However, Anglicanism provides a “treasure chest” of tools for introducing people to Jesus Christ – tools such as the Prayer Book, the Eucharist, the ancient rhythms of church calendar, the Lectionary (selected daily Scripture readings), and daily prayers. People are asking if there is any reality beyond ourselves, Hunter said.  Our Anglican heritage offers what post-modern North Americans are looking for – especially the growing number who identify themselves in surveys as “spiritual but not religious”.  Hunter’s prepared remarks will be posted to his website: www.c4so.org. “I’m loving this new Anglicanism!” one attendee at the Anglican Church in North America was heard remarking.  News 2009-06-25T17:42:40+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/young_anglicans_envision_the_future_of_the_church/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/young_anglicans_envision_the_future_of_the_church/#When:17:35:45Z “A church assembly…does not have to be overwhelmingly gray-headed,” said Archbishop Robert Duncan in his opening address Monday. “A church assembly ... does not have to be overwhelmingly gray-headed,” said Archbishop-designate Robert Duncan in his opening address Monday. “More than 20 percent of the voting delegates of the Provincial Assembly are 25 years of age or younger!” And they are committed to their Church. Californian Serena Howe, a rising sophomore at Hillsdale College, says she “converted to Anglicanism” from a non-denominational church because she fell in love with the church’s liturgy. She has traditional taste in church music, too, saying that she hopes youth ministry can break free of the “rock band thing.” Jonathan Oliver, 19, recalls his first thought when he learned he would be a youth delegate to the Assembly. “Oh, boy. I can’t be a kid anymore. I have to grow up.” Oliver, a Pittsburgh delegate who is spending a year in England teaching religion classes in lower schools, intends to major in youth ministry and chemistry at Geneva College beginning in the fall. Delegate Taylor Schley, a rising high-school junior from the Diocese of Fort Worth, hopes the youth delegates will mobilize as a missionary wing of the Church. With his friend Joseph Francis, he has launched a Web site – yacna.org – to bring young Anglicans together to speak up for their faith. News 2009-06-25T17:35:45+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/more_anglican_leaders_join_supporters_of_the_anglican_church_in_north_ameri/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/more_anglican_leaders_join_supporters_of_the_anglican_church_in_north_ameri/#When:16:32:01Z The leaders of three Anglican Provinces have recently joined a number of others formally supporting the Anglican Church in North America. The leaders of three Anglican Provinces have recently joined a number of others formally supporting the Anglican Church in North America. The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer H. Anis, president bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East wrote:  “Our prayers are for you and for the new Province to continue to stand firm in faith as you have always done.  May the Lord keep your unity in order to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in North America!” Also writing to offer support was the Most. Rev. John Chew, of the Province of Southeast Asia.  “Today you are making a very historic and apostolic stand.  Please be assured of our full and deep communion in the Lord” On June 23, the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda “resolved that it warmly supports the creation of the new Province in North America, the Anglican Church in North America, recognizes Bishop Bob Duncan as its new Archbishop, and declares that it is in full communion with the Anglican Church in North America.” Archbishop Peter Jensen of the Diocese of Sydney and the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans wrote:  “I send my warmest greetings and congratulations to the new Anglican Province.  We recognise that authentic Anglican brothers and sisters have come together in a wonderful new fellowship in the service of the Lord Jesus. We pray that your faithful witness to the gospel will prosper and that as you live under the authority of God’s word you will maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Support also came from England.  Bishop Wallace Benn and Archdeacon Michael Lawson sent greetings on behalf of the Church of England Evangelical Council:  “We wish you to know that we consider it a privilege given by God that we are joyful to be in full communion with you all. We are especially grateful for your unity expressed among Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical traditions, and recognise that this is in part a fruit of the Jerusalem Conference where the Primates present encouraged you to form a new and orthodox entity in North America. You are of course in fellowship with 80% of the Anglican Communion who share with us in the historic orthodox faith. It is for this reason that we call on many more of our brothers and sisters worldwide to affirm that they recognise the authentic marks of the Apostolic church and true Anglican identity in your witness,” they wrote. Anglican Mainstream Convener, Philip Giddings, and Canon Dr. Chris Sugden wrote:  “It has been our privilege to stand with you in fellowship and prayer…We rejoice to see the Lord’s hand of blessing on you witness as he adds daily to your number those who are being saved.” Anglican leaders from around the world have welcomed the formation of the Anglican Church in North America.  A total of nine Anglican provinces sent formal delegations to the Inaugural Assembly in Bedford June 22-25.  Many others sent personal greetings to Archbishop Robert Duncan. News 2009-06-25T16:32:01+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/church_of_uganda_declares_itself_in_full_communion_with_anglican_church_in_/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/church_of_uganda_declares_itself_in_full_communion_with_anglican_church_in_/#When:15:24:12Z The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, in its regularly scheduled meeting on 23rd June 2009, declared full communion with the Anglican Church in North America. From the communications department of the Church of Uganda The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, in its regularly scheduled meeting on 23rd June 2009, made several resolutions concerning the state of the Anglican Communion and the future of global Anglicanism. The Bishops reaffirmed their commitment to the Anglican Communion and to the GAFCON movement as a force of renewal within the Communion, and pledged to continue to be a voice of orthodox faith, which is the biblical and historic faith of Anglicanism. The Bishops were deeply concerned that the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) refused to seat the Church of Uganda’s duly appointed clergy delegate, Rev. Phil Ashey, and deprived the Church of Uganda from the representation to which it is entitled. The Bishops said, “The Church of Uganda’s prerogative to choose who should represent us was abused by the ACC by refusing to seat our delegate. We consider this to be a profound violation of our rights by the Joint Standing Committee and the ACC.” The House of Bishops also reaffirmed its commitment to not receive funds from the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada, revisionist TEC and Canadian dioceses and parishes, and funding organs associated with them.  The Bishops also chastised and called to account those Bishops among them who have violated this collective and long-standing decision. Finally, concerning the formation of the Anglican Church in North America, the House of Bishops resolved that it warmly supports the creation of the new Province in North America, the Anglican Church in North America, recognizes Bishop Bob Duncan as its new Archbishop, and declares that it is in full communion with the Anglican Church in North America. Likewise, the Bishops resolved to release, effective immediately, the Bishops, clergy and churches in America under its ecclesiastical oversight and to transfer them to the Anglican Church in North America. The House of Bishops further resolved to continue its partnership and friendship with them in mission and ministry, extends its hand of fellowship, and wishes them well. Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi said, “This really is the moment we have been waiting for.  We have been longing to be able to repatriate our clergy and congregations to a Biblical and viable ecclesiastical structure in North America, and that day has now come. To God be the glory.” News 2009-06-25T15:24:12+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/north_american_anglicans_reaffirm_their_traditional_mission/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/north_american_anglicans_reaffirm_their_traditional_mission/#When:14:41:51Z New Group Installs Archbishop Duncan, Emphasizes Evangelism PLANO, Texas, June 24, 2009 – Orthodox Anglicans from the United States and Canada, meeting Wednesday night at Christ Church in a Dallas suburb, celebrated the unification of a Christ-centered,  missionary Church – the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). “It is a great day because working together, we have been able, by God’s grace, to reunite a significant portion of our Anglican Church family here in North America,” said Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh at a news conference before his installation as the ACNA’s first archbishop. “We are uniting 700 congregations, and more importantly, committed Anglican believers in the north and in the south, on the west coast, and the east coast.” The ACNA held its first Provincial Assembly this week, working to ratify the constitution and canons drafted by their bishops, clergy and lay leaders at a meeting in suburban Chicago last December when they announced they were forming a new “province” – a large regional Anglican jurisdiction in North America. Mrs. Cheryl Chang, a member of the Governance Task Force that helped draft the constitution and canons, said, “Our task was to ensure that the structure was supporting the mission, not the mission supporting the structure.” The preamble to the constitution says that orthodox Anglicans are “grieved by the current state of brokenness within the Anglican Communion [Anglicans’ worldwide church] prompted by those who have embraced erroneous teaching and who have rejected a repeated call to repentance.” During the news briefing, many of the ACNA officials said the formation of a new province was a reaffirmation of the traditional values of the Anglican Communion. “The teachings we hold to are the teachings that have governed the Anglican branch of Christianity for decades,” said Bishop Martyn Minns of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. “So, in that sense, we’re not doing anything particularly new, but what we are doing is establishing that we want to stay within the [Christian] mainstream.” Bishop Jack Iker of Fort Worth said that central theme of this new Provincial Assembly was an emphasis on evangelism and mission. “What I think is significant about that for Anglicans and Episcopalians in North America is that this is the beginning of the recovery of confidence in Anglicanism as a biblical, missionary church,” he said. ACNA officials said that formal recognition as an Anglican province will take time. Duncan said he is in regular contact with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the principal leader of the Anglican Communion. Nine Anglican provinces, representing the vast majority of Anglicans from as far away as Africa, Asia and South America, sent official delegations to the ACNA Assembly, indicating their support. “We are in the process of being recognized by and partnering with churches around the world,” Duncan said. “Just the other day, the Church of Uganda recognized our new province.” Earlier this year, the Anglican Church of Nigeria also recognized the ACNA. Together, these provinces represent the Anglican Communion’s two largest provinces and tens of millions of Anglicans. Duncan went on to say that Anglicans are part of a worldwide movement. “We are part of something big,” he said. “God isn’t just bringing Anglican Christians together. Across the Church, people are re-embracing Scripture’s authority. Christians are once again discovering the beauty, wisdom and grace of our 2,000-year-old tradition.” Jurisdictions that have joined together to form the 28 dioceses and dioceses-in-formation of the Anglican Church in North America are: the dioceses of Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy and San Joaquin; the Anglican Mission in the Americas (including the Anglican Coalition in Canada); the Convocation of Anglicans in North America; the Anglican Network in Canada; the Reformed Episcopal Church; and the missionary initiatives of Kenya, Uganda, and South America’s Southern Cone. The American Anglican Council and Forward in Faith North America also are founding organizations. The Anglican Church in North America unites some 100,000 Anglicans in 700 parishes into a single church. “The events of this week and the months leading up to it represent the answers to decades of prayer,” said Dr. Michael Howell, executive director of Forward in Faith North America. ”And, I am fully convinced that only God could have brought this about.” The Provincial Assembly concludes Thursday at St. Vincent’s Cathedral in Bedford, Texas. For more information, visit www.acnaassembly.org. News 2009-06-25T14:41:51+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/orthodox_church_leader_rekindles_relationship_with_anglicans/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/orthodox_church_leader_rekindles_relationship_with_anglicans/#When:17:50:21Z Addressing delegates and attendees of the inaugural assembly of the Anglican Church in North America, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, said, “I am seeking an ecumenical restoration by being here today. This is God’s call to us.” The leader of the Orthodox Church in America has re-kindled the oldest ecumenical relationship in Christian history. Addressing delegates and attendees of the inaugural assembly of the Anglican Church in North America, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, said, “I am seeking an ecumenical restoration by being here today. This is God’s call to us.” This significant gesture represents the possibility of full communion being exchanged between the churches. Metropolitan Jonah represents the American branch of the Orthodox Church, a Christian denomination that has a long history of strong relationships with the Anglican Church. “We have to actualize that radical experience of union in Christ with one another,” Jonah said. Speaking for 45 minutes, the Metropolitan addressed the importance of looking past our differences in order to work together for mission. “Our unity transcends our particularity,” he said. His Beatitude’s message was focused on unity but did not fail to address areas of contrasting beliefs between the two churches. Though united in upholding the authority of the Bible and uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the Orthodox Church and Anglican Church in North America have differing opinions on matters such as the ordination of women and other doctrinal issues. Despite this, the Metropolitan told the audience that “our arms are open wide.” Following the speech, a representative of an Orthodox seminary, St. Vladimir’s, announced a cooperative effort with Nashotah House, an orthodox Anglican seminary, that would help further these ecumenical relationships and what Jonah described as a “new dialogue between the Orthodox Church in North America and the new Anglican province in North America. News 2009-06-24T17:50:21+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/bedford_assembly_newsletter_wednesday_edition/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/bedford_assembly_newsletter_wednesday_edition/#When:14:04:13Z The Wednesday News, which is distributed to all delegates,participants and guests at the Anglican Church in North America’s Inaugural Assembly in Bedford, is now available as a pdf file. The Wednesday News, which is distributed to all delegates,participants and guests at the Anglican Church in North America’s Inaugural Assembly in Bedford, is now available as a pdf file here. News 2009-06-24T14:04:13+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/media_hear_about_ministry_initiatives/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/media_hear_about_ministry_initiatives/#When:13:40:35Z A media briefing Tuesday afternoon focused on several ministry initiatives within the Anglican Church in North America: the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), Youth Ministries, Catechism and Anglican Global Missions Partners. A media briefing Tuesday afternoon focused on several ministry initiatives within the Anglican Church in North America: the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), Youth Ministries, Catechism and Anglican Global Missions Partners. Canon Nancy Norton, ARDF executive director, told the gathered media that, since its inception, the ARDF had provided more than $3.7 million in funding to 96 relief and development projects, improving the lives of a half million people in 32 countries.  Obinna Jon-Ubabuko, a youth delegate from the Diocese of Fort Worth said formation of the Anglican Church in North America was a dream come true.  He expressed appreciation and surprise at the degree of youth involvement in this Assembly – with youth comprising 20 per cent of delegates.  The Rev Dr Jack Gabig, co-chair of the Catechism and Curriculum Task Force, spoke of the centrality of catechism in creating disciples in our new Province.  He said the task force was now developing a series of guiding principles and planned to have an initial series of white papers ready in September, with a second series due in January.  A survey of over 100 Anglican Church in North America leaders found that only 17 per cent were very satisfied with the overall effectiveness of current catechesis in the Church.  The survey also provided a wealth of information on what is “right” with catechism in the Church. (The full results of the survey are on the Assembly website – www.acnaassembly.org.)  Canon John MacDonald of the Anglican Global Mission Partners said that the health of a parish is measured by how many missionaries, clergy and Christian leaders are being raised up out of your congregation.  Unfortunately, missions has not been part of the culture of many churches in the past.  News 2009-06-24T13:40:35+00:00 http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/pastor_rick_warren_addresses_anglican_church_in_north_america_assembly/ http://acnaassembly.org/index2.php/site/pastor_rick_warren_addresses_anglican_church_in_north_america_assembly/#When:01:18:21Z Pastor Rick Warren urged over 800 delegates and attendees to focus on the mission of the Church and “winning one more for Jesus.”  The influential pastor encouraged and prayed for the new church and its representatives Pastor Rick Warren addressed over 800 delegates and attendees at the Anglican Church in North America’s inaugural assembly today. Urging the audience to focus on the mission of the Church and “winning one more for Jesus,” the influential pastor encouraged and prayed for the new church and its representatives. Welcomed by Archbishop-designate Bob Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America and Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America, Pastor Warren stepped on to the stage at St. Vincent’s Cathedral Bedford, Texas, to a standing ovation. Warren spoke for the next 45 minutes, giving practical advice to the gathered clergy and church leaders on such matters as nurturing Christian maturity, sharing the faith and building healthy, growing churches.  Reminding the audience to stay focused on God and His love for people, Warren said, “Jesus didn’t die to save America, he died to save Americans.” The work of the church, he said, was to preach the Gospel and make disciples.  “Don’t ask God to bless what you are doing. Do what God is blessing.” Along that theme and in the context of the current lawsuits brought against many in the ACNA, Pastor Warren said, “The church has never been made up of buildings, it’s made up of people,” and “Christ did not die for property… You may lose the steeple, but you will not lose the people.” After the speech, which was punctuated by lengthy applause, Pastor Warren took questions from the audience. The Anglican Church in North America unites some 100,000 Anglicans in 700 parishes into a single church.  Jurisdictions which have joined together to form the 28 dioceses and dioceses-in-formation of the Anglican Church in North America are: the dioceses of Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy and San Joaquin; the Anglican Mission in the Americas; the Convocation of Anglicans in North America; the Anglican Network in Canada; the Anglican Coalition in Canada; the Reformed Episcopal Church; and the missionary initiatives of Kenya, Uganda, and South America’s Southern Cone.  Additionally, the American Anglican Council and Forward in Faith North America are founding organizations. News 2009-06-24T01:18:21+00:00