From the American Anglican Council:
Beloved in Christ,
On the international level, it seems we are seeing what we would have to call the case of the disappearing Anglican Covenant. Archbishop John Chew, of Southeast Asia, and others were confident that the Covenant would be fully endorsed "as is" by all of the Global South Provinces that were in attendance in Singapore recently. This was to have been a major part of their gathering, and a gift for Dr. Williams in Lambeth - but what happened? The Covenant has come under fire from several quarters for different reasons: the ultra-revisionist American Episcopal Church (TEC) doesn't like it because it seems to tell them what they can and can't do; many faithful orthodox Anglicans find fault with it because it has no teeth and it is premised on structures and bodies that have no ability to accomplish anything, based on past performance. Some do want to affirm the Covenant, but with modifications and "teeth."
When the Fourth Anglican Global South to South Encounter ended and the participants went home, where was the Covenant? There was no signing ceremony, no endorsement by the gathering, just the case of the amazing disappearing Anglican Covenant. Well, given its present form with no teeth, and lacking key parts, and the impossibility of enforcement, perhaps it is just as well.
Other surprises came from the USA - from Albany, New York, where former TEC bishop Dan Hertzog, who had retired and raced into the arms of Rome, has made a U-turn and come back to Albany and TEC. Since former bishop Hertzog renounced his orders in leaving TEC and had to go to Rome as a layman, it must have been hard to adjust, as I think it would be for me. Why he chose to go back to Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori is known best by Hertzog alone, but he has in the past been a strong critic of her beliefs and actions. Nevertheless, she restored him to his orders - there has to be more to this story. Meanwhile Jefferts Schori is gleefully publicizing this "prodigal's return." If she hopes for a stampede, she will be very disappointed.
Journalist David Virtue has reported on the Machiavellian tactics of Bishop Dabney Smith, of the TEC Diocese of Southwest Florida. The bishop apparently led Fr. Ed Sellers along, telling him that the diocese would work with the congregation over their vacating St. Dunstan's Church. Apparently the diocese indicated that they would negotiate over the use of the property and the transition, but then ended everything with a surprise sneak attack, emailing them at 5 pm on a Friday saying that they were locking the doors and that another TEC loyal priest was moving into the office. The only problem is lack of TEC parishioners, since of the 207 current parishioners, 200 of them are leaving to form St. Dunstan's Anglican Church.
God was watching over the faithful, however, and a newly-vacant Methodist Church was made available to them. Meanwhile, Dabney Smith is left with a whopping mortgage to pay on the old St. Dunstan's building. This is the Jefferts Schori school of church growth - "beatings will continue until morale improves." May God continue to bless and keep the faithful.
Just north of Florida, the Anglican Diocese of the South has formed and elected The Rev. Dr. Foley Beach to be their first bishop. Bishop-elect Beach's name will go to the Anglican Church in North America (AC-NA) College of Bishops for consideration at the June meeting in Amesbury, MA. At that same time, the Provincial Council will vote on accepting the Anglican Diocese of the South into the AC-NA as a full member. The new diocese will have churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, all roughly within a 3.5 hour drive time from central Atlanta. The next meeting of the AC-NA will vote not only on this diocese, but also on one forming in the Great Lakes area, the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes. Clearly the AC-NA is growing and building infrastructure to meet the goals of planting 1000 new congregations.
Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
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