CANA Welcomes New Congregations(Fairfax, Virginia) Congregations in Connecticut, Florida, and Colorado have joined the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) during the past several days. CANA now has 37 registered churches in 15 states plus the District of Columbia, plus several non-parochial priests ministering in Iraq, Israel, and the United States. The three new congregations are:
Trinity Church, Bristol, Connecticut
A pre-Revolutionary War parish that was established in 1747, Trinity Church built its first church building on Federal Hill Green in then New Cambridge in 1754. Trinity Church is one of the “Connecticut Six”, a group of Anglican congregations within the state of Connecticut who have sought to maintain their historic connections with the wider Anglican Communion despite continuing legal challenges initiated by the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. Today, Trinity Church is an active worshipping community of approximately 130 under the leadership of the Rev’d Donald Helmandollar.
Christ the King Anglican Church, St Augustine, Florida
A new congregation in America’s oldest city, Christ the King was formed initially by members of St. Cyprian Episcopal Church. They separated from he Episcopal Diocese of Florida after a forty-day period of discernment. They have a strong mission focus and an active ministry with young people. Today they are an ethnically diverse community of approximately 100 under the leadership of the Rev’d David Allert.
Grace Church and St Stephen’s, Colorado Springs, Colorado
A historic church founded in 187,2 and the “mother church” of several congregations in Colorado Springs, Grace Church was one of the first Episcopal churches established in Colorado. In recent years they have found themselves unable to follow the direction taken by the current leadership of The Episcopal Church and have just completed a discernment process that culminated in a congregational vote this past Saturday. The congregation voted with a 93% majority to separate from the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and join CANA. They are an active worshiping community of approximately 550 under the leadership of the Rev’d Donald Armstrong.
Three other churches that have recently joined CANA include the following:
St Brendan’s, Washington, D.C.
St Brendan’s in the City is an emerging congregation in urban Washington, D.C. This congregation is particularly focused on social justice issues and inner-city ministry with marginalized people, as well as the contemplative life. St Brendan’s is led by the Rev’d Bill Haley who formerly served at The Falls Church (Falls Church, Virg.) as the founding pastor of Kairos and director of outreach.
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Garland, Texas
This parish is a new congregation formed initially by members of Holy Trinity Episcopal in Garland. After spending more than a year wrestling with issues prompted by the crisis in The Episcopal Church, this congregation made their decision to separate from the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas and join CANA, walking away from their property and purchasing land for a new church plant. Today they are an active worshipping community of approximately 250 under the leadership of the Rev’d Lawrence Harrison.
Celebration Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Established as a new CANA congregation, Celebration Church has a vision to reach people in the greater Fredericksburg area. They are committed to building a community of faith that is both rooted in historic Anglican teaching but also engaged with the challenges of contemporary living. They are already an active worshipping community of approximately 60 under the leadership of the Rev’d Toby Larson.
“I am very pleased that CANA is providing a safe haven for faithful Anglicans in the U.S. who feel cut off from the worldwide Anglican Communion,” said the Rt. Rev’d Martyn Minns, Bishop of CANA. “I am also delighted that we are reaching out and planting new congregations. It is especially appropriate that new people are coming to faith and new churches are being established as we celebrate the beginning of the Christian movement on the Feast of Pentecost.”
10 comments:
That's funny. Join CANA and you are cut off from the Anglican Communion.
Join CANA and you're not invited to the whites-only Lambeth conference
Join CANA and you go to heaven!
Join CANA and get on with the work of proclaiming the Gospel. Frankly, as I look back over the past few years I've spent far too much time trying to reconcile the irreconciliable. If I had it do over I would have urged the Falls Church to just walk away. Regardless, I can see a brighter future...once we're done shaking the dust off our sandals.
The thing is that the work of the church is done 99% at the parish level. Who cares what the presiding bishop thinks. Nothing ever prevented Truro from ministering in any way they wanted. Get on with it? They were doing it. Now, they're not because they're consumed with petty law suites and trying to manipulate the politics of the entire Anglican Communion. And in both of these games they're likely to lose. So sad. How the mighty fall.
If you think you have to join CANA to go to heaven, or think that by joining CANA you will go to heaven, I'm afraid you've got another thing coming. "Not everyone who says, 'Lord, lord'..." Before you start shaking the dust, please take a look at that 2x4 sticking out of your eye.
Plenty of orthodox people just don't see what CANA is doing as productive. In fact, by taking matters into their own hands, they show a complete lack of trust in what God can and will do. As the liberal TEC faulters and its numbers dwidle, it will be the remaining orthodox (who haven't been seduced by CANA's hysterics) that will be there to pick up the pieces. The battle will be one without a shot being fired (or a lawsuit filed).
Anon 1 & Anon 2 are at polar opposites but WAY out of bounds. Thus giving us our out-layers. Anon 3 has it correct except for what Anon reminded. In fact actually in some ways the narcissism has distracted the work of the Gospel (it's interesting leaving CANA to see how much the events were a distraction). The work of the Gospel is in season & out of season. Hopefully there are those called to still be a witness to TEC clergy.
I tend to favor Anon #4, especially about the warning! Remember Wesley's dream of Heaven & Hell, there will be plenty of CANA folks, along with TEC, AMiA, Methodist and Catholics in Hell, but only those who love and served the Lord in Heaven.
"WAY out of bounds"?
A reasonable interpretation of Martin not being invited to Lambeth is that by joining CANA you are cut off from the Anglican Communion. And now with Uganda, and perhaps Nigeria, deciding not to attend Lambeth that interpretation becomes more plausable. I know people will disagree and that time will tell, etc, etc, but I fail to see how this was "WAY out of bounds."
Anon 1
CANA is recognized as a mission of the Church of Nigeria. The Church of Nigeria was invited to Lambeth. CANA was not. Now we has a disputed status. This is not cut off from the AC as you have stated. So there is an error, certainly no mean 'cut off.'
Also your comment is a snip - "that's funny." So out of bounds as you face Lord Jesus and give an account of every loose word spoke (Matt 12:36-37). The rule of engagement didn't change just because I don't know who you are and your not saying this to in person. The Lord still reads email and blogs, our behavior sometimes demonstrates that reality is not one we're often conscience.
"WAY out of bounds" for the higher law of Charity that the Lord set forth.
On your logic, an Episcopalian who lives to NH cut off because +VGR was not invited?
Funny, as in paradoxical to the CANA statement, not as in funny "ha ha" or funny "stupid". I'm sorry you misunderstood.
Your point is taken re: +VGR, but you still must know that some people, perhaps including the ABC, do not consider CANA to be a legitimate part of the communion. "Cut off" would be a matter of interpretation with which I understand you do not agree.
I don't think being snippy is "WAY out of line". Sorry if I hurt your feelings.
No apology needed, and my estimation of you increased by your offer.
Cannon Kearon made an interesting statement a while back. He stated that CANA had not applied to ACC for official recognition (providence status), but it was a mission outreach of the Church of Nigeria, he believed. Not the condemnation ++Carey gave AMiA, which was not 'cut-off' either, but didn't recognize them because they were 'irregular.' Now Lord Carey now seems to be backtracking a bit, that's from Thinking Anglican (not a CANA friendly blog either). AMiA is now connected twice, once Rwanda, but also via FACA under ++Venables.
There is no way the ABC was going to invite either these groups or +VGR. Does not mean they are cut off, in fact he sent an envoy to the AMiA meeting in Jacksonville, FL. However +Minns and +VGR are symbols to his headaches.
I also apologies, I view your first post as a 'drive-by' instead of an opening to conversation. Peace be with you Anon #1.
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