Diocese of the Rio Grande: Bishop Kelshaw Joins the Anglican Church of Uganda

As we remember, Bishop Steenson, elected to replace Bishop Terrence Kelshaw as the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, went to Rome right after the House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans. Now Bishop Kelshaw has been received into the Anglican Church of Uganda, the same church were the ADV Bishop John Guernsey is also a bishop. Bishop Kelshaw joins at least ten other bishops who have left or are leaving (we believe more are on the way) for other Anglican provinces or to the Roman Catholic Church, including ADV Bishop David Bena, former Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Albany and his former diocesan, Bishop Dan Hertzog who went to Rome. Houston, we've got a problem.

UPDATE: Thanks to a posting by Jill Woodliff at SF, here is a list of Episcopal bishops who have left TEC or have announced their retirements in the last year:

3-07 Bena (retired suffragan of Albany)—CANA
3-07 Cox (retired suffragan Maryland and assisting Oklahoma)—Southern Cone
3-07 Herzog (retired Albany)—Roman Catholic
4-07 Ohl (Northwest Texas)—announces retirement
6-07 Fairfield (retired North Dakota)—Uganda
8-07 Pope (retired Fort Worth)—Roman Catholic
9-07 Steenson (Rio Grande)—Roman Catholic
11-07 Lipscomb (retired Southwest Florida)—Roman Catholic
11-07 Itty (Oregon)—announces retirement
11-07 Harvey (retired Canada)—Southern Cone
11-07 Harding (retired Canada)—Southern Cone
12-07 Schofield (San Joaquin)—Southern Cone
2-08 Louttit (Georgia)—announces retirement
2-08 Kelshaw (retired Rio Grande)—Uganda

Here is the announcement regarding Bishop Kelshaw from StandFirm:

The following announcement is from the Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Rio Grande.

In an email to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori, dated February 14, 2008, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Terence Kelshaw stated that he has been received into the Province of Uganda. Bishop Kelshaw wrote, "I have therefore requested and been received into the Province of the Church of Uganda (where I once lived for two years) and I believe I sense a certain security and unity with that decision and with that Province."

No consent to his resignation is required, since he is not a sitting bishop. The Presiding Bishop will, in due course, send out a notice that renunciation of his ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church has been received and he has been removed from our rolls and released from the obligations of ordained ministry in this Church. (Per David Booth Beers, Chancellor for The Episcopal Church.)

Bishop Kelshaw has been scheduled, for many weeks, to preside at the Confirmation Service at St. James, Clovis. After consulting with David Booth Beers, it would appear that, with the permission of the Standing Committee, Bishop Kelshaw can preside at the service without issue as to the validity of the confirmations. Canon Kelly is giving consent to Bishop Kelshaw for this weekend's service of Confirmation. Further information will be distributed as events unfold.