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OTTAWA: Canadians and Americans Join Hands. Realignment begins in earnest

CANADIANS AND AMERICANS JOIN HANDS. REALIGNMENT BEGINS IN EARNEST

By David W. Virtue
in Ottawa

OTTAWA, ON.-(9/2/2004)--Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, leader of the U.S. Anglican Communion Network got a standing ovation from 700 orthodox Canadian Anglicans at their ESSENTIALS conference this week, and then he launched into an appeal for unity across geographic borders, saying it was "the work of the enemy to divide us."

"We will be close allies in a biblically-driven, orthodox, remnant gathering, uniting and missionary movement, and He who has called you is faithful and he will do it", said the Evangelical catholic bishop, citing Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. Then he praised the Canadian orthodox Anglicans.

"In forming Essentials you were the first to figure out how to put the charismatic, evangelical and Anglo-Catholics together, and when the terrible innovation moved forward in the Diocese of New Westminster, you stood so clearly showing to the world how it could be done," he told a receptive audience.

"One of the great sadnesses as we get moving is that the enemy is always trying to divide us from each other; the AAC from the AMIA, the ACiNW from the ACiC evangelicals from Anglo-Catholics...but these divisions are not of the Lord it is of the enemy," he said.

Duncan said the newly formed Canadian Conference of North American Anglican Bishops (CNAAB) must hang together or hang separately. "God is doing a new thing, so we must cooperate. We must see what God is doing with our corporate identity. We have gotten so far off track and yet he keeps coming back because he wants to use us and transform us and he keeps coming after us."

Duncan said the ACN had grown "staggeringly" since its inception. "On August 5, 2003 I stood before the U.S. House of Bishops and said that the General Convention had broken the constitutions and strayed from the faith once delivered and I said you are in schism with the whole Christian Church.

Six weeks later at a meeting in London Dr. Rowan Williams used the term 'The Network of Confessing Dioceses'suggesting a concept able to stand against the totalitarianism and the abuse of power and authority from ECUSA's revisionist leadership. In November four diocesans signed a memorandum of agreement. Nine more came on board, then one backed off. By January 2004 we had gathered in 12 dioceses and the Network was formed. Now three quarters of the world's Anglicans stand with us."

"We adopted a charter on January 20 and on January 25th I found myself seated with the Primates of the Congo, Kenya, and Sudan at the enthronement of the Primate of Uganda in place of the ECUSA Presiding Bishop...five days after we had chartered the Network.

Duncan said the Network now had 11 dioceses, within which are 1,100 clergy, 735 congregations, and 176,000 communicants,. Beyond this base of 11 dioceses are 7 convocations, two of which are non-geographic, including Forward in Faith. The newest convocation is The Church of Nigeria in America CONA - started in May and is growing by leaps and bounds, he said.

"The House of Bishops of Nigeria has called Nigerian Anglicans out of ECUSA and are forming a this new convocation. There are some 500,000 ex-patriot Nigerians in the U.S. There are missionary possibilities for all African ex-pats, there are exciting opportunities among Anglos as well . In partnership with the Network, the Church of Nigeria is determined to create new dynamic gospel-driven churches where Anglicans could go and find a recognizable liturgy and faith."

22 of 38 Anglican Provinces have declared broken or impaired Communion with ECUSA. 15 of these Provinces now officially recognize the Network. Additionally, in the States, three church groups outside ECUSA have declared Common Cause with the Network: AMiA, REC and APA. There are 70 AMIA congregations, 137 Reformed Episcopal Church congregations, 55 APA congregations. The AMIA has 15,000 members; the REC has 15,000 members and the APA 5,000. This would add a total of 232 congregations and 35,000 communicants," he said.

Duncan said there were two seminaries - Nashotah House and Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry that are solidly committed to the gospel; and The Network. Eight former ECUSA mission agencies have commited to the Network, forming Anglican Global Mission Partners. Within the month there will be announcement of a new Relief and Development Agency with start-up capital $1.25 million to invest in the Global South through a newly formed Network fund.

"God is doing this new work. I hope that encourages you. We didn't do it, it is not our plan...it is not some great idea of ours. God is the one who is doing it," said Duncan. "The way forward is in Him. We don't have answers and we don't see the next step. God gave us a vision of united, orthodox, missionary movement, gospel living, gospel preaching church. Our best image is the children of Israel in the wilderness after Egypt, going out in faith and simply following God's direction and refining."

Duncan said the orthodox must give up their idols, bishops included. “We need to give up our pride and the fractures we have caused. We need to get over it; swallow it. God does not use unbroken men and women."

"The way forward is together. God is building a new Anglicanism in North America."

The third step is to go forward together in mission. When in doubt do the mission. Duncan said on some days he trusted the vision for the Network, "but on our best days we trusted the Lord."

NOTE: If you are not receiving this from VIRTUOSITY, the Anglican Communion's largest biblically orthodox Episcopal/Anglican Online News Service, then you may subscribe FREE by going to: www.virtuosityonline.org. Virtuosity's website has been accessed by more than one million readers in 45 countries on six continents. This story is copyrighted but may be freely forwarded electronically with reference to VIRTUOSITY and the author. No changes are permitted in the text.

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