Ground Breaking Diocese - OFFICIAL

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
3/8/2009

In an unprecedented move, a new Anglican diocese has formed outside of The Episcopal Church, but inside its jurisdiction. This is not a breakaway from the 100 Episcopal dioceses that make up TEC.

A meeting of seventy-three Anglican clergy and wardens in Jacksonville agreed to press ahead and form a new orthodox Anglican diocese. Also present were representatives of non-Alliance congregations interested in joining the Alliance.

Harris Willman, Anglican Alliance administrator, said the clergy and wardens from the twenty-one churches that constitute the Anglican Alliance met and agreed to form the diocese and ally themselves with the new Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) for the next six months, doing the detail work of developing mission and mission priorities and procedures as well as governance structures.

"It is now our intent to move forward as a Diocese in Formation in the Anglican Church in America for the next six months, doing the detail work of developing our mission and mission priorities and procedures as well as our governance structures."

"It is our desire to avoid duplicating the old structure and many of the procedural limitations of our previous denomination (The Episcopal Church). As much as possible we hope to find ways to serve Christ together similar to those described in the book of Acts. At the same time, our confidence lies not in our creating the perfect system, but rather in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church. We will also seek to define and describe the role of future episcopal leadership, emulating early church principles."


This is indeed ground breaking news, and symbolic of christian co-operation and Faith. I wish them the very best Blessings in this formation and look forward to following their success.