I have only just arrived home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina after spending most of this week at the Provincial Synod of the Original Province of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), presided over by Archbishop Mark D. Haverland, Metropolitan. Among the visiting bishops were Archbishop John Augustine, Primate of the Second Province of the ACC in India, and other Indian bishops. Also, and of great interest to readers in the Continuing Anglican jurisdictions, seat and voice were given to Archbishop Peter Robinson of the United Episcopal Church in North America (UECNA), the Rt. Rev. Brian Marsh Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church in America (ACA), and the Rt. Rev. Walter Grundorf of the Anglican Province in America (APA). Also present were bishops from Africa and clergy from Haiti; and I plan to report more details in the coming week here on The Continuum. News about what is happening on those fronts will be included.
The importance of having the Presiding Bishops of the ACA and the APA at this Provincial Synod of the ACC-OP cannot be overstated. One result of the Roman Catholic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, is clearer communication and shared desire for unity among these chief bishops. Each has a firm commitment to remaining Anglican and to adhering to the principles established for the Continuing Church in 1977 at St. Louis. It is time for everyone to pray and work for and to expect the emergence, in real time, of one and only one recognized Continuing Anglican Church, with all present.
8 comments:
Commendable!
And it was quite an honor to finally meet you face to face, Father Hart. I only wish I had seen Fr. Wells (was he even there?).
In Jesus,
Steven A. Badal
ACC Layman
Church of the Holy Guardian Angels
Lantana, FL
No, Fr Wells was not there. He has not entirely recovered from the arm fracture he suffered last August, which makes long driving trips out of the question. But from three early reports here and on Facebook, it was a marvellous Synod. An exchange of visitors and observers across our jurisdictional lines is a splendid idea and I fervently hope this will create a precedent, until those lines have been erased.
It was a great time being with all my fellow synnors.
This is quite a development. I look forward to reading more about it.
Will there be news on the ACC official website?
RC Cola
One of the announcements made at Synod was concerning a new ACC website. Long awaited and the result of a lot of hard work by Fr Jonathan Foggin. I am sure it will carry a full report from Synod, which was truly encouraging and inspiring, when it is launched in the near future.
+DM
Bravo!!! I sincerely believe your united voice will greatly influence other Anglican bodies, especially ACNA and my own CEEC, to adhere more closely to Sacred Tradition. The Continuing Anglican bodies, though organisationally fractured, have, more than other Anglicans, held closest to that Tradition. Only when we are organically united in Holy Tradition are we really One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church whether or not we are united organisationally. May the Lord guide and bless all your endeavours.
Fr. Wells,
May our Lord grant you a speedy recovery! We shall meet then at synod in May, dear Father.
Steve
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