Christ Church Plano Affiliates with ACNA

I was pleased to learn of this news from David Roseberry, the Rector of Christ Church, Plano, TX.

From David Roseberry+,

Dear Friends,

Today I have an important announcement about our affiliation with the Anglican world.  Since our departure from the Episcopal Church in 2006, the Vestry of Christ Church and our clergy have been careful to stay connected to the larger Anglican world through our bishops. We have been affiliated with the AMiA (Anglican Mission in the Americas) since January of 2007. It has been a very happy relationship. We have been well served and, by God’s Grace, we (our church and its clergy) have been able to make significant contributions to its mission and ministry. It has been a blessing to be there.

In the summer of 2009, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) was born. Representatives of all the Anglican bodies within U.S. and Canada attended a conference in Bedford and launched the beginnings of a new “proto-Province” within the Anglican Communion. Then, as many here would remember, the Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan was instituted as the new Archbishop of the ACNA at Christ Church.  Those who attended would surely agree with me: It was one of the finest moments I can remember at Christ Church.

It was at this Investiture that Anglican1000 was born.  At this Investiture, the world “saw” the fullness of this new fledgling movement.  There were dozens of bishops, hundreds of clergy, and still hundreds more laity.  Many of us were weeping for joy to be part of a new united work that God was doing in our North America.

Recently, for reasons fully explained in a letter to the members of the AMiA, Bishop Chuck Murphy led the AMiA through a change of status within the ACNA.  He and the Council of Bishops of the AMiA petitioned the ACNA to be a “Ministry Partner” rather than a full member of the ACNA. Much of the reasons for this have to do with the AMiA’s desire to stay fully linked with the Province of Rwanda and maintain their own missionary culture in North America.

In consultation with our Vestry and our clergy, I have asked Bishop Murphy to accept our request for transfer to the ACNA, in order to remain within the North American provincial structure.  Bishop Murphy graciously heard my desire and will grant our transfer.  Therefore, within the next week or so, our congregation, our clergy, and our parish will be canonically transferred to the ACNA.

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