Lot’s going on in the AMiA these past few weeks. With the news stories that broke last week about internal conflict over the leadership, vision, structure and trajectory of the AMiA and now news of +Terrell’s resignation it will be curious to see the cumulative effect on the AMiA.
Interesting days.
+Terrell’s letter:
November 11,2011
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus.
I am writing to inform you that I have resigned from the Anglican Mission in America. I communicated this to my brother bishops earlier this week at our fall retreat in Myrtle Beach and submitted a letter to that effect to Bishop Murphy, our Chairman and Archbishop Rwaje’s Primatial Vicar. This is not a decision that I have made lightly or in haste or in reaction to any of the impending decisions about the future direction of the Anglican Mission that are before the Council of Bishops and the Anglican Mission. Rather, it is a decision that Teresa and I have made after several months of agonizing prayer as we have sought to do what we believe the Lord has called us to do.
For a while now, Bishop Murphy and I have sought to resolve personal issues between us. Regrettably, we have been unsuccessful. As Teresa and I prayed about this, we came to believe that the Lord was leading us to step out of the Anglican Mission and we are doing this in obedience to Him. In anticipation of this decision, we sought to hear the Lord about next steps but only heard Him clearly about this one. Therefore, we now are entering a period of discernment as to our future ministry.
There are two things that I ask of you at this time. First, please do not take our decision as an indication or recommendation from me as to what any of you should do in response to the proposed changes in the life of the Anglican Mission as it considers becoming a Missionary Society. Instead, I ask that you remain faithfully a part of the Anglican Mission and a vitally prayerful part of the process of discernment in which the Mission is currently engaged concerning its future. This means that discussions among you should be conducted in a manner worthy of the Gospel, that honors the leadership of the Anglican Mission and that is above reproach in every way. Second, and more personally, I ask for your prayers for direction for the Glenn family as we seek our Lord’s will for our lives.
Over these past three years and especially in this recent season in which I have been able to give a singular focus to serving as your bishop, Teresa and I have been blessed not only to deepen ministry relationships with you, but also to foster friendships. Truly, it has been an honor, privilege and joy to serve as your bishop. Teresa and I love you deeply and you will remain in our prayers.
In His Peace,
Bishop Terrell
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5 users responded in this post
So, what’s the real story, Steve?
I take Terrell’s statement at face value. He’s one of the few men I know whose integrity and character are unassailable.
I really appreciated his transparency in this letter. You don’t often see that from a bishop, really.
And his second to last paragraph is a solid example of leadership, in my opinion. It would be much easier to say nothing and let people polarize. Left to our own sinful nature, we do it anyway. But he specifically requests that people prayerfully stay engaged where they are, and if they feel pulled away, to enter into a time of intentional and thorough discernment, just as he and his family did. It’s always nice to see biblical leadership in action, although we St. Andrew’s people are fortunate to see a lot of it anyway
Sorry, had to plug our great clergy.
So, is the AMiA leadership a one man show?
[...] House of Bishops in light of the ultimatum issued to Chuck Murphy. Two bishops, Terrell Glenn (who resigned from the AMiA a few weeks ago over unresolved issues with Chuck Murphy) and Thad Barnum did not submit their resignations and are still members of the Rwandan House of [...]