Posted on 10/27/2005 5:55:16 PM PDT by sionnsar
The Anglican Alliance of North Florida was formed in September 2005 to provide Biblically-centered churches and clergy in the Anglican Communion a framework for unified witness and ministry in North Florida. The churches include congregations in the Episcopal Church, congregations which have left the Episcopal Church and come under the oversight of overseas bishops, and congregations formed under the Anglican Mission in America. Today the AANF announces several important new developments:
–the six congregations which had appealed for “alternative episcopal oversight,” reached an agreement last week with their bishop, the Rt. Rev. John Howard, to seek to work out the terms of their separation from the diocese in an “amicable and Christian” way. This includes a commitment on their part not to leave without consultation, and on the part of Bishop Howard not to take adverse actions against priests on account of their announcing their intentions to leave. Both sides will also seek to find resolutions without resorting to litigation, and have agreed to have terms in place for each congregation by January 6th at the latest. The agreement reflects the judgment of the leadership of the churches that the Episcopal Church will not reverse course on its unbiblical positions, and that the appeal for alternative episcopal oversight was at a dead end.
–as the first phase in this process, the Rev. David Sandifer, Vicar at Calvary Church, and the Mission Board of Calvary (one of the six congregations requesting oversight), have reached an agreement with Bishop Howard concerning their separation from the Diocese of Florida. They will hold their first service at their new location at the University Center of the University of North Florida on Nov. 6th. The congregation plans to come under the oversight of another bishop. The Rev. Sandifer said that “we are thankful to Bishop Howard for his graciousness in this transition. This is the conclusion of a long effort to separate from the unbiblical stance of the Episcopal Church, while remaining in unity with fellow orthodox Anglicans, both locally and abroad” (see the press release at calvaryjax.org).
–the Anglican Fellowship of High Springs (Diocese of Recife, Brazil), under the Rev. Claudia Kalis, has joined the AANF as a congregation, and the Revs. Peter Wait, Lynne Ashmead, Gil Crosby, John Eason and Gene Strickland have joined the AANF as individual priests.
The AANF (www.anglicanalliancenf.org) members look forward to expanding ministry and mission together in North Florida as the continuing realignment in the Anglican Communion unfolds.
There are twelve member congregations and 35 member priests in the AANF. The member congregations are: All Souls Church–Anglican, Calvary Anglican Church, Christ the King Anglican Fellowship (AMiA), and Church of the Redeemer in Jacksonville; Church of the Advent, St Luke’s Community of Life and St Peter’s Anglican Church in Tallahassee; Grace Church and Emmaus Road Church (AMiA), in Orange Park; St. Michael’s Church in Gainesville; St. Teresa Parish in Wakulla County; and the Anglican Fellowship of High Springs.
Contact information: The Rev. Neil Lebhar, redeemerrector (at) bellsouth (dot) net
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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