http://fca.net/ Latest news fom FCA North America en-us Tue, 10 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT Tue, 10 Jun 2009 09:41:01 GMT Expression Engine webmaster@fca.net webmaster@fca.net 5 /northamerica/news/october_pastoral_letter/ A Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya and Chairman of the FCA Primates Council to the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans

October 29, 2012

The day we give special thanks for James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1885

My dear people of God:

Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Primates’ Council has just concluded its October 2012 meeting in Dar es Salaam where we witnessed the blessing of God in a number of key areas:

• In the increase of our numbers
• Through the achievements of our April meeting
• By the testimonies of those who are joining with us
• In the new funding provided for our communication efforts
• Through our decision to meet again in a Global assembly
• By the recognition that we are not alone in this spiritual battle

We gathered in this historic city grateful for the faithful witness of the Anglican Church of Tanzania during these challenging times. The Most Reverend Valentine Mokiwa, Bishop of the Diocese of Dar es Salaam and Primate of Tanzania, welcomed us. We were made aware of some of the current difficulties facing Tanzania and committed ourselves to prayer for protection for the Church and peace and prosperity for all of this nation’s citizens.

During our meeting we were vividly reminded of the costly struggles of so many of our fellow Christians, whether facing violent persecution, natural disaster or spiritual conflict with competing ideologies. Such struggles have shaped our intention to use the next Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON2), now to be anticipated in October 2013 (rather than May as previously indicated) to stand in solidarity with all of our oppressed sisters and brothers and to study the theme of declaring the gospel of God ‘in the midst of much conflict’ (1Thessalonians 2:2).
We were pleased to welcome the Most Reverend Henri Isingoma, Primate of the Anglican Church of the Congo as member of the Primates’ Council. We are thankful for his faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his embrace of the tenets of the Jerusalem Declaration and his enthusiastic support for the work of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.

We reflected on our meeting in London this past April when we gathered 200 leaders from 31 countries and enjoyed outstanding fellowship. We received excellent theological and biblical material that is now published on the GAFCON website. We also heard remarkable testimonies of leadership under pressure from around the Communion. But perhaps the most telling quote was from a Nigerian bishop who said, ‘Now we know we are not alone.’ That is at the heart of our calling as the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans – to provide an authentic Anglican community for those who have been alienated for whatever reason.

As a result of the increased aggressiveness of the revisionists there are now those in every province and beyond who wish to stand with us and who need our help to stand for Christ: in Recife (Brazil), in South Carolina, in the Church of Scotland, in Ireland, in England, in Australia and many more. We received reports from various FCA affiliates and rejoice in their faithful witness in the face of tremendous pressure and were delighted to receive an application for the establishment of an FCA affiliate in Australia.

We were also reminded of the need for prayer for those who will gather in Auckland, New Zealand, for the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. In particular we prayed that they will avoid compromise and have the courage to declare boldly the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is good news for all people at all times and in all cultures.

We also rejoiced in the news that we have now received funding to expand our Communication efforts and look forward to more regular communication between our various constituencies and the ability to be able to share the remarkable stories of courageous and costly discipleship. We are also hopeful that this will also be a means by which we can be more effectively mobilized for intercession for one another and the communities that we serve.

From our very inception we have always understood that our fight is not with any particular person, political party, program or province but rather we are engaged an age-old battle for the soul of the Church.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, … Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (1)

At its heart we are engaged in a spiritual and theological struggle and we were unanimous in our commitment to renew the FCA Theological Commission with Provincial representation and a revised mandate that will provide theological resources to address areas of current concern.

We concluded our meeting with a glorious service of evening worship at the Cathedral of St Albans in Dar es Salaam. As we sang the familiar words of the evening hymn “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended” (2) we gave thanks that “The Voice of Prayer is Never Silent. Nor dies the strain of praise way!” We are indeed not alone!

In Christ’s love and service,

The Most Reverend Eliud Wabukala
On behalf of the FCA Primates Council


1. Ephesians 6:12-20
2. Psalm 42:8, John Ellerton, 1870 2012-10-29T22:05:03+00:00 /northamerica/news/october_pastoral_letter/ /northamerica/news/fca_leadership_conference_2012/ FCA Leadership Conference 2012

CHRIST: UNIQUE AND SUPREME

Monday April 23rd to Friday April 27th 2012
St Mark's Anglican Church, Battersea Rise, London

By invitation only

Click here for more information

2011-12-12T09:43:24+00:00 /northamerica/news/fca_leadership_conference_2012/ /northamerica/news/nairobi_statement_released/ GAFCON Primates, meeting in council in Nairobi after Easter, have issued a communique.

You can view the statement at the GAFCON site. 2011-05-11T01:50:17+00:00 /northamerica/news/nairobi_statement_released/ /northamerica/news/communique_from_the_primates_council_of_the_fellowship_of_confessing_anglic/ A Communiqué has been issued Primates Council of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON/FCA) from its meeting in Bermuda, in April 2010.

The full statement can be read on the GAFCON site. 2010-04-10T03:39:02+00:00 /northamerica/news/communique_from_the_primates_council_of_the_fellowship_of_confessing_anglic/ /northamerica/news/being_faithful_now_available_for_download/ The Commentary on the landmark Anglican ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ has been released in digital form and is available for immediate download.

More details at the GAFCON site and a copy has been posted in FCA resources. 2010-02-17T13:28:14+00:00 /northamerica/news/being_faithful_now_available_for_download/ /northamerica/news/anglican_relief_and_development_fund_reports_on_haiti_work/ Anglicans have donated more than $70,000 through the Anglican Relief and Development Fund to support immediate relief in Haiti in the first week following the earthquake that struck the impoverished island nation on January 12.

According to Nancy Norton, executive director of Anglican Relief and Development Fund, the organization is partnering with World Relief, a large and well established evangelical Christian relief agency. Working with World Relief ensures that these donations have an immediate positive effect in Haiti, where current estimates are that more than 200,000 have died and more than a million people are without shelter in the aftermath of the earthquake.

World Relief has had a long presence in Haiti, empowering the local church with health, economic and social development projects. World Relief's Disaster Response team is providing urgent medical care to hundreds of injured people at the Kings Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's devastated capital. They have also set up feeding centers in partnership with local churches, providing thousands of hot meals to hungry earthquake survivors. Volunteers from local Haitian churches are operating the centers. World Relief can feed a person two meals a day - lunch and dinner - for less than $2. It costs approximately $375 to feed 200 people rice and beans at lunch and milk porridge for dinner.

"Thank you to everyone who contributed through Anglican Relief and Development to help in Haiti. The generosity of our donors has been overwhelming. This financial outpouring will allow us to not only assist in immediate relief work, but also to be part of the rebuilding process through development projects in Haiti later this year. The needs in this terribly damaged nation will continue," said Norton.

Donations for our continued work there can be made online at http://www.anglicanaid.net or by sending a check to the Anglican Relief and Development Fund at:

ARDF
PO Box 3830
Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3830 2010-01-22T19:56:47+00:00 /northamerica/news/anglican_relief_and_development_fund_reports_on_haiti_work/ /northamerica/news/the_fellowship_of_confessing_anglicans_and_the_anglican_church_in_north_ame/ This article first appeared in the September 18, 2009 edition of the American Anglican Council's weekly email update. If you would like to receive this free email, click here.

By The Rev. Phil Ashey, J.D.

The mission of the American Anglican Council has included from our very inception the renewal of Anglicanism in North America, and a commitment to build "A Society of Great Commission Churches." While some would say that the battle for renewal of orthodox Anglicanism in The Episcopal Church is largely over, the battle for the renewal of orthodox, Biblical, confessional Christianity in the Anglican Communion has only just begun. It is in this context that we continue to rejoice in the beginning of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in North America (FCA-NA).

What is the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans?

On the 29th of June, 2008, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), issued the Jerusalem Declaration and announced the establishment of "a fellowship of confessing Anglicans for the benefit of the Church and the furtherance of its mission."

a) It is a global fellowship of people united in the communion of the one Spirit and committed to work and pray together in the common mission of Christ.
b) It is a 'confessing fellowship' in that its members confess the faith of Christ crucified, stand firm for the gospel in the global and Anglican context, and affirm a contemporary rule, the Jerusalem Declaration, to guide the movement for the future.
c) It is a global fellowship of Anglicans, including provinces, dioceses, churches, missionary jurisdictions, parachurch organizations and individual Anglican Christians whose goal is to help reform, heal and revitalise the Anglican Communion and expand its mission to the world.

Since GAFCON, we have seen regional organizations of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans form in the U.K. and South Africa. Over 1,000 people attended the launch of the FCA in London in July, and the South African FCA was launched earlier this month.

The Secretary for the GAFCON Primate's Council and FCA director, Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen, has asked the AAC to organize the FCA in North America.

Leaving no Anglican

The announcement of the launch of the FCA-NA last weekend during the SEWAAC meeting at Nashotah House was greeted with applause. And why not? The American Anglican Council has applied for recognition of FCA-NA as a "Ministry Partner" of the Anglican Church in North America (AC-NA) under its Canons. People applauded because they recognized that FCA-NA meets a need to "leave no Anglican behind."

We know there are many individual Anglicans who would like to be moré closely affiliated with the AC-NA and its promise to renew orthodox Anglicanism in North America. According to the Constitution and Canons of the AC-NA, membership comes through joining a local AC-NA congregation. But here is a problem: what about those individuals in the great diaspora across North America who are isolated and far removed from an AC-NA church or church plant? If no reasonable opportunity exists to join a local AC-NA congregation, how can they become connected?

If approved as a Ministry Partner by the AC-NA, the FCA-NA will enable such individuals, otherwise isolated and scattered, an opportunity to be connected as ministry partners of the AC-NA, if they so desire and until they can become full members by establishing or planting a local AC-NA church.

The FCA will help the AC-NA plant churches across North America:

When people join FCA-NA at http://www.fca.net, the information they submit includes their location. One of the primary goals of FCA-NA will be to encourage connection and networking among FCA-NA members within a geographical area. When there is enough interest, inspiration, and motivation for planting a new and local AC-NA church, FCA will work with the leadership of the AC-NA to raise up from the community a church planter and/or church planting team, connect them to church planting resources, and perhaps in some cases work to identify an AC-NA church planter to move in and help build the church. We believe this will be a significant contribution to the AC-NA's goal of planting 1,000 new churches-especially in areas that are not contiguous to existing AC-NA dioceses.

What about those who wish to join FCA-NA but not the AC-NA:

Any person who agrees with and signs The Jerusalem Declaration is welcome!

As members of the FCA-NA connect and network with each other within a geographical area, we recognize that each person will choose the church with whom they wish to affiliate and worship. Some will choose to remain in TEC. Some will choose to work for the establishment of a new AC-NA congregation. Others will choose another alternative.

Strategies will differ according to local circumstances, but a common declaration of faith lies at the heart of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. The Jerusalem Declaration and the commitment to the renewal of orthodox, biblical, Christ-centered, confessional and missional Anglicanism are what bind members of the FCA-NA together.

The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans is not synonymous with the Anglican Church in North America. The FCA is a voluntary membership association dedicated to the renewal of confessional Anglicanism worldwide. The Anglican Church in North America is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction - a Church and, God-willing and 2/3 of the Primates and Provinces consenting, the 39th Province of the Anglican Communion. As we share the same goals for the renewal of Anglicanism, we hope to work together as partners in mission and ministry.

We invite every orthodox Anglican in North America to join the FCA-NA. Why? Because it gives you a connection to GAFCON and the millions of fellow confessing Anglicans across the world And because it connects you to a fresh wind of Holy Spirit renewal within the Anglican Communion!

Are there significant theological differences between FCA and the AC-NA?

Some object to differences they see between the Jerusalem Declaration and the Fundamental Declarations in Article I of the AC-NA Constitution. The same GAFCON Primates who authored the Jerusalem Declaration also called for the formation of Constitution and Canons for a new orthodox province in North America. They have given their unequivocal blessing to the AC-NA and its Constitution and Canons. They do not see differences between the Jerusalem Declaration and the Fundamental Declarations as preventing partnership in mission. And the AC-NA bishops (then "Common Cause Partners") signed the Jerusalem Declaration at their December 2008 meeting at Wheaton. Surely there is sufficient agreement on the Gospel message to be able to proclaim it in peaceable fellowship with each other.

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:3-6

May it be so, as we partner together in Kingdom mission and ministry, committed to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of all, and for the renewal of Anglicanism!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Phil Ashey, COO and Chaplain, American Anglican Council 2009-09-23T02:01:42+00:00 /northamerica/news/the_fellowship_of_confessing_anglicans_and_the_anglican_church_in_north_ame/ /northamerica/news/fca_welcomes_new_primate_of_nigeria/ GAFCON/FCA welcomes new Primate of Nigeria

Media Statement 16/9/09

Archbishop Nicholas Orogodo Okoh has been elected as the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

The news of his election was announced after Episcopal Synod held on 15th September, 2009.

56 year old Archbishop Okoh is currently the Archbishop of Bendel Province and bishop of Asaba.

Archbishop Dr Peter Jensen, general secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) welcomed the news "Nicholas Okoh was present at the foundation of GAFCON and has played a leading part in the movement. Archbishop Okoh has made a significant contribution as the Chairman of the Theological Resource group. He is an able and committed Christian leader and we warmly welcome his appointment."
2009-09-15T23:41:39+00:00 /northamerica/news/fca_welcomes_new_primate_of_nigeria/ /northamerica/news/cursillo_finds_new_anglican_expression/ Source: Anglican Church in North America - Via Email

August 29,2009

Ambridge, PA - On Saturday, August 29, 2009, a group of Cursillo leaders from the Anglican Church in North American met in Bedford, TX, to form Anglican 4thDay.

The name Anglican 4thDay was selected as it best symbolizes the Cursillo experience, which begins with small group interactions and leads to a three-day retreat. The emphasis on Piety, Study, and Action provides pilgrims with a pattern to living a meaningful and robust Christian life.

"Though we are changing our name," said Kathleen Adams, one of the original organizers," we will be continuing the traditions passed down to us in the Cursillo experience."

The day and half meeting in Texas was exciting and productive. From it, Articles of Incorporation were approved and signed, Board members were elected, By-Laws were adopted, and the first draft of the Anglican 4thDay handbook was reviewed.

Cursillo (Cursillos en la Cristiandad) was originally founded in the mid-1940's in Majorca, Spain, by Roman Catholic priests and laymen as a method for developing Christian leaders.

"We are very pleased," said Ms. Adams," that this evangelical experience will continue in the new Anglican Church in North America."

By of the first of 2010, the Anglican 4thDay National Board will be ready to receive applications for affiliation from Anglican Cursillo leadership groups across our Province. 2009-09-09T16:08:17+00:00 /northamerica/news/cursillo_finds_new_anglican_expression/ /northamerica/news/archbishop_duncan_open_letter_to_the_anglican_communion/ Two Cities: One Choice
An Open Letter to the Anglican Communion

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There are times in the history of God's people when the prevailing values and behaviors of those then in control of rival cities symbolizes a choice to be made by all of God's people. For Anglicans such a moment has certainly arrived. The cities symbolizing the present choice are Bedford, Texas, and Anaheim, California. In the last month, the contrasting behaviors and values of the religious leaders who met in these two small cities made each a symbol of Anglicanism's inescapable choice.

Jerusalem and Babylon come to mind as the Scriptural cities which are enduring symbols of choices to be made by God's people, and of what can happen when God's people make a choice for something other than God's Way, God's Truth, God's Life, as set out in God's Covenant, whether Old or New.

Charles Dickens contrasts London and Paris in the last quarter of the 18th Century in his Tale of Two Cities. Both cities are in crisis, but one operates from received values and behaviors, while the other attempts to re-make the world to its own revolutionary tastes.

St. Augustine of Hippo in his De Civitate Dei contrasts the City of God and the City of the World, explaining the fate of Rome in terms of the favor that comes from conforming to the behaviors and values of the Heavenly City as over against the Earthly City.

The Anglican Church in North America, whose leaders met at Bedford, Texas, from June 20th to June 25th, embraced the values and behaviors familiar to Christians in every age: daily repenting of human sin in disobeying the one Lord, embracing the need (both personal and corporate) of a divine Savior, and recommitting to the proclamation in word and deed of the gospel of transforming love. The unity at Bedford, despite very real differences, was palpable.

The Episcopal Church, whose leaders met at Anaheim, California, from July 8th to 17th, blessed the values and behaviors of a re-defined Christianity: enabling a revisionist anthropology, budgeting litigation rather than evangelism, and confusing received understandings of Scriptural truth, not least concerning the necessity of individual salvation in Christ Jesus. At Anaheim, there were those who valiantly stood against the revolutionary majority, and their pain and grief at what was happening was heartbreaking for all who saw it, not least for their brothers and sisters in the Anglican Church in North America.

The North American poet, Robert Frost, once wrote: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less traveled by. That has made all the difference." For Anglican Christians, for the Instruments of Unity (Communion), for interdependent Provinces, for ordinary believers, there is a choice to be made. The choice is between two religions, two roads, two cities, two sets of conflicting values and behaviors. In Deuteronomy, chapter 30, Moses sets the choice as between blessing and curse, life and death. For contemporary Anglicanism the present choice is this stark.

I write this humbly and as a sinner. I also write it as one whose hope is in Christ alone, and with deepest love for all for whom He died and rose again.

Faithfully and Obediently,
The Most Reverend Robert William Duncan, D.D.

Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America
Anglican Bishop of Pittsburgh



2009-07-21T18:26:29+00:00 /northamerica/news/archbishop_duncan_open_letter_to_the_anglican_communion/