Important Announcement from All Saints' Church

June 22, 2007

To: The All Saints' Church family

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today I have been notified that the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda has elected me as a Bishop in the Church of Uganda to serve its congregations in the United States. (A copy of the Church of Uganda's announcement is attached, below.) Let me hasten to add that I will not be leaving All Saints'. This is a call to continue to serve as Rector here, while also serving as bishop for the Ugandan churches in this country, currently numbering 26.

I have the deepest respect for our Archbishop, Henry Orombi, and for our Bishop, Edward Muhima. I know that they and the entire House of Bishops have sought the Lord over this decision, and I trust and am submitted to their wisdom and direction. I am humbled and more than a bit overwhelmed by it. But through my own prayers and through the confirmation and strong support of the Vestry (see their statement, below), the Lord has given me peace and joyful confidence that He is indeed calling me to this wider role. In many ways, this is a call of God upon all of us at All Saints'. The Church of Uganda is asking us to expand our understanding of what it means to be a "sending church," calling us to serve the larger church in a new and significant way.

But, of course, this is about neither you nor me. It is about the Lord, His Gospel and His mission. "We do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5). May that lifting up of our gracious Savior be the hallmark of all that you and I seek to do.

This responsibility will require me to be away from All Saints' on some Sundays to make visitations to other congregations, but I will still be at All Saints' on most Sundays. All Saints' is and will be my home, and I have more excitement, more passion than ever for the Vision the Lord has given us: to be a church "overflowing with God's love and healing power." I will continue to be directly involved in the fulfillment of this vision. Together, we have a new church to build, a congregation to grow and a community to reach for Christ.

It is Archbishop Orombi's desire and mine that I continue to work in close partnership with Bishop Robert Duncan and the Deans of the Anglican Communion Network, with Bishop-Elect Bill Atwood of the Church of Kenya, Bishop Martyn Minns of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), Bishop Chuck Murphy of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) and all our Common Cause partners. This is not a step to build a separate structure, but rather toward the creation of a united, biblical missionary Anglicanism in America.

The service of consecration will be held on Sunday, September 2 in Mbarara, Uganda, about a four-hour drive southwest of Kampala. All of you are invited, though I realize that the expense and time of travel will prevent most from attending. If you might be interested in making the trip, please contact the church office for details.

The Vestry and I will hold a question and answer session about all of this following the 11:00 service on Sunday, July 1. Feel free also to contact any member of the Vestry, the church office or me directly. If you should receive an inquiry from the media, please refer them to the church office.

I am so very thankful for my amazing clergy colleagues, Valarie Whitcomb and Mark Brown, for our dedicated staff and for our godly and faithful Vestry. Please pray for them as they assume greater responsibility.

And please pray for me. In light of this call, I am more than ever in need of your prayers. All Saints' is a church based on prayer and I hope that this will bring forth in each of us a greater yearning for deeper intimacy with the Lord and a renewed zeal for fervent, united intercession.

I love you all and I am so profoundly thankful for our partnership in the Gospel.

Faithfully yours in Christ,

John A. M. Guernsey

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A Statement of Support from the All Saints' Vestry:

Upon prayerful consideration, the Vestry of All Saints' Church unanimously affirms the election of John Guernsey as a Bishop in the Church of Uganda for its churches in the United States. We support John's act of obedience in taking on this ministry to orthodox Anglicans in this country, while remaining faithfully committed as Rector to his church home here at All Saints'. We share in the excitement over where God is taking us as a church and in His plans to use John and All Saints' in powerful ways to further His purposes.

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21st June 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Church of Uganda

Church of Uganda to Consecrate an American Bishop

The Most Rev'd Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda, with the consent of the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, given in December 2006 and reaffirmed today, will consecrate the Rev. John A.M. Guernsey, an American priest canonically resident in North Kigezi Diocese, Church of Uganda, as a Bishop in the Church of Uganda. He will be consecrated in Mbarara on 2nd September 2007, together with Rev. George Tibesigwa, Bishop-elect of Ankole Diocese.

Bishop-elect Guernsey will provide local episcopal oversight to the 26 congregations in the United States that are part of the Church of Uganda, on behalf of the ten Ugandan Bishops currently providing episcopal care to Biblically orthodox American congregations. He will also continue to serve as Rector of All Saints Church, Dale City, Virginia.

Archbishop Orombi said, "Rev. Guernsey has a long history with the Church of Uganda, including many short visits to Uganda for teaching and preaching missions. He is highly respected by clergy and Bishops in the Church of Uganda, and has also been a pastoral and strategic leader in the Anglican Communion Network as Dean of the Mid-Atlantic Convocation. He is the ideal candidate to pioneer this new ministry."

Archbishop Orombi's fellow Primates, who are also providing episcopal oversight to Biblically orthodox congregations in the United States, are supportive of the move. Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of the Anglican Church of Kenya also recently announced the consecration of the Rev. Canon Dr. Bill Atwood, an American priest, as a Bishop in the Church of Kenya, a decision applauded by Archbishop Orombi.

Archbishop Nzimbi said, "It is a new day for the pastoral and episcopal care of the orthodox congregations in America. We look forward to working with our Ugandan neighbours in mutual collaboration in providing apostolic and missional support to our orthodox brothers and sisters in America."

The election and consecration of Rev. Guernsey as a Bishop in the Church of Uganda has the support of the Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network and Convener of Common Cause.

"John Guernsey's consecration is an answer to our prayers," said Duncan, "that we would be able to provide a domestic bishop for the Ugandan churches that are part of the Network's International Conference."

Duncan added, "In my capacity as the Convener of Common Cause, we will enthusiastically welcome him to the Council of Bishops meeting in September."

This article comes from All Saints Church
http://www.allsaintsdalecity.org/index.cfm

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