Rio Grande Drops Network Affiliation

Posted on: December 11, 2008

The standing committee of the Diocese of the Rio Grande has voted unanimously to disaffiliate from the Anglican Communion Network.

The decision, which was also endorsed by the area and cathedral deans, was made following the Network’s annual council meeting in Overland Park, Kans., Dec. 8-9.

“In 2004, the standing committee had expressed support for the work of the Anglican Communion Network in providing a place within The Episcopal Church were those of a more conservative outlook could find a place of encouragement for their mission and ministry within the church,” the standing committee said. “As the Diocese of the Rio Grande looks toward the future, and particularly as it works toward electing its next bishop, the standing committee felt increasingly that the work of the Anglican Communion Network no longer served the constructive purposes hoped for in the 2004 resolution.

“The support of the Anglican Communion Network for the creation of a separate Anglican church in North America, announced on Dec. 3, served as the catalyst for the action of the standing committee at its meeting this week.”

The withdrawal of the Rio Grande, which did not send any representatives to the annual council meeting, leaves eight of the original 10 dioceses nominally in the organization. Four of the original 10 founding dioceses—Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy and San Joaquin—have withdrawn from The Episcopal Church.

Network leadership approved a resolution to incorporate its finances and operations into the new province which has been proposed for North America. That transition is to happen within the next months. The resolution also committed the Network to “enter into conversation with that part of the membership of the Anglican Communion Network remaining in The Episcopal Church as to whether they might desire to take upon themselves the original mantle of the Anglican Communion Network,” which was meant to be an organization dedicated to internal reform of The Episcopal Church.

Bishop John Howe of the Diocese of Central Florida withdrew his Network affiliation about six months ago in favor of affiliation with the Anglican Communion Institute. Leaders from the remaining four Network dioceses—Albany, Dallas, South Carolina and Springfield—expressed varying degrees of support for the formation of another organization, but all four said there were no plans at present to discuss withdrawal or disaffiliation.

This article comes from The Living Church Foundation
http://www.livingchurch.org/

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