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Bishops of Uganda and Kenya named to oversee US churches
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> Photos – Kenya consecrations > Photos – Uganda consecrations
> Video – Kenya consecrations > Video – Uganda consecrations
> Sermon by Abp Drexel Gomez – Kenya consecrations
> News stories: Times Online; National Post; Livingchurch; Standfirminfaith
Church of Kenya
Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi consecrated Bishops Bill Atwood and Bill Murdoch on August 30, 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya in a celebration attended by nine Primates or their representatives. The unprecedented number of Primates present to lay hands on the newly consecration bishops underlines this historic moment in the Anglican Communion.
Bishop Atwood will oversee the province's North American-based congregations as suffragan bishop of All Saints Cathedral Diocese, Nairobi. He has been a great friend and supporter of the Network and has been instrumental in helping us establish links with a number of Global South Primates as well as being a great advocate for Canadians at international gatherings. Bishop Atwood is an avid evangelist and a godly servant with a heart for biblically faithful Anglicans in Canada. He has spoken at many of our Essentials gatherings and, with his missionary zeal and great wit, he is a very engaging speaker. Also, through Ekklesia, he has helped to coordinate cooperation and collaboration of Global South Provinces, as well as promote and fund projects to benefit many people in the Global South. In recent years, Bishop Atwood has assisted many former ECUSA congregations with obtaining alternative episcopal oversight through overseas Primates, including the Anglican Church of Kenya, rather than see them leave Anglicanism altogether. We believe the Province of Kenya has selected a godly servant leader as a bishop for its missionary work in North America.
Bishop Murdoch, also a suffragan bishop of All Saints Cathedral Diocese, Nairobi, will join Bishop Atwood in supporting Kenyan clergy and congregations in North America. Bishop Murdoch has also attended some of our Essentials events in the past few years and is well known as a leader in the North American Common Cause movement, where he serves as Dean of the New England Convocation of the Anglican Communion Network in the U.S. We know that Bishop Murdoch is a godly servant leader and we are grateful for the Church of Kenya's ongoing support to the North American parishes that left TEC due to their conscientious dissent from the actions of their General Convention in 2006.
Church of Uganda
The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda, consecrated Bishop John Guernsey on September 2 in Mbarara, Uganda. Bishop Guernsey has served as rector of All Saints Church in Woodbridge, Virginia, and Dean of the Mid-Atlantic Convocation of the Anglican Communion Network in the US. He is a deeply spiritual man, a gentle but authoritative teacher and a powerful leader. Bishop Guernsey is also a dear friend of the Anglican Network in Canada. He has graciously worked with us, recently ministering at our 2007 spring clergy retreat near Vancouver, B.C. as keynote speaker on the topic of prayer. He also took time from his heavy schedule to encourage and support the Essentials team at our 2007 General Synod in Winnipeg.
In addition, the Rt. Rev. Andy Fairfield, retired Bishop of North Dakota, has been received by the Ugandan House of Bishops and will assist Bishop Guernsey in providing episcopal care to the 26 Churches in the U.S. under the episcopal oversight of the Church of Uganda.
We are grateful for godly men like Bishops Guernsey and Fairfield and for their selfless Communion vision and willingness to serve these congregations at this critical time in the life of the Communion.
The Network comments on these global developments
These consecrations and appointments are continued evidence of the Primates' concern for and care of biblically-faithful Anglicans in North America. We see these consecrations as important steps in the ongoing realignment of global Anglicanism. In making the announcement of the Rev. Canon Dr. Bill Atwood's appointment, 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 Anglican Network in Canada is very supportive of these appointments and we were pleased to see the new consecrations take place in a collaborative and cooperative manner - as evidenced by the large number of Primates attending the consecrations. This is bringing together the many groups and parishes that have broken away from the United States' Episcopal Church and reuniting them under the banner of Common Cause in North America. These new bishops will all participate in the upcoming Common Cause Council of Bishops meeting this September - together with our own moderator, Bishop Donald Harvey.
We believe these consecrations are part of a broader, coordinated plan with other provinces to form a North American Anglican coalition which can provide sanctuary for North Americans who maintain the historic Anglican faith.
As the Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker, Bishop of Fort Worth says, “The rejection of the Dar es Salaam proposed pastoral scheme by the TEC House of Bishops will lead to further extraordinary efforts such as this to extend episcopal care to faithful Anglicans who believe they have no alternative but to separate from the church they have loved and served for so many years.” For the Rev Iker's full comment, see: www.fwepiscopal.org/news/atwoodkenya.html
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