After spending the past nine months debating questions of affiliation, members of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a congregation in the northern suburbs of Colorado Springs, affirmed the recommendations of its pastor and leadership team, voting 82-6 to end their affiliation with the Anglican Mission in the Americas and to become part of PEAR USA (the North American Missionary District of Province de L’Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda).

The July 22 vote followed a lively, hour-long discussion involving dozens of parishioners. The discussion reflected the parishioners’ backgrounds in the Episcopal Church (about half), evangelical, and Protestant churches. One member supported his arguments with references to apostolic succession and the restoration of Charles I to the English throne, while another plainly said, “I didn’t grow up Episcopalian, or Anglican, so I don’t have a background in church hierarchy.”

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Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Anglican Provinces • Church of Rwanda • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Conflicts • TEC Conflicts: Colorado • * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry • Adult Education • Ministry of the Laity • Ministry of the Ordained • Pastoral Care • * Theology • Ecclesiology • Pastoral Theology

1. Todd Granger wrote: Interesting to find this in TLC. August 20, 6:03 pm | [comment link]

2. MichaelA wrote: “Ultimately the vote hinged on the distinction between church and parachurch organizations, a subject that is familiar for many here in this headquarters city for dozens of major international Christian ministries such as Compassion International, Focus on the Family and Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society).” Groups like the Church Missionary Society and Church Army have done powerful work over the decades (centuries even), working in co-operation with the local churches.  Their modus operandi has been to hand new church plants over to the local church as soon as they are capable of standing on their own.  Hopefully the Anglican Mission will operate in the same way. August 20, 7:09 pm | [comment link]

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