The Anglican Communion Network has issued a press release Anglican Communion Network Celebrates Successes, Prepares for Hand Over to Province.
"God did not use the Network to change the direction of The Episcopal Church as we had originally hoped. He has used it and us to create a Biblical, missionary and united Anglican province-in-waiting here in North America. We are deeply thankful to Him and to all who have supported its work," said Bishop Duncan.
…And finally be it resolved, that the Steering Committee 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.
…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 Four of the original 10 founding dioceses—Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy and San Joaquin—have withdrawn from The Episcopal Church.
…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.
And there is also an ENS report on this: RIO GRANDE: Diocese disaffiliates from Anglican Communion Network.
The passing of an extinguished torch.
And I see that the Christian Challenge is ceasing publication as well. Perhaps these folks are finally running out of money. How many bishops and programs can a group of 100,000 (at the largest estimate)support?
"We remain sisters and brothers in Christ, regardless of our way forward. We will certainly be looking at ways we can continue to support each other as the Network transitions over the next few months" said Bishop Duncan.
In other words, we will continue to vitriolic slander.
The worst part is, it looks as if Pittsburgh is going to be their national headquarters. Lucky us, like Lynchburg VA will we be known as the center of another group of evangelical, homophobic Christians.
It's the old "Declare Victory and Leave" strategy.
Oh heck, just when I had adjusted to hating the sinner and loving the sin…er, or was it the otherway around…whatever, David Anderson finally got crowned even though the ¨place to stand¨ is in shambles.
Ford, I think you are on to something here.
I wonder also if the kinds of things that went on at GAFCON, the recent CEEC meeting, and so on might have finally opened a few eyes in the Church of England. They've had a taste now of what the US and Canadian Churches have had to endure for decades, and they've found they don't like it. Well, neither do we.
Oh, but the givings from members are only a drop in the bucket of this group's funding. But, with Bush out of the White House, IRD's funding might be dwindling, so they may be less able to support their Episcopal Wing. Anyone have an update on this?
With luck and prayer and blessing, the much vaunted rightist realignment may well go the way of Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. Existing, still amusingly and fairly welcome in the public square so long as people promise to play fairly with others in that square, but minus all the holier than thou-isms and minus the special powers to lord it all over everybody else using any number of different economic or political or social levers. As bald-naked Creationisms go, so will go the worst features of this horrid campaign for realignment. Watch, pray, give thanks, delight.
Isn't it marvelous how Bob Duncan always knows precisely what it is the mind of God!
Is it too early yet to start work on a new Canticle, on the lines of the Song of Moses and Miriam?