News for Week Ending 6/29/2009

Robert Duncan installed as archbishop of new church

As reported by Pittsburgh Update last week, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) held its Inaugural Assembly June 22–25, 2009, in Bedford, Texas. As expected, deposed Pittsburgh bishop Robert William Duncan was elected and installed as archbishop of the new church. Whereas the new church has stressed its desire to be part of the Anglican Communion, it presently has no official status with respect to the Communion. According to a story on its Inaugural Assembly Web site, nine Anglican provinces sent “formal delegations” to the Bedford gathering, and representatives of other provinces sent greetings. Only the Church of Uganda is said to have declared itself to be in full communion with ACNA. Other recognitions are likely, however. No recognition is expected by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The ACNA affair was covered extensively by the press. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sent reporter Ann Rodgers to Texas to cover it. Her stories can be read here, here, here, here, here, and here. Other stories were published by Episcopal News Service, The Washington Times, The Living Church (here, here, and here), and elsewhere. As usual, Thinking Anglicans has collected news and comment, which you can read here and here.

Episcopalians encouraged to complete on-line survey about church direction

To help The Episcopal Church do strategic planning, Episcopalians are being asked to complete a brief Web-based survey about what the church should be doing in the next decade. The survey is being sponsored by the Strategic Planning Committee established by Executive Council at its January 2009 meeting. The survey, which can be found here, may be completed anonymously. Episcopal News Service published a story on the survey on June 24, 2009.

Congo archbishop-elect visiting Pittsburgh

The Rt. Rev. Henri Isingoma Kahwa, archbishop-elect of the Anglican Church of the Province of Congo, who is in the U.S. to learn more about The Episcopal Church, is visiting the Diocese of Pittsburgh this week. The diocesan Web site lists some of the events in which the archbishop-elect will be participating. (The announced first public event of the visit is a Eucharist and reception June 30 at Holy Cross, Homewood.) The diocese published an earlier story about the visit here.

NOTE (6/30/2009): We have been informed that Bishop Henri Isingoma Kahwa has been delayed in his travels and will not be at Holy Cross tonight. We apologize for any inconvenience.