News for Week Ending 4/16/2012

AMiA realigns?

The  Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) continues to make news as it tries to attach itself to some other Anglican body after its break with the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) George Conger reported April 11, 2011, that the AMiA had broken into three factions—one intending to retain Rwandan oversight, one attempting to join the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), and one led by Bishop Chuck Murphy looking for a partner.

Two days later, David Virtue reported that Murphy’s faction has aligned itself with the Anglican Church of the Congo. In a letter to his constituency, Murphy observed, “Under our accord with the Province of the Congo, we are now secure and validly attached to the global Anglican Communion.” In an April 16 edition of Anglican Unscripted, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger express great skepticism that Murphy’s letter should be taken at face value. (You can find that video here. The story on the AMiA and Congo is about 5 minutes in.)

Covenant resolutions for General Convention proliferate

When Executive Council announced that it would introduce a resolution for General Convention 2012 to reject the Anglican Covenant—see Pittsburgh Update story here—it appeared that General Convention might quickly dispense with the Covenant. Since then, Bishops Ian Douglas, Andrew Doyle, and Michael Curry have announced a resolution that would continue the process of Covenant consideration. (See The Living Church story here.) Now an even more favorable resolution has been proposed by Bishops John Bauerschmidt, Daniel Martins, and Michael Smith. (See The Living Church story here.)

Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight extended

The Living Church reported April 11, 2012, that The Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops has expanded it Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight plan. Now, not only can a parish be under a bishop other than its diocesan, but  someone from the parish in the ordination process may also be under the bishop providing episcopal pastoral oversight.

New bishop to be elected this week

Nearly a year and a half after the process was authorized by the 2010 diocesan convention, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is scheduled to choose its next bishop this week. A special convention for the purpose of electing a bishop will begin at 8:30 AM on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Trinity Cathedral. (Election details can be read here. Information about the candidates and the search process itself is here.)

The evening before, Friday, April 20, 2012, Trinity Cathedral will host a discussion about the candidates. The event begins at 7:00 PM,  with doors opening at 6:00 PM. As is the case for the convention itself, anyone may attend, but only convention deputies and certain other people who have voice in convention by virtue of positions they hold will be allowed to speak.