Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008976514_anglican03m.html?syndication=rss

The Anglican Church in North America grows a bit more with the creation of a new diocese in the Northwest. It is good to see those whose faith in the Lord Christ and in his Holy Gospel as it was given to us by Christ Jesus are uniting for the strengthening of the Body

The Cascadia Diocese, as it’s being called, is the latest local example of the deep divisions splitting the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion over issues such as Scriptural authority and church teachings. The differences erupted in 2003 when the Episcopal Church confirmed the election of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch — or province — of the 77-million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Western Washington congregations are seeking to become part of the Anglican Church in North America — itself a newly formed conservative rival to the more liberal Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada.

The rival province was formed last December by groups that included four U.S. dioceses and a number of parishes that had broken away from the Episcopal Church. This new province intends to seek the approval of leaders in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The formation of the new province made it “clear to everybody it was time to coalesce into regional structures,” said the Rev. Duncan Clark, rector of St. Charles Anglican Church in Poulsbo.

As I read a quote in the article from Bishop Gregory Rickle I reflected on the sadness involved with watching those who are being driven away from the church they called home because TEC is bound and determined to take the church down a path of apostacy that God fearing believers can not follow.

Olympia Bishop Gregory Rickel said while he was happy people in those congregations are finding a diocese to call home, “it distresses me. I wish we would not have to go this route.”