The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney has welcomed the creation of the Province of the Anglican Church of North America and voted to send greetings ‘to the faithful men and women who have taken this significant step forward in gospel mission’.

The statement of welcome was passed overwhelmingly at Standing Committee’s meeting on Monday December 8.

The motion comes two days after a statement from GAFCON primates which welcomed the creation of the province and said “We fully support this development with our prayer and blessing, since it demonstrates the determination of these faithful Christians to remain authentic Anglicans.”

The new constitution was unveiled at a meeting in Chicago attended by the leaders of the four dioceses which have left the Episcopal Church: Pittsburgh, Quincy, Illinois; Fort Worth, Texas; and San Joaquin, California.

Several churches have already realigned with the Province of the Southern Cone in South America, but this move is to create a local governing body for the church.

Key leader, Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh calls the latest development “an important concrete step toward the goal of a biblical, missionary and united Anglican Church in North America.”

The Sydney standing committee passed the motion to, in its words, ‘warmly welcome’ the new province and send “ greetings to the faithful men and women who have taken this significant step forward in gospel mission”.

The resolution “assures them of our prayers for God’s blessing on the Province as it works to make Jesus known and as it represents orthodox North American Anglicans in the councils of the Anglican Communion.”

(photos courtesy Anglicantv.org)