Michael Green’s US mission
Michael Green, one of the Anglican Church’s leading evangelists, is to head an American parish that has broken ties with the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) over the consecration of a [noncelibate] gay bishop. The former evangelism advisor to Archbishops of Canterbury and York will be taking up the post of co-rector of Holy Trinity Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Last year, several dozen members of Raleigh’s Christ Church quit ECUSA after becoming disaffected with the support of their bishop, the Rt Rev Michael Curry, for the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
What began as a home group Bible study has become an independent Anglican church with a growing congregation. The congregation meets in a school chapel and this summer purchased a rectory and offices. It has joined the Anglican Communion Network, an umbrella group for parishes that became disaffected with the Episcopal Church. Canon Green told The Church of England Newspaper that the church had been forced to break away to continue worshipping “in the inherited Anglican way”. He said it “had come together out of distress at the current confusion in the Episcopal Church,” but added that it hoped to continue to enjoy warm relationships with the Diocese of North Carolina.
Canon Green said he looked forward to this new phase in his ministry as the parish had a sound spiritual foundation and a “strong desire to reach out in evangelism and social concern into the local community”. His initial commitment will be to spend six months in each of the next two years at Holy Trinity. Author of over 50 books, Canon Green presently serves as Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall. He has served as Rector of St Aldate’s, Oxford, professor at Regent College, Vancouver, and as Advisor for Evangelism to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Canon Green played a crucial part in the formation of the Anglican Communion Network in Jan 2004 in Plano, brokering the final compromise between the disparate Anglo-Catholic and evangelical groups that make up the traditionalist wing of the US Church.
–The Church of England Newspaper
August 25th, 2005 at 11:34 am
This sounds like Holy Trinity is only connected to ACN with no other affiliation. Can a church do that and then have bishops from ACN come to them for episcopal acts, without endangering the standing of the bishop, i.e. can Holy Trinity simply call Bp Duncan of Pittsburgh, for instance, its Bishop, and can he come to Holy Trinity and perform confirmation or celebrate communion without ECUSA bishops saying he has abandoned the communion or interfered with another diocese (realizing that Holy Trinity is not a part of any diocese, per se)? If so, why not start mission churches all over the place to the detriment of ECUSA dioceses that are revisionist?
August 25th, 2005 at 11:54 am
Without meaning any disparagement to any of the persons concernd in this, what is the point of starting this parish, anyway — as there are (as I believe) at least two “Continung Anglican” parishes in this general area, plus an AMiA parish? If “remaining in the Anglican communion” is the great shibboleth, how is being a “non-ECUSA Network” parish any better than being an AMiA one? Or is it another case of being pro-priestess but anti-gay, which is to say, making one’s niche marketing upholding “the last innovation but one”?
August 25th, 2005 at 12:15 pm
William,
Perhaps the great and large city of Raleigh can hold a number of large, flourishing Anglican yet non-ECUSA churches.
In fact, I believe there are five non-ECUSA Anglican parishes in that city. Why not five parishes that have varying cultural worship styles, and some differences in theology? If we are about giving people the gospel in the marvelous Anglican expression of it, then surely all five of these Anglican churches will thrive.
Already, it appears, Holy Trinity is bringing its unique culture to bear on that city, through calling Michael Green and through its other innovative discipleship and evangelistic programs — I believe they hosted an amazing array of great Anglican thinkers in an educational series as well. I understand from observation and anecdotes that AMiA parishes tend to be a little more seeker/contemporary oriented in their worship [although of course, the one in Raleigh may be different] and then, I would expect the Continuing parishes to be more Anglo-Catholic in culture and values. So Holy Trinity would fill the evangelical, traditional/formal-worship Anglican niche in Raleigh.
Frankly, Anglicans in Raleigh must be in “hog-heaven” at this point, having a variety of wonderful Anglican parishes to choose from. Seems like a great thing — in fact, a thing to be sought in all other cities in the US of Raleigh’s size . . .
h
August 25th, 2005 at 12:28 pm
Do they have a bishop?
August 25th, 2005 at 2:10 pm
The other parishes may also be spread miles apart. If they are all big enough to thrive, they may need this as an addition.
If Bishop Duncan cannot go there, the Network has several retired bishops who can, and will do so cheerfully. By this arrangement, these people are in full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
August 25th, 2005 at 2:40 pm
As a side note, my understanding is that AMiA churches have considerable diversity - some even use the 1928 BCP (e.g., http://www.stmatthewschurch.net/about) There is a strong ancient/future current within AMiA.
IMHO, church planting with a small launch team is likely, but not necessarily, to be somewhat informal. On point, I just checked the prices for a formal brass altar cross - eeesh.
August 25th, 2005 at 5:14 pm
I understand Dr. Zahl’s desire for us to hold on. The winds don’t seem to be blowing much hope our way, though. I guess it’s time for hoping against hope.
August 25th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
#3, the AMiA parish in Raleigh (Apostles) is definitely of the contemporary/seeker variety. Also, Holy Trinity isn’t the only ACN church in Raleigh; the charismatic Holy Cross broke away from ECUSA a few months ago, managing to keep its property in the process. It is interesting that they immediately placed themselves under a Ugandan bishop while Holy Trinity doesn’t appear to have a bishop (perhaps due to the priest/gender issue?).
Speaking of which, when will Holy Trinity’s webmaster figure out how to get its website into Google’s search index?
Elsewhere in the RTP area, there is an Anglican Catholic parish in Chapel Hill as well as an AMiA plant in the works. Not to mention a handful of still-reasserting-for-now ECUSA parishes scattered across the Triangle.
August 25th, 2005 at 7:29 pm
If “remaining in the Anglican communion” is the great shibboleth, how is being a “non-ECUSA Network” parish any better than being an AMiA one?
Apparently William Tighe is unaware of the fact that AMIA is considered a huge problem by many Anglican orthodox. That’s right, they do not look at the AMIA as a helpful way forward.
They look and see that All Saint’s Pawley’s Island has sued the diocese of South Carolina. They look and see top leadership currently announcing the planting of a parish in the diocese of South Carolina, to the consternation of the vast majority of the diocese, and in violation of the common cause agreement.
They look and see only two Primates regularly involved in and committed to the AMIA, but at least 15 or more committed to the network. They look and they see in AMIA’s founding the very unilateral actions and attitudes that ECUSA manifested in Minneapolis.
Having looked and seen all this, they look elsewhere. Why is this a surprise?
August 25th, 2005 at 8:40 pm
css:
My understanding is that the church plant in South Carolina, like most, is driven by laity. I have heard about the cry for several years-and they are just now responding. In addition, the number of primates supporting the two sponsoring primates has grown; even Akinola spoke in support of the AMiA in CT. In fact, given the number of primates treating the US as a mission field today, I would say that the AMiA are in good company. That said, it is true that there are some in ECUSA who believe that AMiA acted too early. These days, I am convinced that the continuum in the US and UK rightly identified the time, but failed to garner the support. Such is lassitude.
August 25th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
The easiest answer to W. Tighe’s question might be that Church of the Apostles already was 3 years old (more or less) by the time Holy Trinity - Raleigh became a reality.
This is not to laud one or the other, it is just an acknowledgement that the two churches formed in different times and have developed different “personalities” while — one hopes — retaining essentials of the faith.
Apostles is contemporary from the standpoint of instrumentation and the use of traditional hymns with (well-vetted) praise songs, while Holy Trinity Raleigh has a more traditional feel.
Both are liturgical, though Apostles is following a Kenyan Communion Rite rather than the 1979 book. For this reason, I don’t believe it is accurate to call Apostles a “seeker” church, though Apostles offers Alpha and other programs that might be considered “seeker friendly.”
And, as a layman at Apostles (and a cradle Episcopalian), I do not perceive that either group is in “competition” with the other. Quite the contrary:
- Apostles and Holy Trinity are co-hosting a women’s retreat in the fall.
- the two churches are working together with other area churches (including All Saints, an ACA Church) to host an Alpha Conference in 2006.
- Apostles’ former deacon, now Chief Operating Officer of the AMiA, has preached at Holy Trinity.
- Holy Trinity meets in the chapel of an independent high school formerly affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese; the school’s headmaster and his family are members at Apostles.
And so on…
Moreover, I perceive there is plenty of room for more Anglican churches in the area, which is one reason why the long-prayed for plan of planting an Anglican Church in Chapel Hill is slowly coming to fruition:
http://www.apostles-raleigh.org/about/churchplanting/
I would ask your prayers for this work, that the Gospel will be preached there.
August 25th, 2005 at 10:07 pm
It is my understanding that All Saints, the AMiA fellowship in Chapel Hill, called a rector a few weeks ago (I believe that he was the assistant at Church of the Apostles?). The fellowship is currently meeting in a Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod parish’s building.
Another AMiA mission, Church of the Messiah, is active in neighboring Durham and is led by an estimable and godly man in presbyteral orders for a little under a year, who came to classical Anglicanism from the pastorate in the United Methodist Church. (I know this priest - Ben Sharpe - personally, while I have met the new rector of All Saints only once.)
Both these AMiA fellowships are meeting weekly in celebrations of the Holy Eucharist.
August 25th, 2005 at 10:12 pm
I should add that, as for a multiplicity of Anglican churches in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and environs in central North Carolina, that there are more than enough unchurched folks in the Triangle to fill all of these parishes and missions, as well as those few still-reasserting parishes of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, to overflowing.
August 25th, 2005 at 11:23 pm
I accept the correction. I was given to understand that the situation in the Raleigh area was similar to that in another Carolinian capitol city, where (addressing a Continuing Anglican synod) I was informed that the oldest Continuing Anglican parish had been spurned by folks who might well have contributed to its mission — a few because the “style” of the church was “too high-church” but by more because they were unwilling even to consider a church that “rejected the ministry of women.”
August 26th, 2005 at 7:52 am
Does anyone know if Holy Trinity has a website and if they do what is its address?
Thanks.
August 26th, 2005 at 8:07 am
A couple of random thoughts. I’ve been reading this blog for 2 years now and not commenting as y’all do a pretty good job of it. I just figured being so low here on the comment list and way down on the day’s postings, I’ll probably will be safely ignored. Whatever.
My family lives in central NC and we are currently members of one of the (I think) “still-reasserting” parishes. I’d be curious to know which are the others. I expect I know what Todd will say but I’d just love to know what others think!!
Greg G’s article (up top) was very interesting. As a non-cradle Episcopalian (only been in this church for 8 years) however I don’t know what to make of it all. Doesn’t really help me and our family’s current situation to know who I’m supposed to blame. Ironically it was our family’s increased involvement and committee-joining, trying to make-a-difference, etc. over the last 2-3 years that has greatly contributed to our recent decision that we must leave. Or that we can’t stay. Don’t know where we are going. (Which is why I’d love to know what others think are our options!) True, there is dysfunction all through Christendom (after all churches are populated mostly by people) but I guess we just can’t stomach this particular version of it.
Oh and I grew up Orthodox Presbyterian. Minister’s kid and all that. (That’s the denomination formed out of Princeton by J. Gresham Machen and others in 1936. There was a reference to Machen somewhere in another thread…)
August 26th, 2005 at 9:34 am
A revamped Holy Trinity Church - Raleigh Website will be up after Septmeber 5th. It can be accessed after that time at www.htc-r.org.
August 26th, 2005 at 10:23 am
Thank you David. We’ll probably be visiting you soon.
Emily & family
August 26th, 2005 at 12:24 pm
Emily! You’re being safely noticed, not ignored.
I’m not sure that I can say with any confidence whatever that CHF is a “still-reasserting” parish. My use of the phrase was more a reference back to another person’s comment, above, though I would say that there is at least one reasserting mission in the Triangle area and there are a few reasserting clergy.
I’ve met a number of estimable folks from Raleigh over the past two years who are now members of Holy Trinity. If only Raleigh were twenty or thirty minutes closer to us.
August 26th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Todd (#12):
I think you are correct regarding Apostles’ most recent history.
Terrell Glenn planted Apostles in Raleigh back in 2000, and the church has grown to about 275 worshippers. In April/May of this year Terrell accepted a call to lead a large AMiA church in South Carolina, so Apostles moved into searching mode. A search team was formed.
Meanwhile, Steve Breedlove, an outstanding preacher and current assistant pastor at Apostles, accepted a call to lead the Chapel Hill plant:
http://www.apostles-raleigh.org/about/churchplanting/
The Chapel Hill plant is a lay driven group separate from Ben Sharpe and Dean Bidgood’s AMiA plant in the Durham/Carrboro area, which began two years ago, partly as a result of Ben Sharpe’s call to the Durham area (though Ben had received support from Apostles during the earliest months of the plant):
http://www.messiah-durham.org/
Meanwhile, while the search team was still searching, Apostles’ lone deacon accepted a call to become AMiA’s “Chief Operating Officer”:
http://www.theamia.org/index.cfm?id=81D2655D-3094-403C-956490379FBE8C84
So, Apostles has enjoyed a large amount of change “at the top” recently, but God has been faithful to us, and we look forward to working with our new senior pastor in the weeks and months ahead.
Todd, I suspect the AMiA plant will be much closer to you than any of the four Anglican churches in Raleigh. If you are interested in hearing Steve’s sermons, you may find some of them at the link below. There are many good people who are involved with starting that work:
http://www.apostles-raleigh.org/spiritual/sermons/2005/
William T. (#14):
I do not know why Holy Trinity affiliated with the Network versus some other body; you would need to ask them.
August 26th, 2005 at 3:17 pm
Well, thanks Todd. Being one of six kids in a minister’s family, being noticed is always a Good Thing.
;-)
Emily
August 26th, 2005 at 4:11 pm
#16, as for still-reasserting ECUSA parishes in RTP:
- St. Joseph’s, Durham is a tiny parish with a Nashotah-trained priest who delivers more quality content in one sermon that you’ll hear in a summer’s worth at a typical ECUSA parish.
- Prince of Peace, Apex has a charismatic bent (or maybe had; a lot of their clergy resigned in the past year).
- Maybe St. Timothy’s, Raleigh?
- Maybe GracePoint, Raleigh? They had some kind of connection to Holy Cross (now connected to the Uganda province) at one point.
- St. Michael’s, Raleigh may not necessarily be overall reasserting, but their rector seems to lean in that direction. He seems to be attempting to balance the exposition of his views while keeping the peace within the parish and with his bishop. Good luck with that.
- I’m surprised to read that Holy Family, Chapel Hill may not necessarily be in this category any longer. Did the evangelical contingent leave, or is the rector changing his tone, or maybe a bit of both?
August 26th, 2005 at 9:43 pm
CurrentFuquan, I’m not sure that I would have characterized Holy Family qua parish as reasserting, though the rector remains quietly reasserting and a sizeable evangelical-catholic contingent, whom the rector refers to as his “gospel core”, remains. Of the latter, we have lost several members, including at least two families and a single man to Church of the Messiah. Others are waiting and watching. As my wife says, our staves are by the door, ready to be taken up if we discern the call to leave.
I say that the rector (TEK) remains “quietly” reasserting because, while he has been careful to present conservative Anglican theology from the pulpit and in teaching sessions, and makes clear his own position about chastity in marriage (man and woman) and celibacy otherwise, he does not recognize the church-splitting and table fellowship-breaking impact of ECUSA’s actions. Yes, he is very much aware of how far ECUSA is straying and has strayed; in fact, he sits on the Executive Council, overwhelmingly outnumbered by reappraisers (with only a few other reasserters), and knows what it’s like to deal with the “progressive” agenda. Within the parish, I think that his desire not to alienate in the short term so as to persuade and convert in the long term, those whose worldviews are insufficiently informed by the gospel, causes him to mute the message sometimes. But, in his own way, I think that he can be called a reasserter.
But the parish as a whole? Our former assisting priest characterized the parish two years ago in this way: 35% conservative and able to articulate that position; 15% liberal and able to articulate that position; and 50% there in the pews, perhaps ready to be persuaded by either position. I’m thinking that a number of people in that large “middle” are sympathetic to conservative/reasserting/classical Anglicanism, but I still wouldn’t characterize the parish as a reasserting parish.
That’s being said, I should note that the rector made arrangements for us to be served, during his four-month sabbatical, by priests and a bishop representing conservative, Global Southern Anglicanism. The Rev’d William Mostert, a conservative Anglo-Catholic priest from South Africa who has some previous history with Holy Family, is serving effectively as priest-in-charge for most of the sabbatical. Pere Noe Bernier, from the Diocese of Haiti, was with us for two or three weeks. The Rev’d Jonathan Obar, a priest of the Episcopal Church of the Philippines, is spending about two months with us. In late September, Bishop Ochola, retired Bishop of Kitgum in the Church of Uganda, comes to spend about three months with us (his time with overlap with Timothy’s first couple of months back). And the Rev’d Lloyd Williams, a conservative priest of the Church of England (Diocese of York), will be with us in October for a healing mission while he and his wife are conducting a conference in the area.
The rector makes no bones about why he made these particular choices for visiting clergy - visible connection with global, conservative Anglicanism. I’m hoping this quiet reassertion will be effective in shaping the parish as a whole, as well as in reinvigorating the “gospel core”.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:46 am
Any parish that gets Michael Green is simply as lucky as they can be.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:53 am
I was a Delegate to the Diocesan Covention from the Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill for 2003,2004 and 2005. I was asked by a Delegate from St. Michael’s in Raleigh to co-sponsor a Resolution requesting the Convention to abide by the stipulations of the Windsor Report by the Eames Commission.
The resolution was referred to the Faith and Morals Committee for consideration. The Committee rejected the idea and would not recommend that the Resolution even be brought to the floor. It was then that I saw the handwriting on the wall and right after the Convention made the commitment to become a founding member of the Parish.
For the time, roughly from January thru early September 2004, what is now Holy Trinity Church met as All Saints Fellowship at 5 PM on Sundays. However, on September 12th, the Parish was formalized as Holy Trinity. Up until that time, I had been attending 2 services each Sunday - one in Chapel Hill in the morning and one in Raleigh in the afternoon.
On the weekend of November 20, 2004, Michael Green and his wife, Rosemary, were invited to spend the weekend with us. This started off with a men’s breakfast Saturday morning with Michael Green, then a women’s meeting with Rosemary in the afternoon, followed by a Parish dinner held at the NCState Arboretum, and attended by 150 people.
Sunday morning, Rosemary taught the Adult Bible Study Group before the main service at which Michael preached. Some 400+ people attended that service. Michael spent his sermon time reviewing some of the actions of the early church fathers as they evengelized in Greece and Macedonia and Turkey, singling out Paul and Barnabus and Apollos. He complimented the Parish for organizing a viable entity - “and did so : even without a Rector, and that’s the way which was proper”. He closed his sermon by getting down on his knees in the middle of the aisle and issuing the invitation that all who recognized themselves to be sinners and wanted to lead a new life under the care of Christ and the Holy Spirit would rededicate their lives to Christ in prayer. Spontaneously, over 400 people were on their knees joining him. It was a momentous occasion.
That Sunday evening, a Youth night service was featured. Some 125 people were in attendance, 75 of whom were teenagers. After his homily, Michael issued another invitation and some 33 of the young people gave their lives to Christ.
Then, early in 2005, the Search COmmitee issued a call to David Drake, who just graduated from Trinity Episcopal Seminary for Ministry in Pittsburgh in June and is a Postulant under Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh. David had spent 11 years in the Boston area as Director of FOCUS (Felloship of Christians in Universities and Schools) before applying to Trinity. In a preaching contest this past year, he tied for first place with a woman who was in her second year. (She was a Guest Preacher at Holy Trinity this past year as well.) David has preached 5 or 6 Sundays this past year, but officially came on board as Co-Rector last Sunday, August 28. He is a powerful preacher already.
Shortly after David accepted the position, further conversations were held with Michael and he agreed to come from England and be David’s Mentor as our Co-Rector. And we are blessed to be having Michael and Rosemary Green with us. Michael will Mentor David for the better part of 2 years beginning Sunday September 11th. That day, they both will preach for about 10 minutes each. After the 10 o’clock service, there will be a family picnic on the grounds of St. David’s School. All are invited.
September 8th, 2005 at 10:40 am
Wish I could be there on the 11th. I am a Wycliffe Hall, Oxford alumni and hold Michael and Rosemary in very high regard — I wish them, and all of you at Trinity well.
September 11th, 2005 at 11:25 pm
As David Drake, our new Co-Rector at Holy Trinity Church, Raleigh, indicated above, the web site is now up and running. It can be accessed at: www.htc-r.org. The first pass is impressive, indeed.
Today’s 1st Anniversary Service (Sept 11) was also impressive as the message of Christ which was given by David outlined the direction which the Lord seems to be leading the Parish. Part of the Christian Commitment here can be measured by the numbers of men and women who have had an exposure to Bible Study Fellowship. One estimate is that some 80% of the Parish members have had such an involvement. That’s unusual for any church, let alone an Anglican Parish. A lot of the credit for that can be given to Ann Graham Lott, Billy Graham’s daughter, who pioneered BSF in the Raleigh area a number of years ago.
Unfortunately, Michael and Rosemary Green were not able to be here today as hoped because he underwent unexpected surgery the week before last, so needed additional time to recuperate before attempting the long flight from London. It is presently anticipated that they will arrive sometime next week.
For any who are hesitant about traveling a long distance to church, I find it most worthwhile to travel the 36 miles from Pittsboro to Raleigh for the teaching, preaching, and fellowship.