Network Going Out of Business Next Summer when ACNA is Born

Yesterday the delegates to this year's annual assembly took steps to wrap up the business of the Anglican Communion Network and hand over its functions to the Anglican Church in North America next summer. Here is the text of the resolution (emphasis added):

Resolution passed by the Network’s Annual Council on December 9, 2008

Whereas the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes was formed to call the Episcopal Church in the United States of America back to “the Faith once delivered to the saints;” and

Whereas this purpose of the Network has not been achieved, nor is the purpose, in human terms, viewed by most Network participants as achievable; and

Whereas the Anglican Global Mission Partners and the Anglican Relief and Development Fund have been birthed and successfully stand on their own, and

Whereas in the first six months of the Year of Our Lord 2009 the call of the Anglican Communion Network is to steward and transition: 1) Financial and administration support for the global role of the Moderator to be handed over to the Diocese of Pittsburgh in creation of the Primate’s office; 2) Financial and administrative support for the Common Cause Partnership to be handed over to a newly created Provincial office on (or after) July 1st, 2009; 3) Organizational and moral support of those remaining in the Episcopal Church to be mutually determined, and

Whereas the Lord has done great things indeed, in the five and a half years of the Anglican Communion Network’s season of witness,

Be it therefore resolved, that the officers and Steering Committee be authorized to undertake the six-month season of transition preparatory to the ratification of the constitution of the Anglican Church in North America.

Further resolved, that the leadership work specifically to turn over 1) The financial and administrative support given to the Moderator to the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and 2) The financial and administrative support of Common Cause to a new Provincial office.

And finally be it resolved, that the Steering Committee enter into conversation with that part of the membership of the Anglican Communion Network remaining in The Episcopal Church as to whether they might desire to take upon themselves the original mantle of the Anglican Communion Network.

A press release from the Network may be found here, with this nice quote from Bishop Duncan:

“God did not use the Network to change the direction of The Episcopal Church as we had originally hoped. He has used it and us to create a Biblical, missionary and united Anglican province-in-waiting here in North America. We are deeply thankful to Him and to all who have supported its work.”

May God bless this season of transition.