On Tuesday night in Manchester, tons of gathered on the Church of the Restoration in Wythenshawe to inaugurate the Anglican community's third diocese in Europe and to ordain its first diocesan bishop, the Reverend Dr. Gideon Illechukwu.
The Anglican Missionary Congregations (Europe) (AMC) has grown from a single congregation of the Nigerian diaspora in Manchester to 39 congregations throughout the UK and elements of Europe. After two years of negotiations, the AMC joined the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE) and the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) of their mission to faithfully proclaim Christ to the folks of Europe.
It was a historic second because the Most Reverend Henry Ndkuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion defined: “The Anglican Missionary Congregation has been an integral a part of the chaplaincy and mission of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion in the UK. .
“And thru a number of consultations and requests, at this time we launched the AMC to the Anglican Community in Europe to be a part of the Anglican Community in Europe to serve the folks of God in preaching the gospel in increasing the dominion of God and standing for the reality of the phrase of God on this era.
“And on behalf of the Church of Nigeria at this level my brother Bishop Andy Strains, the Presiding Bishop of ANiE, we, the Church of Nigeria, handover AMC to be a part of the Community. Amen.”
It was additionally a good looking expression of how the Lord gathered folks from all tribes, tongues, peoples and nations to return to this needy continent. In a service with a vibrant Nigerian taste, folks from throughout the community celebrated their unity within the international Gafcon Anglican household.
As Reverend Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Chairman of the Gafcon Primate, mentioned after the service: “That is what Gafcon has executed and can proceed to do; it not solely fights for the gospel, however supplies a church house. who’re decided to proclaim God's unchanging reality in a altering world.”
“The Anglican community in Europe continues to be small, however it’s a rising province in formation. It’s doubtless that by the tip of this yr there will likely be at the least 100 congregations and pioneer church buildings within the community.”
Bishop Paul Donison, common secretary of Gafcon, indicated why the Anglican community in Europe was so enticing: “I believe we’re seeing a renewed curiosity within the liturgical, sacramental traditions within the West, as a result of I believe the West continues to be collapsing beneath secularism. [ … ] there’s a eager for one thing sacred, for one thing totally different.
“Our Anglican expression has a possibility to supply the Bible, to supply a type of discipleship that’s truly rooted in a way more sacramental liturgical custom that I believe can attain a big a part of our pagan western area. I believe what is occurring within the Reformation of at this time in Anglicanism there are individuals who have stood agency on the Bible for generations, inside Anglicanism they’re now beneath Gafcon and recommitted to a few of our historic patterns.
“Truly, they're leaning in direction of our Anglicanism, they're leaning in direction of the prayer guide. They're leaning in direction of what it means to have bishops at this time?”.
“I imply, for many people, possibly for generations we didn't know what to do with bishops. Nicely, beneath Gafcon, in the event you can have godly bishops who preach the phrase, folks simply fall into that position of bishops.” So I believe it's all going to return out into the world, particularly the West, in a strong method for generations to return.”
The Restoration Church the place the service was held is named AMC (Europe) HQ. It was initially commissioned by the Church of England within the Fifties to serve the brand new post-war housing property at Newall Inexperienced. The constructing was consecrated as St Francis' Church in 1961 by the then Bishop of Manchester, William Greer. By 2012, the congregation had dwindled to 2 and the church was closed. It was used as a group heart earlier than AMC moved in.
The Restoration Church may due to this fact be seen as an emblem of what Gafcon and the Anglican Community of Europe try to realize beneath God. The restoration of confessional Anglican worship on a continent the place church buildings have been emptied of false instructing that gives hope for the long run to the devoted and the misplaced.
