How We Came to Be

In the fallout from the Primates' Dar Es Salaam Communique of February, 2007, and its primatial vicar proposal, we were encouraged to come together to produce the organizational structure of a fellowship of orthodox Anglican congregations in the Western United States.  Our purpose was to lead our congregations into a servant community of mutual respect, support, cooperation and shared values, under guidance from our bishops and archbishops.

In June, 2007 sixty delegates from fourteen orthodox Anglican congregations in Southern California and Arizona met to begin the process.  The founding congregations had disassociated from the Episcopal Church, USA and placed themselves under bishops in Argentina, Bolivia or Uganda, representing two Provinces of the Anglican Communion.

We adopted the Theological Statement of the Common Cause Partners (See Statement of Faith, infra) and elected an Executive Committee of six clergy members and six lay members, tasked to form the needed standing committees ad hoc and task groups, and to manage their progress.  We incorporated July 25, 2007 as a California Religious Nonprofit Corporation, and applied to the Internal Revenue Service for Section 501(c)3 tax free status.

In early October, 2007 the House of Delegates, augmented by delegates from a new member congregation in Arizona, met and approved our organizational structure and plans for the future.

Thus the organizational work was accomplished in only about 120 days and Western Anglicans became a diocese-in-formation flourishing in shared ministry and promise for the future, as we praised our Lord Jesus Christ for his provision and faithfulness.  In 2008 we connected with the Common Cause Partnership -- forerunner of the Anglican Church in North America -- asking for and receiving the appointment of a Collegiate Vicar to serve as an ambassadorial link between our organizations, as we added our blessing to the groundbreaking work of Common Cause Partnership and received its blessing in return.

Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God -- my God -- will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and every willing craftsman will be with you for all manner of workmanship, for every kind of service; also the leaders and all the people will be completely at your command.  1 Chr 28:20,21