The Anglican Mission in America Receives Continued Support

ANGLICAN MISSION IN AMERICA
F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E

TO: The Religion Editor
CONTACT: The Rev. Jay Greener, Communications Officer
Email: Jlg59music@aol.com
Phone: 719-487-3258
719-650-1706

March 14, 2002

The Anglican Mission in America Receives Continued Support

In a major meeting just concluded, the leaders of the Anglican Church of
South East Asia voted to recognize their Archbishop's continued sponsorship
of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA).

Although the bishops chose not to extend full provincial support to the
fledgling missionary movement in the U.S., they unanimously agreed that the
Most Rev'd Datuk Yong Ping Chung, Archbishop of the Province of South East
Asia, could continue his patronage and spiritual covering of AMiA - a
relationship they could have sought to undo. This agreement effectively
recognizes the consecrations of six American missionary bishops in AMiA,
established under the authority of Archbishop Yong and
his predecessor, the Most Rev'd Moses Tay, in partnership with the Episcopal
Church of Rwanda.

Anglican Mission in America Bishop Chuck Murphy was elated at the news. "We
thank God for the bishops and delegates of the Province of South East Asia
for reaffirming their firm stand on orthodoxy, Biblical authority, the
uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the essentials of our faith as affirmed by the
1998 Lambeth Conference. We're extremely grateful for the godly leadership,
vision and witness of Archbishop Yong, and the prayerful and supportive
deliberations of his fellow bishops."

The South East Asian Synod, while weighing how developments related to AMiA
could affect unity within the Anglican Communion, expressed their desire that
Biblical authority and morality be preserved. They committed themselves to
"take a broad based approach to mobilize and link up with like minded
Provinces and Dioceses, Primates and Bishops" toward that goal.

The Anglican Mission in America was launched to provide unity in the
essentials of the Anglican faith with diversity in the expression of the
faith. AMiA's diversity includes the evangelical, catholic and charismatic
expressions of Anglicanism.three streams flowing as one river in Jesus
Christ. The sponsorship of AMiA came from the Archbishops of South East Asia
and Rwanda who consecrated the first two AMiA bishops in January 2000 in
Singapore, with four additional bishops added last summer. These actions
occurred because of a perceived crisis of faith, leadership and mission in
the Episcopal Church in the United States.

The Anglican Mission in America has an affiliation of 40 churches and 8000
adherents, with new churches planned in the year ahead.