The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America has condemned the decision of Bishop William Millsaps of the Anglican Church in America's Diocese of the Mississippi Valley to participate in the consecration of a bishop for the Charismatic Episcopal Church.
The parish of Trinity-St. Michael's in Fairfield Conn. had returned to its building after a seven year absence. In 1986 a portion of the parish broke away from the Episcopal Church, chiefly over the 1979 prayer book and the ordination of women, to join the traditionalist Diocese of Christ the King. Following a series of lawsuits the parish building was returned to the diocese of Connecticut and original parish members.
Both the Very Rev. Richard Hatfield and his associate, the Rev. Canon Joseph Kimmett, resigned from the Episcopal Church and joined the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
That this National Executive Council express its dismay over the unauthorized involvement of the Bishop of London [Graham Leonard] in a parish which is not in communion with the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. and outside his jurisdiction and convey its support to the Church of England House of Bishops and to the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. regarding their stands on this jurisdictional matter. CARRIED #63-11-86
The Rt. Rev. Herbert Groce of the American Anglican Church has been elected Presiding Bishop of the newly formed Federation of Anglican Churches, a merger of eight bodies and 14 bishops of "continuing Anglican" churches.