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Anglican Mission in England

Anglican Mission in England
Location
CountryEngland
Ecclesiastical provinceAnglican Network in Europe
Statistics
Parishes29 (2024)
Information
DenominationAnglican
RiteAnglican
Current leadership
BishopAndy Lines (Convocation)
Tim Davies (Assistant), Lee McMunn (Assistant)
Website
Official website

The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) is an Anglican convocation affiliated to the Anglican Network in Europe that seeks to establish Anglican churches in England outside the Church of England. It was created with the support of the Global Anglican Future Conference, and is part of the Anglican realignment.[1]

Leadership

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AMiE has three bishops, Andy Lines, Tim Davies and Lee McMunn. Andy Lines is the Convocation Bishop: he was consecrated on 30 June 2017 as the Missionary Bishop to Europe of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), a province outside the Anglican Communion, but recognized by GAFCON and the Global South provinces.[2] Lines' role is to provide oversight to Anglican churches in Europe that exist outside of current Anglican structures, which includes AMiE.[3][2][4]

History

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AMiE was formed with the support of GAFCON (The Global Anglican Future Conference).[5][6] GAFCON gave their full support at their second meeting in Nairobi, in October 2013. Initially its congregations were church plants that had been ejected from the Church of England for various reasons. More recently, evangelical Anglican churches have begun to plant churches under the AMiE banner.[7]

The movement has received the support of the Archbishop of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh.[8][9]

In 2016 AMiE set out its vision to plant 25 churches by 2025 and 250 churches by 2050.[8]

Bishop Lines ordained the first nine men as deacons and priests on 7 December 2017, at East London Tabernacle, a Baptist church in east London.[10] Previously, clergymen associated with AMiE had come from the Church of England, or been ordained by Anglican bishops overseas. Eight men were ordained as deacons and one as a priest, all working for AMiE churches.[1] For example, Robert Tearle, 24, was to serve as deacon at Trinity Church Scarborough, a 2017 church plant.[11]

On 14 December 2020, AMIE became a proto-diocese (convocation) affiliated to the newly created Anglican Network in Europe;[12] the network's other convocation is the Anglican Convocation in Europe, which has six churches in Scotland, Portugal, Cornwall and Surrey.[13]

Theological position

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AMiE takes a conservative stance on human sexuality, opposing same-sex marriage and women's ordination. Members of the executive of AMiE are required to hold complementarian views. AMiE leaders have made accusations that there is false teaching in Church of England leadership.[8] Bishop Lee McMunn has stated that, while many "faithful Anglicans" remain within the Church of England, others find their route to ordination "blocked by liberal clergy who do not believe orthodox Anglican teachings".

AMiE's stated intent is not to threaten Anglicans within current structures, but to provide support for those already outside the structures.[1]

Churches

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AMiE currently has 25 churches under the leadership of Bishop Lines.[14][15] This is an increase from 6 churches in September 2016.[8]

Name Location Web Clergy Founded Notes
Anchor Church Lymington & Pennington Lymington, Hampshire [1] Christopher Henderson (ordained CoE 2016) 2019 Church plant from Christ Church, Westbourne, Bournemouth.
Becontree Church Becontree, Greater London [2] Rob Newman 2014 Church plant from St Peter and St Paul, Dagenham
Christ Church Central Sheffield, South Yorkshire [3] Tim Davies (ordained CoE 1993)
Chris Houghton (ordained AMiE 2017) 		2005 Church plant from Christ Church, Fulwood
Christ Church Newland Newland, Kingston upon Hull [4] Scott McKay 2020 Formed by the vicar and most members of St John's Church, Newland, Hull, leaving the Church of England.[16]
Christ Church Riverside Riverside, Kingston upon Hull [5] Peter Birnie 2020 Previously a church plant from St John's Church, Newland, Hull; left the Church of England at the same time as its parent church.
Christ Church Salisbury Salisbury, Wiltshire [6] Mark Payne 2014
Christ Church South Cambs Sawston, Cambridgeshire [7] Tim Chapman (ordained CoE 2002) 2006 Church plant from All Saints, Little Shelford (originally under a Bishop's Mission Order, but licence withdrawn in 2013)
Christ Church Stockport Stockport, Greater Manchester [8] Matt Thompson (ordained AMiE 2017)
Jon Cawsey (ordained AMiE 2017) 		2018
Christ Church Walkley Walkley, Sheffield [9] Pete Jackson (ordained AMiE 2017)
Kenny Larsen (ordained AMiE 2017) 		2012 Church plant from Christ Church, Fulwood and Christ Church Central
Christ Church Wyre Forest Kidderminster, Worcestershire [10] Leo Davison (ordained CESA) 2002 Began when minister Charles Raven was ejected from St John's Church, Kidderminster by the Bishop of Worcester[17]
Cornerstone Church Colchester Colchester, Essex [11] John Parker (ordained CoE) 2020 Vicar John Parker left the Church of England in 2019 to start a new church.[18] Listed by AMiE as a plant rather than a full church.
Cornerstone Church Grays Grays, Essex [12] Mike Walton (ordained CoE) 2020 Formed by the vicar and some members of St Mary's and Emmanuel, Chadwell St Mary.[19]
Grace Church Newton Hall Newton Hall, Durham [13] Mark Rainbow (ordained Anglican 2017) 2017 Church plant from Christ Church Durham, a non-aligned Anglican church. Joined AMiE 2021[20]
Grace Church Sydenham Sydenham, Greater London [14] Tim Iles (ordained CoE 2011) 2015 Church plant from Grace Church Dulwich, itself a plant from St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate. Joined AMiE 2018[21]
Holy Trinity Gateshead Gateshead, Tyne and Wear [15] Vacant (position to be taken by Chris Houghton in April 2022) c. 2005 Church plant from Jesmond Parish Church. Joined AMiE 2021.
Hope Church Goldthorpe Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire [16] 2021
Redeemer Church Thanet Ramsgate, Kent [17] Peter Harvey (ordained CoE 2018) 2021
St James' Church, Ryde Ryde, Isle of Wight [18] James Leggett (ordained CoE 1993)
James Pontin 		1827 Previously a proprietary chapel; left the Church of England in 2020.
St Joseph's, Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear [19] Ken Matthews
Trinity Church Bristol Bristol [20] Carl Bicknell (ordained CoE 2010) 2017
Trinity Church Lancaster Lancaster, Lancashire [21] Martin Soole (ordained AMiE 2017) 2015
Trinity Church Scarborough Scarborough, North Yorkshire [22] Lee McMunn (ordained CoE 2005)
James Oakley 		2017[22] Church plant from St John's Church, Newland, Hull

AMiE is also aiming to plant a new church in Ramsgate in 2021.[23]

Former AMiE churches

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The following churches disaffiliated from AMiE in 2020–21.

Name Location Web Clergy Founded Notes
Anchor Anglican Church, Fowey Fowey, Cornwall [23] Philip de Grey-Warter 2019[24] Formed when the vicar of Fowey Parish Church left the CoE. Now part of the Anglican Convocation in Europe (see above).
Cornerstone Church Crewe Crewe, Cheshire [24] Matt Guest (ordained CoE 2015) 2019 Church plant from Christ Church, Wharton.
Grace Church Bude Bude, Cornwall [25] Alistair Harper (ordained AMiE 2017) 2019 May be defunct.
King's Church Guildford Guildford, Surrey [26] Richard Leadbeater (ordained CoE 2010) 2014 Now part of FIEC.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "'This is not a threat': breakaway Anglican Mission in England defends its first ordinations". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  2. ^ a b Farley, Harry (30 June 2017). "Rebel 'missionary bishop' Andy Lines to be consecrated". Christian Today. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  3. ^ "College of Bishops approves admission of four new bishops". Anglican Church in North America. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Executive Committee - About - AMiE". anglicanmissioninengland.org. Archived from the original on 2017-01-14. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  5. ^ "Alternative Anglican church looms large in the shadows". The Times. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  6. ^ "About Our - History". Anglican Mission in England. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Bringing the gospel to England - The story of Trinity Church Scarborough | GAFCON". www.gafcon.org. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  8. ^ a b c d Rogers, Jon (2016-09-24). "Shock SPLIT in Church of England will see 250 NEW hardline Anglican churches by 2050". Daily Express.
  9. ^ Bingham, John (17 April 2015). "Bishops back Church of England breakaway congregations" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  10. ^ "AMiE ordinations | Law & Religion UK". www.lawandreligionuk.com. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  11. ^ "Statement about AMiE Ordinations - December 2017 - News - AMiE". anglicanmissioninengland.org. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  12. ^ "Anglican Network in Europe - Our Convocations".
  13. ^ "Churches". ACE. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  14. ^ "Our Churches". Anglican Mission in England. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  15. ^ "New Plants". Anglican Mission in England. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  16. ^ "Christ Church Newland Facebook page". Facebook. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  17. ^ "Anglican, but not Church of England | VirtueOnline – The Voice for Global Orthodox Anglicanism". www.virtueonline.org. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  18. ^ "Our Team". Cornerstone Church. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  19. ^ "About us – Cornerstone Church Grays". Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  20. ^ "About us". Grace Church Newton Hall. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  21. ^ "Introducing Grace Church Sydenham - March 2018 - News - AMiE". www.anglicanmissioninengland.org. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  22. ^ "Bringing the gospel to England - The story of Trinity Church Scarborough | GAFCON". www.gafcon.org. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  23. ^ "A New Church In Thanet: Redeemer Church" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  24. ^ "Exciting news from a new AMiE church". us17.campaign-archive.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  25. ^ "About us". King's Church Guildford. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
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