ST. PETER’S ANGLICAN CHURCH
Mission Statement
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18a
It is the bounden duty and service of this parish, being part of the
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, to worship God as He
has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, to become saints and to make
disciples of all people.
Preserving Our Anglican Roots
Although we go back to the beginning of the Church in Britain
theologically, St. Peter’s came into being after a long, often painful
struggle with the heretical actions of the church. St. Peter’s Anglican
Church was founded as a congregation, formed by Episcopal clergy
and laity who prayerfully separated themselves from the Episcopal
Church and its departure from Biblical, Liturgical and Moral standards.
In 1976 , the Convention of ECUSA voted to allow women to be
ordained priests and bishops. This action took place after several
women had already been illegally ordained ! This novel step was the
first in the destruction of the Apostolic Ministry. Soon other heretical
acts followed, including:
1. Changing the rules of marriage, thus encouraging the
destruction of the Christian family.
2. Changing the written word of God to meet worldly standards.
3. Ordination of practicing homosexual men and women.
4. Blessing of same-sex unions approved by bishops.
At the beginning of these acts, and after efforts to work through
“the system”, bishops, priests and laity of the church formed The
Episcopal Synod of America (ESA) at a large international meeting
in Ft. Worth, May 1989, under the direction of the Rt. Rev’d A.
Donald Davies. Bishop Davies was the former Bishop of the
Diocese of Dallas, the founding Bishop of the Diocese of Ft. Worth
and the Bishop of the Episcopal congregations in Europe.
Soon after this historical meeting, the influence of the Synod and
the growing unrest among Episcopal Churches led the National
Church to approve the formation of a “province within a province”,
the Diocese of the Missionary District of the Americas, as an
institutional shelter for members who felt dispossessed. Bishop
Davies was appointed to be the bishop. But–it soon became
apparent that remaining within “the system” would not bring hope,
change nor solution.
Fr. Murphy, now retired after 41 years as a priest and 29 years as
rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, organized a prayer
group at the request of lay people. It was called St. Athanasius,
and met in member’s homes. The Society was chartered by the
State of Texas and approved by ECUSA’s House of Bishops
Committee on Religious Communities. Bishop Davies was Visitor
and Advisor for the group.
On Nov. 11, 1991, after the defeat at General Convention of a
proposal to afford traditionalists an institutional shelter, members
of St. Athanasius petitioned Bishop Davies for membership in the
Missionary Diocese of the Americas. Bishop Davies and Fr.
Murphy petitioned Bishop Ben Benitez, Bishop of the Diocese of
Texas, for permission to organize a mission for the “disinherited”.
Bishop Benitez said “No way” and eventually allowed Fr. Murphy,
to resign from ministry in ECUSA for “reasons of conscience”.
Without ECUSA approval through General Convention, the
Missionary Diocese of the Americas was “dead in the water.”
Bishops, priests and laity alike broke with ECUSA to form various
jurisdictions across the country. Of these groups, The Episcopal
Missionary Church, EMC, was unique: its organizational bishop
was Bishop A. Donald Davies–the first member of the House of
Bishops to leave ECUSA . On Dec. 1, 1991, Fr. Murphy,
organized a new congregation, named after St. Peter, “The Rock”,
which met at the Post Oak YMCA. The Church of St. Peter
became the first church to join Bishop Davies in the formation of
the EMC.
In November, 1992, at a convention in Dickinson, Texas , Bishop
Davies was elected Presiding Bishop. As a result of this meeting,
Bishop Davies was deposed by the House of Bishops. At the first
meeting of the Synod of EMC in Richmond, Virginia in November
1993, two suffragan bishops were elected. Bishop Murphy was
elected bishop for the Diocese of the Holy Cross. States included
in this diocese went from Texas to Wyoming. Bishop Murphy, as
Ordinary of the Diocese of the Holy Cross, continued to serve as
rector of St. Peter’s church as well.
Upon the retirement of Bishop Davies, the diocese decided to
become an independent diocese, keeping the whole Catholic and
Apostolic faith and praying for the union of all separated bodies in
the Anglican Communion. In 1999, the Diocese of the Holy Cross
elected the Rev’d Robert F. Waggener, rector of the Church in
Cheyenne, Wyoming, as Coadjutor. In September 2003, at a
diocesan meeting of clergy in Birmingham, Alabama, Bishop
Murphy resigned as Bishop Ordinary. Bishop Waggener became
the Bishop of the Diocese.
FIF/ UK and the Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross, along with other Anglican
Evangelical Catholic clergy and dioceses in America and England,
is a member of Forward in Faith, United Kingdom. St. Peter’s is a
congregational member as well. As such, it is entitled to
representation at the annual National Assembly in London on
Oct. 21 and 22, 2005. One clergy and one layperson with voting
privileges may attend.
In view of the world-wide unrest in the Anglican Communion, this
year’s meeting should be of utmost importance.
Mission Statement
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18a
It is the bounden duty and service of this parish, being part of the
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, to worship God as He
has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, to become saints and to make
disciples of all people.
Preserving Our Anglican Roots
Although we go back to the beginning of the Church in Britain
theologically, St. Peter’s came into being after a long, often painful
struggle with the heretical actions of the church. St. Peter’s Anglican
Church was founded as a congregation, formed by Episcopal clergy
and laity who prayerfully separated themselves from the Episcopal
Church and its departure from Biblical, Liturgical and Moral standards.
In 1976 , the Convention of ECUSA voted to allow women to be
ordained priests and bishops. This action took place after several
women had already been illegally ordained ! This novel step was the
first in the destruction of the Apostolic Ministry. Soon other heretical
acts followed, including:
1. Changing the rules of marriage, thus encouraging the
destruction of the Christian family.
2. Changing the written word of God to meet worldly standards.
3. Ordination of practicing homosexual men and women.
4. Blessing of same-sex unions approved by bishops.
At the beginning of these acts, and after efforts to work through
“the system”, bishops, priests and laity of the church formed The
Episcopal Synod of America (ESA) at a large international meeting
in Ft. Worth, May 1989, under the direction of the Rt. Rev’d A.
Donald Davies. Bishop Davies was the former Bishop of the
Diocese of Dallas, the founding Bishop of the Diocese of Ft. Worth
and the Bishop of the Episcopal congregations in Europe.
Soon after this historical meeting, the influence of the Synod and
the growing unrest among Episcopal Churches led the National
Church to approve the formation of a “province within a province”,
the Diocese of the Missionary District of the Americas, as an
institutional shelter for members who felt dispossessed. Bishop
Davies was appointed to be the bishop. But–it soon became
apparent that remaining within “the system” would not bring hope,
change nor solution.
Fr. Murphy, now retired after 41 years as a priest and 29 years as
rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, organized a prayer
group at the request of lay people. It was called St. Athanasius,
and met in member’s homes. The Society was chartered by the
State of Texas and approved by ECUSA’s House of Bishops
Committee on Religious Communities. Bishop Davies was Visitor
and Advisor for the group.
On Nov. 11, 1991, after the defeat at General Convention of a
proposal to afford traditionalists an institutional shelter, members
of St. Athanasius petitioned Bishop Davies for membership in the
Missionary Diocese of the Americas. Bishop Davies and Fr.
Murphy petitioned Bishop Ben Benitez, Bishop of the Diocese of
Texas, for permission to organize a mission for the “disinherited”.
Bishop Benitez said “No way” and eventually allowed Fr. Murphy,
to resign from ministry in ECUSA for “reasons of conscience”.
Without ECUSA approval through General Convention, the
Missionary Diocese of the Americas was “dead in the water.”
Bishops, priests and laity alike broke with ECUSA to form various
jurisdictions across the country. Of these groups, The Episcopal
Missionary Church, EMC, was unique: its organizational bishop
was Bishop A. Donald Davies–the first member of the House of
Bishops to leave ECUSA . On Dec. 1, 1991, Fr. Murphy,
organized a new congregation, named after St. Peter, “The Rock”,
which met at the Post Oak YMCA. The Church of St. Peter
became the first church to join Bishop Davies in the formation of
the EMC.
In November, 1992, at a convention in Dickinson, Texas , Bishop
Davies was elected Presiding Bishop. As a result of this meeting,
Bishop Davies was deposed by the House of Bishops. At the first
meeting of the Synod of EMC in Richmond, Virginia in November
1993, two suffragan bishops were elected. Bishop Murphy was
elected bishop for the Diocese of the Holy Cross. States included
in this diocese went from Texas to Wyoming. Bishop Murphy, as
Ordinary of the Diocese of the Holy Cross, continued to serve as
rector of St. Peter’s church as well.
Upon the retirement of Bishop Davies, the diocese decided to
become an independent diocese, keeping the whole Catholic and
Apostolic faith and praying for the union of all separated bodies in
the Anglican Communion. In 1999, the Diocese of the Holy Cross
elected the Rev’d Robert F. Waggener, rector of the Church in
Cheyenne, Wyoming, as Coadjutor. In September 2003, at a
diocesan meeting of clergy in Birmingham, Alabama, Bishop
Murphy resigned as Bishop Ordinary. Bishop Waggener became
the Bishop of the Diocese.
FIF/ UK and the Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross, along with other Anglican
Evangelical Catholic clergy and dioceses in America and England,
is a member of Forward in Faith, United Kingdom. St. Peter’s is a
congregational member as well. As such, it is entitled to
representation at the annual National Assembly in London on
Oct. 21 and 22, 2005. One clergy and one layperson with voting
privileges may attend.
In view of the world-wide unrest in the Anglican Communion, this
year’s meeting should be of utmost importance.
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| About Us ************************************* |
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