Anglican Province of Rwanda establishes North American missionary jurisdiction

The House of Bishops of the Anglican Province of Rwanda (PEAR) has established a Missionary District in North America. Meeting in Kigali on March 29, the bishops passed a resolution approving a petition from the PEARUSA Steering Team requesting the creation of the new jurisdiction. A charter for ministry is being developed by a joint team of Rwandan bishops and members of the Steering Team.

Leaders of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) broke with PEAR last December, but a number of parishes had expressed a desire to remain connected with the Rwandan province. The idea of a Missionary District was first conceived in January at an assembly in Raleigh, North Carolina hosted by Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje and the Rwanda House of Bishops. Its establishment now enables the continuation of the relationship between PEAR and the former AMiA parishes.

The full text of the resolution follows.

Kigali, March 29, 2012

A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS OF THE ANGLICAN PROVINCE OF RWANDA, ESTABLISHING A MISSIONARY DISTRICT IN NORTH AMERICA.

Resolved that pursuant to Title 1 Can. 6, Section 2(b), and in response to the March 1, 2012, petition of the PEARUSA Steering Team, the PEAR House of Bishops, meeting on March 29, 2012, do this day erect a missionary jurisdiction in North America, known as the Missionary District of the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda in North America. This Missionary District shall be organized through the implementation of a charter for ministry, to be developed and agreed upon together by our PEAR House of Bishops and the PEARUSA Steering Team, and complementary to the Provincial Constitution and Code of Canon Law.

Signed in Kigali on the 29th day of March, 2012