Chaplains Ordained, Northeast District Formed as CANA Council Concludes

Raymond and I just returned tonight from Herndon, Virginia.

At the ordination of two priests and one deacon at the CANA Council 2009 closing Eucharist, the congregation led by CANA Bishop Martyn Minns, (the bishop with the tambourine) and the other bishops danced in the style of the people of their Nigerian mother church. The video gives just a taste of the joyous celebration!-Pat Dague

HERNDON, Va. (August 1, 2009) – Today, the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) concluded its Annual Council meeting in Virginia with an ordination ceremony for three new chaplains and the formation of a new association of CANA congregations – the Anglican District of the Northeast.

“It’s a true honor to lead this group of CANA churches. Our Annual Council meetings are Gospel-focused events, just as our churches and our members are, and this year’s meeting was no exception,” said CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns.

“It is an exciting time to be in the Anglican Communion as the Anglican Church in North America takes off and CANA continues to grow. CANA now numbers 85 congregations and 179 clergy in 25 states. In the past year, we received 15 congregations, 30 clergy and conducted 17 ordinations,” Minns continued.

“Voting to form CANA’s third regional district and ordaining such highly respected military chaplains was the perfect conclusion to Council. The fact that we have gone from one chaplain two years ago to more than 40 today is a true blessing,” Minns concluded.

During the closing festal Eucharist, CANA ordained Daniel Waterman to the priesthood. Waterman is a Major in the U.S. Air Force who will continue to serve as Senior Protestant Chaplain at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Will Harrison was also ordained to the priesthood. Harrison is a Captain in the U.S. Army who is stationed with the 15th Engineer Battalion at Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany. Major Michael Baumann, currently serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Drum in New York, was the third chaplain ordained.

In addition to the ordination ceremony, CANA delegates formally voted to embrace the Anglican District of the Northeast, a new group of seven CANA congregations spanning three states. There are three additional congregations in development. The Anglican District of the Northeast is the third regional group to be formed within CANA, which also includes the Anglican District of the Great Lakes and the Anglican District of Virginia.

The congregations that are part of the Anglican District of the Northeast include Bishop Seabury Church in Groton, Conn., Christ Anglican Church in East Haven, Conn., Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Bristol, Conn., St. George’s Anglican Church in Helmetta, N.J., St. Andrew’s Church in Vestal, N.Y., Holy Trinity Church in Syracuse, N.Y., and Anglican Community Church in Batavia, N.Y. link