Dennis Bennett’s Legacy Lives On in Seattle

05-06-11
by Bishop Dave Bena

When CANA Bishop Roger Ames ordained Dan Rice to the priesthood in Seattle on March 6, 2011, the legacy of the Rev’d Dennis Bennett was ensured of living on. Dan Rice is the new rector of Emmanuel Anglican Church in Seattle. All of the founding members of Emmanuel are former members of St. Luke’s Ballard, the congregation Bennett rescued in the late 1960s and which served as an enthusiastic base of operations to spread renewal in the Holy Spirit to literally millions of people across the globe and across denominations. Bishop Ames had been a recipient of Bennett’s ministry and was thrilled to have the privilege of playing a part in continuing the legacy.

Last autumn when St. Luke’s beloved rector, the Rev’d John Roddam, retired, the congregation gathered to deliberate on their future. The vast majority of the leadership and members prayerfully determined that they could no longer remain in The Episcopal Church (TEC) and asked that they might be received by the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). Those who decided to join CANA (76% of the congregation) and those who decided to remain in the building and TEC (24%) separated on peaceful terms. A church not far from St. Luke’s invited the CANA group, now called Emmanuel Anglican, to worship in their building. “Since Emmanuel was born, there is a tangible feeling of joy and vision — hopefulness,” Rev’d Rice observed.

He added, “We are definitely Anglicans, embracing CANA’s three-stream philosophy — sacramental, evangelical, and charismatic.” Rice is a former Assembly of God minister and a professional artist who earned a master’s degree from Regent College in Canada and has studied at Oxford. Constance, his wife, teaches English at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. the rest