Source:  Christ the King Anglican Church Press Release (Via Email)

October 1, 2009

A majority of the members of St. Mark's-on-the-Mesa Episcopal Church are leaving their church property and endowments worth over $2 million to form a new parish, Christ the King Anglican Church.

This past Sunday, September 27, the former priest-in-charge of St. Mark's, The Rev. Roger Weber, along with two other clergy members, eight of ten staff members, and eleven of twelve members of the church governing board (vestry) announced their decision to leave the Episcopal Church and form the new Anglican parish. They will become part of the Anglican Church in North America, which was recently formed in response to widespread un-biblical teaching and practice in The Episcopal Church (U.S.) and the Anglican Church of Canada.

"This has been a difficult decision, but after the 2009 Episcopal General Convention in July, we have finally come to the point where we cannot continue in a denomination that rejects the authority of scripture and increasingly characterizes the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as tangential and non-essential, rather than Son of God, Lord and Savior," said The Rev. Weber. "We're excited about our future as part of the Anglican Church in North America, which is aligned with the majority of Christians worldwide who uphold biblical faith and teaching."

One lay leader, a former senior warden of the vestry, spoke Sunday of his 55 years at St. Mark's, where he was married and his children were baptized. He passionately described his personal relationship with Jesus Christ and his unwillingness to accept false teaching by The Episcopal Church's presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, such as her recent statement to the church's General Convention when she characterized a personal confession of faith-"that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God" -as "the great Western heresy."

Another former senior warden expressed her deep disappointment that the national Episcopal Church seems to believe that the fruit of the Spirit includes anger and vindictiveness, mentioning the ongoing lawsuits against many parishes across the country and the deposition of faithful clergy.

The first worship service for the newly formed Christ the King Anglican Church will be Sunday, October 4, at 9:00 a.m., with a time of celebration and fellowship afterward. The new parish is located at 5300-2nd St., NW, in Albuquerque, south of Montaño Road, NW/Montgomery Blvd., NE. Beginning October 11, there will be two services on Sunday mornings: a traditional service at 8:00 a.m. and a more contemporary service at 10:30 a.m. with worship music led by artist-in-residence, Fernando Ortega, and Christian education for all ages from 9.30 to 10.20 a.m.

The new church will emphasize thoughtful and biblically-centered preaching and teaching and weekly Eucharist/Communion, along with classic Christian spiritual formation, pastoral care, and mission and outreach - all in the historically beautiful, rich, and compelling Anglican liturgical tradition. In the near future there will be regular healing services, contemplative worship and retreats.

Weber+ will be assisted by The Rev. Libbie Weber and Deacon Bill Lock. The new parish is part of the Diocese of the Holy Spirit, led by Bishop John Guernsey of Woodbridge, VA, and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), presided over by Archbishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, PA. The ACNA is in the process of seeking official recognition as the 39th province of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Currently 22 of the 38 Anglican provinces are in broken or impaired communion with the Episcopal Church.

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If you'd like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with one of the clergy or lay members, please call Ms. Debi Lester at (505) 710-2331 (Cell) or (505) 345-1450 (Effective Oct. 1, 2009) or e-mail Ms. Lester at debilester@comcast.net

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