THE diocese of Sheffield
has expressed "total surprise" at the ordination in Kenya of
the minister of a church planted by Christ Church, Fulwood.
The Revd Pete Jackson,
the founding minister of Christ Church, Walkley, was made deacon in
the Anglican Church of Kenya by the Bishop of Kitui, the Rt Revd
Josephat Mule, on 9 February.
Anglican Mainstream
issued a statement about the ordination on Monday, signed by the
Revd Tim Davies, the senior minister of Christ Church Central,
which is another plant of Christ Church, Fulwood; and by Jane
Patterson, a trustee of Christ Church Central who is also a member
of the General Synod and sits on the Crown Nominations
Commission.
Christ Church Central, in
Sheffield city centre, was set up by Christ Church, Fulwood, in
2003. It was planted "outside the formal structures of the Church
of England", the statement said, after "diocesan support for this
initiative was withdrawn".
Christ Church, Fulwood,
and Christ Church Central both "continued to grow numerically", and
last year, the two churches planted Christ Church Walkley, "with
the initial members drawn from both congregations living in the
area". Mr Jackson was appointed as the "founding minister" of the
plant.
The statement continued:
"Although recommended by the Reform Panel of Reference and trained
at Oakhill [sic] Theological College, Pete [Jackson] had
not been ordained since Christ Church Central was not part of
Sheffield diocese. Concern that his ministry, and that of the new
church, should be appropriately recognised led us to consult the
leadership of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE), who
subsequently wrote to the GAFCON Primates' Council with a request
that they should facilitate Pete's ordination."
The AMiE, a conservative
Evangelical group, was launched in 2011, shortly after three
clerics from Southwark diocese were ordained in Africa by the
Archbishop of Kenya, Dr Eliud Wabukala.
The Bishop of Doncaster,
the Rt Revd Peter Burrows, said in a statement issued on Tuesday
that the diocese had been "made aware last week" of Mr Jackson's
ordination in Kenya.
"This came as a total surprise as we had no
prior knowledge or communication regarding this. We continue to seek further clarification and dialogue with
those involved in the ordination at various levels, and are taking
advice so that we have a comprehensive picture of what took
place."