The Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America

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1 On the Relationship with the Anglican Church in North America with The Free Church of England (The Reformed Episcopal Church in the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany (Reformiert Episkopalische Kirche in Deutschland REK), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Croatia (Reformed Protestant Christian Church of Croatia- REC/Croatia), and The Reformed Episcopal Church in Cuba REC/Cuba Being that The Reformed Episcopal Church in United States and Canada is a constituent member of the Anglican Church in North America, and the Reformed Episcopal Church in the United States and Canada is in Full Communion with The Free Church of England (The Reformed Episcopal Church in the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany (Reformiert Episkopalische Kirche in Deutschland REK), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Croatia (Reformed Protestant Christian Church of Croatia- REC/Croatia), and The Reformed Episcopal Church in Cuba REC/Cuba; The Anglican Church in North America acknowledges that it is in Full Communion with The Free Church of England (The Reformed Episcopal Church in the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany (Reformiert Episkopalische Kirche in Deutschland REK), The Reformed Episcopal Church in Croatia (Reformed Protestant Christian Church of Croatia- REC/Croatia), and The Reformed Episcopal Church in Cuba REC/Cuba; And The Anglican Church in North America recognizes their congregations, clergy, and sacraments, while pledging to work together for the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ and the making of his disciples throughout the world. The Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach Archbishop and Primate Anglican Church in North America Affirmed this day, 1 February 2016, and to be ratified by the Provincial Council of the Anglican Church in North America in June 2016 Notes: Since 2009 the Reformed Episcopal Church in North America has been a constituent member and sub- Province of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

2 The REC in North America is, however, only one part of an international family of Reformed Episcopal Churches. As the ACNA matures and begins to take its place among the family of Anglican Provinces and more widely ecumenically, the time would seem opportune to tidy up the ACNA s relationship with the other members of the RE family. 1) The Reformed Episcopal Churches a) The Reformed Episcopal Church in the United States and Canada (REC/NA) This was founded in December 1873 by Bishop George Cummins and a number of presbyters and laity who had left PECUSA. Today the Church has 6 Dioceses, three Seminaries and approximately 200 clergy. b) The Free Church of England otherwise called the Reformed Episcopal Church in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (FCE/REC) A branch of the REC was founded in the UK in 1877, with Thomas Huband Gregg consecrated as its first bishop. For the first few years the UK was under the authority of the REC/NA, but was granted autonomy in The REC/UK had a complex relationship with a pre- existing independent Anglican Church in the UK the Free Church of England which had been formed in 1863, and to which the REC/NA gave the historic episcopate in Eventually the FCE and REC/UK united in 1927 to form the present Church which is legally the REC in the UK. The FCE/REC has never been confined to the British Isles, but from the 1850s has had affiliated congregations in several parts of the world. It currently has congregations in St Petersburg, Russia, France and Brazil. In the UK it has two Dioceses and 23 congregations. Bishop John Fenwick is the Bishop of the Northern Diocese and Bishop Primus of the FCE/REC. Bishop Paul Hunt is the Bishop of the Southern Diocese. Both Bishops were consecrated by Bishops in the REC/NA. c) The Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany (Reformiert Episkopalische Kirche in Deutschland REK) The first congregations in Germany were founded in 1996 as a result of missionary work by the REC/NA. These were formed into a Missionary Diocese in 1998 and a bishop(bishop Gerhard Meyer) consecrated by REC/NA and FCE/REC bishops in The REK ceased to have the status of a Missionary Diocese in It is currently looking to strengthen its links with the FCE/REC. There are 5 congregations.

3 d) The Reformed Episcopal Church in Croatia (Reformed Protestant Christian Church of Croatia- REC/Croatia) This Missionary Diocese began as the Reformed Protestant Christian Church of Croatia which applied to join the Reformed Episcopal family in There are 6 congregations. The largest congregation of over 200 active members was the host parish for the first Synod for the Reformed Church in Croatia over 450 years ago. A bishop(bishop Jasmin Milic) was consecrated in 2013 by bishops of the REC/NA, FCE/REC and REK. e) The Reformed Episcopal Church in Cuba REC/Cuba) The Church was founded as a result of missionary work by Bishop Charles Dorrington of the Western Diocese of the REC/NA in Canada. Bishop Dorrington was appointed as Missionary Bishop of Cuba by the Most Rev. Leonard W. Riches according the REC Canons. There are now 28 congregations and missions in Cuba. In May of 2014, a bishop (Bishop William Suarez) was consecrated by bishops from the REC/NA, ACNA and GAFCON. The Missionary Diocese of Cuba is recognized by GAFCON and supported by ACNA parishes, in the US and Canada. 2) Reformed Episcopal Unity and Identity a) The bishops of the above Reformed Episcopal jurisdictions constitute a single episcopate, and the details of all episcopal consecrations are printed in the triennial Journal of the Proceedings of the General Council of the REC/NA. There is therefore total exchangeability of ministries between the various branches of the RE family. There is regular contact between the bishops and when possible the bishops of the RE Churches outside North America attend the meetings of the REC/NA s General Council. b) All the Reformed Episcopal jurisdictions share the Anglican liturgical tradition based on the Book of Common Prayer (with some local variations). All have the Thirty- Nine Articles as a doctrinal basis and are clearly Anglican in ethos and practice. The FCE/REC is required by its Constitution to conform to the ancient laws and customs of the Church of England. c) The doctrinal, ethical and missional stance of all the RE jurisdictions agree with those of the Theological Statement of the ACNA, the Jerusalem Declaration and the Nairobi Communique.

4 d) There are various schemes of mutual collaboration and aid between the Reformed Episcopal jurisdictions. 3) Existing Recognition of RE jurisdictions within the GAFCON process a) The FCE/REC has been a member of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (UK & Ireland) since the latter s inception in 2009, and is recognized as such by the GAFCON Primates. b) The REC/Cuba is recognized by the GAFCON Primates as an extra- Provincial Diocese. 4) The Special Position of the Free Church of England/Reformed Episcopal Church in the UK The parishes of the FCE/REC lie within the Church of England s Provinces of Canterbury and York. As an Established Church the Church of England has to engage with other Churches within a framework defined by English statute law. Within that framework the FCE/REC enjoys a special status, which has been accorded to no other continuing Anglican Church: The Orders of the FCE/REC are recognized and accepted (following a process of dialogue) by the Church of England under the Parliamentary Overseas and Other Clergy Measure The Measure allows FCE/REC clergy to be licensed to minister within the Church of England. It also allows FCE/REC bishops to ordain and perform other episcopal functions within the Church of England, subject to the permission of the relevant Diocesan Bishop and Archbishop. The FCE/REC is also a Designated Church under the Ecumenical Relations Measure Among other things, this permits Church of England clergy to be licensed by FCE/REC bishops to minister in in FCE/REC parishes. It also permits the creation of joint FCE/REC- C of E congregations. The FCE/REC is a member of the major ecumenical organization in England (Churches Together in England) and in that context meets on an equal footing, not just with the Church of England, but with the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Churches. There is a good, informal working relationship with Lambeth Palace. The legal and relational frameworks are therefore in place for constructive collaboration with orthodox elements within the Church of England. For the ACNA to make explicit its relationship with the FCE/REC could facilitate its own involvement in the Mother Country of the Anglican family in a natural and organic way.

5 5) Precedents The ACNA already recognizes and is in communion with other overseas jurisdictions whose North American members have become constituent parts of the ACNA (for example, the Churches of Nigeria and Rwanda). There would therefore be no inconsistency in extending a similar recognition to the Reformed Episcopal jurisdictions outside the USA and Canada.