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UGANDA PRIMATE TO ECUSA: "Keep your UTO Funds. We are in broken communion with you"
Statement from the Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda
KAMPALA (9/23/2004)--One of the hallmarks of the East African Revival in the Church of Uganda is “walking in the light.” On 20th November 2003 the Church of Uganda broke communion with ECUSA until it repents of its actions in approving and consecrating as bishop a man in an actively homosexual relationship. Furthermore, we have taken the position that, as a result of broken communion, we will not take any financial gifts from ECUSA.
We want to thank ECUSA’s Executive Council member, Louie Crew, Ph.D., D.D., D.D., D.H.L., for helping us to walk in the light regarding our financial accountability. Despite its condescending and imperialistic tone, his two recent open letters to me and to our House of Bishops shed considerable light on things we had not known.
For many of us, the internal workings of ECUSA are a mystery. Were it not for the information revealed in these open letters, we would not have known that the UTO grants of the Episcopal Church Women were part of the official ECUSA structure. Nor would we have known that women in the Episcopal Church support the recent heretical and immoral actions of the General Convention, which have caused ECUSA to separate itself from the historic church and the vast majority of the Anglican Communion and Christendom. We are grateful to have this information, and respectfully request that UTO not send us any more funds – even if grant requests have been submitted.
Accordingly, the Bishop of West Buganda is withdrawing his diocese’s request for a UTO grant and has asked that UTO not send the wire transfer for the recent grant request from his diocese. Likewise, in the spirit of “walking in the light,” the Bishop of Luweero has notified UTO that he is returning the $30,000 recently received from a 2004 UTO grant to his diocese.
At the same time, the Church of Uganda is committed to carrying through on these projects. We believe that God will honour our commitment to His Word and will provide more than we could ask or imagine for the people committed to our care, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Furthermore, we respectfully request Episcopal Relief and Development to not send any grants to any Church of Uganda diocese or institution, including remaining installments on multi-year grants awarded prior to ECUSA’s 2003 General Convention. Likewise, please do not raise any more money on our behalf.
The Church of Uganda did gratefully receive ERD grants in 2001, 2002, and 2003 – prior to the consecration as bishop of a man in an actively homosexual relationship. According to our records, and confirmed by Don Hammond, Vice President of ERD, the Church of Uganda has refused the remaining installments of a four-year grant that was approved prior to the 2003 General Convention of ECUSA.
This state of broken communion saddens us because of the loss of relationships and partners, and we believe it also grieves the heart of God. We continue to pray that ECUSA will repent of its actions so healing can begin, reconciliation be pursued, and communion be restored.
We continue to rejoice in the formation and growth of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes in the United States under the leadership of Bishop Bob Duncan, and thank God that there is a faithful remnant of Anglicans in America with whom we can remain in communion. We look forward to deepening our ties and mission partnerships with those parishes and dioceses that are part of this Anglican Communion Network.
The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi
ARCHBISHOP OF CHURCH OF UGANDA.
