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WYOMING: Starting anew
By KATHLEEN ST. JOHN
Star-Tribune staff writer
2/9/2006
The "culture wars" have raged for years now, but nowhere is the schism more apparent than in the Episcopal Church.
When the Episcopal House of Bishops elected an openly gay bishop in 2003, it had a polarizing effect within the church. Now a new group, the Anglican Mission in America, is building congregations across the nation that reach out to disaffected Episcopalians.
The Rev. Tom Johnson, pastor of the newly formed Anglican Church of the Resurrection in Casper and Glenrock, is hoping to bring a measure of healing to Wyoming's lost Episcopalians next weekend when Casper hosts The Greater Wyoming Regional Anglican Conference.
The conference begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Ross Memorial Chapel at 801 S. Wolcott St., and features guests from Colorado and South Dakota speaking about the Anglican Mission in America.
"For people who felt that their church has left them behind and still want to remain Anglican, this is a great option for them," Johnson said.
The Episcopal Church is the primary American member of the Worldwide Anglican Communion, the network of churches united by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England. The Anglican Mission in America has splintered off the Episcopal Church, but still remains under the purview of the Anglican Communion.
"The Episcopal Church has been getting more and more liberal," said Johnson, who left St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Casper after eight years to form the Anglican Church of the Resurrection.
"It was really difficult for us when we left the Episcopal Church," he said. "There were some things we couldnt reconcile with our conscience anymore."
Johnson's new church, the Anglican Church of the Resurrection, meets in Casper and Glenrock and has 185 members.
"What we're really doing is not so much making something separate -- it just gives people options in their faith ... This gives them a place to grieve and a place to go."
Next Saturday's conference is open to the public.
For more information or to register, call 277-3071.
Staff writer Kathleen St. John can be reached at 266-0586 or Kathleen.Stjohn@casperstartribune.net.
