Stressing he is fronting the campaign as an individual Christian, rather than his position as a senior Anglican, Mr Pengelley said that he had real experience of the struggles faced by same-sex attracted people.

"We're going to see a bunch of seminaries close in the next 50 years," said Gary Hall, the chair of EDS's board of trustees. "The church is shrinking. The need for clergy is shrinking. And the institutional support is shrinking."

Mainline Protestant seminaries are facing an existential crisis after a decade of mounting red ink.

Enrollment has fallen by nearly 25% over the past decade, according to the Association of Theological Schools, an accrediting agency.

Archbishop Beach is calling the Church to pray, give, and prepare: "Now is an important time for the Church to step forward. First and foremost, please join me in praying for the people of south Texas and Louisiana. Please pray for all those in distress, those who are being called to extraordinary acts of courage, and those who are obediently engaging in small acts of faithfulness.

I want to draw your attention to two statements from the Anglican Church in North America over the weekend. These were shared on social media, but deserve as wide a distribution as possible. The first is a Call to Prayer from Bishop John Guernsey, Dean of Provincial Affairs, whose diocese includes Charlottesville, Virginia. I encourage you to pray this prayer with me this week. The second statement comes from the Anglican Church in North America's Anglican Multiethnic Network.