The Anglican Diocese

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Good Shepherd

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The Anglican Diocese of the Good Shepherd is affiliated with the Anglican Church International Communion, and the Rt. Rev. Larry Johnson, Front Royal, Virginia, and the Rt. Rev. Vincent Thakore, Atlanta, Georgia.  Diocese consists of the clergy and congregations duly admitted to membership in conformity to those Canons pertaining to admission.  The Right Reverend Melvin H. Pickering, of Las Cruces, NM is the Liturgical head and leader.   

The Articles of Ordination and Consecration of Bishops, Priests and Deacons (hereinafter “ministers”) is incorporated herein by reference. 

The Constitution and Canons herein contained were approved by actions of the Diocesan Synod of October 11, 2002, at Tucson, Arizona.

Declaration of Principles

The name of this church shall be the Anglican Church International Communion, Diocese of the Good Shepherd. 

As the Apostolic Church brought both Jewish and pagan peoples to Christ, WE DECLARE that the Church of today must be a Church on Mission, reaching out to non-believers and neo-pagans with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

WE FURTHER DECLARE that we cannot and will not accept any act that would weaken or compromise the tradition that we have received in regard to any of the following principles which we hold to be essential to an unimpaired relationship with Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church: 

1.             The authority of the HOLY SCRIPTURES as inerrant Word of God, as summarized by the Creeds, taught from the Fathers, and defined in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, the King James Version being the standard in the English language. 

2.             The Nicene and Apostles’ CREEDS as binding on every member of the Church to a specific personal commitment and conviction. 

3.             HOLY BAPTISM as ordained by Christ, so set forth in the Book of Common Prayer, as the seal of our Salvation, and Confirmation by a bishop in the apostolic line wherein we receive the strengthening gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Apostolic tradition. 

4.             The HOLY COMMUNION validly celebrated by a bishop of the Apostolic line, or by a priest ordained by such a bishop, and properly received by those confirmed or ready and desiours to be confirmed, although Communion will not be refused to Christians of other traditions. 

5.             The HOLY ORDERS of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, restricted to males by the universal practice of the Holy Catholic Church, and as intended by the Book of Common Prayer. 

6.             The integrity of the EPISCOPATE in its sacramental functions and, according to the Apostolic model, as evangelists, guardians of the faith, and caring shepherds of the flock, placing these changes above the administrative responsibilities that have so often caused mischief in the churches of former years. 

7.             The historic Book of Common Prayer is used as both a common liturgy and a doctrinal standard.  We worship according to the 1928 American edition of the Book of Common Prayer of the 1962 Canadian edition, respecting that liturgical expression established by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1549, and the 1552 version as set forth by the act of uniformity allowing also for other national equivalents so far as the faith is kept entire by them. 

We give our witness to unbelievers and to the many who claim the name of Christ for themselves while setting aside Our Lord’s own words about Himself:  that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no man can come to the Father but by Him.

Signed, the bishops of THE ANGLICAN CHURCH of the AMERICAS, the 17^th day of November in the year of our Lord two thousand and one.