By Rich Flowers News Editor
The priest of an Athens church that split from the Anglican Church of America in July has been accepted by the Missionary Society of St. John the Evangelist.
Father Jerry Pardue of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church said the move was necessary for him to perform his duties as a priest. He will serve under Bishop Frederick Fick, who is based in Michigan.
“A parish can function without a bishop, but a priest can’t,” Pardue said. “I now have a Godly bishop that I can represent.”
The new association between the priest and bishop was not entered into lightly.
“I had to be accepted by them and spend time in discernment with them,” Pardue said. “We knew of them because of their small parish in Tyler. They have some parishes in Texas. They have flourishing parish in Hurst, and a smaller one in Tyler.”
When St. Stephen’s celebrates mass and carols at 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, it will be a time of peaceful celebration for Pardue following a year that began with controversy. A 7-month struggle for power — punctuated by heated words and strong disagreement between a priest and his bishop led to St. Stephen’s separation from the Anglican Church of America. St. Stephen’s voted to leave the ACA on July 5.
Word of the change came in a press release issued by the Bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley, Right Rev. Stephen D. Strawn, who had served at St. Stephen’s until 2003.
“They tried to take over our church, and make it a mission,” Pardue said.
At the time of the departure Pardue said Strawn tried to seize control of the parish by non-canonical efforts to force the church into mission status.
“Had he not so attempted, we probably would not have taken such action.” Pardue said.
The priest said some predicted the St. Stephen’s parish would not survive the split.
“We lost some people because of the departure, but because of the departure we got some people,” Pardue said. “The parish is in much the same condition as it was about a year ago as far as membership and finances are concerned.”
Had St. Stephen’s become a mission, the parish would have lost its autonomy and its vestry, which is a group of six parishioners who play a leadership role in the church. The members serve staggered three year terms. Pardue is excited that the vestry has a teenager among its body, 17-year-old Britton Tarrance of Athens.
“He’s an impressive young man Pardue said.
Despite the changes of 2009, St. Stephen’s is looking for a good 2010. The Boar’s Head Festival, a tradition at the church is set for January.
