VirtueOnline: WASHINGTON, DC: Gay issues slowly erode Episcopal membership

Love the AMiA! VirtueOnline: WASHINGTON, DC: Gay issues slowly erode Episcopal membership: "Other Episcopalians have departed for the Anglican Mission in America, a breakaway group allied with the Anglican bishop of Rwanda. This makes it part of the 70 million-member worldwide Anglican Communion, bypassing the communion's U.S. affiliate, the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church. The Anglican Mission in America (AMIA), based in Pawleys Island, S.C., has created 22 congregations since January. Ten of them include Episcopal clergy who have fled the denomination, along with a 'substantial' number of Episcopal congregants, according to AMIA Executive Director Tim Smith. 'We're busy,' Mr. Smith said. 'Phone calls, letters, e-mails, personal visits.' In its almost five-year history, AMIA has consecrated five new bishops and amassed 72 churches encompassing 15,000 members. Colorado has the most congregations at 12, followed by Florida with nine. AMIA spokesman Jay Greener says Episcopalians seem to be 'in shock.' "