Rapid Growth: 1995-2001
1995: Clergy are ordained or received in Uganda and Estonia.
Fr. Craig Bates and his entire congregation in Malvern (Long Island), New York, leave the Episcopal Church and reorganize as Church of the Intercessor. With over 900 members, Intercessor becomes the largest CEC congregation in the U.S.
The CEC's first sister (nun) is professed at the Life in Jesus Community in Libertytown, Maryland, headed by former Episcopal priest Philip Zampino, now a CEC bishop and abbot.
1996: The ICCEC holds its first international convocation in Jacksonville, Florida, with 1,000 people in attendance.
ICCEC bishops begin seeking a line of apostolic succession that will be recognized as valid by the Roman Catholic Church. In the summer, two bishops make contact with the Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira (ICAB), the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church. ICAB's line of apostolic succession comes through its founder, former Roman Catholic bishop Carlos Duarte Costa of Brazil, who left the Roman Catholic Church in 1945. Current ICAB patriarch Luiz Fernando Castillo Mendez begins talks with the ICCEC about passing on its apostolic succession.
1997: The CEC cathedral in Manila, the Philippines, is confiscated by a powerful business group. The cathedral sits on prime real estate and is wanted for a new business development. The government accedes to the business group's demands, but parishioners occupy the cathedral building and barricade themselves inside for several days. Eventually parishioners are evicted from the building, and a new property is later obtained.
The International College of Archbishops (later called the Patriarch's Council) holds its first meeting in Normandy, France.
On Nov. 5 at Libertytown, Maryland, Bishops Adler, Sly, Lipka, Zampino, and Fick are re-consecreated by Bishop Luiz Fernando Castillo Mendez and two other bishops of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church (ICAB). ICAB leadership instructs the ICCEC to use the Roman Catholic forms for all future ordinations and consecrations. The ICCEC and ICAB enter into intercommunion.
On Nov. 19, several more bishops are re-consecrated with the Duarte Costa line of apostolic succession, in New York City. Bishops are instructed to conduct new ordination services for all existing priests and deacons, passing on the Duarte Costa line.
Congregations are established in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Great Britain.
The first African bishops are consecrated in Kenya. Benson Odinga Otieno and Bernard Njoroge Kariuki, former Anglican priests, become bishops for the 70 Kenyan congregations that are entering the ICCEC. The CEC in Kenya is called the Episcopal Church of Africa.
1998: The House of Bishops reaffirms the name "Charismatic Episcopal Church" for the communion. They assert their belief that this name was given by divine inspiration and should be retained.
The Society of St. Dismas, an international prison ministry, is founded by Fr. Frank Constantino of Florida.
1999: The CEC receives parishes in Pakistan, and a bishop is consecrated for that country.
2000: At the International Convocation in San Clemente, all 29 bishops of the ICCEC are assembled for the first time.
CEC For Life is created as a pro-life ministry headed by Fr. Terry Gensemer.
2001: The Gathering of Champions (later named Laudate) youth movement begins in Selma, Alabama. Organized by Fr. Marc Vincent, the first Gathering of Champions brings together 100 youth from all over the U.S. for several days of worship and fellowship. The next year over 500 youth attend, again in Selma.
Read more about this topic: Charismatic Episcopal Church Timeline
Famous quotes containing the word rapid:
“But parents can be understanding and accept the more difficult stages as necessary times of growth for the child. Parents can appreciate the fact that these phases are not easy for the child to live through either; rapid growth times are hard on a child. Perhaps it’s a small comfort to know that the harder-to-live-with stages do alternate with the calmer times,so parents can count on getting periodic breaks.”
—Saf Lerman (20th century)