Church Leadership

The Church is a living body made up of persons from every tribe, nation and tongue throughout the world. She has been called into existence by God, through the saving work of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and animated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Accordingly the Apostles speak of the Church as the body of Christ (Romans 12:5, 1 Cor 10:16; 12:7).

But on this side of heaven the Church has a structure and way of governance. The Church is ruled by elders (Acts 14:23, Acts 15:6, 1 Tim 5:17, 1 Pe 5:1). Bishops appear late in the first century as regional defenders of the faith who provide oversight to elders in a geographic region. Deacons were established early in the life of the New Testament Church as servants to the poor and needy (Acts 6:1-7). This polity, or governmental structure within the Church consisting of Bishops, Priests (elders) and Deacons, is known as the historic episcopate.

The Anglican Communion upholds the historic episcopate. We rejoice in the provision of godly Bishops who uphold the faith once for all entrusted to the saints.

Gafcon stands for “Global Anglican Future Conference”. This is a movement that began in 2008 with a conference in Jerusalem, gathering Anglicans from around the world committed to the faith once for all entrusted to the saints. Gafcon upholds Christianity according to the Scriptures and in so doing confronts those in the Anglican Communion who have willingly departed from basic Christian doctrine and practice. St Jude’s Anglican Church is grateful to walk alongside Gafcon partners who are willing to count the cost of faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Leadership

General Secretary of GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference)

Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi

Province of Jos, Nigeria

The Right Reverend Benjamin Kwashi is an Anglican Archbishop in Nigeria. Bishop of Jos, in northern Nigeria, he and his wife Gloria continue a vibrant ministry in an area of the country heavily persecuted by muslim terrorists associated with Boko Haram. They have opened their home to over 50 orphans as they continue to faithfully love and serve the people of Jos through fervent evangelism and deeds of mercy. Archbishop Kwashi also serves as the General Secretary of Gafcon.

Archbishop Foley Beach

Provincial Head of the Anglican Church in North America

The Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach was elected the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America on June 22, 2014. He is also the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South, headquartered in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. In June of 2018 he was elected by Archbishops from around the world to Chair the Primates Council of the Global Anglican Future Conference, a renewal movement within the Anglican Communion.

The Rt. Rev. Steve Wood, Diocesan Bishop

Diocese of the Carolinas, ACNA and Rector, St. Andrew’s Church, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Steve has been the Rector of St. Andrew’s Church since 2000. He grew up in Northeast Ohio where he came to faith in Jesus Christ and married his childhood sweetheart, Jacqui. Together, they have four sons and two grandchildren.

Steve received his Masters of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1991. In 2010 he was integral in the foundation and establishment of the Diocese of the Carolinas and in 2012 he was elected and consecrated as the Diocese’s first bishop.

The Rt. Rev. David Bryan, Bishop Suffrigan

Diocese of the Carolinas, ACNA

David is a graduate of the University of Florida (BSBA ’79), Trinity School for Ministry (M. Div. ’83) where he has continued post graduate studies, and has been in ordained ministry for 35 years, serving several churches in Florida and South Carolina before being consecrated a bishop in 2013.

David has a passion to see God’s Word and Spirit shape men, women and children into fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ in the context of the local Church and coming alongside others who seek to do the same. David currently works overseeing diocesan church planting, the credentialing process along with leading retreats, ordinations and confirmations. He and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 35 years and have three grown children Collins (Ali), Tricia (Nic) and Duncan (Hayley) and 3 grandchildren.

Rev Clay W Thompson

Rector of St Jude’s Anglican Church, Huntersville NC

The Rector serves as Senior Clergy for St. Jude’s Anglican Church. Clay is the planting pastor of St Jude’s. He is married to Marlene and has four children. A graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC and ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church in Rwanda, he has been serving in ministry in some capacity for the last 20 years.

Vestry of St Jude’s Anglican Church

The leadership of St. Jude’s Anglican Church is governed by a Vestry. Its role is to support the Rector and to attend to the administrative affairs of the Church. The presiding officer of the Vestry is the Rector. There are three members elected from the parishioners who serve as the Senior Warden, Junior Warden and At Large, representing the clergy and the people respectively.