Christ Church, Grove Farm, Sewickley, near Pittsburgh, Pa., has placed itself under the leadership the Rt. Rev. Wilson Turumanya, Bishop of Bunyoro-Kitara, Uganda.

Christ Church separated itself from St. Stephen's, Sewickley, in 1995. At that time, the churches "worked to bless and not to curse," said the Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh. Christ Church has no affiliation with the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and exists as a non-denominational church.

The church's action was compared to that of St. Andrew's, Little Rock, Ark., which placed itself under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Rev. John Rucyahana, Bishop of Shyira, Rwanda [TLC, April 19]. That is not the case, said Bishop Duncan. In fact, he said, he encouraged the congregation to find a bishop so that they could be Anglican. "This has my blessing," Bishop Duncan said.

There is no theological separation between the congregation and the diocese, Bishop Duncan said, but members of Christ Church felt alienation from issues in the national church over the last decade.

By agreement with the Rt. Rev. Alden M. Hathaway, Bishop Duncan's predecessor, the Rev. John Guest, rector of Christ Church, became, canonically, an institutional chaplain and remains a non-canonical priest of the diocese. "My goal is to help this congregation," Bishop Duncan said. He hopes that in time Christ Church will choose to become part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Tom Allen, senior warden, said the Rev. David Valencia, a minister of an evangelical alliance, and minister of evangelism and discipleship at Christ Church, desired ordination in the Anglican Communion. The son of an Anglican priest in Chile, Mr. Valencia's desire had been discussed with the Rt. Rev. Colin F. Bazley, Bishop of Chile. Conversations were held during the Lambeth Conference, where Bishop Duncan agreed to allow Bishop Turumanya to ordain Mr. Valencia in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The ordination was set for Sept. 27.

The relationship with Bishop Turumanya and the Diocese of Bunyoro-Kitara is an informal association, Mr. Allen said. Fr. Guest has a long-term relationship as an evangelist with the Ugandan church. The association will be missionary in its focus. A large portion of the church's mission giving will go to the church in Uganda.

"Christ Church ... desires to be an 'Anglican parish.' They need a bishop. They shall have one," Bishop Duncan said in a letter to the diocese. He said he consulted with the leadership at St. Stephen's, who supported his plan.