The consecrations will take place in the USA before the end of 2007, at a date and place yet to be determined, said a press release, from the Nigerian province. These four bishops-elect will join Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns and Suffragan Bishop David Bena in providing an indigenous ecclesiastical structure for faithful Anglicans in this country.

In making the announcement, the Most Rev. Peter Akinola said the four suffragan bishops are to serve in USA/CANA which currently consists of approximately 60 congregations and 80 clergy in twenty states. About a quarter of the congregations are primarily expatriate Nigerians.

The Nigerian House of Bishops met in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria, on September 12 following a report from the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, Missionary Bishop of CANA described as a "missionary initiative". He said that because of the growth-taking place in the USA, he was requesting the Nigerian House of Bishops to consider his request for additional bishops to further the work of CANA and the extension of God's Kingdom.

CANA was established in 2005 to provide a means by which Anglicans living in the USA, who were alienated by the actions and decisions of The Episcopal Church, could continue to live out their faith without compromising their core convictions. CANA is part of the Common Cause partnership that includes representatives of more than 250 Anglican congregations that are connected to the rest of the Anglican Communion, a worldwide fellowship of some 70 million, through various pastoral and missionary initiatives.

In recent months, some 14 North American Evangelical bishops have been consecrated in four African provinces to serve fleeing orthodox Episcopalians in the U.S.

In a note to VirtueOnline, Bishop David Bena said, "Let us praise God for his continued provisions of Godly leadership."

CANA has 40 parishes with 15 more in the pipeline.

More information about CANA can be found at: www.CanaConvocation.org.

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