On Monday, February 4 The Reverend Raymond Quigg Lawrence Jr. D.Min, Senior Pastor of Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke, Virginia was consecrated as a Bishop. The consecration was held at Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke at 7 p.m. Presiding over the event was the Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje of La Province De LEglise Anglicane au Rwanda (PEAR) and Archbishop Robert Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA.) Dr. Lawrence is seated as a Bishop in the House of Bishops of both provinces.
Church of the Holy Spirit was established in 1986 and now is affiliated with PEAR USA, a missionary outreach of PEAR and subjurisdiction of the ACNA. PEAR USA spans 29 states and is committed to the authority of scripture and the hallmarks of the East African Revival: reconciliation, transparency, conciliar decision-making and governance, and gospel-driven mission. Guests from all over the United States and across the world arrived for this event including four members of the Rwandan House of Bishops, all men who suffered through the Rwandan Genocide.
Consecration is a rare event; statistically a given Anglican congregation could expect to see one of their priests elevated to the office of Bishop about once every 200 years. As a bishop, reverend Lawrence will be caring for the clergy of the congregations throughout the mid-Atlantic region. He will preside over the ordination of priests and deacons, provide counsel to clergy who seek it and provide leadership nationally in mission and decision-making.
After Reverend Lawrence is consecrated, he will be one of only four active bishops in PEAR USA. He will spear-head many outreach and mission initiatives for the organizations cooperative ministry with a special focus in Rwanda. He will continue to serve as Rector at Church of the Holy Spirit.