Since the election and consecration of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, as well as the approval of same-sex blessings, the Episcopal Church has been at the center of an international Anglican crisis.  That crisis, in the words of the gathered leaders of the world’s Anglican churches, tears “the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level” (Primates Statement, October 16, 2003).

• 22 of the Anglican Communion’s 38 provinces (national churches) have declared broken or impaired communion with the Episcopal Church.
  
• The Windsor Report, which was commissioned in October of 2003, described the Episcopal Church as having “acted in ways incompatible with the Communion principle of interdependence.”  It went on to add “Our fellowship together has suffered immensely as a result of these developments.”  It also noted that without changes in behavior, it was possible that the Anglican Communion may break up.
  
• The report specifically called the Episcopal Church to “express regret” for their decisions, and place moratoriums on both same-sex blessings and the election of bishops living in homosexual relationships.  The 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church elected not to meet these requests.
  
•  In response to the decisions of 2003, American Episcopalians who want to remain in relationship with all of world Anglicanism and preserve the church’s traditional teachings formed the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes.  Since its founding in January, the Network has grown to include 10 dioceses and scores of individual parishes and ministers.  There are some  200,000 Episcopalians, more than 2,200 Episcopal clergy and 900 parishes with some relationship with the Network.  Already, Network affiliates make up more than 10 percent of all Episcopalians.
  
• Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan was elected moderator of the Network at their January organizational meeting.  The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has also formally affiliated with the Network.
  
• The Network is committed to remaining within the constitution of the Episcopal Church.  It has not left the Episcopal Church.
  
• Network offers Episcopalians a way to maintain relationships with Anglicans around the world, work together for evangelism and outreach and preserve the mainstream understanding of Anglican belief and practice that has been rejected by the national church.