Dear saints of God in the Diocese of Western Anglicans,
You may recently heard the sad news that Bishop Derek Jones of the Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (SJAFC) was issued a Godly admonition, followed by a special inhibition by Archbishop Wood regarding accusation of misconduct (not related to any sexual misconduct). Bishop Jones then chose to declare himself separated from ACNA.
I was Chair of the ACNA Governance Task Force that in 2014 created the ACNA Canon I.11 that authorizes and empowers, in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of the ACNA, the creation of a Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (SJAFC), under the supervision of the Archbishop and College of Bishops. I can attest to the facts stated in the Press release below–which I encourage you to read. I have been in regular communication with the Archbishop about this situation.
Bishop Jones has no authority under the Constitution and Canons of the ACNA to declare that all ACNA Chaplains in the SJAFC are no longer a part of the ACNA. Period.
Bp. Phil Ashey, previous chair of the ACNA's Governance Task Force, offers commentary on Bp. Derek Jones' disaffiliation. "Bishop Jones has no authority under the Constitution & Canons of the ACNA to declare that all ACNA Chaplains in the SJAFC are no longer a part of the ACNA." https://t.co/EhIlO6sSba pic.twitter.com/JwyONiftaA
— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) September 26, 2025