PARISH HISTORY
In 1991 Fr William Worrell, an American episcopal priest from Texas announced his resignation after five years due to health reasons. The Parish search for a Rector to succeed him took extra time. One candidate was chosen and arrived, but his personal circumstances prevented him from being licensed. It was a costly affair for the Parish and a difficult and prolonged wait occurred as the search resumed.
Fr William V Derby OGS, coming from the Anglican Church of Canada was eventually selected and began ministry in September 1994, being inducted as Rector early in 1995. Mexico was at that time going through another difficult devaluation which caused several younger families in the Parish to return to the States at the direction of their companies. But the congregation was stabilized under new leadership and a positive spirit was broadly about as the Iglesia Anglicana de México was formed as an independent branch of the Anglican Communion with Archbishop Guadalupe Saucedo (Bishop of Cuernavaca) as first Primate.
Fr William set about strengthening Parish leadership, adding new lay readers and incorporating youth in the services and working to develop the congregation and church school. Growth in membership advanced slowly and finances recovered making the Parish stronger once more. But growth posed the problem of location as parking in the Centro was increasingly difficult for new families coming to worship from outside the central colonias as well as from Tepoztlan. The new diocesan, Bishop Garcia, who had succeeded Bp Saucedo proposed the congregation leave the old church in the center and move to a new location. That would entail leaving the original home, a charming old colonial building, and moving to Colonia Delicias near the Diocesan Centre to the modern but undermaintained A frame structure of San Pablo. After a period of discernment, experimenting with worship at the new location and investigating the costs of a move and the renewal of the San Pablo fabric, it was decided by a small majority to relocate and begin a new life in a new house. Fr William was appointed the priest for the small Spanish speaking mission and the Parish began extensive fundraising and restructuring through 1998. The Rector’s appointment was extended for another five years.
In time the congregation grew with new families and individuals. While the Rectory remained on Calle Vergel, the Parish’s decision to sell the Guild House property meant a new location for the English Library, so that the Parish space was eventually tripled and financially the congregation had the capacity to hire a part time Treasurer.
A new Bishop was elected to succeed the retiring Bp Garcia who did not have the same sympathy for the Parish and Rector as his predecessors. Fr William refused a third five-year term hoping that a new clergy appointment would be politic. The search began and happily the Rev. Tamara Newell became Rector.
