{{Short description|Anglican diocese in the United States}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox diocese | jurisdiction = | name = Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest | rite = Anglican | image = Main entrance of Church of the Resurrection (Rez), the cathedral parish of the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest, Wheaton, Illinois.jpg | caption = Church of the Resurrection, cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest, Wheaton, Illinois | province = Anglican Church in North America | bishop = Stewart Ruch | cathedral = Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, Illinois) | parishes = 18 (2024)<ref name="ACNA-Stats-2024">{{cite web |last1=Walton |first1=Jeff |title=What are the Largest Anglican Dioceses and Parishes? |url=https://juicyecumenism.com/2025/07/10/acna-diocesan-numbers/ |website=Juicy Ecumenism |publisher=Institute on Religion and Democracy |access-date=10 July 2025 |date=July 10, 2025}}</ref> | members = 2,601 (2024)<ref name="ACNA-Stats-2024" /> | website = [http://www.midwestanglican.org/ Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest Official Website] | footnotes = }} The '''Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest''' is a small diocese of the Anglican Church in North America with fewer than twenty parishes, mostly in Illinois and Wisconsin, two in Minnesota, and one each in Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota.
==History== The decision to create a diocese in the Midwest of the United States was taken on 27 April 2013, at a gathering of 117 Anglican priests and laity, at the Church of the Resurrection, in Wheaton, Illinois. The movement to initiate a new diocese was started by several parishes in the states of Wisconsin, northern Illinois and Iowa, under the leadership of Robert Munday, former Dean of Nashotah House, a few months before. It had the support of the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the American Anglican Council, whose President was Bill Chapin. The diocese was initially divided into four deaneries: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Greater Chicago, and Greenhouse.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Congregations |url=http://www.midwestanglican.org/?page_id=225 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020002837/http://www.midwestanglican.org/?page_id=225 |archive-date=2014-10-20 |access-date=2025-07-02 |work=Diocese of the Upper Midwest |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2025, the diocesan deaneries are located in Wisconsin-Iowa-Minnesota and Chicago-Kansas City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Leaders – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest |url=https://midwestanglican.org/our-leadership/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> Its first elected bishop was Stewart E. Ruch III, Rector of the Church of the Resurrection, in Wheaton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtueonline.org/new-anglican-diocese-be-launched-midwest|title=New Anglican Diocese to be launched in the Midwest, Virtue Online, 23 May 2013}}</ref> The diocese was approved at the Provincial Council of ACNA at 18 June 2013. Bishop Stewart Ruch was consecrated the first bishop on 28 September 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://anglicanchurch.net/|title=The Anglican Church in North America|website=The Anglican Church in North America}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |last=Coles |first=Arlie |date=2025-07-12 |title=ACNA to Try Bishop on Mishandling Abuse Charges |url=https://livingchurch.org/news/news-episcopal-church/acna-to-try-bishop-on-mishandling-abuse-charges/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Ministries and Organisations== The Greenhouse Movement and Gregory House are religious organisations operating under the authority of the Diocese.<ref>{{Cite web | title=About – Gregory House School | url=https://gregoryhouseschool.org/about/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=gregoryhouseschool.org}}</ref><ref name="auto4">{{Cite web | title=Greenhouse – Training leaders. Multiplying congregations. Empowering movements. | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref><ref name="auto2"/>
=== The Greenhouse Movement ===
Fr. William Beasley was ordained in 1984<ref>{{Cite web | title=Story of Reconciliation - Wheaton College, IL | url=https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/academic-centers/center-for-applied-christian-ethics/events/2016-17-cace-events/story-of-reconciliation/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=www.wheaton.edu}}</ref> and has overseen the expansion and multiplication of several churches in the Chicagoland area, including Church of the Resurrection, the cathedral for the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web | title=Our Story – Greenhouse | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/our-story/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref> According to the Greenhouse Movement website, “...he began to travel extensively to Africa where he encountered the fruit of the Eastern African Revival – a movement of the spontaneous expansion of the church by the empowering of lay leaders under godly authority. This encounter gave William the faith for a similar “wineskin” here in North America, which led to the birth of the Greenhouse Movement – the fruit of which, in time, enables the spontaneous multiplication of many congregations that remain connected to one main church.”<ref name="auto3"/>
'''Church Planting'''
From 2016 to August 2025, the organisation listed forty-two<ref>{{Cite web | title=Find a Church - Greenhouse Movement | url=https://www.greenhousemovement.com/find-a-church/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813123237/https://www.greenhousemovement.com/find-a-church/ | archive-date=2022-08-13 | access-date=2025-08-15}}</ref> distinct church plants throughout the United States and Mexico, of which five<ref>{{Cite web | title=Support Us – Greenhouse | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/support-us/?filter_directory_category=22&filter=1&sort=field_last_name | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref> are still in operation and affiliated with the Greenhouse Movement. They claim that “The Greenhouse Movement currently has around 50 employees located across 12 states.”<ref>{{Cite web | title=Josh Grile – Greenhouse | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/support/josh-grile-2/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref>
'''Ministries'''
In addition to planting churches, the Greenhouse Movement accepts donations on behalf of five ministries, though only two appear to be active within the last several years. St. Paul’s House of Formation,<ref>{{Cite web | title=St. Paul's House of Formation | url=https://saintpaulshouseofformation.com/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=saintpaulshouseofformation.com}}</ref> an online course in Anglican theology and tradition, and Word and Table,<ref>{{Cite web | title=Word & Table | url=https://wordandtable.simplecast.com/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111022633/https://wordandtable.simplecast.com/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | archive-date=2019-11-11}}</ref> an accompanying podcast, are currently offering services. As of July 2025, Caminemos Juntos,<ref>{{Cite web | title=English Welcome Page — Let's walk together! | url=https://www.caminemos-juntos.com/english | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=www.caminemos-juntos.com}}</ref> a conference for Latino Anglican churches, Equipped to Heal,<ref>{{Cite web | title=Equipped to Heal – Greenhouse | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/support/equipped-to-heal/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref> a healing prayer ministry; and Walk Across the Street,<ref>{{Cite web | title=Walk Across the Street | url=https://www.walkacrossthestreet.org/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=www.walkacrossthestreet.org}}</ref> a movement for racial reconciliation, appear to be inactive. Greenhouse also lists two other ministries, Missio Corps and Reciprocal Mission, that do not accept donations.
'''William Beasley's Retirement'''
On Oct. 4, 2021, William Beasley retired as 'Missioner General' of the Greenhouse Movement. That same day, Archbishop Foley Beach requested he take a leave of absence from priestly ministry. Beach stated that, "His leave of absence is neither a suspension nor an inhibition but an opportunity to provide distance during the expanded investigation stemming from allegations of abuse in the Diocese of the Upper Midwest."<ref>{{Cite web | title=Cn. Beasley's Retirement and Leave – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest | url=https://midwestanglican.org/cn-beasley/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=midwestanglican.org}}</ref>
'''Current Greenhouse Leadership''' As of 2025, the Greenhouse Movement is still under the authority of the Bishop of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest (Stewart Ruch.) The organisation is currently led by the Revs. Jens Notstad and Keith Hartsell.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Our Leaders – Greenhouse | url=https://greenhousemovement.com/our-leaders/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=greenhousemovement.com}}</ref>
==Sexual Abuse and Mishandling Allegations== {{main|Ecclesiastical trial of Stewart Ruch}} '''Joel Girard:''' In October 2019, a former Greenhouse employee claimed to Bishop Stewart Ruch that a current employee, Joel Girard, had sexually assaulted her.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web| title=In the Matter of Stewart E. Ruch III, Bishop of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest | url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60e5f6619e0560434d86ee99/t/65f310052538b82128007fea/1710428165705/Presentments+-+In+the+Matter+of+Stewart+E.+Ruch+III.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525231758/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60e5f6619e0560434d86ee99/t/65f310052538b82128007fea/1710428165705/Presentments+-+In+the+Matter+of+Stewart+E.+Ruch+III.pdf | archive-date=2024-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Joel Girard – Tag – MinistryWatch | url=https://ministrywatch.com/tag/joel-girard/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=ministrywatch.com}}</ref> According to the Greenhouse Movement, Girard worked with their Latino church plants and in college campus ministry at College of Dupage and the University of Illinois - Chicago. He had previously worked for religious non-profits in Kampala, Uganda and Miami, FL.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Joel Girard – Greenhouse Movement | url=http://www.greenhousemovement.com/team/joel-girard/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525081924/http://www.greenhousemovement.com/team/joel-girard/ | archive-date=2016-05-25 | access-date=2025-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Joel Girard - LinkedIn | url=https://clay.earth/profile/joel-girard | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=clay.earth}}</ref> The Greenhouse Movement has made no public statement regarding the allegations against Joel Girard. The Diocese delayed notifying congregations until 2021 at the alleged survivor's insistence <ref name="auto"/> when it published a letter regarding "credible allegations of serious sexual misconduct and abuse."<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web | title=An Important Matter Affecting Our Upper Midwest Community – Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest | url=https://midwestanglican.org/cornerstonecase/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=midwestanglican.org}}</ref> A police report was filed relating to the allegations in 2021. Girard is no longer employed by the Greenhouse movement and has not been criminally charged.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/>
'''Mark Rivera:''' In 2019, a lay leader at the church of Christ Our Light in Big Rock, Illinois, Mark Rivera, was charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual assault of a minor and predatory abuse.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anglican Diocese Now Seeks Long Delayed Transparency, Accountability for Arrested Lay Leader – Ministry Watch |url=https://ministrywatch.com/anglican-diocese-now-seeks-long-delayed-transparency-accountability-for-arrested-lay-leader/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=ministrywatch.com |date=July 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Upper Midwest lay leader indicted for two more sexual assault charges {{!}} Anglican Ink © 2022 |url=https://anglican.ink/2022/01/07/upper-midwest-lay-leader-indicted-for-two-more-sexual-assault-charges/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=anglican.ink |date=7 January 2022 }}</ref> 10 survivors came forward to report Rivera to the diocese, which only acknowledged some of the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alleged Victims Say ACNA Church Leaders Failed to Acknowledge Their Abuse Allegations – Ministry Watch |url=https://ministrywatch.com/alleged-victims-say-acna-church-leaders-failed-to-acknowledge-their-abuse-allegations/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=ministrywatch.com |date=28 July 2021 }}</ref> In 2021, Bishop Ruch took a leave of absence after admitting he had made a "regrettable error"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-15 |title=Abuse prevention advocates want input into ACNA investigation of bishop |url=https://religionnews.com/2021/07/15/acna-abuse-prevention-acnatoo-advocates-stewart-foley-beach-ruch-call-for-permanently-removed/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=Religion News Service |language=en-US}}</ref> after it was found that he mishandled the allegations of sexual abuse, and failed to inform the members of his diocese about the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-09 |title=Prominent Anglican bishop takes leave of absence amid ongoing accusations of mishandling abuse allegations |url=https://religionnews.com/2021/07/09/prominent-anglican-bishop-takes-leave-of-absence-amid-ongoing-accusations-of-mishandling-abuse-allegations/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=Religion News Service |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Anglican Church Abuse Investigation: Some Alleged Victims Support Bishop |url=https://julieroys.com/alleged-anglican-abuse-victims-break-with-acnatoo-and-support-bishop/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=The Roys Report |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-07 |title=Attorney Commentary {{!}} Illinois ACNA Pastor Arrested on Multiple Sexual Assault Charges |url=https://legalherald.com/big-rock-il-mark-rivera-a-former-acna-lay-pastor-at-christ-our-light-anglican-facing-multiple-felony-sexual-assault-charges/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=The Legal Herald |language=en-US}}</ref>
Ruch's mishandling of the allegations provoked not one but two parallel investigations<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facing Allegations, Anglicans Want to Change Their Abuse Response |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/july/anglican-acna-abuse-response-investigation-wheaton-midwest.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=News & Reporting |date=27 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref> — one into the accusations against Rivera and the diocese's response and another into allegations that Ruch and other Anglican Church in North America leaders had created a culture of coercion and control in the Diocese of the Upper Midwest.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title=ACNA bishop, alleging 'spiritual attack,' makes appeal for his return |url=https://religionnews.com/2022/04/29/acna-whistleblower-says-bishop-leaders-cast-alleged-abuse-survivors-as-the-enemy/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Religion News Service |language=en-US}}</ref>
In June 2023, 45 priests and lay persons from the diocese and other churches filed a presentment,<ref name="auto"/> ora set of allegations, against Ruch. The presentment alleged that Ruch welcomed men with criminal histories into the diocese. These include 1) ordaining Joshua Moon, a former Presbyterian pastor arrested for soliciting a prostitute,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Presentment against Bp. Stewart Ruch |url=https://www.acnatoo.org/presentment |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=ACNAtoo |language=en-US}}</ref> and installing him as rector of [https://www.rezmn.org/ Resurrection Anglican] in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, 2) hiring Nephtali Matta as a pastoral resident <ref>{{Cite web | title=Nephtali Matta - Church of the Resurrection | url=https://churchrez.org/staff/nephtali-matta/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=churchrez.org}}</ref> despite his conviction for felony domestic abuse <ref>{{Cite web | title=Anglican Denomination Erupts In Power Struggle After Bishop's Return | url=https://julieroys.com/anglican-denomination-erupts-power-struggle-bishop-stewart-ruch-return/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=julieroys.com | date=8 June 2023 }}</ref> in Colorado, 3) appointing Church of the Resurrection member Chris Lapeyre to supervise a congregant convicted of child sexual abuse, despite Lapeyre being fired <ref>{{Cite web| title=In the Matter of the Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch III (Bishop, Diocese of the Upper Midwest) - Presentment | url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60e5f6619e0560434d86ee99/t/685168e0b93fd519f2160a36/1750165729121/Bishops+Presentment+REDACTED.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617133615/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60e5f6619e0560434d86ee99/t/685168e0b93fd519f2160a36/1750165729121/Bishops+Presentment+REDACTED.pdf | archive-date=2025-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=An Important Update about a Parishioner - Church of the Resurrection | url=https://churchrez.org/parishioner-update/ | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=churchrez.org}}</ref> from his position as a school teacher for inappropriate conduct with minors,<ref>{{Cite web | title=Clarke's Testament — ACNAtoo | url=https://www.acnatoo.org/diocese-of-the-upper-midwest/clarkes-testament | access-date=2025-08-15 | website=www.acnatoo.org}}</ref> and 4) maintaining the employment of Joel Girard,<ref name="auto1"/> an employee of the diocese' Greenhouse Movement <ref name="auto4"/> after Girard allegedly confessed <ref name="auto"/> to the sexual assault of another staff member.
In 2023, the Anglican Church in North America announced that two sets of allegations of abuse mishandling against Ruch would advance to an ecclesiastical trial,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thebeau |first=Rachel |date=2023-08-15 |title=An Update Regarding Allegations Against Bishop Ruch |url=https://anglicanchurch.net/an-update-regarding-allegations-against-bishop-ruch/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=The Anglican Church in North America |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thebeau |first=Rachel |date=2023-08-15 |title=Public Declaration from Board of Inquiry |url=https://anglicanchurch.net/public-declaration-from-board-of-inquiry/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=The Anglican Church in North America |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PUBLIC DECLARATION FROM BOARD OF INQUIRY – NOVEMBER 6, 2023 |url=https://anglicanchurch.net/public-declaration-from-board-of-inquiry-november-6-2023/ |website=Anglican Church in North America |date=6 November 2023 |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref> which began in July 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Updates on the Ecclesiastical Trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch III |url=https://anglicanchurch.net/updates-on-the-ecclesiastical-trial-of-bishop-stewart-ruch-iii/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=The Anglican Church in North America |language=en-US}}</ref>
The prolonged controversy in the diocese has led to several parishes leaving the organization or closing their doors. Two Minnesota parishes independently voted to transfer out of the diocese in 2023. In 2024 one closed in Kenosha, Wisconsin.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Saturday Service Reminder - 4PM @ The Furnace |url=https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=ee988344faf730e49bc1f0da6&id=a1596eb67a |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702212244/https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=ee988344faf730e49bc1f0da6&id=a1596eb67a |archive-date=2025-07-02 |access-date=2025-10-16}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.midwestanglican.org/ Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest Official Website]
{{authority control}} {{Anglican Church in North America}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Upper Midwest, Anglican Diocese of the}} Category:Dioceses of the Anglican Church in North America Category:Anglican dioceses established in the 21st century Category:Anglican realignment dioceses