ATTLEBORO

Steve DuPlessie had just begun working full time as a teaching pastor at his church, Good News Bible Chapel in Attleboro, when he had a visit from another pastor who was looking for a temporary home.

That pastor, the Rev. Paul Mwaniki, was a native of Kenya and was looking to start a new Anglican church in Attleboro as an offshoot of Kenyan churches that had been established in the Boston area.

Although Anglicans and evangelical Christians follow different religious traditions, DuPlessie said he and Mwaniki immediately connected. Mwaniki, he said, introduced himself as a believer in Jesus Christ and in the Bible as the inspired and authoritative word of God.

"We found we share a common faith," he said. "That's what unites us." Mwaniki was looking for worship space for his new parish, St. James African Anglican Church, and was looking for a conservative evangelical church to serve as host.

DuPlessie, a long-time elder at Good News, took the request to the team of elders, who agreed to welcome the Anglican parish to their chapel.

The members of St. James have now been holding Sunday services at Good News for more than a year, and celebrated their first anniversary in November with a service attended by visiting Anglican pastors from several states.

Next Sunday, they will host three of their bishops - Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Bishop Gideon Githiga of the Diocese of Thika in Kenya, and Bishop Timothy Ranji of the Diocese of Mt. Kenya South - in a special service at 2 p.m.

Mwaniki, who lives in Attleboro, is currently visiting Kenya and is scheduled to return on Jan. 18 to host the visiting bishops, who are coming to check on the newly planted churches in this country.

In the time that the Kenyan church has been at Good News, the two congregations have come together at times for fellowship, choir exchanges and other events, but each church holds its own services on Sundays. St. James worships in the chapel at 10:45 a.m., a time when Good News is holding its service in the gymnasium.

Similarities, differences

While their theologies are similar, their style and structure is not. St. James is part of the global Anglican Communion, and its services are liturgical and upbeat, while Good News is independent and non-denominational, with a worship style that DuPlessie said is very informal.

Although the sharing of a building has worked out well for both Good News and St. James, it is not a permanent arrangement. According to DuPlessie, Mwaniki and his parish have been searching for a building and are hoping to eventually buy a church of their own in this area.

St. James does have a lot in common with nearby All Saints Anglican Church, the former All Saints Episcopal Church that is in the process of splitting with the national Episcopal Church because of its liberal views, and aligning with conservative Anglicans worldwide through the bishop in Rwanda. Similar splits are occurring across the country. Although African bishops are supportive of conservative Anglicans in this country, local parishes such as St. James are trying to stay away from the controversy.

The Rev. Lance Giuffrida, rector of All Saints, said he has met with Mwaniki, the pastor of St. James, but the two parishes, although both Anglican, are operating separately.

Good News Bible Chapel is located at 235 West St., Attleboro. It can be reached at 508-226-2916.

GLORIA LaBOUNTY can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at glabounty@thesunchronicle.com.