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Friday, February 29, 2008
"...Let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises
kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I
delight..."
Jeremiah 9:24 NIV
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A Message from Bishop Anderson
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Bishop Howe: 'Informal' Briefing for
HOB
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San Joaquin Provisional Bishop
Election March 29
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Canada: Anglican rift deepens as two
sides go to court
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Canada: Bishop asks clergy to declare
status
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Traditionalist Bishop Inadvertantly
Invited to Conference
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Archbishop Backs US Oversight Plan
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"Courage" Theme of Annual Anglican
Men's Retreat
___________________________________
A Message from Bishop Anderson
Beloved in
Christ,
In every age, there are a few leaders who
become legends in their own time, iconic and larger than life. The people
who attain to this level are nearly always unaware of it and not quite
understanding of it, thus they are surprised that so many hold them in
such high esteem. The Rev. Dr. James I. Packer certainly falls in this
category, and so it is with surprise and disbelief that we learn that the
controversial and revisionist bishop of New Westminster (Canada), the Rt.
Rev. Michael Ingham, has threatened the most orthodox Dr. Packer with
suspension of his clerical license for ministry.
In both Canada and the United States, if you
love Jesus and take his teachings and commands seriously, the Anglican
Church of Canada (ACC) or the Episcopal Church (TEC) will come after you
with harmful intent. Pray for Dr. Packer as he endures harassment once
again from Bishop Ingham. Why is Ingham on the warpath again? It might be
over the entire Anglican Church of Canada’s largest church, located
physically in Ingham’s geographical area, St. John’s Shaughnessy,
Vancouver, voting to affiliate with former ACC Bishop Don Harvey, now of
the Province of the Southern Cone, and Archbishop Gregory Venables. The
vote was 474 to realign, 11 voting no, and 9 abstentions. This action
taking the church out of the ACC ensures that the laity, clergy and
congregations are able to maintain their orthodox Anglican Christian faith
and, within a new jurisdiction, remain a part of the worldwide Anglican
Communion. Things are becoming critical in Canada, and the persecution of
the faithful up there will probably grow worse in the future.
News pertaining to the USA, but involving
as usual the Archbishop of Canterbury, seems centered on a pastoral care
scheme put forward by some orthodox TEC bishops as a way for some TEC
dioceses and churches to have orthodox primatial and episcopal oversight,
and for them to be able to have another channel of relating to the
Archbishop of Canterbury and the global primates other than just through
Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori. The plan does little to give respite to
those orthodox congregations (hopelessly?) trapped in revisionist dioceses
with revisionist bishops over them. Why are these congregations hopelessly
trapped? Often the challenge of expensive litigation or walking away from
deep attachments to their property simply is more than they can muster, so
they stay, but in a very endangered capacity.
Although many parishes have walked away,
often without their property, and several bishops and dioceses are
considering leaving, albeit with their property, there are congregations
and orthodox bishops and dioceses for whom this seems to be too much to
ask. This scheme put before Dr. Williams is thought to address this, and
the ABC seems enthused over the prospect. Unfortunately, it is a formula
for disaster. If the world has learned anything, it is that TEC can’t be
trusted to keep its word, and in this plan which is being set before
Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori, the details aren’t even worked out. If
there is any hope of it working, everything must be thought through and
noted and agreed upon in the document before any signatures are attached.
A further difficulty is that without the permission of the local
revisionist TEC bishop, no congregation that petitions for help can be
assisted. The lambs can only have a watchdog if the wolf gives permission.
Bishop Howe of Central Florida commented, “We (Episcopal Visitors) will
visit no congregation without the diocesan bishop’s invitation and
permission.” Duh! Does that make sense? If the local bishop was at all
accommodating of conservatives, the need for protection wouldn’t be there
in the first place. Because the need is there, you have to have permission
from the person who is the greatest danger to those asking for help. Some
of our orthodox bishops wrote this and the Archbishop of Canterbury likes
it, and even Jefferts Schori might agree to it. Help me make sense of
this. Additionally, can this be legally done without the TEC House of
Bishops concurring with the Presiding Bishop in agreeing to such a
proposal? We will have to wait and see, but I see this as various stages
and degrees of collaboration which offers false hope to a few and puts
many at grave risk. I urge the bishops thus involved to reconsider their
plans. Bishop John Howe remarks, “If we do this right, it will strengthen
the hands of the Presiding Bishop and the Archbishop of Canterbury.” Pray
tell, why does Bishop Howe wish to strengthen the hand of Presiding Bishop
Jefferts Schori who is suing the pants off most of the orthodox who have
left and now has been handed up to $500,000 of TEC trust fund income to
advance the litigation further, especially against Bishop Howe’s brother
bishops in the Anglican Communion Network?
Meanwhile, as TEC raids trust fund income
for $500,000 worth of upcoming litigation, some money is found to spread
around poorer parts of Africa on what is called by some
"The Charm Offensive." Money from TEC, funneled through Bishop Pierre
Whalon, a francophone, is being used to attract African primates and
bishops to the American cause. Whalon recently delivered money to buy
Archbishop Fidčle Dirokpa and Bishop Henri Isingoma new automobiles.
Meanwhile all over the United States, the
Common Cause Partners federation churches are preaching the Gospel, seeing
men and women’s lives change by Christ, planting and growing churches, and
equipping more and more individuals being called by God to enter the
ordained ministry to preach the Truth. God is Good...All The Time.
Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President & CEO of the AAC
___________________________________
Archbishop Backs US Oversight Plan
Source:
Church of England Newspaper
Date: February 29, 2008
By George Conger
THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury has lent his support to an alternative
oversight plan for US conservatives brought to him by a coalition of
American bishops and theologians.
The "Anglican Bishops in Communion" seeks to meld the Primates'Dar es
Salaam pastoral council scheme with the "Episcopal Visitor" programme
created by US Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to provide
pastoral oversight for America's embattled conservatives.
"This is a step forward, albeit a small one," the Bishop of Central
Florida, the Rt Rev John W Howe told his diocese after the plan was
announced, that permits freedom of conscience for traditionalists while
preserving good order in conformance to the Constitution and Canons of the
Episcopal Church.
However, conservative critics charge there is nothing in the plan to
compel a liberal bishop to permit alternative oversight, while liberals
believes the plan cedes too much power to conservatives and violates the
American church's unique polity.
Spokesmen for the dioceses of Pittsburgh and Fort Worth told The Church of
England Newspaper they were unable to comment on the merits of the plan as
they had not been consulted in its creation and were unaware of the
details.
Read the rest of the article by
clicking here.
___________________________________
Bishop Howe: 'Informal' Briefing for
HOB
Source:
The Living Church
Date: February 28, 2008
By Steve Waring
The House of Bishops will receive an informal
presentation on the "Anglican Bishops in Communion" proposal that was shared
with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori during a 50-minute meeting
on Feb. 21 at the Episcopal Church Center. The House of Bishops meets March
7-13 at Camp Allen in the Diocese of Texas.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori expressed no objections to the
plan during the meeting, according to bishops John W. Howe of Central
Florida and D. Bruce MacPherson of Western Louisiana, who met with Bishop
Jefferts Schori. The Bishops in Communion plan is a modified version of the
"Episcopal Visitor" concept announced by Bishop Jefferts Schori during the
fall House of Bishops' meeting in New Orleans. It includes a commitment to
abide by existing canon law of The Episcopal Church.
"She responded favorably to what we said and expressed a desire to continue
the discussion at the House of Bishops' meeting," Bishop MacPherson told The
Living Church. "She raised no objections."
Bishop Howe said during the meeting Bishop Jefferts Schori invited bishops
Howe, MacPherson, Michael G. Smith of North Dakota and James M. Stanton of
Dallas to make a brief and "very informal" presentation during the March
meeting, but the House of Bishops lacks veto power over it.
"If we do this right, it will strengthen the hands of the Presiding Bishop
and the Archbishop of Canterbury," Bishop Howe said. "This would make the
Episcopal Visitor proposal more attractive. No one has requested an
Episcopal Visitor yet. This brings together the Presiding Bishops'
initiative and some of what the primates envisioned in the communique from
Dar es Salaam a year ago."
Separately, bishops Howe and MacPherson confirmed that participants in the
meeting at the Church Center had agreed not to speak to the media. They
denied that any of the four diocesan bishops were responsible for an article
revealing the plan published by the English Telegraph newspaper. Bishop Howe
said he wrote his clergy in order to correct the misconception that this was
a secret plan by Archbishop of Canterbury to pander to conservatives.
Bishop Howe also noted that the plan itself is very informal, having been
written down as an outline by Bishop Stanton.
___________________________________
San Joaquin Provisional Bishop
Election March 29
Source:
The Living Church
Date: February 27, 2008
By Steve Waring
The Rev. Canon Brian Cox, one of two clergy appointed by Presiding Bishop
Katharine Jefferts Schori to serve as an "interim pastoral presence" in the
Diocese of San Joaquin, told The Living Church that a search is underway for
a location at which to hold an organizing convention on March 29, at which
time representatives to that convention will elect a provisional bishop.
The process of electing a provisional bishop is described in Title 3, canon
13, sections 1-3 of the constitution and canons of The Episcopal Church...
Read the entire article by clicking
here.
______________________________________
Canada: Anglican rift deepens as two
sides go to court
Source: Globe
and Mail
Date: February 25, 2008
By Patrick Brethour
VANCOUVER -- The cracks in the Anglican Church of Canada are widening over
the issue of blessing same-sex marriages, with three more congregations
voting to split with the national organization over the weekend - and the
two sides headed to court on Friday.
So far, the legal battle is limited to the diocese of Niagara in Ontario,
where two congregations voted to break away last week and a third, the
Church of the Good Shepherd in St. Catharines, followed suit yesterday. Two
congregations in the diocese of New Westminster in B.C. - Church of the Good
Shepherd, and St. Matthias and St. Luke, both of Vancouver - also voted to
break away, bringing the total of dissident churches to 15. They have all
put themselves under the authority of the Archbishop Gregory Venables of the
Province of the Southern Cone in South America.
That traditional branch of the Anglican church does not recognize same-sex
marriages.
Beyond the theological debate that has triggered those votes is a decidedly
secular question: Who gets the property if a congregation splits with its
leadership?
The leadership of the Niagara diocese did not wait long to move on that
question, serving legal papers on Wednesday to gain possession of the
property of St. George's Church in Lowville, Ont., and St. Hilda's in
Oakville, Ont.
The Anglican Network in Canada, representing the dissident parishes, is
questioning why the diocese acted so quickly. "It is not as if the building
is getting up and moving anywhere," said Cheryl Chang, a director and a
lawyer.
Read the rest of the article by
clicking here.
___________________________________
Canada: Bishop asks clergy to declare status
Source: Diocese
of New Westminster
Date: February 26, 2008
Bishop Michael Ingham has asked eight of his clergy to formally declare
whether they’re in or out of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The priests have been involved in a series of meetings in which
congregations in two Parishes in the diocese have voted to join a foreign
Church.
On Friday, February 22, the Bishop sent rectors and clergy working in the
parishes involved--St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. John’s Shaughnessy--”notice
of presumption of abandonment of the exercise of ministry” asking them to
tell him whether they have left the ministry of the Anglican Church of
Canada, and if they are seeking admission into another religious body
outside Canada.
Media reports have indicated that members of the congregations voted to ask
Don Harvey, a retired bishop who resigned from the Anglican Church of
Canada, to provide episcopal (bishop’s) oversight. Harvey has declared
himself to be a bishop of an Anglican Church in South America, the Province
of the Southern Cone, based out of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The notices have gone out to the Rev. Don Gardner, the Rev. Daniel Gifford,
the Rev. James Packer, the Rev. Richard Roberts, the Rev. David Short, the
Rev. Michael Stewart, the Rev. James Wagner, and the Rev. Trevor Walters.
“We haven’t been formally notified by any of these clergy as to their future
intentions since the meetings which we understand they led or participated
in,” said George Cadman, Chancellor of the Diocese of New Westminster.
“In our Church we have due process,” said Cadman, who is the diocese’s chief
legal officer. “We can’t just rely on media reports. Under our Canon
(church) law, the priests have two months to come in and show the bishop
that they wish to remain with the Anglican Church of Canada instead of a
break-away group.”
After the two months, if he receives no word, Bishop Ingham can then declare
they’ve abandoned their ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada. Even
after that happens there are several levels of mediation and appeal, Cadman
said.
“If they do want to leave the Anglican Church of Canada, I would hope they
declare straightway, and not insist we go through a lengthy process,” said
Cadman. “In recent years, when priests felt they had to leave the Canadian
church, they’ve taken the honorable course and resigned.”
“It’s regrettable when anyone leaves the Church,” said Cadman, “but we do
need to get clarity on these matters and get on with the larger work and
mission of the Diocese caring for people.”
___________________________________
Traditionalist Bishop Inadvertently
Invited to Conference
Source:
Church of England Newspaper
Date: February 26, 2008
By George Conger
A clerical error, or as one aide suggested-deliberate mischief - caused a
flurry of excitement at Lambeth Palace this week after reports surfaced that
Bishop Minns had been asked to pledge his financial support to assist
overseas bishops to attend the conference.
The fundraising letter was part of a mass mailing sent to all of the bishops
of the Communion asking their help in defraying the Ł3,500 conference costs
to assist their brethren from the developing world to attend the gathering.
Bishop Minns told The Church of England Newspaper he had received the letter
last week, which closed with the note that the conference organisers looked
forward to seeing him at Lambeth this July.
Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire told CEN he had 'not received any kind
of invitation to Lambeth, and my plans remain up in the air'.
Attempts to contact Dr Nolbert Kunonga, the former Bishop of Harare, to
ascertain whether he had received the note were unsuccessful.
A spokesman for Lambeth Palace stated there had been no change in the
Archbishop of Canterbury's invitation policy, and they were at a loss to
explain the letter. The Lambeth Conference organizing committee stated it
had not sent the letters, and suggested it might have been a hoax to create
further mischief in the run up to the summer gathering.
___________________________________
"Courage" Theme of Annual Anglican
Men's Retreat
Source:
Anglican Communion Network
Date: February 28, 2008
As many as 300 Anglican men from around the
nation are expected to gather in mid-May in California for a spirit-filled
retreat rich in world-class teaching, led by the dynamic Henry Luke Orombi,
Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda. The weekend, set for May 16–18,
is being planned and convened again this year by the Men's Commission of St.
James Anglican Church, Newport Beach, California. St. James is a member of
the Network's International Conference.
The retreat setting is the famed Forest Home
Christian Conference Center in Southern California. Organizers say the
retreat program will give participants the "feel of solidarity among
Anglican men for the journey ahead" in leading the orthodox movement in
North America. John McLaughlin, the Men's Weekend chairman, says the retreat
seeks to fill men with the "courage to weather the storm" that swirls around
the movement for orthodoxy." He emphasized the pan-Anglican nature of the
retreat, which attracts members from a variety of anglican Common Cause
groups within the United States.
Presenters for the retreat, in addition to the
Ugandan Primate, will be the Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey, Bishop for
Congregations in America, The Anglican Province of Uganda; The Rt. Rev.
David C. Anderson, Bishop, Convocation of Anglicans in North America; and
The Rt. Rev. Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop, Diocese of Recife, Province of the
Southern Cone. Planners say the retreat affords a rare opportunity for
participants to share personal time "with leaders of such quality."
McLaughlin says the weekend will be filled
with great teaching, participation in small group discussions, liturgical
and sacramental services, confession, prayer teams and informal activities.
Fr. Richard Menees, a retreat planner, underscores the weekend's
international touch, not only through attendance and teachings by Bishops
Orombi and Cavalcanti, but also by the presence and participation of five
Ugandan churchmen expected to accompany Archbishop Orombi for the event.
That the retreat occurs so close to Pentecost
"was not an accident," Menees points out. To those present at Pentecost, as
described in Acts 2, "tongues of fire appeared to them and rested on each
one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." McLaughlin says
the weekend is all about "encouragement, hearing the truth, and feeling the
Spirit of God moving these men. That," he beams, "is what it is all about."
Fr. Menees also indicated that there is a
scholarship program available to assist any man who wishes to attend, but
who may face financial challenges. "We don't want anyone," he stated, "to
stay away because they may not be able to afford to come."
The annual Men's Retreat began some years ago
as an event for the St. James Parish. For the past three years, however, the
retreat has broadened to include orthodox Anglican men wherever they are.
The aim is to help establish wider connectivity and solidarity within the
entire Common Cause membership, as noted earlier, "to help weather the
storms ahead."
For Retreat Information, contact Registrar Jim
Carlson at crea@earthlink.net or Chairman John McLaughlin at john_mclaughlin@toyota.com. |
