"For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; thou shalt weep no more. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer thee." Isaiah 30:19 KJ21
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Message from Bishop David Anderson
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Bishop Anderson
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Beloved in Christ,
Many have waited for months and months for the other shoe to fall in the South Carolina versus Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori saga. The Episcopal Presiding Bishop has tried repeatedly to undo Bishop Mark Lawrence, diocesan of South Carolina, and she has failed. All the while Bishop Lawrence has taken the high road, some would say too high a road, and cooperated with her requests/demands to some degree. He has met with and was planning on meeting again with a few seated TEC bishops who were allegedly trying to mediate the "difficulty."
Bishop Lawrence's approach has been one of moderate and measured resistance to the Presiding Bishop, the House of Bishops and the General Convention, as they have tried to force ever more revisionist and onerous rules and canons down the throat of the believers still left in the Episcopal Church. His very measured approach has been seen by some, however, as a lack of awareness of the real danger that TEC poses to him and the diocese. The diocese did apparently put into place some legislation that had a trigger, a trigger which Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori has knowingly or unknowingly now pulled. Her actions against him and the diocese set into motion an automatic separation of bishop and diocese from TEC, somewhat in the manner of a doomsday machine. His approach in the face of the giant church-crushing legal machine that TEC has become seems predicated on a belief that he will have some place to flee to for refuge. Is that true? Is it also true that the previous property ruling of the South Carolina Supreme Court will protect him and the diocese somehow? All of this remains to be seen and tested, and Jefferts Schori will assuredly test it. She does not mean to let Mark Lawrence escape her grasp.
If Bishop Lawrence had left earlier, he might not have taken as many churches with him, but he would have avoided his present plight. Earlier there was a Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) ecclesiastical jurisdiction overlapping his Diocese of South Carolina, and a very real Anglican Mission in America (AMiA-Murphy) jurisdiction as well. Today the AMiA group under Bishop Murphy has greatly contracted, but the REC is still very much alive and well, and now there is a new Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) diocese and bishop smack on top of Bishop Lawrence, and the new diocese is growing rapidly. The ACNA Diocese of the Carolinas and Bishop Steve Wood, headquartered at St. Andrew's Mount Pleasant, makes at least three other Anglican entities in addition to Bishop Mark Lawrence all on top of one another. How many overlapping diocesan jurisdictions do there need to be to properly provide for Anglicans? Apparently for the time being, several. It does raise the question of where Bishop Lawrence and the newly emancipated Diocese of South Carolina fit into the larger picture, and where do they find an Anglican provincial home?
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Will they go shopping for an international connection? Most of those doors are now closed. It would have been interesting if Bishop Chartres of London had agreed to take them under London's wing, since during colonial times that was the see city that South Carolina looked to, but it would seem that isn't going to happen either. We will have to watch and wait to see how this all works out.
Apparently the Presiding Bishop and her Chancellor, David Booth Beers, found enough people in South Carolina to become the supposed plaintiff group to push this forward. They are Robert R. Black, Margaret A. Carpenter, Charles G. Carpenter, Frances L. Elmore, Eleanor Horres, John Kwist, Margaret S. Kwist, Barbara G. Mann, David W. Mann, Warren M. Mersereau, Dolores J. Miller, Robert B. Pinkerton, M. Jaquelin Simons, Mrs. Benjamin Bosworth Smith, John L. Wilder and Virginia C. Wilder, and two clergy, the Rev. Colton M. Smith and the Rev. Roger W. Smith. Any litigation that follows will likely use some or all of this same group as the aggrieved party.
This group constitutes TEC's Fifth Column within South Carolina, and apparently they are eager to become the Episcopal Church version of the French Vichy government of the 1940's. Among those who would thus betray their diocese, none rise to the stature of a Marshal Pétain, but their eagerness to side with those who would overrun the historic diocese is lamentable.
This unfolding situation warrants your attention, and makes it worth your while to check out the Diocese of South Carolina's own website to see documents that they have posted. I will be praying for Bishop Lawrence and the diocese and you may wish to put them on your prayer list as well. Those who have already come through this trial by fire personally can pray even more knowingly.
Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
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Message from Canon Ashey
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Canon Ashey
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The Kind of Leaders we should be seeking - Part 2
Dear Friends in Christ,
Two weeks ago I wrote about what God has to say about the leaders we should be seeking at every level. Today I am struck by the contrast between the leaders who, predictably, are pressing disciplinary charges against Bishop Mark Lawrence of the TEC diocese of South Carolina, and the leaders with whom I will be meeting in Dallas, TX, next week in an ecumenical leadership conference. On the one hand are bishops of TEC who have placed church discipline above apostolic doctrine, using it as a bludgeon against a fellow bishop who refuses to adhere to changes in the fundamental doctrine and governance of TEC that violate both the Bible, settled Anglican teaching on human sexuality and holy orders, and the conciliar consensus of the rest of the Anglican communion. On the other hand are leaders from Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist churches who have sought to follow apostolic and biblical teaching on human sexuality and ministry orders, and who have been willing (especially among the Presbyterians), to suffer (like Anglicans) the loss of property in order to be faithful to Jesus Christ and his teachings. They have sought to maintain both the doctrine and discipline of their churches, not one at the expense of the other. It is hard to imagine a more striking contrast, and such a different trajectory for the churches these two sets of leaders represent.
I hope you will join me in praying for Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina as they face difficult choices in the days ahead. Pray that they will be led by the Holy Spirit and God's grace to a new season of growth in evangelism, church planting and discipleship. And please pray for the 30+ Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian leaders who will be meeting Monday through Thursday, October 22-25, as we seek to find common ground to work together on evangelism, church planting and discipleship in North America.
Let me conclude with a few observations (as promised) from the life of St. John the Baptist on the kind of leaders God wants to raise up - the leaders we should be seeking:
A person who is humble and content enough to exalt others
When John's disciples became jealous of Jesus' reputation and complained to John, his response was remarkable: "He [Jesus] must become greater, I must become less." (John 3:30). Now that's the remark of a great leader, isn't it - a truly "non-anxious presence!" John was so delighted to see Jesus' ministry grow, and so humble about his own, that he was fully prepared to exalt Jesus instead of himself. He wasn't the least bit threatened.
One of the signs of unhealthy leadership is the inability to recognize and promote other leaders who may even be more competent and gifted than the leader over them. There is no Kingdom multiplication of ministry unless we are willing to give opportunity to others to excel in their gifts and exalt them as John did of Jesus, even if it means that we become less in others' eyes. Actually, such leaders who are humble enough and "non-anxious" enough to promote others seldom lose the respect of others! The crowds may be less for a season, but the leader's stature grows just as it did for John the Baptist. Consider the legacy of John Stott, who by his own confession exalted other leaders whom he believed and hoped would be better than himself. We see the marks of Kingdom multiplication and compound results in raising up leaders, and we thank God for leaders like John Stott!
A person who sees himself/herself fundamentally as a servant and steward of ministry
When John's disciples saw the crowds going to Jesus, they complained to John "everyone is going to him [Jesus]!" But John saw himself fundamentally as a servant-steward of those crowds, so he replied "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven." (John 3:27) John had the wisdom of a leader who recognizes that whatever ministry he has, whatever "crowds" he or she enjoys, is simply a gift in this season from God. When we become possessive of the ministry God has given us rather than giving it away as John did, we actually stand in the way both of God's purposes for that ministry as well as greater results for the Kingdom that would come from our letting go and moving on to the new calling God has for us.
Leaders who are servant-stewards understand this, and can respond more quickly to God's leadings than those who become self-centered and possessive.
A person who acknowledges their own limits
[John] did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." (John 1:19-22) John knew exactly what his mission was - "to make straight the way for the LORD (Jn. 1:23) - because he knew his boundaries and his limits. He was very clear; he was neither the messiah, nor the second coming of Elijah, nor the second coming of Moses! He was just a forerunner for Jesus. And yet Jesus said that there was no one born among humankind greater than John (Matt. 11:11, Luke 7:28).
John was secure in his identity in Christ. How about you? Are you a leader trying to be "the messiah" instead of realizing your limits and saying with John, "It's Jesus, the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world," and pointing people to him? If you know your limits and your boundaries as John did, you will be great in the Kingdom!
And in the end, that's what matters isn't it?
Yours in Christ,
Phil+
The Rev. Canon Phil Ashey
Chief Operating and Development Officer, American Anglican Council
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Anglican Perspective: Would you become a dog?
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This week, Canon Ashey asks, "What can dogs teach us about God's love for us?"
View Anglican Perspective here.
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South Carolina: Episcopal Church Takes Action Against the Bishop and Diocese
| Source: Diocese of South Carolina
October 16, 2012
On Monday, October 15, 2012, Bishop Mark J. Lawrence, the 14th Bishop of the Diocese
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Bishop Lawrence
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of South Carolina was notified by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, that on September 18, 2012 the Disciplinary Board for Bishops had certified his abandonment of The Episcopal Church. This action by The Episcopal Church triggered two pre-existing corporate resolutions of the Diocese, which simultaneously disaffiliated the Diocese from The Episcopal Church and called a Special Convention. That Convention will be held at St. Philip's Church, Charleston, on Saturday, November 17, 2012.
Bishop Lawrence was notified of these actions taken by the Episcopal Church between two meetings, one held on October 3 and one to be held on October 22, which Bishop Andrew Waldo of the Upper Diocese of South Carolina and Bishop Lawrence had set up with the Presiding Bishop to find a peaceful alternative to the growing issues between The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of South Carolina. The meetings were to explore "creative solutions" for resolving these issues to avoid further turmoil in the Diocese and in The Episcopal Church. A timeline of these events and their associated documents may be found below.
Two of the three charges had previously been determined by a majority vote of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops in November 2011 not to constitute abandonment. The Diocese has not received a signed copy of the certification and also remains uninformed of the identity of those making these charges.
We feel a deep sense of sadness but a renewed sense of God's providence that The Episcopal Church has chosen to act against this Diocese and its Bishop during a good faith attempt resolve our differences peacefully. These actions make it clear The Episcopal Church no longer desires to be affiliated with the Diocese of South Carolina.
Pertinent documents from the Diocese of South Carolina and TEC may be found here.
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TEC complaint filers say diocesan actions were 'too far out of bounds'
| Source: Episcopal News Service
October 18, 2012
By Mary Frances Schjonberg
The 12 lay people and two priests who filed complaints with the Episcopal Church's  Disciplinary Board for Bishops alleging that the Diocese of South Carolina Bishop Mark Lawrence had abandoned the Episcopal Church said Oct. 18 that they filed those complaints "with great deliberation" because certain actions he and other diocesan leaders took "seemed to be going too far out of bounds."
Their statement came in a press release issued just after an attorney who worked with the 14 people had e-mailed a letter to Lawrence about their action. That letter, also e-mailed to Episcopal News Service, notes that they have made their names public "as a courtesy to you, so as not to have secrecy surrounding the action."
Melinda A. Lucka, an attorney in the Charleston, South Carolina, area and an active communicant in the diocese, said in the letter that the complainants "do not want possible misunderstandings" and stressed that no one from elsewhere in the Episcopal Church encouraged or initiated the complaint."
The 12 lay communicants include: Robert R. Black, Margaret A. Carpenter, Charles G. Carpenter, Frances L. Elmore, Eleanor Horres, John Kwist, Margaret S. Kwist, Barbara G. Mann, David W. Mann, Warren M. Mersereau, Dolores J. Miller, Robert B. Pinkerton, M. Jaquelin Simons, Mrs. Benjamin Bosworth Smith, John L. Wilder and Virginia C. Wilder. The clergy who were named are the Rev. Colton M. Smith and the Rev. Roger W. Smith....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Diocese of Ft. Worth presents its case to Texas Supreme Court
| Source: Diocese of Ft. Worth
October 16, 2012
Leaders of the Diocese of Fort Worth and its Corporation, along with our legal defense team, were encouraged Tuesday by the thoughtful questioning by the justices of the Texas Supreme Court during oral argument. Each of the seven justices in attendance engaged in the discussion, and their questions showed a high degree of preparation for the 40-minute hearing.
Scott Brister represented the Diocese and Corporation; on the other side of the aisle, Thomas Leatherbury represented local Episcopal parties, and Mary Kostel, an attorney chosen by the Presiding Bishop's chancellor, represented The Episcopal Church. Both parties expressed a desire for the Supreme Court to render its own decision in the case, rather than remanding it back to the 141st District Court in Fort Worth for a revision to the judgement rendered there in January 2011. Although both parties also agreed that the Corporation holds title to diocesan property, the main question the justices are being asked to decide is whether state law will be applied to church property disputes in the same manner in which it is applied to all other property disputes in Texas.
Within the next 30 days, our legal team will file a post-submission brief. The Court has approved the additional brief to allow the Diocese to respond to a filing it accepted from the TEC parties on the eve of oral argument, an exception to the Court's usual page limits for appeals.
While it is impossible to predict when a ruling will be made, the legal team hopes for a decision by next spring. The ruling will be precedent-setting, whatever the outcome. Till that time at least, our congregations will remain in the properties they now occupy. Our legal team asks for continued prayer for the justices as they confer regarding our case, and particularly for the justice who will be assigned to author the ruling....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Women Bishops: Enough Waiting [says Rowan Williams]
| Source: Archbishop of Canterbury website
October 19, 2012
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has begun a campaign to persuade
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Dr Williams
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General Synod members to back the new women bishops legislation when it returns to debate it next month.
The following article by Archbishop Rowan was published in the Church Times on Friday 19th October.
No-one is likely to underrate the significance of November's debate on women bishops in General Synod. It will shape the character of the Church of England for generations - and I'm not talking only about the decision we shall take, but about the way in which we discuss it and deal with the outcome of it.
Those who, like myself, long to see a positive vote will want this for a range of reasons which have to do with both the essential health of the Church and its credibility in our society. They are keenly aware of living with a degree of theological inconsistency.
As Anglicans we believe that there is one priesthood and one only in the Church, and that is the priesthood of Jesus Christ - his eternal offering of himself, crucified, risen and ascended, to the Father to secure everlasting 'covenanted' peace between heaven and earth. To live as 'very members incorporate in his Body' on earth is to be alive with his Spirit and so to be taken up in his action of praise and self-offering so that we may reflect something of it in our lives and relationships. To recall the Church to its true character in this connection, God calls individuals to gather the community, animate its worship and preside at its sacramental acts, where we learn afresh who we are. The priestly calling of all who are in Christ is thus focused in particular lives lived in service to the community and its well-being, integrity and holiness - lives that express in visible and symbolic terms the calling of a 'priestly people'.
The commitment of most Anglicans to the ordained ministry of women rests on the conviction that what I have just summarised makes it inconsistent to exclude in principle any baptised person from the possibility of ordained ministry....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Scotland: Kirk to seize back city church
| Source: The Herald
October 11, 2012
By Brian Donnelly
The Church of Scotland is to seize back one of the most prominent churches in Glasgow - and potentially thousands of pounds in collection money - after its congregation quit the main body of the Kirk for allowing gay ministers in its pulpits.
It says it will "take all necessary steps to recover all property and assets, including the
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St. George's Tron - Herald photo
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church and manse buildings, and all monies belonging to the Church of Scotland congregation of St George's Tron".
The move comes after the 500 worshippers became the first entire congregation in Scotland to leave the Kirk in June over gay ordination, with plans to join a more strict denomination.
Kirk lawyers have already moved to freeze the congregation's bank accounts as each faction claims ownership of the historic property....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Violence against Christians in Africa - Two Stories
| Christians flee Zanzibar
Source: Anglican TV
October 19, 2012
Video by Kevin Kallsen
In this video, Kevin Kallsen interviews a priest who has had to leave Zanzibar in the wake of violence against Christians.
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30 people killed in central Nigeria village attack
Source: Business Week
October 17, 2012
By Ahmed Sakaharuna Umar
JOS, Nigeria (AP) - Nomadic Muslim herdsmen attacked a Christian village in central Nigeria over long-running land disputes, killing at least 30 people in their latest assault, police said Wednesday.
The attack in Benue state comes as a bomb exploded Wednesday in northeast Nigeria, apparently killing a police officer and sparking reprisal attacks by the military in the region, residents said.
In Benue state, the attack Sunday targeted a rural village of Christian Tiv people called Yogbo in the state, police spokesman Daniel Ezeala said. After the attack, those living there fled, community leader Daniel Tsenghul said....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Billy Graham: Vote Biblical Values
| Source: BillyGraham.org
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Dr Graham - BGEA photo
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On November 6, the day before my 94th birthday, our nation will hold one of the most critical elections in my lifetime. We are at a crossroads and there are profound moral issues at stake. I strongly urge you to vote for candidates who support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and woman, protect the sanctity of life, and defend our religious freedoms. The Bible speaks clearly on these crucial issues. Please join me in praying for America, that we will turn our hearts back toward God.
The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham
Montreat, N.C.
Note: copies of this and another brief message are available in bulletin insert or poster format here.
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