AAC weekly message from Bishop David Anderson

Via email [boldface mine]:

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

This week let me begin with a personal praise report. My grandson Palmer has this week passed his five year cancer-free date, and the doctors have pronounced him cured. It was a long battle and at several time we worried that we might lose him, but the prayers of thousands around the world and the Grace of God preserved and healed him. He has no cognitive damage, nor any physical impairment that we can ascertain. He is very intelligent, very loving, and a good soccer player. To God be the glory.

We note the letter of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to Archbishop and Primate Henry Orombi telling him to stay out of "her domain." She of course sent a copy to Bishop Henry Louttit, who is under pressure to continue litigation against Christ Church, Savannah, the Mother Church of all Georgia and the Rev. John Wesley's American parish. She also sent a copy to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The interesting thing is she waited to notify Orombi until he was already within a stone's throw of Georgia, leaving him to discover her letter posted on the Internet. It is clear that this was ninety percent theatrics on the part of Schori.

What is quite remarkable is the response from His Grace, Henry Orombi, to Jefferts Schori, pointing out that he is not visiting one of her churches, but rather one of his own! The problem is that TEC doesn't recognize anyone's ability to leave TEC. Like a pitcher plant, once you have alighted on the great blossom, you are stuck fast, never to be free again... except, in the real world of churches, anyone and everyone is able to vote with their voice, with their wallet, and finally, with their feet.

Continuing this theme of the "Hotel California" where "you can check out but you can never leave," Bishop Rob O'Neill has pulled a new dirty trick out of TEC's bag of scurrilous actions. According to journalist David Virtue, who is covering the story, seven years ago then-Bishop Winterrowd legally transferred clergy out of Colorado and into the Province of South East Asia by Letters Dimissory. This international transferability of Holy Orders has been a keystone of the Anglican Communion. Now seven years later, the current bishop, Rob O'Neill, has decided to void those legal transfers and canonically depose those clergy for "abandonment of communion of this Church." Do you remember the book "Alice in Wonderland"? That is what it is like living either in the Episcopal Church, or even next door to it. The meanness and fear which these punitive actions show is evidence of how afraid TEC is of the growing orthodox Anglican presence around the nation. The Anglican Church of Canada, similarly fearful, is commencing like-minded retribution against those who have left or are trying to leave.

On the international scene, we remember that it was only a few weeks ago that the Rt. Rev. Tom Wright, was telling everyone that a "get tough" letter was coming from Lambeth Palace to the TEC bishops who didn't support the Covenant and were part of the group who consecrated Gene Robinson. Many of us wondered whether Tom Wright was going to be "wrong again" or whether, given his close contact with Lambeth, maybe he was onto something - or then again, maybe he was being used. The long-awaited Lambeth Letter has come out, and it is a "cream puff" of a letter. What went wrong? Why did Wright get it wrong?

Bishop Tom may have gotten it right to start with, but when a large number of liberal revisionist English bishops told Rowan Williams that if he excluded those Americans, they wouldn't come either, it appears that the Primate of Primates caved in and changed the letter. Tom Wright was left with the ground cut out from under him. Wright could have gotten it right if the left hadn't muscled in. Apparently, the revisionist English bishops are less afraid of pushing back than their orthodox colleagues; why is that?

Lastly, we have received word that the gay and lesbian advocacy groups are planning a major assault on the Lambeth Conference, and are raising money to finance it. Information can be found here. The stage is being set for a media and public relations battle at Canterbury as well as an attempt to sway the bishops present. Things do not look very pretty for Lambeth.

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, we worship our God, three in one. Have a blessed Trinity Sunday and weekend.

The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council

CANA: Colorado ordination April 13

From the CANA website:

CANA's first priesting for 2008 is scheduled for Sunday, April 13. The Rev'd Alan Crippen II, president of the John Jay Institute, will be made a priest at the 9 o'clock morning worship service at Grace Chruch and St. Stephen's in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Previously this year, there have been three new deacons ordained: Dan Clark and Marge Marcewicz in Wyoming, and Sheri Graham in Texas.

The Rev'd Alan R. Crippen II is founder and president of the John Jay Institute for Faith, Society and Law. Previously Mr. Crippen served for nine years as founding rector of the Witherspoon Fellowship, a leading civic and cultural leadership development program for college-age students based in Washington, D.C. He has two decades of experience in non-profit executive management and college level teaching. His military service includes platoon and battery command as well as various battalion staff operations and planning positions in the U.S. Army Field Artillery. Mr. Crippen's vocational passion is for the formation of young leaders who aspire to public life. He is particularly inspired to prepare them with the contours of a worldview, knowledge, and piety requisite for faithful Christian service in the public square. Mr. Crippen holds degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary (M.A.R.) and Philadelphia Biblical University (B.S.) and is an ordained deacon in the Anglican Communion. He, his wife, Michelle, and their five children make their home in Colorado Springs and worship at Grace Church and St. Stephen's Parish (Anglican-CANA). More information on the congregation may be found at .

CANA's Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns will preside at this ordination service. Information about other ordinations this spring, as well as information about a CANA Vocations Retreat for aspirants/postulants/seminarians, will be forthcoming.

Check it out.

Diocese turns up heat in lawsuit over schism

More on happenings in the Diocese of Colorado from the Rocky Mountain News:

The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado moved Friday to sue individual parishioners who support the breakaway congregation at Grace Church and St. Stephen's Parish in Colorado Springs, according to documents filed in El Paso District Court.

The petition asks the court to add 18 people to the diocese's existing countersuit, which is seeking monetary damages as well as repossession of the church.

The targeted members include everyone on the parish's governing board as well as the church's main spokesman, Alan Crippen, and its rector of 20 years, the Rev. Don Armstrong.

The diocese's action is part of a lawsuit already under way to determine the rightful owner of the historic, multimillion-dollar church property located in the central part of the city.

The property is currently under the authority of Armstrong and about 500 followers who supported him when he broke away from the Episcopal Diocese in March to join a conservative Anglican movement.

Until now, the legal dispute hasn't named any individuals. However, according to a diocesan news release, because "Colorado law requires that all essential persons be included in a suit," the diocese "is requesting that the court add as parties those individuals who have led the secessionist group in taking the property."

The statement adds: "Time after time, in Colorado and other states, courts have ruled that while individuals can leave the church, they may not take church property with them."

Crippen, Armstrong's spokesman, said Sunday that the decision to add individuals has "escalated" the conflict, but he said members of the breakaway congregation "will not be intimidated by the bullying tactics.". . .

Read it all.

Episcopal Diocese of Colorado adds to counterclaim against breakaway parish

From the Associated Press via KJCT8.com:

The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado has added a request for monetary damages in its legal dispute with a breakaway parish over church assets.

Last spring, leaders of Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs voted to leave the Episcopal church and asked a judge to declare that the diocese doesn't own the historic church and its property.

The diocese filed a counterclaim, contending it still owns the church's property. . .

Yesterday the diocese asked an El Paso County District Court judge for permission to include leaders of the breakaway parish as defendants in its counterclaim, as well as to seek unspecified monetary damages.

Read it all.

Bishop O'Neill of Colorado writes Church of the Holy Comforter

From TitusOneNine:

Church of the Holy Comforter

Dear Friends,

This past Monday I was sorry to learn that your rector, The Reverend Chuck Reeder, has tendered his resignation effective October 1 and that simultaneously the members of your vestry have also resigned effective October 1. These actions follow soon after a meeting I had with your rector, wardens, and treasurer on August 8 during which I was informed that The Church of the Holy Comforter is currently facing significant financial challenges. These difficulties, I am told, stem from the fact that 42% of pledge income to the parish is currently being withheld by members of the parish who are unhappy with The Episcopal Church—members who, as it was explained to me, have no intention of contributing to ministry of The Church of the Holy Comforter so long as it remains a member of The Episcopal Church.

During that same meeting, I explained to your parish leadership that our Diocesan Canons have a provision by which my office will work with the leadership of any parish that is so “imperiled” to thoroughly assess the situation and to develop a viable plan for the future of the congregation. Over the past several weeks, my office, working with your Senior Warden, John Bosio, began taking steps to put that process in place. Subsequently your rector and vestry decided to resign. Even so, you should know that this process of assessing the life of the parish and developing a plan for recovery will continue to move forward under the direction of my office. For those of you that have concerns about the buildings and property, they belong as always to the Episcopal Church, and I am committed to seeing that the Episcopal Church continues to exercise its ministry in that location in the days and years to come. Moreover, your parish leadership has graciously expressed their intent to work with my office to that end without engaging in any disputes over the ownership of property. For their thoughtfulness and good will, I am indeed grateful.

You should know too, that although they have already tendered their resignations, your wardens and vestry have stated their desire and commitment to cooperate with my office to provide for a smooth transition as we identify the steps that will be necessary to provide The Church of the Holy Comforter with new pastoral leadership and guidance in the days ahead.

Over the next week, I will be in conversation with your rector and wardens to identify the specific steps and the timetable for the upcoming transition. Just as soon as that work has been done, you can expect to hear directly from me. To that end, I have scheduled a parish meeting for Thursday, September 6, at 7:30 p.m. at The Church of the Holy Comforter to update you on the situation and to outline the next steps that will be taken to reorganize and redevelop The Church of the Holy Comforter.

Although I am indeed saddened to know that some members of your congregation have expressed a desire to leave The Episcopal Church, I trust that they do so in good faith and out of a heartfelt desire to respond faithfully to the call of God in their lives. I want you to know that I continue to hold those individuals in my prayers and to ask God’s blessing on them in the same way I hold all of you in my prayers during these difficult days.

Just as The Church of the Holy Comforter has had a wonderful and vibrant history of ministry in the Broomfield area and in The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado in the past, I am confident that it will continue to do so in the days ahead. I am committed to working with you to that end, and, as always, I am confident in the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit working within us and among us to bear the fruit of God’s purpose in our lives. For now, God’s peace and blessing be with you. I will look forward to speaking with you soon.

Yours faithfully in Christ,

--(The Rt. Rev) Robert O’Neill is Bishop of Colorado

See earlier post on this here.

Another one gone

From Stand Firm:

The Church of the Holy Comforter Announces Resignation of Church Leadership Spiritual Leader Reeder Resigns; Vestry to Follow

BROOMFIELD, COLORADO – August 27, 2007– The Church of the Holy Comforter today announced the resignation of its leader, The Reverend Dr. Charles Reeder and his departure from The Episcopal Church effective October 1, 2007. Holy Comforter also announces that Vestry, the Children’s Minister, Youth Minister and Treasurer will resign and follow Father Reeder’s move within the greater worldwide Anglican Communion Network (ACN). . .

Read it all.

More grace needed

In Grace's paper chase: 'Donation' document from 1929 pledges Grace Church to Denver diocese from the Colorado Springs Independent Newsweekly, reporter Michael de Yoanna names the two sides in the Colorado Springs debacle "secessionists" (those who left ECUSA and are now affiliated with CANA) and "loyalists" (those still members of the Diocese of Colorado) - and yes, it does make it sound like civil war (only sometimes not so civil).

The one-page form could be a Holy Grail for a diocese eager to return to the building now being used by hundreds of entrenched Episcopal secessionists and their embattled patriarch, the Rev. Don Armstrong.

Martin Nussbaum, an attorney for the diocese, says the form, which surfaced as part of the legal battle for the building, bodes well for hundreds of exiled Episcopal loyalists hoping to return to the gray building described when it opened in 1926 as perhaps the most beautiful church west of the Mississippi River. . .

Read it all.