"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and that not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."
                                                                            Ephesians 2:8-9

• Message from The Rt. Rev. Bill Atwood
• US Episcopal Church Faces Possible Major Defection
• Bishop Schofield Responds to Presiding Bishop's Letter
• Archbishop of Nigeria to Consecrate Four Bishops in U.S.

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Message from The Rt. Rev. Bill Atwood

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

First of all, congratulations to the Rev. Canon Roger Ames (Akron, OH), the Rev. Canon David Anderson (Atlanta, GA), the Ven. Amos Fagbamiye (Indianapolis, IN), and the Rev. Canon Nathan Kanu (Oklahoma City, OK) being consecrated this Sunday! 

Not long ago, I was with the Archbishop of Sudan. He was not well and is even weaker still today. When I got to the house where he was staying, he called me in with a weak voice. He had been sitting on a saggy sofa reading and studying a very worn and very floppy Bible. Though he had obviously been through it countless times, he was pouring over the underlined and marked up verses of John. He is wonderful. Frankly, I don't know if he will be able to get back to ministry this time. Bishops in the Sudan just get used up. They are worn out, but not worn down. They are used up, but do not give up. They lay down their lives for their sheep.

Today, another bishop from Sudan wrote to tell me that his wife has just died. He was writing to tell me of how he was planning on encouraging the people in his diocese.

My first trip to Africa was in December 1971. Since then I have been there countless times. Different colors of dust from different countries have made their way into my bags, clothes, Bible, and everything else. Though I am extremely proud to be an American (and can tear up at the sound of the national anthem) some days I feel out of place in Western culture.

The point is, I have learned a lot, and I believe I have some good ideas to offer. As we are moving to form a unified expression of Biblical Anglicanism, I may be able to share some of them ... maybe even many of them. But I'm aware that linking with other leaders and groups means that I will not be able to shape everything the way I think it should be done-at least not all the time. I am going to have to let go of some things and let others do them differently than I would.

In parish ministry there are two major factors that keep congregations from fulfilling their potential in the Kingdom of God. One factor is the clergy and the other is the laity. Clergy often have a hard time letting go and really allowing substantive ministry to emerge from the people. The baptized are often eager to minister, but they are also often not eager to receive ministry from another lay person. Many would like to be accepted in ministry by the clergy and the other members of the church, but when it comes to their own needs, they want to receive ministry from the rector! Even when clergy get a vision of releasing others for ministry, while the people are learning and developing, there will be painful mistakes. Sometimes the rector will hear parishioners complain, "You let me down. You weren't there for me." It is at that point that the temptation is strong to fall back into a priest-centered ministry and do it ourselves. Perhaps the ministry that is developing, learning, and growing will not be at the same level as that of the "professional" clergy. We have to get past that, though, because the ministry will eventually be broader, greater, and more powerful when many people are discipled, released, and are working together.

Jesus said that there was no one born of a woman who was as great as John the Baptist, yet, John said, "He (Jesus) must increase but I must decrease." (John 3:30)  He had to lay down his ministry (and life!) so that Jesus could fulfill His.

Right now, we have a great number of groups who have a great number of gifts. To each is given a redemptive gift for the benefit of the body. For example, I think the Kenyan Prayer Book is the best one on the planet, and the Kenyan sense of worship is extraordinary (not to mention that Swahili choruses rock!). The AMiA has spent millions of dollars and countless people hours studying and building proficiency in church planting. Nigeria has a mission emphasis and program that has grown the church there to amazing proportions. The Southern Cone is gifted for simple clarity in presenting the Gospel. Uganda has shown us joy in the midst of suffering and how to love inspirationally. The Reformed Episcopal Church leaders are indelibly faithful. Forward in Faith has a devotion to historic faith and worship that is breathtaking. My experience of the Anglican Province of America is of leaders of deep humility. Other groups and leaders have shown courage; still others perseverance. 

If we are going to come together as Christians in the realignment of Anglicanism in North America, it is going to require the heart of John the Baptist. We must be willing to decrease so that Jesus can increase as He builds a community of faith that weaves all these (and other) redemptive gifts together in a way that makes the Body of Christ look more and more like Him.

I have to be willing to offer my gifts, strengths, and insights but not insist that they become the only significant source of DNA in the new life that God is calling together. Others need to do the same.

We need to have an atmosphere of encouragement in parishes as people are learning to minister both inside and outside the church. That same grace also needs to extend across parish lines to link congregations together. It even has to reach across jurisdictional lines as we love others that are close by regardless of which of the orthodox jurisdictions they have been calling home. 

While it is appropriate to offer the best we have to the gathering community, we are all going to have to realize that it is Jesus who has given redemptive gifts, and I am not going to get things my way all the time. (Rats.) The right way to look at it, however, is not what do I want or what do you want. The only appropriate question is, "What does Jesus want?" If we are willing to lay down our lives, prerogatives, and preferences we will see a God-honoring, unified body emerging.

Many of the skeptics don't believe we are willing to pay the price to make it happen. But they don't have eyes to see what I have seen. They haven't seen how much you love Jesus.

In Christ,
+Bill

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US Episcopal Church Faces Possible Major Defection

Source: Reuters
Date:  December 5, 2007
By Michael Conlon, Religion Writer

The U.S. Episcopal Church faces major tumult this week when an entire California diocese with more than 9,000 members decides whether to secede in an unprecedented protest over gay issues.

The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, based in Fresno and consisting of nearly 50 churches in 14 counties, would be the first diocese to bolt from the U.S. branch of the 77-million-member global Anglican Communion if Saturday's final vote passes...

Read the rest of the article by clicking here.
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Bishop Schofield Responds to Presiding Bishop's Letter

Source:  The Living Church
Date:  December 5, 2007

Bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin has responded to the open letter sent to him by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. In his letter, Bishop Schofield thanked Bishop Jefferts Schori for her "pastoral tone," and reminded her that the crisis facing The Episcopal Church could be averted if she would but implement the recommendations she agreed to last February in the primates' communique...

Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Read Presiding Bishop Schori's letter to Bishop Schofield by clicking here.

Read Bishop Schofield's response by clicking here.
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Archbishop of Nigeria to Consecrate Four Bishops in U.S.

The Archbishop of Nigeria, The Most Rev. Peter Akinola, will consecrate four new missionary bishops for the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) this Sunday, December 9th.  The bishops-elect are the Rev'd Canon Roger Ames (Akron, OH), the Rev'd Canon David Anderson (Atlanta, GA), the Ven. Amos Fagbamiye (Indianapolis, IN), and the Rev'd Canon Nathan Kanu (Oklahoma City, OK). The consecrations will be held in northern Virginia.