"I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge."
                                                              John 8:50 NIV

• Message from Bishop David C. Anderson
• ++Williams: "No consensus about the New Orleans statement."
• Central Florida Adopts Protocol for Departing Parishes
• Four New CANA Bishops Consecrated
• Diocese Breaks With Episcopal Church
• Retired Bishops Repeat Request for Financial Data

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Message from Bishop David C. Anderson

Beloved in Christ,

Not having written last week because I was in the bishops-elect pre-consecration retreat, it is good to be back with you and be able to share some thoughts on domestic and international events in the Anglican world.

Nigeria, as well as some other Anglican Communion provinces, takes the preparation of a new bishop very seriously. Four of us, together with our wives, spent five full days on a mountaintop (literally) near Harper’s Ferry, WV being schooled in both spiritual and practical dimensions of the office of a bishop. In the midst of this time it snowed about eight inches, and the temperature dropped into the teens Fahrenheit. Then the well at the retreat center ran dry—no water for about 15 hours. It was really a test to see if we were up to this new calling. The consecration service was deeply impacting and moving to me and the others, but it still seems odd to have people say "bishop" and it doesn't yet occur to me that they might be trying to get my attention.

While our CANA services were underway that second weekend in December, across the United States in San Joaquin the diocese voted overwhelmingly to leave the Episcopal Church and its problems—spiritual and contentious—and find an orthodox and safe home in the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. The AAC applauds their actions and wishes them the very best; we look forward to our continued mutual relationship in ministry and mission with them over the coming years.

One of the major events of recent days is the Archbishop of Canterbury's Advent Letter which, when it is peeled apart, shows both a lack of personal conviction on moral and spiritual issues, but a clear resolve on acquisition of power. A TEC priest, who for the moment will remain anonymous, summed up Williams' Advent missive as follows: 

• Trying further to pin down TEC is futile.
• We will not exclude those who violate doctrine.
• We will exclude those who violate discipline (structure).
• Anglicanism has failed.

I think the good father is close, but wrong on the last line, which I believe should read “Lambeth Palace/Anglican Communion Office Anglicanism has failed.”

I say this because the orthodox majority as measured by seats in the pew: 

• Definitely wishes to pin down TEC.
• Would definitely place on probation those who violate doctrine.
• Would understand and accommodate those whose moral actions were non-normative to structure and discipline
• Is part of a vibrant and growing Global South Anglican Christianity.

What do you do with a meat market that weighs their thumb along with the meat? Replace the manager! What should the Anglican Communion do with those in high or low positions who always ask others but weigh their own thumbs? Bishops Robinson and Schori are not the problems; they are the symptom of a problem, the answer of which is found at the top, looking wistfully out of Lambeth's window.

In the Advent Letter there is no call for TEC to repent or even do better, but rather for all of us to accept that they are locked into their iniquity and we have to accept that as it is. They stay at the table, and the orthodox have the burden of trying to figure out how to live with them. Additionally, it is clear that the AMiA, CANA, Kenya and Uganda USA bishops are not only unwelcome or unworthy to sit with Dr. Williams, but he questions their LEGITIMACY. In one quote he says, "And while … I understand and respect the good faith of those who have felt called to provide additional episcopal oversight in the USA, there can be no doubt that these ordinations have not been encouraged or legitimized by the Communion overall." It is finally not those few of us that he is really attacking, but our Primates: Akinola, Orombi, Nzimbi, and Kolini. The actions of Primate Venables really upset his sense of order as well, because now Canadian and American bishops and one entire diocese have changed provinces and moved to the Southern Cone.

Dr. Williams announces in his letter that he is seizing yet more power and initiative, principally to punish the orthodox, by several new actions. He is launching "professionally facilitated conversations" between TEC and those they are most in dispute with to see if there is any better level of mutual understanding. What part of the last ten years does he not understand? The TEC revisionists do understand us and fear us. That is why, like pharaoh, they are trying to prevent our multiplying. And we do understand the revisionists, and we are determined not to go to hell with them, no matter what the cost of our resistance. In launching this new action, he also announces that he knows who he will pick to do it. This is not collegial. This is power.

He also intends to convene a small group of Primates, hand picked by himself, to work supposedly with other groups to decide "whether...it is possible for provinces or individual bishops at odds with the expressed mind of the Communion [does he mean boundary crossings or adherence to Lambeth 1.10?] to participate fully in representative Communion agencies, including ecumenical bodies." This means that those Primates who have done the morally right thing could be kicked off of Communion boards and bodies for their “disruptive actions.” Then concerning those of us who are US Anglican bishops answering to overseas Primates, this hand-picked group of primates "will thus also be bound to consider the exact status of bishops ordained by one province for ministry in another."

The questions for today are, "Do we have to go through Canterbury to be Christian?" and "Do we have to go through Lambeth Palace to be Anglican?" Many will be searching their souls to deal with these questions. Dr. Williams also asks "who speaks for Anglicanism?" and I would suggest that the faithful orthodox Anglicans themselves speak for the Anglicanism of today and the future. Dr. Williams speaks for the dead and dying Anglicanism of a tired and confused structure.

In this season of Advent, I am sustained knowing that Jesus is coming back in power and glory, and that His reign will be perfect. All the troubles of this present age will fall away, and those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be gathered up and live with him forever. Amen.

Have a Blessed Advent!

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

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++Williams: "No consensus about the New Orleans statement."

Source:  Archbishop of Canterbury's Advent Letter

Date:  December 14, 2007

To: Primates of the Anglican Communion & Moderators of the United Churches

Greetings in the name of the One 'who is and was and is to come, the Almighty', as we prepare in this Advent season to celebrate once more his first coming and pray for the grace to greet him when he comes in glory.

You will by now, I hope, have received my earlier letter summarising the responses from Primates to the Joint Standing Committee's analysis of the New Orleans statement from the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church. In that letter, I promised to write with some further reflections and proposals, and this is the purpose of the present communication...

So we have no consensus about the New Orleans statement. It is also the case that some of the more negative assessments from primates were clearly influenced by the reported remarks of individual bishops in The Episcopal Church who either declared their unwillingness to abide by the terms of the statement or argued that it did not imply any change in current policies. It should be noted too that some of the positive responses reflected a deep desire to put the question decisively behind us as a Communion; some of these also expressed dissatisfaction with our present channels of discussion and communication.

Where does this leave us as a Communion? Because we have no single central executive authority, the answer to this is not a simple one...

Read the rest of the letter by clicking here.

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Central Florida Adopts Protocol for Departing Parishes

Source:  Diocese of Central Florida

Date:  December 13, 2007

From the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe to clergy and lay members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The following Protocol was adopted by the Diocesan Board at my request.  Thank you for your prayers on behalf of the meeting.  (There were four votes against it and one abstention.)

A Protocol for Those Desiring to Disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church

Vestry Decision

The vote of a Rector and Vestry cannot control whether or not a congregation disaffiliates.  Congregations cannot disaffiliate from the Diocese; individual members may choose to do so.  However, if the Rector and Vestry decide by at least a 2/3 majority that they believe a substantial majority of the congregation is determined to disaffiliate from the Diocese at some point in the future, they shall immediately notify the Bishop of that fact...

Read the rest of the protocol by clicking here.

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