February 2005
There is one body and one Spirit
– just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord,
one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all.
EPHESIANS 4: 4-6 (NIV)
Dear All Saints’ Family,
I remember as if it were yesterday...it was January 23, 1972 around 9
o’clock in the evening. The preacher asked if anyone in the congregation
would like to invite Jesus Christ into their heart and make him Savior
and Lord. He had just delivered a sermon on Jesus’ words, “Come unto me,
all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Though I
was only 22 years old, I was already weary and burdened down with a
sense of hopeless, loneliness, and the weight of my sinful life. I went
forward that night, tears streaming down my face, and committed my
life to Christ.
Soon after, Janet and I were married, and both of us were on fire for the
Lord. My job required us to move often and in each move we sought a
biblically sound, Christ centered church to continue our growth as
disciples of Jesus Christ. The teaching we received during this time was
foundational for us, and yet we both missed the beauty of the liturgy
and the mystery of the sacraments we grew up with. The Holy Spirit led
us to an Episcopal Church near our new home where the gospel was
preached with conviction and the Eucharist celebrated with a lively
grace. We both felt we had found “home”. The centrality and authority of
scripture coupled with the dignity and beauty of liturgy were the perfect
combination.
Janet and I have been blessed
to be active in a variety of Christian denominations over the years and
St. Paul reminds us that in the midst of this diversity "there is one
body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God
and Father of all." The Nicene Creed restates Paul's words when it
says,
"We believe in one, holy catholic, and apostolic Church". To be
'catholic' means that we are a part of something that extends far beyond
the boundaries of All Saints', the Diocese of Maryland, even the
Anglican Communion.
The preamble to the
constitution of the Episcopal Church identifies us as "a constituent
member of the Anglican communion, a Fellowship within the One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church...in communion with the See of Canterbury,
upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order as set forth in
the Book of Common Prayer." Our accountability begins with Jesus and
includes the Christian Church worldwide, the Anglican Communion, the
Episcopal Church, the Diocese and finally the local congregation. Many
believe that the actions of General Convention 2003 violated our own
constitution and jeopardized our relationship with the Anglican Communion by failing to uphold the historic 'Faith and Order'. The Windsor Report
calls for the Episcopal Church to express regret for our actions and to
show our commitment to the Anglican Communion by a willingness to uphold
a moratorium on blessing same sex unions, on bishops crossing diocesan
boundaries without permission, and on the election and consecration of a
candidate for bishop living in a same gender union until a new consensus
emerges in the entire Anglican Communion.
The House of Bishops recently
met and officially expressed regret for the consequences of its
actions (not the actions themselves) and a strong desire to remain in
the Anglican Communion, but hesitated to agree on the moratorium,. At
the same time a group of 22 Bishops within the Episcopal Church agreed
to comply with all of the stipulations of the Windsor report assuring
our continued commitment to the wider Church. How all of this plays out
remains to be seen. I ask your prayers that our Bishops respond with
wisdom and humility in the months ahead, and that we remain within the
"One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Fr. David +
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