If you do not know about this, you should–check it out.

What might be some indicators to consider before you publish a blog, Facebook status, or tweet?

I want to offer 12 brief questions to ask. Think of them as indicator lights, the kind a pilot checks before take off…

Read it all

At the recent General Conference, talk of a formal church split became more salient. A prominent self-professed centrist pastor suggested a three-way division among liberals, moderates and conservatives. Some liberal voices, frustrated by their declining influence, for the first time publicly sympathized with schism. A formal church split appeals to some as the ostensibly easy solution to nearly half a century of conflict over sexuality.

Except there would be little easy about it. Most United Methodist congregations are not homogeneously liberal or conservative or even centrist. A typical local church has a wide range of perspectives, reinforced by the denomination’s clergy appointment system, in which liberal clergy often are appointed by bishops to more conservative churches, and vice versa. A formal denominational schism would likely mean anguishing division in thousands of United Methodism’s more than 30,000 congregations, accompanied by years of litigation. The ultimate winners would be few.

Maybe such a cataclysmic denominational split for America’s third largest church eventually will occur. (A thoughtful proposal at this year’s General Conference allowing liberal churches that dissent from church teaching on sexuality passed in committee, but it got no plenary vote because of deferral of sexuality legislation to the bishops.) Some hope that the bishops’ new study commission on sexuality will propose formal division.

I expect and prefer a less disruptive scenario….

Read it all.

With the busyness on the blog yesterday given the Charleston shootings and quite a number of other important posts, some readers may have missed the post about Lent & Beyond’s list of resources to help us pray for Muslims during Ramadan. You’ll find it here..

Today they have posted a Ramadan Day 2 Prayer Roundup including short prayers for several countries, and a challenging exhortation that all their readers “might commit to spending 5 or 10 minutes before or after your evening meal for the next 4 weeks to pray for Muslims’ spiritual hunger to be satisfied in Jesus.”

You’ll find each day’s prayer entry using the Ramadan 2015 tag.

Lent & Beyond has compiled a comprehensive list of resources, links and Twitter feeds of interest during Ramadan 2015, which began today. Traditionally many Christians and Christian ministries use Ramadan as a time to pray for Muslims and encourage outreach to Muslim neighbors and colleagues.

Go check out all the links.. Ramadan prayer entries during the coming month will be posted using the Ramadan 2015 tag.

Also, you can follow Lent & Beyond on Twitter

[i]True confession… this elf hasn’t had time yet to listen to the full audio posted below. But Trevin Wax is usually very worth reading or listening to. The questions he raises in his blog post are excellent. With Kendall needing to cut back on blogging, it seemed this might be a good resource to post, and might stimulate a good discussion.

[b]What disciplines will help us as Christians identify our cultural “blinders” and diligently assess and engage Biblically with our culture, and be faithful disciples in our times? [/b]

Please share any books or resources you’ve found helpful in “knowing and responding to the times.”[/i]

—-

We live in a society that has been formed, in some measure, by Christian ethics. Here, it’s easy for Christians to assent to Christian teaching and embrace certain practices common to Christianity, and yet still make decisions from a framework that is more influenced by a rival conception of time, because it remains hidden from view.

“Bible Believers” Living Out of Other Stories:
This is a source of continual frustration among pastors.

• We get discouraged when many of the people in our congregations, people who are faithful in attending church and who claim to have personal times of Bible reading, seem to be okay with the fact that their kids aren’t as religiously oriented as they are, as if it’s expected for kids to drop out of church for awhile and hopefully come back (but at least they made a decision for Christ at camp one summer!).
• We get discouraged when we see people put Bible verses on their Facebook page right next to a post about a television show they’re watching, a show drenched in the ethos of the Sexual Revolution and all the lies that come with it.
• We mourn the loss of people who are as kind as can be to us while they’re walking out the door to visit another church that has better services and programs for their kids. We thought they were committed to our church, but they were really just committed to their preferences.

A Question for Our Generation
As cultural currents move faster and we see rapids and waterfalls ahead and wonder what the future holds, one of the questions we must ask is this:

What kind of discipleship is necessary to fortify the faith of believers so that we understand what time it is, we rightly interpret our cultural moment, and see through the false and damaging views of history and the future that are in our world?

That is the question I posed in my workshop at TGC this year: Discipleship in the Age of Richard Dawkins, Lady Gaga, and Amazon.com: Grounding Believers in the Scriptural Storyline that Counters Rival Eschatologies. The audio from the talk is now available here.

What are the disciplines we need as we read our times? Oliver O’Donovan again:

To see the marks of our time as the products of our past; to notice the danger civilisation poses to itself, not only the danger of barbarian reaction; to attend especially not to those features which strike our contemporaries as controversial, but to those which would have astonished an onlooker from the past but which seem to us too obvious to question. There is another reason, strictly theological. To be alert to the signs of the times is a Gospel requirement, laid upon us as upon Jesus’ first hearers.

Read the blog entry here. You can listen to the audio here..

Lent and Beyond is now on Twitter (@anglicanprayer) …

and it’s given them a lot of new ideas for how to mobilize prayer! They’ve launched what they hope will be a fairly regular new feature. A daily prayer diary composed of Tweets they’ve come across focused on specific prayer needs, encouragement from Scriptures, ministries to support, articles challenging us to grow in our Christian life and ministry.

Check it out. Prayer Diary Sept 30 (10 favorite Tweets)

Prayer needs included today include: Ebola, Iraq, South Asia Flooding, Nigeria, Laos, Church Society, Bible Translation, Outreach to Muslims, Hong Kong

Also, don’t forget Lent & Beyond’s Ebola Crisis Prayers

Latest entries:
Praying for Church leaders in West Africa by name
14 Key Leaders to Pray For
Ebola crisis intercessors

The prayer blog Lent and Beyond is now on Twitter (@anglicanprayer). If you’re on Twitter, please check out their feed and spread the news.

In addition to Tweeting the latest entries at Lent & Beyond, they are also sending out links to helpful prayers and devotional resources, as well as actively participating in and helping to promote the Pray to end Ebola (#praytoendebola) prayer campaign. Please do join them in praying against the Ebola epidemic this week.

Via Anglican Mainstream we discovered this video interview with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. It’s 28 minutes long. He focuses on how persecution is escalating beyond persecution of individuals and churches to attempted genocide of entire communities and ethnic groups.

Here’s the link should the embedded video not play properly.

ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach has called for special prayer this Sunday, August 24, for those suffering in Iraq and Syria, and the ACNA has put together a special prayer resource.

You can find Archbishop Foley’s exhortation here
The prayer resource is available as a PDF file or as Word Doc. Please pray and please share this widely! The elves

Here is a list of recent stories with news, sermons, resolutions, etc. related to this past weekend’s convention of the Diocese of South Carolina:

Featured Entries:
The Diocese of South Carolina Formalizes Wordwide Anglican Ties at 2014 Convention

Bishop Mark Lawrence’s Message Regarding Resolution R-3 for the Upcoming SC Convention

Other Posts:
A Whole lot of Pictures from the South Carolina 2014 Convention (#223)
Wonderfully Encouraging Camp St. Christopher Video from SC Convention
John Barr’s South Carolina Convention Sermon, “I am the Door”
Kendall Harmon’s recent SC Convention Presentation on the Jerusalem Declaration
(Local paper) Diocese of South Carolina accepts provisional oversight from Global South primates
Proposed Resolutions for the Diocese of South Carolina Convention upcoming this Fri/Sat
More Detailed Information about the upcoming Diocese of South Carolina Convention

UPDATE: Check out new resources from the mini-conferences on Marriage & Family and Theological Education added under Day 4. Also a bunch of new links added for Day 6.

This is our attempt to pull together all the most important conference resources (transcripts, videos…) in one place, in chronological order, by day, as it happened, in the clearest form possible. We will continue to update it as new resources become available.

LAST UPDATE: Tuesday 29 October 17:30 GMT / 13:30 Eastern US

The GAFCON Communique and T19 discussion thread on the Communique is here.

Note: the official GAFCON website is here.
The GAFCON II schedule is posted here.
GAFCON Photo album

SUNDAY October 20, 2013 (Pre-Conference)

1. Abp. Welby Preaches in All Saints Cathedral Nairobi and meets with GAFCON Primates for lunch.
Video of Abp. Welby’s sermon
Notes of Archbishop Justin’s sermon to GAFCON Primates in Nairobi

2. Abp. Welby’s luncheon with the Primates and Abp. Peter Jensen’s Address to the Luncheon
VIDEO: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby [12:12]
TRANSCRIPT: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby

Other resources:
Photos October 20

Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
George Conger: Welby backs GAFCON vision for a renewed church

***********

DAY 1: MONDAY OCTOBER 21, 2013

1. Opening Press Conference
VIDEO: Full Press Conference
VIDEO: Press Conference Highlights
Day 1 Press Release: Nairobi conference confirms major realignment in Anglican Communion

2. PLENARY SESSION: Opening worship, Vision for conference, East African Revival
Video: Abp. Wabukala welcomes delegates to Kenya [7:41]
Video: Abp Jensen Opens the GAFCON Conference (including roll call of nations) [22 minutes]
TRANSCRIPT: Presentation on the East African Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi, (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University)
[*NEW*] VIDEO: Presentation on the East Africa Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University) [48 minutes]

Other Day 1 Resources:
Day 1 Photos
Day 1 Feature Article: Legacy of East African Revival Frames GAFCON Opening Night
Video: Monday highlights

Day1 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON 2: Monday 21st October (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 1 at GAFCON: Revival and the Anglican Way
Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCONII
David Ould: Gafcon Day 1- The Church Gathered and a Firm Word for Abp Welby
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 1: The Future Has Arrived
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Day One in Living Colour
Rob Munro: GAFCON DAY 1: Seeds of Revival?
ACNA Daily Digest: Monday
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 1

***********

DAY 2: TUESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2013

1. Opening Eucharist and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 1
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s photos and Tweets (see below)

2. PLENARY SESSION: Chairman’s address by Abp. Wabukala of Kenya; Presentations on the theme of “Global Challenge (Bp. Nazir-Ali / Dr. Mike Ovey)”
TRANSCRIPT: Chairman’s Address GAFCON 2013 Plenary 22nd October [Video is not yet available]
VIDEO: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali: Global Challenge (12 minutes) [No transcript has been posted]
TRANSCRIPT: The Grace of God OR the World of the West? The Rev Dr Michael Ovey, President Oak Hill College, London [FULL PDF is here]
VIDEO: Dr. Mike Ovey’s presentation on The Grace of God or the World of the West [50 minutes]

3. PLENARY SESSION: ”˜We are not alone’ / The Lonely Church
note1: we elves are not 100% sure of the order of these various talks. Apologies if we’ve gotten things muddled.
note2: it appears that many of the talks by those facing persecution in dangerous places were not recorded. But a number of the articles and blog entries below provide excerpts.
VIDEO: The Lonely Church [13 minutes]

In order, the speakers are:
Richard Ellena, Bishop of Nelson in New Zealand,
Miguel Uchoa, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Recife,
and Charlie Masters, Bishop Coadjutor of the Anglican Church in North America’s diocese in Canada

VIDEO: The Rev. Paul Perkin: What is happening in the Church of England [18 minutes]
TRANSCRIPT: The Rev. Paul Perkin: Battle for the Soul of Britain – what;s happening in the CoE
Video: Apb, Jensen interviews Andrea Minichiello Williams on Christian Persecution in the UK [2:30]

Other Day 2 Resources:
You Are Not Alone – brief summary of several of the testimonies from those persecuted for their faith
GAFCON Feature Article: Churches tempted to ”˜change Christian faith’ for culture
Tuesday Oct 22 Photos
Tuesday Highlights Video [under 3 minutes]
Photo of all 331 Bishops attending GAFCON

Day 2 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON Diary Day 2 (Anglican Mainstream)
Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 2 at GAFCON – A Suffering and Lonely Church
David Ould: GAFCON Day 2 – A Clear Challenge to Welby and Much More
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day Two: Reality Struck Home Today
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 2: Who’s Changing Whom?
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Many Voices One Song
Restoration Anglican: Nairobi Update #1
St. Johns Working UK blog: GAFCON Day 2 Update
ACNA Tuesday GAFCON Daily Digest
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 2

***********

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 2
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s photos and Tweets (see below)

2. Abp. Welby’s Video Greetings to GAFCON
Text and Video of Abp. Welby’s short message

3. Mini-Conferences (Mini-Conferences took place Wednesday – Friday)
Here are the mini-conference topics:

The Challenge of Islam ”“ led by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali
The Work of the Holy Spirit ”“ led by Dr. Stephen Noll
Marriage and Family – led by Dr. John & Ruth Senyonyi
Children and Youths – Rev Zac Vernon
Gospel and Culture – Dr. Alfred Olwa
Being Women of God – Christine Perkin
Aid and Development – Rev Dennis Tongoi
Theological Education – Dr Andrew Shead
Episcopal Ministry – Bishop Wallace Benn

VIDEO: Participants reflect on the mini-conferences taking place at GAFCON [2:30]
(It’s unclear at this point what, if any, further resources will be posted online from the mini-conferences. We will be sure to post them if/when they are put online!)

Other Day 3 Resources:
Feature Article: GAFCON Delegates Share Across Cultures as Mini-Conferences Begin
Photos: Day 3

Day 3 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON Report Day 3 (Anglican Mainstream)
David Ould: Day 3: Welby and Jensen – Ambiguity of Context and Clarity of Scripture
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 3
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 3: What marks a movement of the Holy Spirit?
Restoration Anglican: Nairobi #2
ACNA Daily Digest – Wednesday
Selected Tweets from GAFCON II – Day 3 October 23, 2013

***********

DAY 4: THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 3&4
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s blog entries (see below).

2. Mini-Conferences continue
Video on Women’s mini-conference
Jeff Walton: GAFCON Conferees Engage Challenge of Islam [summarizes mini-conference presentation by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali]
** NEW ** Resources from the Marriage and Family Mini-Conference
** NEW ** Building For the Future- A Statement on Theological Education, from the Theological Education Mini-Conference

Other Day 4 Resources:
Photos Day 4 (mostly pictures from this afternoon’s trip to Nairobi National Park)
VIDEO: GAFCON Thursday Highlights

Day 4 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Summary GAFCON II Day 4 (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 4
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 4: Widening Horizons
Bishop Foley Beach: The Suffering Church
David Ould: GAFCON Day 4: Global Anglicanism in its Natural State
GAFCON Day 4 (St. John’s Working UK blog)
Shari Hobby: GAFCON Reoprt Day 4
ACNA GAFCON Daily Digest Thursday
[*NEW*] Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCON II – Take 2 (summarizes Days 2 – 4)

***********

DAY 5: FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 5
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s blog entries (see below).

2. Mini-Conferences conclude

3. Statement Assembly / Press Conference.
VIDEO: GAFCON Friday Press Conference
Friday October 25 Press Release: GAFCON Votes to Expand

4. Commitment Assembly

Other Day 5 Resources:
Day 5 Photos
Friday Highlights Video

Day 5 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Jeff Walton: GAFCON Leaders Point to “Strong Foundation of the Bible” at Second Press Gathering
Anglican Mainstream: GAFCON 2 Report Friday October 25
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 5
St. John’s Working UK blog: GAFCON Friday, Day 5
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 5 – Discerning the call of God for the Future
Bishop Foley Beach: GAFCON the East Africa Revival
Selected Tweets GAFCON Day 5
VIDEO: Canon Phil Ashey of AAC – Anglican Perspective Commentary on GAFCON as an Ecclesial movement [2 minutes]
ACNA Daily Digest – Friday
Snippets of African Worship “Afayo [He is Lord] via Instagram here and here

***********

DAY 6: SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2013

1. Opening Worship, Holy Communion and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 6

2. Concluding Plenary Session

3. CONFERENCE COMMUNIQUE
The FINAL Nairobi Communique and Commitment
PDF Version

Day 6: Other Resources:
Feature Article: GAFCON ends with commitment in Nairobi
NEW: GAFCON Photos – Saturday

Day 6 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON – Strands of Loving Kindness
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 6 – Discovering the Real Meaning of the Anglican Communion
Some Final Tweets from GAFCON Day 6
Restoration Anglican: GAFCON Day 6
St John’s Working UK: GAFCON Day 6
[* NEW*] ACNA Daily Digest – Saturday
[*NEW*] Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 6 – Final Thoughts
[*NEW*] Reflections from Nairobi, October 2013, Simon Vibert
[*NEW*] Foley Beach: GAFCON – The Bishops’ Conference (reflections on the Bishops’ Mini-Conference)

***********

OTHER INTERESTING RESOURCES, ARTICLES & COMMENTARY (including some articles by those not present at GAFCON II)
George Conger’s GAFCON II Photo Album at Flickr {see note on copyright here.)
Chris Sugden: The dual challenges of an aggressive secular world and increasingly worldly established church (a very good overview of key themes of GAFCON II)
George Conger: Behind the Scenes at GAFCON (further details about conference attendees, organization and financing) (Oct. 24, 2013)
Canon Vinay Samuel: Reflections on the future of orthodoxy in the Anglican Communion
George Conger (Church Times): GAFCON Looks to the Future (Oct 25, 2013)
Lent & Beyond: The Faces of GAFCON (includes one of the best photos from the conference!)
Lent & Beyond: Why should we care about, and pray for, GAFCON? ”“ Part 1: By the Numbers
Lent & Beyond: Why GAFCON 2013 matters ”“ part 2: The mini-conferences
Jeff Walton: Top Ten Things You Might Not Have Expected About GAFCON
Chris Sugden (Christian Today): GAFCON offers itself as ‘important and effective instrument of Communion’ (October 26)
[*NEW*] Lent & Beyond: The Faces of GAFCON – Part 2 (30 awesome pictures)

This post is sticky. Please look below for new entries. LAST UPDATED: 26 October 19:30 EDT / 23:30 GMT

The OFFICIAL GAFCON Website
GAFCON conference program

SOURCES FOR NEWS STORIES:
– Anglican Ink – with live reporting from Fr. George Conger (Gafcon stories) [Anglican Ink homepage (some GAFCON stories are at this link, not the other)]
– ACNA’s GAFCON page (click on the daily tabs for each day’s news & photos)
– Anglican Mainstream GAFCON category Note: some Anglican Mainstream posts about GAFCON may be posted under the “news” category, so perhaps it is better to click on this link which provides search results for all entries with the word GAFCON
– TitusOneNine GAFCON category

VIDEOS: Anglican TV:
Live Feed videocasts
Anglican TV – archived videos
*IMPORTANT*: There are several GAFCON videos on KevinKallsen’s YouTube page that are not yet archived at AnglicanTV.
GAFCON videos page (Vimeo)

TWITTER FEEDS:
#GAFCON2013 [Other variants: #GAFCON or #GAFCON13]
ACNA Twitter Feed page
Anglican Future @gafconference

PHOTOS:
GAFCON Facebook page
ACNA Facebook page
Photo album from the GAFCON site (with captions!)
[** NEW **] George Conger’s GAFCON II Photo Album at Flickr {see note on copyright here.)

BLOGS: (focusing on first-person blog entries by those attending the conference)
David Ould
Juicy Ecumenicism (IRD blog) – reporting by Jeff Walton & Faith McDonnell
21st Century Anglican
I am not the man (Nigel Fortescue, Australia)
Fr. George Conger’s blog (includes his stories for publications like the Church Times, etc.)
LRM (Laurel Moffatt, Sydney Australia) [*updated link*]
**Bishop Mark Lawrence’s blog
Restoration Anglican Church blog (Arlington, VA)
Does Anyone Read These Things? (St. Timothy’s Anglican, Burlington, VT)
Blog of St. John’s Working, UK
Jolly Monk blog
Rob Munro’s blog
The Beach Blog (Bishop Foley Beach)
[New]The Rev. Shari Hobby (Trinity Anglican, Thomasville Georgia) [Reports on church facebook page]
[New] Updates from John W Yates III (Holy Trinity Anglican, Raleigh NC)

PRAYER:
GAFCON Collect
Lent & Beyond GAFCON category
GAFCON Prayer Bulletins
GAFCON Prayer Points

***

GAFCON 2013 DAY by DAY: TRANSCRIPTS, VIDEOS, DAILY DIGESTS, BLOG ENTRIES, PHOTOS
**(signifies a featured entry)

Sunday Oct 20 – Opening Worship & Primates Meeting with ABC
** Video: Abp. Welby Addresses GAFCON (Oct. 20)
** Notes of Archbishop Justin’s sermon to GAFCON Primates in Nairobi
50 great pictures from Oct. 20th service at Cathedral (ACNA facebook page)
** TRANSCRIPT: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby
** VIDEO: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby [12:12]

DAY 1: Monday Oct 21:
Day 1 Press Release: Nairobi conference confirms major realignment in Anglican Communion
Monday Oct 21 Daily Digest (ACNA)
GAFCON 2: Monday 21st October (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
October 21 photos – ACNA facebook page
** Video: Monday highlights (Gafcon)
** Video: Opening Press Conference (Oct 21) [There is also a short 3 minute compilation of excerpts from the Day 1 Press Conference – watch it here.]
** David Ould: Gafcon Day 1- The Church Gathered and a Firm Word for Abp Welby
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Day One in Living Colour
Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCONII
**GAFCON Feature Article: Legacy of East African Revival Frames GAFCON Opening Night
** Video: Abp. Wabukala welcomes delegates to Kenya [7:41]
** Video: Abp Jensen Opens the GAFCON Conference (including roll call of nations) [22 minutes]
GAFCON DAY 1: Seeds of Revival? (Rob Munro’s blog)
** TRANSCRIPT: Presentation on the East African Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi, (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University)
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 1
** [NEW] Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 1 at GAFCON: Revival and the Anglican Way
** [NEW] VIDEO: Presentation on the East Africa Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University) [48 minutes]

DAY 2: Tuesday Oct 22:
**TRANSCRIPT: Chairman’s Address GAFCON 2013 Plenary 22nd October
Tuesday Oct 22 Photos (ACNA)
** David Ould: GAFCON Day 2 – A Clear Challenge to Welby and Much More
GAFCON Diary Day 2 (Anglican Mainstream)
GAfCON Day Two (Nigel Fortescue’s blog)
**GAFCON Feature Article: Churches tempted to ”˜change Christian faith’ for culture
ACNA Tuesday GAFCON Daily Digest
Tuesday Highlights Video [under 3 minutes]
Video: Apb, Jensen interviews Andrea Minichiello Williams on Christian Persecution in the UK [2:30] [this was part of the “You are not alone” series]
VIDEO: The Rev. Paul Perkin: What is happening in the Church of England [18 minutes]
VIDEO: The Lonely Church [13 minutes]
** Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 2: Who’s Changing Whom?
*** TRANSCRIPT: The Grace of God OR the world of the West? The Rev Dr Michael Ovey (President, Oak Hill College) [highly recommended!] [PDF File is here]
You Are Not Alone – brief summary of several of the testimonies from those persecuted for their faith (AAC website)
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 2
**[NEW] VIDEO: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali: Global Challenge [12 minutes]
**[NEW] VIDEO: Dr. Mike Ovey’s presentation on The Grace of God or the World of the West [50 minutes]
**[NEW] TRANSCRIPT: The Rev. Paul Perkin: Battle for the Soul of Britain – what;s happening in the CoE
***[NEW] Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 2 at GAFCON – A Suffering and Lonely Church (VERY HELPFUL – includes embedded links to various videos)

DAY 3: Wednesday Oct. 23:
Archbishop Justin Welby’s video message to GAFCON
GAFCON Delegates Share Across Cultures as Mini-Conferences Begin
VIDEO: Participants reflect on the mini-conferences taking place at GAFCON [2:30]
David Ould: Day 3: Welby and Jensen – Ambiguity of Context and Clarity of Scripture
** Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 3
** GAFCON Report Day 3 (Anglican Mainstream)
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 3: What marks a movement of the Holy Spirit?
Photos: Day 3 (ACNA facebook page)
Selected Tweets from GAFCON II – Day 3 October 23, 2013
ACNA Daily Digest – Wednesday
** Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Many Voices One Song
** Restoration Anglican: Nairobi #2

Day 4: Thursday Oct 24
We elves have not been slacking off, but today is a slow news day at GAFCON. Much of the afternoon and evening was free for a visit to a national park and a cultural evening, so there are likely to be few materials available for today.
** Summary GAFCON II Day 4 (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
** Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 4
** Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 4: Widening Horizons
** Bishop Foley Beach: The Suffering Church
Photos Day 4 (ACNA facebook page – mostly pictures from this afternoon’s trip to Nairobi National Park
** David Ould: GAFCON Day 4: Global Anglicanism in its Natural State
GAFCON Day 4 (St. John’s Working UK blog)
Shari Hobby: GAFCON Reoprt Day 4
VIDEO: GAFCON Thursday Highlights
ACNA GAFCON Daily Digest Thursday
Video on Women’s mini-conference [3:00]
*** [NEW] ** Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCON II – Take 2 (summarizes Days 2 – 4)

GAFCON Day 5: Friday Oct 25
**VIDEO: GAFCON Friday Press Conference
David Ould: BREAKING: GAFCON Movement Bishops Vote to Expand – Across Boundaries
** Friday October 25 Press Release: GAFCON Votes to Expand
** Anglican Mainstream: GAFCON 2 Report Friday October 25
** Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 5
** St. John’s Working UK blog: GAFCON Friday, Day 5
** Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 5 – Discerning the call of God for the Future
** Bishop Foley Beach: GAFCON the East Africa Revival (this is a bit of a general overview, not as specifically about Day 5, but it is very good)
Selected Tweets GAFCON Day 5
VIDEO: Canon Phil Ashey of AAC – Anglican Perspective Commentary on GAFCON as an Ecclesial movement [2 minutes]
ACNA Daily Digest – Friday
Friday Photos – ACNA facebook page
[NEW] Jeff Walton: GAFCON Leaders Point to “Strong Foundation of the Bible” at Second Press Gathering
[NEW] Friday Highlights Video
** [NEW] Snippets of African Worship “Afayo [He is Lord] via Instagram here and here

GAFCON DAY 6: Saturday October 26

** [NEW] ** FINAL Nairobi Communique and Commitment PDF Version is here
Feature Article: GAFCON ends with commitment in Nairobi
Chris Sugden (Christian Today): GAFCON offers itself as ‘important and effective instrument of Communion’
**[NEW] Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON – Strands of Loving Kindness
**[NEW] Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 6 – Discovering the Real Meaning of the Anglican Communion
[NEW] Some Final Tweets from GAFCON Day 6
**[NEW] Restoration Anglican: GAFCON Day 6
**[NEW] St John’s Working UK: GAFCON Day 6
**[NEW] Lent & Beyond: The Faces of GAFCON – Part 2 (30 awesome pictures)

***
We will update this list as we find more links. We would love to know of anyone blogging about the conference, or any other good links you find for following the conference. Please leave a comment with any links you recommend. – the elves.

…look at the pseudo-Qur’an that has become such a mainstay of anti-Islamic activism. Internet activists regularly quote Qur’anic passages to characterize the whole Islamic faith as rooted in hatred, terror and violence, and specifically a brutal anti-Semitism. Far from being the incidental deviations of modern-day traitors to the faith, they suggest, such atrocities are entirely rooted in its most fundamental scripture, in words allegedly delivered by God himself.

The problem, though, is that the texts usually cited are spurious. Either they do not occur at all in the Qur’an, or else they are quoted in a sense radically different from their actual meaning. Just how these pseudo-texts came into being is mysterious. In some cases, activists might have invented them wholesale, while later readers pass them on in the sincere belief that they are authentic. Alternatively, perhaps genuine passages were perverted in the course of transmission. Whatever explanation we choose, there is no reason to suggest that individuals citing the alleged passages are conscious of any kind of deception: they are telling the truth as they understand it. Unintentionally, though, they are peddling harmful misinformation.

Read it all.

Last updated 6th August 2012 at 7:30 p.m. EST [This post will be remaining ‘sticky’ at the head of this page – new posts are below sticky posts]
[For a Quick Guide and continued posts on Same Sex Liturgy as well as posts on Communion without Baptism and Transgender Resolutions see below]
SAME SEX LITURGY RESOLUTION A049 PASSED

Latest Developments [Updated 6th August 2012]
A prayer for the bishop and clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina who met on 25th July 2012 is here. Bishop Lawrence’s report of that meeting is here. A parish letter sent to Bishop Lawrence during General Convention is here

On 6th August 2012 a Member of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion, charged with overseeing the operation of the Anglican Communion Covenant, Bishop Ian Douglas approved the holding of gay weddings and blessings by clergy in the Diocese of Connecticut in solidarity with the Bishop of New York.

more below in the Quick Guide

Latest Posts
[*NEW] *Bishop Ian Douglas, Communion Standing Committee Member, Undertakes Same Sex Marriages [6th August 2012]
[*NEW] *(Moultrie, Georgia, Observer) St. John’s leaves Episcopal Church over theological rift [6th August 2012]
[full list of posts is now continued below the fold and is being updated regularly]

Responses from South Carolina
[*NEW] *Kendall Harmon””In an age of Angst and Anxiety, Be Mindful that The Lord will Provide [6th August 2012]
*What one South Carolina Parish Wrote Bishop Mark Lawrence During General Convention 2012 [2nd August 2012]
*Bishop Lawrence Meets with Clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina Following General Convention [31st July 2012]
[*NEW] *(Local Paper Faith and Values Section) Mark Lawrence””Church needs to be clear in its teaching [29th July 2012]
*[Lent & Beyond] A Prayer for the Diocese of South Carolina [25th July 2012]
*Bucking National Trend, Diocese of South Carolina Experiences Growth in 2011 [18th July 2012]
*On Short notice, Bishop Mark Lawrence Summons South Carolina Clergy to Talk about Gen. Con. 2012 [18th July 2012]
*Bishop Mark Lawrence’s Letter to the Diocese of S.C. to be read in all parishes Sunday morning [15th July 2012]
*Kendall Harmon Interviewed by The World Today about the recent General Convention [15th July 2012]
*South Carolina Differentiates Itself from Actions of 77th General Convention [12th July 2012]
*The deputation of South Carolina have released a statement this afternoon [11th July 2012]
*Kendall Harmon’s response to the GC 2012 Passage of Rites of Blessing for Same Sex Unions [10th July 2012]
*The South Carolina Deputation Statement on Passage of Rites of Blessing for Same Sex Unions[10th July 2012]

Quick Guide to Same Sex Liturgy Resolution AO49 [Regularly Updated]
Passed by the House of Bishops on 9th July 2012 with 111 for, 41 against, 3 abstentions. The Resolution in this final form was sent to the House of Deputies for consideration. Doubts about the procedure for approving these ‘provisional’ rites have been expressed by commenters Allan Haley here, The Living Church here, Anglican Ink here and Professor Seitz here and here and in this Christianity Today article

On 10th July 2012 the House of Deputies also passed the resolution voting by orders – Laity: 78% [86 yes, 19 no, 5 divided] and Clergy: 76% [85 yes, 22 no, 4 divided]. The final conformed resolution is here, a pdf of the official version is here and the resulting approved Liturgy for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships is here.

Protests have followed by 12+ bishops in the Indianapolis Statement, 30 deputies supported a statement read to the House of Deputies, and there have been further statements by the South Carolina delegation, Canon Theologian Kendall Harmon, and on 11th July 2012 the bishop and most of the deputation departed, and this Statement was issued. On 13th July 2012 the Standing Committee of the diocese of Central Florida issued this Statement and the Albany Bishops and Deputation this Statement.

On Sunday 15th July 2012, Bishop Mark Lawrence issued a pastoral letter to be read in Diocese of South Carolina churches reported in The State and Allan Haley comments here and there is a prayer here

On 19th July 2012, Bishop Mark Sisk of New York authorized clergy to officiate at same-sex marriages both in a religious capacity and as agents of New York State. On 20th July ACI released an analysis that Resolution A049 is legally, theologically and constitutionally flawed and made outside the constitutional authority of General Convention. On the same day the Global South Primates released a Communiqué noting with great sadness the passing of Resolution A049 authorizing ‘a liturgy for blessing same-sex unions’ and confirming their ‘disappointment that The Episcopal Church has no regard for the concerns and convictions of the vast majority of Anglicans worldwide’.

Among those issuing pastoral letters or other statements saying they will not approve or permit Same Sex Blessings under Resolution AO49 in those dioceses are the bishops of South Carolina, Albany, Central Florida, Dallas, Florida, South Dakota, Springfield, Tennessee, Western Louisiana, and [with qualification] Northern Indiana who has made alternative arrangements and Alabama who nevertheless voted for them, and it is not clear where Upper South Carolina stands [please advise us of any updates on your bishops]

A prayer for the bishop and clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina who met on 25th July 2012 is here. Bishop Lawrence’s report of that meeting is here. A parish letter sent to Bishop Lawrence during General Convention is here

On 6th August 2012 a Member of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion, charged with overseeing the operation of the Anglican Communion Covenant, Bishop Ian Douglas approved the holding of gay weddings and blessings by clergy in the Diocese of Connecticut in solidarity with the Bishop of New York.

Posts on Same Sex Liturgy Resolution AO49 Continued from Latest Posts above
*Saint Francis in the Fields, Harrods Creek, Kentucky, responds to General Convention [2nd August 2012]
*An interview with Bishop “Holly” Hollerith (Southern Virginia) regarding blessing same sex unions [1st August 2012]
*Christopher Benson””Toward A Better Conversation about Same-Sex Unions among Christians [1st August 2012]
*Peter Moore on the Importance of How we Treat and Describe Other Christians [1st August 2012]
*Rector and Vestry Resign at Saint John’s in Moultrie, Georgia [31st July 2012]
*Alex Sanders and Peter Moore Debate the Inevitability of Same Sex Marriage (I) [29th July 2012]
*Communion Partner Participants Report on the Global South Mission Conference in Bangkok [26th July 2012]
*Bishop Howard: Same Sex Blessings not to be Authorized in the Diocese of Florida [26th July 2012]
*Dr Timothy George: Beware the Well Worn Path [26th July 2012]
*A Letter from Bishop Scott Benhase to the Diocese of Georgia [26th July 2012]
*Bishop John Bauerschmidt: no plans to authorize same sex blessings in the Diocese of Tennessee [25th July 2012]
*Bishop Duncan Gray: Same-sex blessings not to be held in the Diocese of Mississippi [25th July 2012]
*Bishop Jake Owensby reports to the Diocese of Western Louisiana on General Convention [25th July 2012]
*Dean Limehouse of Advent Cathedral Alabama responds to General Convention [23rd July 2012]
*[Birmingham News] Episcopal bishop says yes to same-sex blessings, but not in Alabama [23rd July 2012]
*Bishop Greg Brewer’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Central Florida [22nd July 2012]
*Bishop Ed Little’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Northern Indiana [22nd July 2012]
*Communiqué of the Global South Primates Bangkok, Thailand, 20 July 2012 [20th July 2012]
*[ACI] Same Sex Blessings: What Did General Convention Do? [20th July 2012]
*Bishop Mark Sisk: Gay Marriage Authorized ignoring Constitution and The Book of Common Prayer [20th July 2012]
*(ABC Religion and Ethics Report) America’s most influential church on the brink of collapse [20th July 2012]
*(CEN) The Episcopal Church endorses temporary local option on same-sex blessings [20th July 2012]
*(NBC News) Is liberal Christianity signing its own death warrant? [20th July 2012]
*(The State) Talks continue as potential split in SC Episcopal diocese looms [19th July 2012]
*Bishop Stanton’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Dallas [19th July 2012]
*Anglican Unscripted Episode 45 [19th July 2012]
*The Bishop of Upper South Carolina Writes about General Convention [18th July 2012]
*Bishop who leads Central Gulf Coast Episcopal diocese will bless gay unions [18th July 2012]
*Beaufort County Episcopal church reactions vary to bishop’s letter on same-sex blessings [18th July 2012]
*(CNS) General Convention 2012 Decisions “a huge obstacle on the path to Christian unity” [17th July 2012]
*Western Mass. Episcopal clergy to bless, but not wed, same-sex couples [16th July 2012]
*Fort Worth parish protest over GC Indianapolis [16th July 2012]
*Diocese of Missouri Deputation””Telling our story [15th July 2012]
*Key Page for Finding out the Final Wording and Status of All General Convention 2012 Resolutions [15th July 2012]
*(RNS) Reaction mixed to Episcopal Church’s approval of same-sex rites [15th July 2012]
*An Article on the situation on the ground in East Tennessee after General Convention 2012 [15th July 2012]
*The Presiding Bishop Visits La Crosse, Wisconsin [15th July 2012]
*A Look Back to 2009: Philip Jenkins on TEC and the Communion””Their Separate Ways [15th July 2012]
*The Bishop of Fond Du Lac on General Convention 2012””Same Sex Blessings [15th July 2012]
*(Local Paper Faith and Values Section) Episcopal diocese officials object to recent church actions [15th July 2012]
*Allan Haley””Bishop Mark Lawrence Addresses His Diocese Following General Convention [15th July 2012]
*(Diocese of Albany) Chip Strickland on the last day of General Convention 2012 [15th July 2012]
*(The State) South Carolina Episcopal bishop blasts national church [15th July 2012]
*Ross Douthat””Can Reappraising Christianity [especially as practiced in Mainline Churches] Be Saved? [15th July 2012]
*(Orangeburg, S.C. Times and Democrat) S.C. Episcopal representatives denounce same-sex blessing rite [15th July 2012]
*Ryan Anderson reviews Debating Same-Sex Marriage by John Corvino and Maggie Gallagher [15th July 2012]
*(Tulsa World) Oklahoma Episcopal bishop will consult with diocese on same-sex unions [15th July 2012]
*The Episcopal Church: Liturgy for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships [14th July 2012]
*[Christianity Today] Episcopal Church Approves Same-Sex Blessing Rites [14th July 2012]
*The Bishop of Arizona responds to the WSJ Article on General Convention Posted below [13th July 2012]
*A Letter from the Rector of Truro Anglican Church on General Convention 2012 [13th July 2012]
*Statement of the Albany Bishops and Deputation in response to General Convention 2012 [13th July 2012]
*(WSJ) Jay Akasie on General Convention 2012””What Ails the Episcopalians [13th July 2012]
*A Statement from the Deputation of the Diocese of Central Florida on General Convention 2012 [13th July 2012]
*(Living Church) An Action of Solidarity in the House of Deputies [12th July 2012]
*Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island Statement on the Blessing of Same-Sex Relationships [12th July 2012]
*(ENS) South Carolinians have ”˜grievous concern,’ over General Convention actions [12th July 2012]
*Episcopal Church passes same-sex blessings, Houston area church to offer new rite [12th July 2012]
*(KQED) What the Episcopal Same-Sex Union and Transgender Resolutions Mean for Californians [12th July 2012]
*Todd Wetzel’s Anglicans United Report on the House of Bishops debate on Same Sex Blessings [12th July 2012]
*(York Daily Record) Local pastors respond to Episcopal church approving same-sex unions [12th July 2012]
*Allan Haley””Diocese of South Carolina Fed up with General Convention [11th July 2012]
*(RNS) Reaction mixed to Episcopal Church’s approval of same-sex rites [11th July 2012]
*(CSM) Episcopal approval of same-sex blessings: Will it hurt church’s global ties? [11th July 2012]
*(Anglican Ink) 12 bishops say no to Same Sex Blessings [11th July 2012]
*(Seattle PI) It’s official: Episcopalians ratify same-sex “covenants” [11th July 2012]
*The Episcopal Bishop of Texas on Same Gender Blessings Vote(s) at GC 2012 [11th July 2012]
*Bishop Christopher Epting on Recent General Convention Developments [11th July 2012]
*(ENS) Same Sex Union Blessing rite authorized for provisional use from First Advent [11th July 2012]
*(USA Today) Episcopal Church approves same-sex blessing rite [11th July 2012]
*(BBC) US Episcopal Church approves same-sex blessing service [11th July 2012]
*(NY Times) Episcopalians Approve Rite to Bless Same-Sex Unions [11th July 2012]
*The Bishop of Bethlehem on Today’s Decision””Same Gender Blessings Resolution [10th July 2012]
*Statement of Integrity on Today’s Decision””Episcopal Church Authorizes Same-Sex Blessings [10th July 2012]
*Friends calling for prayer regarding The Episcopal Church and General Convention – Lent and Beyond
*Kendall Harmon: About Today and How to Receive the [Same Sex Liturgy] Resolution that will Pass [10th July 2012]
*Allan Haley Analyzes the Bishops Vote Yesterday, Showing its Violations of their own Governing Rules [10th July 2012]
*A Living Church Article on Yesterday’s Debate and Vote in the House of Bishops on Same Sex Liturgies [10th July 2012]
*(Reuters) Episcopalians set to be first big US church to bless Same-Sex marriage [10th July 2012]
*(ENS) Bishops vote to approve resources for same-gender blessings [10th July 2012]
*(Anglican Ink) House of Bishops endorses “provisional” same-sex blessing rites [9th July 2012]
*Finally Tweaked Version of Same Sex Liturgy Resolution A049 as Passed by the House of Bishops Today [9th July 2012]
*ENS Article pre Bishops Vote”””˜Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant’ recommended for provisional use [9th July 2012]
*(AP) Episcopal bishops OK trial same sex blessing service; full church backs transgender ordination [9th July 2012]
*Episcopal Bishops Pass Same Sex Union Blessing Liturgy Authorization Overwhelmingly [9th July 2012]
*Live Twitter Feed (one of them) on the current House of Bishops debate on Same Sex Liturgies [9th July 2012]
*(SF) Sarah Hey””Why The Same Sex Trial Liturgy Will [Very Very Likely] Pass [9th July 2012]
***Important*** New Text Version of Same Sex Blessing Resolution A049 (as Amended in Commitee) [9th July 2012]
*Chicago Consultation””Nightly Update for General Convention 2012 on July 7 [9th July 2012]
*(ENS) General Convention PBLCM Committee hears testimony on same-gender blessings liturgies [8th July 2012]
*Hearing Tonight on Res. A049: Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships [7th July 2012]
*(Detroit Free Press) Episcopal Church losing members as it strives for inclusion [7th July 2012]
*(Indianapolis Star) Sexuality among key issues Episcopalians will confront at General Convention [7th July 2012]
*(Boston Globe) Episcopalians review a new rite for Same Sex unions [7th July 2012]
*Upper South Carolina Episcopal bishop not ready to endorse same-sex blessings [5th July 2012]
*(Phil. Inquirer) Episcopal Church leaders set to consider blessing rite for same-sex couples [5th July 2012]
*The Bishop of Milwaukee’s Thinkpiece on Same-Gender Unions on the Eve of GC 2012 [5th July 2012]
*NW Penna. Bishop Will Bless Same Sex Unions if General Convention 2012 gives the Go Ahead [5th July 2012]

COMMUNION WITHOUT BAPTISM RESOLUTION [CO29]
*An Important Anglican Ink Article on the House of Bishops Communion w/o Baptism Discussion [13th July 2012]
*New Text of Communion Without Baptism Resolution [C029] as Amended and Sent Back to HoD [12th July 2012]
*Resolution C029 on Communion for the Unbaptized Passes House of Deputies on a vote by orders [11th July 2012]
*Whats Happening with the Communion of the UnBaptized? [10th July 2012]
*(Diocese of Texas) William Treadwell on Communion w/o Baptism: Pastoral Theology vs. Doctrine [8th July 2012]
*TEC Gen. Con. 2012 Evangelism Commission rejects Communion of the Unbaptized outright [7th July 2012]
*An Interesting Blog Post from July 2007””How widespread is Communion Without Baptism? [7th July 2012]
*(ENS) ”˜Water first, or table?’ Committee hears ”˜open table’ testimony [7th July 2012]
*Res. C040, Called “Open table” resolution, but really Communion for Unbaptized, Has Hearing Today [7th July 2012]

TRANSGENDER RESOLUTIONS [D019] and [D002]
*(World) Expressing themselves””Episcopal Church votes to allow transgendered clergy and church ldrs [14th July 2012]
*Mark Tooley””A Transgendered Episcopal Church [11th July 2012]
*Living Church on the gender Identity Resolutions Debate in the H of Deputies Yesterday [10th July 2012]
*Jeffrey Walton””Activists for TEC’s New Theology Hail Victories at Episcopal Convention [10th July 2012]
*(AP) Episcopal bishops OK trial same sex blessing service; full church backs transgender ordination [9th July 2012]
*A Living Church Article on Yesterday’s Debate in the House of Bishops on Gender Identity [9th July 2012]
*(Reuters) U.S. Episcopalians move closer to allowing transgender ministers [8th July 2012]
*Both Transgender Resolutions Pass House of Bishops, Both South Carolina Bishops Speak Against [8th July 2012]
*Resolutions D002 and D019 Pass the House of Bishops [8th July 2012]
*Chicago Consultation (II)-Transgender People and the Church’s Transformative Mission [7th July 2012]
*Chicago Consultation (I)””Nightly Update for General Convention 2012 on July 6 [7th July 2012]
*(Reuters) Episcopalians debate transgender issue in Ministry [6th July 2012]
*Sarah Lawton offers Reflections on Resolutions D002 and D019 for General Convention 2012 [5th July 2012]
*The TransEpiscopal Blog on General Convention 2012 [5th July 2012]
[*NEW] * [6th August 2012]

Links to South Carolina posts – latest first in each section: (Last Updated January 25th 2012 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern)
IMPORTANT NOTE – SEE LATEST NEWS and BISHOP’S LETTER and PRAYER
FURTHER IMPORTANT NOTE – SEE here and here and here

Videos from MERE ANGLICANISM 2012 are here [NEW]

Materials From the Diocese of SC:

South Carolina Standing Committee Responds to Letter of Province IV Bishops December 12, 2011 at 11:33 am

Bishop Lawrence Writes to the Diocese About Disciplinary Board Decision
November 29, 2011 at 3:28 pm
South Carolina Releases Correspondence Relating to Josephine Hicks, Church Attorney
October 13, 2011

S.C. Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese Meet on “Serious Charges” Made Against Bishop Lawrence
October 12, 2011

A look back to a 2006 Mark Lawrence Address ”“ “Who are these birds that can sing in the dark?”
October 8, 2011

****Urgent Message from the Diocese of South Carolina Bishop and Standing Committee****
Originally posted October 5, 2011 – reposted Oct. 10, 2011

South Carolina Bishop and Standing Committee Respond to Actions of Executive Council
October 3, 2011

Analysis and Commentary

Province IV Bishops Release Statement Concerning Meeting with Bishop Lawrence
December 15, 2011 at 11:15 am

A S.C. Layman who worked as a College President Writes Bishop Daniel and the Province IV Bishops
December 13, 2011 at 11:35 am

Shay Gaillard””Purple Shirts Proof-texting in Public
December 8, 2011 at 9:01 am

Province IV Bishops Seek a Meeting with South Carolina Bp. Lawrence
December 5, 2011 at 4:25 pm

Kendall Harmon Answers Media Questions on the Disciplinary Committee””S.C. Bishop Matter
December 5, 2011 at 7:00 am

Anglican Communion Institute””South Carolina: The Disciplinary Board Decides
December 1, 2011 at 11:16 am

Lent and Beyond offers Thanksgiving for the Report from South Carolina
December 1, 2011 at 7:49 am

A Living Church Editorial on the Mark Lawrence News from the Bishops Disciplinary Board
November 29, 2011 at 11:30 am

(Liv. Ch.) Disciplinary Board of Bishops is Unable to Certify Abandonment Against Mark Lawrence
November 28, 2011 at 5:05 pm

GetReligion Critiques the recent Charleston, S. C., Newspaper piece on the Episcopal Fracas
November 25, 2011

(Living Church) Mark Lawrence: ”˜The Bishop Brings the Crozier’
November 23, 2011 at 3:50 pm

An AP Article on Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina
November 23, 2011 at 11:40 am

Local paper Article: “S.C. Episcopal Diocese releases property claim”
November 21, 2011 at 12:25 pm

(Church Times) Harriet Baber””The Episcopal Church is alienating its own members
November 20, 2011 at 7:15 am

What was announced at the South Carolina Clergy Conference this past Tuesday Evening
November 19, 2011 at 9:00 am

A Serious Prayer request for the South Carolina Clergy Conference This week
November 14, 2011 at 4:55 am

Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison””Shrinking Jesus and Betraying the Faith
November 11, 2011 at 8:19 am

Leander Harding on the Mark Lawrence Investigation””Choose Inclusive Justice
October 27, 2011 at 6:19 am

Gavin Dunbar on the Mark Lawrence Investigation””Southern Discomfort
October 27, 2011 at 6:00 am

Diocese of Upper South Carolina Convention Passes Resolution on the Mark Lawrence Investigation
October 25, 2011

A.S. Haley””Conflicts Galore on the Disciplinary Board for Bishops with regard to the S.C. Matter
October 22, 2011 at 2:00 pm

The Bishop of Tasmania Writes in Support of Bishop Mark Lawrence
October 21, 2011 at 6:00 am

(Anglican Communion Institute) South Carolina: The Church Needs Transparency
October 20, 2011 at 6:07 pm

(The State) The Bishop of Upper South Carolina on the Mark Lawrence Investigation
October 19, 2011 at 5:22 pm

(Mark McCall)””South Carolina: Upholding The Church’s Discipline By Upholding The Constitution
October 18, 2011 at 7:38 am

A.S. Haley on the Further Revelations in the South Carolina Episcopal Investigation
October 17, 2011 at 9:04 pm

(Living Church) Attorney J.B. Burtch Returns to Bishop Mark Lawrence Case
October 17, 2011

Anglican Unscripted Episode 14
October 17, 2011

A.S. Haley Responds to An Embarrassingly Inaccurate Piece by Andrew Gerns on the S.C. Matter
October 17, 2011

CEN””Evangelical bishop under assault in America
October 14, 2011 at 5:36 pm

(Living Church) Episcopal Church Attorney in South Carolina Matter Recuses Herself
October 14, 2011 at 3:35 pm

A.S. Haley on the Disciplinary Board, Their Chosen Lawyer, and the South Carolina Process
October 14, 2011 at 8:21 am

Charles Alley””The Injustice of it All!
October 14, 2011 at 1:31 pm

Living Church””Bishop: Attorney Never on Disciplinary Board
October 13, 2011

Robert Clawson Chimes in on the Disciplinary Proceedings involving Mark Lawrence
October 13, 2011

A.S. Haley on Bishop Henderson’s Statement regarding procedure in the Bishop Mark Lawrence Matter
October 12, 2011

Anglican Communion Institute on the Continuing S.C. Story””Title IV: Abandonment Without Offense?
October 12, 2011

(Living Church) Bishop Henderson Explains His Understanding of the Disciplinary Board’s Duty
October 12, 2011

Anglican Unscripted Episode 13
October 10, 2011

Dale Matson””Rowan Williams And The Deposition Of Bishop Lawrence
October 7, 2011

ACI says Presiding Bishop Had to be Involved in the S.C. Actions if the Canons Were Followed
October 7, 2011

A.S. Haley””Clearing up Misconceptions about the Diocese of South Carolina ‘Charges’
October 6, 2011

A.S. Haley on South Carolina””Episcopal Church Foments Strife and Civil War
October 6, 2011

Living Church””Board Hears Case against Bishop Lawrence
October 5, 2011

(ACI) A Response to the reported Title IV Disciplinary process begun against Bishop Mark Lawrence
October 5, 2011

A.S. Haley””What if the TEC Foundations Were not Designed for the Current Structure?
October 3, 2011

The Dangers of Church Centralization: Some Remarks on the Proposed Changes in the TEC Constitution
October 3, 2011

A.S. Haley””TEC Executive Council Fires on the Diocese of South Carolina
Sept. 30, 2011

Other Resources

South Carolina: Praying for the Diocesan Leadership
October 6, 2011

Prayer Resources for those praying for Bishop Mark Lawrence and South Carolina

Seeing Jesus with Bishop Mark Lawrence
October 16, 2011

Title IV Canons

Press and Other Reports

(ENS) Province IV bishops call meeting with colleague ”˜honest, forthright’
December 15, 2011 at 4:02 pm

(Christian Post) Episcopal Church Clears South Carolina Bishop of Violating Principles
December 2, 2011 at 6:15 am

Reuters Article on Disciplinary Board Decisions vis a vis Bishop Mark Lawrence
November 30, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Local Paper Article on Disciplinary Board Decisions vis a vis Bishop Mark Lawrence
30, 2011 at 3:02 pm

The ENS story on the Disciplinary Board dismissing abandonment complaint against Mark Lawrence
November 29, 2011 at 6:15 am

Nicholas Beasley (Upper South Carolina) Chimes In
October 19, 2011 at 4:45 pm

Another (longish) AP article on The Episcopal Church’s South Carolina Investigation
October 16, 2011

(Times and Democrat) Orangeburg, S.C., Area Episcopal clergy: Probe ”˜not a healthy situation’
October 14, 2011 at 7:45 am

Another AP Story on the South Carolina Clergy Meeting Tuesday
(AP) Diocese of SC clergy discuss allegations against bishop
October 12, 2011

Local Paper””Episcopal Church investigates Bishop Mark Lawrence
October 6, 2011

An ENS Story””S.C. bishop investigated on charges he has abandoned the Episcopal Church
October 5, 2011

An AP Story””S.C. Bishop said to have abandoned Episcopal church
October 5, 2011

We’ve created an Excel Spreadsheet with the details of the Duncan Deposition Vote. This way you can sort the results by diocese, name, vote, position, etc.

http://kendallharmon.net/t19/media/Duncan_Deposition_Vote.xls

———————–
Update:
We’ve revised the spreadsheet this morning to add a few more absent diocesans we missed last night, and to clarify which dioceses are vacant. The second and third pages of the spreadsheet are entirely new.

The second page lists every TEC diocese, and how the bishops in that diocese voted.

The third page was my attempt, using Louie Crew’s House of Bishops data, to list the TOTAL number of bishops that were entitled to vote at the HoB meeting. If my understanding is correct, I came up with 290 eligible bishops. Only 127 bishops attended the HoB meeting, not even 50% of eligible bishops.

You’ll find all the details here:
http://kendallharmon.net/t19/media/Duncan_Deposition_Vote_(rev).xls

The revised table makes one thing clear: the diocesan bishops of ONLY 56 TEC dioceses — exactly 50% of the 112 TEC dioceses — voted YES to depose Duncan. The bishops of the remaining 56 dioceses either voted No, abstained, were absent, or the see of the diocese was vacant.

Also, something else is very striking, a few dioceses had extraordinary of clout in the vote. A mere 6 dioceses (Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Connecticut, Chicago, North Carolina and Maine) accounted for 21 of the 88 YES votes (nearly 1/4 of the total Yes votes). Wow.

Comments and quetions welcomed, but I’ll be traveling for 2 days and will not be able to reply quickly. –elfgirl

Peter Frank, the Communications Director for the Diocese of Pittsburgh sent us this note by e-mail:

Because we don’t have enough to do, we tossed together a website to display all of he supportive public statements we are getting. We are hoping to also publish individual notes of encouragement from clergy and laity all over the world for Bp. Duncan and our diocese.

The address is:
http://www.support-duncan.blogspot.com/

If you could point people to it and suggest they send us or Bp. Duncan a message of support, that would be great.

So, there you have it folks. Let Bishop Duncan and all in Pittsburgh know of your support and prayers in these momentous days. I’m headed over there to do so right now! — elfgirl

Kendall has been doing an incredible job at posting excerpts from the blogs of dozens of US and British bishops, as well as posting gazillion articles from the US and UK press. But like the Lambeth conference itself, (where US bishops make up over 20% of the participants), the voices from the US, UK and Canada threaten to overwhelm all the other voices.

We’d love to start featuring reports and blog entries from Anglican Provinces around the World. If you know of reports from bishops or news articles being published in other Provinces, please post the links in the comments or e-mail us!

I’ve just come across two websites that have reports from Brazilian and Cuban bishops.

I’ve just discovered a blog that has entries by Bp. Miguel Tamayo of Uruguay and Cuba

http://desdelambeth.blogspot.com/

The blog entries by +Tamayo are here:
http://desdelambeth.blogspot.com/2008/07/mensajes-del-obispo-miguel-tamayo-4.html
http://desdelambeth.blogspot.com/2008/07/mensajes-del-obispo-miguel-tamayo-3.html
http://desdelambeth.blogspot.com/2008/07/mensajes-del-obispo-miguel-tamayo-2.html
http://desdelambeth.blogspot.com/2008/07/mensajes-del-obispo-miguel-tamayo-1.html

These can be translated using Google’s Language Tools
http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

====

Also, the website of the Anglican diocese of Brasilia has Lambeth reports posted:
http://dab.ieab.org.br/

Again, you can use Google language tools to get a rough translation from the Portuguese.

[color=red][b]Updated: July 21, 12:30 UTC (8:30 a.m. EDT)[/b][/color] **This is sticky — New posts are below**

The amount of Lambeth coverage and commentary is pretty overwhelming. Here are some of the links we have found most helpful so far in following and making sense of what’s going on. We’re emphasizing first-hand coverage in these links. Feel free to post additional links in the comments.

The “Lambeth Daily” page at the official Lambeth site
An index of all the daily stories and photos, etc. by ACNS is here
The Episcopal Church’s “Lambeth Journal” blog (daily reports from various TEC bishops)

Anglican Mainstream — providing firsthand coverage by Canon Chris Sugden and others, as well as excerpts of many others’ commentary

The Rev. George Conger’s blog (George writes for the Living Church, the Church of England News, Religious Intelligence, and other publications). Note especially some of George’s fantastic photos of bishops from around the Communion.

The Living Church’s News page

The Rev. Todd and Cherie Wetzel of Anglicans United. Todd & Cherie are providing daily first-hand reports and commentary.

StandFirm will be sending the Rev. Matt Kennedy and Sarah Hey to cover the conference, and of course they’ve got tons of articles and commentaries about Lambeth in the meantime.

The PrayerBook Society’s Lambeth Commentary

Ruth Gledhill’s blog (Ruth is covering Lambeth for the London Times)

The Church Times blog

BabyBlue (who will be reporting live from Lambeth during the final week of the conference)

Lydia Evan’s very cool “Anglican Feedbag” page with many many RSS feeds of Lambeth news from sources all over.

Prayer for Lambeth:
Pray Lambeth (look for the links to the Daily Prayer Bulletins on the lower left hand side of the home page)
Lent & Beyond’s Lambeth prayers

Coverage from Reappraisers:
Thinking Anglicans (provides thorough roundups of the British Press Coverage)
Episcopal Cafe (Lambeth Category) (Jim Naughton is at Lambeth)
Integrity President Susan Russell’s blog
Integrity’s LGBT Lambeth Portal

See below for links to bloggers and reporters who are in Jersusalem covering GAFCON. We’ll keep this “sticky” until the GAFCON final statement appears. Look for new entries below this post.

We thought it might be helpful to round up a list of those who are providing first-hand coverage and blogging of GAFCON this week.

Anglican TV’s Kevin Kallsen is there and is providing live-streaming coverage of some of the sessions, as well as written diaries. All the AnglicanTV coverage is here. (This elf is currently watching such live stream coverage as I type this. You rock, Kevin. Thanks for your service!) (Note: Stand Firm should usually be broadcasting Kevin’s live feed.)

Stand Firm’s Matt Kennedy+ is there and will be sharing his impressions and insights, and showing off his amazing live blogging skills. Just keep an eye on Stand Firm for Matt’s posts throughout the day.. Matt’s wife Anne+ is also at GAFCON. You can follow her accounts at her blog, an undercurrent of hostility, here.

The London Times’ Ruth Gledhill is in Jerusalem and you can find her reports here.

Anglicans United’s Cherie Wetzel and her husband, the Rev. Todd Wetzel are there. You can follow Cherie’s reports here.

Scotland’s the Rev. David McCarthy is at GAFCON and blogging at his Gadget Vicar site.

The official GAFCON site is here.

If you know of others who are blogging and reporting from GAFCON, please post links in the comments. Thanks.

[b]Update[/b]:

Thanks to a tipster, we note that Fr. Russell Martin of St. Timothy & St. Titus parish (under the Southern Cone) in San Diego, is blogging. His entries are posted at San Diego Anglicans.

[b]George Conger[/b] is in Jerusalem. His blog is here.

[b]Sydney Anglicans[/b] has a dedicated GAFCON page here.

[b]Christianity Today reporter Tim Morgan[/b] is in Jerusalem. The CT blog is here.

[b]Five Delegates from Melbourne Australia[/b] are blogging here.

Some folks from [b]Reform Ireland[/b] are blogging. Their blog is here.

[b]Thinking Anglicans[/b] are in touch with those covering GAFCON for the Lesbian & Gay Christian movement and have posted e-mail from them as part of a GAFCON coverage roundup.

A Sydney attendee, Tony Payne, is blogging here.

Do keep us posted if you come across more links for first-hand reports from GAFCON. Thanks!

[b]Update 2[/b]:

[b]Father Lee Nelson[/b] (dio Fort Worth) has a GAFCON photoblog that is very nice, here.

A blogger from the Anglican Coalition in Canada, Pastor Barclay, has many excellent photos, here.

The Sydney Anglicans GAFCON page has news, pictures, videos, and also blog entries. We’ve noted three blog entries so far. Abp. Peter Jensen, Bishop Robert Forsyth, and Dr. Karin Sowada.

There is an excellent collection of daily photo albums from GAFCON set up at Picassa, here.

Did you know the Common Cause Partnership has a prayer blog? Well, they do. And today they’ve begun posting a series of daily prayer entries for the GAFCON event in Jordan and Jerusalem next month. Here’s the link to today’s entry for Day 1 of this 40 Day prayer effort.

And here’s the background on the call to 40 days of prayer and fasting. Note the specific focus on reading and praying through the Psalms of Ascent:

The bishops have specified that the Daily Office, the Great Litany, and the Psalms of Ascent (120-134) be used during this season. The Psalms of Ascent were chosen because of the impact they had on the Global South meeting in Nairobi out of which GAFCON was birthed. Contributors to the Common Cause Partnership prayer blog will be posting these resources along with reflections, scriptures, collects and other aids to prayer as the 40 days unfold. Participants are invited to report specific needs, praises, and other feedback on the prayer blog.

Check it out.

It occurs to us in the busyness of life the past few weeks, we elves have been seriously remiss in not posting the links to the alternate (backup blogs — perhaps soon to be permanent blogs) of many of the Anglican sites hosted by Classical Anglican Net which suffered serious hacking about 2 weeks ago, and which is still offline as a result.

Mike Daley of CaNNet is still working to restore the blog databases and partitions, and hopes to have the blogs backup as soon as possible, perhaps within a few days. But in the meantime, please note these links. Our apologies for the delay in posting these!

Brad Drell: http://descant.wordpress.com/

Confessing Reader: http://confessingreader.wordpress.com/

Lent & Beyond: http://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/

Rather Not Blog: http://idrathernotsay123.wordpress.com/

Surrounded (Diocese of San Joaquin): http://sanjoaquin.wordpress.com/

As for the archives of the old Titusonenine site, most posts can be accessed either by using the Google Cache feature, or by using an internet archive site like “The Wayback Machine.” Feel free to e-mail the elves if you need help finding something or accessing something on the old blog.

And please keep Mike Daley in prayer as he works to restore the CaNNet blogs. Even if all or most of the blogs make the switch to new sites, having access to their archives is important. Thanks.

Anglican TV and Stand Firm will be live streaming the San Joaquin Diocesan Convention.

Here’s the Anglican TV thread.

Here’s the Stand Firm thread:

If you watch and appreciate the availability of the livestream, please consider contributing to Kevin Kallsen’s expenses. Go to the Anglican TV site and look for the “Chip In” link in the upper right corner. Kevin is currently raising money to cover Mark Lawrence’s consecration, but we understand he is still short in terms of having his expenses for San Joaquin covered.

–elfgirl

Hi all. As we noted in the comments on one of the threads below, we were having trouble accessing the Living Church’s website earlier today. We’ve since learned via e-mail that those problems were due to a site upgrade. We’ve just now been able to get into the new site and it looks terrific.

Here’s the news page link:
http://www.livingchurch.org/site/news/

Here’s a section for online exclusive features:
http://www.livingchurch.org/site/news/exclusives/

We’re still having trouble accessing the TLC home page: http://www.livingchurch.org/, which is taking us to the TLC’s hosting company instead. It may just take awhile for the site upgrade to “propagate” throughout the web, or we might need to clear out our browser cache.

Be sure to update your bookmarks for the new site. (The news page link is new, for instance). It looks terrific! Congrats and thanks to the TLC team.

Give him a look.

Two graphs to illustrate the post below re: TEC Domestic Dioceses’ decline in membership and ASA since 2000:

Note: the scale on the Y-axes above (verticle axes) is compressed. They do not begin at 0. Thus the decline appears much steeper than if the starting point at the bottom was 0. See the comments for my justification for preparing it this way. The increased rate of decline from 2003 onwards is real however, as is shown in the following graph re: percentage change. (Which has an accurate Y-scale).

Update: Oops. The Y axis on the second graph should be labeled “% change”, not “members”. Sorry we didn’t catch that before we posted it.

[b]Update 2:[/b] By request we’ve uploaded our original Excel spreadsheet with the relevant data from which we created the graphs. You can find it here: http://kendallharmon.net/t19/media/TEC_2000-2006.xls

San Diego Anglicans blog has set up an open thread re: the wildfires in Southern California, as well as a photo gallery.

If you need to know how various churches in the area have been affected, this is the go to site. As of yesterday evening, there were reports of up to 513,000 people evacuated, 500 homes lost in San Diego County, 800 homes destroyed outside the county.

Please keep the situation in prayer.

Ok, that’s all the news on COMPLETED conventions that we’ve been able to find tonight. So this post is now final.

Dioceses we still need more news from include: Alaska, North Dakota, Northern Michigan.

Here’s the link for the latest version of our convention links spreadsheet. All Diocesan Convention blog entries are here.

More links coming, and a separate post, if we find resolutions of interest, for upcoming conventions.

***

We’re finally getting back to working on diocesan convention news and links after first posting on that topic a week and a half ago. We’ll focus this post on dioceses that have already held their convention in the past few weeks. We’ll do a separate post for links and news, resolutions etc. for upcoming conventions.

Alaska: The Living Church has an article posted here re: resolutions regarding election of a new diocesan bishop as well as a suffragan.

===========

Bethlehem
The Diocesan Blog has a helpful post with news and lots of links re: the convention this weekend. Five resolutions were approved:

resolution_on_the_budget
resolution_on_salary_shedule
resolution_on_office_of_assistant_bishop
resolution_on_evangelism

*NOTEABLE* resolution_on_participation_of_all_baptized_members This is posted as a separate blog entry above, you can comment on this there

Bishop Marshall’s address is here.

==============

Colorado: Bishop O’Neill’s address is here. Here’s an interesting excerpt on the challenges to go “deeper”:

[blockquote] But like the gospel we heard tonight, there is that twist””that midpoint in the story in which Jesus calls those who would follow him to go even deeper.

What might that mean for us?

For Peter, it was about entering into deeper and deeper relationship with Jesus, and as a consequence being called to enter into deeper and deeper relationship with others. With each successive step in following Jesus, Peter was called out of himself to cross the lines of division and separation that so characterized his culture and society. He was challenged, by Jesus, to sit at table and break bread with those whom others would exclude. He was invited, by God, to embrace those who were radically different from him. He did so not without his own very real inner struggle and conflict. But he did so. He did so faithfully. He did so in obedience to Jesus. And in so doing, he gave the world a glimpse of the restored humanity that God desires for all humankind. For Peter, “the deep” was about giving of himself more generously than he ever thought possible. It was about learning increasingly to surrender himself, to abandon himself, to give himself up
completely, even to point of death, which is, if you think about it, the ultimate act of generosity.

There it is, the deep water””the challenge to live out of a posture of deep generosity, freely giving of ourselves in love to Love; and, as a consequence, the
challenge to enter ever more deeply into relationship with those around us whoever they may be. Here in Colorado the call to live generously has some very real challenges both practically and relationally.

Tomorrow, you will be presented with an operating budget””funding that you all set aside from your own congregational operating funds to support one another, to support the wider mission of the Church, through the Office of the Bishop. You will see that that proposed budget reflects the key mission initiatives that we have set before us, and you will see too that that budget is balanced. That would seem to be good and well. But I have to tell you it really isn’t. The funding for redeveloping the lives of our congregations is minimal. The resources to plant new congregations are extraordinarily limited. We have again reduced staffing in the Office of the Bishop. The money budgeted to support the summer camp program that has grown significantly over the past two summers will not cover the actual costs for this summer’s program. Funding set aside for the College and Young Adult Committee, which began its work in August, has been removed. Planned increases in funding to support children’s ministries in the diocese (training events, resources, resource development, and so on), is just not there. This
balanced budget is fiscally responsible, but it is, at the same time, missionally inadequate.[/blockquote]

There were no resolutions. ENS has an article about the Colorado Convention, here.

==========

Milwaukee: We’ve added links to the spreadsheet for the convention page, the 1 resolution (on clergy compensation) and the budget.

=========

Montana
Stand Firm had a report from an attendee posted recently. Another brief report (but some interesting comments) at RevRef’s blog is here.

==========

Nevada: The big news, of course, was election of a new bishop, Dan Edwards. His acceptance speech is here.

The Pre-Convention journal has one resolution on the MDGs

==========

South Dakota: There is this comment by Bp. Creighton Robertson on the Diocesan Information Exchange. There is no way to link it, so we post it in full:

[blockquote]+Creighton
Yesterday at 03:10 PM

Comments:
Greetings in the name of our Lord:

Well, the Diocesan Convention is over for another year, and we will meet again in Chamberlain in 2008. I think the folks in the Black Hills Deanery deserve a special round of “thank you” for hosting this convention. Also, the people of the Mni Sose cluster in Chamberlain, Lower Brule, and Ft. Thompson deserve a special “thank you” for their help hosting with the Friday evening service and providing lunch afterward. It was good to see so many folks gathering to participate in this year’s convention.

The Banquet on Saturday evening was a little different, with a buffet dinner. Fr. Bunker Hill did a great job in locating the entertainer for the evening following the banquet. Great job Bunker!!

Some of the clergy, some lay folks as well, were upset that a letter had been mailed out from a group of folks at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Sioux Falls, asking folks to leave the Episcopal Church and join their Anglican group. The usual reasons were cited for their leaving, the issue of human sexuality, same sex union blessings, our failure to interpret scripture as narrowly as they do, and they ask all of us to consider leaving the Episcopal Church and join their splinter group. I spoke about some of their concerns in my convention address.

I believe that the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) has addressed the HOB statement and finds that it has met the conditions set forth in the Windsor Report, which is the document being touted by these splinter groups as the standard for belonging to the Anglican Communion. Whether or not the Primates will follow the ACC’s lead is questionable. But as I said at the convention, it doesn’t matter, since the Primates do not have the authority to either ask or remove someone from being a part of the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church in South Dakota will continue to be the Anglican expression of faith here in South Dakota. I suppose that some folks will be unhappy with that and will likely leave us. They can do that if they wish, and they can go with my Blessing. We, the Diocese of South Dakota, will use whatever resources we have to ensure that folks at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church will be able to worship in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition as they have since that church was started.

As I said at the convention, this whole splinter conversation is not about being the church, it is about power, authority, biblical interpretation or rather the holding of everyone to one interpretation, and it is about control. It is about dishonesty and it’s about holding one group accountable to one standard and another accountable to a different standard.

I trust that you will see it for what it is worth, an attempt to force on the good people of this diocese, a way of life in the church which is at odds with the Anglican/Episcopal tradition as they have been expressed and handed down to us in this Diocese over time. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

I am preparing a letter to be sent to all congregations in this Diocese concerning the House of Bishops statement at the New Orleans meeting in September. It can be made available but not read from the pulpit.

Note to the clergy: There will be a Diocesan Clergy Retreat at Blue Cloud Abbey on January 28-31, 2008, Monday through Thursday. The Reverend James Lemler will be our retreat leader, and he will build on the information presented at the clergy conference in Chamberlain. Please put this on your kalendars.

Thank you all who attended the convention last week; it was great to see all of you. It was a wonderful time.

Peace,

+Creighton[/blockquote]

==========

Western Louisiana: Virtually nothing on the diocesan website so far. But of course, Brad Drell made up for that lack. You can find the links here.

==========

Wyoming: We’ve added the link for the Wyoming Bishops Address. The focus was church vitality:

This is what a vital church looks like to me.
1. The unique perspective and contribution of every member is valued.
2. Members participate in ongoing engagement with the Gospel.
3. Members display the hard work of learning, discerning and healing.
4. Members engage in broad based, collaborative decision making.
5. There is full local engagement in determining strategies for mission and ministry
supported by diocesan staff.
6. All members share the Gospel in word and deed seeking to bring others into
relationship with Christ.
7. Should this congregation disappear from it’s community, it would be truly missed.
Vital churches bring Christ to the world and the world to Christ
Over the next decade we will pursue vitality. Vita (latin for life). We will become fully
alive, animated, vigorous, gospel sharing, bodies of Christ.

There don’t appear to have been any resolutions.