Marsh, 33, said after that weeks of prayer and conversation, he accepted a position as canon for congregational life at the Cathedral of St. Philip on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. He is expected to begin his new ministry on Nov. 28.

“I got a call by the dean to serve as canon of congregational life of the cathedral, a wonderful opportunity, and I just couldn’t say no,” Marsh said.

“My main job will be to work with 700 people that are between the ages of 20 and 40, newlyweds, people getting married and people married with children.”

Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – A new journey Pastor leaving Cobb with fond memories

Read it all.

It wasn’t easy for the Rev. Ed McDowell to give thanks.

In May, he had his left foot and the lower portion of his left leg amputated when doctors advised him that he could die if the diabetes-related infection in his leg spread to other parts of his body.

The trauma of losing a limb made him angry at first, but then he worked hard to adjust to walking with a prosthetic leg. He now realizes how much he has to be thankful for and wants to share it with others.

Read it all.

Land in some parts of Spain is literally worthless, said Fernando Rodriguez de Acuna Martinez, a consultant at Madrid- based adviser R.R. de Acuna & Asociados. More than a third of Spain’s land stock is in urban developments far from city centers. About 43% of unsold new homes are in these areas, known as ex-urbs, while 36% are in coastal locations built up during the real-estate boom.

“If you take into account population growth for these areas, there’s no demand for them, not now or in ten years,” he said. “Around 35% of Spain’s land stock is in the ex-urbs, which means it’s actually worth nothing.”

Read it all.

A celebration of the 350th anniversary of Staten Island will include a service of Evensong with prayers and music from that time period on Dec. 4 at Christ Church New Brighton.

The ten Staten Island churches that are part of the Richmond Interparish Council of the Episcopal Diocese of New York will participate in the 4 p.m. service that will use the 1559 prayer book.

The Rev. Charles Howell, rector of Christ Church, will lead clergy from the other Episcopal churches. Representing the Episcopal Diocese of New York will be Suffragan Bishop Catherine Roskam and the Rev. Andrew Smith.

Read it all.

And Whereas, those parishes that support the actions of the 74th General Convention may wish to remain in communion with ECUSA, and those parishes that do not support the actions of the convention may wish to withdraw from participation within the National Church

And Whereas, the Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina wishes to express its commitment to all parishes and wishes to offer, in the spirit of Christian charity, the utmost freedom of conscience to parishes who are considering their support or lack of support for the actions of convention

And Whereas, the Church in this diocese does not wish to wield unGodly power in the form of control over buildings, property, finances, or endowments to enforce a false unity among churches that may agree or disagree with the actions of convention

Be It Resolved, that Property held by the Church in the Episcopal Diocese of
Upper South Carolina for the use of a Parish, Mission Fellowship or Diocesan Organization belongs beneficially to such Parish, Mission Fellowship or Diocesan Organization only. No adverse claim to such beneficial interest by any other body, by the Diocese, or by The Episcopal Church in the United States of America is acknowledged, but rather is expressly denied. All other property of the Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina is held by the Diocesan Executive Committee for the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina for those exempt religious purposes within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States of America. Such exempt religious purposes shall be those determined by the Convention of the Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina and the appropriate officers elected by it. No adverse claim to such beneficial interest by The Episcopal Church in the United States of America or any other body is acknowledged, but rather is expressly denied.

Read it all.

There was an interesting development in the Diocese of South Carolina this week. A Quit Claim Deed to the parish property was mailed to every parish in the diocese from Chancellor Wade Logan on Wednesday (the fact that it was coming I understand was announced to the clergy present at the clergy conference on Tuesday night). In Mr. Logan’s letter, the following explanation was given:

“For 190 years (1789-1979) there had never been any idea that somehow the parishes did not completely and fully own their property. Our Supreme Court has now said that the attempt to change that in 1979 by the General Convention was not binding on the parish of All Saints, Pawley’s Island, SC. In recognition of that ruling, and in continued pursuit of our historic unity based on common vision rather than legal coercion, the Diocesan Convention removed the relevant section from our canons in October 2010. The issuance of these quitclaim deeds lays to rest any lingering issue that may exist for some parishes when they seek to obtain title insurance or secure bank financing for parish projects. Parishes may choose to file them or not based on their individual needs. We trust this action will enable parishes to freely exercise their rights and responsibility to oversee that which God, through the faithfulness of prior generations, has bequeathed to them.”

Why would Bishop Lawrence and the diocesan leadership take such a step?

You may read the further comments of one leader among Anglican reasserters on this here.

Almighty God, by whose grace thy servant Elizabeth of Hungary recognized and honored Jesus in the poor of this world: Grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Almighty God, whose sovereign power none can make void: Give us faith to stand calm and undismayed amid the tumults of the world, knowing that all things work together for good to them that love thee; through thy beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven….”

–Matthew 18:21-22

Flying Starlings from www.carlpendle.com on Vimeo.

Great music, great photography, and oh those birds! Watch it all–KSH.

(This was held at the National Christian Center in Abuja, Nigeria, from the 7th to the 11th of November 2011)

In the name of God: the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

The first Divine Commonwealth Conference was held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, from Monday 7th to Friday 11th November 2011. It was an international, non-denominational spiritual conference initiated by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) under the leadership of the Most Reverend Nicholas D Okoh, Primate.

We, the participants, numbering over 5,000 Bishops, Clergy and Laity, deeply appreciated words of encouragement and goodwill from notable leaders from Nigeria, other parts of Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, including the retired Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Primates of West Africa and Kenya, the Methodist Archbishop of Abuja and the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

1 We gathered as the People of God and members of the Divine Commonwealth determined to celebrate our oneness in Christ and reaffirm our unity around the fundamentals of the Christian faith; recognizing that we have been called into ‘One body … one Spirit … one hope … one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.’ 1 We reaffirmed our commitment to uphold our faith, loyalty and obedience to the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth, and to prove ourselves faithful in season and out of season as His worthy disciples in all places and circumstances.

2 We are thankful for our Christian legacy established through the European missionaries who brought back the Gospel to Africa and the many African Evangelists who, like Bishop Ajayi Crowther, spread it far and wide. We hereby renew our own commitment to make disciples of all nations and our determination to reach out to the ends of the earth with the Good News of God’s transforming love through Jesus Christ our Saviour, the Sovereign Lord of the Divine Commonwealth.

3 We applaud the commitment of the GAFCON Primates to hold fast to ‘the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints’2 and to stand against the erroneous teachings that have infiltrated our beloved Communion. We also join them in declaring our refusal to be bogged down by relentless debates about matters we consider settled. Instead we move forward in proclaiming the whole counsel of God and doing all that we can to establish His Kingdom throughout the world. We reaffirm the faith articulated in the Jerusalem Declaration and its reminder that we have a rich heritage in Scripture and the historic tradition of the Church.

4 We came together as members of the Divine Commonwealth, not identified with any secular order but founded by God – what our great African theologian, Augustine of Hippo, called the City of God. It is described variously in Scripture as the Kingdom of God, the Body of Christ, the Church, and the Communion of Saints on earth and in heaven.

5 We recognize that in the Divine Commonwealth, all worldly distinctions are rendered secondary. We assembled as women, men, youth and aged, ordained and lay, from different tribes and regions, rich and poor, to celebrate and reaffirm our citizenship in the one Divine Commonwealth and to chart ways that promote that Commonwealth in the wider society and in the Anglican Communion.

6 We gathered to recall the principal features of the Divine Commonwealth as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We maintain that all humanity is made in the image of God, is loved by God and is created for society, for relationship, and especially for marriage between one man and one woman. Yet due to sin and the Fall, ‘profound moral issues arise from the outrageous parodox of human dignity and human depravity’.3

7 We grieve with those of our own community who have witnessed this paradox first hand as they have experienced the outrageous and murderous behaviour of some who seek to terrorize, maim and kill Nigerians in defence of a misguided religious perspective. This shedding of blood of innocent Nigerians in Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Yobe, Gombe, Borno States and parts of the Federal Capital Territory, especially that of Christians, is intolerable. It has been carried on with impunity for far too long. It demands decisive and immediate action from the Federal Government.

8 While we are grateful for the words of concern expressed by some national leaders we call on the Federal Government to rise to the challenge set by the terrorists, by giving solid and sustainable protection to the lives and property of all vulnerable and dispirited ethnic and religious groups in these places. This is the time for the Federal Government to act if we are to save the Nation from further bloodshed.

9 We know that the Divine Commonwealth is distinct from the ‘City of this World’, and yet it intersects it in our social and political life. We are ‘in the world but not of the world’4. As Christians we are called not to avoid or oppress unbelieving people but to meet them lovingly and to present them with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In the light of the Church’s transforming agenda5 we call on our leaders and all Nigerians to challenge corruption and greed in our society and to live their lives in obedience to God’s commands.

10 We are convinced that no community without the living God at its centre is a true Commonwealth . Neither is a ‘Commonwealth of Nations’ a true commonwealth if it does not stand for righteousness. In this regard, we were shocked by the recent statement from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Right Honourable David Cameron, to the effect that his Government would aid only those countries that adhere to ‘proper human rights’. It is clear that his true agenda is to force the normalization of homosexuality and gay marriage as a ‘human right’. While acknowledging the sacred worth of every human being we reject this erroneous notion as contrary to God’s intention for humankind and harmful to those he claims to protect. Another implication of this is that the ‘Commonwealth of Nations’ is still being treated as a body of unequal partners, where, because of economic status, some nations are still vulnerable to manipulation. We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to resist any such intimidation on this matter.

11 We believe that the family is an essential building block of the Divine Commonwealth and the institution of marriage worthy of our full support. We stand with those who are working to protect marriage, family life and values pastorally in local congregations. We also support the National Assembly in its efforts to protect marriage as between a man and a woman.

12 Finally, we proclaim that the Divine Commonwealth is not only a present but a transcendent reality, as ‘our citizenship is in heaven, And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ’.6 We have been reminded that the Second Coming of Christ is an essential teaching of the faith and we eagerly look for Christ’s return. We recognize that Christ will come unexpectedly and that it is futile to set human timetables for His appearing. We do know that His coming will be a time of distress, where the forces of order and religion will be utterly perverted by Satan and many will be persecuted for their witness to Christ. Many of these signs are present today and thousands of Christians have been martyred for their faith. However, the end is not yet.

13 As members of the Divine Commonwealth we heed the Prophet Micah’s counsel, ‘To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God’7 until the time when the Saviour will come with a shout of command and the events of the end-time – resurrection, judgment, reigning with Christ, a final Commonwealth, the new Jerusalem, and a new heaven and earth – will come to pass, and God will be all in all.

To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! AMEN.

The Most Revd Nicholas D Okoh
Primate of All Nigeria/Convener

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1 Ephesians 4: 4,5
2 Jude 3
3 Professor James Gana address
4 John 17: 13-18
5 Luke 4: 18
6 Philippians 3: 20
7 Micah 6: 8