Here is one:
My husband of 43 years and I are cradle Episcopalians. We have stayed in the church, not because we believe in the decisions being made at the national level for the past several years, but because we love the worship service and our local church in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The decisions made at the General Convention are causing many Episcopalians to leave the church and seek solace in fundamental churches who uphold the teachings of the Bible. On recent occasions, we actually have been embarrassed to tell people we are Episcopalians. Allowing Episcopal clergy to bless same-sex unions is an abomination to the Bible and the sacrament of marriage.
What is happening to our church leaders? If they continue on the current path, I feel the Episcopal Church in the USA is doomed. Both of our married children, who were raised Episcopal, have left the church and are raising their children in more fundamental denominations.
Please tell me where we can voice our discontent and work to bring the Episcopal Church back in line with our Anglican teachings.
Marjorie Brush
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Then there was this gem from Marilyn Walther of Olympia, Washington:
[blockquote]The predicament of Bishop-elect Kevin Thew Forrester (July) gave me pause. I can’t believe that he is under scrutiny because of his “practice” of Zen Buddhist meditation. I applaud Bishop-elect Thew Forrester. It takes a more deeply rooted faith to be able to bring in elements of other faiths and to understand how they all interact and enhance one’s own faith….
This kind of fear is devil’s work. Besides, don’t we know of a leader whose faith was rooted in the practiced religion of the time yet embraced and taught ideas that made that religion tremble?[/blockquote]
So there you have it, Genpo as Christ. Somewhere on 2nd Avenue, a marine biologist smiles.
Where have you been, Marjorie? The Episcopal church IS doomed.
Present tense.
There are plenty of Anglican churches forming that use the same litergy. Get in the game!
bl
I read all of them and what a mess! I’m so sorry for the Brushes. It’s WAY past that now! Kendall, did you email your web-site URL? That’s about all that’s left.
Raleigh may be a bit far to go Marjorie, but there’s a wonderful new ‘Anglican’ church there that I know of. They now have their own ordained pastoral team, having been assisted to regroup some years ago by that dear great man, Michael Green.
“Help! I have fallen and I can’t get up.” TEC
Unfortunately, the horse is out of the barn and halfway to the next county.
Obviously Marilyn Walther is confused.
From all reports I’ve seen, for better for worse, it wasn’t his Buddhism that did him in, it was primarily his violation of the very worship (namely, the BCP) that he had vowed to follow and would vow as bishop that did him in.
That, in itself, is a very small step in the right direction. Maybe if TEC could stick to the BCP as written, some of this other crap would go away in time.
art, a believer in Carolina Beach is very unlikely to drive two hours + each way to Raleigh to visit any of the several Anglican churches in town.
All Saints Parish (REC/APA/ACN), 2623 N. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28405 910-395-0555 is a good option.
Re # 9: Tom, I know you know but ACN transitioned into the ACNA effective June 30. REC is part of the ACNA, but APA is not. The All Saints web site (www.allsaintswilmington.org) lists it as an APA parish so it is Anglican in tradition, much like REC, but not affiliated jurisdictionally with any larger body. It may well be a great church for someone like the Brushes and well worth checking out — certainly traditional in theology and liturgy.
Here’s hoping that the Brush’s check out St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington — a great orthodox rector, great discipled believing laypeople, a great youth minister and much more.
A thriving growing church.