As you know the institution of Marriage and questions of Identity, Gender and Human Sexuality have become intensely debated and divisive issues not only within the Church (and far beyond merely The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion), but within the larger culture as well. For this reason I hope many of us within the Diocese of South Carolina will take advantage of the upcoming Mere Anglicanism Conference held in Charleston on January 21-23, 2010. I have attended this conference for the past three years and have been surprised by how few clergy and lay persons from within the diocese participate or avail themselves of this annual opportunity to hear some of the major shapers of Anglicanism in our day.
This year’s conference “Human Identity, Gender, and Sexuality: Speculation or Revelation?” will focus on this seemingly ubiquitous challenge in the both the contemporary culture and the Church of the understanding of marriage and human sexuality. Some of the major scholars, spokespersons, and authorities on these matters in Anglicanism today will be presenting lectures and responding in a variety of forums to the some of the most pressing issues we face in our world, church and ministries today.
I hope that many in the Diocese of SC heed this appeal and accept the invitation of +Mark Lawrence to attend this outstanding conference. The lineup of speakers is indeed very impressive, incredibly so.
I’m particularly glad that among the presenters on this stellar roster is Fr. Mario Bergner of Redeemed Ministries (Redeemed Lives curriculum), an ex-gay priest who has led countless men and women who struggle with unwanted same sex attractions to freedom in Christ. But I’m also delighted that among the speakers are Mike and Harriet McManus, the founders of [b]Marriage Savers[/b], a remarkably fruitful minstry that helps strengthen marriages in various ways.
Through its simple but effective programs such as encouraging pastors in a local area to join togeether in setting higher standards for pre-marital counseling through adopting a joint Community Marriage Policy, and especially its amazingly effective idea of encouraging churches to utilize the wealth of experience of their own ordinary happily-marrried laypeople and recruiting them to act as “mentor couples” to newly married couples (in the first two years of marriage), Marriage Savers has helped hundreds of churches to almost eleiminate divorce among their members. A wonderful ministry that I heartily endorse.
David Handy+