On September 30 I celebrate my last day at Christ Church in Paradise Valley, AZ, a parish under Bishop Steenson’s good care. The parish will split and a good number of faithful people will be realigning on October 1 with another province in the Anglican Communion. After threats from the diocesan, the faithful decided not to fight for the property but to leave it and move on.
On October 1 I begin as priest in charge of Holy Faith parish in Santa Fe. I was so looking forward to serving under Bishop Steenson. My heart is broken–not just for him, but for the diocese he has led so faithfully and with such grace. I can’t say I am sorry to miss the clergy conference this week as I am packing to leave Arizona. The PB has nothing to say to me. Pray for the Church.
God bless you in your new ministry Fr. Semon!
“After THREATS FROM THE DIOCESAN, the faithful decided not to fight for the property but to leave it and move on”
Threats from Bp. Steenson? If so, how sad.
#2
This was in Arizona. So I gather +Kirk Smith was the diocesan. I believe +Steenson was there pursuant to a DEPO arrangement.
Arizona is under [url=http://www.azdiocese.org/bishop/index.html]Kirk Smith[/url].
Kirk Smith on three separate occasions wrote letters to all our parishioners threatening legal action should the parish attempt to stay together and realign. We had a clear title and an orthodox majority of 70-80 percent. In light of the HOB meeting in March, the leadership felt that years of a court battle and the high cost of a suit from the diocese was not worth it.
There is a significant debt and Smith promised the liberal minority that he had a rich friend in California who would help them cover the debt. He led a “bible study” at a liberal parishioner’s home to help people see that there were many contradictions in scripture and that one could not take scripture too seriously.
He has worked with a small group of dissidents to undermine the orthodox ministry and teaching of this excellent parish. It has not been a pleasant experience.
Bishop Steenson has been a source of encouragement and faith. But after the HOB snubbed the primates and rejected the plan to protect people like us, it was clear there was no place for the faithful in ECUSA. It is a sad time for all of us.
The new parish will meet for worship on October 7 and there is great excitement and energy around the idea that at last they will be free of ECUSA’s foolishness and blasphemy.
As a member of the departing parish, I can’t tell you how sad we are for Bp Steenson, the diocese of the Rio Grande, and especially, our beloved Fr. Ken. If only…. but then, we are only seeing the front side, not the back side of God’s plan. We hold up Fr. Ken and Caroiline in prayer and thanksgiving. Our arms and doors are open wide. God bless you.
There is an article about this [url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0926phx-episcopal0926.html]here[/url]
The article cited above states that Bp Smith denied sending threatening letters. This should be easily shown to be prevarication by showing a copy of the three letters received by parishioners.