We are committed to ensuring the spiritual, emotional and physical safety of all within this Diocese and all whom we seek to serve in the name of Christ. We are committed to serving the weak and most vulnerable in our midst, those who are oppressed, and the children and youth of our Diocese.
We do not believe that Bishop Bennison has the trust of the clergy and lay leaders necessary for him to be an effective pastor and leader of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, nor that he can regain or rebuild the trust that he has lost or broken.
We believe that it would be in the best interest of the Diocese that Bishop Bennison not resume his exercise of authority here.
Have they changed the locks in his absence? I see +Bennison, fully vested, outside the cathedral, with the Standing Committee baricaded inside. “Behold I stand at the door and knock” Waiting for ++KJS to weigh on this one. Given the heavy-handed way that 815 has meddled in affairs at the diocesan levels, the next shoe will be interesting.
How I wish that our diocese had this sae kind of spine to think through the implications of Neff Powell being our bishop and the President of Planned Parenthood, and lifting his hand to bless an abortion clinic in Virginia. And then, on considering, to send a message to Southwestern Virginia: “We are committed to serving the weak and most vulnerable in our midst…” and then showing him the door.
Certainly, the Standing Committee should be commended for being so honest. However, they have been and are also part of the problem. I was ordained to the Diaconate and Priesthood by +Bennison early on in his episcopate and still hang my hat there, even though I am now non-parochial, so I am very familiar with the history and the system. Believe it or not, the Standing Committee supported +Bennison’s leadership at one point and were very enthusiastic about him, that is at least what was “marketed” to the Diocese. Of course, at one point the support ended but before then lest we forget the Standing Committee supported the spiritual abuse of David Moyer and other clergy and their parishes in the Diocese that refused +Bennison’s leadership. Frankly, all the leadership of the Dio. of PA, needs to resign in my opinion or least repent of their complicity in spiritual abuse, financial mismanagement, overall depressive spirit of the Diocese, etc…shall I continue? To bad, the Diocese of PA isn’t a hard drive because my prayer right now would be for God to reformat that sucker and reboot.
Choir Stall…+Powell blessing Planned Parenthood…Unbelievable. This breaks my heart. It really, really does.
Re #3
Revdons
[blockquote] Neff Powell being our bishop and the President of Planned Parenthood, and lifting his hand to bless an abortion clinic in Virginia.[/blockquote]
Words fail me. At the risk of the wrath of the elves… HOW THE H#!! CAN ANYONE BE IN THE SAME CHURCH WITH SUCH A “BISHOP?!”
We get unbelieveable tripe any time that such syncretism as Powell’s is pointed out. The bishop’s secretary is in full defense machine mode and simply states that the bishop’s choices aren’t doctrine, and that people are attracted by how we worship, not the choices of the HOB. I simply asked, “Yeah, but exactly WHAT do you worship when you raise a hand to bless the site of a new abortion clinic?” Response:…babble, babble. Most Diocesan HQs are so insular that they can’t see the light if it blinded them.
I won’t shake the man’s hand and I raise objections any time that I can. I’ve given our Standing Committee an earful. We’re riding out Powell’s insignificant reign until he retires. Meanwhile the diocese withers down slowly but noticeably. He’ll retire well.
Did Bishop Bennison show up for work today? Statmann
You are who you are in communion with.
Ad Orientem — as easily as someone can be in other organizations with immoral reprobates — like countries, for instance.
RE: “You are who you are in communion with.”
So you believe. Good you’re in your church.
Bennison, it’s for every sexual preference, not just blessing!