To the Cathedral Chapter
and Parishioners of
Gethsemane Episcopal CathedralI am announcing my resignation today as Dean and Rector of Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral, effective March 15, 2011. I have come to this decision, with the support of my wife Dixie and our families, as the conclusion of a year-long period of prayer and discernment regarding the Lord’s ongoing will and plan for my life and ministry. I leave the Cathedral with the greatest love and respect for all of you, for the clergy of this congregation and diocese, and for our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Michael Smith.
Read it all. Bishop Smith says [the Dean] Dr. Steve Sellers is seeking ordination in the Roman Catholic Church.
wow… Best wishes.
Steve Sellers is a faithful priest who worked hard to maintain the integrity of the church. He was treated poorly, as are many good and faithful clergy by TEC because he didnt follow the “proper” thought of the moment. Another good priest lost to Rome. I wish him and his beautiful wife nothing but the best.
I know he will do well as an ordained RC, so I think I’ll just register my sadness to see him go.
Where was it that he announced publicly his intention to seek ordination in the Roman Catholic Church? If he had said that in his letter attached to the Sunday bulletin Jan 16, I think he would have come to the conclusion himself – without having wait for the bishop to do it for him – that he needed to turn in his keys immediately. After spending a year in prayer and reflection and conversation, the ending has unfortunately and ingloriously unraveled.
Nevertheless, I’m sure a lot of others beside myself will be grieving his departure.
I only hope the choice of the offertory hymn for that Sunday was not chosen to be a statement of judgment, but one of testimony to what I would hope is a decision of obedience to God’s will for him.