“We have tried every act of reconciliation. We have tried to reconcile with the Episcopal Church and there is no reconciliation in their hearts, “ says Waymon Singleton, who has been a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Maitland for thirty-four years.
Waymon and his wife Elaine are supporting their pastor, Rev. John Nyhan, in his decision to separate the congregation from the Central Florida Diocese. According to Rev. Nyhan, the Episcopal Church, USA has been shifting to a more liberal path since the 1960s.
“We have a problem holding up as a model for the Christian life, and when you become a priest and are ordained –and that comes with the calling that you must be an example with the Christian life — we object of that lifestyle being help up as a model for the Christian life, “ says Nyhan.
Nyhan says the rift is not just about the homosexual issue. He says the House of Bishops, which presides over all churches in the United States, is not following the guidance of the Holy Scriptures.
“In our seminaries they have taught a very liberal and deconstructed understanding of what scripture is, and what they have done is stripped it of having any authority. They’ve rendered the scriptures of being an uninspired book.”
Nyhan, along with other church leaders, urged Central Florida Bishop John Howe to oppose changes and keep the diocese on a more traditional course, but the bishop decided to side with the church’s current path in the spirit of reconciliation. Nyhan says the decision left him with no other option.
As compelling as strict adherence to scripture may be, I think there’s a strong element of the flock following popular pastors.
To Roy the third, from Bob the fifth: NO, I think is is much more likely a strong element of the flock following The Pastor. And since The Pastor adhered to Scripture, they go hand in hand.
Roy, my advice, would be for you to make SURE you’re in the “right” element when “that day comes”.
bl
Dear Sisters and Brothers of Good Shepherd, Maitland,
My wife and I wish to share with you our opinion about the current state of affairs at Good Shepherd.
The term that will prove useful in the following discussion is schism, or an “ecclesiastical cleavage”. It also means church “split or divisionâ€. Schism, aka “disaffiliation†such as that proposed at Good Shepherd, is not about disagreement over fundamental Church doctrine, but rather over disagreement with a few personalities (the presiding bishop, bishop of New Hampshire) and recent church legislative declarations
After much prayer, reflection and scriptural study, we firmly oppose the announced procedure toward schism aka “disaffiliation†with The Episcopal Church (TEC) as proposed by the Rector John Nyhan.
Although we admit that the TEC House of Bishops may select or ordain candidates for orders that we personally may disagree with or find unqualified, and that those same Bishops may pass church legislation by democratic process that we disagree with, we still strongly oppose Episcopal Church disaffiliation (schism) at Good Shepherd with the our Bishop John Howe.
We are current members because we believed in its validity as a consecrated Episcopal church under a valid bishop and with properly licensed and installed priests and deacons administering valid sacraments. In other words it was in full communion with the true, One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!
My sister’s and brother’s, Jesus wants His Church One. God hates divorce and likewise, God hates schism!
From our non-professional study of the Bible, Book(s) of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church Articles of Faith, Canon Laws and traditions, when you, as members, vote to receive the instrument of permanent disaffiliation from Bishop John Howe and The Episcopal Church and intend to commence as “schismatic†with John Nyhan, you will be declaring yourself independent as a church and remain so, in non-communion, with the Holy Spirit that blesses you with the sacramental inward spiritual grace that the outward signs of all sacraments represent until you are received and affiliated again with the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church. No rhetorical zeal or reassurance by John Nyhan (who will violate his intentions and vows, see 1928 BCP p. 543, 1979 BCP p. 526, 532) or anyone else (save another validly consecrated receiving Bishop) can alter the reality that when you are cleaved from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and its Apostolic Succession of Bishops, you are cleaved also from the grace of the sacraments instituted not by them but by the Lord Jesus Christ and until that cleavage is repented of and/or remedied by grace, it remains. In other words, without proper relationship to the Church and the sacramental institutions of the Lord, there is no proper intention, rite or sacramental grace for you.
Can salty and sweet flow from the same well? Can blessing and cursing from the same mouth? (Phil 2:2, James 3:11).
Church disaffiliation or schism is a grave decision with consequences both temporally and eternally. Church schism has never brought about “love and charity with our neighbor†nor represented the Good News of The Gospel to those perishing in sin but, to the contrary, it has always been a vicissitude associated with tumult, acrimony and even violence. The “principalities and powers†waging spiritual warfare against the faithful, and written about in scripture, use “divide and conquer†as one of its main strategies to not only destroy the family of God and the Church, but the human family unit and finally the individual human being.
In the early church, those who “sowed discord amidst the brethren†were treated as “enemies†because schism was anathema to the church already persecuted from outside. Dissensions and divisions were avoided then as they should be now because:
1. The fruits of Spirit are plain (Gal. 5) and are sown in peace and unity and not discord.
2. The witness we have, to a lost world, and to each other, is through love and not theological persuasion.
3. The final judgment of the works of the Church, the Bride of Christ, will be severe upon those who lead into division Christ’s Body for prideful, judgmental or retaliatory motives.(“Lord, Lord did I not…Matt. 7:21-23)
Schism has been taught against by Christ Himself (John 17:21), the canon scriptures, liturgics and especially many of the historic people of God including the Apostles, Early Church Fathers (such as Clement I, Augustine and the Councils) and even post- revolutionary war 1789 Protestant Episcopal Church clergy because:
1. It was not of faith (“whatever that is not of faith is sin†Rom. 14:23)
2. It was inconsistent with the Apostles teachings (Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council) and contrary to the law and prophets of God (Deut. 1:34, Sam. 15:23, Prov. 17:11, Josh. 22:6)
3. It was irreconcilable to the spirit, motivation and principles of the Gospel. (Gal. 5:6, John 13:35, Luke 11:17, Cor. 11:17-22)
4. It was the in violation of second sacred commandment of Christ to all Christians to “love your neighbor as yourself†(Mark 12:31, Gal. 5:14, James 2:8)
5. It was a contrary to Protestant Episcopal Churches continual liturgical prayer to live “in truth, unity and concord†(BCP 1928 p. 74),
6. It was a violation Episcopal Holy Orders (1928 BCP p. 533, 543, 555),
7. It was a violation of Protestant Episcopal Articles of Religion (see Art. XXXIV),
8. It was a violation of the Protestant Episcopal Catechism of Confirmation (1928 BCP p 580, 82),
9. It was violation of Offices of Instruction and the requirements to partake of the sacraments (BCP 1928, Office of Instruction p.290, 91, 93) and
10. Until the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America (TEC) is excommunicated from the Anglican Communion, it is likewise in violation of the same in the Anglican Communion.
See what St. Paul said to the Corinthian Greek Church (1 Cor. 1:10-13, 1 Cor. 6) about their divisions and disputes as the Body of Christ.
The Episcopal Church of the Anglican Communion claims that the ministry of its bishops, priests and deacons derive its authority and sacramental power from Christ and by those institutions ordained by Him. The “proper rites and intentionsâ€, as passed to the Apostles and Church Fathers and by unbroken successive consecration to our own current Bishop +John Howe, assure their integrity. This is not without criticism (Apostolicae Curae , September 18, 1896 by Pope Leo XIII). However, as in the Roman and Orthodox Churches it has been maintained that a special charismatic sacramental endowment conveying an indelible “character and empowerment†has been conferred on those who receive valid ordination by the laying on of hands on their heads and by prayer and right intention by valid bishops (who thus transfer to them the “power of orders†to priests, deacons etc.). In mainline, non-sacramental Protestant churches, such as Baptists, Methodists and Assemblies of God, the ordained ministry is interpreted as a function rather than as a status of apostolic succession. Therefore, according to the authority and practice of The Episcopal Church, the sacramental empowerment to baptize, ordain, confirm, absolve, bless, and especially consecrate the Eucharistic matter can be transferred to clergy, and it can be also taken away or suspended from those same clergy for sufficient reason. This is one unattended result for those clergy who lead the Church into schism, depart from their vows and render the “rites and intentions†of the sacraments they perform suspect.
Accordingly, those who disaffiliate with The Episcopal Church may no longer enjoy the confidence of the imparting of grace and divinity of “strengthening and refreshing of our souls and bodies†by the sacraments as authenticated by the doctrine of the 5 liturgical “propers†(i.e. proper matter, proper place, proper minister etc) and by Apostolic Succession until that indeed is restored by proper rites.
The Episcopalian believer, like most Roman Catholics and unlike most Protestants, hold that the Bishop consecrates priests who then consecrate the “gifts of bread and wine†into “that most Blessed Body and Blood†via divine authority instituted by Christ Himself and passed on thru Apostolic Succession. The power to “consecrate†is a “charismata†or mysterious grace that proceeds from “Word and Holy Spirit†(BCP 1979 p 335). To break with this intention, rite and order of succession by schism is to depart from a core belief of the role of the Episcopacy and church authority in the authenticating and safeguarding the sacraments so not to render them impotent and from the use by those who would partake of them “unto condemnation†(Cor. 11:27-29).
Finally, be aware that sacramental communicants who affirm church schism and follow schismatic clergy may “unworthily†receive these “holy mysteries†and walk a spiritual “slippery slopeâ€. They partake of the sacraments precariously because of they insufficiently fulfill all proper rites and intentions. This is especially true of the Eucharist, where “holy gifts of bread and wine†are lifted up for consecration, but, as a result of schism from the Lord’s institution and His Church, may be left unconsecrated by disaffiliated priests and therefore remain “common matter†and unchanged to “the most precious Body and Bloodâ€. The result is declaring and receiving “a memorial†only to His sacrifice by partaking of the outward signs of bread and wine, but with the unintended consequence of an “inward spiritual grace†left un-partaken.
Come let us reason together and be one again.
In His Love,
James D. ZeBranek, Jr,, MDiv, PhD and Camilla Dinescu – ZeBranek, MEd
James Zebranek Florist Finds Hundreds Of Medical Records In Trash
Florist Finds Hundreds Of Medical Records In Trash Bin Records Turned Over To Orlando Police man in Orange County, Fla
Zebranek fled Orlando and the country earlier this year after the state began investigating him, according to the report.
In March, Zebranek allegedly performed procedures without a license.
The records were dug out of the trash bin and turned over to Orlando police.