“Enter with thanksgiving.” That’s what is written on the doors of St. John’s Church in Tulare
But some like Diane Friend said they won’t be entering anymore. “It was a choice about are you going to follow Jesus Christ or are you going to follow a leadership that decides to rewrite the word of God,” said Friend.
Friend and her husband have been members of St. John’s Church for fourteen years. They have three children, and Friend said her children are main reasons why she decided her family had to leave. “For us, what became a priority was our family, the values we try to each our children and how we’re going to serve God as a Christian,” said Friend.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy for her. “In a small church everyone is family, you almost feel like you’re divorcing yourself from a part of your family,” said Friend.
She is one of twenty people at St. John’s that voted for their church to leave the national Episcopal one. They lost, so she and her family left.
“We’re without a church but not without a faith,” said Friend.
According to the Episcopal church’s website, St. John’s is one of five churches out of the 47 in the San Joaquin diocese that decided to stay with the national Episcopal church.
According the Episcopal church’s website… Reporting by websurfing? They can’t pick up the phone? The article ends, “Comrade, for more information, go to EpiscoPravda. Long live the revolution!”
A good reporter might have asked why the TEC was claiming last week that 17 churches were “remaining Episcopal” and now they state only 5 are. Hmmm.
It needs to be known that St John’s, Tulare is in no way a “liberal” or “revisionist” parish. For the last two decades they have been led by Fr Rob Eaton, who is as orthodox as the day is long, and who has been a close friend and co-laborer with Bishop Schofield over the years. He is truly a “latter-day Non-Juror.” My heart aches for him, for his parish–those who are remaining in TEC and those who find it necessary to leave the parish in order to leave TEC–and for all who have been wounded by this tragic turn of events. Kyrie eleison.
robroy, I agree on the lazy reporting, and total lack of punctuation on a quote later in the article. This passage from the article, though, reveals the perception of many which, though not [i]yet[/i] technically true nevertheless is the present intent and no doubt future canon of TEC: (bolding mine)
[blockquote]Churchgoers say the decision of the National Episcopal Church to [b]approve gay marriage[/b] and allow openly gay people to be priests, has caused some churches to break off from the national religion.[/blockquote]
Seems like the camel has all except his tail inside TEC’s tent now!
Here we go!!!!!
This is interesting:
[blockquote]”If they want to be different let them be different on their own why do we have to split up our beautiful church I don’t think it’s right,” said Margaret Cain, a current member of St John’s church.[/blockquote]
A senior who has worshipped for 50+ years thinks that fighting is a better road to take! 50+ years of sermons, scripture readings,etc…. and staying and fighting is the easier better road? It’s almost like she is looking at a playground scene….”If they want to do what they want then let them! But, I don’t have to give up my part of the sandbox!” I paraphrased somewhat for an anology!
And if you want to know how I know she has been there for 50 years??? This is how:
[url=http://kmph.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=2266620&h1=Episcopalian%20Church%20Split%20Leaves%20Many%20in%20South%20Valley%20Feeling%20Left%20Out&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=109600&LaunchPageAdTag=Homepage&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http://kmph.com/&rnd=30429150]KMPH News[/url]
BTW – Eaton+ is also one of the SC members not going with +Schofield. As Martins+ wrote, I too pray for Fr Rob.
ODC – Any updates from +Schofield on how many parishes are staying in TEC beyond this one?
Did not know that this was Father Rob’s church. Stuck in limbo is not healthy spiritually. Not good for the parish health, either.
The graphical stat page is [url=http://12.0.101.92/reports/PR_ChartsDemo/exports/ParishRPT_37200813758PM.pdf ]here[/url]
Dear robroy,
Ah, yes, the discussion ending “Here’s the stats” link. I’ve always had a problem with such end of comment links. There’s always the life of a congregation behind those stats. I asked that very question with the recent posting about growth and decline patterns from the T1:9 posting on 2006 numbers, when I saw the numbers for West Tennessee. Never did get anybody to answer my question, “Why? What happened?”
Well, let me help you out with that for next year’s link to our stats, and be pleased with this foreknowledge: this is information for you at least 9 months ahead of any official reporting through the Congregational Development office. And I will provide some background information on who we are, where we are, and why you should be praying for us.
Next year’s report will show a decline in ASA and membership. As of this point we have had around 16 or 17 people, maybe a couple more before the dust settles, all active folks, who have stated in some way they are leaving the congregation due to the congregational vote on February 17th. This won’t show up until next year’s parochial report. So there you go.
Further, we had 15 active folks 2 years ago who left the parish for non-related reasons: deaths, movings out of the parish, marriage and finding a compromise spiritual home, etc. That was very tough, as any small, median-size parish knows.
You can count.
And the Lord has been good to us.
Now forgive me for taking your comment as impetus.
Since you are interested in statistics, perhaps you will be interested in the larger “narrative”, as Hauerwas says. When I arrived as the first rector, the new parish was in a demise dive following almost exactly the trajectory of the Episcopal Church in membership and ASA from about the zenith of 1963-64. 42-44 on Sundays in two services. The retiring vicar held the place together with his firm but caring hand. I came in with specific calling to “see what the Holy Spirit could do in a small congregation that had been around for a hundred years and was dying.” I also came with a very strong calling to be a priest in the Episcopal Church, complete with a very strong interior challenge to leave already, but God’s challenge back of His Will over mine. Jesus is the Lord.
Even before I got here the Lord was preparing the way for resurgence and renewal. We rode that with strong direction in parish vision, and biblical teaching and preaching, through the year we were on track to double the aforementioned ASA. And then TEC stuff began hurt us. It didn’t help that I had wavered myself in thought, word and deed. When I woke up from my own fog in confession to my Lord, my family and my church, the Lord reaffirmed His calling upon me (and then again in 2005, and again in 2006, and again in 2007). And just in time to begin to see others wavering in their Faith, not only in the parish but throughout the Church. The Lord affirmed with healings, prophecy, words of knowledge, empowerments in the Spirit, maturity in discipleship with people who had been in the congregation for – yes – 50+ years.
Throughout ALL of this, the Lord led me into leadership positions in the diocese where there were obvious holes, not waiting for someone to appoint me because they thought I might be worthy. Like Nehemiah recognizing holes in the wall of Jerusalem. A ministry gift from early on, even before ordination.
I suppose it should be said at this point that we left the Diocese of Oregon to come to Tulare, not because of a need to escape something there and find the coverage of a strong, conservative bishop – Bp Schofield, who became the Ordinary 8 months before – but because the Lord had directed me to go to “the land of Goshen”. And as I found out 6 months later after that word of knowledge, it would be in Tulare, in the diocese of San Joaquin, 8 miles from a little community named “Goshen.”
So now after our congregational vote, which focused on a proper addressing of the parish bylaws by applying the action of diocesan convention in December as a proposed amendment in accession, and to which the congregation responded by voting with a variety of leading, discernment and reason, we find ourselves as a “stand firm” (if you will, SF), “sure word as has been taught” (if you will, T1:9), kind of TEC parish. And deeply in need of every step provided to us by the Lord.
We recognize that (if you will, Neal) we are “Beyond Business as Usual”, and that we may intentionally have to “fight our way to Christ”, as I said on Sunday about the healed man found from Lent4 Gospel. Even though fellow conservative Episcopalians (and from other denominational backgrounds) will and have come to us anew, we will not boast of growth by transfers. In fact, we will be wary that those who do come to us bring any other agenda than to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and follow in His way, His Truth, His life, and His teaching. We will grieve and mourn; we will continue to strive to reach out in love to those who have departed; we will affirm our status as a Family in Christ. At the same time, we will commit ourselves again to the basic building blocks of the Church, small groups and families, reaching out to the unsaved, the unchurched, and the dis-churched, especially with the given vision ministry of intercession.
Robroy, I love you in the Lord, I admire your commitment and dogged focus (that is not a putdown). You didn’t define ‘limbo.’ However, denigration, in whatever form, is not acceptable. Rather, we need your prayers. Your prayers for us are valid in the sight of the Lord, if only because we are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. But even more so, because if the Lord’s leading Himself is for His People such as myself – and I will only implicate myself here – to still be part of TEC, then it is by default a valid spiritual, physical, mental and emotional option, and not one that can be dismissed out of hand. As our great conservative angst evidences, the Bible encompasses both dis-association, and continued association if for the purpose of distinct proclamation of the Word of God and the repentance and salvation of all. I am asking you to no longer consider and denigrate the “if”, but to allow for and bless the “it is.”
It is now time – and has been – for all who uphold the ministry of the unfailing Word of God, no matter what strategy of association, to carry on if so called, but at the same time to intercede for each other across those strategies. To pray for each others’ victory in the battles against the World, the Flesh and the Devil. To pray for each others’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God to result in repentances, and individual and mass conversions to Jesus as Lord. To turn the expenditures of our time and energy from critical, satirical and condemnatory comments against each other, into a sharp, clear, profound, Spirit-led apologetic of the Faith once received for the purpose of renewal and reformation of the Body of Christ on earth, and the “new every day” announcement of the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world that has yet to hear of it. Beyond the justification of “steel sharpening steel”, let us now renounce that which results in “friendly fire”, and the intentional and unintentional casualties on the same side of the battle. As I have just spent time talking with and praying for a parish family who found themselves in the middle of a neighborhood gang war, there are too many wars out there already, domestic and foreign, without us taking each other out.
I call us all to join in rebuking, in the Name of Jesus, the work of the World, the Flesh and the Devil which have and are causing so much confusion and implosion.
Robroy, may your ministry in Colorado be a blessing to the Lord; your Church doors be open to a steady flow of those seeking answers only the Lord can provide; abundant provision be given to extend that ministry and outreach. Your parish will find a faithful pastor and priest, and you will find encouragement and strength in leadership in the Lord.
RGEaton
Rob Eaton,
For what it’s worth, I had taken Rob Roy’s comment — “Stuck in limbo is not healthy spiritually” — to mean that it was good the parish went ahead and voted up or down, one way or the other. I also thought it was a good thing.
I didn’t think of his comment about limbo from the past [prior to the vote] as denigrative, though maybe I have misinterpreted what he said. RobRoy posts, as a matter of course, the stats link for all TEC parishes and dioceses which are mentioned, whether they are “good” or “bad”, I’ve noticed.
Father Rob, you have been and will be a hero, someone that I look up to in admiration for inspiration.
I meant limbo exactly as it is defined classically, stuck in a place between heaven and hell. I read reports from those who have fled (such as [url=http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/6371 ]Christ Church Plano[/url]) and can’t help but be jealous. To have escaped the crippling, corrupt influence of Schori, Sisk, Andrus, Robinson, Russell, Spong, etc. What sweet release!
When I was a teenager, I was very active in EYC. All my role models were priests, and I thought I would follow in their footsteps. The good Lord knows better than I and the path of least resistance led me away from that vocation. I am too left brained to make a good priest as evidenced by my fixation on the numbers.
But from the statistics supplied in the graph and those in your note, one can’t help but draw the conclusion that your parish has opted for martyrdom. You obviously know your parishioners better than I do, but I would be very concerned about their spiritual health (as I know you are) to be attached to a dead branch of the vine that is destined to be pruned and thrown into the fire. But just as I would not criticize the St. Stephen, Latimer/Ridley/Cranmer, or the Ugandan martyrs, I certainly do not criticize you or your church. It is simply sad.
Sarah, robroy,
Thanks for your comments on limbo. Limbo as a theological construct is so ill-defined these days that it should not be used without definition. So I appreciate further definition, and I very much appreciate your concern, which is why your prayers are so very much needed.
I do want to say that my comments on denigration go so much further than this particular back and forth. I believe the impetus is a prophetic word (in the NT description of prophecy) to all the faithful to stand shoulder to shoulder, even if somehow on different ships! I don’t want that to be lost.
robroy, I trust that martyrdom is a one time gift. So if it is to come, may it come all at once. Maranatha. But I hope you do see something here that I don’t always hear you allowing in many of your comments. To use your imagery from your comment here, it is this: if the Lord says, “Stick with this limb, and fear not, for I am in it”, then there is Life-giving sap, and the branch is not entirely devoid of the Life of Christ. If you will, I and many of the parish I serve, are being saps for Christ, and we hold to the promise that there will be new Life, much like the stump that is given up as dead, until a new sucker shows its head!
: )
RGEaton