 Biography » Pastoral Letters |
From the Archbishop
To the clergy and people of the Anglican Province of Christ the King: The Province of Christ the King has experienced a steady growth for nearly twenty-six years. More and more churchmen are discovering that we have remained faithful to our vows of uncompromising loyalty to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The constant cry now for clergy and churches comes from across the country. We must face the loss of the Episcopal Church as it dissolves into a polymorphous ecumenical body. At the last General Convention Meeting in Minnesota, the majority of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church refused to affirm the Nicean Creed. With the denial of the incarnation of God in Christ, there are no standards for Christian morality. Alexis de Tocqueville implied in his writings that if America ceased to be good it would lose its freedom. This is an immense tragedy to our country. Since the establishment of the first colony in Virginia, we have been a community that has carried the Anglican genius of freedom. Freedom can only exist through personal responsibility. Over generations, the energy of many of the episcopal clergy was given to the establishment of excellent schools. By this Anglicans were able to develop a leadership class in the USA. All this is now threatened by the loss of commitment to the Gospels. An increasing sense of urgency is placed upon the Province of Christ the King. It is only through individual sacrifice that we can restore our church, strengthen the family, advance Christian civilization, and "save the world from suicide." (T.S. Eliot) Start this year during the every member canvass in your parish. Increase your pledge. Try to reach the biblical standard of the tithe of ten percent. Share your faith with your neighbors, family, and friends. Encourage young men to test their vocation for the ministry. Be constant in your prayers and attendance to the Eucharist. If unyielding in our service of God, we have been promised at the end a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Yours in Christ,
|
Pastoral
Letter, 2003