Address by Archbishop Provence to the National Meeting of Clergy and Laity

January 24, 2008
San Francisco, California

Opening Prayer: For the Church, page 37 of the BCP.

It is with great pleasure that I officially welcome you to San Francisco, the city of my birth and the home of St. Thomas' Anglican Church whose people it is my privilege to serve. I am grateful to all of you for being here at this historic time in our life as a branch of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I particularly want to thank our honored guests, Bishop Leo Michael, Suffragan Bishop of the United Episcopal Church in North America and Bishop Henry King of the Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite. Bishop Presley Hutchens and Father Stephen Scarlett, representing the Anglican Catholic Church, will join us later today.

I am sorry to report that on Tuesday, Archbishop Mark Haverland of the Anglican Catholic Church, telephoned to report that his father, Harry, had just died. He sends his regrets at not being able to attend, and I assured him of our prayers.

Also sending their regrets are Archbishop Stephen Reber of the United Episcopal Church, whose wife is ill and Bishop David Seeland of the Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite whose health prevented him from attending.

You may know San Francisco best from Mark Twain's famous observation that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. However, for those of you from the Midwest and the East, who have cursed our foggy August days for chilling your vacation, you will notice that in January, we may have rain, but we also have an abundance of flowers and a lack of snow shovels. We hope that you will enjoy your visit to our city.

As a schoolboy learning California history, I was enchanted by the explorers who surveyed these western shores. One who particularly caught my attention was Sir Francis Drake - mostly because he was English and not Spanish. When Drake sailed along the Pacific Coast in 1579, he completely missed San Francisco Bay because of the summer fog. On June 24th, the Feast of St. John the Baptist, he finally found safe harbor just north of the Golden Gate in what is now known as Drake's Bay. He was only moderately impressed with the small natural harbor. If he had made the trip in October when the fog retreats for a season, Drake would have seen San Francisco Bay, and California might have been an English colony rather than under the jurisdiction of Spain. On shore, he ordered his Anglican chaplain to offer thanks to Almighty God from the 1559 Book of Common Prayer. Today's visitor to Drake's Bay will find a cross marking the spot where our Prayer Book was first used in the New World. Just inland from that cross, Father David Napier offers the Mass every Sunday, from the American offspring of that Prayer Book, at our Marin County congregation of St. Mark's. For more than four hundred twenty eight years, traditional Anglican worship has ascended to Almighty God less than twenty miles from where we are sitting this afternoon.

In light of this history, it seems appropriate that in 1977, six congregations, fighting to retain the historic Book of Common Prayer, took the name Diocese of San Francisco - a designation that lasted only a brief time before we became Diocese of Christ the King.

That same year, synod elected Robert Sherwood Morse, another San Francisco native, as our first bishop. Some of you here today participated in that election. You might have attended his consecration in Denver, Colorado. Perhaps you remember the early synod when clergy and congregations outside of our geographical area petitioned to join us. In many cases, their own bishops had either deserted them or departed from traditional Anglican faith and practice. From that historic synod, the California-centered Diocese of Christ the King grew to become nation-wide. Maybe you were present when the fourteenth synod in Tulsa, Oklahoma, voted to divide our national diocese and reconstitute a provincial structure of geographical dioceses. You might have been a delegate to the Washington, DC, Provincial Synod that adopted our canons. That ecclesiastical law firmly established us as an Anglican church with an Archbishop having sacramental and jurisdictional authority. It also continued to anchor our archbishop and bishops to altars and congregations so that they remain shepherds, not bureaucrats and administrators.

Many of us have witnessed and participated in the actions that have brought us here today - that have brought about the orderly succession of the Second Archbishop of this Province.

At the beginning of the second century, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, observed that the bishop is the center of the entire sacramental life of the church. Underscoring this, he writes, that where the bishop is, there is the church.

While we were engaged in much ecclesiastical activity beforehand, we didn't become a church until January 28, 1978. On that day, the Right Reverend Albert Chambers bestowed upon us the episcopacy. He consecrated our own Robert Sherwood Morse; along with James O. Mote for what is now the Anglican Catholic Church and C. Dale Doren for the United Episcopal Church in North America. These courageous men laid the foundation for preserving traditional Anglicanism in the United States and abroad. Next Monday, we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of that great event, and it is wonderful that bishops from all three jurisdictions are here today.

Since those consecrations, our three provinces have moved in independent, parallel and often competing paths. Each of us faced the challenges of creating an ecclesiastical entity, building churches, educating clergy and developing a structure for sustained growth and stability. We tackled these common problems as three, isolated churches.

Several years ago, Archbishop Morse and the former archbishop of the ACC, Brother John-Charles, held private meetings to discuss ways in which we might work together. As Archbishop Morse's Canon at the time, it was my privilege to attend those meetings and learn from their discussions. Following upon those initial talks, the bishops of our two jurisdictions met to continue this exploration and learn more about one another.

Today, we see those labors beginning to bear fruit. Our three jurisdictions, the three main branches coming from the root of the Chambers Succession, are visibly in full communion with each other. In a new era of cooperation, our parallel lines have the chance to converge, bringing into focus a united face to orthodox, catholic Anglicanism. We have the opportunity to combine the knowledge and wisdom each of us has gained since January 1978, to build a stronger church. The bishops of the Anglican Province of Christ the King are committed to working with our brothers in the Anglican Catholic Church and the United Episcopal Church in North America to these ends.

This does not exclude cooperation with other jurisdictions. However, as the direct descendants of the Chambers consecrations, I believe that we have an obligation to take the lead.

None of us can yet tell you the form that this unity will take. It is still early in our discussions and there are many details to address. I can tell you that I have a very good relationship with these bishops. We communicate freely, and their sincerity and commitment is impressive.

An example of this cooperation involves our own Father Bowen Woodruff who wanted to serve as a chaplain in the Navy. With the support of Archbishop Haverland, Bishop Presley Hutchins of the ACC graciously extended his authority in the Armed Forces Chaplain Service to sponsor Father Woodruff. This month, a newly commissioned Lieutenant Woodruff, reported for active duty. During his time in the Navy, Father will fall under our joint ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

We can extend this cooperation in many areas, and I would like to suggest a few of these today. In addition, I want to give you an overview of the Anglican Province of Christ the King and some thoughts for our future.

First, I want to report that we are strong and healthy. Even with the departure of some in the east, we maintain four active dioceses. Our bishops are busy with confirmations and ordinations. The seminary has a fabulous faculty and bright student body. We have active ministries on several college campuses. The American Church Union continues to increase its offering of books and publications for sale to members of the APCK and beyond. Well over half of our congregations are in their own buildings and many others are actively working toward that goal. This is remarkable considering that we started from almost nothing. Thanks to construction and purchase loans from the Provincial Development Fund, we have strong churches in several major communities across the country. Many people have made significant sacrifices to help build beautiful places of worship, which also serve as visible reminders of the presence of God in the world.

By this time next year, several more congregations will be in new buildings. Often, this comes through creative thinking. Father Jeffrey Smith, assisted by Father Richard Andrews and members of the congregation are building a unique log church in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

While building this church, Father Smith found a new home for his Fort Collins, Colorado congregation. Through sacrificial giving by members of the parish, loans from the Provincial Development Fund, and grant support from the Diocese of the Western States, that congregation recently purchased a beautiful, one hundred year old church. In Advent, I dedicated the building and then ordained Deacon Richard Andrews to the priesthood. The choir that day came from the Anglican Catholic Church's parish of St. Mary's in Denver - the same parish where Bishop Chambers consecrated our first bishops.

Father Dwight Dibble tells me that his congregation of St. Alban's in Schyler Lake, New York, is actively looking for a permanent home. East of San Francisco Bay, Deacon Ben Brown and the congregation of St. Francis of Assisi are ready to remodel a commercial building for their church. A couple of years ago, Father Robert Ponec and his congregation in Sioux City, Iowa, signed a lease/purchase agreement for a former military chapel located in a residential community. They renovated the interior of the building, transforming it from a style one might call "Military Protestant" to a fine Anglo-catholic church. In short order, they will own this building. The Province of Christ the King is strong.

I once read that Christians should not look at difficulties as problems needing solution, but rather as the raw material to create something new. I have found that to be good advice.

For example, the changes in the Diocese of the Eastern States allow us to rethink our approach to that region of the country. To begin, we are closing the Archdiocese and restoring the territory assigned to it back to the Eastern and Southern dioceses. As part of that move, Parish of Christ the King in Washington, D.C., returns to the Diocese of the Eastern States. At synod this spring, I will appoint an advisory board to design a plan for development and systematic growth of the diocese. To manage business affairs, I have appointed Father John Hines, rector of All Saints' Church in Bolingbrook, Illinois, as diocesan administrator. His assisting priest, Father Blair Schultz, manages the diocesan corporation. The All Saints' vestry graciously and enthusiastically agreed to have their parish serve as the administrative center. With these initial changes, our Eastern Diocese is back on the march.

Having just mentioned Parish of Christ the King, I now want to tell you of some exciting changes occurring in this Georgetown church. It is under the wonderful care of Fathers Paul Russell and Al Starr. Many of you know Father Russell as a bright and engaging teacher. He is also a wonderfully warm and intuitive pastor. Father Starr holds a doctorate in Old Testament studies, making him a great asset to the parish Bible Class and complimenting the high quality of preaching one hears in the parish. In addition, the congregation benefits from his years of experience as a hospital and hospice chaplain. I visited Parish of Christ the King in September, and the impact of these two dedicated priests was evident. Clearly, they are doing a marvelous job.

Parish of Christ the King is the Provincial Parish. In a sense, it belongs to all of us and gives us a national focus. The province owns the building and the bishops are its board of directors. Various parishes contributed to buy the pews, and it is fun to look for your parish's name on the donation plaque. Every member of the province can enjoy a certain sense of membership there.

For many years, we referred to that church as our national headquarters. After discussions with our bishops and the clergy in Georgetown, we have decided to change that designation. Today I am pleased to proclaim Parish of Christ the King our Provincial Cathedral. Father Russell is the first Dean of the Cathedral and Father Starr is Curate. In celebration of this change, we will hold our next provincial gathering at the Cathedral Parish of Christ the King in Washington, D.C.

Of course, Father Russell will continue as Academic Dean of the seminary. Under his thoughtful guidance, we continue to refine both the seminary curriculum and the Deacon Training Program. He also is working with our bishops and the faculty to develop a secondary means for training priests. This program will combine some distance learning with periods of residence on campus. For nearly all of our thirty years, the St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College has educated and tested men for the sacred ministry.

Archbishop Morse has always maintained that we have an obligation to our congregations to provide a pious and learned clergy - men who have sound training in Holy Scripture, theology and history. Most importantly, they need solid vocational formation - the kind that comes from daily mass and hours of corporate and contemplative prayer. Clergy disciplined in the practice of the Church are the most effective parish priests. The twin disciplines of intellectual development and vocational testing plant and nourish the seeds of priestly character. The challenges of seminary life build strong leaders for the army of Christ. The seminary admitted its first students in the fall of 1979. I joined the student body the next year and remain extremely grateful for all I learned and experienced there.

The faculty is a mix of lay professors and parish priests. The training includes instruction and experience to prepare a man to serve a congregation where he must be the chief liturgical authority, pastor, teacher, administrator and president of a corporation. It equips him for a life of continued study. Our academic program consists of a solid core curriculum and a changing orbit of subjects designed to give the student a well-rounded education to prepare him for this difficult calling.

Recently Archbishop Morse launched a drive to raise money to build a new dormitory, library and classroom building. This facility will provide vastly improved living conditions for our students, more space for the expanding library and increased classroom options to make the instructional day more efficient. With the new facility, we also plan to increase our offerings in the area of continuing education for clergy and improved instruction for perpetual deacons. An educated, articulate and disciplined clergy is as essential to our mission today as it was thirty years ago.

In light of our new relationship with the Anglican Catholic Church and the United Episcopal Church, we are delighted to open the seminary to their qualified students. I believe that having men from the different jurisdictions studying together at seminary will be a strong element in building unity.

Another area where we can combine efforts is in the work of evangelism. That field has changed substantially over the past thirty years. Our early mission was to provide a home for traditional Episcopalians. My seminary classmates will remember being sent out to start a church with nothing more than a box of prayer books, an altar cross, two candlesticks and a small advertising budget. It was a bit easier then. You could place an ad in the local newspaper telling Episcopalians that they had a choice to keep the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The Prayer Book was a rallying cry. The people came and many of you are here today.

Now, we face a generation that hears the words and theology of our Prayer Book for the first time when they enter one of our churches. Yes, there is the occasional Episcopalian who greets us at the door tearfully saying, "I thought that I would never hear those words again" but they are increasingly few. We cannot depend solely on Prayer Book recognition to attract new members. Our evangelizing is going to take more work.

We have much to offer the person who is looking for a church home. Our beautiful liturgy, traditional music and Biblical preaching make a powerful combination. The small size of our congregations creates a family environment that many people find appealing. Our priests know each member of their congregations, making it easier to personalize the love of God. These are attractive attributes and we need to communicate them to people in our neighborhoods and beyond. Shortly, I will introduce our new National Communications Advisor, who is working on ways to help us do this.

Simply opening new congregations is not enough. We must make every provision for their success, ensuring that we have sound plans for their operation, finance, clergy support and growth. In the Diocese of the Western States, I have created a joint advisory board for missions. The board members have experience in fields ranging from business, finance and real estate to the ecclesiastical skills needed to open a new church. They are responsible for helping to develop the mission plan, as well as serving as a resource to the vicar, and lay leaders. I suggest that we employ some of that same strategy throughout our province.

It also makes sense for us to work with our sister jurisdictions in evangelism. For our part, we will not open missions in areas served by them. In those communities where we each have established congregations, we should look for ways where we can cooperate to the betterment of each.

Father Stephen Scarlett, a priest in the Anglican Catholic Church and rector of St. Matthew's in Newport Beach, California, is passionate about evangelism. He and I recently discussed the benefits of our working together. We share a common goal of bringing more people to Christ. We are fighting for the salvation of souls. A combined army with common tactics has a much better chance for success.

We have much work to do as we explore our renewed relationship. I believe that by mutual support we can more effectively fulfill the vocation our Lord has given us. With the commitment I have seen from our own bishops and from our brothers in the Anglican Catholic Church and the United Episcopal Church, it will be an exciting time.

I hope that you find this meeting helpful. I intend to call us together every two years so we can have time for fellowship and enjoyable activities, and so you can hear a "State of the Province" report. However, you won't need to wait two years to learn what is happening in the APCK. Soon, you will see the premier issue of a new Provincial Newsletter and reconfigured website. They will provide up-to-date information about synods, camps, retreats and other activities. You will be able to see photographs and read about ordinations, new congregations and buildings, the seminary, and activities in other parishes. We are excited about these new communications developments and look forward to your feedback.

Now for a personal note: I want to thank you for your love and support. Laurelle and I will never forget your many kindnesses and words of encouragement. You fill my heart and give me the strength and confidence I need to do this work. I pledge to you my dedication to being your archbishop - to being a shepherd to this most wonderful flock. I will not forget that you are a precious people, bought with the blood of Christ. I will not forget that Christ, the good Shepherd, will judge me at the end of time for how well I have cared for you and how faithfully I have led you. I ask for your prayers that God will grant me the wisdom, courage and strength to lead you ever closer to Him.

Thank you.