It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity . . .
Those opening words from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities could have been cut from today’s headlines, for they seem to aptly describe our modern world—and the Church. These days peace, joy and love are constantly overshadowed by conflict, sorrow and discord. Leaders and institutions that were once considered trustworthy have lost their way and betrayed our trust. Even the Church, the ever-enduring place of safety, comfort and direction—a bellwether in the storms of life—has now become part of the storm itself. What used to be an occasional concern about the state of (and future of) the church has now become almost regular topic of conversation when two or more Episcopalians are gathered together. Many are now echoing the words of the psalmist, “O, that we might see better times!” (Psalm 4:6 AV, from “An Order for Compline,” BCP, p. 129).
While no one would doubt that the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion are in crisis, I am hopeful and optimistic about the future of Holy Comforter and the Diocese of Texas. That hope is based on several factors.
First, for those of us who consider ourselves “orthodox” and still “believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation…” [See “The Ordination of a Priest,”, BCP, p. 526], our hope rests not in the “institution” of the church and the ever-changing whims of leaders seeking to appease and conform to a restless, egocentric society. Rather, our hope lies in the unchangelessness of God the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the God Who is active in His creation today! Folks, if we don’t begin with faith in God and His Holy Word, nothing else will stand or matter much.
Second, I find hope in the statement and supporting paper issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverent Rowan Williams. Dr. Williams outlines a very clear view of the future of the Anglican Communion as a covenant community of interdependent churches where important decisions of faith and order are made. Based on recent actions by General Convention and revisionist bishops, the Episcopal Church (USA) is clearly headed in a different direction that that of the rest of the Anglican Communion. You need to know that Bishop Wimberly shares the views presented by Archbishop Williams and is committed to keeping the Diocese of Texas in the Anglican Communion. If you haven’t done so, I encourage you to read Dr. Williams’ paper, which can be found online at www.anglicancommunion.org, or you may call the Church Office and request a copy. I plan to hold another forum in September to discuss this and other topics.
Another source of hope for me comes from the fellowship and work of the Coalition of Likeminded Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of Texas. This is a group of folks who hold Biblical authority, the received tradition of the Church and our Anglican heritage and ethos to be the basis for our faith and worship today. A Statement of Faith has been drafted that spells out our support for these principles of faith and pledges our support to Archbishop Williams, Bishop Wimberly and the faithful of our parishes. Fr. Joe and I, along with the Vestry, have signed the statement, which can be found in this issue of the Dove, or at www.TexasCoalition.org. If you wish to add your name, you may do so on the website.
Finally, I find hope in you, the people of Holy Comforter. Following General Convention 2003, when many Episcopal churches were losing members by the dozens, you stood firm. In fact, Holy Comforter has actually grown in both membership and Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) since GC 2003. The reason, I believe, is that we have remained focused on our mission …to know Christ and to make Christ known. Satan need not destroy the Church to render it ineffective (According to Jesus in Matthew 16:18, he couldn’t do so, anyway); he needs only to distract us from the mission—no, the Great Commission, given to us by Jesus.
When money is tight and the budget is taxed, the most often proposed solution is to “cut expenses There was a time a few years ago when Holy Comforter was struggling financially, and the only solution seemed to be to cut expense, which meant eliminating ministries and programs. A former Treasurer offered some wise words to the vestry during those uncertain days. He suggested that, rather than focus on the “bottom” line (i.e., cut expenses), we seek instead to increase the “top” line (i.e., increase revenue). It worked.
Each of us has a choice. We can choose to use the finite amount of energy and talents each of us has to complain about the state of the Episcopal Church, which will only lead to discouragement and frustration. Or we can choose to use our energy and talents to spread the Gospel and care for one another.
Let’s face it. We still have much to do. I believe that as long as Holy Comforter is part of the Diocese of Texas with Bishop Wimberly as our bishop, we will continue to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our community with a traditional and orthodox faith. As long as we are constituent members of the Anglican Communion, I don’t believe there will be a problem keeping—even expanding—our property. While I realize many of you are weary of waiting and want to see tangible results more quickly, the process of reforming the Anglican Communion as a covenant community will take time. I am once again asking you to stand firm. Please know that I am watching the developments as they occur and will keep you informed. In the meantime, I plan to continue to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to be your priest and pastor, and to stand with you in the uncertain days ahead. Above all, remember that God is still in control of His creation, and Jesus is still Lord. Keep your eyes on Jesus, pray for the church and one another, and…keep the faith!
Shalom!
