How odd it is that we celebrate such treasonous acts. Yet every one of us praises this event and other illegal actions that have happened over the centuries. We praise the people of England for forcing King John to sign the Magna Carta. We celebrate the treasonous act of translating the Scriptures into English. We are gladdened by the Reformation which pushed back against a Church that had lost its way and was not willing to reform itself. We applaud Rosa Parks for breaking the law and sitting in the front of the bus...and we can name more.

We all can find treasonous actions we admire or find praise worthy. For example, the actions of Christians in Holland and other countries who hid Jews, illegally, from the tyranny of the Nazi regime or the actions of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his gang as they tried to bring down Hitler... We celebrate them, because they were attempts to thwart, correct or escape from powers or laws that had become corrupt, abusive and/or were increasingly immoral.

Let me bring this back home to our Diocesan setting. From my perspective, we are facing the threat of an increasingly corrupt and immoral power in our Church. We have tried to bring it back to the truth, but have been unable to make that happen.

We have tried to fend off its advances, but we find ourselves less and less able. No matter what we do, heretical tendencies tirelessly advance their way through the ranks of our clergy and laity.

We try to stop the madness, but we are seemingly powerless to do so. For example, Bishop Howe and other bishops vociferously opposed John Spong and all of his challenges to biblical truth, yet Spong remains a Bishop in good standing in our church. Bishop Swing has his Institute for One World Religion. He, too, is a Bishop in good standing. Our House of Bishops gladly elected a new Presiding Bishop who does not affirm the uniqueness of Christ for Salvation. We can add other problems.

There seems to be very few places in TEC where absolute truth is even believed much less cherished. It is unfashionable to preach conversion to Christ Jesus alone. It is not PC to assert that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. It is okay to be a Muslim and a Christian. The LGBT organization "Integrity" holds power and is celebrated throughout the Church, while in the same dioceses the AAC or the Network are often prohibited...Well, you know all the arguments that have been made.

I believe at the heart of all of this turmoil is the issue of salvation. (TEC as an institution stands for: salvation by whoever you trust. It stands for believing what you want. It stands for plurifom truths. etc). We can argue all we want that "We, the Diocese of Central Florida, do not hold the same beliefs as TEC," but even as we say it, we hold up the TEC banner, we wear the TEC moniker, we sport the TEC label. And as much as we make our case, our "franchise" name shouts to Central Florida that we stand for/ support the things that TEC stands for. I am reminded of the old saying, "What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say."

As for me, I believe TEC has soundly rejected the Lord...Not every Bishop, not every priest, but the great and controlling majority. I believe it is nearly too far gone to turn back to the Lord. Still, I pray for a "death bed" conversion for TEC. I really want it too. I grew up in the Church. It has been my faith family all my life. There are still so many good things in the institution. However, sometimes, when a nice looking house is found to have too much termite damage, the only action is to let the house go and rebuild a new home on the same spot.

I am prepared to do what we have to do to NOT let TEC take our diocese down with it in its rejection of the Lord and into its corrupt ways... even if it might be the, so called, "illegal" action to remove our accession to TEC. (I do not personally believe it is illegal). I hold firmly that the Lord gave to us the stewardship of his property, his mission and his people. We are called to hold it faithfully for him. I for one am willing to take action, in order to lead our sheep to safety. I hope we never have to. But I pray we will never balk at doing what's right even if it is considered "illegal."

Ironically, perhaps, as I write this, I am aware that my brother is a member of the Falls Church, one of those churches who have done an alleged "illegal" action, but I believe it was the right action to protect its people. Another irony is that even with four services in their new sanctuary, it is difficult to find even one empty seat. The people have come out of the woodwork to worship with them since they let TEC continue on their merry way without them.

I am praying first for repentance for TEC, but am willing to take the bold and risky action to not lose what has been entrusted to us by the Lord.

---The Rev. Paul D. Jagoe is Vicar of St. Philip’s Mission in Lake Nona, Orlando Florida