Gay bishop cutting into Episcopal membership

By The Rev. Danny Janes

Kalamazoo Gazette

Friday, January 16, 2004

In response to the Rev. Cynthia Blacks Jan. 1 Viewpoint on Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson – I’m sad that so many people gloating over this election still don’t get it.

While they celebrate Bishop Robinson as an icon of inclusion, their denomination continues to suffer the hemorrhage of members who are fed-up with their pandering to the gay community. Wake up! How many years of loss and decline is the Episcopal Church’s going to overlook until they awake to the realization that they’re alienating the base of their constituency?

I speak from experience as a pastor. A few years ago, a lovely lady started visiting our churches from a local Episcopal congregation. We had not visited, contacted or solicited her in any way. She sought us out because she was aware of the historic connection between the Anglican/Episcopalian Churches and the Methodist Church’s. She knew that we were far less liturgical and more evangelical, but shared a common historical root through John Wesley.

Upon getting acquainted with her, I learned that she had been a devoted Episcopalian for many years. When I asked her why she had stopped  attending, she told me that she had struggled with the liberal drift of the denomination for a long time. The final straw was the appointment of an openly gay priest as pastor of her local parish. She said, I’m just too old, too tired and too fed-up to keep fighting the powers-that- be!

Please understand, I’m not out recruiting disgruntled members of other church’s. There are enough people who don’t know Jesus Christ in the community to fill every church around here.

The question is: Do you just keep dismissing these people as intolerant and unenlightened malcontents, or do you ever admit how terribly out-of- step you are with the grassroots majority? You can produce all the polls you want to prove your support -- but how many of those polls are filling your pews?

I don’t celebrate Gene Robinsons appointment as bishop. I grieve for a denomination that would elevate a man living an immoral lifestyle to its highest office of leadership. Forget the issue of homosexuality for a moment.

If I were to leave my wife and children for another woman, and be living in an adulterous relationship, would I be qualified for leadership in the church? Not in the churches I’m a part of! But apparently, it's all right for Bishop Robinson to have a relationship with his live-in lover precisely because he’s gay. We don’t dare criticize the promiscuousness and immorality of gays without suffering the accusation of being homophobes. The last time I checked, the Bible  condemns sexual promiscuity for heterosexuals and homosexuals alike! (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Rev. Black proudly stated, The fact that a mainstream Christian denomination, guided by the Holy Spirit in a democratic process, can affirm the ministry of a man who happens to be gay and ordain him as a bishop, means that all who are marginalized are affirmed. I beg to differ.

In my opinion, the fact that a drastically declining denomination, guided by a liberal agenda in a politically correct pursuit, can excuse the lifestyle of a man who advertises that he is gay and ordain him as a  bishop, means that all who disagree can take a hike.

My condolences to the faithful men and women of the Episcopal Church’s who still happen to believe that Biblical authority trumps bureaucratic tyranny.

The Rev. Danny J. Janes is senior pastor at Kalamazoo Wesleyan Church’s.

New Anglican Churches begun in Atlanta and Rome, Georgia by CEEC

As events unfold in the life of the Episcopal Church’s USA, other Anglican and Episcopal jurisdictions are actively at work to establish new parishes where the orthodox faithful can find a home.  In recent weeks, two new Anglican church’s have been established in Atlanta and Rome that are receiving Episcopal oversight from the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Church’s.  The CEEC seeks to blend the liturgical, evangelical, and spirit-filled aspects of the Holy Church’s.

All Saints Anglican Church’s in Rome, Georgia, is a mission’s outreach of the Archdiocese of the Holy Trinity, Province of Christ the Good Shepherd.  The Most Reverend Max Broussard, Archbishop, has appointed the Very Reverend Mark C as Vicar of the mission.  All Saints is now meeting at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church’s in Rome and has been warmly received there.  The web site for All Saints is www.allsaintsac.org.

Church’s of the Trinity in Acworth, Georgia (Cobb County) was formed by a group of families who left the Episcopal Church’s USA over the recent issue of the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.  While the parish has not yet formally affiliated with any jurisdiction, it is also receiving Episcopal oversight from the Province of Christ the Good Shepherd.  Rev. C is now serving as Priest there as well. 

The website for Church of the Trinity is  www.church’softhetrinity.net.

Both churches are growing as word spreads of our existence, said Rev. C.  We intend to be churches where the faithful can hear the Word of God expounded and taught in depth without compromise, where the ancient Creeds of  the Church’s are adhered to, and where Anglican orthodoxy is maintained.  We  have an emphasis on community and building one another up in the faith.  We hope  to establish more parishes in the surrounding area.

The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches is a member of the new Anglican Federation.  Rev. C is also the Abbot General of the Company of Jesus, a Franciscan and Benedictine third order religious community.  The COJ is an affiliate ministry of the American Anglican Council.

For more information, please contact Rev. C at 678-794-7826 or email him at frmark@companyofjesus.net.

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