PLANO PLUS: Eastern Meeting Of Faithful Episcopalians Eclipses Landmark Dallas Gathering

First Report By Auburn Faber Traycik

The Christian Challenge

January 9, 2004

IT WAS CALLED as a follow-up to Octobers Dallas (Plano) meeting—where some 2,700 conservative Episcopalians gathered to stand for the faith and seek a way forward after the watershed Episcopal General Convention--but its registration has well exceeded that of the Texas confab.

Welcome to Plano-East! the Rev. John Guernsey, rector of All Saints Church, Woodbridge, Virginia, near Washington D.C., told the enthusiastic congregation assembled this evening at Woodbridge’s huge Hylton Memorial Chapel. The January 9-10 gathering, meeting under the theme A Place to Stand, A Call to Mission is being sponsored by the Virginia and Washington chapters of the American Anglican Council (AAC).

We are nearly 3,000 strong, Guernsey said, with bishops, clergy, laity and seminarians, persons of all ages, from 45 dioceses in 25 states including, praise God, New Hampshire home to Vicky Gene Robinson, the actively gay cleric the August General Convention approved as the states next bishop.

The turnout is the more remarkable considering that there was less lead time or publicity for  Plano-East agreed AAC media officer Bruce Mason.

IT SEEMS A GOOD GAUGE of the gathering strength of the nascent Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, the movement of North American

faithful that started to take shape in the wake of the conventions endorsement of Robinson and of optional same-sex blessings. While the actions capped some 25 years of liberal revisionism in the Episcopal Church(ECUSA), they were for many the most biblically clear-cut. Because they defied what the vast majority of Anglicans see as the plain teaching of scripture--teaching repeatedly affirmed by Anglican leaders in recent years--ECUSAs decisions, and the subsequent consecration of Robinson, have led to a crisis and breakdown in communion across the global church.

We are here to worship Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life and to gather and unite around His leadership, Guernsey said in his welcome address to Plano-East.. We are here for solid biblical teaching, for fellowship and mutual encouragement to offer hope to the next generation, and to gain insights into Anglican realignment and the emerging Network, due to be formally inaugurated January 19-20 in Plano, Texas.

We are here to pray for our broken church he went on. We are not here because of what we are against, but of what we are for the transforming love of Christ, he said. He welcomed any persons present who may disagree with the AAC.

The evenings gathering and worship had begun with robust, foot-tapping praise songs, and, after Guernsey’s remarks, led into the Eucharist service, with Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan preaching and celebrating.

In his moving sermon, Duncan elucidated obvious parallels between the situation of ECUSA conservatives and the gospel for the day, the story of Jesus walking on the water, and Peters attempt to walk out to Him. The disciple began to sink when he became afraid and looked away from Jesus. The scripture says the Lord reached out his hand and caught him. `You of little faith, he said, ` why did you doubt? And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him...

Saturdays session will begin with Morning Prayer and Bible study led by the Rev. Dr. John Yates, rector of the Falls Church in Virginia. Among others featured on the program Saturday will be the Rev. Kendall Harmon, Canon theologian of the Diocese of South Carolina; the Rev. Canon Martyn Minns, rector of Truro Church, Fairfax, Virginia; Diane Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy; A Hugo Blankingship Jr., Chancellor of the AAC; the Rev. Thomas W.S. Logan Jr., rector of Calvary Church, Washington, Andrew C. Pearson, director of AACs Affiliates Ministry

Auburn Traycik is Editor of The Christian Challenge