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Spring blossoms and Grace Church, parish hall, first afternoon of conference Cross and stained glass window, entrance Grace church, first night of conference Acolytes prepare for procession, evensong and Lord Carey's first sermon, first night of conference, Grace Church Lord Carey preaches, Evensong, first night of conference Little Mary, Bishop Alpha's adopted daughter with harpist, Alpha is Bishop in Rift Valley, Tanzania, Evensong first night of conference, Grace Church Bishop Alpha with conference attendees, Antlers Hotel first morning of conference Lord Carey and others sing Gospel praise, first morning of conference, Antlers Hotel Jeremy Begbie talks on Mystery, Antlers Hotel, first morning of conference, Exit sign is purely intentional Ashley Null answers questions after his presentation, first morning of conference Grace Episcopal clergy with Lord Carey and Bishop alpha. Fr. Don Armstrong of Grace stands between Carey and Alpha at right Lord Carey preaches, Grace Church, communion last night of conference Robert Prichard speaks first day of conference, Antlers Hotel Ashley Null speaks second day of conference, Antlers Hotel Ephraim Radner speaks second day of conference, Antlers Hotel Bill Attwood speaks second day of conference, Antlers Hotel Peter Walker speaks second day of conference, Anglers Hotel Alpha Mohamed speaks second day of conference, antlers Hotel John Karanja speaks second day of conference Photos by Grace Episcopal parishioner and Kingdom servant, Steve Starr. In Colorado Springs Steve has a ministry working with a number of ministries as a photographer and a digital photography consultant. See more of his work at http://www.stevestarr.com. Steve was honored to win a Pulitzer in photojournalism while working as a news photographer with The Associated Press in 1970. Christian journalist friends from St. Stephens in Coconut Grove, FL. lead Steve back to Christ in 1988. "I pray daily that our denomination will return to Scripture."

Robinson absent for victory SUE BAILEY Canadian Press Thursday, April 29, 2004 OTTAWA -- The Senate passed a bill Wednesday to extend hate-crime protection to homosexuals, but MP Svend Robinson wasn't there to enjoy his hard-won victory. The openly gay New Democrat was in self-imposed exile from the political limelight as his private member's bill jumped the last major hurdle to becoming law. Not that Robinson, disgraced after admitting he stole an expensive ring on April 9, was far away. He was seen exchanging hugs and high-fives with jubilant supporters on a street within sight of Parliament Hill. Robinson has declined interview requests since taking a medical leave from his job. He cited stress and "emotional pain" at a tearful news conference two weeks ago. "He is under orders from his medical professionals that he's not to engage in any activities that are parliamentary," said Ian Capstick, a spokesman for the NDP caucus. Robinson was only in Ottawa for a day to complete related paperwork and retrieve some personal items, Capstick said. The timing coincided with the vote by coincidence, he said. Senators voted 59-11 to pass the bill as applause echoed through the ornate red chamber. It now requires the final formality of royal assent to become law. It was a rare feat for an opposition MP but a tempered victory. Robinson, who publicly apologized for the theft, could still face charges. A special prosecutor in B.C. is reviewing whether he should be charged. "It's a real mixture of sadness and happiness," said New Democrat MP Libby Davies, a close friend of Robinson's. "It's sort of bittersweet that he's put so much into it and he's not able to be there at the Senate to see it go through." Davies, who represents Vancouver East, called Robinson right after the vote but didn't tell reporters he was in town. "He has a lot to go through, including a possible court case," she said in an earlier interview. "But right now his focus is on getting the help he needs." Robinson, a 25-year veteran of federal politics, had worked since 1981 to add gays and lesbians to a list of groups legally protected from incitement of hatred and genocide under the Criminal Code. The bill cleared the House of Commons last September after raucous debate. At the time, the former Canadian Alliance - now part of the new Conservative party - and some Liberals fought the bill over fears that freedom of speech and religion would suffer. Opponents raised concerns that the bill could be used even against religious leaders who condemn homosexuality from the pulpit. They also attacked the logic of singling out certain groups for specific protection, arguing that violence against all people should be prosecuted equally and is already outlawed. The bill's passage in the Liberal-dominated Senate alarmed critics. "Unfortunately, most Liberals in both the Senate and the House of Commons chose to support an NDP-sponsored law that could put fundamental Canadian freedoms in jeopardy," said Conservative MP Vic Toews, a former attorney general of Manitoba. Supporters dismissed such claims, citing the frequency with which gays and lesbians - particularly homosexual men - are targeted. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Professional Police Association supported the bill. Police have so far been powerless to prosecute the likes of Rev. Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kan., who runs a website that declares God hates homosexuals. Supporters of Phelps have entered Canada twice in the last five years to hold anti-gay rallies.

Gay bishop proves it's never too late to fall in love With grandson in attendance, 78-year-old cleric marries same-sex partner By Rona Marech, Staff Writer San Francisco Chronicle Thursday, April 29, 2004 The ceremony lasted two hours and 45 minutes. When it concluded, Otis Charles, the world's first openly gay Christian bishop, also became the world's first bishop to wed his same-sex partner in church. Charles, an Episcopal bishop, married Felipe Sanchez Paris before several hundred people at St. Gregory's of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco over the weekend. The bishop says he was guided by his belief that all human beings are called upon to live as fully as they can. That same precept guided him in 1993 when, at age 67, he announced he was gay. "The single most powerful possibility for raising people's awareness and consciousness would be when in the church relationships are being blessed," said Charles, who turned 78 on his wedding day. "When people see that two human beings want to commit their lives together and are able to do that and have the desire to do that with the blessing of God. "My 8-year-old grandson was there, and I think of what the world will be like when young people see two people can make a deep commitment to each other, and it has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with love." A grand total of four different clergy helped officiate the wedding, which began with drumming and ended when Charles and Paris were lifted in chairs and carried outside. The ceremony included singing, dancing and opportunities for the guests and the betrothed to give impromptu speeches. Three of the couple's nine grown children participated in the wedding, welcoming the new spouse into the family by placing a lei around his neck. David Perry, one of the best men, read from the poem "The Truelove" by David Whyte. "If you wanted to drown you could," he read. "But you don't." "I could barely get through it," Perry said. "This man had lived his life in fear of drowning and now he said, 'I'm tired of drowning.'" Charles, who served as bishop of Utah for 15 years and then president of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., was married for 42 years and has five children. He told his wife he was gay in 1976, but he didn't come out publicly until he retired 11 years ago. For years, Charles said, he told himself it would be too hard on the diocese, on his family, on his wife. But then keeping his secret became unbearably oppressive. "I was ashamed of myself for remaining silent when the church was involved in an acrimonious debate about the whole question of gay people in the life of the church. I couldn't live with that any longer," he said. "I came to realize that I was only going to wither and die and it would be a destructive relationship for my wife and myself." In a letter to fellow bishops, Charles wrote, "I will not remain silent, invisible, unknown." The Episcopal Church continues to be highly divided over the issue of gay priests and same-sex marriage. Last year, in a hotly debated election, Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, became bishop of New Hampshire. The church had long held that it was possible to ordain gay priests, as long as they were celibate, but Robinson's election created a furor because he has a longtime partner. Robinson and Charles are the only two openly gay bishops to this day. The question of whether to bless same-sex unions has also caused some internal strife: Though such unions aren't officially encouraged, the church has acknowledged that in some dioceses, officiating such ceremonies is common practice. Charles and his wife ended their marriage soon after his public announcement. Nearly 70 and unsure "how to be gay," Charles moved to San Francisco. For the first year, he lived among Episcopal Franciscans and began to build a new life. "What was nurturing was just simple things," he said. "Walking down the street seeing a rainbow flag or two men holding hands." He directed a gay ministry. He went dancing. He had openly gay friends. "At whatever age you come out, you have to live through whatever you've missed," he said. "Even though you're 67, you have to go through a process I associate with adolescence. Hopefully, you do it with a little more maturity and grace." Two years ago, after some relationship fits and starts, he met Paris, 62, a retired professor and political organizer with four ex-wives and four children. And the white-haired bishop fell in love. "As people get older, they turn into two kinds. Some become thinner and wispier, and the lifeblood has gone out of them because they have regrets and there are some things you can't do anymore," said the Rev. Leng Lim, a friend who's also an Episcopalian priest. "Or there are people who become really alive to the moment, to the vulnerability that is there, to the love. Because they've worked through their own stuff. And Otis belongs to that second group." Several days after marrying, the couple took turns recounting the details of their wedding. True to form, Charles shed his bishop-like pensiveness and hopped out of his chair to sing and demonstrate a dance. "See what I mean by energy?" said Paris, who has a habit of pausing mid-sentence to smile. Charles is rarely at a loss for words, but reflecting on what had passed he said, "I don't think I can describe it, but I do feel different." He touched his chest and stared at Paris for a long time. "So," he said softly.

By David W. Virtue The Word of Frank That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Episcopal Church. The life in ECUSA appeared for a season, we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the brief life, all too brief, which was with Frank and appeared to the House of Bishops with much blinding and diverse light. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us and be inclusive and not excluded, for that would be a crying shame and cause many of us to be sad, for we believe in collegiality above all else. And our fellowship is with one another and it is here that we Dance the Circle Dance of Dispossession when the House of Bishops gather, in order to dispossess ourselves of all bad thoughts and rejuvenate our karmas. I write these "gracious" words to make our common joy complete. This is the message we have heard from Sufi Rumi and declare unto you: Sufi is light; and in him there is no darkness at all for he dwelleth on a plain beyond good and evil where we all hope one day to dwell, for truly there is no darkness in that place. If we claim to have fellowship with the beloved Sufi and yet continue to walk in the darkness of absolutism where there is no pluriform thinking, we lie and do not live by the many pluriform truths of which I am a great advocate. But if we walk in the transcendent light of Sufi, as he is in the light, we have collegiality with one another; and the thoughts of Sufi Rumi purifies us from all bad thoughts and raises us up beyond good and evil so we don't have to worry about those narrow-minded orthodox types who still inhabit my church. For truly there is a GREATER truth which inhabiteth Otis of the Charles and Vickie of the Gene pool who embrace many of their own species, much to their delight and ours. If we proclaim to be without error, and I am rarely wrong, we deceive ourselves only if we do not see things my way, and the truth is not in you. If we confess that it is my way or it will be the highway, we will be liberated from the bondage of believing in sin which only causes us unnecessary guilt which I have banished as being bad for your karma and aura. For there are many truths and I know most of them. If you have not embraced pluriform truths and wish to live in the narrow confines of single truths there will ultimately be no place for you among the House of Purple, for you will feel out of place because of your narrow-minded thinking. Therefore you will cry a lot and feel excluded, and I would not wish that. Chapter 2 My dear ECUSANs, I write this to you so that you will not fall into the habit of believing in personal sin, for truly there are only bad thoughts and they can be brushed aside if you perform acts of mercy. Think good thoughts, for I have banished the bad and the attendant guilt. If you do have bad thoughts speak to me and I will absolve you of all psychological guilt feelings, for that is all they are. And I will speak to Sufi in your defense for he is the Righteous One. And there is no need for atonement, for Mel doth have it wrong. Think triumphantly and you will be triumphant. Think good thoughts and goodness will flow from you. For truly if you obey me, you will be right, and things will go smoothly for you. The bishop who says "I know you, Frank" but does not do what I command is a liar and shall receive a private visit from David Booth Beers and he WILL demonstrate that the truth is not in you, and verily he will invoke the Dennis Canon and you shall be very much afraid. I, Frank have spoken and my words will not be gracious unto you. But if everyone obeys my word, my love and that of Sufi Rumi will be made complete with a large and bounteous check from the many and diverse Trust Funds that I have at my disposal, and verily you shall never go without. That is how you know you belong to me. Whoever claims to live in me, must walk as I do, and good things shall flow bounteously from me to you, and you shall want for nothing. Dear friends, none of this is new, for I have been preaching pluriformity for years, it is very old and goes back to Lambeth '98 where I made public my 'pluriform truths' speech at a press conference. This is old news, but let me refresh you just in case you don't get the message and ill befalls you. Yet in a way I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in me and my revisionist pals in the HoB, because the old exclusive, fundamentalist, narrow 'light' of the gospel is slowly being extinguished and the new light of Sufi Rumi shineth, and this light inhabiteth me and it will, if you accept it and come with me to a plain beyond good and evil, find yourself shining as the noonday sun passing over a gay bathhouse in Niagara, New York which was closed down for it was no longer a 'safe place' and many did catch the dreaded disease. Anyone who claims to be in the light, and I hope that is all 100 diocesan bishops, but still loves orthodoxy, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother bishop (and you have your choice of eros, philia, storge or agape, but Frankly I prefer the first), will not cause his fellow bishop to stumble, otherwise he will be forced to stand in a corner at an Oasis meeting in the Diocese of Newark and there have his bottom smacked by Louie of the Earnest. But whoever hates his brother bishop is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness and he will no longer Dance the Circle Dance of Dispossession with us and will find (Sufi forbid), a presentment against him and face the wrath of his fellow bishops, because it is very clear the darkness of narrow-minded orthodoxy has blinded him. I write to you dear children of ECUSA, because I want to banish all bad thoughts on account of the name of my friend Sufi who knoweth all things. I write to you fathers in God, because you have known me from the beginning and I can speak out of many sides of my mouth, and make words mean what I want them to mean and not mean, and when all else fails I can resolve it all in 'mystery' which we can all embrace, even as I am embraced by you. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the narrowness of exclusive thinking. I write to you, dear children, because you are easily indoctrinated by the new thinking much proclaimed in our modern textbooks from Episcopal Publishing Houses and other publishing places of pluriformity. DO NOT LOVE THE ORTHODOX Do not love the orthodox or anything they believe any more. If anyone loves the orthodox, the love of myself and Sufi Rumi is not in him. For everything in orthodox thinking — the cravings for absolute truth, the lust for true spirituality and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from me and Suff, but from the Bible and that is subject to many interpretations, and I have used many in the course of my lifetime. For the church, The Episcopal Church may be passing away, but the Episcopalian who does my will and that of Suff will live forever, or until the money runs out and I have to take out a mortgage on 815 2nd avenue, but that will be long after I am dead and gone to live with Suff on his plain of happiness. WARNINGS AGAINST ORTHODOXY Dear children of ECUSA, many think this is the last hour of our beloved church, but it is not so. We may have a cash flow problem but it is temporary, and if the markets continue to rise we can live off the interest of the Trust Funds for years and the Church Pension Fund floweth like the Hudson River forever and ever. I may no longer travel First Class and be reduced to Business Class in my peregrinations around the globe as I promote my inclusive, affirming, pan-everything notion of mission, but I will suffer the hardship for your sake and my gospel. The orthodox went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us and believed the new religion; but their going showed that none of them REALLY belonged to us because they could not accept pluriform truths, of which I am its foremost advocate. Their very narrowness was their undoing, for they could not see the big picture which now includes Vickie of the Gene pool. But you have been anointed by me when you became bishop. I laid my hands on your head and said you belonged to me and the Dennis Canon, and behold you do….until you die…or you will face the Title IV Review Committee. Who is the liar? It is the bishop who denies my authority and that Suff is the Liberator of our narrowness and exclusivity. Such a man is the antiSuff, he denies me and Suff and that is unforgivable. No one who denies my inclusive thinking has Suff in him; whoever acknowledges me, Frank of the Flexible Wrist, gets a night in my New York City Penthouse, dinner at Club 21…and that's a bargain. Therefore, see that what you have heard from the beginning, or 1998, remains in you. If it does, you will remain my friend forever and ever and I will be a 'safe place' for you and you shall never be attacked by narrow uninclusive bishops like Duncan of the Pitts. I write so you won't be lead astray by Iker of the Fortress mentality, for the anointing you have received from me remains with you, and you do not need anyone else to teach you, for my anointing is real, not counterfeit as some wretched cyber journalist says to you. So remain in me, for I am your liberator and friend. Fondly, Frank

Special Report By David W. Virtue Orthodox Episcopal clergy across the US can now give input to the Lambeth (Eames) Commission and speak directly to the commissioners with their views and opinions as the report is being shaped. The Letter to the Eames Commission is the brainchild of Canon David Roseberry, rector Christ Church, Plano, one of the largest orthodox parishes in ECUSA. (You can see and sign the petition at www.virtuosityonline.org) “I felt that the voices of thousands of clergy should be heard,” said Roseberry to Virtuosity. “With the advent of the INTERNET that is now possible. We strongly urge all those clergy who grieve over the state of Anglicanism in North America and who oppose the recent actions of General convention to write and tell the commission.” “We are deeply grieved over the state of Anglicanism in North America. It is being torn apart through actions that we thoroughly oppose. We repudiate the decision of the 2003 General Convention's consent to, and the subsequent consecration of, a non-celibate homosexual to be a bishop of the church. We reject the acceptance and promotion of same-sex blessings as part of the common life of our church. These introduced unbiblical and immoral teaching into the church, have jeopardized our common witness, and have brought into question our standing in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” “We want to see a roll back of the pansexual agenda in ECUSA. WeUnderstood. I’ll now: Remove all HTML tags Extract and clean the plain text Identify headlines (article titles) Convert headlines to ALL CAPS Make headlines bold using ** syntax Here is the edited result:

Memorandum to: The Clergy and People of the Diocese of Central Florida From: Bishop John W. Howe Regarding: The Church of the New Covenant Dear Brothers and Sisters, As you know, on February 5, 2004 the Rector and representatives of the Vestry of the Church of the New Covenant in Winter Springs informed the Chancellor and the Bishop of the Diocese that they had unanimously passed two resolutions the previous month. The first claimed that the Episcopal Church, USA, had abandoned its authority over the Church of the New Covenant, and the second set forth a process to transfer title of the property to a separate corporation not part of the Episcopal Church. They claimed to speak for "95 to 100 percent" of the present congregation in wishing to "come out from under the authority of the Episcopal Church." Our response was that those who wish to leave the Episcopal Church are free to do so, but clergy or members of a Vestry of an Episcopal church cannot make such resolutions while they are still in office. Accession to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church is a prerequisite to holding such an office in a local congregation. I instructed them that if they wished to leave the Episcopal Church they would have to resign their respective positions at the Church of the New Covenant. Further, we advised them that transferring the title to the property without the prior approval of the Bishop, the Diocesan Board, and the Standing Committee would be illegal under the laws of both the Episcopal Church and (therefore) the State of Florida. I asked them to rescind these two resolutions or resign "immediately." When over a week had passed without a response, the Chancellor filed a lawsuit with the Circuit Court of Seminole County to prevent the transfer of title. That same day the Vestry informed us they had, in fact, rescinded the second resolution regarding transferring title. However, they then filed a countersuit arguing that the actions of last summer’s General Convention constituted such a departure from Anglican orthodoxy that the Episcopal Church has no further legitimate authority over the Church of the New Covenant. They asserted not only the "right" to separate themselves -- as the Church of the New Covenant -- but to take the property with them at a fraction of its current value, since CNC is essentially a one-generation church, and the present membership has paid nearly all of the costs of construction. Both "sides" asked the Court for non-binding mediation (which the Court would have ordered, anyway). That mediation took place on April 12, 2004, and it resulted in a comprehensive agreement that was approved by the Diocesan Board, the Standing Committee, and the Vestry of the Church of the New Covenant on April 15, 2004. This agreement was arrived at after nearly 14 hours of mediation where many factors were under consideration. The agreement includes the following particulars: The Vestry of the Church of the New Covenant will rescind the resolution disavowing the authority of the Episcopal Church. Both "sides" will dismiss the lawsuits without prejudice. On or before June 1, 2004 the Rector and the members of the Vestry will resign, in order to form a new church entity. I have agreed to write letters dimissory for the Rev. Carl Buffington to whatever Anglican Province or diocese he wishes to affiliate with. Between now and June 1, 2004, I will contact the present members of the Church of the New Covenant (as will Fr. Buffington), to ascertain, on a confidential basis, their desire to remain members of the Church of the New Covenant, the Diocese of Central Florida, and the Episcopal Church USA, OR to leave to become part of the new church entity. I will assure those who wish to remain that the Bishop and the Diocese of Central Florida will continue to provide pastoral care for them. The new church entity will lease the property from the Church of the New Covenant (via the Diocese of Central Florida) for one year, while providing space for the continuing congregation of the Church of the New Covenant to hold separate services of worship as it rebuilds itself under the leadership of new clergy who will be appointed by the Bishop. Prior to the end of the one-year lease the Diocese of Central Florida will determine whether or not to utilize the property for a mission congregation or parish of the Diocese. a. If the Diocese does determine to utilize the property for a mission or parish, the new church entity may extend the lease for one year while the new entity prepares to relocate elsewhere. b. If the Diocese determines it will not utilize the property for a mission or parish of the Diocese it will agree to sell the property to the new church entity at Fair Market Value (as established by a mutually agreed appraisal), with an interest-free 30-year payout. If the new entity purchases the property, the lease payments will be credited toward this payout. I am deeply saddened that we have arrived at this juncture, but I am grateful for the good will of all concerned, and the prayers of so many throughout the Diocese. It is my commitment to provide continuing pastoral care for those who wish to stay, and to say to those who wish to leave, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." Warmest regards in him, +John W. Howe Episcopal Bishop of Central Florida 1017 East Robinson Street Orlando, Florida 32801 407-423-3567

BBC News Gay Church of England cleric Jeffrey John is coming under pressure to step down from his new position of Dean of St Albans. A group of around 40 evangelical clergy and laity in the St Albans diocese met on Tuesday to express their "dismay" at his appointment. It comes less than a year after he was forced to withdraw his acceptance of the post of Bishop of Reading. His appointment had sparked a storm of protest from Anglican conservatives. Since then, the first openly gay bishop has been consecrated in New Hampshire in the US. And the Anglican Communion has set up a commission to examine how to handle the issue of gay priests. In the meantime, the government and church authorities were urged to hold off making controversial appointments until the commission's findings were known. This drives a coach and horses through what we had considered to be a time for reflection and deep prayer Canon Nicholas Bell Downing Street's announcement last week of Dr John's appointment as Dean of St Albans has provoked further anger among some sections of the Anglican community. In a statement, the St Albans Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship said the move was a "serious error" of judgement. The group said it was "aggrieved" that the Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, had agreed to the appointment. Its "disquiet and concern" was further compounded by statements made at a news conference last week by Dr John and Bishop Herbert. "We regard their views, as reported, as wholly erroneous and contrary to scripture," the statement said. 'Serious error' "We respectfully request that the appointment be withdrawn," it added. Canon Nicholas Bell, of St Mary's Church, Luton, said the appointment had been "sprung" on the diocese. And he said he was considering resigning his post as a member of the college of canons at St Alban's Cathedral. "This drives a coach and horses through what we had considered to be a time for reflection and deep prayer," he said. A statement from the diocese said Bishop Herbert was out of the country leading a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. But he would be "pleased" to meet diocesan clergy and official representatives of parishes concerned about Dr John's appointment after his return to the UK on 7 May, it said. END

Dear Archbishop Eames: Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are clergy of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. We are very grateful for your faithfulness and willingness to serve the Communion during these very trying times. These days have been very difficult and demanding for all of us and we make our appeal to you based on our love for the Lord Jesus, our fellowship in the Gospel, and our devotion to the unity of the Anglican Communion. We are deeply grieved over the state of Anglicanism in North America. It is being torn apart through actions that we thoroughly oppose. We repudiate the decision of the 2003 General Convention's consent to, and the subsequent consecration of, a non-celibate homosexual to be a bishop of the church. We reject the acceptance and promotion of same-sex blessings as part of the common life of our church. These innovations have introduced unbiblical and immoral teaching into the church, have jeopardized our common witness, and have brought into question our standing in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We have called upon the leadership of the church to repent of and reverse these unbiblical and schismatic actions, but to no avail. These actions are harming the pastoral and evangelistic ministry that we lead and will prove fatal to the unity of the church. The most recent plan proposed by the Episcopal House of Bishops to provide delegated Episcopal oversight is inadequate because all of the power remains with the revisionist bishops. It does not acknowledge the depth of the crisis facing our Church, it deals insufficiently with Episcopal pastoral care of faithful congregations and clergy, and it fails entirely to address such issues as ordination, the calling of clergy, church planting, finances or property. We appeal to you and your commission for your urgent assistance in the restoration of biblical orthodoxy and unity. Without the imposition of discipline, the situation will only continue to deteriorate. We ask you to declare the need for immediate intervention to establish discipline, order, and accountability for the Episcopal Church. We are greatly heartened to know that so many of our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion are standing with us at this time. While the situation here is painful, it is encouraging to know that the things we believe are the norm in most of the communion. The prayers and support of faithful people around the world strengthen us and their fellowship is a joy and witness to us. We appeal to you to protect these relationships in your final report to the Primates of the Anglican Communion. Yours in Christ and for His Gospel, To Add your signature to this letter please visit the following address: (CLERGY ONLY). http://69.56.194.122/creatives/episcopalchurch/Sign%20Letter.htm Press submit only once. You will receive an email right after you hit "Submit", asking you to confirm your signature. Please check your email once you are done submitting your signature. Your signature cannot be added until you confirm it via email. Thank you

Officials want accused defrocked By Frank E. Lockwood HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER April 20, 2004 The Rev. Chris Platt's finances were in chaos. Divorced, bankrupt, unable to pay his bills, the Episcopal priest was struggling to get by on an annual compensation package of $79,000. The college chaplain and bishop's assistant couldn't pay his taxes without a loan from his employer. Unable to afford counseling, he had to ask the Lexington diocese to pay his psychologist's bills. Despite the help, Platt spiraled out of control, eventually stealing almost $50,000 from church banking accounts, diocesan officials say. Yesterday, a church tribunal began hearing Platt's case, reviewing dozens of suspicious checks signed by Platt, 56. The trial, the first of its kind in Lexington in at least three decades, pits Bishop Stacy Sauls against Platt, his former top assistant. Church attorney Buck Hinkle told the court that Platt's 21-year ministry may have helped people, "but along the way something went wrong, seriously wrong. It cannot be overlooked. It cannot be swept under the rug." Platt's attorney, Lee Van Horn, said his client committed no crimes and did nothing immoral. "If Father Platt had the good-faith belief that it was OK for him to write the checks that he did, that's not theft," Van Horn said. "It's our belief that, if this proceeding is fair and everyone does their job, he will be acquitted of the charges against him." Diocesan officials have asked the ecclesiastical court to defrock Platt for committing a "crime" and for exhibiting "conduct unbecoming of a member of the clergy." The panel, made up of three priests and two rank-and-file Episcopalians, has set aside the entire week to hear the case, although it could finish before Friday. Because it's a religious court, it has no power to fine or imprison the people it judges. But it could permanently remove Platt from the ministry. On the trial's first day, the church made its case against Platt. Diocesan administrator Maggie Hall testified that Platt misused three separate church accounts: the bishop's discretionary fund and two accounts belonging to St. Augustine's Chapel, the Episcopal Church's student ministry at the University of Kentucky. Platt allegedly wrote himself 19 checks worth $13,020. He wrote an additional 53 "for cash," checks totalling $13,930, Hall said. Another church check, for $250, was mailed to American Express, apparently to pay for Platt's private account, Hall said. In addition, Platt apparently used church money to make payments on a personal loan from BankOne, she said. It's unclear what many of the checks were used for since Platt kept poor records and little documentation, Hall said. Some of the expenses that are documented are unusual for an Episcopal priest. Platt paid his National Rifle Association dues and purchased a book called Erotique with church money. Yesterday afternoon, Platt told the Herald-Leader that the purchases were appropriate. Platt said the NRA membership helped him be a better spiritual adviser for UK police officers. The book, Platt said, was for a class at the chapel on art development and stained glass. When confronted last year by Hall and diocesan treasurer Thomas J. Robbins about suspicious withdrawals from the bishop's fund, Platt got agitated, Robbins told the court. "He was visibly upset. He physically was shaking," Robbins said of the March 2003 confrontation. "He did not provide explanations for the transactions." An investigation turned up $48,084.25 in suspicious transactions, Hall testified. Platt paid restitution of $5,200. An insurance company paid the rest, $42,884.25, she said. Yesterday, Platt confirmed that he had sent money to the diocese, but said it was simply a loan repayment. Platt promised the rest of the story will come out once he is allowed to present his side. "I think it'll get a whole lot more interesting," he said. "The truth will be told." END

The Rev. Julian Rush watched the headlines as 13 United Methodist pastors in the Pacific Northwest judged the fate of one of their colleagues. Few, if any, facts were in dispute. The Rev. Karen Dammann was living openly in a lesbian relationship and leveled with her superiors. And everyone knew, after a generation of bitter strife, that their Book of Discipline banned "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from ministry, because gay sex is "incompatible with Christian teachings." Rush wasn't surprised by the trial and he wasn't surprised by the verdict -- not guilty. After all, he survived a similar ecclesiastical minefield two decades ago in Colorado. "What surprised me was the way the news reports brought it all back," said Rush, 67, who rocked the whole United Methodist Church when he left the closet in 1981. "It was spooky, like a flashback. ... I remembered that whole feeling of powerlessness and total vulnerability. "I think that's probably a good thing. No matter how much progress we've made, we need to be reminded that things aren't settled yet." Rush eventually retired with his clergy credentials intact. In the mid-1980s, his peers in the Rocky Mountain region twice ruled that there was "insufficient evidence" to bring the AIDS activist and former youth pastor to trial. After all, church law focused on "self-avowed practicing" homosexuals and Rush simply declined to answer questions about his sex life. "I remember my lawyer saying, 'Make them prove it,'" said Rush, whose easy-going manner still betrays his Mississippi roots. "What were they going to do, hire a private investigator? No one wanted to do such an unseemly thing." The Dammann jury found a similar technicality. While the Discipline says "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teachings," the jury ruled that it never formally, legally, makes a "declaration" of this. But the jury did find this declarative statement: "Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community and the world. Thus, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination." Based on decades of experience, Rush knows what will happen next. Furious conservatives will, on April 27, arrive at the two-week national United Methodist General Conference "with their nostrils flared and breathing fire," he said. At the same time, the confidence of the church's progressive establishment will "move up a notch or two" after a much-publicized victory. Both sides will go to Pittsburgh "with their guns loaded," he said. The Internet is buzzing with drafts of resolutions to fix the Discipline and to force the bishops to get their flocks under control. Leaders on both sides acknowledge that the evangelical, growing churches of the heartland and Bible Belt hold a clear majority. Some of their leaders will call for repentance and reform in the Pacific Northwest. "Fact is ... we don't need anything more in the Book of Discipline. We just need folks who are willing to abide by it or enforce it," said the Rev. James V. Heidinger II, president of the Good News renewal movement. "We could tweak and tighten, but unless folks are willing to abide by the will of General Conference, they will always find some words to parse or interpret differently." Strangely enough, Rush basically agrees with this legal opinion. Laws cannot hide the fact that the United Methodist Church contains two radically different approaches to the faith, he said. Traditionalists believe there is an "established," "infallible" and "permanent core of doctrine that people have to believe if they are going to be Christians," said Rush. But the "liberal side of the church sees itself as open and expansive and its doctrine, quite frankly, is not as well defined. It sees faith as a kind of process and it is constantly changing. ... "One side knows how to lay down the law and the other side knows how to emote." But the infighting will continue, said Rush, because everyone is afraid to push the scary button labeled "schism." That would be financially devastating. "Everyone dances around that button," he said. "They really aren't trying to be clear and specific. They have to keep the Discipline vague enough to keep everyone in the tent. You end up with a kind of spiritual schizophrenia, but it holds things together." END

St Alban's Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship reacts to Jeffrey John appointment 27th April 2004 Reflecting the widespread concern over the appointment of Canon Jeffrey John to be Dean of St. Albans, a meeting of the Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship committee, together with a large number of clergy and laity from across the St Albans Diocese, expressed dismay at this appointment and the consequences that will flow from it. We recognise that the ministry of the Dean is confined primarily to the Cathedral but in view of the role such a person takes in the Diocese as a whole and also the importance of the Cathedral as one of the larger churches in the Diocese we regret this appointment. We note that this particular appointment has been made despite the request of the Lambeth Commission that perceived controversial appointments should be avoided during their 12 months consultation period. We consequently regard this step as a serious error of judgement. Furthermore, we are aggrieved that the Diocesan Bishop, who has also called on people not to take precipitate action, should have agreed to the appointment, thus creating division within the Diocese and the wider Anglican Communion. Such disquiet and concern has been compounded by the statements made at the Press Conference, both by Canon Jeffrey John and the Bishop of St. Albans. We regard their views as reported as wholly erroneous and contrary to Scripture, tradition and reason, as well as the statements of the House of Bishops (‘Issues in Human Sexuality’) and the Anglican Communion. We respectfully request that the appointment be withdrawn. We recognise that individual clergy, congregations and lay members have taken, or will wish to take, further action. We will continue to consult, work and pray together for the advancement of the gospel of Christ and the upholding of biblical standards in the Diocese. For further information, please contact: Revd Canon Nick Bell, Vicar of St Mary’s Parish Church, Luton Tel: 01582 721867, Email: nickbell@stmarysluton.org Canon Mr Philip Lovegrove, OBE, Chairman of the St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance Tel: 0207 448 4754, Home: 01462 481880, Email: philip.lovegrove@fiskeplc.com

Ethics & Religion Support for Federal Marriage Amendment Grows by Michael J. McManus This week an Oregon judge gave advocates of gay marriage an historic victory - the nation's first recognition of same-sex marriages. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Frank Bearden told the county to stop issuing licenses for same-sex marriages. But he ordered Oregon's legislature to recognize the 3,022 marriage licenses issued since March 3 to gay couples, and to pass a new law legalizing same-sex unions. Does this sound familiar? The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in November that gay couples have the right to marry and ordered the state legislature to make same-sex marriages possible within 180 days. The magic day is May 17, when Massachusetts is slated to begin allowing gay marriage. The legislature did not do as it was told. It began the process of passing a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to the union of a man and a woman. But the amendment would also legalize civil same-sex unions, which is marriage by another name. However, to be adopted, it must re-pass the legislature in 2005 and then be approved by the voters in a 2006 referendum. Gov. Mitt Romney asked the state's highest court to stay its order, pending full Massachusetts acceptance or rejection of the amendment. That's unlikely. The state's Attorney General, a Democrat, supports the court decision, while Romney is a Republican. What's common to both cases is fierce judicial activism, in which a court orders the legislature to pass a law granting same sex couples either the right of marriage or civil union. In studying American history, I learned it is the job of elected leaders to pass laws, and for the courts to interpret them. On this issue, however, elected leaders have also acted illegally. San Francisco's mayor ordered city clerks to grant homosexual and lesbian couples marriage licenses, though Californians voted in a referendum that marriage is between a man and a woman. One prescient man foresaw these developments and developed a long-shot answer - a U.S. Federal Marriage Amendment that states "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any state shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman." Matt Daniels is the man of the hour. Although white, he grew up in Spanish Harlem as a son of a father who deserted his mother when he was only two. "My growing up was miserable," he told USA Today. His father was "a gifted and irresponsible aspiring writer." His mother was a secretary until she was mugged and left disabled, depressed and on welfare. "Things would have been different if my father had been around." Matt was also attacked at knifepoint and gunpoint. No wonder Matt Daniels says, "Marriage is the key to reducing the high levels of youth crime and child poverty, caused by the epidemic of fatherless families in America." Inspired by his mother, he excelled at school, won a scholarship to Dartmouth and became a lawyer. He created the Alliance for Marriage to craft a Federal Marriage Amendment several years ago. Anticipating the argument that gay marriage is a civil rights issue, he first won the backing of Rev. Walter Fauntroy, a former aide to Martin Luther King, Jr. Black denominations were his first national supporters. He now has the backing of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals. It was a brilliant strategy. Today a higher percentage of Hispanics and African-Americans say that marriage is the union of a man and a woman - than whites. And public support for the Federal Marriage Amendment has grown from 55 percent last July to 64 percent. Equally important, President Bush has given his support, as have 118 Members of Congress and leading U.S. Senators such as Majority Leader Bill Frist. However, the amendment is opposed by such conservative groups as Concerned Women for America. Its president, Janet LaRue, is concerned that the amendment would allow states "to create marriage in another name, a phony marriage." Vermont's law permitting same sex civil unions would be untouched by the amendment. Finally, few Democrats in the House or Senate co-sponsor the amendment that must win the support of two-thirds of Congress. So far, the public seems apathetic. Few have called or written Congress. Gay marriage is not inevitable, but it is likely unless an aroused public demands the constitutional protection of marriage. END TXT Copyright 2004 Michael J. McManus