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Dear Brothers and Sisters, LONG BEACH, CA--They had come, more than 800 faithful, biblically orthodox Episcopalians to worship, pray and affirm what it is historic Anglicans committed to the Great Commission truly believe. With shouts of "Hallelujah" and "Praise the Lord" the Long Beach Convention Center rang with hope and expectation as believing Episcopalians from 76 churches in California, and churches from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania came to hear speakers press for renewed evangelistic endeavor, even as The Episcopal Church is coming apart at the seams over the consecration of a homoerotic bishop. British Anglican evangelical, the Rev. Canon Dr. Michael Green who flew in for the occasion, said the church should not run away from the truth but embrace it and not succumb to political correctness, nor allow it to be run by those more interested in the church's canons and constitutions. "Pleasing Jesus dominated the ethics of the Acts of the Apostles, it should be ours also," said Green. "It is not what the canons say, the question is, are we being obedient to God." Speakers including the Rev. Canon Alison L. Barfoot the new Assistant to the Archbishop of Uganda for International Relations urged hearers to a greater commitment to the Great Commission. "Some 8,000 people groups have never heard of Jesus, that's one fifth or 1.1 billion," she told the eager Evangelicals. "Let's get on with it." The Rev. Ron Jackson, president of the Los Angeles branch of the American Anglican Council and rector of St. Luke's of the Mountains Episcopal Church in La Crescenta, likened the Episcopal Church, known for its liturgy and eloquent cathedrals, to the Queen Mary docked nearby. "It's dry-docked. It can't go anywhere. It's a place for tourists and not sailors...In many ways the Episcopal Church is like the Queen Mary." "We need to be reminded of who we are. In Uganda sodomy is not on the radar screen of these people. In 1886 a number of youth died in Uganda before they would succumb to the advances of the king." At the conclusion of the two-day conference, a Plano-West statement was issued which recognized the Anglican Communion Network as a true Anglican province in North America if ECUSA does not repent. Ironically, as these orthodox Episcopalians were being urged to greater intensity to evangelize the worlds lost, Los Angeles Bishop J. Jon Bruno was a no show, confirming that he could not sign off on the Plano-West statement declaring that Jesus was the only way to the Father. Bruno's presence would "create a sense of discomfort" said the Rev. William Thompson an official of the American Anglican Council and rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Long Beach. Bruno had just blessed the union of the Rev. Canon Malcolm Boyd, 80, the prominent author and his partner of 20 years, Mark Thompson, 51. Five other bishops were also present. The Boyd-Thompson ceremony was held at Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Echo Park, headquarters of the LA diocese. But Jim Dale, Senior Warden of St. James, Newport Beach said he was strengthened and healed by an earlier Plano event, saying Plano is like Nicea, or Azusa Street a place where God gave a vision. You can read a number of stories in today's digest. IN CANADA a last minute change in the same-sex resolution allowed The Anglican Church of Canada to approve a measure Thursday to "affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships." The move stopped short of authorizing dioceses to hold same-sex blessing ceremonies but is still likely to complicate efforts aimed at unifying the 77 million-member Anglican Communion. But what was really embarrassing was a statement issued from Lambeth Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Wednesday saying he welcomed the decision by the Canadian General Synod to defer a decision on the question of same sex blessings until 2007. It was premature. The Synod went right ahead and did it on the Thursday. Lambeth has yet to issue a correction or a retraction. But the Primate of Bahamas, Drexel Gomez and a group of theologians meeting in consultation did issue a statement condemning the actions of the Synod and blasted them roundly saying that the Synod's action in passing an amendment to resolution A-134 was much more serious than even the original form of the motion which did not describe the nature of same-sex unions. Following the passage of the resolution nine Canadian bishops also condemned the action of Synod. The manipulation by the acting primate Crawley to allow pro-resolution speakers to be heard first and more often, and the hissing by pro-gay forces at the back of the podium when those who denounced it got up to speak was appalling. Worst of all Native Canadian speakers who readily oppose homosexual behavior were not given nearly the time a single pro-gay aboriginal lady I heard, speak to this issue. These Canadians, who have just gotten through a major crisis on abuse in residential schools suddenly found themselves in the thick of a battle on a subject that does not even register on their theological or cultural radar screen. They urged caution and more study of this issue as it is not part of their culture or heritage, but it was rammed through anyway. And to complete the outrage, the Synod elected a gay British Columbia priest, Peter Elliott to be the second-in-command for its historic General Synod. You can read all these stories today. IN THE DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA a showdown has begun between Bishop Charles E. Bennison and the Rev. Greg Brewer, the rector of Church of the Good Samaritan. Bennison who is insisting on presiding at all three services today, not just the 9am service as he originally intended. None of the three priests will take communion from him, and most of the congregation turned out last night (Saturday) to hear the word preached and to take Eucharist from the three priests. We await Bennison's reaction. And as a rebuke to Bennison, Central African Primate Archbishop Bernard Malango will make a visitation to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rosemont today where Fr. David Moyer is the priest. Fr. Moyer has come under the African bishop's ecclesiastical authority, having told Bennison to get lost more than two years ago. Legal action has made it virtually impossible for Bennison to get rid of him. He's secure. When Bennison heard Primate Malango was coming, he told The Philadelphia INQUIRER, "I'm disappointed, it is a breach of protocol." IN ANOTHER TWIST, Bennison's legal troubles continue to grow. First of all he is facing two lawsuits by Father David Moyer. When the legal bills for the Diocese from those lawsuits began to pile up, he tried to get the insurance company for the Diocese to pay the fees. However, in a letter to Chandler Joyner of the Diocese, the insurance company pointed out that there is no coverage for an "intentional, malicious and fraudulent scheme". Now, the insurance company has sued both Bennison and the Diocese, asking the Montgomery County Court to declare that the company has no obligation to pay legal fees or to indemnify the Diocese or Bennison if the jury awards damages to Father Moyer. Bennison is really on the hot seat. The only question is why the Diocesan Standing Committee just doesn't fire him? They have the power and excellent precedent in Jo Mo Doss the former Bishop of NJ and Richard Shimpfky the former Bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real. Both got the heave-ho by their Standing Committees for gross incompetence and more. And speaking of Shimpfky, you have to wonder about Episcopal Life, the church's national newspaper. They puffed the former bishop in the May issue even as Shimpfky who had seen ecclesiastical charges filed against him, and who, over his tenure saw the diocese shrink under his leadership, from a reported 30,000 when he was consecrated in 1990 to an estimated 12,000 active members now. He also hurt church coffers. He was such a total disaster that even the liberals couldn't stand him anymore. Shimpfky's theology was to the left of Spong...if that is at all possible. And the Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison has written yet another letter to Bishop Charles Jenkins, the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice, reiterating yet again that any meeting between him and Jenkins must be open with non-participating observers, with the REAL issue of faith being openly debated. We await Jenkin's response. AND IN THE DIOCESE OF COLORADO, the Rev. Don Armstrong, a biblically orthodox rector of one of the largest parish's in the diocese and a leader in the Anglican Communion Institute, an orthodox think tank which includes the Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner, wrote a note to Bishop Robert O'Neill over the phony same-sex wedding that took place their recently and for which the bishop said he planned to take no action. Here is what Armstrong wrote: Dear Rob, Knowing that you must be reading your e-mails even if you are in Boston, I hope you understand the seriousness of the events unfolding in the Diocese of Colorado, now exacerbated by the tom foolery in Canada. You are personally understood by many of us to be part of the double speak; smoke and mirrors attempt to bring local option perversion into the church. Frankly, to do such is going to destroy the Communion, undermine the health of our Diocese, and diminish beyond repair our witness as individual congregations as long as we are in anyway under your authority. Why would you want walk down such a demon infested path? The growing unrest of the clergy and laity in the Diocese of Colorado demand your quick and decisive handling of the current crisis. Waiting patiently to develop another series of excuses and rationalizations under the cover of balanced and fair consideration will not placate our frustration with the total breakdown in discipline and order in the Diocese. If you delay much longer you might find yourself not returning to a mere mess, but to a diocese in which a good many members have asked for intervention and alternative oversight from the Primates. Be alert and understand the urgency in this because the devil is having a field day under the cover of mitigation and equivocation. Don Armstrong (Rev) Grace & St. Stephen's Episcopal Church AND IN THE DIOCESE OF VIRGINIA About two dozen Episcopalians, most of them representing two of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Virginia, served notice Wednesday that a proposal to force congregations to finance the cash-strapped diocese could result in a massive walkout. The majority of the 93 Episcopalians who attended a meeting at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax rejected the 22-page plan, some calling it "disastrous" and "appalling."

By David W. Virtue A statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the deferral of a decision over the blessing of same sex unions by the Anglican Church of Canada was released prematurely before the General Synod had completed its final vote. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, has been publicly embarrassed by the press release issued on Wednesday which welcomed the decision by the Canadian General Synod to defer a decision on the question of same sex blessings until 2007. "The decision to defer the question of the right of dioceses over same sex blessings offers hope for the continuing collegiality of the Anglican Communion. It is important that the Canadian church has held back from a structural shift that would have run counter to the pleas and wishes of the Primates' meeting last Autumn and of so many around the Communion," wrote Williams. In doing so, it has avoided complicating still further the work of the Lambeth Commission," said the release. But on Thursday, at the eleventh hour, The Anglican Church of Canada approved a measure to "affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships." The move stops short of authorizing dioceses to hold same-sex blessing ceremonies. Nine bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada issued a statement saying that bishops, lay and clergy gathered at General Synod committed an error when they approved a statement that "affirms the integrity and sanctity of committed, adult same-sex relationships." The bishops said that synod's actions – including affirming the "sanctity" of same-sex relationships – ignore "the work of the Lambeth Commission for Anglican provinces not to take any action on these matters before the release of their report." A statement to faithful Canadian Anglicans from a consultation of Archbishops, bishops, theologians and leaders meeting in Nassau also condemned the Canadian action. "We are sad, however, that the General Synod of the ACC has passed an amendment to resolution A-134 which has the effect of negating the deferral of paragraph 2 to the Primates Theological Committee. In our view, the amendment is much more serious than even the original form of the motion which did not describe the nature of same-sex unions," said Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of Nassau and the Bahamas. "The amendment goes much further than the original motion in employing expressions which Scripture uses to describe marriage (Eph 5:25-33). In accordance with Scripture, your own Prayer Book uses this language in its marriage service. It is completely unacceptable to Bible believing orthodox Christians that same-sex unions are described as "holy." Such language is reserved for marriage alone. Attempts to reach Lambeth Palace were unsuccessful, but a knowledgeable insider said that the early release has clearly embarrassed the titular head of 77 million Anglicans. END

By David W. Virtue PAOLI, PA (6/6/2004)--Charles E. Bennison, the revisionist Bishop of Pennsylvania made his unwelcome visitation to three services at the Church of the Good Samaritan on Sunday, despite being asked by the rector, vestry and the Diocesan Standing committee not to do so. Only 14 turned out to the 7.30am Rite 1 service most of whom were church officials, the rector, wardens and this journalist. Seven took Holy Communion from the bishop. Three of them were from Florida and were unaware of the situation at the church. Bennison was accompanied by dean Dean Evans, Dean of the Brandywine Deanery. The church sees more than 800 members come to four services. On Saturday night more than 300 showed up for a special Eucharistic service at the orthodox parish called by the rector Fr. Greg Brewer. In his sermon Bennison said Jesus made a distinction between his earthly message and the message he reveals to us. "There is to be a continuing, evolving, revelation for all of us. We do not limit the truth of God. There is more truth to come from his word." What is truth, asked Bennison? "Truth is to be found in our unity and love for one another. A house is not a home unless it is filled with love." Bennison then produced a family heirloom on which were written the words, 'love one another'. Bennison then explained why he had come to the parish. "I felt it was important to be physically present despite the rector and vestry urging me not to come. We cannot love one another if I am not in unity with you. I see no other way." "We need connection and care and physical presence one with another. It is why I came today." Bennison did not mention that his own Standing Committee also told him not to come. Bennison met with the Vestry and "clarified" his position that the Bible and its teachings were relevant for the past, but what bound us all together now was God speaking to us through our unity. The parish had requested assisting PA Bishop Clarence Coleridge to come in place of Bennison, but Bennison nixed that idea, insisting that he had the canonical right to come. He was treated courteously, but it was clear that the three priests were under deep strain the whole time he was there. None of them took Holy Communion from Bennison nor did they participate with him in its distribution. Brewer had written to the members of the Standing Committee asking how it was pastorally permissible to use the sacrament as a weapon to force a congregation into submission? Isn't using the sacrament as a weapon of control skirting dangerously close to blasphemy? At the 9am service Bennison reiterated his theme that God was evolving and revelation was not fixed. "The earthly Jesus draws a distinction between his ministry on earth and the truth yet to be revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit." Some 100 persons showed up at the service where some 68 took Holy Communion from the bishop and his dean. Between 25 and were 30 ringers from outside the parish, mainly older couples who had to support Bennison. Bennison said a distinction had to be made between Jesus' Galilean ministry and what we experience right now. Preaching on the same text Saturday, Fr. Brewer said, "We aren't original, we are becoming more alive to the Holy Spirit." Brewer said that nothing that we discern from the Holy Spirit is ever counter to what Jesus said or how he lived while on earth." Less than 30 people showed up at the 11.15am service. All in all about 10 percent of the congregation's 800 members showed which did not include ringers and visitors. END

MISSING $600,000, DIOCESE ORDERS AUDIT By RICHARD VARA Houston Chronicle Religion Editor 6/4/2004 The Houston-based Episcopal Diocese of Texas is accusing its former treasurer of misappropriating about $600,000 from the diocese. A statement released by the diocese Thursday said that "former treasurer Ronald D. Null misappropriated money from the diocese and concealed this fact, both from the diocese and its auditors, over a number of years." "At the present time the diocese is conducting an investigation and has ordered a special audit," the statement said. The diocese has notified the Harris County District Attorney's office of the misappropriation and will forward the results of its audit to investigators, spokesman Bill Ferrell said. The discrepancies are in a fund used primarily for the purchase of property and not the diocese's operating budget, Ferrell said. The fund contained $5.5 million in cash and other assets as of March 31, he said. Null's attorney, Robert C. Bennett, said the former treasurer informed the diocese of the financial irregularities on May 25 in a meeting with Bishop Don Wimberly. "There are some financial discrepancies in the financial records of the diocese and Ron voluntarily came forward and brought this matter to the attention of the diocese," Bennett said. "He is cooperating in the identification and explanation of the transactions involved." Bennett would not comment on whether Null, who had been treasurer since 1995, was responsible for the discrepancies. "It is not a time for us to enter any sort of a plea at this time," Bennett said. "The important thing is to note that Ron was the one who brought the matter to the attention of the diocese." Ferrell said Null's account of notifying the diocese of the irregularities was "a point of dispute," but would not comment further because of pending litigation. He did say, however, that Null had been dismissed. Null announced his resignation from the diocese earlier this year to join St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin as its chief financial officer. But Head of School Roger Bowen said Null has never officially joined the staff. "He was to have begun the first of August," Bowen said. "He has not been in the employ of the school." Wimberly informed local clergy of the situation in a meeting Wednesday. "We are deeply disappointed and saddened by these events," he said in Thursday's statement. "While the news is devastating for us, it is important to remember that this circumstance does not compromise the mission and ministry of this diocese." The Rev. Larry Hall, rector of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, said Null was highly regarded and respected throughout the diocese. "He was always honorable, always acting with warmth and grace and compassion," Hall said. "I would say even today he is a good man." END

SPECIAL REPORT By David W. Virtue LONG BEACH, CA (6/4/2004)--Orthodox Episcopalians meeting here at Plano-West have issued a call for the Anglican Communion Network to be recognized as a true Anglican province in North America if ECUSA does not repent. The grass roots statement issued by the Plano-West steering committee made up of clergy and laity, is the boldest and most hard-hitting statement since the Anglican Communion Network was formed. It asks for a full recognition of the Anglican Communion Network by the Primates as the legitimate arm of orthodoxy in The Episcopal Church, USA. The group also demands the immediate cessation of the "blessing" of same-sex unions; discipline and censure of ECUSA for its ongoing ungodly actions. The group asked for measures to be taken to uphold Holy Scripture as authoritative in the life and practice of the Anglican church and to take such measures as are necessary to uphold the apostolic, historic and orthodox teachings of the church. The Plano-West statement affirmed the authority of the Word of God and Jesus Christ as the only Lord and Savior of the world. They also said the following: We proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and support those who do. Support the planting of new churches. Uphold the sanctity of life. Marriage between one man and one woman, and marriage as God's sole provision for sexual relations. The rejection of all teachings and claims of revelation that are contrary to Holy Scripture or the apostolic teaching of the church. Pray and support faithful, orthodox Anglicans inn the Global South and in North America noting specifically the crisis in Canada. END

AN INTERVIEW WITH CANON DAVID C. ANDERSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL By David W. Virtue LONG BEACH, CA (6/4/2004) VIRTUOSITY: What is Plano West all about'? ANDERSON: It is a gathering of faithful orthodox Episcopalians on the West Coast to be encouraged and to find out how we got here, where we have been and possible scenarios of where things are going. It is a chance for people to be networked and to work together. What we are trying to do base is develop an organization and build an infrastructure for the Anglican Communion Network (NACDP) and the AAC. VIRTUOSITY: Where are things going? What are the scenarios you see playing out? ANDERSON: It is so much up to where the international situation moves; what comes out of the Lambeth (Eames) Commission and how Lambeth Palace deals with it. VIRTUOSUTY: Are you optimistic about the future or pessimistic? ANDERSON: I am optimistic. VIRTUOSITY: How do you see the realignment moving at this point? ANDERSON: People are realizing across the country that even though bishops have a great deal of power that the laity has even more power. The laity can vote with their hands, pocket book and shoes. VIRTUOSITY: What are the central things emerging from your travels? ANDERSON: More and more people are fed up, they have decided now is the time to take action. Enough is enough. This is it. VIRTUOSITY: And what sort of actions are you seeing? ANDERSON: Some people want us to fix it immediately. Some people are leaving to find safer harbor in other denominations. Some people are starting up new churches. New churches are popping up like mushrooms all over the place. VIRTUOSITY: Are you sensing a continuing hostility towards the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA) or more of a growing understanding regarding the actions of the AMIA to being an alternative Anglican mission? ANDERSON: I think there is a growing awareness among orthodox, conservative groups that we need to work more closely together and try and build a unified front. I think the AMIA are seeing and feeling that as well as other groups. VIRTUOSITY: Are you in talks with Bishop Chuck Murphy the head of the AMIA ANDERSON: I am not able to say. VIRTUOSITY: Bishop Robert Moody of Oklahoma came out this morning slamming the AAC, and said, in effect, stay out of this diocese. What is your reaction to that? ANDERSON: I'd be happy to lead a prayer service in Oklahoma City. Is there one time better than another that Bob Moody would prefer? VIRTUOSITY: How do you see the future? ANDERSON: We are looking at options for the future, to find out generally of where and what to do. We are principally listening to the requests of local people and trying to put their requests in the hands of other bishops who might be able to hear their cry. VIRTUOSITY: The "Akron Five" group of orthodox bishops struck once in the revisionist Diocese of Ohio. Will they strike again? ANDERSON: Who knows, only the shadow knows? (laughter) VIRTUOSITY: In your opinion should they strike again? ANDERSON: Every liberal/revisionist bishop should wonder about when and where. VIRTUOSITY: People are often confused about the relationship between the Network and the AAC. Can you clarify this? ANDERSON: I am the secretary to the Network. The NACDP and AAC are two separate entities. The AAC is a network of lay people, clergy, bishops and parishes and the organization is within the church trying to bring renewal and bring the church back into orthodoxy. The Network is a network of ecclesial bodies that includes parishes, dioceses and ordained clergy, but the laity needs to participate through a parish or a diocese. VIRTUOSITY: How many bishops are on board? ANDERSON: We have eight bishops, hundreds of parishes and thousands of laity. VIRTUOSITY: Do you see schism on the horizon? ANDERSON: I see the ECUSA leadership refusing to repent and come back from its schismatic ways and this will wind up tearing the global communion. VIRTUOSITY: How do you think the Anglican Communion is seeing Frank Griswold the ECUSA Presiding Bishop? ANDERSON: Frank Griswold's ability to command the respect of the Global Primates has been overwhelming undone by his participation in the Gene Robinson affair. VIRTUOSITY: Thank you Canon Anderson. END

By Julia Duin THE WASHINGTON TIMES About two dozen Episcopalians, most of them representing two of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Virginia, served notice Wednesday that a proposal to force congregations to finance the cash-strapped diocese could result in a massive walkout. The majority of the 93 Episcopalians who attended a meeting at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax rejected the 22-page plan, some calling it "disastrous" and "appalling." "The diocese will not gain anything by imposing a mandatory percentage or obligation," said Steve Springmann, treasurer at Truro, the second-largest church in the 187-congregation diocese at 1,500 members. "It will only cause more people to leave the Episcopal Church." Representatives from the Falls Episcopal Church, the diocese's largest parish with 2,200 members, also criticized the plan, which lists mandatory assessments, flat percentages, per capita giving and a fee-per-service approach as options. Episcopalians from several other churches also criticized the plan, including the Rev. Tom Hayes, priest in charge at Little Fork Church in Rixeyville. He said the problem "is at the top" with the diocese's leader, Virginia Episcopal Bishop Peter J. Lee. "If confidence is restored in the office of the bishop, there will be no monetary problems in this diocese," he said. "Until that confidence is restored, there will be problems." A small number disagreed, including the Rev. Vinnie Lainson of Trinity Episcopal Church in Manassas, who inferred that dissenting parishes don't truly belong to the diocese. "If you don't give and you don't allow any bishops from the diocese to come and visit, are you still an Episcopal Church?" she asked. In January, the diocese took a $900,000 hit – 20 percent of its budget – after conservatives staged an economic boycott over Bishop Lee's vote last August to confirm the election of the openly homosexual Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Twenty-four parishes have either partially or totally cut off funding. The meeting was one of four scheduled by a diocesan task force charged with figuring out how to make up the shortfall. It is a daunting task in a diocese where several Northern Virginia parishes are refusing to even allow Bishop Lee or his two assistant bishops to perform confirmations on parish property. The two sides compromised this week by agreeing to fly in retired Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, who will preside over a mass confirmation ceremony on Sept. 15. "[The task force] is asking the wrong question," said the Rev. Martyn Minns, the rector of Truro who helped broker the compromise. "This is not about finance formulas. It's about a fundamental disagreement with the leadership of the diocese ... [which] has taken a stand on some fundamental issues that we cannot agree with." The task force eventually will make recommendations to a diocesan executive board, which will make several proposals to be voted on in January at the yearly diocesan convention. Currently, donations from parishes to the diocesan budget is strictly voluntary. One-third of the diocese's parishes gives 10 percent or more of its income to the diocese; one-third gives 5 percent or less; and another third gives between 5 percent and 10 percent. To date, the diocese has not punished defaulting parishes, although canon law allows it to remove a parish's seat and vote at annual diocesan conventions and, in extreme cases, replace the rector (pastor) and vestry (governing board). The Diocese of Virginia, one of three in the state, is the nation's largest at 89,000 parishioners. END

By Cynthia P. Brust The American Anglican Council deplores the action of the Anglican Church of Canada's General Synod yesterday in their vote to "affirm the integrity and sanctity" of same sex relationships. The day before, it appeared that the General Synod had grasped the magnitude of this issue as well as its potential impact on the communion and had chosen to display caution. Their concerns were so great that the Synod asked for the advice of a primatial theological commission and deferred the decision itself until the 2007 General Synod. Deferment would have allowed the Canadian Church to proceed carefully and prayerfully toward a more hopeful future. This perception was reinforced by a statement of the Archbishop of Canterbury released yesterday in which he responded to the decision the night before: "The decision to defer the question of the right of dioceses over same sex blessings offers hope for the continuing collegiality of the Anglican Communion." "It is important that the Canadian church has held back from a structural shift that would have run counter to the pleas and wishes of the Primates' meeting last Autumn and of so many around the Communion. In doing so, it has avoided complicating still further the work of the Lambeth Commission." As we fast forward to the Synod session yesterday, surreal circumstances marked the proceedings. The very body judging the issue of same sex blessings too grave to consider one day turned 180 degrees in its passage of an amendment to affirm such blessings the next day. The Canadian Church chose to deem same sex unions worthy of the term "sanctity", language clearly intended to place such unions on a par with marriage. The very church that seemed to be listening to their brothers and sisters worldwide has now declared through their action, "We have no need of you." Through their decisions, both ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada reflect a body capitulating to the spirit of the age. We find this decision outrageous. Its flies in the face of clear teaching of Scripture, natural law, the four instruments of Anglican unity, and the vast majority of Christians worldwide. As if all this were not egregious enough, the amendment is clearly the result of a highly dubious process which involved last minute maneuvers, curtailed debate and most astounding on a vote of this significance, a vote by hands. How is that even possible? We take heart from the fact that despite the actions of ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada, the United Methodist Church, a denomination four times the size of ECUSA recently voted to uphold Biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality. This victory proves that such a pan-sexual agenda is neither an intrinsic component of North American culture nor inevitable for mainline Christian denominations. Rather, the decisions of ECUSA and the Canadian Church represent unilateral acts of rebellion that have resulted in disunity and schism. We are particularly concerned for our orthodox brothers and sisters in Canada who have seen their church embrace heresy through a procedure lacking in clarity and due process. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters offering our prayers, our thanks for their strong efforts and our deepest sympathies. We at the American Anglican Council are blessed by the efforts of the global Anglican Communion which stands passionately in solidarity with us as we resist revisionist theology attacking Christianity. The shameful decision by the Canadian Church only serves to reinforce our resolve and commitment to work for the realignment of Anglicanism in North America, seeking to preserve the precious Anglican heritage that we may pass it on to our sons and daughters. Cynthia Brust is Communications Director for the American Anglican Council END

Dear +Charles, I write to request and urge you to relinquish your demand to visit the Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli, Pennsylvania on June 6, 2004. First of all, as you know, you are able to fulfill the canonical responsibility we have as bishops to visit our congregations every three years with meetings that are not on Sundays, and do not include all of the elements of preaching, celebrating, and confirming. Thus, it seems to me, that your insistence on doing all of the above is provocative, to say the least, with a congregation that regards your position on so many issues to be heretical. You have denied the authority of scripture ("the Church wrote the Bible, and the Church can rewrite it"), the divinity of Christ ("he is a forgiven sinner"), and the arrangements of the last meeting of the House of Bishops (Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight - "it will never happen here.") I am saddened by all of this, Charles, and I hope you will reconsider. Greg Brewer was my priest before he was yours, and I know him to be an absolutely faithful, orthodox, Nicene Christian. It is a crisis of conscience to him, his vestry, and his congregation, to have you insist on coming on a Sunday morning to do a full-fledged Episcopal Visitation, when you no longer hold the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints. Please allow +Clarence Coleridge, (or someone outside the Diocese, like myself) to visit on your behalf. Warmly in our Lord, +John W. Howe Episcopal Bishop of Central Florida 1017 East Robinson Street Orlando, Florida 32801 407-423-3567

"REJECT THEIR ADVANCES," SAYS MOODY By Bishop Robert Moody On March 14, 2004, five retired bishops of the Episcopal Church violated the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church by going uninvited into the Diocese of Ohio and confirming more than one hundred people. In a statement issued by the House of Bishops, we declared that the five bishops "used the sacrament of unity in Christ as an instrument of division and defiance. Secretive in its planning, their action was discourteous, disruptive and willful violation of out constitution and canons." That service was planned by the American Anglican Council. In early May, some sixty members of St. James Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City met secretly and formed a new Church called St. James Anglican Church. Their network proclaims that they are associated with the American Anglican Council. On May 22, an article in the New York Times, written by Laurie Goodstein and David Kirkpatrick, describes the efforts of well financed and determined conservatives in the Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal Churches to split the Churches along liberal and conservative lines. In that article these words appeared, "When the Episcopal Church elected an openly gay bishop last summer, the institute (on Religion and Democracy) organized and housed a conservative secessionist group called the American Anglican Council…" The American Anglican Council has established an Oklahoma branch. It is called the Oklahoma Anglican Council. They were present at our annual convention in Tulsa last November. I have not written of it or against is in the last several months because I believe it to be an expression of loyal opposition that had a legitimate place within out Church. In the light of the above, I can no longer remain quiet. The American Anglican Council and its Oklahoma expression have moved from loyal opposition to disloyal opposition. Their purpose is to divide the Church and create schism. They are willing to break the constitution and canons of the church. They meet in secrecy. They spread half truths and falsehoods. They are attempting to discredit your bishop. They will wound the congregations of this diocese if you allow them to do so. I encourage you to reject their advances and invite them to have no part in the life of this diocese. Faithfully, +Robert M. Moody

By David W. Virtue LONG BEACH, CA (6/3/2004) — A bishop from Western Kenya, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Wasonga, blasted the Episcopal Church saying, “we will never accept money from anyone who does not acknowledge the authority of Scripture or believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.” Speaking to more than 800 orthodox Episcopalians, the bishop said that any part of the Anglican Communion involved in homosexuality is in disunity. “The devil is always against the will of God. We have three enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil. We should not allow the world to swallow us up.” The bishop said the African Church would never again accept money from The Episcopal Church under its present leadership. END STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY ON THE DEFERRAL OF A DECISION OVER THE BLESSING OF SAME-SEX UNIONS BY THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA 3 June, 2004 The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, has welcomed the decision by the Canadian General Synod to defer a decision on the question of same sex blessings until 2007. “The decision to defer the question of the right of dioceses over same sex blessings offers hope for the continuing collegiality of the Anglican Communion. “It is important that the Canadian church has held back from a structural shift that would have run counter to the pleas and wishes of the Primates’ meeting last Autumn and of so many around the Communion. In doing so, it has avoided complicating still further the work of the Lambeth Commission.” END NINE BISHOPS “EXPRESS SORROW” AT SYNOD’S ACTIONS STAFF — ANGLICAN JOURNAL St. Catharines, Ont., June 3, 2004 — Nine bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada issued a statement saying Synod committed an error when it approved a statement affirming “the integrity and sanctity of committed, adult same-sex relationships.” They said the decisions may cause confusion and appear to pre-empt theological work already underway. They urged Anglicans across Canada not to despair and to take part in diocesan and provincial synods. END THE FATAL DECISIONS OF CANADA'S GENERAL SYNOD Commentary By David W. Virtue The Anglican Church of Canada made two serious blunders this week: electing an ultra-liberal archbishop and passing same-sex blessings via an amendment affirming the “sanctity” of same-sex relationships. These actions, the author argues, will alienate the Canadian Church from the wider Anglican Communion and accelerate decline. The commentary criticizes liberal theology, leadership decisions, and perceived departures from historic doctrine, contending that these choices threaten unity and faithfulness within the church. END

June 03, 2004 ST. CATHARINES, Ontario (AP) — The Anglican Church of Canada approved a measure Thursday to “affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships.” The move stops short of authorizing dioceses to hold same-sex blessing ceremonies but is still likely to complicate efforts aimed at unifying the 77 million-member Anglican Communion. The worldwide Anglican body is deeply divided over homosexuality. Delegates to a national church meeting handed the victory to supporters of gays and lesbians as a consolation prize the morning after they voted to delay any national go-ahead on church blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples till 2007 and possibly 2010. The “integrity and sanctity” measure was approved by a show of hands. World Anglican unity was one reason widely cited for delay on the same-sex rituals bill, which would have authorized the ceremonies under a so-called “local option.” Anglicanism is already split over consecration of an openly gay bishop in the U.S. Episcopal Church and an emergency commission is pondering how to hold the 38 self-governing national churches together. The Canadian church action comes in the midst of a federal election campaign in which full-fledged gay marriage is an issue. END