Via Thinking Anglicans:
104th Archbishop of Canterbury
Lambeth Palace
London, England
SE1 7JU
Your Grace:
You will be sent a hard copy of this letter, statement and the list of signatories, but because of our desire to put this material in front of you soon, we are e-mailing this correspondence as well. We must share with you that this letter will also be made public via the trusted websites of the The Livng Church and The Anglican Communion Institute.
Enclosed, please find a statement of the Communion Partner Rectors who welcome and declare our appreciation for the witness of the over 30 Episcopal bishops who have signed the minority statement read in the House of Bishops at the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Anaheim, California on Thursday, July 16, 2009.
Though we have been in touch with you throughout the last year and a half, we simply reiterate our deep desire and commitment to remain constituent members of the greater Anglican Communion. We, as we believe it to be well documented now, concur with your leadership, and that of Lambeth Conference and the ACC that the road to stronger bonds of affection amongst the members of the Communion is our shared commitment to our Lord and His Church, the instruments of Communion and the parameters and councils set forth in the Windsor Process, the three (at present) requested moratoria, the most recent Lambeth Conference, Lambeth Resolution 1.10 and the unfolding Covenant Process, to which we are fully committed.
We do not concur with any action taken that would be interpreted by the larger Communion as divisive, dismissive of our larger Anglican Communion or schismatic. The outgrowth of the decisions of the General Convention has yet to be ultimately determined as to its impact on our common bonds of affection that we should all share, and honor, as part of the worldwide Anglican family.
Some will clearly share the assessment of His Grace, Bishop N.T. Wright that The Episcopal Church has, by its most recent actions, chosen to “walk apart.” It would be our hope that if you share that assessment, that you would also share Bishop’s Wright’s counsel to “…not forget the ‘Communion Partner’ bishops, who doggedly loyal to their church, and to the Windsor Report as expressing the mind of the wider Communion, voted against the current resolution. Nor should we forget the many parishes within revisionist dioceses (and, for that matter, worshippers within revisionists parishes) who take the same stance,” (The Times, 15 July, 2009). Again, let us categorically state, that we believe our ties to both the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion must remain solid and unfettered by any action, resolution or statement that would in any way further tear the very fragile fabric that is now our Anglican family; and therefore would not support any such action, resolution or statement.
Lastly, we reaffirm our pledge of support for the unfolding Covenant process and it is our hope that Part IV of the Ridley Draft will soon be revisited and approved as a pathway for not simply Provinces, but Bishops, Dioceses and individual parishes to renew their commitment not only to the Anglican Communion, but to those vital pillars that in the end, draw us all together, rather than cause further division.
Toward that end and toward all of these matters, we pledge our prayers and support to you, to our Communion Partner Bishops and those Bishops who joined them in signing the Anaheim Statement, and to those Bishops who have made similar statements to their own Dioceses. Please let us know how we can further support you.
Faithfully, on behalf of the attached list of Communion Partner Rectors,
The Advisory Committee of the Communion Partner Rectors
The Reverend Dr. Charles Alley, Rector, St. Matthews, Richmond, Virginia
The Right Reverend Anthony Burton, Rector, Church of the Incarnation, Dallas, Texas
The Very Reverend Anthony Clark, Dean, St. Luke’s Cathedral, Orlando, Florida
The Reverend S. Brooks Keith, Rector, Church of the Transfiguration, Vail, Colorado
The Reverend Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr. Rector, St. Martin’s, Houston, Texas
The Reverend Leigh Spruill, Rector, St. George’s, Nashville, Tennessee
The Communion Partner Rectors’ Statement:
July 22, 2009
We, the undersigned clergy in good standing in the Episcopal Church welcome and declare our appreciation for the witness of the bishops who signed the minority statement read in the House of Bishops in Anaheim, California on Thursday, July 16, 2009. We also express our on-going support for all the reaffirmations listed in that document, which read as follows:
* We reaffirm our constituent membership in the Anglican Communion, our communion with the See of Canterbury and our commitment to preserving these relationships.
* We reaffirm our commitment to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this church has received them (BCP 526, 538).
* We reaffirm our commitment to the three moratoria requested of us by the instruments of Communion.
* We reaffirm our commitment to the Anglican Communion Covenant process currently underway, with the hope of working toward its implementation across the Communion once a Covenant is completed.
* We reaffirm our commitment to “continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship” which is foundational to our baptismal covenant, and to be one with the apostles in “interpreting the Gospel” which is essential to our work as bishops of the Church of God.
We are committed along with said bishops to be a positive force for the spread of God’s Kingdom in this world; to pray for Christ’s Body, the Church, the Anglican Communion, The Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, all bishops and other ministers. We hold that as Christ’s Body, the Church is to be a “pillar and buttress of truth,” (1 Timothy 3:15) through which the Gospel is held high in witness and proclamation, and we pray for the reconciliation of all humankind through the saving life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.
For more information about the Communion Partner Rectors, contact CPRectors@stmartinsepiscopal.org
The Rev. Dr. Charles Alley
Rector, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Richmond, Virginia
The Rev. Christopher L. Ashmore
Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church
Jacksonville, Illinois
The Rev. John D. Badders, Jr.
Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church
McAllen, Texas
The Rev. Phyllis Bartle
Rector, St. Jude’s Episcopal Church
Orange City, Florida
The Rev. Milton E. Black, Jr.
Rector, Church of the Good Shepherd
Corpus Christi, Texas
The Rev. Christopher Andrew Bowhay
Rector, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church
Houston, Texas
The Rt. Rev. Anthony J. Burton
Rector, Church of the Incarnation
Dallas, Texas
The Rev. William J. Cavanaugh
Rector, The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
Richardson, Texas
The Very Reverend Anthony Clark
Dean, The Cathedral Church of St. Luke
Orlando, Florida
The Rev. Anthony F. M. Clavier
Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
La Porte, Indiana
The Rev. C. Carter Croft
Rector, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
Silver City, New Mexico
The Rev. Joseph N. Davis
Rector, Church of the Resurrection
Franklin, Tennessee
The Very Rev. Canon Richard C. Doscher, Sr.
Rector, St. Alfred’s Episcopal Church
Palm Harbor, Florida
The Rev. Mifflin Dove, Jr.
Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Katy, Texas
The Rev. Robert G. Eaton
Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Tulare, California
The Rev. Theodore W. Edwards, Jr.
Rector, St. George’s Episcopal Church
Bradenton, Florida
The Rev. Richard H. Elwood
Retired Rector, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
Fredericksburg, Texas
The Rev. Frank E. Fuller
Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Beaumont, Texas
The Rev. Ronald E. Greiser, Jr.
Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Portsmouth, Virginia
The Rev. Laurens A. Hall
Rector, St. John the Divine
Houston¸ Texas
The Rev. John F. Hardie
Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Corpus Christi, Texas
The Rev. Theodore E. Hervey, Jr.
Rector, Epiphany Episcopal Church
Burnet, Texas
The Rev. John M. Himes, OSF
Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church
Marshall, Texas
The Rev. Charles L. Holt
Rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Lake Mary, Florida
The Rev. Robert Horowitz
Rector, Church of the Redeemer
Greenville, South Carolina
The Rev. Thomas S. Hotchkiss
Rector, Church of The Advent
Nashville, Tennessee
The Rev. Robert T. Jennings
Rector, St. Francis in the Fields
Harrods Creek, Kentucky
The Rev. Bennett G. Jones, II
Rector, St. Paul Episcopal Church
Munster, Indiana
The Rev. Timothy Jones
Senior Associate Rector, St. George’s Episcopal Church
Nashville, Tennessee
The Rev. Stuart Brooks Keith III
Rector, Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration
Vail, Colorado
The Rev. Jerome A. Kramer
Rector, Church of the Annunciation
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Rev. Gerald W. Krumenacker, Jr.
Rector, Christ Church
Dallas, Texas
The Rev. Ronald James LeBlanc
Priest-in-Charge, Church of the Incarnation
Lafayette, Louisiana
The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr.
Rector, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church
Houston, Texas
The Rev. John S. Liebler
Rector, St. Andrew’s Church and Academy
Fort Pierce, Florida
The Rev. Ramiro E. Lopez, Jr.
Rector, St. George Episcopal Church
San Antonio, Texas
The Rev. Daniel H. Martins
Rector, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
Warsaw, Indiana
The Very Rev. Dr. Jean McCurdy Meade
Rector, Mount Olivet Episcopal Church
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Rev. Mark A. Michael
Rector, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
Sharpsburg, Maryland
The Rev. Joel J. Morsch
Rector, Christ Church
Bradenton, Florida
The Rev. Elizabeth L. Myers
Rector, St. Francis of Assisi
Lake Placid, Florida
The Rev. David G. Newhart
Rector, St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church
Sebastian, Florida
The Rev. John Newton
Rector, Messiah Episcopal Church
Saint Paul, Minnesota
The Very Rev. Timothy C. Nunez
Rector, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Belleview, Florida
The Rev. Jennie C. Olbrych
Vicar, St. James Santee Episcopal Church
McClellanville, South Carolina
The Rev. Robert P. Price
Rector, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
Houston, Texas
The Rev. Dr. Darrel D. Proffitt
Rector, Church of the Holy Apostles
Katy, Texas
The Rev. Fredrick Arthur Robinson
Rector, The Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota, Florida
The Rev. Bruce M. Robison, D.Min.
Rector, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Rev. Mark Seitz
Rector, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Wheeling, West Virginia
The Rev. John Thomas Sheehan
Rector, The Church of Our Redeemer
Aldie, Virginia
The Rev. Dr. Jerry Smith
Rector, St. Bartholomew’s Parish
Nashville, Tennessee
The Rev. Leigh Spruill
Rector, St. George’s Episcopal Church
Nashville, Tennessee
The Very Rev. Canon Harold L. Trott, SSC
Vicar, Church of Our Saviour
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Rev. Eric W. Turner, Sr.
Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Melbourne, Florida
The Rev. Guido Verbeck
Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Shreveport, Louisiana
The Very Rev. Dr. Edward A. Weiss, OSB, APC
Rector, Church of Our Saviour
Okeechobee, Florida
The Rev. John T. Wells
Rector, Episcopal Church Of The Holy Spirit
Waco, Texas
The Rev. Ted Welty
Interim Rector, Christ Episcopal Church
Tyler, Texas
The Rev. Stockton Williams, Jr.
Rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Kerrville, Texas
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth A. Wolfe
Rector, Christ Episcopal Church
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
The Rev. Michael Wyckoff
Rector, St. Luke’s on the Lake
Austin, Texas
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