Why I am not returning to the Episcopal Church
By Chuck Collins
www.virtueonline.org
January 26, 2014
A priest-friend from my old days in the Episcopal Church (TEC) called last week. He called as a favor to his diocesan bishop to see if I would consider returning to the Episcopal Church (obviously another diocese from the one I left since I am still blamed for all unhappiness in West Texas). It was flattering. It felt good that the 30 years I served in the ordained ministry of TEC were not all forgotten. I thanked my friend for making the call and I later wrote the bishop a thank you note.
After we talked I took the opportunity to find my resignation letter from Christ Episcopal Church four years ago. It was a letter I wrote and rewrote for a year in my mind before finally sending it to "Dear Christ Church family." It was a carefully worded balance between stating the facts of my own indisposition and acknowledging that others will disagree with my decision. To make sure that it was truthful, graceful and wouldn't cause undue pain, I had several friends read it and I revised it with their suggestions. I ended it with a quote from John Piper that, for Christians, the best days are always ahead of us. Always. I still believe this.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
By Chuck Collins
www.virtueonline.org
January 26, 2014
A priest-friend from my old days in the Episcopal Church (TEC) called last week. He called as a favor to his diocesan bishop to see if I would consider returning to the Episcopal Church (obviously another diocese from the one I left since I am still blamed for all unhappiness in West Texas). It was flattering. It felt good that the 30 years I served in the ordained ministry of TEC were not all forgotten. I thanked my friend for making the call and I later wrote the bishop a thank you note.After we talked I took the opportunity to find my resignation letter from Christ Episcopal Church four years ago. It was a letter I wrote and rewrote for a year in my mind before finally sending it to "Dear Christ Church family." It was a carefully worded balance between stating the facts of my own indisposition and acknowledging that others will disagree with my decision. To make sure that it was truthful, graceful and wouldn't cause undue pain, I had several friends read it and I revised it with their suggestions. I ended it with a quote from John Piper that, for Christians, the best days are always ahead of us. Always. I still believe this.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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