Seeking warmth in the cold... some news and thoughts
- Even Time Magazine recognizes that the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion are "disintegrating" over departures from clear Biblical teaching, and that the traditional Anglicans are not some small, insignificant group as the Presiding Bishop continually tells the press.
- Significant Anglican leaders from around the world, representing a majority of active Anglicans, will come together in the Holy Land in June for the Global Anglican Futures Conference. This is apart from the Lambeth Conference hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and shows that serious Christians from the growing provinces of the Anglican Communion are not interested in endless, meaningless talks with anti-Bible church bureaucrats.
- Today is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, the most philosophical of the Gospel authors. A group of us will be "prayer walking" a local campus, supplied with prayers by faculty, staff and students and interceding for the college while it is quiet and still during the Christmas break. May the Word made flesh dwell more visibly in the life of the college, and the light that gives life shine through all spiritual darkness.
- Despite The Episcopal Church's hostility to our witness here, we continue to pray for the Diocese of South Dakota. The diocesan emails we get are mainly obituaries and bad medical news. Clergy are in short and shrinking supply - I got news today that no priest showed up for the regularly scheduled Holy Communion at a Sioux Falls retirement community. This Bible passage tugs at my heart. There are dear people in the diocese and they are not told that there is another, better way. Then there are those represented by a letter that our AAC/SDK chapter received - something like, "Don't write to me! I will DIE Episcopalian!" Unintentional prophecy, I'm afraid.
- On a lighter note, Christmas in Sioux Falls was beautiful. Second heaviest recorded snowfall for Christmas day here (and there's only a 25% chance of snow on Dec. 25th to begin with!). We got about 5 inches and it was fluffy stuff - no harsh wind, just gentle and lovely, all day long.
- I will be on retreat here this weekend. Your prayers are asked and deeply appreciated.
5 comments:
Tim+,
I'm glad you are taking the time for a personal retreat. Blue Cloud Abbey should be a peaceful, restful place. A good way to try to discern the way ahead, as Jesus himself had to get away to do from time to time.
I hate to rub it in, but while you were enjoying a beautiful white Christmas, we were blessed with much milder weather here along the coast in Virginia. Today it's sunny and comfortable, in the 50s.
Anyway, on this Feast of St. John, it's especially appropriate to remember the wonderful prologue to John's Gospel, with its marvelous lyrical celebration of the Incarnation. And not least, now that the daylight hours are starting to increase again, that the Word came to be "the light" in our dark world, and though the darkness has tried, it can neither "comprehend" (old KJV transation) nor "overcome" it (RSV). Light always dispells the darkness. May His eternal light shine upon you and illuminate your path. I'm praying for you, my friend.
Well, the prayers are obviously working because an extra spot opened up and my wife will come with me on the retreat. I got an email from friends in CA who had started praying as well...seems like God had a door to open.
We are both seeking God's wisdom and guidance for the way forward, like so many others in these challenging times.
The prayer walk at Augustana College went well. We read John's Prologue to get started, and then walked about praying - both from intercessions supplied by Augie community folks and as led by the Spirit.
God bless you and thanks for your always encouraging messages!
Well, I was wondering which college you had in mind (previously unclear to me). As it happens, my cousin Tom Braithwaite, M.D. (yeah, the one at SANFORD Hospital) has a son who just started as a freshman at Auggie. That should remind me to pray more for the school.
I'm so glad to hear that Melissa can go on the retreat with you. That's great. Are you familiar with the wonderful saying of the late Ruth Graham? When put on the spot once by a reporter who noticed an area where she had voiced a different opinion from Billy, Ruth calmly replied, "If two minds always think alike, one of them is unnecessary!"
On the other hand, when making major decisions, it's sure important that two spouses be in basic agreement.
What? No news of Bishop Schofield kicking a vicar out that dared to abstain in a vote for his diocese leave the church?
The silence of the conservative "Anglican" blogs is deafening on this one. I wonder why.
God is indeed at work in a wonderful way. He works great things for those who trust Him and seek His will. Be at peace!
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