You are here
BENNISON WILL MAKE FORCED VISIT TO LARGEST PARISH IN DIOCESE
Special Report
By David W. Virtue
PAOLI, PA—The Bishop of Pennsylvania, Charles E. Bennison will make a forced visitation to the Church of the Good Samaritan, the largest parish in the diocese, despite being told by the rector, Fr. Greg Brewer that he should not come.
From other sources Virtuosity has learned that the Standing Committee has also told Bennison that he should not make an unwelcome visit to the parish.
Bennison's position is that he will attend the 9am service on June 6 arguing that his “overriding concern is with the unity of our diocesan family.”
In a letter to the congregation from the vestry of the Paoli parish, they wrote, “we grieve because of Bennison’s refusal to send Bishop Clarence Coleridge (assisting bishop) on his behalf. We believe that Bishop Bennison’s visit will be viewed by many in our congregation as detrimental and harmful.”
The letter said that Fr. Brewer had written the bishop three letters requesting he not come and requesting Bishop Coleridge come and preside. Bennison steadfastly refused.
“It was our prayer that a workable solution to our plea be possible within the context of our diocese,” wrote the vestry. “It is difficult to understand his insistence on making this visit when it comes at the expense of the pastoral well being of our congregation.” The vestry said Bennison’s methodology was “flawed.”
Because Bennison is forcing his way onto the parish the rector said he will not present any candidates for confirmation. Instead they will be presented to Bishop Franklin Turner (former PA suffragan bishop) on Sunday 13th at All Hallows, Wyncote, PA.
The vestry then asked the congregation not to attend the 9am service and should choose instead to attend either the 7.30am service or the 11.15am or 11.30am services to celebrate the Eucharist.
The vestry said that while the church staff and they themselves have an “obligation” to attend the 9am service but the vestry will not receive communion from the bishop.
“We take these actions under duress; not because we want to separate ourselves from the Diocese, but because we believe it is out Biblical obligation to stand in prayer for a bishop, called to be ‘one with the apostles,’ whose teaching and actions are contrary to the plain meaning of Holy Scripture.”
Bennison is on record as saying to members of the church of the Good Samaritan that, “we wrote the Bible, we can rewrite the bible.”
Bennison also wrote in the April, 2003 Easter letter in the Pennsylvania Episcopalians that, “He (Jesus) acknowledges his own sin. He knows himself to be forgiven.”
In his January, 2004 letter in the Pennsylvania Episcopalian Bennison wrote, “Moses smashed the tablets brought down from Mount Sinai to free the Word of God to be herd not seen.”
The parish has more than 1,500 members and is the largest in the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
END
