So why do we preach rules, regulations, and laws instead of Christ? And why such an emphasis on "works"? Good works are simply fruit falling off a tree. If you will sink your roots deep in Christ, who is your life, you will not be able to stop the fruit from coming forth. Heaven has chosen this Jesus to be before all, through all, in all and to all, until He is all in all. --- From "The Jesus Manifesto" by Leonard Sweet

The Practical Side of Holiness. Scriptural holiness will make a man do his duty at home and by the fireside, and adorn his doctrine in the little trials of daily life. It will exhibit itself in passive graces as well as in active. It will make a man humble, kind, gentle, unselfish, good-tempered, considerate of others, loving, meek, and forgiving. It will not constrain him to go out of the world, and shut himself up in a cave, like a hermit. But it will make him do his duty in that state to which God has called him, on Christian principles, and after the pattern of Christ. --- Bishop J.C. Ryle

Prisoners of a corrupt nature. It is when we see ourselves as we are, on the one hand rebels against God and under the judgment of God, and on the other prisoners of a corrupt nature, that we come, like David in Psalm 51, to despair of ourselves and to cry to God for mercy. --- From "Favourite Psalms" (Milton Keynes: Word UK.)

The discussions about pledges and clergy salaries are signs that we are drying up. We need to be leaders, not struggling for existence. --- Bishop Walter Righter (ret.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
February 25, 2011

A constitutional battle has broken out in The Episcopal Church between those who believe the revised Title IV canons are constitutional and those who believe they are not. Naysayers say they will give the Presiding Bishop unprecedented powers she has no right to have.

What it means is this: come July 1 when the newly revised Title IV canons are in place, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori will be able to wield the stick of inhibition and deposition dangled with the carrot of conformity to a largely acquiescent and fawning House of Bishops. It will mean that she can interfere with impunity in the life of dioceses like South Carolina and Central Florida if she believes they are not in conformity with the church's national canons.

Conservative canon lawyer Allan S. Haley says that ECUSA is barely four months away from precipitating a wholly unnecessary constitutional crisis that can only weaken it further and drive its constituent pieces even further apart. He says the changes to Title IV will transform the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA into a metropolitan.

The assertion of power by the TEC Presiding Bishop fits with everything else she has done inhibiting and deposing bishops, spending millions of dollars on lawsuits and much more.

The crunch will come when her liberal and revisionist bishops can no longer afford lengthy and protracted lawsuits for properties and are forced to cut deals with fleeing parishes in order not to soak up their trust funds in endless litigation.

*****

There is a new twist in property settlements by bishops who face orthodox parishes wanting to flee their ecclesiastical grip. A parish can keep its properties in a lease back arrangement, but it cannot affiliate with an orthodox diocese or Anglican jurisdiction like the ACNA, AMIA or CANA.

The Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church announced the legal settlement with Church of Our Saviour, Oatlands (six miles south of Leesburg), following a congregational vote this past weekend. Our Saviour is one of nine congregations that sought to keep its church property after leaving the Episcopal Church in 2006.

Under the deal Our Saviour will lease the Oatlands church from the Diocese for up to five years and retain the parish funds it has on hand. Our Saviour will use a significant portion of those funds for maintenance and much-needed repairs of the Oatlands church. At Our Saviour's request, the congregation will also retain several memorial items, said Fr. Elijah White.

However, White said the TEC Diocese of Virginia's press release deliberately omitted one crucial fact and exaggerated another: it failed to say that the inhibition of Our Saviour's congregation from affiliating with another Anglican jurisdiction only applied so long as they occupied their present buildings and that after they move, they will be free to join whomever they wish. It also stated, "Our Saviour will use a significant portion of [its] funds for maintenance and much-needed repairs of the Oatlands church." These repairs will cost perhaps 4% of the parish's cash reserves, hardly "a significant portion."

Two weeks ago in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, a similar deal was cut between the rump diocese and St. Philip's Church in Moon Township. That agreement required St. Philip's to no longer be affiliated with the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh or any similar group outside the Episcopal Church for a minimum period of five years.

The congregation agreed to return all property provided for its use by the Episcopal diocese and to not support any property litigation brought by anyone else against the Episcopal diocese. The parish agreed to pay the diocese $1 million spread over a period of years.

All this is to say that deals are being cut that no longer conform to the winner take all mentality that has been the hallmark of TEC's leadership. Behind all these deals is money or the lack of it. Clearly, what is emerging is the lack of consensus in how bishops are dealing now and in the future with orthodox priests and their parishes who refuse to live under their old weak and heretical bishops.

*****

At the Diocese of South Carolina's 220th convention, they ratified on final passage the amendments to its diocesan Constitution which spell out that the Canons of the national Church are no longer recognized as binding in the Diocese, to the extent that they are inconsistent with the diocesan Constitution and Canons. Its passage was by more than the two-thirds majority required in each of the lay and clergy orders.

South Carolina and the Diocese of Central Florida are thus far the only dioceses in the Church to take measures to prevent the changes to the national Canons from overriding the sovereign rights of a diocese. The revised canons are scheduled to go into effect July 1. Three other dioceses have protested the scope of the revisions made by General Convention in 2009 to Title IV of the Canons (having to do with disciplinary proceedings against clergy). Some have called for General Convention to revisit the subject, and scale back the powers granted to dioceses and to the Presiding Bishop.

What this does is set Bishop Mark Lawrence and his diocese on a collision course with Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori. You can be sure she will in time mount a campaign against Lawrence. He thinks it won't come till next year. He is probably right, but come it will and the stage will be set for yet another diocese having to make up its mind what it will do. One slight difference is that Ft. Worth, Quincy, Pittsburgh and San Joaquin left after voting to do so. In the case of South Carolina they might be forced out if they are pressured by the national church or a group of bishops at the insistence of Jefferts Schori to conform to the national canons and attempt to override their own. The diocese voted soundly not to let national canons intrude on their diocesan canons. They were unanimous in that. Watch for fireworks.

*****

The Diocese of San Diego, which has lost a quarter of all its parishes, closed yet another one this week. On Imperial Beach St. Mary's Episcopal Church will close its doors after 50 years after holding services on Sunday. A local newspaper report said the parish has been reduced to 10 families. One parishioner bemoaned "...as far as I'm concerned, they [the diocese] did nothing to help us."

A local VOL reader commented that the end of St. Mary's is much the same story for Bishop James Mathes, "the Church Closer. The only profit in a place like this is the value of the property, much like selling St. Elizabeth's, and getting rid of the conservatives. He uses the funds to support non-self supporting white liberal places. I think Jefferts Schori, Mathes et al have a national plan to shrink TEC into a small wealthy ultra-progressive organization that is limited to major populations areas. Ergo, sell out the unwanted folks (assets) and pocket the money. He tried this trick in El Centro, but the people there found out and raised hell, and Mathes backed down by lying to them."

A VOL reader who reads the statistics of dioceses wrote, "The diocese had a bad experience during 2002 through 2009 with Members down 24.3 percent, ASA down 20.1% and Plate & Pledge (inflation adjusted) down 16.3 percent. I ranked them at 74 of 95 dioceses considered. Still, this closure is somewhat surprising in that San Diego appeared rather well positioned for the near future with only 15 of its 51 churches (in 2009) with ASA of 66 or less. Also in 2009, 23 of its 51 churches had Plate & Pledge of more than $150K which meant that each "rich" church had about only one "poor" church to help support. As for the longer future, stats are really sad with Infant Baptisms down 56.9 percent and Marriages down 50.8 percent from 2002 to 2009. These awful stats could be used to predict the last Infant Baptism in 2014 and the last Marriage in 2016. Bishop Mathes: call your office."

The full story can be read in today's digest.

*****

Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly took the first significant action on their plan to strip collective bargaining rights from most public workers, abruptly passing the measure early Friday morning before sleep-deprived Democrats realized what was happening.

The vote ended three straight days of punishing debate in the Assembly. The political standoff over the bill - and the monumental protests at the state Capitol against it - appears to be far from over.

The Assembly's vote sent the bill on to the Senate, but minority Democrats in that house have fled to Illinois to prevent a vote. No one knows when they will return from hiding. Republicans who control the chamber sent state troopers out looking for them at their homes on Thursday, but they turned up nothing.

Religious leaders in the state also had some opinions about all this including the Episcopal Bishop of Milwaukee. He along with 75 religious leaders marched into Wisconsin's Capitol in Madison this week in support of the state workers who they say oppose Governor Walker's proposal to strip public sector workers of collective bargaining rights under the guise of balancing the budget. The workers have already agreed to many of the proposed salary and benefit reductions-they're fighting to retain a voice in decisions through their unions and the collective bargaining process, they said.

The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller, Episcopal Bishop of Milwaukee, wrote to Episcopalians: "I believe we can all agree that our baptismal vow to 'respect the dignity of every human being' is not served by a majority simply pushing through legislation because they have the votes necessary to do so. As Christians, it is our duty and call to make sure that everyone has a place at the table and every voice has the opportunity to be heard. Respecting the dignity of every human being requires taking the time to have honest and faithful conversation that respects the rights and freedom of all."

Give backs seem to be the order of the day as states fight huge debts. There are no more guarantees in the work place and in the current political climate and culture. This writer experienced an unwanted newspaper strike in Western Canada eons ago largely due to technology changes. In the end the newspapers were reduced in size, a handful of reporters were rehired and the rest of us moved on. It forced me to think outside the box. VOL is the result.

*****

Some good news in Western Canada. A Vancouver parish will receive an approximately $2 million bequest after litigation. Although the Diocese of New Westminster has asked the Supreme Court of Canada to refuse to hear an appeal filed earlier by four Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes in the Vancouver-area, the diocese has not challenged the awarding of the bequest to Good Shepherd (Vancouver) by former parishioner Dr. Daphne Chun. Therefore, the BC Court of Appeal decision awarding the Chun bequest to the ANiC parish is final and the funds can now be used, as its donor intended, for the building needs of the Good Shepherd congregation - which is the largest Chinese Anglican congregation in Canada.

Bishop Stephen Leung, rector of Good Shepherd, expressed his gratitude to God stating, "This will be a great encouragement to ANiC in our continued fight for the preservation of biblically faithful Anglican ministry in Canada." For the people of Good Shepherd, the bequest is not just about the money; countless hours of work and fervent prayer have gone into fulfilling the wishes of Dr Chun over the last 13 years - including the seven years of effort that went into selling Dr Chun's property in Hong Kong. We see the return of the bequest as God's gracious vindication of this faithful stewardship."

Meanwhile, the diocese is trying to dissuade the Supreme Court from hearing an appeal by the four Vancouver-area congregations in relation to the other parts of the BC Court of Appeal decision that awarded church properties and other funds to the diocese. In a statement on its website, the diocese says it wants to avoid a Supreme Court appeal because it wants to "stop spending money on lawyers and devote more resources to ministry for its people and those in need."

This legal action began in 2008 when the bishop of New Westminster purported to remove and replace elected parish trustees and took actions, which resulted in the freezing of the bank accounts of two of the parishes. The other two parishes were targeted for similar action. This caused those trustees to turn to the courts for clarification of their responsibilities and a ruling on the legitimacy of the bishop's actions in attempting to arbitrarily remove them from office.

In other news, the Very Rev. Peter Williams, formerly Dean of the Cathedral in Whitehorse, Yukon, received a license from ANIC Bishop Donald Harvey to serve as a priest in ANiC. He relinquished his Anglican Church of Canada license. Stone by stone, the Anglican Church of Canada is being whittled away. Liberals cannot reproduce, as they have no gospel. They destroy orthodox parishes and then wonder why they go out of business. Wonderfully, new wine is being poured into new wineskins.

*****

In a break with tradition, Anglicans Online now opposes the Covenant. In the nearly 20 years that this liberal oriented website has existed, they have shunned the shrill and pleaded for moderation. "We've not voiced our opinion on controversial matters, holding to that fact that reasonable people can disagree. But it's time for Anglicans Online to state that we're not in favor of the Covenant and cannot imagine a Communion bound by it.

Their argument is as follows:

"The very looseness of the Anglican Communion (at least until the Tedious Years of the Anglican Covenant Discussion) is what will give it strength to move with relative ease in this new world. The gentle, unlegislated bonds of affection and the tolerance for variances of custom, behavior, churchmanship, hymns, divorce, prayer books and the like are far more aligned with the way we live now. The old-speak of the proposed Covenant hearkens back to a world that is passing away, one of rigidity, structure, and complex mechanisms of governance.

"There are now wide and considerable differences amongst the provinces of the Communion about matters of importance. There have been so in the past. We just didn't know about them, really, before the Internet. And in that past, we managed to continue on as a Communion, even if every ten years at a Lambeth Conference we were surprised by (in a mild Anglican sort of way) some of the goings-on in other national churches. In the past, the constituent members of the Anglican Communion have been willing to tolerate the right of all to order their lives as may be best for them. Sydney is not Sao Paulo; Dublin is not Abu Dhabi. As long as the Anglicans in those places work through their ecclesial structures to proclaim the Gospel and advance the Kingdom of Heaven as seems right for them, we think it far too Roman to demand that they answer to an Anglican curia for their decisions. Since the late 19th century, the Lambeth Quadrilateral has served brilliantly as a strong and supple web of connection for us all. In our opinion, it's all that is needed."

So the Internet with its instant communication has disrupted the flow of liberal provinces with money, clout, glossy magazines and spin. The Global South has made it clear it will not tolerate pansexual sin as it does not fall into the category of why-can't-we-all-just-get-along. The fabric of the communion is irrevocably torn. Someone should tell the folks at Anglicans Online. The much vaunted "bonds of affection" do not apply to sodomy.

*****

The headlines told it all: Major aftershock of September quake strikes New Zealand. Death toll rises; fatalities include those trapped in Anglican cathedral. Residents of Christchurch, New Zealand's second-largest city, searched through the rubble left by a magnitude-6.3 earthquake that struck on Feb. 22 just before 1 p.m. local time, killing at least 65 people and damaging many buildings, including the Anglican cathedral. It was the second time in five months that Christchurch has been rocked by a major earthquake. The latest figures estimate that up to 400 may have been killed under falling debris.

The Very Rev. Peter Beck, dean of Christchurch Cathedral (http://www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz/), told the British Broadcasting Corp.'s 5 Live Radio program that he managed to escape his cathedral office and helped others as well. The offices were not badly damaged, but "the tower has collapsed and some of the walls have collapsed and we're pretty fearful there may be some people underneath that."

I have posted several stories about the New Zealand earthquakes including one by VOL writer Mary Ann Mueller. I hope you will take a moment to read them and then offer up a prayer for our brothers and sisters afflicted by this disaster. I was very heartened to learn that seventy-five American search-and-rescue specialists flew into Christchurch to help out. We, as a nation are at our best when we do this kind of thing. I realize we have done it a hundred times more in Haiti, but that nation is much closer. It is quite a hike to reach the bottom of the world, a nation that is only a hop, step and jump from Antarctica. You'll forgive me if I give this story some play. This is the country of my birth and it is hard to be totally objective. Please pray.

Bishop Victoria Matthews, former diocesan Bishop of Edmonton, has called on all to "pray for confidence that God will see us through. Be calm, be sensible, be compassionate, be a good neighbour," she asked Christchurch Anglicans. Bishop Matthews said the Feb. 22 earthquake was more devastating than the previous one that struck outside Christchurch Sept. 3.

The Very Reverend Christopher Lewis, Dean of Christ Church Oxford, UK, is very wealthy and on the same liberal page as the cathedral in New Zealand. He has written to say that if they need money it would be sent.

*****

Anglicans and Catholics in Spain have made official a mutual recognition of the validity of baptism in both confessions, according to a Zenit report. Bishop Adolfo González Montes of Almeria, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference's ecumenical relations department, and Episcopal Bishop Carlos López Lozano have signed a joint declaration on baptism.

The declaration follows the guidelines of Anglican-Catholic theological dialogue and recognizes "with gratitude our common faith in God our Father, in our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit, and our common baptism in the one Church of God." The declaration is valid only in Spain.

The declaration does not address differences in belief regarding the sacramental nature of confirmation. "This difference does not affect the recognition of the sacramentalism of baptism and its valid administration," the document states.

*****

Grave robbers have left parishioners devastated after they targeted an historic church in a bid to steal from 300-year-old lead tombs. The "Tomb Raider" vandals damaged the heavy stone when they struck late on Tuesday night at the church in Llanarmon-yn-ial in Denbrdgshire, North Wales.

They were able to lift the lids off the heavy boxes, but after failing to salvage any goods, they made off with the church's heating instead. Furious parishioners at St Garmon's church now hope that police will catch the thieves as they left footprints in wet concrete.

A VOL reader wrote, "All over the country our historic churches are being despoiled of lead, copper, heating oil, masonry and anything else that can be ripped off and dragged away to be sold - civilization is steadily coming to an end here."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1360515/Tomb-Raider-thieves-target-300-year-old-lead-coffins-historic-church.html#ixzz1Ey6e3cry

*****

President Obama recently awarded the United States' highest civilian honor to Dr. Tom Little, a Christian worker for the International Assistance Mission (IAM) who was murdered in Afghanistan last August.

"Tom Little could have pursued a lucrative career," President Obama said during the ceremony for Little and 14 other recipients. "Instead, he was guided by his faith, and he set out to heal the poorest of the poor in Afghanistan. For 30 years, amid invasion and civil war, the terror of the Taliban, the spread of insurgency, he and his wife Libby helped bring Afghans-literally-the miracle of sight."

Little, an optometrist, was leading an eye care team in the remote northeastern region of Badakhshan when he and nine others were found dead last summer. According to Compass Direct news service, the attack's motive is still unclear. Though the Taliban, who claimed responsibility, alleged that the group had been proselytizing and carrying Bibles in the Dari language, the IAM insisted that neither was true.

Little's was the only posthumous Medal of Freedom awarded this year.

*****

A South African Anglo-Catholic priest, who blew the whistle on decades-long homosexual abuse in the Anglican Province of Southern Africa http://tinyurl.com/4vco7mw and was defrocked for his efforts, is appealing to the Archbishop of Southern Africa following his defrocking by his bishop Merwyn Castle. He wrote the following letter to Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba

Dear Metropolitan Makgoba,

I Cliff Morris Felix, made a deacon on 16-12-82 and ordained a priest on 16-12-83 in the Diocese of Port Elizabeth Anglican Church, part of the one holy catholic apostolic faith UNIQUELY revealed in the Holy Scriptures and having served in pastoral charges WITHOUT reproach for the past 28 years do hereby respectfully APPEAL inter alia (among others): 1) That WHEREAS I have been de-frocked/di-vested FORCIBLY on 12-08-10 in Simon of Cyrene church vestry/sacristy through the hands of Archdeacon Clifford Jones, AUTHORISED by homosexual (a man laying with a man as with a woman) Diocesan Merwyn Edwin Castle on TRUMPED-UP charges "for lack of evidence we cannot FINALLY judge and do NOT pass judgement on ANY of the charges" Diocesan Tribunal judgement page 20.

2) THEREFORE appeal to you to INSTRUCT celibate (undivided heart) Bishop Merwyn Edwin Castle (God's winnowing fork) to re-frock/ re-invest me FORTHWITH in Simon of Cyrene Vestry/sacristy.(My chalb and stole are in his care.)

Just for the RECORD, paragraph 8 in Canon 25 is PRECEDED logically with REASON by paragraphs 6 and 7 which did NOT happen in my case and the Diocesan Castle's pastoral ministrations and concern to me, the pastoral charge and family since February 26-02-09 HAD just been letters of INK and PAPER 'his word has never become flesh for us".

Fr. Clifford Felix

*****

A story circulating throughout the British press that visiting Nigerian Archbishop Nicholas Okoh said (in London) that CANA is now no longer under the jurisdiction of Nigeria is false. CANA Bishop Martyn Minns said this is an inaccurate press report and that CANA continues its dual citizenship with the Nigerian province and with the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA).

Both Archbishop Okoh as well as Registrar Yisa told Bishop Minns that such reports are erroneous. They assured him that there has been no change in the status that exists between CANA and the Church of Nigeria, that Bishop Minns and CANA's suffragan bishops continue to serve as members of the House of Bishops in the Church of Nigeria, and that the Church of Nigeria at the same time continues to promote the full recognition of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as a province in the Anglican Communion.

When VOL got news of this, we pulled the story from the website.

*****

The following is an update on the situation in Egypt. It comes from the Rev. Canon Paul-Gordon Chandler, Episcopal priest in Cairo who was evacuated from Egypt, but has recently been allowed to return. He writes: "Our friends in Cairo feel empowered, and the culture of fear that they have lived under within an authoritarian government has disappeared.

There is a sense of profound hope in the streets and a common feeling of good will towards each other. Of course the journey to true representative democracy is a long journey.

Additionally, there is much that needs to be rebuilt and restored. One of the most moving and symbolic images has been the spontaneous immense "clean up" operation taking place in which Christians and Muslims of every segment of society are participating...all working together to clean up and rebuild the cities of Egypt. "There are also concerns being expressed by some (most often they are Westerners) regarding the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its possible increasing influence in shaping the "new Egypt".

It is important to remember that the Muslim Brotherhood is NOT militant as some have tried to portray them, but rather a group that not only renounced violence many years ago (hence it has been denounced by Al Qaeda), but that has advocated publicly for the rights of Egypt's Christian minority.

At the same time, as Egypt is considered one of the most religious countries in the world, of which the dominant religion is Islam, everyone's prayer at this time is that as the country is reshaped there will hopefully end up being much more freedom of religious expression through a more democratic governing structure.

"As the majority of Egyptian Muslims and Christians begin to walk the long hard road ahead of working peacefully toward a balanced democracy which respects human rights for all, there has never been a time when each of our roles has been more important. This is beautifully reflected in the present motto of the country, "Let's Build Egypt Together".

*****

We end today's digest on a high note: Afghan convert to Christianity Said Musa has been released from prison, where he was under threat of execution for apostasy, after months of vigorous campaigning. Barnabas Fund has been engaged with others in high-level international diplomacy on Said's behalf, and earlier this month launched a public campaign to intensify pressure for his release. Over 8,000 people signed their online petition. "Yesterday, we received reports that Said was released from prison last week and is now safely out of Afghanistan. Before his freedom was finally secured, Said had reportedly refused an offer of release if he would write a statement regretting his conversion to Christianity." He responded, I laughed and replied, "I can't deny my Saviour's name". Because my life is just service to Jesus Christ and my death is going to heaven [where] Jesus Christ is. I am a hundred percent ready to die. They pushed me much and much. I refused their demands. Said was arrested last May as part of a crackdown on Afghan converts to Christianity. He was tortured and abused in prison, but has remained steadfast in his faith.

*****

If you know someone who would like to receive VOL's FREE weekly digest of stories, please drop me a line at david@virtueonline.org and we will add you immediately. Tell your friends, pass stories around. Blogs are free to run stories with the understanding that they link back to VOL's website www.virtueonline.org and that no part of the story is tampered with.

*****

The lean and cold winter months has left VOL short of funds. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to keep this ministry alive and well and coming into your in-box each week. If everyone sent just $10.00, it would make a huge difference. We honor the Widow's Mite as much as we honor those who can give more.

You can send your tax-deductible donation to:

VIRTUEONLINE
1236 Waterford Rd.,
West Chester, PA 19380

Or you can also make a donation at VOL's website www.virtueonline.org through PAYPAL. Thank you for your support.

All blessings,

David

Please know that we are sending out tax-deductible receipts for Nov. and Dec. 2010. We are also sending out receipts for Jan. and Feb. 2011. Thank you for your patience. We regret the delay.