Roseberry said, "The clergy signatures on this letter represent literally thousands of years worth of ministry based on biblical truth. We are pleading with the Eames Commission to uphold that truth and restore the unity of the communion by denouncing the wrong turn that the Episcopal Church took last summer."

The Eames Commission was formed in response to the outcry over the August 6, 2003 decision by ECUSA (The Episcopal Church of the United States of America) to consecrate a non-celibate, openly homosexual man as bishop. The Commission is scheduled to convene again on June 11, 2004 in Kanuga, North Carolina.

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Christ Church, formed as a mission in 1985, is committed to being a center for evangelism and Christian ministry in the Plano, Texas community and around the world.

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Full Text of Letter to Eames Commission

June 4, 2004

Dear Archbishop Eames:

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are clergy of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. We are very grateful for your faithfulness and willingness to serve the Communion during these very trying times. These days have been very difficult and demanding for all of us and we make our appeal to you based on our love for the Lord Jesus, our fellowship in the Gospel, and our devotion to the unity of the Anglican Communion.

We are deeply grieved over the state of Anglicanism in North America. It is being torn apart through actions that we thoroughly oppose. We repudiate the decision of the 2003 General Convention's consent to, and the subsequent consecration of, a non-celibate homosexual to be a bishop of the church. We reject the acceptance and promotion of same-sex blessings as part of the common life of our church. These innovations have introduced unbiblical and immoral teaching into the church, have jeopardized our common witness, and have brought into question our standing in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

We have called upon the leadership of the church to repent of and reverse these unbiblical and schismatic actions, but to no avail. These actions are harming the pastoral and evangelistic ministry that we lead and will prove fatal to the unity of the church.

The most recent plan proposed by the Episcopal House of Bishops to provide delegated Episcopal oversight is inadequate because all of the power remains with the revisionist bishops. It does not acknowledge the depth of the crisis facing our Church, it deals insufficiently with Episcopal pastoral care of faithful congregations and clergy, and it fails entirely to address such issues as ordination, the calling of clergy, church planting, finances or property.

We appeal to you and your commission for your urgent assistance in the restoration of biblical orthodoxy and unity. Without the imposition of discipline, the situation will only continue to deteriorate. We ask you to declare the need for immediate intervention to establish discipline, order, and accountability for the Episcopal Church.

We are greatly heartened to know that so many of our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion are standing with us at this time. While the situation here is painful, it is encouraging to know that the things we believe are the norm in most of the communion. The prayers and support of faithful people around the world strengthen us and their fellowship is a joy and witness to us. We appeal to you to protect these relationships in your final report to the Primates of the Anglican Communion.

Yours in Christ and for His Gospel,
The Rev. Canon David H. Roseberry