The Panel of Reference was supposed to have saved the day and provided a safe harbor for Evangelicals and Anglo Catholics caught in the Tsunami actions of revisionist bishops in North America, and in other parts of the Anglican Communion. Regrettably the report they delivered, failed.

After 20 months of waiting and wondering, the POR last week delivered its first verdict in the case of four orthodox parishes in the ultra-liberal Diocese of New Westminster and its Bishop Michael Ingham, looking for alternative oversight. Instead they found themselves being offered stones instead of bread, reinforcing the option that lawsuits and fights over properties will not stop, and the slow disintegration and polarization of Anglicanism worldwide will continue.

The Panel concluded the following: They could not recommend the transfer of jurisdiction, which the orthodox were seeking. An agreed scheme of extended ministry was indeed required but that the Anglican Church in Canada needed to provide such a scheme, and that an acceptable Bishop be appointed for an initial period of 3 years and this person should be given delegated authority to perform visitations and confirmations. Orthodox bishops should be involved in appointing and ordaining, but alongside the heterodox Bishops. Disciplinary and legal action against orthodox clergy and parishes should be stopped and written assurances given. Parishes looking for oversight should get involved again in synodical government with and financial giving to heterodox dioceses and bishops.

You can read the full story here: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4858 and all the documents relating to this momentous announcement in today's digest.

While the Panel fiddled the Episcopal Church continues to burn with more fleeing parishes in Oklahoma, Texas and Long Island.

IN Owasso, in the DIOCESE OF OKLAHOMA, The Rev. Chris Waters, 50, who had been vicar of the small but thriving biblically conservative Holy Cross Episcopal Church for more than 10 years, on the outskirts of Tulsa, tossed it in when his members told him that they were done with the national church and wanted out. Conservative church members did not want to come to the parish even though it was faithful to Scripture because of decisions made at the national level of The Episcopal Church, including but not only the consecration of V. Gene Robinson," Waters told VOL. God heard their cry and they started anew downtown in a borrowed Methodist church and the new Anglican parish now under the Province of the Southern Cone is on a tear. You can read it here or in today's digest. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4862

In the DIOCESE OF TEXAS, the Rev. Mike Baker got dismissed by Bishop Don Wimberly after being "forced" to renounce his orders and leave quietly the parish of Holy Cross. This godly evangelical brother had put 25 years into that diocese and when he voiced his concerns about the direction of the church, the Canon to the Ordinary Andrew Doyle hauled him in, made him sign papers and then told him he was gone. The Bishop never even spoke to Baker. No face-to-face interview, not a phone call or an e-mail. Nothing. Baker was toast. You can read that story here or in today's digest:

A VOL priest who watches this diocese from the sidelines said this: "Bishop Don Wimberly has too many of the clergy fooled by his faux orthodoxy. There are about 10 that keep getting strung along. Every time they get serious about leaving, he does something that causes them to hang in there a little longer. At the clergy conference last week, he was grilled by the liberals for what happened at Camp Allen. As a result, the conservatives withheld the difficult questions they intended to ask him and instead tried the "we support you" approach. This approach has been tried and failed ever since he was elected. I wish one of the Network bishops would raise the banner and say it is time for the orthodox to leave and turn off the lights on your way out."

In the DIOCESE OF DALLAS, the 275-member Anglo-Catholic parish of St Matthias' Church (EPISCOPAL) on Forest Lane, Dallas, is heading out the door and will, they hope, keep their parish based on Dallas Bishop James Stanton's past record. He allowed Christ Church, Plano to go for $1.2 million and one can't imagine him not cutting a similar deal with this parish.

In lofty words at their website, the rector, Fr. Dwight D. Duncan and Vestry of St Matthias' Church believe it is imperative that we secure now an effective disassociation from the innovating Episcopal Church. We emphatically agree with the Standing Committee of our Diocese, which has stated: "We believe the mission of this Diocese, as well as the spiritual health and growth of its congregations, are both compromised and jeopardized by association with leaders and institutions that, by their words and actions, have confused, changed or contradicted the Apostles' teaching. Therefore, we intend to work with our Bishop and Diocese in an attempt to secure for the Diocese a meaningful and recognized form of disassociation from ECUSA as quickly as possible."

In the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT came word this week that Bishop Andrew Smith rebuffed a negotiated settlement from the six Connecticut congregations in an effort to avoid further canonical or civil litigation and to conserve valuable church resources. When contacted recently by their attorney, Smith's legal counsel responded that Bishop Smith would only discuss the 2004 Diocese of Connecticut's version of delegated episcopal pastoral oversight (DEPO).Smith declined our offer to engage in substantive, non-limited settlement discussions.

And in the DIOCESE OF NORTH CAROLINA in Elizabeth City a group of faithful Episcopalians has started a new church. Details are sketchy at this time, but VOL has been told it is a wonderful story, filled with lots of hope and good news. A group has taken a leap and formed a vestry. In the last week of September they found a church for sale, bought it and had their first worship service in it. Over 112 people showed up to worship and they have started a capital fund drive. An observer noted, "They are running as fast as they can to keep up with God." They also are waiting for Bishop Michael Curry to take action against the priest they intend to call. One person has already been warned not to get involved with this group.

And in the DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS comes word from a VOL reader regarding the state of All Saints Church in Attleboro which VOL reported on in the last digest, is that Bishop Tom Shaw intends to use the terms of the Dennis Canon to take possession of the property and assets. The word 'defrocked' has been used in relation to Fr. Lance Giuffrida as well. On October 29, 15 confirmands will be received by AMIA Bishop Thad Barnum. It will be interesting to see if the diocese attempts to disrupt or nullify this service.

In other news the diocese may quit performing marriages altogether. The Boston Globe reports that the diocese will, at its next convention, consider getting out of the marriage business. A group of ultra-liberal priests, say that the gay marriage debate has intensified their longtime concern about acting as agents of the state by officiating at marriages and is proposing that the Episcopal Church adopt a new approach. Any couples qualified to get married under state law could be married by a justice of the peace, and then, if they want a religious imprimatur for their marriage, they could come to the Episcopal Church seeking a blessing from a priest.

This silliness first made its appearance when the suffragan bishop of the DIOCESE OF OLYMPIA, Edna "Nedi" Rivera told everyone "I won't marry anyone straight or gay, until the church officially authorizes the marriage of homosexuals." And the Archbishop of Canterbury really believes the TEC can be reformed and become Windsor compliant?

In the DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD Bishop Peter Beckwith responded to VOL about the leadership issue at St. Andrew's, Edwardsville, Ill where the Rev. Virginia Bennett says she asked the bishop about confirming a lesbian member in November 2005 and sought Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight.

The bishop wrote to VOL: "At best it is confusing to hear it stated that St. Andrew's has done everything possible to achieve "reconciliation" with me. I met with the rector. It is important to note that at no time was the subject of Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) raised. Following that meeting she and the vestry requested a time that we might meet. I gave them a number of dates and times. Their response was that it was unrealistic to expect they would come to Springfield for a meeting. That was the end of the discussion. Their next action was to request DEPO. DEPO, as you know, is a detailed process which cannot begin here until early next month. What is most disturbing is to read reports that this matter essentially concerns sexuality generally and homosexuality specifically. That is categorically incorrect. Rather it is about the teaching of the Church relative to the Lordship of Christ, the authority of Holy Scripture, the nature of the Sacraments and the role of the Apostolic Office." Thank you bishop.

GIMME SHELTER. The number of safe parishes in the U.S. for orthodox Episcopalians and Anglicans has topped 1,000, says Kay Lewis, who monitors these things. If you are looking for a place to worship that upholds tradition, the 39 Articles of Religion and the Creeds and believe the Bible is the word of God and that marriage is between one man and one woman then click, www.shelterinthestorm.org. If you don't see a parish, or know of a new parish that you think should be included then drop a note to: GrannieKay@gmail.com and she will be glad to include it.

SADLY we report the death of Fr. Steven John Dewey. Fr. Dewey formerly of Lapeer was an Episcopal priest in the DIOCESE OF EASTERN MICHIGAN who came up against the revisionist Bishop Ed Leidel. He left the TEC and diocese when he was at Grace Episcopal and started two Anglican Church plants in the Lapeer area, the largest being St. Matthew's Anglican. He is survived by wife Colleen, daughters Rebecca, Katherine, and Abigail. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. A funeral was held for him October 16, at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, lead by his bishop, Frank Lyons+ of Bolivia. At the altar were eight priests, two deacons and one seminarian. Two of the priests were from other Anglican jurisdictions, but the rest were all Bolivian. Some 550 people gathered to remember him. He was 57.

ECUSA'S LIBERALS are clearly getting worried some might say they have their backs to the wall, what with the mounting pressure from the Global South and the stands and compromises the Archbishop of Canterbury is asking them to make in order to keep the Communion together.

A new group calling themselves The Episcopal Majority (TEM) had their first meeting recently and now propose another to, in their words, "sustain and build up the Episcopal Church. We've already seen the dramatic changes that can happen in only a few months since Columbus. We're coming to D.C. to join a struggle that promises to be long and difficult, and to do so in a way that maintains a high moral ground without sacrificing integrity. The struggle is far from over." Like orthodox parishes they too are concerned with legal issues confronting parishes and dioceses, and the much bally-hoed "waging reconciliation." The assumptions that have held them together are changing, they moan. Indeed they should. For openers they cannot stem the flood of departures and, most importantly, they have no gospel to make their own parishes grow. Inclusivity is driving people out of the church not into it and legitimizing homogenital sex is not seeing church pews fill up.

SIGN OF THE TIMES. In Canada, a committee studying the budget of the Anglican Church of Canada's national office wants to close the Anglican Book Centre retail store by next July and move it to a web and phone-based operation, according to a report on the Anglican Journal's website, anglicanjournal.com. "The trend is that sales are declining," said Archbishop Andrew Hutchison. "In September 2006, compared to September 2005, we were down nearly $50,000 in sales, and that trend is continuing." Under the new business model, the 12 staff would work in Internet or telephone sales or the warehouse. The Anglican Book Centre has been in continuous operation since 1900 and, with more than 20,000 titles in stock, is one of the largest bookstores in the Anglican Communion.

THE NEXT UN Secretary General to replace Kofi Annan is a born again Christian. He is a member of a 'group without Church', a serious organization that emerged in Japan at the beginning of the last century. Its members, mostly intellectuals, make the Gospel a source of inspiration for their private and public life. John Bolton, US representative at the UN said, "Knowing the personality of the South Korean foreign affairs minister, many analysts take the view that the Security Council could not have found a better person to succeed Kofi Annan." The report states that "Ban Ki-moon was born in 1944 to a rural family in South Korea. He is married with three children. Source: Asia News

THE Church of England is in hot water again. The Cof E is in trouble for not trying to convert people from other faiths to Jesus Christ? It's all that talk about diversity and getting along, and mean-spirited Fundamentalists who believe in conversion. Or it could be that they have read Michael Ingham's 'Mansions of the Spirit' an all-in-one religion that holds that God loves absolutely everybody but does not love everything they do, including the behavior of unrepentant gays, murdering Muslim extremists, heretical bishops, and especially Michael Ingham. You can read that story here or in today's digest. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4856

MEANWHILE, the DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS has announced that it will present a resolution at its next diocesan convention that will deal with marriage issues next month in Boston. As a reaction to the ongoing debate over same-sex marriage, a resolution will be considered that would separate the civil and the religious functions of marriage in the church by allowing couples to be married by a justice of the peace, then have their unions blessed by an Episcopal priest. Shaw, who supports same-sex marriage, already allows priests to bless gay couples after they are legally married.

ON THE CONTINUING CHURCH front comes word that the National Synod of the Episcopal Missionary Church, (EMS) - the Rt. Rev. Council Nedd II and the Diocese of the Chesapeake and Northeast was unanimously received into the Episcopal Missionary Church in Columbus, Ohio recently. The Diocese of the Chesapeake was formed in 2004 as a missionary diocese with two parishes and over time expanded to seven churches and missions and two foundations. Their Presiding Bishop is the Tennessee-based Rt. Rev. William Millsaps.

The Synod was also attended by the Ven. Dokun Adewunmi representing Bp. Martyn Minns of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, (CANA) as well as a representative of The Most Rev. Walter Grundorf of the Anglican Province of America. The Episcopal Missionary Church is a Traditional Anglican Church, which has sought to retain the Apostolic origins and practices of the Christian faith. Its faith is based on the Bible, the Nicene and Apostle's Creeds, and two millennia of church history and traditions. The 1928 Book of Common Prayer is the standard for their worship.

NEW WINESKINS MISSIONARY NETWORK is sponsoring the New Wineskins for Global Mission 2007 at Ridgecrest, NC April 11 - 15. World class speakers will address an estimated crowd of 1,000 who are expected to attend. For more information go to www.newwineskins.org

LEAC CONFERENCE. Four Bishops will head the lay Episcopal group's faculty of proven doers to train parish leaders to teach 'the middle 80%' on why we should choose Anglicanism over revisionism. Go here for more details http://www.layepiscopalians.org VOL urges as many as can, to come to this ground-breaking event in Orlando Nov. 20-21. This is the most aggressive national orthodox lay group ever formed, and the faculty of four bishops will be joined by 20 other leaders grappling with why we need a robust Anglican presence instead of a remnant in The Episcopal Church. Come and bring a friend.

WELCOME TO VOL. If you are a first time reader I hope you will take a few moments to go to the website www.virtueonline.org and read the latest stories as they appear daily, sometimes hourly for your reading enjoyment. There are numerous links, endless archives and many thoughtful articles not posted to the digest. Take a moment to check it out.

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