"It is interesting that you perceive discipline under church canons as something that applies not to you or your fellow bishops who have wrought destruction on our church and put the Anglican Communion itself in crisis, but are the first to cry foul to the Archbishop of Canterbury when good and faithful Biblical Anglicans decide to plant a small parish across town."

"Your claim of disappointment and frustration over this "precipitous step" in view of having acted yourself and in collusion with so many of your colleagues for so many years without any discipline under the canons is so beyond comprehension that it can only strike us as amusing. That you feel so obviously intimidated by one new deacon working out of a Baptist church in the district only heightens that amusement. All of our deacons should enjoy such prominence."

"The Episcopal Church lost a record 72,402 members over the past two years and 2005 losses will likely break all previous records. That means our Church is losing roughly 100 Episcopalians a day. Incredibly, in our own area where the population has grown as much as 16%, your diocese is nonetheless losing more and more members each year. This can hardly be what Christ was hoping for when He gave us the Great Commission to go forth and make disciples."

"As disturbing is the fact that the Washington Diocese's operating budget is held up only by the endowment of one very dear woman to the tune of millions of dollars. In spite of planning yet another raid on the Soper Trust this coming year for $1.26 million, our projected diocesan budget for 2006 still appears headed for a deficit - the very model of financial stress." "In view of our own diocese's dismal performance in evangelism and financial stability during your tenure, if one newly ordained deacon from Bolivia can build up the Body of Christ in our area we should be thankful that at least someone is accomplishing for Christ and for Anglicanism something that seems to be eluding the rest of us. It may be that the "formidable clergy" you mention in your letter will finally find a positive example to follow in this enthusiastic new church planter and begin, with God's grace, to finally turn our diocese and our Church around."

"With all you already have on your plate to worry about trying to revitalize your diocese and keep distressed parishes open, we urge you not to worry about one deacon from the Diocese of Bolivia working in your "territory" out of a Baptist church. We hope instead that you will join us in praying for the success of this man in bringing people to find new hope in the promise of transformation and redemption through Jesus Christ, for anyone who builds up God's kingdom on earth is not a competitor but an ally in the work we are all called to do. As you have repeatedly told us, we shouldn't lose focus on the main thing - and the main thing will always be Jesus Christ.

Bishop Chane had written a letter on November 14th condemning the ordinations of the deacon in Pittsburgh by Bishop Lyons saying these ordinations clearly violated the recommendation of the Windsor Report and the admonition of the Primates meeting earlier this year in Dromantine, Northern Ireland against cross-jurisdictional actions. "More importantly, they violate the ancient Catholic tradition regarding the integrity and authority of diocesan bishops. These are matters I am pursuing with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and of which I shall keep your apprised."

"But here, within our diocese, I believe it is essential to keep in mind that we have it within ourselves to respond to provocation with charity, with patience, and with the sure knowledge that previous incursions of this sort have done little to diminish our witness to the Gospel. I am informing the rectors whose parishes might be affected by this new initiative to continue in their ministries as they always have. We have a formidable clergy in the District, as any newcomer will see."

Chane closed his letter expressing disappointment and frustration at the Primate of the Southern Cone, (Gregory Venables), the bishop of Bolivia, and the bishop of Pittsburgh and the network for taking this precipitous step.

But octogenarian Episcopal Evangelist and layman Lee Buck also ripped into Bishop Chane accusing the bishop of "unbounded gall" for condemning the actions of Bishop Lyons who he said "believes in the scriptures and practices what he preaches." Buck cited a paragraph in Chane's own letter. "But here, within our diocese, I believe it is essential to keep in mind that we have it within ourselves to respond to provocation with charity, with patience, and with the sure knowledge that previous incursions of this sort have done little to diminish our witness to the Gospel. I am informing the rectors whose parishes might be affected by this new initiative to continue in their ministries as they always have. We have a formidable clergy in the District, as any newcomer will see."

Buck then lit into the bishop: "What a self righteous and bigoted statement to come from you, a revisionist bishop who has denied the writ of Holy Scripture. In that statement I see magnificent narcissism, majestic self importance, and imperial snobbery of the worst kind."

Buck then asked Chane two questions: "Sir, how have you responded to the ordination of a practicing homosexual who is living in a sexually deviant and unscriptural relationship with another man? How do you respond to the fact that you swore to uphold and preach the WORD OF GOD as a Deacon, Priest, and Bishop?

"How do you respond to John 14: 6 when Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

"I know Frank Lyons, and he has suffered for his faith. Have you? He is a "missionary" Bishop to Bolivia for the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What are you a bishop for? I wonder. In fact I take that back. I know what you are a Bishop for and it makes me very sad for you and the church. You are in my prayers daily."

In a note of real irony, Lyons was rejected for ordination by the previous bishop of Washington Ronald Haines who had the dubious distinction of never allowing a married white male to be ordained during his tenure as bishop. Those ordained were homosexuals, lesbians and people of color. It was one of the worst examples of reverse discrimination in the history of the diocese and the church.

END