Letters
received during the week of 24 August 2003
Actually,
we'll take all the praise anybody wants to send us
THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE to the Anglican world during
this past month. We
maybe
squabbling over gays as bishops, but we all seem to have our unity around
Anglicans Online! Thank you. Nowhere else can we find such a compilation
of Angilican news and information from around the Communion. I particularly
enjoyed and benefited from reading statesments from other bishops, even
those I disagreed with! All intelligent and to be respected. No matter
what "side" we're on, we all appreciate your work! (I know you won't
publish this as you all are kind of shy when it comes to people giving
you honors!)
Steven Rogers
St. Paul's, North Andover
Wilmington, MA
srogers@nhs-healthlink.org
25 August 2003
We think
we did this because we listened to the Holy Spirit
I
AM SICK AT HEART OVER THE RECENT EVENTS concerning the American
Episcopal church
and the election of the first openly gay bishop. Where does the sheep
go when there is a problem with one of the shephards? As a more conservative
anglican, I feel more and more edged out of my own church. I feel as
though a wolf has been brought to the middle of the flock.
Mind, I have
nothing against the gay community per se. I have friends who are openly
gay. I feel they should have a judicially arranged marraige contract,
which allows them to obtain certain rights that straight couples share
such as medical & life insurance. I have no problem worshiping next to
them. I have nothing personal against this man who was elected. I am
sure he is a lovely human being, who I assume is faithful to God. I am
instructed by my savior to forgive their lifestyle, which I do. My problem
lies with the scripture, and what it says about the issue of homosexuality.
I expect my clergy to be a step above the rest of us, if he or she is
going to wear the collar and lead the rest of the flock morally. I do
not want someone who practices an alternate lifestyle telling me it is
alright when the bible says it is not. My questions to this man are,
Have you gone and sinned no more? Have you turned away from this lifestyle
you embrace? And to the entire convention... Did you do this for God's
Glory or your own agenda to make a political statement? If the latter,
I am heartily dissapointed. I pray God, that the Archbishop of Canterbury
will flex some liturgical muscle of his own, and that the convention
will be forced to deal with their consequences.
Natalie Neckermann
St. Luke's Episcopal
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
27 August 2003
The flock
chooses its leader, was noch?
I
READ SEVERAL OF THE BISHOPS' STATEMENTS on
the gay ordination issue - not all of them by any means, but more than
a
few. In each case I checked, the bishop
carefully considered this, and prayerfully weighed that, and then came
down firmly on the side I would have expected most of his communicants
to favor, given where he came from. Thus, Northern California is for
the gay ordination; Ft Worth very opposed. This does not speak very well
for the quality of either the ethical or intellectual leadership the
Episcopal church is getting from its bishops these days.
On the issue
of the ordination itself, it seems to me the new Bishop of New Hampshire
would have done more service to his church if he had followed the example
of St. Paul, who as I recall said he would not eat meat if that gave
offense to any and led to a weakening of his flock.
Evan Becker
First Lutheran, CO Spgs (employed at Chapel of Our Saviour Episcopal)
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
becker_evan@hotmail.com
28 August 2003
Remember that
each diocese chooses its own bishop, so it would stand to reason that
a bishop's position on most issues mirrors that of the people who chose
him or her.
Support for
General Convention
I
AM WRITING HERE AS I HAVE JUST WRITTEN TO OUR BISHOP, Daniel Herzog in
Albany,
NY.
I wish to express my support for the General Convention and for Gene
Robinson and the New Hampshire Diocese that chose to elect him. I eagerly
emprace this church and faith that includes all people. I believe that
this is the true mission of our faith in Christ as expressed in the New
Testament, as Jesus himself practiced in his eloquent ministry.
Thousands
of gay men and women have served to enrich the faith and culture of our
church. I would hope that our faith continues to openly and warmly encourage
their continued service and leadership at all levels. Our faith is better
for their participation and we are better Christians for welcoming them
in the the love and Communion of Christ. Thank you!
Mary Sanders
Shartle
Bethesda Episcopal, Saratoga Springs, NY
Greenfield Center, NY, USA
31 August 2003
Earlier
letters
We launched our 'Letters
to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All of our letters are in our
archives.
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