Letters from 6 April to 3 May
2009
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these letters are the opinions of the writers and not Anglicans Online. We publish letters
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There was an exotic technical problem with our Letters to the Editor mechanism,
which resulted in our not receiving letters written to us for most of April. Here we have
gathered
a selection of letters from the entire 4-week period that they were wandering in the desert.
Some Roods are unscreened
Last week you wrote on
the rood screen. At St. Luke's our fellowship hall is named the Rood Memorial Hall. When I first attended
there, I assumed the hall was named for the cross -- but it turns out that St. Luke's had
a beloved rector named Sidney Rood for more than two decades, and the hall was named in his
memory.
Still, it seems a very appropriate
name for both a rector and a fellowship hall, and I was pleased to have your essay remind
of this lovely coincidence.
Steven Knowlton
St. Luke's
Ypsilanti, Michigan (Diocese of Michigan)
steven_knowlton@hotmail.com
13 April 2009
Nevertheless, ignorance is frustrating
Your comment "Since we know that
the Bible tells us that only Bible experts will be saved, we find this all quite sad" is
telling evidence of a deep-seated antipathy toward those bishops who truly function as shepherds
of souls, and not as hirelings. The Archbishop of Sydney (with whom I do not agree on lay
presidency at the Eucharist) is right to be frustrated at the low level of bible knowledge
in the Anglican Communion. If there were not this ignorance, then practices such as the 'ordination/consecration'
of women and practicing homosexuals, and the acceptance of bishops who deny essentials of
the Christian faith could never have occurred
Fr C Thomas McHenry
Christ Anglican Church at Union Chapel, Bath County, VA
Eagle Rock, Virginia, USA
frtomva@gmail.com
14 April 2009
Forever is a long time
On Friday, there was a minor drama
in my church. An ordinand was getting married, and when the vicar put the time honoured question
inviting persons with any bones to pick with the marriage to speak up or hold their peace
forever, a lady spoke up, alleging a breach of promise to marry, and held up a 10-month old
bone..sorry, baby, as evidence of the fact that she'd provided consideration for the ordinand's
promise to marry. The wedding was called off. Many argued,however,that the marraige should
have gone on, pointing out that in many churches, the question is dispensed with, as nowadays
a man can marry who (or what) ever he wants, subject only to statute, not canon law. I've
been to an Anglican "branded" church (ostensibly
a St. Mark's), where the Truth in Advertising laws weren't complied with and I was treated
to a Pentecostal service. "Will the real Anglicans please stand up?" is a metaphorical question
being put across the Communion. I think next time we hear that question, we all, High or
Low Church, modernizers, or traditionalists, should stand up.
Obi Udeariry
St. Andrew's Aladinma, Owerri
Owerri, Nigeria.
Netwalker55@yahoo.es
20 April 2009
Brave, clean, and reverent?
Thank you for the good reading
recommendation. I find it interesting to note that when I was in the call process for my
present parish one of the qualities they listed in their hope for a new rector was "reverent." That
told me volumes about them, and helped me to know it might be a good fit between us. But
until I read their profile it had never occurred to me that the quality of reverence would
be an issue that even needed to be raised. And yet the comment has helped me be aware of
how much reverence has faded from the foreground of Christian behavior and worship. And I
do mean reverence in the ways Woodruff seems to outline them.
Another interesting point is that
the only other organization I know of that specifically talks about valuing reverence is
the Boy Scouts; it's one of the points of the Scout Law: "A Scout is reverent."
The person I know who most clearly
exemplifies Woodruff's sense of reverence is Abp. Desmond Tutu. He talks about bowing before
the Christ that is in the other. Sanctification is not just the process of being made holy,
as God is holy, but also being aware of the holiness of all of life and God's creation, finding
ourselves in the presence of the holy, and acting accordingly.
The Rev. Victoria Geer McGrath
All Saints'
Millington, NJ
27 April 2009
Thank you for coming to the diocesan
event
I cannot
sleep in this
morning as the Good feelings are overwhelming from our Parish
of Richmond hosting the annual Mother's
Union Rally on May 2/09. We had 57 people registered . Our new premises fully met all the
needs of the day. Our guest speakers were Jean McBrine and Bishop Claude Miller on theme
of "Building Healthy Families". The music was most welcome as well, by The Rev. Michael and
Anna Caines and two of their friends. A day filled with Blessings; but the day slipped by
all too quickly. Thank you one and all for attending and we pray you will come to our area
again. God bless.
Patricia Margison
St. John's Anglican Church
Woodstock, N.B.
3 May 2009
Earlier letters
We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11
May 2003. All published letters are in our archives.
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