Laity
Fellowship
Post Office Box 42604 Washington, DC 20015
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Who is Anglican Laity Fellowship? |
Breaking News: October 4, 2008
American Anglican Council of Washington
Present
A NEW ANGLICAN PROVINCE
IN NORTH AMERICA?
CONFERENCE FOR THE LAITY
St. Joseph's Valley Farm, Emmitsburg MD
SATURDAY OCTOBER 25, 2008
10:30 am to 5:00 pm
More information here
Breaking News: May 23, 2008
The Most Reverend and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury & Primate of the Church of England Lambeth Palace London SE1 7JU, England
Re: Lay Expectations for the Lambeth Conference
Your Grace:
The Anglican Laity Fellowship (ALF) is the successor to Lay Episcopalians of the Anglican Communion (LEAC). Organized in 2005, ALF is a body of lay people which seeks to represent laity throughout the Anglican Communion. We are writing this open letter prayerfully to ask for a response to what we believe is a matter of great importance to the laity.
Why does the 2008 Lambeth Conference, which meets only once every ten years, not plan to resolve the two most serious issues before the Anglican Communion: (1) the status of the U.S. Episcopal Church's compliance with the Windsor Report and the primates' Dar es Salaam ultimatum, and (2) an Anglican Covenant establishing a process for deliberation of doctrinal matters and for discipline of unilateral acts? Instead, your May 12 letter indicates a "new style" for Lambeth -- "Indaba" dialogue sessions rather than deciding issues by voting on resolutions.
The laity trust in their leaders to resolve matters of faith according to God's will. Since the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., international gatherings of bishops in general councils have been the process by which the church has resolved major issues. The laity cannot be expected to depend upon the decision of one bishop, or small groups of church leaders, as the work of the Holy Spirit as much as it can trust a decision reached by the largest representative body of the Anglican Communion. In a sense, Lambeth is the general council for the Anglican Communion. Past Lambeth Conferences since 1867 have resolved major issues. Resolution 1.10 of Lambeth 1998, is frequently cited in the controversy involving the above two issues.
The cost for Lambeth, which will last for nearly three weeks, has been reported to run in the millions of dollars. We do not see how such a cost, which must be borne primarily by laity, is justified under Christian stewardship if Lambeth will not resolve the above matters. Bishops not attending for this reason might come if they believed these problems would be decided.
We pray for Lambeth and that God's will be done. We prayerfully request you re-order the agenda so the above two issues will be debated and resolved. If that is not done, we respectfully ask for (1) a pastoral explanation to all Anglican laity, and (2) an explanation as to what process, other than Lambeth, you plan for resolution of the above matters in a timely manner that can be trusted by Anglican laity as the work of the Holy Spirit.
In the humility of Christ,
ALF Board of Trustees
- David R. Bickel
- Francis Gallo
- Fielder Calhoun
- Edward Joyeusaz
- Thomas W. L. Cameron
- Adol Owen-Williams
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from today's Episcopal Church |
Its people are on the move... returning to founding principles
The Episcopal Church (TEC) having "walked apart" from The Anglican Communion, is reaping the results of 40 years of abandonment of Anglican Christianity. Everywhere you turn these days, Episcopal parishes are struggling to stay open while new Anglican parishes are rapidly being formed.
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This summer (2008), Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury will attempt to gather together the heads of the 37 provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion at the Lambeth Conference. A significant number of those provinces representing a high percentage of the Anglican laity worldwide will not attend. As such, we now begin to know the meaning of their 2005 declaration that "there are limits to the diversity that will be tolerated."
Most Episcopalians and even most Anglicans worldwide now recognize that "a house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matthew 12:25). The Anglican bishops have already conceded that at Lambeth they will be able to accomplish nothing in the areas of greatest concern, those matters that are causing the Communion to disintegrate;- The status of the U.S. Episcopal Church's compliance with the Windsor Report and the primates' Dar es Salaam ultimatum, and
- An Anglican Covenant establishing a process for deliberation of doctrinal matters and for discipline of unilateral acts
Instead, these leaders who have overseen crumbling Anglican membership for 40 years plan to spend their two weeks at Lambeth palace gathered in "Indaba" dialogue sessions. Anglican Laity Fellowship wishes to know where the spirit is of the great Church Councils that hammered out the Creeds, disciplined the heretics, and laid the foundations for our Church? And why do these Lambeth attenders expect the laity to be acquiescient about their spending millions of dollars, most of it given by laypersons, for a "conference" that has no prospect whatsoever of success.
The good news in all of this is that there is another different conference coming up soon which promises a far better result for Anglican laity who have long been waiting for relief. It will be attended by more than 1,000 Anglican leaders, including 280 bishops from all over the world. It is called the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), and it takes place in Jerusalem, June 22-29.In preparation for GAFCON, The lead bishops of the Common Cause Partnership have called for 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting to begin on Wednesday, May 21.
"We are partnering with Jesus the Intercessor, preparing the way for our leaders to enter Jerusalem. Many are physically making the journey/pilgrimage, many, many others will make the journey on their knees, crying out to the Lord for His perfect will to be done in each pilgrim here and there," said Rose-Marie Edwards, chief intercessor for the Anglican Communion Network.
The bishops heading to GAFCON have specified that the Daily Office, the Great Litany, and the Psalms of Ascent (120-134) be used during this season. The Psalms of Ascent were chosen because of the impact they had on the Global South meeting in Nairobi out of which GAFCON was birthed. Contributors to the
"Lifting our thanksgivings, requests and concerns to God every day, in season and out of season, is at the heart of our life as Christians. I hope many join with us in praying especially for the pilgrims to Jerusalem in the weeks ahead," said Bishop Robert Duncan, moderator of the Common Cause Partnership.
Please join with Anglican Laity Fellowship in praying for GAFCON!
http://prayer.united-anglicans.org/