Why We Walked Away

A recent reading from Luke's Gospel that John preached on the Sunday before last reminded us of what we had to do. The verses from Luke 10:8-11 that struck me were"8When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you."
Ironically, this was the same Sunday that our bishop was coming to supervise our reorganization meeting. Christ Church was and is a mission congregation, so that it was right and proper canonically and respectfully that he did so. We were self sustaining as long as we didn't have to pay for a full time priest at the Diocesan rate. My late father in law, their late interim vicar for close to fifteen years, donated most of the token compensation for outreach. Of the forty active members of Christ Church, thirty-two had already left to affiliate with the Anglican Mission in America. Of the eight left behind, John, Cooper and I were three. The others were staying for property, not out of religious conviction. The meeting went down as follows;
"Bishop Councell came to see what is left of the congregation at our church today. The Dean of Woodbury Convocation, Father Burgess, was there too. About fifteen people showed up. Some were regulars and some were parishoners I had never seen before. The average age was about 70 if you don't include John or I.
They came not to close Christ Church, but reorganize under a new vestry. John spoke privately to Councell before the meeting about resigning as Senior Warden effective July 22. His last act as senior warden will be to write us a letter of transfer addressed to whom it may concern. He claimed that he could not continue and raise our son in the faith without a Sunday School program. Since all the families with children left for AMIA church that meets in the Baptist Church next door, Cooper would be in a Sunday School class of one with me as the teacher. That's not the point of a Christian Education program.
At one point during the meeting, Father Burgess claimed that his parish in Woodbury was one of the most conservative. After the meeting, I asked him about finding a conservative congregation in our convocation, since everywhere I look churches are abandoning bible study for something out of Sewanee called EFM. His answer to me was-" How do you define conservative? There are many types of conservative."
I kept hearing the same party line-" We are here to help, and nothing about the Episcopal Church is going to change." " We don't know why the vestry resigned three weeks ago. We had no idea that Christ Church was going through this. The resignation letters from the vestry said nothing about their reasons." It's garbage. I was there.Three weeks ago, I listened as each member of the vestry read their letter to the Bishop informing him of their decision to resign and align with AMIA. Sheri and the rest were explicit as to why they felt the way they did. I think its all well and good that they are here to help today, but I am happy to be getting out, because I don't believe they can be there six months from now.
A friend in another part of diocese had said her church has become bunch of bobbleheads, nodding yes, yes yes to the Diocese and TEC without a thought of their own. I think that's what they turned Christ Church Millville into, another bobblehead parish, who continue to agree as long as nothing changes on Sassafras St.
My mother in law is leaving the same time we do, but is going right to the AMIA. We need to breathe before we formally transfer our membership to the new church, Christ Anglican Mission. The meeting reminded me that all their assurances that I was welcome in the TEC were false. I may have been willing if we could have a real, honest direct dialogue about what has happened to my church.
Bishop Councell kept saying how he wants us to able to say, "I love my church." I love the people of my church enough to know when to shake the dust of the TEC out of my sandals. An old friend from high school used to say - "The loving is in the letting go." I didn't want to fight with those I love over brass candlesticks and altar linens. I needed to let go to continue my walk with Christ in love. Bogging down in the material would only allow Satan and anger in my heart. Once you let him inside, the war is lost. Please keep the love that passes all understanding in your heart.