Posted on 12/30/2006 9:23:00 AM PST by sionnsar
[Click for reference 1 and reference 2. --sionnsar]
I just can’t wait to see how pastoral Bishop Beisner will be. I won’t hold my breath.
From here:
Dear Friends:
I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray your celebration of the birth of our Lord was one marked with joy and peace. I know that you do not need this reminder, but it is important that we remember that there are twelve days of Christmas in which we are invited to reflect on the uniqueness of this Feast of the Incarnation and its meaning for us as God’s people who are saved by the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thought I had written my last Aurora to you at the end of November. I find that circumstances call for my once again picking up the responsibility of writing the Aurora to you on this 28th of December. I am writing to you regarding the recent action taken by David H. Miller and the Vestry of St. John’s in Petaluma. Bishop Beisner and I received letters on the 17th of December from David Miller in which he “disassociated” himself from the Episcopal Church and, by extension, from this diocese. David Miller asked that Letters Dimissory be sent to another province. I have declined to send these Letters Dimissory, inasmuch as it is my understanding that Letters Dimissory are sent when a person physically moves to another diocese. It is my understanding that David Miller will continue to reside in this diocese and not in another diocese.
The letter from David Miller was, of course, received with much sadness in this office by Bishop Beisner and myself, as well as by others who were made aware of it. The relationship of David Miller, the congregation and the Diocese as a whole has been strained since General Convention of 2003. David Miller’s letter reports that his action has come about because of “actions of the National Church and your support of them, the lack of any change in the direction of our diocese regarding matters dividing our communion, and the new Presiding Bishop’s investiture on November 4 of this year.”
Again, this letter was received with much sadness. Inasmuch as I, too, left a church home in 1971, I know the angst of this moment for David Miller and others in the congregation. I believe individuals have a right to make such changes as they feel necessary for their spiritual life. I don’t believe it is appropriate for anyone to try to take a congregation with them when they make such a change. For the next four days of my episcopacy, I will resist any movement to take St. John’s Parish outside of the Episcopal Church. I believe that Bishop Beisner is in agreement with this stance.
I am undertaking further actions at this time, and these actions will be posted as of the first of next week on the Diocesan web site. In closing, brothers and sisters, I ask that you pray for David Miller. I ask that you pray for the Vestry and the people of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Petaluma. Pray for me and for Bishop Beisner as we seek to respond to this action in an appropriate and pastoral manner. Pray for all of us, that we might truly be God’s people in this place.
In Peace,
+Jerry
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Bishop Jerry? LOL!
Jerry has been an absolute loser as a Bishop.
Jerry replaced a Bishop of healing with his liberal dogmas and attempted looting of parishes, which paid big bucks each year for his liberal dogma.
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