Posted on 12/31/2007 5:07:31 AM PST by rhema
It was the last Sunday service at Christ Church. Unable to go "further in a church that continued in a false gospel," the entire congregation, including the rector and church leaders, will sever ties with the national Episcopal Church and reform under a new name: New Hope Anglican Church.
One of the "Connecticut six," the half-dozen churches in the state diocese that disagree with national leadership on departure of scripture, including the appointment of a gay bishop, the congregation will trade its historic building on the town green for a free community room at the Thomaston Savings Bank around the corner.
The Sunday service will be held at the bank, starting Jan. 6, until they find or build another house of worship.
"We need to celebrate today, but we need to recognize there is a dying," the Rev. Allyn Benedict said in his final homily at the church. Reading off an overhead projector, church members sang hymns enthusiastically, clapping and raising hands in acknowledging their faith. They hugged one another, wishing peace.
The church was founded under the Church of England in 1764. In 2003, Benedict and several other Connecticut rectors clashed with Connecticut Bishop Andrew D. Smith, who supported the naming of V. Gene Robinson as New Hampshire's bishop. Robinson is gay. Benedict and Christ Church leaders also feel the national church is rejecting scriptural authority and traditions of the church.
In cutting affiliation with the national leaders, the congregation has agreed to give up its church buildings and property, estimated to be worth $7 million, and its name, "Christ Church Parish." The congregation also ended its participation with the other Connecticut churches in a protracted legal battle against national leadership over church real estate, deciding that "it's not worth living under this oppression just for the property," said Paul LePine, the senior warden. Four of the "Connecticut six" have also ended their connection to the national church, LePine said.
"It's a tragedy when relationships fail," LePine said. "There's a relief of being free of that dysfunctional relationship we've been in for many years."
LePine's daughter, Rachel, 15, commented that while leaving is the right thing to do, "it is sad."
"That's kind of why we named it New Hope," she said.
"We're just moving on to where we're supposed to be," said Chris Varian, who was married at the church and has been a member for three years. "It's a transition. It's a lot of history and a lot of memories. It's bittersweet."
What profits a man who wins the world but loses his soul?
Anglican ping
He wasn’t found innocent, he was found guilty and not removed from office you ding bat moonbat!
I bet General Steel could could do a small cathedral.
“They are the church! They just had to give up a building!!”
I am wondering if New Hope Anglican Church will be an independent congregation, or will they actually link up with the Anglican “communion”?
” ‘So V. Gene Robinson and the rest of his degenerate apologists win the property.’
Legally I think it was their’s to begin with.”
Actually, it’s very debatable. Our own congregation choose to walk away and leave our building. It’s now going to be sold. The diocese did not put one penny into that property or building, but we choose the way best for us after much prayer. My prayers are with this congregation.
When I attended my local UCC I was one of only 3 or 4 conservatives in a congregation of over 200.
Also they were encouraging making peace with Muzzies.
The same thing happened to a church close to me but they are still in the same building. The Episcopal church my family attended growing up, and where my mom was a member all her life, began filling its pews and top dogs with gays. Mom basically cut ties with them because of this. Also, every year I can remember the Boy Scouts sold Christmas trees in the front yard of the church and this year I noticed they were absent. I don’t know how long this has been going on.
I am sure he is now advocating peace with the muzzies.
The Anglican communion itself is going to split over this issue, so there may not be a "communion" for them to link up with.
The current Archbishop of Canterbury, while sympathetic to the besieged Christians in these US churches, cannot and will not disavow the anti-scriptural forces who hold the power in the US Episcopal "church" and in the Anglican "church" of Canada.
And, if the ABC were to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and make such a move, he would no doubt be deposed by the Labour government and replaced with a Wiccan priestess or a lesbian.
The forces in control of Canterbury, ECUSA, and the ACC are powerful. They worship principalities and powers, they are wealthy, and the grip of the feminist/homosexualist heresy on them is intense.
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Hooray. Free at last. Better to be rid of the heretical, Christ-hating, America-hating, degenerate Communist-sympathizing Episcopal church.
Just out of curiosity, Why are the church buildings owned by the denomination instead of the local congregation? That would make it a lot easier for the church to change denominations if theirs started rotting at the top as it did in this case.
God Bless this congregation for their faith and courage. “Come out from among them and be ye seperate.”
"None at all. But if someone wants to open a bar or a bordello, they'd be happy to sell. The national leadership is on record as opposing any sale to the faithful. Any other use is OK with them.
"“I’ve told them that my two concerns are that the congregation not set up as another part of the Anglican Communion and that there is some reasonable assurance that it’s a fair sale,” she said." http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1905134/posts
See also http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7243 for sworn testimony on the subject.
In many cases, they are not. That doesn't stop the TEC from spending millions on legal fees to take them away from the parishes. (In a few cases, such as northeast Florida, the Bishop actually had made them title the property in his name, so there was no legal ground for a fight.)
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