From The Clergy

An Evening with the Vicar of Baghdad
On Monday, December 8th, St. Michael’s Church has the distinct privilege of welcoming The Rev. Canon Andrew White to Charleston. Canon White serves St. George’s Church in Baghdad as the only remaining Anglican church still standing in Iraq, and consequently, he is also widely and affectionately known as the “Vicar of Baghdad.” In addition, he is the founder, President and CEO of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, the Director of the Religious Sectarian project for the United States Department of Defense, and he is the Anglican Chaplain to all Iraq and the Anglican Episcopal Chaplain to the military troops and civilian advisors serving in the International Zone in Iraq. It is often joked that he is a diplomat by week and a Vicar at the weekend. During George Carey’s tenure as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Canon White was also the Church of England’s Middle East envoy. This work contributed to his present and continuing work as a peace broker in one of the most troubled areas on earth. He has continually been called upon as a broker in hostage negotiations within Iraq. Over the past few years, he has intervened on behalf of over 160 hostages of various nationalities. He himself has been hijacked, kidnapped, threatened and held at gunpoint on many occasions. In spite of it all, he has dedicated his life to reconciliation in the Middle East by focusing on the positive role religions can play in resolving conflicts.

Canon White was born in London in June of 1964. He was a student of surgery and anesthesiology at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London and qualified as an Operating Department Practitioner in 1986, prior to beginning his training for ordination into the Anglican ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served as a curate at St. Marks Battersea Rise in London and then became Vicar of the Church of the Ascension in Balham, London. In 1998, he became the youngest Canon in the Church of England and was installed as the Residentiary Canon of Coventry Cathedral and Director of the International Centre of Reconciliation. As the Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy to the Middle East from 2001-2003, he was the first to hold this position after the five year imprisonment of his predecessor, Terry Waite.

Canon Andrew White’s dedication to the pursuit of peace is internationally recognized, having been conferred numerous honors. He is the author of two books, Iraq Searching for Hope and Iraq, People of Hope and Land of Despair and coauthor of By the Rivers of Babylon with Hope Jones. He is married with two sons.

Plan on coming to hear him and to learn more about his ministry and the work of God’s Kingdom in the Iraq of today. He will speak in the Kinloch Room of the Belser Building on Monday, December 8 from 6:30 will 8:00 p.m. ~ Bob Lawrence+

Update on Events in the Episcopal Church
The current struggle in the Episcopal Church at the national level and in the worldwide Anglican Communion continues. The struggle is between faithful orthodox Anglicans who believe that Jesus “is the way the truth and the life – that He is the only way to the Father” and revisionist Anglicans (including our present Presiding Bishop) who are trying to revise the faith and say that Jesus is only one of several ways to the Father.

Two thousand orthodox Anglicans from all over the world (including Bishop Lawrence) gathered this past summer in Jerusalem in what was called a Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) to chart a course that would allow us to be faithful to our Lord’s command to “go make disciples of all nations”. Their report contained fourteen points that are essential if we are to be faithful. Subsequent meetings of orthodox leaders are being held around the world to enable us to implement the course that was charted in Jerusalem.

It is anticipated that a second Anglican Province for the United States will be formed by January of 2009. This province would be parallel to the Episcopal Church (also Anglican) and will include many faithful people who have left the Episcopal Church because of the denial of our historic faith by the present leadership of the Episcopal Church at the national level.

Many faithful clergy and congregations have already left the Episcopal Church and have chosen to be under the “oversight” of other provinces in Africa and South America. This includes the Diocese of San Joaquin in California, the Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, the Diocese of Quincy in Illinois, and soon will include the Diocese of Fort Worth in Texas. It is these congregations and dioceses who will form the new province in America.

Many of these congregations and dioceses are engaged in legal battles to retain their church property. They are being challenged in court by a determined national leadership. Sadly, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has been unable or unwilling to intervene in this world wide Anglican struggle and bring about reconciliation. It is worthy of note that this struggle in the Episcopal Church to be faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is also going on in many other denominations – Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Roman Catholic. This is a world wide struggle for the Christian Faith.

How will this struggle impact the Diocese of South Carolina including St. Michael’s Church? That remains to be seen. We must be daily in prayer about all of this.
We must pray daily that by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us that we will Love the Lord of the Church, more than we love the Church.
~ Alex Dickson, Bishop-in-Residence for Anglican Essentials

Meaningful Meander
Notes from an all-staff walking tour of Charleston
Led by Tommy Dew of City.Slicker.com

On Wednesday, October 22nd, veteran tour leader Tommy Dew, who attends St. Phillip’s Church took the St. Michael’s staff – virtually all of us – on a walking tour of key Charleston sites just north of Broad. We donned walking shoes, and sweaters (as the day was very cool), and headed off for an adventure of learning about our City. As most of us did not grow up in Charleston, it was a chance to hear a devoted Southerner tell our history from his perspective.

We began our tour at the 4 Corners of Law, and learned that South Carolinians see the Law of God (church) as primary, then the law of the City, then the law of the State, and only finally the Federal law. It was noted later that perhaps most of the country sees things the other way around.

Charleston in the 1600’s was a walled city, with a draw bridge – a defense mainly against the Spanish who controlled all of America south of Virginia. Broad Street, the main thoroughfare of the City, had buildings that were no higher than four stories. This human scale helped the City develop as a place where interaction, friendliness, and accountability became the norm. Ever since Charleston has been viewed as “the most mannered city” in America, and has been so ranked by the travel industry..

We proceeded to Washington Park and learned that in 1781 the British lost a decisive victory to the American colonists, making this the “most decisive military victory” of the Revolutionary War. More people were killed in South Carolina than in any other part of the country. Charleston was seen as “the Mother of the War” – that is the Revolutionary War. There was even a Charleston Tea Party – however, instead of throwing the tea into the port, Charlestonians drank it.

We proceeded to the building currently occupied by the Charleston Historical Society. We entered this building and saw a copy of the Ordinance of Secession signed unanimously on December 20, 1860. Because Charleston was composed of many wealthy elites, it is believed that much of the rest of the South was waiting for Charleston to take the lead.

Also here in the original Institute Hall, the 1860 Democratic Convention took place. Because the Democrats at the time were badly divided, they put forward a multitude of candidates, leading to a major defeat and ushering in Abraham Lincoln, Republican, as President with just over 39% of the electorate supporting him.

During the Civil War Charleston was under siege for 587 days – a virtual rain of terror seen as punishment for secession. The post-war decade was an extremely bad time for Charleston, and for Southerners in general. Consequently Charleston was “frozen in time”. There was no money to tear down old buildings and build new ones. It wasn’t until well after World War II that the real re-building of Charleston happened, and by that time the Preservation Society had been formed, preventing the destruction of many old buildings and forcing their renovation instead.

We next proceeded to the United Church of Christ building, a remarkable example of late 19th Century Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and the Greek Revival-style Music Hall slightly behind it. This church, or the original one on this site, began as a Quaker Meeting House, from which the name Meeting Street came. It was also used by several other religious groups. The original building burned, and this is the fourth building on this site, completed in 1890.

We learned that after Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, Charleston was the fourth largest city in the Colonies. Here freedom of religion was so important that while the Church of England was well established here [“holding court” at St. Michael’s in 1710] there were many other groups here too: Quakers, Jews, and especially Huguenots who had been driven out of France when Louis XIV’s revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685. That Edict had given protection to France’s Protestants. By 1690 there were more Huguenots in Charleston than Anglicans. Also, while the oldest Jewish temple in America is in Newport, RI, a colony also known for religious freedom, Charleston’s temple is the oldest in continuous use. There were more Jews here than anywhere else in the Colonies. The only group that did not fare well here were the Roman Catholics, because so many of those who came here were fleeing persecution or oppression by the Roman Catholic Church in Europe.

In the late 18th century Charlestonians faced hard times. There was the Revolutionary War with the British occupation. Disease was rife. The summer time was “the dying time.” Heat and humidity contributed to the spread of all kinds of diseases. Mosquitoes didn’t help either. However, it was the open sewers, fed by human and animal waste, that were the main cause of the spread of disease.

We were reminded that agriculture, rather than industry, was the main source of income here. The revenues of the great cotton plantations made Charleston’s elite families very rich. At one point 60% of the world’s cotton was grown here in the South. Because agriculture was at the root of our economy, the industrial revolution affected northern states much more than it did the southern ones. In New England poor soil, and less rain meant that the growing season was shorter, and more difficult. Stones had to be removed from the fields, while there were many fewer stones in the South. This led to the saying: “There are no stone walls between southern families.” Here there is, or was, 50-55 inches of rainfall per year, leaving the ground very suitable for growing. New England, by contrast, settled by Puritans, was a recreation on American soil of a more populist culture. The Puritans, or Roundheads, executed King Charles I in 1649 for “high treason” and instituted the English Commonwealth (1649-1660), or the period in British history when there was no king. Their populist mindset influenced the thinking of northerners, so that one way of seeing the Civil War is that it was “the end of feudalism” in North America.

Tensions between the North and the South were predictable for many reasons, including the obvious economic ones. One of the key figures in the years leading up to the Civil War was John C. Calhoun, whose grave we visited. He was twice Vice President, once under John Quincy Adams. Southerners at the time were more likely to send their sons to Europe than to American universities, but Calhoun attended Yale, where there is still a residential college named for him. Calhoun was an enormously gifted orator and debater, and sought to maintain the status quo. During the Civil War his body was exhumed and removed to a safe place, because it was feared that when the City fell in 1865 his body might be desecrated by the Union troops.

Our tour ended at St. Phillip’s Church which reflects ante-bellum architecture rather than the Colonial architecture of St. Michael’s. It is, therefore, larger and more spacious. St. Phillip’s burned two times. Major fires in Charleston were usually started in kitchens. Both the great fire of 1740 and the great fire of 1761 were started in kitchens, leading to laws insisting that kitchens be built separate from the main houses.

Finally, we learned that South Carolina is the “Palmetto State” not so much because of the native tree by that name, but because when the British sailed up the Coast from the Caribbean in 1776, they confronted a wooden fort constructed by General Moultrie which was made of Palmetto tree trunks. Despite ruthless bombardment, the fort stood relatively undamaged. The British fleet, however, was destroyed on June 28, 1776. In honor of this South Carolina adopted the Palmetto tree as its symbol. The crescent moon was originally a Masonic symbol worn on the uniform of a militia that fought bravely in the Revolution.

In conclusion, we learned that Charleston and Philadelphia were the only two colonial cities to be built according to official town plans. Hence they are built on a grid plan. After the tour the staff gathered in the Ann Hester Willis Room to share impressions and to pray for the City and St. Michael’s. ~ Peter Moore, 10/24/08

Pete and Re-Peet on Sunday Mornings
It may sound like a new morning radio team, but actually we’re talking about a new adult Christian Formation offering that will be starting very soon.

Beginning on November 16 during the 9:20 am Sunday School hour, Peter Moore and Peet Dickinson will be offering a short series of classes in the Kinloch Room entitled “Overcoming hurdles that de-mobilize heart and home.” We all have those bumps in the road that keep us from having our hearts really invigorated for the Lord’s purposes. These hurdles can be very apparent or sometimes more subtle and insidious. Regardless, the effect is the same. We are inhibited and kept from being who God wants us to be and doing what God wants us to do. This brings about stagnation in the life of an individual and collectively this slows down the movement of the whole Body of Christ.

Our aim in this course is to identify and examine four of these hurdles and see how we might get over them as we run the race God has for us. Take a look below at the hurdles we’ll tackle.

Christian Formation for Adults at 9:20 am

Nov. 23 – Hurdle #2 Re-Peet – Being Religious, But Not Receiving The Gospel

Nov. 30 – This Sunday all ages will gather in the Kinloch Room to make Advent Wreaths

Dec. 7 – Hurdle #3 Pete – Enjoying A Career, But Not Sensing A Vocation

Dec. 14 – Hurdle #4 Re-Peet – Believing In A Good God, But Stumbling Over The Realities Of Suffering

We hope you can make these Sunday mornings as we run the race!

~ The Rev. Peet Dickinson

A Reflection Letter to the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence from our sponsored seminarian Tyler Prescott

Dear Bishop Lawrence,

In reflecting on my first few months in Ambridge, PA I am blessed to look upon what the Lord is doing in my life and the life of my family. It has certainly been a busy end to the summer, between Susanna’s cancer treatments, moving to Ambridge, and starting classes, but it is clear that the Lord’s sustaining grace is ever-strengthening my faith.

We arrived in Ambridge a month before classes began. With the help of our parents, the house was unpacked quickly, giving us plenty of time to get everyone settled in before my studies began. In mid-August, the whole family packed up for Philadelphia for Susanna’s second round of chemotherapy treatment. While the occasion for being in Philadelphia was difficult, it was a great time to be together as a family. Tyler, Lucia and I were able to explore a little bit of the city. The visit also allowed Tyler and Lucia to see where Susanna has been going once a month and what she has been doing. Thankfully, the treatment has been going very well. Susanna’s tumor has shrunk dramatically and the doctors are pleased at her overall response. Susanna herself has been a light to us, never ceasing to smile and laugh even when we know that she may not be feeling quite herself. We are happy to report a continued good prognosis and look forward to the end of chemotherapy in December.

I’m taking five classes this semester: Greek, Old Testament Survey, Biblical Interpretation, Spiritual Formation, and Homiletics. I’m particularly enjoying Old Testament and Biblical Interpretation as I learn to look at the Bible as a whole and understand the historical, cultural, and biblical context in which a particular passage or book is written. While challenging at times, I have found that I am enjoying Greek as well, especially thinking ahead to reading the New Testament in its original language.

Overall, my family and I have had a wonderful time for our first month and a half in Ambridge. There are certainly times when we miss Charleston and our family there, but the friendships that are forming here are encouraging. We know that we are in the midst of our Christian family. Also, being away from home has drawn us closer together as a family as we’ve been able to spend more time with each other and less time in the daily distractions of life.

As the semester continues, I look forward to growing in my relationship with the Lord in both the work He is doing in my life and through my studies. We are confident in Susanna’s continued healing and are privileged to witness God’s healing power in her life. As far as classes go, it is my prayer that they would not be merely work, but an opportunity to experience God and His revelation and to be continually formed to serve as a priest in His church. I thank you for the continued prayers and for those of the diocese.

Blessings in Christ,
Tyler Prescott
September 18, 2008

 

The Empty Chair: Reflections On Small Groups

Since I began my ministry at St. Michael’s in September, I’ve been trying to get to know as many of the more than 24 small groups that meet under the auspices of our parish. [And these are just the ones we know about!] There are women’s groups, men’s groups, mixed groups, open groups, closed groups. Some study a book, others study the Bible. Most include some sharing and informal prayer. The phenomenon of small groups has become such a part of the DNA of St. Michael’s we might be surprised to discover that not all churches have them – or even want them. One minister I knew was dumfounded to hear me say that small groups might be a strategy for the renewal of his congregation – so dependent was he on the importance of the pulpit, and so confident in his own preaching to change lives.

Looking back:
As far as I can tell, the existence of small groups goes back to some time in Rick Belser’s rector-ship, perhaps when Woody Volland was here? Curiously, Woody once worked for me before he felt a call to enter the ministry, and left for seminary. Peter Rothermel, with whom I also have a long personal relationship, thinks that Woody may have been the spark to get groups going at St. Michael’s. But others of you may have a different memory.

Looking around:
As I’ve been making the rounds, I have a number of impressions. The most important one is of how vital these groups are. There’s hardly a group I’ve visited that I didn’t wish I could join myself. I also realize that while some groups need to be “closed” because a certain level of trust has been reached among the members, there is a need for most groups to be “open” – that is to welcome new members. What if each time your group met you left one chair empty? The empty chair might remind you that Jesus is in your midst. Or, it could symbolize the newcomer whom you would like to welcome in – when the time is right.

Looking forward:
It would be great if every member of St. Michael’s were in a small group. George Gallup’s research, reflected in Robert Wuthnow’s book, Sharing the Journey, America’s New Quest for Community (Free Press, 1994), has revealed that 40% of all Americans are in some sort of a support group where personal needs are addressed as well as corporate ones. While this surprising phenomenon greatly strengthens the sense of belonging, it also, he says, reinforces our individualism. That’s why small groups cannot substitute for public worship, but need to supplement it. Starting on January 29th our new BETA course will begin. It will involve larger meetings (probably including a light meal), and also small groups. Those who sign up for the course will be strongly encouraged to join an existing group, or help form a new one. Part of the course will be a group study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. So, stay tuned, and start thinking: Thursdays this coming winter and spring will be BETA – “U Betcha!”

~ Dr. Peter C. Moore, Director of Transformational Discipleship

Prayer Ministry Expands to All Services
The opportunity to receive intercessory prayer from teams of our Prayer Ministers has long been one available at our 10:30 am and 6 pm Sunday services. Starting in November, this same opportunity will be available at our 8 am and 8:45 am Sunday services.  

Initially, as we begin this introduction of prayer ministry at these services, it will be an opportunity only available on the first Sunday of the month. It is hoped that we can expand to all Sundays as the interest of the congregation and the availability of additional Prayer Ministers willing to be scheduled for these services increases. At the 8 am service, the Prayer Ministers will be available from the start of communion through to the end of the service, using the north side prayer box pew. At the 8:45 am service, the Prayer Ministers will also be available from the start of communion through to the end of the service, using chairs designated for their use at the front of the Chapel. It is exciting to see this expansion of this vital ministry to make it even more available for all who worship at St. Michael’s.
~ Bob Lawrence


 


 

 

 

 

 

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