12 Bishops say no to gay blessings — Indianapolis Statement released: Anglican Ink, July 11, 2012 July 11, 2012
Posted by geoconger in 77th General Convention, Anglican Ink, The Episcopal Church.Tags: A049, Daniel Herzog, Daniel Martins, Edward L Salmon Jr., Edward S. Little, gay marriage, Gregory Brewer, Indianapolis Statement, James Stanton, John Bauerschmidt, Michael D. Smith, Paul Lambert, William Love
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A coalition of conservative and moderate bishops attending the 77th General Convention have released a statement denouncing the passage of Resolution A059: “Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Sex Relationships”.
The “Indianapolis Statement” joins declarations by the bishops and deputations of South Carolina and Central Florida in rejecting the authorization of provisional local rites for gay blessings as being contrary to Scripture, the Prayer Book, the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, and the undivided theological, pastoral and moral witness of the universal church for the past 2000 years.
The Rt. Rev. Michael Smith, Bishop of North Dakota, rose at the start of the morning session of the House of Bishops today and said:
“Presiding Bishop, thank you for allowing me to rise to speak on behalf of at least twelve members of this House. Those of us known as the Communion Partners have expended a great deal of energy for at least the past six years working to persuade theological conservatives to remain in the Episcopal Church and theological liberals to remain in the Anglican Communion. Two actions of this General Convention have made this task more difficult: the authorization of same-sex blessings through the passage of Resolution 049, and our decision to ‘decline to take a position on the Anglican Covenant’ by the passage of Resolution D008.”
“We find ourselves between the proverbial ‘rock and a hard place’. We struggle to hold together the evangelical faith of the Church, from which we see this Convention as departing, and the catholic order of the Church, which causes us, for the sake of the unity for which Jesus prayed, to resist the temptation to leave this fellowship.”
“Therefore, we submit to this House the following Minority Report:”
Read it all in Anglican Ink.
Anglican Unscripted Episode 27, February 6, 2012 February 7, 2012
Posted by geoconger in AMiA, Anglican Church of the Congo, Anglican.TV, Church of Nigeria, Property Litigation, The Episcopal Church.Tags: Ben Kwashi, Congo, Gregory Brewer
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Kevin and George reveal breaking news from the Diocese of Central Florida and Bishop-Elect Brewer. They also clarify an Anglican Ink report on AMiA’s Winter Conferences Ordinations. AS Haley discusses the horrible witness TEC is showing the world through the US Legal system. And we discuss the violence in Nigeria and show comments from Archbishop Ben Kwashi from Mere Anglicanism 2012. And there may be some behind the scene footage after the credits again.
Central Florida elects Greg Brewer: Anglican Ink, November 19, 2011 November 24, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Ink, Central Florida.Tags: Gregory Brewer
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Bishop-elect Gregory O. Brewer
First published in Anglican Ink.
The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida has elected a New York rector as its fourth bishop. The Rev. Canon Gregory O. Brewer was elected on the fourth ballot from among seven candidates to succeed the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe at a special convention held at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park on 19 Nov 2011.
The only clergyman from outside the diocese on the ballot, Canon Brewer led the voting from the first ballot and received a majority of lay votes by the third ballot, and won the election in the fourth round.
Speaking from New York via cell phone to the Central Florida special convention Bishop-elect Brewer thanked the convention for its support. “I’m just very excited to return to Central Florida and will pray for God’s blessings on our work together there,” he said.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Canon Brewer was educated at Lynchburg College and the Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained a deacon at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lynchburg VA, by the Bishop of Southwestern Virginia, the Rt. Rev. Henry Marmion in 1976 and priest at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Winter Park, FL by the Bishop of Central Florida, the Rt. Rev. William Folwell.
He has served his curacy in the Diocese of Central Florida and later taught at the Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. He was rector of the 1800-member Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli, PA in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, before moving to Calvary-St. George’s Church in downtown Manhattan. Canon Brewer is married to the former Laura Lee Williams of Orlando and they have five sons: Charles, James, Todd, Lee and Mark.
Bishop Howe presided at the opening Eucharist and Dr. Woody Anderson, Professor of New Testament at Nashotah House, gave the sermon. In his address, Dr. Anderson spoke to the charism of leadership necessary to fulfill the office of bishop and asked God’s protection for the new bishop.
In a break from past voting practices, delegates to the convention were given 20 numbered ballots. The ballots were machine readable, Canon to the Ordinary, the Rev. Ernest Bennett told the convention, and instructions were provided on how to mark the ballot so that it could be scanned.
The convention chaplain, the Rt. Rev. James Adams, resigned Bishop of Western Kansas and rector of Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church in Lecanto, FL, led the convention in prayers and hymn singing between ballots and regaled the diocese with jokes, anecdotes and puns as the ballots were counted.
There was a noticeable lack of tension in the air, clergy and lay delegates told AI. Mrs. Anneke Bertsch – a member of St John’s Episcopal Church in Melbourne – appeared to speak for many present when she said that she had been praying for some time about the election and was at peace, confident the Holy Spirit would guide the delegates.
Of the seven candidates, only Canon Brewer came from outside the diocese. The sole woman priest on the ballot – the Rev. Mary A. Rosendahl, rector of the Church of the Nativity in Port St Lucie – drew her support the liberal wing of the diocese.
The five other candidates: the Very Rev. Anthony P. Clark, dean of the Cathedral Churc of St Luke in Orlando, the Rev. R. Jonathan Davis, vicar of the Church of the Incarnation in Oviedo, the Rev. Charles L. Holt, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lake Mary, the Rev. Timothy C. Nunez, rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Belleview, and the Rev. James A. Sorvillo, Sr., rector of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Orlando were affiliated with the “Faith Received” group – a coalition of conservative clergy and lay members of the diocese.
On the first ballot, with 249 lay and 188 clergy delegates voting, Canon Brewer polled first among both orders. The five Faith Received affiliated candidates divided the conservative vote amongst themselves. Though their combined total was enough to elect a bishop, individually their vote counts fell short with only Mr. Nunez within striking distance of the leader.
| Ballot 1 | Lay | Clergy |
| Gregory Brewer | 99 | 54 |
| Anthony Clark | 18 | 10 |
| Jonathan Davis | 12 | 9 |
| Charles Holt | 26 | 24 |
| Timothy Nunez | 45 | 33 |
| Mary Rosendahl | 25 | 35 |
| James Sorvillo | 24 | 23 |
| Total Voting | 249 | 188 |
| Needed to Win | 125 | 95 |
The second round saw a weakening of the individual totals for the Faith Received candidates, with only Mr. Nunez showing an increased vote count. After the totals were announced Mr. Davis and Dean Clark withdrew.
| Ballot 2 | Lay | Clergy |
| Gregory Brewer | 111 | 73 |
| Anthony Clark | 10 | 2 |
| Jonathan Davis | 4 | 7 |
| Charles Holt | 25 | 19 |
| Timothy Nunez | 59 | 42 |
| Mary Rosendahl | 15 | 25 |
| James Sorvillo | 21 | 22 |
| Total Voting | 245 | 190 |
| Needed to Win | 123 | 96 |
The third ballot saw Canon Brewer pass the 50 per cent mark among the lay delegates as support for the local liberal and conservative candidates moved to his corner. Following the third ballot Mrs. Rosendahl withdrew.
| Ballot 3 | Lay | Clergy |
| Gregory Brewer | 132 | 91 |
| Anthony Clark | - | - |
| Jonathan Davis | - | - |
| Charles Holt | 20 | 11 |
| Timothy Nunez | 76 | 55 |
| Mary Rosendahl | 6 | 13 |
| James Sorvillo | 15 | 15 |
| Total Voting | 249 | 185 |
| Needed to Win | 125 | 93 |
The fourth ballot saw Mrs. Rosendahl’s support move to Canon Brewer, with Mr. Nunez strengthening his totals at the expense of the remaining Faith Received candidates. However, the swing to Canon Brewer of the Rosendahl voters was enough to put him over the top.
| Ballot 4 | Lay | Clergy |
| Gregory Brewer | 141 | 110 |
| Anthony Clark | - | - |
| Jonathan Davis | - | - |
| Charles Holt | 12 | 9 |
| Timothy Nunez | 80 | 62 |
| Mary Rosendahl | - | 1 |
| James Sorvillo | 8 | 10 |
| Total Voting | 241 | 192 |
| Needed to Win | 121 | 97 |
Pending reception of the required consents from a majority of bishops with jurisdiction and standing committees of the Episcopal Church, Canon Brewer will be consecrated on 24 March 2012.
