I was appalled to receive a mailing this week  (authored by someone clearly opposed to the Episcopal Full Communion) which was fraudulently designed to appear as if it was from the Rt. Rev. Wayne Burkette.  It was faked up and cobbled together on Provincial Elders’ Conference Stationery.  The return addresses on the envelopes were from various churches.  Some presented the return address of the PEC.  These were apparently mailed to every Moravian Church in the area.

This letter quoted Romans 1:18-32 and challenged readers to consider that passage when considering the Full Communion Agreement with the Episcopal Church.

Apparently the secret author of the letter failed to read the entire passage, which not only condemns sexual immorality, but in the same line also says that those abandoned to a debased mind are also “full of strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters.”

It is shameful, no in fact SINFUL for Christians to employ intentionally deceptive tactics.  Lying in defense of the truth is not a Christ-like action and in fact it clearly violates the 9th Commandment.

Who is the deceiver?  I do not know.  But when those who purport to follow Christ feel justified in using fraudulent tactics and lies to further an agenda, they are working for The Deceiver and not the Holy One of Israel.

Entirely aside from the issue of full communion with the Episcopal Church, I am very tired of Christians cobbling up lies to further an agenda.  We have a flurry of such lies on the internet and in the news media, including outrageous claims and statements that simply do not bear close scrutiny, but whe get repeated and reposted by otherwise well-meaning Christians.  It is shabby testimony to the world, where people increasingly are disgusted and turning away from the church because of such hypocrisy.

YHWH is a God of truth not a God of deception and lies.

The Rev John Jackman
Pastor
Trinity Moravian Church

Just as many dems fear the political landscape changed in Massachusetts 2 weeks ago the Council of Churches of Massachusetts seems to be bracing for a seismic shift away from support of their socialist agendas and a loss of interest in ecumenism. (We should not be too optimistic here)

Read this article and be advised that the Council of Churches clearly expresses it’s desire to broaden their scope of Christian Unity to non Christians.
I guess that oxymoron is to be expected since the Council of Churches thinks they can be the bond that brings members together.

Consider that they report that individual member churches are assuming roles of civic and government engagement that was once the responsibility of Council staff. ( This brings to mind the signature endorsements by PEC Presidents of the Heath Care initiatives and Hillary’s commitment of USA billions in reparation for our part in Global Climate Change.)

They believe Christian organizations are a Gift of God just as health care and global warming reform should be. What the Council of Churches is really concerned about is that if this is the will of God Christians will be moved to unified action without the Council possibly even without their denominational affiliation.

Both Christians and non-Christians were moved to action in Haiti apart from denominational, faith or Council affiliations. Only Christians will have the unique opportunity to bring Christ to those to whom they bring comfort and aid. As was the M O of Christ.

Is there growing recognition that the Councils of Churches are irrelevant and are losing support and influence?

One benefit: synods would be shorter and able to focus on relevant issues of the Church and its commission if it did not have to wade through one WCC and NCC authored resolution after another before finally addressing resolutions affirming Jesus as THE only way to salvation. That should have reset a focus in 2006 that would have ended our attempts to align with those who will not officially affirm Jesus’ unique role in the salvation of all.

By Bronislaus B. Kush TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
bkush@telegram.com
WORCESTER — Delegate members of the Massachusetts Council of Churches were challenged this weekend to continue to seek common ground in addressing the social, economic, and environmental problems racking the world.
Additionally, they were urged to take a hard look at their own commitments to the ecumenical movement and Christian unity.
The MCC held its 108th annual meeting yesterday at Assumption College, with much of the agenda focused on ways that Christian churches in the state can bond more closely to deal with such issues and ills as peace, human rights, discrimination, racism, poverty, hunger and health care.
There was also some discussion of a report that looks at directions the organization may take through 2014. They include broadening the scope of Christian unity dialogue to seminaries and groups with very little representation at the MCC, and increasing interfaith involvement with Muslim and Jewish faith groups.
The report noted the organization is more diverse today, and added that member churches are engaging with government, business, and civic leaders on public policy and other matters; a responsibility once left primarily to MCC staff.
Following a prayer service that featured the Ghanaian choir from Wesley United Methodist Church, the delegates got down to business.
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), said the relief work in Haiti proves that Christian groups and churches can work together effectively.
“The Christian organizations are a gift of God to humanity,” he said.
But, he said, similar efforts are needed to address issues ranging from global warming to health care reform.
Archbishop Aykazian warned that American Christians shouldn’t become lax about racism just because a black was elected president. He added that the war on poverty is a continuing campaign, noting that 1.6 billion people around the globe live on less than a dollar a day.
He said MCC members must educate their congregants about the issues and challenge the political leadership to find answers.
In addressing issues revolving around unity, Laura Everett, the MCC’s associate director, noted that “not everything should be ecumenical” and that it’s not a bad thing if denominations retain their unique identities.
But she’s worried about the ecumenical movement, because people aren’t as curious as they used to be about the churches they don’t belong to.
Framing her point of view in paradoxes, she said, “We’re too familiar with each other but we’re not familiar enough … I worry we’re too tribal, but we’re not tribal enough.”
She said it’s imperative for Christians to help the less fortunate — and added that the best way to do that is through unity.
Kathryn Lohre, the president-elect of the National Council of Churches, said the religious landscape of the country has changed drastically since the council’s founding in 1902, and much of that is because of the number of immigrants who were able to come to the United States as a result of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.
For example, Ms. Lohre, who is also assistant director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, which charts religious diversity in the United States, said that Massachusetts contains the seventh largest population of recent immigrants; that demographic represents 14.3 percent of the Bay State’s total population.
Naturally, she said, the increase in immigrants has changed the religious makeup of the country, adding that interfaith relations shouldn’t compromise Christian identity.
The MCC is made up of 17 Protestant and Orthodox denominations. Though not formal members, the four Roman Catholic dioceses of Massachusetts have collaborated for many years with the organization.
Clergy leaders attending yesterday’s meeting included Bishop Gordon Scruton of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts; Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios.
At the meeting, the Rev. Diane C. Kessler, a former MCC executive director, was awarded the Forest Knapp Award for her work in promoting ecumenism. Mr. Knapp is considered to be a pioneer in the ecumenical movement.

Denominational liberals have departed from the Holy Bible, the Word of our Lord.

Adrian Rogers likened denominational liberals to the leaven of the Pharisees.

“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an
innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode
one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first
of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy.”
Luke 12:1, KJV

“Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they
reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have
taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto
them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves,
because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand,
neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and
how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the
four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it
that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you
concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how
that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of
the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:6-12, KJV

Liberal, denominational leadership has promoted the idea of inclusion; the notion that any sin and the sinner is OK, and even welcomed, in the church. The idea that inclusion means to condone the sin along with loving the sinner is weakening the church to the point that the church looks no different that the secular world. Christians are called to be different. Christians are called to be ‘not of the world’.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20 (KJV)

For the liberal leadership, the cultural experience of Christianity has displaced a serious pursuit of true discipleship and personal holiness. When we embrace the sin, we are no different than non- Christians.

Moravians are not on Board! 

In this press release by the Lutheran news agency today it is noted that their
 actions on Human Sexuality at the 2009 church wide assembly are in step
with their ecumenical partners. (Episcopal Church, Moravian Church in
America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America
and the United Church of Christ) 

There is no debate that these actions mirror those of the Episcopal Church USA. Be reminded that even thought all the elements were served up at our Provincial Synods over the past 25 years Moravian delegates refused to go all the way. Division among the delegates stopped the resolution far short of its objective. A moratorium was called on any further action on this issue by unity synod. See a response to resolution 6. and a discussion on the event in the Hinge.

From <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>
Date Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:34:09 -0500

Title: ELCA Shares Significant Actions with Ecumenical, Global
Partners

ELCA NEWS SERVICE >August 26, 2009 ELCA Shares Significant Actions with Ecumenical, Global Partners 09-188-MRC CHICAGO (ELCA) — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is sharing some significant actions taken at the 2009 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly with its ecumenical and global partners. Two
significant actions include the adoption of the ELCA’s 10th social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” and the modification of ministry policies
that govern pastors and other professional church leaders in committed
same-gender relationships.

The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, met in Minneapolis, Aug. 17-23. About 2,000 people participated, including 1,045
ELCA voting members.

The ELCA shares full communion agreements with the Episcopal Church,
Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church
in America and the United Church of Christ. At the assembly, voting
members agreed to a full-communion partnership with the United Methodist
Church (UMC) — the first such relationship for the UMC.

In an Aug. 24 letter to these and other ecumenical partners, the
ELCA presiding bishop and the denomination’s ecumenical executive said
all recommendations regarding human sexuality were “given serious and
protracted consideration.”

“These considerations reflect nearly 10 years of discernment, where
whole communities have walked together through the arduous challenge of
discerning the ecclesial call to all of God’s children in the Church
universal,” wrote the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and the
Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious
Relations.

“As we now enter into the 100th anniversary of the contemporary
ecumenical movement, Christian communities have worked tirelessly to
develop relationships, reach historic agreements, honor differences,
strive toward unity and pursue significant accomplishments together,”
they wrote.    

“We understand with you the need for ecumenical tables to discuss
theological, ethical and morale concerns that are facing Christians
today,” Hanson and McCoid wrote. “We believe the most central way of
engaging these deep-structured concerns is to enter into and remain with
one another in the heart of constructive dialogue. We wholeheartedly
encourage and invite you to engage with this church around those very
tables in the near future.”

In a separate letter, Hanson and the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla,
executive director, ELCA Global Mission, acknowledge some “continued
disagreements” among Lutherans both in the United States and overseas on
the topic of human sexuality.

“We will continue to be in a time of prayer and deep conversation
within the ELCA, and wish to continue the conversation with you as
companions in the common mission God has entrusted to us,” Hanson and
Malpica Padilla wrote.

In their letter Hanson and Malpica Padilla outlined other actions
taken by the assembly, including a $10 million campaign to implement an
HIV and AIDS strategy. The assembly’s action commits the ELCA to raise
funds needed to implement the ELCA strategy and to expand the church’s
commitment to support the ministries of its companion churches overseas
in responding to the HIV and AIDS crisis.

They also highlighted a major initiative to undertake the fight
against malaria. A two-year pilot phase could precede the initiative in
partnership with companion churches.
- – -

Information about the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the Web.

The goal of the ecumenical movement is to “unite” ALL religions in world (including Islam). There is evidence for that by reading Revelation, and we can easily see of how far along we are toward that end by reading the literature and articles published by the WCC/NCC, the various state Councils of Churches, and other ecumenical and “progressive organizations”. The recent ” Statement from Religious Leaders On Health Care Reform”  endorced by Moravian leaders Wayne Burkett and David Wickman (see: www.tikkun.org/article.php/20090707141055145/print)  is a good example portraying “scripture” from the Qur’an as equal to the protestant Bible. It is interesting to note that Islam is promoted as “a religion of peace” and attention is drawn to Islam surpassing other religions in terms of growth, the Roman Catholicism is the “false religion” (the “whore” described in Revelation) which will be THE One World Religion.

David T.

You can also read the following article at:
www.onthewing.org/user/Islam%20-%20German%20looks%20at%20Islam%20-%20Tanay.pdf

A German’s point of view on Islam
by Dr. Emanuel Tanay, Psychiatrist

A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism.
‘Very few people were true Nazis ‘he said,’ but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories. ’
We are told again and again by ‘experts’ and ‘talking heads’ that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the spectra of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history.
It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is that the ‘peaceful majority’, the ‘silent majority’, is cowed and extraneous.
Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China’s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.
The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet.
And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were ‘peace loving’?
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.
Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghanis, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.
As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts: the fanatics who threaten our way of life.
Emanuel Tanay, M. D.
Wayne State University
Ann Arbor, Michigan

This is a reminder that Daniel Crews will Speak at 6:00 Tuesday night January 20th at Olivet Moravian Church. He will be addressing the group who has been studying the Full Communion Proposal with the Episcopal Church.

Crews is the author of many publications during his career as archivist in Winston Salem. What might be one of the most pertinent to our discussions is “Confessing Our Unity in Christ” a historical and theological Background to “The Ground of the Unity” This 38 page booklet was prepaired by request of the president of the PEC for presentation to the Moravian Clergy Association in 1994 but has been updated in recent re printings in January 2000 to reflect Synod changes to the Ground.

It is expected that Daniel Crews will discuss the confessional statements and evolution of Doctrinal statements of the Old Unity between 1468 and 1573 through today.

A doctrinal statement that was developed and over a number of years evolved into the “eight essential” was affirmed Synod after Synod for more than 150 years before it’s replacement by the “Ground of the Unity” in 1957.

It is the “Ground of the Unity” that has done so much to define Modern Moravians as Genetically Disposed to Ecumenism. It is the “Ground of the Unity” that is often referenced in the agreement and informs the dialogue team from both the Moravian Church and the Episcopal Church that we are compatible.

Daniel may help us understand the environment and culture that brought about this most significant event in Moravian Synod History.

Everyone is invited Olivet Members and guests, bring a friend.

Is this insanity contagious?

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori had better go below deck and see the gaping hole in her sinking ship.

She can go on pretending this is about Openly Gay Bishop Gene Robinson but she needs to listen to those who are leaving.  They make it clear that this is only one of many symptoms of biblical abandonment and they find they  must jump ship and get as far away as possible in fear of being sucked down as the once might (TEC) Sinks!Schori seems to demonstrate no understanding of the  commission of the church and little understanding or willingness to listen to those who are trying to remind her.

I wonder if she will stand firmly and proudly on the stern as TEC slips below the water or will she eagerly scamper off to another denominational rescue vessel where through a full communion agreement she will be recognized as a Bishop in good standing? 

Episcopal leader calls diocese secession illegal

Washington (AP) Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori (SHOHR’-ee) says the Diocese of Pittsburgh probably won’t be the last to vote to leave the U.S. branch of the world Anglican Communion.But she told a forum at Washington National Cathedral that she considers Pittsburgh’s secession to join with more conservative Anglicans in South America to be a violation of church law.

The Diocese of San Joaquin (wah-KEEN’),

California, had previously quit the Episcopal Church, and dioceses based in Quincy, Illinois, and Fort Worth, Texas

, are set to vote next month on leaving.Conservative Episcopalians object to the denomination condoning homosexuality, a position highlighted by the 2003 consecration of the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

But Jefferts Schori said that issue is less important to God than helping the poor. 

Comment by reader:
Ms Schori foolishly violated church law to “depose” Bp Duncan 2 weeks prior to this vote making the vote even more lopsided. Now she has the gall to talk about whether it is legal for a diocese to leave. She is an oceanographer not a canon lawyer. Here is what a canon lawyer says:”The Episcopal Church, like each of the Dioceses which make it up, is itself an unincorporated association. What does that mean? An unincorporated association is, first of all, not incorporated-that is to say, it is not a permanent legal entity, as is a corporation. Second, it is an association-which is to say that it is a voluntary assembly of people who choose freely to belong to it. While they are members, they must obey its rules. But if the association had a rule that “members who join us may never leave us,” that rule itself would not only be unenforceable in any court, but it would violate the very definition of an association, in an effort to turn it into a permanent, corporate-like entity.” http://tinyurl.com/4grhpw

Ms Schori’s heavy handed ways has made the denomination the fastest declining in America – and that was last year. With four whole dioceses leaving, dozens and dozens of lawsuits across the country, this year’s statistics will make last year’s look rosy.