A Crucial Apr. 25 Presentation—Bishop Mark Lawrence, S. Carolina, and ACNA Bishop John Guernsey

Posted by Kendall Harmon

(This was sponsored by Guildford DEF[Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship] which is part of the Church of England Evangelical Council in England). You may listen to it all through the audio file which may be found over here (an MP3 file), or if easier here:



Herewith a flyer sent out as an invitation to this event:
The Guildford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship invite you to an An evening with Bishop Mark Lawrence (TEC Bishop of South Carolina) and Bishop John Guernsey (ACNA Bishop of Mid-Atlantic) On 25th April 2012 at 8 pm At Holy Trinity Claygate, Church Road, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0JP

We are delighted that Bishop Mark Lawrence, the Episcopal Church Bishop for the Diocese of South Carolina, and Bishop John Guernsey, the Anglican Church in North America Bishop for the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, have agreed

• to bring us up to date with developments amongst Anglicans in North America;

• to tell us why some orthodox Anglicans have considered it appropriate to work within TEC whilst others have considered it appropriate to work within ACNA; and

• to explain to us how people within the two organisations who hold similar views are generally able to continue to support each other in spreading the Gospel.

Do invite your friends and colleagues, Roger Sayers, Secretary GDEF

Please note this is is a long evening of some 1 hour and 40 minutes. During the introduction the following people are mentioned--it is opened by Philip Plyming, vicar of Holy Trinity, Claygate, and then chairman, Stephen Hofmeyr, QC. There is then a message from Bishop Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford given by the Ven. Julian Henderson, Archdeacon of Dorking. Both Mark Lawrence (who goes first) and John Guernsey then give presentations of some twenty minutes which takes you to approximately one hour. After that there are questions from those present to the two bishops about the matters at hand. Archdeacon Julian Henderson then offers brief concluding remarks. Do take the time to listen to it all--KSH.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • - Anglican: Analysis • Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops • TEC Conflicts • Global South Churches & Primates • FCA Meeting in London April 2012 • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • Windsor Report / Process • * Christian Life / Church Life • Church History • Parish Ministry • * Culture-Watch • Law & Legal Issues • * South Carolina • * Theology

7 Comments
Posted April 28, 2012 at 9:06 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. MichaelA wrote:

I couldn’t get the audio link to work, but no matter. 

The orthodox Primates signalled years ago that they don’t intend to leave the Anglican Communion, but to stay in it, and eventually win it back.  Therefore it is good to see +Lawrence of TEC and +Guernsey of ACNA sharing with British Anglicans their experience of working in different ways.  While one of them is outside the established Anglican structure in the USA and the other is within it, both are working towards the same end. 

The message about mutual support is particularly important.

[Try this, MichaelA.  To listen: either click on link and allow time to load [it is a large audio file]; or save MP3 to your computer by right clicking on link, choosing ‘save target as’ and then open saved file with another media player.  Let us know if you are still having problems listening - Elf]

April 29, 1:42 am | [comment link]
2. DUKEANGLICAN wrote:

Thanks so much for posting this.  As an Orthodox Episcopalian who is currently in seminary this gives me such great hope for the future of Anglicanism in the US no matter what happens with TEC.  Thank God for the few remaining faithful Bishops in TEC like +Lawrence, and great people in ACNA like +Guernsey!

April 29, 10:52 pm | [comment link]
3. MichaelA wrote:

Many thanks Elves

[We have now inserted a player for those who are having trouble with the original link - Elf]

April 29, 11:20 pm | [comment link]
4. Denise wrote:

Thank you, Fr. Kendall, for making this available.  The download is long.  I gave up the first time I tried it, but decided to try again and give it more time—happy that I did.  It was well worth the time spent.  The presentation of the two bishops was enlightening even for me—an Anglican.  I could not help but wonder what the English Clergy thought about Bp. Mark’s remarks.  After all, most likely those dear people do not understand the idea that the parishioners could own their church property, and, heaven forbid, their bishop refusing the A/B C entry into their diocese.  But in a country that is protected by a national constitution as well as a diocesan constitution) it can and does (or at least should) happen in the United States.  Thanks be to God for a bishop who understands that.

April 30, 7:11 pm | [comment link]
5. Saltmarsh Gal wrote:

The tiniest quibble ever—-Kudzu is a native of Japan and China and brought to the US from Japan (not Africa)  in 1876 to help control erosion- mostly in the deep south.

April 30, 7:21 pm | [comment link]
6. DUKEANGLICAN wrote:

@Saltmarsh Gal- I totally thought that too!

April 30, 11:40 pm | [comment link]
7. Rob Eaton+ wrote:

Kendall,
I believe it to be so, too, but what in your opinion makes this presentation evening “crucial?”  And do you think the second question of the flyer was answered?

May 1, 3:45 am | [comment link]
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