Dear Friends,

On March 14, 2004, five retired bishops of the Episcopal Church violated the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church by going uninvited into the Diocese of Ohio and confirming more than one hundred people. In a statement issued by the House of Bishops, we declared that the five bishops "used the sacrament of unity in Christ as an instrument of division and defiance. Secretive in its planning, their action was discourteous, disruptive and willful violation of out constitution and canons." That service was planned by the American Anglican Council.

In early May, some sixty members of St. James Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City met secretly and formed a new Church called St. James Anglican Church. Their network proclaims that they are associated with the American Anglican Council.

On May 22, an article in the New York Times, written by Laurie Goodstein and David Kirkpatrick, describes the efforts of well financed and determined conservatives in the Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal Churches to split the Churches along liberal and conservative lines. In that article these words appeared, "When the Episcopal Church elected an openly gay bishop last summer, the institute (on Religion and Democracy) organized and housed a conservative secessionist group called the American Anglican Council…"

The American Anglican Council has established an Oklahoma branch. It is called the Oklahoma Anglican Council. They were present at our annual convention in Tulsa last November. I have not written of it or against is in the last several months because I believe it to be an expression of loyal opposition that had a legitimate place within out Church. In the light of the above, I can no longer remain quiet. The American Anglican Council and its Oklahoma expression have moved from loyal opposition to disloyal opposition. Their purpose is to divide the Church and create schism. They are willing to break the constitution and canons of the church. They meet in secrecy. They spread half truths and falsehoods. They are attempting to discredit your bishop. They will wound the congregations of this diocese if you allow them to do so.

I encourage you to reject their advances and invite them to have no part in the life of this diocese.

Faithfully,

+Robert M. Moody

Comment: I find it hard to understand that a meeting attended by some sixty parishioners of St. James
Episcopal Church in a public place, in April could be called "they met secretly", if the Bishop thinks that the current Pastor of St. James Episcopal Church was unaware of this meeting he is even more misinformed that I
suspected.

Bishop Moody your time has passed, if parishioners were given an opportunity to vote on your continued leadership you would be defeated in a landslide, for the good of all concerned you should step down at once. As for discrediting you Bishop, you sir have done a very good job on that score yourself.

In closing, have you ever noticed that if you visit the official web site for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma,
the only person who does not have an e mail address listed is the Bishop, could it be he does not want to hear
what the people think of his leadership? He did not ask me for my opinion on how he should vote at last years General Convention, did he ask any of you?

Steve Monroe

Dear Bishop Moody,

The Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Anglican Council (OAC) sends this response to your article in the June/July edition of Oklahoma Episcopal News. You do not have a clear understanding of the OAC; therefore, we want you to know:

The outrageous innovations of last summer's General Convention, prompted biblically orthodox Episcopal laity to begin a series of on-going gatherings. We gather to share the pain of having been betrayed by revisionist bishops. We gather to learn what is happening within the Anglican Communion, ECUSA and our Diocese. We gather to mourn the departure of the Episcopal Church from its historic faith.
The OAC was incorporated in late December 2003. Our organization is a Christ-centered, spiritually driven, grass roots organization. Our leadership and funding come entirely from Oklahomans.
Because of the OAC and its gatherings, there are Episcopalians who have remained in the Episcopal Church who would have otherwise left it.

We wish to respond to a number of inaccuracies in your report.

The American Anglican Council did not establish the OAC, though we maintain a cordial relationship with that organization. To suggest that the OAC is an "expression" of the AAC and that someone in Washington is directing our efforts is false. Having not been formed until December 2003, the OAC was not present at the annual convention in Tulsa in November 2003.

To state the OAC's purpose is to "divide the Church and create schism" is false, misleading and manipulative. It is you and the other revisionist bishops who have created schism... both here in Oklahoma and, indeed, throughout the entire Anglican Communion.

The OAC was unaware of the recent Ohio confirmation service until after it happened. While we had no part in that event, we support the senior bishops who participated in bringing needed pastoral care to those unwilling to have a revisionist bishop lay hands upon them for confirmation.

The OAC took no council with the people who formed the new St. James Anglican Church. That congregation's decision to no longer have ties with you was entirely their own decision. We support those 100+ former
Episcopalians who have joined the Network under the leadership of Bishop Duncan.

OAC gatherings have been well publicized and are hardly "secret." All are welcome to attend.
The OAC has not knowingly published a half-truth or a falsehood. If you could point one out, we would respond to it. We are pained that our bishop's first public statement regarding the OAC is in itself full of half-truths and falsehoods.

People are asking the OAC for information we do not have. In the spirit of being disclosing, we ask you to respond to the following:

What do Oklahoma parish reports show as average Sunday attendance in 2003 versus 2002?

How many Oklahoma parishes have become missions since the 2003 General Convention?

How many Oklahoma dollars have been diverted away from this diocese since the 2003 General Convention?

Your revisionist beliefs do not match those of the people you are meant to serve. Since the 2003 General Convention, the leaders of the OAC have helped several hundreds of people of this diocese to gather together and to pray together... all in support of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Scripture and our historic faith. In response, you say the OAC should "have no part in the life of this diocese". You warn clergy and laity to avoid us, yet it is we who proclaim God's inspired Word and what is in the Book of Common Prayer. We would pray that our Bishop support us, rather than attack us. We will continue to pray for you, and we invite your prayers for the Oklahoma Anglican Council.

 Ralph Morgan, President
Oklahoma Anglican Council

Bob Moody has apparently joined the Black Helicopter conspiracy crowd with his latest tirade against those of us who choose to affirm Scripture as the inspired word of God, in contrast to his own publicly stated position to the contrary.  Amusingly enough, he now accuses St. James Anglican Church, the OAC, the American Anglican Council, and other orthodox groups of secretly and deliberately fomenting schism, which in fact is exactly what he and the other revisionist ECUSA Bishops achieved in Minneapolis last year!  None of them seem to be able to remove the scales from their eyes and see the hard truth of the tremendous, probably fatal, damage they have done to the Anglican Communion.  By refusing to pass resolution B001, he and his pals in purple essentially decreed that ECUSA is no longer even a Christian denomination, much less an orthodox one.  What exact right does he  think he has to criticize those who wish to preserve the historic catholic tradition?  Curiously, his concern over the words of Scripture doesn't seem to equal his concern over the words of canon law.
But, that's the past--we have the future of St. James Anglican parish to build, which is all that really matters at this point.  Let's make it happen!
Mike Burcke

My parish, St. Alban the Martyr, Ottawa, is struggling with the same issues regarding the authority of Scripture within our diocese. Our diocesan clergy contain both the chairman of the Essentials Council (similar to the AAC) and the mover of the heretical motion at our General Synod that acknowledged the "sanctity" of same-sex unions, so there is considerable tension within the diocese.

We are meeting regularly to pray and plan our way forward in these uncertain times. Our next big decision point is the diocesan synod in October and I am certain that we may have to follow your good example. Your witness is encouraging to me and I
will share your story with others in the parish.

God bless you in your mission and ministry. Please pray for us as we pray for you.

Bill Sanderson
Parish of St. Alban the Martyr, Ottawa

Ron Reed

Lori Burdeaux
Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector's Office

Posted by dvirtue on 2004/5/7
OKLAHOMA CITY: Inaugural Service Held at St. James Anglican Church

5/6/2004

A large part of the congregation from St. James Episcopal Church walked away from the parish property seeking to distance themselves from ECUSA, its movement away from Scripture and Tradition and the Oklahoma Bishop.

The Bishop of Oklahoma, Robert Moody voted for the election of Gene Robinson, the option for individual diocese to initiate same sex blessings, and currently has as a deacon under his authority in the diocese that is a transexual from male to female.
 

Over 100 faithful souls attended the first service held by St. James Anglican Church in South Oklahoma City on May 2nd.

The congregation meets each Sunday at 11:45 a.m. in the chapel at Southern Hills Baptist Church, 8601 South Pennsylvania, in Oklahoma City.

The service was Morning Prayer, Rite II, led by David Haener. Don Gumm and the youth group provided music. After the service, the entire congregation gathered for a group portrait.

The congregation encompasses all age groups, from tiny babies to the '80s and above! "This whole endeavor has been a leap of faith by a church family that has been hurting for some time," said Don Gumm, St. James Anglican’s senior warden. He continued, "But 116 faithful Anglicans gathered for worship and prayers to support each other and the whole Anglican Communion."

Arrangements are in the works for visiting priests to celebrate the eucharist on a regular basis and a plan is being formulated to invite Episcopal oversight by an Anglican bishop.

Morning Prayer will be held until clergy can be called to celebrate Eucharist and services are open to all.
 

This message was posted to Virtuosity On Line

I thought the first service brought out many from across the street. it was inspiring to see those from the first 8:00 am service. I was thrilled to see those who have not been attending St James at all. I am pleased to have singing with Kim Burke. I Felt that it was a very religous service. I am a Lay Reader and a Lector I would Happy to serve in any capacity. I also am a Lay Eucharistic Visitor capable of Morning Prayer. I can sing bass in a choir or a quartet. I am willing to teach adult bible study.

Thank You
Don R Floyd SR

Good job!...to all who worked so hard to make this move happen.  It was simply the right thing to do.  It was easy to see the enthusiasm and commitment of all those in attendance...may they so continue.  WE did not leave the Episcopal church...the Episcopal church left the entire communion behind, and is about to be removed from it.

On a practical note:  all those in attendance last Sunday discovered, some with surprise, that there are NO KNEELERS in a Baptist church (its not part of their tradition), which resulted in some interesting attempts at dealing with an unexpected situation!  The official alternative to kneeling is STANDING, so, let's just go with the flow until we get our own place.

Just so's ya know, we will start having "organized", accompanied hymn singing and other musical offerings starting the next Sunday, May 16th. For the time being, Kim will be picking only familiar hymns that most should
already know the melody to...we will print the words in the weekly bulletin until we get around to buying a set of hymnals (...perhaps everyone should now consider buying their own hymnal and BCP?).

Like most everyone at this first service, I and my family really loved the "old" St. James, but, like you, we just didn't see how we could stay there and still consider ourselves to be within the catholic tradition.  In any case, St. James parish is not a place or a building; it is a family of believers, wherever they may be for the moment.

So, like the song says:  Don't worry; be happy!  If everyone contributes and does whatever they can to make this move happen (especially financially), it'll be easier than it looks.  Don't be a sheep...be a shepherd!

Mike Burcke