Prayers Needed for the Anglican Primates Meeting in Conference at Kanuga by Father M. Blake Greenlee
March 2001

 

The Primates of the Anglican Communion (of which the Episcopal Church is a member) meet each year. This year's meeting will take place at the Kanuga Conference Center in Western North Carolina, on March 3-9, 2001. With the exception of the Episcopal Church, which is led by its Presiding Bishop, heads of the member churches have the title "archbishop". All (even our Presiding Bishop) are called Primates.

While member churches share the same general beliefs (pp 876-877 BCP), in recent years, the failure of the Episcopal Church in the United States (ECUSA) to conform to scripture has made it more and more difficult for our brother churches in third world countries � especially when they face a Muslim society. There will be much hullabaloo in the press; news programs on TV may predict dire things for the Episcopal Church. We, here at St. Paul's, have many friends in Third World countries. Some of them face danger each day by protecting themselves and their families with prayer.

In the face of this very important meeting and in an atmosphere of media exaggeration and probable lying, I ask that you also turn to prayer. I suggest that you use the Evening Prayer Rite that begins on page 117 of the Book of Common Prayer. You might even create a family liturgy by lighting a candle as you pray the "O Gracious Light" canticle (p118), keeping it lit until you finish the prayers. Add your own prayers for the work of these Primates and especially for the Episcopal Church nationally and for our own bishop and clergy.


The Anglican Primates' Meeting in the Media
The Anglican Church Short broadcast aired by the National Public Radio on March 2, 2001
Religion Journal: Church Leaders Gather in a Divided Communion Article by Gustav Niebuhr; appeared in the March 3, 2001 New York Times
Primates meet with undisclosed agenda Article by Pat Ashworth; appeared in the Church Times (London)
Anglican Links
The Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion, Dr George L Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Anglican Church of Canada Founded in 1985, the Society is not opposed to a scholarly revision and faithful enrichment of the Prayer Book-- as long as it is in line with the living tradition of the Anglican Church. In accord with The Solemn Declaration of 1893-- the "title deed" of the Canadian Church-- the 39 Articles of Religion, and The Homilies, and the Prayer Book tradition, we seek to promote the knowledge and understanding of the BCP, so this essential Anglican standard of faith and worship is not lost.
The American Anglican Council The mission of the Church is, according to Jesus' Great Commission, to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). In a fresh commitment to that mission, we join together in common confession of the Gospel and in a radical commitment to support one another in accordance with classical Anglican orthodoxy.
Anglicans Online This web site was founded by some young technocrats who were interested in using the technology of the internet in sharing information about the Anglican Communion. A footnote from their present site reads, "This web site is independent. It is not official in any way. Our editorial staff is private and unaffiliated"
The Ekklesia Society Ekklesia members are committed to maintaining a faithful witness to the living faith which has been handed down to us. This includes the authority of the Scriptures and the historic Creeds of the Church.