[Magdalen] From Good Shepherd, Summerville's Priest

[Ginga Wilder]

A message from The Rev. Dow Sanderson, Priest-in-Charge, The Episcopal
Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville, SC.

Dear Good Shepherd Family,

Like many of you, I sat eagerly in front of my computer screen Monday
morning waiting to see what the United States Supreme Court would decide
about the appeal from Bishop Lawrence and his congregations. That word came
quickly and clearly, and it is now certain that the majority of the
properties (including Camp Saint Christopher) belong, as they always have,
to the people of the Episcopal Church.

Yesterday, Senior Warden John Kwist and I attended a meeting at Grace
Church Cathedral. We began our time together in worship, hymns, and prayer,
lifting our petitions particularly for Bishop Lawrence and all his clergy
and people. We also gave profound thanks for the many people, like
yourselves, who have worked and sacrificed in order that the legacy of the
Anglican Tradition and the Episcopal Church may be continued in South
Carolina.

After our worship, we retired to the parish hall for several presentations,
and a Q and A session. From our Bishop, we heard that he intends to be
"kind, but resolute." It has been a long and tedious five and a half years.
Both sides are weary. By God's grace, it is now time to heal, to re-focus,
and to engage faithfully in the work we have been given to do. From our
Chancellor, Tom Tisdale, we were assured that, in spite of words to the
contrary, the legal situation, in terms of the property, is now firmly
settled. Truly, this is now a final answer. The court has ruled that those
properties held in Trust for the Episcopal Church are definitively and
legally bound by that Trust.

This does not mean that anyone will be "removed" from his or her Church. In
nearly all cases, the decisions to leave the Episcopal Church were made by
a few in leadership, and most members in the pews were given little or no
choice. Furthermore, much of the information they were given about the
reasons for leaving were either exaggerated or untrue. Now comes the task
of reuniting and moving forward with the many in each of these churches who
will wish to continue in their own churches, worshiping the same God, and
in the same manner as generations before have done. This will require
patience, wisdom, discernment, and charity for all of us.

To further this conversation, I will hold a "Town Hall" style meeting on
Sunday morning, June 24, at 9:15 at Church of the Good Shepherd. Any and
all are welcomed to attend. The Diocese will also hold an open forum here
in the Lowcountry in July, details TBA.

Let us continue to pray for God's guidance. Let us pray especially for
those lay and clergy members in Bishop Lawrence's diocese who are facing
anxiety about their futures, their financial security, and in many cases
even their housing. This has been a deep wound, a severe trauma, and many
consequences for actions taken, regardless of motive or intent, must now be
dealt with.

Again, we shall be kind, charitable, loving, but resolute.

I love this prayer from the Easter Vigil:
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole
Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your
providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole
world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up,
and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are
being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer, p. 291

Indeed, may we all be made new.

Faithfully yours,
Father Dow Sanderson