Episcopal Diocese of Albany - Priests and Deacons Update

Business Office: 68 South Swan Street - Albany, NY 12210 - (518) 465-4737
Christ the King Spiritual Life Center: 575 Burton Road - Greenwich, NY 12834 - (518) 692-9550

May 25th, 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The 139th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Albany is only two weeks away. In preparation for the Convention, I have a special request of each parish in the Diocese. I believe our Lord is calling each of our parish families to take a serious look at the life of the Parish, in an effort to identify those things which are a hindrance to our life and ministry together and that which we are in need of being set free of. Just as each of us have our own individual and family history, so do our parishes, much of which is good and honors God, but some of which doesn’t.

As many of you know, the theme of this year’s Convention is taken from the words of our Lord, “Behold, I make all things new.” To better prepare ourselves for the fulfillment of His promise, it is important that we identify and repent of those things that are not of God, inviting Christ into our brokenness, that we might be cleansed, healed and set free to become that new creation that He is calling us to.

To assist us in this process, I am asking each Parish Family to come before the Lord in prayer, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to identify and make a written list of those things that the Parish and Diocese need to repent and be set free of. It could be any number of things: fighting or ill will between individuals or groups in the parish/diocese; an unwillingness to forgive recent or past offences; a scandal past or present; an unhealthy exertion of power and control by a bishop, rector or lay leader, patriarch or matriarch; a spirit of anger; a spirit of poverty; a spirit of depression; a sense of hopelessness; a tendency to gossip or speak ill of others; greed; snobbery; prejudice behavior; etc…anything at all that is a hindrance or obstacle to our ability to live out the Great Commandment and Great Commission as instructed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Once your Parish has completed its list, seal it up in a plain envelope (no name or identifiable markings) and bring it with you to Convention. At some point during the Convention, I am going to invite representatives from each parish to come forward and nail the sins and brokenness of the Church on the cross. Once each parish has had an opportunity to do this, we as a Diocese are going to offer this up to the Lord and pray that He will cleanse, heal and set us free of all that is not of God, and then fill that void with the Holy Spirit, empowering us to live out and share the Gospel in a new and mighty way, sharing the love of Jesus Christ with all who will receive it.

This can truly be a new and wonderful beginning for each of us, individually, as a parish family and as a Diocese, if we humbly come before the Lord, trusting in Him, seeking His forgiveness, guidance and loving presence as we move forward in faith, for Jesus said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

Faithfully Yours in Christ,
+Bill

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