Forward in Faith North America

Forward in Faith Chairman Bishop John Broadhurst, accompanied by National Secretary Fr Geoffrey Kirk and Director Stephen Parkinson, will be attending the National Assembly of Forward in Faith North America at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, Illinois from 18 to 21 August. Also present from the UK will be the Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Robert Ladds, accompanied by his wife Roberta; Bishop Robert will be acting as Chaplain to the Assembly. Under the title ‘Upon this Rock I will build my Church’ – Equipping Anglicans for Mission in a New Century, this will be the most important gathering of traditionalists in the USA for many years. Following on from last year’s Assembly resolution calling for the election and consecration by an overseas province of the Anglican Communion of a ‘flying bishop’ to provide the alternative episcopal care which the Communion has promised to all who uphold the historic understanding of the Apostolic ministry, the Council of Forward in Faith North America has gone through a long and exhaustive process of discussion and discernment, out of which two names have emerged for consideration by this year’s Assembly. Opportunities for further names to be brought forward will be available at the Assembly and then, on the penultimate day, the voting delegates will be asked to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for each priest whose name has been put forward.

Canon Warren Tanghe, Secretary of FiF/NA explains: ‘The Assembly will not be electing a bishop; it cannot. The process of election and consecration belongs to dioceses and provinces. What FiF/NA can do, however is nominate priests it would like to see considered by a province which decides to come to our aid by electing and consecration a ‘flying bishop’ for us. The Assembly will be saying that these are the priests FiF/NA approves and supports for that ministry … Forward in Faith cannot make a consecration happen. What it can do, and is doing, is urge upon the Primates and provinces of the Anglican Communion the need for the provision of alternative episcopal care now, and for the consecration of one from its own constituency as the best means of providing it.’

Please hold in your prayers all members of Forward in Faith North America, and especially those who will be attending their Assembly and taking part in this historic vote. Please pray too for those whose names have so far emerged as candidates, Fr David Moyer SSC, Rector of The Good Shepherd, Rosemont, Pennsylvania and Fr William Ilgenfritz SSC, Rector of St Stephen, Whitehall, Pennsylvania.

Forward in Faith International

Also present at Belleville for the FiF/NA Assembly will be Forward in Faith Australia Chairman, Fr David Robarts, and Vice-Chairman, Fr David Chislett. As is usual when Officers from all three national Forward in Faith organizations are together, a meeting of Forward in Faith International will take place – indeed, two meetings are scheduled, one before and one after the Assembly. It will give a valuable opportunity for us to consult together on a face-to-face basis and lay our plans for the future. Please remember all involved in your prayers.

Forward in Faith Youth Pilgrimage to Fatima

On 9 August, Fr Ronald Crane and his team, including Pilgrimage Leader extraordinaire, Fr Malcolm Gray, are taking a group of young people to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in Portugal. They will be there for one week and will of course therefore be present at the Shrine’s major celebration of the year on the Feast of the Assumption. Please hold this first FiF Youth Pilgrimage to Fatima in your prayers.

Merrily on High

Those who haven’t fled England in August might like to enjoy a little continental extravagance in honour of Our Lady at St Martin’s, Lewes Road, Brighton at 4.00pm on Sunday 18 August. Vespers, Sermon by a surprise preacher, Street Procession, Benediction & Party! Details: Fr Brandie (01273) 604687 or www.resurrection-brighton.org.uk.

Forward in Faith Scotland

Hard on the heels of the decision of the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church to proceed towards the ordination of women as bishops, Forward in Faith Scotland held its Annual General Meeting at St Salvador’s, Dundee on 22 June. The keynote speaker at the meeting of almost 100 members was Regional Dean for Chichester, Fr Beau Brandie (returning to his Scottish roots). Fr Trevor Stevens, the Rector of St Salvador’s, was elected as Chairman, in succession to Fr Len Black, who remains Regional Dean for Scotland.

Shadow Working Party

Forward in Faith’s Shadow Working Party on Women in the Episcopate will, at its July meeting, be joined by the Archbishop of York. We look forward to welcoming Archbishop David, and to hearing his views on the potential crisis which faces all who hold fast to the faith we have received.

Forward in Faith Parish Websites

Does your parish have a Website? And, if so, does it have a link to the Forward in Faith website at www.forwardinfaith.com? If not, please correct the omission! Some parish websites have outdated links to the previous Forward in Faith site – we’d be very grateful if members would cause their webmasters to do the necessary correction as soon as possible.

And, in preparation for the next stage in the development of forwardinfaith.com, we need from you the URL for your parish website. In due course, we plan to link from our site to all Forward in Faith Parish websites around the world, and the sooner we can have those addresses the better. Please e-mail them to forwardinfaith@compuserve.com as soon as you are able.

Eight years on . . .

Who would have thought, sitting in Central Hall in September 1994, that eight years on, we would be planning the Ninth Forward in Faith National Assembly? It takes place at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, SW1 on Friday, 18 and Saturday, 19 October, 2002. It might be too early for you to send in the names of your delegates for the autumn, but it is most emphatically not too early for Forward in Faith Diocesan Assemblies to start thinking about who their delegates might be and what subjects they might hope the Assembly will address. That way, you may be ready to respond, when we decide we do want to hear from you!

Forms of words for making a bequest to Forward in Faith in your Will

I GIVE to FORWARD IN FAITH of Faith House 7 Tufton Street Westminster London SW1P 3QN the sum of pounds (£ ) and I DIRECT that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer of Forward in Faith shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Executor

or

I GIVE the residue of my estate to FORWARD IN FAITH of Faith House 7 Tufton Street Westminster London SW1P 3QN and I DIRECT that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer of Forward in Faith shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Executor