Anglican/Episcopalian Mamas?

[scottishmommy]

Are there any other Anglican/ Episcopalian mamas here who would like to talk about their faith and bringing up children in the Anglican communion?

[Bluegoat]

I'm Anglican. I'd be up for a discussion on this topic.

[MammaG]

Me too!

I consider myself Anglican because my practice of faith comes from my English mother's side (Dad's pretty agnostic...he'll come along for the music!). Here in the US I'm Episcopalian.

I also spent time at Divinity School (at Episcopal Div School). I'm homeschooling my kids and I base a lot of our yearly rhythms on the church calendar. Currently we're (like you no doubt) in the thick of Holy Week. Our youngest is being baptised at the Great Vigil on Saturday!

ALways glad to have a chat with other Episcopal Mamas.

[Bluegoat]

Originally Posted by MammaG

Me too!

I consider myself Anglican because my practice of faith comes from my English mother's side (Dad's pretty agnostic...he'll come along for the music!). Here in the US I'm Episcopalian.

I also spent time at Divinity School (at Episcopal Div School). I'm homeschooling my kids and I base a lot of our yearly rhythms on the church calendar. Currently we're (like you no doubt) in the thick of Holy Week. Our youngest is being baptised at the Great Vigil on Saturday!

ALways glad to have a chat with other Episcopal Mamas.

My little boy is being baptized on Sunday!

We haven't been able to get to as much this Holy Week as we'd like, because we are attending a church an hour away. (We are moving this month though so next year will be different.) But we attended the neighbourhood Palm Sunday procession with our kids, which had a real donkey, so they were thrilled. Tomorrow I am taking the oldest and the baby to stations of the cross, which is especially directed at kids, and then there is Easter Sunday. But I do feel a bit like I'm not really involved missing the other services, and things like the Lenten program.

[MammaG]

Everyone survive Easter?!

We're EXHAUSTED. We also had a childrens' Way of the Cross on Friday and then my BBF, who is the organist/choir director had a new Passion that he wrote premier at the later service, so I went to that (but didn't sing...no time to practice). Mum and I hosted the Vigil reception (chocolate and champagne for 100...ooof!), Perry was baptised and I sang in the choir for that one.

Made it to the later of two AM services on Sunday, braised a leg of lamb for dinner at my Mum's and then came home to collapse.

BlueGoat, Congratulations on your LO's baptism!!! I'm doing mostly Waldorf-inspired homeschooling and in the process of finding Festival activities, I've found some cool kid projects to do for Easter and Lent that are designed to lead them towards an awareness of the spirituality of Easter. Anyone interested? I can post but didn't want to hijack what isn't my thread to hijack.

Happy Easter, all!

[rlmueller]

Reformed Episcopalian

Brought up in the Reformed Church by Baptistish mom and RC ish (depends on his girlfriend) dad. Found my faith at age 20ish and love me some good Prayer Book type (1928 or earlier) liturgy! Love to chat with ya'll. Happy Trinity Sunday! Whose church recites the Athanasian Creed?

[Bluegoat]

WE survived Easter, but I'm not sure about my in-laws. They were a bit bowled over by the service, which was 2 1/2 hours long and included some rather loud and impressive music. We were also pleased and surprised that both the baby's godparents came - we thought only one would make it. They drove for 30 hours with their six kids in a van!

Things are winding down a bit now that we are leaving Easter behind and moving into Trinity. (we use the old lectionary). We are getting ready to hold a plant sale in our hall this month, which is replacing our yard sale we have had in other years. It seemed to be getting too big. But the Orthodox Church that is in our Hall is doing a yard sale I think the same day, so it should be fun.

I'd love ideas about activities for kids related the the year. WE are starting to home-school my oldest this fall, although we have been doing a bit here and there. She's only five so we are only looking at an hour a day, based on the AO program. For religion we are just planning to read lots of Bible stories and things about saints from the library, but some activities around holidays would be great.

[rlmueller]

Fav books and bible.

I have and love
Leading Little Ones to God. Love the way this is put together by subject
Explorerers (NKJV) for my 7 year old
Cathrine Vos Bible Stories

What is your favorite--do tell!

[onlyboys]

Cradle Episcopalian here! Would love to discuss!

[rlmueller]

Thoughts on ACNA

I know my church (REC) is on the verge of a bow-out if the ordination issues aren't settled in a satisfactory manner to the REC. Thoughts. Google ACNA or Anglican Communion North America if not sure. I'd love to hear from other similarly churched women.

[Bluegoat]

Originally Posted by rlmueller

I know my church (REC) is on the verge of a bow-out if the ordination issues aren't settled in a satisfactory manner to the REC. Thoughts. Google ACNA or Anglican Communion North America if not sure. I'd love to hear from other similarly churched women.

Yes, things do seem to be heating up in the US at the moment. I really hope that this new covenant idea Canterbury is looking at will help to sort things out, but I have my doubts. My suspicion is that TEC will end up going their own way in the end, and maybe the ACC too. Which would be a big issue in my parish church, I can't see us as willing to leave the Communion.

With regard to children's books - we recently got the children's bible illustrated by Tomie de Paolo from the library, and it is really wonderful.

[onlyboys]

Rlmueller, do you mean that your church will remove itself from the Anglican Communion or from any association with the Episcopal Church?

I'm a little nervous with all the chatter on TEC's Facebook page. While Canterbury really doesn't have any true authority over TEC, the perception of Presiding Bishop Schori being chastised by Rowan Williams for the ordinations is very disturbing to the Episcopal community in my area.

[rlmueller]

onlyboys--just quickie FYI

1. ACNA and the Anglican Communion are different and I am speaking of ACNA only. The Reformed Episcopal Church is not in the Anglican Communion.

http://acnaassembly.org/media/ACNA_-...fact_sheet.pdf

2. The Reformed Episcopal Church has no association with the Episcopal Church (former ECUSA). They are completely different denomations (split in 1874 under Bishop Cummins). The REC uses the 1928 or earlier prayer book, has concordant with the Anglican Province of America (also not in the Anglican Communion).

see www.anglicansonline.com/communion/nic/html to see a list of Anglican and Episcopal churches who currently are not under the Anglican Communion but in communion with the Anglican Church.

I feel for the congregants watching schism from the inside. Most especially for those whose grandparents grandparents were married in the church, had children baptized in the church, are buried on church grounds--who could never imagine leaving the church but who hurt for church at the moment as it feels its way around on its current path.

Others, I know are sad with the relationship in the Anglican Communion at the moment. But I am only watching from the outside.

Change is a tender thing and never received well by all.

[onlyboys]

Thanks for the gentle education! I really appreciate it!

[rlmueller]

I shoot for gentle

Hope I didn't come off as a know it all.

I'm a little nervous with all the chatter on TEC's Facebook page. While Canterbury really doesn't have any true authority over TEC, the perception of Presiding Bishop Schori being chastised by Rowan Williams for the ordinations is very disturbing to the Episcopal community in my area

I'm curious about the above--how so disturbing to the Episc community? Can you explain?

[rlmueller]

Letter from the Pope Inviting Anglican Clergy to the RCC

Gafcon Primate response

http://www.anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/36


I feel him as far as the RCC seeing the schism. That is not a good thing. Is it too tough a statement on TEC and AC of Canada?

[Bluegoat]

Originally Posted by rlmueller

Gafcon Primate response

http://www.anglicanchurch.net/?/main/page/36


I feel him as far as the RCC seeing the schism. That is not a good thing. Is it too tough a statement on TEC and AC of Canada?

Well, many people within the Catholic and Orthodox Churches see this as clear evidence that Anglican's claim to catholicity is a failure, if it wasn't clear before.

My feeling is that we are on a very narrow ledge, and it could very easily be the end of a real Anglican presence in North America. I do not see Canada or the US accepting wholly a new covenant. My diocese would be unlikely to, however, some individual parishes would want to. As far as such parishes go, would they retain an Anglican identity? There is no reason to think the would all choose the same rout - perhaps some would join the CC, some the OC, and some might go with the Southern Cone, and some one of the other continuing churches. Not unified by any means.

And what was left of the original diocese might not be enough to survive, given the numbers of parishes already on the brink. And could we even call it Anglican at that point? What would be the meaning of that, other than "we have a common history with Anglicans"?

I don't know if he is being too harsh, but the actions of TEC and ACC have managed to set off an unprecedented crisis within Anglicanism that could destroy it on this continent.

[rlmueller]

Originally Posted by Bluegoat

Well, many people within the Catholic and Orthodox Churches see this as clear evidence that Anglican's claim to catholicity is a failure, if it wasn't clear before.

How a failure?

Originally Posted by Bluegoat

My feeling is that we are on a very narrow ledge, and it could very easily be the end of a real Anglican presence in North America. I do not see Canada or the US accepting wholly a new covenant.

Completely agree with you.

Originally Posted by Bluegoat

My diocese would be unlikely to, however, some individual parishes would want to. As far as such parishes go, would they retain an Anglican identity? There is no reason to think the would all choose the same rout - perhaps some would join the CC, some the OC, and some might go with the Southern Cone, and some one of the other continuing churches. Not unified by any means.

I don't know a single Anglican denomination who would be willing to take the CC up on its offer. But again, the offer is evidenced that certain Anglican congregations are in a hurt at the moment. As far as any who congregations who do jump ship, I think that there is a lot more 'at the table' work for the CC to decide about what Anglican practices and doctorine stay and go. I just don't see a reality here e.g. transubstantiation.

Maybe it is just my area or experience, but I don't see Anglican numbers in any sort of hurt with the number of denomination near the 100's (perhaps that is part of a larger problem).

Originally Posted by Bluegoat

I don't know if he is being too harsh, but the actions of TEC and ACC have managed to set off an unprecedented crisis within Anglicanism that could destroy it on this continent.

There are too many Anglicans who have not gone the way of TEC or ACC to destroy Anglicanism at its root--I hope.

Bluegoat--I have also recognized that you are much more learned on the subject than I and are seeing it. We also follow the liturgical calendar and lectionary ( try to follow daily ). Curious--what is the AO program?

[Bluegoat]

Originally Posted by rlmueller

How a failure?

Completely agree with you.

I don't know a single Anglican denomination who would be willing to take the CC up on its offer. But again, the offer is evidenced that certain Anglican congregations are in a hurt at the moment. As far as any who congregations who do jump ship, I think that there is a lot more 'at the table' work for the CC to decide about what Anglican practices and doctorine stay and go. I just don't see a reality here e.g. transubstantiation.

Maybe it is just my area or experience, but I don't see Anglican numbers in any sort of hurt with the number of denomination near the 100's (perhaps that is part of a larger problem).

There are too many Anglicans who have not gone the way of TEC or ACC to destroy Anglicanism at its root--I hope.

Bluegoat--I have also recognized that you are much more learned on the subject than I and are seeing it. We also follow the liturgical calendar and lectionary ( try to follow daily ). Curious--what is the AO program?

Part of the problem is that Anglicanism has historically claimed to be a catholic church - catholic meaning universal, and also unitary, as in united in belief. The government of the Anglican Church has reflected the government of Christ's Church since the beginning, in being apostolic. Each region governed by a bishop - and only one bishop per region.

With the fragmenting of Anglicanism in the West, there are often more than one "Anglican Bishop" in any one area, although up to now only one Bishop from the actual Communion. And more, with some North American diocese putting themselves under the Bishop of the Southern Cone, there are now two bishops from the Communion active in one geographical area - that is, a bishop from a different area is infringing on the territory of another bishop.

This is pretty much unprecedented, and it calls into question whether the Anglican Church is really catholic at all from the perspective of the other apostolic churches. Of course both the CC and the OC have always said that Anglicanism is not in fact Catholic, so this seems just like evidence that we are actually unable to hold it together, either in the sense of any kind of unity of belief, or in a political sense. (The closest parallel might be the situation of the OC in North America, and that is really rather different, and recognized as a problem that needs to be sorted out.)

So are a bunch of fragmented churches (small c) who share some Anglican heritage really a Church?

I agree that there are not a lot of congregations that will take the CC up on their offer, but there are some, and it is one option. What will be involved doctrinally and even organizationally is actually pretty clear. The same would be the case I think with any arrangement that was worked out with the OC. But both routes would create an Anglicanism that is quite different from what we mean now - those people would really be Catholic, or Orthodox. The remnants of TEC and the ACC would have a hard time being self-sustaining I suspect, especially cut off from the worldwide communion.

A big question will be whether individual parishes will have the option of signing onto, or opting out of, the covenant and if so how it would be handled.

AO is Ambleside Online, a homeschooling curriculum based on the work of Charlotte Mason.