Amy and her two daughters Sophie and Sadie from Northern Virginia showed up at our 10:30 service today. Their family are originally from Bethel Park and said they had visited our former church St. David's in Peters Township a few times although I didn't remember seeing them or meeting them before.
Church of the Word is pastored by the Rev. Robin Adams, an Ulsterman from Northern Ireland, whom I met at Trinity School for Ministry some years ago. His predecessor at Church of the Word is an old friend, the Rev. Canon Dr.Alison Barfoot, who is now the Communications Director for the soon to be retired Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi.
Church of the Word was one the 10 parishes in Virginia that left the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia circa 2005. Last year the parish settled with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. They were able to purchase their building from TEC agreeing to disaffiliate from the ACNA and CANA for five years. The moment they signed the agreement they announced that instantly after the five year ban elapses they will immediately re-affiliate with the ACNA. I am not sure this was intent the TECsters expected when thy insisted on the disaffiliation agreement. TEC's insistence that parishes disaffiliate from ACNA is nothing but mean-spirited and vindictive. It serves no other purpose than to poison the well for years to come.
Amy must have known something of our recent history in order to show up for worship at Christ the Redeemer and not St David's Episcopal Church. However, I never thought at the time to ask her if that was the case.
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