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Dear People of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese,
As I reflect on the last seven days, I rejoice in all the ways our Lord was glorified in our Synod last weekend. What a wonderful time in worship, fellowship, conversation and learning! The Gospel was preached and God’s people were built up, and for this I give great thanks. Even in the conversations around our disagreements about canonical changes, we were able to listen to one another and Christ’s Body was edified.
Although I wish to elaborate more on Synod, that will need to be saved for the next issue of the Communiqué. On Monday, October 20, the ACNA received a complaint alleging misconduct by Archbishop Steve Wood in his capacity as Bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas and Rector of St. Andrew’s, Mount Pleasant, SC. There have also been several national news stories this week covering these allegations and other heartbreaking allegations of misconduct by leaders in the ACNA. My heart breaks for any child or adult that has been harmed or abused by those in leadership in our Church. Let me reassure you that the Diocesan staff and I remain deeply committed to safeguarding the people of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese. We do not and will not tolerate abuse.
In light of all this news, I am writing to you directly today to express my love and care for you and, once again, my commitment to protect you as your Bishop, that the Church may continue its work to bring Glory to God as we reach out to a hurting world with the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since the allegations against our Archbishop came to light, I have been working with the deans, key diocesan staff, and the chair of the Standing Committee to ensure the people of this diocese—each and every one precious in the sight of God—are adequately cared for by us and by our clergy. We will continue assessing the best ways to do that in the Gulf Atlantic Diocese.
Let me assure you, as I did at the Synod, that your diocesan leadership is committed to working to bring the ACNA as a whole to maturity as a Province. I am thankful for those from the Gulf Atlantic Diocese who are leading at the Province level, including the Executive Committee, the Governance Task Force, and provincial Safeguarding efforts. I am confident we are moving in the right direction with changes to our disciplinary canons. It is painful when we must hold accountable leaders we admire or respect, but we must ensure that clergy (especially bishops) “are above reproach” (1 Tim. 2:2). Even though discipline can be uncomfortable and at times painful, we must press on. Too much is at stake. St. Paul’s instructs us in his letter to the Ephesians that “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (4:15–16).
Lament and sadness over these issues is appropriate. We can bring this to the Lord. As Canon Sam Allberry shared last weekend, “God is not overwhelmed by the mess of our lives.” To that end, I am offering a Zoom meeting for clergy next week to express questions, comments, and concerns that you might share with them—and to pray. I would like to then offer a similar forum, perhaps by deanery, for any member of the Diocese to speak with me directly. Please join me in prayer and fasting for our Province as the Lord leads, always remembering, God’s mercy endures forever! (Psalm 136)
O Almighty God, you pour out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and supplication; Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wandering of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship you in spirit and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Collect 5, BCP 2019)
