Thursday, October 14, 2010

Sabbatical -- a long time of 'ceasing'.

I know, it has already been a long time of ceasing -- but, it will be longer.

We have, since:

1. Our Province (the Anglican Province of Christ the Good Shepherd) has ceased to exist,

2. Our diocesan Ordinary has left the Church;

3. The Company of Jesus Order is in confusion (I guess they are, I haven't been listed on the professed roster since my profession five years ago!);

4. I have not been able to establish any sort of favorable relationships with ANY of the vestiges of Anglican presence in North America;

5. I cannot make a move toward the Tiber, due to divorce and remarriage, even though the local RC priest is amenable to that;

6. TEO has generously allowed me to be licensed as 'preacher', 'LEV', and 'evangelist', but take no part in liturgy; and

7. lastly, I am too old and too broke to begin another attempt at a new work in this community.

prayerfully decided that our only recourse is to strike our tents, steal away into the gladsome night, and take an extended period of examen and meditation.

We both covet your prayers for our future, we both are disheartened by the continuing turn of affairs in the Anglican world, but do not feel moved to move to another entity (Missouri Synod for one possibility), so we will spend our time at "Ruah", our hermitage in the Black Hills, making as few trips into town as possible, and spending a lot of knee-time.

Fr. Chip and Linda Johnson
27284 Memorial Road
Hot Springs SD 57747-7511
605+890-2313

anglicanfatherchip@gmail.com