Finally !!!

All other postings and musings of the past several years aside; we have received verbal acceptance into the Diocese of Quincy, Anglican Church of North America.

Praise the Lord! We have resumed our plans to develop a retreat center, Ruah, on our wooded property in SW South Dakota.

We read the Daily Offices daily (RII), with Communion (1928 BCP or RI) on Saturday PM, at the present time.

Please pray for our direction, since we are both involved in this dream, Linda has brought the outdoor Chapel back into focus as she suggested two different locations for our outdoor Stations of the Cross, one around the Chapel area at the top of the ridge, the other, a slightly longer trek through our wood lot.

In His Name,
Chip†

Like a bad penny, I have returned!

With no apologies, I have returned to the Episcopal Organization, to do what ever I can be allowed, to serve our small faith community at St. Luke's, Hot Springs. The Diocese of South Dakota still has me licensed as: preacher, evangelist, and lay Eucharistic visitor, so I will do just that. In Irish-speak, ''tis better the divil ye know, than one ye don't', and I do know the Protestant Episcopal Church, after all, I was born into it over 70 years ago, and I was called and trained at St. Luke's, Hot Springs, just not ordained by Creighton Robertson; and, after all, the efficacy of the Mass is in the Mass and Elements, not the overarching structure, nor the personnel involved.

Whatever the good Lord has for me to do, I will do here, since it is here that I am, and here I will stay, until He leads me otherwise.

There are some who have been hurt by my inconsistent actions over the past few years, and I apologise for that; but I will practice my religion as, and where I am permitted, in the Episcopal Organization or out, since I am still the contract relief Chaplain to the SD State Veteran's Home, serve the VA Medical Center here on occasion, and serve on a Methodist district as a supply preacher.

Pray for us, as we try to live a traditional and orthodox Anglican experience in a hostile environment.

'til He comes,

Chip+

Still Anglican, just cast adrift!

Since the New Year's (nuptial mass) at the Cathedral in Cambridge Mass, I have been totally and thoroughly cast adrift. The Church of my youth is no more! Oh, I know there are still signs about the country that read 'St. So and So Episcopal Church', but the Church in which I was raised and catechized ceased to exist with the actions of bishop Tom Shaw and the tacit concurrence of the presiding bishopess of the Episcopal Cafe in solemnizing the so-called marriage rite between two lesbian staff members, one cathedral staff and the other dean of seminary.

My heart is breaking, I have been unable so far to make satisfactory contact with the Anglican Church of North America or the Anglican Mission in America or any other entity of Anglicanism for the past two plus years. My ordaining authority has ceased to exist, my former diocese has ceased to exist, I cannot find anyone to assume oversight of the ministries we have in place...so guess they close down also.

I may just have to return to the Church of God, Cleveland TN and beg for reinstatement of ordination there to validate my ministry.

Pray for us, for our ministry with the State Department of the Military, for our plans and calling to establish a Christian retreat center in the Black Hills.

Friends, I am lost!


In His Name,
Fr Chip, CoJ

Still on Sabbatical, ad infinitum!

As of New Year's Day, 2011, a day which will live in infamy, I have prayerfully decided that it is time for me to cut the ties that bind me to the Church of my birth.

Tom Shaw's steadfast (dis)obedience, supported by his boss Kate, in the 'strong suggestions' of the Anglican leadershop, world-wide, has prompted this.

Strangely, I am at peace in my soul for the first time in several years.

I await the final answer from Daryl Fenton and Bishop Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America, and will abide with their decision. I fret no more...if I am to maintain a priestly role, or be a good pew-mouse, I can do either with out regret.
It only remains to be seen just where that pew-mouse will find a hole.

Our ministries, in place, will be adjusted or dissolved accordingly.

Pray for the Church of God, that she may overcome the cares and disorders of this present world.

My present readings...over and over and over... are from Jean-Claude de Cassaunt's epic little monograph from the early 1700's on living totally in the present, and the abandonment of one's self to the will of God for the moment.

It is taking time, but I am confident that His will will be done in the world, and the Church.

We can only pray thus.

In His Name,
Fr. Chip

pace e bene

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

We Are BACK !!

After following the [mis]advice of some, we ceased our postings, removed some questionable(?) material from our blog, and generally pulled into a hole, seeking a way to heal our relationships at a local community level.

Well, no more.

I am an Anglican Anglo-Catholic, and proud of it, regardless of what others may say, and, I have serious doubts about the status of some. We do plan to jump-start our plans for the Southern Black Hills, with the help and support of some good friends in ministry who have requested a liturgical presence in their town, besides the Roman Church, and begin a multi-pronged assault on service provision for the less fortunate, as well as, services for the faithful, from the real Book of Common Prayer.

Pray for us, following the events of the past several weeks on the part of the Global Anglican Community, and the foolishness of General Convnetion of TEo in failing to listen to the greater Anglican Community, we almost severed ties in protest of the seeming apostacy; but realized that this would spite the efficacy of the sacrifice of the Atonement by Christ, and the validity of His Eucharistic feast in our lives for our healng and sustenance.

We pray, in particular, for those attending the Global South conference this week, that God's will be accomplished in all of our lives.

More to follow.

In His Name, de Colores,

Fr. Chip.

Still fighting the good fight!

No, we are not gone...just "computer access challenged".

Plus, we were advised to "quit" the blog in order to re-establish good relations with the Episcopal community in our town, and to soothe the ruffled feathers of our former episcopal authority.

I have prayed much, and decided that even if I am not allowed 'back in', I will continue to state my feelings and beliefs about the state of TEO and the greater Anglican Communion.

That said...more later as I get my act back in gear.

In the meantime, welcome back Fr. Tim, at the Northern Plains Anglican blog.


In His Name,
Chip+ SF

New Ministry Opportunity

We have been contracted by the South Dakota Department of Military and Veteran's Affairs and by the Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota State Veterans Home to serve as a 'relief Chaplain', filling in for the regular Chaplain, serving both as occasional protestant minister for the weekly wervice, and as an on-call person for crises within the facility when weather or personal conflicts occur. . Since the staff Chaplain lives in Rapid City, there are many instances when 'stat' services are required.

We are pleased to have been asked to serve, particularly since we had applied for the position several years ago when an old friend from the Church of God in Colorado, from years ago, Richard Bershon, retired and recommended us as his replacement.

It has been hard to accept 'retirement' after we had to close our mission last year, and this has given a spark of hope for continued ministry. We have returned to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Hot Springs, in order to receive the Mass in community and fulfil our Franciscan obligation; but cannot serve there in any ordained capacity.

In addition, our Franciscan/Benedictine Order, the Company of Jesus, has undergone some severe changes over the past year, and I am now a 'solitary Franciscan'.

Pray for us, for our retreat center (still in planning stages), our Franciscan walk, and for this new ministry.

Fr. Chip

Prayers for Lent

Please join us in praying about the possibility of acquiring a home for an early(8:00) Sunday Mass, 1928 liturgy. We are hoping to be able to start by the first Sunday of Lent, in either the Episcopal Church, the Roman Church, or the SDA Church in town.

Fr. Chip

E-mail change

In an effort to reduce our outlay, we have dropped our DSL and dial-up acocunts.

Therefore, [sdanglican@gwtc.net] is no longer valid, instead, we have gone back to basics...sdanglican@excite.com...is our new e-mail home.

Thanks,

Fr. Chip

Fourth Sunday in Advent

“Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you…”

Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at His coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.
- Book of Common Prayer, 1979

Alleluia. I am the servant of the Lord: may His will for me be done. Alleluia

In today’s Gospel, we find the Lukan account of the visitation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, to announce the birth of the Christ. Verse 26, ‘In the sixth month…’, the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist, Gabriel was sent to Nazareth to visit Mary, betrothed to Joseph, to announce to her that the Christ would be born of her, even though she was a virgin (not just a young maid, as in some newer translations), …’You have found favor with God…you shall conceive after the Holy Ghost has come upon you…you shall bear a child and call His Name Jesus. He will be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High…and He shall rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.’
What a heady message…even today this would be a shocker to a young girl, about to be married. What would today’s modern, enlightened, empowered young lady do at such a message? Would the Christ be just another statistic of abortion, would He perhaps be left at the police station or the local hospital? Would the world ever know that He had been born, if He were to come as a babe again today?

Mary’s response, found in verse 38, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done in me according to your word.’ should be our response; but would we, could we respond in such a manner? Or would our false sense propriety kick in and cause us to number our Lord among the lost millions of fetal catastrophies?

In Mary’s day, premarital knowledge and adultery were stoning offenses. How easy it would have been for her to seek out a person to help her ‘tend to her difficulty’. How simple to say, ’No’ to God and let Gabriel pass on by. But she did not, she accepted the gift that was offered to her and to the world through her, and allowed the workings of God to continue.

We have the same power over God that Mary had…we can, and often do, say, ‘No’ to God, sometimes daily. As we expect Him this Advent, may we be ever ready to just say, ‘Yes Lord, Your will be done in my life.’

In His Name,
Fr. Chip

Second Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday in Advent
7 December 2008

Mark 1:1-8

“Make ready the way of the Lord…”

This week we look at two of the forerunners of Our Lord Jesus Christ; the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, and the first cousin of Christ, John the Baptist, foretelling of the ministry and suffering of the Lord, as recorded by Mark in his Gospel.

All of mankind shall see the salvation of God, provided through the merits of His Son, Jesus; but we will have to wait for His benefits to be fulfilled in and for us. And why not, we are willing to wait for other expectations in life…a good mate, children, job satisfaction, etc., etc. Why not wait for the Lord? Advent is a season of waiting, a season of penitent expectation. The word advent means preparation or coming, and that is exactly what Christians should do during this pre-Christmas period; we prepare our lives for another visit from His Grace through the Nativity.

The Gospel text for the Second Sunday of Advent, taken from the first chapter of the Gospel according to St. Mark, opens with the announcement by John, quoting from Isaiah 40.3, “…Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Our comment is simply this: In your own life, in your own family, in your own community…prepare the way for the Lord…make a place in your life for Jesus, the King of Glory; because no one else can! Only you can prepare your heart to receive Him afresh this coming Christmas season.

In His Name,

Chip+

Advent 1, 2008

First Sunday in Advent
30 November 2008

Mark 13:24-37

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Now learn a lesson from the fig tree; as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you recognize that summer is near. (v.28 – Amplified Bible)

As we look toward the season of Christmas, beginning with this first week of Advent, we reflect on our lives, on those events of the past weeks, months, and year; we read that Jesus himself has just given us a list of signs of the times in the beginning verses of the Sunday Gospel…But in those days after [the affliction and oppression and distress of] that tribulation …which he mentions and enumerates in the verses preceding… the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the power of the heavens will be shaken. (v. 24, 25)
And THEN (26),… and THEN (27),… NOW learn (28).

Our Lord told the Parables for shock value; to move the hearers to action; to shake them (us) out of lethargy. This Parable of end time events should have moved His hearers to change their lives in such a manner that their lives would conform to the standards of God and Scripture. You would think so, wouldn’t you?

Well they didn’t. The majority of the good citizens of Jerusalem, exercising a true democracy, ruled a short time after this teaching was given, and the Christ was accused, condemned, and crucified. They failed to understand His teachings, just as we also misunderstand and ignore His Word today.

Back to the Gospel, v 29and 36,37, So also, when you see these things happening, you may recognize and know that He is near, at the very door…[Watch ,I say] lest He come suddenly, and unexpectedly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to everybody: Watch (give strict attention, be cautious, active, and alert).
Advent, the season of expectation, the season of preparation, that time in the Church year when we focus our attention on both the Christ who is about to come, as well as the Christ who has already come and given a written record of His expectations for us. As we enter the joyous season of Advent and Christmas, may we truly examine our lives in the light of His Word; may we make proper preparation for Him in our lives.

Fr. Charles Johnson
St. Francis Anglican Community
sdanglican.blogspot.com
890-2313

And on we go!

Since June, we have visited several different congregations, ECLA, LCMS, Weslyan, and Episcopal; as well as served as supply for a small (very small) UMC congregation out on the prairie.

We have been invited to read, but nothing else at TEO.

We are praying seriously about the situation on the Pine Ridge Mission which has been reported by Stand Firm and the Northern Plains Anglican...the gist of which is that the TEO bishop here in South Dakota has decided to close nine reservation missions. The tribes own the land, and if we can help, we will, most definitely!

Pray for us, and them...especially since some on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud have been out of home for a week and will likely be out another week before power is restored following Wednesday's freak blizzard.

Chip+

Only God Can Heal a Broken Heart

My brother priest in Sioux Falls, Fr. Timothy Fountain, posted this a few moments ago on the Northern Plains Anglican blogspot:

January 23rd will be my twentieth anniversary as a priest. When it comes to questions about staying in TEC or getting out, the blogs are full of commentary by folks I respect and upon whose ideas I can’t improve.

His heart is breaking, and mine as well. You see, we've never met; Fr. Fountain came into South Dakota from the Diocese of Los Angeles, after I had made my decision to leave the Episcopal Church -- so we never crossed paths at convention, Convocation, ministerial weekends, summer seminary, or any of the other many diocesan ministerial gatherings. We have swapped comments and e-mail for almost four years, we have talked on the phone, I have been to Evening Prayer at Good Shepherd in April, but he was at the hospital with his wife, and I missed him.

He, and his family, and his congregation, are hurting, as are we because his is the problem of the square peg in the round hole. It will never fit right, it will either chafe at the edges or be too loose to stay in. Sadly, the Anglican Communion, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, have decisions to make, and soon (like midnight, September 30, 2007) if the greater Communion is to be saved from the folk who would so dilute the Word of God, the traditions of the fathers, and the religious practice of 2000 years, to call 'sin' 'NOT sin', to say the Creed is an option, that the Ten Commandments were only suggestions, that the Christ is but one of many ways to the divine, etc., etc., etc.

While you think of your own congregational problems, please remember Timothy Fountain, in his words,

“While” we wait for what’s next, we rely on what Scripture tells us: God does not need us to force a particular outcome. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And it is on the cross – the one that TEC rejects but that still “towers over the wrecks of time”- where God will always show his love for us, wherever we are.

his wife, and their sons, as well as their present congregation, Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls, one of very few conservative, orthodox congregations in South Dakota in the Episcopal Church.

That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.
Son of God, We beseech thee to hear us.