Thursday, October 11, 2007

Arise and Build - a pastoral letter
to Christ the King Anglican Church
in Lexington, Michigan

The God of Heaven Himself will prosper us. Therefore, we his servants will arise and build …
- Nehemiah 2:20

In the book of Nehemiah, we see the people of God rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem and in the book of Ezra, God’s people are rebuilding the Temple. Our commission here at Christ the King Anglican Church is a similar one. I would like to look at some challenges that we face here in Lexington, Michigan:

Realize the Rubble

The birth of this congregation was birthed in seeing a serious departure from the faith in the Episcopal denomination. That church was caving in to a worldly agenda and throwing away the faith of our fathers and mothers. The Episcopal Church seemed to be no longer presenting the good news, but was on the front pages depicting much bad news of a disobedient and self-willed church, making up their own rules and throwing away any obligation to the Biblical, revealed Word of God. When one sees the rubble of a city or a Temple or even a local church, there are many options, but I think the bravest one is to arise and build. That is what you, as lay people decided to do a couple years ago.

Arise and Build

You all as people of faith stood up for that faith. It would've been easier seeing the rubble in the American wing of the Anglican Communion to arise and go elsewhere. That's an easy route and doesn't take much effort. Instead you chose to “arise and build” and that's putting your muscle, money and minutes where your mouth is and that's a much harder route. You looked at the heritage, the sacraments, the liturgy, the theological treasures in the Anglican tradition and decided you wouldn't let go of it out of personal discouragement, anger, laziness or other various reasons. You kept a vision of God's Temple even while leaving buildings and friends. You also found new friends walking in the same faith and conviction. Many were new Anglican friends with addresses in South America, Africa, and even Southeast Asia.

Sword and Hammer

Some of these new friends were Anglican bishops who were also discerning the devastation and departure from biblical faith in the American wing of their Communion. Again, back in Nehemiah, we see those working at the construction site holding both a tool for building and a weapon for battling in each hand. It's not easy to build in the midst of battle or to battle in the midst of construction, but that is what many of us have been called to do over the last few years. We're not alone, we have Anglican leaders around the world who have chosen to be obedient to the Lord and hold a hammer in one hand and the sword in the other. I hope that we, in our local setting are more concentrated on construction, but as the Apostle Paul did, we also must fight the good fight. (2 Tim 4:7)

Shoulder to Shoulder

Locally, nationally and internationally we are called to work shoulder to shoulder, one with another. Leaving your place or position at the wall or the Temple has great cost to the building efforts. Hearing your hammer working next to your fellow laborers is an encouraging sound. You matter, as part of God's Army, Christ's Body, and the Holy Spirit's Construction Company. I hope each of you can catch that vision for what we are called to do in our area of God's vineyard. Christ the King Anglican Church was born out of this kind conviction and will prosper, as we his servants continue to arise and build. It's a pleasure and privilege to serve with you as your priest and friend.

- Father Richard Dalton +

The Choir at Christ the King last Sunday