In his opening address to the Synod (see The Mitre Box), Bishop Scott said the Synod's purpose was to learn of work going on in different areas, to gain ideas, and to share the love of Christ for each other as we seek wisdom and ways to take Him to others and to incorporate them into His Body. That is also the purpose of this publication. It will not work, however, without the assistance of each parish – providing newsletters, maintaining mailing lists, sending articles and photographs.

Consistent among the comments following the special issue distributed subsequent to the death of Abp. Cahoon, was that people felt that they were part of a family larger than just their parish. But a family that forgets to let its members know what is happening in each other’s lives, soon fails to be a family. Let us not let that happen within our Diocese. Share your experiences, your plans, your ideas, your love – share them just as Christ shared some loaves and a few small fishes. Ed.

XXVth Synod Held

The XXVth Synod of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States was held in Roanoke, VA in June. Hosted by the parish of St. Thomas of Canterbury, this was the first DMAS Synod under the Rt. Rev. Harry B. Scott, III. After the events of the past year, the Synod was an evident return to the healthful, joyful and hopeful early days of this Diocese. Recollections of those days were brought to mind throughout the Synod, but especially in the keynote address by Col. G. H. (Hork) Dimon as he recounted the fledgling days of the Anglican Catholic Church and the "Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic," which, as he put it, placed us somewhere in the middle of the ocean.

The focal point of a Synod was in its worship services. During Holy Communion on Thursday evening, Holy Oils were blessed and during the Synod Mass Friday morning, Frs. McClean and Gardner were collated into their respective offices of Arch-deacon and Canon to the Ordinary. (See related stories New Archdeacon & Canon to the Ordinary, Ed.)

Synod Business Sessions revealed that, although the Diocese is not as large as many had hoped it would be, it is as strong both financially and in its faith and in its commitment to the ideals upon which it was founded nearly twenty-five years ago.

Appointments made by the Bishop to Diocesan Offices and Committees are listed on Diocesan Appointments.

One new feature which was added to the Synod agenda this year was the scheduling of separate meetings for clergy and laity during which they could openly voice concerns. One of the difficulties with the ACC being such a small Church is the resultant fact that the most of its Dioceses are geographically large but most of their parishes are small and often widely dispersed. While telecommunication systems allow for some inter-parish communication, there exists very little opportunity for members of one parish to easily visit another parish, let alone for members of two or more parishes to get together for worship or socially. As a whole, our Diocese has only a few occasions each year during which such interface is able to take place – namely the Annual Synod, the Pre-Advent Retreat, the Lenten Day of Witness and the Choir Festival. Unfortunately, very seldom is there enough time at these events for people to simply sit down and talk with each other, as a whole group or as a few individuals, about common ideals, mutual problems and possible solutions. Setting aside time at Synod seems to be at least a step in the right direction.

The Synod was not all work (to which the accompanying pictures will attest.) One of the most enjoyable events of every synod is the Synod Reception and Banquet. It is very often the only opportunity that the delegates have to relax and talk with one another about issues other than those facing the Diocese; it affords many the chance to meet Diocesan Officers and Clergy whom they know only by name and photograph; and it enhances that feeling of koinonia (fellowship, communion) vital to all Christian organizations.

	Delegates and alternates to the synod "congregating" in the lobby of Hotel Roanoke during the reception prior to the synod banquet.
	Canon Wallace C. Shields, the senior priest of the Diocese, "administering" to Mrs. Claire Carter, an early member of the Diocese.
	D. Bruce Shine, Chancellor of the Diocese, right, comparing "notes" with Bernard Riley, left, diocesan music director.

Diocesan Appointments

Consistory Court Alternates The Rev. Dennis L. Sossi - 2003 Mrs. Mary Russell - 2003 The Rev. Daniel Warren - 2004 Mr. Charles Doucette - 2004 The Rev. Sam M. Catlin - 2005 Mr. Emmett Dobbs - 2005 Constitution & Canons Committee The Ven. William McClean, Jr. The Rev. Canon Wallace C. Shields The Rev. Dennis L. Sossi Mr. Robert E. Merrill Mr. W. David Urquhart D. Bruce Shine, Esq. Roscoe B. Starek, II, Esq. Commission on Holy Orders The Ven. William McClean, Jr. The Rev. Canon Wallace C. Shields The Rev. Canon Marvin Gardner Mr. W. David Urquhart Mr. Philip K. Williams Mrs. Lori Brown

Church Growth Committee The Rev. Canon Marvin Gardner The Rev. Canon Steven A. Head Dr. Mark A. H. Smith Dr. Clayton D. Williams Mrs. Deborah LaGarde Mr. Martin Sullivan Mrs. James Vermillion Children & Youth Committee The Rev. Canon Marvin Gardner The Rev. C. Thomas McHenry The Rev. Francis S. Blair, III Mr. Bernard R. Riley Mr. Clubert G. (Don) Poff Mrs. Laura Gardner Music Commission Mr. Bernard R. Riley Mrs. Sheila Scott Col. G. Hork Dimon Mr. Robert Sinclair

A New Archdeacon

The Ven. William McClean, Jr.,
Archdeacon of the DMAS

Father McClean has spent his entire ministry in the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States. He was ordained to the Diaconate in November 1983 and to the Priesthood in September 1984 by the then Bishop Ordinary, Rt. Rev. William deJ. Rutherfoord

In 1993, after having served in the federal government for 30 years, Fr. McClean retired, dedicating himself to a full-time ministry. He has served on both the Executive and Standing Committees and was appointed by the late Abp. Cahoon as Administrative Assistant to the Metropolitan.

In addition to his responsibilities as an ACC Priest, Fr. McClean is active within the local church community serving as Chairman of an ecumenical Food Pantry and serving on the Board of Directors of H.O.P.E. of Southern Maryland, an organization providing food, clothing, housing and medical assistance to the needy.

Married, with two grown married children, Mary and Matthew, the new Archdeacon and his wife, Lorraine celebrated their thirty-fourth wedding anniversary on August 24th.

Father Warren Ordained

The Rev. Mr. Daniel C. Warren, was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests by the Rt. Rev. Harry B. Scott, III, at a service held in St. Matthew's Church; Newport News, Virginia on Monday, July 22nd. Participants in the service included Archdeacon McClean, Canon Gardner, Fr. Blair and Fr. McHenry serving respectively as Master of Ceremonies, Deacon, Subdeacon and Litanist. Hork Dimon and Sheila Scott were the Cantors.

Present at the service, in addition to members of St. Matthew's, family friends and fellow clergymen, were members of a mission parish formed in Williamsburg, Virginia by Fr. Blair and Deacon, now Father, Warren.

Following the service, the parish entertained their guests in their new parish hall with a most abundant and delicious buffet.

The Office of a Bishop

The following is the text of the sermon delivered by the Rt. Rev. Stanley Francis Lazarczyk during the Electoral Synod of the DMAS held December 13th, 2001.

I Timothy 3:1 – This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

My text today is from one of the first lessons assigned by the Prayer Book Ordinal for the Consecration of Bishops. While the text is in a sense premature, since today we are electing and not consecrating, it is nonetheless quite relevant to the present occasion. David Steinmetz, the distinguished Church historian at Duke, used to say that it is a good thing that the Nicene Creed contains an article affirming faith in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Since the Church so strikingly and frequently appears to be neither One, nor Holy, nor Catholic, nor Apostolic; a supernatural act of faith is necessary, Steinmetz said, if we are to believe in the Church's unity, its sanctity, its universality, and its apostolicity. While this observation may be a little bit cynical, and certainly is not the final thing we should say about that particular article of the Creed, we can all appreciate a certain truth in Professor Steinmetz's remark.

I am inclined to approach my text this morning with a touch of Steinmetzian skepticism. The idea that the office of a bishop is good seems counterintuitive, perhaps most of all to bishops. The office of bishop is like the life of the Christian in general: while it has its occasional refreshments, joys and compensation, it fundamentally is a difficult journey through a desert. Here we have no abiding city. My text is taken, as I've said, from the first lesson in the Form of Ordaining or Consecrating a Bishop. If you wish to consider the extent to which the Office of Bishop is a burden not to be desired, you have only to turn the page in the Ordinal and read the alternative first lesson, from Acts 20. I pick a few words and phrases from Saint Paul's speech recorded there: 'many tears, and temptations', 'not knowing the things that shall befall me', 'bonds and afflictions abide me', 'night and day with tears', 'my necessities', 'labouring'. Paul, the 'ambassador in bonds' (Ephesians 6), who catalogues his perils and labors in such extensive detail in the epistle for Sexagesima, does not present a very enticing picture of the apostolic office. While Paul is the great teacher of the doctrine of the Cross, who undoubtedly shows us that labors and sufferings for the gospel's sake are his duty and crown, nonetheless he does not seem to show us that his office is much to be desired.

So, what are we to make of the assertion that 'if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work'? Saint Paul is not, I think, here justifying the species of clerical ambition that we might call the purple passion. He does not say that desire for the office of a bishop is the desire for 'a good thing'. He says that it is 'a good work', not 'a good thing'. The office may bring with it, accidentally and secondarily, things both good and bad. Before the Triumph of the Church under Constantine the office of bishop might well bring with it a special likelihood of martyrdom. It does not do so for Americans in this day. In some times and places the office of bishop has brought with it great income and property and position in the state. It does not do this either for Anglican Catholics in our day. But such things, good and bad, are accidents of the office. Paul is not commenting in this text about such matters and does not label them either good or bad. Rather Paul speaks in I Timothy iii of the essence of the thing: the qualifications necessary in a bishop and the essential duties and work of that office. It is this office and these duties that he calls, not 'a good thing', but 'a good work' or a good deed.

Let me put this another way. If the bishop does his job properly, then the Church is edified and benefits from his ministry, and that is a good work. The bishop is the pastor to his pastors when no one else can listen or help. The bishop tries with prudence to calm the angry, to unite the divided, to teach with wisdom, to judge and govern with gentleness, to love the unlovable and unloved, to administer the sacraments by which God's life is poured forth into our hearts, to protect the Church from error by banishing erroneous and strange doctrine, to show forth the gospel in the world by the attractive power of compelling preaching and by a godly, righteous and sober life. All of these are good works. Paul, of course, does not say that these works save the bishop or anyone else. He says that they are 'good' and conform to and assist the all-prevailing and mighty work of God's grace.

So, while I assure you that the office of a bishop is tiring and difficult and in most ways much less desirable, at least to me personally, than the wonderful office of a parish priest, nonetheless the office of a bishop is a good work and is necessary to God's Church.

A priest I know once observed that Anglo-Catholics teach theoretically the absolute necessity of bishops to the Catholic Church, while they practically and personally tend to dislike their bishops and to spend little time considering that they actually ought to obey him. For some Anglo-Catholics bishops serve chiefly as a sacrament machine and as a club to use to beat about the heads of Methodists and Presbyterians. In contrast Evangelicals tend to see bishops as useful for the best kind of the Church government, but not at all necessary. Nonetheless, in practice Evangelicals tend to like their bishops and to get along rather well with them. Perhaps we could all make the bishop's job a little easier if we were to combine the theoretical with the actual respect and affection.

In any case, today you are about to elect by the inspiration of God the Holy Ghost a bishop for this Diocese. The man you elect will be faced with a necessary and good office, which is at the same time difficult, demanding, and draining. In this Church, recent history even suggests that it is a dangerous office.

I hereby charge and require of you that you proceed to vote for bishop in a spirit of humility, of impartiality, and of submission to the will of God. The last time I voted in an episcopal election a priest came to me beforehand and told me that the Holy Ghost had told him whom to vote for and who the next bishop would be. When he told what name God had whispered in his ear, I found the divine message to be most unlikely. The name in fact was not that of the next bishop. If we want personal infallibility, we'd be better off in Rome, where at least there is only one pope. In fact we all do well to conceive that we may be mistaken in our preferences and that God has a better rule in his own will than in ours. Humility and obedience are very great virtues which we all need on this day and in the days to come. In particular let me say that unless you are prepared to obey the voice of God through your collective act as electors in a free synod, then you should not participate in this vote at all. God normally works normally, and the lawful process of electoral synods and subsequent scrutiny and confirmation is the normal means by which bishops are elected for this Church.

God knows, and I know, and I hope you all know, that you are not bestowing a beautiful prize on your bishop-elect. You are preparing to impose a burden, tears, fatigue, trouble, travel, and difficulty. Be kind and supportive, forgive if you have anything to forgive, cooperate, obey in lawful things, advise with humility, and assist with modesty. And above all, if you are not praying daily and fervently for your bishop, you have no right to complain about him. Now let us proceed with the business for which are all summoned here today. May God bless you in your important and difficult duty, and may God bless this Diocese and our Church with a holy and godly bishop.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Mitre Box

It has almost become hackneyed to say that it has been a most remarkable year. Sadly it is all too true. The events of last September 11, the subsequent War on Terrorism for our Nation, the illness and untimely death of Archbishop Cahoon for our Diocese and Province. To outsiders and to the despondent, this situation could have appeared to obliterate all hope and been the occasion for a morose, woe-is-me attitude about life. But we are Christians, God is not mocked and with St. Paul we proclaim, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:57) By the grace of the Holy and Undivided Trinity the Nation is recovering and the Anglican Catholic Church continues with a new Archbishop, a new Bishop for our Diocese, and the Faith of two thousand years in our living and resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

In this, my first address to you as your Bishop, I wish to inject a personal note to thank all of you for your support and kindnesses which you have shown me and my family at the consecration, in communications I have received, and in the Visitations I have made. Your charity (and by that I mean to indicate the King James translation of 'agape') has been a blessing to all in the Scott household.

The Book of Common Prayer teaches us in the Burial Office, "In the midst of life, we are in death." Certainly the last twelve months have taught us the truth of that assertion. Yet our holy Faith teaches us, proves to our lives, that in death we can find God: in dying to self and living to our Lord we find the meaning of life, in physical death we find Him who died and rose again. It should not surprise us to find ourselves here, active, alive as the Church. Our Lord promised that not even the gates of hell could prevail against the Church. We should understand that pledge in two ways: defensively, that death, hell, and the devil will never conquer the Church, and offensively, that they can not withstand the onslaught of the Church when the entire Gospel is vigorously proclaimed.

Of course we are here now, in faith to serve our Lord. When Jesus taught about His flesh being the bread of life, some disciples were offended and went away, " Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:67-69) In the midst of life, we are in death – to whom shall we go? To no one else.

To stay with Jesus Christ is to be in the Church; we cannot divorce Christ from his Church without undermining orthodox theology and denying the unambiguous teaching of Holy Scripture. The Bride is one with the Bridegroom and so the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. You cannot be a faithful Christian apart from the Body.

It has pleased God to allow me to be in the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States for almost twenty-four years; I joined on my wedding anniversary in September 1978. God has given us a wonderful Diocese filled with many people who love our Lord and who endeavor to live and spread our holy Faith which He has given us. He has also blessed us with devoted clergy throughout the years who have worked and do work tirelessly in their congregations to build up the Body of Christ, to teach the "faith once delivered to the saints", to minister to God's people in the Anglican Catholic branch of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I give thanks for their ministry.

Our life and work together brings us to this, our Annual Diocesan Synod now assembled. Many years ago, I recall an earlier Synod and a remark from a clergyman (now no longer in our Diocese) that the Synod was not a "spiritual" experience for him. At the time I thought, he doesn't understand what the Synod's purpose is. If he meant a "mountain top" experience such as God gives to us at some special time, he had somewhat of a point, though he was confusing Synods with retreats and other gatherings of the Church. Yet let us examine the purpose of Synods, this Synod. A Synod is meant for the nuts-and-bolts operation of the Diocese; its aim is to conduct the business of operating the Church from day to day. As such it includes discussion and work on budgets, reports, canons, resolutions, appointments, and the like. It is the meeting of the Diocesan family; clergy and delegates from all the congregations together with their Bishop to attend to the legislative and temporal affairs of Christ's Church. Legislative and temporal authority comes from Christ to the Apostles/ Bishops; in Anglican Canon Law it is exercised in and through the Synod made up of the Bishop, the other clergy, and the laity – three houses. Work on these matters is a necessary component of the stewardship God has given us over His work. To fail to discuss money, plans, and procedures would constitute dereliction of our responsibility.

However, a Synod is not just dry meetings; it is truly a gathering of the Church in this Diocese for worship and fellowship also. It is a chance to take communion together at God's Altar, to see old friends from around the Diocese and to make new acquaintances, to learn of work going on in different areas, to gain ideas, to share the love of Christ for each other as we seek wisdom and ways to take Him to others and incorporate them into His Body.

It would appear that a Synod is comprised of prayers, budgets, reports, Christian fellowship – much as life is a multitude of experiences which as Christians, we seek to offer all to the glory of God. Is this spiritual? It certainly pertains to the things of the Spirit, for the Holy Spirit indwells the Church and the Church is Christ's Mystical Body and the work of the Church must encompass all that is necessary to her well functioning.

This is the Twenty-fifth Annual Synod of this Diocese and this year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Church Congress of St. Louis. All those years ago, it pleased God to allow a number of people from what is now our Diocese to attend the Church Congress. Five priests, along with their wives and other faithful laity attended from the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. In addition to me there was Fr. A. F. McCammond, founder of a number of parishes in this Diocese; Fr. John Pedlar, founder of the Church of the Epiphany in Amherst, Father William deJarnette Rutherfoord who became the second Bishop Ordinary of this Diocese, and me. There was also Fr. Robert Hunt from Clifton Forge who, regrettably, died ten days after returning home from St. Louis; Another priest, while sympathetic, did not come to the Anglican Catholic Church and a sixth priest, Fr. Wallace Shields, while not present at the Congress did come into the ACC.

Those attending were thrilled by the experience of gathering – 1700 strong – for worship and addresses in a climate where orthodox Anglican Faith was loved, honored, and was to be preserved. In the midst of years where the Faith of the Church was not only being altered but mocked and derided, the atmosphere at St. Louis was encouraging, hopeful, and filled with the Holy Ghost. You could feel the excitement in conversations in the lobby, at breaks, during meals: it was good to be an Anglican and unabashedly give honor and glory to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.

The major addresses highlighted the road Anglicans had traveled to arrive at a situation where aberrant notions had replaced orthodox faith and practice, where the rich liturgy of the Church worshipping the holy and transcendent God was being gutted into mindless drivel which central action was shaking hands with the person next to you, and where the Biblical concepts of morality was jettisoned by an if-it-feels-good-do-it approach. The process of how all this came to pass is long and far beyond my scope this morning. Suffice it to say that when the Anglican Church in the United States failed to discipline a Bishop who referred to the Holy Trinity as "excess baggage" the road downhill was clear and we found ourselves cascading along a perilous course where all options were available, except fidelity to the Faith of two thousand years of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Fr. Rutler, one of the keynote speakers, said it well when assessing the then present situation he remarked, "No one from Mao Tse-tung to the Pope can be sure he is not an Anglican." The analysis of the problems was insightful and incisive but the Congress was not only called to evaluate error but to issue a clarion call for action. We were not in St. Louis to mourn the loss of the Church, but to be the Church.

On the final Saturday morning of the Congress, the Affirmation of St. Louis was read. It is difficult in words to convey the excitement we felt on hearing that document. There, finally in the latter half of the 20th century, was a clear expression of what orthodox Anglicans had always believed. There at long last was a statement of the foundation of the Holy Scriptures, the three Creeds (Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian), the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the teachings of the ancient Catholic Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the Seven Sacraments. In short, the Faith "once delivered to the saints" which the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church has and does believe for all of her two thousand years. I asked our hosts to include a facsimile of the original Affirmation in your delegate packets so that you might acquaint or reacquaint yourself with the document which led to the formation of the ACC.

The Congress was a gathering of Anglicans seeking to be and remain faithful to Jesus Christ and His Church. It was an inspiring few days and we left full of hope.

In the twenty-five year aftermath, it can (indeed should) be asked: How have we done? It is certainly no secret that the initial thoughts of success and the drumbeats of the Church Triumphant we thought we heard were laid to rest by a well-known theological principal: Sin does not stop at the Church door. As in so many affairs, pride and personality, the hint of power and self-made glory, grievances of old raised their ugly heads and brought trouble. But in the midst of the scramble for position, God was at work, people and clergy were faithful, the Gospel was preached, the Sacraments were administered, parishes and Dioceses were formed, and the first Bishops for this new branch of Christ's Body were consecrated. It has not been an easy twenty-five years; there are many things which should have been done differently. But as I, for one, look back, as I recall the spiritual climate we were in prior to St. Louis I can say without the slightest reservation: I have never regretted my decision to leave, I will never return to Egypt, and I do not long for the fleshpots of beautiful buildings of bygone days. Give me two or three gathered together in the full Faith and love of Jesus Christ in a storefront whose desire is to follow and serve their Lord and I will show you the Church.

As we look at the past twenty-five years, we must not fail to note the great blessings God has showered upon us. In spite of troubles, hardness of heart, divisions, the incursion of look-alike groups pretending to be the inheritors of the Church Congress, God has been with us. I believe this is so true in our own Diocese. The efforts of faithful clergy and people have yielded good fruit for they were born of the Holy Spirit. Let me remind you and me of two things. Our Lord said to us "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8) He said "faith" not success. The other point is our Lord's admonition: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) Without doubt there have been many successes in our journey in the Faith; they have come because the faithful have been willing to sacrifice, to give of themselves, their talents, their resources of time and treasure in the service of Jesus Christ. Men have given up worldly careers to seek Holy Orders and with little thought of huge parishes in antique buildings have followed our Lord to minister where they were sent, to those God gave them. When I look around our Diocese I rejoice at the fine people we have, the work which has been done, the journeys from borrowed church buildings and storefronts to well appointed buildings housing a multitude of activities.

Seventy-eight percent of DMAS congregations own their facilities and Charlottesville owns land and has received permission to build. This is a blessing. What we pray for is that each of the buildings are places where prayer is frequently offered, the Eucharist often celebrated, Sunday schools abound, children play in the church yard, and the community is welcomed into God's house; in short, where the Faith of Christ's Church is lived. We know that this is not fully achieved, it is a goal for which we are striving. By God's grace we are building upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets the Church of Jesus Christ.

In this Diocese we are building upon the work begun in 1978, the work which was continued under the leadership of Bishop Rutherfoord and Archbishop Cahoon, the hard work of our clergy and people. We have much work to do; this Synod is part of our job. In Faith, in prayer, in the strength of God the Holy Spirit given to us through the Holy Sacraments, we must seek to grow our Diocese and grow our congregations, not because of the numbers game, but because we are compelled to share the Gospel and to speak to a world which needs to hear orthodox Anglican Catholic Christianity. Let us focus on our strengths: knowledge of Holy Scripture, the beauty of holiness in our worship, strong and orthodox theology, our ministry to young people through enhanced Sunday schools, youth choirs, and our summer camp. Let us follow the leadership of our strong cadre of clergy without falling into the trap of requiring them to do-it-all. Let us call upon each other as members of Christ's Body and share our talent and abilities with each other. We are a Diocesan family centered on Jesus Christ, let us bring others to the banquet of our Lord.

There is much work to be done; God has brought us to this point. We have Jesus Christ to honor and Him to proclaim; we have His Faith to live and spread. Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

Faithfully in Christ Jesus,
+ HBSIII

Around the Diocese

Saint Michael the Archangel, Frederick, MD, was recognized by the XXVth Synod of the DMAS as an independent parish (as opposed to a mission) entitled to full representation at that and all future Synods.

Saint Alban's, Richmond, VA called The Rev. Frank Blair to be its new Rector and he was Instituted into that office on May 8th.

Saint Andrew & Saint Margaret of Scotland, Alexandria, VA called Rev. Fr. Nicholas Athanaelos, formerly of the Diocese of the South, to be its new Rector. "Fr. Nick" arrived early in August and is scheduled to be Instituted on September 28th.

Saint Matthew's, Newport News, VA has called The Rev. Fr. Daniel C. Warren to be its new Rector. The date of his Institution has not been set.

The following individuals were Confirmed or Received by Bp. Scott during recent parish visitations:

At Saint Andrew & Saint Margaret of Scotland, Alexandria, VA: Robert Baer, Jane Baer, Andrew Baer, Kevin Manship, Margaret Lawrence, and Chloe Lawrence.

At Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Roanoke, VA: Lisa Hawkins, Evelyn Hawkins, Thomas Hawkins, Owen Hawkins, Anne Hite, Judy Barnes, Thomas James and Paula James;

At Saint Michael the Archangel, Frederick, MD: Amanda McGreevy, William Brown, Thomas Burns, Eleanor Lane, Hugh Henry and Karen Henry;

At Saint Anne's, Charlotte Hall, MD: Jonathan Sullivan, Melodie Stokes Mary McAffee and Wesley McAffee.

They'll Get Your Message

Rt. Rev. Harry B. Scott, III hbscott3@hotmail.com Father Nicholas Athanaelos frnick@cconnect.net Father Philip E. Barber philbarberiii@aol.com Father Frank S. Blair, III frblair@compuserve.com Father Sam M. Catlin vepcoman@aol.com Father William C. Crites irish@rockridge.net Father Alexander L. Darby, III aldarby@earthlink.net Canon Marvin Gardner drmarvgardner@cox.net Canon Kenneth Gunn-Walberg canonken@mymailstation.com Canon Steven A. Head mlkhead@intelos.net

Archdeacon William McClean, Jr. frmacc@crosslink.net Father C. Thomas McHenry docmac@dmas-acc.org Father Thomas Parsons cepiphany@mindspring.com Father David C. Rupp compassrose1549@earthlink.net Father Sanford Sears (MDNG) sanfordsears@hotmail.com Deacon Anthony Sgro anthony_sgro@woodberry.org Canon Wallace C. Shields revcanonwcs@hotmail.com Father S. Strother Smith, III s3@netva.com Father Dennis L. Sossi frsossi@aol.com Father Daniel C. Warren mailto:dcwarren@compuserv.com

Canon to the Ordinary

The Rev. Canon Marvin Gardner, Ph.D., Canon to the Metropolitan of the Original Province of the Anglican Catholic Church, has been appointed by the Rt. Rev. Harry B. Scott, III, as Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States.

The Reverend Canon Marvin Gardner, Ph.D.

Canon Gardner attended Virginia Theological Seminary, from which, in 1967 he received a Master of Divinity degree cum laude. He was ordained to the Diaconate in 1967 and a year later to the Priesthood while still in the Episcopal Church (PECUSA). In 1979, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Seminary; and in 1991 he received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He joined the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States in 1993. He was Rector of The Church of the Holy Family, Gaithersburg, MD, until his call, in 1997, by Saint Thomas of Canterbury to be their new Rector. Canon Gardner is married. He and his wife Laura live in Roanoke with their son, Tready, and daughter, Faith.

Upon appointing Fr. Gardner to his new position, Bishop Scott indicated that Canon Gardner's formal training and practical experience as a Clinical Psychologist, combined with thirty-plus years in the Priesthood constitute a unique and invaluable resource to which Archbishop John-Charles and Archbishop Cahoon before him have been able to turn. He has graciously offered to make that knowledge and experience available to this Diocese. I intend to seek his advice and counsel on a great many matters, and I urge the DMAS clergy to do the same.

Successful Summer Camp

The annual DMAS Youth Summer Camp was held July 14-20th at Camp Hanover, near Richmond. Thirty-two campers and eight counselors enjoyed a week of fun and learning, in the midst of a heat wave. Each day began with Morning Prayer and ended with Evensong.

Most mornings, after breakfast, the campers attended classes consistent with the camp's theme for the year: "What a Christian should know and believe..." Using discussion groups, icons and music, campers explored The Ten Commandments, The Lord's Prayer and The Apostle's Creed. On Friday morning, Holy Communion was celebrated by Camp Director Fr. Tom McHenry, assisted by Deacon Warren and Mr. Don Poff.

Throughout the week, afternoons were dedicated to camper recreation. In addition to swimming, fishing and crafts, campers enjoyed nature walks, the famous "Hanover Mudslide" and the infamous "Wall".

The dates for next year's Summer Camp have been tentatively set for July 13-19th and Camp Hanover will again be site. Detailed plans will be published when they are finalized.

Fr. Gunn–Walberg Instituted

At 6:00 p.m., Monday August 19th, the Right Reverend Harry B. Scott III, Instituted the Reverend Canon Kenneth W. Gunn-Walberg, Ph.D. as Rector of Saint Mary's Anglican Church, Wilmington, DE before an assembly of nearly 100 parishioners, family and friends which included his majesty King Kigehli V of Rwanda.

During the service, Bishop Scott admitted Paul Parets, Ralph Chubb, Coleman Metzler, Bruce Henrickson, James D'Wolf, Richard Whipple and Ralph Scott, to the Office of Lay Reader.

The Reverend Canon Kenneth Gunn-Walberg, Ph.D.

Canon Gunn-Walberg is a graduate of (and was subsequently a faculty member of) Holyrood Seminary. He was ordained to the Diaconate and to the Priesthood in 1984. He served, at the parishes of Good Shepherd; Cuba, NY, and Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Philipsburg, PA, both of which are in the ACC Diocese of the Resurrection, and was a sometimes instructor at Penn State University.

Canon Gunn-Walberg and his wife, Kay, have two grown daughters, Catherine and Susan.

Diocesan Choir Festival

The Sixth Annual DMAS Choir Festival will be held at Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Christiansburg, VA September 6-7th. The Festival will begin with registration at 6:45 Friday evening followed by Evensong and Solemn Benediction at 7:30 p.m. Please note that everyone – especially children – are welcome to participate in this Festival. Workshops and rehearsals will start thereafter, and continue until about 10:00 p.m. They will resume Saturday morning after breakfast and continue through early afternoon. Bernard Riley, Organist at Saint Alban's, Richmond, Virginia, and the DMAS Music Director will lead the workshops and rehearsals. Please bring your own hymnals, with supplements, if you can. Other music will be provided upon registration or, if time permits, in advance by mail.

This year's selections are mostly English Cathedral Music, which is not difficult, but challenging enough to make participation or attendance worthwhile. They include an Ave Maria, a Jeremiah Clarke Cantata on Psalm 13 and three Bruckner motets.

The performance, along with Mr. Riley's solo organ pieces, will begin Saturday at 4:00, followed by a buffet supper for both singers and audience in the beautiful mountains of Floyd County at the home of Barbara and Clemens von Claparede.

Contributions of $20 per adult and $5 per child are requested to offset the cost of meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on Saturday) and other incidentals. Information concerning the Festival, hotel accommodations, directions, etc. may be obtained from Sheila Scott at sscott@mail.mcps.org (or telephone her at 540-382-0432).

Pre-Advent Retreat

This year's Pre-Advent Retreat will be held in Charlottesville, VA at the English Inn November 8-9th. This annual event is an opportunity for the clergy and laity of the DMAS to meet in Christian fellowship for Christian study and worship as they anticipate the Advent and Christmas seasons.

The Retreat will begin late Friday afternoon with Registration, dinner, an opening program session and end with Evening Prayer. Saturday opens with Matins and Holy Communion, continues with breakfast and program sessions, followed by lunch and more program sessions. The Retreat ends about 4:00 pm with Evening Prayer.

Accommodation and meal costs are currently being negotiated and details concerning the Retreat will be mailed to each Parish as soon as available.

Evangelism Congress

The 2002 Provincial Congress on Evangelism is being held in Athens, Georgia, the week of September 8th. It will be part of a week-long series of events being hosted by the Diocese of the South at its Pro-Cathedral of Saint Stephen.

On Sunday there will be a Mass, celebrated by Bishop James Mote in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. Bishop Stanley Francis Lazarczyk will preach and the Metropolitan will preside. Monday and Tuesday will be devoted to the conduct of Provincial meetings with the Congress itself beginning on Wednesday.

The deadline for registration was August 12th, but individuals wishing to attend might still be able to do so. You should call Father John Cotterell at 706-548-1275 as soon as possible.

The Trinitarian

The Executive Committee, acting in response to a decision made by the Provincial Synod last fall to terminate distribution of The Trinitarian to any household whose subscription costs are not being paid (by themselves or by someone else), voted to continue underwriting the costs for households on DMAS parish mailing lists. This decision was based upon a belief that distribution of The Trinitarian is vital as a source of information for current, lapsed and potential parishioners.

At the same time, The Committee suggested that the households within the Diocese be urged to pay for their individual subscriptions and that each Parish be urged to subscribe "in bulk" for distribution to friends and visitors. Costs to The Trinitarian would be greatly reduced and underwriting costs to the Diocese could virtually be eliminated if each parish made a bulk subscription and distributed manually to attendees and by mail to shut-ins, students, visitors, etc.

Theological Education Sunday

A reminder that the Diocese has identified the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Matthew (this year that is September 22nd) as Theological Education Sunday.

In Memoriam

Credo notes with deep regret the death of the Rev. David M. Pringle. Fr. Pringle was formerly a Priest within the DMAS and Rector of Saint Mary's; Wilmington, DE. On behalf of the entire Diocese, Credo offers its condolences to his widow Nellie and to their three children. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of Christ, rest in peace.

Saint Peter's Church
Office of the Bishop
P.O. Box 6234
Christiansburg, VA 24068

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Created September 19, 2002; modified November 18, 2003.