Board of Examining Chaplains Report to Synod 2008

What I've been up to lately...

To live in the midst of the world with no desire for all its pleasures;
To be a member of every family, yet belonging to one;
To share all sufferings;
To penetrate all secrets, to heal all wounds;
To daily go from men to God to offer Him their homage and petitions;
To return from God to men to bring them His pardon and hope;
To have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity:
To bless and to be blest forever.
O God, what a life, and it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ!

Words of the famous Father JPH Lacordaire regarding the responsibility of the Board of Examining Chaplains, the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. With the truth of these profound words in mind, it continues to be my highest privilege to serve as Chairman of the Board and to present once again this year this report to the Diocesan Synod. I am deeply grateful to the Bishop for the confidence and trust he has placed in me by assigning me to this task, and I pray that I have in the past year discharged this weighty charge with fidelity and determination.

In September 2007 the Bishop graciously bestowed upon me a tremendous honour and responsibility in naming me the Canon Vocations Director of the Diocese. ‘What does a Vocations Director do?’ you may astutely ask. He serves as the official adviser and assistant to the Bishop for the formation and training of the future clergy of the Diocese of the Eastern United States. His principal role is to serve the Church in the process of attracting, cultivating, encouraging and forming vocations of men to the Sacred Order of Priests and the Sacred Order of Deacons and of women to the lay ministry of Deaconess. The ministry of the Canon Vocations Director includes the creation of projects and gatherings designed to promote an increase of vocations to the Ministry and to equip Church leaders, clergy and lay, for ministry and service. He serves as a facilitator for interest in vocations and a liaison for the Board of Examining Chaplains to the wider Church. The Canon Vocations Director, a ministry for building-up the spiritual lives of all the baptized, is available to the whole Diocese, both clergy and laity, to provide information and offer counsel to all interested in the formation process. His ministry is also that of a spiritual director, who is available to supply spiritual companionship, assistance and guidance to any who wish to explore or deepen their sense of vocation to Christian service of whatever kind or form. The Canon Vocations Director serves in a particular way the spiritual and personal needs of seminarians and their families and of those engaged in formation in the Diocese. Please pray for me as I persevere in this new aspect of my ministry.

At this time, I wish to thank the other Examining Chaplains of the Diocese, who sacrifice much of their personal time and energy in the crucial work of this august body. Working with them is the greatest privilege one could have in the Church, and I remain in awe of their knowledge of and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have these Reverend Fathers to thank for the excellent standards now in place in our Diocese for the formation of Priests, Deacons and Deaconesses for the twenty-first century. I have never seen a finer group of dedicated and hard-working priests: Father David Eastes of the Central Florida Deanery; Dean Douglas King of Saint Paul’s Church, Melbourne, Florida; Dean Glenn Spencer of All Saints’ Church, Charlottesville, Virginia; Father Michael Ward of Saint Mark’s Church, Vero Beach, Florida; and Father Raymond Unterburger of Saint Alban’s Church, Joppa, Maryland, who joined the Board at last year’s Synod. Father Paul Blankinship remains on a leave of absence from the Board. Additionally, we are grateful for Deaconess Tina Jenkins, who has been assigned to assist us in Deaconess formation. It continues to be a joyful blessing for all the Examining Chaplains to serve the Church and Diocese in this ministry, and we again thank the Bishop for our appointment.

Since last Synod, 2 men were ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests, 1 man was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons and 1 woman was set-apart for the lay ministry of Deaconess. The following men are now Priests forever after the Order of Melchizedek: Father Edward Moore of All Saints’ Church, Charlottesville, Virginia and Father David Chatel of Holy Spirit Church, Mobile, Alabama, who received ordination sub conditione to the Diaconate and Priesthood. Deborah Kidd of Saint George the Martyr Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina was set-apart as a Deaconess.

Currently and splendidly, there are 19 persons enrolled in the diocesan ministry process, from 5 in the beginning application mode to others who fall into different stages on the way to approval for Orders. We should be infinitely grateful to God for the ongoing increase of vocations in our Diocese. Let us continue to pray for a great harvest of vocations to the Sacred Ministry of the Holy Catholic Church and let us beseech the Lord for truly holy, good and godly Priests and Deacons.

At last year’s Synod we received approval from the Bishop and Diocesan Standing Committee to expand over time the current technology at our disposal for the creation of the Diocese of the Eastern United States House of Theological Studies, to begin as soon as possible. This virtual seminary will serve as a training institute for the Diocese in which the training process for ordinands will be formalised according to our own standards. A legal corporation will be created for the structure and organisation of the House, Dean Douglas King serving as administrator/president of the corporation. Once the formal incorporation and organisation of the House have been accomplished, we shall then formally produce the list of courses which we wish to make available on Webex and in print for the seminarians and clergy of the Diocese. We shall also assign instructors for each course: the content, policies, teachers and texts for the courses and the House in general will be determined by the consensus of the Examining Chaplains, which serves to supervise all aspects of the House under the authority of the Bishop.
The first instalment will focus on the formation of future Priests and Deacons in the particulars of the Anglican Tradition, a process of 'Anglicising' in which men will be taught the distinctives of our Anglican patrimony, liturgically, theologically, historically and pastorally. The later instalment will provide continuing education for the clergy of the Diocese. We anticipate a small fee for each student to cover our operating costs, tentatively $200-300 per student per course. We shall administer the House ourselves as the Board of Examining Chaplains and will report to the Bishop and Standing Committee on our activities. The Examining Chaplains will serve as the Board of Directors. The Bishop, of course, serves ex officio on our House Board. We shall administer the finances and bookkeeping of the Board as well. There will be no initial additional costs unless we expand the Webex system beyond its current parameters. We look forward to reporting next year that we have fully implemented the first stage of our plan!

We received at last year’s Synod approval for the official sponsorship of an Annual Seminarians' Support Sunday for the entire Diocese and designated for it, beginning in 2007, the Second Sunday in Advent, Bible Sunday, a most appropriate time of the year to solicit financial support for our men and women. Monies collected that day are sent from all parishes and missions to the Diocesan Treasurer for the Diocesan Seminarian Fund. The first such Sunday was successfully sponsored in 2007. As a result of your generosity and contributions, the total Diocesan Fund reached a high-point of just over $10,000 last year.

Over the past year, the Examining Chaplains have enjoyed the opportunity of working with a number of men and women in varying stages of formation. Father Ernest Pinto, Deacon of Saint Mary’s Church, Delray Beach, Florida continues his seminary formation through the Theological Certificate Programme of the Reformed Theological Seminary virtual campus. Michael Cawthon of Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Charlotte, North Carolina continues the Reformed Theological Seminary virtual campus Master of Arts in Religion programme. Deborah Gravatt of All Saints’ Church, Arden, North Carolina continues her master’s degree programme at Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin. Matthew Harlow of Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Charlotte, North Carolina attends the Reformed Theological Seminary virtual campus. Linda Moritz of Saint Mary’s Church, Delray Beach, Florida has reactivated her status as a candidate for the Deaconess ministry. Paul Owen of All Saints’ Church, Arden, North Carolina continues his assigned formation programme. Paul Rivard of Saint Barnabas’ Church, Dunwoody, Georgia, is a seminarian at Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, South Carolina. Donald Sackett of Saint Alban’s Church, Joppa, Maryland, is a rising senior seminarian at Nashotah House Seminary. Arthur Walker of Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Charlotte, North Carolina is enrolled in the Master of Arts in Theology track through the Distance Learning programme of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.

At our official Synod meeting held Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 June here in Annapolis, we canonically examined Father LeRoy ‘Chris’ Gardner of Church of the Redeemer, Hilton Head, South Carolina for the Sacred Priesthood and we canonically examined Thomas Burr of Saint Paul’s Church, Crownsville, Maryland and Daniel Trout of Saint Alban’s Cathedral for the Sacred Order of Deacons. At this Synod we have submitted our reports concerning examinations to the Bishop and the Standing Committee for their consideration. One candidate for the Priesthood and two candidates for the Diaconate, all approved by the Board, have been presented to the Standing Committee for final approval for ordination at this Synod.

We also interviewed one man for postulancy for Holy Orders in the Diocese: David Keller of Saint Alban’s Cathedral and a transferred postulant from the Anglican Church in America. The Board has subsequently recommended him to the Bishop to begin the next stage of formation.

Father David Bottoms (Major, United States Army) of All Saints’ Church, Charlottesville, Virginia was ordained last week to the Sacred Order of Deacons by Bishop Peter Brewer on behalf of the Reformed Episcopal Church to serve as a chaplain in the Armed Forces. After his ordination to the Sacred Priesthood, he will, God willing, be transferred to our jurisdiction for service under the authority of our Diocese.

Richard Palmer of Saint Paul’s Church, Cincinnati, Ohio was interviewed at this Synod for recommendation by the Bishop’s Advisory Committee. The Committee has subsequently recommended him to the Examining Chaplains to begin the next stage of formation.

At our impending Autumn Meeting later this year, we look forward to having the opportunity to interview the following gentlemen for postulancy for Holy Orders: Mac Boney of All Saints’ Church, Wilmington, North Carolina and Scott Koszalinski of Saint Mary the Virgin Church, Delray Beach, Florida; Barry Messer of Saint Paul’s Church, Melbourne Florida and Leonard Vaughn of Saint Barnabas’ Church, Dunwoody, Georgia has entered the applicant stage of formation.

All Rectors and Vicars are reminded that they should have on file copies of the Diocesan Application for Ministry with its cover pages which provide the sequence of procedures for those contemplating a vocation to Holy Orders in this Church. These materials are available for you in an electronic format. Men who wish to offer themselves for the permanent Diaconate now have a specific programme in which to enter for that purpose. Men who wish to offer themselves for the Priesthood are now required to complete a master’s degree in theology before ordination.

On a personal note, please remember that all members of the Diocese and Province, clergy and lay, are most welcome to contact me at any time regarding any questions or comments concerning the Board of Examining Chaplains and our work. ‘Chad Jones University’ is always open and available for you. The ‘University’ has now officially relocated to Saint Barnabas’ Church in beautiful Dunwoody, Georgia and could be called Traditional Anglicanism’s UGA; please be well assured that the sign on the Curate’s door always says, ‘the Chairman is in,’ and I am at your continual disposal to provide whatever you may need from the Board for the formation and training of our future Priesthood.

Dear Bishop Grundorf, thank you for your loving and continual support of our work, and thank you, beloved members of the Synod, for your time and kind attention.

God bless you! Respectfully submitted: Canon Chandler Holder Jones, SSC, Chairman.