The Diocese of the Eastern United States Board of Examining Chaplains Report to the 2009 Synod

Oh, how great is the priest! The priest will not understand the greatness of his office till he is in Heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but of love. The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution; he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you. After God, the priest is everything. If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel. The latter is the friend of God; but the priest holds His place. The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truly powerful words from Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, regarding the responsibility of the Board of Examining Chaplains, the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. With these glorious words in mind, in this Year for Priests throughout the Western Church, 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 vital charge with fidelity and energy.

As Canon Vocations Director of the Diocese, I also serve 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. In this capacity, my 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 Canon Vocations Director is available to the whole Diocese 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 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.

At this time, I wish to thank the other Examining Chaplains of the Diocese, who sacrifice much of their personal time and effort 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. Additionally, we are grateful for Deaconess Tina Jenkins, who assists 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, 6 men were ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons and 6 men were ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests – the ‘class of 2008-2009’ may be a record number for one year’s time.

The following men are now Priests forever after the Order of Melchizedek: Father David Bottoms of All Saints’ Church, Charlottesville, Virginia, Father LeRoy ‘Chris’ Gardner of the Church of the Redeemer, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Father Mark William Menees of Saint John’s Church, Greensboro, North Carolina, Father Ernest Pinto of Saint Mary the Virgin Church, Delray Beach, Florida, and Father Daniel Trout of Saint Alban’s Cathedral. Father Virgil ‘Brett’ Travis received ordination sub conditione to the Diaconate and Priesthood.

The following men are now Deacons in the Church of God: Father Thomas Burr of Saint Paul’s Church, Crownsville Maryland, Father David Keller of Saint Alban’s Cathedral and Father Donald Sackett of Saint Matthew’s Church, Weaverville, North Carolina.

Father William Martin SSC of All Saints’ Church, Mills River, North Carolina was received into the Diocese and Province under Canon 10 of the APA.

Currently and wonderfully, there are 19 persons enrolled in the diocesan ministry process, from 4 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.

In 2007 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 was created for the structure and organisation of the House; Dean Douglas King serves as administrator/president of the corporation. We are in the process of formally producing the initial seven courses, Canon Law, Dogmatic Theology, Sacramental Theology, Liturgics, Ascetical Theology, Moral Theology and Anglican Church History which we wish to make available on Webex and in print for the seminarians and clergy of the Diocese. Each course will be 12 or 13 hours each, providing a minimum of 84 class hours of Anglican formation for the student. We have assigned instructors for each course: the content, policies, teachers and texts for the courses and the House in general are determined by the consensus of the Examining Chaplains, which serves to supervise all aspects of the House under the authority of the Bishop. We intend to begin the House of Studies in earnest in the autumn of 2009.

At the Spring 2009 Meeting of the Board of Examining Chaplains, it was decided by consensus that in future, beginning as soon as the DEUS-HTS is fully operational, all seminarians of the Diocese who offer themselves for priestly ordination will be required to receive one academic year of courses and formation through the Diocesan House of Theological Studies in order that they may be provided orthodox Anglican training in the essentials areas of theology, pastoralia, liturgy, history, dogmatics and moral and ascetical theology, which are rarely afforded in conventional seminaries. Seminarians will be permitted to enter a two-year master’s level theological degree programme, which then must be complemented and fulfilled by the year of Anglican formation through our own House of Studies. Seminarians are still permitted to enter the three-year Master of Divinity degree programme in a conventional seminary, but will also be required the year of Anglican formation before canonical examination. The House of Studies will be required for all future candidates for the Sacred Priesthood who matriculate in seminary under the sponsorship of our Diocese.

Also in 2007, we received approval for the official sponsorship of an Annual Seminarians' Support Sunday for the entire Diocese and designated for it 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. As a result of your generosity and contributions, the total Diocesan Fund has reached $13,000.

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. 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 Saint Matthew’s Church, Weaverville, North Carolina continues her formation for the Deaconess ministry. 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. 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 Tuesday 21 July here in Gainesville, Georgia, we recommended Father David Coady of Saint Francis’ Church, Blacksburg, Virginia and Father David Sokol of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Hernando, Florida to the Bishop and Standing Committee for reception into this Diocese and Province under APA Canon 10. We enjoyed a preliminary interview with Father Jacob Boyd Baker of Saint Alban’s Cathedral.

At our impending Autumn Meeting later this year, we look forward to having the opportunity to interview Richard Hitchcock of Saint Barnabas Church, Dunwoody, Georgia for Postulancy for Holy Orders and Jewel Kennington of Saint Barnabas Dunwoody for preparation for the Deaconess Ministry.

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.

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’ registrations are open for the fall! For us at Saint Barnabas Dunwoody, we not only have UGA, we have UCJ! I am at your continual disposal to provide whatever you may need from the Board for the formation and training of our future clergy.

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.