To: Bishop Robert Duncan
Pittsburgh Diocese
The Episcopal Church
September 23, 2008
Dear Bishop Duncan
As leaders, pastors, and laity called to spiritually renew the mainline churches in North America, we stand with you in solidarity as you endure this trial of your faith. Your patient, courageous, and steadfast witness has been an inspiration to all of us who desire to see our Lord Jesus Christ glorified in his church. We praise God for you dear brother!
It grieves our hearts to see those entrusted with church leadership such as Bishop Schori and the Episcopal house of bishops, engaged in such divisive and destructive behavior. Like other denominational officials in the North American mainline denominations, they have acted with callous disregard for the authority of scripture, the witness of the historic church, and the sanctity of human life, sexuality and marriage. We are most deeply grieved for the millions of Christian believers who have been forced out of the churches of their childhood by those they trusted to lead. While the cost of discipleship is real, we share your confidence that, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:16 – 18)
Rev. David Runnion-Bareford, President,
Association for Church Renewal
Rev. Jim Heidinger, President, Good News,
United Methodist, Chairman of the Board,
Association for Church Renewal
Dr. Thomas Oden, Theologian
Mrs. Robert Bork, McLean, Va.
Rev. Mark Chavez, Exec. Director, Wordalone Network
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Parker Williams, Exec. Dir. Emeritus
Presbyterian Layman, PCUSA
Rev. Doug Harvey, Exec. Director,
Disciple Heritage Fellowship
Rev. Calvin Brown, Exec. Director
The Renewal Fellowship, Presbyterian Church of Canada
Faye Short, President, RENEW Network
United Methodist
Rev. Craig Alan Myers, Chairman
Brethren Revival Fellowship
Sara Anderson, Exec. Vice-President
Bristol House Publishing, United Methodist
Rev. Tom Lambrecht, Chairman of the Board
Good News, United Methodist
Dr. James Tonkowich, President
The Institute on Religion and Democracy
Karen Booth, Exec. Director
Transforming Congregations
Rev. Chuck Huckaby, Assoc. Editor
The Christian Observer
Rev. Fred Schumacher, Exec. Director
American Lutheran Publicity Bureau
David M. Stanley, Chmn of Steering Comm.
United Methodist Action
Jean Leu Stanley, Steering Comm.
United Methodist Action
Rev. Vernon Stoop, Exec. Director
Focus Renewal Ministries, United Church of Christ
Elizabeth Claver, Assoc. Director
Biblical Witness Fellowship, United Church of Christ
Rev. Phil Corr, United Church of Christ
Rev. Walter B. Fenton, United Methodist
Rev. Dr. William R. Bouknight, United Methodist
Rev. Dr. D. Gregory Van Dussen, Sr. Pastor
Springville First United Methodist Church
Rev John Wagner, United Church of Christ
Reverend David M.
McGettigan,Pastor
St. Andrew By The Sea Evangelical Lutheran Church
Phil Thrailkill, Saint Luke UMC Hartsville, SC
Joe Kilpatrick, United Methodist Confessing Movement, Tucker, Ga.
Larry Baird, United Methodist Confessing Movement
Randy Mickler, United Methodist Confessing Movement