Open Thread: What did you think of Archbishop Venables' visit to San Diego?
Did you attend the meetings or service at St. Anne's with Archbishop Venables and Bishop Atwood? What were your thoughts, take-aways, surprises? Your comments here:
This web site, including original text and images, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Comments
A wonderful, Spirit-filled celebration of all that is good and true in these days of turmoil. Archbishop Gregory issued a call to us to be witnesses to the world of the loving, saving grace offered to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. If not us, then who. If not now, then when. He asked us, "will you go?" and the whole church was filled with a resounding YES! AMEN! HALLELUJAH!
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory.
WOW! What a night! What powerful preaching of the Word! Archbishop Venables was electifying as he exhorted us to rouse ourselves from complacency and go where the Lord sends us to bring hope to the lost and the Truth to a world caught in the snares of relativism.
I left the service renewed and with the battle cries of the Lord's army echoing in my soul.
No, really!
I watched it via AnglicanTV and was glued to my laptop from the opening "Shout to the Lord" all the way to the last hymn! Almost felt as though I was worshiping with you all. Praise God for +Venables powerful testimony, wonderful sense of humor, and his ability to be "real." What a blessing it must have been to be there last night as the Spirit of the Lord came down!
Please tell the folks at St. Anne's thanks for sharing and that they have a gifted worship and music team there.
Glad you could tune in remotely, Jill.
Interesting story about that. What began as some bad luck for Kevin Kallsen of AnglicanTV.org with an airline scheduling mixup turned into an unplanned opportunity for him to join us here in San Diego last night to live stream that amazing evening with our bishops.
Sometimes the Lord works in some pretty darn un-mysterious ways (airline goof), doesn't he, Kevin?
I expect we'll have a video of the whole thing to replay here and elsewhere soon.
As for the Lord working in more mysterious ways, apparently someone just a day or two before had footed the remaining 40% of funds needed for Kevin to take AnglicanTV.org to GAFCON.
David Turney
Site Editor
Fantastic to have a chance to hear a Bishop and an Archbishop who believe the Bible is God's Word and that Jesus is the only way to salvation and whose lives reflect their belief!
In Christ Jesus,
Ed+ VIOC
Secretary, AAC/SD
Associate - St. John’s – Fallbrook
Diocese of Luwero, Province of Uganda
In Christ Jesus,
Ed+ VIOC
Secretary, AAC/SD
Associate - St. John’s – Fallbrook
Diocese of Luwero, Province of Uganda
I learned yesterday that Archbishop Venables had decided to go to Lambeth as well as to Gafcon. What a voice he will be at the gathering! I understand that Bishop Iker will attend Lambeth as well.
Well, after traveling the world, doing powerful ministry and building up the church, Lambeth will be a nice break from all that.
David Turney
Site Editor
Bishop Jack Iker is going to Lambeth, also. I think ++Venables and +Iker together will be awesome.
Also, we are blessed to have Archbishop Venables in our midst this weekend in the Dio of FW. I'm looking forward to hearing him preach. My husband was blown away when I played the audio of ++Venables in San Diego!
Anne Coletta's write up is here:
http://innocentdoves.blogspot.com/2008/05/san-diego-more-on-venables-vis......
Nicely said:
David Turney
Site Editor
Did my comment not show up because I changed the "guest" in the "your name" field?
Cassiusz%
Hi Cassius. Looks like you were able to make this comment anyway. Sorry you lost the original. You can see I've changed the default "guest" name in this reply.
So changing the default didn't matter. Anyway, my thoughts seem to echo most of the other comments. I was surprised by his humor during the Mass in his homily. I would think an archbishop would be more solemn or serious. But I was pleasantly surprised by his "one of the guys" attitude. His homily and the way it was delivered really lives out the maxim that we need to take God seriously but not ourselves?
Thanks
Cassius
The high point for me was when the entire congregation joined hands for the Lord's Prayer. The power of the entire congregation boldly - and loudly - calling their responses to the prayers was amazing. Archbishop Venables seemed to be as delighted with us as we were with him. Even my teenagers were impressed. I told them, "Kids, now THAT's a bishop and a leader!" Praise God for our strong leaders, especially our clergy who lead us on the right path every day.
What a true blessing to spend time with bishop's who are good and godly men who bear the authority of bishop not because it was a title bestowed upon them but because they hold the spiritual authority that comes with that. I count it a true honor to be under the authority of Archbishop Greg and Bishop Bill. I am also thrilled that my parishioners were able to worship with these men and taste the very best of the Anglican Communion. Over and over the comments made to me by parishoners was... "Wow so that is what I always missed in ECUSA - Bishop's who really beleived what they said and pattern their lives on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
My bishop, +John-David Schofield, will be with ++Venables at Lambeth and GAFCON, and what a powerful force for the Gospel of Christ this will be. Praise God!
My bishop, +John-David Schofield, will be with ++Venables at Lambeth and GAFCON, and what a powerful force for the Gospel of Christ this will be. Praise God!
Wow. That's great news if JDS is indeed going to Lambeth. I think there was some uncertainty about that as late as yesterday, 6 May. Did I miss an announcement?
David Turney
Site Editor