26 Jun 2021
Written by John Fawcett
Blest be the tie that binds, our hearts in Christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds, is like that from above
Before our father’s throne, we pour our ardent prayers
Our fears, our hopes, our alms are one, our comfort and our cares
We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear
And often for each other flows, the sympathizing tear
When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain
But we shall still be join in heart, and hope to meet again
Opening prayer and special prayer for Archbishop Hartley and Lady Ross
Synod 2020 was cancelled but the 13th General Synod came through, albeit virtual. Thanks be to God we have succeeded in bringing the thoughts of ACW members and friends together with our theme ‘Faith. Family. Fellowship.’ Now we say the state of the ACW is very-good, very good indeed, not as we would like, but holding firm in God’s will.
In our opening-service Thursday, 26 stood online to participate, even though we could not hear some, the same is with us today. On Saturday, June 26, 2021, we spoke with over 50 people from the Caribbean, Australia, Guyana in South America and within the USA.
In the midst of all we were hospitalized with our leg, but we live in hope that God will see us through; further, our beloved Lady Ross in Pennsylvania has been left in the hands of doctors, we leave it in the hands of God that his will be done. Please keep all in your prayers.
We give special thanks to the members of Good Shepherd for keeping the ACW cathedral alive, not only with their attendance but their commitment to the financial health a well. We also thank our webmaster, Ms Sue Thomas, for her work in making sure the ACW is seen to the world via our website. We also extend thanks to Bishop Connor for his continued financial-commitment as COVID has brought our coffers to its knees. The ACW gives thanks to Ms. Harriett Gipson who keeps the Archdiocese-residence running smoothly.
We also give special thanks to our chancellor, Bishop Edwin Tompkins, who has been the backbone of advice, never failing, never AWOL.
Special thanks to Archbishop John and Lady Erbelding, a Bishop and medical doctor sitting in the conformable-corners of Georgia. Also our brothers-and-sisters in Australia and New-Zealand where our beloved Robert Weatherby presides from New-South-Wales.
We give thanks to Coke-Cola, and Kentucky-Fried-Chicken who, through the ACW, supported our causes most recently in St. Vincent in the Caribbean. Thanks also to Ms. Antoinette-Harewood, our General-Secretary in the Caribbean. Presiding Bishop-Burke continues to work on his return to the USA while presiding at St. Matthias ACW in St. Georges Grenada.
We now ask the question ‘what does the future hold for ACW’. We as a group must decide, because as age presses on we must bring younger men to fill this duty.
To this end we have nominated 41 year-old Fr. Felix Nzeyimana to be our new Auxiliary-Bishop with special responsibilities to the Presiding-Bishop’s office. He will be consecrated at the Cathedral of Good Shepherd within the next 60 days where all other virtual consecrations will be confirmed. He is from the African country of Burundi but currently resides in Canada.
Please visit our website to view our current active parishes and affiliates.
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