Episcopal Journey Ends

Vanity | May 26 2008 | Paul Geraci

[Zippo44]

For those of you that do not know me, my name is Paul Geraci. I am a member of Hope Episcopal Church, the succesor church to St Michael's and Incarnation Episcopal Churches. I began attending St Michael’s Episcopal Church in February 2005.

A bit of background is in order. I am a cradle Episcopalian, baptized and confirmed at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, who in 1970, at the age of 15 left the Episcopal Church and spent the following 35 years seeking answers.

At times during this journey my professed beliefs have varied from atheist to agnostic to nominal Roman Catholic and back. Over the years, I have visited Baptist churches in several flavors, as well as Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, “Non-Denominational”, Full Gospel and even a Seventh Day Adventist service that surprised me with it’s mundane and seemingly mainstream Protestant character. I have leapt a balefire with a Wiccan Coven and I have davened in a synagogue, although I couldn’t understand the Hebrew. In the course of my search for answers I read widely; multiple versions of the Bible, the Koran, The Book of Mormon, some of the Hindu Vedas, Occult writings on Gardnerian and later Goddess oriented Wicca, Asatru, Crowleyism and others, and dozens of Christian apologetics, revisionists and outright attacks on religion in all forms. This blundering about in the wilderness eventually led me to a spiritual low point. Near suicidal with grief and despair over the misdirection of my life, I finally did what Reverend Knapp, the pastor of Trinity had counseled me to do 35 years before; I fell to my knees and prayed with my whole heart. I spent days rereading the Synoptic Gospels and reflecting on what they said in the new light of rediscovered faith.

Eventually, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, William Paley and other Anglican apologists opened my heart to the essential truth of Christianity and inspired my return to the church of my childhood. However, I did not simply go back to the parish in which I was brought up, nor could I stomach attending the last Episcopal Church I had attended with my parents. Because I utterly detested the former rector of the closest Episcopal parish (Charles Hood) for his attitude and actions during my father’s final illness I would not go to St Christopher’s and I wanted to avoid the distance issue involved in attending Trinity. Therefore, I did a quick Internet search and found a church I had never heard of before that was nearly as close to my home. So on that drizzly February morning I dressed in a suit and drove east into the filtered light of the rising sun. Clay Road turned into 43rd St. and in the dimness of that early morning I parked and entered a modest, unassuming brick church in a quiet neighborhood.

I sat near the central font on the left of the sanctuary and watched as the few worshippers gathered in the chapel across the church. The elderly priest entered and extended an invitation to me to join the others in the chapel. When I declined, he smiled gently and began the service. The dimly remembered liturgy of my upbringing had been altered almost beyond recognition and the “feel” of the service seemed to have become more Roman Catholic in some regards and in some other ways more “Protestant”. Despite my unfamiliarity with the service, this pre-Lenten service’s emphasis on repentance touched me deeply and tears rolled down my cheeks. I later discovered that the occasional flashes of familiarity were mostly due to this retired priest’s frequent reversion to the 1928 BCP.

With this rebirth of my spiritual life, I began to rebuild my worldly life as well. I reestablished contact with Carolyn Richard, the wonderful woman who, a few short months later would agree to become my wife. She helped me refine who I am as a Christian, by introducing me to the modern Episcopal Church both good and ill.

She and her children had been attending Church of the Holy Apostles, a diocesan experiment in marketing the Episcopal Church to those who are attracted to the outward, superficial elements of a “Mega Church” style of worship. This, marketing over spirituality, approach included wretched pop music written by a frustrated rock guitarist wearing the vestments of “Minister of Music”, (his contributions included a particularly appalling revision of Rock of Ages), giant LCD screens in the sanctuary, thereby obviating the need to thumb the BCP, and it was all overseen by a, soon to be ousted for ethical violations, priest who incorporated a heavy handed anti-American ultra-liberal slant in his sermons. Fearful that the rage I felt at hearing this kind of sermon would hinder my spiritual growth and eventually get me arrested on an assault & battery charge, I convinced Carolyn to come with me to visit St. Michael’s.

We attended St Michael’s for the first time on Palm Sunday 2005 and heard a lovely sermon from a jovial, gray haired priest who was herself new to St. Michael’s. Rev. Martha Frances would eventually become our major reason for joining this church. As we came to know her, I found her to be a knee jerk liberal of the old school, a 60’s hippie with the ingrained attitudes that that implies, but despite this apparent character flaw, she is a person of good heart. We asked her about having our wedding at St. Michael’s and she responded with an enthusiastic yes. This pleased and surprised us since we had received a less positive response from other Episcopal churches. Holy Apostles indicated I would have to formally join that church before being allowed to hold the wedding in their sanctuary and Trinity responded likewise, despite my having been baptized and confirmed there. The downtown cathedral was willing to allow us to have the wedding there, but was prohibitively expensive.

Other members of this church immediately reached out to us, at least in part because we were the first new members since the two churches were forced to merge and were therefore not committed to either side of what some considered a power struggle. Personally, I paid little attention to what predecessor church individual congregants came from and simply basked in belonging to a worship community. I became a lay reader and contributed to the life of the community in other ways. I was reaffirmed as a communicant of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas later in 2005 by Bishop Don Wimberly.

Then came the enlightenment…

I became vaguely aware that all was not well in the Anglican Communion. As I read and researched and joined ping lists I realized that the church in which I had been raised was no more. I paid greater attention to the content of the sermons preached in “my” church and discerned the rot that had spread. The overemphasis on “diversity”, the parsing of scripture to twist the plain meaning of the words, the refusal to discuss the direction being taken by the ECUSA/TEC all finally added up to culminate in my worst fears being realized. I had not rejoined the historic Christian Church. I had instead “reaffirmed” my faith in a mockery of Christianity in which the plain and simple words “no man shall come to the Father but through me” are parsed and twisted to deny their meaning.

Therefore, I hereby formally and irrevocably withdraw my membership from the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Texas and Hope Episcopal Church. At this time I am unsure where I will find a spiritual home; perhaps with another part of the Anglican Communion, or I may decide to “cross the Tiber”, but in any case, I will seek a truly Christian Church on which to bestow my allegiance, talents and financial support.

[Zippo44]

I was finally pushed too far.

[ExSES]

I was finally pushed too far.

Welcome to the club... I joined decades ago...

[SES1066]

I am in the same boat my Brother-in-Chist, and am looking for the same answers. Right now I think I’m looking for one of the Ugandan-linked Anglican churches.

[big'ol_freeper]

I offer you my prayers on your journey.

[tessalu]

You will find the right answers in the bible, and leave the rest of it alone.

[joebuck]

Rejoice! Christ is obviously alive in your heart and you are strong in the Spirit. If this were not true you wouldn’t care. You would be happy to go through the motions, mouthing platitudes and oblivious to the abominations of the cup from which you drink. As it is you are responding to Christ’s directions and storing up treasure in Heaven. Bless you pilgram and good luck on your journey.

[Zippo44]

I plan to check out Our Lady of Walsingham, an Anglican use Roman Catholic church. I have come to the conclusion that a strongly hierachical organization is the only thing that can haul a church back from the brink.

[Zippo44]

That is the base, the root, the Word and the spirit.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I plan to check out Our Lady of Walsingham, an Anglican use Roman Catholic church."

I took the swim (Tiber) two years ago. Glad I did.

[GAB-1955]

Greetings and blessing from another former Episcopalian, now a happy Lutheran Missouri Synod. Flee to Augsburg!

[CTrent1564]

Zippo44

Here is a link to the Anglican-Use Society, which is an organization working to bring the Anglican Tradition and Traditional Minded Anglican CHristians back into Full Communion with Rome. In some instances, entire parishes have entered into Full Communion under the Pastoral Provision, one such parish is Our Lady of Walsingham that you plan to check out.

http://anglicanuse.org/

Also, Fr. Dwight Longenecker who blogs at “Standing on my head” wrote a detailed article on the Pastoral provision and Anglicans who have “crossed the Tiber”.

http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/dwightlongenecker/currentevents/17.asp

Hope both of these links help out and while I hope to come back to Full Communion with Rome, God Bless you on your journey, wherever you go.

Regards

[PAR35]

Here are a couple of suggestions from the AMiA:

All Saints Anglican Church
Senior Pastor or Rector
The Rev. Augustine I. Ogbunugwu
13403 Renn Rd.
Houston, Texas 77083
281.776.9984

Hopepoint Anglican in the Woodlands
http://www.hopepointe.org/

Reformed Episcopal:

St. Thomas of Canterbury
14007 South Freeway (Hwy 288)
Houston, TX 77047
713-434-1117

Church of the Holy Trinity
211 Byrne St.
Houston, TX 77009
713-862-5657

Cathedral of St. Matthias
4142 Dayflower Dr.
Katy, TX 77494
281-463-9575

St. Francis Parish
2235 Lake Robbins Dr
Montgomery County Community Center
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281-370-3763

You might also check out the LCMS:
http://www.lcms.org/locators/nchurches/church.asp

or the PCA:
http://www.christtheking.com/about_us/map_direction.html

[Lee N. Field]

a diocesan experiment in marketing the Episcopal Church to those who are attracted to the outward, superficial elements of a “Mega Church” style of worship.

This leap out at me. Is anyone actually attracted to the megachurch style?

perhaps with another part of the Anglican Communion, or I may decide to “cross the Tiber”,

Umm. There's more choices than that. There'd better be, God help us.

[Zippo44]

St Matthias is less than a quarter mile from our home. We visited there a year ago and were turned off by the reception we received. My wife asked questions of their Bishop in residence and he directed his answers to me. There is a huge difference between not ordaining women and disdaining their concerns.

[Salvation]

We invite you to check out the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church. Welcome!

[Marysecretary]

I was born and raised until confirmation in the Episcopal Church (over 60 years ago) and loved its pomp and beauty. I left only because all my friends were Methodists. I got saved in a Baptist church and have been in a non-denominational church now for 25 years, where I’m staying. God will direct you to the right one for you, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

[Marauder13]

Two great options for you - http://www.holycommuniondallas.org/ or http://www.thechapelofthecross.com/

[Zippo44]

Thanks, but those are just a bit far away. I’m in the west Houston area.