Episcopalians in Newport Beach are marching one-by-one and two-by-two, locked out by their own Bishop, Jon Bruno.

While Episcopalians are marching today in Salt Lake City against gun violence and in the aura of hope produced  by a bishop, the Presiding Bishop – elect, Michael Curry, there is another march going on.

Episcopalians in Newport Beach, CA are marching one-by-one and two-by-two into Saint James the Great Episcopal Church one last time before they are locked out —  by their own Bishop, Jon Bruno.

Their crime is that they have been loyal members of the Diocese of Los Angeles and followers of their Bishop’s call to be followers of Jesus on Lido Island.  They believed his call, they were joyful with his support; they were a successful Church plant following the legal removal of the breakaway group which had taken the parish to the oversight of a Ugandan bishop a decade before.

Now, they have been sold  by their Bishop for 30 pieces of silver (well, actually 15 million dollars).  Mammon has triumphed over faith.  Because of the action of their chief pastor, the only Anglican presence in Newport Beach will be that breakaway group of Anglicans ousted two years ago but still faithfully worshiping Jesus nearby.

Next Sunday, these loyal Episcopalians will need to march into another congregation, maybe but not necessarily an Episcopal one.  They may want to follow The Good Shepherd but they may want an honest chief shepherd this time. It may be over three years till they can find that in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

So on this day, please pray for the faithful Episcopalians of Saint James the Great and their Vicar, Canon Cindy Voorhees.  They too are victims of cruelty and violence — bishop-violence.

The Very Rev. Canon James Newman
Rector, St. Bede’s,  Los Angeles
Dean, Deanery 3