And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they straightway left their nets, and followed him”. And Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a boat, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain privately, to pray; and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out of fear. But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” And Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water” And He said, “Come.” And when Peter was come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying “Lord, save me” And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? For my 2nd Friday “Greatest Hits – August” I present Casting Crowns performing “This Is Now”. It is an indirect reference to the inspirational growth of St. Peter. Cut: “This Is Now” Artist: Casting Crowns Lyrics:
Standing at the water’s edge…I dropped my dreams when I dropped my nets. No hesitation, no regrets, I followed You, but that was then…this is now You washed my feet and You changed my name, I swore I’d never be the same Just like the tides I guess people change, cause that was then and this is now. I wish I could go back but I don’t know how, I remember when I stood my ground, I swore I’d never let You down, I want to be that man again, but that was then…and this is now. I watched the blind man lift his head…and look his savior in the eyes. I heard a dead man take a breath…dropped to my knees as I watched him rise. I felt the sea beneath my feet as I stepped out on the angry waves, But You saw the storm raging within, You reached out and caught me then…but this now. I wish I could go back but I don’t know how I remember when I stood my ground, I swore I’d never let you down…I want to be that man again, But that was then…and this is now. Just when I thought my sin had closed the door, I see my savior standing on the shore, With arms wide open, just like the first time You called my name, You said “that was then…and this is now. “My child I bore your cross I wore your crown. “When you couldn’t come to Me, My love came down. So take My hand I’ll lead you out, “cause that was then…and this is now. “My child I bore your cross, I wore your crown…you couldn’t come to Me, “so My love came down. “Take My hand I’ll lead you out, Cause that was then…and this is now.”
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As the class has progressed, we have found that different translations of Brother Lawrence's letters will change the order of the letters and offer different interpretations. Therefore, we strongly encourage all who wish to participate in this study to purchase Ron Van Huss's edition of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection: The Practice of the Presence of God, which you can purchase here. Please contact Mtr. Liz if you need assistance obtaining a copy of the book. Below, you will find an outline of the revamped class. Please see John's letter for more information. We hope you will continue to offer thoughts, insights, and questions in the blog comments section in addition to participating in the in-person class. A Note from John: Class Outline Focus: Turning ordinary daily tasks into continuous, loving conversations with God rather than relying only on formal, scheduled prayers like the Lord’s Prayer.
Objective: study all 16 letters of Brother Lawrence in a five week period. August 6: Read letters 1-3 (we will be playing “catch up” in this week.) August 13: Read letters 4-6 August 20: Read letters 7-9 August 27: Read letters 10-13 Sept. 3: Read letters 14-16 Class Format 1. Select one or more of Brother Lawrence’s reflections from each letter that you wish to share with the class and why. 2. With which chores this week did you practice your presence with God.
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the work, he quickly falls away. For August “Greatest Hits”, I have chosen Casting Crowns. CC was established in 1999 under the direction of Mark Hall (lead singer and primary songwriter). 13 million of their 9 albums have been sold…6 of have gone platinum. They have received 15 Dove Awards, 1 Grammy, 2 American Music Academy (AMA) and 2 Billboard Music awards for “Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist”. Most of the CC members of Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church (McDonogh, GA). Mark Hall is the head Youth Minister at the same church. It bares mentioning that CC makes only rare tour performances on Saturdays or Sundays, and they make it a point to return from any performance in time to serve each and every Sunday at their Georgia place of worship. The Grace Memorial youth enjoyed Casting Crowns performing at the Lafayette Cajun Dome in April, 2017, and again at the Smoothie King Center in November, 2019. (In case you are wondering, both concerts were held on a Thursday evening!). The “YouTube intro” below gives insight to the message of “The Altar and the Door”. Cut: “The Altar and the Door” Artist: Casting Crowns CD/Album: The Altar and the Door Careless…I am reckless. I’m a wrong way travelling slowly unraveling shell of a man.
Burned out… I’m so numb now. Let the fires just an ember way down in the corner of my old cold heart. Lord this time I make it right here at the altar I lay my life. Your kingdom come, but my will was done, my heart is broken. As I cry like so many time before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. Here at the altar oh my world so black and white… how could I ever falter what You’ve shown me to be right. Lord this time I’ll make it right, here at the altar I’ll lay my life. Your kingdom come, but my will was done, my heart is broken. As I cry like so many time before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard. Just let You be who You are…Lord who You are in me. Jesus I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard. Just let You be who You are…Lord who You are in me. Oh Lord I cried like so many times before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. Like so many times before… but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. …Like so many times before…
What was your reaction to the following email sent to you last Tuesday, July 28, 2026: The following Moving Forward suggestion appeared in yesterday’s daily advice: “Find one ordinary moment this week—stirring a pot, folding laundry, sitting in traffic—and let it become a hum of prayer.” Let’s do this just once a day, and we will be true followers of Brother Lawrence!! Is it a practical suggestion? Can this be a standard practice in our daily life? Questions about Brother Lawrence's EducationHe had no formal education and at best he had at-home schooling. He supposedly had no attraction to formal theology and books. So, what were the two books he was receiving from a nun? One of them explained “the presence of God.” I find the vastness in education between the nuns and Brother Lawrence fascinating. In general, the educational level of nuns was higher than most women in the post-medieval period. Since Brother Lawrence was corresponding with the nuns in the Paris region, I am assuming they were the most educated in France. They could not only read French but also Latin and were well-versed in church liturgy. Nuns had to be able to read the Psalter and chant the Divine Office in Latin. I am guessing that Brother Lawrence was in communication with nuns from the elite convents in the Paris region who were known to be able to write books, compose church music, and studied advanced philosophy. I was impressed when I realized that these highly educated nuns were corresponding with an uneducated brother. Surely, they must have known his station at his monastery was that of a kitchen cook who was charged with repairing sandals for the monks and priests. No matter what his station in life was, the nuns apparently recognized his intelligence and spirituality, and they were willing to receive books from him on the “presence of God.” QUESTION ONE: What are your thoughts on Brother Lawrence’s intellect and his spiritual relationship with the nuns? Brother Lawrence preached that our heart must empty all things so that God can possess it alone. He believed we must be in a continual conversation with God. He argued that we should do it “through a principle of love and because God wants it.” At the end of this letter, he was “preaching” to this nun “the practice of the presence of God” and directing “all the world” to do the same. In the last sentence of this letter, Brother Lawrence urges this nun to “make now a holy and firm resolution . . . . to live the rest of your days in this holy presence.” Finally, he boldly offers the nun his meager prayers to practice the presence of God. QUESTION TWO: Is Brother Lawrence espousing a naïve and unrealistic idea from the 17th century, or do you believe it is an important challenge for our present day life in the 21st century? QUESTION THREE: Is it possible to have a depth or love for God and live a life in obedience, humility and concern for others? TODAY’S EXERCISE: Find 5 minutes of total stillness. Sit comfortably and visualize yourself as a block of stone. Don’t try to pray, don’t try to “achieve” a feeling, and don’t try to be holy. Simply “present” yourself to God and say: Lord I am the stone. You are the Carver. Do with me what you please today.” Let the pressure to “do” fall away; and simply “be.”
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, born Nicolas Herman (c. 1614 - February 12,1691), was a French Catholic religious brother who served at a discalced (barefoot) Carmelite monastery now known is Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes in Paris. He is best remembered for a posthumous compilation of his writings, The Practice of the Presence of God, a classic Christian text that I read many years ago. For the life of me, I cannot remember who or what caused me to read his writings. However, I have read it more than once, and daily I randomly read some underline passages. It is profoundly a spiritual classic. If you wish to know more about Brother Lawrence, you can read my previous blog here and your book (click here to get your own copy). If there are certain aspects of his life that you wish to explore, please let me know, and I will prepare more material on his life. Although the book also contains four conversations, we will only be studying his letters because these are considered to be the heart and soul of his thoughts. All of these letters were written in the last ten years of his life. Many of them were written to long-time friends, a Carmelite sister and a sister at a nearby convent. One or both of these friends were from his native village, perhaps even relatives. The conversations are edited transcripts of four interviews between Brother Lawrence and his associate Joseph de Beaufort in 1666. We are only sure of his thoughts and philosophy found in his letters. If you wish to study his conversations, please feel free to do so. This first letter was probably written to the prioress of one of the nearby convents on June 1, 1682. The theme of this letter is that he was confused by the diverse and complex methods found in spiritual books at the monastery. So, he decided to live “My God, here I am, all Yours: Lord make me according to Your heart.” DISCUSSION ONE: Do you think that Brother Lawrence has surrendered himself to God with this statement? The Thirty Years’ War was fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. Its causes were derived from religious conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants and resulted in 4.5 to 8 million casualties. Before becoming a monk, he served in the war as a French soldier because he was starving from poverty. He was captured by the German army and threatened with hanging on suspicion of being a spy. Having suffered a serious leg injury, he would have a life-long impairment that caused him chronic pain and limited his mobility for the rest of his life. DISCUSSION TWO: Which events of the war might have played a role in his decision to enter the monastery and later begin his “practice of the presence of God”? Was the war the direct catalyst for his spiritual awakening at the age of 18? Brother Lawrence stated that “God has infinite treasures to give us and still we are satisfied with a brief passing moment of piety…. But when He finds a soul imbued with a living faith, He pours into it His graces in abundance.” DISCUSSION THREE: Is Brother Lawrence admitting that he is “a soul imbued with a living faith” and God has poured into him His graces in an overwhelming flood? DISCUSSION FOUR: Does Brother Lawrence believe he has reached a point in his life where “Death is close behind us” and he must make way for God’s grace? DISCUSSION FIVE: On which Gospels passage is he calling on here: “We must persevere since in the spiritual life not to advance is to retreat, but those who have been breathed on by the Holy Spirt move forward even while sleeping; if the vessel of our soul is still battered by winds or by storm, let us call on our Lord who rests therein. He will soon calm the sea.” FINAL DISCUSSION: Do you think Brother Lawrence’s mystical experience in his union with God happen over time, bit by bit through a journey aided by spiritual discipline and prayer? Today’s Exercise: Every time you notice your mind wandering toward a worry, a distraction, or a trivial thought, do not get angry with yourself. Simply and gently whisper, “Lord, I am back,” and return to a sense of God’s presence. Do this as many times as necessary in a day, even in the “height of your work.” All are encouraged to use the comments section below to share your answers to the discussion questions, a reflection on the daily exercise, and any thoughts or questions you may have. Additionally, you may join an in-person discussion in the parish hall on Thursdays at 3PM beginning on Thursday, July 30 and ending on Thursday, August 27.
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord;, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these." For my final “Greatest Hits – July”, I offer “When Love Sees You” by Third Day. This cut seems to illustrate “agape” love in the form of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’s example. Cut: “When Love Sees You” Artist: Third Day CD/Album: The Story Lyrics:
Blessed are you as you weep on your knees, with perfume and tears washing over My feet And blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind, Calling for mercy when I'm passing by Blessed are you, shaking your head, at two tiny fish and some bread And blessed are you as you tremble and wait For the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds, and I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised, and I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you Blessed are you, walking on waves, to find yourself sinking when you look away Blessed are you, leper, standing alone, the fear on their faces is all that you've known Blessed are you, lonely widow who gave your last shiny coin to Yahweh. Blessed are you with your silver and lies, kissing the One who's saving your life Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds…And I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised, and I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you I see what I made in your mother's womb and I see the day I fell in love with you I see your tomorrows, nothing left to chance, I see My Father's fingerprints I see your story, I see My name, written on every beautiful page You see the struggle, you see the shame, I see the reason I came. I came for your story, I came for your wounds, to show you what Love sees when I see you Yeah, yeah, when I see you…when I see you, oh, whoa, whoa
I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. Continuing with “Greatest Hits – July”, I present “Sound of Your Voice” by Third Day. Cut: “Sound of Your Voice” Artist: Third Day CD/Album: Move I ran away from Your love… You waited for me…yes You waited for me.
And then I heard Your song singing over me…singing over me. Now that I hear you Lord I wanna know You more…I wanna know You more. Sing Your song to me, oh there’s no greater thing than to listen to the sound of Your voice. When I hear Your song, I wanna sing along…and listen to the sound of Your voice, The sound of Your voice. Oh I am calling Your name and I’m waiting for You…yes I’m waiting for You. So won’t You show me Your ways and I will follow You…yes I will follow You. Now that I hear you Lord I wanna know You more…I wanna know You more. Sing Your song to me, oh there’s no greater thing than to listen to the sound of Your voice. When I hear Your song, I wanna sing along…and listen to the sound of Your voice, Sing over me bringing peace and mercy with a song that never ends. Sing over me momma listen for me, Lord I want to hear Your song again! Sing Your song to me, oh there’s no greater thing than to listen to the sound of Your voice. When I hear Your song, I wanna sing along…and I listen to the sound of Your voice, The sound of Your voice. I want to hear Your song…I want to hear Your voice. I ran away from Your love but You waited for me…yes You waited for me.
There came a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; The same came to Jesus by night and said unto Him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus saith unto Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? …” Jesus answered, “ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” For the next couple of months, I am presenting “Greatest Hits” per our Christian Education teenagers. During July, I will start with “Third Day”. Third Day formed in 1993. They briefly retired in 2022 and have recently reunited. They are an internationally acclaimed Christian Music group lead by Mac Powell, whose genuine commitment to Christ and distinctive baritone voice have contributed to the group’s popularity. They have sold 7 million albums, with 28 #1 hits; garnered four Grammys and 24 Gospel Music Awards. Third Day was awarded the 2008 American Music Award for “Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist”. Grace Memorial’s Christian Formation group heard Third Day in concert in Baton Rouge (April, 2015). Their music was a frequent subject of our Sunday contemplation. “Born Again” is one of Third Day’s signature cuts. It is about birth as a spiritually inspired Christian, evidenced by physical baptism and the effects on one’s soul. Cut: “Born Again” Artist: Third Day CD/Album: Revelation Lyrics:
Today I found myself, After searching all these years, And the man that I saw, he wasn't at all who I'd thought he'd be. I was lost when You found me here, And I was broken beyond repair, Then You came along and You sang Your song over me. It feels like I'm born again…It feels like I'm living…For the very first time…For the very first time, In my life. Make a promise to me now, Reassure my heart somehow, That the love that I feel, is so much more real than anything. I've a feeling in my soul, And I pray that I'm not wrong, That the life I have now, It is only the beginning. It feels like I'm born again…It feels like I'm living…For the very first time…For the very first time It feels like I'm breathing…It feels like I'm moving…For the very first time…For the very first time Wasn't looking for something that was more, Than what I had yesterday, Then You came to me, Then You gave to me, Life and a love that I've never known, That I've never felt before It feels like I'm born again…It feels like I'm living…For the very first time…I'm living for the first time It feels like I'm breathing…It feels like I'm moving…For the very first time I'm living for the first time, In my life.
Prayer was a fundamentally important part of Jesus’ life and ministry, and he encouraged his followers to pray. Early Christians took the words of Jesus, Paul for example, and his followers to heart and continued the Jewish practice of regular prayer at certain hours of the day and night. This led to the tradition of the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours; a set of seven liturgies spaced throughout the day so that prayers were offered day and night. By the 5th century, monks and nuns were dedicating their lives to praying the Divine Office. This tradition of prayer continues today at religious communities offering nearly constant prayer. Thomas Cranmer, the author of the first Book of Common Prayer, did not believe that continual or even daily prayer was the purview of the “professionally religious.” So, he simplified the monks’ prayer cycle into two Daily Offices, morning prayer and evening prayer. The Episcopal Church later added Noonday Prayer and Compline. The Divine Office of the 5th century, prayers every three hours throughout the day, now has four services of prayer: Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline. The liturgy of the Daily Offices can be offered daily for private and public prayer. We can gather for Daily Office at Grace Memorial or in our homes as part of our personal prayer discipline. The Daily Office is set apart from rites like Holy Baptism and the Holy eucharist because they are used on a daily basis. I don’t know if you remember, but we suspended Evening Prayer at Grace during the Covid Pandemic. The Church published by email each week the readings for Tuesday and Thursday Evening Prayer. At the appointed hour of 4:30 pm, I would conduct Evening Prayer at home with the hope that members of Grace were doing the same during this time of crisis. I have no idea how many parishioners conducting Evening Prayer in this manner. However, I did recall one parishioner and her husband telling me they were conducting Evening Prayer in this fashion. You will find in the Book of Common Prayer two versions: Rite I and Rite II. The versions are the same except that Rite I is more traditional with the use of “thee” and “thy.” Rite II is more contemporary and is the most common usage in Episcopal churches. You may chose either rite according to your preference. All of the offices have a similar structure. Each has prayers and features suited for the time of day. Each office includes; opening sentences, psalms, readings from the Bible, and canticles, and prayers which include the Lord’s Prayer and series of additional prayers. The office closes with a dismissal, and there is usually a concluding sentence of scripture. The Book of Common Prayer uses two different lectionaries to determine which scripture passages are read. One is the lectionary for Sundays which is arranged in a three-year cycle. The Daily Office lectionary is arranged in a two-year cycle which allows us to go deeper in our study of the Bible. The lessons are divided up among the day, so that we have readings for every office. We usually read the Old Testament and epistle readings during Morning Prayer and save the gospel for Evening Prayer. Evensong is not found in the Book of Common Prayer, but it is another name for Evening Prayer. It differs in that all or most of the prayers are sung either by a choir or by the congregation. This is a long standing Anglican tradition. I have experienced Evensong only once at Christ Church Cathedral and at an Episcopal Church during one of my many travels. The services were extraordinary, and I would urge you to experience Evensong. You may pray the Daily Office at Forward Movement’s website (prayer.forwardmovement.org) or the Forward Day by Day app which includes the Daily Office with the prayers automatically filled in for the day and time you are praying. You may also use the Daily Office Book: Two Volume Set published by Church Publishing, which includes the liturgies of the Daily Office and the full readings for each day in a portable set. The Daily Office is not the only way to pray using the Book of Common Prayer. The Book offers numerous prayers for daily devotion for individuals and families, grace at meals, prayers and thanksgivings, and prayers for the sick. Every two weeks when I bring communion to the Phoenix Nursing Home, I pray with a resident for his departed daughter using a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. Prayer is not a once-a-week action that we do only in church on Sundays. It is meant to be a daily discipline to be done frequently and regularly. Daily prayer is more meaningful when done with others. Don’t forget Evening Prayer is available at Grace at 4:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday, and Morning Prayer at 7:30 am on Wednesday. It can be offered more often and at different hours and days. You need only ask.
 William White, (1748 - 1836-07-17), Bishop, Episcopal Church, USA, Oil Painting at the bequest of William White. Public Domain. Source: https://anglicanhistory.org/usa/wwhite/ Changes in the social and cultural circumstances of post-revolutionary America required religious groups that had been closely linked to Great Britain to become denominations capable of self-government in a new nation. Anglicans were especially involved in a process of institutional reorganization. The American Revolution had brought their denominations to near total collapse. Thousands had fled to Canada and England, and patriots who were ashamed of the loyalist taint left the church. The remaining church leaders were forced to preserve their distinctive theological and liturgical Anglican features and still shed those features that closely tied them to the Church of England. William White, the rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia, who had worked with many of the “founding fathers” like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin emulated their political skills within the councils of the church. He published in 1782 The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States which set forth ideas on how the Anglican Church might reconstitute itself. He proposed a three-tiered system of church government. Conventions would be composed of clergy and laity making decisions at each level: local, regional, and national. All three levels would operate their powers in a democratic fashion. He proposed retaining the historic orders of bishop, priest, and deacon. In 1783, Anglican conventions in Maryland and Pennsylvania accepted White’s principles and the concept of the “Protestant Episcopal Church” which was to conform as closely as possible to the Church of England. Delegates in New York and New Jersey passed similar resolutions. The delegates then agreed to the calling of the church’s “general convention” in Philadelphia in September 1785. The establishment of a bishop was still controversial because of its association with the monarchy. Two former colonists went to London for ordination, but they could not be ordained because of their inability to swear allegiance to the crown. White proposed having three priests laying hands upon American ordinands because earliest Christian communities recognized this procedure as valid.  Samuel Seabury by Ralph Earl 1785 - Public Domain. Source: https://npg.si.edu It was a high church Anglican like Samuel Seabury, a former missionary for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) in New York, to argue strongly that the episcopate was to be the foundation of the Episcopal Church in the United States. He strongly stressed that bishops were successors of the apostles and represented one of the fundamental links to the first-century church. As a result, a small group of Connecticut priests met secretly in Woodbury, Connecticut in March 1783 to reorganize the church in Connecticut. In addition, they chose two priests as candidates for the episcopate: Jeremiah Leaming and Samuel Seabury. When Leaming refused his selection, Seabury quickly accepted it and set sail for London in search of three bishops—the minimum required by canon law to consecrate him as a bishop for America.
Since Seabury could not take an oath of allegiance, he could not be consecrated as a bishop. After a year of unproductive negotiations with the Church of England, Seabury, determined to be consecrated as a bishop, traveled northward to meet with bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland. Since Presbyterianism, not Anglicanism, was the legally established faith in Scotland, the bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church agreed to consecrate Seabury. He had to sign an agreement to make every effort to have the liturgical practices and beliefs of the Episcopal Church of Scotland adopted by the American Episcopal Church. Seabury’s consecration took place in Aberdeen, Scotland on November 14, 1784. He returned to the United States in the spring of 1785 and immediately summoned a convocation of the clergy in Connecticut and ordained four deacons. Many prospective ordinands sought ordination from Seabury, but the Episcopal Church of America was divided between followers of Seabury and his high church practices and White and his low church members who wanted more lay participation in the governance of the church. Church matters were complicated by the fact that the Church of England disapproved of Seabury’s consecration by schismatic bishops in Scotland. In late September and early October of 1785, the lay clerical representatives from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia met at Christ Church in Philadelphia for the first General Convention of the Episcopal Church. The churches in North Carolina and Georgia were too small to attend. No one attended from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island because Bishop Seabury was not allowed to preside. In a 10-day meeting the convention under the leadership of William White and William Smith accomplished the following:
The General Convention met again in two sessions in 1786. The consecration of Seabury continued to divide the Episcopalians. His episcopal orders were recognized, but he was prevented from exercising ecclesiastical authority outside of Connecticut. Finally, Parliament passed legislation that allowed the archbishops of Canterbury and York to consecrate candidates for the episcopate who were not British citizens. The convention then sent Samuel Provoost, the rector of Trinity Church in New York and White to travel to London to be consecrated by four English bishops on February 4, 1787. To avoid Episcopalians from splitting into two denominations, White and Seabury reached a compromise. At the next General Convention in 1789 in Philadelphia the convention recognized the legitimacy of Seabury’s Scottish consecration. Another compromise at the 1789 convention was the creation of a separate “House of Bishops,” which would have a partial veto over the House of Deputies which included the clerical and lay delegates at a convention. This move gave the bishops powers similar to those of Anglican prelates and had the support of followers of White and Seabury. According to historians, this process was similar to the drafting of the United States Constitution because it was designed to reflect republican political ideas and balanced the competing interests of various political ideas. In September 1789, the second session of the convention made further concessions to Seabury and his followers. It increased the bishops’ veto power over the House of Deputies, and it gave the bishops the right to originate and to reject legislation. Delegates from all the states formally approved both the church’s constitution and canons. It also adopted a final version of the American Book of Common Prayer and made its use obligatory. When the General Convention adjourned in October 1789, the various state churches finally achieved a measure of organizational unity. |
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