TEC bishop to Venables: not welcome here either

Posted on April 29, 2008 
Filed under News

Bishop Jerry Lamb TECBishop Jerry Lamb, of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, has written to Archbishop Gregory Venables protesting his visit to the area. Today Archbishop Venables arrives in the Diocese which seceeded from TEC last year.

The letter claims Archbishop Venables “violates the Windsor Report and statements from subsequent meetings of the Primates”.

Interestingly, both this letter and the one written the previous day by Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, are copied to “The Primates and Moderators of the United Churches of the Anglican Communion”. The text of the letter is below:

April 22, 2008

The Most Rev. Gregory James Venables
Rioja 2995, 1636 Olivos
Province of Buenos Aires
B1636DMG, Argentina

Dear Archbishop Venables,

Peace be to you in the Risen Christ.

I have been informed of your intention to visit the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin on
April 29, 2008. I understand you will be preaching and celebrating the Eucharist at St James
Cathedral in Fresno, California.

As you know the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church deposed John-David
Schofield on March 12, 2008. I was nominated, selected and installed as the Provisional Bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin on March 29, 2008.

I strongly protest your visit to this Diocese without my invitation or permission. Your
visit would violate the traditions of the ancient church as understood in the Anglican
Communion. It also violates the Windsor Report and statements from subsequent meetings of
the Primates since the Windsor Report.

I strongly urge that you cancel your meeting in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
scheduled for April 29, 2008. I also strongly urge you to refrain from interjecting yourself into
the internal affairs of the Episcopal Church, the only Anglican Church in the United States.

In Christ’s Name,

+The Rt. Rev. Jerry A. Lamb
Bishop of San Joaquin

Cc: The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
The Primates and Moderators of the United Churches of the Anglican Communion

Source: TEC Diocese of San Joaquin – PDF. (Photo of Bishop Lamb of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin: Diocese of Northern California.)