To all who are in The Diocese of Quincy, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
First things first. I want to begin by saying thank you to some people who are well deserving. To all the clergy and all the lay deputies here today, thank you for being here and for serving the Church in these capacities. We have strenuous requirements for a quorum in this diocese, which is as it should be; so thank you
again for your presence. 
Second, I want to thank The Episcopal Church for the presence of several members of the Presiding Bishop’s staff. So to Bishop Christopher Epting, the Ecumenical Officer for the Episcopal Church and former Bishop of Iowa, thank you for serving as the preacher at the Holy Eucharist this morning. Your sermon was helpful to all of us here in Quincy as we work to renew this diocese and its sacred mission. Bishop Epting is retiring soon and will become the interim dean of the Davenport Cathedral. Also, a word of welcome and thanks to the Rev.
Canon Rick Cluett, whose task it is to work with reforming dioceses, like Quincy, which are recovering from schismatic trauma. Also with us today is the Rev. Canon Gay Jennings. Gay came here to offer resources to this diocese, which have been made available thorough the Church Pension Fund and its wellness programs. About all of this, you will be hearing much more.
And I want to especially thank The Episcopal Church for its generosity. During this year 2009, The Episcopal Church has given us a grant of $109,000, which is the major source of our budget income. Next year—2010—we will not receive a grant, but we will be provided a line of credit with a limit of $125,000, if it is needed. In addition, the Episcopal Church has borne all of the expense surrounding the two active lawsuits brought by those who have left the church. All of this generosity comes to the Diocese of Quincy, which has a long history of lack of support of TEC and its programs.
Finally, thank you to Lisa Carter, my administrative assistant, for all her help. She is my only staff person. She is part-time. She is fabulous.
Surely, it is but pure grace that you and I have been called to be Episcopalians in this time and in this place. The Book of Common Prayer teaches that grace is that which God chooses to do for us that is neither earned nor deserved. For some God’s grace came by allowing them to be born in to the Episcopal Church; they have never known any other religious body. God graced others by calling them, not as infants, but as mature persons into this fellowship of Christians called The Episcopal Church. My testimony and witness is that I have
experienced that grace and have been blessed to have been part of this Church, and having received that blessing I have no desire or intention to depart from it. Such could be the testimony and witness of many others—most if not all in this room could say the same, and many beyond these walls could add to our
testimony.
But beloved of God, I am well aware that some have not been called to be Episcopalians. Some are called to live out their Christian life in other Christian bodies. This Church has established full communion relationships with other churches---Moravians and Lutherans. It is conversations with other religious bodies—Presbyterians and Methodists—exploring the possibility of a similar outcome. All of this is an indication that some are not called to be Episcopalians. It is also true that some who were once part of our fellowship have determined
that they must live out their Christian life in another communion and fellowship. The reasons are varied for their departure, but no matter why, their absence is painful. The bard said it best, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” This parting of longstanding friends and colleagues is of such sorrow that it can only be made
sweet by the hope of reunion, for which we all pray.
And so to borrow an old phrase, or two, or three: “All may, some should, but none must,” be Episcopalians, and the few that are called to be Episcopal saints in the Diocese of Quincy are gathered today as a council of the Church, to attend to the mission and ministry to which we have been called by God. We are not unique in doing so, for our spiritual ancestors have done this work of the Church at least 132 times since the founding of this diocese. It is an understatement to say that we have work to do.
I began my ministry among you in April of this year—just six months ago—and then only part-time—but in that short span of time and days I have discerned among you a great love for the Lord and his church. I see it in your willingness to take part in the life of the church, driving long distances to attend diocesan meetings like this one and others like diocesan council and standing committee. I see your great love for the Lord and his Church in your faithfulness in meeting the Lord at his table in your parishes week by week. I see it in your continued ministry to the world, reaching out to those in need and pain.
Some of you are living as Episcopalian refugees and have demonstrated your love for the Lord when you struggle to be the church without the sacred and holy things which previously have nourished your spiritual life—big things like your church building, little things like the paten holding the bread of life and the chalice
containing the blood of Christ, or do I have the big things and the little things reversed?
I believe that one of our goals must be to recover and secure for Episcopalians who now (or who will in the future) live in this land between the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers, the holy places, the sacred vessels, and the financial assets that are rightfully yours. This effort to protect this gift from the past is our fiduciary responsibility. We owe it to ourselves and to those who come after us, to persevere. At this time in our life this is a part of our work and ministry. You will hear shortly a report by our chancellor detailing the status of the two lawsuits initiated by those who chose not to be Episcopalians and left us.
I believe that another of our goals must be careful planning for our future. Even before the schism of November 2008 that rent our hearts and our dioceses, there was a question of our sustainability as a viable diocese. The most recent membership records available to us are the parochial reports for 2007. Those
reports show a total membership in the Diocese of Quincy of slightly less than 1,800 Episcopalians. The Cathedral with nearly 400 parishioners accounts for more than 20% of the total. The other 22 congregations have an average membership of approximately 65 members—counting every man, woman, and child—and that number may be inflated. Total average Sunday attendance (ASA) in 2007 was just under 1,000, with an average total attendance being approximately 40 and the median being approximately 30 per congregation, per Sunday. To put these numbers in some kind of perspective, this diocese lost nearly one-half of its membership over the last 15 years, dropping from 3,400 members to 1,800 members. The steep decline of this diocese is phenomenal. The question must be asked: what were the causes for this drastic drop in
membership? At this point, I do not know what the causes were, but as we plan for our future the answers to this question will be very important. May I offer a caveat? It is easy to blame someone else. Eve said, “The snake deceived me and I ate the apple.” Adam said, “That woman whom you gave me handed me the apple and I ate it.” It is something like human nature to say the devil made me do it. Beloved, resist the temptation.
We have important work to do. It will take time. It will take some energy. It will take all of us working together to get it done. It will be my responsibility to join you in this great case. It will be your responsibility to join me and the other lay and ordained leadership of this diocese in being the Church that God calls us to
be. Christ will come again, and when he comes I hope that he finds us busy at the task of being his people in this world he created. Amen