Tuesday, March 04, 2008

No Room at the Inn

After over thirty years of holding the Truro parish retreat at Shrine Mont, where 500-600 members gathered for Mothers Day Weekend, Truro bids a fond farewell. There is no longer any room at the inn. The Bishop ordered Shrine Mont to rescind the reservations of Truro in the spring and The Falls Church in the autumn. In original early negotiations between what are now the ADV parishes and the Diocese of Virginia, Shrine Mont requested that the churches guarantee their reservations so that Shrine Mont would not suffer financial hardship. The parishes were willing to take that step in faith, knowing that there were some in our parishes who might struggle with having any contact with the diocese what so ever until there was repentance on behalf of the Episcopal Church - including gathering at Shrine Mont. But the vision at the time, when the protocol was being observed, was that we would try to find, in Bishop Lee's words, "as close communion as possible." To make that guarantee was to say to the bishop and to the diocese, in a step of faith and as a matter of trust, we would demonstrate by our commitment to Shrine Mont that it would be erroneous to say we have no need of you. But apparently, as Mr. Dylan likes to say, things have changed.



And here's a montage from the Truro Parish Retreat last year:

6 comments:

Kevin said...

I've already expressed a while back how I think it compromises both CANA & DioVA's integrity to continue to go/allow pilgrimages to the diocesan seat or to accept support for the cathedral. All that happen is ADV expressed the brokenness has reached a point where there was a vote to leave but it also costs something to do this.

Folks need to let go of the former things, new wine needs new wine skins.

RSchllnbrg said...

I agree that there needs to be a break with the old ways, even if a hard thing to accept. I expect along with that break with the past you are experiencing the continual grief raised by broken trust on the part of the Diocese.

They simply do not come off in any way as gracious in what they do.

On the other hand, I can get time at Shrinemont. I wonder if you all would like to join me as guests for a parish retreat later this spring ... you know, I could probably invite a few hundred of my closer friends to join me on retreat. I wonder how that would go over.

Oh well, excuse me now while I go seek some penance ... a la Dobby. Now where is the closest lamp?

Anonymous said...

Sad but not unexpected.

I have only one question. Did Lee come up with this on his own or did Purple Haze tell him what to do as she did on the lawsuits?

If Lee has once again followed Purple Haze's direction in this matter, he really should get his manhood checked out because it certainly gives every evidence of failing to function.

Anonymous said...

The Falls Church has scheduled our family weekend away at Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center in Davis, WVa, on the same Columbus Day weekend we have always reserved for that fun activity.
Donna

Andy said...

This is a sad day, though I'm somewhat surprised that it took so long to happen.
I would encourage others to pray for an open door for retreat encounters for CANA/ADV and other Anglican parishes in MD, DC & VA. region.

Anonymous said...

Although it doesn't help with the grief and loss of leaving TEC . . . this is TEC's retreat center. They have the right to keep the competition -- for that's what you are -- away from their parishioners and facilities.

They've had some 250 years to acquire facilities like retreat centers and the buildings are now their "brand identity" -- hence the reason why the diocese needs to fight so hard for the parish's facilities as well. ; > )

Again -- it doesn't help with grief and loss -- but if God blesses CANA it will have a beautiful retreat center someday.


Sarah