CESLD - Letters

We got the Idea from our friends at Albany Via Media to have a page for letters from interested Episcopalians. So, if you live in the North Country, or have a special connection to the Episcopal Church up here and want to ask a real question, or a rhetorical question, or express an insight or opinion, please send an e-mail. It's kind of like letters to the editor, but with a little more flexibility. We don't promise to display all such letters in this place (clearly hostile letters probably won't get much space), nor would long letters be appropriate, nor do we promise to answer all the questions.

So please, Send us a letter or comment or question

PS: These need to be signed, but if you request that we withhold your name from publication on the website, we'll comply.

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Here is a nice note form Albany

[+] February 9, 2004

Dear Friends "up north"

Keep up the work.. Those of us in the immediate Albany area are glad that there are others out there who are in line with the "via media". I attend St Andrews in Albany and it's good to know other parishes and people are keeping on top of things too.

Name withheld

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Let's start with the letter from our own Joe Liotta, which was sent to the members of his Parish in Norwood. His painful story, coupled with his beautiful faith put a human face on the conflict in our church. This is something everyone should read.

[+] February 1, 2004

Dear Fellow St. Philip’s Parishioners,

On January 24, with a heavy heart, I felt called to submit my resignation as organist of St. Philip’s Church to Fr. Brian Kellington. My ongoing care for St. Philip’s and the great concern over the direction that this parish has been taking over the past few years has led to this very painful and prayerful decision.

Mickey and I have been involved in God’s work in this parish for nearly half its history. Since 1956 we have provided music for the worship of God at St. Philip’s. When Mickey moved to Norwood in 1956, the long time organist, Wilfred (Goog) Worden gratefully relinquished his twenty year ministry to her. Goog was a shy individual who never felt comfortable in an up front position. Mickey was only sixteen years old at the time that she took on the responsibility as organist at St. Philip’s for a salary of five dollars a service. With the exception of two years when she lived out of state, she served continuously until arthritis in her hands forced her to resign. At that time, I assumed the position of organist.

Throughout our tenure as organists of St. Philip’s Mickey and I played for many bishops and priests. Collectively we have played for bishops Barry, Brown, Hogg, Persell, Ball, Herzog and Bena. We have served under Fathers Mathers, Reed, Higgins, Plank, Lewis, Jones, Leach, Hinrichs, Graham, Smith and Kellington, as well as for supply priests, including Fathers Denney, Easter, and Quinby. We have watched many bishops and priests come and go as we have remained faithful parishioners offering our gifts for the Glory of God.

Over these many years as organists of St. Philips, Mickey and I have been blessed to have the opportunity to use our gifts and love of music to serve both within the church and as liaisons from St. Philip’s to the wider community. When St. Philip’s was flooded and the costs of repair loomed over the congregation, Mickey and I organized an art show and sacred music concert to raise over $2700.00 to pay for the damage. I provided music for two Faith Alive Weekends, as well as organizing the music for Fr. Smith’s institution as rector, which was held in Gouverneur. Both Mickey and I have played respectfully and I think effectively for numerous baptisms, weddings and funerals at St. Philip’s. These are just a few examples of our service to the parish.

We have always looked for ways to make St. Philip’s a visible and vital church in the community around us. In the 1970s I formed and conducted the Tri-Town Singers which was based at St. Philip’s. Through the years I have tried to include St. Philip’s in the Norwood Village Green Concert Series by adding the Strawberry Festival to the agenda. Mickey and I have organized and presented art shows at St. Philip’s. I organized the first five community Christmas parties that were sponsored by the church. When we celebrated our 100th anniversary, I wrote a history of St. Philip’s and organized the opening ceremony which began at the band shell and included musicians from the community and beyond. After the tragedy of 9-11, when St. Philip’s sponsored a community memorial service at the band shell, I chose the music and played for the service. When I was honored to receive St. Lawrence University’s North Country Citation in May, I acknowledged my membership at St. Philip’s by quoting from a memorable sermon given by Fr. Jones in which he challenged us to replace the the words "I am proud." with "I am thankful." I based my entire speech on this theme.

Our family has a long history of service at St. Philip’s. Mickey’s grandparents and parents were active members of the parish. Her mother, Eva Wright, served as a member of the altar guild and ECW. My father-in-law, Fred Wright, served on the vestry and was sexton for many years. Many called him "the ambassador" because he always greeted people at the door with a warm and welcoming smile. All of Mickey’s sisters were married from St. Philip’s. and consider the church a spiritual home.

Mickey and I were married in the church in 1966. I was received into the Episcopal Church the following year. We raised our children at St. Philip’s where both daughters served as acolytes throughout their teen years. Our youngest daughter was married at St. Philip’s. One of our granddaughters was a summer member for over ten years and our other two granddaughters were baptized in this church. Our connection with St. Philip’s spans five generations of our family.

I have offered the preceding history, not to boast of our service at St. Philip’s, but to illustrate the deep and abiding love and strong commitment we have had to the church. A commitment that has roots five generations deep. This is one of the reasons why this resignation is so painful for us.

Over the course of the past several years I have become concerned about the tone and direction of our parish and diocese. For the first time in my personal history with St. Philip’s I have heard a President of the United States called a liar from the pulpit. For the first time in the history of this parish I have heard a gospel of bigotry preached from the pulpit, first concerning Muslims and then homosexuals. For the first time in this church, I have witnessed the Presiding Bishop purposefully excluded from the Prayers of the People. As I thought back to all of the rectors who have served this parish that I have known, I couldn’t imagine any of them using the power of pulpit and prayer in such a way.

After General Convention this past summer, my concerns began to grow. The words "orthodox', "biblical inerrancy", "realignment", and "redirection of funds" were becoming a part of St. Philip’s vocabulary. As I carefully researched the origins of this new vocabulary, I became horrified at what I was discovering. Our bishops and clergy had become involved with a movement aimed at reversing the decisions of General Convention and realigning the church so that less than ten percent of the members of the Episcopal Church will become the church that is recognized as the Anglican church in America. I was shocked to realize that this movement had begun over twenty years ago and that Bishop Herzog is a member of the board of directors.

As my concerns grew, I felt that I needed to share what I had discovered with my St. Philip’s family and other Episcopalians in the area. This is why I have sent several mailings to you. I want you to be able to make informed decisions about the future of this parish.

In December our vestry voted to "send a message to the national church" by withholding our portion of the contribution to its ministries. I was opposed to this action and expressed this to the vestry. I saw this action as another step towards schism in the church. I wonder if through this action we are even any longer members of the Episcopal Church.

For many years I have not taken a salary as organist. I have redirected the compensation to be a portion of my pledge to the parish. After the December vestry meeting I spoke with Rick LaVine, senior warden, stating that I wished to make different arrangements regarding my compensation as organist. Through a survey of organists in similar sized parishes, I decided to request that $1600.00 be added to the 2004 budget for the organist’s salary. It was my concern for the future of the parish which caused me to ask for monetary compensation. I intended to send a portion of my salary to the national church so that we might remain a parish in good standing in the Episcopal church.

When I realized that my request had not been addressed in the budget, I attended the January vestry meeting where I restated my request for compensation. The vestry then decided that the organist position at St. Philip’s would become a volunteer position. I can’t even begin to tell you the pain and anguish that I experienced due to this lack of respect for my years of faithful service and the absence of generosity of spirit toward one who is of a different opinion concerning the future of the Episcopal church. I have offered my resignation because I can no longer support the direction of the leadership of this parish. It has much to do with power and control and little to do with God. It is more about what and who we are against than the unity that Jesus call us to.

For the time being, Mickey and I intend to remain members of St. Philip’s. Our bonds of affection and love are yet too strong to be broken abruptly. While we may not be seen often on a Sunday morning, all of you are carried in our hearts and prayers.

We fear for St. Philip’s. Certain proposals and direction taken by our vicar and our bishops will, and already have, caused a deep split in our parish, our deanery, and our diocese. If this split is allowed to widen, we fear that the whole character of St. Philip’s as an open and loving parish will be irreparably changed. It will no longer be the Episcopal church that we were born and baptized or received into.

May God Keep and Sustain Us All --

Joseph M Liotta
Sunday, February 1, 2004