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Welcome! To The Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands, which spreads across five beautiful islands of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. The Diocese has 14 churches: Five on St. Croix, five on St. Thomas, one on St. John, two on Tortola and one on Virgin Gorda.
We look forward to seeing you in Church and in the community as we all seek and serve Christ in one another and in God’s world.
This website also includes the Newsletter for the Diocese, and each Church is asked to post the Weekly Bulletin, Announcements, Prayer Lists, Calendar of Events and General News on this site.
Call Newsletter editor Lowe Davis at 340-774-8772 x 350 (w) or
714-3350 (h), or you can send material to be posted by
email to: lowedavis@yahoo.com
53rd Annual Diocesan Convention - Action ItemsLocal News: Episcopal Presiding Bishop Visits V.I.Important Church Dates and Events - Mark Your CalendarDiocese News: Report from Visiting Diocese Assessment TeamNotes and Observations from Diocese Assessment TeamInventory Report from Visiting Diocese Assessment TeamDiocese News: Bishop's Messages - TransfigurationBishop E. Ambrose Gumbs - Christmas Message - 2007Diocese Newsletters and Calendar of EventsUpdate: Tropical Storm Noel - 10/31About the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands
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Bishop E. Ambrose Gumb's Messages:Epiphany Pastoral Letter
Bishop
E. Ambrose Gumbs
The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.
To the faithful in Christ Jesus who comprise the Diocese of the Virgin Islands, grace and peace from the One who manifests himself to us as the Word made flesh living among us.
I am delighted to share with the Diocese that it is my intention, God willing, to ordain to the Sacred Order of Deacons, the following persons who were recommended to me by the Standing Committee, namely:
Basil Avington Bartlett, Elaine Consuelo Francis,
Erminie Adena Loyce Gumbs George
Delores Elvida Adams Gumbs, Sandra Armentha Walters Malone
Ann Veronica Landsdell Russell, Wesley Samuel Williams.
The ordination will be held at the Cathedral Church of All Saints on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at
11:00 A. M.
Between now and April of this year, I have asked the Regional Deans in consultation with me and the seven persons whom I propose to ordain, to work in teams on an assigned practicum to sharpen their skills in team-building recognizing the effectiveness of that model perfected by Jesus with his disciples.
Our Candidates for Holy Orders have been very patient and faithful as the process to ordination has continued. I acknowledge their faithfulness and the patient and loving support of their families, and I ask the entire Diocesan family to join me in wishing them God’s continued guidance, and equally important, to be present at the ordinations on June 28.
+ Ambrose
The Right Reverend E. Ambrose Gumbs
Bishop of the Virgin Islands
Pastoral Letter on the Feast of St. Francis of AssisiTo the Faithful in Christ Jesus who comprise the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands. Grace, mercy and peace from God our father, and his Son the Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I write this Pastoral Letter on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi of whom it has been said, “Of all the saints, Francis is the most popular and admired but probably the least imitated; few have attained to his total identification with the poverty and suffering of Christ. Francis left few writings; but, of these his spirit of joyous faith comes through most truly in the “Canticle of the Sun,” which he composed at Clare’s convent of St. Damian’s The Hymnal version begins: Most High, omnipotent, good Lord To thee be ceaseless praise outpoured, And blessing without measure Let creatures all give thanks to thee And serve in great humility” and share with you the following:
Recommendations for Ordination:
On June 22, 2007, the Standing Committee met and recommended to the Bishop that these persons, namely Basil Avington Bartlett, Elaine Consuela Francis, Delores Elvida Adams Gumbs, and Ann Veronica Landsdell Russell, be ordained as Deacons under Canon III.6. The required certificates were received in my office on September 27, 2007.
On June 22, 2007, the Standing Committee met and recommended to the Bishop that these persons, namely, Erminie Adena Loyce Gumbs George, Sandra Armentha Walters Malone, and Wesley Samuel Williams, be ordained as Deacons and priests under Canon III.8. The required certificates were received in my office on September 27, 2007.
New Chairperson of the Commission on Ministry:
I am pleased to announce that on September 1, 2007, I appointed Dr. Pearl Varlack a member of the Commission on Ministry to be its chairperson. The previous chairperson, The Very Rev. Jacinto Brooks, will continue to serve as a member of the Commission. I am most grateful to Dean Brooks for his stewardship as chairperson and thankful also to Dr. Varlack for her willingness to serve in this new role.
Millenium Development Goal Sunday:
The 2006 General Convention set the last Sunday after Pentecost, November 25, 2007 as ”ONE Sunday” for the Episcopal Church. I encourage all congregations and individuals to give 0.7% of their disposable income to help to alleviate poverty in God’s world. Last year Episcopalians across the country took part in setting a Guinness World Record by Standing-Up to Fight Poverty. This year the organizers want to exceed the 23.5 million who stood-up last year. Your church can take part—learn more at http://www.standagainstpoverty.org.
House of Bishops Fall 2007 Meeting – New Orleans, Louisiana:
The fall session of the HOB met from September 19-25, 07. The first two days were devoted, after the morning Eucharist, to a statement of the purpose of the meeting, expressions of solidarity with the people of the Gulf Course suffering the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, then on to our main agenda item: conversation with the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right honorable, Rowan Williams (ABC), three other primates of the Anglican Communion and invited guests from across the Anglican Communion and members of the Anglican Consultative Council, (ACC).
Beginning with the ABC we were reminded repeatedly that Bishops are servants of Common Discernment, we do not act in isolation. Each speaker asked that constraint be exercised as we engage in the process of common discernment and not for one branch of the Communion to make decisions that would impair the common life of the whole communion. It was also made quite clear that the Episcopal Church was not given an ultimatum. The date was set mindful that the HOB would have had two opportunities to meet and discuss the issues.
After two days of conversations with the invited guests, and an update of the success of the Millennium Development Goals across the Anglican Communion, teams of Bishops and spouses boarded busses heading to the Hurricane Katrina affected areas of Mississippi and Louisiana for a work day. Sunday morning was also spent in worship at assigned congregations across New Orleans and Mississippi. In the evening we had a presentation on the effects of global warming on the environment.
On Monday morning the real work began as the House sought to develop a mind of the House response based on the conversations of the previous Thursday and Friday with the ABC and other guests. The House did not develop a response that was satisfactory to a majority of its members on the first day therefore the following day we continued modifying what was begun. The final document which was left with the writing committee included favorable responses to questions and concerns raised by our Anglican Communion Partners and matters affecting The Episcopal Church.
While the world watched and waited to see and hear how TEC would respond to the Communique from the Primates meeting at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, there were many things discussed at the meeting that addressed the TEC response to the discomfort experienced within our own church from the decisions of previous conventions.
The HOB responded by reiterating the position adopted at the GC 2006 in resolution BO33 which called upon bishops with jurisdiction and standing Committees “to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strain on the communion”.
The HOB also repeated its promise not to authorize for use in our diocese any public rites of blessings of same-sex unions until broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until GC takes further action. As of now the GC has not authorized any such rites or liturgies. In addition, a majority of the Bishops do not allow for blessing of same-sex unions.
Our Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori proposed a plan to appoint Episcopal visitors for dioceses within TEC that request alternative oversight. Such oversight would be provided by Bishops of TEC who are committed to the unity of TEC. This plan is also in conformity with the Windsor Report in regards to Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO). Several bishops volunteered to assist in such a ministry.
The House expressed regrets and called for immediate cessation of incursions by uninvited bishops. The integrity of local jurisdictions must be honored. Since provisions are being made to respond pastorally to congregations and dioceses requesting DEPO there should be no need for bishops from other provinces to become engaged in such incursions.
The proposed “pastoral scheme” coming our of the February 2007 Communique, was discussed at the House meeting in March 2007 at which time the conclusions was that the scheme would compromise the authority of our primate and place the autonomy of TEC at risk. There was consensus that a communion-wide consultation is necessary as regards the pastoral needs of those seeking alternative oversight as well as those persons whose manner of life has caused grave concern for the Communion.
The Lambeth Conference of 1988 called the entire church to engage in the listening process designed to bring gays and lesbian Anglicans fully into the church’s conversation about human sexuality. The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) could play a significant role in this process since it is comprised of both lay and ordained persons from across the communion.
It still stands that invitations were sent to all the bishops of TEC except Bishop Robinson, of New Hampshire. The ABC is in dialogue with the other constituent members of the AC to make a way for persons whose manner of life has angered others to come to the table.
Because human sexuality has consumed much of the life of the church during these first few years of the new millennium and seemingly will continue for the unforeseeable future our final conversation centered on Justice and Dignity for Gay and Lesbian Persons. In this matter the House has expressed its “commitment to establish and protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian persons, to name and oppose any action or policy that does violence or encourage violence, or violate their dignity as children of God”. Romans 8: 38-39.
The following are acronyms that were used frequently without clarification. As the dialogue continues across the communion, these acronyms will increasingly be used.
AC= Anglican communion
ABC= Archbishop of Canterbury
ACC= Anglican Consultative Council (The only legislative body of the AC) ACN= Anglican Church in Nigeria AMIA= Anglican Mission in America APO= Alternate Primatal Oversight (One group in TEC wants this) CANA= Continuing Anglicans in North America DEPO= Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (Our PB proposes this) MDG= Millennium Development Goals PB= Presiding Bishop TEC= The Episcopal Church WB= Windsor Bishops (Bishops of TEC who subscribe wholeheartedly to the Windsor Report of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.)
My sisters and brothers in Christ, these are challenging times in our world, our community and in the church. I call upon all of us to be faithful and strong. I call upon all of us to remember that our ministry is to serve God and his world with loving compassion and tender care. I challenge us to remember that “in all the changing scenes of life” we have an unchanging God who is the “rock of our salvation”. Therefore, we will not fail. So we say with St. Paul “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 38-39.
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
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The Rt. Rev. E. Ambrose Gumbs
Bishop of the Virgin Islands
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