FORT WORTH: 'Mobilizing the Faithful' conference to address Anglican Communion issues
Episcopal News Service. July 3, 2008 [070308-05]
Remain Faithful, which describes itself as "a lay-led organization comprised of orthodox Episcopalians and Anglicans" in the Diocese of Forth Worth, plans a July 12 conference titled "Mobilizing the Faithful."
The conference will be held at St. Peter & St. Paul Episcopal Church in Arlington, Texas. The event will begin with Eucharist at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Dr. Tom Hightower, rector of St. Peter & St. Paul, as celebrant and the Rev. Dr. Bill Dickson, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, as preacher.
Dr. Michael Howell, who recently returned from the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, where he was an official lay representative, will be the keynote speaker. Howell has a Ph.D. in marine science and is active at St. Vincent's Episcopal Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Howell is a member of the board of trustees of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, is on the board of American Anglican Council, and on the council of Forward in Faith, North America.
Howell was the lay representative chosen to speak to the Lambeth Commission on Communion on behalf of the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes -- also known as the Anglican Communion Network. Howell has been a General Convention deputy from the Diocese of Southwest Florida. In June 2006, he served on the Special Legislative Committee on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.
Remain Faithful was formed in May 2008 and claims more than 530 members from more than 100 parishes and 60 dioceses.
"Just as the organizers of GAFCON were led by God to meet and discuss the issues in the Anglican Communion worldwide, we as lay members of The Episcopal Church have been led to speak about the true issues affecting our Church," Chad Bates, Remain Faithful's chair, said in a news release announcing the July 12 conference. "Our 'Mobilizing the Faithful' conference will highlight just how vast the differences are between our historic faith and what the revisionists would have us believe."
The organization's position paper is available here.