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Anglican Church of the Redeemer
Welcome and Support from the AMiA Family
Dear Members of the Anglican Fellowship of Chattanooga:
As I send greetings to you from the Resurrection Community here in Tampa, I am reminded of words that I carried when we began three years ago. They are from one of the 20th Century's greatest works (in the English Language), T.S. Elliot's THE FOUR QUARTETS.
In the fourth quartet entitled LITTLE GIDDINGS he writes:
"But, as the passage now presents no hindrance
To the spirit unappeased and peregrine
Between two worlds become much like each other,
So I find words I never thought to speak
In streets I never thought I should revisit ....
What we call the beginning is often the end
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from. And every phrase
And sentence that is right (where every word is at home,
Taking its place to support the others,
The word neither diffident nor ostentatious,
An easy commerce of the old and the new,
The common word exact without vulgarity,
The formal word precise but not pedantic,
The complete consort dancing together)
Every phrase and every sentence is an end and a beginning,
Every poem an epitaph. And any action
Is a step to the block, to the fire ...
With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling and so...
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time"
These words reflect so much of what it feels like to be in this new season.
I know these days test the essence of one's faith but now is also the time for an extraordinary opportunity that is effecting the future of witness to the Kingdom. You have been given an opportunity to set an agenda that calls for the release of gifts for ministry in an exciting new way. I and all of us here pray for that release to take place and the opportunities to start continue praying, conversing and sharing with each other in Chattanooga about the next level God may well be calling you toward.
You have spent these recent months asking how can Jesus be revealed and now is the time, how blessed, how overwhelming, how exciting.
Please be assured that we here at Resurrection, Tampa recall well the excitement and the challenges of beginning a new work and send along prayers and offer any other support that would be a blessing to you.
Warmly In Our Lord,
Kevin+
The Reverend Kevin Francis Donlon, Ph.D.
Rev. Kevin Donlon
Church of the Resurrection
Tampa, FL
On behalf of St. Andrew's Church, Huntsville welcome to the AMIA! We too are a recent church plant, and so we are especially thrilled to have another church plant so near by. Church planting is difficult work as you all already know and it is a real blessing to have another church so close by that is walking the same road. I know your new rector Steve Kelley personally and so I know that God has called a wonderful and Godly man to head your church family. The road ahead of you will be difficult and very trying at times, but if you keep your focus on Christ and follow the Godly leader that God has blessed you with, I have no doubt that God will bless you all mightily and use you all in powerful ways to reach the people of Chattanooga for Jesus Christ. If we can be of any help, please do not hesitate to call.
May God bless you all and guard you
Geoff Hatley
Rector
St. Andrew's Church
Anglican Mission
256-508-5199
Rev. Geoff Hatley
St. Andrew's Church
Madison, AL
Greetings !
I am so glad you are connected to the AMiA family. If we at Cambridge Church can ever be of help to you please let us know. Our web site might be of help. It is http://www.cambridgechurch.org/. All our email addresses are there so feel free to contact us individually as well.
May God bless you in your growth and proclamation of the Lord Jesus. I look forward to meeting you face to face sometime.
In Him,
The Rev. Jay Fowler
Senior Pastor
Cambridge Church
Rev. Jay Fowler
Cambridge Church
Leawood, KS