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Pastoral Letter from Bishop Bob Duncan in Pittsburgh
Beloved in the Lord,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know how anxiously you await communication, so I am writing this
short progress report. Be assured that during this unsettled time my
thoughts and prayers remain with you and all our missionary efforts
across the Diocese.
Monday was a difficult day, the day of the Windsor Report’s release.
While it contained many important pieces of analysis, the report
lacked both teeth and timetable as to the means of resolving the deep
crisis that has come upon our communion. These deficiencies were
extraordinarily concerning.
Tuesday and Wednesday were more hopeful. Meeting with many of our
British, Canadian and Latin partners, including Archbishops Venables
and Gomez, it became clearer that the determinative moment is not the
report, but the Primates meeting for which the report was
commissioned. The Primates meeting (February) may well go far beyond the report itself in addressing the future of the Communion. Indeed, there was recognition that the Primates meeting must go far beyond the Windsor report if the medicine is to prove adequate to the
disorder. Pray for this.
As I write this, I am on my way to Gatwick Airport for a flight
tomorrow morning. After spending the next two days with you in
Pittsburgh and visiting Grace Church in Mount Washington on Sunday, I
fly that evening - as an invited guest - to the All Africa Bishop’s
Conference at Lagos, Nigeria. There I will be present with all of
Africa’s Primates as preparation for the February meeting is further
shaped. While, responding to the Windsor Report is one aspect of this
meeting, it is Africa’s crises: HIV-AIDS, oppressive debt, hunger,
educational needs and refugee resettlement that will form the bulk of
their agenda. Please pray for this first-of-a-kind all Africa
meeting, for advancement of God’s work among these wonderful partners (some 200 bishops representing well over half of the world’s
Anglicans), and for my role in addressing the conference when called
upon.
This communication comes with my prayers for all of you, my gratitude
for your tireless support and intercession and my affection in Christ
Jesus.
Faithfully, your bishop.
+Bob Pittsburgh
