MESSAGE FROM BISHOP DAVID ANDERSON
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Our Lord taught us to avoid going to court, because he knew that real justice is hard to come by. Justice is supposed to be blind, but sometimes it appears that judges who try ecclesiastical cases have well-set opinions before the court convenes.
Today I want to tell you what the Episcopal Church and Judge J. Mac Davis are apparently up to in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. A trial concerning ownership of St. Edmund's Anglican Church property in Elm Grove, Wisconsin is underway, and in the middle of hearing motions, Judge Davis on Thursday suddenly issued an injunction ordering the parish and clergy out of their property and rectory within 24 hours. Yes, 24 hours!
How does any clergy family pack up their rectory and move out within 24 hours? How does a church family cease operations and move to a new, unknown location in 24 hours? How does a day school that operates in the basement of the church, with little children coloring pictures of the baby Jesus, move out in 24 hours? And how do they do this a week before Christmas?
Strangely, as Judge Davis issued the injunction that appeared to have been previously written, he kept referring to St. Edmund's as St. Matthias, which is an Episcopal Church in the diocese of Milwaukee. Even more strange, we are told, is that St. Matthias' Senior Warden, Judge Lee Dreyfus, is a fellow judge and friend of Judge Davis, and that both of them are active Episcopalians in the Diocese of Milwaukee.
Just as we were going to press on this Friday afternoon, we were told that the Court of Appeals in Madison has granted St. Edmund's Church a three week stay while the issues of judicial handling of the case are looked at.
How can the Episcopal Church and Bishop Miller of Milwaukee behave in this manner, to even think of eviction in 24 hours? Please pray for the rector and parish of St. Edmund's who are under such biased assault, as we try to turn our minds to things more spiritually grounded - the gift of God in Jesus Christ, and his nativity in Bethlehem.
Have a blessed Advent IV.
+David
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
