Pastoral Letter to the Clergy from Bishop David Moyer

Episcopal Visitor to The Traditional Anglican Church in Britain

Reverend Fathers and Deacons,

Grace and peace be unto you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This letter is long overdue, and for that I apologize. Father Brian Gill, Vicar General, has been so very helpful to me in introducing me to your branch of the TAC for which Archbishop Hepworth has appointed me as Episcopal Visitor.

I have received a listing of your names and cures, and have begun to hold all of you and your people in prayer.

There are tentative plans for me to come your way in August with Archbishop Hepworth. I do hope that this materialises. If not, I will certainly visit you in the early Fall. How I wish that I could ordain Mr. Peter Adamson to the Diaconate this coming Saturday, but am very appreciative of Bishop Mercer's acting for me.

It would help me very much to learn more about all of you at this time. Would you be so kind as to email me (or by mail) a bit about yourselves, families, work and/or educational background, and ministries? I would truly value such information. And you might add what concerns you have and challenges you face that I as your Bishop might address; and how you envision the life and witness of the TAC.

To do the same for you, I share the following:

I have been married to Rita Hawkins for 33 years, and we are the parents of three grown children (Rachel. Monica, and Jonathan), and the grandparents of four year old Seth.

I was born in 1951 and raised in ECUSA in New Jersey. I hold degrees from Whittier College (California), Seabury-Western (Illinois), New York Theological Seminary (New York City), and Princeton Theological seminary (New Jersey).

I was ordained to the Diaconate and the Priesthood in 1976 by Archbishop Robert L. Seaborn, the late Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, and Archbishop of Eastern Canada. I served as an assistant priest in St. John's, Newfoundland, and then as rector of parishes in Staten Island and Ogdensburg, New York before the present rectorship here at Good Shepherd, Rosemont, since 1989.

I was "inhibited" and "deposed" by Charles Bennison, ECUSA Bishop of Pennsylvania, in 2002. Such actions were rejected by the past and present Archbishops of Canterbury; and I was received as a priest in good standing in the Province of Central Africa, transferred to the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and then transferred back to Central Africa. If you care to, the archives section on forwardinfaith.com contains much of the story.

I continue to serve as Rector of Good Shepherd as I assume episcopal ministries. It is all very complex, and my lawyer and I are determined to co-author a book about all that has and continues to transpire.

I am humbled by God's call to serve as your Bishop, and pray that geographical distance is something that you and I can handle as constructively as possible. I ask for your prayers and your assistance as I out my hands to this particular plough. To God be the glory! I am yours

Faithfully in Christ,

(The Rt. Rev.) David L. Moyer