Dear Brothers in Christ,
	I, like many, had a wonderful positive experience at my first APA
National Synod (Thursday & Friday) and the Diocese of the West Synod
(Thursday). The most contrasting aspect of the APA Synod to my previous
jurisdiction, which I won't even mention among the brethren, is that the
faith and fellowship of the body of Christ is lived out in a visible manner.
It is not schizophrenic, or dysfunctional. The Communion we share with one
another was visible in heart, mind, and soul as we gathered in Merriville.
It was visible and present with Father Amos being the sacramental presence
of Archbishop Peter and our sisters and brothers of the Church of Nigeria.
While I had shared in Communion with Bishop Richard Boyce and Archbishop
Peter on previous occasions, it became manifest at Synod.
	It is this greater sacramental reality of Communion to which I am
encouraged to see a building up of the Body of Christ as the true bonds of
affection belong to Christ Jesus and his Body. We have a reality of
Communion that goes beyond our ecclesial structures, Thanks be to God, as
they have not adequately served their Lord during these past 40 years or
more. We should not be surprised when they have not served us.
	Since the Hope and a Future Conference in Pittsburgh last Fall and
the Primates have called for faithful Anglicans in the West to step out
(literally) in faith and realize with ourselves and our people that the
Jesus Christ is called us to be his Body, not an ecclesial structure; that
we must follow Him as he leads us to do his work. The Primates call was for
all faithful Anglicans to come together, not compromising the saving faith
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but to see our Lord bringing us to be the
Communion in the Americas.
	There is a winnowing taking place. Our Lord is pruning to create
greater growth in the Church. We can rejoice at seeing the grapes forming
and growing on the vine. Our God will prune where prune where he knows it
will bring larger and sweeter grapes, not longer gangly foliage. Unity and
Communion are in His Blood giving life to the vine. We can rejoice that we,
as witnesses to the risen Lord among us, are now more visibly surrounded by
a great cloud of witnesses of not just the faithful gone before us in all
times, but in all places, and by all. The catholic faith of visible unity
starts and ends in our Lord Jesus.
	Let us rejoice that we can see "the gracious hand of our God" at
work in our day, across the Americas, and in our midst.

I am honored to have been allowed to share with you this past week and look
forward to the mighty work to which he has called us to be friends.

In Christ Jesus our Savior, Lord, and King,

Father Keith Acker
Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity 
Alpine, CA--Diocese of the West
Anglican Province of America
 
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