--- John Leal <jlealx1@...> wrote:

<snip>
 I don't see this as so much a snub as
> it is laying the groundwork for an alternative
> oversight that is needed within CAPA and other
> jurisdictions that may request the same.
>  
> Just my two cents
>  
> John+
> REC  www.providencerec.org
>  
> 
> PS there is so much we just don't know.
> 
"---------------------------------------

Fr. Leal+

Not only is there much that we don't know, in spite of
the Concordat, the Church in Nigeria doesn't know all
that much about us.

It has only been a few years ago that Fr. Amos
Fagamiye and his family emigrated to this country and
found his way to Good Shepherd in Indianapolis. (Last
week, Fr Amos brought greetings to the APA Synod from
Nigeria.)  The congregation warmly welcomed him and Bp
Grundorf licensed him to serve with me at Good
Shepherd until he established Chapel of the
Resurrection 2 years ago.

Fr. Fagbamiye has sustained a good relationship with
the APA and has reported such back to the Bishops in
Nigeria.  But that and any other such contacts by
others is small compared to the nearly 2 decades of
service, close contact and visits by the priest at
Truro.  He has earned the respect and confidence the
Nigerian Church as accorded him.  

As time goes on, through the good offices of our
Bishops and the Ecumenical Committee as well as
through fellowship among laity and clergy, the
Nigerians will come to know us better.  The visit by
Bishop Grundorf and the efforts of the ecumenical
committee are relatively recent.  We are only seeing
the first fruits of their efforts in the concordat.

A little incident at Synod on Thursday is illustrative
of how this will eventually work out. Some four years
ago a Nigerian doctor and his family moved to
Indianapolis and were brought to Good Shepherd by Fr.
Amos.  I had the priviledge of baptizing his children.
 He was only with us for about a year while furthering
his education, then he obtained employment at a
hospital in a Chicago suburb.  Since he was close to
Merrilville, Indiana, I introduced him to Bishop
Shaver who received him at the Pro-Cathedral in
Merrilville.

On Thursday at the Synod, the Good Shepherd delegation
was gathered at lunch. The good Dr and his family
joined us.  It was a joyful reunion.  Fr. Bill Weston
was seated at the next table.  In the course of
conversation the Doctor told us he was moving to
Georgia in August.  Happily, he will be moving close
to the congregation served by Fr. Weston.  That
congregation has a large number of emigrants from
Nigeria.  

In the course of their conversation, Fr. Bill was able
to give names of people in his congregation and
mention towns in Nigeria from which they came.  
Needless to say, the Dr and his wife were elated. 
They have been in America for only 4 years.  In the
course of each of their three moves, there has been a
loving Anglican family to greet them.  This event will
be multiplied many times over the coming years in many
of our churches.  

I understand that there are some 15-20,000 emigrants
coming into this country from Nigeria each year.  We
will have opportunities to be better known and trusted
as the years go by, and the word is spreading that
Nigerians are welcome.

Charles+
Church of the Good Shepherd