A Message from Presiding Bishop William Millsaps

So many of my Jewish friends have gone into something close to clinical depression that I decided to write to some of them. The "Jewish Vote" is getting smaller, and most of it seems to have gone to Obama. The old Democrat ties are hard to break. Daniel's family was always Democrat, and he is now an Israeli citizen and tries to stay out of American politics. I can tell you Israelis who disagree with each other about practically everything agree that they are uneasy with Obama. Sadly, some of the very young are swept up in Obamamania. My spell check says that is not a word, but I think it is a word.

Daniel Gordis has not written anything since August. He moved from Los Angeles to Israel some years ago. If you go to his website you can read some of his dispatches. I know you are busy, but just read a couple--When Mistakes are worth making--Where are the flags? Then you may get hooked.

David Horowitz and Daniel Pipes have been shut out even by Fox.

Now, let me move on words about the EMC:

No, I have not taken a break from the ministry and the mission God has entrusted to me in the EMC. Our mission is to (1)proclaim the Good News and to live for Our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing"our sufficiency is of God".

However, knowing that President -elect Obama has proclaimed that he wanted his first act as President to be signing the FOCA--Freedom of Choice Act is frightening. It is my hope that this can be stopped. I don't even know if his support for Planned Parenthood is sincere. But I do know he owes them, and politicians respond first to the people they owe. So many of our people seem to love the EMC precisely because we stand for more than just the 1928 Book. A few others would prefer what we put all our energies into creating lovely museums.

My own thinking is that (2) we need to pray for "those in bonds"-persecuted people of faith and especially "those of the household"-all who profess and call themselves Christians.

My father taught me to love the Jews, and even though he was a Mississippi Caucasian, born in 1902, he planted more than cotton seeds and he voted for the black candidates from the time the first one one was on the ballot. If he were alive he would insist that he had used the "N" word many times, and no matter how he worked against it that it was still there in his brain.

One of my earliest memories was of 1948 and how we celebrated the Declaration of Independence of Israel in our home. My father was careful to say he wasn't sure he was a Christian, but he finally got the point and was the first person I confirmed after I was made a bishop. My mother had died and he was almost homebound then. The second person I confirmed was his caretaker, Geraldine, who was a black Pentecostal and said she wanted an Apostolic Bishop to lay hands on her too. This is a much longer story, but I need to get back to (3) which perhaps should have been (1)since you have to get born to be around to proclaim anything. But I will list it here as (3)

(3) We are a Pro-life Church of record. We are even clearer on this issue than the Affirmation of St.Louis.

(4) We could care less about any Anglican club or "Common Cause" until they sort out more priorities for themselves and stop "ordaining" women to the priesthood long enough to show a little restraint. The man they propose for "Moderator"- really Archbishop-- seems in recent years to have had only women clergy on his cathedral staff, and his Canon Mary Hays proclaimed in the public press that the Diocese of Pittsburgh which had just voted to leave the TEC would be a center for moving women toward ordination. Many of the primates are still naive enough to think great progress has been made in China in the cooperation of the government with The Church. They have not repudiated their "communique" issued shortly before the Olympics. My open letter to them is still available. Some brought their women canons with them to GAFCON as if "to stick it in your eye." This is a fact. Courtesy is a Southern thing, so if you see my photo with them please try to understand. It is like this: If I get asked to pray at the Inauguration I will seize the opportunity to witness. I don't think you have to worry, however. But I am determined to honor the office of the President, whoever that is at a given time."No retreat. No surrender. But good manners at all times."

These are just a few of my words of encouragement. They really are that. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer." We may get some real chances to suffer for Him. We do have opportunities to share our faith. Yesterday people came by Christ Church Monteagle all day and into evening. Usually the Noon service is attended by three or four. There were twelve. Now some of the people who came by later were those off the Interstate who needed some help. Sometimes this tires me and I can become cynical. But even though yesterday was the day after the election in which one of my heroes lost, I knew God wanted me to move forward. He wants that for all his servants. We are confirming more and more people.

Bishop Lucien Lindsey was just in Anniston. He will be going to Hillsdale, Michigan next week. I have recently been in Ohio along with Bishop Council Nedd as most of you know. Wale Fafiade is going to be one of our finest priests. I was in North Carolina after that meeting with young Christian leaders and others, including the Governor of Alabama. Bishop Nedd was in Richmond, speaking at a large rally on behalf of the right of chaplains to name the name of Jesus. His website is www. InGodwetrustUsa.com I will be confirming in Chattanooga at St. Andrew's on Sunday evening after my morning here.

Bishop Edward P. Whatley will be at St. Joseph's in Montgomery on November 16th. Canon Ron Kuykendall is always out some place. He has been in Columbia and Canada recently and hosted our wonderful synod. Chaplain Glen Lightfoot is all over New England recruiting chaplains from many traditions, and although that is not by any means a just an EMC ministry, he is endorsed by the EMC.

These are just a bit of our travels. But those "who mind the stores" and tjhose who have no "store', but put on their collars and minister in Christ's name are the front line. I can't leave out our laity, female and male. I believe we have more active deaconesses than any other jurisdiction. We just had a glorious All Saints' Day. I thought of our "saints" all day. We don't have hundreds of thousands in the EMC. But those we do have are "patient, brave and true". I am honored to serve as your Presiding Bishop.

Thanks for reading this.