My dear people and friends of the Newman Fellowship,

Grace and peace be unto you in the Name of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, as we give ourselves more and more to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Newman Fellowship has a clear trajectory, and that is Eucharistic unity with the Catholic Church by way of Pope Benedict’s gift of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.  We seek unity as Anglo-Catholics with the Holy See to participate in the fulfillment of our Lord Jesus Christ’s prayer on the night before His death for the salvation of the world – “May they all be one.”  We are the beneficiaries of the prayers of countless people for generations that this would be possible.  Alleluia!

But as we patiently wait for the erection of the Personal Ordinariate for the US (reminding ourselves that it’s about God’s timing), we need to embrace one day at a time in the spirit of Blessed John Henry Newman, who wrote, “One step enough for me.”

At the conclusion of our second Parish Council meeting this evening (Tuesday, October 4th), one of the Council members reminded us of that for which we are most thankful – “being together.”

This sentiment of the gift of “being together” as brothers and sisters in Christ, whose relationships with one another were forged at Good Shepherd over so many years, was expressed by Carol Sargeant, who wrote the first reflection for the Fellowship (which you can re-read on this website).  Those who have written after Carol have in different ways expressed the same.  Yes, it is about a group of people who have believed and acted strongly for the revealed religion of historic Christianity as Anglo-Catholics, who would not be compromised, and who have held a larger vision for the Church beyond themselves; and by God’s grace, have maintained those relationships and commitments in a new place and situation - “being together.” This is the second tier of joy we share on Sundays, after the first tier of worshiping the Lord God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

But beyond this blessed reality has been the realization that it’s all about what Jesus taught:
“…new wine must be put into fresh wineskins” (St. Luke 5:38).  We want to partake of newness, knowing that we must be new in mind and spirit to receive newness in and of Christ.

How blessed we are, “being together,” and growing together in Christ Jesus. God bless you.

+David L. Moyer

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