Ife in the News

Here's a great article about Ife that was posted in the national website for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship:

Ife Ojetayo actively participated in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Binghamton University in New York from fall 2000 until spring 2004. While attending college, Ife was a small group leader and the InterVarsity chapter president for two years.

Throughout many retreats and training sessions, includingExpedition and Basileia, the regional camp for campuses in New York and New Jersey, Ife grew in his love for God and the world. He attended Urbana 2003 as a participant to explore the possibility of full-time ministry.

Ife returned home to Long Island after he graduated. When he returned to Binghamton University for graduate classes, Carrie Moorhead, InterVarsity staff at Binghamton University, suggested he pursue ministry as a career. Having grown up in Nigeria until he was 12, Ife was looking for a career in international affairs. But was not certain if that was the right career to pursue.

Carrie invited Ife to church with her....read more here

Ife is, among many other things, Good Shepherd's Youth Minister...

Local News coverage

Here's a video from WBNG

Here's the text:

Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Christmas is a time to be thankful, and for one church, it's a fresh start.

Rachael Hidalgo takes us to the first mass at the new Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd.
They're singing in praise, and thanking God that they now have a place to worship again.

"It's beyond what we could ever imagine to occupy and worship in," says Pastor Matt Kennedy.

The Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd has been without a home since last Christmas.

It's Diocese sued the church for not maintaining a modern stance on homosexuality.

The church lost it's [case] and had to shut down.

But the congregation found a new location only a mile away at the former St. Andrews Church.

"We're very thankful that we could be here in such a short amount of time. And it's a wonderful facility and we've got new parishioners, and we're very happy here," says John Chaney from Vestal.

WICZ also paid us a visit. Here's their report...

Washington Times article on the ACNA

Here is a good article from the Washington Times on the new Anglican Church in America:

BEDFORD, Texas | The Rev. Rick Warren brought hundreds of former Episcopalians to their feet in applause Tuesday when he called their exodus from the denomination "a historic event" and said God was "calling you out" of the Episcopal Church.

"I jumped at the chance to come here," Mr. Warren, evangelical pastor of the 24,000-member Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., told delegates to the constitutional convention of the newly created Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). "We will stand with you in solidarity as God does something new in your midst."

The assembly, in its second-day meeting at a school just west of Dallas, is calling itself a new 39th province of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Although not recognized by the archbishop of Canterbury, who heads up the 77 million-member body, the new province has about 100,000 people drawn from the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada.

"My heart is so full for you today," said Mr. Warren, who has offered the use of his extensive Orange County, Calif., campus as a meeting place for dissident Episcopal groups...more

To Good Shepherd

Dear Friends,

This article by Bill Moyer appeared today in the Press and Sun. It is well written and accurate and I am thankful for Mr. Moyer's careful attention to the facts. Here is the letter I wrote to Good Shepherd following Judge Lebous' most recent decision:

Dear Good Shepherd,

The last part of the lawsuit filed by Diocese of Central New York against us has been decided and the judge has ruled that the Branan bequest now belongs to Christ Church and the Diocese of Central New York. This is not great news but it is not terrible news either. We were not counting on victory after the first ruling in this case and we have already learned that no matter what the outcome in the courts, the Lord loves us and will protect and provide for our needs.

We are, moreover, so very thankful that we live in a nation governed by the rule of law where our defense was heard by an impartial and objective judge and the Diocese of Central New York could not simply seize our buildings and assets by fiat as it would have liked. How wonderful it has been, despite the negative outcome, to have our day in court.

It is important, I think, also to be grateful for Judge Lebous who has sought nothing more than to make a just decision based on his understanding of the facts and his wide knowledge of the law. Sometimes judges and courts do make mistakes, as this one has, but we must always respect and obey the legal decisions of those God has set in positions of authority over us.

If you take the time to read the decision, and I encourage you to do so, you will find that there are a number of rather curious suggestions and I think it is important to address a few of them.

I did not know Mr. Branan but a number of our senior parishioners knew him very well and remember him to have been both very conservative and very loyal to Good Shepherd but not necessarily to the Episcopal Church. In fact, one woman remembers very clearly that he gave the bequest in order to ensure that the congregation never experienced financial difficulty. Another woman who was a very close friend of Mr. Branan recently sent a letter explaining that Mr. Branan wouldn't have wanted a dime to go to the Episcopal Church given the denomination's recent departure from orthodox Christianity. Since Mr. Branan never once mentioned the Diocese of Central New York in his bequest, it is difficult to understand how Judge Lebous could come to the conclusion that Mr. Branan would have wanted his money given to the institution that has sought the destruction of the church he loved?

Be all that as it may, given our earlier defeat in court, we were not expecting to keep the bequest. We have not counted it in our present budget.

Stranger to me than the idea that Mr. Branan was a person loyal to a larger and heretical denomination and not to his local parish was the language used by Judge Libous to describe our conduct. During the hearing, the lawyer for the Diocese of Central New York noted that Good Shepherd received very little in pledges and offerings during 2008 and accused the vestry of “diverting” income. Judge Lebous re-articulates that accusation in the judgment, finds it “disturbing”, and writes that it is appropriate for the diocese to “investigate”.

The reason for the low income, as is fairly obvious, is that after the lawsuit was filed by the Diocese of Central New York claiming possession of all of our property and money, the vast majority of parishioners made personal decisions not to give any money to the church knowing that any money given stood the chance of being seized by the diocese—as it subsequently has been.

And, of course, the vestry did not “divert” money away from Good Shepherd or spend it on anything other than the regular upkeep of the ministries of Good Shepherd—bills, maintenance, salaries, etc. We are more than willing to cooperate fully with any kind of investigation the court thinks necessary.

Finally, Judge Libous mentions items taken from the building. Most of you remember the confusion and frustration in the aftermath of the first court decision when we learned that the building and home we loved was going to be seized. We moved out of the old building mere days after receiving a letter from the Diocese of Central New York asking us to pay rent of over $2500.00 per month. There were a lot of heartbroken and confused people especially with regard to items donated to the church in memory of deceased relatives. Despite the explanations, it was difficult for people to understand that even though a given item may have been purchased with money personally donated for the memory of a deceased relative, donations given to the church belonged, subsequent to the judgment, to the diocese. No one intentionally took anything that belongs to the diocese and the items we have located that were mistakenly taken have been returned.

I've said this before, but let me say again, how proud I am to be your pastor. Jesus said that no servant is above his master and that the world would treat his followers just as it treated him (Matt 10:17-25). We have felt and are feeling the truth of those words. You have stood courageously in the face of lies and persecution and you have accepted the confiscation of your property knowing that you yourselves have a better possession and a lasting one. I am so very amazed at the graciousness and generosity with which you have responded and, indeed, the charity and forgiveness revealed in both word and deed toward the Diocese of Central New York.

God has abundantly blessed us over the last few months. Trust him. He is for us and not against us. I believe that God's loving kindness, gentle protection, and provision will carry us through these trials and for that reason we must continue to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ, forgiving and loving those who would hurt us and doing everything in our power to be at peace with all people.

May God bless and keep you.

In Christ,

Matt Kennedy

There is only one quibble with Mr. Moyer's excellent article linked above. He quotes me as saying the following:

"The judge's statement is absolutely not true," said the Rev. Matthew Kennedy..."

When Mr. Moyer called I said that the allegations were "absolutely untrue" but I was referring to the diocese's allegations...not the judge's. I don't think Judge Lebous made any allegations

Why?

We'll be setting aside some time during Adult Christian Education tomorrow to discuss the "why" question. Why does and how can God permit horrific crimes and tragedies to take place? If you know people struggling with this kind of question, be sure to invite them.

If there is time we'll continue with our teaching series dealing with various models engaging for culture.

If you are looking for a financial way to help the families of those who have been injured or killed the Broom County Council of Churches has established a fund. Here's the information:

Broome County Council of Churches

Seeks Donations to Assist Civic Association Tragedy Victims

The Broome County Council of Churches’ prayers go out to all of the victims and families affected by the tragedy at the American Civic Association. Lives have been forever changed in an instant.

As we enter this time of mourning and work towards a time of healing. The Broome County Council of Churches would like to assist these people by collecting monetary donations on their behalf. Extraneous expenses that these families may incur could include funeral expenses, emergency food and medical bills among many others.

If you would prayerfully consider helping out in this most dire time of need you can send a donation with your check made out to:

Broome County Council of Churches

Please put: “Civic Assoc. Victims” on the memo line of your check to ensure that your donation reaches these hurting individuals.

Please mail your donation to:
Broome County Council of Churches
3 Otseningo Street
Binghamton, NY 13903

On behalf of the victims and their families we thank you for your prayers and your generosity.

A Brief Response to the Tragic Shootings in Binghamton

Friday, April 3, 2009

Download "A Brief Response to the Tragic Shootings in Binghamton" in MP3 format

Discussion at the Press and Sun

Good Shepherd is not the only orthodox Anglican congregation in the area. The people of St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Vestal, led by their rector, the Rev. Tony Seel, left their buildings behind a year before us.

This last week, a couple of Tony's+ former parishioners wrote a letter to the Press and Sun (following an earlier letter by Roberta Szwalla, one of our former parishioners). They were upset that Tony+ did not "reveal" his beliefs about sexuality prior to being hired by St. Andrew's.

I thought it strange that Tony's+ former parishioners would be so upset at Tony's+ beliefs...so I posted a comment:

Interesting that the authors of this letter thought it necessary for their pastor to "reveal" his beliefs regarding human sexuality prior to his employment--especially since his beliefs are entirely consistent with those plainly "revealed" in scripture and held by the church everywhere for 2000 years.

Apparently the Episcopal Church has sunk to such a level that simple orthodoxy is an unexpected and unwelcome characteristic in her pastors. Episcopal pastors must now "reveal" the scandalous secret truth that they actually believe in the truthfulness of God's word...and, apparently, such revelations drive "true Episcopalians" elsewhere.

Very sad.

But I am also very thankful for faithful pastors like Tony Seel who will not compromise biblical truth even if it means professional and personal loss.

From that point, a number of people entered the discussion, including two atheists.

Many of the issues/ideas we've discussed in our Sunday morning adult education class come up in the exchanges, so I thought I would post the link here. If you are interested you might check it out.

Good Shepherd in the News again...

from here...and here is the video

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- This gym at Conklin Avenue Baptist is the Church of the Good Shepherd's new home of worship; at least for now.

Sunday was the congregation's first service since being evicted last week.

"At first, when it started, I felt kind of empty. Because it's a gym and I've never been here before, but as the service took place and with the music going and the communion, it just brought us back together as a whole," said Pauline King, who has attended services at Good Shepherd for more than 45 years.

The Binghamton-based congregation was forced from its Conklin Avenue church by the Episcopal Diocese after a court ruling last month.

...more

Letter to the Editor

In case you missed it, Terri Beam, one of our newer parishioners wrote a letter to the editor of the Press and Sun which was published this morning. Here is the letter:

The little white Anglican church at Livingston Street and Conklin Avenue is a very special place. For me and many more people it is a home and an extended family. Others, such as the Episcopal Diocese of New York, claim ownership since we are no longer Episcopal, but remain Anglican. Recently the Episcopal Church attempted to evict the Anglican faithful.

I love to look out my window and see this church. It fills me with love, hope and a sense of comfort. This church has come to be a place of healing because of the amazingly human pastors (Matt and Anne, a married couple with young children), who draw us to this church. They care for so many folds in this special place.

Many people count on this church for a hot dinner on Thursday evening or some soft and comforting words from the pastors or elders.

Please help us prevent the Episcopal Church from taking our church home.

Terri Tex Beam

News Coverage of the Hearing

Here is the television report from WBNG Binghamton on yesterday's hearings. Great coverage all around. They even seem to grasp some of the canonical issues at stake. Take a look here
And here is this morning's Press and Sun report:

...The pastor and parishioners at Church of the Good Shepherd will go to worship Sunday not knowing whether the congregation can stay in its Conklin Avenue building.

A state Supreme Court judge decided Friday to reserve a decision in the legal dispute between the local church and a regional diocese over who owns the property in the wake of Good Shepherd's withdrawal from the Episcopal denomination.

For now, the congregation will focus on Christmas, according to the Rev. Matthew Kennedy...more

Here is the first posted television news report from yesterday on Channel 10 News. You will see Raymond Dague, a lot of our parishioners, Paul Curtin the diocesan chancellor, and me. Thank you to Channel 10 for the fantastic coverage.
Here is the text:

It's been almost eight months of legal battles between the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York and a former parish in Binghamton and it seems they'll have to wait a couple more months before a conclusion is made. The Church of the Good Shepherd left the Diocese after they disagreed on homosexuality. Our Karen Lee was at state Supreme Court and tells us it's now up to the judge to decide who keeps the church building.from here

All in all, excellent reporting.

Two Local TV News stations Report on Good Shepherd (Video)

from Binghamton's CBS affliliate: WBNG
Here is the video report.
And here is the article

A Binghamton congregation could lose its church.

The Church of the Good Shepherd says it will stick with its bible over the diocese when it comes to homosexuality.

Action News reporter Erik Burling tells us, it's a debate dividing Episcopalians.

This house of worship has belonged to the Church of the Good Shepherd since 1879.

But the current congregation could be forced to hand it over to the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York.

"We would lose everything. We would lose the building, the furniture, and all of the money we have in the bank," said Matt Kennedy, Pastor of The Good Shepherd.

Pastor Matt Kennedy knew it was possible when the church disaffiliated from the diocese in 2006.

The Good Shepherd was displeased when the diocese took steps to embrace homosexuality.

...more

ABC Affiliate Channel 34 also shot an interview:
Here is the video
And here is the written article

More than 100 people who worship at Church of the Good Shepherd on Conklin Avenue in Binghamton may soon have to find a new place to go on Sundays.
That's because Good Shepherd recently disaffiliated itself from the Episcopal Church when the Diocese decided that same sex relationships were permissible.
"We believe that the Bible teaches that it's not. That God thinks that that kind of behavior is wrong and that it's harmful to people's souls and bodies."
Now, the Diocese is asking Pastor Matt Kennedy to find a new place to worship.

Bishop of the Diocese of Central New York Skip Adams says it was Good Shepherd's decision to leave the Church, and that means leaving the building dedicated to teaching that faith...more

An Article about Good Shepherd

Here is an article from the blog, "Transfigurations" regarding our motion papers that were filed this afternoon at the Broom County Courthouse:

...The Church of the Good Shepherd filed motion papers today seeking the dismissal of the lawsuit brought by the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York against the 100 member parish in Binghamton, New York. The motion to dismiss and for summary judgement by the parish was based on the lack of proper adoption of the Dennis Canon by the Episcopal Church. The Diocese previously served a motion against the parish for summary judgment based largely on the Dennis Canon. Both motions are scheduled for oral argument at 9:30 am Friday, December 12, 2008 at the courthouse in downtown Binghamton. Judge Ferris Lebous could issue an immediate ruling, but a written reserved decision from the judge sometime early next year is also possible.

Syracuse attorney Raymond Dague is defending Good Shepherd. The diocesan motion papers were notable for their great bulk, commented the attorney. “The 9" tall stack of motion papers they served against the parish was too big for an envelope,” said Dague. “A messenger dropped it off at my office in a box.” Today’s more modest filing by the parish claims that the Dennis Canon was not adopted by the 1979 General Convention, and hence the Diocese has no basis for their lawsuit. “Despite that enormous pile of papers, they just assume that the Dennis Canon is the law of the church, but don’t bother in a single sentence to argue that it was properly adopted,” said Dague. “We are going to call them on that. Since the Dennis Canon is the basis of the lawsuit to take away the church building, the judge will need to address this issue one way or the other.”

...read more

Please keep us in your prayers. If you are a member of Good Shepherd, there will be a prayer meeting Wednesday night at 6:30pm at the church.

Good Shepherd in the News

Dear Good Shepherd,

Tonight (Wednesday) is our second prayer meeting to ask for God's protection, provision, and guidance for Good Shepherd. The meeting will begin at 6:30pm and end at 7:00pm. We'll also be asking God to help us on Saturday...that he will bring many to support and pray with us.

You should know that there are a lot of people already praying. I was interviewed yesterday on the Family Life Network (88.5 FM I think) which is the most popular Christian radio station in the area. The whole three to five minute interview aired around noon yesterday and I hear that they have been playing excerpts since then at various intervals. I was able to explain our situation and invite the community to come pray with us on Saturday.

The whole interview has now been posted on the FLN website as a feature story:

The Central New York Episcopal Church is suing a splinter congregation in Binghamton. The diocese is taking the Church of the Good Shepherd to court on December 12th to recoup all of its property and assets. That includes the church building. FLN's Bob Price spoke with Senior Pastor Matt Kennedy about how the church could be affected for taking a stance against the consecration of homosexual bishops.

Listen here
Download the MP3 Version here

Cookie sent me the following prayer this morning which is making the rounds on the prayer chain at St. Andrew's Vestal.

Father we come to You with our Prayers for The Church of the Good Shepherd. Their situation is very close to home for those, of us, who went through this at our former St. Andrew's. I pray that You would touch the hearts of those who wish to up root yet another congregation. Touch those who are changing the Bible . I ask this in Jesus Name.

Thank You Jesus

Remember, Tonight at 6:30pm for the prayer meeting.

A sign of things to come?

This is an incredible story...I fear that those who maintain the biblical view of human sexuality...that all sexual behavior outside the covenant of heterosexual marriage is sin will come under increasing attack not only from radicals like those below but, increasingly, from mainstream legal and cultural institutions...scary stuff.

Michigan liberals attack Lansing congregation in the middle of Sunday worship

....

On Sunday morning, amidst worshiping congregants and following unifying prayers that our President-elect be granted wisdom as he prepares to lead our nation through difficult global, social and economic challenges, the Michigan left declared open war on peaceful church goers.

They did it with banners, chants, blasphemy, by storming the pulpit, by vandalizing the church facility, by potentially defiling the building with lewd, public, sex acts and by intentionally forcing physical confrontations with worshipers.

This didn't take place in some dystopian, post modern work of fiction and it didn't take place in San Francisco or Berkley. This was the scene at a Bible believing church in Lansing, Michigan.

Read on...

Here is another story on the same incident:

Gay anarchist group infiltrates, protests outside Eaton County church

by Nathan Harris (Nathan Harris/City Pulse) The "outside team" focuses its attention on traffic passing by the Mt. Hope Church in Eaton County.

A gay anarchist group infiltrated the Mt. Hope Church in Eaton County Sunday morning, disrupting a service by pulling a fire alarm, dropping leaflets and yelling at parishioners, a pastor said.

The group, Bash Back, was simultaneously picketing outside the church, beating on buckets and using a megaphone to shout “Jesus was a homo” and other slogans as confused churchgoers continued to enter the building.

Members of Bash Back issued a press release Tuesday saying that it targeted Mt. Hope, a church that claims a flock of around 5,000, because it is, "complicit in the repression of queers in Michigan and beyond."

According to the Myspace.com page of the Lansing chapter, the network initially sprung up with the intent of increasing homosexual visibility within the anarchist community.

The “action” began early Sunday morning at the Northstar Center on Lathrop Street in Lansing where a group of around 20 protesters gathered. Pink bandanas, signs, a rainbow-colored “Bash Back!” flag and a pink, wooden cross were distributed among about half the group — the “outside team.” The rest — “inside team” — were dressed in conservative clothes and carried Bibles and stacks of fliers, intending to blend in to the church‘s 11:30 a.m. “contemporary-laid back service.”

City Pulse was alerted to the Bash Back event through a press release and had no prior knowledge of where the “action” would take place or what it would entail...read more

These "activists" seem to have forgotten all about the "tolerance" and "inclusivity" they preach.

Good Shepherd in the News

Church plans health fair
Event to include experts, tests for diabetes, blood pressure
from the Press and Sun Bulletin


For many years, it was a weekly soup kitchen.

Then, the Church of the Good Shepherd on Conklin Avenue in Binghamton issued a come-one, come-all call to a free ice cream social -- and hundreds happily answered.

Now, they're opening their doors again to the community for a health event, and they're bringing in all sorts of professionals to serve as free resources.

Along with the fun stuff -- free bicycle helmets and health goodie bags, ambulance and fire truck tours and a visit from the Tooth Fairy -- they'll offer screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, sleep apnea and HIV, and information on wound therapy, sleep disorders and hospice resources.

Among the professionals offering their time and talents are Dr. Mauricio Valencia and wife, Tina; Asthma Team member Elaine Carril; music therapist Candie Stiles; Dr. Michael Krembs from Abundant Life Chiropractic; and massage therapist Vicky Bullock, who will give free neck massages, explains Carmen Swoffer-Penna, one of the event's organizers.

Whole in the Wall restaurant and Health Beat Foods will have offerings, too, as well as other local companies.

The health mission will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meanwhile, a chicken barbecue will be going on outside until 3, and a rummage sale will take place in the basement from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The church congregation is a diverse mix of youngsters, college kids, adults and elderly, explains Eucharistic minister and parish nurse Dolly Shaller, who has been a regular since she was a girl. An interior door bears a dedication to her late father, Robert L. Shaller, and her 96-year-old mom, Mariam Shaller, is still a vibrant part of the congregation.

They enjoy closeness as a church family -- and appreciate being able to serve their neighbors on the South Side of Binghamton with events such as this health mission, Dolly says.