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Goodbye, but not farewell, from Fr. Robert Ludwig

When the phone rang two months ago and I was told by The Most Right Reverend Brian Marsh that I had been appointed Interim Rector of Holy Cross Anglican church, on the banks of the “Big Lake” Ontario, I was a little taken aback.

You see, as I’ve travelled about the country, either filling in as a supply priest or on some other task of the church, I have always been deeply sensible of Christ’s admonitions to fearlessly preach the Gospel, and the disciples in whose tracks I follow.

After all, the men who followed the Nazarene in his earthly ministry were very committed men, although far from fearless, and certainly imperfect (just like us) and unlike the man they followed. They, however, set out after the Pentecost to preach the Gospel relentlessly and without any fear this world could provide.

And why should we be surprised, they had seen this carpenter’s son feed the hungry, heal the sick, give sight to the blind and raise the dead, and open the gates of everlasting life, and provide us the Comforter. These are daunting sandals to fill for any man, in any time.

In English Church history, one can look to no better example than St Columba. St Columba, the Irish Abbot and founder of the monastery at Iona, travelled with twelve companions into what is now Scotland and preached the words of Christ throughout the Pictish kingdoms.

Besides preaching the Gospel amongst the northern pagans and converting them, it is said that Columba found time in 565 to banish “a fearful water creature” from the river Ness. I wonder what happened to him?

Fortunately for me, I face few of these hurdles or dangers of my earlier brothers in my destination. I’m fairly confident that I’ll neither fight “fearful creatures” of the Big Lake, or be whisked off to Rome (whether for trial, or any other reason!).

I have been very blessed to be appointed and to be accepted of the parish of Holy Cross in Webster, New York. It is a lovely parish on the shores of Lake Ontario and nestled amongst apple orchards and the bedroom communities of Rochester (pronounced RAHchester).

The church proper is an historic, clapboard schoolhouse which dates to the year 1839. In fact the school pre-dates the village of Webster by a year (1840). In 1977 the then–abandoned schoolhouse was leased and the first regular Sunday service was held on the 4th of June, 1978.

In the years that followed many beautiful additions have been made to the church, including the altar and the importation of a pocket organ from St Martin in the Fields, London. It is a fine instrument, and worthy of a listen. I urge you to visit our website to see the church and learn more about the area. The body of the church, the people, are a faithful group of Anglicans who have kept to the writ of Holy Scripture and the original doctrine, dogma, practice, and liturgy of the Anglican/Episcopal Church as it was before the 1970s. They are a faithful, loving, and friendly example of Christ’s Holy Bride, and I encourage all who can, to visit.

So, as I move on in this new chapter of my life, my mind returns to those first brothers of mine, and the seat from which I am sent forward, that is, St Stephen’s.

Surely those men had misgivings as they stepped away from a place and time of so much pure love. They had seen Christ love, heal, forgive, and raise the dead. And so have I.

St. Stephen’s has loved my family and me, forgiven me, fed me, clothed me, healed me, and loved me. I too, have seen the miraculous power of Christ’s hand at work, right here in Timonium. And for that, I praise Almighty God and his other fearless disciples: You!

As any Christian knows, this is not farewell, but au revoir. In the mean time, while this “rectorship” remains interim, my wife Rebecca and my daughters Catherine and Elizabeth will remain at St. Stephen’s and I will continue to be cannonically resident in the Diocese of the Eastern United States and serve as Bishop John Vaughan’s secretary.

Thanks be to God for all your kindness, to me and mine, I will pop in from time to time to see you all for a spiritual top-up! Until then, the Lord bless you and keep you. RMHL✠

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