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The Anglican Free Communion “The Episcopal Free Church” Old Name: The Free Protestant Episcopal Church
Pastoral Letter from the New Primus
Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK - February 05th 2015
My dear sisters and brothers, friends and supporters of The Anglican Free Communion across the world, peace, love and joy in the Name of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I greet you all as fellow pilgrims along the way of faith and salvation in Christ our great Redeemer. It will be a privilege to serve with you as I assume the office o f Primus of The Free Protestant Episcopal Church, as our early Founders originally named the Communion back in 1897. The Communion has a special role to play both as a Christian denomination (The Episcopal Free Church) and as a Confederation of Christian Churches and Fellowships in all their rich diversity. And all are welcome into our great Army of service for the Master. At the outset our Founders hoped to see an organisation which would be all- embracing, open to the Catholic, Reformed and Evangelical and Liberal traditions. We have a duty to ensure that that remains our focus today. New and invigorating developments in liturgy, worship, appraising theology with fresh endeavours to discover more the depths of Christian spirituality are in evidence in our day. Our hope our Communion will never shy away from any challenge that comes its way. Above all, we must all stand together, mend any differences, share our faults and hurts and help to bring healing to our broken and fragmented world. I'm here for you, and each one of you is there for me. Alone we are nothing; together we are beautiful. Let us meet the challenge, build our great Communion in faith in whatever form our commitment takes, whether alone in prayer or engaging in some wonderful social and educational project.
And remember, please pray for me.
With all love and blessings,
The Most Rev’d Dr. Richard Arthur Palmer Archbishop Primus