The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN 3

Journeying together in faith

with perseverance towards 2018
The Prime Bishops Address
Eighth Regular Synod
Episcopal Church in the Philippines
Delivered at the Opening Service oI Synod. Parish oI St.
Mary the Virgin. Sagada. Mountain Province
May 3. 2011
I express my thanks to Bishop Brent Alawas and the Episco-
pal Diocese oI Northern Philippines. the Parish oI St. Mary
the Virgin and St. Mary`s High School. and the Sagada Dean-
ery Ior hosting this year`s triennial Synod. This is one his-
toric event quite similar to our having hosted the centennial
celebration oI our church in 2001. Thank you very much.
I welcome the delegates and all participants oI this 9th Syn-
od oI the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
And I also welcome all our guests. visitors and Iriends who
are here. At an opportune time. this august body will give
you the necessary leverage Ior involvement in the various
activities oI synod.
We praise God Ior this precious time and opportunity to pray
together. to have Iellowship. to learn Irom one another as
one big Iamily oI the risen Christ. to celebrate what we have
accomplished so Iar in the past three years. and to talk busi-
ness in charting a road map Ior the Iuture oI the church.
For this sharing on the state oI the Church which is by no
means complete. let me start with some oI our partner rela-
tionships.
(1) The ECP and the Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is composed oI autonomous
Anglican and Episcopal Church Provinces throughout the
world. When we became autonomous in 1991 the Episcopal
Church in the Philippines became the 39th Province oI the
Anglican Communion. I think most oI us know that there
are problems besetting the Communion. One oI this is the
practice oI the Episcopal Church USA or TEC in conse-
crating practicing homosexuals and lesbians to the episco-
pate. The other is the acceptance oI same-sex marriages in
both TEC and in the Anglican Church oI Canada or ACoC.
Hence. some provinces oI the Anglican Communion want to
isolate these two North American Churches. They express
in no uncertain terms that the Church in Canada and TEC
His Grace. Edward Malecdan. Prime Bishop. declares the 8th
ECP Regular Svnod open.
should be out oI the Communion. They look at the Instru-
ments oI Communion. like the Primates` Meeting to make
that decision. presumably Ior the whole Communion. The
other 3 instruments oI Communion are the Anglican Consul-
tative Council which has its own Constitution and By Laws.
the Archbishop oI Canterbury and the Lambeth ConIerence
which takes place once every ten years.
There was also a plan to create a parallel Anglican Commu-
nion which would exclude in its membership TEC. ACoC
and the Archbishop oI Canterbury as instrument oI Com-
munion. such that those who planned this boycotted the
Lambeth ConIerence in 2009 and the Primate`s Meeting I
attended in Dublin. Ireland last January 25 to February 1 this
year. Associated with this problem is the Anglican Covenant
which is supposedly a proposed document to help diIIuse
the tension in the Communion. The document is intended to
be the fnal arbiter in the resolution oI conficts in the com-
munion and that all member churches will have to adhere to
its provisions. The ECP Council oI Bishops noted that the
document provides Ior the creation oI a Standing Committee
that will be the 'Supreme Court as it were. Ior the Anglican
Communion to lord it over all Anglican Provinces. This. to
the Council is very un-Anglican because oI the autonomous
nature oI each Anglican Province. Hence. we are not in Iavor
oI the document.
continued next page
The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN 4
PRIME BISHOPS ADDRESS..... previous page
In the Primates` Meeting I attended in Ireland. the unity
and diversity oI the Anglican Communion was clearly and
strongly aIfrmed. We recognized that Anglicans have many
disagreements as a Communion but we still can be agreeable
to one another. We can still move towards reconciliation as
sisters and brothers as a giIt oI God to us by persistently talk-
ing about our diIIerences. This is the beauty oI Anglicanism.
Unity in diversity which is a recognized uniqueness oI the
Communion is preserved.
(2) ECP and The Episcopal Church or TEC
Meanwhile. our relationship with TEC changed a lot since
autonomy in 1991. We relate as equal partners. All oI the pa-
tronizing and colonial dealings oI the past are gone. We are
a church which has something to oIIer to the Communion as
well as to TEC and vice versa. For instance. Floyd Lalwet
and I were invited by TEC to present our history and how
we gained autonomy to members and delegates oI the 2009
General Convention in Los Angeles. CaliIornia. The big hall
where we made the presentation was flled to overfowing.
Immediately aIter the General Convention. we were re-
quested to present the same in Arizona Ior TEC`s Province
VIII. This did not materialize because I was not ready Ior a
proposed New York visit aIter our supposed presentation in
Arizona. TEC was persistent. so that last March. Floyd and I
were requested to tell our story in Honduras Ior Province IX.
which we did in the presence oI Presiding Bishop Katherine
Schori and delegates oI the Province.
Not too long ago. Bishop Brent Alawas oI EDNP. was also
requested by the Province oI the Anglican Church oI Myn-
mar (Burma) to present to our sisters and brothers there
about our CBDP program and proiects. Defnitely. we have
something to tell and to share. not necessarily in terms oI
money.
ECP TEC relationship is sustained through the Joint Com-
mittee on the Philippine Covenant or JCPC composed oI rep-
resentatives Irom the two churches. In Iact it had its annual
ioint meeting in Baguio City early this month and it came
up with a new charter that would govern the relationship be-
tween the two churches. This document will be presented
to Synod Ior confrmation. and it will also be presented to
the Executive Council oI TEC or to its General Convention
next year. also Ior confrmation. I charge Synod to approve
this charter which will serve as a continuing Ioundation and
guide in our relationship with TEC Ior at least the next six
years.
(3) The ECP and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente
We ecumenically relate with the IFI with whom we signed a
Concordat oI Full Communion on February 19. 1997. In the
past. our relationship was sometimes cold. sometimes warm.
It has become warmer because the two churches are Iacing
the causes oI cold relationships squarely in the Iace by con-
stant dialogue. Iormal and inIormal. Actions were success-
Iully implemented regarding ownership oI lands and church-
es registered in the name oI both churches (the deIunct Joint
Council) since the time oI Prime Bishop Ignacio Soliba.
On February 19. representatives oI the two churches ioyIully
celebrated the signing oI the Concordat Relations last Febru-
ary at St. Andrew`s Seminary and last month. I was a witness
to the signing oI the Concordat oI Full Communion between
the IFI and the Anglican Church oI Melanesia at the IFI Na-
tional Cathedral in TaIt Avenue.
The IFI next week. in its scheduled General Assembly will
elect a new Obispo Maximo to replace Bishop GodoIredo
David. I ask your prayers Ior the success oI this General As-
sembly. Lest we Iorget. the ECP linkage with the IFI is the
only Iormal relationship we have outside the Anglican Com-
munion

(4) Diocese to Diocese Relationships
Diocese to diocese relationships have been sustained
and upliIted during the last three years. We reioice that the
EDNCP still has its link with the Diocese oI Chubu. Japan
and a relationship with the Diocese oI Seoul. Korea will
hopeIully be consummated beIore the end oI the month.
positively speaking. The Episcopal Diocese oI Santiago es-
tablished a partnership with the Diocese oI Nevada; EDSP
has linked with the Diocese oI Olympia; EDNP will hope-
Iully be a partner with the Diocese oI Lexington and has a
continuing link with the Kiyosato Educational Experimen-
tal Program or KEEP oI Japan; EDNL continues to seek a
partner; and the Central Diocese continues to relate with the
see PRIME BISHOP ADDRESS p7
The Philippine nag and Diocesan banners lead the Svnod
opening procession.
The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN 8
(6) On Infrastructure
We have constructed an average oI 7 to 8 churches annually
Ior the past three years. Most oI these were heavily Iunded
by St. Luke`s Medical Center or SLMC through Mr. Robert
Kuan. the Chairman oI its Board oI Trustees (55 buildings
in all as oI this time). These are beautiIul and durable struc-
tures. according to the standards oI SLMC. The most recent
is a church built upon solid rock in Demang. about 2 kilome-
ters Irom here which will be blessed on May 7.
Trinity University oI Asia or TUA. through its
Board has also pledged to help the church in its eIIorts to
pursue Vision 2018 Iocusing on educational assistance. Its
Board is still Iormulating guidelines to govern the ministry
PRIME BISHOP ADDRESS... from page 7
NEWS & SYNOD HIGHLIGHTS
The Rev David Lord. Coordinator of Chaplaincv and Service
Learning for the Anglican Schools Commission in Western
Australia delivers the Greetings and message of the Archbishop
of Perth and Metropolitan of the Province of Western Australia.
Anglican Church of Australia.
the University intends to share with us. Meanwhile TUA has started to build a new church in Bagong Buhay. Nueva Eciia
oI the EDCP with the amount oI One Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P1.500.000.00).
The ECW oI TEC and our own local ECW cannot be outdone. The TEC United Thank OIIering continues to build
church edifces every year and the Pasasalamat oI our own ECW has contributed signifcant amounts towards the building
programs oI the dioceses. Synod appreciation must be expressed Ior the untiring ministry oI these women organizations as
well as to Robert Kuan and SLMC and to President Josefna Sumaya and TUA.
Still on ecumenical relations. we give thanks to the National Council oI Churches in the Philippines and its General
Secretary. Fr. Rex Reyes Ior its persistency in providing us with important documents and inIormation related to ecumenism
and opportunities Ior ECP involvement in the liIe and ministry oI this Ecumenical body we are a part oI. It was the initiative
oI the NCCP that our Concordat Relationship with the IFI was celebrated at St. Andrew`s Theological Seminary on February
17.
Talking about our one and only Seminary. its physical renovation is ongoing. The Irontage is already done and
painting inside the dormitories and classrooms are in progress. SATS has to pursue excellence Ior ministry through the
molding oI knowledgeable. capable. energized. vibrant ministers in accordance with our vision. Seminarians are being
trained to have the necessary commitment and passion Ior 'pasturing the people oI God. Ior social iustice and environmen-
tal stewardship. among other expectations.
SATS continues to Iulfll its mandate but its graduates can hardly supply the clergy needs oI the dioceses. This
means that our congregations are growing in number but many oI these do not have shepherds and no regular services at all.
We simply do not have enough clergy. The whole business oI searching Ior the best people with vocation Ior the priesthood
is the business oI the whole Church. Is there anything Synod can do to address the problem?
(7) On Finance
While we are not operating in great abundance. we are able to implement mandatory salary increases according to
the law oI the land and can take care oI our own day to day expenditures as a church. Through iudicious management oI the
money we have and increasing our sources oI income. the building up oI our Endowment Funds. National and Diocesan.
subsequently improved.
But the capacity oI the church and the fnancial autonomy gained in 2007 remains to be subsistence autonomy.
'Subsistence. in the sense that the church can support itselI. and survive. even without outside help. But it does not mean
that we do not need any assistance which can make a diIIerence in the fnancial standing oI the church. And Ior those who
make partnerships with us in the carrying out oI the mission oI God in this part oI God`s Kingdom as what TEC is doing on
equal level. they are most welcome.
SuIfce it to make mention here that Ior the past three years we did not incur a serious defcit. In Iact we had a sur-
plus oI 2.6. million pesos in 2008. 2.3 million in 2009 and 2 million pesos last year. and we are proiecting 2.2 million pesos
surplus at the end oI this year.
continued next page
The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN 9
(8) The Evangelism and Christian Education Program
This program has been on and oII the national oIfce map
and structure since the retirement oI SuIIragan Bishop
Miguel Yamoyam. This time however. with the appointment
oI Fr. David Tabo-oy as the new director. things will be bet-
ter Ior the church. Since his appointment last year. Fr David
has been engaged by some dioceses in proiects related with
Evangelism and Christian Education. We look Iorward to
a more vigorous relationship between the National OIfce
through Fr. David and the dioceses these coming years with
programs geared towards the attainment oI Vision 2018.
(9) The Episcopal Church in the Philippines Pension Fund, Inc.
Our pension system. now governed by a Management Committee with the StaII is very much stabilized. Pensioners
are assured that they will receive what is due them on a regular basis unless a tragic accident happens to our well-entrenched
investments. But there is a need to Iurther cement and strengthen the fnancial base and security system to be oI better ser-
vice to our retired and retiring employees. And one action oI the Management Committee which was approved by Executive
Council in November last year was the allocation oI the TEC grant oI FiIteen Thousand Dollars ($15.000.00) to support the
Pension Fund.
At the end oI 2008 the Plan had a net surplus oI 2.4 million pesos. 4.5 million in 2009 and 3.6 million pesos last
year. But despite these net surpluses and the inIusion oI new money aIorementioned. the Management Committee proiects a
defcit 5-years Irom now because church employees do not iust Iade away. they retire and live long liIe. II we cannot reach
the Two Hundred Million Pesos (P200.000.000.00). target amount to make the plan more stable. the plan will be in trouble
by 2015. The Management Committee will have to be more creative in its search Ior Iresh money Ior the above purpose and
Synod might have suggestions to help the program reach the target.
(10) On Lay Organizations: ECW, BSA and Samahan ng Kabataang Episcopal sa Pilipinas (SKEP)
The ECW continues to expand not only in terms oI chapter members but in its ministry as well. . Simply put. it is
doing good Ior the church year in and year out and I cannot imagine what the Episcopal Church is today without this vibrant
women organization. It is the model par excellence oI church autonomy as it is an organization that seldom asks Ior help in
order to receive but keeps on actively giving.
The Brotherhood oI Saint Andrew is Iast catching up with the women in terms oI involvement in church liIe. Some
years ago. cooking. serving and entertaining guests and visitors were the domain oI the women. Now. men oI the Brother-
hood working with women. is a common sight in the many activities and programs oI the church. In Iact. many oI them can
pray better in all circumstances than this bishop and probably other clergy. I suppose. In a Iew places during the past Iew
years. some BSA members brought home to the church a Iew oI their non Anglican Iriends to be received. They are indeed
'bringing others to Christ. We reioice and celebrate with them on this gradual transIormation.
The SKEP has done a lot oI ongoing education Ior themselves in their meetings. conIerences and assemblies since
2008. Browsing on some oI their programs which they obediently submit to the PB beIore implementation. knowing about
the Bible is always an important component. together with knowing the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In
their recent general assembly held in Nueva Eciia last month. their theme was related with what they can do Ior an abused
and hurting 'mother earth.
I believe that the organization is no doubt the breeding place Ior Iuture Anglican leadership and a place oI nurture
in the Iaith Ior our children and grandchildren. We continue to support their programs and activities. I charge this Synod to
give seat. voice and vote to our three illustrious lay organizations. the ECW.BSA and SKEP so that they can Iully participate
in the processes oI decision making oI the church.
continued next page
PRIME BISHOP ADDRESS... from p8
NEWS & SYNOD HIGHLIGHTS
Faith & culture embrace each other during the Svnod Cultural
Night bonhre at the St Marvs School quadrangle.
The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN 10
(11) The Congregation of the National Cathedral of
Saint Mary and Saint John or SMSJ
The status oI the congregation oI the CSMSJ is still in limbo.
According to our canons. any congregation oI this church
should be associated and in Iact linked with a diocese. Since
the abolition oI the Metro See. the CSMSJ congregation was
'orphaned in the words oI Bishop Abibico in his sermon
in the National Cathedral last month. Executive Council in
its last meeting decided that the congregation should belong
to the EDCP. Two weeks ago. the Prime Bishop. Bishop
Dixie Taclobao and Dean James Boliget initially discussed
the implementation oI the decision. Meetings with the Ca-
thedral Chapter and with the Cathedral lay organizations
will still be scheduled to discuss matters oI transition. It is
worth noting that despite its predicament. the Cathedral in
its outreach ministry allotted P100.000.00 annually. and is
given to the dioceses by rotation. We remember to thank the
CSMSJ Ior its fnancial support to the dioceses. One oI its
concerns is to really assist in the creation oI more parishes
in the church.
(12) The Division of EDSP
This is the third Synod that the division is presented and
discussed. It was frst brought up during the 2003 Synod
held in the Episcopal Diocese oI North Central Philippines
but due to some canonical technicalities the implementation
was delayed. It was presented again in the 2008 Synod held
in Trinity University oI Asia but it Iell short oI the neces-
sary requirements as what happened in 2003. I would like
to believe that EDSP has now Iulflled all constitutional and
canonical requirements to divide. Better management and
administration have always been the results oI our previ-
ous divisions. EDSP is the biggest diocese in terms oI area
oI responsibility and its proposed partitioning indicates
growth and development in that part oI God`s vineyard. I
charge Synod to act on this positively. The more dioceses
there are in the church. the merrier and the better.
(13) Finally
Now. let me say a Iew things about the source oI this Syn-
od theme the Letter to the Hebrews. 12:1-2 'ThereIore.
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud oI witnesses.
let us also lay aside every weight. and sin which clings so
closely. and let us run with perseverance the race that is set
beIore us. looking to Jesus the pioneer and perIecter oI our
Iaith. who Ior the ioy that was set beIore him endured the
cross. despising the shame. and is seated at the right hand
oI the throne oI God.
The 'great cloud oI witnesses cited here are mentioned in
Chapter 11 which includes Moses. Abraham. Isaac. Noah
and other big heroes oI the Old Testament. They are cited as
examples oI Iaith and hope. The end oI verse 1 and begin-
ning oI verse 2 is more appropriate Ior us in this Synod. It
says: 'let us run with perseverance the race that is set beIore
us. looking to Jesus. the pioneer and perIecter oI our Iaith.
In the case oI the Old Testament heroes. there was no model
Ior them to identiIy with. In the periscope I iust cited. Jesus
is depicted by the author oI Hebrews as the ultimate paragon
oI Iaith the model par excellence. He it is being identifed
as the 'Iounder and perIecter oI our Iaith is at the same time
the sustainer oI our hope in God`s promises.
My sisters and brothers in the Iaith. whenever we Iace a
problem. there is sometimes the sense oI doom that comes
with it. On the other hand. a problem is also an opportunity
because it challenges us to do something about it. That is
partly why we are here. We are challenged by problems we
Iace as a national church. We are challenge Ior instance by
the slow pace in relation to the creation oI Iull parishes in
the Dioceses. The challenges move us to keep on upgrading
our perIormance.
At the same time we would like to celebrate and present to
God what He has done through us in the past three years.
And we are here too. to discern where God is leading us
Ior the Iuture. That is not exactly clear and I think that even
aIter Synod we might be able to discover God`s plan Ior us.
But this does not mean we give up pursuing our vision. The
best is still to be drawn Irom out oI us Philippine Anglicans/
Episcopalians who are endowed by God with the giIts oI
leadership. resiliency and creativity. We Iervently ask Ior
God`s guidance as we 'run with perseverance the race that
is set beIore us looking to Jesus. the pioneer and perIecter oI
our Iaith. +
PRIME BISHOP ADDRESS....from p9
NEWS & SYNOD HIGHLIGHTS
Episcopal Dance. The bishops danced during the Svnod Hvmn
Festival at the St Marv the Jirgin Church.