Like many people involved in the work that was the Charismatic Episcopal Church, there was a great deal of ownership going in to this new movement.  This was once called the fastest-growing denomination in the US and the world (however, I can’t for the life of me remember who said that… it was just widely quoted that way). 

Now, it’s fighting for its life and trying to march on like nothing happened.  The dream was that this movement would incorporate the charismatic, evangelical and liturgical/sacramental streams of historic Christianity.  But, in the end, it became mostly charismatic with a smattering of liturgical with a huge heap of 1970s-era shepherding tricks to keep people in the movement for as long as possible.

It became quite apparent that the initial growth of the movement was over.  So, most churches that I knew of in the CEC had a “bolt the doors” strategy.  No one can leave.  If you leave, you leave with a curse or a black hand over you.  And, once you leave, it’s as if you were never born.  Very Christian tactics, let me tell you.

I left the Charismatic Episcopal Church after some years in the movement.  I sacrificed time, money, vacation from my secular employment, etc., etc…  all to demonstrate my loyalty to a Bishop who just came to expect that he deserved all that he had coming to him. 

I had heard “Where the Bishop is, there is the church” quoted to me from the early Church fathers so many times that I started to feel like I wanted to vomit each time I heard it.  That was not meant to be some power to be lorded over the clergy and laity under his care.  It was just the reality of the structure of the church. 

I have no idea where I am going with all this except to say that it has been some time since I left the CEC.  Most days, I am happy that I left.  Other days, I feel horrible for the manner in which it all happened.  I can almost always feel some sort of resentment that most of the people that I counted on as friends no longer wish to speak to me or wish me some sort of harm for leaving.

Does this resonate with anyone out there?