Ember Day Prayers for my Bishop

This is one of the seasonal times of Ember Days, meant for prayer, fasting, and ordination. The ember days are a part of each of the four seasons, and seem to be a uniquely Celtic/British contribution to the western calendar of the Christian Year. Later today, the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church is also meeting in Utah to consider the removal of Bishop Robert Duncan as Bishop of Pittsburgh for "Abandonment of the Communion"

Such a charge is laughable, and underlies Bishop Bob's real crime, of leading the Diocese of Pittsburgh out of the the Episcopal Church into a closer relationship with our sister Anglican churches in other countries that still believe strange things (In the eyes of the revisionist liberals who are in charge of the national Episcopal Church)What are some of the strange things that Bishop Bob teaches?

That all men are sinners.

That Jesus Christ died for sinners, rose from the dead and through this offers forgiveness of sins.

That the Bible is the inspired word of God for his people.

That God intends marriage as a sacramental relationship between one man and one woman, rather than two men or two women.

That though we are all sinners, unrepentant active homosexuals should not be ordained as clergy.

That the Church is a community of shared faith, and it is his obligation to work to unite orthodox believers.

I must confess a low opinion of Bishops in General, whether Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran or Anglicans. Many are arrogant, concerned about their own power, and many are unfortunately corrupt. If I did not believe in the reality of the sacraments and apostolic succession, I would be another kind of Christian. Bishops like Robert Duncan are men worthy of the pastorate, risking all in order to lead their flock to safe grounds. He has already faced ridicule, hatred, and lawsuits. There will be more in the months to come, as the diocese of Pittsburgh votes in early October to re affiliate with the Anglican Diocese of the Southern Cone, and part of the larger worldwide fellowship of confessing Anglicans. Please pray for him, and his flock.

The psalter reading for this Ember Day in the Prayer book is Psalm One Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Bishop Duncan has declined to attend the House of Bishops meeting for his own deposing without trial.