The Rev. Mark Hansen: A Personal Statement in Response to Bishop Smith’s Inhibition

From the AAC Weekly Update

July 13, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
The Rev. Mark Hansen
860-796-1175

I am personally devastated by Bishop Smith’s actions today. In inhibiting me on the grounds of abandonment of communion, he has misrepresented facts and caused tremendous stress on both my family and St. John’s Church. The bishop is fully aware that family circumstances necessitated a sabbatical leave. I have informed him of the fact that our son has needs requiring a variety of specialized support services. The needs are real, and the services are expensive. In inhibiting me, the bishop has knowingly and willfully endangered my family’s well-being and security. If the bishop had issues with my contractual arrangements with the congregation, surely his concerns could have been expressed through pastoral rather than canonical actions, particularly in light of his knowledge of my specific circumstances.

I have done all in my power to be faithful to providing for my family, but I have never lost sight of my responsibility to St. John’s. I have had the full support of the church leadership and congregation and remain committed to the church. Despite the bishop’s claims to the contrary, St. John’s has never been without pastoral care in the form of supply clergy for both weekday coverage and Sunday services. I am deeply saddened at the tactics displayed by Bishop Smith and his 12 associates who ignored pleas of St. John’s elected leadership, intimated those who attempted to reason with them, and hacked into computers to obtain confidential church records. How can this possibly be construed as being “concerned for the life and ministry of St. John’s”?

My wife Ceil and I ask for your prayers during this difficult trial.