GAFCON Rector Speaks About Pilgrimage

http://bobbyjacksonkennedy.blogspot.com/2008/07/gafcon-rector-speaks-about-pilgrimage.html

[Bobby Jackson Kennedy] 14 Jul 2008--I conducted the following interview with my rector, Fr. Gregg Riley, on July 4th 2008, regarding his attendance at GAFCON. I hope this is helpful to those who did not attend, and helps put this conference into perspective. Parishioners of Grace Church Monroe, as well as those in the Diocese of Western Louisiana, will find these comments to be of interest especially.

BJK: It is well known that you accompanied Bishop MacPherson to GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference). How did your invitation to this historic conference come about?

GR+: When I first heard about GAFCON it was January, and I first read about it on a blog, or somewhere. At that time I contacted Bishop Iker, who is an old friend of mine in Fort Worth, because I felt if anyone in the neighborhood was going to be invited it would include Bishop Iker. I asked him how one would go about getting an invitation and, he referred me to Bishop Duncan. I sent Bishop Duncan an e-mail in January and mentioned my interest in attending the conference to represent the Anglo-Catholic/orthodox wing of Western Louisiana. Bishop Duncan replied and said attendance would be by invitation only, and, at that time, he was not sure how many invitations the Americans would receive, out of approximately 1,000 invitations. He said he would keep me in mind and get back to me. So, I made the initial contact in January. As things worked out, I eventually received my invitation from Bishop Duncan to attend GAFCON.