400th Anniversary of the Cross-Planting
Update: 30 April See the article in the Orange County Register
Update: 29 April Congratulations and deepest thanks go to Fr. Kelley for a wonderful event! Five parishes were represented, with a total of about 50 attendees of all ages. Fellowship (and s’mores!) helped to bring us together, as did the uplifting service. Some photos of the event may be viewed on our photo album page.
“Likewise, too, we might say there have been contentions between various brands of Traditional Anglicans. That is something I pray this gathering can help begin in healing.” – Fr. Christopher Kelley
Sunday, April 29th, marks the 400th Anniversary of the Cross-Planting for the spread of the Gospel on the eastern shores of what would become these United States. To commemorate the event, Fr. Kelley of St. Mary of the Angels (Hollywood) is organizing a gathering at Corona del Mar Beach (Marguerite and Ocean Drive), with a reenactment of the Cross-Planting at 4 pm, followed by Evensong. Full information is available on their website.
The Legacy of Robert Hunt
The journey to Chesapeake Bay was marked by harsh conditions, strife between settlers and crew, and conflict with the natives. Upon arrival, Chaplain Robert Hunt called for three days of prayer and fasting. On 29 April 1607, the crew planted a rough-hewn wooden cross in the sand. Chaplain Hunt claimed the land for king and country and dedicated the New World to God, a staging ground for the Gospel: “…from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World, but the entire world.”
These events are dramatized in First Landing, a made-for-TV movie premiering on ABC Family Channel on 30 April (Time Warner West Valley Channel 44).
More information about the 400th Anniversary of the Cross-Planting and the founding of Jamestown may be found at The Assembly 2007 and The Jamestowne Society.