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July 2007
An American in England: Jim Rosenthal ordained deacon
What a happy event and much deserved tribute. Thank you to Nan Cobbey for writing such a lively report that captures beautifully this devoted and unusual man of God. And hearty congratulations to Deacon Jim, a wonderful icon of the servant communicator!
I still think I'm a Christian
I totally agree! More than being an exclusive group, they're being down right alienating!I agree. Well, spit.
I still think I'm a Christian
I, too, am an apostate heretic in the eyes of Holy Mother the Church in Rome. I have been a faithful husband, father, grandfather, teacher and deacon but, alas, I am lost. Thank God that I don't depend on "outside the church there is no salvation" but only God's saving grace. I wouldn't have it any other way and that's the reason I left the Roman Catholic Church in my early 20s (I'm 60 now). Thanks for a well written story of faith. Well done.
Children of incarcerated find unconditional love at summer camp
I am the acting director of our Dick Johnston Children's Camp here in Arkansas. We just finished our second year of doing a camp for the children of the incarcerated. I called the national church for help and money and was told there was none. This happened right after the Rev. Jackie Means retired. Now I find out they have $65,000. Where were you when I asked for help?We raised over $40,000 this year with no help from the church, all private donations. I would hope that the next time you are asked for help you will respond. We have learned by trial and error, but we have done it on our own. Next year our goal is $80,000 and 65 campers. We provide them with everything they need including clothes and suitcases. I found the article interesting.
I still think I'm a Christian
This article is most refreshing and, no surprise, translates very well to the situation here in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Some of us are being told that we are ungodly heathens in our belief that others may end up in heaven even though they have chosen a somewhat different route. Further, we are being told that every word of the Scripture is perfect and true and, darn, some of our guys have been waiting for those concubines to show up and become part of their household. If the latter would do the housework and the laundry, spit, I might just entertain such a notion for my husband. And, and, those godly folks among us who have been programmed from birth in a somewhat different pattern, never mind that they are also created in God's own image, should now resist their biological wiring and stop loving their life partners. As you say so eloquently, "Well, spit!"
Headline: RWANDA: Thousands gather for international gospel event
Finally a story about the church's missionary mandate. Thank you.
I still think I'm a Christian
Thank you to the Rev. Lauren Stanley for her thoughts on the Pope's theology.I am one of those Episcopalians who loves my church for many reasons, but especially for its open-minded, three-legged theology: Scripture, tradition and reason. The Pope's words are sad as he seems not to understand the true message of Christianity, as the Rev. Stanley pointed out.
Can you imagine that God would have a church club named The Roman Catholic Church and only those who belonged were true Christians?
Well, spit!
I still think I'm a Christian
I rejoice that the liturgy of the Episcopal Church uses the words, "Drink this, all of you..." Apparently the Pope's prayer book says, "Drink this, some of you or only if you are the chosen ones." As we also say in the South, "Bless his heart!"
I still think I'm a Christian
Perhaps the Rev. Stanley should again peruse Pope Benedict XVI's "Responses To Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects Of The Doctrine On The Church." One wonders if she read it even once.She clearly missed the bit that says "It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them."
She also apparently overlooked that section that said ""It follows that these separated churches and communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church."
No one said the Rev. Stanley wasn't a Christian.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
Grateful am I that I can read -- nonvisually -- the ELO e-mail listserv messages and Episcopal Life on audio cassette and I can even respond to this article, via Web-form. However, in the so-called organized blind movement, there is a very, very relevant accessibility saying: "Organizations don't do work; people do work" -- Durward K. McDaniel, founding national representative, American Council of the Blind.Until the "disability issue" is assigned to a specific, flesh-and-blood person within each individual mission or parish church, accessibility issues will simply not move forward. My church published the 1979 edition of The Book of Common Prayer in Braille -- 13 volumes of Braille. Then it simply moved onto the trial common liturgy or the revised common liturgy or whatever it is called now. Ain't no bishop from anywhere within this church called me up to advise me as to when I can expect to see that arrive in Braille, at my house or my parish Church.
Leaflets, leaflets everywhere; but not a single Braille dot to spare. Guess 30-year-old comprehensive accessibility ought to be good enough for me. I used to periodically calling the Diocese of Olympia to ask if the Diocesan newsletter was available in a Braille, audio, (and later) machine-readable format. I don't think that I could have generated a higher level of telephonic discomfort if I had called in and asked, "Say, do you have that-there newsletter in either a Martian or a Venutian edition." I stopped calling. Get real people on it, or just simply get off it. That's the deal!
An American in England: Jim Rosenthal ordained deacon
Thank you so much for that marvelous article! Jim [Rosenthal] is a dear friend and, sadly, we were not able to go to London for his ordination. Your article made us feel like we were there.Jim is so deserving of this recognition...and your tribute was exceptional! Thank you again.
'We won't walk away': Communion's friendships, traditions, partnerships too valuable
St. Augustine of Canterbury and "the bishop who sent him" (i.e. Pope St. Gregory the Great), were both devout and courageous Catholics. St. Augustine was sent, remember, to bring the English church into union with Rome. England was [Roman] Catholic once upon a time. For five centuries the Church of England has lived off the capital of its Catholic heritage, but now that capital is spent. Anglicanism is but an empty shell. Copes and miters does not a catholic make. There is only one [Roman] Catholic Church and, sad to say, the Episcopal Church, the Church of England and the Anglican Communion are not part of it.
An American in England: Jim Rosenthal ordained deacon
Thank you so much for the excellent coverage of Jim [Rosenthal's] ordination as a deacon in the church of God.Since Vatican II the role of a perpetual deacon has taken on the sacredness of the office to which our deacons are called. They are not the lower clergy but part of the real team of the ministry of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. This is so evident in the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion since the mid 1960s.
What positive news that we can all agree on. Thanks be to God.
'We won't walk away': Communion's friendships, traditions, partnerships too valuable
Well put! I particularly liked the comparison between faith and language and between belief and grammar. We may be able to keep speaking the same language throughout the Anglican Communion through all the difficult times of attempts at correcting each other's grammar. As we immerse ourselves in fellowship, common mission and witness in the world, continuing communication with one another, I believe it is possible that a way through current struggles and misunderstandings and even fears and hatreds may diminish, and that new, larger, fuller life will be found. Is this an entrance into God's rule of love, justice, truth and peace? I pray that it is.
'We won't walk away': Communion's friendships, traditions, partnerships too valuable
William Tully's opinion is thoughtful, insightful and engaging. I found myself saying, "Preach it, Bill," until I reached the final paragraph. Whenever I hear the call for sensitivity and patience -- the call for sacrifice as well -- I always wonder who is being asked to manifest these virtues. More often than not it is we who are heterosexual in the Communion -- indeed even in the Episcopal Church -- who are asking our GLBT faithful to exhibit patience and sacrifice. In the cost analysis, how much is the sacrifice for those who are straight compared to the sacrifice for those who are not?
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
I suppose you must call me a former Episcopalian: I left the church more than 30 years ago, forced out by the very sort of dogmas espoused by the Rev. Tom Ehrich in this presentation.Setting aside his advocacy of the highly questionable science of global warming, and the archetypal leftist rhetoric with respect to his attacks on the auto, petroleum and other industries, the real intent of his words is found here:
"Religion must stop making franchise-protection its top priority and partisan shouting its preferred voice."
Here, now, is the real heart of the matter: Ehrich is using the church, and Christ, as a ventriloquist's dummy to mouth the slogans of the far left. The Episcopal Church, the faith of my youth into which I was born, baptized and confirmed, is to be nothing more than yet another propaganda organ for the secular agenda of the left wing of the Democratic Party.
Talk about "franchise-protection!" Just what franchise is Ehrich protecting here? The self-evident hypocrisy of his statements is so transparent that it may be difficult for some to see.
The schism which churchmen have, for years, feared is a reality, now: those, like Ehrich, who have hijacked the Episcopal Church for their own worldly ends are solely responsible for its downfall.
WEST TEXAS: Episcopal flock going green for God
The sun provides enough solar energy to the earth in one hour to power the world for one year. Solar energy is the most abundant natural resource we have, and that technology has been around for awhile. People don't care until it affects them directly and personally. We need a cause that will motivate us and bring us together as a force to resolve these problems. We can do it without breaking the bank or going broke. We need to be good stewards of the energy that God provides for our use.We are all overlooking an important issue here: What can we do as individuals to have an effect on the global energy problem we face today? The answer is simple: "Make solar power affordable to the masses." Alternative energy is moving in the right direction to meet the demand, but what effect will it have on homeowners who can not afford it or don't have the time to wait for the break-even period.
I recently ran across a company that has removed the traditional cost of solar power. They do it with a rental agreement and with an electric rate locked in at or below what you are paying to your electric provider now. They provide a worry-free system. They install it and maintain it without any additional fee. Imagine all homeowners producing their own electric solar power on their roofs without going broke. What a concept. Think of all the energy savings. What an impact that would have all across this country, http://www.solarforusa.com/.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
I am in a wheel chair, and am a very active person. I have had some experiences where I have driven 80 miles to attend an event, only to arrive and find the church not accessible. It really does not occur to most people that it will be a problem. A most notable one was for a profession of three Third Order Franciscans. I could not get inside at any level of the church, so, out came my brothers and sisters, and we had an after-dark sidewalk Eucharist!
Monitoring sites important
I just wanted to weigh in on the MySpace/Facebook debate.First, there should be no debate. To reach our kids, we have to go where they are -- the electronic media. We can and must maintain our identities as youth ministers while there, but we have no choice but to go.
I have always been average in terms of using technology, but I had no problem learning to text message. The first response I got from one of my kids after sending out a reminder about an upcoming service project was "Wow I didn't think you knew how to do that." He was very much impressed. That's not trying to be one of them, it's simply communicating with one of them on their turf.
When the kids begin to log on and see that I'm there, the conversations start poring in -- initiated by them. And I have total control. I can always type "hey, I gotta go" should the conversation get too lengthy.
The debate over the invasiveness of youth workers using these two mediums causes us to lose sight of a key reason for using them -- they enable the kids to learn who we are. Our favorite music, books, movies, photos of our families and pets, you name it. I also use "the wall" of Facebook to post announcements and event times. I suppose setting up your own website connected to the church site would work, but its effectiveness would depend on how many kids knew it was there. Let's be honest -how many of our youth surf the church web site? Most of mine can't even quote the web address, and it's printed on the Sunday bulletin and posted on the EYC bulletin board they pass each Sunday morning in the hallway!
Time formerly spent in front of the TV is quickly being replaced by time spent online. Simply put, MySpace and Facebook are where our kids are, and we would be negligent not to be there with them.
Might God be calling you to the military chaplaincy?
The age requirements for chaplains create an artificial barrier for those who are willing to serve. I met with a recruiter who visited my seminary back in 2001 and learned that I was ineligible because I was 44 years old. The fact that there are so many non-sacramental chaplains may very well be related to the median age for those who enter ordained ministry in their respective faith tradition. Most of the seminarians in my class at Sewanee were in their 40s.
I also learned some time ago that the military age cutoff for Roman Catholic priests is considerably higher that for other churches which seems to me to be rather discriminatory toward Protestants. There are a number of priests like me who are quite willing to serve both actively or in the reserves but the military (unless it has already done so) is going to have to revise its regulations regarding age cutoffs.
MASSACHUSETTS: Historic church will showcase heritage of nearly 300 years
Being a native Newburyporter, although not raised in St. Paul's Church, I have claimed it somewhat when I go back to visit now that I am a priest in the Episcopal Church. In a history of Newburyport which was published in 1900, there is a section on churches. There are quite a few old churches in the town. It tells about the time when we declared our independence from England. People in the congregation went to Father Bass and asked him to remove any reference to the monarchy that appeared in the Book of Common Prayer. There are pictures in the book of pages with black lines through them. Father Bass remained there while other priests returned to England.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
I serve two churches in the Diocese of Montana. One is accessible (barely) and the other is not. Many of our oldest parishioners stop attending because at one church they cannot get up the stairs and, at both, accessing toileting facilities requires leaving the building which in bad weather is most challenging.Funding, not will, is the issue. I am paid $12,000 per year at the church where I assist and nothing at the church where I am priest-in-charge. Frankly, if I did not have another source of income one church would close and the other would lack a significant portion of its programming.
I grew up in New York, graduated from St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, taught at St. George's in Rhode Island, and belonged to St. Andrew's Church in Wellesley, Massachusetts while my husband attended graduate school. Speaking from experience, the Episcopal Church covers a huge financial range. Please appreciate that in some dioceses it is all we can do to keep the doors open and 100-plus-year-old facilities functioning. As population moves west, and other mainline, evangelical and fundamentalist church organizations invest in modern buildings and programming for our growing communities -- Bozeman, Belgrade, and Manhattan are tripling in size -- our picturesque but antiquated Episcopal churches are at a significant disadvantage. Bottom line: The issue is more complicated than it might appear.
Biblical Proportions: How the lessons of the Virginia Tech massacre parallel lessons of the Bible
Interesting and thoughtful points. But this leaves us still feeling vague and wishy-washy about the tragic murders. Can we get some answers please? Can anyone admit there is evil in this world? Why do we, time and time again, try to explain it away? All have the right to become children of God, but to become a child of God one must admit sin, repent and believe in the Son.There is no sin greater than any other sin. Sin is sin. I pray that the victims cried out to Jesus before they were murdered, I pray that the murderer did the same before he took his own life. Satan loves it when we get caught up in the business of blaming, endless intellectual musing, doubting, in short -- wasting more precious time, time that could be spent telling people about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
My parish church, Trinity Episcopal in Ossining, is facing just this issue and the problem is not awareness, it is money, pure and simple. With an aging congregation we are all too aware of the problems our building poses. Like most Episcopal churches in the greater New York area -- we are in the Hudson Valley, 25 miles north of New York City -- Trinity is of traditional Gothic design. No entrance into the building is without stairs of some sort. The bathrooms are small and while it would not be impossible to redesign for wheel-chair accessibility, the cost is prohibitive.I fully embrace accessibility for all and agree with the decisions that have been made at the conference, but I am absolutely certain that Trinity is not the only church facing this dilemma. Through the American Disabilities Act, funds were available for such renovations. I believe the government ran out of funds quite some time ago for that effort. Going forward, are the dioceses going to help their individual parishes comply with these decisions with constructive suggestions for renovation? With financial assistance? That, in my opinion, is the roadblock in the way.
A conversation about prison ministry with Petero Sabune
It was of great interest to me to read/hear this article about prison ministry. I am a priest in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast and conduct prison ministry at Fountain Correctional Center in Atmore, Alabama. There are four prisons in Atmore, and one of four prisons is Holman, the death row prison for Alabama, where all executions are carried out.We have an organized Episcopal community in the prison, St. Dismas, and recently confirmed 14 brothers into St. Dismas. It was a thrilling time. I would like to hear more from [the Rev.] Sabune about his prison ministry, as I am always seeking ways to improve the ministry here.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
The other concern about accessibility is that our churches should be open or unlocked for a good portion of every day, especially Sundays, for those who want to come in to sit and pray or whatever. Someone in every church needs to be responsible for opening and closing the building. Who should that person be? There are many options and possibilities. I would appreciate some ideas.
MASSACHUSETTS: Diocese announces departure of West Newbury rector
This is most encouraging. In Massachusetts both sides have been open to the Spirit. The bishops of Massachusetts and the leadership of All Saints Church are to be applauded for the spirit of public calm through which they have traveled this road to the separation of some from the Episcopal Church and their transfer to the Anglican Church of Kenya. The people most often overlooked in this time of fracture and division are those members of the affected dioceses and parishes who have chosen to remain faithful to the Episcopal Church. I am praying that the discernment period to come acknowledges their pain and hurt as their faith community shattered on the doctrinal differences.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
Power grab, simply and foremost. No action of the Holy Spirit in this effort. Archbishop [of Canterbury Rowan] Williams should immediately declare them out of communion with the Anglican Church.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
What does the Episcopal Church (TEC) expect in light of its refusal to provide alternative pastoral oversight to orthodox congregations as proposed by Primates of the Anglican Communion? It should come as no surprise that orthodox Primates are willing to reach out to orthodox congregations since TEC has made no effort to do so. TEC is making its agenda clear: embracing culturally acceptable causes is more important than church unity.
Accessibility is church's goal, must become 'the norm'
Yes! Such an article should be run regularly -- people haven't got a clue what they are missing nor who they are missing. Ask people with disabilities. And keep telling the church that this is a must. Thanks so much for this article.
Stay calm amid tensions, Bonnie Anderson urges Rio Grande Episcopalians
I am a parishioner of St. Michael's and All Angels in the Diocese of the Rio Grande. My children were baptized here. We are centered on Christ and his mission and this mission is borne out in many ways.The point was made, "Individuals join and leave the Episcopal Church, congregations do not..." There's the rub. If one believes their faith is not growing in a certain parish, one is free to go to another or any other house of worship they choose, as an individual. To attempt to bring a parish or diocese into lockstep with a certain view is not truly Anglican.
Might God be calling you to the military chaplaincy?
I could not agree more with [the Rev. Larry] Harrelson's thoughts. As an active duty Navy chaplain, serving with Fleet Marine Forces in Iraq, I can add one additional strength that Episcopal clergy bring to the table -- the tradition of Anglican moral theology. The young (and not-so-young) men and women in uniform face enormous, dare I say "God-sized," questions of right and wrong, good and evil, on a daily basis. Most of them have few mental/intellectual and spiritual resources with which to address these struggles. The Anglican way of seeking to discern the good in the midst of moral dilemma, drawing on conscience and not merely relying on dogma, reaches these warriors as an epiphany. God brings redemption even on the battlefield, and our Anglican Tradition can be a powerful vessel for delivering the "more excellent way."
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
According to the NBC program "Dateline," telecast July 22, Nigeria is a hotbed of illegal and poorly controlled criminal activity. The specific issue presented in the program dealt with an international identity theft ring, but it implied that other shady activities might also find a home there. This situation bears very careful monitoring by experts to determine exactly who is involved, and where the money is coming from to support their nefarious activities!
Send us your Response
Having read the statement of leaders of the Global South after their meeting recently in London -- and also your excellent resume of its consequences in Episcopal Life -- one can only be concerned at the high-handed attitude of those Global South Primates of the church who have acknowledged their intention to continue their infiltration of the Episcopal Church, and possibly the Anglican Church of Canada, with their own appointees, despite the expressed opposition of the wider church.Such arrogance in matters of ecclesial jurisdiction is clearly against the canons of the Scriptures they so vociferously would defend. Christ's high-priestly prayer for unity meant, surely, that no purely doctrinal matter should get in the way of our striving to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace.
Whatever the U.S. Anglican Church may be perceived to have done or not done to offend the churches of the Global South, this does not give foreign prelates the license to recruit their own advocates to interfere in the internal polity of the Episcopal Church.
It seems to me that the Global South Primates may be employing more the theological exigency of Saul rather than the enlightened Gospel of Christ and Saint Paul. Is there indeed a struggle here for power - in the face of the call of Jesus to wash one another's feet?
Send us your Response
Why haven't we taken action to suppress the insurrection of African primates against our primacy and autonomy in America? The actions of the so-called "global South" are based in the same primitive, patriarchal philosophy that gives rise to female genital mutilation, forced child marriage and routine violations of human rights in those countries. The incursion on this church by primates of undeveloped countries threatens all the advancements our church has made in the last 50 years, including non-discrimination against women and GLBT people, and pursuant to a goal of love for all. In response to these attacks, the Episcopal Church should:- Educate bishops and dioceses on the belief systems on which the rebelling primates' claims are based, including misogyny, patriarchy and hatred of sexuality.
- Demand an immediate end to the "period of open reception" and the expulsion from the Anglican Communion of every particular church that continues to discriminate against women as of 2012.
- Withdraw all funding from the Anglican Communion office until the Archbishop of Canterbury suppresses [Archbishop Peter] Akinola and his associates.
- Decline membership in any organization that would pressure this church to chip away at the rights of women, GLBT people and/or youth, or that would impede this Church's path to full and radical inclusion of everyone who seeks Christ. I invite whoever disagrees on each of these to debate the matter by letter, or in person in San Francisco, CA. My address is PO Box 3972, Hayward, CA 94540.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
It is so good to hear that violating boundary issues is more egregious than revising scripture to fit the image of what society desires. I feel so protected by the Episcopal leadership to see to my spiritual needs by spending millions of dollars to file law suits for worldly possessions rather than spending the money for the great commission. I am encouraged that our church is more in the business of real estate management than leading souls to a deeper relationship with Christ. I am also impressed that our Presiding Bishop agreed to the communiqué of Dar es Salaam but has shown no leadership in motivating the House of Bishops to support what she agreed to.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
The title of this article is telling. The authors of this article, symbolic of the Episcopal Church, choose to focus on what [the church] perceives to be a violation of what is her's (her boundaries, i.e., her authority) instead of submitting to the authority of scripture and seeing what the letter is truly about: a stumbling block to the world-wide Christian community.
Trinity Wall Street to convene partnership of Anglican bishops
Congratulations on staying out of the divisive conversation of who is in and who should be outside of acceptance in the church. This is exciting news and a wonderful example of an ethical response to current reality. Trinity's message is affirmation of the Gospel -- to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Send us your Response
I am saddened and angered by the continuing actions of the leaders of the Anglican Church in the Global South. Most recently, I have read that the Anglican bishops in Zimbabwe continue to support President Mugabe, though his crackdown on critics of his regime is getting more and more brutal. Meanwhile, Catholic priests are being imprisoned and otherwise punished for standing up to him. And then I read that this same group of church leaders has formed a group called the Common Cause Partnership that include congregations that still oppose the ordination of women and even the church's participation in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.Come on! Christ invited everyone to the table, and yet these folks want to make communion in the Episcopal Church a private party. Let us walk in Christ's footsteps and, with open arms, invite all who want to come to our table. If they decline the invitation, so be it, but they cannot then take refuge in our house.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
The title of this article is telling. The authors of this article, symbolic of the Episcopal Church, choose to focus on what [the church] perceives to be a violation of what is her's (her boundaries, i.e., her authority) instead of submitting to the authority of scripture and seeing what the letter is truly about: a stumbling block to the world-wide Christian community.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
The "revisionists," the Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg and the Rev. Jan Nunley, sure know how to put some spin on the statement from the Global South. When the Episcopal Church (TEC) is booted out of the Anglican Communion or the Communion implodes, the Episcopal Church can only blame itself. I sure hope TEC can heat all their empty churches.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
It is so good to see Episcopal News Service responding quickly and forcefully to these renegades. Thank you very much!I do have one question. You list the eight members of the steering committee, and since they are all hard-liners (with the possible exception of the Egyptian primate), I assume they all supported the statement. But do we know that for sure? I didn't see a list of signatories on their statement. Admittedly, this is a minor point, but we've all seen supposedly unanimous Global South statements in the past which were subsequently disavowed by some who attended their meetings.
Thanks for a very fine job of reporting this latest attack and placing it in context.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
I find this statement incredulous: " without discipline in the Communion and without the reconciliation that we urge," it would be impossible for them to participate. What these primates are advocating is not reconciliation but rather subjugation to their particular understanding of the Gospel and the historic faith. These primates of the Global South are nothing more than puritanical Pharisees with an insatiable desire for purity. It is very clear that they feel their ends justify their means though be it these ends are nothing but divisive.Jesus said that the world would know us as his followers by the love we share for one another. It is doubtful that the world would recognize these primates as his followers because of the seething contemptuous hatred that flows from the lips towards those of us who have a different understanding of the Gospel.
Global South Primates vow to continue violating Episcopal Church boundaries
Thank you for your excellent reporting. I admire the way you explain a complex situation in a way that is clear, factual, and balanced. Kudos to you!
NEVADA: Slate of five nominees announced for Nevada bishop
I am thrilled with the excellent design and content of your coverage of our nomination slate for next diocesan bishop. It is an outstanding example of the communication quality possible with today's web technology. I have called the attention of all our diocesan web administrators and the leadership of our diocese to the proud job that Episcopal News Service has done with our release.Jon Davidson, chair
Joint Subcommittee on Communications
Nevada Bishop Search Process
CENTRAL NEW YORK: Presentment against priest dismissed
The hurt, the misunderstanding, the loss of trust that comes when an investigation is launched into the lives of our church's clergy can only be described as 'heart wrenchingly sad" for all of us. If we could first make a promise that before we even think about bringing or making a presentment, we would first let it be known that we (the community of clergy and bishops) have worked long and hard to reconcile. For it is The Ministry of Reconciliation whose goal it is to show all involved that we are not about holding one's misdeeds against them. Reconciliation is the only way we can show that we care for the right outcome of a loving God who cares for everyone. This has been a long and hard road for us in [the diocese] of Central New York. It is far better to reconcile before one explores or decides on pursuing presentment. This is the message of Paul in 2 Corinthians that we are entrusted with. We need ecclesiastical courts but they should be rooted in reconciliation first and presentment last.
Annual Jonathan Daniels and All Martyrs of Alabama pilgrimage set for August 11
We at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Cheyenne recently formed a Jonathan Daniels Society to attempt to start a discussion about peace and justice issues here in the capitol city of our rural/frontier state.
Not-so-peaceful city
I am so grateful that the Rev. Douglas Carpenter wrote this and Episcopal Life printed it. He was there, watching his father and supporting him, as history was made and the captives went free.Bishop Carpenter's "via media" proved untenable, but Fred Shuttlesworth loved him, and that's all that matters now.
I pray that the Episcopal Church will come to a similarly inclusive stance on gay people. It will cost us more members but strengthen our faith.
From that we can grow again, and we will.
Episcopal Church Center announces scholarships
If your funds are ample enough to provide so many scholarships, why for heaven's sake are you suing so many congregations? Wouldn't it be better to allow people to worship in peace, albeit somewhat differently from you, in buildings which these people themselves have bought and maintained, and thereby feel that they should be able to stay in them, than to be involved in the funding of scholarships? Scholarship funding is more the privilege of establishments which have extra money, and are not fighting with already existing groups which have already funded their own grounds, buildings, and maintenance, and just want to keep what they have. If you want to engage in such fights, please lay off the luxuries of funding scholarships - which are indeed very important, but should be funded by groups not so financially beleaguered as yourselves that you are willing to go tooth and nail against people who are worshiping on grounds they themselves have bought, built upon, and maintained.
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
Tom Ehrich is exactly right to identify our present problems with the truth and the church's complicity in sustaining the national culture of lies. I have been writing about this subject in my own blog for awhile--and this week (July 16) in particular: http://www.kenarnold.blogspot.com/. We write these things but seldom hear what the church leaders think about them. I would like to hear from our Presiding Bishop and our bishops: What do you say to Tom Ehrich, to me, and to a growing number of us who are wondering where the prophetic voice of the church is today? Wisdom is hard to discern in silence.
Historic Japanese-American parish marks centennial
Thank you for this story. I attended St. Mary's as a child and remember it well. My father, William J. Currer Jr., became a member of this church to support the Japanese American community during World War II and continued to take his family there through the 50s. I remember Nat King Cole singing in church from time to time and the wonderful diversity of the church. We drove about 45 minutes across town to attend Sunday services.
Send us your Response
Thank you for the article on Uganda Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi and his comments on the younger Anglican churches. It leads me to celebrate the fervor and strong roots of the church the archbishop represents.His exposition of the threefold pillars of his church: "martyrs, revival, and the historic episcopate," is laudable and far from the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral. He is advocating a new expression of Anglicanism which is far from the Elizabethan Settlement, far removed from Hooker's threefold "scripture, tradition and reason."
What it demonstrates is that Archbishop Orombi is an innovator, a reformer of Anglicanism. He is not interested in the inclusion of differing opinions or in dialog that is content to end with differences remaining. He is not someone who is interested in conserving what Anglicanism has been.
The archbishop's insistence on creating a hierarchical center which can dictate doctrine and discipline for members of the Anglican Communion is another sign of his desire to create something new and call it Anglican.
I chose to be an Anglican because I do believe in dialog, inclusion and a fellowship which does not have a structure that is a final arbiter of truth. Other traditions do offer that kind of certitude. But my prayer is we do not lose the gift of inclusion that the word Anglican has represented.
And the Truth Shall Set You Free
Tom Ehrich wonders about "the truth" even as he airily presumes that "catastrophic global warming" will catch us unawares because of undocumented conspiracies among government, industry and clergy. And balancing on top of these assertions is his plea that we take him seriously. Meanwhile, Bishop [Katharine Jefferts] Schori's latest essentially questions whether baptism is strictly necessary or just something to put on the to-do list, asking "What is the urgency?" So there we have it: One part of the clergy haranguing action on pseudoscientific clap-trap while the Presiding Bishop, herself, defers a holy sacrament in the name of friendship. Do you guys even listen to yourselves?
CONNECTICUT: Bishop invites remaining Episcopalians at Bristol parish to discuss future
I am truly saddened that Trinity Church, Bristol, is in its current dilemma. My partner (of five decades) and I were residents of Bristol from 1967 to 1994 and for many years members of the parish. While teaching fulltime in Connecticut higher education, I served part-time on the parish staff in educational ministries and as an interim while the rector was on a sabbatical leave.After we left Trinity in 1974 to serve a rural Connecticut congregation, at the bishop's request, the parish took a turn in a charismatic, fundamentalist direction under a new rector, and it continued in that spirit with those who chose to remain members.
Bob and I never experienced any difficulty with Trinity's clergy or laity or as residents in our blue-collar, Italian, Roman Catholic Bristol neighborhood. As a priest, I felt well received in all phases of congregational life. Although we were "out" selectively, even within the parish, those were the days of "don't ask, don't tell." Nevertheless, a reasonably sophisticated eye would have perceived our family life together.
When I served Trinity, it was just taken for granted that we experienced our unity in corporate worship and could agree to differ within the usual Anglican parameters.
CONNECTICUT: Congregations merge into one parish
I applaud Grace Church's decision not to merge with the other parishes. Why does merger have to be the answer here to the "financial and low attendance" problem that is spoken of in the article?Whenever I read of parish mergers, my first reaction is that the individual parishes are giving up. Doesn't it occur to you that each of these wonderful little parishes involved are unique in their own way and ministering to their respective communities in different ways. You risk losing this uniqueness and ministry for the sake of bigness. I would advise these small parishes to rethink this merger process.
I come from a small diocese and am currently serving as rector of two small parishes, and I would never encourage merger. That is never an out to the problems we face in small churches. Perhaps instead of merging three into one, you could consider becoming one parish, but keeping the three current church buildings intact in their respective communities. Reading an article like this is very discouraging to me as we seek to value small town and small parish ministry. Maybe this is why Grace Church has decided to not participate in this endeavor. Again, perhaps the other three churches should also reconsider.
Sudanese priest re-visits home country, sees growth of Christianity
Having read the book written by Dave Eggers with Valentino Achak Deng entitled What is the What, The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, I have had my eyes open to the horrors that the Sudanese people have endured. Therefore, any news of the Episcopal Church in Sudan such as "Sudanese Priest re-visits..." is now of a new interest to me, reminding me that the African people of the church exist in an entirely different world from my lovely suburban congregation of Episcopalians, most of whom have no realistic idea of so much of the suffering of the world. I suggest that your readers read What is the What.
Not-so-peaceful city
I remember Bishop Carpenter well. He confirmed me in 1937 at Christ Church, Tuscaloosa. He was a big man (a wrestler while at Sewanee) and when he laid his hands on your head, you knew you had connected with God. The climate in Alabama around racial issues was hot and heavy and in most places the Episcopal Church led by the Bishop had heavy strains of liberal and accepting minds, but they were for a large part quiet. He was a leader we needed at the time. I agree with his son... Birmingham was not a peaceful city as far back as I can recall. Coke and steel were the leading industries and gentle manners did not necessarily fit into that climate. Thanks for the article.
Monastery gives troops a place to heal
As a retired regular USAF officer and one in the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) Fellowship, I say "No" to retreat but to "withdraw" is the necessary means by which one can regroup to come back and rejoin both the fight and the world! May God bless this effort on those sharing in it to help those called upon to fight this unjust and uncalled-for conflict.
Lady Bird Johnson to be remembered In Episcopal services
The Rev. David A. Boyd, rector, St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, has been taking the Holy Communion to Mrs. Johnson at her "other" home in Austin. Father Boyd and a member of St. David's have assisted the family in making arrangements for the three memorial events.
Pondering the Great Commission
I came upon Bishop [Katharine] Jefferts-Schori from viewing a PBS interview. Since, I have read her book A Wing and A Prayer and can say that she has renewed in my life hope for myself and for this world. I pray blessings upon her, the Episcopal Church and each and every beloved creature on this earth. It is my hope that I can find a local Episcopal congregation to visit and contemplate joining.
Headline: Lady Bird Johnson to be remembered In Episcopal services
I know it doesn't seem like much to some, but when Lady Bird Johnson died this week it made me sad. She was a true lady. You see, I got to know her when I was young.When I was 12, she knew me fairly well. That was the year I stayed a few times in the White House with my friend, who was Mrs. Johnson's grand niece. We spent the night there, met President Johnson, watched movies, and swam in the indoor pool in the basement. (I think it's gone now.) I even went to my friend's birthday party there.
One time Lady Bird took me on a tour of her favorite paintings and art at the White House. (She loved Ansel Adams.) Her daughter, Luci, had some hamsters and she gave me one. Another time she let me play in the Rose Garden with their beagle named Him. (They use to have a Her but she died I think.)
My friend's family lived about four doors away from me outside Washington D.C. They were having a very big party one evening. I was sitting out on my front lawn, when a limo came riding up the street (a big event in those days.) The driver stopped in front of our house. The window rolled down and it was Lady Bird, who asked me all about myself and how things were. She was such a lady and never put on any fronts. I did like her a lot.
UGANDA: Archbishop says 'younger' Anglican provinces will reshape Communion
Does Archbishop [Henry Luke] Orombi's Bible contain a New Testament, in which Christ speaks of love of all people? My Christ and my Episcopal Church does not exclude persons whose life includes elements that the Archbishop seems to assert makes them ineligible to participate in worship with us. Perhaps he might better devote his ecclesial attention to the genocide that is taking place every day in Uganda.
CANADA: Nigeria woman lives in church's choir room
"Illegal immigrant"?! As an active, committed member of our church, I regret your use of this descriptive language of someone whose only fault is being undocumented or non-documented. The term illegal immigrant has become a metaphor that feeds ill-feelings toward specific populations. Please, ask the editor and/or writer of this note to read Otto Santa Ana's book "Brown Tide Rising: Metaphors of Latinos in Contemporary American Public Discourse." It may be very helpful.I do commend the Canadian church for taking such prophetic stand.
Diocese of Atlanta names new communication director
Nan Ross is a smart, thoughtful professional with a ton of experience as a theological thinker and communicator. Congratulations to Bishop Alexander for a good call!
Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries explores diversity and leadership as themes of 34th consultation
Pat McCaughan, as usual, did a thorough report of the consultation. I was especially grateful that she correctly described me as the first Asian American female to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. I am usually described as the first Chinese American female. At the close of the conference, with Bishop David Lai's joining the council for its meeting, the dates of the 2008 consultation have been changed to June 6-10 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Headline: Pondering the Great Commission
With all due respect, I really wish the Presiding Bishop would take the time to read what the Catholic Church actually says about salvation among other things) before commenting what she thinks the authorities have said.
Lumen Gentium (8) and the most recent statement from the CDF are in total harmony with each and affirm that salvation is indeed possible outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church. Referring to those churches stemming from the Protestant Reformation, the CDF said that they "are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation." The church has not "retreated from that position."
Consecration of Laura Ahrens at Yale University, Connecticut
A wonderful sermon...from a wonderful new Presiding Bishop at the consecration of our newest bishop! How wonderful to be a woman in this day and age and to see such women taking their rightful place in our Episcopal Church. It gives honor to all those un-named and invisible women who through the centuries have been disciples and Christian leaders. I am trembling with joy and am so proud of this church... that we are amongst those who truly believe in Christ's welcome of all people. I hope that the world can come to see that God sees us all as His children, and that He sees no differences between us, neither male nor female, slave or free.
RHODE ISLAND: Bishop issued Pastoral Direction to priest
I want to applaud Bishop Geralyn Wolf for asking the Rev. Ann Redding to take a "time out" to really understand the deep differences between Islam and Christianity. I am sure there are things we have in common, but confessions and doctrines we hold dear in this church about Jesus Christ is not one of them.I am a gay man, and I very much appreciate the inclusivity of the Episcopal Church. However, while I believe we should and must be inclusive, it should NOT be at the point where we give up the basic tenets of our faith. As the Rev. Redding will find out, something will have to be given up: Christianity or Islam. You just can't have both.
CONNECTICUT: Congregations merge into one parish
Having served these parishes as an interim priest some years ago I am delighted to learn of this merger into one strong parish. These are wonderful people and devoted Episcopalians and I will pray that these efforts will bear much fruit. The Rev. Busnell has provided the cluster with strong leadership and has seen the churches through rough times to arrive at this time of new beginnings. God is good all the time!
RHODE ISLAND: Bishop issued Pastoral Direction to priest
It is comforting to learn that Bishop Geralyn Wolf responded as soon as ever she heard of this bizarre claim by a priest to be both Christian and Muslim. Despite the deep honor with which Muslims regard Jesus, they do not believe that he is the Son of God, the Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world. Christians do. It's our distinguishing feature, the heart of the baptismal covenant.Both religions are done a major disservice by conflating the two or otherwise mashing them up in a misbegotten venture of sweet emotions or reconciliation or whatever else may be going on.
I am quite angry. There is implicit in this situation a tolerance of deception and betrayal of trust that is not healthy. It is fraudulent to wear the same collar that I do while a professing member of another faith. Dollars to donuts the 15 months of "discernment" had more to do with the paycheck than with conscience. It's no coincidence that this miraculous state of affairs makes news when that same employment ran out of funds.
Well, pffffft. Maybe I'm just a cranky old lady on a hot day. Whatever I am, I am by grace.
Pondering the Great Commission
The Presiding Bishop continues to water down the Gospel and attempt to make it insignificant. The words of Our Lord were to "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."It does not matter what Vatican II said about salvation. The apostle Peter said "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). John wrote, "He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him" (John 3:36). What is written in the Bible trumps anything said by Vatican II, any Pope, and any presiding bishop.
Please stop preaching a false gospel. There is no way to eternal life, but through faith in Christ Jesus. To say otherwise is heresy, and to do so in the name of the church is to take God's name in vain.
Seminary theologians join in celebration of Episcopal Church history
Remain Episcopal is highly commended for this constructive way to use the time while the Diocese of San Joaquin is trying to discover its own path. The faculty of Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) has performed an especially useful function in making its expertise in history and liturgics available to the searching members of the church. While the official leaders of the diocese are busily fomenting discord within the church at-large, the true leaders of the diocese are making progress in understanding who we are as a church, and how we got to be who we are. As a church-at-war with itself, we in different dioceses would do well to follow this well designed path toward growth in awareness, a broader acceptance of the diversity which is our heritage, and Christian charity toward those with whom we disagree. Thank you to Remain Episcopal and to CDSP for their leadership in this work.
Pondering the Great Commission
I think that two important verses relating to the Great Commission were left out. Mark 13:10-11 "And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."We are merely vessels for the Divine.
It would be divine if Christians spent 10 percent of the time talking about everyone's place at the table, and 90 percent of the time doing something to help those that are not aware that there is a table!
Seminary theologians join in celebration of Episcopal Church history
I am greatly encouraged by this story and the recent meeting with Bonnie Anderson here in the Diocese of the Rio Grande. It appears that the Episcopalians are finally speaking up. Too long has the vocal minority been getting the press. It reminds me that our church is a community church. The laity have not been interested in the larger church. Finally we are standing up for our church. It will be sad if we lose the far right from our communion because we need to have every voice heard. But we cannot be dictated to by those who are unhappy with our wonderful church.I feel that the mission of Jesus to 'love one another' has taken a backseat to the cry of those who have placed "unity at all costs" before that mission.
Pondering the Great Commission
This was a wonderful article with much to contemplate both personally and theologically. The timing of the Presiding Bishop's article is a strange coincidence. My sister left for a mission trip to Eastern Europe this week with a group of very conservative Christians. As I spoke with her, she mentioned that the minister who leads it uses exactly the approach that Bishop Jefferts Schori reflected to us. His emphasis is that the group is there to introduce the people to their friend Jesus. Because I am familiar with that tradition and its definition of salvation, this surprised me. The word "friend" has been on my mind because a group of us is studying Paul Wadell's book about friendship and being a friend to others and God -- yet another interesting coincidence.
Pondering the Great Commission
We'll do better evangelism if we work from what the renowned John Stott called the "crucial" great commission.John's great commission is "As the Father has sent me, so I send you Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:21-22). John Stott, from the mid 1970s on, called it the "crucial form of the Great Commission." It points to Christian mission as service (no structures or attitudes of dominance) and incarnational (being with others and being vulnerable).
In Brazil, Presiding Bishop begins visits with Province, local dioceses
How I wish I had known of Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori's impending visit to Brazil. I have visited Brazil in good times (post '85) and bad (under the dictatorship, 1964-1985). For several years I was coupled with one of Brazil's exile leaders in Allende's Chile -- today a leading national filmmaker back at home in Rio. I have had the privilege of working with the late Paulo Freire (as his personal interpreter) and of delighting in the rich Afro-Brazilian music and culture. For many years the AFL-CIO's Centro de Solidaridade in Sao Paulo, has asked me to accompany trade union leaders in their U.S. visits. In Atlanta, I sing in the Afro-American St. Paul's Episcopal Choir. Let me know how I can help re Latin America.
Los Angeles diocese prevails again in parish property dispute
Praise the Lord and sing Hallelujah! Hopefully, we will have a similar ruling in Virginia. It's one thing if a group wants to form its own theology and establish its own residence -- they are certainly entitled to do that and it is clear the Lord can be worshipped in many and diverse ways. However, it's quite another issue when that same group insists others believe as it does in order to be acceptable to the Lord AND attempt to steal the parish/diocesan real estate.Greed has often reared its ugly head in the life of the church; but, still, it is shocking to see it displayed so blatantly, with utter and self-righteous disregard for those formerly called sisters and brothers. Hypocrisy is alive and well even amongst those who claim to be holier than thou.
Guest commentary: A solution for the Episcopal Church
In his "Guest commentary: A solution for the Episcopal Church," Paul Valliere assumes that the blessing of same sex unions is to be rejected because a good many, maybe even a majority, of world-wide Anglicans do not accept it. Valliere should know that division and discord in themselves are insufficient reasons for rejecting prophetic decisions and actions. Indeed, for the prophetic, it comes with the territory. If Valliere wants a stronger ground for disagreement it should be that, in his view, the majority in the Episcopal Church has misperceived the Spirit's workings, and that the lives in question are not virtuously habituated in Godly and Biblical values, and productive of the good. In this way the debate is better enjoined about what Christians see and hear -- in the words of James at the first council of Jerusalem, what "has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us"(Acts 15:28) -- rather than on whether any group, including the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion, endures in its historic and present configurations.I am afraid that it is Valliere, at least in this essay, who is more the "organization man" than the men and women he criticizes in the leadership of the Episcopal Church.
Editor's note: Joseph Monti is professor of Christian ethics and moral theology at The School of Theology, The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.
Deacons told to explore new opportunities for ministry
I would very much like to commend Bishop Jefferts Schori for her proactive approach to significant issues, especially climate change from global warming, which is the biggest, or at least most dangerous, issue of our time. I had strayed for a few years to another denomination, in part due to Episcopalian passivity, but perhaps am inspired to return.
An otherworldly place
Thank you so much to Linda Radtke for writing about her experience. She speaks of the healing presence there--the Celtic church, the ages of watchers on a pilgrims' path -- and my breathing slows. I often find myself in need of healing. Places of silence -- maybe the sounds of the wind and waves and creatures as she found at Bardsey -- I yearn for. God speaks wherever we can listen, but some places work in a special way through accumulated prayers. Prayers stick to surfaces where people seeking comfort, clarity or to praise God stand. I have recently had an experience of being touched through a Russian icon. The prayers of thousands remain in the faces, the eyes, of some icons I've prayed before. I've begun to study and "write" or paint icons with each stroke acting as prayer. Radtke's time on a sacred island rings so true. In a way painting an icon takes me to that place of solitude where the spirit lives. Again, thank you.
On the road in Western Kansas with the Presiding Bishop
As a native of the Midwest, I am especially moved that our presiding bishop visited Western Kansas. (I miss the look and fragrance of ripening wheat.) I truly enjoyed this on-the-road report and applaud our PB for calling on rural and small town America and, most especially, the area so badly battered by the May tornado.
Headline: On the road in Western Kansas with the Presiding Bishop
Bishop [Katharine] Jefferts Schori seems as perfectly suited for her job of presiding bishop as anyone for any job I have ever known about. I have watched her where I can and read her book and logged onto the Episcopal web site regularly since my wife saw her in Knoxville. She draws my attention and if this article about her visit in Kansas is anything, it is about people drawing to her and she to them. I wish her all power in the Universe and believe she already knows how to attach to and use that power for the good of us all. Please keep up the good work.
Los Angeles diocese prevails again in parish property dispute
Where is God in all of this litigation? This is no more than a power struggle, fighting over material things. The court ruling was absolutely correct. No, you should not be allowed to take your toys and go home. Shame on our departing clergy who were called to give us spiritual leadership, to remind us whom we serve, a God who loves and forgives us for all of our shortcomings. When did God give up and walk away? When did God say, this situation is hopeless? As Christians we should remember that were are charged to love one another, even as God loves us.
Send us your Response
I am very surprised that Bishop Swing declared in his letter in the last issue, "There was the picture in the newspaper: Archbishop Peter Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns. Neither was born, schooled, ordained to the priesthood in the United States nor consecrated bishop according to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church."I was a classmate of Martyn Minns at Virginia Seminary, I was ordained deacon with him as a fellow member of the Diocese of Connecticut in 1978, where we also became priests the following year. While Martyn hails from England, a fact that should not disqualify his Anglican faith, he is in fact an American citizen as well. Bishop Swing owes Bishop Minns an apology for apparently judging by a British accent alone. The deeper question is why Bishop Swing resorted to an ad hominem argument in the first place. Like it or not, it is Bishop Swing who is in the theological minority in the Anglican Communion, not Bishop Minns or Archbishop Akinola.
KENYA: Massachusetts priest to become bishop, Church announces
By virtue of Episcopal Life continuing to publish annoucements regarding appointments made from Kenya, in violation of respecting provincial boundaries, is not the publication giving validity to these actions?
Children of incarcerated find unconditional love at summer camp
Thank you for your article on children of incarcerated parent(s). My husband, Deacon Roland Rose, has been in charge of Promise Camp for three years in our Diocese of Northwest Texas. Because his camp for primary children has been so successful, he will be doing his first Promise Camp for junior high and high school children this year. Called Promise Camp II, the camp will be at our diocesan church camp, Camp Quarterman, in Amarillo, Texas, July 8 through July 14. Please contact Deacon Rose at dnrose@suddenlink.net for further information.
VIRGINIA: U2charist inspires worshippers, new bishop
I have not been privileged to experience a U2charist yet, and hope to have an opportunity to do so. The regular renewal of the church's liturgy with new language -- both spoken and musical -- is necessary, if frequently resisted, part of the church's obligation to speak timeless truths in a language that is understandable to people in the here and now.That said, I must caution my fellow Christians, and especially my fellow liturgical leaders, against the movement of liturgy -- and especially liturgical music - from participative to passive, and from live to recorded. Singing, as well as speaking, prayer and praise to God is the work of the people. The singing of music by choirs, like the preaching of sermons, is still a relational act, in which performer and listener react to each other in real time and space.
The U2charist is an exciting phenomenon, but it will not make our members "doers of the word, and not just hearers" (c.f., James 1.22).
Together in mission
The Rev. Terry Kyllo, chaplain, in his piece "Discerning God's call as a community," writes, "People in our culture think of themselves primarily as individuals rather than as part of a larger whole." This could be, but the people of St. Luke's, Sequim, Wash., in the Diocese of Olympia do not think this way.We are mostly people of World War II generation - a diverse group with many differences of opinion. We come from all parts of the globe, but we get along. Why? Because we can see the forest, not just the trees. By focusing on the "forest," the whole picture, we get involved in our community - like a food program for those in need, a health-and-wellness clinic and environmental concerns.
This does not mean we are in denial about what is going on in the larger church. On the contrary, we acknowledge the pain and sadness but carry on in the Episcopal tradition of a family one belongs to; and if there's a problem in the family, most of us stay and work it through.
At St. Luke's, and many other churches, this is what we do. We've seen God's hand at work and give thanks and always look for ways we can expand on what we're doing to carry out God's mission in our "at once beautiful and broken world."
As Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says, "Passion and commitment that are empowered in the community can change the world and do change the world."
Stop fighting, start praying
I've had First Timothy 2:12 shot at me and kept silent about it for the last time. You know the verse: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."I believe in the whole Bible: the key word here being "whole." The counter argument for the fundamentalist interpretation of this verse does not require any scholarly sleuthing, or even any page turning. Back up four verses to First timothy 2:8: "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."
The church had two millennia of exclusively male rule. Who was doing the praying? The women. Who was doing the fighting? The men. Two thousand years is a long time to let anyone slide while he is doing the exact opposite of his job description. What is God's response? God is calling women to positions of authority in the church.
Look at the people in your pews this Sunday. Look at the composition of your prayer groups, choirs and service organizations. Men are an endangered species. The writer of the letters to Timothy didn't permit women to lead, but God sure is permitting it now. To any man who has a problem with this I say: stop fighting and start praying. The bible says so.
Correcting history
The commentary by the Rev. Nigel J. Taber-Hamilton ("Echoes of history," May) was admirable in its articulating the ethos and polity of the Anglican Communion. However, it was not St. Cuthbert who was instrumental in bringing about or influencing the Council of Whitby in 664, but St. Wilfrid.There is no record of whether or not Cuthbert attended the council. At the time, he was prior of Melrose Abbey. He did not become prior of Lindisfarne until after the council and was appointed bishop, much against his own wishes, from only 685 until his death three years later.
Cuthbert and Wilfrid were both Saxons, as was their king, Oswiu. It was this Saxon king who decided at Whitby that the Northumbrian church should follow Roman practice. The majority of Celts, whose homeland had been Northumbria and York, had long since moved west, due to the violent Saxon invasion, and had no love for the Saxons. It is a miracle of grace in forgiveness that the Celts had agreed to become missionaries to Saxon Northumbria at all.
The Celtic spirituality and ethos were not lost after or because of the council, but flourished over the next couple of hundred years. The Lindisfarne Gospels, the scholarship, the Celtic spirituality brought by hundreds of missionaries, both Celt and Saxon, to the Continent, are the signs of a robust Celtic Northumbrian church. Yes, it had to adapt, to change, but at that time the changes were not about the substance of the faith or polity.
It was not the aligning with certain Roman liturgical practices that brought destruction to Celtic Christianity, but the waves of invaders, particularly the Normans, who supplanted the Saxon/Celt establishments, removing native priests, monks and nuns and installing Normans, even to the point of destroying almost all Saxon ecclesiastical buildings and replacing them with the architecture of Normandy. And yet, even the Norman monks at Durham considered that they belonged to Cuthbert. Not a bad legacy.
A missed opportunity
I just finished reading the article by Jos Tharakan in the May issue. I fully agree with Mr. Tharakan in that the bishops of Africa missed a great opportunity to show the world that, when it comes to the Lord's table, all are welcome.It was an occasion where the African bishops could have taken a step toward reconciliation and show the rest of us that our Lord reigns. Instead, as Mr. Tharakan states, the "shunner" loses the chance to see the "Servant" at his table.
Encouragement appreciated
Thanks for ("Never too late" by the Rev. Richard Bamforth, April). I've just been on the phone trying to figure out more about my Seabee dad, who died in 1980. I recently found his World War II medals and sent them to my cousin, who likes that stuff. He wondered about the three battle stars, so I began searching.Perhaps I'll get some good stories about the places my dad served and what was involved in his work in building the bridges and docks and roads and airfields of WWII. Now, Mom and Dad and all the rest of my family except one cousin and one uncle are dead. I'm the only one left, but stories have a way of keeping people and the whole community of saints together and alive. Thanks for the encouragement.
All are sinners, all called
In response to the Rev. [Winnie] Varghese' article ("A slow advance," May), I have one thing to say. An inclination/orientation towards homosexuality, bisexual tendencies, being a transgendered person or being a heterosexual with disordered desires is not a sin. However, acting on those inclinations is a sin.There is no parallel between desegregation and the Episcopal Church's move toward full inclusion for the LGBT community. Jesus died for our sins because there is no possibility for the inclusion of sin in the kingdom of God. However, there is complete inclusion for forgiven sinners with obedient and teachable hearts who love the Lord their God with all their hearts and souls and minds.
Everyone needs to be included in our churches because we are all sinners in need of grace, mercy and the transforming love of Jesus. We are all called to the same high standard of living as together we all aspire with his help to "have that same mind that is in Christ Jesus our Lord," whose purpose always was "to seek and to save those who are lost."
Remembering Bishop Kauluma
I well remember Bishop Kauluma from a companion relationship visit to Namibia from the Diocese of Alabama in 1983 ("NAMIBIA: Former bishop and human rights advocate James Kauluma dies at 75, Episcopal Life Online, April 20).Some of the images that came back as I read the article about his death included our travel up to the Angolan border to visit churches there. We had purchased some tapes of Namibian music, which he dutifully played for awhile, but then he popped in his favorites, some Willie Nelson tapes, that blared at us as we traveled about.
He was, as Brian Grieves notes, a courageous man during those difficult days of the liberation struggle, but I also recall his wonderful sense of humor. He was especially capable of poking fun at the indignities of the apartheid occupation.
At Rundu, we wanted to go down to the edge of the Cubango River, which marked the border with Angola. As we descended down the dirt road, the South Africa military appeared, denying us access. Bishop Kauluma, who was driving, tried to reason with them, to no avail. Finally he pointed to Bishop Stough of Alabama, sitting next to him, smiled at the military man and said, "Boss man wants to see the river." With that, we were waved on through. And I can still picture the poster that adorned a wall in his home: "Just because you aren't paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!"
But there was a spirit of hopefulness he conveyed, something all we people of faith can learn from in difficult times. And he held justified pride in his diocese: the wonderful youth choirs, the arts and craft center for those disabled by the war, the vision for a future Odibo devastated by the way, and the witness of people of all conditions and standing.
Listening Process facilitator meets with representatives of Integrity, other groups
Listening is fine. But for Christianity to change its mind about homosexuality, somebody actually needs to say something persuasive. Not much of that has been done. I have yet to hear an intellectually honest theological argument that explains why everyone in Christianity for two thousand years, and virtually everyone today, is wrong on this issue and TEC is right.I'll listen to these people until the cows come home but if they want me to change my mind on this issue they need to give me some rationale other than their own personal experience. When we walk away from Scripture and make human experience the arbiter of what is right and holy, we are on dangerous ground. Virtually anyone can rationalize just about anything based on their own experience.
The flimsy theological case that has been put forward as to how the Bible has been misinterpreted for all these years is not particularly convincing. If you are going to lead a denomination to commit corporate suicide, you had better have a pretty good rationale for it. Someone please explain to me what it is.
Appreciating dandelions
Anne McConney's article "Consider the Dandelion" (May) reminded me of a delightful experience from my high school days. As part of my parents' constant search for a quality education for me, I spent my high school years at lovely private girls school in Glencoe, Ill.We once hosted a distinguished visitor from the Pacific Rim area. After she spent a week with us, teaching classes, leading worship and inspiring us, we held a final assembly with her. She spoke in loving terms about how welcome she had felt, how much energy and faith she had sensed and how beautiful our surroundings were. She was particularly impressed by the lovely yellow flowers we had planted through out our grass in front of the school, adding a sense of whimsy to an otherwise endless expanse of green, showing a spirit of inclusion.
You guessed it -- they were dandelions! The school's director was absolutely mortified. The student body couldn't have been more amused. As my mother would say, "One man's weed is another man's flower."
Appointments show exclusion
What The Rev. Winnie Varghese describes as "A slow advance" (May) toward full inclusion has just been made slower by an action of the Executive Council. The Executive Council at its Portland, Ore., meeting "authorized the appointment of a work group to consider the role, responsibilities and potential response of the Executive Council to the issues raised by the primates," i.e., demanding the Episcopal Church refuse to ordain openly gay bishops and refuse to accord liturgical equity to the marriages/unions of same-gender couples.In spite of the Executive Council's "wish to reaffirm to our lesbian and gay members that they remain a welcome and integral part of the Episcopal Church," not a single one of the eight gay members of the Executive Council was appointed to that work group. As Gene Robinson, the church's only openly gay bishop, was not appointed to the House of Bishops' own response draft committee, this means that with appalling insensitivity the church has once again shut its gay members out of discussions directly affecting their full inclusion in not only the Episcopal Church but also in the Anglican Communion.
It is bad enough that bishops regularly and paternalistically call gay people children in need of care. It is totally hypocritical and unacceptable that General Convention's interim body, on the one hand, "wish" for inclusion and, on the other hand, once again exclude. Certainly no work group of all men would be appointed to support the ministry of women, nor a work group of all Euro-Americans to improve race relations, nor a group of all Anglos to plan ministry with Hispanics.
We are beyond wishing. I urge the presiding bishop to reconsider her appointments. I urge the clergy and laity appointed to the work group to decline their appointments in favor of gay members of Executive Council. And I urge Executive Council, in the future, not to pass off the appointment of work groups to even the most well-intentioned chair without reserving the right to advise and consent.
Tithing education needed
I am responding to Peter Salmon's letter in which he stated his belief that tithing was a regressive tax. I suppose that if Peter and I relegated our teachings about tithing to economics and arithmetic we might find common ground in our discussions.Over the years, my experiences have been different. As I meet people all across the church, I hear them expressing tithing from a spiritual perspective. Tithing has more to do with their deepening relationship to God than a mathematical equation of equal distribution. Tithing has more to do with experiencing life as a gift from God and the opportunity to express thanksgiving than with how much discretionary income is available.
I encounter people who tithe and then give significantly beyond the tithe. I know others who struggle in their own lives to consider proportionate giving. Still others begin at a starting point moving toward the tithe.
I believe that the concept of tithing as regressive tax should be a reminder to those who serve in the field of stewardship. Our work is never complete, and, in this most interesting age, the biblical understanding of tithing may have been lost in a consumer-driven society.
Power play will fail
There was the picture in the newspaper (Sunday, May 6): Archbishop Peter Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns. Neither was born, schooled, ordained to the priesthood in the United States nor consecrated bishop according to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. But here they were, determined to overthrow the Episcopal Church, USA, and to replace it with themselves and a small number of American colleagues.Their aim is not to reform the Episcopal Church or to set up a permanent parallel authority. They intend to become the sole authorized Anglican presence in America. The other side of that coin is that they intend for the Episcopal Church to be cut off from the Anglican Communion and set aside.
It's quite a bold American strategy for an Englishman and a Nigerian. In a brief time, they want to undo what it has taken many generations of Americans to build.
This is way beyond theology or scriptural interpretations. This is a naked power play that is reminiscent of colonial aspiration in other centuries. Instead of England colonizing Nigeria, we are looking at a picture of a Nigerian and an Englishman trying to colonize the United States, with their unique brand of Anglicanism from an evangelical point of view.
These two people who have not been part of a longstanding American experience smile triumphantly as they embark on a plot to take away our birthright, our heritage, our Anglican connection, our ministries to the poor, our official prayer book tradition, our schools, churches, agencies and our resources.
These two bishops and their colleagues are enjoying the first spoils that arise from our family struggle over human sexuality. But what they don't realize is that they have touched and trampled on the taproot of our faithfulness to the mission of Jesus Christ in the United States that goes 400 years into the earth of this country. The Episcopal Church will withstand this assault from across the ocean. And our mission will endure, God being our helper.
Looking for resources
Is there a ministry to straight spouses of gay people in the Episcopal Church? I found my rector was helpful to me when my marriage of 15 years to a closet homosexual ended, but he really did not know of too many resources for families like mine. He suggested PFLAG, which is a great organization but is really not for the straight spouse. It's also nonsectarian.The Straight Spouse Network was very helpful, and I introduced my rector to that as a resource. Over the years, I have been told I have to forgive, I have to heal. The process is long and arduous. My spirituality is in shreds, and, while I am supposed to voice support for gays, none really voice much support for me.
I don't know where to go at this point. I want to belong to a church that is inclusive of gays and lesbians, but I also need serious spiritual help and guidance to deal with the ongoing challenges of my family situation.
The closet is a very convenient place for some homosexuals to live, even in liberal dioceses like mine (Newark). Gay people have all these ministries going on, and that is great. But what about their politically incorrect and inconvenient family members? Aren't we still part of the family, even if we are not waving the rainbow flag?
Where is the ministry to straight spouses? Does God's inclusive love also include people like me and families like mine? I just don't see it on a churchwide level.
Primatial vicar plan urged
We are duly elected lay delegates and alternates from St. Paul's Parish, Visalia, California, to the October 2007 convention of the Diocese of San Joaquin. Our parish is a strong and diverse parish. We have been charitable to those among us whose way of life presents a challenge to the wider communion.Before us will be the second vote of diocesan constitutional amendments which could lead to separation from The Episcopal Church. We believe that if the primatial vicar proposal of the presiding bishop and other primates were to be accepted, that acceptance would likely result in San Joaquin remaining within the Episcopal Church.
Both of these developments would be welcome, because we love the church and our Episcopal heritage, and because we think that the House of Bishops and the Executive Council can show some comity -- respect, courtesy and civility -- to others in the Anglican Communion. A decision to adopt the interim primatial vicar proposal demonstrates civility, which is a hallmark of Anglicanism and of Christianity itself.
In the absence of a positive response to the proposal, we believe that our diocese will approve the amendments. We urge members of the House of Bishops uncertain about the legal result to consult with their chancellors about "California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church vs. St. Luke's United Methodist Church" [(2004) 121 Cal. App. 4th 754, 17 Cal. Rptr. 442], a case that holds that neutral principles of civil law in California allow churches to separate from their governing bodies.
We prayerfully hope that the House of Bishops and the Executive Council will respond positively to the proposal.
Nancy T. Salmon
John S. Higgins Jr.
Kathy Bernardi
Betty Blackmon
Suzette Peters
Kim Robinson
Chet Smeds
Larry Wilds
A shocking statement
Regarding the article "Educating for action: Ecumenical Advocacy Days participants urge end to torture, spotlight child poverty" (May), you begin your article quoting Linda Gustitus. "We know that the United States has tortured to death 30 people these we have documented. There are probably hundreds more." A shocking statement. If this statement is true and Ms. Gustitus has proof, why hasn't this been reported in the national press and news? Certainly the more liberal media would have picked up on it by now to provide political fodder for the left. Although I have read a few minor articles about the so-called "secret prisons," this is the first time I have read about "30 tortured to death." Regardless of my lack of knowledge it seems to me that someone with some journalist clout should go back to Ms. Gustitus and obtain the proof and information and see to it that the public knows who these 30 individuals were, i.e. names, nationality, date of capture, religious affiliation, where they were held, how they died etc.I believe any civilized government or persons will agree that an official policy that sanctions brutalized prisoner torture such as beatings, infliction of pain, starvation, inhuman interrogation techniques, filthy living conditions etc. is a wrong policy. Yet, in time of war, and we are in a war, the provisions of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 does have some merit and I'm simply not in favor of throwing all of the Commission's current policies out the window.
Information about Benedictine oblates
I read with great interest the article "Ancient monk, modern call" in the May issue. My mother brought it to my attention, as I am a Benedictine oblate with the Abbey of St. Benedict, Companions of St. Luke, in Donnellson, Iowa.Are you aware that there are Benedictine monasteries that are in communion with the Episcopal Church? These also have oblates. In fact, the Companions of St. Luke have oblates and vowed religious scattered over the United States and Canada.
I would like to draw your attention to these other communities. The Companions of St. Luke has a very informative and beautiful website, www.holythoughts.org. The father superior is Abbot Michael-John.
Tithe not regressive
This is in reply to Peter Salmon's letter (May) stating that tithing is regressive.To view the tithe as a regressive tax is to distort the spirit with which our pledges should be made.
A tax is a charge imposed on us by a government to pay for services that we want that government to provide. If a tax is not paid, the government has the responsibility to prosecute nonpayers. The tithe is a requested gift from the church to pay for carrying out the church mission. You are not penalized for failure to pay any of it.
How much you are willing to pay to support your church's mission is a very personal choice. We can only pray that people will consider the mission and ministries of the church along with their personal financial situation.
In my own church, for example, not many people pledge 10 percent of their gross incomes. My church has more than 500 members, of whom about 160 pledge. Our total pledged amount is about $300,000. In other words, our average pledge is in the area of $2,000. I do not think anyone would think that our average income is in the $20,000 range.
One thing that holds us back is that we are more generous with our time than our money. If we were to regard the tithe as part of our spiritual gift, all of our churches could really be a force for carrying out our mission, which is to bring more people to Christ.
Politics may be to blame
Each Sunday, I sit in my pew in my ever-less-filled church and read of the current goings-on in our church. I read how I need to help illegal aliens, that I should urge my government to pull out of Iraq, that I should urge the government of Israel to let up on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, that the Anglicans worldwide aren't so upset about a sexually active gay priest becoming a bishop as they are about the arrogance of our nation's foreign policy. I read that the most important thing this church is undertaking the Millennium Development Goals.Here I sit, trying to get closer to God.
Consider for a minute that it may be the evangelism of our left-leaning politics that is driving people out of the Episcopal Church. If you believe that our immigration laws should be respected and enforced, you are in conflict with our church. If you believe that the best chance for a lasting peace in Iraq is for the terrorists and murders to be vanquished, you are in conflict with our church. If you believe that sexual activity outside the bonds of marriage is wrong, you are in conflict with our church.
I'm still trying to get closer to God, but I see my pew is becoming more empty. I came to hear the gospel, but everybody seems to be talking about politics.
A dual prejudice
It is my hope and prayer that Anglicans around the world will pay attention to our presiding bishop's call to minister to the poor, needy, disenfranchised, oppressed and marginalized and get away from squabbling over the gay and lesbian issues. Many who are being critical are actually showing their prejudices against, not only gay people, but also women priests and women in leadership as well.Why did they not complain to Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold over these issues while he was in office? Why did they wait until a woman was elected to become the new presiding bishop? They are trying to hide their prejudice against women in leadership behind their prejudice against gay and lesbian church members.
It grieves my heart that so many men in leadership still carry these old prejudices. Do people know so little about the first 300 years of the Christian church that they don't realize that women were in full leadership positions as missionaries, leaders of congregations, presiders over the Eucharist and "mothers of the desert" along with the "fathers of the desert?"
We know that the early church was egalitarian and women were equal with men in every category. Only after Constantine made the Christian Church a popular organization did it become patriarchal and hierarchical. It is completely inappropriate in today's world for male church leaders to be showing their prejudices against women leaders in the church.
It's time for those prejudiced church leaders to grow up, become aware of their own sinfulness in this matter and be cleansed from their unrighteousness.
Leaders fallen into heresy
Those of us who have watched with dismay the decline of our beloved church over the last few decades are always saddened by the intellectual dishonesty and lack of scriptural understanding of writings such as the "From the edge" column (May). To liken the plight of our black brethren in the 1960s in their struggle for equal rights to the position now of our unrepentant gay brethren who demand acceptance in the body of Christ while continuing to commit sin is sheer sophistry.The Rev. Varghese writes about how blacks were unjustly treated during the civil rights struggle by armed police and the National Guard. And? Is she attempting to suggest that is the treatment the Episcopal Church has given gays?
In fact, our church has given them carte blanche. We've made them priests and bishops and "blessed" their unholy unions, and it is clear we'll eventually marry them.
The job of the Christian Church is to spread the gospel and lead sinners to salvation by repenting their sins. It is not to reward and perpetuate sin.
Our leaders have become so arrogant that they have fallen into heresy. That is why we are about to be drummed out of the corps of the Anglican Communion. We are persona non grata theologically. We are becoming irrelevant. May God have mercy on our church.
2007
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