A new idea!
During my Sabbatical I greatly enjoy writing a blog about what was going on. I have found it frustrating as we grow that I no longer get to talk with a large percentage of the congregation on a regular basis. So I took a course, bought a book and began playing with "blogs"! I will post on some irregular basis but am working on setting it up so you can subscribe and be notified when a new posting is available. BE WARNED !! some of the postings will be pictures of my children and grandchildren! So when they come up you can just say nice things -- thank you very much!!
CHURCH BUSINESS stuff. Last night was the meeting at All Saints at which people could give the Bishops input about how they should respond to the international group of Bishops who have demanded changes in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Curry did a wonderful job explaining the situation. He stressed how a major part of the conflict comes down to church authority. The relationship between the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) is similar to the relationship between the USA and the UN. (my comparison and not Bishop Curry's) We can go along with ideas and sign treaties with the UN. But if we do not accept a specific UN action the UN has no authority to force us. The UN could not come into North Carolina and demand some change. In a similar way, the Anglican Communion (which is much less organized or structured than the UN) has no authority to DEMAND a change. They can REQUEST something but a few of the international bishops have been demanding things and making threats. The only threat they can enforce is that THEY will not attend a meeting at which the ECUSA is involved. There is no structure to allow for enforcement of demands.
All that said, and OK -- hear some frustration and anger. I do not like someone threatening me! That is not the way to get me to go along. ..... All that said our ECUSA bishops have agreed that the international bishops who have complained have a valid complaint in that we did something, elect and consecrate an openly gay bishop, without acknowledging the impact that would have on other Anglicans around the world. We have apologized several times, not for the action but for the manner in which is was done.
Now the question is where the international community goes from here. A major part of my input to our Bishops was the importance of the church being able to model to the world the ability to avoid a war. If we cannot model that, how can we honestly expect the Israelis or Palestinians (or whomever) to live together? That does not mean we cave in! As I said, I do not like bullies or threats. And I do not like hypocrites. Most of the people threatening us also say anyone who has been divorced, much less re-married should not be part of the church. And forget female vestry members much less female clergy! Actually the vestry members do not matter much since most of the those churches are very clergy run. I call them hypocrites because to get American supporters those few international bishops never quite mention divorce or female leadership.
Darn it! My anger is showing again isn't it? However I left that in to illustrate the difficulty our bishops are facing. How do we should sincere flexibility and appreciation for others who do not show it for us? The major part of the answer is to remember that out of the 34 world wide Anglican provinces (usually countries or a couple countries) only 3-5 are at the core of the opposition. Most of the provincial leaders are eager to work with the ECUSA to find a way out of the this conflict. The same percentages probably apply for US Bishops.
One of the clergy used the scripture about walking the extra mile. I suggested to the Bishops that they look for ways to walk the extra mile without giving up authority or beliefs. I also told them I did not envy their position at all!!
Two sources for information are the Episcopal News service, the official news which tends to be middle of the road to optimistic about the future of our church, and the Living Church which tends to be pessimistic. Don't count on CNN and other national news outlets. Heck, most of them cannot pronounce "Episcopal"!
CHURCH BUSINESS stuff. Last night was the meeting at All Saints at which people could give the Bishops input about how they should respond to the international group of Bishops who have demanded changes in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Curry did a wonderful job explaining the situation. He stressed how a major part of the conflict comes down to church authority. The relationship between the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) is similar to the relationship between the USA and the UN. (my comparison and not Bishop Curry's) We can go along with ideas and sign treaties with the UN. But if we do not accept a specific UN action the UN has no authority to force us. The UN could not come into North Carolina and demand some change. In a similar way, the Anglican Communion (which is much less organized or structured than the UN) has no authority to DEMAND a change. They can REQUEST something but a few of the international bishops have been demanding things and making threats. The only threat they can enforce is that THEY will not attend a meeting at which the ECUSA is involved. There is no structure to allow for enforcement of demands.
All that said, and OK -- hear some frustration and anger. I do not like someone threatening me! That is not the way to get me to go along. ..... All that said our ECUSA bishops have agreed that the international bishops who have complained have a valid complaint in that we did something, elect and consecrate an openly gay bishop, without acknowledging the impact that would have on other Anglicans around the world. We have apologized several times, not for the action but for the manner in which is was done.
Now the question is where the international community goes from here. A major part of my input to our Bishops was the importance of the church being able to model to the world the ability to avoid a war. If we cannot model that, how can we honestly expect the Israelis or Palestinians (or whomever) to live together? That does not mean we cave in! As I said, I do not like bullies or threats. And I do not like hypocrites. Most of the people threatening us also say anyone who has been divorced, much less re-married should not be part of the church. And forget female vestry members much less female clergy! Actually the vestry members do not matter much since most of the those churches are very clergy run. I call them hypocrites because to get American supporters those few international bishops never quite mention divorce or female leadership.
Darn it! My anger is showing again isn't it? However I left that in to illustrate the difficulty our bishops are facing. How do we should sincere flexibility and appreciation for others who do not show it for us? The major part of the answer is to remember that out of the 34 world wide Anglican provinces (usually countries or a couple countries) only 3-5 are at the core of the opposition. Most of the provincial leaders are eager to work with the ECUSA to find a way out of the this conflict. The same percentages probably apply for US Bishops.
One of the clergy used the scripture about walking the extra mile. I suggested to the Bishops that they look for ways to walk the extra mile without giving up authority or beliefs. I also told them I did not envy their position at all!!
Two sources for information are the Episcopal News service, the official news which tends to be middle of the road to optimistic about the future of our church, and the Living Church which tends to be pessimistic. Don't count on CNN and other national news outlets. Heck, most of them cannot pronounce "Episcopal"!
Labels: Starting a blog
posted by Ken | 10:32 AM
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