Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Back Home And Back in Business

Yesterday, I was away from home all day with none of my passwords working from the computer that I was using. I could neither post on my own blog, nor could I post on other blogs which require registration. Nevertheless, I did manage to get in a few words here and there in the blogosphere with the name "Anonymous".

Perhaps it was for the best that I did not post anything on my blog, because I was having a bad day. I had the taste of ashes in my mouth because of my disappointment with Bishop Katharine's Reflection on the meetings in Tanzania and the communiqué issued by the Primates after the meetings.

Prior to the meetings, I admired Bishop Katharine greatly, too much, really, and I knew, deep down, that I was doing that, and MadPriest warned me about it, but I paid no attention to him. She was to be our savior. However, she is human, possessed of the same faults and foibles as the rest of us. We have only one Savior, as I was well reminded. Psalms 146.3 tells us:

Do not put your trust in princes [or princesses],
in mortals, in whom there is no help.


My sadness was such that I wondered if I could stay with my church. My question was answered last night. After I finished my child-care responsibilities, I headed to my church for the Ash Wednesday service. The service and the ashes on my forehead took the taste of ashes out of my mouth, thanks be to God. For better or for worse, I need my church community.

I'm sure my bishop is quite pleased with what came out of Tanzania. My rector and the majority of the members of my church probably like the results, too - those who pay attention.

After the service, I had a conversation with a gay man and a lesbian from my congregation, and both expressed support for Bishop Katharine, and the man thinks she did the right thing. I was much more saddened and disturbed by the communiqué and the PB's reflection than they were. The two of them were amazed at how upset I was, and, honestly, I was amazed at how complacent they seemed. The woman said, "I'm used to being oppressed." What gives here?

I told them, "But you should be paying attention; you should follow this closely." I don't know that I made an impression. The gentleman indicated that he believed Bishop Katharine had a long-term plan to outfox those who tried to lock her into the ultimatum. Perhaps she does; perhaps I'm missing something.

Lord God Almighty, bless and guide us in the Episcopal Church in the days ahead. Give us wisdom and and strength for the tasks ahead. May we always act according to your will, in truth and in love. We pray in the Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Reginald Heber's hymn from Isaiah 6:3, courtesy of The Cyber Hymnal:

Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see,
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

21 comments:

  1. Oh Mimi--that is one of my favorite hymns! And I had the same reaction you did---was ready to quit in despair (even though I have a very progressive parish and bishop), and came away fortified for the struggle.

    Well, clearly my Lenten resolution has come to naught---and it's the fault of my priest, who, when I told him last night of my Lenten resolution, responded "I don't think you ought to do that!"

    He knows my passion for the church and for the inclusion of all, and he said he thought it was the wrong time for me to absent myself from the discussions.

    He also encouraged me to put my name forward next year as the delegate from my parish to diocesan convention. He knows the I will NOT join the Vestry (I've already turned them down for that one), but he pushed the right button. I can do that, and I will.

    God bless you, Mimi---you are a great witness to the love of God, and you'll have an impact yet.

    Pax,
    Paige

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  2. Paige, I think it would be the wrong time for you and me to be absent. It's great that you will put your name up to serve as a delegate to your next convention. Our voices need to be heard.

    I served on the vestry in my church - my term ended in December, thanks be to God. That's not my forte, but I decided to take my turn. I did not contribute much, but I didn't do any great damage either.

    Thank you for your kind words. I have such wonderful virtual new friends. I believe that we do help and support one another through these tubes of the internets.

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  3. Hello, Grandmère Mimi,

    glad to see you "back to your old self again",

    Something that ResPublica posted over at MP's blog got me thinking, alà Alice's Restaurant:

    What if all bloggers included this phrase in our titles:

    "My Manner of Life Represents a Challenge to the Larger Church"

    What if we all bought a "Manner of Life" button or a t-Shirt at the Republic of Dogs and wore it proudly?

    And sing it, proudly: "My manner of life presents a challenge to the larger church"

    "You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,
    they may think they're both faggots... And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin a bar of "My Manner of Life" and walking out. They may think it's an
    organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said, fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of "My Manner of Life"
    and walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

    And that's what it is, the "My Manner of Life" Anti-Intolerance Movement, and all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
    guitar. With feeling."


    What do you think?

    (apologies to Arlo Guthrie for the liberties)

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  4. Aghaveagh, you know, that's something to think about, and I will think about it and pray about it.

    Only one member of my church knows about my blog, so far - at least I think only one. He could have told others. I did not tell him not to. Few in my church read blogs, but I do write thinking that my rector and others in the congregation may be reading what I write. I don't think that inhibits me, but I do have it in mind. If they do read it, I would hope that it would set them to thinking.

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  5. Aghaveagh--I took your suggestion to heart. I also stole the good Prior's take-off on Descartes! ;-)

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  6. "but I do write thinking that my rector and others in the congregation may be reading what I write."

    Your discretion is admirable. The anonymity of the web can be very liberating, but we shouldn't use that as an excuse to speak w/o responsibility. I tend to be too impulsive at times.

    (As I am writing this, I am listening to MP's hipcast of "Homophobia"--the song of the moment on his blog--it's a great song! I had never hear of that band Chumbawamba before--his music tatses are quite eclectic!)

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  7. Hey Paige,

    (No way can I call you a doxy of any stripe)

    I am glad you'll still be "around" for Lent.

    I like your Cartesian title over at your blog. My favorite take-off is "Cogito ergo Dim Sum" (I think, therefore, these are pork buns.)

    OK, now I promise to stop pestering Mimi with my prattle and go off and do something constructive....

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  8. Agahveagh--Read this to understand why I'm Wormwood's "doxy." ;-)

    Mimi--I know for a fact that I would lose my faith entirely if I had to watch the sausages being made at church. Best for me to teach Sunday School, do one of our parish newsletters, and be the resident homo-lovin', feminist rabble-rouser!

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  9. So have you seen the latest shirt at MadPriest's? It's verra good...Go..have a look! See my comments. Make some of your own, Mimi. I know you will. ;-)

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  10. Susan, I did. Aren't we all dangerous instruments of Anglican disunity? "Straight not narrow" is good too.

    A different tee-shirt-with-slogan for every day of the week, or perhaps for a month.

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  11. As an old queer, with the emphasis on "old," I think I understand at least up to a point where the gay man and lesbian in your congregation are right now. Many of us have gotten used to taking what we need from the church whether or not it affirms us, knowing the gifts are God's to give and only channeled, sometimes imperfectly, through the human institution. If barred absolutely in one place, we have found another. We can do it again.

    I'm not too worried about my generation. We're sturdy and stubborn, having survived this long. I worry about the younger ones who, confronted by such damnfool goings-on, may simply turn away --- not necessarily from God but from institutions the rest of us treasure.

    Old queers are accustomed to not getting our way, and that may help explain the behavior of some of the grumpy old straight men now at play in the fields of the Lord. They ARE accustomed to getting their own way, unused to bending with the wind, not open to compromise or kneeling next to those who won't agree with them. Lord have mercy on them.

    For one, I don't think this is a time to even consider "fasting" from The Episcopal Church. She has for the most part behaved in a Christ-like manner toward us for many years now and, like PB Katherine, deserves our hope and prayers during a season of hurt.

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  12. Frank, your words are wonderful and wise. You don't have a blog, and I'm thinking that I'd like to put them up as a post. I'd link it to this post of mine, so folks would know what you're talking about. What would you think about that? What about a title? How would this be, "Frank, An Old Queer Says..." ;o) Or perhaps you'd like to title it yourself, if you consent.

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  13. Mimi: Wise, I'm not so sure about, but feel free to do as you wish with the post --- and to use the title of your choice.

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  14. I certainly agree with the notion that people who are getting sustenance from the church should not let other people run them off. However, I'm pretty sure that anybody who thinks that KJS has a secret plan to make it all ok is seriously delusional.

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  15. Richard, I agree.

    Frank, I have a prayer request that I want to post first because it is time-sensitive, and then I'll get to it.

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  16. I guess that I'm not so much hoping that she has a secret plan to out fox them as that she will be open to being firm when she has to be.

    if there is a will among the majority of the house of bishops to say enough with this, I am hoping that she won't pull a B033 again and convince them to sign off one more time to "give her a chance." I don't want to see us go down that road again.

    - - - -

    by the way, my friend C., whom I asked for prayers for last week over at MadPriests, seems to be in a bad place again. Please keep him in your prayers.

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  17. Dennis, I will. I've made a list, and he is on it.

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  18. I think you make an important point that the main thing the Church is about is not high ecclesiastical politics.

    To the media and other outsiders the Catholic Church is mostly what the pope does, and occasionally what a major archbishop says or how a priest got caught molesting a kid.

    Great issues of doctrinal development or church policy are important of course, as are scandals and crimes, but a parishoner's life in a church is his life in the parish, in the worshipping, teaching, supporting and giving community. That's where one's religion is real.

    So I would concur with you that wrangling primates should have little to do with one's life before the altar, or in the community center or school. What is going on at the top is important. I don't think the issues are trivial. But they will be worked out by victory or compromise or tolerance or schism, and those who reconcile or divide will continue to pray and gather at the table, together or separately, until we are all at the last "enfolded into a single party."

    I'm sorry to hear about what's going on in your family. Happened in mine about thirty years ago with a sibling, and it's still a painful memory. We can be very good at hurting each other when we put our minds to it.

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  19. Rick, my friend, I'm so pleased that you concur. I am accustomed to your well-needed correctives, so this is a special pleasure.

    I'm not being snarky about the correctives, either. I do need them.

    At times, I cannot take in that the nastiness going on in my family is real. But I do feel that God is with us to take us through it, and by his grace, we hope for better times to come.

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  20. I think both gay and straight progressive Episcopalians and Anglicans ought to wear the shirt; because before you know it, it won't be just the gay community that has a manner of life that might strain the bonds of affection. It could be the liberal progressives next who strain the bonds [duh!],or people in wheelchairs next...it's open season on anyone who doesn't "fit" the orthodox reactionary right-wing agenda in the Church.

    Ruminating out loud again....

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  21. Catherine, I know. I am straining the bonds of affection in my own church parish. As I said at OCICBW, I'm the crazy liberal, and no one pays much mind to what I say, although they are kind and tolerant - for the moment.

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