Two Welcoming Addresses GC2009

From the welcoming address of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefforts-Schori:

The overarching connection in all of these crises has to do with the great Western heresy – that we can be saved as individuals, that any of use alone can be in right relationship with God. It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of all being.
....

Jesus’ critical decision to journey toward Jerusalem is about the city of God’s dream, Yerushalayim, the city of peace, the city of shalom, the city of God’s holy mountain, toward which the nations stream. We Christians often think the only important part of the Jerusalem story is Calvary, and, yes, suffering and killing in that place still seem to be the loudest news. But Calvary was a waypoint in the larger arc of God’s dream – it’s on the way to Jerusalem, it is not in Jerusalem. Jesus’ passion was and is for God’s dream of a reconciled creation. We’re meant to be partners in building that reality, throughout all of creation. This crisis is a decision point, one which may involve suffering, but it is our opportunity to choose which direction we’ll go and what we will build. We will fail if we choose business as usual. There will be cross-shaped decisions in our work, but if we look faithfully, there will be resurrection as well.
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From the welcoming address by Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies, comes a reminder to those of us from Louisiana to give thanks for the help we received from the national church:

The vision of building the “Beloved Community” in the Diocese of Louisiana, for example, has been embraced by over 100,000 volunteers and a $10 million dollar investment from contributions made to Episcopal Relief & Development for this purpose which has conservatively produced 20 times that amount in benefit to the community. Many of us are responding to God’s call to mission, but what if ALL of us did it? What if all of us did it as if our lives depended on it? Think of it!!
....

So right here, right now, let us begin. Let us invest our love in the Holy Spirit, and set our hearts on mission with everything we have. Where we have already begun, let us intensify our efforts. Where there is need unmet, let us begin new ministry. Let us listen deeply to one another at General Convention. Let us learn a new leadership art that we can develop here, then take home with us and use if it works for us. For, we are the Episcopal Church and we have the community, the liturgy, the history, the intellect, the resources and the passion to make an historic and effective impact on the world’s suffering. This is our moment. Let us claim this moment and let us celebrate this moment. Then let us go back out into the world together – and do it.

Thank you.

Pray For Tigger And my Son And His Family

This morning my son ran over Tigger with his car by accident. Tigger had begun to have neurological problems once again, and probably could not get out from under the car quickly enough. He ran under a shed which is very low to the ground, and my son is trying to get him out now to take him to the vet, if he is not already dead. Grandpère went over there to try to help him.

You may ask why a sick cat was outside instead of in the house. Tigger was a stray and is still part feral. He hates being in the house and yowls constantly when he's inside. Only the family can hold him and cuddle him. He's not a mean cat, but he moves away when others try to pet him.

If Tigger is still alive, he will probably need to be put to sleep. My son feels terrible about the accident. Tigger has been with them for 12 years. My grandchildren are due to return to their dad's house today and will take this quite hard.

UPDATE: The deed is done. Tigger has gone on to the sweet bye-and-bye. He was injured, and the ear problem was back, putting him off his equilibrium again. It was time. May he rest in peace. Pray for my son and for my grandchildren who will hear the news this evening.

R.I.P. TIGGER

You were a good friend and companion for twelve years. We'll see you in the sweet bye-and-bye.

♫ Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory! ♫

Busy, Busy, Busy

Not much time for posting or visiting blogs today. I'm in a rather frantic last-minute rush to get a million things done before I leave tomorrow morning for Anaheim. I'll come back to say "Goodbye" before I leave.

Anglo-Catholics Not Impressed By FoCA

Headline from the Church Times Blog:

Anglo Catholics unimpressed by the FCA launch meeting

The Church Times Blog provides several links to the opinions of Anglo-Catholic bloggers who attended the meeting at Westminster.

Lost In Translation

My day is under construction, too.



It's a simple solution for a common problem.



Yes. It's best to close the door.



I've found that wringing in coleslaw doesn't work for me, either, but I had to learn the hard way, by trial and error, without instructions.



Well, I wonder. I'm of two minds about this sign. It's a warning to customers, but about what?

Thanks to Ann.

President Obama - Always Gracious

For those of you who have missed the news on the President, he is currently on a trip to Russia. Today, after a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Obama took a moment out of his official schedule to go out on his hotel's balcony and wave to Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.

From Doug.

Gonzo Has A Job!

From the Austin American-Statesman:

Alberto Gonzales, who resigned as the Bush administration’s embattled attorney general nearly two years ago, has lined up a fall-semester teaching spot at Texas Tech University, the university confirmed today.
....

Lawrence Schovanec, interim dean of Texas Tech’s College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted saying: “Judge Gonzales brings a unique experience to our classroom. His career in law, government and public service will provide our political science students a rich perspective of the executive branch and issues and challenges facing our nation. ”

There’s no hint in the announcement that Gonzales had difficulties as attorney general.

You can't buy a "rich perspective" like Gonzo's for mere money. He must have a soft spot in his heart for Texas Tech to grace their campus with his presence. I wonder if the students will heckle him in his classes.

Why We Need The Public Option In Health Care

From Paul Waldman at The American Prospect:

The single-payer and hybrid systems in place in every other country in the developed world have many admirable features: lower costs, universal coverage, and better health outcomes. But what ought to make us most envious is their security -- it's what they have and we desperately need. If you live in Canada or Germany or France or Japan, there are some things you need never fear. You need never fear that your insurance company will tell you it won't cover treatment for your asthma because you had asthma before they signed you up. You need never fear that you will bankrupt your family because of expensive treatments for a serious illness. You need never fear that you will find yourself without coverage after your insurer dropped you or you lost your job. You might fear getting sick, but you won't fear that your life will be destroyed by not being able to pay for getting sick.

In the United States, unless you're over 65, extremely poor, or a veteran -- thus, already covered by a government health insurance plan -- you do have to fear all that. That's because the central pathology of our deeply pathological health-care system is that most of us have no choice but to get health coverage from an entity whose sole reason for being is to take our money and then try to avoid paying for our care when we get sick.

Yes.

From Roseann

Thanks everyone
Your prayers and kind words mean so much to me. I just don't know what is going to happen but I guess none of us ever do. It is so hard to want to live when I am this sick. I broke down and cried yesterday. I want my mommy, I want to feel good, I want to walk in the grocery store instead of ride the go-cart thing. I want to whine and cry and pitch a fit because that always makes things better, right?

Thanks for listening to me and praying for me. When I get well I'll have a big bar-b-q and you're all invited.

Love, R

Roseann, go ahead whine, cry, and pitch a fit. You are one of the bravest people I know. You get to do whatever you want. I can't wait for the BBQ.

Much love and many prayers fly your way, my dear, dear Roseann. I love you and hold you in my heart.

Does God Change His/Her Mind?

In the Lectionary reading for today from 1 Samuel 15:24-35, v. 29 reads:

Moreover, the Glory of Israel will not recant or change his mind; for he is not a mortal, that he should change his mind.’

And then in v. 35:

...And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.