Death, Death, And More Death...

From the New York Times:

KABUL, Afghanistan — Fourteen Americans were killed in Afghanistan on Monday in two crashes involving helicopters, making it one of the deadliest days in America’s eight-year war here.

Neither crash appeared to involve hostile fire, American military officials said.

From Salon:

Oct 26th, 2009 | BAGHDAD -- Iraqi security forces conducted intense searches at checkpoints in Baghdad on Monday amid warnings of more attacks, as Iraqis questioned how two buses packed with explosives penetrated what was supposed to be one of the city's safest areas, killing 155 people.

From Canon Andrew White of St. George's Church in Baghdad:

Dear Friends,

I am very sorry to tell you that the two major bomb explosions in Baghdad this morning have done serious damage to the church compound, the clinic, the bookshop, the school rooms and the Mothers' Union buildings.
....

And the clinic? The St George's clinic provides free medical and dental treatment to people in Iraq, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. It is staffed by a team of medics representing each of the Abramic faiths: Muslim, Christian and Jew. It contained high quality medical equipment provided by charitable donations to the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. In a moment, much of this equipment has been destroyed, placing it permanently out of reach of the Iraqi people who need it so desperately.

Outside the church, at least 132 people were killed and over 600 injured. Destroyed fragments of their bodies have been thrown through windows of the church, making the clean-up operation yet more unpleasant. Many of our staff and church members remain unaccounted for. Lay Pastor Faiz and I have been trying in vain to reach them by telephone.

Today was a terrible day for us. But even in the blood and trauma and turmoil, there are things for which we can, and indeed must, praise our G-d. The carnage was terrible, but it could have been even worse.

At 10.30am this morning, when the bombs exploded, there was no-one in the church. If the bomb had been just a few hours later, the glass from the windows would have ripped through the congregation causing terrible human damage.
....

Some people ask us whether days like today make us want to give up. We have seen much of what we have worked for destroyed. We have seen people we love bereaved. But the truth is, it is days like today that remind us why our work in Iraq is absolutely essential.

We must continue to provide a place of worship for Iraqi Christians. We must continue to treat the medical needs of Iraqi civilians. And we must continue to engage with the senior religious leaders from across the sectarian divides, working with them to challenge the belief systems that lie behind this terrible slaughter.

We will not stop because of this. Will you stand with us and help us to restore what was destroyed?

Blessings,
Andrew

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead.

May those who died rest in peace and rise in glory. May God give comfort, consolation, and the peace that passes understanding to all who loved them.

May the love of God flow in abundance upon the wounded and their families and friends and bring healing to bodies, minds, and spirits.

‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

June Tabor - "The Band Played Waltzing Matilida"

Will we never learn?

How to be a Gracious Bitch*

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement-- not even her parent's nasty divorce. Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother! Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused.

'Absolutely not. I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it,' she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, 'Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.'

A few days later, they went shopping and did find another gorgeous dress.

When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, 'Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it.'

Her mother just smiled and replied, 'Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.'

NOW I ASK YOU - IS THERE A WOMAN OUT THERE, ANYWHERE, WHO WOULDN'T ENJOY THIS STORY?

None that I know of, Doug.

*I tried to think of a less offensive word that made the same exact point, but none came to mind. I even thought of putting asterisks to substitute for the middle letters, but I thought that would be taking the cowardly way out. Sooooo.....excuse my language!

Vatican Overture In F-Minor

From the transcript to the NPR interview by Guy Raz, titled "Vatican's Overture To Anglicans Rankles, Delights", with Jim Naughton, Fr. Thomas Reese, and (Wait for this!) Archbishop Robert Duncan. Ta-dah!

Mr. [Jim] NAUGHTON:

I think this is an instance where some of the more conservative leaders within the Roman Curia have decided that there's an opportunity to try to weaken the Anglican Communion by sending a message that Rome disapproves of its policies. And so I think this is, in many ways, not the pastoral move it's being portrayed as but is largely about sending a political message. And I think that's what Anglicans have to say in response is that if indeed you want to define yourself as the church that will reach out to people who are dissatisfied over liberalization, go for it, because we do disagree with you. We just, after much prayer and study, we just think you're wrong.

RAZ: Jim Naughton is the canon for communications with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.


Reverend THOMAS REESE (Jesuit Priest; Senior Fellow, Woodstock Theological Center, Georgetown University):

I think what's basically happening is that there is a large number of Anglicans who have approached the Catholic Church and want to rejoin with the Catholic Church. You know, it's not that the Catholic Church is going out recruiting, trying to steal sheep from the Anglican Communion. These people are basically ones who are unhappy, have left or are planning to leave the Anglican Communion. They're knocking on our door. And the question is, do we open the door and let them in, or do we say no, thanks, you're on your own?
....

RAZ: Father Thomas Reese is a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

The best for last, of course - Archbishop Robert Duncan of ACNA

RAZ: Mm-hmm. We spoke with a representative from the Episcopal Church here in Washington, D.C.

Archbishop DUNCAN: Mm-hmm.

RAZ: He called the decision by the Vatican an affront.

Archbishop DUNCAN: Ah, an affront. Well, you see that the majority of Anglicans all over the world believe what the American Episcopal Church has done is an affront. It's an affront to what Christians have always believed. It's an affront to the authority of Holy Scripture. It's an affront to Christian marriage. It's an affront to the person and saving work of Jesus Christ.

So it doesn't surprise me that a representative of the Episcopal Church would call what the Vatican has done an affront. They would, in fact, call what we have done, as classic Anglicans, mainstream Anglicans, they call what we've done an affront.

RAZ: Do you have any plans to take advantage of the Vatican's offer?

Archbishop DUNCAN: No. I have made plain in my conversations with the Vatican that I believe that at this point in time, I'm called to lead the Anglican Church in North America and to rally faithful, mainstream Anglicans together and together with other mainstream Christians and that that's my call and my work right now. But I certainly bless those who are ready for this.

RAZ: Archbishop Robert Duncan heads the Anglican Church in North America.

Your Grace, thank you so much.

Mm-hmm. Affront, affront, affront. Who's committing affront? Whom do you believe?

His Grace will not take advantage of the kind offer from the Vatican. You see, if he crosses over to Rome, he will not be "His Grace".

Read the entire transcript or listen to the interview.

Thanks to Fran for sending me the link to the interview.

UPDATE: From a comment by BabyBlue to her own post titled "The Living Church: Rowan Williams says only provinces may sign the Anglican Covenant":

BabyBlue said...

I talk on the phone with Bob Duncan's office and it's "His Grace" this and "His Grace" that and I want to scream and run out of the room.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

bb

BabyBlue, I tip my hat to you. You have that exactly right.

Episcopal Diocese Of San Joaquin - 50th Convention

Fred Schwartz writes about the convention of the real Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. His account of the meeting at Real Anglicans is here:

By now you must be aware that the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin is meeting for the second (actually the third time) since the split. A couple of parishes have now rejoined us (TEC diocese of San Joaquin) which will make this an interesting convention. In addition, we have one of the illustrious Communion Partner Rectors in this diocese as well. If you do not remember who the Communion Partners are look them up on the web at www.communionpartners.org. There you will find our own Rev. Rob Eaton. These are the folks who think they can be Episcopalian and not live by the constitution canons and prayerbook of TEC.

And here:

The 50th Annual Convention for the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin grew from spark to flame on this pleasant October evening. It was a time for sipping wine, eating a light repast and talking with old friends we had not seen for a while. It was a time for workshops including one on Education for Ministry (Wilma attended this one) and Episcopal Relief and Development and one led by +Jerry Lamb and Chancellor Michael Glass (I attended this one. There will be more on this one later) that featured "Where are We Now". 'The later referred to the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.

And here:

Bishop Lamb convenes "California Gold"-

On Saturday, the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin met for the 50th time and wowsers, was it different! First off, the diocese passed a resolution affirming D025 from General Convention D025. With the passage of this resolution came a strange event. Our Communion Partner's Rector's parish, tried to perform an end-run by "tabling this motion" until such time as the diocesan Equality Commission could "finish its work". Note well that the representative to the Equality Commission had in a large and loud huff quit the commission a few months prior. This was the same parish that a year ago tried to gut the resolution forming the Equality Commission. At any rate, there was a discussion on the motion to table (most everyone saw right through this) and the motion was defeated. The resolution in favor of affirmation of D025 passed with some no votes but clearly a majority. In addition the affirmation of C056 passed with some no votes but with a clear majority.

There's much more at the website, including pictures.

Fred posted even more pictures at Off-Topic Allowed here and here.

Let us pray for the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. Bishop Jerry Lamb and the members of the diocese have difficult work ahead of them.

May God the Father watch over them and strengthen them; may the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ fill their hearts to overflowing; may the Spirit of the Living God guide them and enlighten them in all their endeavors, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Half Moon

Tonight's bright half moon
Poised above in dark night sky
Shines light through tree leaves

Late Again!

There's my empty pew. This morning, I ran so late that I was tempted to stay home. I overslept, and I did not make the Sunday school class. It seems that the only time I arrive before the service begins is when I go to the earlier class. As a parishioner, I'm, no doubt, the bane of my rector AND my fellow parishioners, who'd prefer a more punctual attendee.

In gauging how long certain tasks will take, tasks such as taking a shower and getting dressed, I seem to have a deficit. And the clock! In some instances, time flies, and in others time drags. How does one tell whether time will fly or drag?

However, because I was hungry for the Bread of Heaven and thirsty for the Cup of Salvation, (No irony here!) I went anyway, tardy as I was, and arrived as the priest was reading the Gospel. Shame on me! I stood quietly in the back until the rector finished reading, and then slinked into my place as the congregation sang the "Celtic Alleluia".

Today, I did not break my record for tardiness and disturbing the congregation. That record still stands at Tobias' church, St. James in the Bronx, when I embarrassed myself beyond belief. On that occasion, I partly blame the New York subway system for closing down subway stations on weekends and the Bronx for being so far from where I was staying in Midtwon Manhattan.

I hope that Tobias and his congregation have tucked that occasion into the place called "Memories I Can't Recall". Bless their hearts!

Louis Armstrong - That Lucky Old Sun

For your Sunday morning pleasure. After you listen, go to church - if you haven't already been.

For some reason that I can't fathom, I've been singing this song, or it's been running through my head since last night. Perhaps it will go away now. Not that I don't like the song, and Louie's version especially, but enough is enough.

Will Your Pets Be Left Behind?

When you're raptured, will your pets go with you, or will they be left behind? Don't take a chance. Eternal Earth-bound Pets has the answer for you, just in case.

You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each
Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.

You may ask, "Is this for real?" I ask you, "Is the rapture for real?" The answer is in the questions, and it starts with "m", which stands for....

The cats are Stormy and Wendy. They live with my son and his family.

H/T to Pam at Pandagon.

Church Janitor Confesses To Murdering Priest

From the New York Times:

A church janitor has confessed to the killing of a Roman Catholic priest in Chatham, N.J., the Morris County prosecutor’s office said on Saturday.

The janitor, Jose Feliciano, 64, of Easton, Pa., was arrested just before 5 p.m. on Saturday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of the Rev. Edward Hinds, 61, of St. Patrick’s Church.
....

Mr. Feliciano has been a janitor at St. Patrick’s Church for 17 years. His daughter is a student at the parish school, and his son is a graduate.

I'm relieved that the alleged murderer confessed. Prayers for those who grieve for Fr. Hinds. Prayers for José Feliciano and his family.

Thanks to Doug for the link.