"DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE" - LEONARD COHEN

Leonard is an old man. Well, so what? I am an old lady. In fact, I believe we are the same age. The video is from a few years ago, but not so very many. Leonard has not lost his magic touch. What a gorgeous and romantic song! And the violin!

JUSTICE DEPT. WILL NO LONGER DEFEND "DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT"

From Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin:

The Justice Department today announced that they will no longer defend the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” in two lawsuits that had recently been filed in Federal District Court challenging the law.

In a letter sent to House speaker John Boehner, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote that Section 3 of the statute which bars the federal government from recognizing legal marriages of same-sex couples is a violation of the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment. Holder wrote that in response the the lawsuit which had been filed recently (Windsor v. United States, No. 1:10-cv-8435 (S.D.N.Y.); Pedersen v. OPM, No. 3:10-cv-1750 (D. Conn.).

Good news, indeed! I don't have the kind of mind to understand the legal twists and turns, but I'm pleased that the US Justice department will no longer defend the indefensible.

"UPDATE ON OUR FRIENDS IN NEW ZEALAND"

From the comments at MadPriest's post "UPDATE ON OUR FRIENDS IN NEW ZEALAND":

Brian R said:

Thanks, yes I was even further south on Stewart island (the third very small island of NZ). I am driving my sister and her husband around. Thankfully we had decided not to go to Christchurch this trip. It is very upsetting, the nation is in a state of shock. The loss of the cathedral is terrible but the loss of life (now 75) is far worse. Glad to hear Bosco and family are safe, also Alcibiades family.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ORMONDE

Feb. 23 I go into Ochsner for a catheter ablation to cure focal atrial tachycardia (rapid heart beat caused by a spot in one of my atria, which fires off odd electrical impulses). The doc will put a catheter up one of my arteries and into the right atrium, locate the pesky spot (if possible), and zap it out of existence. He assured me the procedure was “low risk”—only 1 % die.

Ormonde

Pray that Ormonde is in the 99% (I know he will be!) and that the procedure will be successful in stopping the atrial tachycardia.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Ormonde in his illness, and bless the means made use of for his cure. Fill his heart with confidence that, though at times he may be afraid, he yet may put his trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ormonde blogs at Through the Dust.

UPDATE: Ormonde Plater says:

I'm back, released from the hospital, and the good doc zapped not one but two bad spots. Thanks for the prayers, everybody.

Excellent news, Ormonde. Prayers of thanksgiving. Thanks for letting us know.

ONE BRAVE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST

From MYMMedia:

On February 10th , 2011, The interfaith council lead by the "Standing on the Side of Love" campaign, gathered together religious leaders of many faiths and denominations; from episcopal, to Catholics, to Jewish, to Southern Baptist and many others.

All spoke from a perspective as to why they feel their faith should support marriage equality for same-sex couples.

this is father joe Palacios comments from the Catholic perspective.


MYM-Media was asked on behalf of the "Standing on the Side of Love" campaign to document the groups ongoing efforts to end marriage discrimination in Maryland and broaden the public discussion regarding the roll of faith in this civil rights issue.

Thanks to Wade.

RENZ - OUR HERO

Earlier I posted a prayer request for Olga, Fran's sister-in-law, who is gravely ill. Fran appealed for a kind-hearted dog-lover to make a home for Olga's Jack Russell, Skittles. Renz, of Renz in the Woods, offered to take Skittles, but a relay of drivers is needed to get Skittles near enough to Renz for him to pick her up. Check out the details at the link let him know if you can help with transporting Skittles.

The dog pictured is not Skittles, just a picture of a Jack Russell in the event you're not familiar with the breed.

UPDATE FROM RENZ:

Mimi, thank you so much for spreading the word, I am quite happy to report that we have a complete route put together for Saturday, so please simply pray for Skittles for a safe journey.

All right! Prayers for all for a safe journey and prayers for Renz and Skittles that it will be love at first sight.

"OPENING OUR DOORS"

From Fr Jonathan Grieser, rector of, Grace Church, located on the square in Madison, Wisconsin, the site of the demonstrations for worker's rights:

The response to us opening our doors has been overwhelming. As a gesture it seems to have struck a chord in the community, and to some degree, more widely. There are concerns about security but welcoming people in, giving them space to warm up, reflect, and pray, is being hospitable.
....

Some might say to open our doors in such a way is to take a political stand on one side or another. To me, it’s being church. Because of our location, anything we do or don’t do, could be interpreted as taking a stand. Keeping the place buttoned up while 30,000 people are protesting outside our doors, sends a powerful message about who and what Grace Church is....

Read the rest at the blog, especially his commentary on the Evening Prayer service.

You may also want to read Fr Jonathan's sermon from this past Sunday.

THE ANGLICAN COVENANT "HEARKENS BACK TO A WORLD THAT IS PASSING AWAY"

Anglicans Online posted a superb opinion piece on the Anglican Covenant, pointing out why the Anglican Covenant is wrong for the times. The post is significant in that Anglicans Online does not usually take a partisan position in the affairs of the Anglican Communion.

The old ways of ensuring alliances are passing. The old certainties of known allegiances and predetermined interest groups is giving way to the power of like-minded people connecting and assembling in one place, for an agreed end, in the flash of a few tweets. When everyone in the world has a mobile phone with video cameras, are television studios needed to report news?
....

The very looseness of the Anglican Communion (at least until the Tedious Years of the Anglican Covenant Discussion) is what will give it strength to move with relative ease in this new world. The gentle, unlegislated bonds of affection and the tolerance for variances of custom, behaviour, churchmanship, hymns, divorce, prayer books and the like are far more aligned with the way we live now. The old-speak of the proposed Covenant hearkens back to a world that is passing away, one of rigidity, structure, and complex mechanisms of governance.

It's tiresome enough that we've been considering a Covenant when there is so much about the very concept that flies in the face of all that's been characterised as Anglican. That it could be adopted is, to our mind, one that will signal the death knell of the Anglican Communion as we have known it. (And frankly we don't want to know any other kind.)

Ouch! But oh so true. How we will miss the "gentle, unlegislated bonds of affection..." if the covenant is adopted. The thought brings a tear to my eye. (True. Not snark. I actually teared up.)

The writers remind us of the Lambeth Quadrilateral:

Since the late 19th century, the Lambeth Quadrilateral has served brilliantly as a strong and supple web of connection for us all. In our opinion, it's all that is needed.

Here it is, all 108 words of it (five tweets).

(a) The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as 'containing all things necessary to salvation,' and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

(b) The Apostles' Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith.

(c) The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself — Baptism and the Supper of the Lord — ministered with unfailing use of Christ's words of Institution, and of the elements ordained by Him.

(d) The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.

And why does the Lambeth Quadrilateral not now serve our needs? Why do we need a covenant? The answer is we do not.

The entire article is brilliant, and I urge you to read it all.

The members of the editorial staff of Anglicans Online may be found here.

PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Christ Church Cathedral after the earthquake

From the New York Times:

A large earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey, causing buildings to collapse and burying vehicles under debris. There were preliminary reports that the 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which struck in the early afternoon, resulted in fatalities, but none were confirmed.

Damage was extensive and people were trapped inside crumbled buildings, The Associated Press reported. Prime Minister John Key told Parliament that there might be casualties. “Sadly, I cannot rule out whether there have been fatalities or not,” he said.


Video from the scene by 3 News New Zealand showed extensive damage to the city’s main cathedral, as well as people running through the streets to safety. One person called it “the most frightening thing of my entire life.”

Christ Church Cathedral before the earthquake

Photos from twitpic here and here.

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead.

UPDATE: From Anglican Communion News Service:

The Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, the Very Revd Peter Beck, has said he is fearful that people may have been in the Cathedral's tower when it collapsed after an earthquake struck the city.

Speaking to the BBC's 5 Live Radio programme he said that he had himself been in the cathedral office when the quake struck, but was able to escape and get others out of the Cathedral. However, he warned that others could still be trapped inside.
"We were in the cathedral when this happened," he said, "in the office and fortunately that wasn't too badly damaged, but the tower has collapsed and some of the walls have collapsed and we're pretty fearful there may be some people underneath that."

He said that, while there was no service taking place at the time, the cathedral is one of the biggest visitor attractions in the country so there would still have been visitors inside. "There will have been people in the Cathedral, as well as our own staff of course, when this happened. There's a huge amount of dust, it's like a fog inside there.

"We got all the people out that we could, but there are piles of rubble, especially where the tower has collapsed. We don't know whether there were people in the tower at the time, but I'm fairly fearful of that."

H/T to MadPriest.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks prayer in response to natural disaster.

Adon ha-olamim, Sovereign of the universe,

We join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world, for the victims of the earthquake which this week has brought destruction and disaster to many lives.

Almighty God, we pray You, send healing to the injured, comfort to the bereaved, and news to those who sit and wait. May You be with those who even now are engaged in the work of rescue. May You send Your strength to those who are striving to heal the injured, give shelter to the homeless, and bring food and water to those in need. May You bless the work of their hands, and may they merit to save lives.

Almighty God, we recognise how small we are, and how powerless in the face of nature when its full power is unleashed. Therefore, open our hearts in prayer and our hands in generosity, so that our words may bring comfort and our gifts bring aid. Be with us now and with all humanity as we strive to mend what has been injured and rebuild what has been destroyed.

Ken Yehi Ratzon, ve-nomar Amen.
May it be Your will, and let us say Amen.

From Beliefnet.

ARKANSAS HILLBILLY SAYS: "KEEP PRAYING"

From David (Arkansas Hillbilly):

Quick update. I just got called for a second interview tomorrow at the retailer I applied for... Keep praying, it's working!

In reference to the prayer request here.