"HAPPY NEW BIRTHDAY, CRISTY!"

From here to Istanbul:

Between 12:00 and 12:15, Istanbul time, Cristy’s stem cell transplantation happened. It took all of about 10 minutes. She is currently sleeping soundly and tomorrow will begin her regimen of walking the halls of the bone marrow transplant unit every two hours. She’ll be closely monitored over the next 10 days to ensure that the transplant is indeed working and that her body is building an entirely new autoimmune system. She has been told that the next few days will be difficult but that she will soon experience an upswing in her physical health as her system continues to regenerate itself. She likens this process to a complete oil change and refers to Dr. Gulbas as her master mechanic.

Posted by Sharon (on behalf of Liz)

GUMBO TIME IN THIBODAUX!

 

From the Daily Comet:

THIBODAUX — One of the city’s longest-running gumbo fundraisers is back for another year as St. John’s Episcopal Church continues its chicken-and-sausage gumbo sale.

Run by the Episcopal Church Women, the gumbo is sold from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday during Lent. The meal costs $8 and includes carrot or potato salad, French bread, iced tea and homemade dessert.

The fundraiser began more than 20 years ago when the church’s ladies were looking for an outreach program, said Nyada DeGravelles, a founding member.

The chief beneficiary is the local Good Samaritan Food Bank. The gumbo also serves to draw folks to St. John's to get to know us in the midst of an area that is heavily Roman Catholic.

St. Joseph Roman Catholic Co-Cathedral serves a seafood gumbo on Fridays, and the two congregations support one another in their fundraising efforts.

THE VIEW FROM "OVER HERE"

At Lesley's Blog, I learned that the Diocese of Lichfield in the Church of England voted in favor of the adoption of the Anglican Covenant by a comfortable margin.

BISHOPS: For: 4; Against: 0; Abstain: 0

CLERGY: For: 39; Against: 11; Abstain: 1

LAITY: For: 57; Against: 9; Abstain: 1

There you have it.

A summary of the con and pro arguments:

Arguments against were that it slowed down change, it is unnecessary bureaucracy, that Section 4 was more like a legal contract than covenant and was full of holes; that document was not really addressing the main issues - gay people, communication, interpretation of scripture - and was a red herring.

Arguments for were that the Episcopal church has been very naughty and needs punishing for the trouble it has caused; that good relationships with international colleagues are very important and the Covenant would keep them going; that Section 4 not really a very big stick; that Rowan is showing leadership and we need to back him; that they don't like Section 4 but is the only show in town so need to go with it. (My emphasis)

A comment to Lesley's post stated:

Unfortunately a lot of arguments for the Covenant seem to be based on the view that people don't want to be nasty to Rowan, and humiliate him. That seems to be a very weak argument in favour of something we could be stuck with for a very long time.

I agree wholeheartedly that not wanting to hurt or humiliate Dr Williams is a very weak excuse for supporting the daft covenant, and, being one of the naughty Episcopalians, I decided to leave a response at Lesley's blog, which is quoted here with slight editing:

If I may speak a few words about the election of Bp Gene Robinson. He was elected by the Episcopalians of the State of New Hampshire. He was not an unknown. He had served as a priest in NH, a very small state, for 12 years and was well-known in the churches around the state.

NH is not a hotbed of liberalism. At the present time, NH has one Democratic senator and one Republican senator. Both members of the House of Representatives are Republican.

Back in 2003, when Bp Gene was elected, I was not in favor of having partnered gay persons as bishops, but despite my misgivings, even I could not see why the people of NH shouldn't have the person they chose as their bishop. When the time came for consents to be given by the bishops and Standing Committees of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church, Bp Gene received sufficient favorable votes.

Have the English folk who are quick to blame us for all the troubles in the Anglican Communion and want TEC punished for its naughtiness (which, by the way, hardly seems Christlike to me) thought that there may have been other reasons for giving consents to Gene Robinson besides a lack of care for the other churches in the AC?

The truth is that we in TEC cherish our relationships throughout the Anglican Communion, some of which are extremely close. At the same time, we also cherish our relationships amongst the dioceses in our own church. If the people in NH wanted Bp Gene for their bishop, why should they have been denied, simply because the man they chose was in an open, loving, committed relationship with his partner Mark?

Sometimes, choices must be made, and the majority of those in TEC who voted on consents decided that the just and right thing to do was to give the folks in NH the bishop they wanted.

Of course, I'm well aware that the view from "over there" may be quite different, but I wanted to speak my piece from "over here".

BEING GOOD

I've always thought death was a lot like
Christmas, he said. I can't wait to find
out if being good the whole time was
worth it.

Yes. :-)

From StoryPeople.

IN THE BLOOMIN' GARDEN

 

Our azaleas are at different stages of blooming, some in full bloom, some just beginning to produce buds, and some fading.

 

The Indian hawthorne is in full bloom, while the dwarf azaleas in the background are beginning to fade. The dwarf azaleas bloom several times a year, usually with a display around Christmas, which is lovely.

 

As you see, this bush is just about covered with flowers.

 

St Francis points to the lovely azalea blooms - or perhaps he points to the birdie. Who can tell?

 

Our shrimp plant is not the greatest beauty in our garden, but the hummingbirds like to visit, so we must keep it going.

 

Diana lolls in the yard guarding, but not eating, her dog bone. Diana, we don't want your bone. Truly.

As regular readers know, Diana lost one diseased eye through an accident, but she was already nearly blind in the eye. Her remaining eye is clouded over, and she doesn't see well out of it. In addition, she suffers from arthritis and is going deaf. Poor old girl. Old age is not for sissies.

"...GOD'S LOVE AS THE BE ALL AND END ALL....

Mark Harris at Preludium preached a fine sermon for Lent II titled "God in the midst of death and destruction".

The Tweet summary:

Spirit filled and freed up, we Jesus people know that God loves the world fully and accept God’s love as the be all and end all of life.

Read the rest at Mark's blog. It's excellent.

CHUBBY CARRIER AND THE BAYOU SWAMP BAND

 

The band that won the Grammy playing this afternoon at the Bayou Swamp Stomp Festival at Nicholls State University here in Thibodaux

 

The band again

 

The dancers

 

A couple who danced really well

 

Chubby Carrier and moi

Chubby knows to hold up his CD because he wants to sell you a copy of his latest "Zydeco Junkie".

 

Randy Ellis and moi

Randy is a local boy who went to school with my daughter, Alison, and played with her in the Thibodaux High School Band.

You may order the CD from the band's website or the MP3 album from MadPriest's Amazon widget on his right sidebar.

PLEASE PRAY..

...for all involved as we continue the selection process for priests-in-charge for four parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. The Q&A sessions yesterday went quite well. I'm pleased that we are blessed with a slate of excellent candidates from which we and the candidates will choose the best church/candidate matches. I thank you all for your prayers thus far.

Lord, look upon the congregations St. John's in Thibodaux, St. Margaret's in Baton Rouge, St. Mary's in Franklin, and Christ Episcopal Church in Slidell. So guide the hearts and minds of our leadership teams, Bishop Morris, Canon Mark, the participating candidates for Holy Orders, and all those participating in the Clergy and Congregational Development Program, so that we may come to prepare and strengthen each other in our respective ministries. Make us all thankful of Your many blessings, faithful to Your Holy Word, and mindful that we are working to your honor and glory. Amen.

I confess that when I first became part of the selection process for a priest-in-charge, I did not quite realize the solemnity of the responsibility, which I now do, and it's awesome (in the old sense of the word). However, I am convinced that erring humans that we are, the Spirit of the living God guides us in the process.

Omnia vestra in caritate fiant. (Let all that you do be done in love.)

Soli Deo gloria. (Glory to God alone.)

IF YOU WATCHED "DOWNTON ABBEY"...

...or even if you didn't, enjoy.




Thanks to Lapin for the link.

JCF'S FRIEND CATHY - HOME TO GOD

JCF said...

I just heard:

Cathy went home to God this evening.

My heart is heavy...but I'm relieved she's free of pain.

Light eternal grant unto her O Lord...

May Cathy rest in peace and rise in glory.

May God give comfort, consolation, and the peace that passes understanding to all who love Cathy.