Keeping the church together

There's a new site listed on my links -- I didn't list them just because their name is almost the same as my blog address! It's a new group called Episcopal Voices of Central Florida, formed with the purpose of "keeping unity in Christ in a changing world." They issued the following press release:

EPISCOPAL GROUP URGES DIOCESE TO REMAIN IN NATIONAL CHURCH

ORLANDO - A group of Central Florida Episcopalians has formed in an effort to keep the local diocese from leaving the national church.

Episcopal Voices of Central Florida is a group of lay people and clergy from all regions of the diocese, which extends to both coasts. Although group members are of differing opinions about sexuality issues now creating a rift within the church, they are dedicated to remaining in full support and union with the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

"We are mainstream Episcopalians who represent the middle ground, the place where everyone is welcome and we can find unity despite our differences," said Donna Bott, moderator for Episcopal Voices. "We oppose and will continue to oppose any attempts to take our churches, our property, our congregations, or our diocese out of the national church. Our bishop, John Howe, has stated that he wishes to remain in the Episcopal Church and we are here to support him."

Bott noted that Episcopalians have weathered other controversies, staying unified in its faith as revealed in scripture, tradition and reason.

"The current situation is polarizing the diocese and diverting its attention from such critically important issues as mission, poverty, hunger, and caring for all as Jesus commands," said Bott, a member of the diocesan board and a resident of The Villages.

Episcopal Voices formed following a September special convening of the diocese convention. During that meeting, resolutions were passed that put the diocese in a posture indicating a possible break with the national Episcopal Church, a situation that alarmed members and led to the group's creation.

"We know there are many people who don't want schism but haven't been able to find their voice. Episcopal Voices is here for everyone," Bott said, adding that the group is very enthusiastic about its mission.

"Anyone is welcome to join our group," said Winter Park attorney Chan Muller. "We represent all points of view with a common goal of staying together in Christian worship and service."

With the annual diocese convention set for the end of January, Episcopal Voices is beginning a petition drive to assure that the diocese remains part of the national church. Anyone interested in joining the petition drive is urged to contact the group's website at www.episcopalvoicescf.org or e-mail directly to info@episcopalvoicescf.org . You may also contact Leslie Poole at 407-647-3492.
info@episcopalvoicescf.org

It's going to be a tough battle. I'm guessing the Bishop's number one order of business at the diocesan convention will be an attempt to make the diocese an AAC-affiliate. It has already been announced, in fact, that our diocese, along with 12 others, has joined the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes.

Bishop Robert Duncan, convener of the new network made the announcement. He was also quoted in a New York Times article, "Thirteen dioceses are coming together to guarantee that the kind of Anglicanism that is authentic Anglicanism throughout the world is represented here in the United States and has its own voice."

Ah, yes. The one true church and spiritual leader, the AAC, not that pesky Episcopal Church of the USA, with its bunch of heretics.

Our Bishop Howe admitted to signing a "Theological Charter" for the network, but apparently Duncan jumped the gun in making the announcement, for Howe stated the bishops could not include their whole dioceses as members until diocesan committees had been given a chance to approve it. "The cart is way, way ahead of the horse, and I'm not sure it's the right cart or horse," Howe was quoted as saying in the article.

Oops, and the AAC had already gone and changed its website to reflect this new deal. Then they had to change it back. (This info thanks to my friend M who monitors all these websites and kept me up-to-date on these developments while I was working overtime the last few weeks.)

I guess the slow, parish-by-parish attempt at AAC-affiliation wasn't working out too well (not that many parishes have affiliated, even in our conservative diocese) and they decided to just go for it at the diocesan level. Too bad they have to wait for votes. I just hope our January diocesan convention doesn't go like the special convention in September, an orchestrated event with ringers placed in with the delegates to vote on such goodies as a statement of unity that left ECUSA out of the equation -- we here in Central Florida were apparently in unity with the rest of the world, but not with our own church.

It should be an interesting new year. My prayers will be that the Voices of Central Florida will be heeded at the convention, and that Howe will act as though he means what he says about not wanting a break with ECUSA.

Christmas

A Shepherd’s Story

I. Advent

I am a simple man, a shepherd who tends my sheep.
I know where to find good grazing ground,
But these hints of miracles and mysteries deep?
Lord, I have no mastery of things profound.
I cannot understand the signs You gave me--
I only pray that in Your mercy You’ll save me.
Sleepless, I marvel at the star being birthed this hour;
Oh Abba, what is this terrible thing I await,
This Holiness of such unyielding power
that on shaking knees I beg my fear abate.
I can do nothing but pray. On You, Oh God, I wait.


II. Christmas

Hosanna! For in the deep of the night
The Lord brought to us this Holy Light!
To God’s Glory my human spirit yields,
To His Son, whose sign I witnessed from the fields.
He is among us now with extraordinary grace,
A gift from the Father to save our mortal race.
I have seen my Savior -- this night my hope was born
In this baby whose radiance outshines the morn.
My knees tremble yet with fear and awe
For tonight, in an infant, it was God I saw.



Merry Christmas, everyone. May you find many blessings waiting for you.

Anticipation

Jingle bells, jingle bells...What do you want for Christmas, little girl?... On a one-horse open sleigh...Frosty the Snowman...

I grew up in a very secular household. Christmas season was all about the anticipation of the gifts under the tree, especially the ones (the biggest and best ones) Santa would bring on Christmas Eve. It was about baking Christmas cookies and decorating the tree. I remember the weeks of aching anticipation I spent as a schoolgirl, waiting. Wondering what I would get.

I heard the stories about baby Jesus and the three wise men and the stable, but they were just stories, with a message about love.

And at last, Christmas Eve would come. We would usually open one gift each, but not the "best" ones -- those were held for Christmas morning. I could hardly sleep on Christmas Eve for the excitement of it all. One of my earliest and best memories is of being at my grandmother's house for Christmas. She calmed me down enough to get me to sleep by lying down on the bed beside me and telling me to be very still and quiet so I would hear the reindeer landing on the roof.

Then Christmas morning finally arrived. The Santa gifts were always left unwrapped under the tree and we checked them out first, trying out the bicycle or junior chemistry set or doll carriage, then we ripped into the wrapped gifts. Paper and ribbon and stick-on bows went flying. We examined our loot. We had brunch. Then it was all over. Another Christmas bit the dust. There was a sense of let-down, after all the anticipation, after all the Christmas adrenaline -- it was over. The day after Christmas had a little cloud of depression hanging over it, in the knowledge we'd have another whole year, a very long time for a child to wait.

I see roots and parallels in my enjoyment of the Advent season, with its sense of anticipation, of waiting for something wonderful to come, and my childhood anticipation of Christmas, but there the similarities end. The older I get, the less I care about gifts and the exchange of them. They're usually something bought under pressure by someone desperate to find SOMETHING and get this holiday shopping over with.

No, the specialness of Christmas is its Easter message. I know my Lord's a-coming and I'm waiting for Him. In my unsaintly theology, Christmas is the first coming, then Easter, bringing our resurrected King, is the second coming (I guess that means we're actually awaiting his third coming and alleluia, He is coming -- yet He is here. Emmanuel.). I'm rejoicing in His birth.

And Christmas Day is just the beginning of the celebration, not the end.

Not going gentle

In my posting of Nov. 28, I wrote about my mother wandering away from the assisted living facility (ALF) and being detained by the police. Unfortunately, Mom continued to try to wander off. The last time, the nurse reported, she stood in the middle of the street and resisted efforts to bring her back. She was moved into the skilled nursing building, where the doors are secure, a few days ago.

Mom has never accepted that she needs any assistance -- she just wants to go back home, sure she can take care of herself. "I could get a job slinging hash or something," she said, on several occasions, though what the connection is between that and going home is clear only in her mind. Does she think she was put there because she was broke? "Debtor's prison?"

Anyway, she complained of being put in "with those old people" in the ALF, though her own age was certainly not below the median. She complained that they mostly all had something wrong with them and needed wheelchairs or walkers or something. Clearly, she did not fit in with them, her thinking went.

Now she is in the Alzheimer's ward, with the vacant-eyed, slack-jawed, shuffling and sad people. The director said this is the only opening they have in the secure area right now, but hopefully an opening will come up soon in the regular skilled care area. I plan to hold him to it. Mom isn't so far gone that she is unaffected by her environment. She is angry at being placed there. It has to seem horrible and depressing for her there. There's no recreation room, no living room, just a room with a hospital bed. There's not even a TV for her to watch -- I'm going to buy her a portable tomorrow.

I have to admit I've felt a little angry with her for being so uncooperative with the staff at the ALF and for not listening to me, either. (She's been angry at me for being placed there. I "told tales on her to the doctors.") They treated her very kindly at the ALF, and most of the other patients tried to bring her into the social circle. Most seemed pretty cheerful living there, despite their infirmities. But Mom just wasn't having any of it. Her wandering off was due to her mental confusion coupled with her own hard-headedness. Mom has always been determined to do exactly what she wants to do. It worked to her detraction in this case.

I'm afraid this move might send her downhill mentally and emotionally. At the same time, I recognize she had to be moved. The Florida newspapers are full of stories about people wandering away from nursing homes (or their own homes) and being found dead. Mom could have easily been mugged when she took off -- a frail-looking, skinny little-old lady walking down the street with her pocketbook clutched in her hands.

I wish Mom could find it in herself to reach out to the people around her. She has passed up so many chances -- in the ALF was just the most recent. There are people in this Alzheimer's ward with whom she could socialize, who aren't any farther gone than she is. She could even reach out to help or comfort another person, and in so doing, maybe entertain an angel unawares.

Be praying for her and for all the people in nursing homes.

Advent

Advent is the time of year of waiting, waiting in expectancy, aware of our human frailty but with the promise of something new to come from God. It's both solemn and scary (the shepherds were sore afraid of they knew not what) and full of excitement and mystery.

Here's a poem I wrote last year for Advent and Christmas. I'll just post the Advent part now, then post the Christmas part.


A Shepherd’s Story

I. Advent

I am a simple man, a shepherd who tends my sheep.
I know where to find good grazing ground,
But these hints of miracles and mysteries deep?
Lord, I have no mastery of things profound.
I cannot understand the signs You gave me--
I only pray that in Your mercy You’ll save me.
Sleepless, I marvel at the star being birthed this hour;
Oh Abba, what is this terrible thing I await,
This Holiness of such unyielding power
that on shaking knees I beg my fear abate.
I can do nothing but pray. On You, Oh God, I wait.