Don't miss Ain't Done Crashin' Yet -- a reflection by Marvin Long from the Diocese of Fort Worth posted yesterday to Katie Sherrod's blog Desert's Child.
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And after you've checked it out, wander over to Fr. Jake and check out his reflections and the comments thereupon.
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And give thanks for the courageous witness of those who are virtual icons of speaking truth to power and -- in spite of the spiritual & emotional cost -- finding hope rather than succumbing to despair. As Marvin says so poignantly in his concluding words:
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The bright side is that there is support for ECUSA here. Although I am saddened by the current state of affairs, I hopefully look for the national church to reassert itself. Come soon. I'm still on my horse.
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WE are "the national church" folks. The ones who elected the deputies who elected the President of the House of Deputies, elected the bishops who elected the Presiding Bishop, selected our Executive Council members and who have a voice in this messy, democratic, representative system we call Episcopal Polity.
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What can WE do to reach out to those who are "voices in the wilderness?" What can WE do to give voice to the voiceless?
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Well, we can post their voices to our blogs ... like Katie and Jake and Elizabeth and now me. (Forgiveness begged if there are others I've missed ... I'm writing this on my lunch break and only have time to check so many blogs!)
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We can express our support by contacting the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies and offering our strongest support for their strongest suppost of the Marvin Longs and Katie Sherrods in Fort Worth and elsewhere.
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We can express our outrage by communicating with the Bishop of Fort Worth.
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We can express our solidarity by inviting the wider Anglican Communion into this conversation and making sure those working on Lambeth Conference and others with influence at Lambeth Palace hear the voices of those who are the collateral damage in this "rush toward schism."
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We may not have horses to saddle up but we do have the power of our collective witnesses to offer. And I'm thinking it's time to head 'em up and move 'em out!
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8 comments:
Surely I'm not the only one to notice -- with regard to the proposed defection of these dioceses to the "Southern Cone" -- that (a) they'll be putting themselves under the nominal headship of a Brit, rather than submitting to the authority of an African (racism, anyone?) and (b) their numbers will overwhelm that tiny province (supposing this is allowed to happen), so that they can quickly and easily overwhelm it and make it whatever they want it to be (colonialism, anyone?)
Sheesh.
I was disheartened by the unpleasant right-wing commenters over at Jake's, who wrote malevolently about both Katie and Marvin. I know in my head that it's most often the people with a bone to pick who are out there posting stuff, but in my heart I wish there were more people who spoke with kindness and compassion.
That's why I'm a christian I guess -- an unflagging belief in the goodness of all creation, and the desire to see it manifest in the world.
-J
did you read the blog entry over on STAND FLACCID from the woman who said that she wouldn't waste a bullet to take out the pb?
have you read matt kennedy's essay on STAND FLACCID, in which he defends +duncan's refusal to allow our pb to be prayed for in the pop in the diocese of pittsburgh because, according to mr. kennedy, the pb is a heretic?
I am needing to read more about this situation that seems to be flaring in other parts of Texas than I am--thanks for the links and the info.
Is that a photo of Marvin on horseback?
No ... it's just a generic cowboy I found on Google Images ...
Great cowboy picture!
I've been away from my computer for several days, so I'm a bit tardy weighing in here. Three Sundays ago I was present at CTK, Fort Worth, and had the distasteful experience of witnessing my brother's dressing down. I wrote about it on my blog, if anybody's interested.
About his alleged refusal to cooperate with the interim priest of his church; my brother was not asked to cooperate. He was ordered to retract the newsletter. By now my brother has started a blog, where he hopes to continue to inform members of his parish and diocese regarding matters affecting their vital interests.
http://anewcelebration.org/
I am so very proud of my brother . . . .
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