Sunday, April 06, 2008

Bits & Pieces

It's been quite a busy week and so blogging has been sparse. And the rest of April is shaping up to be pretty much more of the same. But, home again from meetings in New Hampshire I've got a chance to play catch up by posting a few "bits & pieces -- so here goes:


As I noted earlier on this blog, our week started out with the Los Angeles version of almost heaven -- well, almost Dodger Heaven, anyway! Here's a picture of JUST how close we were to home plate where we watched the Dodgers beat their arch-enemy San Francisco Giants Monday night. VERY cool! (And it was, too ... only in the 50's and damp ... but a taste of Dodger Heaven nonetheless!)

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The trip to New Hampshire was for a meeting of the Steering Committee of Claiming the Blessing and it was, as always, a great blessing to be in company of "so great a cloud of witnesses" and to claim together the privilege of participating in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit calling this church to be all that it can be. We heard about the great work being done in preparation for our presence at Lambeth Conference and spent some time looking ahead to General Convention 2009.



One of the highlights of our work was the chance to spend some time with the Bishop of New Hampshire ... and we had the ADDED treat of being among the first to get a look at his hot-off-the-presses book "In the Eye of the Storm." Stay tuned for some book tour news and some interesting national press opportunities coming up in the days and weeks ahead.

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Back at home, the video of Ed Bacon's March 30th sermon "The Importance of Atheists" was posted up on the All Saints website. Trust me ... this is one of those "don't miss" sermons.

Meanwhile, as she continues to explore the challenges of systemic sexism, my friend Ellen Snortland is taking some heat for her recent column "Yes, We Can't!!" in the Pasadena Weekly. Check it out and see what you think. (Hint: I think she's right on!)

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The "Anglican World Turns" continues to turn. There was much rejoicing in the Schismatic Camps when on Friday a Virginia Court failed to support what amounted to the Diocese of Virginia's motion to dismiss the pending property litigation. Titusonenine has a good round-up of the details -- here's comment from the Diocese of Virginia website:

While the Court decided it was appropriate for the CANA congregations to file their claims under Virginia's division statute, it recognized the importance of the constitutional questions surrounding that statute, and will consider our position at a hearing set for May. It is essential for all of us to recognize that this was not a final decision, and the Court did not award any property or assets. We remain hopeful that the Court will recognize the right of the Episcopal Church--and all churches--to govern ourselves according to our own faith and doctrine.

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This week I'm off to New York City and "An Anglican Covenant: Divisive or Reconciling?" -- a three day conference on the proposed Anglican Covenant being held at General Seminary and a chance to connect with Integrity folks in NYC about the Canterbury Campaign. Another big week ahead ... so more bits & pieces to come!

5 comments:

Bruno said...

Ellen Snortland is RIGHT ON!
I can not believe how the american public is being manipulated into Obama and blindly going along!
It is bewildering how we continue to believe that one gender is more capable, in either good or evil, strengths or weaknesses, than the other. AND not only accept but applaud behaviors in one that we would abhor in the other.

Wormwood's Doxy said...

I can not believe how the american public is being manipulated into Obama and blindly going along!

You know, some of us---feminists even!--can make up our own minds. We don't have to vote for someone based on a single characteristic. We can look at a person's whole record, and decide we don't like him---or her. Feminism used to be about choices. To some, apparently supporting Hillary is now the new "orthodoxy." Well, I'm not playing...

I am a feminist--and I don't like Hillary. I am NOT being manipulated, thank you very much---and it is sexist to assume that I'm that stupid.

Her stance on the war would have been enough to undercut my support for her. But sending her minions out to paint Obama as a foreign Muslim are what did it for me--if you are looking for manipulation, that was the most blatant example of it, and it was disgusting. Throw in her "contributions" to the Pastor Wright brouhaha, and I'm done with her for now. She offers nothing to me but the same old, same old--only my disappointment in her is the greater because I spent many years defending her from the right wingers. I expected better from her---but she adopted their smear tactics and she let me down.

I am not obligated to vote for a woman I don't trust, just because she has two X chromosomes. It is PRECISELY her behavior that I abhor.

Having said all that, I'll vote for her if she's the Democratic nominee. But it will not be with hope or joy. It will be yet another case of holding my nose. And I'm really sick of doing that.

Perry Lee said...

Ellen Snortland is RIGHT ON!

Yes she is. Good article; thanks for the link

Frair John said...

Once again I'm called a mysogynist because I refuse to support Sen Clinton. I bought brand Clinton once and got burned. Never again.

If I were to say that your REAL reason for being against Obamma (not, mind that you support Clinton since positive statements are not allowed) because he was a black man and black peole need to wait their turn behind a white woman, you'd have my head, and rightly so.

Also, if I were to say that you were against him because of age, I might hit to close to the mark and you'd get realy angry.

I'm also amazed by the idea that the ONLY reason not to vote for Clinton is her gender. Give us more credit than that.

Bruno said...

Regarding manipulation
The press is amazing, Obama ahead, then the next week Obama closing the gap!
that is what I mean. The story is one of mostly ignoring his gaffs and saying he is ahead in the polls, then saying he is catching up.
I respect those who are for Obama for their own reasons, or for Clinton. Personally I don't like either one as a buddy or friend. However when it comes to the stories in the media about polls and the place of each candidate, watch the contradictory headlines, how they change the positions of the candidates.
Hillary won't win, that is for sure, america doesn't like siding with a looser, and the press has made her the looser already, done deal.
It remains to be seen what the press will do with the final candidates.