Of Hospitality, Rattlesnakes, Seaweed, and Weather

I spent last week at the Mustang Island Conference Center for a meeting of the Episcopal Council for Christian Education (ECCE). The conference center is a ministry of the Diocese of West Texas and is located in Port Aransas, Texas on one of the barrier islands of the Gulf Coast. The center was designed and built to have as small a footprint as possible and minimal environmental impact on its site. On our arrival we were cautioned to stay on the boardwalks both to protect the dunes and becuase the dunes are home to rattlesnakes, at least two of which have been named by the conference center staff: Larry and Ben. We saw both Larry and Ben during our stay. We also saw another natural phenomenon during our stay. Sargassum seaweed, the organism that makes up the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, washes ashore and dies in the Spring. Large piles of it accumulate on the beach, and while it smells, it is an important part of the ecology of the barrier islands.

Getting to Mustang Island is a bit of a trek during the best of times. Most of us flew into Houston or Dallas/Fort Worth to catch connecting flights to Corpus Christie. In Corpus Christie Ken Shaver, one of the conference center's hosts, met us at the airport for the 20 minute van ride to Mustang Island. Tuesday proved to be a difficult travel day in Texas as a large severe weather system moved through the state. Some of our members were delayed in Dallas/Fort Worth and did not arrive until Wednesday and Thursday--one never made it out of Chicago due to the weather in Texas and the subsequent air traffic snafus. When I talked to my mother today, after arriving home late last night, she said she had been worried when she saw the "big red box" on the weather maps for the area.

I spent a lot of time on my cell phone Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning staying in touch with our delayed members and helping them with hotel and flight arrangements. All in all, however, we were lucky. Wednesday morning at breakfast we learned that the cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negra, Mexico were devastated by high winds, hail, and a tornado, which swept through the two cities while we were finishing dinner Tuesday evening. This was sad news not only for the diocese, but also for those of us in the Ministries with Young People Cluster of the Episcopal Church Center, as Eagle Pass is the hometown of one of our coworkers. We kept the people of both cities in our prayers throughout our time together.

Hospitality is a key concept in my boss' view of our work. It touches just about everything we do in the Office of Children's Ministries and Christian Education. Much of my work in organizing the logistics for meetings is making sure that everyone feels welcome and experiences a minimum of stress as far as transportation, accommodations, meals, and meeting space are concerned. Nita and Ken Shaver and their staff made my job easy for this meeting. From the moment I first spoke to Nita on the phone to arrange the meeting to time Ken dropped us off at the airport for our journeys home, we were welcomed with open arms and hearts--no detail was too small, and no request was too large. Their kitchen staff went out of their way to make sure that those of us with food allergies and health issues had meals that were as appetizing, varied and generous as those of the rest of our group.

If you ever get the chance to visit the Mustang Island Conference Center, go!

Peace,
Jeffri

More Cracks In The Ceiling

While the glass ceiling for women in leadership of the Anglican Communion is far from being shattered, more cracks are appearing. The bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada have nominated the Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews, bishop of the diocese of Edmonton, as one of four candidates for their next Primate. There is a strong possibility that after June 22nd Katharine will no longer be the only woman at the table for the next Primates' gathering.

Nor are the Canadian Anglicans the only ones on the verge of electing a female head of their denomination. Clerical Whispers reports that Austrian Lutherans have four women on the list of nominees for their next presiding bishop.

Women have long been the glue that has held the church together. They have fed us, taught our children, and contributed financially to support our congregations. They were recognized leaders in the early church. It is possible that they were clergy in the ancient church and in the early Celtic churches. To see them moving into positions of elected leadership, open influence and overt power gives me a great deal of hope for the future of the church.

Peace,
Jeffri

A Visit From Bishop Morante

Bishop Alfredo Morante of the Diocese of Ecuador Litoral and his wife Olga visited the Episcopal Church Center this week. Wednesday morning he gave a general briefing, in Spanish. We had translators, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was able understand on my own before hearing the translation. That is a good thing, considering my upcoming trip to the Diocese of Ecuador Central next month. These are my notes from the briefing.

Bishop Morante began by saying that this was the first time he has been invited here [to the Church Center]. Since becoming bishop in 1994, he has been working on a plan to establish [and implement] seven diocesan goals:

1. Evangelism
2. Stewardship
3. Christian Education
4. Ecumenism
5. Communications
6. Social Activities [work, i.e., clinics, etc.]
7. Secular Education through diocesan schools (there is currently no nationwide system of education)

After General Convention 2006 they have added the Millennium Development Goals, which he feels are very important.

Issues facing the church in his diocese are emigration, poverty, and unemployment. Emigration is a serious issue because of the effect it has on families—either the father or the mother leaving to go to the U.S. or Europe to find work. Not only are there environmental issues, but there are political ones. The new president, Rafael Correa, held a referendum (on a Sunday) on revising the constitution to place more power in the office of the president. Even though it passed, many people fear focusing so much power in one branch of the government. Venezuela exerts a lot of political influence in Ecuador (the day after the referendum, President Correa met with President Chavez in Venezuela). There is also a sense of isolation from The Episcopal Church, and to some extent Province IX, since the churches in Mexico, Brazil, and other places became independent of The Episcopal Church.

The diocese has 34 mission congregations in four provinces (Guayas, Los Rios, Manavilla?, and the Galapagos) and 10 clergy, including both priests and deacons. There are two female deacons and one female priest. The bishop expressed a great deal of enthusiasm and support for his female clergy. The diocesan theological center, Centro San Patricio, currently has 18 students, including four women, and five students are expected to graduate next year and be ordained as deacons. These theological students assist in the mission congregations. They face financial challenges to compensate their clergy—and all clergy are paid by the diocese—something that will become even more difficult as new clergy are ordained.

They have a companion diocese relationship with the Diocese of Tennessee but would like to develop others.

They have commissions/committees for Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, Youth, Theological Education, Companion Diocese Relationships, and Constitution & Canons. From what I could understand, there are two diocesan staff people on each commission, but most, if not all, of the staff serve on more than one commission.

They have several diocesan schools offering secular education. Transfiguration in Guayaquil is the largest and the only self-sustaining institution. Olga Morante serves as the administrator for the school and works extensively with the pre-school program. They have approximately 200 students, down from 300 last year because the Mayor of Guayaquil has offered free uniforms and books to students who go to the new public schools. Also, the national government is moving toward free education for all. Holy Spirit, a kindergarten, and Jesus el Senor are also located in Guayaquil. Ann Stevens is in Los Rios.

The diocese operates a clinic, which opened in August 2006 and is staffed by 12 physicians and students from area hospitals. Patients are charged $3 for a visit but are not turned away if they cannot afford to pay. It was originally intended for Episcopalians, but it currently serves everyone. The Diocese of Tennessee sent 35 doctors [in rotating visits] in February and March and will do so again in June and July.

I asked about Christian Education in the congregations. He said that they teach Anglicanism and the Catechism [to adults] and often use Forward Movement pamphlets because they are short. Olga Morante said that most Ecuadorians do not like to read lengthy things. As far as teaching children, the Diocese of Tennessee sends posters and pictures for Sunday School programs.

Some of the dioceses’ biggest challenges are providing better education for the people in the congregations, because “if an Episcopalian knows his church, it’s hard to leave it, even if there are a lot of issues.” Poverty and health are also major challenges, along with public education. Bishop Morante also mentioned the presence of several “Continuing [Anglican] Churches” in the area that are attacking the Episcopal Church in the press and with TV spots. He said there were at least 20 “continuing” bishops in his diocese, but they cannot do much about them because they have legally registered churches with the government. One positive benefit has been the development of a good relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.

Peace,
Jeffri

And Over In Ireland...

The blog of an anonymous Irish Roman Catholic Priest posted the story of the dismissal of the charges in the presentment against Bishop Andrew Smith of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. The blog, Clerical Whispers, says in its mission statement

It is my intention to provide a comprehensive, informative and accurate portrayal of matters religious and spiritual in Ireland and if so deemed to be of benefit, other areas of the world.

There is some coverage of things Anglican, and the blog lists links to the Anglican dioceses of Ireland as well as the Roman Catholic ones. Go take a look and get a non-U.S. perspective on many spiritual and religious issues.

Peace,
Jeffri

It's Official

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, will be coming to meet with the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops. The news first came from a Canadian newspaper report, but here is the official word from Lambeth Palace.

Peace,
Jeffri

"God Himself Could Not Sink This Ship"

So said a deckhand in Southampton to Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell when she asked if the Titanic really was unsinkable (quoted in Walter Lord's A Night To Remember). Yet six days later the great ship struck an iceberg and sank in the wee hours of April 15, 1912. The event was the news equivalent of the JFK assassination or 9/11 of the era. There were investigations, lawsuits, and a whole lot speculation. Many facts were not uncovered for years, and many may never be known.

From the moment she sank 95 years ago, the Titanic has been the subject of countless books (both fiction and non-fiction), sermons, films, television shows, songs, plays, editorial and political cartoons, a Broadway musical, and even a Nazi propaganda film. I first learned of the ship and her ill-fated voyage as a third grader, when I read Lord's book for a book report. Since then I have read almost every English language book written on the ship and her sinking. That does not even come close to giving me fanatic status in the world of Titanic buffs!

I have been resisting the temptation to use the Titanic as a metaphor for the current mess in the Anglican Communion. I know that people on both ends of the debate, and in the vast "middle," have different ideas of what or who is the iceberg, the ship, the captain, the passengers, the Carpathia, etc. I think I will leave well enough alone.

Instead, I will tell you a story about my first (and so far last) voyage on an ocean liner. The summer after I finished junior high school (which was 7th, 8th, and 9th grade at the time), my family took a cruise to Bermuda on the Statendam. We had two cabins near the bow of the ship, one for my parents and one for my brother and me. After a day and a half at sea, we docked in Hamilton early in the morning. I was startled out of my sleep by a loud scraping noise along the side of the ship. It took me a few groggy moments, as I stumbled around trying to find my life jacket, to realize that the noise had been the ship scraping the bumpers of the dock and not a hole being torn in the hull. Such was the power of the Titanic story on my 15-year-old mind!

Peace,
Jeffri

This Is The Night

I attended the Vigil at my former parish, Grace Episcopal Church here in Norwalk, primarily because they asked me to play flute for one of the canticles and one of the hymns. It was a rare opportunity to play for someone/something other than myself and to play with other musicians. Several years ago I participated in my very first Vigil there and was asked by the rector and the choir director to sing the Exsultet. During my years at Grace, I had the chance to experience a wide variety of music and worship styles that I do not have the opportunity to do at my current parish. Sometimes I miss that, so I jumped at the chance to play for this service this evening.

The music was a mix of the familiar and the new, but it was the Liturgy of the word that proved to be the most powerful and meaningful I've experienced in a long time. The first reading, "The Story of Creation," was done by two people--one reading the story and one acting it out in the front of the chapel. Lois, the priest in charge, adapted a Godly Play story for "Israel's Deliverance at The Red Sea." The "Valley of Dry Bones" was done as a dialogue between two members of the congregation. The final reading was a story, "The Stolen Mother Moon," which became the sermon as Lois used the story as a metaphor and an introduction to the story of Christ's coming among us, his death and his resurrection.

We renewed our baptismal vows in the narthex of the chapel and then moved into the church to celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter.

It was not the most well-attended Vigil I have ever attended. It was not the most organized, nor the most magnificent. It was, however, full of joy and life, a celebration not only of the resurrection of our Savior, but of Grace Church as well, a parish that has suffered much over the past few years.

Tomorrow I will attend services at my current parish, St. Paul's in Fairfield. The people will celebrate joyously. Some of us will be wearing rainbows as part of the Rainbow Presence, which may cause some discomfort. I am sure it will be very powerful in its own way, but it will lack the intimacy of the Vigil and the connection with the ancient roots of our faith.

How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and we are reconciled to God.

Peace,
Jeffri

Shots And Capsules And Pills (Oh My!)

Late last week my boss confirmed a trip to Ecuador for both of us. We will be doing some formation work with lay folks in the Diocese of Central Ecuador. I booked our flights on Friday and our hotel rooms this morning. We leave in six weeks, so today after lunch we walked a few blocks to the doctor's office to get our vaccinations.

This will be my first trip to South America, and also the first time since I went to Germany as an exchange student that I need to have one of those yellow vaccination certificates. Of course, things have changed in 30 years. Before I went to Germany I had to get re-vaccinated for Smallpox and take an oral booster vaccine for Polio. I cannot find my scrapbook from that trip, but I think I also had to have a vaccination for Yellow Fever. These days you no longer need to update Smallpox and Polio vaccines. In fact, the doctor that took care of me this afternoon is young enough that she has never given a Smallpox vaccination. And you only need a Yellow Fever vaccination to enter most countries if you have travelled recently to a country where there have been outbreaks. The Typhoid vaccine is now in four capsules rather than two painful shots.

So this afternoon I received three shots--a Tetanus booster, a Hepatitis A vaccine, and a measles vaccine--and my box of Typhoid capsules. I feel like a walking germ factory. The doctor also gave me prescriptions for anti-malarial pills, because we do not yet know for sure if we will be travelling in any of the low lying areas, and tablets to take for altitude sickness, since Quito is about twice as high as Denver. The bright yellow International Certificate of Vaccination is clipped to my passport.

Now if I could just go back in time and change my college major from French and German to French and Spanish!

Peace,
Jeffri

Pass The Earplugs

Last week the Anglican Communion New Service announced the preparation of a study guide on “The Process of Listening to Gay and Lesbian People and Mutual Listening on Human Sexuality” for use by the bishops of the Anglican Communion at the 2008 Lambeth Conference. Mind you, the bishops called for the listening process at their 1998 gathering (Resolution 1.10). It took seven years before the Primates asked the Anglican Consultative Council to appoint a facilitator, and they appointed the Rev. Canon Phil Groves in January 2006. Fourteen months later, just 16 months before the bishops again gather for their decennial meeting at Lambeth, we get the first “call for papers.” I suspect that after years of trouncing the Episcopal Church for consecrating an openly gay bishop and the Anglican Church in Canada for studying objectively the issue blessing same-sex unions, the Primates figure they ought to at least give lip service to the other parts of their 1998 resolution.

Should the Study Guide be completed in time, and I have no doubt that Canon Groves can pull it off, it still represents only the beginning of the Listening Process as laid out nearly nine years ago. If the experience of the Episcopal Church and its “dialogue” of the early 1990’s are any indication, then the Lambeth Listening Process will drag on for years and will never take place in most of the provinces.

Dialogue? How many people remember Resolution A104, titled “Affirm the Church's Teaching on Sexual Expression, Commission Congregational Dialogue, and Direct Bishops to Prepare a Pastoral Teaching” passed by General Convention back in 1991? Before that it was study (1976-A068), education programs (1979-D107), and local dialogue (1988-D120). We were urged to continue the dialogue in 1994 (B101), 1997 (A071), 2000 (C008), and 2003 (A029), when the issue of sexual orientation joined a list of “challenging, contemporary issues.”

Many dioceses never engaged in the dialogue process. In others, the process stalled. In my diocese, for example, the process was shut down during the pilot stage by members of conservative parishes who made the first sessions so intolerable that diocesan consultants saw no way to move the process forward and abandoned it.

The bishops of the Anglican Communion have been putting off the issue for almost as long, beginning with study in 1978 (Resolution 10), and more study in 1988 (Resolution 64). At the Primates’ February 2005 meeting in Dromantine Ireland, they requested that the Anglican Consultative Council to "take positive steps to initiate the listening and study process which has been the subject of resolutions not only at the Lambeth Conference in 1998, but in earlier Conferences as well." (Primates 2005 Communique #17) The Anglican Consultative Council put out a request at their meeting in June 2005 (Resolution 12). The result so far has been the appointment of Canon Groves and reports from 34 of the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion (these can be found here).

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s response to all of this? He says that “the churches of the Anglican Communion must be safe places for gay and lesbian people.” (March 28th ACNS Release) Rowan Williams’ statement echoes our General Convention’s “Move to Identify ‘Safe Spaces’ for Lesbians and Gays” in 2000 (A009). Based on a quick review of those reports, it appears that there is a lot of work to be done before our churches are “safe places.”

Given everything I have seen so far, the Lambeth Listening Process will proceed in much the same way as the dialogue process here in the Episcopal Church: We have mandated a listening process and belatedly begun the implementation of that listening process. Praise the Lord and pass the earplugs!

Peace,
Jeffri