Democracy on display: Last night's public meeting on health care

We joined a large number of St. Paul's members at a public meeting with our local member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello at Charlottesville High School last night to talk about the health care proposals before Congress. The meeting, raucous at times, gave full display to the many perspectives, hopes, dreams and fears on this extraordinarily complex issue.

I was much impressed by Rep. Perriello's command of the details and his disarming manner. When one side or the other began to boo, his gestures brought calm. "In the shadow of Jefferson, we know how to do dissent," he said at the beginning of the evening, a reminder to let everyone be heard. There were no disruptions of the sort that have marred other public meetings around the country.

Those who listened closely heard a Congressman who has followed the nuances of the issue and is not allowing slogans to sway his vote. He kept reminding us that he is looking for a bill that will work, that will lower health care costs and insurance premiums and extend coverage to those who don't have it. The final proposal "will rise or fall on whether it brings down premiums for middle-class families and businesses," he said. He agreed in part, and disagreed in part, with virtually every health care proposal put forward in the room last night, and he clearly stated his reasons why.

The meeting was a reminder of just how polarized this issue has become and how tough it is to be a moderate. Speakers lined up more than an hour before the start of the meeting. We heard from cancer patients and doctors, from those who distrust government and those who have been dropped by their insurance companies. We heard from defenders of insurance companies and skeptics of government programs. We heard from people who have read the current bill in detail, and we heard from someone who wanted to talk about missile defense and North Korea. We heard many viewpoints. I won't say that everyone listened respectfully -- at times the meeting resembled a basketball game with rooters for opposing sides. But those who spoke got their say.

Those who listened carefully heard very human stories of illness and economic calamity, stories of doctors and nurses doing their best in the trenches, stories about fear of getting sick, and stories from those who fear government may botch this and make it worse.

One speaker, Mary Bennett, thanked Rep. Perriello for the meeting, and thanked the crowd for being there to "speak our different truths to each other -- we are all in this democracy together." Let me add my Amen to that.

Photo by Matthew Rosenberg/The Daily Progress

Our right to meet with our elected representatives

You may or may not agree with the health care proposals working through Congress, and maybe like me, you have many questions. That is why I hope we can agree that it is essential to have a civil discourse on health care, and to have opportunities to talk with and hear from our elected representatives on this crucial issue vital to all of us.

I am deeply disturbed by reports in recent days of thugs disrupting public meetings that are supposed to elicit public comment and dialogue about the health care proposals in Congress. Such disruptions have no place in our Democracy and are not far removed from the tactics of the Taliban. Such disruptions are shameful efforts to elicit fear and shut down the democratic process. 

That is why tonight (Tuesday) I hope you will join me at a townhall meeting with U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, who represents Charlottesville. I hope we can here from Rep. Perriello, and hear various points of view expressed with respect and without disruption. Here are the details:

Charlottesville Public Meeting with

Rep. Tom Perriello

Where: Charlottesville High [MLK Performing Arts Center]

1400 Melbourne Road

Charlottesville, VA 22901

When: Tuesday, August 11th

Arrival Time: 5:00 p.m.

Start Time: 6:00 p.m.

The Monday Funnies

Somehow we can always rely on our friend Patrick Hill for a few groaners for the Monday Funnies. Enjoy. Or not, as the case may be . . .

* * *

The Sunday School teacher had just finished teaching the story of
Lazarus to his Sunday school class. "After his death, many people gathered
to console Mary and Martha," he said. "They treated Lazarus's body, wrapped
him, and laid him in the tomb. After four days of mourning, Lazarus stood
up and walked out of the tomb."

"Now," he asked the class, "what do you think those people were
thinking then?"

Little Johnny quipped, "All that work for nothing!"

* * *

The pastor, an avid golfer, was taking part in a local golf tournament.
As he was preparing to tee off, the tournament organizer approached him and
pointed to the dark, threatening storm clouds that were gathering.

"Preacher," the organizer said, "I trust you'll see to it that the
weather won't turn bad on us."

The pastor shook his head. "Sorry. I'm sales, not management."

* * *

Q: Why did God create economists?

A: In order to make weather forecasters look good.

Cartoon by Dave Walker

Our next Associate Rector

With great joy and gratitude for God’s abundant grace, I am able to announce today the appointment of The Rev. Dr. Ann Bagley Willms as the next Associate Rector at St. Paul’s. Her biographical statement is at the end of this announcement, and as you will discover, she brings to us many gifts.

Ann’s primary responsibility will be in pastoral care and visitation. She will also join with us as a chaplain in university ministry and will, from time-to-time, teach on Wednesday evenings at our community night. She joins a very talented staff of clergy and laity, complementing the gifts we already have.

The Vestry earlier this week formally approved the terms of her letter of agreement with us, and members of the Vestry have spent time with her talking about her vision of ministry and meeting her husband, Chris. Her bishop, the Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel, of East Carolina, has agreed to allow her to serve with us.

Ann’s first Sunday with us will be Aug. 30. As you will discover, she is a recent graduate of the Virginia Theological seminary, and she comes to us with much life experience. She is a mother of two daughters, and she has had a career as a physician.

Ann currently is a transitional deacon, ordained in the Diocese of East Carolina. We expect, God willing, she will be ordained a priest here in Virginia in early 2010. There is much more to say, so for now, I hope everyone will extend to her a warm greeting and assistance in her ministry. Here is her biographical statement:

From Ann

Grace and peace to you, dear friends in Christ! My name is Ann Bagley Willms and I am so excited and privileged to have the opportunity to serve the St. Paul's Church community as an associate rector for pastoral care and chaplain for university ministry. I look forward to meeting each of you and learning your stories - the events that have challenged you, or brought you joy, or made you curious about God's ways. 

I hope to hear about your life together in community and your dreams for the future. Working together with your fine clergy, staff, and lay leaders, my intention for pastoral care is to mutually share God's love with you through active listening, prayer, and in-home and hospital visitation, in times of crisis and joy. Fostering community through small groups which evolve naturally is also a part of pastoral care. My role in university ministry will include sharing in the Sunday evening worship service and working with the other chaplains. 

A cradle Episcopalian and native of St. Paul, Minnesota, I have lived in several regions of the US. I graduated from Brown University with an A.B. magna cum laude in Human Biology in 1982. After working for a year in a virology laboratory at the Texas Medical Center, I attended Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, where I received my M.D. degree in 1987. After a transitional internship, I completed a diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and became board certified in 1992. 

While serving a fellowship and assistant clinical professorship in abdominal imaging at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, I met my future husband and chief surgery resident, Christopher Willms, M.D. We were married there in 1994. In 1995, we moved to Albuquerque, NM, where Chris completed a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship and I worked in private practice in Santa Fe. In 1997, we moved to New Bern, NC and joined radiology and surgery practices. Our twin daughters, Nina and Olivia, were born in 1998.

Throughout my 20s and 30s, I explored other faith traditions, including Free Will Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Unitarian-Universalist, and was exposed to Roman Catholicism through my maternal grandmother. All of these experiences contributed to my formation in faith. Amidst a gradual “reconversion” to Christ, I returned to the Episcopal Church in 1999 with a renewed passion for its liturgy and interest in spiritual practices. The Willms family became part of the Christ Church, New Bern family where we were an integral part of the community for six years. I served there in various capacities, including Pastoral Intern for 2 years, making pastoral visits in home and hospital as well as preaching monthly. 

After ten years of medical practice, and with the invaluable support of my family and church community, I left radiology to follow a call to ordained ministry which brought me and my family to Virginia. As my husband established a new surgical practice at Martha Jefferson Hospital, I commuted to Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, where I graduated in May 2009 with a Master in Divinity cum laude. I also served the congregation of St. Paul’s Church in Ivy for two years under the supervision of The Rev. Miller Hunter in fulfillment of field education requirements. In my senior year, I completed a chaplaincy internship with the UVa Health System. 

Our family has thrived in the Charlottesville community, most appreciative of its cultural offerings, eclectic population, and scenic beauty. We are indebted to family, friends, and the communities of Christ Church New Bern, Virginia Seminary, and St. Paul's in Ivy for their support in our formation to date. I am also very grateful to and proud of my husband and daughters for how they have persevered and grown through our transitions together.

Most recently, I was ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 13, 2009 and subsequently traveled to Italy with my family. Now I so look forward to serving and worshiping God with you, the people of St. Paul’s Church. My special interests include the ministry of reconciliation and healing, community building, the writings of Christian mystics, and iconography. A former triathlete, I now mostly swim, bike, and walk. As a wife and mother of tweens, I continue to learn how to “do theology on the ground.” The basis of all of my ministry is the hope found in the good news of Jesus Christ and the never-ending love of God for all people.

Photo by Alexandra Dorr

Thanks...

Thanks for your good wishes and prayers yesterday upon my birthday. See you soon, and please check back in this space Sunday.

Enjoy the day

Today I am not planning to do much other than enjoy my new rocker on the front porch. Or maybe go to the movies. And a good meal or two. Maybe three. Today is a good day to do a whole lot of not much. Today is my birthday.

Here is a poem to mark the day, by my favorite poet, Gary Snyder. I rather like it. "Loowit," by the way, is the Indian name for Mount St. Helens, and I went part way up on my birthday one year after it blew its top and while it was still smoking. Here's the poem...

Enjoy the Day
By Gary Snyder

One morning on a ridgetop east of Loowit
after campfire coffee

looking at the youthful old volcano
breathing steam and sulfer
sunrise lava
bowls of snow

went up behind a mountain hemlock
asked my old advisors where they lay

what's going on?

they say

"New friends and dear sweet old tree ghosts
here we are again. Enjoy the day."

From danger on peaks, by Gary Snyder (2004)

The Feast of the Transfiguration: What happened on that mountain?

Forgive me if you've heard this story before (I like to tell it): A few years ago my friend, David Link, and I set forth to climb Mount Hoffman, an 11,000 foot peak in Yosemite National Park. I tell you about this because I think it has something to do with the Feast of the Transfiguration, which we celebrate today.

The Feast of the Transfiguration is not a big deal in the churches of western Europe and the United States, but it is a very big deal in Eastern Orthodox churches. In the eastern churches, today is a major feast day, right up there just behind Easter and Christmas. 

So let me tell you about our adventure up Mount Hoffman.

Now, as peaks go, Mount Hoffman is certainly not the highest in Yosemite, but has the advantage being in the exact geographic center of Yosemite, giving it spectacular views into every corner of the park. And it also has its challenges, so we gave ourselves three days to climb Mount Hoffman.

When I say Mount Hoffman has its challenges, not all of those challenges are physical. One of the challenges is finding the trail to the top. The higher you go, the less obvious the route up.  And that is another way of saying that we somehow missed the mountain. Oh, we got to the top of a peak. We looked down on Half Dome to the South, and over to Cathedral Peaks and Tuolumne Meadows to the East, and to jagged peaks far in the distance to the north, and to the hazy Central Valley to the west.

But then we looked at our topographic map, and we realized that whatever we climbed wasn’t Mount Hoffman. We somehow zigged when we should have jagged and we ended up on top of a different peak.

Mount Hoffman was over there, one peak over. See photo. That is Mount Hoffman. We were not on its top, we were one peak over taking its photograph.

I mention all this because climbing mountains is tricky business, and I am in full sympathy with the disciples who climb a high mountain and discover Jesus standing before them dazzling white. I can just feel how disorienting and strange this must have been to the disciples, and they did not have the benefit of a topographic map to help figure this out. When they got up there, they may have wondered if they should have zigged when they zagged.

So Peter blurts out the first thing that comes to mind: “Hey, I know – let’s make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter is fumbling for words.

Peter is trying to make sense of what must have been an indescribable experience. When he sees the shimmering vision of Jesus, Peter goes to the only reference point on the map he knows, the words of the prophets.

For those who might be unsure what these dwellings are about, the dwellings are “tabernacles” – or tents – that devout Jews erect once a year for the Festival of Tabernacles. Peter is declaring his devotion and respect for Jesus and putting Jesus on the same par as Moses and Elijah, the two greatest Hebrew prophets. But even doing that misses the mark, as Peter is soon to find out. 

The language Peter uses – the dwelling places – aren’t big enough. The categories of religion are not quite up to the task. Instead of tents, a cloud appears, and God tells Peter, ever so simply, and maybe in just a whisper: “This is my son, the beloved. Listen to him.”

This experience is bigger than can be contained by any categories of human religion. We, with all of our education and healthy skepticism, do well to remember that experiences of the Holy often dwell outside of what we expect or can explain – that is the lesson of the Feast of the Transfiguration we celebrate today. I pray we will catch these experiences of the Holy in the unexpected corners and mountaintops of our life.

Summer on our front porch: Rockers and red birds

When I got home late Tuesday, a birthday present from Lori was waiting for me on the front porch: A wooden rocker -- an old Southern wooden rocker with worn varnish and green leaves painted on the arm rests and head board. Lori found it in a second-hand store. This rocker is perfect. I perched in it late into the evening, listening to the roar of insects and the rumble of trains in the distance, and watching the moon light dance across the tree tops. Fire flies burst from the grass in front. The night settled into its own rhythm, and I with it. 

Our front porch in the daytime is alive in a different way. In the daytime, the birds are thick waiting their turn for a meal. Humming birds flutter at a feeder near the front steps. Bigger birds come and go at another feeder on the south side of the porch. I am reminded of a poem by Mary Oliver, a summer offering from our friend Karen in Tennessee.

Red Bird Explains Himself

by Mary Oliver

“Yes, I was the brilliance floating over the snow
and I was the song in the summer leaves, but this was
only the first trick
I had hold of among my other mythologies,
for I also knew obedience: bring sticks to the nest,
food to the young, kisses to my bride.

But don’t stop there, stay with me: listen.

If I was the song that entered your heart
then I was the music of your heart, that you wanted and needed,
and thus wilderness bloomed that, with all its
followers: gardeners, lovers, people who weep
for the death of rivers.

And this was my true task, to be the
music of the body. Do you understand? for truly the body needs
a song, a spirit, a soul. And no less, to make this work,
the soul has need of a body,
and I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable
beauty of heaven
where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,
and this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart.”

Health care in Virginia: Band aids or reform?

As Congress slogs through crafting health care legislation, I found this information eye-opening about health care in Virginia. This comes from Joan Burchell, a member of St. Paul's who is a former federal official and who has been keeping tabs on the details. Here are some salient facts for your consideration:

Q. Why has the need for health insurance reform increased so dramatically?

A. The rise in unemployment accounts for much of the recent increase. Almost 67 percent of Virginians were covered by their employer in 2006, according to the United States Census Bureau. By 2007 — before the recession began — the percentage fell to less than 62 percent of the state population.
But Virginians have also encountered an increasingly challenging health care environment overall in recent years.

• According to a Families USA estimate of the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey data, premiums for family coverage in Virginia have increased by more than 80 percent since 2000, and by about 65 percent for individual health insurance.

• Virginia, according to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is one of five states where the percentage of working-age adults with private health insurance has dropped 10 percent or more during the past 15 years.

• According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Virginia ranks 49th among all states and the District of Columbia in Medicaid coverage of low-income adults.

• The uninsured spend approximately $100 billion annually on health care, much of it expensive, uncompensated emergency room care, according to the National Academy of Science.

Monday Funnies

My friend Patrick Hill sends along these jokes, all of them at the expense of churches and church people. Some are good, some are, er, you decide... And the emblem? Given all the commentary coming in the wake of General Convention by, among others, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the editors of this space thought a reminder of our roots might be in order... Enjoy the Monday Funnies!

***

When my daughter was about five years old we came out of church on a Sunday morning into quite a summer storm. Most of the congregation was huddled together on the front steps of the church when to my great chagrin my daughter
says in a loud and melodious voice, "Look Mommy ... it's raining like hail!"

***

Q: How many Episcopalians does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: Change?

***

Q. How many Episcopalians does it take to change a lightbulb?

A. Twenty. One to change the bulb, nineteen to form a procession.

***

There was a church where the preacher and the minister of music were not getting along. As time went by this began to spill over into the worship service.

The first week the preacher preached on commitment and how we all should dedicate ourselves to the service of God. The music director lead the
song "I Shall not be Moved."

The second week the preacher preached on tithing and how we all should
gladly give to the work of the Lord. The director lead the song "Jesus Paid it
All."

The third week the preacher preached on gossiping and how we should all
watch our tongues. The music director led the song "I Love to Tell the
Story."

With all this going on, the preacher became very disgusted over the
situation and the following Sunday told the congregation that he was
considering resigning. The musician lead the song "Oh Why Not Tonight?"

As it came to pass, the preacher did indeed resign. The next week he informed
the church that it was Jesus who led him there and it was Jesus that was
taking him away. The music leader lead the song "What a Friend We Have in
Jesus."

***

The preacher's prayer:

Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff,
and nudge me when I've said enough.

***

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. As they lay down for
the night, Holmes said: "Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you
see".

Watson: "I see millions and millions of stars".

Holmes: "And what does that tell you?"

Watson: "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies
and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is
great and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it tells
me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"

Holmes: "Somebody stole our tent."

A poem for your day

We haven't had much poetry in this corner lately, so it is time to breath with words a bit. Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book An Altar in the World, begins with a poem written nearly 2,000 years ago, by Irenaeus (125-210), one of the giants of the early church. Please see my posting from yesterday about her book -- her writing is wonderful -- and here is the poem. Enjoy...

CAPABLE FLESH

The tender flesh itself
will be found one day
-- quite surprisingly --
to be capable of receiving,
and yes, full
capable of embracing
the searing energies of God.
Go figure. Fear not.
For even at its beginning
the humble clay received
God’s art, whereby
one part became the eye,
another the ear, and yet
another this impetuous hand.
Therefore, the flesh
is not to be excluded
from the wisdom and the power
that now and ever animates
all things. His life-giving
agency is made perfect,
we are told, in weakness –
made perfect in the flesh.

St. Irenaeus
Adapted and translated by Scott Cairns

An Altar in the World: What saves your life now?

I've just finished reading a wonderful book and I highly, highly recommend it. This book might even save your life. It is that good.

An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, is the newest offering by Barbara Brown Taylor. She begins by explaining how she was caught up short when a "wise old priest" in Alabama asked her to come preach at his church. When she asked about the subject, he replied "Come tell us what is saving your life now."

This book is her attempt to answer.

In it Taylor writes about taking the time to notice God all around us, and reverencing God in everything and everyone. It is a more radical notion than at first glance.

She writes of how she has noticed again God in church, and God outside church, and God in the world. She writes about how the world needs us to bless things: sticks and leaves, food and animals, and to bless each other. And like Julian of Norwich, we can, if we try, notice the entire universe in a hazelnut. Taylor puts it this way (p. 15):

I can return my attention to everything I need to get done today... Or I can set a little altar, in the world or in my heart. I can stop what I am doing long enough to see where I am, who I am there with, and how awesome the place is. I can flag one more gate to heaven--one more patch of ordinary earth with ladder marks on it--where the divine traffic is heavy when I notice it and even when I do not. I can see it for once, instead of walking right past it, maybe even setting a stone or saying a blessing before I move on to wherever I am due next.

I tried Taylor's suggestions for noticing and blessing during our trip to Anaheim and General Convention, and I must tell you it changed my experience. I found myself outside my normal comfort zone, and gratefully amazed.

Taylor calls it a book not of ideas but of practices, including taking one day a week (Saturday is traditional) as a sabbath -- turning off the television and the computer, and just being in the moment for an entire day. 

There is much, much more in this book than I can or want tell you here. I hope you will read this book for yourself and tell me how it is for you. If anyone is interested in reading this book with me, I will schedule time in the fall for a book circle at St. Paul's. We could meet on a weekday or perhaps read this as a group that meets for our Wednesday community night. Or both. Let me know if you are interested. If you are reading this blog from afar, think about reading this book and forming a book circle in your community. And do let me know about your experience.

The Saints of Summer: William Wilberforce

Here is one of the major saints of summer: William Wilberforce, whose feast day we celebrate today.

Wilberforce (1759-1833) was a British aristocrat who underwent a Christian conversion experience leading him to become the leading legislative force for the abolition of slavery. 

For 26 years Wilberforce worked tirelessly to end the slave trade, succeeding finally in 1807. He continued to work for the complete abolition of slavery in Britain and its colonies, succeeding in 1833. He died three days later. To say that his faith had an impact on many lives is a major understatement. He is buried at Westminster Abbey, and you can read more about his life by clicking HERE.

A few years back, Hollywood produced a good movie about his life: Amazing Grace. It is well worth seeing.

Violence in the Bible: How do we read it?

In my travels, especially in adult religious education, it does not take long before someone raises the issue of the blood, terror and war chapters in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures. Reading them can be quite painful, and at worst can justify violence in the name of God. 

There are those who suggest we should just skip straight to the New Testament, though it will not take long to find the warlike passages there as well.

So what do we do with all of this blood-and-guts?

Simon Barrow, writing for the British journal Ekklesia, has a good essay on this knotty topic. Here is the first paragraph and if you want to read more, look for the link below.

Enter any public debate about the pros and cons of religion today, and it will not be long before someone raises the thorny issue of ‘texts of terror’ in the Hebrew scriptures, the Qur’an, or even the Christian testament (think of the grimmer portions of the Book of Revelation).

To read the rest of his essay, click HERE.

Tonight: Celebrate at our Community Garden

We went to our community garden Tuesday afternoon to pull weeds and harvest food.

The garden is just exploding with cucumbers, flowers, corn, peppers, herbs, onions - and more! 

At least as important, the garden is becoming part of the community. We met a number of neighbors, including Harold (in photo, his house behind him). Folks in the neighborhood are enjoying the food, and we are harvesting more for the food closet.

Tonight we will celebrate.

Please come join us at our garden at 10 1/2 and Preston. We will have food, music, poetry and much more!

And thanks to all who have worked so hard in the garden.

This is truly an amazing project, and a display of faith in God's abundance.

Archbishop of Canterbury: Two tracks of Anglicanism possible

This came across the transom early this morning, and it is already the subject of instant commentaries on the web: A letter from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams reacting to our recent General Convention. 

In the letter, the Archbishop thanks the Episcopal Church for showing respect for and commitment to the Anglican Communion. However, he goes onto suggest that we may be headed for a "two-track" communion, one that is in a covenant with like-minded churches, and one that is innovative (guess which one we fall into). There is much to digest in this letter, many nuances (++Rowan is always nuanced), and it will take some effort to interpret his full meaning. 

I've posted other bishop's letters elsewhere on this blog, so it only fair to post this one (and do read the others when you get a chance; it is also worth reading the commentaries by other diocesan bishops which you can access under "Bloggin' Bishops" on the left side of this blog).

My suggestion is that you take the time to read this, and we will add it to our conversation at a forum on Sunday at 11:30 am. Here is the start of ++Rowan's letter followed by a link to the full text.

No-one could be in any doubt about the eagerness of the Bishops and Deputies of the Episcopal Church at the General Convention to affirm their concern about the wider Anglican Communion. Their generous welcome to guests from elsewhere, including myself, the manifest engagement with the crushing problems of the developing world and even the wording of one of the more controversial resolutions all make plain the fact that the Episcopal Church does not wish to cut its moorings from other parts of the Anglican family. There has been an insistence at the highest level that the two most strongly debated resolutions (DO25 and CO56) do not have the automatic effect of overturning the requested moratoria, if the wording is studied carefully. There is a clear commitment to seek counsel from elsewhere in the Communion about certain issues and an eloquent resolution in support of the 'Covenant for a Communion in Mission' as commended by ACC13. All of this merits grateful acknowledgement. The relationship between the Episcopal Church and the wider Communion is a reality which needs continued engagement and encouragement.

To read the rest of the letter, click HERE. The photo is of the Archbishop as he preached at General Convention in Anaheim.

Back from Sewanee: Education for Ministry

Lori and I are safely back in Charlottesville after our trek to-and-fro Sewanee, Tennessee. We were there for a three-day training as "mentors" in the Education for Ministry program, which has a long and hallowed history at St. Paul's. We hope to start a new EfM group in the Fall on Monday evenings.

Although, truth be told, I dreaded the trip because the drive is nine hours each way, not counting breaks, I always come away invigorated by EfM training. Lori and I were in different training groups (I hope you will ask her about her group). My group was led by Mary Ann Bryant, from Chicago, who is one of the most experienced and skilled trainers in the EfM system. I also reestablished friendships with the staff that directs the program.

My training group included mentors from Tennessee, Alabama and Chicago. We did nearly every theological reflection in the EfM book, and we learned a great deal from each other and Mary Ann about group life, theological reflection and how we are called to be ministers honoring each other for the gifts God has given us.

I came away invigorated and inspired by EfM and its possibilities, and hoping a few folks at St. Paul's will join us on the EfM journey this fall. It is a big commitment, but as anyone can tell you who has been through EfM, the experience can be life changing.

We will host a meeting at 7 pm on Monday Aug 3 at St. Paul's to talk about EfM with anyone who is interested. We also have a terrific short DVD to show you that will explain more. Come join us!

If you are reading this blog far from Charlottesville, please check out EfM at an Episcopal church near you, or go to the EfM website by clicking HERE.

The top photo, by the way, I took looking west from the Sewanee mountaintop off to the west across the Great Plains at sunset. The other is from the center of campus and the old chapel.

The Monday Funnies

It was once said that the British and the Americans are divided by a common language. It may also be said that Christians are divided by a common book, the Bible. So folks, it is time to check up your Bible knowledge. Here is today's Bible quiz... hold your groans to the end...

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ?
A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triump was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.

Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan . The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark ?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.

PS.. Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee?
Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . . 'He-brews'

Thanks for Lori for digging this up on the internet somewhere; cartoon by Dave Walker.

Saying thanks to David McIlhiney Sunday

Please join us Sunday after the 10 am service as we offer our thanks to The Rev. David McIlhiney who is retiring at the end of July. We will have a reception after the service, testimonials and a surprise or two. 

On a personal note, I am very grateful for David's service in this time of transition at St. Paul's, and his pastoral care for people of all ages. I am personally thankful for his advice and assistance in my transition as rector at St. Paul's.

David will not be going far; he will be back with us in the Fall leading our 5:30 pm service for a time as we continue our transition with new clergy leadership.

On the mountain: Sewanee

SEWANEE, Tennessee -- We've made it through our first full day of "mentor" training for Education for Ministry (please see yesterday's blog entry for explanation of EfM). 

There are three groups training at once, and Lori and I are in different groups. The training begins early in the morning and ends at 9 pm. One more day to go after today, though we should get done after lunch Saturday and then we will head back to Charlottesville.

For those who have not been here before, the University of the South (Sewanee) sits on a mountain top in a lovely village. The university was built in the 19th century to look like Oxford and Cambridge, and the professors and honors students still wear black academic gowns to class. (Bishop Shannon Johnston graduate).

Sewanee is also an Episcopal seminary, and the staff of EfM is in a small building behind the School of Theology. It is worth seeing if you can make the trek.

Education for Ministry: An incredible adventure

Today Lori and I are at the University of the South, Sewanee, getting our certification up to speed so that we can lead an Education for Ministry (EfM) group in the fall.

Please let me tell you a little about EfM.

 The program is a four-year small group experience that explores the Bible, church history and theology -- and much, much more. As the name implies, EfM is about equipping each of us for the ministry God has called us to do in our work, in our homes and in the world. EfM groups are intense and require a commitment to study, prayer, sharing, listening, trusting and being together. Also required are open hearts and open minds.

We've been involved in EfM since the early 1990s. This will be our fifth EfM group; we've experienced many joys, a few tragedies, and much inspiration in our groups. My first group was led by two living saints: Grant Carey and Winnie Gaines. Lori's first group was led by a seminarian we had at our church: Katharine Jefferts Schori. Lori and her friend Jean took over leadership of the group when Katharine graduated.

If you are at St. Paul's, we hope you might consider joining our new EfM group. We will meet on Monday evenings at 7 pm, and we will usually meet for 2 1/2 hours, and there is a fee for registering in the group. Yes, it is a big commitment, but as EfM graduates will tell you, EfM is one of the most rewarding experiences of their life. Please contact me if you are interested.

Presiding Bishop Katharine letter on General Convention

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori offered her own letter this evening commenting on the recently concluded General Convention. The work of interpreting the convention is in full flower. 

Rather than put all of the letter here (the letter is lengthy), here are the first few lines and a link to the rest of the letter. Do please read all of it if you have a chance. 

Also, I will be holding a Rector's Forum on Sunday Aug. 2 at 11:30 am in the Chapel (following our 10 am service) to talk about my experience at General Convention, answer questions and moderate a discussion. This General Convention may turn out to be one of the most momentous in our church's history and it is worthwhile spending time listening and reading these interpretations.

Here is the beginning of Katharine's letter followed by a link to the full text:

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

The 76th General Convention is now history, though it will likely take some time before we are all reasonably clear about what the results are.

We gathered in Anaheim, as guests of the Diocese of Los Angeles, for eleven full days of worship, learning, and policy-making. The worship was stunning visually, musically, and liturgically, with provocative preaching and lively singing.

To read the full text of the letter, please clicking HERE.

Letters from the bishops of Virginia

Our three bishops have each written a letter discussing General Convention, and this just came across in my email. I am reprinting each. Sorry for the length but each is worth reading...

July 22, 2009

A Letter from Bishop Lee Dear Friends,

The most lasting impact of the 76th General Convention is likely to be an increase of initiative and energy in local congregations and dioceses. The sharp budget cuts in the three-year budget of the

 General Church will have a painful impact on some faithful staff members, but will shift the focus for mission to the local church, rather than the local church waiting for initiatives from the General Church.
The emphasis on local ministry is a proper expression of the principle of subsidiarity, whereby mission should occur at the level closest to the people who are called to engage in that mission.

Local mission is also enhanced by resolutions which the secular press has incorrectly interpreted as necessarily damaging our worldwide relationship and as following the agenda of a gay and lesbian lobby. Instead, what the Convention did is to reaffirm that the ordination process is under the control of local bishops and dioceses, while stressing that access to that process is open to all baptized persons.
The Convention also invited local churches and dioceses (as well as churches elsewhere in the Communion) to collect liturgical and theological resources regarding same-gender blessings. Recognizing the unique pastoral needs of those dioceses in jurisdictions where same-gender marriage or civil partnerships are

 legal, the Convention affirmed that a generous pastoral response is needed.

The emphasis on the local did not deter the Convention from adopting both a denominational health plan for the whole Church and a mandatory lay employee pension plan, both of which, in the long run, will strengthen the local church.

Faithfully yours,
The Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee
Bishop

A Letter from Bishop Johnston
Dear Diocesan Family,

With the conclusion of General Convention, the beginning of my time as your diocesan bishop fast approaches. Having just returned to the Diocese from the Convention, I want to express to you my thoughts on the two resolutions from the Convention which are garnering the most attention in the media. The first speaks to the current state of our Church's relationship to the Anglican Communion (D025) and the second addresses same-gender unions (C056 substitute).

Resolution D025 strongly affirms not only the Episcopal Church's commitment to its relationship with the Anglican Communion but also our Church's appreciation and support of the roles that gay and lesbian people have in the ministry of our Church-including all levels of ordination. This resolution passed with a 2-1 majority. I voted against it. As I said during the floor debate, I absolutely agree with every word of the resolution itself. Even so, I was convinced that the actual effect of D025 across the Anglican world would be to weaken the bonds of our worldwide Church and, more importantly, to compromise our international mission and ministry in the very places that need us so very badly--and we so need them. The problem for me with D025 was how it would be seen in its implications rather than being understood for what it actually says. Such is the nature of legislative reality, and this is the very reason why I do not believe the legislative process is the best process to address these issues. Still, I have great

 hopes that the Communion will recognize the resolution as it stands--a statement of where we really are as a Church at this time, all the while hoping to build upon and strengthen our ties with the larger Communion.

Resolution C056 calls for gathering theological and liturgical resources with respect to offering the Church's blessing for same-gender unions, which will be brought to the next General Convention in 2012 for study and consideration. The fact is that several states have legalized gay and lesbian unions, and others will likely follow suit. This resolution responds to that reality. It also allows bishops the exercise of personal discretion in providing for a "generous pastoral response" for gay and lesbian persons in the Church. I voted in favor of this resolution because I am convinced that it is both realistic and right. Monogamous same-gender unions are now a reality, and we should provide for the Church's response, with blessing or without. The resolution allows for either. Bishops must also have the ability to respond to what is actually true in all the various locales and contexts in which this Church ministers. It is important to remember, however, that no official rites of blessing that wholly sanction same-

gender unions have been approved for the Church. In fact, it would take years to develop such rites.

It is not so much the actual content of these two resolutions that may be problematic. The potential for difficulty follows from interpretation of the resolutions. The plain reality is that very little is actually changed by either one of the resolutions in themselves. Both statements address what is already true in the life and witness of the Episcopal Church. The Convention is overwhelmingly of the mind that the Episcopal Church will be the stronger for the realistic and clear perspective of these resolutions.

Just how that will be so is now put to each diocese. Together, you and I will explore what these resolutions mean more precisely for the Diocese of Virginia. I look forward to the way ahead, and I welcome your input. Most importantly, I treasure your company in the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. I remain,

Faithfully yours,

The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston
Bishop Coadjutor
A Letter from Bishop Jones
Dear Friends,

It might appear that the Episcopal Church has radically changed course with various interpretations of General Convention actions. I do not think so.From my perspective, the Episcopal Church has remained on the same course it has followed for at least 40 years - one that has "stretched every nerve" as we have sought to live into the Baptismal Covenant.

What has not changed is a significant commitment to making the Church a safe place for all people all of the time. A major shift in our disciplinary canons (Title IV) was adopted by a voice vote in the House of Bishops with little or no debate. This new canon significantly raises the bar of conduct expected of clergy.

What has not changed is a genuine desire to live into the meaning of our baptism. Throughout my ministry in the Episcopal Church, I have seen the Church push the edges at Convention regarding who is to be included. The General Convention of 1970 opened reception of Holy Communion to all baptized persons. In 1973, a significant change in the marriage canon made possible, with the bishop's permission, the remarriage of divorced persons. In 1976, we approved the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate and then in 1979, we adopted a new Book of Common Prayer with the Baptismal Covenant. Through all this time, we have addressed issues of racism and encouraged racism training. And from the 1970s until the present day, we have been hearing the call of our own members who are gay and lesbian to recognize committed relationships and to fully include them in the life of the Church.

What has not changed is a passion for mission. In fact, our world view has significantly expanded over these 40 years. Our eyes have been opened to human need at home and abroad and our congregations have responded in significant ways. Convention approved a strategic plan for Latino/Hispanic ministry that focuses on opportunities for mission in changing neighborhoods with declining populations. The Millennium Development Goals were emphasized as goals for mission. And the presence of primates from around the Communion reminded us of our worldwide connections. The mission of Christ was at the heart of Convention.

Another aspect of Convention that was central to who we are as a Church was the gracious and generous concern I witnessed during a conversation with fellow bishops to discuss C056, which initially called for the development of liturgies for the blessing of same gender unions to be included in the Book of Occasional Services. The House of Bishops postponed consideration of that resolution to allow for a period of voluntary conversation, in which I participated. Twenty-seven bishops, including myself, gathered using the Indaba process of discussion and sharing learned at Lambeth. Together, we drafted a substitute resolution that could enjoy broad acceptance. I participated in the writing group. The substitute did not call for rites to be presented for approval or for use. It did request the collection and development of liturgical resources.

In the House of Bishops discussion on the substitute, we recognized constitutional problems with approval of liturgical rites of blessing. The rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer have the force of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church and they clearly say that marriage is intended for a man and a woman. We did not reject B033 (2006 Convention) which called for restraint in the confirmation as bishops of individuals whose manner of life would be problematic to the wider Church.

In light of all this, have we changed or are we trying to be faithful to a changing landscape in a rapidly changing world? Having fully participated in this process, I sense that we are striving to be faithful.

Faithfully,

The Rt. Rev. David C. Jones
Bishop Suffragan

Heading to Sewanee, poetry awaits

We are headed to the Episcopal seminary at Sewanee, Tennessee, for a few days to take a class (more on that tomorrow), and we will be back Saturday. The photo at right is from inside the chapel at Sewanee, I took it a few years back when I was there for a seminar.

We are much looking forward to a wonderful drive through places we've never seen, and NOT being in an airport. Tonight we will stay in Knoxville, and we are going to visit our friend Karen, her husband Jim, and we are especially excited to meet their Baby J, who came into this world only a few short months ago.

Those of you familiar with this blog know that Karen contributes most of the poetry here, for which I am endlessly grateful and eternally inspired. So that reminds me, we've had an awful much of church politics here lately and nowhere enough of poetry. So here, dear ones, is a recent offering from Karen...

Fire 

By Judy Brown

What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing,
too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames
almost as surely
as a pail of water would.
So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.

When we are able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on the logs,
then we can come to see how
it is fuel, and absence of the fuel
together, that make fire possible.

We only need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire
grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.

Links to resolutions and actions at General Convention

If you would like to read the final outcome on specific resolutions from General Convention they can be found by clicking HERE.

The register for all actions at General Convention can be found by clicking HERE.

I will also post these links on the left side of the page.