A Song for the Ages (Sorry, Harry Chapin)

Harry Chapin, folk/rock singer is a very special songwriter. I just happen to have copies of most of the things he wrote including Cotton Patch Gospels. (I highly recommend it). Well, here is Harry's anthem to hurried and confounded family life. It has a slight twist from what you all may remember.

Archbishop arrived just the other day
He came to San Joaquin in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to talk while he was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you John David
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Baby Blue and Matt K on the moon
When you comin' home Archbishop?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then John David
You know we'll have a good time then

The lawsuit turned one just the other day
John David said, "Thanks for the letter, Greg, come on let's pray
Can you teach me to pray", He said "Not today
I got a lot to do", John said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And John said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Baby Blue and Matt K on the moon
When you comin' home Archbishop?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then John David
You know we'll have a good time then


Well, Greg came home from GAFCON just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Greg, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, John David, is to borrow the church keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Baby Blue and Matt K on the moon
When you comin' home Archbishop?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then John David
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my Greggie's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, John, if I can find the time
You see my ACNA's a hassle and Primates have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, John David
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
Greg grew up just like me
My Archbishop was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Baby Blue and Matt K on the moon
When you comin' home Archbishop?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then John David
You know we'll have a good time then

Sunday Music - A Better World

A sentimental standby with an all-star cast: We are the World

Grand Jury Indictment(s) In Colorado

Turns out Mr. Don Armstrong, a former Episcopal Rector now a person hiding behind the skirts of the Anglican Communion both here and abroad.  If any one stops by the good old "sit limp" blog there is a whole bunch of protect one of our own at all costs.  Now, I am not an attorney and I have no real legal background but, I have had the distinct "privilege" of being integrally involved in two and loosely involved in a third civil grand jury.  Please remember I said civil (that is not to be confused with criminal) though sometimes civil can lead to criminal charges.  

To say that those who have remained faithful Episcopalians are at odds with those orthodites who steal all the A and C letters in the world (see the LEAD) is a gross understatement.  But two things really do need to be said.

First, the criminal system is neither good nor bad.  It is adversarial and a win/lose type of trial system but on the whole it works really well.  There are exceptions to this rule and many can point out those exceptions but we fancy ourselves way too potent if any one of us thinks that the system can be "bent" to meet the needs of either side.  We need to sit down, be quiet and let the legal system do its thing.  If Mr. Armstrong is guilty that will come out and if he is not that will be discovered as well.  In either case, this is not something we need to deal with inside the context of our "current unpleasantness".  This is simply a sad, sad day for the family and the relatives and the friends of Mr. Armstrong.  

Secondly, no one can possibly imagine the grief that he is going through.  One really has to be "in the thick" to understand how totally all consuming this event is.  Family and friends need to stay close to Mr. Armstrong.  It is difficult to think (let alone think straight) and the personal introspection can be incredibly debilitating.  He does not need anyone to help him with this since he probably has more than his fair share coming from "inside his brain". 

May I make a simple suggestion.  We, TEC, stays focused on the issues.  When we talk about stealing property that clearly is a bit of a euphemism, hyperbole.  When we talk about cross-border invasions we should be discussing the issues and not the people.  Yes, we need to be tough minded and we need to start what we finish but we should also be as careful as we can not to get personal.  Tough on issues soft on people.  One of my many "bosses" shared that with me.   Something less than that makes us look a lot like the "sit limp" crowd.  Perhaps we can lead the way in this regard.  

I pray that we are up to the task. I pray that I am up to the task.  And I pray for Mr. Armstrong. 

John 15:9-17 (Interpeted) (by a layperson)

The gospel for today actually inspired this post. Don't ask me why, let's just go with the flow.

John 15:9-17 (New American Standard Bible)

9"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

And so we have a Lisa Fox post: "I was dismayed yesterday to read that Sudan’s Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul has “requested that" the Reverend Lauren Stanley "be withdrawn from that mission field permanently.” This is an atrocity."

The "honorable" Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul is the archbishop of all of the Sudan. That is correct, the place where men are slaughtered, women are raped and children are starved to death. Why this atrocity? Because Lauren Stanley spoke about GLBT rights. "abide in my love"

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Henri Luke Orombi is this very weekend not spending time in Uganda but rather with an all-mens group in Orange County California not doubt gathering up support for his anti-gay crusade in Uganda.  Oh, but wait, while he is here there is a terrible problem in Kampala.  There are literally hundreds of thousands of children that sleep in the city during the night because they have no place to go and the Lord's Resistance Army steals them and makes these 8,9,10,11,12 year olds into "warriors' with guns and bombs and hatred.  Bishop Orambi, why can't you save these children? 

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love."

11"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

While we write this and while we talk about these things Archbishop Peter Akinola refuses to help the hundreds of foreigners being held captive in the oil producing region of Nigeria. Some of these persons have been held for many years.  He makes no move to free these innocent persons but he makes war on the Islamic persons in Nigeria and he is trying to make a bounty hunter game of persecuting LGBT persons in Nigeria.  "so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." 

12"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

It seems that Uganda and Rwanda and Nigeria and the Sudan and the Congo, despite their severe problems would prefer to come to the United States and Canada and steal people and property and leave hatred and fear in their wake. 

 
13"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Archbishop Akinola has said on a number of occasions that the excuse reason he does not want  TEC to fully include LGBT persons is because "his" fellow countryman take the brunt of hatred whenever TEC consecrates a gay bishop.  Of course his fellow contrypersons take the brunt of hatred when Moslems are killed by Christians in Nigeria and of course the LGBT community takes the brunt  every time Peter Akinola approves the newest law to outlaw "LGBT persons".  

14"You are My friends if you do what I command you.  

How many times has there been a moratorium placed on invasion of the body snatchers other provinces and has any of the good archbishops given up one inch?  How about stopped invading the United States and Canada?  Oh, sure you may ask and yes Archbishop Venables does count on this one.   "does this mean these archbishops are not Jesus' friends?"

15"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.  16"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

So, this passage seems to indicate that if we know what the master is doing we are no longer slaves and we need to bear fruit.  It is hard to bear fruit with all the flying around the world you guys are doing.  It is even harder to bear fruit when we apparently do not listen to what Jesus is said.  What, you ask is Fred talking about?  Well, 

¹⁷"This I command you, that you love one another."  

Is there really a need to say more?

Sunday Music - Remembering

Has anyone else been sorting through old mementos, papers and photos the past few weeks? Well, this song is for all your smiles, tears and memories. And mine.

Sarah McLachlan, I Will Remember You. Enjoy.

NO GIRLS ALLOWED

Remember those long hot summer days? No school. Mom and dad let us out to play and told us not to come back until dinner. You and a few pals rode your bikes with playing cards clipped to the spokes making that wonderful almost motorcycle sound. Yep, rode right out to downtown, nothing going on there so everyone rode to the tree house. The five of us climbed up into the tree house and along came little sister wanting to come up and play? Remember what we said? "Nah, this is men's work! No girls allowed. Then you pulled up the rope ladder before she could start the climb up. Fortunately there was a sign on the side of the tree house that stated No Ggirls allowed!

Well, I think most some of us never got over that. Henry Luke Orombi never made an appearance at the ACC meeting in Jamaica because he was with these folks:
Anglican Men's Weekend 2009 and here is the agenda:

Outstanding fellowship and worship opportunities
Inspiring teachings by Archbishop Orombi
Anglican Services of Holy Eucharist, Compline and Rite of Reconciliation (Confession)
Anglican Jam Sessions – bring your instruments!
Small Group Discussion and Activities

This is a "diocese" of those breakaway churches throughout the west including California, Arizona, and Washington. Just so we all get the names of the soon to be pointy hat people right here they are:

At the Special Meeting of the House of Delegates of the Association of Western Anglican Congregations, held on March 14th, three candidates for Bishop of the future “Diocese” of Western Anglicans to the Anglican Church in North American (ACNA) were announced. The candidates are: The Rev. Donald L. “Don” Kroeger, Rector of St. John’s Anglican Church, Fallbrook, California, The Rev. Jose Poch, Rector of St. David’s Anglican Church, North Hollywood, California, and The Rev. William A. Thompson, Rector of All Saints’ Church, Long Beach, California. In other business, the House of Delegates selected the name for the new diocese of Western Anglicans. With a nearly unanimous vote, the House selected the name, The Diocese of Western Anglicans as the official name.

And, the newest monsignor/canon/almost pointy hat name is "the collegiate vicar of the Western Anglicans" just what the heck is a collegiate vicar?

Anyway I digress. Mr. Orombi is attending this meeting to be an inspiration to the "men" of the Western Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. I guess it is not enough to hate and persecute the LGBT population in Uganda, ++Orombi has to call all the men of the west together to spread more hate inspiration in the United States. Why don't these guys grow up, go home and mow the lawn. It is almost summer and your sister is not going to bug you anymore.

Over the Top

John David Schofield, William Wantland, Jack Iker, Robert Duncan, John Guernsey, Stephen Noll, George Conger, David Virtue, Keith L. Ackerman, Geoff Chapman, and on and on. This is just the tip of the iceberg, think about the thousands (at least according to their numbers) of Americans involved in the greatest give away in American history. It is with and through these clergy and their laity that a huge struggle for our unique democratic Episcopal Church is now underway. Nikita Kruschev once said, "America will fall without a single shot being fired." The Episcopal Church is not, strictly speaking America per se, but a microcosm of this idea is currently being brought to fruition by these truly anti-democratic clergy and laity.

How is that you ask? Well, the destruction being waged by these folks is being waged primarily because they were not able to convince the majority of the House of Bishops and a majority of the House of Deputies that women were second class citizens, not worthy of the sacrament of ordination. They were unable to convince the majority of the house of Bishops and the House of Deputies that LGBT persons really weren't persons, more like second class citizens. They were unable to convince the majority of the House of Bishops and a majority of the House of Deputies that the 1979 prayer book was an abomination before God. They were unable to convince a majority of the House of Bishops and a majority of the House of Deputies that most seminaries were "heaven forbid" ordaining "heretics". They were unable to convince a majority of the House of Bishops and a a majority of the House of Deputies that electing a woman presiding bishop was a mistake.

When none of that succeeded they moved on to stealing the name and trying to abscond with the Church. When that didn't work they tried to convince a majority of the House of Bishops and a majority of the House of Deputies that the Episcopal Church had moved too far to the left -- you know , too "l-i-b-e-r-a-l". When that didn't work they tried to convince a majority of the Standing Committee and a majority of the Diocesan Council of their own diocese that they owned the property and that they could take it with them to a more "Anglican" place. When that didn't work they tried to convince a majority of the Anglican Communion that all they need is their own province and and they can eliminate "those" heretics.

The fact of the matter is that those who have left have done so because they cannot bear to deal with democracy. They do not like the Episcopal Church because they cannot control it, like any good bishop should. They perceive democracy to be weak, slow and muddled. they reject reason because they cannot convince a majority of people in TEC that their reasons are the correct ones. They reject TEC because their egos will not let them accept the process. Sure women, handicapped, LGBT are all not to their liking but what really galls them is the process -- the very foundation upon which TEC is built. They reject laity participation and they reject power-sharing with those of us that "know nothing". They accept that a magisterium, a Primate's Council, an Anglican Consultative Council, is the only way to get things done. They want to go back to the 1662 prayerbook because most people could not read at that time and just took for granted that the bishops would do what is best for everyone. (Okay maybe this is over the top but not too far-fetched).

Truth be told we did not warm up to the Archbishop of Canterbury for quite a number of years, maybe we have outstayed our welcome. Since when do we need an Anglican Consultative Council to tell us whether we are in the communion of out of the communion. We are who we are and we know what we know -- translation, the two greatest commandments are Love God with all your heart and mind and soul and love thy neighbor as thy self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

You know, we could be angry -- but why? Why not simply finish what we began (actually simply continue our journey) and pass the Episcopal Bill of Rights? Why not simply, clearly and unequivocally completely live in those two commandments? Do we need a communion of Anglicans or do we need a communion Christ"ians"? I pick the later. Who do you pick?