He works in mysterious ways...

This may end up being the best photo from Lambeth. Many thanks to Däˈvēd for posting about this gem at Preludium.

Smile, Bishop Bob, you're on candid camera!

To read the Episcopal Life story about the service, and see a larger view of Bishop Duncan's happy-happy face, head on over to Episcopal Life Line. And here's the ENS official caption for the photo - including a quote from Jon Bruno about "walking with Bob."
Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, left, and Diocese of Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno process July 20 into Canterbury Cathedral for the Lambeth Conference's opening Eucharist. Bishops were not formally paired for the process and Bruno said later that his walk with Duncan "was the arrangement of God." He added that he thought it was "wonderful that he and I can walk together. The last thing that I said to him is that I pray for us to at unity for years to come. He said, 'Find a way' and he might, you never can tell." (ENS photo/Mary Frances Schjonberg; © 2008 Episcopal Life Online).

Dear Cantuar, RE: inclusiveness, understanding

Hidden in the lemon ice cream post is a great comment from Leonardo:"let us see if the 'challenge" to address one's fears in fellow bishops is simply empty words...let us see if the Archbishop of Canterbury seeks Bishop V.G. Robinson out!" Leonardo expanded on these thoughts at his blog, Eruptions at the Foot of the Volcano.

Rowan Williams' Sunday address is *here, courtesy of ENS; do read the advice he is giving his fellow bishops. What say we give him a bit of advice back? Leonardo shared his thoughts, please do add yours.

*Just a little teaser from the full address: ...If you have not had the chance to hear directly of the experience of gay and lesbian people in the Communion, the opportunity is there. If you do not grasp why many traditionalist believers in various provinces feel harassed and marginalised, go and listen.... No-one's interests are best served by avoiding the hard encounters and the fresh insights. Bear in mind that in this Conference we are committed to common prayer and mutual care so that the hard encounters can be endured and made fruitful.

(A word of caution - I will review comments as if I were sending them on to my mother! You can be annoyed, angry, sarcastic, and human - but please, not vulgar. Unless it is darn funny.)

p.s. the comment is hidden in the lemon ice cream, not Leonardo...

Another cooler for hot stuff 'Piskies

Ah, ice cream in July. Does anyone remember taking turns cranking an old-fashioned churn during picnics? Maybe you still have one in the basement - but these two recipes are a little easier on the arm if you don't have a team of kids to help you out. If you make the second traditional recipe, try making little ice cream sandwiches with ginger snaps. Trader Joe's and Anna's are good choices, as they are spicy enough to stand up to the tart lemon.

Yep, two recipes in a row is a little lame, but Lynn's feeling mellow and Fred is taking a wee vacation. It's Sunday. It's hot outside. And it seemed better than making up Lambeth rumors.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper's Stirred Lemon Ice Cream

No special equipment equipment needed!

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest (use only the colored part of the rind)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
4 cups heavy cream (if possible organic and not ultra pasteurized)

In a shallow plastic container with a lid, stir together the lemon juice, zest, salt, and sugar. Gradually stir in the cream until mixture is smooth. Taste for sweet-tart contrast; it should be on the sharp side since freezing mutes flavors, so adjust the balance of lemon juice or sugar balance as needed.

Cover and freeze about an hour. When rim of the ice cream freezes, stir it into the center of the cream. Repeat two to three times, waiting about an hour between checks. The final result should be a frozen, yet creamy consistency. (To do ahead: let the ice cream freeze solid, break it up and refreeze, stirring every 30 minutes for an hour or so.

"Classic" Lemon Ice Cream

A little more time-consuming, but worth it if you have an ice cream maker.

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half (or 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan whisk together the zest, the lemon juice, sugar, and the eggs. Whisk in 1 cup of the half-and-half and the vanilla; cook the mixture over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until it just comes to a simmer. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the zest. Cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper - pressed directly onto the custard - and chill in refrigerator. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup half-and-half and freeze the mixture in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Makes about 1 quart.

Baby, it's hot outside

It's a balmy 90 degrees F. at 10:00 pm here in Washington, DC. Our bishops are in spiritual retreat, driving the press corps to distraction because they aren't acting like delegates at a political convention. Somehow something cool and caffeine-free seems in order, so yep - a recipe. I posted this a while back at Fr. Jakes, and it is courtesy of the cool and elegant Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.

Ina Garten's Iced Tea Refresher
4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice (such as Martinelli's Gold Label)
4 cups boiling water

Steep the 8 tea bags in the boiling water for about 10-12 minutes.
Discard the tea bags, stir in the apple juice and refrigerate until ice cold. Serve over ice.

John David Schofield and THE LETTER

With the red finger marks still on his face, with the feel of the sting still fresh and the ringing in his ears still going on let’s take the opportunity to evaluate the letter from Archbishop Gregory Venables to John David Mercer Schofield.

I greet you in the name of the Lord from the UK where the Lambeth Conference is only just about to begin.
[ I want you, John David Schofield, to know that I am here in Lambeth and you are not.]

Though I will be in touch about the Lambeth Conference at a later date, at this critical time in the Anglican Communion, I have several things to share with you to address some of the aspects of the current crisis.
[Though you were there I am not sure you got what I want you to get out of the conference, but never mind, I will tell you what you should get out of GAFCON.]

The Anglican Communion has been in chaos for a number of years. As a whole,the structures of the Communion seem to have been unwilling to speak clearly and definitively about theological foundations and limits.
[ John-David, you and your fellow bishops really screwed up the section of the Anglican Communion known as The Episcopal Church.]

It also recognized the cooperation and mutual accountability of a group of small (but growing) group of Primates who are willing to be clear in affirming the authority of the Bible and other Anglican tenets.
[Clearly, you are not one of those primates, but I am and we, unlike you Americans, know what we are doing.]

We have agreed that we will seek consensus before implementing changes that impact other Provinces in the circle. That is the way the whole Communion should be operating.
[John David, your way to break away without any consensus was wrong. Our way is to seek consensus, clearly we are better, smarter and more intelligent.]

We also agreed with the historical perspective that the structural authority of the bishop of a diocese is not absolute. The church has always taught that bishops are accountable for their teaching and their actions. The difficulty in our day has come when there are Provinces that are unwilling to hold bishops accountable to any discipline in the face of unbiblical actions and pronouncements.
[John David, do you suppose ++Venables means you!]

As you know, by the concerted and agreed action of both the House of Bishops and the Provincial Synod, we are glad to give you full membership and a safe haven in the Southern Cone while a long term solution is found.
[John David, if you are a good boy, you can continue to play but remember I can call it quits any time I want!]

In addition, I have been in conversation with Archbishop Rowan. Over the weekend I received the following message from him: "I understand that Bishop John-David Schofield has been accepted as a full member of the episcopal fellowship of the Province of the Southern Cone within the Anglican Communion and as such cannot be regarded as having withdrawn from the Anglican Communion.
[ Not John David, Greg Venables has been in touch with the Archbishop. He tells ME you will probably be okay – unless I say differently.]

Bishop Schofield has elected to decline the invitation to the Lambeth Conference issued to him last year although that decision does not signal any withdrawal from the Communion. … I am in agreement with Bishop John-David's decision not to attend the Lambeth Conference.
[John David it is good of you to do so and I am happy to be the one to tell you so. You do, don’t you?]

I do not know if John David Mercer Schofield has EVER been treated in public as badly as this letter seems to treat him. He is left being the “water boy” for the football team. John David spent quite literally years figuring out exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it as well as which province to seek asylum. He has hand picked all his clergy and all his staff. John David has promised to deliver the Anglican communion in all its glory to the people in his see. Now he finds out “it ain’t his show no more!” I cannot for one second think JDS enjoyed this letter or the contents or the person who wrote it. He gets this letter from someone he trusted and it says YOU are NOT in charge! I, Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, am in charge and I will tell you when you can go, when you can stay, what you should think, what you should do.

I am going to make a radical suggestion. The Episcopal Church is a big tent, correct? We are also a loving and forgiving entity that I hope embodies mercy at our core. Soooo, John David Mercer Schofield, wanna come home? Pick up your phone and dial 1-209-952-0006 and come on back. Please do not think that it cannot be done, all things are possible with God! Hey, we are waiting with a fatted calf!

Fr. Scott joins us in blog-land

Pop on over and see Scott Hankin's new blog, Father Scott and Co. - Ask Some New Questions. He has included a thread for general conversation about Lambeth, and an initial "food for thought" post.

Fr. Scott is now on the blog roll here if you don't have time to visit right now - but do go say hello!

Put down your coffee cup...

My top-secret agents have transmitted this exclusive video footage of a very special, pre-Lambeth pilgrimage. Recognize anyone?



Somehow the Ross Perot connection works for me in all this. Enjoy.