Bishop Katharine Live - Oct. 5, 2008

Steaming hot - *streaming* video alert: the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, will be at the Washington National Cathedral this Sunday, October 5, 2008. She will be the Cathedral's Sunday Forum guest at 10:10 a.m.(The State of the Episcopal Church: 2008), and preacher at the 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist service.

I suspect the D.C. crowd will be well-informed, so expect a lively exchange with the Presiding Bishop. The email I received states questions will be answered from online viewers as well as the live attendees. I know this isn't a convenient time for many people, but I suspect a video will be available later in the day. What great timing - the day after the Pittsburgh vote.

*Hat tip to Fred, who noticed the original text's typo (announcing a "steaming" video alert); I just had to keep some of the joke intact. See comments...and my apologies to the PB, I'm sure all propriety will be maintained...

CANA Land "Surprise!"/Stealing the Silver

A local newspaper is reporting TEC's Historic Christ Church, Alexandria, might actually hold the title to land claimed by The Falls Church. If true, this includes the land with their original brick chapel, part of the sanctuary complex.

Our Fred has some fiery words for those other, Donatist Anglicans about stealing TEC assets and dioceses in a great post entitled "Stealing the Silver." He even went Biblical,quoting from Matthew and Mark.

For this and other goodies, pop over to our other blog: Real Anglicans.

PROPOSITION 8 - LEST WE FORGET

If you live in California you have by now seen this commercial. If you have not, please take a moment and view it. I know this is a rerun but this proposition must be defeated and the only way to do that at this moment is to keep the issue in front of everyone.

As Christians we are called to a new order of things -- to be compassionate. Please look the word up. The meaning is significant in Jesus' life and it should be in ours. The issues of purity are old and tattered andworn and we are called to the new. If we are to be followers of Jesus we must be campassionate.

Compassion requires a NO vote on Proposition 8.

Hail to the Redskins...

...hail victory. Washington upsets Dallas - in Dallas! - 26 to 24. Dallas folks are free to come on in and trash the officiating, etc. Your powder-blue cream puffs lost on your own (Astro)turf.

The happy young man to the right is Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El.

Sunday Music - Gounod's Sanctus

Sanctus, Gounod's St. Cecilia Mass (Messe solennelle en l'honneur de Sainte Cecile). The tenor soloist is Michel Fabiano.

UPDATED:A VETERAN'S VIEW OF JOHN MCCAIN

The first debate is now over. Read to the bottom for an update!


Let me begin by saying that I am a veteran of the Viet Nam era. And not just any veteran, I volunteered and joined the Marine Corps. I did so when I was 17 but delayed enlistment until the January after my 18th birthday. I put boots on the ground in Da Nang in July of 1968 -- part of the ongoing Tet Offensive replacement program. I am by MOS a tanker, an 1811. The difference between us and the 0311's -- they walked and we rode. I have seen combat close up and real personal. I am NOT voting for John McCain. John McCain was a pilot. He fought a sanitary war from afar. While it was not his "fault" he was shot down; many, many pilots did lots of sorties and never were shot down. While I deeply admire his prisoner of war status and greatly respect what he must have gone through, still, he has never been in combat up close and personal. It is way different than from 10,000 feet as a fighter bomber. It is way different to have boots on the ground. I am deeply concerned for his decision-making efforts when it comes to war and much more concerned about his ability to push the red button when strained. I would not want this sanitized war person with his finger on the button.

Secondly, and just as important, I will never vote for a Republican again as long as they treat veterans the way they treated John Kerry and John Murtha of Pennsylvania. It seemed that just when we were going to get a true Viet Nam veteran in the White House the Republican party devoted much of their "527" money to "swiftboating" John Kerry and his war record. When Mr. Murtha, another highly decorated Marine, spoke out against the war in Iraq the republicans came after him hammer and tong. No, I shall never vote for a republican as long as they denigrate the service of Viet Nam veterans. I hold no grudge against POWS that told the NV everything the NVA wanted to hear. I hold no grudge against those who dodged the draft and went to Canada and I respect those who dodged the draft and went to jail. I expect the same courtesy back. I especially do not ever expect to hear a national party say such mean, vile and hateful things against decorated war heroes.

No, I am not voting for John McCain nor am I ever going to vote for a republican because of their lack of respect and dignity afforded the veterans of the Viet Nam war who now sit in office trying to provide another service to our country. It is my fondest wish that each and everyone of you will vote and vote your conscience.

This president will not hesitate to send your sons and daughters to: 1, Iran, Afghanistan, Georgia, North Korea, Iraq, Ukraine, or any where else so he can feel good about himself. Each and every time he spoke of these areas in the context of power and warfare his eyes gleamed. He acts like he wants to go to war so bad he can taste it! It seems to me his answer to the economy is warfare!

Are you an "Angli-CAN"?

We're taking off our gloves and digging into church politics at our new blog, Real Anglicans. OTA will still be up and running, but think of it as the "nice twin." Fred already has some timely and feisty posts, so head on over. (We are using Haloscan over there, it does keep things a bit livelier on a hot topic).

Why the second blog? I think Fred said it best on the welcome message, so I'm repeating it below. See you there!

Hello world! A small group of us have opened up a more freewheeling area for those of you who are undergoing changes. The Diocese of Forth Worth and the Diocese of Pittsburgh, to name but two. We also understand that the Diocese Quincy is considering a move to the southern climes. We are also aware that several more dioceses are in the process of becoming something they perhaps do not wish to become. You are all welcome to post here at Real Anglicans. We call ourselves the real Anglicans because among other things, we subscribe to the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America AND/including tradition, scripture and reason. We believe that Episcopalians are, in fact, the only real Anglicans in the United States. In the last few years, groups have been trying to abscond with the most revered of names, and we have decided wrest it from the grip of imposters. "It" being the name Anglican. We have had enough of those scalawags in places such as Nigeria, Kenya, Sydney, the "Southern Cone," and Rwanda - to name but a few - stealing land, property and the good name of Anglican. We believe that uncaring, unthinking and fundamentalist persons should not be allowed to besmirch our good name and traditions. We are prepared to cross pens with anyone thinking otherwise. Fortunately, when you are in our ballpark you play by our rules or you move on. As authors of this blog we get the last word and we intend to use it.

To our brothers and sisters throughout the country: we know you are hurt, and we know you are angry and this blog is the place to vent. We also know you may need thoughts and ideas as well as prayers for how to proceed. We are hopeful that those from the Diocese of San Joaquin will also post helpful hints and ideas. We are also hopeful that from time to time a "bigwig" may cruise by and pick up an idea or two they can use -- or perhaps leave an idea or two. A sage once told me that if two persons each give the other a quarter and walk away then each still only has a quarter. However, if two persons each give the other an idea then walk away they each have two ideas. We hope you each gain at least that much.

Those who live on the dark side are welcome to post here -- beware we will delete those posts that are abusive -- we do know the difference between edgy and abusive.

A personal note in closing. We are madly, wildly and passionately in love with our Lord, Jesus Christ. We came to this conclusion through our beloved Episcopal Church. Truly we struggle from time to time but scripture, reason and tradition bring us through every time. Our God is madly, wildly passionately in love with us and sent Jesus to make sure we knew that. Trust us when we say we will no longer stand idly by and allow some group of thugs parading around as God's chosen stealing from us God's poem of love to us. Forewarned is forearmed.