Beloved Community,

If you were in church on Sunday, you heard me say what I am going to say now, so my apologies for the duplication. 

In our journey around the Anglican Communion, we are using whole liturgies or Eucharistic Prayers from diverse countries, including some with public stances and theological understandings that differ greatly from that of The Episcopal Church and us as individuals.  As I said on Sunday, I owe all of you an explanation, and some of you an apology, about why we using some of the liturgies we are using, e.g. those from Australia and the African countries.  As you likely know, same-sex marriage is now legal in Australia, though the Anglican Church continues to advocate loudly against it.  In many African countries, homosexuality is criminalized, sometimes with execution as the sentence, and the Churches have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from more progressive members of the Anglican Communion.  In many of these same places, the role of women is limited, as well. Given these realities, I was asked why I thought it made sense to use these liturgies and prayers in our worship.

The answer is clear and straightforward, though my previous communication about it was less so.  Just as there were courageous, outspoken bishops willing to ordain 11 women in Philadelphia on July 29, 1974, when the ordination of women was not allowed in The Episcopal Church, and just as my ordaining bishop, The Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, was willing to marry in the Cathedral his Canon to the Ordinary and her wife, the President & Dean of my seminary, before same-sex marriage was permitted, there are brave, courageous, faithful people fighting the good fight in each of these Churches.  I have a seminary colleague, who was forced to leave her home country because she was placed on a government hit list because of her outspoken advocacy for the rights of LGBTQ+ people and who, last I heard, was still in danger even though she now lives in Canada with a level of security we likely would find stifling.  It is with those people that we pray in unity and solidarity as they continue to fight for equal rights and protection for all of God's beloved children.

Peace & Blessings,

Paula+

 

Camp is the week of August 18th.  We set up on the 18th and then greet the campers at 3:00 pm on the 19th and bid them goodbye at 7:30 pm, which we will do the 20th-23rd, as well.  There are lots of ways to help, no special skills needed, just a loving heart and a desire to welcome these children again this year.  There are opportunities for an evening or two, or the full-week.  Please talk to Fran Taber, Kim Williams, or Rev. Paula if you know you want to help or if you need encouragement to join the team. 

It's also possible to access Tithe.ly through our website - click on the "Give" button in the menu and you will be given the option to use Tithe.ly. 

Don't worry.  If you prefer to use a check or cash, that's fine.  If you are a Vanco user and want to keep it that way, that is good, too.