Sunday, July 27, 2003
Baptism today of Jackson Scott Wallace. A wonderful ceremony. Families came from Chicago, Florida, Atlanta, and Syracuse. I spoke about trying to be perfect....
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
thursday, worked a bit on the sermon. Read two interesting articles: one on human nature and mothering and another on prayer.
We did get two other bids. One was particularly low, but we don't know the contractor. Gary got a pretty good bid from someone he trusts.
The lease on the country day school needs to be examined by the lawyer, and soon signed.
We're still trying to figure out the mechanics of the Clam Bake. I don't think we expect to learn how expensive it would be to hold one. Still, our graphic designer came up with a wonderful image.
Today met with the Wallaces re baptism for tomorrow.
Will be taking two couches from my house and bringing them into the lounge today. I will be freeing up some extra space in the rectory, as well as make the lounge a bit more comfortable.
Margery's next door neighbor, steve, recommended I announce what I would be preaching on a week in advance. Maybe it would generate some interest.
That's probably a good idea.
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We did get two other bids. One was particularly low, but we don't know the contractor. Gary got a pretty good bid from someone he trusts.
The lease on the country day school needs to be examined by the lawyer, and soon signed.
We're still trying to figure out the mechanics of the Clam Bake. I don't think we expect to learn how expensive it would be to hold one. Still, our graphic designer came up with a wonderful image.
Today met with the Wallaces re baptism for tomorrow.
Will be taking two couches from my house and bringing them into the lounge today. I will be freeing up some extra space in the rectory, as well as make the lounge a bit more comfortable.
Margery's next door neighbor, steve, recommended I announce what I would be preaching on a week in advance. Maybe it would generate some interest.
That's probably a good idea.
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Wednesday, July 23, 2003
CrossRoads [the news of St. Barts in the city] reports that Mayor LaGuardia, as judge, once heard a complaint between a merchant and a woman who had stolen $300 worth of groceries from the store. She admitted doing so, as she had no money to buy food for her family. Laguardia found her guilty and levied a $300 fine. After all, a crime had been committed. Then the mayor turned and told all the people gathered in the courtroom to come up with money for the fine, because they all had been charged with the crime of living in a city where a woman needed to steal food to feed her family.
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Monday, July 21, 2003
I tried fiddling with the webpage today, so I'm learning a bit about FTP protocol. Right now I'm just having trouble uploading and/or downloading. I've figured out how to link, but I'm not sure how to publish.
I also had a meeting with the social justice / religious life center at Manhattanville College. The two directors are quite open for some sort of Episcopal chaplaincy, but they did warn that the student interest in the bible isn't there. There is plenty of interest in community service.
When I talked about vocational direction, economic justice, and building community, they became more interested. They would like some more spiritual direction, but it would need to be framed in a way more appropriate for college kids. I agreed to help them on Labor day with some community service projects. They told me that several years ago, Purchase College had some trouble with a cult - the Church of Christ - so they banned all religious activity altogether.
My tactic, then, will be to offer the Episcopal church chaplaincy as a way of bringing the arts and ethics together.
Also working on some Capital campaign work. We are looking at two different fundraisers. This will not be an easy job for the parish, but we'll go forth, bravely.
Someone praised God, to me, for the 24 bishops who are opposed to the ordination of Gene Robinson. Fortunately we had already agreed to disagree. He gave the standard naturalistic argument, of course [two men cannot biologically have children, thus God would not want it; and men are promiscuous, BTW]. I said that I would be willing to spend an hour spelling out why I think we should respect the wishes of the people and presbyters of the diocese of New Hampshire.
As I have said, I think there is the issue of ecclesiology, and there are the contours of sexuality in the Christian faith.
I won't let it divide St. Bartholomew's Church, of course. It's hard to have a nuanced view about the issue.
for now, I'm thinking about the clambake on September 6th, and looking for some volunteers.
Prayers for Yvonne, Chuck, Hamilton.
"Mine, O thou Lord of life, send my roots rain."
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I also had a meeting with the social justice / religious life center at Manhattanville College. The two directors are quite open for some sort of Episcopal chaplaincy, but they did warn that the student interest in the bible isn't there. There is plenty of interest in community service.
When I talked about vocational direction, economic justice, and building community, they became more interested. They would like some more spiritual direction, but it would need to be framed in a way more appropriate for college kids. I agreed to help them on Labor day with some community service projects. They told me that several years ago, Purchase College had some trouble with a cult - the Church of Christ - so they banned all religious activity altogether.
My tactic, then, will be to offer the Episcopal church chaplaincy as a way of bringing the arts and ethics together.
Also working on some Capital campaign work. We are looking at two different fundraisers. This will not be an easy job for the parish, but we'll go forth, bravely.
Someone praised God, to me, for the 24 bishops who are opposed to the ordination of Gene Robinson. Fortunately we had already agreed to disagree. He gave the standard naturalistic argument, of course [two men cannot biologically have children, thus God would not want it; and men are promiscuous, BTW]. I said that I would be willing to spend an hour spelling out why I think we should respect the wishes of the people and presbyters of the diocese of New Hampshire.
As I have said, I think there is the issue of ecclesiology, and there are the contours of sexuality in the Christian faith.
I won't let it divide St. Bartholomew's Church, of course. It's hard to have a nuanced view about the issue.
for now, I'm thinking about the clambake on September 6th, and looking for some volunteers.
Prayers for Yvonne, Chuck, Hamilton.
"Mine, O thou Lord of life, send my roots rain."
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Sunday, July 20, 2003
Jamie Lane and Nick Ruggiero returned to church. They are getting married on September 12th.
Another young person intending to get married came to church.
I spoke on reconciliation. I talked about how we have the tendency to be with people who think like us. I presented the fact that we end up choosing churches because there are people like us.
I said that we would have to be very conscientious about how we talk to each other as the church enters a difficult phase in its life. I mentioned that Archbishop Williams understood God as like a verb - God was living. And that this was different than treating God as a noun.
I then discussed the Donatist Heresy.
Went to Soup kitchen. A fellow was asking for money, giving me a fairly typical story. Doesn't have ID. Losing things, not taking steps, exhausted by the sytem's intricacies, that's the challenge of being poor. Who has $25 for an ID? He had problems, and solving them would be easy - money for transportation, and ID, for his son.
The fellow suggested I purchase bus tickets when people needed them.
I think he really needed one.
I try not to give out money.
I didn't have the money anyway.
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Another young person intending to get married came to church.
I spoke on reconciliation. I talked about how we have the tendency to be with people who think like us. I presented the fact that we end up choosing churches because there are people like us.
I said that we would have to be very conscientious about how we talk to each other as the church enters a difficult phase in its life. I mentioned that Archbishop Williams understood God as like a verb - God was living. And that this was different than treating God as a noun.
I then discussed the Donatist Heresy.
Went to Soup kitchen. A fellow was asking for money, giving me a fairly typical story. Doesn't have ID. Losing things, not taking steps, exhausted by the sytem's intricacies, that's the challenge of being poor. Who has $25 for an ID? He had problems, and solving them would be easy - money for transportation, and ID, for his son.
The fellow suggested I purchase bus tickets when people needed them.
I think he really needed one.
I try not to give out money.
I didn't have the money anyway.
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Saturday, July 19, 2003
Convention begins on July 30th. It will be very exciting. Even the NYT is picking up on it.
The issue is fairly straightforward. Will order and process trump principle? When two sides are so completely divergent, order and process are all we have.
If his ordination is accepted, the Episcopal Church would be the only truly humanistic Christian faith world wide.
I've mentioned before that there are several conceptual issues at stake.
First, we should recognize that the pill has divorced sex from procreation, and liberated desire, generally. I do not know if marriage can depend on sexual desire, but that is a different issue. But we should recognize that technology deeply changes who we are.
The creation and cultivation of abundance is an economy that does not rely solely on gender or preference.
As sex has become a public way of selling a host of private choices, formerly private desires have become public.
I find that Paul's meditation on food sacrificed to idols very helpful. Similarily, Our views towards sexuality are inculcated culturally - they might be very deep. But they are incidental to a proper piety before the throne of God.
The Donatist Controversy provides and interesting analogue: it is not the piety of the bishop, but God working through the order of the episcopacy that matters. Although Bishop Robinson is, by all accounts, an excellent pastor, he could be a complete jerk and his order would still be efficacious.
I am critical of the culture of "instant gratification," "convenience," and other aspects of the culture as they play out in the arena of the sexual economy. There are good reasons to restrain desire in many areas of our lives. But this is not the same issue as homosexuality generally.
As one parishioner remarked, "If we don't accept everyone, we're going to die."
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The issue is fairly straightforward. Will order and process trump principle? When two sides are so completely divergent, order and process are all we have.
If his ordination is accepted, the Episcopal Church would be the only truly humanistic Christian faith world wide.
I've mentioned before that there are several conceptual issues at stake.
First, we should recognize that the pill has divorced sex from procreation, and liberated desire, generally. I do not know if marriage can depend on sexual desire, but that is a different issue. But we should recognize that technology deeply changes who we are.
The creation and cultivation of abundance is an economy that does not rely solely on gender or preference.
As sex has become a public way of selling a host of private choices, formerly private desires have become public.
I find that Paul's meditation on food sacrificed to idols very helpful. Similarily, Our views towards sexuality are inculcated culturally - they might be very deep. But they are incidental to a proper piety before the throne of God.
The Donatist Controversy provides and interesting analogue: it is not the piety of the bishop, but God working through the order of the episcopacy that matters. Although Bishop Robinson is, by all accounts, an excellent pastor, he could be a complete jerk and his order would still be efficacious.
I am critical of the culture of "instant gratification," "convenience," and other aspects of the culture as they play out in the arena of the sexual economy. There are good reasons to restrain desire in many areas of our lives. But this is not the same issue as homosexuality generally.
As one parishioner remarked, "If we don't accept everyone, we're going to die."
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Friday, July 18, 2003
Day off. I did call Gary re the porch at 52 Sterling. My friend Beth, who is a pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church in Northern Pennsylvania, is in town, so I'll probably have Vietnamese food with her and another former classmate of mine, John [who works at a parish in the city].
If I do go to church, it is to work on other essays. I don't have Word on my home computer just yet.
The Archbishop says that God is more like a verb, which means, I think, God lives [calls, dances, sings, walks, etc]. It is one way to avoid some of the speculative elements of doctrine.
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If I do go to church, it is to work on other essays. I don't have Word on my home computer just yet.
The Archbishop says that God is more like a verb, which means, I think, God lives [calls, dances, sings, walks, etc]. It is one way to avoid some of the speculative elements of doctrine.
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Thursday, July 17, 2003
Last night I went to the SHORE dinner. I understand that they are controversial. The dinner was held at the Westchester Golf Club, and honored Ron Mitchell who ran the Open Arms Shelter. He will be working for the United Methodist Church to combat AIDS in Africa. The standard acclamations from the city, county and state.
I was outbid on the Yankee and Springsteen tickets.
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I was outbid on the Yankee and Springsteen tickets.
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Tim Fink came by. He reported that there was mold growing in the swell, which has caused some of the ciphers to stick open. The bulbs burnt out in the chamber.
He suggested that some cleaning would help, as the covers were left off the magnets. This would probably prevent a lot of the ciphering. But it will cost a lot of money for the labor.
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He suggested that some cleaning would help, as the covers were left off the magnets. This would probably prevent a lot of the ciphering. But it will cost a lot of money for the labor.
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Bulletin Day!
Eleanor is busy tidying up absolutely everything. Yoga in the library. I can hear them chanting.
From here on in, I update daily. I promise.
The plan today is to have lunch with the Lutheran Pastor at a neighboring church, Bill Hurst, who has been a very effective mentor.
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Eleanor is busy tidying up absolutely everything. Yoga in the library. I can hear them chanting.
From here on in, I update daily. I promise.
The plan today is to have lunch with the Lutheran Pastor at a neighboring church, Bill Hurst, who has been a very effective mentor.
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