Saturday, February 24, 2007

WHAT NEXT?

Quickly glancing at the blogosphere this morning (we're in the middle of our annual "Lent Event" weekend at All Saints Church with featured speaker Sister Helen Prejean so it's a been bizzy-bizzy-bizzyplace!) I found these couple of suggestions for "Next Steps" worth noting:

The Episcopal Majority has a "Call to Action" that includes:

There are a number of reasons to encourage our bishops to refuse to accept the September 30 deadline and to ultimately say “no” to demands of the Communique itself. These are of deep concern to us; I’m sure you will identify additional ones.

1 - The demand does not take into account our Constitution and Canons.
2 - The bishops should refuse to deal with the demands of the Communiqué until a Covenant is in place defining the limits of foreign intervention – especially the kind of intervention proposed by creation of the Pastoral Council.
3 - The bishops should make it clear that to accept the Communiqué at this time would usurp the process of the Covenant Design Group.
4 - The bishops should say “no” to any moratoriums on legal consecrations or clerical blessings carried out in this Church.


And Ann Fontaine (as quoted on Daily Episcopalian) suggests a "Fast From Lambeth" that makes all kinds of sense to me:

She writes, "I think we can say to the Primates –

1. We do not have official rites for same sex blessings

2. Consents are made according to our Constitution and Canons

3. We know our stance on the role of gays and lesbians (and women for most provinces) offends you, but we do not ask you to take our stance for your own.

4. We deeply appreciate your willingness to engage in the listening process and to take all this time about TEC in an era of global disaster.

5. We want to work with you to address the pressing needs of poverty, global warming, HIV/AIDS, malaria (more people dying every day than died in the tsunami btw)
6. If you do not want us at Lambeth 2008 - we accept that and will use all the funds we would have spent on that meeting for the relief of suffering around the world (including all that the dioceses will spend to send our bishops and our contribution to the ACC for this, as well as encouraging Compass Rose to donate their funds to relief and development too). This will be our communal fast.


7. If you decide that we are no longer a part of the Anglican Communion we will continue to work with churches around the world who wish to be companions on the Way with us. The bonds of our affection are rooted in Baptism and gathering at the Eucharist. We are brothers and sisters in Christ not through our own doing but because Christ has made it so."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ann Fontaine, says it well. As tired as I am from our wonderful Festival of Life, with sister Helen Prejean, (weekend at All Saints, here in Pasadena), I just had a moment to check out Susan's blog. They say great minds think alike, and come to think of it, I have been around some great thinking minds all weekend or is it my female side hmmm hmm, in spite of my horrific childhood, my grandma Eva would be proud of me. Maybe the Bishops should take anatomy to understand the many parts to the body, being gay is just a part of our makeup, it is not the whole package, and unconditional love is all encomapassing. Just like love when you love somebody, you love the entire person, you don't just pick and choose parts. LOVE IS! GOD IS! AND WE ARE! Peace my brothers and sisters.