30 December 2006

Videos

Found these videos on YouTube thought you might enjoy them. Dee
The Prayer
Presiding Bishop Nominee Jefferts Schori
Grow in Peace
Jefferts Schori's Convention address following her election
Episcopal Youth Event 2005
Led To Believe Trailer
How Can We End Poverty?
Bono´s live message Poverty history campaing

21 December 2006

The family is splitting up

Once a week I drive down Mendon Road towards Nate Whipple Highway to go to my saxophone lesson. As I turn onto Nate Whipple Highway there is a white and blue sign with the Episcopal sheild on it, and under the sheild it says "The Episcopl Church Welcomes You". I personally believe that that saying is our greatest gift. Despite our differences we still gather once a week the altar and recieve communion as a family. We respect each others difference, put our arguements aside and answer our weekly altar call. Recently, when I have been asked what I think about the Episcopal Church, I tell them the above story. I tell them that we are a church of no fine print and when we say "we welcome you" we mean it. I do not think that on these controversial issues we will ever all agree. Because we have placed to much on something so little. We have focused to much on our differences, and not enough on our similarities. we have lost sight on our common mission of loving our neighbor and working to bring Christ's light into this very dark world. When I tell people what the greatest thing about my church is, I tell them that despite our political and theological differences we all still share together in the Lord's table. Yet, those who have decided to leave have decided that they can no longer put their differences aside and join us at the altar. I can't say if they are right or wrong, but I can say I feel that they are breaking our greatest tradition of all. So if those who left, those who are leaving, and those who will leave ever want to come back we will welcome them.

11 December 2006

Putting His Miter Where His Mouth Is

This is a post from Susan Russel (president of Integrity) about the Bishop of California.

Giving thanks for the witness and ministry of the Bishop of California ... another voice crying, "In the wilderness of war, prepare the Way of Shalom!"



Episcopal bishop arrested in protest over war in Iraq
.
SAN FRANCISCO - Northern California's Episcopalian leader, the newly elected Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, was arrested Thursday afternoon for blocking the front door of the San Francisco federal building to protest the Iraq war.

Andrus, carrying a shepherd's staff and singing "Down by the Riverside,'' was among about 200 protesters who had marched from Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill to join the weekly anti-war rally on Golden Gate Avenue near City Hall.

The bishop celebrated communion at the entrance plaza before Federal Protective Service officers began arresting protesters shortly after 2 p.m. for lying down and blocking the two main doors.

The officers passed Andrus in their first round of arrests because he was not positioned in front of the doors. After Andrus, in his purple robe, got up, moved a few steps and lay down again directly in front of the entrance, the officers returned and placed him in handcuffs -- while one said, "How are you?'' and shook the cleric's hand.

Protesters applauded, cheered and sang as Andrus was photographed by another officer and led inside the building.

"God is with all who have suffered in Iraq,'' the bishop said. "This war needs to be opposed. Even though there is widespread sentiment against the war, we need to continue to push for peace. There is good reason to believe this is an unjust war.''

Andrus became the eighth bishop of the 80-congregation Episcopal Diocese of California in July.
Eleven other protesters were arrested for blocking the door. All were cited and released. A half-dozen other people who lay down in front of the door got up and left when the crowd began to disperse and it was clear that the officers were all done arresting people.

"What do you have to do to get arrested in this town?' said Matt Cantor, in exasperation. "The war in Iraq is horrible, unthinkable, and we cannot stand by while children are dying.''

"Well, the bishop got arrested,'' said Cathy Lipscomb, another nonarrested door blocker. "That was the important thing."

Several hundred people crowded into the plaza for the rally and religious service, the biggest turnout for the protest and vigil that has been held weekly in front of the federal building for about five years.

In another anti-war protest Thursday, several dozen students at Stanford University drew chalk outlines representing the Iraq war dead at major locations around campus, including the library and post office.