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October 30, 2006
"If you thought this was your grandfather's church...
The other day I received a phone call from a local TEC minister. She informed me about a sweet lady in the Washington Regional Hospital who was on the way to a Rehab and preferred that I visit with her. The minister asked me if I could stop in and see her.
I found the patient and her son in her room. “Are you the priest from St. Paul's?” asked her son. His mother recognized me as I said that I was from St.Gabriel's UEC. Her eyes lit up and then she told me, "Well, I’d like to be part of your Episcopal/Anglican church. The lady presiding bishop elect of the Episcopal Church said in an interview, 'If you thought this was your grandfather's church, forget it.' Yes this is my grandfather's church, but I will have to let go as it is not the church that I am proud to belong to anymore."
At times I wondered about our national church bearing the name Episcopal - sadly how pejorative it has become, because of clergy leadership that have hijacked the name to compromise with the values of contemporary society. For many of our members both alive and dead, yes this was their grandfather’s church - a unique tradition that laid the foundation for this great nation and guided its faithful in the faith of our fathers. Sadly enough, they do not care if it’s your grandfather’s church or not. Either way, they are assured of their salary and pension.
But do know we care for you. You need not be ashamed to be an Episcopalian—the church that once was your grandfathers’ and grandmothers.’
Someone had pointed out that our denomination should have been careful in selecting our name ‘United Episcopal Church’. It was intentional that our founding bishop chose this name. It was to UNITE all the Episcopalians and Anglicans who saw these changes transpire three decades ago, when the, then ECUSA, was changing the content of the prayer book.
If what is said above expresses the struggle within the church, what follows is an example of the struggle that the church has to face from our own public authorities, even if the intention is to do good to the community. While promoting one of our community outreach programs, Angel Food Ministry, I tried to call the local school administration so that they could approve sending the information to the school families. The administrator looked at it and said, “We cannot promote a church or a fundraiser.” I had to insist with him that this is an outreach and not a fundraiser and would benefit families by offering grocery relief. Anything to do with a church, even if it’s a benefit to the community and not religious in nature, doesn’t get fair treatment.
Interesting times that we are living in--very unlike our grandparent’s times.
Posted by frleo at October 30, 2006 7:35 AM
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