Thank you to all who attended and all who did their part to make it a success. We had 65 Michaelites and I taught courses on Angels, Survey of the Apocrypha, and the History of the Prayer Book. Here are some pics and vids.
Above and below, yours truly opens up the talent show with a jazzy rendition of the national anthem.
Above, Austin DeLaVergne of Trinity Church in Dublin is beloved by the conference.
Above, the purgatorial council on the deadly sins game.
Above and below, yours truly celebrates a High Mass for a votive of Christ the King.
Our first St. Mike's wedding!!!! Actually, it was part of the seven sacraments segment of the pageant.
The light of truth shines down from above.
Above, prayers for healing on Wednesday at the votive of St. Raphael the Archangel.
I respect your comments and really have no dispute with them although I remain Episcopal and attend a church that is with TEC.
ReplyDeleteI just believe all of this could have been avoided if it had been handled diffently by Iker and like minded priests.
If there had been classes years ago for parishoners to study the WO & Sexual disagreements that were arising...an interactive long term Bible study. There was certainly nothing offered at my church until AFTER the first convention right BEFORE the second one. What was offered was put together by a church from a diocese who already left. One sided, uh yes.
If there had been openess about the plans in the making to remove the entire diocese from TEC. I know you will say there was and we would have disagree again. Many of us had no idea as we attended church to worship....we didn't know all the "politics" and plans going on in closed door meetings, phone calls, secret memos (i.e. the Chapman memo). Perhaps we were just wrapped up in our worship and should have been more aware. Needless to say, many of us were taken quite by surprise. It was hurtful.
There was no care or plan for those who wish to remain with TEC since in most church's we turned out to be the minority as far as delegates, vestries and priests. Oh, we were told we were welcome to remain. Many folks asked about sharing space until we could figure out where to go. NO. Could we have some prayer books? NO. Could we have a meeting with those interested in remaining Episcopal in the building? NO.
We became dangerous. Too much information might ruin the plan and or give folks time to ask questions.
My priest did not call me when I stopped attending the church I went to for 30 years. NOT ONE CALL. NO CONCERN for me at all.
There was another way. A Christian way. It was a plain and simple coo.
My heart will be hurt forever. It split families and friends and there is nothing Christian about that.
Thank you Anon, for your comments. Although we are on different sides in this, I share your grief. I'm sure things could have been done both differently and better in many of our congregations.
ReplyDeleteIt has been difficult seeing parishioners leave in my old parishes. For about a year, I had regular nightmares about All Saints (and still do at times) where I served my curacy.
It is especially painful to know that the same people I once served in parishes and former clergy colleagues are now engaged in a lawsuit to expel my two congregations from their historic buildings and to put my wife and baby girl out of our home. And for what? To gain a bunch of empty churches? And churches are notoriously difficult to sell, especially when you refuse to sell them to the one interest group of buyers.
Like I said in my previous post, I pray that when the TEC faction regroups and re-strategizes, they will decide not to file a new lawsuit.
I meant to post this under Living in a Fantasy Land but I am sure you figured that out.
ReplyDeleteWhat I will never understand is how this plan to take an entire diocese out of TEC came to be? Those involved had to know that there would be lawsuits. They've lost in both Pittsburgh and San Joaquin to TEC.
To claim that 80% voted to leave is not correct. 80% of the delegates and clergy at convention voted to leave but not 80% of the parishoners as they were not allowed a vote unless their vestry disagreed with their priest. Even when the majority of a vestry disagreed (i.e. Christ the King), look at what happened.
As I said and just have to mention again, there was no concern for folks who wanted to remain with TEC. None. Their beloved church's were "taken" without any thought of what these folks would do.
No one is trying to push you and your family out of your church and home. You made the decision to go along with this "plan" so you had to know a risk was being taken.
The lawsuits will continue but the blame is not on folks with TEC. What did you all really expect? That the Episcopal church and the faithful Episcopalians would just walk away? Really?