The Morning of The Last Legislative Day – June 21, 2006
My legislative committee (#10 Social and Urban Concerns) finished its business yesterday morning, so I got to sleep until the absolutely obscene hour of 8 AM today.
I haven’t had time to thoroughly read much less adequately respond to all of the many wonderful posts that have been written there. I took the luxury of wandering around some of them this morning, over my third (!!) cup of coffee.
I’m absolutely amazed and awed by this “Blog” stuff. I had no idea that this parallel reality was in existence. What an eye-opener into this Brave New World!
I learned long ago that the impulse to respond to scriptural challenges by the evangelical/neo-puritan/orthodox Radical Right is an invitation to a descent into the dark realms of sin and perdition. The set up is not to engage scripture for a deeper understanding or illumination of the gospel truth; rather, the exercise of what I’ve come to call “scriptural gymnastics” is the point in and of itself.
Thanks, but no thanks.
However, I will respond to the evangelical lament, “But, I don’t hate you, honest.” – but only after I’ve had another night’s sleep. (Or, maybe even three.)
One ‘blogger', a sister, “Peacebang” who lives, she says, in “Boston-ish” MA, posted the following on her Blog in response to my piece “Love Them Anyway.”
I just can’t stop giggling. And, I have repented and promise to go and sin no more.
You can find it here: http://www.beautytipsforministers.blogspot.com/
Or, for those of you who are not inclined to follow links, I’ve pasted it below.
Because, you just can’t make this stuff up! Enjoy!
What To Wear For A Crisis
A loyal reader alerted me to a lesbian Episcopal blogger who writes about attending General Conference and struggling mightily with the issues around radical welcome.
Sister, PeaceBang is 100% with you in spirit. God grant you strength and heart.
This blogger describes coming back from plenary sessions and getting dressed in a pair of gym shorts, a Red Sox shirt, a Red Sox cap and a pair of PINK FLAMINGO flip-flops to go down and have a meal at the hotel bar.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.
I am still 100% with you in Spirit, sister, but not in style. It's time for an intervention.
Let us pray:
Dear Lord,
The work You call us to is hard indeed, and takes us down many a painful path. When our hearts are laden with sorrow and our spirits cannot find You, let us remember that we are nevertheless agents of your love. Give us the strength to remember this wherever we go, even so humble a place as a hotel bar. And Lord, give us the strength to look the part-- emissaries of grace, believers in beauty, people of dignity, representatives of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What To Wear For a Crisis:
A pair of nice, gently flared dark denim jeans, some fashionable boots to kick ass in, a tailored, white blouse, and a BIG cross. Cheery lipstick, and no mascara. Don't forget the white hankie in your pocket, and a packet of Kleenex in your purse.
Let us join in a responsive reading:
The only place that a clergyperson should ever wear sports regalia is while attending a game of that team.
All: We are believers in beauty.
The only place a clergyperson should ever wear pink flamingo flip-flops, if ever, is by the pool.
All: We are emissaries of grace.
The only place a clergyperson should ever wear gym shorts is at the gym.
All: We are dignified people.
This is the word of Truth. Thanks be to God.
Blogging Sister Friend, go in peace and sin no more.
Amen. May it be so - Elizabeth+ 062106
BTW: I trust you all have been getting "the facts" about General Convention from other sources - like the Episcopal Church General Convention site. These are just my musings and impressions.
You can get other slants on "the facts" from IntegrityUSA, TitusOneNine (Kendall Harmon), and, for those of you who are very, very brave, from David Virtue.
Be sure to wear your asbestos pumps and bullet-proof vest when you walk through those last two sites. And see how these Christians love one another.
7 comments:
Elizabeth,
I can't possibly tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your blog during the last few days. In particular the post on Psalm 30 was absolutely beautiful! You are a very poetic and engaging word-smith, and I imagine that your preaching must also be fantastic. Hopefully someday I'll have the chance to make it accross the bridge to NJ to hear you preach. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy this blog. True, others report their spin on the facts, but your writing is very meditative. Thank you!
You may not have time to deal with this idea for a few days, but please consider attending the Progressive Faith Blog Conference in July -- it is in Montclair, NJ - so it is right around the corner from you -- More info can be found at http://www.progressivefaithblogcon.com/ (or just click here
Others reading this may also be interested.
I have so appreciated your posts during GC as they have put a very female and very human face on what is happening. I am so thankful that you are posting.
Mother, my husband and I have devoured your entries like Olga, Masha, and Irina (our trinity is me, my husband, and the precious Holy Spirit) starving for news from Moscow. We have laughed with you, cried with you, prayed with and for you, and want to meet you at your plane with a big pillow and some scented candles and carry you back home for a nice long rest. I hope you will continue to blog and share your journey and I hope one day to meet you. I'm so glad you have realised that many of our spirits are knit to yours which makes me feel less alone and truly catholic, truly in union. Blessings of safety and ease for your journey home.
Having just read the news that the ECUSA has buckled under to pressure from the Africanized factions of the Anglican communion, I will never refer to myself as an Episcopalian again.
Shame on all of you!
Mother Elizabeth, when I read this entry this morning, it had me cracking up! What a wonderful essay.
BTW, I am shocked that you are just now discovering the wonderful world of Blogdom! You do have a natural gift for it, my sister! And I hope you will continue posting after this wretched week.
Now I, like so many others, have read of what the Deputies did today, and nothing feels very humorous to me. I can only weep at what was done in the House today -- and at all the truly important things in the Algae Book that were left undone.
Having gained a sense of your spirit from your HoBD posts and -- more recently -- from this blog, I can only imagine what you must be feeling this night. So while this scapegoat endeavors to get her own feelings in check, I will simply say ... Thank you for the time and love you have spent in putting a human face on the doings of a GC. And please continue blogging! Your wit and wisdom are a great contribution. And -- finally -- may Christ have mercy upon His Church.
Sign me ... Just one of TEC's dispensable scapegoats --
Lisa
Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail
[...]
I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
[...]
Elizabeth, I'm on the "other side of the aisle from you," but I wanted to say I've found your blog interesting reading and plan to stay subscribed even now that GC is over.
I can imagine how hard it was to find time and energy to write in the midst of the exhaustion of General Convention, and appreciated the commitment you made to share what was happening from your perspective.
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