Case Dismissed

Note: The above image is from the webpage of the Diocese of Central New York.

Presentment Charges Against Fr. David Bollinger Dismissed
The Living Church
7/17/2007

The Rev. David Bollinger, former rector of St. Paul’s Church, Owego, N.Y., was exonerated of presentment charges today after an ecclesiastical court in the Diocese of Central New York dismissed all counts against him. The verdict cannot be appealed, according to canon law.

After six fruitless hours yesterday in which the church attorney for the diocese unsuccessfully attempted nine times to introduce witnesses and evidence previously excluded by the court, the hearing today required only about an hour.

Fr. Bollinger, acting as his own lawyer, began his defense this morning by submitting one piece of evidence verifying that he had paid taxes on income the diocese had accused him of failing to report. After that was admitted, Fr. Bollinger noted that the prosecution had offered no evidence to support its allegations against him and made a motion for dismissal. After a brief recess for consultation, the panel of five judges returned and granted the motion.

Prior to the July 16 start of the trial, Presiding Judge Carter had ruled inadmissible the prosecution’s list of witnesses and nearly all of its evidence against Fr. Bollinger because the diocese missed the discovery-phase deadline by more than two weeks. In lengthy closing remarks, Judge Strickland repeated the reasons why the diocese’s evidence and witnesses had been excluded. He also strongly criticized the diocese’s handling of the case, stating that it was required to abide by the same rules of procedure as everyone else.

The Rt. Rev. Gladstone “Skip” Adams, Bishop of Central New York, had inhibited Fr. Bollinger in 2005, accusing him of financial misconduct and disobedience. Fr. Bollinger contended that the charges were part of an attempt to punish him after he continued a public campaign to have sexual misconduct allegations against a previous rector of St. Paul’s investigated by the diocese. The previous rector voluntarily renounced his orders in April 2006 after a diocesan review panel recommended that presentment charges be prepared.

The trial attracted about 10 spectators, eight of them priests of the diocese. After the court adjourned, one of them asked Bishop Adams if he was now prepared to release the so-called Shafer Report, a document commissioned by the diocese to investigate allegations that a former diocesan employee had improperly accessed Fr. Bollinger's personal financial information. Release of the Shafer Report had been requested in a resolution proposed during the 2005 diocesan convention, but the resolution was tabled.

The court ordered the diocese to make the report available. It was considered relevant because one of the presentment charges against Fr. Bollinger states that he falsely accused Gael Sopchak of illegally accessing his personal financial information. In a pre-trial conference last month, James Sparkes, the church attorney for the diocese, said the diocese would never make the report public.

To find more news, feature articles, and commentary about the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion not available online, read The Living Church magazine each week. Call 1-800-211-2771 to start your subscription

http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/printarticle.asp?ID=3506

"Stop the presses . . ."

A brilliant piece of investigative journalism by our Jan Nunley, Episcopal News Service (ENS) Deputy Director at Episcope

July 14, 2007
Stop the presses...before somebody gets hurt


New York Times subscribers will open their Sunday Styles section to this:

Man of the Flesh to Man of the Cloth
By SHARON WAXMAN
OAK PARK, Calif.
The New York Times
July 15, 2007

SOME people have their midlife crisis in reverse, like Ronald Boyer, who for most of his professional life has been better known as a star of pornographic films, Rod Fontana.

After 30 years of sowing the wildest of oats, Mr. Boyer, 54, has searched his soul and chosen, to the surprise of family and colleagues, to seek a priesthood in the Episcopal Church.

It’s all here …but hold it just a minute there, folks. Haven't we heard this trope before? About a guy named McGreevey? And remember how that ended--much ado about nothing?

Well, it turns out that's what we've got here: some incredibly sloppy reporting that's frankly unworthy of the venerable New York Times.

Your epiScope editor, who spent her youth as a reporter when Woodward and Bernstein were the heroes, decided to track down what really happened by talking to Mr. Boyer's rector, the Rev. Hank Mitchel--which is more than reporter Waxman managed to do. Let's go through the story, bit by painfully distorted bit.

From his work in the rented villas of the San Fernando Valley, where hard-core sex films are shot, he has moved just a short distance west, to the Church of the Epiphany, which is guiding his transformation from pornography star to preacher.

"That's wrong on so many levels," Mitchel told epiScope. "I'm his pastor, so of course I'm guiding him in that spiritual sense. But no one at Epiphany knows--or knew--about his background, except some key people on the staff. And no one is training him for ordained ministry at any level."

So references to "Mr. Boyer’s embryonic ministry" and "to pursue a new path as a religious leader" are misleading?

"Boy, are they ever!" Mitchel said.

And what about this?

He returned to meet with his priest and with the second-ranking official of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Bishop Suffragan Chester L. Talton, to gain approval to establish a ministry among sex workers.

"No way!" exclaimed Mitchel. "I talked with Bishop Talton. He never met with Ron. Couldn't pick him out of a crowd."

And this?

The process to priesthood will take several years. Mr. Boyer began by being confirmed in the Episcopal Church this year. He is undergoing training to become a deacon, which will allow him to conduct most aspects of ministering short of the sacraments. To become a priest, he must study in a seminary for approximately two years and his candidacy must be approved by the diocesan bishop.

"Absolutely not!" said Mitchel. "He was confirmed with about 150 others by Bishop Talton in May. About 4 or 5 months ago he wanted to talk about ordination, and I explained the process to him. But he has not met with the bishop or undergone any of the requirements for entering the ordination process in any way--certainly he's not being 'trained as a deacon' or anything like it."

And of course the M.Div. program is three years, not two. But what about Bishop Bruno's remarks?

J. Jon Bruno, bishop for the Los Angeles Diocese, said Mr. Boyer’s path to the priesthood would not be precluded by who he was. “I wouldn’t put up an immediate impediment because of someone’s past life,” he said. “There’s no exclusion in the gospel for anybody.”

"Bishop Bruno's never met Ron either," said Mitchel. "He knows nothing about him. He was speaking generally about the ordination process."

Which according to the canons is open to all Episcopalians--but no one has a right to ordination, of course. So--there's no "integrating" by the Diocese, or "welcoming an ex-performer with more than 300 hard-core movies to his credit", as Waxman writes?

"That is just wild exaggeration, utterly unsupported by the facts," Mitchel said.

Did you talk to the reporter? She said church leaders "do seem uncomfortable discussing it in depth"...

"Why didn't she tell the truth: I emphatically refused to exploit the situation by talking to her in depth about it," explained Mitchel. "I did say, and I do sincerely hope, that Ron can serve as a bridge to people in the porn industry, to bring them hope and the love of God.

"And I said Ron and his family are most certainly welcome here--but his former profession most certainly is not. And he has a long, long way to travel and a lot of spiritual growing to do before we can even think about thinking about a leadership role."

Clearly the New York Times jumped the shark on this story. That's really, really sad.

UPDATE: Hmmm...Waxman's done this kind of sloppy job before, it seems...Google her name and see what pops up.

Ouch. "Woodstein," she's not; consider the source.

http://episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope/2007/07/stop-the-presse.html#more

Keeping Close Watch

There are those of us who are keeping close watch on the unfolding implementation of the newly revised canons in The Episcopal Church, known as "Title IV" or collectively, in shorthand, "the disciplinary canons."

The Title IV canons are, in the main, an important part of the church holding itself and its ordained leaders accountable for clergy misconduct. This is a good thing. Indeed, it is a good thing perhaps tarnished initially by being too long in the waiting and too aggressively implemented at the start.

Serious concerns are being voiced by clergy and laity, bishops and chancellors, about how these canons are being implemented in some situations. In this litigious cultural climate, accusations or allegations of misconduct have had the chilling effect of rendering the priest "guilty until proven innocent" - the exact opposite of the intended effect of the design of these canons.

Anxiety is heightened in those dioceses where doctrinal or political differences between bishop and clergy or clergy and laity are more sharply defined and controversial. Conservative and Progressive clergy alike fear that Title IV canons can become an easy way for the bishop to "get rid of this troublesome cleric."

Some feel that the canons are out of balance, suggesting that it is much more difficult to hold bishops accountable according to canon. Women, especially those who have a more creative approach to ministry, often feel especially vulnerable. The leadership of the laity is presently not fully addressed by these canons - which lead many (including the laity themselves) to ask, "Why not?"

Anxiety is so high in many clerical circles that some are asking, with sarcastic humor intended to reduce the anxiety, whether or not Carl Rove is on retainer as an advisor to The Episcopal Church as a way to control behavior. As one clergy person was overheard to remark, "Say 'terrorist' and surrender your constitutional rights. Say 'Title IV' and surrender your ecclesiastical rights."

The real tragedy, in my personal estimation, is the damage done to the pastoral relationship between the bishop and the priest. In certain circumstances, this has also done incalculable damage to the relationship between the priest and the congregation as well as the relationship between the bishop and the congregation.

I do believe that the institutional church is sincerely trying to work this out to the best case scenario for everyone involved - the plaintiff as well as the defendant - to the glory of God and following the prophetic mandate to "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God."

I also believe that Title IV Canons can be an important way to proceed when allegations of misconduct have been made which provides an avenue of justice as well as hope and healing for all. Indeed, not only are there are provisions for a pastoral response team for the congregation and a pastoral support person for the clergy (the bishop is necessarily mandated to relinquish the role as 'chief pastor' as soon as an allegation is made), but every effort is made to work toward a solution to the problem before an Ecclesiastical court trial is necessary.

What follows is a report on the first day of trial in the latest case which is drawing enormous attention around the church. This is primarily so because both priest and bishop have the respect and admiration of many - often the same people. For a church built on the relationships we have with each other in the community of those baptized into the Body of Christ, this is a thing almost too heartbreaking for some to watch.

You can find a summary of the story in an article as reported in The Living Church here.

Most of us sit on the sidelines, holding our breath, saying our prayers, watching and waiting.


Prosecution Rests Case Against Central New York Priest
7/16/2007

An ecclesiastical court ruled July 16 in Syracuse, N.Y., that the Rt. Rev. Gladstone “Skip” Adams, Bishop of Central New York, would not be permitted to testify in the trial of the Rev. David Bollinger, former rector of St. Paul’s, Owego, who stands accused of financial misconduct and disobedience.

Before the trial began, Carter Strickland, the presiding judge, excluded most of the evidence and all of the witnesses for the prosecution because it missed the discovery phase filing deadline by more than two weeks. Bishop Adams was not on a witness list submitted to the court at least 60 days before the start of the trial.

In all, the court rejected nine motions by James Sparks, the church attorney for the diocese. After the ninth motion, the diocese rested its case. The only evidence it was allowed to submit were the allegations made in the presentment charges.

Court was in session for six hours however, there were numerous breaks during which the ecclesiastical judges conferred. The trial resumes Tuesday with the defense calling witnesses and offering evidence.

In previous interviews with The Living Church, Fr. Bollinger has maintained that the financial misconduct charges against him were part of an attempt to silence him after he repeatedly tried to have the diocese investigate the alleged sexual misconduct of a former rector of St. Paul’s. In April 2006 the priest voluntarily renounced his vows.

Bishop Beckwith: The Newark Riots and the Legacy of Violence

Forty years ago this week, the city of Newark erupted in five days of violence, which claimed the lives of 26 people, caused millions of dollars of damage – and sullied the reputation and fabric of life in this city for at least the next generation. The reasons for the rebellion/riot/revolution are many and multivalent, and we need to keep sorting through the stories and evidence -- for our learning and healing. Yet at its root, I believe that the violence of 1967 emerged from a toxic combination of fear and frustration.


The fear was of the other – separated by race and culture and history, and an insidious legal and economic system that was organized to maintain the separation. The frustration boiled over as more and more people felt that there was no way to break through the fear, and fear’s manifestation of racism, economic inequality, and the devil knows what else.

Much attention has been devoted to enumerating the sequence of events of 1967 -- and uncovering new evidence, and evaluating mistakes and misjudgments. That is important and necessary work. But there is a subliminal danger in thinking that violence is limited to situations and places where the fear and frustration quotient is especially high; places we have been told to stay away from – inner city neighborhoods, the West Bank, Iraq, and Afghanistan.


But violence does not have such obvious boundaries. It turns out that violence is one of our most serious cultural diseases. While most of us recognize that violence is a disease that needs curing, it is perhaps less obvious for us to realize that we have been taught – for at least a millennium - that violence is the cure to the disease. We retaliate. We punish. We seek vengeance – done with permission and in the expectation that it will make things better.

It doesn’t.


Now I can say with a measure of self-righteousness that I have rarely, if ever, engaged in physical violence. I was lucky. I suppose it helped that I have three younger sisters, whom my parents insisted were off-limits to me in terms of physical retaliation. And every coach I ever had drilled into me the discipline to never fight – even when physically provoked.

But verbal violence is a different matter. If someone has done something to me, I think of what I can (and should) say about them. I don’t know if I have ever verbally trashed anyone, but I have filleted a few people over the years. I have done it because other people do it. I have done it because, for a moment or two, it made me feel good. Verbal violence has become a kind of cultural sport – and we play it because – in the short run anyway, putting someone down gives the illusion of lifting oneself up. If we sacrifice someone else, then we will be spared. One of the unwritten rules of this cultural sport seems to be that it is best played if the offending person is not around, but a lot of other people are. All of which creates another illusion -- the verbally assaulted person doesn’t hear what is said about them, and the speaker gets to let off a little steam and perhaps showcase some linguistic flourish. No harm, no foul.

Yet no matter how we arrange or gerrymander these scenarios, they still involve violence. Fear and frustration bubble up in toxic ways – and while the direct or indirect verbal assaults don’t leave physical scars, they nonetheless create lasting wounds.

Jesus lived in a world that was arguably more violent than ours. Violence was official policy in the Roman Empire. Yet instead of tapping into the rampant fear and frustration felt by the many recipients of Roman violence and using it as a basis for a violent counterinsurgency, Jesus employed the God-given gifts of wisdom and love. Drawing on the witness of the Hebrew prophets, and in confidence of his deep and abiding relationship with God, Jesus stepped in between violence and the victims of violence. And his presence in that dangerous place has been our ticket to freedom ever since – because it set us free from the need to engage in physical or verbal retaliation.

We are called to stand with Christ in that place between our violence and our victims. Sometimes that means standing between our own ego, which wants to retaliate – and our Christ-nourished soul, which yearns for humanity’s full freedom. We have had many examples of prophets and saints who have stood in that place – Mahatma Gandhi, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King Jr.; and I would add my college music professor Henry and my sister Andrea. Their words and actions -- by intention, instinct or grace, have helped to provide us – for an instant or a lifetime, with a vision of freedom. Freedom to live in the greater fullness of Christ’s blessing.


Have a refreshing and transforming summer.

In peace,


+Mark Beckwith

Last Rites: READ IT!

One of the wonderful things about airports and airplanes is the opportunity to read uninterrupted and in the serenity that can only be experienced all those many hundreds of miles above the ground.

One of my dear, long-time friends is Fran Trott. A bold, unrepentant feminist, Fran is one of the mothers of the Episcopal Women's Caucus and a powerful role model for me and many other women. It was Fran who was instrumental in the early days of the movement to ordain women. The first issue of Ruach, now the award-winning publication of The Episcopal Women's Caucus, was typed on on old Remington Select at her kitchen table and reproduced by her on a hand-cranked mimeograph machine in her parish church's office.

As is often her way, Fran placed a book in the middle of the table at our last Women's Commission meeting and said, "I think you may find this a good book to read."

It was Michael Hampson's LAST RITES: The end of the Church of England.

That was it. That was all she did and all she said. Well, I've known Fran long enough to know that this is a powerful endorsement from her, so before anyone else could reach for it, I scooped it up. I've read it twice - once on the way to Belize and again on the return trip.

Yes, it's that's good.

Hampton begins with a sense of the state of the whole of Christ's Anglican church, from the particular perspective of life in the vicarage as an honestly, partnered gay man who is ordained a priest in the Church of England. He is also a former charismatic evangelical and writes movingly about his experience as a young teen in that part of the church.

He provides an important historical perspective, which includes a fascinating analysis of the emergence of the three-party church, in what he calls "the unique glory of the Church of England," the rise of evangelicalism, the charismatic era, and, what he describes as , "The Descent into Chaos: 1983-2005."

Here are some excerpts from his analysis:

The "Three-party Church": "(The CofE) began as a direct two-party confrontation between catholic and protestant, and it is ending as a direct two-party confrontation between liberal and fundamentalist. It is unlikely now that royal or parliamentary patronage will take control to impose a solution, as it did in the sixteenth century, so this time the institution will destroy itself - unless it can find a solution of its own to pull itself back from the brink."

The "Rise of Evangelicalism": "In evangelicalism, everything comes down to the individual. . . .At its best this is a wonderful liberation, an egalitarian revolution . . .At the heart of it is the idea that every human being is 'corrupted by sin', which incurs, 'divine wrath and judgment', resulting in 'eternal condemnation'. Salvation is won from this wrathful and condemning God by human sacrifice, specifically the sacrifice of God's own Son who has taken human form for the purpose: this is the 'atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross', dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God."

"The inevitable result in a culture instinctively puritan and conservative. . . . The very logic of evangelicalism drives it inevitably towards a cultic fundamentalism."

Hampson has some powerful insights about Rowan Williams as a liberal Anglo-Catholic whose naivete and commitment to unity at all costs may well hold ransom the future the the Anglican Communion. His insiders perspective on the situation with Jeffrey John is also very helpful. Hampson shines, however, in the chapter on the use and abuse of the bible. It is a very fine essay, revealing the heart of a man who loves Jesus and the words of God which are incarnate in His life.

I think this is an important book to read as we prepare for Lambeth in 2008 and General Convention in 2009.

I suspect it will be a good read at any altitude.

"What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Note: This is the entrance to Clarissa Falls, the "Five Star Resort" about an hour's bus ride from the works site where our Mission Group stayed. At the end of a long, hot, exhausting day in San Antonio, this place became a powerful image of Paradise (and the food was absolutely amazing!)

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 10:25-37
VII Pentecost (10C)– July 15, 2007
The Episcopal Church of St. Paul, Chatham, NJ
(the Rev’d) Elizabeth Kaeton


This is a powerful Gospel story to hear at any time. It is especially powerful to hear on the Sunday after the St. Paul’s Mission Group returned early yesterday afternoon from a week of intense ministry in Belize.

As you know, our mission was to build a community playground, refurbish the community center, and conduct a Wellness Clinic in San Antonio, a remote village in the northern part of Belize, nestled as it is between a small mountain range and amidst some ancient Mayan ruins.

Belize is a place of enormous contrasts – captured perfectly in one of the first images of this country one sees on descent from the airplane – the lush green of the forest trees amidst billows of dry, brown dust which rise up as traffic travels on the mostly unpaved roads of the countryside.

Here, in the country formerly known as “British Honduras” (until 1973), nestled to the west by the borders of Mexico and Guatemala and to the east by the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean, there is incredible beauty and heartbreaking poverty.

Here, one may explore ancient Mayan ruins and deep caves far beneath the surface of the earth as well as surf the Internet. It is not uncommon to pass lovely homes with a shiny new Bentley parked in the driveway while a herd of long-horned cattle, goats, sheep and and chicken graze in the front yard.

Here, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Evangelical and Mennonite Churches and Mayan Spirituality seem to co-exist in the same town - often, in the same family.

On one street in one remote village, one may choose dine at a Chinese, Taiwanese, Mayan, Italian, Lebanese or Belizian restaurant and then walk a few steps to an Ice Cream Parlor and get soft-swirl ice cream (Chocolate and Vanilla twist) for dessert - but many of the homes in that same village have no electricity or running water.

Our American "power tools" were "rough and rugged and built to last," but we burned out three power drills trying to drill through the hard Belizian mahogany wood.

In San Antonio, there are families who live in thatched-roof grass huts with no running water or electricity which sit less than 400 feet from families who live in wooden, tin-roof houses with paneled walls that are equipped with satellite television and high speed Internet computers, bringing news of the world through CNN and BBC.

There are sharp contrasts even in the way neighbors live – and yet, neighbors they are, in the best, gospel sense of that word.

I’ll have lots of stories to tell about what I mean by that – and so will many of the children who were on this incredible mission trip. Suffice it to say, I think the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke’s gospel strikes an incredibly familiar note with many of us.

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” the lawyer asked Jesus.

Jesus said to the lawyer, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?”

The lawyer, no doubt being a good lawyer, answered correctly: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."

However, as it is with anything in life, the law lived in the abstract is far less powerful than the law lived in context.

So, the lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” And, Jesus told the story we have come to know as The Good Samaritan.

While there are many, many aspects to be told of this wonderful story, I want to make only one point about this story this morning – the one point I think is important to make about our mission trip to Belize.

In our culture, a “Good Samaritan” is the term we use to describe a usually anonymous passer-by who happens on an accident or tragedy and renders help or assistance when others might simply walk past, “minding their own business.”

We hear this biblical term applied to someone who, perhaps, stops on a dark and raining night to help change a flat tire on the car of a woman with small children who have been sitting frightened and alone in their car which has been sitting on the side of the road as other cars whiz by in face-paced indifference. There are other examples, but you get my point.

While in Belize, we had several discussions about the nature of our work on this project. Someone in the group likened it to being a “Good Samaritan,” meaning precisely this cultural understanding of the story.

Which begged the question: Were we simply just good people, doing a good work of kindness? Or, was there something more, something of deeper meaning to this work of ours?

By the end of the week, we came to understand that yes, we are good people. And yes, we did do some wonderful acts of kindness and even mercy. But, there was much, much more to the story than what was on the surface.

We are good people who are also Christians, followers of Jesus, who tells us that, in Him, we are all of us neighbors: North Americans and Central Americans. Western European and Asian. Hispanic and Mayan. African and Caucasian.

In the midst of the diversity of our ethnicities and origins, in that remote village of San Antonio, we were all neighbors in Christ Jesus – each and every one of us. Each in our own particular and individual ways, we are trying to work out the pathway to eternal life.

Jesus says to us this morning that the one who shows mercy is the one who will get to heaven. “Go and do likewise,” he says to the lawyer in that ancient town.

“Go and do likewise,” Jesus says to us today, here in Chatham.

Some of you know that I am a big fan of the late Fred M. Rogers, who, for many years, had a wonderful little television program on public television known as “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.” Fred Rogers knew something about the love of God that he wanted to make certain an entire generation of children learned.

Mr. Rogers once said, "Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people."

Ultimately, I hope the work we performed in Belize will be seen as an act of kindness and mercy. I hope we gave the children – and their parents in the neighborhoods of the village of San Antonio, Belize as well as our own children - a sense that they are loved exactly as they are, so that they can grow to be the healthiest of people.

Indeed, I hope they saw in the many and varied deeds and acts of kindness and mercy –
from the tedium of painting the outside of a community center, to the back-breaking work of lifting mahogany beams for the gym set, to checking blood pressures and caring for a seeming epidemic of skin warts, to playing an hour of soccer and American football with an open field of squealing children for an hour at the end of a long, hot day in the sun – that, in all of these many ways, they may see a reflection of the unconditional and abundant love that God has for them and, for each and every one of us.

It is in community, in the context of transformative relationships, with Jesus as our teacher and guide in acts of mercy, that we work out the pathway toward eternal life and and our salvation.

It has always been my vision that The Episcopal Church of St. Paul might be a place where everyone who enters this place will immediately know that the family of God comes in all sort and variety of constellations, and that neighbors are not just those who live on your street, or in this town. Our baptism makes us citizens of a much larger community of saints who have been, are here now, and are yet to come. We are uniquely called to "love God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our strength, and all our mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves."

As we heard the writer of the Book of Deuteronomy (30:9-14)say, "Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. . . .No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe."

This is what we tried to do on our mission trip. The gospel truth - and the compelling irony - is that the real work of that trip will find its greatest success when we can live that law not only in Belize, but fulfill that law – with kindness and mercy – right here in the neighborhoods of the little village of Chatham.

Amen.

Belize: We're Home

Well, we're home.

Exhausted.

Deeply, deeply satisfied.

Full.

And yet, haunted by not having done enough.

Sort of like this picture of the Community Playground about half an hour from completion.

I have so much to tell, but not enough time to do that tonight. Even so, the images are all jumbled and tangled with words that simply fail.

So, here are a few pictures - just to give you a feel for what we've experienced. There will, God willing, also be videos.

You'll probably see these pictures again but in the midst of some story-telling. These are a few from the Wellness Clinic we ran in the Community Center.

This is one month old Vivien and there's her mother in the background with her brother, Gideon, age 2. If this doesn't absolutely melt your heart, I don't know what will.

We had hoped to work with the local doctor, but he wasn't able to join us. So, we simply did what Public Health Nurses have been doing for hundreds of years: education, prevention, and early intervention.

We made a few house calls on folks who were too old to make the trek to the clinic. This is a 93 year old woman who had had a stroke, with her son, who is a very brittle diabetic, and his daughter.

I wish I had been able to take a better picture of this amazing Mayan woman. She must have been stunningly beautiful as a young woman. Her beauty in her old age was still breathtaking.

This family is so completely devoted to their 85 year old father who has had a stoke and 83 year old mother who has Parkinson's Disease that it is nothing short of jaw-dropping inspiration.

There will be more stories, more images, in the days to come.

But, for now, this will have to do.

Meanwhile, we're catching up on what's been happening in the world - in our personal families . . .the blistering heat in Northern New Jersey . . .the deaths of Lady Bird Johnson and Letty Russell . . . carcinogens in toothpaste manufactured in China and now in shrimp caught in Asian waters . . the Gerber baby cereal recall . . . another cop shot in New York City . . .the various machinations in the ongoing and unfolding drama in the Anglican Communion. . .

It all seems so insignificant compared to what we've just experienced. Of course, it's not, but our experience in a remote mountain village in Belize does help to put some things into perspective.

Which, of course, is what happens on a mission trip.

I suspect we'll be re-living this trip for many years to come. Stay tuned.

Belize, Day 2: One dim light

"Can you bring a proper bible?"

That was the first thing Ms. Conroy asked me.

Yes, she asked for snacks for the kids. Yes, she asked if I had gotten all the tools and bits for the drills Tim urgently asked for today (turns out, the wood is mahogany and they are going through drill bits like Grant's troops went through Richmond . . . at least, I think Grant's troops went through Richmond).

How I'm going to get those drill bits through customs is yet another story to be told. Good thing I'm not planning to wear my burka to the airport tomorrow, eh?

Turns out, it was a good thing I am straggling in on Tuesday. How else would they have gotten the tools they needed to finish the job?

God works in strange and mysterious ways.

Ms. Conroy even asked for some Sweet 'n Low. "They have nothing like that here," she almost - not quite, but almost - whined. (I know. Our Ms. Conroy. Imagine!)

But, first, she asked if I could bring a proper bible. "All we have is my pocket edition of The Message," she said. "And no one remembered to bring a BCP. We're running out of prayers. Good thing you know how to pray extemporaneously."

Ah, I suppose that even though I won't be able to "lift that barge" or "tote that bale," I will still be good for something. I'm bringing the BCP and snacks to the poor banished children of Eve. AND, I can pray extemporaneously.

To paraphrase that song by U2, I may yet finally find what I'm looking for.

Today's report is that everyone is well and healthy. Lots of important community building going on. Even with the delay in adequate tools, the project is ahead of schedule. There was spaghetti and meatballs for supper tonight. A HUGE hit with the kids. God is good. The kids are happy. All is well.

"All we have is one dim light. It's so hard to read the small print of pocket version of The Message by such dim light," said Ms. Conroy.

"But," I said, with no small amount of sarcasm, "the Gospel is the light of the world. A light to enlighten the nations."

"Yeah," said Ms. Conroy, "well, Jesus himself wouldn't have been able to read the small print of this Good News tonight."

I think I'll pack a larger print edition of the Bible.

And, perhaps, flashlight.

This will, no doubt, be my last post until we return from Belize late on Saturday, the 14th.

Keep us in your prayers.

God loves diversity. Amen.

It's strange to think that it was just a few weeks ago that our daughter Julie and I were in Colorado together.

She just sent me these pictures from her camera. Lovely, aren't they?

As I head off into what will no doubt be 100 degree temperature and soaking humidity, it seems strange to look at the snow covered mountains of the Rocky Mountain State Park.

Strange and altogether wonderful.

If we needed any more evidence that God loves diversity, well, we only have to look at all that God has created and, after each and every act of creation God declared each and every thing, "Good."

There seems no other appropriate response than to say, "Amen."

I'll try to remember that when my clothes are drenched with sweat as we put together a playground in the mountains of Belize.

A Note from Tim Wong, Missioner for Youth and Young Families

Greetings from Belize!

First, my apologies for not getting an e-mail out earlier. So much to do and so little time.

We arrived safely in Belize and all the luggage made it as well. No problems getting past customs. The kids had a great time seeing all the animals at the zoo.

Clarissa Falls Resort is a beautiful place with the waterfall literally steps away from our rooms. The owner Chena is a very nice lady and an even better cook. She is taking real good care of us.

On Sunday, we visited the Maya Ruins and the kids got to go to the top and take many great photos. In the afternoon, we went tubing down the river and had a fun and relaxing time.

The kids are also impressing us with some of the things they are sharing during devotion time.

Today, we arrived in San Antonio and started our first day of work. Once work began, the kids were so into it and didn't want to stop. I have enforced mandatory water breaks every 30 minutes so everyone is staying hydrated and using plenty of sunblock. We broke for lunch and we're already ahead of schedule for what we want to accomplish for today.

I don't know if I will have time for daily updates, but I will try my best to keep you posted on our progress here in Belize. Just know that everyone is having a great time and working hard. If only you could see your kid's willingness and dedication when they are working...you would be so proud! Courtney has been taking plenty of photos. I believe our last count was over 300 photos already and its only Monday.

Anyways, lunch break is about over so its time to get back to work. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Leavin' on a jet plane

Well, just back from the doctor's office and I have been cleared for take-off. At 8:55 AM Tuesday morning, I am leavin' on a jet plane for Belize.

Can I just say, "Woo hoo!"

I hope to get an update from "our gal on the ground in Belize" tonight which I will post here before I leave. Even as I type this, construction has begun in the town to build that playground for the kiddos in San Antonio.

How exciting is that?

Belize Mission Trip: Day 1 Phone Report

Ms. Conroy and I talked tonight. Turns out, if the call originates from Belize, it's $2.20 per minute. If the call is received in Belize, there is only a small service charge to the phone. The caller, of course, pays the fees.

So, I called. We talked. The news is all good. In fact, it's positively terrific!

Ms. Conroy reports that the kids - and adults - had an absolutely terrific day. First, they hiked miles ("Miles and miles and MILES!" said herself) to a Mayan ruin.

Everyone loved the history. Something about a Mayan belief that there are 12 layers to reach heaven and 7 layers to descend to hell. The kids were absolutely enthralled by it all, really soaking it up. Exhausted by the hike, but loving every minute of it.

Later, they went water tubing down Clarissa Falls. Each person had their own tube. Yes, even Ms. Conroy. (I hope someone took some pictures! I snagged these of the Mayan ruin and tubing from the Internet.)

Later that night, at the debriefing before worship, kids shared what was a high and low point of the day for them. One kid made a stunningly honest confession. Unbeknownst to anyone else, he said he was absolutely petrified of heights. That climbing the Mayan ruin was one of the most terrifying things he had ever done. But, he challenged himself with every step and then rewarded his efforts at the end by sitting on the ledge, enjoying the beauty and the splendor of God's creation.

Great kid, huh?

Another kid admitted that he is petrified of bugs and creepy crawly thingys, which was NOT news to anyone in the group. Wouldn't you know it but it was THAT self-same kid that an iguana chose to fall from a tree and land on HIS lap shortly after he had gotten in the tube? Ms. Conroy reports that she's not certain who was more frightened - the young man or the iguana.

Here's the terrific part: The iguana finally landed on the tube of another young man and perched there for the rest of the 40 minute ride down the Falls - each one simply studying the other in rapt attention.

When asked how he experienced that, all the young boy could manage to say was, "Cool. Way, way cool!" The kid who doesn't like creepy things just shook his head in utter amazement.

They finished the evening with devotions and prayers. Oh, the heat, how awful! The bugs, dreadful, yes, of course. But, it is reported that no one left the meeting who didn't have a big smile on their otherwise very tired little faces.

All in all, a great beginning.

Ms. Conroy reports that while we were talking on the cell phone, Our Tim and the rest of the work crew were strategizing how to divvy up the work and how to use the small groups of kids. She, herself, is not part of that leadership team but plans to do whatever it is they tell her to do. Once a good catholic girl, always a good catholic girl, I teased. Right, she laughed.

The plan is to work in the cool of the morning and rest in the heat of the afternoon. She and the other nurses are meeting with the local "healers" tomorrow afternoon to make some initial assessments and figure out how to organize all of the medical and dental equipment they brought.

It sounds like it is more than we could have ever asked for or imagined.

Thanks be to God!

Feminism, Progress and Birthday Dreams

While my back has been healing, I've had the unexpected gift and luxury of time to "ponder."

Oh, I always make time to "think." "Pondering" however, is another matter all together. It's a bit like "mulling" (as in "mulling it over") which is about letting the flavor of things merge (as in 'mulled cider'), but it's not at all like "stewing" - which usually means something has made me hot with anger and I'm trying to figure out why that is - letting the tough pieces of meat break down with the heat of slow cooking, and the flavor of the vegetables and seasoning blend together - and how I should respond.

Pondering is a matter of turning over different thoughts in my head, setting them on this side and then the next, standing back a bit to see how they look alone as well as compared to say, another thought which I've also set on a different side.

It's a slow process which must never be rushed. Hence, it's quite a luxury, normally - well, for me anyway.

I've been pondering a conversation I had with my granddaughter, MacKenna Jane, who just turned six on July 5th. It made me consider some of the conversations I've had with my own grandmother on the same topic.

I had sent her a bouquet of flowers as part of her birthday celebration. She adores roses - red, thank you very much - and thinks daisies look particularly well next to them. Her favorite arrangement is three roses (one for her sister, Abby, one for her mother, and one for her)surrounded by daisies and mixed here and there with pink carnations.

She's quite explicit about this. Being a good Nana, I always comply. Exactly.

She called to say thank you wherein the following conversation occurred:

"Well, my darling, you are six years old today. My goodness!"

"I know, Nana," she sighed, sounding suddenly like a 40-something. "Time flies, right?"

"Have you given any thought to what you want to be when you grow up?" I asked.

"Well, um . . .yes, actually, I have," she answered.

"Well, um, most of all, I want to be kind. Mommy says the world doesn't have enough kind people, so I want to be kind. And generous. Daddy says that we should always try to be generous. You know . . . Do you know what generous means, Nana?"

"Well, I think I do, but why don't you tell me what YOU mean?"

"Well, it can mean that if you have two pieces of candy, and one kid doesn't have any, you should give one piece to that kid. But, it can also mean that, like, um, if you have food and one kid is very, very hungry, then you should give all your food to that kid because you know you can always get more at home."

"Its like sharing," she continued, "but sharing is what you have to do because your teacher or mother says you gotta. Being generous comes from your own heart. Do you understand, Nana?"

I was a bit startled that this six year old learned this concept, and seemed to have understood as well, so I stammered, "Well, yes, yes I do."

"Well, see? That's what I want to be when I grow up. Kind and generous."

"I think you already are, my love." I said, gulping down a huge, proud sob. "But, what do you want to be? I mean, HOW will you be kind and generous? Will you be a doctor or a lawyer or . . .?"

"Oh, Nana," Mackie laughed, "I'm only six years old! I have plenty of time to decide about that later!"

I don' know why I continued to be surprised by anything this child says, but her response stunned me into momentary silence, which Mackie heard loud and clear.

Rushing to my aid, she continued, "But, well, I already know ONE thing I want to be when I grow up. Do you know what that is?"

"No, sweetheart, why don't you tell me?"

"Well, I already know that I want to be a Mommy, just like my Mommy."

"Really?" I said, surprised at the slow rise of disappointment I could feel welling up in my stomach.

"Yes. I can't think of a better thing to be than to be a good Mommy, just like my Mommy. And then, you know what, Nana?"

"No, what?"

"Then, I can grow up to be a really good Nana, just like YOU! And, you are the BEST Nana anyone could ever have!"

I swear to God, if Jesus had come to take me home in that very moment, I would have left this life a deliriously happy woman.

I've been returning to that sense of disappointment I initially felt when Mackie said her first "career aspiration" was to become a Mommy. It's what I've been pondering these past few days as the back spasms have subsided enough for me to think about something other than the pain in my back side, but not enough for me to concentrate and read for great lengths of time.

Yes, yes. I know. What's wrong with that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing at all.

You have to understand. I'm from the first generation of women who grew up after our mothers read Betty Friedan's revolutionary book, "Feminine Mystique," published in the early 60's. I grew up in a time when to insist on the title, "Ms." was risking being called a "feminist" - which was just about on the same level as being called a "communist" - and earn the bearer a similar fate of social ostracism.

Some of my children's earliest memories are of helping to organize "Take Back the Night" demonstrations and marches after a woman had been raped in our community. This was an act of boldness so unthinkable as to have astonished my grandmother and which continues to amaze my mother, both of whom considered rape an eventuality in every woman's life.

.
Of course, like any movement, there were some over-reactions. Not every man who opened a door for a woman was a "male chauvinist pig." Getting married and having children did not mean that you were "subservient to the patriarchy." Allowing your name to change at marriage did not mean that you had been "seduced by the dominant male paradigm."

Let's be clear, here. Friedan's meaning of the "feminine mystique" was the idealized image of femininity which encouraged women to define themselves to the narrow role of housewife and mother. It was considered noble for a woman to forgo her education and career aspirations in service of "her man" and her children.

This denied women the development of their own identities, leading to the unhappiness Friedan described as "the problem that has no name," and contributing, among other things, to the rise of the "baby boom" and the development of suburbia.

What emerged from this original small circle of thought was what became the social tidal wave known as "The Feminist Movement." There are those, like me, who rejoice in the changes brought in with this tide. Others, however, still can not utter the words, except through clenched teeth.

Almost from the very beginning, there has been a backlash to the gains made for women in our culture. As Flo Kennedy is remembered as saying, "If we really had come a long way, no one would be calling us 'baby'."

Some reading this will not be too old to remember "The Total Woman," by Marabel Morgan. It was the Christian woman's response to the changes and challenges which came with feminism, instructing women on "how to make your marriage come alive."

A mostly vapid little book, Morgan's approach was one third common sense and the rest "Stepford Wives." Her premise was that the only thing any man wants is a woman whose entire reason for being, her sole purpose in life, the only focus of her life's work is to be a good wife to him and a good mother to "his" children.

You know, there may be men out there like that, but . . .no, wait . . .You know what? There are. . . .men like that. And, women who are married to them.

There are quite a few Blogs popping up these days, written by intelligent, well educated women, who love Jesus and their husbands and families who think that the only way to be a good Christian wife and mother is to sacrifice her career and aspirations to the higher vocation of family life.



There are actual websites like "Ladies Against Feminism" with helpful articles on "Humility" and "Thoughts on Masculine Leadership and Feminism." There are actual pictures of women who have made their own "modest" dresses (no slacks for these feminine followers of Jesus, oh no!), with pictures of them going through their day, doing the laundry, making the bed, doing crafts.

Other sites are more of the same, "Joyful Momma," and "Family Renewal Ministries," - all chock-a-block full of helpful information and support for "the little woman."

There is one woman, an Episcopal priest married to an Episcopal priest, whose writing sometimes flat out scares the BeJesus out of me. She is pregnant with their fourth child, the youngest of whom is not yet one year old. They are using "Natural Family Planning" - letting "God decide" on how many children they will be blessed with and resigning themselves to gladly take whatever God gives them, giving God the praise and glory for "his plan for their life".

She gets lots of support from women who have made similar choices, all giddy with what they describe as "Christian love" and the "Holy Ghost". Everyone seems positively ecstatic about this new pregnancy while this poor woman writes about how she doesn't have the energy to clean her house or herself or her children whom, she muses with mild curiosity, might get their feet cut on the cereal bowl one of them smashed this morning which she simply hasn't had the inclination to clean up.

The women commenting on this have nothing but giddy high praise for her. I can only read so much before I have to reach for some dry crackers. Apparently, you can experience "morning sickness" by proxy.

Hear me clearly: If this is her choice, God bless her. I would defend to the death her absolute right to choose this life for herself and her family. Based on what she writes, however, I have a hard time believing that's the really case. It's all about not having any control ("God's will" and "God's plan") and it's all written with an undeniable and unmistakable undercurrent of hostility.

Well, there's an ancient expression known among those who live and work in the desert: "Trust in God, and tie your camel tight."

Perhaps you understand now why my stomach clutched when MacKenna revealed her Birthday Dream of one day being a Mommy.

What these women don't understand is that the goal of feminism is not just about the advancement of women or "the feminist agenda".

The ultimate goal of feminism is the liberation of the human spirit.

My grandmother, MacKenna's great-great grandmother, knew this when she fled her small village in Portugal to come to this country to start a new life. I don't know this for a fact, but I'm willing to bet that her paternal great-great grandmother fled the (not-so) Great Potato Famine in Ireland for much the same reason.

MacKenna's mom is a psychologist. She earns her PhD in May of 2008. She works with incarcerated women and their children, trying to help them rebuild their lives after their release from the penitentiary, prevent recidivism, and establish healthy relationships with their children and their families.

And, she's a great mom and wife and daughter. Indeed, she's an amazing human being. I'm obviously enormously proud of her.



She is part of the dream my grandmother had for her children and her children's children. Indeed, I think her dream is one that is shared by many women all over the world.

That dream is that every child that comes into this world is wanted and loved.

That dream is that every woman who becomes a mother does so by her own free will.

That dream is that every woman has a choice about how she will live her life - including being the very best Mommy in the whole world.

Or, not.

As I have pondered these things, I have come to believe that MacKenna's birthday dream has its priorities in exactly the right order: First: That everyone in the world is kind and generous. Because the world is often cruel and we need more kind and generous people.

Parenthood? Well, it's not for everyone, but MacKenna makes the point that if you know yourself as a child who is loved and wanted and treasured, why not continue that great legacy in another generation?

And one's life work? Well, that choice is made with equal care and consideration and over time.

I can't think of a more noble aspiration to have at six years old.

Or, any age, for that matter.

Well, my final words to MacKenna on her 6th birthday were these, taken from the wit and wisdom of feminist author Faith Wittlesley.

"Just remember," I said to MacKenna Jane, "that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astair did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.

MacKenna giggled, "Nana, you're so funny."

"Yes, I suppose I am."

"Nana?"

"Yes, my love."

"Umm .. . who is Ginger Rogers?"

"Ah child, now that's another story for another day."

First News Report from Belize

My beloved, Ms. Conroy, just called a bit ago from Belize.

Things are much more . . .. um . . .. "rustic" (yeah, rustic, that's the word that was used) than anyone imagined.

There is NO access to the Internet - not even dial up (so yes, Auntie Ann, I will not be bringing my laptop.You'll have to wait for the story and pictures when I return). They did spend $200 on a cell phone which costs $20 per minute to make a phone call. YIKES!

The word is that everyone is well and adjusting to the heat and humidity with a few predictable headaches for those who did not believe in the preventative magic of staying hydrated. Everyone is now drinking water without complaint or reminder.

Amazing, isn't it? I never cease to be amazed at how 'natural consequence' is always, always and forever reliable as the most effective teacher.

She also reports that the kids are "starving" - poor banished children of Eve - there being no vending machines with junk food readily available for them to chow down. They may yet learn to appreciate fresh fruit as a snack.

We'll file that one under "unplanned lesson well learned." I trust there will be more to come.

Ms. Conroy says that the biggest challenges for her so far have included negotiating the sharing of her window ledge with a toucan, convincing a few wild turkeys not to enter her cabana, and having to sharply reprimand a few geckos in the middle of the night for attempting to sleep in her bed with her.

You know, just the usual hustle and bustle of "rustic" mountain life in the beautiful Caribbean.

She promises to call with a brief daily update, which she is able to charge to our credit card. I'll pass the updates along to you until I leave on the 8:55 AM flight on Tuesday morning.

All will be well.

They start working on the playground on Monday. I can't wait to get there.

I'm so proud of our kids, I could just burst.

Oh, there's a blog on this one, to be sure!

Well, with time on my hands, I've been reading WAY more than I absolutely need for my own salvation and redemption.

I have a blog brewing on the topic of feminism, have no doubt.

Meanwhile, I wanted to whet your appetite with this poster.

Ain't it just a pip?

Is your blood boiling at the same temperature as mine?

Stay tuned. Film, as they say, at eleven.

Dave Walker ALWAYS makes me laugh

Christian Community: Outrageous!!!!!

Well, tonight has been the ABSOLUTE best!!!!!.

I had two men in my bedroom - one straight and one gay - and we drank bourbon and gin and ate fresh blueberries and corn chips (without salsa) and told great stories and outrageous lies and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and it was the BEST medicine I could have ever asked for to heal my aching back.

For those of you who may be concerned with propriety, I need to tell you that (a) no one took off any article of clothing, (2) one of the men was my former senior warden and is a happily married man and a terrific father, (3) the other man was one of my FORMER seminarians who is dearly beloved, and (4) this comes under "social events," "discussion group," "special events," and "prayer" in the above schematic drawing of the organizational flow chart.

I am READY for mission on Tuesday morning.

Swear to God.

And, my back no longer hurts.

Thank you, Jesus (and, Mark Harris who advised me to be outrageous and he has never, ever given me a lick of bad advice)!

Health Status Update: Impatience

Yup. That's the name of this flower.

That's also the way I'm feeling.

My back is healing - slowly. The pain is manageable. I'm able to walk short distances without looking like I'm doing an impersonation of a dying crab.

The point, of course, is that my back is healing. Thanks be to God.

I, on the other hand, am impatient.

Our Mission Group leaves tomorrow morning at 9 AM. I have another treatment tomorrow and another on Monday. If all goes well, I will be on the 9 AM flight on Tuesday morning. I'll not be allowed to walk long distances or schlep suitcases, so there will be wheelchairs waiting for me at the airport.

Bottom line: I'll be able to meet up in Belize and be with my Mission Group.

All in all, it's very good news, isn't' it?

I have much for which to be grateful, don't I?

Even so, I am impatient.

Pray for me, a sinner.

Pray for my Mission Group and the people and children of San Antonio.

Oh, my aching back!

I wish I knew how it happened.

Like, I knew I shouldn't have moved that box. Or, I bent over and the next thing I knew . . ..

It wasn't like that. It started very gradually on Monday morning. I took some Aleve and iced my back - an early intervention that's been highly effective for the past year or so. After my 3PM visit with my Supervisor, I could feel the spasms begin. By 11 PM I was in absolute agony. It appears my sciatic nerve is seriously pinched. I wouldn't want anyone - yes, even him - to have pain like this.

I've had three sessions with my chiropractor and finally found a pain medication that is effective, so I'm taking the 30 minutes I have before my eyesight starts to blur in narcotic LaLa Land to enter this blog.

At this point my trip to Belize is iffy - at least leaving on Saturday. I'm hoping that if I can't leave with everyone else, I can join them as soon as I can.

In the meantime, please keep our Mission group in your prayers.

On July 7-14, 2007, 35 youth and adults from St. Paul’s and the Diocese of Newark will embark on our mission trip to Belize. Our goal is to build a playground for the children of San Antonio, Belize as well as providing a health & dental clinic for the families. Please keep us in your prayers for a safe journey and success in making a difference with the people in Belize, as well as a difference in the lives of our own youth.

Bryan Anderson - Christ Church, Pompton Lakes
Nate Bard - St. Paul’s, Chatham
Josh Crowley - St. Paul’s, Chatham
RJ Davies - Christ Church, Pompton Lakes
AJ DeWalt - St. Luke’s, Montclair
Ben DeWalt – St. Luke’s, Montclair
Caitlin Duffy – St. Paul’s, Chatham
David Huke – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Patrick James – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Mariana Johnson – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Harry Mather - Chatham
Grace Oakley – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Max Papier – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Matt Romei – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Billy Readdy – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Addison Siegel – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Chelsea Siegel – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Gregory Solomon – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Max Stelzer – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Eric Stricko - Chatham
Russell Taliaferro - Chatham
Todd, Virginia, Austin & Jenna Huffman – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Joy, Paige & Erica - Chatham
Barbara Conroy & Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton – St. Paul’s, Chatham
Kurt & April Drake – Orlando, FL
Courtney Pearson – Diocese of Newark
Suzy Spressert – Diocese of Massachusetts
Timothy Wong – St. Paul’s, Chatham

The Episcopal Church of St. Paul
200 Main Street Chatham, NJ 07928
www.stpaulschatham.org

On A Mission

Well, we're getting ready here.

In a few short days, I'll be leaving with a group of 35 people from St. Paul's on a Youth Mission Trip to San Antonio, Cayo District, Belize.
Our flight leaves Newark International Airport at 9 AM, Saturday, July 7. Because of the high security levels, we'll need to be there by 6:30 AM. We return Saturday, July 14. I'll be in church and preaching on Sunday the 15th.

Our "mission" is to build a playground for the children of this remote mountain village. One of our parishioners is an architect who designed the playground. We've been working with one of our families who made contact with the local authorities in order to purchase the building material.

This mission trip has actually been a few years in the making. It all started with one family who took a summer vacation in Belize City and then headed north to check out the Mayan ruins with some folks they met in their vacation party. They fell in love with the little town of St. Antonio and began a relationship with some of the people there.

For the past two years, St. Paul's has collected toys and clothing to send as Christmas presents, distributed with the help of the local Roman Catholic priest. We've also been sending basic first aid supplies to the local nurses - things like band aids, children's Tylenol and liquid Sudafed - and other stuff we all have in our medicine cabinets but take for granted. We are told that these simple, basic things are in short supply in this rather rustic mountain village.Our Parish Nurse and several of her assistants will be joining us on the trip. They are bringing medical and dental supplies - all generously donated from local doctors and dentists.

We'll be staying in these cabanas, as they are called. No windows or screens. No air conditioning - but, being in the mountains and near a river, we probably won't need it. I understand the food is amazing and the people are wonderful. We are also going to hike among the Mayan ruins and have one day planned for tubing in the river. I can't wait.

I'm bringing my camera and my laptop. There's no wireless available but there is a phone line in the office. The owner says we can use it to send a daily email update to parents.

I'm hoping to be able to purchase a cell phone and a few calling cards and send at least one blog update a day. I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about - technically speaking. I only know that it can be done. I'm heading out tomorrow to talk with my new best friend, the computer nerd, who is going to break it down for me. We'll see how it goes.

If anyone has any technical advice about how all this works, do drop me a line.

The greatest miracle of all is that I have to pack for a week and make it fit in one suitcase and a carry on which includes my laptop. There's a lottery in the neighborhood that grows larger everyday. I understand the odds are I won't make it.

Oh, they of little faith!

(Well, just in case, keep me in your prayers.)