What's the difference between a joke and a memo from the Bishop and Standing Committee of Ft. Worth?

One is so funny you'll laugh till it brings tears to your eyes; the other just makes you cry.


This is from Wilderness Garden, Katie Sherrod's Blog.

Honest. You can't make this stuff up.


Can't Even Swim

This is a joke:

The Archbishop of Canterbury urged the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Fort Worth to try to get to know Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori better. After MUCH discussion, the Standing Committee decided to invite the Presiding Bishop on a fishing trip. They just knew she'd refuse to come, and if she did come, she'd have no gear and be all girly about baiting her hook.

But to their surprise and dismay, she agreed to come.

So very early on the morning of the fishing trip, Katharine arrived at the lake in her pickup truck along with her well-used fishing gear.

They all greeted each other and loaded the gear into the boat. They set off into the middle of the lake and found a likely looking spot. Everyone began baiting their hooks. Ryan Reed asked Katharine if she wanted him to bait her hook. She graciously declined, expertly baiting her own hook.

Ryan and Chris Cantrell exchanged looks.

Everyone cast their lines into the water and settled in to wait. After about a half hour, a brisk breeze sprang up and it got decidedly colder.

Katharine said, "Oh, I left my jacket in my truck."

Reed muttered to Cantrell, "Oh great. Now we have to go all the way back to shore to get her jacket."

But Katharine just said, "No. I'll be right back."

Then she got out of the boat and walked across the water to shore, got her jacket, and started walking back across the water to the boat.

Reed and Cantrell watched this for a moment, then looked at each other and said simultaneously, "See? Can't even swim."

--------------------------------------------

This is not a joke:

-----Original Message-----


From: Suzanne Gill [mailto:sgill@fwepiscopal.org]Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 5:49 PM


Cc: Bishop Iker; Canon Hough; Tom Hightower; Ryan Reed; Christopher T. Cantrell


Subject: Ad Clerum: A Comment from the Standing Committee

To the Clergy and 2007 Convention Delegates,

The members of your Standing Committee thought you should be aware of this.

Read it all http://wildernessgarden.blogspot.com

Katie