Thursday, June 29, 2006

may you live in interesting times

no kidding that's a curse! oy vey! it's so troubling to see what's happening these days. i was elated over jefferts schori's election for a couple of days until the fit hit the shan with williams' letter. now, let me say that i am so glad i'm not in his position, i surely couldn't be the boss in the midst of this situation.
it's hard for me to be accepting of those who don't have the same beliefs as me. i truly believe that christ calls all to his table, not some. and when he was selective with his company, he chose the marginal people: tax collectors, adulterous women, chicks at wells, samaritans. gays, lesbians, bi-sexual, transgendered people are the samaritans of the day. christ compels me to see God in everyone, not just people that live like me. the trick for me is to see God in the ultra-conservative!
the crisis going on in the episcopal church and anglican communion does not affect the average person. even my rector does not feel affected in his position as rector.
i, however, am thinking of entering a convent in the anglican communion, in africa! ack. this does affect me. if it comes down to a schism, how will that affect episcoplians living and working abroad in the anglican communion? meanwhile, i enjoy reading the extremely opinionated father jake on his blog, father jake stops the world

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

the wizard of oz

today i showed my 2nd grade class a video of the wizard of oz. my students are immigrants so only a couple of them had ever seen the movie before. they loved it! when it went from black and white to color, they gasped. i was totally verklempt. when the witch melted, they were thrilled.
i really believe that the most important part of my job is to open them to new, wonderful experiences and to be supportive to them. they each have some difficult, all children do in some way, shape or form. it's simply the human condition. many of them spend more waking hours in a day with me than with their parents.
the last day of school is tomorrow, it's a half day, so today we had a party with pizza and ice cream cake. it was a good day.

Friday, June 23, 2006

general convention

ACNS 4159 | CAPA | 23 JUNE 2006

CAPA - An Open Letter to the Episcopal Church USA

We, the Primates of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA),
meeting in Kampala on 21st - 22nd June, have followed with great
interest your meeting of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church
USA in Columbus. We have been especially concerned by the development
of
your response to The Windsor Report, which has been reported to us
quite
extensively. This is something for which we have earnestly prayed. We
are, however, saddened that the reports to date of your elections and
actions suggest that you are unable to embrace the essential
recommendations of the Windsor Report and the 2005 Primates Communiqué
necessary for the healing of our divisions. At the same time, we
welcome
the various expressions of affection for the life and work of the
Anglican Communion.

We have been moved by your generosity as you have rededicated
yourselves
to meet the needs of the poor throughout the world, especially through
your commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.

We have observed the commitment shown by your church to the full
participation of people in same gender sexual relationships in civic
life, church life and leadership. We have noted the many affirmations
of
this throughout the Convention. As you know, our Churches cannot
reconcile this with the teaching on marriage set out in the Holy
Scriptures and repeatedly affirmed throughout the Anglican Communion.
All four Instruments of Unity in the Anglican Communion advised you
against taking and continuing these commitments and actions prior to
your General Convention in 2003.

At our meeting in Kampala we have committed ourselves to study very
carefully all of your various actions and statements. When we meet with
other Primates from the Global South in September, we shall present our
concerted pastoral and structural response.

We assure all those Scripturally faithful dioceses and congregations
alienated and marginalised within your Provincial structure that we
have
heard their cries.

In Christ,

The Most Rev. Peter Akinola, on behalf of CAPA
Chairman, CAPA

you know, we women are taking over the world.
sr. m.a.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

zimbabwe convent reply!

i was just about to write to the convent in zimbabwe again (after allowing several months for slow postage or robert mugabe to personally intercept my mail) when i got a letter from them. the letter was from the archsister (that just makes me think she's sardonic) and she said it was their second reply to my letter from february. i never got the first reply so i'm glad they sent a second letter.
they not only don't have a website, the sister wrote the letter by hand on loose leaf paper! it seems they don't even have a typewriter! wow. still, i can survive.
i will respond to them this week and i hope to visit next summer vacation.
the sister said they take care of all sorts of orphans who get left with them. that sounds like wonderful work and i'd love to be of service to children in need.
god willing, we'll see.