[Magdalen] Prayer request -- too long, but needed to write it

Tue Aug 11 17:31:45 UTC 2015

Thanks. I just have not got his name in my head just yet.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 1:21 PM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yes, he's the Bishop of North Carolina and our new Presiding-Bishop-Elect.
> (Once a priest, always a priest...)
>
> > On Aug 11, 2015, at 1:13 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Is Michael Curry some priest in TEC?
> >
> > James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
> > except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> >
> >> On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 9:57 AM, Jo Craddock <jocraddock at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> My parish is an old parish with a proud history. Some might even say
> >> prideful. But, it is changing. And, some don't like that.
> >>
> >> So, a small minority of niche attendees (i.e., only "their" service,
> only
> >> "their" ladies groups, rarely or never seen at a potluck or Sunday
> School
> >> class) are charging back, as they believe is their duty. And, it
> probably
> >> is. Change is not always right or good, and should be examined and
> studied
> >> -- in the light of the Gospel. And, besides: their grandmothers gave
> that
> >> incandescent bulb to the church in 1910, and there's no freakin' reason
> we
> >> need LED, you liberal, pinko, commie scum.
> >>
> >> Our rector has conducted same-sex blessings, and is prepared to open the
> >> sacrament of marriage equally -- in line with current requirements for
> holy
> >> matrimony at our parish -- with the approval (expected) of our bishop.
> Our
> >> rector will baptize or bury anyone. He preaches the Gospel -- not
> Michael
> >> Curry-style, but consistently. One particular sermon is acknowledged by
> one
> >> who is well-known as one of the largest purses in the church, if not the
> >> entire metro area, of their underwriting a city-wide afterschool music
> >> program, now involving a couple of thousand children. That means some
> >> children from underserved areas are bussed to our and other churches in
> the
> >> afternoons for music lessons and homework help by talented musicians and
> >> musicians trained in child pedagogy -- alongside some of our Day School
> >> children. Those who come from other schools don't all look like our Day
> >> School children, and it ain't just the uniform difference.
> >>
> >> We're downtown. We have many neighbors on the street without an address.
> >> We hand out $2 bags of protein, carb, and water for the asking. Some of
> >> those people ask for a bag more than once. Imagine; they're hungry
> again,
> >> the next day. These adults don't look like the adults in their Escalades
> >> and BMWs dropping off their Day School children in the morning, and some
> >> believe exposing our children to the site of such people is
> inappropriate.
> >> Yes, that's what they said: It's in appropriate for those people to be
> seen.
> >>
> >> And, it seems I have become a side target on which to direct some of
> their
> >> anger.
> >>
> >> I have been largely writing (90-95% or more) and laying out our
> >> newsletters and service leaflets for nearly 18 years. Four years ago,
> you
> >> might recall, I joined the staff full-time, having been a contractor
> >> previously, and was charged with everything that is seen, read, or
> touched;
> >> if not writing, then presenting it so that it is in our voice and our
> >> brand, adding web site, e-newsletters, promotional pieces, marketing,
> etc.
> >> to my plate.
> >>
> >> Sometime after starting our e-newsletter, I began adding a little piece
> of
> >> art and link to the Sunday readings to each issue. About half the time I
> >> write it, myself; and about half the time I've found a quote to use
> >> (attributed, permission granted) that I find pertinent. You can see our
> >> issues:
> >> http://stjamesbr.org/resources/newsletters
> >>
> >> I've often wondered on Thursday evenings as I'm still working on the
> >> reading and study of the lections I started on Tuesday, whether anyone
> >> reads these things; am I wasting my time that should be spent finishing
> the
> >> mobile design for the newsletter I've had on the back burner for months?
> >>
> >> Well, one of our vocal minority did read and was offended by my
> selections
> >> for the July 3 issue:
> >> http://stjamescsf.org/eMessenger3Jul2015.html
> >>
> >> This was the week of SCOTUS rulings on ACA and marriage equality, and
> the
> >> PB's message on same. Mind you, the offended person has never contacted
> me,
> >> although we have known each other and our families for >20 years. He's
> >> never asked my reasoning in selecting this quote for inclusion.
> >>
> >> In fact, I felt it could be read as some comfort whichever side of the
> >> issues one is on; we *do* have many sins from which to repent, and
> (while I
> >> don't think so), some of our current decisions could be wrong. We can
> hope
> >> our posterity will judge us with the mercy we might give those who came
> >> before us. With a link to the gospel about turning the other cheek. And,
> >> <enter flag wave, here> an acknowledgment of our national birthday
> >> celebration, to boot.
> >>
> >> A "values subcommittee" to a "strategic planning committee" to conduct
> >> "lay oversite of all communications that come from the church" has been
> >> proposed. (Lay oversees all -- even the rector's letters?!?! The asst.
> >> rector's email reminders of bible study?!?!) There are enough layers of
> >> legislation there to believe this will never come to fruition. However,
> it
> >> has also added another arrow to the quiver of those who wish to sling
> some
> >> at the rector; he's responsible for hiring me, after all. He has been
> most
> >> supportive. His original charge to me was, "Standing still is not an
> >> option. Push the envelope." He, and other vestry members tell me they,
> >> "have [my] back." This sort of proposal is also, functionally,
> impossible.
> >> I'm working an average of 45-50 hours/week, now, to stay near the top of
> >> things. If I had to pass everything through another someone, anyone,
> we're
> >> sunk, in my opinion. It is, as I see it, my line in the sand.
> >>
> >> I ask for your prayers for the battles on the ground still to be fought
> as
> >> the GenCon legislation moves forward; I'm sure there are many other
> >> parishes experiencing the same sort of thing, and there will be
> unintended
> >> and unexpected victims.
> >>
> >> Peace,
> >> Jo
> >>
> >>
>