[Magdalen] Please pray for Ascension, Chicago

[Marion Thompson]

Well said, Scott.  The  "ownership/entitlement" thing has killed many a 
parish or at least gravely wounded it and kept it from realizing its 
true potential.  I've seen it all and  I fear I may be about to see it 
flower again where I am.

Marion,  a pilgrim   ... today my sail I lift .....
On 1/17/2015 7:07 PM, Scott Knitter wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 5:50 PM, Marion Thompson
> <marionwhitevale at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I deplore that people leave a place for reasons like staff changes. Is not
>> God still there?  Can't people focus on that?
> One parishioner sent me a draft of his "resignation" letter, which
> recounted his 30 years of service, generous contributions, and gave
> the amount of the large bequest he intended to make. My response was
> that this letter is obviously from the heart and I can't possibly
> suggest any changes, and I hated that he felt he has to leave. But I
> personally won't miss his constant dramatics and self-promotion, and
> his habit of raising up his own presence as more important in the
> parish than anyone else's. He's a grand, talented, passionate,
> faithful guy, but I'd really rather not know what someone's monetary
> giving amounts to, especially when it's used as a threat (that it'll
> be taken away) or a self-glorification (realize how much I've given).
> Give, yes. But with one hand only (so the other doesn't know, let
> alone any other parishioner knowing).
>
> God is still there and is still in charge. One can stay there and
> worship even while dealing with anger at the rector over firing a
> friend.
>
>