[Magdalen] prayers for my former parish

[Jay Weigel]

I'm hoping not! I think it would be a disaster on all fronts. I'm already
seeing posts where people are saying that "if this doesn't happen because
of church politics I'll rethink my membership" etc. etc. but those are from
the guy's old buddies.

On Mon, Mar 2, 2015 at 2:04 PM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:

> Jay, I don't know the policy in TN, but I can't imagine that the bishop
> would permit this. Interim positions here have to have the approval of the
> bishop; they don't just happen because someone "offers their services."
>
> On March 2, 2015, at 1:53 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I have just learned via a Facebook post that a former rector of the parish
> I belonged to in Tennessee for many years has offered to serve as interim
> for a year. Now this may be seen by some as a gracious offer, but IMNSHO it
> is extremely self-serving. The place is currently apparently in a huge mess
> both financially and spiritually following the departure of the previous
> rector, and AFAIK has a priest-in-charge appointed by the bishop rather
> than an interim. (I'm not totally up on church politics, but this is what I
> gleaned on my last visit there on the occasion of my late ex's memorial.)
> The PIC is a very nice guy. Also some of my old friends, who were seriously
> wounded by the previous rector now offering his services but soldiered
> faithfully on, are currently on the vestry.
>
> I don't know what the protocol for such a thing is, but I think it is a
> Very Bad Idea. The guy IMNSHO has a serious Napoleon complex (yes, he is a
> short little dude and he *really* likes to throw his weight around) and I
> honestly believe he sees himself as riding in on a white horse to "save"
> the place. I know there is a certain faction within the parish that would
> just LOVE to see him back (he left to become headmaster of an Episcopal
> school in NC) but I also know that there are others who might very well
> leave, and I strongly suspect that it would keep my daughter and her family
> from returning, or that they will be among those leaving. I am devoutly
> hoping that God, the bishop, and the vestry will say no. In any case,
> prayers are requested for All Saints,' Morristown, TN.
>