[Magdalen] Time is -- uh ....

[Jim Guthrie]

If you plan to get to the UP, Roger, I would suggest spending some time there. 
It's a Diocese of itself with 33 parishes. It's about 33 parishes and they’ve 
implemented all manner of things central to liberal Christians, not the least of 
which is a robust Total Ministry program.

A couple of years ago, they elected a Bishop from among their own --Rev. Kevin 
Thew Forrester  -- many on standing committees elsewhere saw that as an absolute 
threat to entrenched "let the church die in its glory" thinking on standing 
committees, so they rejected him on flimsy and conflicting arguments.

They even sent in a drone to "take care of things" after the rejection.

It was one of the most ugly moments in recent TEC history.

Nonetheless, the people in the diocese have soldiered on, acting as Christians 
(even if members of Standing Committees didn’t) and have done marvelous ministry 
in their area by all accounts anyway.

I have SDA friends in Escanaba who are more impressed with the TEC people and 
their churches who've almost given up on their own church and seriously thought 
about joining the TEC parish there. And they wer leaders in the SDA for years --  
regionally and nationally, helping to run their school system.

Cheers,
Jim