This last week, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, visited the Diocese of Kansas. According to the Episcopal Life article, she visited 14 churches in 4 days, saw the destruction of homes by forces of nature, and found the love of God everywhere she went in the people she met and the places she visited. I see a lot in this picture, and its not simply of a woman in a field of golden wheat either...it is so much more. Can you see what I see?
Here are some of the things she said while in Kansas. So much truth in so few words. If only our common life were so simple...it can be if we try.
"I see health in our churches where people are loving God and loving their neighbors," she said.
Her face lit up when she talked about evangelism and the many opportunities for work in the community. "What has God given you," she asked, "and what in you can give back to the community?"
She was asked of her dream for the Episcopal Church. "To restore all people to unity with God in Christ," she cited from the Book of Common Prayer. "My dream for the Episcopal Church is that we would be a shining example of this to the world."
You can read the rest of the article here.
The photo was taken of Our Kate in a beautiful field of wheat by none other than Richard Schori.
9 comments:
What a lovely photograph!
All that comes to mind for me is "the fields are white unto harvest." [That's the KJV version, in which all my childhood memorization was done; I have no idea how the NRSV renders it.]
Where I live, there's a lot of positive energy in the church, and I'm glad to see +KJS focusing on that.
I am a Kansas boy, now a rector in NE Pennsylvania, which I love, but that picture warmed my heart so much. I was blessed with two small churches out in Kansas out of seminary - we rarely saw our bishop, let alone have the PB show up! God bless her for taking her love and peace to she small places, where God truly is still active... It also reminds me that inspite of the high level fuss, our church is deeply healthy at the local level - TBTG!
Fr Craig
Dear Fr Craig, thank you so much for your comments, and when I found out that she had visited you [Kansas] and is the only PB to do so, I just smiled and said to myself, "This is truly the Katharine that was once a priest here in Oregon, and her love for God and the people of God has never wavered." I am so glad she visited what some might consider "the
least of these" but you are so important to the Communion and to TEC. Thank you for sharing and do come again!
And Lisa, that image did come to my mind too, but having studied allegory as a grad student, I see a bit more. I was hoping more people would comment and then I would share my perceptions. Thanks for stopping by. Next time I will put the kettle on for some tea.
I loved reading about you in your profile--I too am a progressive Episcopalian and I envy you living in Ashland! Last year I visited Ashland for a few days with a friend I met at a Naval junior high in Japan over 40 years ago. We had a lot of fun. She now lives in CA, and I live in TX (though I'm from WA). I really like what I read and hear about/from Bishop Jefferts Schori. Thank you.
Hi Jan and thank you for visiting the Table here. I'm happy to hear that you were in Ashland; did you come to service at Trinity on 2nd Street? I hope you did; we love our visitors!
DO try to come and see us again and visit us at Trinity.
As for our PB, she is so very cool as the PB and even more as a person and priest, bishop and now as PB. I thank God every day that He brought her to us in TEC.
Please come to the table again, Jan...anytime.
"Can you see what I see?"
Uhmmm.... a crop circle? the face of the BVM in the wheat pattern?
(Sorry, I couldn't resist. I've been spending too much time over at MadPriests. I'll let myself out the back door. I know. I'll stop now. Sorry.)
She's a geek/scientist, and as a fellow geek, I can guess what she might be seeing:
hmm, what is that insect on the wheat, and is it a pollinator or a parasite....and by the way, are these standard wheat or GMO wheat?
;)
NancyP
I also love the fact that she was made an honorary marshal of Dodge!
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