Time Does Not Stand Still...

...in fact it is moving so quickly, the weeks are like days and the days, like hours...but it cannot move fast enough for my physical healing...it will be a year come October, and that's not far from now...I know, my school teacher friends are telling me to hush because our summer only arrived at the end of June, an entire "month" late, as our warm weather almost always begins early or mid-May.

Two steps forward, three back...that seems to be my progress toward the "new normal".  I know I will never be the same as before the accident.  Everything has changed and continues.  Some would say, well change has always been happening...and it has but not to the extent it has for me individually, but it's like jumping to lightspeed in Star Wars...only with the effects of gravity big time.  And not only physically healing but emotionally, and spiritually.  None of it is easy or can be put on a schedule or timeline for "completion".

With our friend Kirstin going to be with God on July 1st, a lot was put into perspective for many of us.  Time should be our ally and not our enemy.  Sometimes easier said than done.  Most people find it easy to fill their days with people, activity and desired alone time.  The rest of us struggle with one or more of these aspects, and that is what makes time hard to deal with.  I'm one of those people and I am not ashamed to say so.  Friends see the outside me, but don't look deep enough to see me on the inside.  True,  I do hide the inside me from them most of the time, because it is socially unacceptable to let people really see what disagrees with you about them, and their behavior toward you.  I'm as authentic as I can be but something just flips and we hide our true selves from others.

I want to take this time right now to thank Deacon Meredith+ at  Trinity Episcopal, Ashland, for keeping an eye on me, for bringing me Eucharist, for sharing about her life, allowing me to bear her burdens for a little while, as she bears mine.  For letting me be useful to my sister in Christ, as faithfully as she has been to me.  Thanks M+.  Love you.

So there is a little update.  I am still grounded from flying for now; hopefully that will change in time for me to use my flight credit from last year before it expires on the anniversary of my accident.  My physical therapist has suggested that I go on a retreat for a weekend to the Buddhist monastery in northern California or the Redwoods monastery in the same general area.  I may consider something closer...we'll see...nothing like a little renewal to help things along.

I've decided to keep the blog for now...and I am hoping I will have more energy to write in the future.  That will make most of you happy I am sure, judging from comments I received when I expressed that I might close it down...but I think it will keep.

Peace and love to you all...be happy and enjoy life.  Time does not stand still.

Catherine

Anaheim, Ca., July 17, 2009--The Chicago Consultation released this statement from its co-convener, Ruth Meyers, at the close of the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Anaheim, California. Meyers is a deputy from the Diocese of Chicago and is the Hodges Haynes Professor of Liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific:

During the past ten days, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church has worshiped, prayed, and worked to discern God's will for our common life. Our time together has been filled with generosity, honesty, and the blessings of the Holy Spirit.

The Chicago Consultation is particularly grateful to the four Anglican primates who attended the meeting as our guests: The Most Rev. Philip Aspinall, Primate of Australia; the Most. Rev. Solomon Jongmo Yoon, Primate of Korea; the Most Rev. Idris Jones, Primus of Scotland (retired); and the Most Rev. Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu, Primate of Japan. We are also thankful
for the Convention's many international visitors, guests of House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson, who participated in Chicago Consultation events.

At this General Convention, we have both advanced mission relationships in the Anglican Communion and opened the way for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion to realize fully the promises of their baptism. We celebrate the progress we have made toward full inclusion of all baptized people in God's church and pray that the Spirit will continue to bless the Episcopal Church's mission and relationships across the Anglican Communion.

Now the work begins. Thanks to two key General Convention resolutions, D025 and C056, the Episcopal Church has a fresh opportunity to strengthen Anglican Communion relationships, deepen our understanding of the discernment process by which God calls us all to ministry, and explore together how we can enrich our common life by blessing same-gender unions.

We pray that all Episcopalians, no matter their opinions on specific legislation or issues, will go forward from Anaheim in the spirit of our time together and use the opportunities presented by this General Convention to unite our church in a renewed commitment to Gospel mission.

The Chicago Consultation, a group of Episcopal and Anglican bishops, clergy and lay people, supports the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians in the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion. We believe that our baptismal covenant requires this.

The Chicago Consultation believes that, like the church's historic discrimination against people of color and women, excluding GLBT people from the sacramental life of the church is a sin. Through study, prayer and conversation, we seek to provide clergy and laypeople across The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion with biblical and theological perspectives that will rid the church of this sin.

Contact: Rebecca S. Wilson, 330-524-2067, rebeccaswilson@sbcglobal.net

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Letter from Oregon Standing Committee

A letter from the Standing Committee

May 7, 2009

The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Oregon has reviewed reports of the financial health of our congregations during this difficult economic time. These reports clearly point to significant financial stress in many (though not all) congregations. The Standing Committee is well aware of this stress, and has been working with other bodies for creative ways to respond, both practically and pastorally.

However, the people of the diocese should be aware that at this very juncture in our common life new and very promising developments in mission for the long term are arising. These developments include renewal of existing congregations, extensions of ministry to new communities, and looking at the future of our entire mission focus. Both our challenges and our opportunities require a high degree of faithfulness to the basic Gospel imperatives of discipleship, service, and sharing the faith.

Based on these imperatives we are being called to look in very new directions for regional and diocese-wide mission. We encourage Convocations and Clericuses to take up this conversation in a lively and future-oriented manner. In Christ, we can do all things. Of this we are – and must be – certain.

Janice Lusk

Receptionist, Administrative Assistant & Events Registrar

Episcopal Diocese of Oregon

11800 SW Military Ln.

Portland, OR 97219

503-636-5613

Fax: 503-636-5616

janicel@diocese-oregon.org

www.diocese-oregon.org

Presiding Bishop: "the door is open, the light is on."

Hat tip to Bruce Mason of Integrity USA Portland Chapter for the lead on this story where our Presiding Bishop speaks out and up about the real mission of the Episcopal Church.

Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Sylvia A. Smith
Published: December 20, 2008 3:00 a.m.

WASHINGTON – Sexuality is part of the Episcopal Church's mission, but it’s not the main focus, the head of the denomination in the U.S. said.

In fact, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said, "when we turn it into the whole of our mission, we've created an idol. And some parts of the Anglican communion have responded to it like an idol."

Some members of the Episcopal Church have announced they want to start a second branch of the denomination in the U.S., largely because of the church's ordination of a gay bishop and some bishops’ approval of same-sex unions.

Asked at a National Press Club speech whether the biblical institutions for marriage apply to same-sex couples, Jefferts Schori replied with some sarcasm:

"Oh, which biblical institutions for marriage? Solomon’s many, many, many wives? The concubines? The slaves who bore children for their male masters? There are some very odd images of family life in the Bible. And when people talk about family values, I want to know which ones."

She said the Episcopal Church as a whole hasn't reached a conclusion about same-sex unions, but "we're at least asking hard questions," she said.

Click here to read the complete article!