Posted on 08/11/2003 12:35:23 PM PDT by new cruelty
Southeast Florida Episcopal Bishop Leo Frade voted to approve the church's first openly gay bishop last week -- but not until he searched his soul, prayed and fasted so diligently that he lost 10 pounds.
But Frade doesn't want anyone to start calling him a "liberal bishop." He's middle of the road, he insists, and proves it by declaring, "In my diocese there will be no gay marriages." At least not for some time.
Frade even surprised himself with his vote to approve Bishop-elect V. Gene Robinson. He had planned to abstain because he didn't want to divide his diocese over a man elected to serve in New Hampshire.
But as Frade prayed about his vote, he found his answer in the book of Micah, in the answer to the prophet's question: "What shall I bring to the Lord?"
Frade paraphrases the answer: "What God wants from you is to do justice, love, mercy and to walk humbly in front of your God. And that's precisely what I did."
He was the only leader of Florida's five Episcopal dioceses to vote for confirmation.
He talked about his change of heart during his sermon Sunday at St. Paul's in Key West, where he was vacationing. He also provided a letter to the 82 churches in his diocese, explaining how he struggled with his vote.
"For those of you who regret my decision," he wrote, "I can only tell you that I had to vote the way that my conscience dictated after seeking God's guidance."
Other Episcopal priests also preached Sunday about seeking God's guidance concerning the appointment.
The Rev. William Stokes of St. Paul's in Delray Beach preached in favor of Robinson's confirmation two weeks ago and again on Sunday, though he acknowledged his congregation was torn. "We need to recognize that while some are rejoicing, others are hurting," he said.
The Rev. Charles Cannon started his sermon at St. Christopher's in West Palm Beach just as he'd planned, by saying: "I didn't get a chance to vote but if I had, I would have voted against it," referring to Robinson.
But about halfway through that sermon, the Holy Spirit descended upon him, he said, and his message about controversy turned into one about love. He scrapped his notes, finding inspiration in the day's readings and hymns.
And he spoke about the Anglican tradition of "agreeing to disagree."
"Love is a matter of will .Ê.Ê. Some of us may want to walk out but restraint is part of that will and part of that love," he told the congregation.
At Bethesda-by-the-Sea on Palm Beach, the Rev. Jess L. Reeves invited the congregation to an open forum on the issue after the service. He wasn't concerned about losing too many members over the vote, calling the congregation "fairly cosmopolitan" and open-minded. But he estimates 20 percent of U.S. bishops will "walk out and find some other way to be Episcopalians."
At Integrity-Palm Beach, a primarily gay and lesbian organization of the Episcopal faithful, members rejoiced at their Saturday evening service. The Rev. Richard Nolan, a retired, gay Episcopal priest, told about 50 people who had gathered that it was a defining moment in the church but also encouraged the gay community overall to examine its own behavior.
"Is it in our best interest to encourage a conforming, stereotypical outrageousness on center stage?" Nolan preached. "Of what benefit to us is sexual recklessness?"
Dominic Savini, 71, agreed wholeheartedly. "I feel very happy about (Robinson)," he said. "I think it's the best thing that has happened to the church. I think it's about time that churches start to change their ways. Also, it's following the teaching of Christ. He said to love everyone. He didn't say sleep with everyone."
He thinks the recent gay-friendly decisions will help, not hurt, the church. "I think it's going to bring more people in -- men and women," he said. "We're going to lose some of the conservatives, but that happens. You might lose one and gain two."
At All Saints Episcopal Church in Jensen Beach, discussion of the appointment "could not be avoided today," said Rev. Thomas Ryan. "I was not wishing to avoid it."
As they sat in a small chapel overlooking the Indian River, church members listened as Ryan read Frade's letter. During his sermon, Ryan did not shy away from expressing support of Frade and the church's support of the gay bishop.
Ryan knew not all of his congregates shared his opinion. He said he knew some church members left the service unhappy and he knew of other churches in South Florida whose priests and congregations were "livid" at the decision.
But after the service was over, some of church members who mingled over coffee seemed to agree with their priest.
"It had to come, and the time was right," said Adele Hallak of Port St. Lucie. "(What Ryan said) was very true, we are all God's children and we have to accept each other for what we are."
Ryan, who has presided over All Saints for 15 years, spent much of last Sunday's sermon discussing the issue of the gay bishop and same-sex blessings. He promised to return to scripture. That scripture, which included Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2, a portion of which reads, "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body," followed along with the theme of reconciliation, Ryan said.
The issue of gay marriages did not come up in Frade's sermon Sunday, though Frade said "I will not authorize them at this time."
General Convention delegates voted to allow blessings of same-sex unions at each bishop's discretion. Frade wants first to respond to the people and priests of his diocese who disagree with him on the issue of homosexuality, adding that "I believe eventually we need to move forward on that."
Blasphemy.
Southeast Florida Episcopal Bishop Leo Frade fasted so diligently that he lost 10 pounds.
Leo! You look FAH-bul-ous!! Time to break out the short shorts and belly shirt!
In other words, God wants us to embrace sinners, to glorify their sin and adopt them in His church.
I guess it's easier to live without sin if he refuses to acknowledge any. He may have prayed for an answer from God but he listened to Satan's call to be conformed to this world.
One just has to sit in wonder.
Not really.
John Ch.8 V.44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Not the first time they've implied that the Holy Spirit moved them toward this decision. One bishop said so, in those exact words, on live television last week.
The implication, of course, was that those opposed to Robinson's confirmation were NOT motivated by the Holy Spirit. They're just mean and bigoted and ignorant and backward and unenlightened.
Southeast Florida Episcopal Bishop Leo Frade voted to approve the church's first openly gay bishop last week -- but not until he searched his soul, prayed and fasted so diligently that he lost 10 pounds.
It seems there are a growing number of professing Christians who are so completely blind to the truth that when they are sinning they actually believe they are following God's will. They aren't deliberately trying to deceive or mislead; they actually believe that what they are saying is right! In my opinion, this is a modern example of what Christ called blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: knowing the truth, but refusing to obey.
When in reality, they pansied and caved in to the Phaggot agenda because they are "weak in spirit".
I don't recall the answer to that as "Big hairy buttocks"
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