Bishop Jack McKelvey: “Proud to be an Episcopalian”

Living Water (Rochester Diocesan Publication) via Titusonenine ^ | April 2005 | Bishop Jack McKelvey

[newheart]

I am turning a corner—full and total appreciation of being an Episcopalian. I have said numerous times, and I believe it to the core of my being, that all congregations need to have a ministry which clearly defines them and helps them stand out in a crowd. So it is for dioceses and denominations.

Perhaps New Hampshire’s election of one of our nominees for Bishop in Rochester has given us a gift, one that we cannot and will not forsake. That gift is the reminder that we have put our practice where our mouths are. We are living the words, “ALL ARE WELCOME.”

Perhaps we weren’t sure that we meant it, but now we are learning that there is a cost to these words which adorn our “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You” signs. The cost is stress, misunderstanding, fragmentation and threats of schism. I hope that does not come to fruition. I also hope that we continue to make room for those who continue to struggle with this aspect of our Episcopal Church. That’s okay. We are big enough and broad enough to hold all within our tent.

At the same time, however, I can no longer apologize for who we are, nor can I remain silent when discussions are being held. I have spoken with too many people who have told me what an “oasis in the barren desert” our church is. I have seen the tears in the eyes of people coming to be confirmed or received for whom this move is a return home. I have seen the smiles on faces when one is received into our communion of faith.

During Lent, I spent time thinking about the Samaritan woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus. She represents for me a person imprisoned by her culture, her gender, her history and her negative self-worth. I realized anew that Jesus gives a special attentiveness to those who are imprisoned. Why shouldn’t we?

I am proud to be an Episcopalian. My prayer is that more and more of us will be able to share our joy in being part of a liberation community.

[newheart]

–The Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey is Bishop of the Diocese of Rocheste

[The Right Stuff]

He's also, apparently, blind. The church is bleeding parishoners left and right, solely because a bunch of self-righteous, do-gooder liberals decided that they knew better than the word of God.

[Carolina]

During Lent, I spent time thinking about the Samaritan woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus. She represents for me a person imprisoned by her culture, her gender, her history and her negative self-worth. I realized anew that Jesus gives a special attentiveness to those who are imprisoned. Why shouldn’t we?

Not to mention sin..but why quibble over a minor point as that? It's so retrograde...intolerant.

[polymuser]

We are living the words, “ALL ARE WELCOME.”

OK. So, what about the "now go and sin no more" part?

[newheart]

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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

[Romulus]

a person imprisoned by her culture, her gender,...

That's QueerSpeech. Living things don't have gender.

[newheart]

Sounds a lot like my own Bishop. (Moody in Oklahoma). He was doing visitation in my parish on Sunday and took the opportunity provided by this week's Gospel text John 17:11) to deliver a homily on 'unity'. According to him, when Jesus asked the Father on our behalf that we might be one he was referring to the kind of unity that the hierarchy of the ECUSA is trying so diligently to impose. It was clear that anyone who opposed the consecration of Gene Robinson is working against the unity of the church. He mentioned those who seek to leave the ECUSA as fomenting disunity in opposition to what he perceives as God's will.

Funny he didn't mention the situation in Connecticut as a shining example of unity.

Well, from my (admittedly lay and theologically unsophisticated) reading of the same verses I find myself asking what the whole text means. He didn't just ask that we be able to achieve some superficial unity. Instead he asked that our unity be based in the same thing as the unity between Him and the Father. The basis of unity between Jesus and the Father is certainly love, but not the 'feel-good', let's just all get along, false kind of love. Instead it is the love found in Jesus' submission to the Father's will. 'Nevertheless, not my will, but thine."

This unity was born in God's love for the world and forged in the pain and sacrifice of the Cross--a sacrifice that was necessary because of man's sin. To see it as anything less is a slander on the Gospel of Christ.

Bps McKelvey and Moody may in fact be 'proud to be an Episcopalian.' I am decreasingly so.

[N. Theknow]

–The Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey is Bishop of the Diocese of Rocheste

Another ECUSABishop Bishpoop who is proud to say that Jesus died for nothing.

What a wonderful life when no one has to be penitent for anything. Unless, of course, you live by the word of God, then you are to be banned, defrocked, shunned, called evil for not tearing the offensive pages from your Bible that confront sinners.

[ken5050]

Moral relativism run amok.. I also had the same sad experience this past Sunday. Went to t he 10 am at my old parish..because it was Mother's day, and both daughters and the new grandson were coming over..we were all going out for bruch afterwards. So the homily is about some decision in the Va Supreme Court, which upheld the legality of some school in Va disallowing a Wiccan from delivering an invocation..the minister goes off of this riff..how it is so unfair..expand it to the "troubles" in ECUSA today..after all we are all the "same" and "everything" is equal, right, and equally relevant...but, and this is the important thing..this is a liberal parish, by any standards, and the service on Mother's Day is always packed.. well, we had about 40% attendance, so you get the sense that a lot of people are slowing dropping out, moving away..I think this is the real tendencey in ECUSA nowadays, a slow but steady erosion..you don't hear about this as compared to the "dramatic" stories when a whole parish breaks ties..but it's there if you just look...and then, as I'm standing in line to walk out, and shake hands with the minister, I'm thinking the thoughts than many must ask themselves every Sunday as they leave church.."What do you say to the minister when the sermon really sucks?"

But, just when I'm feeling charitable, I notice on the inside of the red doors,a huge 3'x5' poster, taped to the door..( shades of Martin Luther, anyone?) WE ARE A PROGRESSIVE CHURCH...THE CENTER FOR PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY..this is a really scary tendency....and shows you where much of ECUSA is heading today...

[Martin Tell]

So what did you say to the "minister"?

I used to just politely ignore these things, but now I think I would enjoy making a scene.

Not that I would have a chance. Unless I am absolutely sure a parish is orthodox, I never darken an ECUSA parish's doors. I don't want to be near when the fire and brimstone rains down.

[ken5050]

I was going to make a mildly sarcastic comment..but when I saw the poster, I realised there is no hope. I just smiled, shook his hand, and left..

[Unam Sanctam]

So "all are welcome" means that sin is not sin and we should not "go and sin no more," as Jesus told the adulterous woman to do? One hears this type of simplistic and dishonest rhetoric -- the need to be inclusive and welcoming is promoted, and it is implicit that this requires the negation of all moral teaching of Christianity. It is hogwash. Charity sometimes means telling people to avoid sinful behavior as it is for their own spiritual good. Do we tell murderers and thiefs that they are welcome and can keep going on committing sinful behavior?

[Honorary Serb]

[Jesus] didn't just ask that we be able to achieve some superficial unity. Instead he asked that our unity be based in the same thing as the unity between Him and the Father.

RIGHT! That scripture is much more about our theosis/divinization (initmate unity with the Triune God) than bureaucratic "ecumenical" arrangements, especially "liberal" ones that compromise basic Christian doctrines. Ask any Orthodox priest. Moreover, even my ELCA pastor, who is "liberal" about many things (including the misbegotten "full communion" between the ELCA and both the revisionist Reformed churches and the ECUSA), agreed with that in his sermon yesterday!!!!

That scripture is of course not about accepting the "gay" agenda at all!!!! Doing so hinders our unity with other Christians, and our divinization!!!!

This Easter season, revisionist priests/pastors in the ECUSA and the ELCA have had to deal in the Gospel lessons with what for them are "hard sayings"--the scripture above and "no one comes to the Father but by me". For the Rest of Us, these are not "hard sayings" at all, but meditaitons on God's radical love for all humanity in the crucified and risen Son or God.

[pettifogger]

Thought you'd be interested in some excerpts from the sermon delivered on 4/24 at the National Cathedral by Rev. George Rigas. I was there with a group and not really in a position to walk out, although I was tempted and am now embarassed by lack of moral courage to do so.

Full text is available at www.nationalcathedral.org

“Interpreting Christ in a Pluralistic World”
The Rev. Dr. George F. Regas
Rector Emeritus, All Saints Church, Pasadena, CA, guest preacher

In today’s Gospel, John puts words on Jesus’ lips that have led Christians through the centuries to claim an exclusive way to salvation. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” . . . The first thing I want you to explore with me is this: I simply refuse to hold the doctrine that there is no access to God except through Jesus.

I personally reject the claim that Christianity has the truth and all other religions are in error. Unfortunately, this is the position of the new Pope, Benedict XVI, who says salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ.

The Religious Right has drowned out everyone else with their absolutist claims. . . . Now faith in Jesus has come to be known as pro-rich, pro-war, and pro-American.

And yet in the name of this loving Christ, some of the most vicious acts of exclusion are perpetrated. . .

. . . [exclusivity] is the source of the most deadly conflicts over the centuries down to this present hour. . . We have mounted deadly crusades against Muslims, and Christians have killed other Christians in the brutal wars of religion—all in the name of bringing others to the correct understanding of how God is uniquely known in Jesus Christ.

[ken5050]

PF..thanks for posting..

All if you want to see what they are really all about, and up to..check out the Center for Progressive Christianity

[pettifogger]

Thanks right back. I looked up Rigas and his ilk upon my return from DC -- and sent lots of pertinent info to selected members of our choir. We were visiting the Cathedral where we had been invited to sing before the main 11:00 service. Apart from the music (self-congratulatory wink!) and the majesty of the setting, I could have done without the trip.

[pharmamom]

Finally! A fellow traveler! Gender is a characteristic we attribute to objects. We who speak English don't "gender" as many things as do others, such as the French and Spanish. "Sex" is what distinguishes us into men and women. I feel so much better now! No longer am I a lone voice crying in the wilderness. Bless you, Romulus!