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December 2003-January 2004 Diocese of Maryland Home Page Previous Issue
“Building on Faith for the Future” – The Capital
By JOHN KLINE
Everyday,
sometimes several times a day, somebody asks you to buy something, subscribe to
something or give to something. We have the technology to identify our calls,
zap away the telemarketers and spam out the pop-up ads because it’s become
overwhelming and an assault on our privacy.
The struggling economy hasn’t helped, and we carefully
and microscopically examine every financial
On the flip side of the coin, businesses are hurting
and not-for-profits are floundering. It has become a
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The dining room at the Bishop Claggett Center will be rebuilt with funds raised from the capital campaign |
As Episcopalians of the Diocese of Maryland, we have a
relationship with God, an affiliation to the
Earlier this year, the Diocese officially announced
the public phase of its capital campaign, Building on
Several parishes have already recognized the
importance of this campaign and in their own capacity have
Earlier this year, St. Margaret’s Church in Annapolis
made a significant donation to the campaign from
Building on Faith for the Future is about fulfilling a
vision, a three pronged trinity that will touch the
The majority of the funds raised through
the campaign will renew and expand the Bishop Claggett Center as a place of
Christian formation, spiritual renewal and sharing. Development will begin in
the fall with the building of a new dining facility and conversion of the
existing bank barn to accommodate year round
The second prong of the campaign is to
plant several new congregations, with the cooperation of existing parishes, in
the next five years. An ever-changing, ever-growing population requires an
adaptable, mission-driven Church to identify areas of rapid growth and unique
ministry needs.The money raised will be designated primarily for land
acquisition and capital needs.
Under the direction of the Rev. James
Ransom, rector of Trinity Church in Towson, the New Starts committee has
already purchased one parcel of land and will need at least three more to meet
its goals.
The final prong is social outreach. All
donors to the Campaign have the option of designating up to 10% of their
specific gift to work with and among the poor and needy. It’s an ambitious
undertaking, but not an impossible one.
But it will only happen if each member of
the Diocese commits to making it happen.
For more information, call John Kline,
Director of Financial
Development and Communications at
410.467.1399.
Bishop
speaks on homosexuality and the Bible
By DON SCHROEDER
Since returning
from the 74th General Convention of the American Episcopal Church in
Minneapolis, Bishop Ihloff has been committed to reaching out and speaking to
parishes on the issue of Homosexuality and Biblical Morality. This is
part of an ongoing Diocesan effort to help address the concerns Episcopalians
are experiencing over the election of the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of
New Hampshire.
One of the meetings was held at St. Anne’s Parish Hall
in Annapolis with an attendance of over 150 lay people and clergy from St.
Anne’s and neighboring churches.
A handout was distributed listing 11 scriptures that
are frequently quoted concerning homosexuality. Bibles were also handed out so
that the audience could follow the Bishop in reading the passages. He prefixed
his comments by pointing out the importance of being cognizant of the cultural
environment that existed at the time when the Bible was written, some 20
centuries ago. The Bishop cited several examples of the
relations that existed between men and women in
ancient times. In the time of Paul, for example, women were often treated
brutally and unfairly, and slavery was accepted.
There are, he noted, “certain issues in the Bible that
we, as a society, do not follow today because of our modern moral values.”
During the question and answer period, a number of
views were expressed. Bishop Ihloff said he hoped that both the conservatives
and liberals on this issue would coexist in the Church, agree to disagree,
and continue to do God’s work together.
The forum was well received and many in attendance
thought it was a good step in starting to address the pain of this issue.
Bishop Ihloff addresses audience at St. Anne’s,
Annapolis on the issue of homosexuality and the Bible.
Baltimore County and the Church of the Ascension recognize
a remarkable woman
By CINDY TIPTON MAINOLFI
It has been quite a year for Emma Wetzelberger. A year ago, she
asked to meet Cindy Tipton Mainolfi, deacon-in-charge of the Church of the
Ascension in Middle River. As a result of this meeting, she began her journey
with Ascension and a new chapter of her life.
In their conversation, she told Cindy how
angry she had been. Four years earlier, Emma was diagnosed with leukemia. She
was told she only had a 1% chance of survival and about nine months to live.
Emma said, “I was angry with everyone and I was angry with God. I could no
longer pray. I was sick all the time from the medicine I had to take; I was
afraid I wouldn’t be there for my husband, Rick, who is a quadriplegic. I knew
I needed help and I knew that Cindy had not given up on me.”
During their visit, Emma and Cindy prayed
and Cindy told Emma about some of the church’s needs. Ascension has an average
attendance of around 35 people, but with a substantial emphasis on outreach. “It
was getting close to Thanksgiving and I knew we needed help with the holiday
outreach,” said Cindy. “Emma was telling me she wanted help from God and that
she wanted to help the church, so I decided to take her up on her offer. In
previous years we had supplied Thanksgiving dinner to as many as 12 families
and I knew that this year we needed someone to organize things. Emma seemed
excited about the prospect but to tell you the truth, I didn’t know if she was
really well enough to take on the project. I soon
found out that Emma is the lady who never
gives up.”
That day, Emma committed herself to
outreach for Ascension. During Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2002, Ascension helped
46 families with food and gifts for the holidays.
“Ascension is a real community,” said
Cindy,“ It is on the peninsular of Wilson Point and is like a small village.
Little did I realize that Emma knew everyone in that village and they knew and
respected her. Emma tapped into all of her sources and they responded.”
During and after the holidays, Emma didn’t
stop. She worked with the children of the neighborhood, gave parties and had
special outings for them. She coordinated the collection and distribution of
morale packages for our troops deployed overseas. She helped with Vacation
Bible School and started the church’s food pantry. She started a special drive
under the deacon’s discretionary fund to help the Baltimore County Police with
children in need of emergency aid. She continued her delivery of meals on
wheels. She helped coordinate two of Ascension’s most successful fundraisers, a
community yard sale and an “all-donation” Bingo.
This summer things started coming together
for Emma. She was selected to receive the Baltimore County “Volunteer Service
Award”. Presented at an awards ceremony by the County Executive, James Smith,
he said, “Mrs.Wetzelberger’s volunteer service is of that rare and remarkable
spirit which only grows stronger in the face of adversity. As the primary
caregiver of her husband and a woman determined in her fight against leukemia,
Mrs. Wetzelberger already raises to heroic levels as a person whose personal
struggle and brave dealings inspire all those who know her. However, most people
recall Mrs. Wetzelberger’s
heroism in the context of her volunteer
service to her church and neighborhood.
Maintaining the food pantry, fundraising
for youth programs and helping organize a discretionary fund for needy children
are but a few of the many charitable ways in which she serves as a member of
the Church of the Ascension. Meanwhile, within her neighborhood she is active
in assisting the elderly and people with disabilities by helping with cleaning,
repairs and as a caregiver and health advocate. Baltimore County commends her
for her generous community spirit, devotion and extraordinary volunteer work,
and wishes her the best in all her future endeavors.”
That same week, Emma received word from
her doctors that she no longer carried the chromosome for her leukemia and
would not need the medicine that had made her so ill for so long.
Emma says that she often thinks back to
the day when Cindy came to see her. “I will never forget that afternoon. Cindy
said to me ‘Emma, I give you your wings. You can fly as high as you want.’ I am
flying now and I intend to continue. And never stop praying, I am living proof
that prayers are answered.”
Journeys Community offers a spiritual voyage
For the past five years, the Rev. Dr. Harry Brunett has been examining ways in which the Episcopal Church could appeal to the growing number of people of all ages who are searching for a spiritual dimension and purpose in their lives, but have been unable to find it in the traditional church. His doctoral thesis, A Seeker Ministry for the 21st Century was a requirement for his Doctor of Ministry in Advanced Studies in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western Theological
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There is no event so commonplace but that
God is present within it, always hidden, always leaving
room to recognize of it, no less than in the excitement and
gladness. Touch, meditations, Listening to Your Life. |
Seminary. His thesis became both his inspiration and blueprint in the development of this ministry, Journeys Community. Says Brunett, “Frederick Buechner’s words (see insert) have captured the essence of how I see contemporary spirituality in one’s relationship with God.”
Journeys Community is a fellowship of men
and women who share the common desire to explore their spirituality on an
individual basis and in their connection with others. Many of those who respond
to this ministry have tried a variety of spiritual and religious experiences
and found them to be unfulfilling, often because they seem to offer
pre-determined answers rather than assistance in exploring the questions. This
ministry attracts many people who have never been exposed to the church or who
have not found traditional forms of worship to be helpful in their journey.
The planning for Journeys Community began in 1999 with the development of a prototype service targeted at selected groups of spiritual seekers. Market research and focus groups were pivotal in finalizing the components, and in September of 2001, Journeys Community held its first service. Based in Howard County, Journeys Community has an active database of 85 people who have attended the services. Services are held every Sunday with an average attendance of 25 to 40 people.
The Diocese of Maryland has supported
Journeys Community for the past three years. The Mission
designed to reach those the church does
not currently serve.
This begins a series of articles on
Journeys Community. For more information, visit their website at
www.journeyscommunity.org . or email the
Rev. Dr. Harry Brunett at journeyscommunity@mris.com .
Focus on World Hunger
By BETSY VANAUKER
For the fourth year, Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday will
be held on Advent 2, December 7, 2003.This year, the focus is World Hunger with
the theme Every Day Counts.
Packets of information were sent to each
parish during the last week of October, with bulletin inserts, liturgical
sources and other information to help people understand how they can help end
world hunger.
If your parish cannot observe ERD Sunday
on Advent 2, the information can be used on a Sunday of your choosing.
Advent is a time for moving beyond our fears
Fear is everywhere. It is part and parcel of our daily lives and
the evening news. The escalation of terrorism, of uncertain airport security,
of daily attacks on our troops in Iraq, of the uncertainty of our economic
recovery is the substance behind the headlines. Many of us have more personal
fears as well: fear of job loss, fear for personal safety, fear of serious
illness.
Within our Church are fears: that we may
divide over issues of human sexuality, that our divisions will weaken us
financially, that personal friendships will remain strained, that we might
loose the healthy tension which exists among people who disagree but love one
another profoundly. Fear is on every side, and fear can become debilitating.
Advent is a special, reflective time in
which the Church invites our members to be especially vigilant. Where is God
breaking through the mundane things of this world, even our fears, to lead us
into deeper faith? Advent is a reminder that the most important time is now!
We can learn from the past, but we cannot remold it. We can worry about the
future, but most of our fears concerning it are never realized. Now is
the only time over which you and I exercise some control. Now is the
time in which God’s Spirit is moving and the only time in which we can
experience the Spirit’s presence to guide, strengthen, challenge and renew us.
Being vigilant in the present moment makes all the difference. How important it
is for us to be invested in the present moment, to be truly aware and watchful!
My favorite cartoon from the New Yorker appeared about twenty-five years
ago: two Buddhist monks are seated in the lotus position next to each other;
the young monk has apparently asked a question, and the old monk with a slight
frown answers,“Nothing happens next, this is it.”
I am mindful that the Lord Jesus often
said to his disciples,“Fear not,” and that St. Paul reminds us,“Love casts out
fear.” If we can let love rule our relationships and give greater direction to
our lives, we will find that fears subside and no longer have the power to
impede our progress. Love opens our eyes to opportunities in the present
moment. Faith compensates for fear. Our faith reminds us that God is here in
the moment and for all time. God is very near, and God will never abandon us.
Faith helps us put fears in their proper place; that is, we may not be free
from fear, but faith enables us to move forward, to be hopeful, and to
experience God even in the face of trouble. Hope also combats fear. Hope
reminds us that
this is God’s world, God’s Church, and
each of us is God’s child—it all doesn’t depend on me alone. Hope enables us to
pick ourselves up and follow our stars, like the Magi of old.
“Faith, hope, love—these three last,” Paul
reminds us in I Corinthians 13.
May Advent be a time for increased faith
and hope, and especially a time of increased charity among us. May it be a time
devoted to seeing Christ’s presence in every moment, in every face, standing
above every fear. May Advent be a time to move beyond fears to deeper
commitments, renewed faith and sacrificial love!
Faithfully Yours,
Bishop of Maryland
“Bishops by
ballot” in the Episcopal Church
By KINGSLEY SMITH, HISTORIOGRAPHER
In the debates about the election of the Rt. Rev.V. Gene Robinson,
Bishop of New Hampshire, no one questioned the constitutionality of the
process. It was done by a full quorum of delegates, voting (as always in such
elections) separately by orders, until the ballot, in which he received a
majority vote
of both the clergy and laity.
It is worth remembering where this process
came from. When the American colonies declared independence from George III,
the Anglican churches were cut off from both the authority and the support of
the mother Church of England. They had priests and prayer books and property
but no bishop.
Some clergy and lay people were Tories
(“Loyalists,” that is) but many were patriots. A faithful remnant was
determined to establish a continuing church and began meeting, first in
Chestertown, Maryland in 1780, then in other states, and finally in
Philadelphia in 1789 to organize the Protestant Episcopal Church.
They intended to retain their Anglican
doctrines and worship (see the Preface to the current Prayer Book, pp. 9-11),
but they felt that having bishops appointed by the Crown was, in the words of
an anonymous writer to the Virginia Gazette in 1778,“one of the many
encroachments of power upon the just rights of the
people.”
William White, rector of Christ Church,
Philadelphia and chaplain to the Continental Congress, wrote The Case of the
Episcopal Church Considered in 1782 in which he argued that the “power of
electing a superior order of ministers ought to be in the clergy and laity
together, they being interested in the choice.”
“In England,” he adds, “the civil authority appoints the bishops,
which was a usurpation of the Crown at the Norman Conquest. The primitive
churches were generally supplied by popular elections; even in the City of
Rome, the privilege of electing a bishop continued with the people to the tenth
or eleventh century.”
White and some others had wondered if it
might be necessary to remake the church with priests exercising the Episcopal
authority to confirm and ordain, but eventually rejected that.
The first Episcopal election was held in
Connecticut in 1783 when the clergy voted to send Samuel Seabury to Britain for
consecration. The next was in Maryland where the clergy elected William Smith in
1783 and then by the laity in 1784. Smith withdrew the next year so Seabury,
consecrated in Scotland in 1784, was the first American bishop - and the only
one not voted on by the laity. From then on every bishop was elected in a vote by orders as each diocese
was formed That is how our Church found the formula for giving bishops the
apostolic authority they need without denying the work of the Spirit through
the whole
body of Christ’s people. They have, as
Frederick Mills wrote in “Bishops by Ballot” (New York, 1978),“mitre without
sceptre…in every way more democratic than their English counterparts.”
Whatever our opinions about particular bishops, we can be grateful for the system that creates them. White was right, we all are “interested in the choice.”
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In view of the cross: telling human stories for the By ANNE CARSON |
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On a balmy
afternoon last fall, I interviewed award-winning poet and New York Times
best-selling author, Kathleen Norris, in the spacious lounge of the College of
Preachers at Washington National Cathedral. She had been chosen to participate
in an interfaith forum and would be speaking from the Christian’s view point in
a panel with three other keynoters who were representing the Muslim, Jewish and
Agnostic perspectives as the Four Faces of Faith.
As she spoke, I marveled at how ideal she was to
represent the Christian voice in an interfaith gathering. Living in such a
crucial time in our history when people of different faiths are at war, her
words were magnified in their poignancy and importance. Her service for many
years as an oblate at a Benedictine monastery in North Dakota had clothed her
with humility and grace, and her down-home warmth and easy wit filled the
Gothic space and made me feel as if we had been friends for years. Ms. Norris’
widely popular book, Amazing Grace, had been written to address and transpose,
through personal stories, words in the Christian lexicon that had most troubled
her. And her spiritual journey, built on the familiar human struggle from
despair to faith, was one of universal appeal.
What follows is her indomitable witness to a realistic
Christian faith based on the solid ground of human stories lived in view of the
cross.
In what ways can Christians more graciously embody Christ
incarnate, Christ with us, without appearing spiritually elite or
fundamentalist, as they participate in interfaith dialogue?
KN: “We need
to be able to articulate our own faith and say what Jesus Christ means to us. I
was trying to do that in Amazing Grace. We should feel free to use the language
of our faith but be willing to articulate it. When I was growing up and spending
time with my Grandmother Norris, who was devout but fairly intolerant, her
religious language was crazy to me. She would write these letters that had
nothing human in them. They were all “Jesus this” and “Christ that.” It was
like hearing a code. When I was six years old, she told me on Good Friday that
I should be grateful that Jesus had died for my sins. Now a six-year-old has no
comprehension of that at all. I wrote Amazing Grace partially because I had to
come to terms with the language that had haunted me as a child.” “In church, we
use the language of our faith community but it does not have to be offputting.
Christian Fundamentalists are deeply suspicious of anything imaginative. They
think of other faiths as polluting and don’t want interfaith dialogue.”
How can the Christian openly and
authentically bear witness to Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God,
in a manner that would shine forth as an offering to other faiths?
KN: “The way I conceive of doing that is talking about the
cross and death. Everyone suffers death. That is such a common bond. For the
Christian, God wanted such a relationship with us, He was willing to suffer
death. But God participates in human suffering.
That is what I love about Christianity. The
cross is central for me. Life is the focus of Christianity, realistically lived
in the face of death.”
What can other faith traditions, such as
Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Native American, teach Christians about the
Messiah? (In Amazing
Grace, you refer to Basketball Coach Phil Jackson’s book, Sacred Hoops, in
which he writes that his Buddhist practice has led to a new understanding of
his Christian heritage.)
KN: “I am from Hawaii, which is a melting pot of cultures, so I
grew up with an awareness of interfaith dialogue. We all had friends who were
of different faiths.” “If I am reading a prayer from another tradition, it
gives me another way of looking at my own tradition. I have a Jewish editor and
I am grateful to her because she forces me to articulate in a deeper way what
my religion means to me. Religion is universal, a human need like water. I am
always seeing the meaning of life through the lens of religion.”
Do you see this movement toward interfaith
global spirituality as a sign of a new holiness?
KN: “Certainly new hope. The twentieth century has seen
fundamentalists in every religion, and they are exclusive. And when people are
willing to do anything in the name of their God, it gets very scary. It’s
bizarre, like the desire to bring on Armageddon. The interfaith dialogue is
very healthy. It gives me hope for this planet. Hawaii has this great phrase,
“talk story.” That is essential for humans to do and so healthy at this time
when there is so much violence and tension and so much is centered a round
religion. Interfaith
dialogue and saner voices give me hope.”
How can Christians convey to others of
different faiths a more redeeming “Road to Emmaus” theology, as illustrated by
Jesus’ disciples in Luke, Chapter 24, when they exclaimed, “Were not our hearts
burning within us while He talked with us along the road and opened the
Scriptures to us?”
KN: “We can do that by relating our experiences with the Bible
and by being willing to talk from the heart so that it is not so intellectual.
That’s why I like to tell stories; they are so grounded in human experience.”
Kathleen Norris is engaged in spiritual
inquiry. She speaks and writes not as a theologian but as a literary person and
a storyteller. Norris seeks to remove the patina of abstraction from religious
words by telling stories about them, and by grounding them in the world in
which we live. Exploring the spiritual life, her work is at once intimate and
historical, rich in poetry and meditations, brimming with exasperation and
reverence, deeply grounded in both nature and spirit, sometimes funny, often
provocative, and always important. She is best-selling author of The Cloister
Walk, Dakota, and
Amazing Grace.
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Church Club fall meeting blends fellowship By VIRGINIA KLINE |
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The Very Reverend Van
Gardner, Dean of the Cathedral |
There was a
chill in the air but the mood was warm and welcoming as over 70 members of the
Church Club and their guests gathered for an evening of good food, fellowship
and education. The evening began with a fascinating tour of Clover Hill, the
Ihloff ’s residence, led by James T. Wollon, Jr., a prominent Maryland
preservationist architect. Nancy Ihloff supplemented historical information,
and graciously shared stories about some of their
personal belongings from their many travels.
The evening continued in the undercroft of the
Cathedral where guests enjoyed a cornucopia of foods blessed by the Rt. Rev.
John Rabb, Bishop Suffragan. Old acquaintances were renewed and new
friends made. The buzz of interesting
conversation ceased only when guest speaker, the Very Reverend Van Gardner,
Dean of the Cathedral, rose to speak. His subject matter, “Communities of
Reconciliation”
proved both provocative and stimulating as he examined
what reconciliation means to us and how we, in the Anglican Community, can mend
divisions of the Church through reconciliation.
The Church Club is a social organization of the laity
which gathers twice a year in the spirit of Christian hospitality. “It is a
wonderful gathering of committed men and women who wish to serve the church and
enjoy one another’s friendship,” says the Rt. Rev. John Rabb, Bishop Suffragan.
Membership is open to any baptized lay member of an Episcopal church in the
Maryland Diocese. Member dues are $60.00 a year which includes the spring and
fall dinners.
Guest tickets are $25.00.
For information on the Church Club, call Dolly Chin at
410.889.2884 or email at msd.threechins@verizon.net.
24th
Episcopal Assembly
What is God
doing in the world? What is Jesus “up to” in the Church? The Minneapolis
General Convention made it clear that the Episcopal Church is “inclusive.” What
is it that we are to be included in? What is the “new community” that the
Spirit is building in the Episcopal Church and the wider Christian family in
the USA? What prophetic word does the Church have to speak to the cities of
America and the world? What is the critical context of the work of the
Episcopal Urban Caucus in the new global economy? What do we have to say today
about racism, poverty and militarism?
The Episcopal Urban Caucus does not deliver the
“answers” to its members or anyone else. Following Jesus of Nazareth, we ask
the questions that make the leaders of the Church and State sit up and take
notice. In “the new community” that is our emerging Church, we ask the
questions that help us undertake “the mission of God” (/missio Dei//) in the
world where God is already acting to establish justice and peace.
Some things are clear:
Racism is not dead but metastasizing, taking new and
more virulent forms as “the new majority” threatens the wielders of power
across the planet.
The role of young people, in the Caucus as in the
Church at large, is being recognized, and a new generation is rising among us.
Economic justice and community organizing are more critical than ever,
and Baltimore offers us strong examples of work in
classic urban arenas.
The most powerful nation in the world is imposing its
will upon others through military power, and the poor in America are paying the
price of war and recession while the rich get richer through tax cuts and
reduction of human services.
It is clear now that peace is not one value among many
but the essential requirement for the survival of the human community.
New wine is fermenting, old wineskins are bursting,
and the Spirit is calling us, with others, into new relationships of resistance
to war and repression and solidarity with the poor and oppressed.
The 2004 Urban Caucus Assembly will be held in
Baltimore, February 18-21, 2004. Help us shape both the style and agenda of the
Caucus as we focus our common mind on urban ministry, and a Church to work
together in a world that craves a new community to lead God’s people in their
struggles for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. Site visits,
workshops, worship, banquet and networking will give us tools and inspiration
to serve the world in God’s name.
The Assembly Eucharist will be celebrated at the
Cathedral of the Incarnation on Thursday, February 19 beginning at 6 p.m. and
is open to everyone. Bishop Ihloff will preside and The Rev. Floyd “Butch”
Gamarra will preach. The banquet is on Friday evening at the Sheraton Baltimore
North in Towson and Bishop Gayle Harris is the speaker. Contact Mary Miller
(see below) for ticket information; the deadline for banquet ticket purchase is
February 1, 2004.
REGISTERATION IS OPEN NOW! The Assembly will be held
at the Sheraton Baltimore North in Towson, Maryland, Wednesday, February 18
through Saturday, February 21, 2004. Reservations received by Friday, January
16, 2004, will be at the early-bird rate of $250. Registrations received after
that date will pay the full price of $300. Hotel reservations single, double or
triple are $89 plus tax; telephone the hotel directly at 1- 800-433-7619.
For registration forms or more information contact: Episcopal
Urban Caucus website
www.episcopalurbancaucus.org OR Mary Miller maryh.miller@verizon.net ,
410.783.1847 OR EUC, PO Box 2247, New London, CT 06320, Phone 860.437.8890, email stfrancishouse@mindspring.com .
Glory to God: Peace and
By KINGSLEY SMITH, HISTORIOGRAPHER
In the 47 years
since Bishop Powell ordained me, I have witnessed many changes in our church.
These changes were misunderstood and resisted but over time became accepted and
welcomed. In the 1950s we seriously debated whether black children and white
children could attend conferences at the Bishop Claggett Center at the same
time. In the 1960s we stopped treating remarriage after divorce as a bar to
leadership positions by clergy. In the 1970s we decided that we could use
contemporary as well as traditional language in our worship—and ordain women as
well as men. In the 1990s we accepted the validity of Lutheran orders for
pastors serving Episcopal churches. And in the memory of some of us elders,
those “who had laid hands violently upon themselves” could not be buried in our
cemeteries, and in many parishes only people confirmed by a bishop could
receive communion.
From 1692 to 1776, you had to be an Anglican to be a
full citizen of the Colony of Maryland (although everybody had to pay taxes to
support our churches). And so it goes, back through the Protestant Reformation
to the apostolic Church, which proclaimed the greatest new news of all:
Gentiles were as welcome to receive the blessings of
God as Jews were! Now the Church has taken another step on the path toward
accepting gay and lesbian people. Of course this is new and painful to those of
us who find our security in tradition.
But scripture, experience and reason suggest that growing pains may be
part of God’s plan. The gospel leads to unexpected consequences, and God is
always full of surprises.
Message from Bishop Rabb
Bridging the
Gap
One does not have to read very much to recognize that great gaps
exist in society, in the world and in the church. The events in the Episcopal
Church revolving around the election, consent and consecration of the Rt. Rev.
V. Gene Robinson as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire have created deep
divisions in our church. Yet, if I read it correctly, there are also widening
gaps between rich and poor, the
generations, in politics, among races and ethnic communities, and even within
families. Writing in 2000, Robert Putnam in his excellent book, “Bowling
Alone,” notes with great clarity that the decline of social capital is being
manifested in our society in many ways and never in our best interest. There is
no doubt that we are much more a culture of “I” instead of “We” or “Us.”
Where does this leave the church? Putnam
calls upon churches, along with other volunteer organizations, to aid in
regaining the social capital. For us, as disciples of Christ, it is a matter of theology. Jesus spent much of
his ministry bridging the gaps by inviting people previously excluded to be
with him. In John 17:21 Jesus proclaims that “all may be one.” The unity to
which Jesus speaks is community in the Body of Christ, and not unanimity. The great
mistake of our times in regard to community is that we think it means those
with whom I always agree and who are like me. It is, in fact, unity in and
through Christ Jesus, which often means, in the words of our Primate, the Most
Rev. Frank T. Griswold, III, that we are in “solidarities not of our own
choosing.” For us as Christians we must reach across all gaps and divides in
order to live as God wishes. Paul
speaks of the Body of Christ, which sadly often becomes merely a church
organization chart or a functional breakdown of roles. The Body of Christ is a
new creation that manifests God’s desire that we live interdependently.
Further, the saving grace of Christ Jesus is that the new creation is now
possible.
Jesus in his own ministry spends time being
present with those who differ from him.
In John 4 he goes to the well of Jacob
which for a Galilean is unheard of, as their worship was to be centered in
Jerusalem. Jesus not only sits with the Samaritan woman but drinks of the water
from the well. It may be hard for us to imagine what this means, but he has
bridged what was an unbridgeable chasm between Jews and Samaritans. When she
confronts him and tells him this should not be, he tells her that beyond what
separates Jews and Samaritans, the locus of their worship is the deeper reality
of what unites them, that we shall worship God in spirit and in truth. The
truth for Jesus is that we see ourselves as we really are, others as they
really are and, most importantly of all, God for whom God is. To speak of
relating in truth to one another is critical. I am indebted to the Very Rev.
Van Gardner, Dean of the Cathedral, for his words at the Church Club on October
29 noting that we must learn to meet in truth. He called on us to see the work
of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. The call to which
Van speaks, and which is Jesus’ call, is that we will face one another
truthfully, willing to forgive and be forgiven, willing to be reconciled and
willing to embrace one another.
In truth, we acknowledge hurts and hopes,
dispel prejudices and oppression and face our own limitations and finitude.
Most of all, we face that we need one another and we need God. We cannot and do
not overlook our differences, but ask
what is the greater truth to which God is calling us.
We too often are “bowling alone,” and
worse, we are contemptuous and angry at the other. For Christians, community is
not an option but a mandate. For God is calling upon us to reveal how it is to
be that “all may be one.”
Bishop Suffragan of Maryland
From Bishop Rabb
How to advocate for the homeless: an experience of
trial and error
By THE REV. ADRIEN DAWSON, TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
This summer, I met a woman with two children who was seeking
financial assistance because she was
homeless. I gave her the standard line, “I’m sorry but we donate all our funds
and food to the Assistance Center of Towson Churches, ACTC.” She told me she
had already been there.
Something in me wanted to know more, so I
asked her to explain her situation to me.
She had applied for section 8 housing and
had found a house through a realtor. The house happened to be in Baltimore City
but she had begun her process in Baltimore County. The paperwork had been
transferred from county to city and she was waiting for the HUD inspection to
occur. The inspection was all that stood in the way of her moving into the
house.
I decided to change my policy about giving
money and wrote a check for one night at the motel. She was grateful and I
didn’t think any more about it until a few weeks later when she came to my door
again.
She explained that she was still waiting
for the inspection. Every morning she called her realtor and asked about the
inspection and every morning the realtor told her that the department of
housing had not done it. She had been waiting ten weeks.
We called her realtor to see what she
could find out. Then came the devastating news - the department of housing
claimed to have lost her paperwork.
She told me how she had got a local pastor
to take in her son, an 18 year old with mental handicaps on a third grade
level, so that she and her daughter could stay at the women’s shelter. But
after awhile, the pastor couldn’t keep him any more and she had to come out of
the shelter and back into the motel with both of her children. It was then I
decided to become her advocate.
I began by calling the county and asking
about the transfer of paperwork. I then got all the important names at the city
and a general information phone number. I made phone calls, only to get an
endless series of menu options to be finally dumped into a voice mailbox. Once
I got a live person on the phone but when I asked him to transfer me to a
person and not a voicemail, he hung up on me. I also sent emails and faxes to
the department of housing. My tone was not congenial and I laid the blame for
this family’s continuing state of homelessness at their feet.
Unbelievably, I got no response. No phone
calls. No email. No faxes. Then, I called the Baltimore Sun. An eager
reporter took down my information and said he’d love to cover the story. I told
the department of housing that I had contacted the Sun.
No response.
I called the mayor’s office and after
about ten transfers I ended up talking to a staff person in the office of the
Executive Director of Housing of Baltimore City. She was very helpful, took
down all the information and said she would contact the people working on the
home inspection, which would hopefully push things through. Still, no response.
By this time I was sending my nasty-grams
by email, fax and snail mail just to make sure they couldn’t lose my
correspondence. I sent a final message detailing all the people I had contacted
in my pursuit of a home inspection and threatened to contact Channel 11 news
for an “11 on your side” segment. An hour and a half later there came a
response.
Her information had been located and
forwarded to an inspector for an inspection the next day. No apology, just one
sentence.
This entire process of advocacy took me
about three weeks.
I share this experience because there are
many more homeless people out there struggling to get by while they wait on a
system that cannot help them. The homeless population is growing and there are
many people who could be helped if only they had someone to advocate for them.
The next time a homeless person asks you for money, ask yourself if you also
have the time to sit down and listen to their story.
Maybe there is a way you could be an
advocate for them.
The Episcopal Ministry at Johns Hopkins Hospital
By ALLISON SNOW-JONES
A little over a
year ago, I was carrying 50 pounds of whitewater kayak and gear up
mountains without even breathing hard.
Within a matter of weeks, I developed an unusual pain in my left side and some
other symptoms for which I sought medical advice. Six months later, I was
diagnosed with non-
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL), a cancer of the immune
system. Being a health researcher by profession, I did a little research into the etiology of the disease and
learned that NHL has no lifestyle-related risk factors, except perhaps having
grown up on a farm where pesticide exposure may be high. This means that all
the exercise and good nutrition and no smoking that had characterized my life
for the past 50 some years had little effect on preventing this disease. I also
learned that NHL has one of the fastest rates of increase of all cancers in the
US. And I learned that NHL is one of the “curable” cancers; that is, many
people survive it and go on to live full and healthy lives. I also learned that
many don’t.
I sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Medical Center
where I had obtained my PhD more than ten years earlier. As a member of the
Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore, I sought spiritual guidance and
support from Van Gardner, as well as my friends M.G. Dudley and Fran Brown. Jan
Hammill, who was standing in for Van while he was on Sabbatical, also provided
a sympathetic ear, prayer and comfort. In addition to sending me frequent
emails, notes of support and daily prayers, they also put me in touch with the Reverend
Tammy Wooliver who serves as Episcopal chaplain at Johns Hopkins.
|
“It wasn’t so much that I
stopped believing in God; I
guess I just stopped trusting Him. I’ve always
believed that God will do what is best
for
me. I just could not reconcile
myself to the thought that what
might be best for me would be
to die at the age of 54, even
though many people do and
many die younger.” |
Tammy and I first met as I was lying in pre-op waiting
for the surgical procedure that would remove lymph nodes from my abdomen for
biopsy. I was terrified because it was major surgery requiring a nine inch
incision and some interesting slicing and dicing near important arteries and
nerves. I shared my fears with Tammy who provided sympathy, prayer and
literally held my hand until I was wheeled away.
Three weeks after the diagnosis was confirmed, I was
back in the hospital for my first treatment. Tammy was there, willing to listen
to me whine and vent anger. She offered comfort, solace, prayer, understanding,
Over the next six months and seven treatments, Tammy
was there every time save one, when she was on vacation. When I shared my
crumbling faith in God with her, she appeared armed with books by others who
had also questioned and found their way back to God.
Tammy, along with my family and friends, became my
lifeline to God during this incredibly unpleasant
Facing a possible early demise caused me
to question many things I had taken for granted about
Last April when it seemed like touch and
go whether I would make it through the treatment, I
more than I ever could. The best I could
come up with was to promise God that I would never take
And now I sit typing this for Maryland
Church News, nearly two months past my last of eight treatments.
No tumor, no enlarged lymph nodes – an
apparent complete response to treatment. During
I’m no theologian. I don’t know how to
make sense of something that seems senseless. But I can
Tammy Wooliver was one of the angelic strangers,
now a friend, who brought comfort, understanding,
Alison Snow Jones is an Assistant
Professor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, a member of the
Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore and an avid whitewater kayaker.
The Episcopal Ministry is supported by
funds raised from the Episcopal Appeal.
Associate members for new Task
Force on Health
Care needed
By
THE REV.TAMMYWOOLIVER ANDWAYNE C. SPIGGLE,
M.D.,TASK FORCE
CO-CHAIRS
Aletter by
Bishop Rabb to clergy throughout the Diocese calls for each parish to recruit
one or more members to serve as associates of a Task Force on Health Care recently created by the Diocesan Council.
The Council has identified four general objectives: (1) identify and network
parish and diocesan programs and ministries (parish nurses, hospital chaplains,
wellness programs); (2) assist in setting up needed programs and ministries;
(3) educate the Diocese, and its parishes on critical issues facing health care
(hospital consolidation, end of life issues, etc.); and (4) assist the Diocese,
its people and parishes to
advocate on matters critical to health care.
At its first meeting on June 21, 2003, task force
members agreed that in order to carry out these objectives, an active grass
roots presence on the parish level is essential. Associates to the task force
will be encouraged to attend all meetings and contribute to its work. This is
an opportunity for interested church
members to communicate successful programs ongoing in
their parishes and to learn from the experiences of others.
The mission of the task force is to advocate for
health care as an essential component of human life and dignity which is our
Christian duty grounded in our Baptismal Covenant (Book of Common Prayer, pages
304 and 305) and therefore to encourage and work to ensure that every person
has the right to and reality
of adequate health care.
This is an exciting opportunity to promote health
ministry in the Episcopal Church at the local and diocesan levels, and to live
out Jesus’ command to heal and make whole in body and in spirit.
Interested? If so, ask your priest to submit your name
to Bishop Rabb.
More information about the Task Force on Health Care
will soon be available on the Diocesan web site or you may contact the Bishop’s
office at 800-443-1399.
Where are the Health Ministries in this Diocese?
By PAT HALL
OK, where are
you? We know you are out there, we hear about the good work you are doing. We
hear about others of you that are looking for information and help in getting
started. Please stand up and identify yourselves!!!
Health Ministries are cropping up all over the country
in most, if not all of the mainline Christian churches and in some Jewish
congregations. The work of the health minister is shaped by the doctrine and
policy of his or her denomination. This is no different in the Episcopal
Church. However, we have been a little slower than some in providing support
and direction for our churches and parishioners who wish to create and maintain
a health ministry. But that is changing….
Founded in 1996, the National Episcopal Health
Ministries’ (NEHM) mission is “to promote health ministry in Episcopal
congregations, assisting them to reclaim the Gospel imperative to health and
wholeness.” It is a grassroots ministry that was developed for and by health
ministers and parish nurses in Episcopal congregations.
I recently accepted the role of Diocesan Liaison to
NEHM. I report to Carol Sullivan, the parish nurse at St. Anne’s, Annapolis,
who is also the Province Three Representative to NEHM. My initial goals are to
promote health ministry in the Diocese and to create a network of people
interested in and/or working in health ministry. At this point NEHM is
technically a ministry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis and is supported by their
Endowment for Mission and Ministry.
However, it is hoped that NEHM will eventually become
separately incorporated.
I am also a member of the newly created Diocesan
Health Care Task Force spearheaded by Bishop Rabb. NEHM and the Task Force are
two of the efforts in the Diocese addressing the health and well being of our
parishioners and the communities in which they live.
If you wish to learn more about NEHM and its
resources, please contact Pat Hall at 410.956.5120 or at pshall@comcast.net , or Carol Sullivan at
410.827.6907 or at songofjoy@dmv.com .
HIPAA and the Church
By The Rev. Tammy Wooliver, Episcopal Chaplain, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
By now you have
no doubt heard of or received information from your medical clinicians about
HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) dealing with
patient privacy and security
issues. Basically this deals with any information
regarding a person’s health record. A person’s health care information has
traditionally been thought of as belonging to the health care provider, but the
new regulations challenge this
assumption. According to the HIPAA regulations, the use and disclosure of your
health information is within your control. You are now required to consent with
your health care providers as to how and when your health information is
disclosed to another party. You have to express permission for use or
disclosure of the information as spelled out in the regulations before your
provider can share any information, hence the reason for signing agreements on
how, who and under what circumstances providers use or disclose your health
information.
How then do these regulations affect church communities?
Primarily, no one can gain access to health information regarding an
individual, such as hospital information, without direct permission from
the person.
For instance, at Johns Hopkins Hospital, clergy may
have access to the patient’s location (i.e., building and room) as long as the
patient agrees, usually upon admission, to be in the facility directory. Any
other information cannot be disclosed
without the permission of the patient, such as checking with the nurse on a
patient’s status. Therefore, doctors, nurses and even chaplains cannot share
information if the patient has not given permission.
I have also been called by churches inquiring about
such things such as prayer requests, such as the kinds
which are said on Sunday mornings or that might be
listed in a newsletter. At this time, HIPAA regulations
apply only to those institutions considered to be
health care providers. The church, through the eyes of legislation, does not yet fall under this
category. Of course the church is about healing work and each community has its
own norm around dealing with the pastoral concerns of parishioners. Perhaps
with the rise of privacy concerns and HIPAA regulations, this is a good time to
reevaluate community practices around how a person’s health information is
shared with the community. My own practice is to get permission from the person
before disclosing health information and be clear about what they want shared.
In light of HIPAA regulations, it is also important to let people know in the
community, particularly clergy, when a health crisis arises so that you can
receive spiritual care and support from your community without possible delay.
Pastoral Care Committees might also begin actively
educating their communities on these important developments. Some suggestions
for consideration; have a guest speaker from the community, a lawyer or
hospital representative, come and speak about privacy laws and issues; create a
written pastoral policy so that people know and have information about how your
community deals with pastoral concerns; create a small card that people can
carry with them to be given to health care providers in the case of emergency
that asks for your clergy to be called or that you want them to have access to
important health care information. These are just a few ideas to ponder and
perhaps other ideas will surface as you begin to talk with one another about
how to stay connected with people during a health care crisis.
Celebrate St. Mary’s Outreach Center
By MELISSA ROEN TIMMERMAN
Have you noticed the recent flurry of activity happening at St.
Mary’s? You may have witnessed new signs, new people, new gardens, new fences
and much
coming and going at the old church. St. Mary’s is coming to life
before your very eyes. The Diocese of Maryland and St. David’s Church in Roland
Park have partnered to reopen St. Mary’s Church as St. Mary’s Outreach Center.
The vision of this partnership is to respond to the needs of the community,
working with the people of Hampden to build a vibrant, empowering ministry of
God’s presence both in service and worship.
Episcopal Housing Corporation, the Nearly
New Shop of St. David’s Church, Union Memorial and the G.I.F.T.S. Program of
Episcopal Community Services of Maryland are up and running strong adding much
to the vision of the center. St. Mary’s is planning a myriad of other services
from art classes to youth entertainment and self-help resources to prayer
services.
Baltimore Shakespeare Festival is one of
the programs presently working with and out of St. Mary’s. It is amazing to
watch a theater come to life, honoring and enhancing the integrity of the
worship space at the same time. During the month of October, BSF presented the
play Othello. Almost 2000 people came through the doors of SMOC to enjoy this
Shakespearian classic. More than one third of those that attended were high
school students from 12 area high schools.
In celebration of St. Mary’s Outreach
Center, on December 27, 2003 at 2:00 p.m., Bishop John Rabb will visit the
center and begin the afternoon with a Eucharist.
Immediately following, the BSF will be
giving a command performance of A Dickens of a Carol by Kimberley Lynne.
Tickets for the play can be obtained by calling Casey Davis of BSF at
410.837.4143. Proceeds from the day will benefit St. Mary’s Outreach Center and
the Baltimore Shakespeare Festival.
If you would like to know more or be a
part of St. Mary’s future, contact Melissa Roen Timmerman, Director, at
410.366.3106 or at St. Mary’s Outreach Center, 3900 Roland Avenue,
Baltimore,Maryland 21211.
|
New videos in the Resource Center A five-video series with the following titles: •The Archbishop of Canterbury –
Opening Sermon - Rowan Williams •Holy Realism: Living Life as it
Matters - Kathleen Norris •Only Connect: Contemplation and Non-
Violence - Laurence Freeman, •A Choice Between Impossibles:
Ancient Answers to Contemporary •Questions - Joan Chittister •God’s Workshop - Rowan Williams
Closing Panel Discussion with the four speakers. Revelation: God’s Dream, Our Challenge A six-video series from Ecufilm. The
topics include: • Does Revelation Matter? • Problems and Riddles • How Healthy Is Your Church? • Evil Is Real But Love Is Stronger • The Empire Exposed • The World Made New The Complete Guide To Godly Play Training videos for fall, winter and
spring The Discovery Series: A Christian Journey A comprehensive series that helps
participants explore baptism, confirmation, spiritual gifts, discipleship and worship, and
provides an overview of the faith, history and beliefs that bring people
together as Christians. A production of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. All
four videos are available. The Ten Commandments: A Foundation for Life Today This video contains ten six-minute
discussion starters, one for each of the Ten Commandments.This is a
youth-video series hosted by Walter Wangerin, Jr. Will our Faith have Children? Video and study guide from Ministries
with Young People, the Episcopal Church Center. New Curriculum Samples Christ’s Own Forever: Preparation for Baptism A leader guide and parent/godparent
journal from Living the Good News. The Way of Blessedness Leader guide and participant’s book from
the Companions in Christ, small group ministry series. The Resource Center is open on Wednesday
and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and on Tuesday
afternoons from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., and by appointment. They can be reached at
resource@ang-md.org , or by phone at 410.467.1399 or 800.443.1399. Materials
will gladly be sent by request. |
Christian Formation committee announces new study
In January, the diocesan adult Christian Formation committee will
have available to all churches an exciting new study using the book Encountering
Jesus by Anthony J. Gittins, CSSp. The committee has written a series of
guidelines and study questions to be used with this book. A copy of the book
will soon be made available to each congregation. We encourage each church to
consider using this curriculum as a
Lenten study, or as a study in the fall.
For further information, contact the
Resource Center at resource@ang-md.org.