Threat of rebel attacks leaves Congolese Anglicans stranded following synod meeting

From Loyal H. Lall • New Delhi, India Oct 11, 2008 Very sad to learn that Christians are being persecuted. Christians all over the world must be united. I strongly propose a mission that can work world wide and tackle this kind of situation Christian people must pressurize the politicians to safeguard the community. Here back in India, in Khandmal and all over the country, Christians are beingbeaten and being killed. You must be knowing we here need help. Thank you.

MINNESOTA: Lambeth exercise jolts comfort zones

From Priscilla Figueroa • San Juan, Puerto Rico, Oct 11, 2008 What Bishop Jelinek did reminds me of a "prayer" I heard my maternal grandmother say many, many times: "Lord, never let me speak ill of my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his mocassins." We always have to see the situations from other's point of view (and the others can be many)!

Pittsburgh Standing Committee fills vacancies, seeks Presiding Bishop's assistance

From Kevin Dentzer • Fort Worth, Texas Oct 11, 2008 A life long Episcopalian, I remember the process the Church undertook to adopt the new prayer book. In today’s environment those issues seem rather petty. I have lived in the Fort Worth Dioceses for 18 years and even though I have experienced truly genuine congregations I have never found it to be a genuinely comfortable environment in which to worship as an Episcopalian. While I initially feared for the Episcopal Church as congregations began their process of leaving the Church, over the past year I have begun to experience a genuine peace, a peace that comes from knowing that those who were but pretenders are now leaving to worship in a manner true to their beliefs, and as they leave true and faithful Episcopalians once again will have the opportunity to worship and grow as Episcopalians.

Worshiping online: Is it really church?

Oct 11, 2008 The reader response by Marjorie Dower, Sykesville, MD (Oct. 10) is disturbing.  Obviously, this lady misses an Episcopal "community".

I wonder if she receives visits from a parish pastoral care committee member. I wonder if a priest or deacon calls on her periodically. I wonder if a parish newsletter is mailed to her. I wonder if a Eucharistic Visitor (EV) takes the Eucharist to her each Sunday, and shares the sermon with her as well as providing copies of the sermon and service bulletin for that week with her  ... and perhaps shares a few moments in a visit with her following the truncated service.

I am one of several EVs in our parish. We are sent out to the ill, disabled, shut-ins, and those in retirement communities directly from our services, following a brief commissioning and blessing to send us on our way ... "We who are many are one body because we all share one bread and one cup."

Christ wants us to be in "community".  I wonder how many others besides this lady miss "community".

Pittsburgh Standing Committee fills vacancies, seeks Presiding Bishop's assistance

From Rex Albright • Monroe, Louisiana Oct 11, 2008 TEC is a disgrace! No longer can be considered a Christian church. It is heretical, apostate, and non-Christian. You all need to join the Unitarians. Phooey on you all.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Pine Ridge church closings spark controversy

From David R. Lyon • Dallas, Texas, Oct 10, 2008 Can this be true? Lori Ann Two Bulls, a member of Christ Church, reported that the certified letter sent to Robertson "was returned and had been refused by the bishop's office."

If so, again our dear Native American brothers and sisters are being left behind by those of us who came to their land...

The eye cannot say to the hand ... I have no need of you"  (I Cor 12:21, RSV).

Worshiping online: Is it really church?

From Josh Thomas • Kentland, Indiana Oct 10, 2008 Lisa B. Hamilton asks the wrong question. No, it isn't really church without other people physically present.

The better question is, "Is it really prayer?" In the words of that noted theologian, Sarah Palin, “You betcha."

Immigration and refugee advocate is focus of October 12 bulletin inserts

From Carl Robinson • Chesterfield, Virginia, Oct 10, 2008 I do hope that the Episcopal Church carefully evaluates its position on Immigration.

I am not so sure that the remarks in Matthew 25 as they are presently interpreted matches divine intent for a just world.  In my view, the current workings of immigration law under the 1965 Immigration Act is immoral.

First, the United States has experienced considerable adverse effects from immigration from the Third World, most especially social Balkanization with a considerable potential for future violence.  The current "War on Terror" is a good example of such negative, immoral consequences.

Additionally, the Refugee Policy of the U.S. Government is fundamentally flawed. Why not endorse a refugee policy which provides comfort to refugees in situ? This is not unreasonable as the dispossessed refugees could have come into such a situation by their own violent actions. When I was in Iraq my eyes were opened to just how vicious many "oppressed" peoples are.  I saw the results of Kurdish ethnic cleansing and murder against Arabs with my own eyes.  Apparently, these Kurdish actions had been ongoing for quite some time. Americans were duped into siding with the Kurds through nothing more than loud propaganda.

Circumspection about who, exactly is "right" in some far-off conflict in the Sahel or elsewhere is more Christian than any rush to judgment.

Worshiping online: Is it really church?

From Frank Stockall • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Oct 10, 2008 This idea may be novel, but what is wrong with simply broadcasting worship services on such media as YouTube? It is noted that the Roman Catholic Church does this on the religion television channels, apparently quite successfully. Watching these programs with proper attention gives the viewer everything but the actual host. I see no need for pretend characters in a pretend church.

By the way, I read the Episcopal Church website regularly, and find it very useful.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Pine Ridge church closings spark controversy

From Ann Magill • Ashland, Oregon, Oct 10, 2008 I'm a lifelong Episcopalian who spent time in South Dakota attending small churches and was greatly helped by folks in congregations like those proposed to being closed. Both my parents and many relatives have made South Dakota their home. What's lost in financial resources is made up in faith and love. Is there no more creative resolution than to close these churches to their worshippers? Who can expect folks to drive that distance and remain closely bound to one another in common worship?

Worshiping online: Is it really church?

From Marjorie Dower • Sykesville, Maryland, Oct 10, 2008 I am an old woman in a retirement home. I am confined to an electric cart. For three years the Morning Prayer site sponsored by the mission of the St Clare community has been my daily prayer resource. I like the idea that others are using it and I imagine a community. I will try the Online Cathedral. Even someone's avatar would be a comfort.  I'm sure that I will find it “a church" with the body of Christ assembled.

Pittsburgh votes to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone

From R. Wallace • Freeport, New York Oct 08, 2008 I wonder if these people know what's going on in the church of the Southern Cone? No? Neither does anyone else. I was in Buenos Aires last year and went to the cathedral in that city. It was closed for the day; and in fact only opens on Sundays and one other day of the week. It was hard to find. I asked a policemen and several other people near where the map said it ought to have been and no one had any idea either that there was an Anglican church, let alone a cathedral, in the vicinity. The church of the Southern Cone has very few congregants and very low visibility, and they are now probably thrilled to get some people from Pittsburgh to build up their numbers. Nice going.

MINNESOTA: Lambeth exercise jolts comfort zones

From Bruce Barber • Chicago, Illinois Oct 08, 2008 Well done, Bishop Jelinek! I am confident that it was an eye-opening and heart-softening exercise all the way around. Now, would you consider taking it "on the road"--say, to Australia, Africa, England, the South Pacific -- even to other TEC dioceses -- and especially to those provinces [whose bishops] did NOT attend Lambeth? You see, unless the entire communion is willing to engage in this type of role playing, we will go nowhere.

This is exactly how TEC and Canadian Anglicans wound up in the position we are in right now: these two arms of the Anglican Communion did this very role playing and listening and understanding WITH their LGBT members and came to the realization that the Church perpetuates institutionalized homophobia. Their hearts were softened and the Spirit moved. This role playing/empathy exercise has not happened in other corners of the communion, so here we are -- going nowhere.

Take it on the road, Bishop Jelinek!

Prayers, tears and song mark Episcopal repentance for slavery

From Vance Jenkins • Greenville, South Carolina, Oct 08, 2008 While the repentance was most well-intended, re-surfacing a travesty that ended almost 150 years ago is a disservice to those who, ironically, it was designed to help. Ecclesiastically speaking, this is a time to move forward. The Church's role today, in my humble opinion, is to find real ways to minister to the traditionally disenfranchised in ways that serve to empower both their faith and their actions productively.

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