March 15, 2007

 

About Bishops

 

In the February 15^th edition of eNews, we relayed Bishop Curry’s announcement of the appointment of William Gregg as the Bishop Assistant for the Charlotte area, beginning May 1.  Our Pastor and Priest, Clifford and Derek, had the pleasure of being introduced to Bishop Gregg in St. Petersburg, FL last weekend while attending the consecration of Derek’s best friend, Dabney Smith, as the new Bishop (Coadjutor) of Southwest Florida, discovering that many of their dearest friends and colleagues from their time in Indiana were also dear friends of Bishop Gregg’s from his days at Notre Dame! 

 

Because of the immense geographical size and number of congregations in our diocese, we only have the opportunity for our diocesan bishop, Michael Curry, to worship with us every three years. (Before his retirement, we also received a visitation from our suffragan/ assisting bishop [Gary Gloster] in the interim so that we saw a bishop every eighteen months or so).  The last time Bishop Curry visited with this congregation it was for the dedication of Beloved Garden; his next visit will be this Ascension Day, May 17^th (a Thursday evening at 7pm—mark your calendars now!).  Bishop Gregg’s new role and presence in Charlotte means that Church of the Beloved will have access to the ministries, presence and support of a bishop on a much more frequent basis.

 

Many of us have come to Beloved from other Christian traditions and may not be familiar with the role of a bishop in this Church.  Perhaps this excerpt from last weekend’s consecration sermon given by Clifford and Derek’s former bishop from Northern Indiana (and the one who baptized Mitchell!) will provide some illumination. 

 

 

Where does one discover the identity of the office of Bishop?  We go to that part of The Book of Common Prayer called the Ordinal.  The well-worn phrase that “the rule of prayer is the rule of belief”  (lex orandi: lex credendi) applies to us as Anglicans.  Our theology resides in the scriptures and in The Book of Common Prayer.  Our theology does not reside in General Convention resolutions; our theology is much deeper and foundational, going back through the various prayer books, missals, ordinals and sacramentaries until these documents meet with the Early Church and ultimately the scriptures themselves.  The ordinal, the early Church and the scriptures bear witness to one another.

 

The service of the Ordination of a Bishop is alive with active verbs, which occur in the examination of the bishop.  Words like interpret, proclaim, enlighten, stir, encourage, guard, sustain, support and shepherd practically leap from the pages as bishop after bishop examines the one to be ordained.  For this sermon, I offer the following words to describe the office of bishop: all clergy called to the office of bishop are to proclaim, protect and pastor.  In the older language, the ordinand (person being ordained) was called to be a messenger, watchman and steward.  While all of these ministries can be seen in other ordained persons, indeed seen in many of the baptized, a bishop is particularly called to proclaim, protect, and pastor.

 

The bishop is to be a proclaimer.  Very early in his ministry, Jesus went home to see his mother and other relatives, and, as was their custom, they went to the synagogue.  Since Jesus was a local person who was beginning a new ministry, he was honored by being invited to read from the sacred manuscript and to offer an interpretation of it.  His text, from Isaiah 61, said that, “the Spirit of the Lord has sent me to proclaim, to preach good news – news of freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind and the year of the favor of God.”

 

In his blunt way, the Gospel writer Mark states, “Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the Good News of God.”  The very first words from the mouth of Jesus in this, the first Gospel written, are these, “The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the Good News.”

 

The bishop is to give voice to the activity of God, which is Good News.  The bishop is to give voice in this modern culture of Sodom and Gomorrah where the lack of God’s voice is so shockingly evident.  The message of God is Good News, not good information.  The bishop is to be a forceful proclaimer, not a proclaimer of force.  The message the people should hear when the bishops gather together is of the Good News of the presence of God and not the unfortunate news that the bishops cannot agree with one another on the phraseology of a prepared statement.

 

The bishop, as primary preacher and teacher, should find occasions to teach and preach in the diocese.  This proclamation takes precedence over other meetings, as important as they might be.  The bishop is to proclaim rather than to manage.

 

In addition to the ministry of proclamation, the bishop is to be a protector.  “Will you guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church?” the bishop is asked.  To guard is to protect and defend.  The guard is not to spend the treasure but to protect it from those who would abscond with it.  The bishop is called to be the defender of the faith not an innovator of the faith.  Bishops are to interpret scripture, not rewrite it.  Reinterpreting scripture is valid: reinventing it is not.  As the guardians of the faith, bishops are to defend the faith and the faithful from the dangers of personal, systemic and cosmic evil.  Bishops are not called to bring shopworn cultural novelties into the Church, but to sift the transient from the treasure, and, like the scribe of the Gospel, to bring forth treasures both old and new.

 

A current philosopher, Oz Guinness recently stated that the three great questions of the twenty-first century are: 

 

1.      1) Will Islam modernize peacefully?

2.      2) What will emerge as the dominant religion of China?

3.      3) Will the West recover its roots or abandon them?

 

That third question is a specific domestic issue for bishops.  The bishop should give voice to our Western roots as well as Biblical roots.  Someone once said that the Creeds are the working persons’ defense against the speculative theologians.  Perhaps, like the Creeds, the office of bishop also is to defend against undue speculation.

 

A bishop is to be a proclaimer, a protector and a pastor.  Being a pastor is like being a shepherd.  The metaphor of a shepherd is the unique image of the bishop in the Ordinals.  At least four times in this service, the bishop is described as a chief pastor or shepherd of the flock.  The bishop who is presiding prays that the new bishop will “feed and tend the flock of Christ.”  The bishop is presented with a symbolic shepherd’s staff which can be used to push, pull or prod the flock of Christ committed to the bishop’s care.  Bishops are specific shepherds to specific people, and are not to use their staffs outside their jurisdiction.  The bishop is the steward and caretaker of a flock which is not his own, for the flock belongs to Christ alone.  One of my favorite images of the shepherd is the five smooth stones David used to slay the giant.  With the power of God, he only needed one.  There are still giants to slay and there is still need for faithful shepherds to take on the cultural, political, personal, and yes spiritually self-important giants who trust in themselves.

 

To summarize, a bishop is to be a proclaimer, protector, and pastor – in other words, a messenger, a watchman and a steward.  We gather this day to entrust these charisms to God’s faithful servant, Dabney Tyler Smith.

 

Dabney, my brother, read your Bible and not your press clippings.  Preserve the Apostolic tradition and not the Episcopal prerogatives.  Use your gift of reason to interpret scripture rather than to rewrite it.  Be a person who seeks the experience of God rather than the God of experience.  Put on the whole armor of God – you’ll need it.  But remember Jesus the Good Shepherd who was clothed with humility.  As God’s shepherd, you, like David, might only have five smooth stones; use them judiciously for through them the giants of personal, systemic and cosmic evil, who trust in their own strength can be slain…

 

The Right Reverend Francis Campbell Gray

VI Bishop of Northern Indiana

 

 

Around Beloved…Beloved’s Worker Bees, the youth group for those ages 9-12, will gather for a light meal and Movie Night this Friday, March 16 from 6:30-9pm.  Bring $3 for food and a friend. 

 

Beloved’s metamorphosis, the youth group for those ages 12-15, will gather for a light meal and Movie Night this Saturday, March 17 from 6:30-9pm.  Bring $3 for food and a friend. 

 

Bring your cookies this Sunday for the upcoming Men's Kairos!

 

Sunday Christian Formation continues this week following worship.

 

The Men of Beloved will meet for a meal at Encore Restaurant (Blakeney) this Monday evening, March 19 @ 7pm. 

 

The Women of Beloved will meet for hors d’oevres at the Elyea home on Wednesday evening, March 28 @ 7pm. 

 

Beloved will offer a Lenten retreat, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, on Saturday, March 31^st from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Patrick Episcopal Church in Mooresville.  Pastor Sally will be the retreat leader.  For more info and to register, click here.

 

 

Holy Week and Easter at Beloved…Church of the Beloved is preparing for the worship services of Holy Week.  For those who have never remained in town for Spring Break or who may be new to this congregation, you can well imagine that these are not boring services.  Maundy Thursday, 7pm on April 5, celebrating Jesus’ gift of the Last Supper, is a worship service including participation in an Agape Meal and Foot Washing.  To make it easier on those preparing the Meal, you are invited to make a reservation here or on the sign up list in the Hospitality Area on Sunday mornings until April 1.  Please do not let a lack of reservation keep you from attending at the last minute but for those who know that they will be present, this allows the Sacramental Reception Team to be good stewards.

 

The Easter Vigil Reception follows the first Eucharist of Easter (with Baptisms this year) at Sundown on Saturday, April 7.  Each household is invited to bring a wedding reception hors d'oeuvres (finger food) that will serve at least a dozen people to be added to the pork tenderloin sandwiches, shrimp cocktail and wedding cake provided by the Sacramental Receptions Team.  (Please note: this is not a wedding dinner nor is it a potluck “Super Bowl Party” buffet.  Please do not bring desserts, potluck casseroles or chips and dip.  It is wedding reception food.)  Please do bring your favorite finger food that you would serve when the “boss comes to your home to offer a promotion!!”  If you have any questions about what to bring or would prefer to contribute cash for the team to purchase something on your behalf, please contact Janie Wooten or Mary Reid.  The sign up list will be available in the Hospitality Area beginning this Sunday through Palm Sunday, April 1.

 

 

Last Sunday…Attendance: @ 102; Worship Offering: not reported; Income needed for ministry each week: $5,500 (fully funded) à $4,400 (requiring other funding sources)

 

 

Serving at God’s Altar This Sunday…Angel Army Team 3 Captain: Mark Leinenkugel; Administrator: Kris Leinenkugel; Pastor: Jim Skrobot; Convener: Scott Sanniota; Acolytes: David Dygowski, Elizabeth Nichols, Joseph Nichols, Jack Sanniota; Altar Bread Baker: Kris Leinenkugel; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Betsy Fox & Wes Nichols; Offertory Basket Passers: Ben Heckmann, Owen Heckmann, Gabi Leinenkugel, Katie Sanniota; PowerPoint: Mitchell Harbin; Presenters: Jim & Lynn Skrobot; Reader: Liz Wilson.

 

 

Sunday’s Scripture Readings…2 Corinthians 5:17-21 & Luke 15:11-32

 

 

In our Prayers…The House of Bishops as they begin meeting in Camp Allen Texas tomorrow…Mary Ann, Jim Seidel’s mother who is recovering from breast cancer surgery; Deb Blackwood who has yet to be diagnosed nodules on her Thyroid gland; Deb Blackwood’s brother, Jay, who is being treated again for Thyroid Cancer; Todd Atwood’s brother, Kenneth and his wife, Laura as they grieve the loss of their unborn child…Spiritual protection for Rick Jordan who is serving on next weekend’s Kairos weekend…Laurel Houser as she fights a continuing chronic lung infection…Jack, Susan Miller’s father who has prostate cancer…Samuel Wooten who is healing from a broken leg…Michelle Dezzutto’s terminally ill sister, Joan…Jeannie, dear friend of the Floyd family who has throat cancer…Mike Montagnino who is recovering from surgery…John and Bob, Lee Frickhoeffer’s father and uncle…Elizabeth, Shari Wynn‘s sister…Kevin, Deb and Dan Blackwood‘s nephew…Phyllis, Linda Mellon‘s mother who is recuperating from surgery…Mike, Dick Reif’s brother as he recovers from cancer treatment…Melissa, Donna Elyea’s cousin…Emily, Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter…Chandler, Shana Blake’s cousin, who is having relationship difficulties with her father…Michel, Catherine Atwood’s father diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease…those serving in Iraq, especially Travis, Sally Brower’s cousin; Bob, Clifford King Harbin‘s nephew; Jared, Wes and Michele Nichols’ nephew; Ron, Marilyn Doyon‘s brother-in-law...Palmer, Betsy Fox’s teenage cousin…Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents…Pat Kitts, friend of Beloved…Mary Ann Ingram, friend of the Scheppegrell family, who has liver cancer… Penny Crawford as she works in Memphis, TN for the next several months…the staff and students of Community House Middle School…for Pastor Sally and Brent Brower as they vacation in Guatemala…for Tony and Nancy Hodgson as they vacation in Australia…for Bonnie Lowder and Elizabeth Wagner as they grieve the loss of Bertie, their mother and grandmother.

 

Rest eternal grant to Bertie, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon her.

May her soul, and the souls of all the departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

 

 

Upcoming Calendar…click here