From Mrs MadPriest, with love:
Saturday, 21 August 2010
THE BRAVERY OF COLIN COWARD
From THE TELEGRAPH:
The Rev Colin Coward, a priest at St John the Baptist church in Devizes, Wilts, is to enter into a civil partnership with Bobby Egbele. The union has caused a stir among Christians because the couple plan a carefully-worded "blessing" service in church after the ceremony. Colin has also declined to confirm that he will remain celibate following the union, which is a requirement the Church of England asks of its ordained homosexual clergy. Colin said, he hoped his union would set a “visible example” to other homosexuals within the church.
He said: “My goal is for everyone within the church to feel comfortable with the situation because at the moment the majority of gay Christians marry secretly. It is a taboo subject but the church is now under huge pressure to change its stance and that pressure will only increase in the future.
“Clearly the blessing is going to be quite a sensitive issue. I know that many people will see it and view it with horror. But we are both deeply committed Christians so it would be unthinkable for me not to do it in church and not to do it with the congregation and with all of our friends. I hope my wedding will inspire others and set a visible example to the church that we are not afraid.”
Rev. Coward declared his homosexuality in 1991 before setting up the international gay and lesbian campaign group Changing Attitudes in 1995.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury confirmed it has permitted allowed the service but described it as ''separate'' from the civil ceremony.
He said: ''A Eucharistic service celebrating friendship is what has been sanctioned in this case. This is entirely separate from any civil partnership ceremony.”
COMMENT: It really would be brilliant if Colin and Bobby's "out in broad daylight" nuptials did inspire all the other married gay priests in the Church of England to go public in an act of solidarity with each other. But, I doubt it will happen. I have learnt through experience that the priests of the Church of England (gay, straight and undecided) are a bunch of complete wusses who are so scared of screwing up their promotion prospects that they will never ever stick up for a colleague in distress and will, in fact, stab a colleague in the back in order to look good in front of their bishop.
By the way, I had to alter the original words of the Telegraph article because it was full of childish remarks about "boyfriends" and the like. I don't know if the author, Richard Savill is gay or not. But he certainly bitches like an Anglo-Catholic luvvie who has just had his faculty request for another statue of Our Lady turned down by the diocese.
Now, if Colin and Bobby would make
their way to the dance floor......
He said: “My goal is for everyone within the church to feel comfortable with the situation because at the moment the majority of gay Christians marry secretly. It is a taboo subject but the church is now under huge pressure to change its stance and that pressure will only increase in the future.
“Clearly the blessing is going to be quite a sensitive issue. I know that many people will see it and view it with horror. But we are both deeply committed Christians so it would be unthinkable for me not to do it in church and not to do it with the congregation and with all of our friends. I hope my wedding will inspire others and set a visible example to the church that we are not afraid.”
Rev. Coward declared his homosexuality in 1991 before setting up the international gay and lesbian campaign group Changing Attitudes in 1995.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury confirmed it has permitted allowed the service but described it as ''separate'' from the civil ceremony.
He said: ''A Eucharistic service celebrating friendship is what has been sanctioned in this case. This is entirely separate from any civil partnership ceremony.”
COMMENT: It really would be brilliant if Colin and Bobby's "out in broad daylight" nuptials did inspire all the other married gay priests in the Church of England to go public in an act of solidarity with each other. But, I doubt it will happen. I have learnt through experience that the priests of the Church of England (gay, straight and undecided) are a bunch of complete wusses who are so scared of screwing up their promotion prospects that they will never ever stick up for a colleague in distress and will, in fact, stab a colleague in the back in order to look good in front of their bishop.
By the way, I had to alter the original words of the Telegraph article because it was full of childish remarks about "boyfriends" and the like. I don't know if the author, Richard Savill is gay or not. But he certainly bitches like an Anglo-Catholic luvvie who has just had his faculty request for another statue of Our Lady turned down by the diocese.
Now, if Colin and Bobby would make
their way to the dance floor......
PLEASE DON'T UPSET THE BISHOPS!
From THE NEW VISION (Uganda):
A row has erupted among leaders of a city Anglican church over a conference that has been called off allegedly for being a “hoax”.
Tempers were high on Thursday at the Bugolobi-based Resurrection Church of Uganda after The Rev. Davis Kiconco, who is the church’s vicar, announced that the church’s upcoming youth conference was a prank.
The gathering had been scheduled for next week, the same dates for the all African Anglican Bishops Conference due to kick off on Monday at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel Entebbe.
“This is to inform the general public that the Resurrection Church Bugolobi is not in any way involved in the organisation and/or holding of any conference,” the Vicar said in a public notice published in The New Vision on Thursday.
But the advert sparked off accusations and counter accusations. “It is intended to portray us as fraudsters,” one of the church leaders organising the conference said.
“The conference has taken us months to organise. How can you call it off?” wondered a member on the organising committee.
There were rumours that some gay rights activists from abroad would infiltrate the conference and antagonize the bishops’ meeting.
COMMENT:
I think The Rev. Davis Kiconco may have been lent on.
A row has erupted among leaders of a city Anglican church over a conference that has been called off allegedly for being a “hoax”.
Tempers were high on Thursday at the Bugolobi-based Resurrection Church of Uganda after The Rev. Davis Kiconco, who is the church’s vicar, announced that the church’s upcoming youth conference was a prank.
The gathering had been scheduled for next week, the same dates for the all African Anglican Bishops Conference due to kick off on Monday at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel Entebbe.
“This is to inform the general public that the Resurrection Church Bugolobi is not in any way involved in the organisation and/or holding of any conference,” the Vicar said in a public notice published in The New Vision on Thursday.
But the advert sparked off accusations and counter accusations. “It is intended to portray us as fraudsters,” one of the church leaders organising the conference said.
“The conference has taken us months to organise. How can you call it off?” wondered a member on the organising committee.
There were rumours that some gay rights activists from abroad would infiltrate the conference and antagonize the bishops’ meeting.
COMMENT:
I think The Rev. Davis Kiconco may have been lent on.
ACNA VENT THEIR HATRED ON CHILD
From DFW:
St. Vincent's "Episcopal" School in Bedford has denied entrance to a child because her parents are married lesbians. Jill and Tracy Harrison attended the school's parent night on Tuesday, and now, just a few days before school starts Monday, the school is denying their daughter Olivia enrollment into the school.
"I am horribly disappointed. In fact, we are in the 21st century and we are still dealing with this issue. We should just move on. Denying my daughter education based on who I end up sleeping with at the end of the day makes me furious," said Jill.
"It's hard to believe that a place that's supposed to take in and teach children about God and the basics of religion would actually discriminate against her because of who we are," said Tracy.
Though the school's handbook and website say that the school is non-discriminatory as to race, color, religion and national or ethnic origin, it doesn't stipulate that they won't discriminate based on the sexual orientation of a child's parents.
"We are a church affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America, and it is their policy that we don't provide services to individuals or families that do not behave properly. We're going off our canons that say 'The Anglican Church in North America affirms our Lord's teaching that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is in its nature a union permanent and lifelong of one man and one woman," said Kenneth Monk, head of the school.
COMMENT: "Behave properly?" So, is it an automatic expulsion if a child puts his or her elbows on the table at lunch?
THE DALLAS VOICE sums up the haters pretty well:
St. Vincent’s Episcopal School in Bedford says it would deny admission to the child of an unmarrried heterosexual couple, in the same way that it denied admission to the daughter of two lesbians. But we’re not buying it. Did they require straight couples to bring marriage licenses to parents night on Tuesday, where they discovered that both Jill and Tracy Harrison are women? What if the parents are in a heterosexual marriage but the father is a closeted homosexual? They’d probably be totally supportive of that.
Again, despite the name, this school isn’t Episcopal. It’s part of an Anglican group that left the Episcopal Church over the denomination’s acceptance of gays and lesbians. In light of that, this act of bigotry isn’t the least bit surprising.
UPDATE 12.45 A.M. SUNDAY, ENGLISH TIME:
St. Vincent's "Episcopal" School in Bedford has denied entrance to a child because her parents are married lesbians. Jill and Tracy Harrison attended the school's parent night on Tuesday, and now, just a few days before school starts Monday, the school is denying their daughter Olivia enrollment into the school.
"I am horribly disappointed. In fact, we are in the 21st century and we are still dealing with this issue. We should just move on. Denying my daughter education based on who I end up sleeping with at the end of the day makes me furious," said Jill."It's hard to believe that a place that's supposed to take in and teach children about God and the basics of religion would actually discriminate against her because of who we are," said Tracy.
Though the school's handbook and website say that the school is non-discriminatory as to race, color, religion and national or ethnic origin, it doesn't stipulate that they won't discriminate based on the sexual orientation of a child's parents.
"We are a church affiliated with the Anglican Church in North America, and it is their policy that we don't provide services to individuals or families that do not behave properly. We're going off our canons that say 'The Anglican Church in North America affirms our Lord's teaching that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is in its nature a union permanent and lifelong of one man and one woman," said Kenneth Monk, head of the school.
COMMENT: "Behave properly?" So, is it an automatic expulsion if a child puts his or her elbows on the table at lunch?
THE DALLAS VOICE sums up the haters pretty well:
St. Vincent’s Episcopal School in Bedford says it would deny admission to the child of an unmarrried heterosexual couple, in the same way that it denied admission to the daughter of two lesbians. But we’re not buying it. Did they require straight couples to bring marriage licenses to parents night on Tuesday, where they discovered that both Jill and Tracy Harrison are women? What if the parents are in a heterosexual marriage but the father is a closeted homosexual? They’d probably be totally supportive of that.
Again, despite the name, this school isn’t Episcopal. It’s part of an Anglican group that left the Episcopal Church over the denomination’s acceptance of gays and lesbians. In light of that, this act of bigotry isn’t the least bit surprising.
UPDATE 12.45 A.M. SUNDAY, ENGLISH TIME:
EPISCOPAL SEMINARY OFFERS DOG
A PLACE ON THEOLOGY COURSE
A Calhoun County man is going to seminary, and he's taking his dog along.
In fact, the dog was accepted before he was, said Aaron Hudson, 29.
"Clara is a certified professional therapy dog," Hudson said. "Clara has a very special presence. When she's in an environment, it really changes the character of that environment. Clara helps to create a relaxed environment. She's a conversation starter."
The two will start classes at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, on Thursday. They were honored Sunday at a send-off at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Fort Dodge, where Hudson did lay ministry.
"Aaron is a very gifted person who already has great skills in ministry," said the Rev. Richard Graves, rector at St. Mark's. "Those skills will only be bolstered by the rigorous theological education he will get over the next three years. The X-factor is Clara. Clara, this wonderful, beautiful golden retriever, who in some ways has a ministry of her own. Together they make an unbeatable combination."
Full story at THE MESSENGER.
In fact, the dog was accepted before he was, said Aaron Hudson, 29.
The two will start classes at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, on Thursday. They were honored Sunday at a send-off at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Fort Dodge, where Hudson did lay ministry.
"Aaron is a very gifted person who already has great skills in ministry," said the Rev. Richard Graves, rector at St. Mark's. "Those skills will only be bolstered by the rigorous theological education he will get over the next three years. The X-factor is Clara. Clara, this wonderful, beautiful golden retriever, who in some ways has a ministry of her own. Together they make an unbeatable combination."
Full story at THE MESSENGER.
Friday, 20 August 2010
EVIL PENETRATORS TO FUND OROMBI'S SHINDIG
From THE DAILY MONITOR:
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Henry Luke Orombi, yesterday said the Anglican Church today faces many challenges which have made it dysfunctional and it had lost it's credibility.
“What I can tell you is that the Anglican Church is very broken. It has been torn at its deepest level, and it is a very dysfunctional family of the provincial churches. It is very sad for me to see how far down the church has gone, ” Bishop Orombi said at the opening of a three-day provincial Assembly in Mukono.
He proposed that the Church of Uganda engages church structures at a very minimal level until godly faith and order have been restored. “I can assure you that we have tried as a church to participate in the processes, but they are dominated by western elites, whose main interest is advancing a vision of Anglicanism that we do not know or recognise. We are a voice crying in the wilderness,” he said.
Yes. But...
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Henry Luke Orombi, yesterday said the Anglican Church today faces many challenges which have made it dysfunctional and it had lost it's credibility.
“What I can tell you is that the Anglican Church is very broken. It has been torn at its deepest level, and it is a very dysfunctional family of the provincial churches. It is very sad for me to see how far down the church has gone, ” Bishop Orombi said at the opening of a three-day provincial Assembly in Mukono.
He proposed that the Church of Uganda engages church structures at a very minimal level until godly faith and order have been restored. “I can assure you that we have tried as a church to participate in the processes, but they are dominated by western elites, whose main interest is advancing a vision of Anglicanism that we do not know or recognise. We are a voice crying in the wilderness,” he said.
Yes. But...
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