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Bishops Wait to Decide from Font to Alt.Ar Please slide to the end of the pew ... advertisers have to read . this! PARISH ADMINISTRATION ISSUE January 2, 2005 The January 2005 Parish Administration Issue will be filled with interesting articles, enticing commentary, and special features related to the practical side of church work. Specific articles will address church growth, expansion considerations,gaining landmark status and church architecture. MAKE YOUR SPACE □ Advertise in one of the most read issues of 20051 RESERVATIONS EARLY! □ Take advantage of a bonus circulation of nearly 10,000 AD RESERVATIONS DUE: copies ... that's more than 20,000+ people you reach! Friday, December 3, 2004 □ If your organization is holding a special event, meeting or conference in 2005, this is the best way ARTWORK DUE: to let TLC readers know in advance. Tuesday, December 7, 2004 □ Reach active members of the Episcopal Church If you would like a media kit, information on our 2005 (even those who don't subscribe)! rates, or have any other questions, call (414) 276-5420 □ Influence those around you who make major ext. 16, or e-mail [email protected]. purchasing decisions (clergy, vestry, parish Wishing you a blessed and prosperous new year, administrators & other leading Episcopalians). Tom Parker Advertising Manager □ Target your product or service with NO waste. THE [IVING CHURCH □ Take advantage of the high pass-along rate. The objective of THELIVING CHURCH magazine is to build up the body of Christ, by describing how God is moving in his Church; by reporting news of the Church in an unbiased manner; and by presenting diverse points of view. THIS WEEK 10 15 Features Opinion 10 No Longer Welcome? 13 Editor's Column The Diocese of Chicago has many The Commission Explained examples that demonstrate a 14 Editorials growing sense of alienation in the Waiting for the Report Church since General Convention. 15 Reader's Viewpoint BY DOUGLASLEBLANC The Fullness of the Gospel BYDAVID M. BAUMANN News 16 Letters 7 Bishops Wait to Decide From Font to Alt.ar 8-9 Cleaning up in Pittsburgh OtherDepartments and Central Gulf Coast 4 Sunday's Readings 5 Books 9 Delegation Will Push for Israel Divestment 6 Short & Sharp 18 People & Places On theCover Doves are releasedas parishionersand community leadersjoin the Rev. Canon Denis O'Pray (left),rector of the Church of Our Saviour,San Gabriel, Calif., at a Sept. 19 blessing ceremonyfor Our SaviourCenter's Kids' Campus youth facility. Sponsoredby the parish,the new facility in nearby El Monte will serve children of homelessand working poor families. Rex Botengan photo OCTOBER 17, 2004 · THE LIVIN G CHURCH 3 80-tid Oci-l CHOIR SUNDAY'SREADINGS CHAIR Wrestlingwith God and with Faith '... and a man wrestled with him' (Gen. 3:24). The 20th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24C), Oct. 17, 2004 Gen. 32:3-8,22-30; Psalm 121; 2 Tim. 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8a Most of us in the American Episco­ everywhere to "accumulate for them­ pal tradition are uncomfortable with selves teachers to suit their own the notion, so common around us, that desires" - those who misuse the having faith is a passive activity. We word to pander to the prejudices of can respect and honor those many their hearers. Those who use non-con­ Christians for whom faith is simply a textual "proof texts" to demonstrate given, but it isn't that easy for us. We the legitimacy of either the political might be envious of those who profess left or the political right might fall into to know with certainty both the nature this category. It's only through our and the will of God, yet we're honest continuous wrestling with what the enough to admit that only the worst Spirit is now saying through the scrip­ with FIBRE RUSH SEAT kind of arrogance can presume to tures that our own souls can achieve Since 1877 know either in its fullness. At least some measure of peace. R.Geissle~ Inc. we're in good company, though, as The woman in our Lord's parable in today's readings amply demonstrate. today's gospel wrestles with the mean­ P.O. Box 432 In the reading from Genesis, Jacob ing and efficacy of prayer, as many of Old Greenwich, CT 06870 literally wrestles with God, probing us do today. Confronted with the Phone: (203) 637-5115 the Lord's being and power with such apparent failure of her efforts at inter­ fervor that he's "put out of joint." We, ceding, she's tempted to cut her losses too, find ourselves continually and to quit altogether. Encouraged in wrestling with who God is and with perseverance, however, she's eventu­ what he can do. We find that it's only ally taught the true effect of prayer: It through that process that we, like the changes her, and not God. When we patriarch, can "prevail" through more pray with persistence, we inevitably perfect knowledge of the Lord, and so discover the very same thing. can humbly ask his blessing upon us. Our personal and corporate faith, as The author of 2 Timothy makes it Episcopalians, isn't one that is simply clear that "[a]ll scripture is inspired by a "given." We're simply too smart for TRAINING + ENCOURAGING God," and probably no Christian of that. Yet we can take comfort in know­ NURTURING SUPPORTING + any stripe would take serious issue ing that faith which is gained at a cost ► CALL 800.699.2669 (US) with this. Yet the writer also knows of - through "wrestling" - is faith 316.686.0470 a tendency among faithful people which can carry us unto death. ► E-MAIL [email protected] ► WEBSITE http:/ /tens.org LookIt Up In what way does an apostle change his mind, through wrestling with the word with other Christians, about his previous understanding of the Lord's teaching AN EPISCOPAL SEMINARY 2777 MISSION ROAD nature? (Acts 10:34). NASHOTAH, WI 53058-9793 Mostbooks seen in TheLiving Church are available. Askabout clergy and church discounts . ThinkAbout It (262) 646-6529 What issues facing the Church today call us to wrestle with the nature of God and with the meaning of the scriptures? What insights does this wrestling bring SHRINE OF OUR LADY to us in our contemporary Anglican disagreements? OF CLEMENCY Continuous Novena daily at 5.45pm Send your prayer requests to Canon Gordon Reid S.Clement's Church NextSunday 2013 Appletree St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 The 21st Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25C), Oct. 24, 2004 www.s-clernents.org Jer. 14:(1-6)7-10,19-22; Psalm 84 or 84:1-6; 2 Tim. 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14 4 THE LIVING CHURCH · OCTOBER 17. 2004 JesusCircles of the new Empire of God." These sec­ tice is not itself the practice. By Peter R. Lawson. Xlibris (www.xlibris.com). tions of the book are inspirational pic­ In simple, unadorned prose, Strand Pp. 154. $17.84. ISBN 1-4134-4084-3. tures of what it means to be a follower lays out the practice of meditation, Jesus Cirdes offers a radical way to of Jesus. anticipates some of the shoals upon look at the life of Jesus and its applica­ (The Rev.) Robert Warren Cromey which a neophyte might founder, and tion to the broken world in which we San Francisco, Calif discusses creating a "present moment" live. The circles refer to a specific group to meditate together. Through­ method of getting people into deep dia­ out, he interweaves autobiographical logue and reaching consensus in non­ MeditationWithout Gurus stories from the monastery, his family, violent and caring decision making. A Guideto the Heartof Practice and his first teacher, Deh Chun. Period­ Peter Lawson, a retired Episcopal By Clark Strand. Skylight Paths. Pp. 167. ically he encourages the reader to set priest, is deeply influenced by the Jesus $16.95 paper. ISBN 1-893361-93-4. down the book and take up an exercise Seminar scholars John Dominic Burn this book! to begin to meditate, to attend to one's Crossan and Marcus Borg. He traces Beginning with this entirely sensible breath, and be present to the moment. the culture of Jesus' time as different advice, Clark Strand, onetime Buddhist Perhaps more than anything, Strand is from ours in many ways, yet shows the monk, sets out to instruct read­ wonderfully, unapologetically results of domination and violence are ers in the ways of meditation. He human as he introduces this essentially the same. takes pains to focus on the deceptively simple practice. Fr. Lawson focuses on Jesus the sage essence of the practice, clearing Some supplement might proclaiming the kingdom of God. Jesus away externals such as clothing, prove useful to fill out the prac­ teased the elites and people in power, religious commitment, scrupu­ tice of Christian meditation, but he broke the tyranny of the rigid family lous regimentation, and espe­ for anyone wanting a straightfor­ structures of his time, named the poor cially "experts" (or gurus) ward, no-nonsense introduction and lowly as those most blessed by -hence he urges that his read­ to the practice of meditation, God, ate with those regarded as sick ers clutch a book of matches in one this is it. Just keep your matches handy. and impure, encouraged the lower hand while reading his book, for he is (The Rev.) Jason A. Fout classes to be "non-violent provocateurs not an expert, and a book about a prac- St. Joseph, Mich. Who's on your gift list? 70 Christmasgifts you will enjoygiving to lovedort~ · and eachgift providesan opportunityto savea life... When you order from the 2004-2005 GIFTS FOR LIFE Holiday Catalog, you can a gift to the "person who has everything" and, at the same time, give to childr~and ij~~ryour families in our world who have very little.
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