Monday, July 30, 2012

No rest and no energy makes Kathleen a grumpy face...

The last week has been crazy!

I got to see my precious nieces and nephew on Tuesday when I went with my mother to drop my nephew off (he spent a few days at my mom's). They are precious little ones. However, that was my last day off. 

The downside to working retail is that sometimes I have a really crummy schedule. I didn't realize that I would be working seven days in a row--our schedules came out Friday, after I had gone to the late showing of Batman with my boyfriend. We had been putting it off and rescheduling and we both really wanted to see it so we elected to go to a late showing, which meant I didn't get home until very very late. I have been paying for that one!! 

When I don't rest, when I don't take care of myself, I get really grumpy. Okay so maybe "really grumpy" is an understatement. Things that I can normally deal with in a positive manner are suddenly the most irritating things under the sun. I'm short with people. I'm not kind. And I expect other people to take care of me, (I'm the youngest child so I'm guessing that's where it comes from) and when I'm not being taken care of I blame other people. I take it out on others. That's not very fair now is it?

Self-care is part of self-love. How can I love my neighbor as myself if I don't love myself? Take care of myself? Jesus often retreated by himself to pray, and I can only interpret that as Our Lord needing some time to himself to rest. Being the Son of God seems like a pretty exhausting job. Counter Manager at a department store might also involve a lot of time on my feet and dealing with the public but I'm not healing the sick and preparing myself for betrayal and sacrifice. (I hope...) Either way, it is important to find time to take care of myself so that I can be who I am called to be. 

Tuesday and Wednesday are my days off this week, so I am hoping for time to rest and get some things done around the house. I have been putting off so much due to lack of time and energy, so I am looking forward to having some time to devote to those things. I have a very exciting project I'm working on with some friends but I haven't been able to devote any time to it. Deep breath. One more day on the clock and then I'm out!

Grace & Peace
Kathleen

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Reflection: Romans 7:15; or, What I Really Want To Do...

So anytime there is major upheaval in life means that you have the chance to totally change your daily routine. Sometimes this is a good thing--you can stop some bad habits and start some good ones. Sometimes it is a bad thing--changes in the amount of time you spend doing things you like decreases and you have to spend more time doing things you don't like.

Thankfully for me the recent move to Murfreesboro has meant a lot of positive changes to my routine. In fact, I'm still in that new phase of trying to figure out what I want this routine to look like. There are some things that Must Be--like I Must Leave The House At Least 20 Minutes Before Work. (Which honestly is a lot better than the Hour And 20 Minutes it used to be...) But there are other things like leisure time that I get to have a say in. If my cat had his way, I would do nothing but sit on the sofa and pet him until it was time to move the cuddlefest to my bed for the night. But Jasper does not always get his way, much to his discomfort.

How do I want to spend my mornings? How am I actually spending my mornings? What do I do when I clock out at work?

Well, I --want-- to spend my mornings on an hour long morning run/workout of some kind, then come home and either get ready for work or do some housework. (Let's face it, Housework is one of those Things That Must Be) I want to spend at least 20 minutes with a cup of coffee and the Pray As You Go Podcast (or some other devotional podcast/reading/meditation time). And eat something besides dry cereal in the car on the way to work. (BACON. mostly Bacon.)

What I actually do is sleep until 7:30 or 8, have a cup of coffee and fiddle around on the computer (and, yes, pet Jasper) until I realize it's 8:45 and I am going to have to rush to get ready for work. (this sleeping late thing works out better when I work a closing shift and don't have to be there til noon...)

When I clock out at work I usually come home, talk to the cat while I change out of my work clothes, eat something, mess around on the computer, and then oh jeez suddenly it's 10 or 11 and if I want to get up early and spend my morning the way I want to then I should have been in bed two hours ago.

Paul says it best: "I do not understand what I do. I want to do what is right but I don't do it, instead I do what I hate to do." (Romans 7:15)

Sigh. I don't really understand it either, Paul. I know how I want to live my life but we all know that knowing and doing are two very different things. Each day is a new day. That's what I keep telling myself.. no sense in beating myself up about it. Each day I get a new chance to do things the right way. Each moment, really. But it's kind of easier to start when everything else is getting started up in the morning...

It's 8:30 so I'm going to go get my laundry started... and get my running shoes out of whatever box they're still sitting in... and maybe Jasper will be okay with some head scratches after I do those dishes...

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Thursday, July 19, 2012

go on, brush your sandals off

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)
Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
Daughter Zion, now a captive.
(Isaiah 52:2)

Jesus gives some pretty strict instructions on how the disciples are to live when they are sent out to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven: they are to travel light and accept the hospitality of those who will receive them. I don't know about you but I have a hard time traveling light--you should have seen how much stuff I brought back with me from Hong Kong! 

But not only are they not to carry too much stuff, Jesus also tells them to shake the dust from their feet from towns that will not receive them. In short, in places where they face problems and failure, they are to shake off the dust and move on.

It seems that negative things stick more than positive ones. We dwell on failures and regrets, on things we could have done better or shouldn't have done at all. Problems and failures are inevitable parts of our lives. If we dwell on them too much we are robbed of our joy and happiness in life, we cannot focus on our mission of healing and reconciliation; of proclaiming the Good News. If we do not shake it off, this dust piles up and weighs us down. We are captive, held down by our worries and failures, and we cannot rise up. 

Most of the time this is easier said than done. Things that happened years ago still sometimes worm their way into my mind, and I feel sad and guilty and ashamed. As I fall asleep at night, an interaction from the day will come to mind and I will feel sad that I misspoke or didn't speak up when I should have. I let someone down. I missed an opportunity to share God's loving grace with someone. But what can I do about it at 10:30 (okay, 9:30...) at night? Nothing. All I can do is cast my anxieties on the Lord and resolve to begin the next day anew. ("Cast your anxiety on him because he cares for you." -1 Peter 5:7)

May we all find the strength and courage to shake the dust off and move on from our failures so that we may walk the path of peace.

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name.
Amen. (BCP p.352)

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Settling In

Phew! It's been quite a busy few days!

I am now moved into my very own apartment in Murfreesboro! I'm just a few blocks from everything, it seems.

I have witnessed a lot of God's loving kindness and grace the last few days through several people. I'm constantly floored by it.

My mother has always been a primary source of God's love. She has loved me when I least deserved it, because that's when I needed it the most. She has loaned me her car, her gas card, her time, her energy. She's brought boxes of stuff up. She's fed me and given me things I didn't even know I needed. So thankful am I to have a mother like her!!

My Aunt, her sister, has shown me great love as well. She's 74 years old but you wouldn't think it by the way she gets around and gets after people. She's been taking care of family members her whole life. My things have been in storage up in Nashville while I was in Hong Kong, so with the help of my boyfriend Lee (who helped even though he wasn't feeling well! <3) we got the things out of storage and down to my apartment. She also bought me a new mattress!! And she cleaned my apartment while I was at work. I am so thankful to have an aunt like her! Also thankful for Lee who helped out too, and got my stuff unloaded in Murfreesboro.

Monday night I went to retrieve my cat Jasper from my friend Rita's house. When I left for Hong Kong I was distraught that I might have to give him away if I couldn't find someone to keep him for me. This cat has been a wonderful companion during some rough times, so I definitely wanted him back when I returned. Rita offered to keep him for me and has taken such good care of him. I missed him while I was gone but I knew he was in good hands. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to her and her daughter for looking after him. He's just as playful and funny as he ever was and he snuggled up with me on my first night in the new place.

When I told my friend Liz that I needed a couch she said "Ooh let's look on craigslist!" and a few hours later she tells me she's found a great deal. She not only bought them for me, but she got her husband's truck, picked them up, and brought them to my house to unload! "Happy Birthday/Housewarming!" so now Jasper has someplace to lay around while I'm at work, and I have seating for when people come visit me. I'm so grateful for friends like Liz and the amazing love of God that shines through people like her.

Unloading the couch and loveseat meant I missed out on my friend Regina's graduation from Paul Mitchell, but she was gracious about it. I owe her a big celebration!! I'm so proud of her for this accomplishment and I know she will be great. (XOXO!) Thankful to God for new beginnings for my dear friend, and for her gracious friendship.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Saturday, July 14, 2012

What Ails This Episcopalian

So, this article was published.

Scott Gunn and Bishop Kirk Smith have already responded to it with some facts, thank goodness.

I did a little digging on the author, though. Know thy enemy and all that. Turns out that Jay Akasie is a very Pro-Anglican (as in Traditional Faith & Values, ACNA) "Episcopalian" and this is not the first time Akasie has made slanderous and inaccurate comments about TEC.

My first response to this article is outrage. Indignant outrage. Sure, people can (and do) criticize the Episcopal Church. We can take it. But when criticism goes into false representation and slander (or I guess it would be libel since it was printed), it gets my dander up.

My second response is love. Not only should we know our enemies, but we also should love them. Clearly this person was wounded in the past by what he (or she?) saw as a beloved church breaking away from traditional faith and spirituality. Many Pro-Anglicans feel that way. I knew a man several years ago who was deeply torn by what was happening and ultimately chose to go with those who broke away. He went with his conscience and I can't fault him for that. He must go where he is spiritually nourished.

Sadly it seems that Akasie has turned this hurt into angry diatribes against TEC. It ails this Episcopalian that there is so much hurt and anger between us. After all, the mission of the Church is to bring reconciliation and healing to the world. Hopefully, God willing, someday we can reconcile with one another. For as long as this tear remains between us the Kingdom of Heaven is far away.

Jay Akasie, I pray that you find healing, hope, and love in your life. Whether it's with TEC or ACNA, I pray you are spiritually nourished and that you know you are well loved by God. And maybe, someday, you will look at that Episcopal Church Welcomes You sign and know, in your heart, that you truly are.

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Be It Resolved: Same Sex Blessings and Restructuring Task Force

Two resolutions have created quite a buzz at GC77:

1. A resolution approving the liturgy for the blessing of same sex unions
2. A resolution creating a task force to explore restructuring the church


The approval of the liturgy for same-sex blessings is a HUGE deal, but it is still only provisional. Bishops still have the right to say "Not In My Diocese!" and the issue will be revisited at the next GC in Salt Lake City. (Boy that will be interesting..) I sat in on the House of Bishops when it came up for debate, and was a little surprised to see my Bishop get up as the first to speak in opposition. He spoke eloquently and intelligently, and it was very plain that he opposes it for well thought out theological reasons. (Not squicky reasons...) My priest pointed out to me that our bishop has a PhD and did his dissertation on Human Sexuality, so he has much to offer in the way of intelligent debate. However, the resolution did pass in both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, so it will be available for use starting in advent.

The restructuring of the church has been bouncing around for a while and there were something like 90 resolutions initially proposed. Well, the committee finally agreed on one and it was unanimously approved by the House of Deputies. (Doesn't look like the House of Bishops is going to reject it.) For a more in-depth look I recommend checking out this blog. What excited me about this resolution is the intentional inclusion of people under 35--those who will inherit whatever restructured church they come up with. I am full of hope for the future of this amazing church which I am a member of!

YAF @ GC: Day 5

The last day of the Young Adult Festival at the 77th General Convention was full of hugs and goodbyes.

Phone numbers were exchanged, friend requests made, and by the time I rolled out around noon I felt both exhausted and invigorated.

In the morning I also got to sit down for a nice chat with one of my favorite Episcobloggers, the Crusty Old Dean, a big thrill for me!

On the way back I again stopped at my brother's to pick up some wine and peaches I had picked (which turned into quite an excursion since my sister in law was stranded at the car dealership where her car was being worked on...) and I made it to Nashville by about 6 o'clock. Not bad time! I am glad to be off the road though--driving for long periods of time makes me turn into an old woman. My hip gets all stiff and I can't stand up straight for a few minutes.

Today I begin moving into my new apartment in Murfreesboro (if I can get my dad's truck...) and I am SO EXCITED to not be driving soooo much and to have more of a presence. I haven't been to my home parish very much since I came back due to me being sort of homeless...

Also, I really want to get some kind of young adult thing going at the Diocesan level. Another girl from my diocese, Rachel, was also at the YAF and we are kicking around some ideas. It would be so amazing to get at least ONE thing going for young adults in the Diocese of Tennessee!!

More to come on some of the resolutions that passed since I left. It's a great time to be Episcopalian!

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Sunday, July 8, 2012

YAF @ GC: Day 4

Happy Birthday to ME!

I am so excited to be spending my birthday among such an incredible group of people. This is definitely one of the most memorable birthdays I have had!

Today was kind of a slow day at the convention, a time when we could catch our breath and gear up for the next few days. There were some sessions this afternoon but I elected to stay at the hotel and hang out in the Young Adult Festival lounge with a few others.

It was great fellowship time being creative and crafty (they have arts and crafts stuff!) and just talking about mutual interests. I am admittedly a bit of a nerd---we talked about Stargate, The Wheel of Time series, Game of Thrones, Dungeons & Dragons (I used to play back in the day), among other things. We had a blast together!

Around 4pm we decided to go down to one of the restaurants in the hotel because they wanted to have celebratory birthday beverages with me. (Thanks Zeke!) We were talking, laughing, being generally church-nerdy when our waiter came over and said they had gotten a complaint about people talking about religion and asked us to keep it down (or not talk about it, I can't remember exactly, but it was along those lines)... we were initially kind of shocked, and the woman sitting at the bar who had I guess made the comment was like "Uh that's not what I said..." and it was just generally awkward and weird all around. Nobody really knew what to do but there it was, hanging out there, those words. That feeling of public awkwardness when something happens and you're not sure what to do with it. Someone offends you or says/does something that takes you aback.

Sound familiar?

After the initial shock we just sort of went back to our conversation but quieter. It was still there though, weird and uncomfortable, like a giant elephant had just squeezed into our booth. So I decided to do something to bring reconciliation to the situation.

I took my card up to the bar and got the waiter over and asked him to put the lady's lunch on my card. He was kind of shocked like, really? are you sure? why? and I was like, yes, really, I don't know, I want to do it. He apologized for what had happened, that she had just made a comment like, if they keep talking about religion I'm not going to stick around. A bit innocuous, maybe it was just an offhand comment, maybe he agreed with her and didn't want to listen to us yakking about church rites and theology. Either way, I put my card down and went to the bathroom. I signed for it when I came back, and I left the waiter a good tip because I knew he felt really bad about the whole situation too. What he said hadn't quite come out right and maybe he just wasn't totally thinking about the situation before he came over and said something. Who knows what's going on in his life anyway, but I wanted him to know that it was okay.

I'm pretty sure the waiter told her what happened when she asked for her check because I saw her glance over at our table with a surprised look on her face before she left. I wish this woman well, and I hope that she can reconcile whatever feelings she may have about the church that made her make the comment in the first place. I know that religion is a tough topic for a lot of people; I am extremely fortunate in that I have had overwhelmingly positive experiences with the church. But I know I am lucky and I wish more people were.

A little while after she left we all went our separate ways. I went to meet up with a few people for a birthday dinner at Bucca di Beppo, an Italian place near the hotel. It was so yummy! I left with a full heart and a full stomach.

There seems to be some kind of bug going around the Convention, and one of our attendees had to go to the hospital earlier today. She is doing better now but I went with another girl from the Diocese of TN, Rachel, to pick her and P'tricia (member of our amazing design team) up from the hospital. We made it back in time to attend Compline though, which was good since I was slated to be a reader!

Compline has been a truly beautiful and peaceful time here at the convention. Our musicians from the Church of the Apostles in Seattle are A-MAZING. They have a beautiful blend of traditional music with modern twists. I love it. You should all rush over to their website and buy their stuff because it's amazing. And you know if I am going on about their music then it's gotta be great since rarely do I get super excited about buying music. They even sang me happy birthday!!

All in all, a fantastic day. I'm excited for another great day here in General Convention tomorrow but I'm sad that soon I will have to leave. But, I do not leave empty handed!! I have so many awesome new relationships with incredible people, I have met several of my Episcopal Heroes, not to mention all the swag from the exhibit hall!

Most of all though, I leave with a renewed spirit and energy of service to God and to this amazing, messy, wonderful, crazy Church.

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Anglican Covenant: where do we go from here?

ENS article here...

Since the Windsor Report came out in 2004 Anglicans around the world have been debating an Anglican Covenant. The final text of the Covenant was released in 2009 after many incarnations and that is the text Anglicans (and Episcopalians) are considering in their various governing institutions.

"The Lambeth Commission on Communion was established in October 2003 by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the request of the Anglican Primates, in response to developments in North America with respect to same-sex relationships. The mandate requested consideration of ways in which communion and understanding could be enhanced where serious differences threatened the life of a diverse worldwide Church. In short, how does the Anglican Communion address relationships between its component parts in a true spirit of communion? ... It should be mentioned that, while the issue of human sexuality brought tensions within the Communion into particular focus in 2003, other controversial issues have affected our common life in recent years. The Covenant is intended to express clearly the Communion’s Christian life, and the process which must be undertaken when disputes arise. " (from here)

Many dioceses in the Anglican Communion have already voted on whether or not to adopt the Covenant. The Church of England earlier this year voted not to adopt it and with Archbishop Williams stepping down later this year supporters will lose their loudest voice. At last count, only seven provinces have voted to adopt it and the rest either haven't voted yet or voted no.

But Bishop Bauerschmidt of the Diocese of Tennessee remains among the supporters of affirming the covenant and his proposed resolution, B006, includes this explanation:

"This resolution builds upon The Episcopal Church’s pivotal role in bringing the Anglican Communion into  being through its own formation as a Church and its ongoing role in the development of the Lambeth Conference and other Communion structures, several of which are the fruit of the call for “mutual responsibility and interdependence” at the 1963 Anglican Congress in Toronto. This resolution affirms the Covenant as a whole and commits The Episcopal Church to it, recognizing that the commitment to seeking a
shared mind with other Churches requires some process by which that common mind may be discovered, hence that the procedures outlined in Section Four of the Covenant, “Our Covenanted Life Together,” are in
keeping with and implied by the affirmations of the first three sections. Finally, the resolution charts a course
for the adoption of the Covenant according to The Episcopal Church’s own constitutional and canonical
procedures, as called for by the Covenant."

The big question I think we are facing as a worldwide Communion is how do we keep pace with a society that changes so rapidly while remaining true to the diversity in peoples, cultures, and generations and the traditions we all hold dear? Change in a big institution like the Episcopal Church or the larger Anglican Communion is not going to happen overnight. It's going to take decades. (it hasn't even been one decade since the final draft of the Covenant was proposed!) But how do we deal with issues that we face in the meantime?

Clearly we are looking for some way to affirm our commitment to being in communion with one another. So what is this going to look like? It's looking more and more like the Anglican Covenant is not going to be the answer, at least not in its current text, so where do we go from here?

I do like the Continuing Indaba process, which comes up in proposed resolution D008. Building up our relationships will strengthen our commitments to one another, and the more we interact and make things personal the more passionately we will pursue Communion.

Wherever we go from here, whether it is into some incarnation of a Covenant or another process as-yet-determined, I hope and pray that the amazing Anglican Communion that I am a part of and came to know more intimately through my time in Hong Kong will grow in love and service to one another and the world.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

And whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Colossians 3:12-17)

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Saturday, July 7, 2012

YAF @ GC: Day 3

Wow!! What an incredible, star-studded day!

This morning I attended a panel about ministry with several prestigious Episcopalians speaking. Two people I am familiar with were there, Kim Robey from Anglican Women's Empowerment and Fr. Matthew Moretz of Father Matthew Presents. I was a little starry eyed at meeting such amazing people who do incredible work for the church. It is really inspirational to spend time and learn about their ministries and how they got involved.

After the panel Spencer and I headed to P.F. Chang's for lunch with the Asiamerica ministries and Global Partnership office, along with guests from all over the world. The Provincial Secretary from Hong Kong was there, Peter Koon, so it was nice to see him again. I met several other young adults who are involved with these ministries and we had a very pleasant lunch. Plus--YUM PF Chang's! :)

Since I didn't get to spend much time in the Exhibit hall yesterday I decided to head back and browse the bookstore and see some things I hadn't seen yesterday. I ended up with a stack of books that I am excited about and a few other things from booths around the hall.

At four o'clock I attended a workshop kinda thing about young adult ministry. We gathered together to talk about hurdles and successes and what we are hoping to see in the future in regard to young adult ministry. It was a great talk and I took a lot away from hearing the others' experiences.

Tonight was a BIG NIGHT though: The Young Adult Celebration. I felt like we should have had a red carpet with all of the awesome people who came by. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori spoke with us--so awesome to have her there with us. Some of my other heroes stopped by: Fr. Matthew, Fr. David Simmons, Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson (!!), Douglas Fenton, Kim Robey, and many other awesome people. Several groups got up to talk about young adult programs, namely the Episcopal Service Corps, the delegation to the UNCSW, and Spencer and I did a talk about YASC.

Another great day today here at the 77th General Convention. Tomorrow is my 27th birthday and I gotta say this is definitely one of the most memorable birthdays I have ever had. I am so lucky in this life I am living!! Thanks to everyone who makes it so amazing.

Grace and Peace,
Kathleen

'Open Table' Discussion

One of the hot button resolutions being considered at this convention is one regarding an 'open table'. (ENS article here).. some parishes and dioceses already practice this, inviting non-baptized persons to the communion rail to take part in holy communion.

It's a tricky issue. Initially, I was in favor of the very radical open table, of inviting any and all to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in the sacrament of holy eucharist. Who are we to deny anyone anything, really? Did Jesus not practice radical hospitality Himself, inviting tax collectors and such to break bread with him?

My favorite Crusty Old Dean blogged about this some time ago and it really made me pause and consider other implications that communion without baptism has. ETA: Another Episcopal Hero, Fr. David Simmons, also weighs in.

Several people testified at the hearing that they had felt welcomed into the Episcopal Church through an open table. While they are moving testimonies it does make me wonder what else those particular churches were doing to make people feel welcome. I feel like we are a church true to our signs: "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You." But, I don't think that offering Eucharist to everyone is necessarily the best way to be this welcoming, loving place. There are other ways to show the radical hospitality of Christ.

Eucharist is not the only thing we do as the body of Christ. As COD says, we are already welcoming and inclusive--we baptize anyone. Ask and you shall receive! I know of someone very recently who was moved by the Spirit and during a conversation with a priest asked if he could be baptized. In my head, baptisms take place during worship service, on Sunday or some other feast day, with the whole congregation there and babies cry and people smile and it's all warm and fuzzy. But this priest said, "Ok, let's go!" and he was taken over to the font and baptized. This seemed very radical to me, and welcoming.

It's true that Jesus practiced radical hospitality and we, as the Body of Christ, are also called to do so. But it is not the instances of breaking bread with tax collectors etc. that we re-live when we celebrate the Eucharist. We remember Jesus gathered with his disciples, the ones who had committed themselves to him, who took up his yoke. We remember the new covenant forged by his words, "Take, Eat."

This resolution also has ecumenical implications--what would it mean for our relations with our ecumenical partners if we adopt it? What about in the broader Anglican Communion? I've said it before that doing the right thing is not easy--the trouble is, people have differing opinions on what the "right thing" to do is. If we put our blinders on and say, "My way is the right way!" and don't stop to consider the broader implications of our actions we risk already tenuous relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lastly, a lot of buzz is going around about the Five Marks of Mission. The budget up for consideration even has the title of the Five Marks of Mission Budget. The five marks are:

To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To seek to transform unjust structures of society
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

Now, one could argue that "nurturing" new believers might mean offering them communion without baptism, but to me it seems like baptism is our way of reaching out to those who are seeking. It seems to me that people aren't comfortable with the idea of going out and baptizing. The idea of going out and giving communion as an act of evangelism just doesn't sit well with me. Looking at the early Church, they were going out and baptizing, not going around giving communion to people. Sure, people were welcomed into the community but the initiating act was baptism, not communion. As someone who just returned from a mission assignment I can identify with squirmy feelings of, "I'm not here to convert people and dunk heads." Baptism seems so much more evangelistic because it involves US putting out the effort to reach out. Offering people communion just feels so much less intrusive. All we have to do is say, "Okay, if you want to, you can come to our table..." and then we just wait for the masses to flood the rail. Baptism, on the other hand, involves more conversation. It involves helping someone to consider what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ, what it means to take on Christ's yoke. To quote from the COD, "...while something may be lawful, does it build up? Yeah, theoretically, we could change the canons and permit this. But will it really build up the church? Without broader commitment to formation, mission, and ministry, I don't see how it would. If we give someone communion and then never talk to them at coffee hour and don't empower them in their baptismal ministry, we will have accomplished nothing."

Regardless of how this resolution turns out, I hope we can stay civil, loving, and cognizant of our relationships with one another.

Grace and Peace,
Kathleen

Friday, July 6, 2012

YAF @ GC: Day 2

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath come now with praises before him!
Let the amen sound from his people again;
gladly for ever adore him.

This morning as I settled in to breakfast alongside a fellow young adult (whom I hadn't seen since 2008!) I noticed a guy walking in and settling down to read the paper and have a bite of oatmeal. When it registered who it was I kind of gasped and got a little tingley--it was none other than Tim Schenk of Lent Madness fame! He was so nice and took a picture with me and I told him how much I had really enjoyed Lent Madness from Hong Kong. It was such a thrill to meet him in person! 

After breakfast I walked over with the rest of the YAF crew to take part in the opening Eucharist for the day. It was such an incredible, heart warming experience to worship with so many other Episcopalians. I will admit to getting a little teary eyed during the opening hymn... It is really amazing to be a part of such an incredible Church and to worship God with an amazing group of people.

The worship ended and I set out to find my Bishop, John Bauerschmidt. I had an invitation to our Young Adult Celebration tomorrow night with his name on it and I was bound and determined to put it in his hands. I found the House of Bishops and basically hung out there until I saw him. I'm not really sure how we are supposed to address him or what the "proper" way is, but I was so startled when I actually saw him that I just shouted out "JOHN!" and he turned and I was all awkward and "Hey uh I'm uh not stalking you or anything haha but um... would you come to this thing??" Such a gracious man, Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt... He has dinner plans but might drop in later since it goes on until 10pm. I really hope he can make it because was so supportive of my YASC year! We chatted a little bit more and he bought me a coffee (Thanks Bishop!) and then I wandered off to the House of Deputies. 

I snapped a few photos before I noticed a friend of mine from Murfreesboro sitting in the visitors section. None other than Wes Arning! His dad is a deputy for our diocese so he tagged along to check things out. A nice surprise to get to hang out with him at GC!

When I was in high school I took part in Model UN and Youth Legislature so I was fairly familiar with what was going on, and I knew from experience that legislative sessions can get a little blah very quickly... I was never a fantastic deputy back then (it is extremely tedious work) so I was often on the Press Corps or there in some other capacity. It was good background work though, so I'm glad I had some experience to draw upon. It really helped in understanding the language people were using and how the flow works during a legislative session. 

Around 12:45 we left the session to locate the Taco Truck that had been arranged for our lunch. I ran into David Copley at the Marriott and we chatted for a few minutes. I hadn't seen him since returning to the States! I will hopefully see him tomorrow at the Global Partnerships lunch, which Spencer and I are both attending. The tacos were quite good and I passed the Lunch time with a friend from discernment weekend (Jonathan Potter) and Wes in the Exhibit Hall. After we ate we wandered around the hall checking out the various booths (I am by no means done looking around! so much to see) and I spent a good amount of time chatting with a few of the seminaries. (VTS was very engaging and even mentioned how they are talking with some seminaries in Hong Kong...) I met up with Mary Balfour who is at the Seminary of the Southwest booth and we had a good time catching up. 

It was during this adventure that I had my second Episcopal Hero sighting of the day. Tom Ferguson, the Crusty Old Dean, was at the Bexley Hall booth and I had the pleasure of chatting him up for a few minutes. All crustiness aside, he is fantastic and I enjoyed speaking with him. 

Later on I headed back to the Young Adult Festival Lounge where I hung out with fellow YA's and we talked about what we had been up to. So much is going on today!!

I had dinner with my good friend Lauren from the Diocese of Atlanta and a new friend, Isaac, from the Diocese of East TN. I'm always down for pizza :) and it was good to have a mini-debrief and fellowship before our YAF sessions later tonight. 

It was a delight to learn that Forward Movement would be coming over to visit and bringing ice cream before our de-briefing session and compline tonight. My third Episcopal Hero sighting was Scott Gunn, also of Lent Madness/Forward Movement. He and I chatted quite a bit about podcasts and other things and we all had a discussion about publications for young adults. I'm really excited and energized about their interest in us!

In de-briefing we learned about things that went on during legislative sessions and various committees throughout the day. Lots happened and there are better places to find that out than my blog (here, here, and here) so suffice it to say that things are going about how you would expect... ;)

Compline was beautiful and amazing and I am so digging our worship crew! The music is beautiful, a great blend of traditional and modern. I really enjoyed my chat with Lacey Brown today, our music leader type person.

Big Agenda Tomorrow!

800 Breakfast
930 Community Eucharist
1100 Ministry Panel (knocking another Hero off the list--Father Matthew Presents!)
1245 Lunch with Global Partnership Office 
200 Exhibit Hall again since I didn't see it all yesterday...
400 Young Adult Ministry forum kinda thing
500 The Bishop invited me to come to the Diocese of Tennessee hospitality room sometime so I might check it out then...
800 Celebrating Young Adult Ministries Reception! 

Phew! I better get to bed so I can be up and at 'em again tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Young Adult Festival @ General Convention: Day 1

I made it!!!

After two glorious days with my brother and his family I finally made it up to Indianapolis for the 77th General Convention!

After I unpacked a few things in my room I had a great reunion with fellow YASCer Spencer and we caught up for a bit before heading down to the Young Adult Festival reception at 5pm.

Had a greet meet and greet with fellow Young Adults from around the country. I caught up with a few friends from previous young adult experiences (mainly A Brand New Way in 2008). It is really exciting and empowering to be with such an incredible community of young adults committed to the church and being involved in the processes.

The Episcopal Service Corps seems to have quite a presence here. I really hope they get approved for the funding they are requesting because it sounds like an amazing program and very worthwhile. They have one of the best slogans I've seen: "Leading, Not Leaving". Right on!!

So here's an overview of what I'm getting into tomorrow:

800 Breakfast!
930 Community Eucharist (REALLY excited to see how this comes together)
1100 Exploring Convention
1230 Lunch!
1-500 Exhibit Hall/Talking to as many people as possible.. we'll see where I end up!
500 Dinner!
730 Heading to the World Mission committee to support my Bishop! The Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt is proposing a resolution and I am going to go and support him at the committee hearing. GO DIO-T!
900 Snacks! Sponsored by Forward Movement. Really excited to meet them and speak with them.
930 Briefing of the day's activities by Mary Goetz of the Episcopal Public Policy Network.
1000 Compline

Please pray for all of the deputies, clergy, bishops, and attendees of the Convention! God is here in the process.

Grace & Peace,
Kathleen

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Road Trip to General Convention

Apologies for the sparse posting as of late, I am on the road a lot going to and from work and life has been a little crazy! Hopefully that will calm down once I get settled in my apartment in Murfreesboro and I can resume more regular posting.

I am currently up at my brother's house in Indiana spending time with his family, and on Thursday I will finish the last leg of the drive to Indianapolis!!

Excited to meet up with friends near and far at the Convention! Several of the people I met in 2008 at the Brand New Way Leadership Conference will be attending as well as Episcorific pals and Young Adult Service Corps staff. I will be attending a lunch on Saturday with the Global Partnerships office and Peter Koon, Provincial Secretary in Hong Kong will also be there. And Spencer!! So, looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.

Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Grace who will be heading to Hong Kong later this year as the next YASC Volunteer.

Stay tuned for more updates as I make my way up to General Convention 2012!!