tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83628580650795501452012-02-16T20:53:28.565-05:00A look at The Episcopal Church in many locations - from a well-traveled Episcopalian who probably has way too many clergy friends and relatives.The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.comBlogger1241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-14970022580760548182010-12-17T16:40:00.001-05:002010-12-17T16:43:04.773-05:00

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } One of my best clergy buddies is fond of saying, “All church is local.” That is, Christ is most present in small communities of faith that share their lives together. Two events in the past 24 hours

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-49272864032751161402010-08-27T14:56:00.001-05:002010-08-27T14:58:54.415-05:00

Interesting ideas tend to show up in odd clusters. I’ve recently encountered two unrelated items, each of which gives the other a little more weight. The first comes from UCC minister Tony Robinson, writing in Call & Response - a blog run by the Divinity School at Duke University. In a post entitled “David Brooks as Public Theologian,” Robinson comments on the current lack of great theological

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-6210483552927967822010-08-20T14:36:00.002-05:002010-08-20T14:40:01.947-05:00

It's great news to hear that attendance at next week's Godly Play Core Training will be full to overflowing. Those attending are in for a treat. There's more available about the weekend-long event here.Kudos to the organizers for what promises to be a great experience for all.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-11142424913472764722010-07-16T08:44:00.001-05:002010-07-16T08:47:34.421-05:00

Many things I find out on the web about religion and the Episcopal Church prompt me to comment - and I frequently do so here. Occasionally, however, something comes up that pretty much speaks for itself. This morning’s New York Times carries a story about the Vatican’s recently released rules regarding sex abuse. Here’s the first paragraph:“The Vatican issued revisions to its internal laws on

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-70205629765692057212010-06-18T06:40:00.002-05:002010-06-18T06:42:24.456-05:00

Each morning when I open up my Google News page, I see a daily culling of stories from the media that involve the Episcopal Church in one way or another. These stories typically fall into two piles. First, there are stories that show the church in action. These include things like a church in Boston holding a prayer service to bring calm to a gang-ridden neighborhood; a group in Minneapolis

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-77017278821771838602010-06-09T07:03:00.002-05:002010-06-09T07:06:18.095-05:00

The New York Times has carried two stories recently that give hope to the idea that thoughtful commentary on thing religious still exists. The first was an article about Krista Tippit’s NPR program Speaking of Faith, recalling how a remarkable woman has managed to blend, “the child of small-town church comfortable in the pews; the product of Yale Divinity School able to parse text in Greek and

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-90884012269696437022010-05-07T07:16:00.002-05:002010-05-07T07:20:34.868-05:00

Diocesan Convention resolutions typically come in two flavors: things we deal with because the lawyers or the church hierarchy tell us we must, and things we deal with because someone is upset about something. This June’s convention will include both flavors. However, there are also one or two resolutions that, if folks are paying attention, ought to spark some really meaningful discussion.Most

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-35223305675889654582010-05-05T06:50:00.001-05:002010-05-05T06:53:20.401-05:00

Over the weekend, the Washington Post featured an op-ed from bishop Gene Robinson framed as a letter to the pope about the current abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. While Bishop Robinson is careful first to debunk the myth that homosexuals are any more likely to be abusers than the general population, he spends most of his ink describing the detailed process by which his diocese and the

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-455291197369267082010-04-26T07:42:00.003-05:002010-04-26T07:45:12.856-05:00

The fifty or so wardens and other lay leaders who attended last month’s wardens’ conference got a real treat. The afternoon speaker was Patrick Herold, president of Digital Faith, Inc., the firm with which the Diocese has contracted for a new web site that will involve both the diocese and as many of its parishes as are interested in participating. Pat is an interesting fellow; he’s patented

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-58641265503712559722010-04-23T15:03:00.002-05:002010-04-23T15:08:54.650-05:00

Youth can sometimes bring a certain innocence to complex issues. So I was intrigued to read a short explication of the trials facing global Anglicanism this morning written by a staffer for, would you believe, the Yale Daily News.I found this student’s words merely charming until I realized that the writer—female, I think—appeared to be Chinese, and because of her heritage, she had a very

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-41728999692424080392010-03-13T17:46:00.004-05:002010-03-14T16:22:11.586-05:00

Earlier this week, the vacationing rector of a parish in the diocese received a phone call from the parish office. They had received a call from an area funeral director about scheduling a funeral for a quite elderly woman who had not darkened the door of the church in years. She and her husband—who was hospitalized, recovering from pneumonia—had been married in that church, and he had

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-83433255198576389952009-08-16T16:28:00.002-05:002009-08-16T16:33:59.301-05:00

I've just finished reading Phyllis Tickle's popular book, The Great Emergence. It's a real stew, involving of a lot of complex technology, sociology, and theological development. I spend the bulk of my life working the twin frontiers of emerging communication technology and the ways to infuse that technology into education—at all levels. So I was struck by the way the author touches on—but does

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-39813247541466435472009-07-18T08:00:00.001-05:002009-07-18T08:02:41.835-05:00

DAY 10: Thursday, July 16From Kate Harrigan (Deputation Chair): “On Beyond Zebra” or On Beyond D025Much attention has been focused on the passage here of Resolution D025, which reaffirmed The Episcopal Church’s commitment to equal access for all to the process of discernment toward ordered ministry. But a great deal more has been happening here in Anaheim, and over the last few General

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-36302603506043030082009-07-16T20:37:00.003-05:002009-07-16T20:42:27.461-05:00

Some of the more interesting writing coming out of the General Convention this week has been by Daniel Burke, who writes for Religion News Service, and whose spouse is the religion reporter for the York Daily Record here in our diocese. In a report published on BeliefNet recently, he describes two deputies from Virginia who, having voted in opposite ways for D025, remain longstanding

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-57941778844528788822009-07-16T18:53:00.001-05:002009-07-18T07:58:04.093-05:00

From Brian AmatoFifty (50) resolutions! That’s how many the Committee on National and International Concerns has had to deal with during this General Convention. These resolutions are attempts to set the church’s policy on a wide range of issues, or change existing policy. They are important because (1) they tell the world where we stand on these issues, and (2) more practically, they set limits

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-458250910958580442009-07-16T06:43:00.003-05:002009-07-18T07:58:55.759-05:00

From Christine PurcellNot surprisingly, there is a huge amount of hype, anxiety and confusing press around Resolution D025, now passed in amended form by the House of Deputies. Your deputation met on Monday evening to debrief a little with one another and with Bishop Baxter, and what follows is a sense of what we collectively understand it to mean.The resolution’s purpose was to clarify the

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-28503867695157826952009-07-15T06:35:00.003-05:002009-07-15T06:39:52.120-05:00

From Christine Purcell:This afternoon, the House of Bishops took up Resolution D025, which was passed by a major majority in the House of Deputies yesterday (please see David Lovelace’s thoughtful posting below).It passed with amendment, which means that it will need to come back to the House of Deputies for final approval. The amendment inserted language into the 6th “resolve”, which addressed

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-73674905311761670612009-07-14T06:18:00.002-05:002009-07-14T06:23:29.840-05:00

From David Lovelace:Children led the procession into Sunday worship, accompanied by dancers with flags and streamers. In her sermon, our Presiding Bishop challenged us to think about what it means for us to be sent as Jesus sent his disciples: to travel light, accept and extend hospitality and proclaim God's kingdom now. At the offertory, representatives of every diocese came forward to present

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-59682820270934947602009-07-12T18:47:00.002-05:002009-07-12T18:52:34.959-05:00

Editor’s Note:The volume of news continues to build. Here are some highlights reported from Saturday’s session.From Christine Purcell:Each day here brings so many memorable moments: for me, yesterday’s (Saturday July 11) was the address by Jenny Te Paa, the "ahorangi" or dean of Te Rau Kahikatea (College of St. John the Evangelist) in Auckland, New Zealand.Dr. Te Paa was one of five international

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-70430408717449674682009-07-11T16:18:00.001-05:002009-07-11T16:20:24.518-05:00

From David Lovelace:Reflections on B033 Discussion: Today brought the second conversation of the whole for the House of Deputies on the controversy related to this resolution passed by the 2006 General Convention, which called on standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction to "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration to the episcopate of any candidate whose manner of life

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-40465410609232475632009-07-10T17:35:00.001-05:002009-07-10T17:37:08.809-05:00

According to news reports, when President Obama sat down earlier this week to talk with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the first question Mr. Obama asked was, “So, how did we get here?” For the next forty minutes, Mr. Putin recounted his story of the last thirty years of U.S. - Russian relations. Mr. Obama began a dialogue by listening, and in doing so, he honored the views of his

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-5525883785414804562009-07-10T11:48:00.002-05:002009-07-10T11:52:35.848-05:00

Editor's note: During the General Convention, members of the Central Pennsylvania deputation are providing daily updates to the Diocese. The Rev. Christine Purcell is serving as “recorder and reporter” for these updates.From Deputation Chair Kate Harrigan:Early in Convention, much of the work is being done in committee. Resolutions are being heard, deliberated and fine-tuned for later

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-40060728676807262992009-07-09T10:28:00.001-05:002009-07-09T10:31:16.828-05:00

Editor's note: During the General Convention, members of the Central Pennsylvania deputation are providing daily updates to the Diocese. The Rev. Christine Purcell is serving as “recorder and reporter” for these updates.“Doing the business of getting ready to do business” pretty much sums up the opening legislative session. Appointments, the certification of a quorum, election of Secretary and

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-320504756877117612009-07-08T18:12:00.002-05:002009-07-08T18:14:58.571-05:00

Editor's note: During the General Convention, members of the Central Pennsylvania deputation are providing daily updates to the Diocese. The Rev. Christine Purcell is serving as “recorder and reporter” for these updates. This is the first of those reports.DAY 1: Tuesday, July 7, 2009Committee work has begun so that the legislation will reach the floors of the House of Bishops and the House of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-32830341505975731772009-07-05T13:42:00.000-05:002009-07-05T13:43:44.889-05:00

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church begins in Anaheim later this week. Members of the Diocesan deputation will be providing daily reports of their activities here, via emails to diocesan clergy, and on the diocesan web site.Stay tuned for more...

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-63828502092182967192009-06-17T14:13:00.000-05:002009-06-17T14:15:29.702-05:00

If it did nothing else, last week's Diocesan Convention proved that there's nothing like scarcity to focus congregations' attention on priorities. Much of Friday's session involved grappling, in one context or another, with what it means to carry out mission at a time when no one has all the resources they would like.Fortunately, the convention agenda had already carved out much of Friday

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-43193566700902073502009-06-14T11:56:00.002-05:002009-06-14T12:00:51.581-05:00

As usual, Diocesan Convention was a good occasion for compiling a short list of interesting summer reading. First up, an essay by J. Robert Wright, (Professor of Ecclesiastical History at General Theological Seminary) in the June 15 edition of Time entitled “Decoding God's Changing Moods.” You can read it here. Wright sets out to explain the seemingly contradictory emphases on tolerance and

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-21599072804537659812009-03-15T10:19:00.002-05:002009-03-15T10:23:03.350-05:00

One of the Joys of the Book of Common Prayer—especially for lifelong Episcopalians—is the wonderful familiarity of prayers remembered from constant use. Who doesn't get a lump in their throat when hearing some particularly meaningful prayer remembered from another time. For this writer, it's the collect for families that usually does it.Given the propensity of “contemporary” prayers for

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-13001555417923944362009-02-26T12:29:00.001-05:002009-02-26T12:32:59.792-05:00

It’s no news that folks are hurting these days, as are many of their congregations. Clergy suffer doubly, because they need to pastor their parishioners who are unemployed, “de-leveraged” or afraid while simultaneously trying to figure out how to balance the church budget. Income is down; costs continue to rise. It’s not pretty.The Episcopal Church is offering several resources than may be

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-13076785508442423922008-12-24T08:58:00.004-05:002008-12-24T09:02:38.486-05:00

I have been absent from this blog for too long. Along with a promise to be more diligent in the new year, I want to reprise a bit of verse from last year—mostly because what was important last Christmas remains important this Christmas.Emanuel – God with usWith the children who are anticipating their first Christmas And the families who will share their joyAnd the families who will be apartAnd

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-6794448039057756182008-09-16T16:18:00.001-05:002008-09-16T16:21:12.165-05:00

This past Sunday was interesting. I spent the afternoon doing a little praying about the good people of St. Mary’s, Williamsport, who were celebrating their final eucharist before closing that parish. I’m delighted to hear that the pews were full, though the current congregation numbers only a half dozen or so souls.At the same time, I was sorting through the photos that the Diocese received over

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-90284127867252695242008-08-28T15:14:00.001-05:002008-08-28T15:15:59.540-05:00

Summer is nearly over, and with its end comes the inevitable, “What next?” Before turning the page on another season, though, it’s worth noting that over the past few months - while our clerical Big Guns were preparing for, experiencing, and reporting on the events of Lambeth 2008 - life went on.That’s not to say that the work of bishops isn’t important; it’s vital. But a wise friend of mine

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-2052009666496127302008-08-02T13:26:00.002-05:002008-08-02T13:29:14.102-05:00

Editor's note: We are reprinting Bishop Baxter's Lambeth Journal here for those who may be interested in reading it.Dear Friends in Christ:It is Friday evening the 1st of August and only two days remain. We have been so busy with meetings, hearings and discussion groups (beside the regular Bible study and worship) that from 7 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. is the schedule of a normal day. We are tired

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-59732192135755303742008-07-28T13:23:00.001-05:002008-07-28T13:25:05.764-05:00

Editor's note:We are sharing Bishop Baxter's Lambeth Journal for those who may be interested in reading it.Dear Friends in Christ,It is Friday the 25th and we are ten days into the conference. Each day begins with a small group bible study which is intense and caring. It seems that this is the case in most of the groups. In my group is the Bishop of Bangladesh. He remembers fondly the days of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-72835124151285617722008-07-21T13:47:00.001-05:002008-07-21T13:49:41.555-05:00

Editor's note:We are sharing Bishop Baxter's Lambeth Journal for those who may be interested in reading it.July 20, 2008Dear Friends in Christ, Today was the formal opening Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference. I can't express how magnificent it was to see approximately 670 bishop--conservatives, moderates and progressives, processing side by side into the Canterbury Cathedral, the ancient seat

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-54994623687320467772008-07-21T13:42:00.002-05:002008-07-21T13:47:14.754-05:00

Editor's note:We are reprinting Bishop Baxter's Lambeth Journal for those who may be interested in it.July 16, 2008Dear Friends in Christ, Mary Ellen and I are experiencing our second official day of the Decennial Lambeth Conference, being held at Kent University in Cambridge, England. I say official because we have been here for four days arriving on the 14th.There are two simultaneous

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-36697994460770797682008-06-15T16:18:00.001-05:002008-06-15T16:19:34.196-05:00

Those who have been paying attention know that last week’s Diocesan Convention was hosted by the West Branch and Northern Tier convocations. The Northern Tier is our “where’s that?” convocation—a collection of small congregations in small towns along the northern border of the Commonwealth. I suspect that few of us have been there. It is our loss. First off, these folks are competent, and they

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-38571762251738499942008-06-15T06:52:00.001-05:002008-06-15T06:56:39.029-05:00

Surprises at diocesan conventions are usually few and far between. Attend one of these events, and orderly, predictable agendas are the usual fare. This year’s Central Pennsylvania convention—built on the theme of Global Anglicanism and Local Ministry—promised to be just such a gathering. That is, until the guest speaker got started. The Rt. Rev. Pierre Whalon is Bishop in charge of the

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-2921410363821157152008-05-05T17:24:00.001-05:002008-05-05T17:27:50.549-05:00

Two items caught my eye today, and each suggests in a different way that mission—defined as spreading the Good News—often lies in venues we don’t expect. First, consider the story in the New York Times about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s meeting with the Pope Benedict. The subject under discussion: a runup to the seventh annual Building Bridges seminar in Rome, an ongoing dialogue between

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-58787985183072292312008-04-06T11:35:00.000-05:002008-04-06T11:36:03.553-05:00

The vestry and people of St. James”, Lancaster, have announced the appointment of their new rector. The Rev. David Warner Peck will begin his tenure at the end of the summer. Father Peck is currently serving as Secretary for International Development for the Archbishop of Canterbury, serving as the principal advisor on African affairs, international development and UN agencies. His wife,

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-81059493044083623872008-04-06T10:21:00.003-05:002008-04-06T10:23:34.033-05:00

The Rev. Ron Lynch recently passed along the following note regarding the death of Bishop Paul Saito."On Sunday morning, March 30th, 2008, The Rt. Rev. Paul S. Saito, Retired Bishop of North Kanto, Japan, unexpectedly passed away at his home in Japan, with his wife by his side. The Diocese of North Kanto was our companion diocese for many years.A Vigil Service took place on the evening of his

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-19073375495442759792008-03-27T18:10:00.002-05:002008-03-27T18:14:53.163-05:00

The Diocese honored and laid to rest the Rt. Rev. Ronald H. Haines today at St. James’, Lancaster, but not before the local media had a chance to take one last whack at him. The problem, so far as we can tell, is the result of an articulate obituary by Washington Post staff writer Matt Schudel that was apparently picked up, very badly edited, and transmitted without attribution by the Associated

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-65629628006564367372008-03-09T16:31:00.000-05:002008-03-09T16:32:26.430-05:00

The theme of this year’s Diocesan Convention is “Celebrating Global Anglicanism and Local Mission.” To help with Convention planning, we need your assistance. Tell us what mission means to your parish. Is it a local food bank? Is it a youth group trip to help a neighbor down the street or in another state? Is it supporting your sister parish in Sao Paulo? Or supporting a program somewhere else

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-38037707177241624512008-02-15T15:09:00.000-05:002008-02-15T15:10:07.156-05:00

The School of Christian Studies will offer a full-day AntiRacism Training workshop at St. Edward’s in Lancaster on April 12. For further information, please contact The Rev. Canon Kate Harrigan (717 236 5959 or kharrigan@diocesecpa.org)

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-65388994372647203582008-02-14T16:16:00.000-05:002008-02-14T16:17:25.038-05:00

I had a reminder from the Diocesan Finance Office this morning that Parochial Reports are now overdue. Those of you who haven’t turned them in probably know who you are. Please do so promptly.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-25888385066253676202008-02-14T16:15:00.000-05:002008-02-14T16:16:50.238-05:00

Registration for this year’s ECW Lenten Retreat closes in about ten days. You can find more information about the retreat, and a printable registration form, here.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-73949698236313565702008-02-04T08:59:00.000-05:002008-02-04T09:03:37.101-05:00

Bishop Baxter will be the presenter for Theology on Tap tonight (Feb. 4). Theology on Tap meets on First Mondays on the second floor of Annie Bailey’s Irish Pub, King Street, Lancaster City, at 7:00 pm. Bishop Baxter will follow up his recent appearance on public television’s “Dialogues in Democracy,” by discussing “Early Constitutional politics and the roots of Progressive American

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-74489429594983960452008-02-02T18:24:00.000-05:002008-02-02T18:26:14.967-05:00

Mary Amato sends word that the deadline for the winter round of applications for Congregational Development grants is March 28. You can find details and a downloadable application here.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-21338082633553220382008-02-02T17:42:00.000-05:002008-02-02T17:44:09.887-05:00

We were sorry to learn that the Rev. Fred Miller, rector of All Saints’, Hershey, for the past eighteen years, has resigned to become interim rector of Christ Church in Somers Point, NJ. His last Sunday at All Saints’ will be Feb. 24. Fr. Miller has served this Diocese well in several capacities, most prominently as chair of the search committee that selected candidates to be bishop of the

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-66165721589163015112008-02-02T17:33:00.000-05:002008-02-02T17:34:21.835-05:00

The award-winning film, For the Bible Tells Me So will be shown at Franklin and Marshall College’s Rochelle Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, February 7 at 7 PM. The public is invited to attend this free showing, sponsored by Saint James Episcopal Church, Lancaster Theological Seminary and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gendered and their Allies at Franklin and Marshall College. Seating

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-9750969262693941572007-12-29T11:28:00.000-05:002007-12-29T11:30:24.283-05:00

St. Stephen’s Cathedral will host a Choral Evensong for the Harrisburg community to honor the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 4pm. (This is a change in date from that previously announced.) Bishop Baxter and Dean Churchill Pinder will officiate. Everyone is invited to attend, particularly clergy, choirs, and congregations in the Harrisburg Convocation. The

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-82036529539755284142007-12-27T17:29:00.000-05:002007-12-27T17:30:02.682-05:00

In what may have been a prescient prelude to today’s assassination of Pakistani politician Benizir Bhutto, this week’s Economist carries an interesting article on international efforts to distribute Bibles and Korans. The article concludes by saying: “…two things are certain in the battle of the books. The first is that the urge to spread the Word will spark some of the fiercest

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-42081014908966523252007-12-27T10:05:00.000-05:002007-12-27T10:06:34.116-05:00

Last fall, McNeil/Lehrer Productions, which produces The News Hour with Jim Lehrer for PBS, invited Bishop Baxter to participate in their latest project, Dialogues in Democracy. The program is part of McNeil/Lehrer’s series By the People—a special project to bring the views of informed, "ordinary" citizens to a national discussion on the important issues of the day. Bishop Baxter spent

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-5441634491584394382007-12-22T12:21:00.000-05:002007-12-25T15:35:58.585-05:00

Bishop Baxter's Christmas message - preached at St. Stephen's Cathedral on Christmas Eve - is available here. A blessed and merry Christmas to all.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-67555149475693818472007-12-21T13:56:00.000-05:002007-12-21T13:58:35.344-05:00

Most Clergy like to believe that, “Our parish is a little different.” But while the style of the building or the local history may vary, for most Episcopal parishes, the basic dynamics are strikingly similar: an established presence with a shifting financial base, and the internal perception that, “we can’t do anything new, because we don’t even have the money to take care of the essentials.”

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-3540952238101794722007-12-18T08:50:00.000-05:002007-12-18T08:55:28.800-05:00

It has taken more than a month for an articulate op-ed from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette to reach this editor. It was worth the wait. Author Jerry Bowyer, “an Episcopal vestryman, a financial journalist and the chairman of Bowyer Media,” offers a conservative’s well-reasoned argument for why you don’t walk off the field when you don’t get to play quarterback. You can read the entire piece

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-15182759642454069182007-12-17T14:23:00.000-05:002007-12-17T14:27:07.807-05:00

A few weeks ago, there was a break-in at All Saint’s, Williamsport. Among the items stolen was a jar of pennies that the children in the church school had been collecting to use for Christmas presents for those in need in the Williamsport area. When word of the theft got out, a local TV station was among the first to call for more information, then send a videographer to shoot a segment for the

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-60279406259506570282007-12-14T08:31:00.000-05:002007-12-14T08:35:02.341-05:00

Bishop Baxter has announced that the ordinations to the priesthood for Will Lawbaugh, Cliff Johnston and Jim Zmyslo will be held on Saturday, December 22, 2007, 10:00 a.m. at Trinity Church, Williamsport. Your prayers and presence are requested.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-50289052019298609402007-12-10T16:06:00.000-05:002007-12-10T16:07:57.018-05:00

With the children who are anticipating their first ChristmasAnd the families who will share their joyAnd the families who will be apartAnd those which are torn apart.With those who are with friendsAnd those who are aloneAnd those who are alone, even with friendsWith the parents who are too busy to see the wonderAnd the parents who care for childrenAnd the parents who fail to care for childrenAnd

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-13655992682666799122007-12-04T08:18:00.000-05:002007-12-04T08:19:29.436-05:00

I had a note from the Rev. Michael Moran at the cathedral in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last week, along with highlights of their Advent schedule. The choir of King’s College, Cambridge, will sing at the cathedral on Sunday, December 15. Anyone up for a quick “companionship trip?” Some people have all the fun…

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-40043244939484914472007-12-02T20:21:00.000-05:002007-12-02T20:24:12.837-05:00

Episcopalians and Southern Baptists usually find themselves at some distance from one another on the theological/political compass. Pronouncements from clergy in one group carry little weight, if any, among the other. Which is not to say that they ought not learn from one another… Read on. In the midst of the “YouTube Debate” among the Republican presidential candidates Wednesday night,

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-86696794306154161262007-11-29T15:21:00.000-05:002007-11-29T15:23:05.338-05:00

This past Tuesday evening, PBS Newshour aired a long, one-on-one interview with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. At one point in the discussion, the interviewer asked, “How did this current round of negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinians get started?” Mr. Olmert replied, “We began by sitting down and talking – just the two of us, alone – over a period of two weeks. We usually met

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-53888421297714569942007-11-28T12:20:00.000-05:002007-11-28T12:28:05.213-05:00

The never-dull Louie Crew has done an interesting analysis of the largest parishes in the Episcopal Church, along with those with the best attendance. His results, summarized in a note to selected leaders recently, are interesting: “In the decade 1997-2007 the number of congregations with 1,000+ members increased by 15%. During the same decade, the total number of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-791374633003470772007-11-27T16:12:00.000-05:002007-11-27T19:07:39.095-05:00

‘Tis the season, apparently, for news and information received a little too late for the December Tidings, and too important to hold until our next edition. Therefore, please take heed of the following: Bishop Baxter will be the preacher for the annual Absalom Jones service, February 16, 2008, at historic St. Agnes Episcopal Church, Miami, Fl. You can read the details here. The Winter Youth

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-70716865267869066322007-11-02T15:40:00.000-05:002007-11-02T15:41:33.339-05:00

Parish vision statements are popular; everyone has to have one. I recently found one such statement that struck me as particularly good: Passion for God; Compassion for People A tip of the editor’s hat to the folks at St. Luke’s, Altoona, whose passions apparently also include brevity. Well said.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-9387337674017350922007-10-28T07:45:00.000-05:002007-10-28T07:47:39.146-05:00

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in Pittsburgh on Friday to receive an honorary degree from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh. The event took place at historic Calvary Episcopal Church in the city’s east end. It is a parish with a tradition of great preachers, and Tutu did not disappoint, at one point quipping, "Can you imagine that there are those who think God is a Christian?" … "Can

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-83578378678618165992007-10-27T15:58:00.000-05:002007-10-27T15:59:53.563-05:00

The bishops and primates have all gone home. The parties have published their final statements and reactions. The media have moved on. A number of my fellow bloggers seem not to have noticed. They continue attempting to divine a greater meaning from assorted whisperings, correspondence, and notes sent back and forth among various prelates and actors. Enough, already. Surely, a couple of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-3554340132701572502007-10-21T07:30:00.000-05:002007-10-21T07:31:02.401-05:00

Two items of note to clergy and congregations: Former Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold will lead an Advent retreat on Saturday, December 15 at St. Cyril Retreat Center in Danville. Clergy should check with Patrick Strohl at the Diocesan Center for details. Bishop Baxter will be among a group of national figures participating in “By the People – Dialogues in Democracy” a PBS program produced by

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-57340406285704960632007-10-17T07:13:00.000-05:002007-10-17T07:15:11.027-05:00

Monday’s New York Times includes a delightful chronicle by Michael Winerip about the trials involved in turning his brood of four children into adults with a lasting passion for reading. You can read it here. As a book reviewer for the Times, we assume Mr. Winerip is invested in this passion for more than one reason. Any parent will tell you that kids are frequently loathe to try anything

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-45730603317131575522007-10-16T18:36:00.000-05:002007-10-16T18:37:46.006-05:00

And a tip of the editorial hat to Mary Warner at the Harrisburg Patriot News for her interview with Bishop Baxter that ran in last Sunday’s editions. You can read it on line here. It was refreshing to read someone who has come to understand the complexities with which The Episcopal Church is wrestling, and whose presentation mirrors the thoughtfulness with which the House of Bishops and others

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-77598839233536952902007-10-08T16:46:00.000-05:002007-10-08T16:47:29.703-05:00

Yesterday’s schedule included a trip to Christ Church, York Springs for the annual service there. The Rev. Kate Kelderman, Rector of Prince of Peace, Gettysburg, officiated. It was a small, simple service of Evening Prayer – held in a space that is beautifully plain. This building once housed the congregation that started both St. John the Baptist, York, and St. John's, Carlisle. While it

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-38858657599927818272007-10-06T07:55:00.001-05:002007-10-06T07:55:31.265-05:00

…to the Rev. Veronica Chappell and the Rev. Dee Calhoun, whom Bishop Baxter will ordain to the Priesthood today at Trinity Church, Williamsport. Our prayers are with you.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-39599590567299243482007-10-06T07:53:00.000-05:002007-10-06T07:54:48.195-05:00

The Rt. Rev. Zebedee Masereka and his wife arrived in the Diocese yesterday for a visit of about ten days. While here, they will spend time visiting the many parishes that have supported the Bishop Masereka Foundation and its efforts to build and operate a clinic for HIV-positive women and their children. More on this later.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-55170941424913442042007-10-02T10:40:00.000-05:002007-10-02T10:41:23.664-05:00

Today’s Centre Daily Times carries a fascinating article about the Rev. Christian Brady, Dean of Penn State’s Honors College and a deacon at St. Andrew’s, State College. Bishop Baxter will ordain him to the priesthood at St. Andrew’s on October 20. Dean Brady’s path to the priesthood has included time in Louisiana, as well as two graduate degrees from Oxford. You can read the entire story here.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-27840783339659368562007-09-29T07:34:00.000-05:002007-09-29T07:36:13.672-05:00

We came across an interesting article in the Sydney Morning Herald about a recent court ruling in Australia that paves the way for women to become bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia. You can read it here. The story features the same sort of back-and-forth issues about which we’ve heard so much here recently: alternative oversight for uncomfortable congregations; let’s not rush in; etc.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-69215839618286435562007-09-28T16:35:00.000-05:002007-09-29T07:30:33.315-05:00

Bishop Baxter has written a Pastoral Reflection on the recently concluded House of Bishops meeting. In it he says, in part:“Our Episcopal Church is on a journey. That journey has not changed. However, we are also a body---a diverse body---and we are equally committed to making every honest effort to make the journey together. This is not a matter of civil or political justice; this is a matter of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-31802894091193971032007-09-27T10:10:00.000-05:002007-09-29T07:28:34.189-05:00

I’ve been reading a variety of press reports and commentary about the recent events in New Orleans. The media mostly mean well, but they miss the mark. They’re either looking for a good headline or trying to report on “who won.” Those closer to both the church and the process have noted that the members of the House of Bishops, regardless of their theology, were nearly unanimous in their

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-22814838013998054312007-09-25T17:47:00.000-05:002007-09-28T13:52:34.982-05:00

Episcopal Life has published the following message from the House of Bishops. House of Bishops of The Episcopal ChurchNew Orleans, LouisianaSeptember 25, 2007 A Response to Questions and Concerns Raised by our Anglican Communion Partners In accordance with Our Lord's high priestly prayer that we be one, and in the spirit of Resolution A159 of the 75th General Convention, and in obedience to

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-46395693035852624402007-09-25T15:08:00.001-05:002007-09-25T15:08:57.244-05:00

The final House of Bishops session is underway, and we expect at least one final resolution to emerge at the end of the session. You’ll be able to read it here as soon as it is available. Stay tuned…

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-86418314863450106592007-09-24T19:57:00.001-05:002007-09-24T19:57:56.771-05:00

Regular readers may be interested in knowing that, while at the House of Bishops Meeting, Bishop Baxter is serving on the committee that is drafting the “mind of the House” statement that is expected to be released on Tuesday. Bishop Baxter is also serving on the committee charged with explaining the outcome of the meeting to the media. Tonight might be a good time to pray for the Bishop and

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-13924610713519848392007-09-23T16:25:00.000-05:002007-09-23T16:26:58.280-05:00

Episcopal News Service has posted the text of the Presiding Bishop’s sermon in New Orleans this morning. It is well worth reading, and available here. The PB drew her inspiration from two unlikely sources: Bishop Philander Chase—who in the early 19th century founded several congregations, as well as Kenyon College, ruffling many feathers along the way—and the jazz trumpet that was dedicated

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-90792845367114358672007-09-23T16:13:00.000-05:002007-09-23T16:14:19.873-05:00

The blogs are reporting that The Right Rev. Jeffrey N. Steenson, Bishop of Rio Grande, will resign at the end of the year to become a Roman Catholic. Two aspects of Bishop Steenson’s letter to his diocese are telling. First, he says, “The reason for this decision is that my conscience is deeply troubled about where the Episcopal Church is heading, and this has become a crisis for me because

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-74085110135753457992007-09-21T18:16:00.000-05:002007-09-21T18:19:02.170-05:00

The most that can be said of the House of Bishops meeting so far is that, as the old saying goes, no one has committed news yet. There is great speculation about who might propose what, which bishops might beat an early retreat, and what the eventual outcome might be. In his remarks to the press earlier today, the Archbishop of Canterbury said something that you may not read elsewhere. He

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-53359807324762636392007-09-20T18:36:00.000-05:002007-09-20T18:42:25.218-05:00

Episcopal News Service is reporting that Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori has secured the agreement of eight bishops to serve as “episcopal visitors” to the six (out of 110) dioceses who have requested it. In making the announcement, the Rev. Dr. Charles Robertson (canon to the P.B.), said, "All eight are true bridge-builders who empathize with the concerns and needs of dioceses that

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-17555866806426699752007-09-19T18:08:00.000-05:002007-09-19T18:09:41.613-05:00

Our colleague Jim Naughton, Canon for Communication in the Diocese of Washington, DC, has a few carefully chosen words for those who will be trying to decipher the news out of New Orleans over the next ten days. The most important of these: caution. He notes that the press are inclined to report the sensational, and failing that, to make something sound sensational that isn’t. Jim also notes

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-26847619525779723202007-09-19T18:01:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:19:14.233-05:00

Graham Kings, a reporter for the Church of England Newspaper makes an interesting observation in a recent article there. Our friends in Washington, DC, brought it to our attention. Mr. Kings writes: "Rowan Williams flies to New Orleans on 19 September, the day the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican Communions celebrate the life and wisdom of Theodore of Tarsus, the Archbishop of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-68805020220598500232007-09-16T12:40:00.000-05:002007-09-16T12:42:39.354-05:00

The November issue of Tidings will include an interview with Bishop Baxter about this month’s House of Bishops meeting and his first year as our Bishop. Do you have questions you’d like to ask Bishop Baxter? You can do so by replying to this blog post. We’ll pass them along and try to print as many of them as we can in Tidings. Many thanks!

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-9063490495923418012007-09-16T12:35:00.000-05:002007-09-16T12:38:56.035-05:00

This week’s House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans is the sort of occasion that usually prompts blog editors to pen sharp summaries of who has done what to whom, what’s really going on, and why the outcome should be such-and-such. I wrote mine. I won’t be posting it, because it wouldn’t help. None of the parties to the current mess in the Episcopal Church has behaved particularly well. It is

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-5014841687768800822007-09-02T16:49:00.000-05:002007-09-02T19:09:49.019-05:00

Two items in the current edition of Episcopal Life will be of interest to those in Central Pennsylvania. The first is a new blog for small parishes. Hosted by the Rev. Suzanne Watson, Staff Officer for Congregational Development at the Episcopal Church Center, the blog is an attempt to offer some sharing and resources for clergy and lay folks in just the sort of congregations that make up much of

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-14420481329815461942007-08-29T10:05:00.000-05:002007-09-02T19:07:09.164-05:00

The alleged turmoil in the Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church specifically, looks a lot more serious if you’re looking through the wrong lens. Using one that takes in a very narrow field – while making everything seem closer – certainly heightens the illusion that there’s a stampede on. The Rev. Ken Howard, rector of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Darnestown, Maryland, makes just

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-82663587399979261172007-08-29T10:03:00.000-05:002007-08-29T10:05:01.564-05:00

Bishop Baxter recently sent the clergy of the Diocese a reminder that they will gather in State College on October 20 for a briefing on the House of Bishops meeting that takes place in mid-September. Writing to the clergy, he said, “The fall meeting will be significant in that the Archbishop of Canterbury and representatives from the Primates’ Standing Committee will be joining us for

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-34594157903959395682007-08-20T14:27:00.000-05:002007-08-20T14:29:34.769-05:00

Two interesting items crossed the editor’s computer screen yesterday. The first was a section of CNN’s web site entitled “God’s Warriors.” It’s the support material for a three-part series done by Christianne Ammanpour that airs August 21-23 from 9-11 pm EDT. Billed as a dispassionate look at fundamentalism in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, it shows the promise of being an interesting tracing

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-37698444569647189182007-08-19T07:19:00.000-05:002007-08-19T07:20:52.032-05:00

The New York Times carried an interesting story today about one of the newest priests in the Diocese of Western Michigan. He is Zachariah Jok Char, a native of Sudan, who serves at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids—once home to Gerald Ford. You can find the entire story here. Mr. Char is one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, who literally walked away from the turmoil in his native country

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-19814982898138272622007-08-17T12:00:00.000-05:002007-08-17T12:03:03.037-05:00

If your only barometer of the national and international health of our church were what you read in the media, most Episcopalians could be forgiven for thinking that the world was about to end. Fortunately, the media have either got most of it wrong, or they’re simply looking in the wrong places for something to write about. The fall Diocesan calendar includes two international events of note

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-30631309177424594132007-08-17T11:58:00.000-05:002007-08-17T12:04:50.539-05:00

The Diocese is looking for photos of recent summer activities – VBS, work projects, picnics, youth programs, etc. – to include in upcoming editions of Tidings. If you have some (the bigger the better), please email them, along with enough explanation to craft a caption, to tidings@diocesecpa.org. Thanks!

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-45207392076241529972007-08-08T17:15:00.000-05:002007-08-08T17:17:57.372-05:00

We apparently got our facts muddled in our earlier post about the Church Pension Fund's Planning for Tomorrow conference. There is an $80 per person charge for the conference, and we failed to state that earlier.Our apologies for the error.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-69685715511830727472007-07-30T10:37:00.000-05:002007-08-08T17:15:46.115-05:00

Priests active in the Diocese should read the post in the News and Notes section of the Diocesan web site about the Planning for Tomorrow conference, sponsored by the Church Pension Fund. The conference, which deals with retirement planning issues, takes place September 21 and 22 in Camp Hill. There is an $80 per person charge. Find more information here.

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-74245978721781200422007-07-29T18:31:00.000-05:002007-07-29T19:02:42.177-05:00

The release of J.K. Rowling’s latest 700+ tome continues to stun. First, it has sold both hugely and quickly; second, it debunks the common wisdom that today’s youth are somehow organically wired to their cell phones and computers, neatly demonstrating that a ten-year-old will read a 700-page book if it’s got something interesting to say. Much ink has been spent on analogies that liken Potter

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-43069789166263936632007-07-29T15:34:00.000-05:002007-07-29T15:36:06.773-05:00

We also welcome the Rev. Nancy C. Miller, late of West Hartford, CT, who begins her tenure this week as the interim Rector of Trinity Church, Williamsport. She served as Diocesan Deployment Officer for the Diocese of Connecticut from 1995-1999, and has been specializing in interim work since then. She will serve Trinity as the congregation continues its search for a successor to Canon Andrew

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362858065079550145.post-40705513570555093182007-07-16T15:21:00.000-05:002007-07-24T12:36:52.386-05:00

We’ve neglected to welcome two clergy who have recently begun new ministries in the Diocese. The Rev. Kate Kelderman’s first Sunday as Rector of Prince of Peace, Gettysburg, was July 1. She was most recently Associate Rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church, Minnetonka, MN. Also, a more belated welcome, actually a “welcome back,” to The Rev. Peter Harer, the new Rector of St. Andrew’s,

The Middle Pewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07782212157710138144noreply@blogger.com0