In fact, I
realized that the head of my own diocese,
Bishop of Pittsburgh Robert W. Duncan was a major player in what I
viewed as the program to undermine the Episcopal Church I had come to
know and love. I became an Episcopal Church activist, defending both my
local church and the wider Episcopal Church. I became
involved with what became Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh and
rose to be its first president. I was instrumental in creating Via Media USA,
a group that united similar groups in other threatened dioceses. I also
developed the No Anglican Covenant Coalition, which sought to counter
reactionary attacks on the multinational Anglican Communion. What you will
find below is an eclectic collection (a farrago, if you will) of
Christian-related and church-related materials—essays, poetry, advice,
and resources. I hope this will be interesting to both Episcopalians and
non-Episcopalians. Some of it may even be of interest to non-Christians.
Some entries address battles in the church wars. Other essays on church
battles can be found on my
blog. Some items below—the poetry, for example—are in sections of Lionel
Deimel’s Farrago other than Church Resources. If you want to
return here after visiting such a cross-listed page, click the Back
button of your browser. Or click on the Up button at the top of the
page, then on the Church Resources button at the left of the page
to which that link takes you. — LED, 3/26/2023
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
Entries below are listed oldest first. Go
to bottom
Ultreya Witness—talk
from Cursillo reunion about faith and action
Haiku Meditations on the Church Year—short
poems about the church year (in
Poetry)
Low-cost Lighting Controls—somewhat
technical discussion of how I added a wireless remote to our church lighting
controls
Some Personal Reflections on Hymns—essay on hymn
texts
Construction Update Bulletin Board: A New Model for Parish Communication—article
about a useful mechanism for keeping parishioners informed during difficult
times
Web Resources for Episcopalians—annotated
list of links to
Web sites relating to the Anglican Communion and Episcopal Church.
O
Lord the Invisible—hymn (in Poetry) An Easter Vigil Memoir—essay
on the service that is the climax of the church year Agape Kiwi—a
dessert recipe (not limited to church use) Accokeek—poem
about a very strange battle in the war for the heart of the Episcopal
church (in Poetry) Accokeek Links—resources
related to the dispute between Christ Church, Accokeek, Md., and the Diocese
of Washington. The brief filed with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
by Bishops Iker and Duncan can be found here. Some Practical Guidelines for Improving Parish Communications—an
essay on the difficult topic of parish communications A Warning to Catholic Bishops—isolating
parish property may not be an inspired idea (in Commentary) The Quecreek Mine Disaster—poem
with spiritual overtones concerning the 2002 Pennsylvania mine accident
and rescue (in Poetry) Christian Unity—poem
about what is most important for Christians (in Poetry) Ordination—poem
about ordination (in Poetry) Prayers for Peace—some
prayers from the Book of Common Prayer as we face possible war
with Iraq Christian Morality in the White House—why
not everyone (or even every Christian) is pleased with President
Bush’s brand of morality, 4/3/2003 (in Commentary) Positions on the Election of V. Gene Robinson—statements
by bishops and organizations on ratifying the election of openly gay
priest V. Gene Robinson to be the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire 9/11 Memorial—poem
about a church service on that infamous evening (in Poetry) Open Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury—letter
to Rowan Williams (dated 8/28/2003) concerning the fallout from the
confirmation of Gene Robinson (see above) Martha’s
Ordination—another poem about another ordination (in Poetry) Authorities—hymn
(in Poetry) Glorious Companions Plus One—a
poem written as a homework assignment in a church class about noted
Anglicans (in Poetry) Property Constraints—what
to do about the property when an Episcopal congregation decides to leave
the church Waiting
for the Lambeth Commission Report—a poem anticipating the October
18, 2004, public release of the report of the Lambeth Commission on
Communion (in Poetry) A
Collect for Unity—an original collect
Sermon for May 29, 2005—some
thoughts on salvation and reading the Bible
Peter—an
obituary for a priestly friend (in Poetry)
Canon Mary
Changes Her Mind—limerick and explanation of how the Episcopal
Diocese of Pittsburgh deals with its parishes (in Poetry)
Two Papers on General
Convention 2006—Background and analysis of proposed resolutions for
the Episcopal Church to respond to the Windsor Report
Once More, Clearly
and Charitably: Deimel and Wells on the Issues before Us—a
liberal/conservative dialog about issues facing the Episcopal Church,
with Christopher Wells
Is the Episcopal Church
About to Surrender?—a last-minute plea to General Convention 2006
What Has the Diocese of
Pittsburgh Done This Time?—more surprising moves from the Diocese of
Pittsburgh and reaction to it, including my report on the attempt to
remove the diocese from Province III
The Church Faces a
Foreign Policy Challenge—essay by Christopher Wells and me
reflecting on the recent experience of The Episcopal Church’s General
Convention in dealing with the Anglican Communion
Robert
Duncan Limericks—poems about a schismatic bishop (in Poetry)
No Consents: A Crucial
Test for The Episcopal Church—the case for denying consent to the
consecration of the Rev. Mark Lawrence as the next Bishop of South
Carolina
More Thoughts on
Provinces in The Episcopal Church—a critical look at the
justification for the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s removing itself from its
province in The Episcopal Church
The
Annotated Mark Lawrence — commentary on the recent Q & A from the
Very Rev. Mark Lawrence offered in support of his being consecrated
Bishop of South Carolina, 12/12/2006 (in Commentary)
Bovine Sue—obituary
for a church activist (in Poetry)
Responding to the
Study Guide—my answers to the questions about the draft Anglican
covenant asked by The Episcopal Church
Farewell, Nano;
Hello, Lou—limerick on the occasion of the departure of an interim
rector (in Poetry)
Schism—commentary
on the Pittsburgh schism (in Poetry)
Realign with Me—song
of realignment (in Poetry)
The Big Mistake—what’s
wrong with the Palm Sunday liturgy
Streamlining Choir
Rehearsals—minimizing fumbling with music
Christopher
Becomes a Deacon—poem for the ordination of Christopher Wilkins (in
Poetry)
Scripture for the Ridley
Cambridge Draft—what I hope is a useful tool for evaluating the
Ridley Cambridge draft for an Anglican covenant
Reflecting on the
Archbishop's Reflection—some thoughts about Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams’ “Communion, Covenant and our Anglican Future”
I Was a Proud
Southern Christian—autobiographical poem about how I got to where I
am today philosophically (in Poetry)
Poem for Mary—poem
for the consecration of Mary Glasspool (in Poetry)
Another Collect—a
prayer inspired by the conflict over the Anglican Covenant
“Catholic” and the Book
of Common Prayer—why is “catholic” sometimes capitalized and
sometimes not?
That They All May Be
One—another poem about the nature of Christian unity (in Poetry)
Essays Favoring the Anglican
Covenant from The Living Church—Links to interesting
pro-Covenant essays from the U.S. magazine The Living Church
“Hawk!” the Herald
Angels Sing—A parody of a familiar Christmas carol (in Poetry)
For Gwen—poem
for the ordination of Gwen Santiago (in Poetry)
Heavens and
Earth, All of Creation—hymn (in poetry)
Holy Eucharist—hymn
(in poetry)
Observations on the
Parable of the Good Samaritan—the parable seems not to get it quite
right
Collect for a Troubled
Nation—a prayer inspired by a new president
Prayer for Memorial Day—a
prayer acknowledging those who died unnecessarily for their country
“Amen” in the Book of Common
Prayer—“amen” is printed in different ways in the prayer book; some
should be changed
Welcome to My Church—ads
promoting Episcopal Church parishes originally published by Progressive
Episcopalians of Pittsburgh
Collects for Various Situations—prayers
for Anglican and national situations
|
theological
notions to which one subscribed. My existing positive feelings toward
the Episcopal Church were strengthened by my discovery that it was
unusually tolerant of theological differences. Betty and our son were baptized
together, and Betty and I were later confirmed by the Episcopal Bishop
of North Carolina. For many years thereafter, we sang together in
Episcopal church choirs.