Account for Friday, September 16

The Episcopal Church

Office of Public Affairs

 

 

Episcopal Church House of Bishops Fall 2011 meeting:

Daily Account for Friday, September 16

 

 

The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church is meeting in Province IX in Quito, Ecuador (Diocese of Ecuador Central) from September 15 to September 20.  The following is an account of the activities for Friday, September 16.

 

The House of Bishops opened its session on Friday with Morning Prayer, with parts in English, Spanish and French.

 

Emcee for the day was Bishop Julio Holguín, Diocese of Dominican Republic.

 

The morning discussion focused on Scriptural and Theological Foundation for Liberation Theology, presented in Spanish by Silvia Regina, Director of Departamento Ecumenico de Investigaciones (Department of Ecumenical Research).

 

At noon, Holy Eucharist was celebrated by Bishop Alfredo Morante, Diocese of Ecuador Litoral.  Preachers were the HOB chaplains, the Rev. Simone Bautista, Diocese of Washington, and the Rev. Stephanie Spellers, Diocese of Massachusetts.

 

Bishop David Alvarez, Diocese of Puerto Rico, moderated the afternoon session on "Prophetic Proclamation and Liberation Theology" with Don Compier, professor at St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO;  the Rt. Rev. Naudal Gomes, Bishop of Curitiba, Brazil; and Professor Silvia Regina, the morning speaker.  All three speakers spoke of how the principles of liberation theology, which is God's good news for the poor, can speak to our various church contexts.  "There is only God and the poor," said Prof. Regina, highlighting the importance of this theological understanding for authentic biblical witness today.

 

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori addressed the conflict in the Diocese of Ecuador Central.  The conflict is "public and it is painful," she said.   "Our presence here is a remarkable statement to the people of this diocese," she said, adding that conversations continue.

 

Bishop Martin Fields of Western Missouri provided an update on the tornados and the devastation to Joplin and the damage to other areas. Joplin, he said, will not return as it was, with estimates of 10 years needed for that area. He noted that among the items needed for the area are Christmas decorations.

 

 

Media Briefers for Friday, September 16

Bishop Eugene Sutton, Diocese of Maryland 

Bishop Michael Vono, Diocese of Rio Grande

Bishop James Waggoner, Diocese of Spokane

 

 

Links

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

Diocese of Curitiba, Brazil http://www.ieab.org.br/ieab/

Diocese of Dominican Republic http://episcopaldominican.org/

Diocese of Ecuador Litoral http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/diocese.cfm?Idind=654

Diocese of Maryland http://www.ang-md.org/

Diocese of Massachusetts: www.diomass.org

Diocese of Puerto Rico http://episcopalpr.org/

Diocese of Rio Grande http://www.dioceserg.org/

Diocese of Spokane http://www.spokanediocese.org/

Diocese of Washington www.edow.org

Diocese of West Missouri http://www.diowestmo.org/home0.aspx

St. Paul School of Theology http://www.spst.edu/

 

On the web: Episcopal Church House of Bishops Fall 2011 meeting:

Daily Account for Friday, September 16 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/newsline_129844_ENG_HTM.htm

 

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For more info contact:

Neva Rae Fox

Public Affairs Officer

The Episcopal Church

publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org

212-716-6080  Mobile: 917-478-5659

 

 

 

 

 

First Day at the House of Bishops, September 15, 2011

Bishop Harrison and I reviewed the fire situation in the Diocese of Texas and decided that she would stay and go and be with Calvary, Bastrop this coming Sunday.  I left on Wednesday and flew to Quito, Ecuador for the Fall House of Bishop's Meeting.  (We are meeting in Ecuador because it is an inexpensive place to hold the meeting. Our Church and our Diocesan out of pocket will actually be less than the meeting we had last fall in Arizona.) 

I arrived in my room around 1:00 a.m., woke up early and headed to the gym, having breakfast with bishop friends and connecting on topics such as technology/communication, mission, and community.

Spouses and Bishops gathered as the meeting was opened with a Eucharist.   Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori presided and preached.  She tied the life of James Chisholm, priest in tidewater Virginia during a yellow fever epidemic in the 1800s, with the HOB meeting theme of liberation theology with incarnational ministry.  It was a very good sermon and one of the best lines was that "the least unlikely person can be an instrument of God's healing love when presented with challenges that call forth a sacrificial offering of self."  

I reflected on the ordinary people I have visited with who are our particular heroes during the fires that have blazed across the diocese.  Men and women offering everything they have, sacrificially, for the other.  This is obvious in our civil servants who have done so much for our people; including John Alexander (Bishop Neil Alexander, Atlanta) of the Austin Fire Department.  This is less obvious to the casual observer but clear to your bishops that the great human outpouring of care throughout the diocese for those in need because of the fire disaster is not unlike Chisholm's incarnational ministry in the midst of great tragedy. 

Every day at the HOB we have an Emcee and today it is Bishop Nedi Rivera of Eastern Oregon. 

The Episcopal News Service offered this description of our time together: Bishop Stacy Sauls, chief operating officer for the Episcopal Church, greeted the bishops and talked about the Everyone Everywhere 2011 conference, a conference on domestic and global mission, will be held in October.

Bishop Scott Hayashi of Utah introduced the discussion on the Denominational Health Plan and the Lay Pension.  Details were presented by representatives of Church Pension Group: Frank Armstrong, chief actuary and senior vice president; Laurie Kazilionis, vice president; Michael McDonald, vice president.
 
The afternoon was dedicated to a presentation and discussion on the "Spiritual Foundation for Prophetic Proclamation to the Least," presented by Don Compier, professor at St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri, and in Spanish by the Rt. Rev. Naudal Gomes, bishop of Curitiba in Brazil.  They impressed upon us the seeds of liberation theology present in our own Anglican history.  They also made connections with our Eucharistic liturgy, Incarnation, and God's preferential option for the poor. 

In my own reflection of the day's talks I found this last presentation for the day was excellent. Bishop Gomes gave a great and stirring talk about ministry on the ground, with the people, a mission and ministry that is incarnational and tangible.  He offered illustrations about how the poor and homeless had given to him visions of God in ways he had not known before.  He talked about the inter-mingling of scripture's Gospel of Grace and life lived with those with whom Jesus had a special relationship.

He talked about the church's work of knowing and announcing God's presence in the midst of people and communities.  The work of the church to be open to how the poor can teach us about grace and to listen attentively within the context of our mission for God's words.  And, he talked to us about the importance of engaging power to raise up the very best in our civil societies but how we also must be willing to speak out on Gospel imperatives.  He got a very challenging question about how difficult it is to be close to power but not corrupted by it.  He said that such work between the margins is the work of the Gospel.  He ended by encouraging us forward through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was an excellent talk!

Then before breaking for evening prayer and dinner I along with two others were invited to address the House on the disasters in our diocese.  This was one of the reasons why Bishop Harrison and I felt I should be here...to tell our story.

 
We heard first from Bishop Tom Ely of Vermont.  He shared with HOB the devastation in the state as a result of the floods and the needs of the people.  Their communities are suffering as many roads and bridges are gone. They have a shuttle system which gets food and supplies throughout the area of devastation.  Two congregations suffered damage; many of the poor are suffering a great deal.  

Bishop William Love of Albany spoke about the widespread impact of the flooding from Hurricane Irene. He shared with us his on the ground visits with people and congregations.  He reflected with the group that (like our experience and Tom's that Episcopal Relief and Development has been very responsive).  I also thought that I remember our same thoughts and needs post hurricanes that dealt heavy blows across the gulf coast.  Both these diocese and many other smaller areas throughout the northeast will require years of recovery.
 
I then was able to provide a vision of our experience in the Diocese of Texas.  If you are interested in the latest news, the short film, and how you can help today to meet the needs of the wildfire victims follow this link:  http://www.epicenter.org/texas-wildfires

I am glad I came to be with the house.  Not only to participate in prayer and to share our story from Texas but because by doing so a number of Bishops have promised funds; some in addition to funds already sent.  Let me also say that many bishops have come to me personally and asked that I share their love and prayers for the people of Texas as we go through this trial.  It was a humbling experience, a grace-filled experience, this morning to hear during our service of morning prayer bishops pray out loud for Bishop Harrison, myself, Lisa Hines, and all our people. 

We concluded the daylong session with Evening Prayer, led by Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina.

It has been a special pleasure to sit and be with our visitors from around the Anglican communion.  These are:

• The Rt. Rev. Naudal Gomes, bishop of Curitiba, Brazil;
• The Rt. Rev. Peter Price, bishop of Bath and Wells, Church of England;
• Archbishop Nathaniel Uematsu, primate of Nippon Sei Ko Kai (the Episcopal/Anglican church of Japan); 
• Archbishop Albert Chama, primate of Central Africa will arrive later in the meeting.

I will add a special note that Bishop Nathaniel's son was born in Austin and that he is a graduate for our Seminary of the Southwest. He is a wonderful man and we sat at Eucharist together yesterday.  I am hopeful that he might join us in Texas for a visit.  He has shared with us some of his experience post earthquake and the work that is underway there through his congregations and their mission.

Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, D.D.

IX Bishop of Texas

Sent from portable while out of office.

Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

Sermon Preached at St. John the Divine, Houston

Philippe came to see Guy Tozzoli, President of the of the World Trade Center Association, day after day. He said he wanted to do a story about the World Trade Center as a French Journalist.

Yet, Philippe kept asking Guy how the buildings move in the wind. Guy told him the buildings oscillate like snakes. Philippe also wanted to know how far apart are the buildings were.

The reason for this was that Philippe Petit is French but he is a performance artist and his goal on August 7, 1974 was to walk a tight rope between the two twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Step by step he would make his way to the other side. He traveled the 1,350 feet six or eight times.

When asked what it was like to walk across, he said he could hear the sounds of the city floating upwards. He could hear people, cars, boats and police. He could feel the wind, and the buildings move. But he remembers that first step.

He says, “I had to make a decision from one foot anchored on the building to one foot anchored on the wire.” He remembers thinking, “This is the end of my life.” Then he was resolved and with clarity he took his first steps. He knew he must go. He says, “I was pulled forward … and death is very close.” [read all]

Remembering 9/11

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was nearby leading a conference as the first plane hit the tower. He remembers saying to himself as the second plane hit and the lights went out, “Let us not be afraid to tell God how afraid we are.” He then joined a few others to guide children (ages 4 and under) in a nursery school out of the buildings and to safety.

After the towers fell, a tiny 18th-century Episcopal church became a relief center where clergy counseled, cooks dished out meals, and medical workers treated stiff muscles and burned feet. More than 5,000 people used their special gifts to transform St. Paul’s into a place of rest and refuge. Musicians, clergy, podiatrists, lawyers, soccer moms, and folks from all walks of life poured coffee, swept floors, took out the trash, and served more than half a million meals.

In the days leading up to the tenth anniversary we have heard and commemorated what our lives were like on that day and what it has been like to live life post-9/11. The theme is clear—while humanity can do horrible things we are also capable of selfless giving, deep compassion for our neighbor, love and care for those who mourn, and the ability to give mercy to all those in need.

This truth is clear in the stories we tell on this tenth anniversary. We are proud too that the Episcopal Church sent people to the 9/11 site to care and offer a vision of God's hand working in the world. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said recently, "People of faith gave sacrificially in the immediate aftermath of the plane crashes. St. Paul's Chapel opened its doors to the emergency responders, and volunteers appeared with food and socks, massaging hands and praying hearts. Volunteers continued to staff the chapel for months afterward, and prayers were offered as human remains were sought and retrieved in the ruins of the towers."

C. S. Lewis wrote, "When pain is to be born, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all."

Episcopalians will join the American people this weekend in remembering. But we do this so that the epitaph we write in the ashes of 9/11 is one of hope, kindness, and humility.

We are transformed by the events of ten years ago. But it is our hope that through our transformation we may more widely engage our communities in the work of reconciliation wherein we find a common ground to change the world itself. Where together we may beat our swords into plowshares our spears into fishing hooks. (Isaiah 2.4) This anniversary is a special opportunity in our history where embracing our neighbors and loving them as ourselves can open new doors to understanding, fellowship, cooperation, and peacemaking. We tell and retell our 9/11 story so that we remember. We remember so we can be transformed. We do this in the name of Jesus Christ who came and offered the ultimate sacrifice so that we might be brothers and sisters, friends, and neighbors.

Prayer for our Country

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance; and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.

In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Some Events in the Diocese of Texas

In the Diocese of Texas we will remember the events and the people who cared. St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston will hold a "Service of Prayer and Remembrance" at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11. St. Andrew's Church in Pearland plans to honor and bless first responders in remembrance of all those who lost their lives and their bereaved families.

In Austin, St. David's Episcopal Church has invited the entire community to join them for an "Evensong for Peace" at 5 p.m. on Sept. 11. The service of prayer and remembrance will include prayers "and deeply moving choral and organ anthems—all of which speak to the community's deepest desires for peace and reconciliation among all peoples," according to a diocesan news article.

"It is our desire to call our community together to remember our losses and the individual and corporate pain of the events of Sept. 11, 2001," said the Rev. David Boyd, rector of St. David's. "As people of faith, we seek to hold up hope and pray for peace among all people."

The Diocese of Texas has partnered with Compassionate Houston on a "Compassionate Weekend of Service." Organizations throughout Greater Houston will be hosting activities with a compassionate focus.

Sounds of Worship: Recordings of Hymn Singing at All Saints Church in Southern Malawi

Click on the title or below and go to my podcast site to hear sounds of Africa.

http://adoyle.libsyn.com/webpage

My last full day in Southern Malawi

On my last full day in Malawi I went out with the Diocesan Secretary, Godfrey, to a youth conference that was being held at Trinity Anglican School which is outside Blantyre by about 30 minutes.

Trinity Anglican School is a relatively new school. It was purchased from a school that went out of business. They are remodeling the buildings. Creating a computer lab, library with books in it, meeting space, a school store, and dorms. The dormitories are important because many of the children travel for a long distance to attend school. Being able to stay at the school insures they will attend regularly. Therefore, the school has both boarders and day students from the surrounding villages.

Being able to attend the event and see Trinity school had a multiplicity of purposes. It gave me time with the youth but it also allowed me as a member of the Compass Rose Society (the Anglican and global missionary society. You can read more about the society and how to become a member here: http://www.compassrosesociety.org) to see how some of our monies are being used. The school is a beneficiary of a mission trip taken by board members some years ago. The Compass Rose has helped to supply the school and get it off to a good start. Also, I was able to bring with me financial support for the diocese from the Society which underwrites participating in the youth event itself. It ensures that orphans, and the poor can attend with no worries.

They do four to six of these youth conferences a year. 100 to 150 students attend. They are there for several days. The conferences are held around the diocese. The conferences bring together youth leaders from the different parishes and different churches across the diocese. It reminds me of how we used to do EYC Council in the Diocese of Texas where we gathered representatives from the different parishes and convocations.

I was invited to celebrate and preach. Then after a tour of the school I was invited to tea with the youth and to receive a number of presentations. They read poems, sang songs, and performed a skit. The latter shows that universally youth skits are silly and hilarious. We had quite the group of performers!

Afterwards there were several more formal presentations from the youth leadership and coordinators. These included insight into the work of the conference. The youth have set as their goals to improve the communities of their churches and Malawi through the work and ministry of:

Literacy
HIV/AIDS and STD education
Family planning
And job training

They also are very clear about the importance of prayer and reading the scripture.

This work is done as a cooperative project between the youth of the diocese (which make up 60% of the Diocese of Southern Malawi church attendance), the diocesan staff, and the minister of youth from the Malawian government.

I have been struck on my trip to Africa by the notion that the growth in numbers of Christians has to do with the combined evangelical proclamation of the Gospel AND the fact that each of these churches see clearly a role for social interaction and the need to be part of the solution to their culture's needs. It is truly a Gospel that is proclaimed in Word and Action.

I officially opened the conference. I then invited the youth to be in conversation with me about their life and ministry.

I was surprised and delighted when the session turned out to be something akin to what we call in the states "preacher on a hot seat." The youth asked me: Why did Jesus ask Peter three times if he loved him? Why if Paul says we can't see the kingdom of heaven do we even bother praying? Is it possible for God to heal you from HIV/AIDS as some of the pentecostal preachers claim? What is our youth ministry like in Texas? Do the youth of the U.S. believe in God? And, the last question was a liturgical one. The young lady asked why we had done something different during our Eucharist celebration when she understood it was doctrine. This also reveals that most in the U.S. or in Malawi many people think their liturgical customs are the full expression of Anglican liturgy. I wish that people throughout the communion would have the privilege and honor as some do to experience the length and breadth of our worship as Anglicans!

In the afternoon I rested a bit and got a latte! Quite the treat. Then I packed and worked on sorting out pictures and got ready for the evening.

I attended a wonderful event at St. Paul's Cathedral in downtown Blantyre. Where leaders of the diocese gathered to celebrate with me my visit. We had a wonderful traditional meal. Chambo (fish) is a local delicacy and one of my new favorites.

After dinner I was introduced to the leadership which I had not yet met. Then Bishop James gave the history of the Diocese of Texas with Malawi. In the 1970s the Diocese of Texas began a partnership relationship with the diocese here which was at that time encompassed the whole of the country of Malawi. During those early years the Diocese of Texas grew the partnership with a group called "The Friends of Malawi." This group included a number of strong diocesan leaders, Bishop Suffragan Roger Cilley and then Bishop Suffragan Bill Sterling. During those early years before the division the Diocese of Texas funded a small clinic which we supported into a hospital which is called St. Luke's and is even today serving in the Diocese of Upper Shire, north of where I am visiting. Also, Bishop Cilley came to Malawi in 1982 (we think) to open the new Diocesan Center which continues to serve the Diocese of Lake Milawi in Lilongwe. The Diocese of Texas has served to help support each new diocese as it was forming and getting on its feet. Today we are continuing a 40 year tradition as we support the diocese of Southern Malawi in its early stages of building a strong foundation for mission and ministry.

It has been a great trip. I have made many new friends. I have also deepened the friendships of those whom I met on their visit to the U.S. We are hoping that Bishop James will be with us for clergy conference this year and he will be bringing with him his minister of health - Geoffrey.

I now that as we are faithful to our global communion partnership both our diocese will be strengthened.

As we were waiting to go out last night we watched a show on the science of what makes people happy. The scientist talked about jobs, money, relationships and all the many things that seem to be the bedrock of what makes people happy. In the end of the program he said there is one common denominator to all of these things and that is "relationship experiences." I can say after a week of visitations throughout the diocese of Southern Malawi that I have had a rich experience of love and hospitality and I am very happy!

Blessings to all of you have been reading along. I look forward to sharing my slides and the information I have gathered here with the different groups supporting the Malawi mission. I am of course eager to be home with my family (both JoAnne and the kids and the Diocese of Texas). And, I am looking forward to picking up my schedule of visitations.

You can see the last pictures uploaded in my photo journal here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ajsdoyle/AfricaTripToSouthernMalawi

Monday in Southern Malawi

This morning we got up early and headed out to Clinic #4 in the Thyolo (pronounced cho-low) region. We met with the Dr first. There are two doctors on duty who take shifts. There are some 4 nurses and midwifes also on shifts. The clinic serves some six hundred women and children each week.

On Saturday before we arrived they delivered 15 babies. They avers some 165 births a month. They do check ups for new borns. They see the mothers before and after they give birth. They are a clinic who serve some 51,000 people from the surrounding villages; some even come out of Blantyre to their clinic.

They had very little space and supplies were everywhere and they went through them very quickly. The first area I visited was for the mothers and their children. It was packed I bet there were over 50 families waiting in line to see the doctor. While they are waiting they listen and are encouraged to watch videos about malaria and HIV/AIDS prevention. They also watch pre-natal, childcare, and family planning videos.

We then made our way to another building were expectant mothers were waiting. They had about 25 waiting for check-ups. I met the midwife who then gave me a tour of the delivery room and then took me in to see the new mothers and their babies. They can only stay one day after they give birth and then must make their way home. One of the mothers was supposed to go home but waited to see us. We were there to meet them and give them all malaria nets.

While they are in the clinic they have a number of nets so most, though not all, are protected from the mosquitos. We then went to another part of the building where the mothers waited to deliver. Many times the young mothers would arrive to early. So they stayed in this other ward. Unfortunately, they did not have nets. The midwife confessed that they did not have enough beds sometimes.

Malaria continues to be a major factor in healthy mothers and children. You can make a difference and help the Diocese of Texas meet its goal of giving 30,000 nets by going right now to our website and giving: http://www.epicenter.org/give-online

Each net will help cover 5 people and can save the lives of many young children.

The Diocese of Southern Malawi partners with Doctors without Boarders, the EU, and many other groups to help make this clinic successful. It is a government run clinic but without the many NGO (non governmental organizations) it could not make a go of it.

The Diocese of Southern Malawi has built and is now putting in the windows to a new maternity clinic in another part of the region. This clinic will be very similar but will be run solely by the Diocese and its partners and it will serve an area which has no medical care for mothers and their children at this time. We the Diocese of Texas along with other Episcopal partners and the Anglican Communion are making a tremendous effort take shape here in Southern Malawi. There is still a lot of work to be done. We will need to furnish the clinic before it opens.

After our visit to the clinic we headed to the Leonard Komungu Theological College. We were met there by Dean Alinafe. We began with tea which was nice after our busy morning and drive. We visited with the professors of New and Old Testament as well. Dean Alinafe teaches systematic theology. A number of the clergy in the diocese serve as adjucts as well.

The school property was purchased by the province and stood vacant for some time. The students mostly went to the Presbyterian seminary down the road which had an Anglican study program. The students grew maize on the property.

Then a company came to build a dam in the area. The company offered to build the buildings and use them in exchange for the lease. Then when they were done they would give it to the church. So that is how the College came to be built. Later funds have redone some of the spaces and built classrooms and the new library.

The goal of the college is sustainability. The different diocese of the province all are responsible for dues which keep the college open. However, not everyone pays or pays on time which creates a problem for the school. So, the school is combining agricultural technology with revenues and education. They have a crop which they feed some portion to their pigs, which multiply, and they sell. They already have a goodly number of pigs and the crops have prepared them for a good return this year. The seminarians help and they too learn the trade. So as they go out and serve congregations many are implementing the same skills to create revenue and self-supporting congregations.

We went down to see the chapel which was originally designed as a garage. You would not have known it from the outside or inside. They showed me around and then we went up to the altar. They pulled back the frontal and told me this story about the altar.

One of the great men of their diocese was a man whose name was Chauncey Maples. He was a missionary and went to England to be consecrated their fifth bishop. Chauncey made his way home by way of a boat. Not just any boat but a river boat steamer which was used as a floating Anglican Theological College and missionary tool to reach different parts of Malawi. (It was later given over to the government and was used as one of Malawi's official fleet). The steamship had a chapel and library on it. Along the way Chauncey died before reaching his see in Malawi. He was thrown over board and new the steamer cold not return to get him. So he left his cassock on that they would know when they found him that they had found the bishop. The Steamship was later retired. Some years ago in a mission not far from the college they found the altar from the Anglican Missionary Steamship. That today is the altar in the chapel!

We then toured the library and classrooms. The library now holds more than 17,000 volumes and is the largest library of its kind in the city. Most Malawians do not have books. They are too expensive. So a library is an essential treasure to the school. Somba where the college is located is an education town with a number of universities and colleges (secular and theological).

They are hoping to open up a computer lab. This will have the obvious impact for the students who attend. But as part of their revenue plan they will lease out time on the computers to other students in the town.

They also lease space in a dormitory for students who do not attend the school using space that is not otherwise occupied and bringing in funds.

I was very impressed and echoed Dean Travis interest in exploring ways our two schools might be in relationship with one another.

After the tour we headed up for lunch on top of the nearby mountain which overlooked the lake created by the damn builders. They had a wifi hot spot so we were able to do a little work before heading back into town.

You can follow my photo journal from my trip here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ajsdoyle/AfricaTripToSouthernMalawi

Saturday and Sunday in Southern Malawi

On Saturday morning we woke up early and Bishop James and I headed off to play a little golf. Then Bishop James had a meeting in the afternoon regarding the political situation in Malawi following the July 20th demonstrations. I worked on my sermon as we would be traveling. Meanwhile, Benjamin the bishop's driver went to the airport and brought home my luggage! Yay South African Air! We then left for our visitation.

We drove out of Blantyre and down out of the Shire Highlands onto the Shire plain itself which is called Chihkwawa (pronounced something like chick-wa-wa). This is a great valley along the Shire river which flows into the Zambezi river. The valley is in fact the souther end of the great Rift valley that marches northward to the horn of Africa. This part of Southern Malawi is where much of the sugar cane is grown.

We headed for a late afternoon drive in the Nyala Game Preserve which is in the midst of the Illovo Sugar Plantation; just one of the plantations nearby. We saw monkeys, giraffes, wildebeests, several species of deer, water buffalo and zebra. Then as the sun set over the valley we made our way to the Illovo Plantation headquarters and club where we would spend the night.

As we made our way we could see the fields being burned. They actually burn the fields before they harvest the sugar cane. This gets all of the small creatures and snakes out of the field. Then the cutters go in and cut the fields. The cane is piled by the side of the road and then these giant sugar trains come and pick up the cane and take it to the plant which works 24 hours a day. They use everything here; making use of all the byproducts and refuse. An example that I found fascinating was that they pour the byproduct of sugar - molasses - on the roads like tar. This keeps the dust down. Most all of the congregation that we visited and many of the surrounding parish stations are filled with workers from the different layers of people it takes to run the plantation; from the cutters to the managers.

We spent the night at the "Club" and ate dinner. We saw bats flying low to the ground. I assume they were gathering up mosquitoes. There were also a lot of frogs hopping around. We had a good dinner and headed to our rooms. I had a small room with a desk and bed (every bed has a mosquito net - a constant reminder of malaria). Though I must say there have been very few mosquitoes on this trip. I sat at the desk and finished my sermon and called the girls at home.

I woke up and went out immediately to get a closer look at the Shire river whose banks ran up agains the gardens of the club. I ate breakfast Bishop James informed me there were hippos! So I got my camera and went out and watched a small group of three hippos snooze in the Shire river; wiggling their ears and swimming around from time to time.

Then we headed to All Saints for our parish church visitation. Here the parish will have several churches and several mission stations; organized similar to our convocations back home. When the bishop comes he comes to the parish and the Archdeacon tells him which church they would like him to go to and everyone meets the bishop there. We were going to All Saints which is one of the smaller but growing churches in the parish. Father Raphael is doing excellent work and his stations are expanding in the parish and he told us they were about to increase the size of the church because they could no longer fit when everyone came. The people work in shifts so not everyone is there at the same time.

The people who attended our service came from the plantation village nearby. But some came from the stations that are 15, 30, and 70 km away. They came by foot, bicycle taxi, and bus.

When we got about a quarter mile away we could see the blue and white uniforms of the Mother's Union, and the junior girls group called the St. Agnes guild. They came out to meet us. James and I got out of the car and the women danced, clapped, and sang as we made our way the last few blocks to the church and clergy residence. They were singing something like "praise God, praise God, our bishop is here, praise God, praise God, our bishop is here safely. It was a beautiful moment as I remembered Bishop James praying for us in the car before we left home the day before. And, there was a sense of grace and peace to the event that was wonderful.

We dressed and got ready and then processed in the same fashion into the church where the congregation was waiting and all were singing. I recorded some of the singing from the worship service. Some of the singing was unaccompanied and strikingly beautiful like the Gloria. Other parts were just as exciting and filled with praise and accompanied by electric piano.

The service was just like our prayer book service in many ways. I preached and Father Raphael translated. Then Bishop James and I confirmed together. I prayed our prayer in English, then we anointed them with oil as he prayed in Chichewa, the most common native language. We celebrated Eucharist together.

When we were finished the Sr. Warden, then the head of the Mother's Union, and then Father Raphael gave a parochial report to the bishop in front of the congregation. This included everything from youth events, mission numbers, finances, outreach programs, and upcoming work.

Then Bishop James spoke and ended his address to the parish with a teaching on HIV/AIDS. He asked those in the congregation to raise their hands if they had been tested. Then he asked the congregation to repent from non-testing and we prayed. It is essential to be tested because of the conditions. There are many ways in which people pass on the HIV/AIDS virus; the biggest problem is that those who don't know don't take precautions.

After he was finished I was asked to speak again. I said a few words. I told them about that Lyle Lovett song called church and described it to them this way. I began, "Now I am the preacher. And the song says preacher you have been preaching, but the food is ready, its time to eat, so let your people go home...go home..." They laughed. Then I said, "As a bishop though...I always have a few more words." They laughed at that too. I greeted them again and told them how strong a parish they were and how I would be proud to be their bishop given the missionary work they are doing.

When we were done. Father Raphael invited me to come forward. "Bishop," he said, "The congregation has a few words for you now!" They brought me forward and made me sit in the middle of the congregation. Then a the head of the Mother's Union, an elder, one of the wardens, and a church leader came forward and singing and dancing. They brought me two gifts. Father Raphael made me open them. He said, "The people of this congregation has decided to make you one of their chiefs. And, if you are to be a chief they need to know you are a chief, and a chief needs beautiful fabric to wear, so they have given you this hand made fabric." Then they wrapped me up in the fabric. It was really cool. Also, they presented me with a carved chalice which has an elephant, giraffe, and hippo on it, with a baobab tree.

Then it was Bishop James' and Josie's turn. I remembered in that moment that the last several places they had been he had received a goat. All I could think of during the procession of gifts was what if they give him a goat. Our car was pretty full with all of us traveling together and our luggage! There wasn't much room.

They didn't give him a goat this time. They did give him several sacks of maize, rice, and sugar. The gave him a basket and some very good plates for the kitchen. They also gave hims some beautifully ripe tomatoes and a live chicken. Then all I could think about was how were we going to get that chicken home.

Well, the chicken's feet were tied together, and they shoved him in the back of the car with the luggage and other gifts. He was fine when we got home...except he had loosened his foot ties and got out a little ahead of schedule! I think they will have to chase him to put him in the chicken coop.

Certainly this was out of the ordinary for me, but it was very moving. The gifts they gave were tremendously generous. In a congregation on an average Sunday with several hundred members that gives about 25 US dollars total, to have brought forth such generous gifts - real first fruits - was amazing. It was certainly a modern day image of the widow's mite.

Father Raphael asked if I had any animals at home. I said we had cats. He said, "I mean cattle?" I said, "No, JoAnne and I would love to have chickens but our neighborhood doesn't allow it. So we have to buy all our eggs and meat." I did mention to Bishop James that Bishop Rayford does have a longhorn on his property.

When we left we traveled a little way back towards the Shire Highlands. But before we crossed the river we drove off the road to a shrine. The shrine overlooks the Shire river and is erected near the graves of the first Anglican priests that brought medicine and the Anglican Church to Malawi. I could tell for Bishop James, who is a historian that this was very special and that it was very important to have this in his diocese. I was glad he brought me there as I am reading the history of the Anglican Church in Malawi written by him. But I was also glad because was special that he shared it with me.

We arrived home and Bishop James did some work with religious leaders from the Council of Churches and the government on the national prayer service that is planned for Tuesday afternoon. I relaxed a little and began the process of writing this blog and updating the photo journal.

It was a good day, a full day, and a long day. I was blessed by my experiences today and the pictures and blog cannot capture the images I have been privileged to experience over these last few days. It seems as though the time has flown by and soon I will leave. There is still more to do though and the next two days will be experiences in and of themselves. We travel to a different part of the diocese tomorrow morning.

Blessings to you all.

Follow this link to the photo journal:

https://picasaweb.google.com/ajsdoyle/AfricaTripToSouthernMalawi

Friday in Southern Malawi

On Friday morning we got up and made our way quickly to the Diocesan Center where I met with the clergy. We began our time together with Bishop Tengatenga speaking about his work and some of the socio/political events in Malawi. Then I was introduced to the clergy of the diocese and learned where they were stationed. I am still geographically challenged here in Southern Malawi but had gotten enough bearings where I knew where they are serving.

The topic of my conversation was leadership - a big surprise. I talked about our Diocesan vision and how we are trying to drive that through the organization. I talked about the key elements of our work: leadership, connection/networking, and formation. Then I Bishop James asked that I talk with them about how the clergy in the Diocese of Texas work together and some of our successes in common ministry.

They found out that I am like many bishops and can talk quite a bit. So, I kept them busy and then we had a nice tea break on the lawn. I was able to visit with some of them. As I mentioned in the photo journal I saw Charles who studied at General for a while and was present when Bishop Harrison was consecrated bishop. I also got to meet Martin who is a VTS grad and who knows a number of our good priests.

When we returned we had a time of conversation where in they shared with me some of their challenges and asked some questions. I think one of the most interesting take-aways was how much we have in common. These were good men who are working hard for the Lord and trying to do their best. They have challenges regarding time, prayer, study, and rest not unlike our own clergy; not unlike me...

They asked me the following questions: what is our diocese like (stewardship, number of congregations, size)? They were interested in the demographics and our particular mission challenge in the U.S. They wanted me to speak about the nature of our youth and young adult mission work. They asked me who was responsible for the mission; and I explained that we all were. It was a very good give and take.

Then I asked them what would you like me to take home? What would you like me to share with the people of my diocese? This is what they said. Tell them they have two homes now; Texas and in Malawi and we would welcome them to come home. Tell them that we are hoping that more parishes will link with our parishes so that we can learn from one another. Tell them we are grateful for allowing the Bishop to come and be with us as it reminds us of our connection to a global communion/church. Tell them we are interested in possible "distance learning." Is it possible for us to connect electronically with one another, between our seminaries, so that we can share and learn together? And, finally I am to bring back with me to Texas their deepest love, and regards.

When we were finished I was presented with a beautiful embroideried table cloth sewn by the HIV/AIDs community in Thyolo. It is wonderful and a very kind gift. This is where I visited my first day on the ground.

I then had another radio interview on my trip and what I was seeing in the church and mission field here in Malawi.

As my luggage has still not yet arrived I went shopping after a brief lunch with Bishop James. Best food of the day was: sweet potato leaves, surprisingly excellent; a little like spinach.

On Friday afternoon I had a bit of time to myself. I caught up on some preparations for Sunday's sermon.

Then I joined Bishop James and the Development Board for a meeting and dinner. This group is something like a combination between the Diocese of Texas Executive Board and Church Corporation. They gave a great presentation. I will be bringing it back with me and using it to inform our own diocese about the work being done here. The highlight was seeing the tremendous amount they are doing!Thanks to the generosity of the Diocese of Texas we have helped with their strategic planning, to support an orphanage, to help students stay at Trinity school (I will visit there next week), and Boreholes. The boreholes are wells. Many of the people who uses these boreholes must walk some 4 km and then wait in line for 6 hours in order to get fresh water - one bucket full. Each well is serving some 300 families which is about 1500 to 1800 people!

Here is a link to my photo journal or you can click the title of this article and be taken directly there: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajsdoyle/AfricaTripToSouthernMalawi

Second Day in the Diocese of Southern Malawi

We were up and out today. Benjamin picked me up and we drove from the Bishop's home to a Church and picked up Father Makweya and then to the Diocesan Offices to pick up the secretary of the Diocese Godfrey. Both Makweya and Godfrey visited the United States when we signed the papers making Texas a companion diocese with Southern Malawi.

These three were my companions for the day. We headed through a series of towns out into the area of Malawi known for its tea plantations. The tea was very green and some of it was being harvested. We arrived mid morning in Thyolo Parish. It is located in the Shire Highlands. The town itself is an administrative trade center.

The Congregation is called All Saints. This congregation has two outlying mission posts and is served by Father Willard. He was present to meet me as were the founding families of the parish and a number of other members of the congregation. Dottie one of the members of the congregation said that she had met Bishop Richardson many moons ago. She was taking pictures and like the other members were very hospitable and gracious. Chip's family had founded the congregation as an ecumenical church and the building had been erected in the 1950s and then after that a number of outlying buildings.

The Diocesan Health Officer, Geoffrey, who I believe will be with us this October if all goes well was also present.

The congregation while beginning primarily as a English parish is now mixed with services in both the native language and in English.

They put me right to work. I joined the elderly for grace. Then we served porridge and tea. Originally the congregation had served some 40 elderly on a daily basis. Today they are serving 90 or more a mixture of soy, corn, sugar and milk which provides them with more nutrition than they are able to get. When you can no longer work then living is difficult.

The congregation also serves a population of about 30 HIV patients.

And, the day I was present they were having a creche. A creche is when they gather the children and teach them their numbers and shapes. Today the parish hall and church were filled with children and volunteers. We served them porridge as well.

After some time of being present, learning about the different programs (sewing and brick making) I was able to visit with these wonderful servants who were trying to transform the lives of the community around them. They gathered and I offered them greetings from the Diocese of Texas and the Episcopal Church. I talked to them about our value of reaching out and serving others - transforming lives. I shared with them some of the ministries that the Diocese of Texas does: El Buen and Lord of the Streets. Then I told them how amazing it was to see servants of God working so hard to heal the world around them. I shared with them that while we are far away we are very close in the kingdom.

They had told me that before the outlying buildings were finished they served the elderly and the children in the midst of the altar table and sanctuary. The image of God's kingdom spiritually fed that it may feed the world was a powerful metaphor for this visit.

I then invited them to share with me and they were gracious and glad of my visit. They had been waiting and were I think proud that I had recognized their good work. These were great people and it was a wonderful beginning to my pilgrimage to see the mission work of the Diocese of Southern Malawi.

After the visit I did a radio interview which aired Thursday morning on national radio. And, I was video taped as the Diocese is putting together a tape of their mission and ministry. They had also interviewed the parishioners and the community.

We left to see the paper recycling center. Operated by four women and one man this small operation is a central ingredient to a redevelopment plan which teaches new sustainable farming techniques hand in hand with health education and technical training like the paper recycling. You can learn more about their work at this web site:

http://www.nchimatrust.org/charity/Activities/NchimaTrustCentreThyolo/tabid/60/Default.aspx

They showed me how they soak the paper, pound it into pulp, press the paper and dry it. They also showed me how they make bricks out of the left over material for fuel to cook.

When we were done touring the site we left for lunch. We first made our way to the foot of Mount Mulanje which is the tallest mountain in Southern Malawi. Then we went to one of the parishioners restaurants on a game preserve where we shared a delightful lunch.

Then the guys took me to an open air market where we purchased tomatoes and onions before heading back into town. It was a great day and we laughed a lot as I enjoyed the company of my friends.

By clicking the title of this post you can go to my picassa web album and see the pictures of my trip; they include captions.

A Wonderful First Day in Blantyre, Southern Malawi

Yesterday I arrived in Blantyre. As I got off the plane at the airport and walked onto the tarmac, I waved to Bishop Tengatenga. I was so glad to see him after my long flight (20 hours over two days). Imagine my surprise when I was pulled out of line at customs and taken to a lounge! There I was greeted by the Bishop, the Dean, the head of the Mothers Union and a delightful young girl from the Junior Guild. They gave me a flower for my jacket and welcomed me. I also saw many of our dear friends from the diocesan office here. What a surprise. Then as I was escorted outside where the Mother's Union from several parishes greeted me with singing and dancing!

I was invited to greet them; which I did in the name of Jesus Christ, and told them of my family's and diocese's wishes for them.

We went straight to the Bishop's home where we had coffee together and visited. We spent much of the afternoon talking about Southern Malawi and the country's challenges. We also reviewed our schedule and made plans for the week.  Then we went into town to several grocery stores for some items, and the Bishop explained the economic life of Blantyre.

We had a delightful evening with his wife Josie and their daughter Susan. Susan is a law student and is currently working on an internship. Josie works as an accountant at the International School here. It is a small school with some 400 students. I explained that that would be a very big private school in the U.S. Many of the private Anglican schools here, while not many in number, have 600 to 800 students per grade!

We ended the evening sitting on the back porch doing what friends do ... solving the problems of the world. It has been a great day and the hospitality has been so generous and kind. I am truly overwhelmed by their welcome.

On Thursday we travel to a tea plantation and visit a congregation there.

Guest Blog by Sam Todd: Sermon given at IONA graduation

Day of Pentecost 2011

NO OTHER PLAN

We celebrate two things today. The first is the seniors’ graduation from the Iona School for Ministry. It is no mean feat. It has demanded astute time management, a devoted determination to persevere, and an eagerness to learn which entails a willingness to be taught – not a quality universal among adults. These adults have been faithful to their vocation and to their assignments.

Each year at this time someone says to me, “You must feel very proud”. Actually I don’t and I have asked myself why. The main reason is that we are celebrating something you have accomplished, not something I have. I am not sure I could have done what you have done with all the other demands upon you. Another reason I am not puffed with pride is the poignancy of your departure. I have become accustomed to your faces. Every other Iona Sunday when you have flown off to your various homes and missions, I have known you would come flying back next month. But now you will not. And I will miss you.

A third consideration which constrains pride on my part is my acute awareness that all we have done, all you have done, is but preparation for the great task that awaits you. Today the preparation ends; the mission remains. Two years down the road if the kingdom of God is being revitalized and strengthened in your locale under your leadership and by your servanthood I shall take tremendous pride in having helped equip you for your ministry.

The other thing we celebrate today is Pentecost which was itself a graduation. Sometimes called the birthday of the Church, it is actually the baptism of the Church. The same Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus at his baptism now anoints the twelve disciples who are, collectively, Christ’s successor on earth. On this day the disciples become empowered apostles, those sent. Our word “disciples” comes from the Latin “discipuli” meaning students. Today the students become teachers and preachers.

St. Luke tells us they began preaching immediately in the native tongues of those present: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Egyptians, Libyans, Romans, Cretans, Arabs. What an incredible spectacle! Did that actually happen? I often wished I could have been there to see and hear for myself until I realized that I don’t know any of those languages; so I still would not have known what was happening. I might have just thought them drunk (v. Acts 2:13-15). What is indisputable is that the Gospel was in fact preached to Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Egyptians, Indians, Greeks, Romans, Gauls, Germans, Slavs, Celts. The gospel was eventually preached throughout South America and North America, in sub-Saharan Africa, in Australia and New Zealand. It is being preached today to great effect in China where the Christian faith may be spreading faster than any other place on earth and producing martyrs as well (v. The Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity p. 653).

The apostolic mission is on-going because the entire world must be reconverted in every generation. Each day hundreds of children are born into this world knowing nothing of Christ. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things “(Rom. 10:14f KJV). The life of the world is still at risk, millions of human souls still spiritually malnourished. The need is the same, the mission is the same, the stakes are the same. Today our graduates receive a certificate of completion. Saturday, God willing, they will receive the Holy Spirit for the office and work of a deacon to be proclaimers, bearers and icons of the glorious gospel.

What is that gospel? We often say with St. Paul that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” (II Cor. 5:19). Actually it goes beyond that. For, what is wrought in Christ and by Christ is not merely the reconciliation of a lost love, the restoration of a previous relationship, but the creation of something unprecedented: the union of divinity and humanity. In the 4th century, Gregory of Naziansus said of Christ, “He shares in the poverty of my flesh that I may share in the riches of his Godhead” (Theological Orations 38). In the same century Athanasius put it more baldly: “God became man in order that man might become God” (Of the Incarnation 54). These two statements are so bold, so mind-boggling, so apparently arrogant that we might dismiss them as crazy new age heresy did they not come from the two saints who more than any other were responsible for the Nicene Creed, the very definition of orthodoxy. Actually, St. Peter had anticipated them. Listen to his epistle: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,… that through these you may …become partakers of the divine nature” (I Pet. 1:3f RSV).

Today, Pentecost, marks the completion of a circle of grace begun with the Incarnation which we celebrate at Christmas when “the Babe …first revealed his sacred face” (Hymn 82:2) but which actually began some months previously with our Lady’s insemination. Of these two bookends, Lancelot Andrewes wrote, “It would not be easier to determine whether is the greater of these two: the mystery of [God’s] incarnation or the mystery of our inspiration. For mysteries they are both. And in both of them God is manifested in the flesh. … Whereby, as before he of ours, so now we of his [nature] are made partakers. He clothed with our flesh, and we invested with his Spirit” (Works Vol. III, pp. 108f).

The Annunciation and Pentecost, the two bookends of our celebration of the Incarnation, have heavenly spectators. Some paintings of the Annunciation show the host of heaven peering down as Gabriel accosts Mary and, as Scripture puts it, “she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be”(Luke 1:29 KJV). The heavenly spectators wait with bated breath to see what answer she will make God. Her response was, in John Donne’s phrase, to become her Maker’s maker (“Annunciation”, Holy Sonnet 2).

Today also, legend has it that the hosts of heaven are again peering down, watching as Pentecost unfolds, the archangel Gabriel now standing next to the ascended Christ. As the events end Christ says, “Now it begins”. Gabriel says, “There are not very many of them, Lord”. “They will bring others”, Christ replies. “They have not received a whole lot of training, Lord”. “I did the best I could in the time I had” Christ says; “now they will have the Holy Spirit to guide them”. “What if they fail?” Gabriel asks. “I trust they will not fail”, Christ answers. Gabriel persists, “But what if they do fail, Lord? What is your back-up plan?” Christ says, “I have no other plan”.







Iona School for Ministry graduation, Camp Allen

June 12, 2011 The Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:25-35 I Corinthians 12:3b-13 John 20:19-23

Hymns:225, S280, 516, 525, S129, Veni Sancte Spiritus, 555

1,225 words

June Calendar

1 7:00 p.m. St. Mark’s, Houston, CF

2 10:00 a.m. Bishop Quin Foundation meeting, Diocesan Center

7:00 p.m. 50th Anniversary Eucharist & Reception, Ascension, Houston

3 1:00 p.m. Texas Association of Healthcare Volunteers, Dallas

5 10:00 a.m. Santa Maria Virgen, Houston, CF

7 1:00 p.m. St. James’ House, Baytown

8 7:00 p.m. The Rev. David Nelson Celebration of New Ministry, Christ the King, Atascocita

12 11:00 a.m. Iona School Graduation, Camp Allen

14-15 Executive Board, Camp Allen

15 6:30 p.m. Grace, Georgetown, Visitation

16 10:00 Church Corporation meeting, Diocesan Center

18 10:00 a.m. Deacon Ordination, Christ Church Cathedral, Houston

19 10:30 a.m. Trinity, Houston, CF

22 6:30 p.m. The Rev. Bert Baetz Celebration of New Ministry, St. Mark’s, Fort Bend

26 10:00 a.m. St. Thomas’, Houston, CF

7:00 p.m. The Rev. Stacy Stringer Celebration of New Ministry, Holy Trinity, Dickinson

28 5:00 p.m. Episcopal Night at the Astros, Minute Maid Park, Houston

29 6:00 p.m. St. Timothy’s, Lake Jackson, CF

Build Up The Body of Love

“Build Up The Body of Love.”

A Sermon
On the Occasion of Celebration of New Ministry
The Rev. David Nelson Christ the King Episcopal Church

Texas George Kinsolving, the second bishop of Texas, in his 1902 missionary sermon at Virginia Theological Seminary wrote these words about the reformers:

[The reformers], you remember, were delegated to remodel and old system which was then, and had been for many centuries, in existence, but which somehow in the lapse of ages had got strangely out of repair, and sadly needed reconstruction. Numbers of her stones had rolled down from the walls of this Zion, and accumulated masses of debris and rubbish were visible on every hand. All things appeared to be crumbling away into decay and ruin; wild beasts of various descriptions had crept through the breaches into the enclosure, and were trampling underfoot the celestial flowers growing within, and making a fearful havoc with the trees and fruits planted in this garden of His by the hand of the Lord Himself; so that earnest and faithful men found it necessary to replace these stones in their former position, to build up again the towers, to remove the dirt, thoroughly renovate the structure and restore it to its original condition. (The Church’s Burden, Section 2, 5)

David and my friends of Christ the King, you have neither as difficult a challenge nor as great a burden in this place.

Yet it is true that there is work to do.

You exist for God.

You exist for the world around you.

You exist to glorify God and to make his name known by transforming the lives of the people around you.

You must indeed rebuild the mission of this church out into the world.

You have a solid foundation in Jesus Christ.

You have a sure footing given to you by the people through their labors during the transition time.

But together you are charged to renovate and build up, stone by stone the mission of Christ the King to the community of Atascocita and Humble which surround you on either side.

The work is clear. This congregation exists not for the benefit of itself; not for the benefit of the Episcopal Church or the Diocese of Texas.

This congregation exists for the clear work of glorifying God in worship and mission.

On Sunday you are to offer praise and prayers to God. You are to serve all those who come to you.

You are to: build a goodly community of fellowship; a community that cares for the old and young alike; a community that prays for its members and for the world; a community that offers healing.

Christ the King is a sanctuary from the world. It is a pilgrim’s way station as all pilgrims (known and unknown) make their way in their daily life lived with Jesus.

The rest of the week this place is to be used as a mission point from which your people and you leave and go out into the world. It is good for the doors to be open to all people but they aren’t coming to find you. You have to go out and find them.

You are to be like Jesus looking for the lost sheep of Israel; the people of Zion.

Today in Holy Men and Holy Women we remember Roland Allen. He is the great missiologist and missionary to Northern China and Africa in the late 19th and early 20th century.

When describing the Pentecost moment and the missionary repercussions he wrote:

They [the apostles] preached as men who were convinced that the need of [people] could be satisfied only in Jesus Christ. “There is none other name under heaven given among men,” said Peter (4.12), and St. Paul’s preaching was that “by him every one that believeth is justified from all things…” To read Acts with understanding, we must know, with the real knowledge born of experience, that the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Incarnation and the Passion, the Spirit given at Pentecost, is the answer of God to a real need of the world, that is of every single soul in the world; for in the Acts these two meet, the redeeming Spirit and the utter need, and it is the redeeming Spirit that reveals the utter need. (The Ministry of the Spirit, Roland Allen, 1960, 38)

The reality is the world is in need.

I love the world of technology but the world is not in need of more technology.

I love music and rock and roll but the world is not in need of more rock and roll.

I love the world of shopping and clothes and design but the world is not in need of more things to buy.


The world is not in need of some old idea of church…that crumbling constantinian church that Texas George recalled, but of a vital living missionary organism that is one with the community in which it finds itself.


Christ the King began its life at the end of the high watermark of the church 1977. We are not living in a church that existed in the 1970s or 80s but one that must reclaim from the past a new missionary spirit for the foreign culture in which we find ourselves.

The world needs people who:

Love others

Care for others.

Need and welcome others.

Who listen first.

From Ephesians: Build up the body in love…

Love God and love neighbor. We do a good job at loving God, we do a good job at loving ourselves, but we have not mastered the loving our neighbor part…We are so intolerant we have difficulty loving if people aren’t like us, don’t agree with us, don’t look and act like us….

As Paul warned us of just this challenge in the emerging church of Rome: “Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions.” (Romans 14.1ff)

Yes David, you and the congregation in this place have a good foundation – solid bedrock. But you must move outside this place and space and become involved in the community around you.

The rotary, clubs, neighborhood civic associations, and schools are all places waiting for Christ the King missionaries. David, you are going to have to lead your people and let your people lead you out of this place into the world in order to show and be one with the people you are given charge over.

You see you are not given to this church. You are not this congregation’s rector you are the Episcopal Priest, missionary, and shepherd over the whole of Atascocita and when you have than in hand you can begin to work on Humble.

David, lift up your eyes and see the world is in need of Jesus and those who love and follow Jesus. They are waiting on you and your people.

Our scripture from Ephesians reminds us: You are given the gifts to do this work.

Don’t be tempted to look this way and that way for some new solution, some new church program. Love people and invite their gifts forward.

Don’t flip this way and that… but be decisive and make mistakes, make glorious mistakes.

Not from burying your gifts and treasures but by flinging wide the seeds of the Gospel’s gifts.

You see we all have much to offer.

From Paul’s letter to the church in the midst of Ephasus:

4.7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on … he gave gifts to his people.’

What are the gifts for?

12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

Rolland Allen believed that the congregation and the community in which you find your ministry has all the gifts needed for ministry.

Out of an assurance of God’s abundant provision, the church claims and believes that God provides in all of us the gifts need for the fulfillment of God’s ministry in every context.

The devil and your ego are liars David; and evil will whisper in your ear that you are the only one here with vision.

You are the only one here who can do and ever does anything. You will hear the whispers of a Gollum like voice that will challenge you to see preciousness only in your ideas and words and deeds. And if you listen to these lies and untruths you will find yourself alone in an empty church.

Lift up your eyes and see that God is providing.
God provides. God is providing to you all that is needed.

You need not hold the vision alone.

You need not carry the burden alone.

You need only but ask and it shall be given. You need only knock and the doors of people’s hearts will be open unto you.

These are good people. And they are waiting to be led and invited into ministry alongside of you.

These people are God’s people here and throughout Atascocita. God is their shepherd.

Jesus is their Good Shepherd.

I have been given oversight of this flock and so these people are entrusted to me and tonight I entrust them to you.

As the service says, “These are signs of yours and my ministry in this place.”

When you stand at the altar you do so in my place.

Take care of God’s people. Take care of my people. Take care of our people.

They are good people. Follow them out into the world of their lives and make your missionary field in the spaces in which they travel during the week.

Visit them in their homes. Visit them in their work places. Ask them their story and seek to understand the vision God gives them. Listen to them and invite them into the work the church is given to do.

David, lead these people with all their gifts in changing the world around you.

Lead these people by loving them first and by loving the world around you.

Lead these people in the mission of Christ, rebuild the connection between this church and the community which surrounds you.

Lead these people with all the gifts God has given.

Promote the body’s growth.

Built it into a body of love.

Let me end where I began with Texas George. He writes in his concluding remarks to those priests to be, clergy and missionaries gathered before him:

Therefore, come up to the help of the Lord; to the help of the Lord against the mighty. The work may be slow and arduous, but in God’s time, in His way, and by His means, victory will crown our efforts in the end. “Come it will, and come it must,…. what a joy and privilege to feel that we can, indeed , help in such work and do battle for Christ and serve in His army and share in the ultimate triumph of His glorious cause. The vision comforted St. John at Patmos, when he saw the Holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God. St. Augustine gazed with rapture upon the same entrancing sight while the Roman Empire was crumbling to pieces around him and the Voice of God whispers to our souls, even as we speak, and bids us gaze in faith upon a like vision and even while we look it may cease to be vision by becoming transformed into a consummate reality.

David, where you have the will, where God gives you a vision, may God give you the grace and power to help as a privileged missionary to make it real in the lives of the people of Christ the King and Atascocita.

Memorial Day Prayer

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 1928)

C. Andrew Doyle, D. D.

IX Bishop of Texas

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