Week Ending 09-28-20

Priest Confirms Abuse at ICE Facility

A whistleblower complaint filed by a former nurse at an ICE Detention Center for women has been in the news because doctors there were doing hysterectomies on detained women far beyond what medical necessity would have dictated.  Now an Episcopal priest, the Rev. Leeann Culbreath, has confirmed that whistleblower's statements fit very closely with what women detained there were telling her.  Culbreath has ministered to the women at the Irwin County Detention Center.  Episcopal News Service has more on her work there and the conditions at the center. 

Church in South Africa Admits Complicity in Abuse

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa passed a pair of resolutions at its most recent Provincial Standing Committee meeting.  One resolution praises Archbishop Thabo for his work to try to end all forms of abuse within the church and for his pastoral leadership in the area.  The other resolution began by admitting the church had fallen short in addressing complaints of gender -based-violence, including domestic abuse, and requires every diocese to have a gender-based violence officer or task force to lead efforts in education against such violence, and to explore changes that will make liturgies more gender inclusive.   The full resolutions are included in the Episcopal News Service story.

Continuing Stories

Maryland Parish Deals With Its Slaveholder Past

The Diocese of Maryland has taken a leading role in dealing with church participation in slavery and racism.  Memorial Episcopal Church in Baltimore is now coming to terms with the way that its past not only is tied to slavery, but that two of its rectors were leaders in promoting racism and disfranchisement of African Americans after the Civil War.  The church itself was built as a memorial to slaveholders.  The parish began exploring its past when the deacon assigned to the parish discovered that she was descended from slaves owned by one of the rectors of the parish.  The parish has removed plaques from the church honoring the families, and is deciding where to place them outside of the worship spaces where they can be interpreted in context as part of the parish history.  The parish has also conducted a ceremony intended to begin the healing.  Update has been covering the Episcopal Church's efforts at coming to terms with its own racist past and the removal of various memorials honoring those who were slave owners or otherwise worked to exclude African Americans.

 

Washington Bishop Protests ICE Detention on Church Grounds

Last week Update carried a piece on  an ICE raid that arrested the live-in caretaker of a Methodist Church.  The arrest took place on church grounds, thus violating agency policy and undoing the claim of sanctuary that the Church made.  The church was a Maryland suburb of Washington. D.C. now Bishop Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has joined with other church leaders in signing a protest of this violation of sanctuary.

 

Week Ending 9/21/20

Presiding Bishop's Statement on Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry was among the many national figures to issue a statement following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  He praise her for commitment to the Old Testament injunction to "Do Justice."  His full statement is here. 

Antifa and Churches Provide Fire Relief Together

While the president and attorney general are busy painting the Antifascist movement as  terrorist organization, those who identify with  the movement have been working with churches in the northwest to provide relief to those displaced by the widespread fires that have been ravagin Washington, Oregon, and California.  Religion News carried the story of one such partnership with a UCC Church, but provides an alternative view of those who have been opposing fascist movements in the U.S. 

White Supporter of Bus Boycott Dies

 When African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama began boycotting busses because of discrimination by the city bus company, black ministers rallied to the cause, but only one white clergy person openly supported the boycott. Rev. Robert Graetz, sent to Montgomery by the Lutheran Church because they were short pastors for their black congregations, died this last wee at age 92.  Unable to get any other white clergy to join him in support of the boycott, Graetz and his family paid a heavy price in community harassment, threats, and vandalism for their support. A handful of whites in Montgomery  openly supported the boycott.  That handful included several Episcopalians, including Virginia Durr and Juliette Hampton Morgan.[Durr is mentioned in the article by the Episcopal Cafe, the Update editor has added Morgan's name].

Updates and Continuing Stories

Pandemic Results in Delay of Vote on Methodist-Episcopal Agreement

The joint committee working on a full communion agreement between the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church has issued a statement delaying any vote on the agreement to the first meetings of General Convention and the Methodist General Conference held after 2021.  The reason was the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming meetings of both bodies because of the pandemic.  Unless a special General Convention called that will delay the vote on the agreement to General Convention 2024 for Episcopalians. Update has been following the discussions, especially in light of the United Methodist Church issues surrounding LGBTQ ordination.

ICE Agents Violate Rules Against Arrests at Churches

Several Episcopal Parishes have offered shelter on their grounds to immigrants fearing arrest and deportation by Immigration Control.  Update has reported on these and the court decision upholding church sanctuary from agents.  However, recently ICE agents violated agency policy by entering a Methodist Church grounds in Maryland and arresting the Indonesian immigrant who served as its caretaker.  He and his wife were both undocumented and have lived in the U.S. for 29 years.  They have two minor children who are U.S. citizens. Given the persecution Christians face in Indonesia, the couple had applied for refugee status but were denied. Update has noted that federal courts have returned cases for review when  refugee status was denied without considering the likelihood to danger for the applicant if returned to the home country.   The Methodist Church is demanding their release.

Former Massachusetts Priest Sentenced

Gregory Lisby, who was convicted early in 2020 for downloading pornography and having sexual contact with a 16 year-old-boy, was sentenced this last week to 6 years in prison.  The Diocese of Western Massachusetts removed him from the priesthood when the charges surfaced.  The sentence was less than requested  by the prosecutors, in part because the judge was impressed by the number of letters submitted in his support.  The local news has a more detailed account. 

Churches Continue to Struggle with Virus Rules

The Atlanta Journal carried a story about the return of face-to-face worship in some Episcopal parishes.  The services are being held outdoors and are limited to 50 people.  Meanwhile in Quebec, Anglicans are among the many churches protesting government regulations which limit church attendance to 25 while allowing concerts and sporting events to seat as many as 250.  The Living Church picked up a shortened version of the article published in the Canadian Church's Anglican Journal.  In England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is lobbying for greater local control on size of gatherings, singling out the "rule of six" which limits gatherings to no more than 6 people as something imposed centrally when a set of local guidelines might be better attuned to actual conditions in a community.  Update has regularly carried notices related to the reopening of face-to-face worship during the current pandemic.

West Indies Province Continues Opposition to Same Sex Unions 

The Government of Barbados is looking to create a legal civil union status for same sex couples.  They have also promised not to implement approval of marriages between same sex couples without a public referendum.  The likely change to allow legal civil unions, however, resulted in the Bishop of the Diocese of Barbados stressing in an interview that the change in civil law would not affect the Province of the West Indies stand that marriage was only between a man and a woman, nor would Barbados churches start blessing civil unions.  The Province of the West Indies has been one of the consistent opponents of full inclusion within the Anglican Communion, and the statement thus is not a surprise.  The bishop did admit that if civil unions were authorized in Barbados, public opinion might change to be more supportive of same-sex marriage, and that this could be a challenge for the Church.  Update has carried many stories on parts of the Anglican Communion having to respond to changes in civil law granting same sex couples legal protection and/or access to marriage.  One of the most recent is here.

 

Week ending 9/14/20

All items this week are updates on previous postings. 

 

South Carolina Goes to Court Again

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina has filed a second request in federal court for enforcement of the trademark decree that gave the diocese remaining in the Episcopal Church sole rights to claim to be the continuation of the historic diocese.  An earlier request resulted in a cease and desist order against the schismatic group that is now part of ACNA.  Attempts by the ACNA group to have the order stayed and appealed were rejected by the court at the end of 2019, but the diocese and parishes continue to make claims.  The document filed with the court lists statements made on a number of parish web sites and the continuing claims of the group led by Bishop Mark Lawrence that he is the 14th bishop of the diocese.  Lawrence was the 14th bishop until he left the Episcopal Church.  He is now the first bishop of the ACNA diocese.  A summary of the filing is here with links to the full complaint.  

Embattled Oxford Dean Cleared Again

Faculty attempts to have the Dean of Christ Church College and Cathedral removed collapsed after a bitter period of charges and counter-charges, but the Dean's opponents refused to give up and then filed charges he had mishandled cases of sexual misconduct.  That investigation has now been concluded and once again, the dean was cleared with the investigating panel report specifying he handled the charges appropriately.  The Thinking Anglicans site has a summary and links to a number of reactions to the report just issued.  Update has followed the twists and turns of this Oxford dispute which never seems to end. 

Some In-Person Worship To Resume in Atlanta

The Diocese of Atlanta has authorized in-person outdoor worship for parishes that meet certain criteria.  On-line versions of worship will also continue.  Episcopal Dioceses have been among the most cautious in returning to face-to-face worship out of a sense of responsibility to not risk the lives of members or the spread of the covid-19 virus.  Update has been noting the steps taken in a variety of locations. 

Combating Racism and Seeking Reconciliation

A year ago the Diocese of Maryland committed to setting funds aside for reparations for the damage they caused  through their complicity in slavery and racism.  At the diocesan convention this year the the deputies approved setting aside $1 million for work on reparation projects and racial reconciliation, thus beginning the process of implementing the 2019 decision.  Maryland's lead in 2019 was followed by similar statements from two other dioceses and the Virginia Theological Seminary.  The University of South, founded after the Civil War and for years known as an institution with strong ties to the "Lost Cause" ideology has been recently coming to terms with its racist past.  It has removed memorials honoring confederates, led seminars to help other parishes and church institutions do the same, and now has officially repudiated its past ties to the  Confederacy and committed to seeking racial justice. 

 

Week Ending 08/31/20

Another Episcopal First

Diana Akiyama was the first Japanese American woman ordained to the priesthood in 1989.  Now she will continue trailblazing as the first Japanese America woman elected bishop.  It will be a homecoming for Akiyama, the vicar of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Hawaii, for  she grew up in a Japanese-American community in Eastern Oregon. Elected on the second ballot, she will add to the growing number of women in the House of Bishops and broaden the ethnic and racial diversity of that house. 

New Zealand Anglicans Expand Refugee Resettlement

 New Zealand is known for eing restrictive on who may become a permament resident.  Thus refugee resettlement has been difficult.  The Anglican Church joined with Baptists and Catholics to initiate several years ago a refugee sponsorship program that admitted 40 families.  Now they have successfully lobbied for an expansion to 150 families.  They are however, continuing to encourage their country to removed certain requirements which mean that those who are more vulnerable can be included.  Currently, those admitted are not from the most hard-hit countries, and are among those most likely to find employment quickly.  More details about the effort are here.

Australian Diocese Raises Ethical Issues on Covid-19 Vaccine

The Archbishop of the conservative Australian Anglican Diocese of Sydney has joined with the Roman Catholic and  Greek Orthodox Archbishops to raise an ethical question about the covid-19 vaccine farthest along in clinical trials.  Apparently the vaccine makes use of cells gathered in a 1970s abortion.  The conservatives fear that this may result in many choosing not to get the vaccine.  They are urging the government to both make this particular vaccine optional and to seek other vaccine options. Their letter is available here.

Continuing Coverage

More on Feeding the Hungry

Update continues to highlight various outreach ministries during the pandemic.  Many Episcopalians have stepped into the breach to fill the needs of those short of food.  St. James Church in Alexander City, Alabama began a soup ministry, providing a drive-up soup-based supper once-a-week for those in need.  Now they have expanded it to serve all who come.  Originally handing out about 30 soup means in a bag, they are now serving about 70 each week.  They have added volunteers who help to prepare the meals, direct traffic, and hand the meals to the steady line of cars that come Each Tuesday between 5:30 and 6 p.m.   The Diocese of Maine has taken a different route, serving as a distributor in an effort to pair those who are short of food directly with farm produce from local farms.  The Diocese works with a non-profit and staffs several of the distribution locations. 

Worshiping During a Pandemic

The pandemic continues to affect worship in churches around the world.  One parish in Canton, Ohio has been able to put an eagle scout project done over 20 years ago to new use.  The project created an open air chapel for the parish in a wooded area.  Now it has become the site a appropriately socially distanced worship for the congregation.  The church had used the chapel about once a year.  Now it is the site of Morning Prayer every week.  Meanwhile the efforts of a woman in the Church of England to permit use of individual communion cups to facilitate serving  communion in both kinds has created a legal stir.  The House of Bishops responded that it would be against the law to do so.  A group of lawyers the woman asked to research the question says otherwise, and now others are weighing in.  The question is where the restoration of communion in both kinds or the use of the common cup is more theologically important.   Thinking Anglicans has links to a number of those who have weighed in to the discussion. Update has been following creative uses and debates about worship throughout the pandemic.

Residents Begin Return to Church High Rise

New stories originally appeared when displaced residents from a church-owned senior high-rise were afraid that diocesan support to them would be cut off while they waited for the completion of repair work from a fire.  Update carried that story, and a follow-up in which the bishop assured residents that they would continue receiving support.  Now the bishop has announced that nearly three quarters of the residents will be able to return this week.  Work continues of the building.  It appears that things are headed to a satisfactory conclusion.