Huge turnout at the Virginia churches voting this week as thousands of Virginia Episcopalians went to the polls. We will learn the results this weekend. Stay tuned!
bb
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Karen:
The 8:30 am service was packed. The transepts were full - something we've not seen in a while. And this was not just 7:30 am people sticking around for the beginning of the meeting!
My blog (http://UncleDino.bloghorn.com) has a link to the Fox TV news broadcast from yersterday.
There were large crowds at the 11:15 service as well.
Also, we had the most people in attendance at the annual carol sing that I can remember. Usually the chapel is maybe 60 percent full; we never have had a huge crowd in the past. This year, the downstairs was totally full and a few people (including me and my wife) were in the balcony.
PACKED! I mean they were sitting in around the light well again, just as before the Saturday night service begain. That means 800+ at the 11AM Main sanctuary (don't for forget Historic, which has been using the balcony for a while now).
The mood is odd, for John been real careful to make this a big deal and not dwell on it either. So yes the Sermon touch on it a bit, I learned from Kairos small group leaders meeting that +Lee was allegedly invited to attend but declined to be there yesterday. We had a Katrina report with projected photos, so while this was a big day for the parish, it was also business as usual for carrying out the work of Christ.
I voted before the service so I can not tell you how turn out was purely by the roll book (my page had a few signatures, but my parents voted in the afternoon, so the ones above my name were blank) still had to wait five or ten minutes in line to reach the poll worker (but "L" - "O" had no one, so I was picking on Ken).
It was obviously a big day, ended with a "peace be to God and go vote." Also the girls in front of me put a "Kick Me" name tag on another back. I guess that sums up the mood, in one way HUGE, but in another calm business as usual - I'm excited about Rev. Ramsey dream of partnering with many parishes to build a complex now that we managed to build three houses ... our work continues.
Crazy to list on a dead thread, but in case someone does come this way, that last needs to be answered. Byron -- actually your comment comes across as bigoted. You know this has nothing to do with celebrating anything against someone who is homosexual. This is a celebration for those who are willing to stand for the Gospel and for the authority of scripture. Consecrating someone who openly and without repentance practices sexual sin, as a bishop was nothing but a presenting issue. The real issue is: who is Jesus Christ? Is He who He said He is as recorded by those who knew Him personally? Or is he some figment of a new age imagination, a figment without life, without power, and without deity?
Not sure how Pat got where she got from my statement. Hopefully both liberal and conservative Episcopalians find deity (and humanity) in this Jesus we follow. Nonetheless, it still appears from all we've seen that the underlying issue remains - bigotry against gay people. Note Pat's use of the term "sexual sin" even though, as he or she writes, this has "nothing to do with celebrating anything against someone who is homosexual." You can't have it both ways. In any case, for the record, I am not bigoted as far as I can tell against conservatives and sincerely hope that all Episcopalians can stay together as we live out the gospel message of love. (Sorry if this is a dead thread - it was just this morning referenced from another site in the context of news of the Virginia schismatics.)
Byron -- I did not make inferences from your statement per se. I was addressing the reason for churches leaving TEC and celebrating their freedom. You were slamming them as bigots, and that is not the truth. Sin is sin. Why do you call that bigotry? It is very plain in scripture. There are many sins listed. Yes, we are all sinners -- the difference is in unrepentant sin. Scripture talks about those who will call good evil and evil good. People are free to do what they want, it does not mean that it squares with scripture.
To call sin for what it is, does not equate to the opposite of love. Seems like we are told God is Love by John, yet the Lord had some very decidedly strong things to say against sin. Doesn't seem as though He is willing to wink at it. That is after all why He took on human flesh to live, die and raise again for us. Wonderful, free gift, that one has to be willing to take.
Huge turnout at the Virginia churches voting this week as thousands of Virginia Episcopalians went to the polls. We will learn the results this weekend. Stay tuned!
9 comments:
Karen:
The 8:30 am service was packed. The transepts were full - something we've not seen in a while. And this was not just 7:30 am people sticking around for the beginning of the meeting!
My blog (http://UncleDino.bloghorn.com) has a link to the Fox TV news broadcast from yersterday.
There were large crowds at the 11:15 service as well.
Also, we had the most people in attendance at the annual carol sing that I can remember. Usually the chapel is maybe 60 percent full; we never have had a huge crowd in the past. This year, the downstairs was totally full and a few people (including me and my wife) were in the balcony.
Karen B.
I'll do TFC report for you.
PACKED! I mean they were sitting in around the light well again, just as before the Saturday night service begain. That means 800+ at the 11AM Main sanctuary (don't for forget Historic, which has been using the balcony for a while now).
The mood is odd, for John been real careful to make this a big deal and not dwell on it either. So yes the Sermon touch on it a bit, I learned from Kairos small group leaders meeting that +Lee was allegedly invited to attend but declined to be there yesterday. We had a Katrina report with projected photos, so while this was a big day for the parish, it was also business as usual for carrying out the work of Christ.
I voted before the service so I can not tell you how turn out was purely by the roll book (my page had a few signatures, but my parents voted in the afternoon, so the ones above my name were blank) still had to wait five or ten minutes in line to reach the poll worker (but "L" - "O" had no one, so I was picking on Ken).
It was obviously a big day, ended with a "peace be to God and go vote." Also the girls in front of me put a "Kick Me" name tag on another back. I guess that sums up the mood, in one way HUGE, but in another calm business as usual - I'm excited about Rev. Ramsey dream of partnering with many parishes to build a complex now that we managed to build three houses ... our work continues.
Kevin
"Let us go forth in the name of Christ & go vote."
But you knew what I meant ...
All Saints (Dale City, VA) voted 402-6 to disaffiliate from ECUSA and the Diocese of Virginia. See http://www.allsaintsdalecity.org
So much excitement in celebrating bigotry against gay people. Shocking and sad.
Crazy to list on a dead thread, but in case someone does come this way, that last needs to be answered. Byron -- actually your comment comes across as bigoted. You know this has nothing to do with celebrating anything against someone who is homosexual. This is a celebration for those who are willing to stand for the Gospel and for the authority of scripture. Consecrating someone who openly and without repentance practices sexual sin, as a bishop was nothing but a presenting issue. The real issue is: who is Jesus Christ? Is He who He said He is as recorded by those who knew Him personally? Or is he some figment of a new age imagination, a figment without life, without power, and without deity?
Not sure how Pat got where she got from my statement. Hopefully both liberal and conservative Episcopalians find deity (and humanity) in this Jesus we follow. Nonetheless, it still appears from all we've seen that the underlying issue remains - bigotry against gay people. Note Pat's use of the term "sexual sin" even though, as he or she writes, this has "nothing to do with celebrating anything against someone who is homosexual." You can't have it both ways. In any case, for the record, I am not bigoted as far as I can tell against conservatives and sincerely hope that all Episcopalians can stay together as we live out the gospel message of love. (Sorry if this is a dead thread - it was just this morning referenced from another site in the context of news of the Virginia schismatics.)
Byron -- I did not make inferences from your statement per se. I was addressing the reason for churches leaving TEC and celebrating their freedom. You were slamming them as bigots, and that is not the truth. Sin is sin. Why do you call that bigotry? It is very plain in scripture. There are many sins listed. Yes, we are all sinners -- the difference is in unrepentant sin. Scripture talks about those who will call good evil and evil good. People are free to do what they want, it does not mean that it squares with scripture.
To call sin for what it is, does not equate to the opposite of love. Seems like we are told God is Love by John, yet the Lord had some very decidedly strong things to say against sin. Doesn't seem as though He is willing to wink at it. That is after all why He took on human flesh to live, die and raise again for us. Wonderful, free gift, that one has to be willing to take.
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