Uh oh. Looks like the latest target is now aimed directly at the historical organization, the Order of the Daughters of the King. Read more here.A handful of "progressive" Episcopal women want to ban Anglicans, Lutherans, and Roman Catholics from the Order and make it an Episcopal Church-only organization. They have targeted the elected president of the Order, Joan Dalrymple, but frankly, I have to wonder if the real target is the national Chaplain, none other than the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe, Bishop of Central Florida. He's been making peace of late with those parishes and clergy who seek to separate from the Episcopal Church. And now we have Washington-style politics going on, with whispers of financial mismanagement (absurd, you can read their financial statements yourself here - including the audit) as well as an entire shadow website put up online as a "shadow" Order (sound familiar friends?).
At the Daughters of the King Triennial, held in 2006, the delegates voted to interpret the bylaws strictly so that each chapter had one vote. The bylaws do not recognize "Episcopal" and the Order is not an official part of the Episcopal Church. It's like the Alpha Course - it's associated with Episcopal Churches, but is a separate entity. The Triennial voted by an overwhelming majority of 219 to 30 to seat Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican Chapters.
Since the Triennial, a small group formed calling themselves the "Episcopal" Community of the Daughters of the King and they seek to expel from the Order all the Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic members. They have recruited bishops from the Episcopal Church to pressure the president of the DOK, continuing the whisper campaign to cast a cloud over her leadership.
And now, if that's not enough, the Presiding Bishop is now casting her autocratic shadow over the move to expel everyone but Episcopalians from the Order, writing the Episcopal Bishops:
My brothers and sisters,
I know there have been questions in many dioceses about the status of leadership in the Daughters of the King. This issue was raised while I was meeting with the bishops of Province IV. Attached is a letter from the bishops of Province IV, expressing concern. I understand that responses have begun, and wanted you to be aware of this. Questions you may have can appropriately be directed to the Daughters in your own diocese, and on their behalf to the national leadership. Given the energy behind this, you may want to share any responses you receive with others on this list, so that all may be suitably informed. I look forward to seeing you all in March.
Shalom, Katharine
Shalom, my foot. Notice that the financial issue (which is without merit, as we can see for ourselves by reading the financial statements that have always been transparent) is just a hook. The real issue is frankly, Umbridgian. Katharine Jefferts Schori says there are now "questions in many dioceses about the status of leadership in the Daughters of the King." Right - it's a progressive Episcopalian attempt at a coup to oust the current leadership and to install leadership that will expel all the Anglicans, Lutherans, and Roman Catholics from the Order.
But what is so strange about this is that none of the correspondence is directed to the Chaplain - their fellow bishop. What's up with that? Is this retaliation against Bishop Howe for his generous treatment of parishes and clergy in the Diocese of Central Florida who are seeking to separate from the Episcopal Church?
In the Diocese of Virginia Bishop Lee has been outstanding. He has been incredibly generous, as he was at the recent Diocesan Council meeting, to bless the efforts of the Daughters of the King in the Diocese of Virginia to have both Anglican and Episcopal Chapters. The leadership is made up of Anglicans and Episcopalians. There is an Anglican chaplain and an Episcopalian chaplain and they work together. And we work together. In fact, this past Diocesan Council was so incredibly good for my own soul to be in a position to pray for the Diocese of Virginia, to be in the chapel there praying, not only for the efforts of the diocese, but for my own heart.
But this campaign that now includes the Presiding Bishop herself is disgraceful. There's no other word for it. It seems to be targeted not only at the leadership that is truly inclusive, but at the chaplain who has been truly generous - John W. Howe.
LATER
Brad Drell, who is one of those who continues to hang in there and slug away (he's been elected a deputy again to General Convention 2009) does not mince words over the attempt to divide the Daughters of the King (one of the great ironies is that the innovators call those who will stand against them the dividers - or worse, the schismatics, as though their own actions have nothing to do with it). Here's an excerpt from Brad Drell's post:I hope that every member of the Daughters of the King who has perhaps held onto an idea that, come what may in the Episcopal Church, the commitment of this organization to Christ is unflappable, and who could not imagine that anyone in the Episcopal Church would declare war on such a benevolent and spiritually uplifting organization as this. Think again. The first female Presiding Bishop, rather than supporting this organization, is declaring war on it.
Of course, this is not surprising to me. It is an organization that acknowledges the Kingship (read male leadership) of the actual person of Jesus Christ, not some etherial non-sexual Christ. This is incompatible with the Episcopal Church of today.
I had not seriously considered the whispering campaign that could ensue if DOK did not embrace the TEC political agenda (it's not theological). I also did not consider that TEC is now in the business of protecting the "branding" of the Episcopal Church. I've been musing that they are looking at the institution of the Episcopal Church as being like a corporation with franchises, like McDonalds or Burger King. They could no more tolerate Anglicans in their midst then if McDonalds started selling Whoppers. Well, they are selling whoppers all right, but I don't think they got them from Burger King.Read the rest of Brad's posting here.
The original cafe posts are here and here.
11 comments:
Better still, guess who comes up on the WHOIS search on the new website?
Any guesses? Come on? Want to know? Can't work it out?
Domain ID: D126268771-LROR
Domain Name: DOKEPISCOPAL.ORG
Created On: 23-Jul-2006 07: 19: 56 UTC
Last Updated On: 05-Aug-2007 00: 26: 48 UTC
Expiration Date: 23-Jul-2008 07: 19: 56 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar: TierraNet Inc. dba DomainDiscover (R86-LROR)
Status: CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID: TNTN-0000368170
Registrant Name: Christine Budzowski
Registrant Organization: Trinity Web Consulting
Registrant Street1: 8130 Tuscany Avenue
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City: Playa del Rey
Registrant State/Province: CA
Registrant Postal Code: 90293
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: +1.3109480056
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email: christine@trinitywebconsulting.com
East Coast Episcopalianism keeps on marching on....
From someone who knows more than the rumor mongers:
e: Questions about The Order of Daughters of The King --
It would appear that the tensions which have existed within the Order of the Daughters of the King since Triennial 2006 have surfaced as foder for the spin doctors. In reality, many of these tensions are no different that those being faced by other organizations within The Episcopal Church.
These involve questions over what happens to those American women whose congregations affiliate with African Provinces. While technically listed as a "Devotional Organization" in the Red Book traditionally those belonging to Daughters have considered themselves as members of an Order for women in The Episcopal Church, and I dare say the majority of clergy in congregations
where chapters exist have the same understanding. In 2006, for the first time in recent memory the DOK Triennial was held after General Convention in
another city. Traditionally DOK Triennial has been held the week prior to GC in the GC city to form a prayer support for the Deputies, Bishops, ECW
delegates and Visitors who would be attending General Convention. This action, combined with a questionable more inclusive interpretation of
existing by-laws led some Daughters to believe that certain National Council officers and advisors were attempting to distance DOK from The Episcopal Church. Combined with this were some questionable financial transactions made by the current Executive Committee without the full knowlege of the elected National Council.
Instead of face to face discussions and the addressing of legitimate questions and concerns, accusations and assumptions have been made,
information misused or spun to reflect personal agenda, integrity questioned, etc. The truth of the matter is that the strength of the Daughters lies in individual chapters--it is here that the women faithfully live into their vows of prayer and service. For the vast majority of these women what happens outside their chapters is of little consequence. However, there are those of us who strongly believe that the Daughters have to decide if they are an Episcopal organization with independent affiliate
organizations or one broad inclusive organization with no accountability to any one judicatory. Furthermore they have to decide whether or not to be transparent in all of the decisions of the duly elected National Council, or if certain decisions will be made and executed by the Executive Committee
alone. It is this type of secrecy and discounting of legitimate concerns which have led to much of the current unrest which is seen throughout the
country.
In Christ,
The Rev. Jo Ann T. Ford
(current DOK member, past Diocesan Chaplain in the Diocese of Kansas and the Diocese of Atlanta, past Provincial Representative to National Council)
The idea that we live separatist lives inside our chapters in so untrue. We are sisters! That breaks down barriers between Lutherans, and Anglicans, and Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics. In our Order we are sisters united in our love for our King, Jesus. Through prayer and service and evangelism we reach out to share the amazing and life changing love of Jesus to others beyond our ken. We are sisters united the vows we soberly take and in our devotion to prayer, we lift one another in prayer and pray for those in need. We serve as though we are serving our King and our share the Good News that Jesus is risen from the dead and has redeemed us with a weary world torn apart by sin.
That is our call. We must resist attempts to segregate us and pray that we may be of one heart and mind through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is a narrow road, sometimes a hard road.
We are Episcopalins, and Lutherans, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics - all Daughters of the King, Jesus Christ. We have been crucified in Christ, it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. May this be so, for His glory. Amen.
No one is saying that is not how DoK can organize - just lifting up the need to talk with each other and make a decision - instead of mean spirited and hardly prayerful back biting and talking about each other.
DOK did "make a decision" ann . . . and progressive activist Episcopalians don't like that decision.
So they are doing push-back.
It's pretty simple, and all of us see it for what it is.
The cool thing is . . . it makes the progressives look as petty and self-serving and political as they pretend not to be.
Sarah
Actually, this conversation is really about those whom want to leave the Episcopal Church, but keep the "stuff". That is why our bylaws were "interpreted" (a.k.a. violated). One never interprets bylaws. Changes must be made according to the bylaws. If the DOK were not a multi-million dollar corporation....we would not be having this discussion, in my opinion.
I pored over all the issues of _Royal Cross_ available on-line from 2003 on, and couldn't find any evidence of the "lack of accountability" on the National Board that the Rev. Jo Ann Ford refers to above, nor of secrecy. Heard today that something was happening in Province IV tomorrow, so looked up their website and found a resolution calling for a mediation based on "significant and troubling information passed through the Dioceses of Province IV..." but nothing about what that "significant and troubling information" was. Also couldn't find anything on the Community of Leadership of the DOK website that wasn't openly addressed by the National Board. The vagueness and secrecy seem to be coming from those critical of the National Board, rather than the Board itself.
Perhaps someone from Province IV can clarify.
Thanks for reading through the materials, Celinda. The openness and transparency of the DOK Board is clear. It's so odd that those who pretend to talk inclusion actually walk exclusion - one of the great ironies. May the light of Christ's redeeming love shine into the shadows. And may we all stay awake.
Look forward to hearing info about Province IV.
bb
For one thing, there was an embezzlement within the National Office of the DOK by an employee, whom resigned. This isn't an alleged embezzlement, but an actual embezzlement. There still has not been audits done to cover the entire tenure of the time that this employee was at the national office. One has to wonder why there is so much resistence to transparency......
Apparently a few progressives were outvoted and they are retaliating with venom. It's all quite sad really to see the Episcopal progressives acting in this manner. I feel very sad.
Rather than trying to change the subject with your anger, let's have a conversation about the facts. We do need to have a look at the books further back than
2005. It would be best to audit the entire tenure of the employee that embezzeled our funds. Don't you think?
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