BB NOTE: The money-issue is now on the table. This article comes out while the House of Bishops are meeting. The fact of the matter is, the Episcopal Church is wealthy - very very rich. It probably figured that all of it's progressive innovations would not cause much of a stir in the communion because money talks - and the ACC is bascially bankrolled by TEC. The ACC institutionally continues to be the lobbying arm of TEC in the Anglican Communion. The political abilities of TEC leaders to deal with the Communion are legendary - and perhaps they took it for granted that the poor would never fight against the rich. Perhaps it's time for the annual reading of
Yertle the Turtle.
Here's the NYT article. What do you think? Notice how on one hand TEC says it will continue to pay the bills (so remember who pays them) and then on the other hand says the money is up in the air. Nice little threat, it goes so well with the tea and the crumpets.
Money Looms in Episcopalian Rift With Anglicans
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN and NEELA BANERJEE
As leaders of the Anglican Communion hold meeting after meeting to debate severing ties with the Episcopal Church in the United States for consecrating an openly gay bishop, one of the unspoken complications is just who has been paying the bills.
The truth is, the Episcopal Church bankrolls much of the Communion’s operations. And a cutoff of that money, while unlikely at this time, could deal the Communion a devastating blow.
The Episcopal Church’s 2.3 million members make up a small fraction of the 77 million members in the Anglican Communion, the world’s third-largest affiliation of Christian churches. Nevertheless, the Episcopal Church finances at least a third of the Communion’s annual operations.
Episcopalians give tens of millions more each year to support aid and development programs in the Communion’s poorer provinces in Africa, Asia and Latin America. At least $18 million annually flows from Episcopal Church headquarters in New York, and millions more are sent directly from American dioceses and parishes that support Anglican churches, schools, clinics and missionaries abroad.
Bishops in some foreign provinces that benefit from Episcopal money are now leading the charge to punish the Episcopal Church or even evict it from the Communion. Some have declared that they will reject money from the Episcopal Church because of its stand on homosexuality.
But church officials say that their donations continue to be accepted in every province but Uganda, and that they do not intend to shut off the spigot.
“The American church is not a pariah to everybody — some people still like us,” said the Rev. Lisa Fishbeck of Carrboro, N.C., in the Diocese of North Carolina, which is setting up a program with a diocese in Botswana. “They think we’re nutty, but they still like us.”
Episcopalians are now grappling with an ultimatum issued last month by leaders, or primates, of the Anglican Communion’s 38 provinces demanding that they promise not to ordain any more openly gay bishops, or to approve any more church blessings for gay couples. If the Episcopal Church does not agree by Sept. 30, the primates threatened “consequences” that will affect the Episcopal Church’s participation in the Communion.
But whether the Episcopal Church will comply, and whether its decision puts at risk its financial arrangements with the rest of the Anglican Communion remain up in the air.
Canon James M. Rosenthal, director of communications for the Anglican Communion Office in London, said no one in the Episcopal Church has threatened to cut off money.
But Canon Rosenthal said, “Any default on the total amount of money needed would have serious implications for the Anglican Communion and its work, especially when you are talking about 30 percent or more of its budget.”
Many Episcopalians say they have spent years forming relationships with Anglicans throughout the world and would be loath to cut off support, especially for programs that support the developing world’s poor.
“I think we need the Communion, and I think most of the Communion would say it needs us,” said Margaret Larom, director of Anglican and global relations for the Episcopal Church.
Work at the Episcopal Church’s headquarters is so intertwined with the rest of the Anglican Communion that shutting off the flow of money would put a stop to much of the church’s mission and evangelism.
Officials estimate that collectively, a quarter of the church’s budget goes to international programs. There are ministries for women, for young people and for peace and justice that collaborate with Anglicans overseas, acting as host to and paying for delegations visiting the United States and going abroad.
In addition, Episcopal Relief and Development, a semi-autonomous agency with its own budget, sends $15 million overseas each year to relieve hunger, provide health care and respond to disasters — mostly by collaborating with Anglican and other churches abroad, said Rob Radtke, its president.
“In places the government can’t reach, the church has an infrastructure and delivery system that is second to none,” Mr. Radtke said. “We certainly are in partnership with people who disagree with us, and that’s just fine. We give out our money based on the need, and not on the basis of some theological discussion.”
At least 80 of the 110 dioceses in the Episcopal Church are partnered with one or more foreign dioceses, sending aid, and exchanging priests, lay teachers and missionaries, said Brother James Teets, who runs this “Companion Diocese” program at church headquarters.
After the Episcopal Church consented to the ordination in 2003 of Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who lives with his gay partner, bishops in the African provinces declared that their churches would no longer accept money from the Episcopal Church. (One province that would not have been affected by this is Nigeria, whose archbishop has been the most outspoken opponent of the Episcopal Church’s approach to homosexuality. The church in Nigeria, the largest in the Anglican Communion with 17 million members, is largely self-supporting, Anglican officials said.)
So far, the archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, is the only primate who has actually turned down money from the Episcopal Church, many church officials said in interviews.
In 2004, Archbishop Orombi’s edict led to the shutdown of a community development program financed by Episcopal Relief and Development that worked with families affected by H.I.V./AIDS.
“We were just devastated by that,” Mr. Radtke said. “No one won, and everyone was a loser.”
But this rupture was the rare exception, and most financing is still getting through. For example, the diocese of Oklahoma has continued supporting three secondary schools and 10 health centers in its companion diocese in Uganda by sending the money to a separate organization, said the Rev. Canon Charles Woltz, assistant to the Oklahoma bishop.
The Rev. Titus Presler, professor of mission and world Christianity at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, in New York, said, “It is very striking that in the midst of all these tensions, the missionary relations and Companion Diocese relationships have been able to flourish.”
The Rev. Bill Atwood, the general secretary of the Ekklesia Society, a theologically conservative aid organization in Texas, accused the Episcopal Church of using its money to buy off opponents in poor countries. “It’s a pretty lousy thing to do: to try and use money to weaken the philosophical position of people overseas,” Dr. Atwood said.
Ekklesia also disburses grants overseas and has helped to finance strategy meetings between conservative Episcopalians and their foreign Anglican counterparts, but Dr. Atwood would not divulge any financial information and it is not publicly available.
Conservative Episcopalians in the United States who disagree with their church’s course have set up their own smaller aid agency parallel to Episcopal Relief and Development. The Anglican Relief and Development Fund has disbursed $2.7 million in grants in the last two and a half years, said its executive director, Nancy Norton.
American resentment at their role as the Communion’s deep pockets emerged last year when the Episcopal Church’s executive council was asked to increase its contribution to the Anglican Consultative Council, the Communion’s central coordinating body, by 10 percent each year for the next three years from $661,0000 in 2007.
At the council’s last meeting, in England in 2005, the Episcopal Church’s representatives were asked to look on as observers, and not participate in decision making — a measure promoted by some conservative primates.
Mrs. Larom, the Episcopal Church’s director of Anglican relations, said some members of the executive council bristled at the budget request, saying, “ ‘Why should we give money when we’re not at the table?’ ” Nevertheless, the executive council approved the 10 percent increase and the Episcopal Church gave the money out of loyalty to the Communion, she said.
One of the most urgent questions ahead is whether the Americans will continue to underwrite the Lambeth Conference in London, the large gathering of Anglican bishops that happens every 10 years. The next one is in 2008. In past conferences, each American bishop who attended has paid the expenses of a bishop from overseas who needed help, Mrs. Larom said.
Anglican officials said that they were not assuming the Americans will contribute at the same rate for the 2008 conference, and that they were now looking for alternative sources.
BB NOTE: This article is a "between-the-lines" classic. Why is it that Marlon Brando springs to mind?
Also, note this quote from Rev. Katherine Grieb's who spoke to the House of Bishops this week on the Covenant. She told the House of Bishops, "I suggest that we enter a five-year period of fasting from full participation in the Anglican Communion to give us all time to think and to listen more carefully to one another. I think we should engage in prayerful non-participation in global meetings (in Lambeth, in the Anglican Consultative Council, in other Communion committee meetings) or, if invited to do so, send observers who could comment, if asked, on the matter under discussion. We should continue on the local level to send money and people wherever they are wanted. (This is not about taking our marbles and going home.) We need to remain wholly engaged in the mission of the church, as closely tied as we are allowed to the See of Canterbury and to the Anglican Communion as a whole. But we should absent ourselves from positions of leadership, stepping out of the room, so that the discussions of the Anglican Communion about itself can go on without spending any more time on our situation which has preoccupied it."
What we wonder is what does she mean by "local level?" That sounds like no more money from 815 for five years (including Lambeth, which one wonders would include no American bishops sending money to foreign Anglican bishops - as mentioned so prominently in the article above, and no mention of chicken dinners since those are TEC bishops doing the funding - to go to Lambeth when they themselves will not?), but that local parishes (or perhaps dioceses) could continue sending money to the Sudan or something, but "local level" does not mean 815. I would see this as another shot across the bow. There's a Bob Dylan song that springs to mind, but is so full of it we do not wish to quote it at this time. Let's just say there's more blowin' in the wind here. Or perhaps it's writing from DC where reading between the lines is an artform.
BB NOTE: When I first saw the front cover art for the UK edition of Harry Potter and the Darkly Hallows, this scripture came to mind:
BB NOTE:The Presiding Bishop came out of the House of Bishops whistling a new tune - the "fast" is over, no more talk about structural "containers" and she can cancel the Nixon Trip to China. But just to recall only last month:
The communiqué represented the “feeling of the meeting as a whole” Dr Williams’ told a Feb 19 press conference in Dar esSalaam, while Archbishop Andrew Hutchison told the Anglican Journal of Canada he had endorsed the communiqué after Bishop Jefferts Schori said she wouldsign it. “I told her, ‘It’s all about you. If you decide not to sign, I won’t sign. I’ll be there with you’.”
In a brief statement released through the Anglican Consultative Council, Dr Williams noted the results had been “discouraging,” showing the “need for further discussion and clarification.” A spokesman for Lambeth Palace told The Church of England Newspaper Dr Williams would release a detailed statement in the coming days.
The Episcopal Church Crisis continues to implode; the cover art of all the editions of the upcoming seventh book in the Harry Potter series is released to the public; Bob Dylan goes back on tour and is reunited with his guitar; Bono is made an honorary knight by Queen Elizabeth II; the daytime temps hit 80 degrees; good news from a distant land; and I add one more candle to the birthday cake - all in one week. Heading to the Farm this weekend - heard the giant cherry tree is in bloom and photos will be coming soon. And that was the week that was.
In the world of YouTube, Dylan fans are recording pieces of his concerts and putting them up on YouTube, almost in real time. This is just small bit from his concert in Stockholm where he surprises everyone and returns to the guitar after years of stepping back behind the electric organ. It's almost like he's been hiding in the shadows and is now ready to return to center stage. When I saw him for the very first time he was shoved over in the corner, back stage right and never looked at the audience, just at the band and one got the feeling the audience was evesdropping on a band rehearsal. Oops. The next time he had switched sides and moved his electric piano a little closer, but now on back stage left. That time he did steal glances into the audience and had started to dance more from behind the keyboards. He's come out to a mic at center stage to do the harmonica-thing, but never really looked out. Still had the Oscar taped to his amp, though.
BB NOTE: I know Dan Herzog as a fellow Alpha Regional Advisor with Alpha North America. It wasn't until later that I found out he was the Episcopal Bishop of Albany (I hosted a gathering of ARAs at Truro a few years ago and Dan came and I realized then that he was a bishop because he was wearing the shirt!). He retired earlier this year and this breaking news is that he has left the Episcopal Church for the Roman Catholic Church. It's stunning news and comes just weeks after the announcement that his Suffragan Bishop, David Benna, left the Episcopal Church to be a bishop in the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. Something is happening here, do you know what it is?
Who used to use the Safe Place Defense to justify their actions in American History? You may be surprised to find out.
US Edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Adult Edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Front and Back Cover of US Edition.
Front and Back Cover of UK Edition.
BB NOTE: Should have known there would be a reason why we had to don our tinfoil hats again last week after our friend and cafe patron from from across the Potomac started up the "IRD Is Out To Take Over the World As We Know It" conspiracy theories and tossing Fr. Radner into the epicenter would be for a reason. Now Fr. Radner is no longer the progressives favorite orthodox darling (John Howe, please take note) now that he's vocalizing the truth of the reality on the ground (that just doesn't go over well with the tea and crumpets, don't you know). Now he's viewed as "emotional" and one must wear their tinfoil hats because of the company he keeps (so much for full inclusion!) - ah, but the times they are still ironically a-changing: 
For those of us who are regular patrons here at the Cafe, we all know Kevin and his great and consistent posts. Could you just stop right now and pray for him and his family? The Lord knows what's before Him and if you could just pray for Kevin and his family right now, right where you are, that would be so good. Feel free to post prayers on his behalf or scriptures or anything that comes to mind. The Lord knows the need and I just ask Him to pour out His love and care abundantly. Once I find out if it's okay to post the specific prayer request here, I will, or Kevin may drop by. But in the meantime, please pray for our brother Kevin.
The good thing about Bishop Lee's fascinating letter was that it offered some clues of key phrases to watch:
US Episcopalians Move Away from Tanzania Communique .jpg)
Went to see the film Amazing Grace last night. It had followed a meeting of the Anglican District of Virginia where we met the new bishop for the ADV, the Rt. Rev. David Benna, retired Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany and now a BIshop in CANA. It was a great afternoon of sharing and catching up and touching base with everyone.
Sunday, March 25, 2007 
Dylan's week of rehearsals comes a little more than a year after he spent a week at the Bardavon, rehearsing and writing songs for his latest album, "Modern Times," which was released last August. Silva said the same band backed Dylan both times.
A Letter from the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, Bishop of The Diocese of Virginia
Quote of the day from The Living Church:
A time to search and a time to give up, 
BB NOTE: There are lots of articles online with coverage of the House of Bishops. This is one, from Alan Cooperman of The Washington Post:
From: The House of Bishops: Message to God's People
Go to StandFirm where Matt Kennedy is reporting on breaking news from the House of Bishops. It looks like we won't even have to wait until September. It looks like the bishops reject the pastoral council (and with it, the Primatial Vicar) and it appears that they reject the Communique. No wonder they are heading to court. The Episcopal Church House of Bishops has defiantly said no to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion. Wow - they aren't even going to try. It's over. 
The House of Bishops has declined to participate in a pastoral initiative designed by the primates to care for congregations and dioceses which for reasons of conscience cannot accept the episcopal ministry of their bishop or primate.
BB NOTE: The money-issue is now on the table. This article comes out while the House of Bishops are meeting. The fact of the matter is, the Episcopal Church is wealthy - very very rich. It probably figured that all of it's progressive innovations would not cause much of a stir in the communion because money talks - and the ACC is bascially bankrolled by TEC. The ACC institutionally continues to be the lobbying arm of TEC in the Anglican Communion. The political abilities of TEC leaders to deal with the Communion are legendary - and perhaps they took it for granted that the poor would never fight against the rich. Perhaps it's time for the annual reading of Yertle the Turtle.
BB NOTE: This article is a "between-the-lines" classic. Why is it that Marlon Brando springs to mind?
BB NOTE: We're working on a Video Podcast of the retreat and while it's downloading to the BabyBlueCafe main website, we decided to venture back out into the world and discovered this new development. Is this the moment when Rod Serling steps out of the shadows?
