THE
BISHOP'S BLOG
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Early November 2005
Racism:
No More in My Church!
I begin this with a call to
everyone to attend a one-day anti-racism conference, to be held at Trinity
Cathedral on Saturday, November 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“No More in My Church!” is a passionate and urgent call to continue our struggle to end the sin of racism in our congregations, our communities, and our diocese. This day will include a keynote address by Dr. Victor Rodriguez of California State University in Long Beach, California.
The day will include discussion, reflections, fellowship, a catered lunch and an exhibit of original art. It promises to be a landmark in our diocese and an important step forward in our work of anti-racism.
We cannot celebrate the abundant life of Christ (John 10:10) in New Jersey if even one child of God is treated with less than full respect for his or her full dignity. We cannot live our Baptismal Covenant if even one of our communities of faith tolerates practices that hurt and demean our brothers and sisters of color. We cannot flourish if others are diminished by the sin of racism in our Church.
In the final chapter of a recent book (The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial Reconciliation), Michael Battle and Tony Campolo write about a Church of Reconciliation:
If there is going to be reconciliation, there must be accountability so that white people can tell each other what is wrong in their attitudes and behavior and black people do the same among themselves. What is more, each group, if honest, can help the other to see flaws and shortcomings that the other groups do not often see in itself. Effective church leadership, creating “safe places” to speak the truth in love, can foster this process.
Here is my hope for November 19th: that this event will attract an overflow crowd and that there will be more white people than people of color. Let us not allow this to be an event where people of color talk only with one another. Let us come together, talk with one another, listen and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to banish the sin of racism from our Church. I urge everyone to attend and support this Conference, sponsored by the Anti-Racism Commission and Team, and cosponsored by the Hispanic Commission, the Union of Black Episcopalians and the Black Clergy Caucus.
See you at the Cathedral on November 19th. Racism: No More in My Church!
Women
of Honor: indeed they are!
Ruth and I were pleased to attend the Third “Women of Honor” luncheon,
held in Maple Shade on October 15th. It was great to see dozens of our
sisters honored for their ministries in their congregations. Thanks to
our NJ ECW President Nancy Gorman and the committee who organized this
wonderful celebration. New Jersey was honored to welcome Harriet Neer,
President of the National Board of the Episcopal Church Women. In her
quiet but powerful presentation, Ms. Neer lifted up many wonderful examples
of women of honor. With her leadership, we can look forward to a great
Triennial gathering of the women of our Church at General Convention next
year.
T3!
The Fall Youth Event
On the afternoon of that day I was glad to have a couple of hours with
the young people of our Diocese at the Fall Youth Event. This year’s
theme was Stewardship: Time, Talent and Treasure. Or, as the T shirt says, “T3.” I
was glad to hang out and to have dinner with this funny, smart, strong
and faithful group of young people and their adult advisors. Nice to see
the wonderfully cool and talented musician song-writer Paula Lark, too.
The Fall
Clergy Conference
We were honored to welcome the Right Reverend Mark Dyer, Retired Bishop
of Bethlehem and Professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation at the
Virginia Theological Seminary. Bishop Dyer, the only representative of
the Episcopal Church in the USA to serve on the Lambeth Commission, offered
several brilliant and moving presentations on the Windsor Report and the
spirituality of Communion. The spirit of the conference was positive and
even joyous.
The
clergy surprised me with an offering that came with the direction that
Ruth and I should enjoy some special adventure on our trip to Maui, where
I presided at the marriage of my niece (I had to go!). We used that generous
gift for a sunset dinner cruise and a 38-mile bicycle trip from the top
of Mt. Haleakala to the beach. Thank you, my friends!
Back on the John 10:10 tour
St. Luke’s, Metuchen On a perfectly wonderful fall Sunday, I celebrated and preached to an overflow crowd at St. Luke’s, Metuchen. It was a splendid day, with a radiant congregation of all ages and so many ethnicities … lots of Confirmations and Receptions … a great choir, singing their hearts out … and good and faithful clergy leadership from the Reverend Jonathan Percival, Rector and the Reverend Barbara Crafton. John 10:10, indeed. As we pray in the Collect for St. Luke’s Day, “graciously continue in your Church this love and healing power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name.” Amen!
St.
Mary’s, Point Pleasant Beach On Saturday, October
29th, it was my privilege to preside at the Celebration of
New Ministry and the Institution of the Reverend C. John Thompson-Quartey
as Rector of St. Mary’s, Point Pleasant Beach. It was
a stunning event. We heard a moving sermon from the Reverend
David Jones, Rector of St. Paul’s, Concord, New Hampshire,
who inspired us all with his message (“It’s
all about the Movement!”) and fired us up to move out
in the power of the Spirit to continue in mission. The choir
included members of St. Augustine’s, Asbury Park. We
sang from all sorts of sources (including African hymns and
songs of praise) and God was glorified. New Life!
St.
Mary’s, Burlington On
October 30th I was honored to celebrate and to preach at St.
Mary’s, Burlington (founded 1702). 
Their
first Rector was the Reverend John Talbot, the ship’s
chaplain onboard the vessel on which the Reverend George Keith,
missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
in Foreign Parts, came to New Jersey from England. An icon
(by Suzanne Schleck of Christ Church, Toms River) of these
two evangelists hangs outside the door to this office.
I
had a wonderful morning with this vibrant congregation, where the Reverend
Connor Haynes serves as Rector and where Canon Cynthia McFarland, Director
of Communications, is a member. Congratulations
to St. Mary’s upon being awarded one of the two United Thank Offering
grants that came to New Jersey this year. (The
other grant went to St. Andrew’s, Camden, for the support of a strategic
planning effort.) With that grant, St. Mary’s was able to purchase
kitchen equipment for the “Ladle of Love” soup kitchen. Catholic
worship and social outreach. New Life! New Mission!
St. Barnabas’,
Burlington St.
Barnabas’ Free Mission Chapel was founded by the Rt.
Reverend George Washington Doane, Second Bishop of New Jersey
and Rector of St. Mary’s, in 1856. It was “free” because
there were no pew rents. And
one of the principles of its founding was to celebrate the
principles of the Oxford Movement, of which Bishop Doane was
a strong proponent. It was the site of many liturgical and
musical “firsts” that are now widely observed
(weekly Eucharist; plainsong; the placement of a cross at
the altar) but were quite controversial upon their introduction
in the mid-19th century.
We
celebrated a wonderful Liturgy, including music by a choir from an African
American faith community, known as the Restoration Station, which worships
at St. Barnabas on Sunday afternoons. Along with two Baptisms and several
Confirmations, we took time to acknowledge the official retirement of
the Reverend Harry Brant, who has been a faithful “supply priest” for
St. Barnabas’ since 1996. He celebrated his 60th (!) anniversary
of ordination to the Priesthood this week. Well done!
And on to
the Diocese of New Jersey acting in the larger world...
Episcopal Relief and Development Since Hurricane Katrina in September there have been several other major catastrophes in our nation and around the world. Earthquake, fire, flood, storms, terrorism and war are causing immense suffering and adding to the problems of extreme poverty, famine, and disease. In addition to your prayers, I am asking, once again, that our Diocese, our congregations and all the clergy and people give generously for the relief of human suffering. Consider Episcopal Relief and Development as a channel for your giving.
Millennium Development Goals Our diocese committed 0.7% of our 2005 income to support those who are addressing the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. I am grateful to report that a subcommittee of the Diocesan Council, reporting at its September 20th meeting, recommended that Council make two $10,000 grants:
- to Episcopal
Relief and Development, for programs providing primary health
care in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the training
of HIV/AIDS prevention teams and
- to Cuttington College, for scholarships for five female students in their School of Nursing. The Council received these recommendations and voted unanimously to make these grants.
Thanks be to God! Right Onward!
Faithfully
yours in Christ,
+George
The Right Reverend
George Edward Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey