WINTER 2016-17
The 182nd Diocesan Convention
PHOTOSTORY
Holy Land pilgrimage In mid-November, 34 pilgrims from the Diocese of Michigan set out for a 12-day excursion to the Holy Land.The diverse group included 27 lay people along with Bishop Gibbs, five priests and one deacon. The pilgrims represent several congregations in the Diocese of Michigan, plus two clergy from Eastern Michigan. The tour leader was Iyad Qumri, an Anglican who identifies himself as a Palestinian Arab Christian and who has been leading tours for more than 20 years. The visit was based at St. George’s Cathedral in East Jerusalem. The tour included churches and holy sites in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and throughout the West Bank. At each site, they group read Scripture passages appropriate to the location, singing hymns and praying; they used materials developed by the Rev. Canon Earle King from the Diocese of Western New York. Among the high points of the trip was the renewal of Baptismal vows in the Jordan. You can see more photos on Facebook; look for @EDOMIPilgrimage2016.
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The Record Winter 2016-17
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HOLY LAND
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Great Journey
A story in photos from an extended trip to the Holy Land. Page 2
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan Episcopal Church Center
4800 Woodward Ave. • Detroit, MI 48201-1399 (313) 832-4400 • Toll Free (866) 545-6424 Submissions: submit@edomi.org
The Record is the quarterly magazine for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Winter 2016-17 The Rt. Reverend Wendell N. Gibbs Jr. Bishop of the Diocese bishop@edomi.org James Gettel Canon for Congregational Life jgettel@edomi.org Canon Jo Ann Hardy Diocesan Administrator jhardy@edomi.org Jennifer Michalak Secretary Diocesan Administration jmichalak@edomi.org Beth Rowley Executive Assistant Office of the Bishop browley@edomi.org
“Life is too short”
Bishop Gibbs delivers his annual address at the 182nd Diocesan Convention for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Also, a summary of actions from the event. Page 6
Nancy Ann McLoughlin Ministry Developer nmcloughlin@edomi.org Eric Travis Missioner for Youth and Young Adults etravis@edomi.org Mark Miliotto Director of Finance mmiliotto@edomi.org Kara Chapman Accountant kchapman@edomi.org Knena Causey Whitaker Institute kcausey@edomi.org
Rick Schulte Diocesan Communications Editor, The Record therecord@edomi.org
Faith at Standing Rock
Jean-Pierre Seguin provides a first-hand account of the actions of those gathered in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation at the Dakota Access Pipeline. Page 15
Coming to Detroit
The fall meeting for the House of Bishops was hosted by our diocese. It was an opportunity to see growth going on in the city. Page 16
New Beginnings
There’s still time to register for this youth event, coming up in March to St. James, Birmingham. Page 18
The Final Word
The Rev. Jonathan Sams has seen it all during his years as a priest. He offers his perspective on the current climate – political and social – in our country. Page 19
Professional print services provided by Grigg Graphic Services, Southfield (248) 356-5005 • www.grigg.com
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182nd DIOCESAN CONVENTION
Who is My Neighbor?
Bishop Gibbs delivers a message of love in his annual address My dear sisters and brothers in Christ: Today I want to begin with words that are most often associated with a blessing marking an end of our time together and a sending forth. These are words taken from the 19th century Swiss poet Henri-Frédéric Amiel: “Life is short and we have too little time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind.” I find these words to be filled with as much Gospel Truth as any words of scripture because they embody the teachings of Jesus to “love one another as I have loved you”…and to “love your neighbor as yourself.” At this 182nd gathering of the household of the Diocese of Michigan, we have again come together to wade in and be washed by the waters of reconciliation, as we seek truly to know and value the neighbor we are called to love, embrace and respect. The focus of our time together this year is intended to build on presentations made at last year’s convention as well as the ongoing work we have engaged in the months since as our journey toward racial reconciliation and diversity continues. Throughout the past year, various groups of laity and clergy all over the diocese have grappled with how we can become better followers of Jesus and thus better ministers in the world when we seek reconciliation and honor diversity. Some among us have struggled with confronting the privilege that is an integral part of the life being lived. Some among us have struggled with experiencing hate-filled words and actions while simply reminding
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Bishop Gibbs prepares to speak at the Diocesan Convention.
others that the value of a life is not dependent upon skin color or occupation. Some of us have begun to confront our own limitations when our offer of radical hospitality doesn’t reach the true depths of what it means to welcome the other. All of us have endured a political season in which words, ideologies and past behaviors have been microscopically analyzed, misrepresented, and ultimately morphed into bully pulpits promoting suspicion, division and fear. The ‘ad nauseam’ critique and explosive rhetoric of the presidential candidates and some segments of the media has unfortunately overshadowed important issues such as education,
healthcare, jobs and the environment (to name just a few), while managing to reignite polarization of the electorate along lines of race, class, gender and religious belief. It is obvious to me that the journey toward profound racial reconciliation and true diversity must continue in all segments of society! There is much need for those who follow Jesus to live and preach the Gospel of love and inclusion, and find ways to build bridges that connect rather than walls that separate. And, there is much need to work tirelessly “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” [Book of Common Prayer, pg.
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855]. But first, we must be sure that our own house is in order; we must remove the log from our own eye before we can hope to see and remove the speck from the eye of our neighbor. And, we must be better able and prepared to identify all who are neighbor to us. The work that is necessary to identify and respect the dignity of our neighbor requires that we admit and own our personal shortcomings and biases when it comes to issues of race and diversity. The work that we must do necessitates sitting with our discomfort and learning to ensure justice – for all, to be devoted to mercy – even when inconvenient, and to walk in genuine humility with the God of all creation! The work begins with me and with you, now…today. Life is short…we must be swift to love! A recent email I received had a most eye-catching subject line. It said simply, “How do we talk about race?” I did a double-take to see who had sent the email and realized that it was a promotional email from Cokesbury. With a thought provoking subject line, this Christian publisher is seeking to sell more than a few books. They are also looking to be a resource in support of the process of communication; that is, honest discussion and heartfelt listening, which are essential steps in the journey toward racial healing. While financial gain may be part of their motivation for asking challenging questions, I am hopeful that relationship with Jesus is also an important part of making the challenge to their constituencies about the need for racial healing. Besides, their thought provoking question is a Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
182nd DIOCESAN CONVENTION
The Lansing Center was the location for the 182nd Diocesan Convention.
good one! How do we talk about race? In most instances, we don’t! Too often race is a topic that folks don’t see a need or simply don’t want to talk about. During visitations and other diocesan events, I have heard such comments as: “Everything is fine here; we all get along.” “Can’t you see, bishop, we’re a very diverse congregation; we don’t have race issues here.” Or, as I heard recently, “There’s no race problem! We have a black President, a new black Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and you’ve been our bishop for quite a while now!” And, once in a while, “there he goes, playing the race card again! Doesn’t he think the rest of us have had difficulties in our lives, too?” And how about, “If there were one thing I could get across to him is that when people say, ‘All lives matter,’ it does not mean what he states. It means people care about every single human life, every person as a child of God; the way he stated his story made me feel like we were supposed to feel sorry for him and for wrongs committed before we were born.” Discussion about race in some places has become contentious political debate with one group blaming the other, one group feeling shamed and another group taking on the role of defender for their race. None of this is comEpiscopal Diocese of Michigan
munication; none of this involves honest discussion; none of this leaves room for true listening and none of this is an example of our adherence to the baptismal commitment to respect the dignity of every human being. We need to talk about race; we need to take the log out of our own eye. Life is too short and time too limited! A few weeks ago, the Gospel reading for the weekday Eucha-
rist was from Luke 11:14-26. In that pericope, we find Jesus casting out a demon. In general, the crowd was amazed at the miraculous work. But, as usual, some suggested that Jesus was doing his work with the help of Beelzebul (one of the names for Satan found in scripture, in case you didn’t know). Jesus, knowing what the gossip was, responded that a kingdom divided against itself cannot survive! Jesus puts a
The Rev. James Rhondenhiser addresses an issue from the floor of convention.
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further exclamation point on the matter by making the critics accountable to their own exorcists. Then he indicates that if it is by the finger of God that he casts out demons then the “kingdom of God has come to you.” And Jesus then adds the convicting statement: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Now that seems like a great place to leave the conversation, but, not for Jesus! Not satisfied with a simple teaching about unity of purpose, Jesus takes us to the next level. He returns to the situation of the person now freed from the demon and cautions that simply being rid of the demon is insufficient. Jesus thoughtfully traces the steps of the evil that has been cast out showing that it is looking for another place to call home. Not finding a home elsewhere, that same demon can and will return to the place from which it had been cast out. He then says: “When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” In other words, clean-up is only the beginning. Or as my grandmother used to say, “Idle minds are the devil’s workshop.” Once we have found healing,
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we must replace that which had captured us in sinfulness with something that moves our heart toward that which is good. Or, to put it another way, the work of racial reconciliation and diversity doesn’t end because we’ve spent time in training, or we’ve suddenly become self-aware. The work is for a lifetime; otherwise, we leave a space ready to embrace evils greater than those we claim to have cast off! I am frustrated and greatly concerned when I encounter church people – religious people – who are quick to pride themselves on the hard work they have done in the area of racial healing and are even more quickly prepared to state that a movement like “Black Lives Matter” is racist or exclusive or unnecessary. I grow weary of the Church being smug and self-righteous about taking action to make women’s ordination and gay marriage normative and speaking forcefully in support of racial equality while doing little to assure that people of color have equal access to church resources and positions of leadership. I am horrified when I read news reports of someone’s life being put in jeopardy because airline personnel do not believe a person of color could really be a doctor. I am wearied by the subtle and not-so-subtle racism that occurs when it is more convenient to have meetings in the suburbs (we have better parking), than to have a meeting in the city (where would we park…at night?). I’m not, and I am pretty sure that the other people of color in this room are not asking anyone to feel sorry for us. We don’t need or want your pity! But I do need all of us to know that our words and our action or our inaction matters. I do need all of us to know that whether wanted or not, most of the people in this room were born with privilege; a privilege that others do not share. I do need us all to be aware that humanity is at its best when the inherent dignity of all people is
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The Rev. Canon Ronald Spann delivers the sermon at the Friday Convention Eucharist in Lansing.
no longer a topic for debate and skin color or national origin does not determine one’s right to “life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness.” Unfortunately, we are in a time when some in the majority population of our nation are bemoaning the changing society because, quite frankly, power and authority is finding equilibrium across racial lines. In an essay written in 1988, Peggy McIntosh states: “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege. So I have begun in an untutored way to ask what it is like to have white privilege. I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.” She goes on to list 50 different daily effects of white privilege in her life. I am only going to mention a few. She says:
• “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.” • “When I am told about our national heritage or about ‘civilization,’ I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.” • “If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.” • “I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.” If you read through the rest of the list (and you can find it on Google), you can see how white people and people of color experience the world in two very different ways. But please hear me. Listen to me: I am not bringing up this topic or sharing this information to make white people feel guilty about their privilege. I do not fault you for being born with white skin and thus experiencing those privileges. However, whether you choose to acknowledge this reality or not, you do benefit from it, and you are at fault if you don’t maintain aware-
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ness of the privilege you have. So when black men, women and children are being killed with heart breaking frequency by people in authority, it is important to hear the cry of those saying “Black Lives Matter,” as President Obama stated: “not because they were suggesting that no one else’s lives matter…rather…there is a specific problem that is happening in the African-American community that’s not happening in other communities.” And, people of God, it will take all of us to do something about it! “Life is short and we have too little time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us.” I suspect one of the challenges that both the church and the world are facing in dealing with racial justice is that the culture has molded, shifted and changed so that racism now has different manifestations from that which was seen in the 1960s. In the book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, author Michelle Alexander puts it this way: “When we think of racism we think of Governor Wallace of Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Alabama blocking the schoolhouse door; we think of water hoses, lynchings, racial epithets, and “whites only” signs. These images make it easy to forget that many wonderful, goodhearted white people who were generous to others, respectful of their neighbors, and even kind to their black maids, gardeners, or shoe shiners--and wished them well-nevertheless went to the polls and voted for racial segregation... Our understanding of racism is therefore shaped by the most extreme expressions of individual bigotry, not by the way in which it functions naturally, almost invisibly (and sometimes with genuinely benign intent), when it is embedded in the structure of a social system.” So then, how DO we talk about race? What can we do? Which way do we go? How shall we overcome? Last year, we began to engage the conversation. The presentations at last year’s convention began to open doors, and some hearts, to honest discussion and heart-felt listening. In many ways, we began the kind of exchange of ideas and perceptions that make it possible to come to know our neighbor. This year, we have sought to make it clear that in some ways we have identified our neighbor and have begun to serve that neighbor with justice and mercy as the foundation of our ministry. So far in this convention, we have borne witness to our reconciling ministry with global neighbors and the reconciling ministry that is being done locally by congregations and through the diocesan structure. We have also had an opportunity to know of our participation on the world stage through the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, where the Diocese of Michigan has been represented three times since 2009! These are all good and positive steps on our journey. And, later in this convention, we will each have an opportunity to embrace a Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
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A video presentation from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry plays in the convention hall.
personal role in the work of reconciliation as we begin to work and hold each other accountable on becoming good neighbors. It is vitally important that each person here not keep secret the work we do or the lessons learned at this convention. Each congregation, community and household needs to know of the work and engage it on their own level. As we did following last year’s convention, each diocesan sponsored gathering is called upon to
provide time and opportunity to focus on issues of race and diversity. Additionally, there will be specific opportunities for gatherings of folks from around the diocese, both lay and ordained, to engage this work. You will hear more this afternoon about the commitment with Visions, Inc. Visions is a team of consultants who will work with us going forward to help us acquire the tools we need to “thrive in a diverse world;” help us remove the barri-
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ers that keep us from participating in the work of diversity; and, help us create an environment in our local congregations as well as across the diocese “where differences are recognized, understood, appreciated, and utilized for the benefit of all.” (from the Visions mission statement). Some of you may be wondering how we have come to the place of working with an outside consultant in the work of racial reconciliation and diversity. Part
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This is a Summary of Action taken from the 182nd Convention for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, held Oct. 2122 in Lansing. ADOPTED, without amendment, the 2017 Diocesan Operating Budget in the amount of $2,290,185. ADOPTED Resolution #1 (Enactment of General Convention Resolutions) with two minor amendments, replacing the word “enact” with the word “advance” in lines 7 and 65. ADOPTED Resolution #2 (God is not a Republican or a Democrat) with no amendments. APPROVED an amendment to the Canons of the Diocese of Michigan regarding Governing Deaneries and Deans (2.3.1.2.1) and an amendment to the Canons of the Diocese of Michigan regarding Academic Chaplaincies (3.1.1.3) CONSIDERED the first reading of the Resolutions Referred to Dioceses from the 78th General Convention, which included the following proposed Constitutional Amendments: B011 (Amend Article 11.7): D003 (Amend Article V), D008 (Amend Article 1.1). ELECTED Dawn McDuffie and the Rev. Dcn. Brian Shaffer to the Cathedral Chapter; Pamela Wagner and the Rev. James Pashturro to the Commission on Ministry; Michael Stewart and the Rev. Beth Taylor to the Disciplinary Board; Ann Putallaz and the Rev. Joyce Matthews to the Standing Committee; Julia Belian, Linda Culpepper, Martha Shea, Michael Stewart and the Rev. Chris Yaw to the Trustees; Eric Travis, Elizabeth Anderson, Cedric Flounory, Steve Ott, the Rev. Phil Dinwiddie, the Rev. Lisa TuckerGray, the Rev. Deon Johnson and the Rev. Judith Schellhammer as deputies to General Convention; Edie Wakevainen, Felicity Thompson, Carol Latimer, the Rev. Susan Anslow Williams, the Rev. Paul Castelli, the Rev. Ellis Clifton and the Rev. Dcn. Jenny Ritter as alternate deputies to General Convention. CONFIRMED the Bishop’s Appointment of the Ven. Keith Mackenzie to the Commission on Ministry. LISTENED TO AND ENGAGED in Special Orders of Business related to our theme “Waters of Reconciliation – Who is our Neighbor?” PARTICIPATED in inspiring worship including an uplifting sermon by the Rev. Canon Ron Spann with music by Canterbury House University of Michigan and Morning Prayer led by the Youth and Young Adults of the Diocese. DONATED a total of $2,800.00 during the worship offertory, which will be shared equally between our ongoing companion relationship with the Diocese of The Dominican Republic and relief efforts from the devastation of Hurricane Matthew, especially in Haiti, through the Episcopal Relief and Development. HEARD a most challenging, thought provoking and timely Convention Address by the Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs Jr. Submitted by the Rev. Dr. W. Richard Hamlin, Secretary of Convention (Subject to verification by official minutes) The 183rd Diocesan Convention is scheduled for Oct. 2021, 2017 at the Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi.
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The Rev. Deacon Timothy Spannaus (St. John’s, Royal Oak) engages Steve Chisholm (St. Clement’s, Inkster) during organized discussion time.
of the answer to that question is contained in my address to convention last year in which I stated: “…precisely because we are called to be and profess to be a people of reconciliation, people of justice and people who “respect the dignity of every human being.” I am hopeful about the beginnings of this conversation because, as Christian community, always in need of the cleansing waters of reconciliation and of God’s redeeming grace, we cannot fulfill our duty of making disciples, preaching the Gospel or speaking truth to power if we cannot in spirit and in truth “love one another as [Jesus] loves us.” (John 15:12) Dear friends, in some respects we have come a long way; but there is still much we have to do!” Another part of the answer is connected to the tradition of this diocese to expect those in leadership to participate in training aimed at racial reconciliation. At one time that was called “anti-racism” training. However, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
society has changed and we are realizing that there are more positive ways to engage society, particularly around ideas that are difficult for some to embrace. My personal belief is that anything that is only presented as “anti” whatever already begins at a place of division and sets up an expectation that one side is right, the other side is wrong and to reconcile the difference only the wrong side has to move. The other part of the answer to how we have come to this place is connected to my own participation in a meeting of several bishops last December. As you may recall, I reported to you last year that I had been appointed by then-Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to serve on a House of Bishops task force that was to begin work on a new pastoral teaching on racism. I said to you last year that it was “my hope and expectation that just as the 1994 Pastoral was a faithful product reflecting the realities of the time in which it was written, so too the next Pastoral must
reflect who and where we are today.” Truth is, the bishops who gathered in Chicago, spent three days with the consultants from Visions and came to unanimous agreement that writing another letter was the last thing we needed to do. The exercise and experience of talking and listening to one another and the stories of who we are, helped us appreciate that, with help, we can talk about race without blaming and without shaming. In this way we can be fully present to one another in the way that the Samaritan was fully present to the man who fell among robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. From that experience last December, the bishops present went to the March meeting of the House of Bishops and explained any form of speaking to the church not grounded in the bishops themselves doing the work of racial reconciliation was irresponsible. My experience of that December gathering opened my eyes and my soul to the reality that a renewed community is
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possible by engaging on a diocesan level this work of reconciliation and diversity. I was further inspired by the commitment of the clergy gathered at the 2016 Clergy Conference who, after rich conversation and the usual platitudes about what we ought to do to form beloved community, chose to commit to hold each other accountable in their personal work and on their personal journeys toward embracing racial reconciliation and celebrating the diversity of our community. And, the rich encounters I have been blessed to have with individual bishops, clergy and lay people where honest discussion and heartfelt listening were the foundation of our conversation have convinced me that this work with Visions is the next step in our work together. So, dear friends, I implore you to “read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” all that is set before you in the effort to make this diocese a beloved community. For in the words of the author, feminist and social activist, Bell Hooks:
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Delegates from St. Michael’s & All Angels, Cambridge Junction cast their votes with other members of convention.
“Beloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.” My sisters and brothers, as I stated earlier, “the clean-up is only the beginning!” By our words and actions, by our ongoing encounters with one another, through a new understanding of what it is to be neighbor and how we recognize neighbor, and with an enriched appreciation for the need to respect and protect the dignity of every human being, we will cast out the demons that seek to divide us; and, we must fill that space with the loving, liberating and life-giving promise of God that is the Jesus Movement! Our Presiding Bishop and Primate, Michael Curry, has shared his vision of the Jesus Movement in a recent video. He states that the Jesus Movement is: “Life reoriented around the
teachings of Jesus and around his very spirit; teachings and a spirit that embody the love of God in our lives and in this world. A way of love that seeks the good and the well-being of the other before the self ’s own unenlightened interests; a way of love that is not self-centered but other directed; a way of love grounded in compassion and goodness and justice and forgiveness. It is that way of love that is the way of Jesus; and that way of love that can set us all free. Someone once said when you look at Jesus you see one who is loving, one who is liberating and one who is life-giving. And that is what the way of Jesus is about; and that is the movement of Jesus: a community of people committed to living the way of Jesus…and committed to going into the world to help this world become one that is loving, liberating and life giving. That, my friends, can change this world.” You see: Life is short…be swift to love! This past summer, Karlah and
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I had the
great blessing to travel to South Africa. It was a special blessing in that it was not a “work-related” trip…it was pure vacation! Part of our trip included the opportunity to see and photograph the “big five” of Africa: lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. We also crossed into Zimbabwe and visited Victoria
Falls – one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The most poignant moment of our trip had to be the tour of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. If you are ever able to go to South Africa, you must not miss the opportunity to tour the Apartheid Museum. There you will hear about and walk through
The Rev. Mark Hastings reflects during table discussion.
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the history of a nation’s racial turmoil that, in many ways, was more brutal than what was evident in the United States. You will also hear how a diverse people, embracing the vision of one man who chose “to go high” when the other “went low,” found the path to a Bill of Rights that champions the rights of people in ways that we, in this country, so far have only dreamt about As I moved through the exhibit, tears came to my eyes quite often. It is an emotional experience. My tears were not only a sign of mourning for the evil perpetrated and the lives lost. My tears were also expressing a sadness that, although not a perfect society, South Africa has moved so much further on this journey than we have. My tears were for the realization too many people in the United States are still not afforded basic human dignities: their skin color or their religion or their language or their sexuality or their gender or being an immigrant makes them suspicious, subject to ridicule and bullying Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
and often fearful for their very lives. My tears were for the lessthan-dignified season of political strife and rhetorical fear mongering that has contributed to divisiveness that I worry will not end with the closing of the polls. My tears were for the Body of Christ – the Church – in hopes that my tears, mingled with the tears of others, might create moving lifegiving water that is not afraid to seek reconciliation among all people, speak the truth to power and bring healing to a hurting world. Before I close I want to answer a question that seems to be asked at every visitation: overall, how is the diocese doing? I can assure you the Diocese of Michigan is financially and spiritually healthy. As with all institutions, especially the church, we have our challenges, but the household is good. Over the years, some have made an issue of the fact that during the last 16-plus years, the diocese has shrunk the number of congregations from 99 to 75. During that same period of time, main-
Canterbury House, Ann Arbor provided excellent musical accompaniment for Friday’s convention Eucharist.
line denominations have seen a dramatic drop in membership. I will also tell you that during that same period of time, many of our congregations have experienced growth, not from Episcopalians moving from one congregation to another, but in the critical area of the unchurched finding their way to the Episcopal Church and finding a spiritual home here. When I am asked the follow-up question, so how are they do-
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ing it? I encourage conversation with those places experiencing a renaissance. To that end, I encourage you to contact Canon Jim Gettel, the Rev. Deon Johnson or the Rev. Clare Hickman who can give you information about our diocesan Requiem or Renaissance program, which provides an opportunity for sharing among congregations: those who are experiencing renaissance helping those who are ask-
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Youth and Young Adult guests to convention answer questions in the exhibition hall.
ing what shall we do next? The other part of my response is to continue to urge the leadership of every congregation to ask the questions: Why are you here, and who would miss you if you were gone? If our reasons for being are solely for self-maintenance, then we’ve discovered the wrong answer to the questions. And these are questions that cannot be asked once and never considered again. Part of the consideration of these questions has everything to do with knowing and responding to who our neighbor is! My friends, I am just naïve enough to believe that we can change the world. My faith is strong enough to believe that with God’s help we will find ways to break down the walls that separate us; and we will find ways to
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leave behind the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; that we will ultimately we will be united in bonds of love that will allow us to accomplish God’s purposes on earth. And my heart tells me that we must begin now, today – together! We must speak up now, we must listen to one another now, and we must reorient our lives around the teachings of Jesus, now, today -- together. It has been said, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” We are called to go far! And we must do it now! So let me end where I began, “Life is short and we have too little time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind…and may the blessing of the God who creates, redeems
and sanctifies be with you today and always.” Amen. The Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs
Jr. delivered this address on Oct. 22 in Lansing. Go to therecordonline.org to view his entire address.
Conversation during the second day of convention proved to be lively, as issues were given time for discussion.
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OPINION
Faith at Standing Rock
Reflection on the interfaith prayer vigil in support of the Sioux Nation
Large crowds gathered at Standing Rock to protest construction of an oil pipeline.
By Jean-Pierre Seguin I traveled to Standing Rock, North Dakota with six classmates from Virginia Theological Seminary for a day of peaceful, prayerful and nonviolent protest in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and all the indigenous water protectors opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline at the place where the Cannon Ball and Missouri Rivers converge. We joined more than 500 fellow clergy and laypeople from 20 different denominations and faiths who traveled from across the country for the action. On our first morning, we gathered at the sacred fire at the heart of the Oceti Sakowin camp that has burned since April. People pray, talk, dance, and sing at this sacred circle. As we entered the camp, a Sioux woman led a group in a traditional water ceremony. Once we assembled, representatives of all denominations present that had renounced the 15thcentury Doctrine of Discovery gave copies of the document to indigenous elders to burn. The document justified European colonization of the Americas. We Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
pledged to honor and support indigenous people instead. We were ceremonially smudged with smoke from the document as we marched from the camp north to the bridge, where a week earlier armed state, local and private pipeline security forces brutally attacked peaceful water protectors camping and praying in the path of the pipeline. We stood across the Cannon Ball River from the militarized police forces defending the pipeline that threatens the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, its sacred waters and all who live downstream. The pipeline was originally routed near the majority-white state capital of Bismarck, but regulators moved it south due to water contamination concerns. We came to bear witness, speak against the project and pray for justice and peace. The Rev. Stephanie Spellers, Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism and Reconciliation, led us in singing “Wade in the Water.” People of many faiths spoke in support of the Sioux and their allies, standing up for their spiritual, moral and legal right to clean water.
During our event, militarized police aimed snipers toward the assembled clergy from the hills and repeatedly buzzed us with a helicopter. We ended the action by passing the peace in a large circle in the sacred hills by the river. The indigenous water protectors’ nonviolent resistance is rooted in prayer. Greg, a Sioux elder, told me that the camp needs prayers and people. (For those unable to travel there, go to www. standingrocksolidaritynetwork. org, which was created by camp residents in consultation with elders in offering ways to support Standing Rock). Please reflect on water and its central role in our scriptures and in our baptism. Pray over
our baptismal covenant (Book of Common Prayer, page 304) and reflect on our thanksgiving over the water at baptism (BCP, page 306). Acknowledge the gift of the holy body of water known as the Great Lakes, which surrounds Michigan, and the countless lakes and rivers where we live, work and rest. Find out who has access to clean water around you and who doesn’t. Pray and work for Flint, Detroit, Standing Rock and all communities, whose access to clean water is threatened. Honor and care for this sacred gift from God. Jean-Pierre Seguin, a seminary student at Virginia Theological Seminary, is also affiliated with Canterbury House, Ann Arbor.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry paid a first-hand visit to Standing Rock to meet with the Sioux residents and to assess the situation.
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HOUSE OF BISHOPS
Purple Reign T
he Fall House of Bishops meeting, hosted by the Diocese of Michigan, gave the bishops, their spouses and partners a chance to learn more about the city of Detroit, the region and local issues of importance.
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ishop Gibbs and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry celebrate at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit (clockwise, top); Bishop Suffragan Gayle Harris (Massachusetts), All Saints, Detroit; Presiding curry, Bishop Todd Ousley (Eastern Michigan) and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver discuss the city’s water crisis.
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HOUSE OF BISHOPS
The House of Bishops convenes twice a year, but in September, made its first visit to Detroit since 1988 (during the Episcopal Church’s 69th General Convention). The event was hosted at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in downtown Detroit, but members of the group went out and explored the city and many locales in the diocese. “We are delighted – delighted – that you are here,” Bishop Wendell N. Gibbs Jr. said. “Welcome!” He pointed out the irony of the event being hosted at the Westin, noting the majestic hotel it-
self was shuttered for many years before a massive 2008 renovation brought it up to its current elite standard. That renovation mirrors Detroit’s own comeback story. The visiting bishops were encouraged to explore the city in their non-working hours, as the diocesan staff provided extra help throughout the course of the six-day event. Many bishops took the opportunity to get a first-hand look at the Flint Water Crisis, boarding a bus to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Flint, plus other nearby destinations. “It’s an issue of human decency
Bishops issue ‘A Word to the Church for the World’ Greetings from Detroit, a city determined to be revived. Greetings also from the city of Flint, where we are reminded that the gift of water has for many of our brothers and sisters become contaminated. Here we have been exhorted to set our sights beyond ourselves and to minister to the several nations where we serve and the wider world. We lament the stark joylessness that marks our present time. We decry angry political rhetoric which rages while fissures widen within society along racial, economic, educational, religious, cultural and generational lines. We refuse to look away as poverty, cruelty and war force families to become migrants enduring statelessness and demonization. We renounce the gun violence and drug addiction that steal lives and crush souls while others succumb to fear and cynicism, abandoning any sense of neighborliness. Yet, in all this, “we do not despair” (2 Cor. 4:8.). We remember that God in Christ entered our earthly neighborhood during a time of political volatility and economic inequality. To this current crisis we bring our faith in Jesus. By God’s grace, we choose to see in this moment an urgent opportunity to follow Jesus into our fractured neighborhoods, the nation and the world.
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and human compassion,” said Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who accompanied the fact-finding contingent. “It doesn’t have anything to do with what your particular politics happen to be. It has to do with our common humanity. We, as people of faith, know that.” The House of Bishops is comprised of nearly 300 members, all active or retired bishops. Also, several of the bishops went out and visited local churches. Some worshipped in diocesan churches, while others celebrated the Eucharist at Christ Church, All Saints, St. Matthew’s
and St. Jospeh’s and the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (all in Detroit), plus Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills.
Every member of the church has been “called for a time such as this.” (Esther 4:14) Let prophets tell the truth in love. Let reconcilers move boldly into places of division and disagreement. Let evangelists inspire us to tell the story of Jesus in new and compelling ways. Let leaders lead with courage and joy. In the hope of the Resurrection let us all pray for God to work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish God’s purposes on earth.
Writing Committee Bishop Gibbs participated as a member of the committee which drafted this letter. He was joined by Bishop Tom Breidenthal of Southern Ohio; Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington; Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce of Los Angeles; Bishop Victor Scantlebury of Ecuador Central; Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves of El Camino Real: Bishop Alan Gates of Massachusetts; Dr. Scott Bader-Saye; Bishop Prince Singh of Rochester; Bishop Robert Wright of Atlanta; Bishop Rob Hirschfield of New Hampshire.
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THE FINAL WORD
In an ever-changing world, Sams notes the time is now for true involvement “You know the funny thing about this sign?” said the Rev. Jonathan Sams, priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s, Waterford. “It’s kind of old-fashioned, but you know what? People notice what it says. Of course, it has to be brief and to the point. But you’d be surprised how many people notice it.” As Sams as he updated the signage near the road, in front of his church in the Oakland County suburbs, you could almost sense the comfort in his casual, outdoor surroundings. Catch him inside the red doors any Sunday for a message given with a more traditional delivery. Catch him outside on a sunny fall day a few short days following a presidential election for a sage discussion about life, politics and the climate of a world which has produced a firestorm of opinion on all fronts. This was an election in which Hillary Clinton was all but assured of the presidency. However, it produced a surprising win by Donald Trump, whose message in large part resonated with a great many voters who felt disenfranchised in not only politics, but their immediate world. The challenge, as a clergyperson, is reaching people at both ends of the political and philosophical spectrum – in addition to those residing somewhere in the middle, too. Sams’ history with the Episcopal Church began during turbulent times; he was ordained in 1966 in the Diocese of Chicago. He was fully involved with spiritual and cultural activism – even working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – aware of the ever-evolving world. And he also spent 20 years as rector at St. Stephen’s, Troy before his version of “retirement” includEpiscopal Diocese of Michigan
ed ministry at Christ He recognizes the Church Cranbrook, world is imperfect by Bloomfield Hills and nature. Just like the his current work with so-called experts who St. Andrew’s. incorrectly pegged the “In the 1960s, outcome of the presiamong the people I dential election, or knew, you were thorthose on Wall Street who assured us many oughly expecting the Rick corporations were too fabric of society to fall Schulte big to fail prior to an apart. We thought that economic collapse in there was going to be 2008 (“It turns out, revolution in the cities, and retribution from the powers they didn’t have a clue,” Sams that be, and it was going to be- joked), life is not cut and dried. Little in life is certain. come civil warfare,” Sams said.
After 20 years with St. Stephen’s, Troy, retirement has taken the Rev. Jonathan Sams to St. Andrew’s, Waterford, where he serves as priestin-charge.
“I moved to a farm out in the country with a bunch of people because we thought we were going to have to grow our own food. But it didn’t transpire. The system found a way to muddle along.”
“Except, we know about the Gospel,” he said. “We know temples collapse. Systems fail. We cannot rely on them. It’s normal for the world to fall apart, so let’s not get all bent out of shape, let’s
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do what we do. But let’s do it like we really mean it.” The challenge faced by not only the Episcopal Church, but every church, is to stay steadfast to its message. Some churches nationwide have been vandalized, including messages of LGBT hatred being spray painted on church buildings. “All it is is an incentive to do what we’ve always done, except more,” Sams said. The reality of the world is this: Many different viewpoints come to church. It’s not a homogenous world, and no congregation is homogenous, too. “When I was in Chicago, I had a congregation that met on a Sunday afternoon. Most of the congregation was part of a street gang known as the Maniac Drifters,” Sams said. “And the issue was, could they bring their guns to Mass. And I said no. They asked, ‘What if we get ambushed?’ I told them we would all go down together. “In order to come follow Christ, we have to be disarmed on a fundamental level. Bringing a gun is only a very shallow part of that, it goes much deeper. And they said, ‘Well, your ideas are great but they are not realistic. That’s not how it goes.’ Now, did they bring their guns? I don’t know, I didn’t search them. But we had a clear understanding that the more a person is armed and is hedging their bets, the more our proclamation of the Gospel loses its credibility. The thing that is true still, “The Gospel still calls on us to disarm ourselves and follow Christ, even if it means laying down our lives.” You may follow the writings of the Rev. Sams at www.theramblingrector.blogspot.com.
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