My first encounter with Bishop Steven Charleston was at the Episcopal Church of Sts. Andrew and Matthew. Each year, the Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson would invite Bishop Charleston to participate in the three Hour Good Friday service at SsAM's. What started out being a one year treat turned into seven.

Imagine looking forward to Good Friday, an afternoon spent praying, crying, laughing and being in community.

Since then, I have encountered Bishop Charleston at CODE, EBAC and other conferences. To know that he will speak is to know that I will be challenged and refreshed.

Here is a synopsis of what he had to say this week during the noon time Eucharist. from Episcopal News Service.

Future generations will look back on the Episcopal Church aghast that it spent 30 years talking about human sexuality and largely ignoring the ecological disaster affecting the world, said Bishop Steven Charleston in his July 15 sermon during a General Convention Eucharist that celebrated creation care.

“For years now the environmental movement has told us that there is a clock ticking, a clock, ticking, a great organic ecological clock that is ticking away the time of our lives to that when we no longer will be able to reverse the damage that we have done to this planet through our own greed, negligence and ignorance,” said Charleston, assistant bishop of California and provost of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

Charleston continued: "Why is it that we do not hear that? Why is it that around this world of ours, though there are good men and women all seeking to help save the earth, that there is not this huge outpouring of sudden activity as the bell rings in our ears to save the earth?"

It is because, he said, "we have been distracted."

In addition to being distracted by discussions on human sexuality, the church has been worrying about its institutional survival; its relationships in the Anglican Communion; money, budget sheets and head counts, Charleston said.

“I am here to tell you that unless we recognize that there is a higher, deeper calling that lies behind all of these needs … none of our hopes and dreams, whether they come from conservative hearts or liberal minds, will sustain the day on anything we have been discussing, for all will be for naught, all will be for naught lest we wake up and pay attention to the underlying great issue of our day.”

"The day will come when the future will look back on what we have been doing here and see in our discussions -- though they appear to us in this moment, so fraught with importance -- issues as antique as the concern as to whether or not women could have the right to vote and whether we should stop the practice of child labor," said Charleston.

"And yet they will consider our folly on a planet that is but a burnt cinder, compared to the garden that has allowed us the luxury to have these self same debates. They will live in a world in which wars over water will make ours over oil pale in comparison."

But, he said, it doesn't have to be so. As the history of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion have shown, people can live in peace even when they disagree and people are capable of living in harmony with the natural world.

"In the name of Jesus of Nazareth I call upon the presence of the Holy Spirit … the spirit of the very earth itself and ask that that spirit come into this room and touch each and every one of you who is listening to me now," Charleston concluded. "Let your mind be opened to the truth of what I have spoken here today, let your heart be set on fire … be not afraid Episcopal Church, but stand proud and tall into this great commission of God.

"This is our moment, this is our time, this is our call and under an anointing of the spirit of God we will not fail in that call, but be in the vanguard of a change that will resound around the world full of hope and grace to renew humanity itself through the hope and power of Jesus in whose name I have preached and in whose name I have prayed."

And the crowd of hundreds took to its feet in applause.

Abrahamic Blessing

Attending the House of Deputies on July 14 was a blessing within a blessing.

At the end of each session the chaplain closes with prayers and incorporates prayers for the concerns of Deputies and others attending. This morning was different.

A little history first.

Most of you know that I spent time last summer in Khartoum, Sudan. Khartoum is a predominately Arabic speaking Muslim city. Each day, the many calls to prayer reminded all within earshot to turn to God and pray.

As a child growing up in Westchester County, New York, I attended many Saturday services at Temple.

This day, my past and present were woven together when three men, one Christian - The Rev. Peter Hood, one Muslim, Mu'athin Ben Yousef, and one Jewish - Cantor Mark Saltzman, sang an Abrahamic Blessing. The co-mingling of these three voices were music to my ears. Shutting my eyes, I heard the history of the praising of God in one.

The sons of Abraham blessing together.


To read more about this in the Convention Daily go on line to http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/08Daily_071509.pdf If this does not work, paste it into your browser address bar. While there read more editions that contain wonderful articles and pictures.

Lashings in Khartoum Soudan

Two days ago I read about the flogging of several non-Muslim women in Khartoum, Sudan. Eating at a popular restaurant they were arrested for dressing indecently. I will state at the outset, that all of my knowledge about this information is coming from the BBC on line. Googling this topic, the first ten results show nothing carried by the US Press. As Americans whose history includes the whole scale flogging of slaves, where is our indignation?

Having lived in Khartoum for four months last summer, I understand the tensions about being true to yourself and culture and the respect for the culture that you live in. I quickly decided to err on the side of society in Khartoum, and wore long skirts and tops going to work and church. Running next door to the little corner store, very baggy pants were worn with long sleeved tops. Inside my home, anything was the custom.

At a very popular ex-pat restaurant, women wore slacks, some young girls in jeans. It was considered an oasis for women.

I imagine this was where these women thought they were, an oasis of safety.

The punishment for this crime is 40 lashes. Ten women who pleaded guilty were given 10 lashes. The rest have chosen trial.

This morning the BBC carries this headline and story:

France condemns Sudan floggings

France has condemned the flogging of several women in Sudan, who were being punished for wearing trousers.

The foreign ministry called on Khartoum to abandon the prosecution of several others charged with the same offence.

The women were arrested in a Khartoum restaurant and accused of wearing clothes that threatened the values and virtue of Sudanese society.

One of the women facing charges is a well-known local journalist who has invited reporters to attend her trial.

Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein said several of the women who she was arrested with had pleaded guilty to the charge and been flogged immediately.

The French foreign ministry said in a statement it "strongly condemned" the punishment.

"France, which is fighting for the abolition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment and is combating violence against women, demands that the Sudanese authorities break off its prosecution of these people," the statement said.

Khartoum, unlike South Sudan, is governed by Sharia law.

Several of those punished were from the mainly Christian and animist south, Ms Hussein said.

Non-Muslims are not supposed to be subject to Islamic law, even in Khartoum and other parts of the mainly Muslim north.

Overload

It has been a couple of days since the last time I blogged. There is way too much to see, hear and do at General Convention, even without attending Disneyland.

Days are filled with Committee meetings, sitting in on the House of Deputies or House of Bishops, visiting the Exhibit Center, networking, visiting old friends, and yes, watching Yankee games.

Nights have been as busy as the days.

There was the receptions for everything, World Mission, Credo, Seminaries, ECW, UTO, Missionaries, International guests, Camps and Conference Centers, to name a few. Most are located at the Marriott or Hilton. The deputation makes their way back and forth.

Then, at night there are also workshops about the Public Narrative. There are nay sayers, but I love stories. New stories can make me laugh and cry. My friend, The Very Rev. Oran Warder was a great story teller.

I had heard through the grapevine that Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul from the Province of Sudan had arrived in the US. My friend Keith Brown, shown here had gone to the airport to pick up His Grace and his wife. I awaited in anticipation. Old friends on this side of the Atlantic and across this great country.

So, around 5 PM Chris Brennan Lee and I headed over to the Marriott for the World Mission reception, paid our $10 as a donation to offset costs and headed inside. I saw several people that I knew and made introductions, including the Rev. David Copley, Head of Mission Personnel and the person that first uttered the words, " I need a CPA in Sudan." The Presiding Bishop was going to start off the festivities.I spoke with members of the deputations from Taiwan, Honduras, and the Philippines. Also in attendance were representatives from AFRECS, American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

I was delighted to know that Finley Middleton, serving in Liberia, was in attendance. His diocese had paid for his airfare back for convention. Finley and I have an email friendship and to meet him here in Anaheim was exciting. Here is his picture with David Copley.

As it turned out, it took the Archbishop and his wife three hours to clear customs. Such hospitality. They arrived exhausted and headed straight for their room. Seeing these old friends would have to wait.

The highlight of the evening for Christina was this picture.

Sudan Surprise

Wandering around the Exhibit Hall I have already become accustomed to what and who I might see. However, I was not prepared for several surprises.

I had wandered down to the AFRECS booth, American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, in order to introduce myself to individuals that I knew only through emails. I was speaking with Buck Blanchard (VA) when I looked up and spied a familiar face.

Coming down the aisle was The Rev. Joanna Udal, the priest who was on sabbatical in England and the priest for whom I house sat while in Khartoum Sudan.

Rascal's owner. Surprise #1.

Both of us uttered each others names, quickly followed by hugs and a few tears. Neither of us could believe that the other was standing in front of the other.

I knew what I was doing a General Convention, but what was she? Then I remembered. Joanna had left working for the Archbishop of Sudan and gone to work for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. It now made sense.

We quickly caught up with each other as she walked in the wake of the Archbishop greeting people at specific booths, UTO and then Navajoland. It was at this latter booth that we caught up with him.

Then Joanna did something so unexpected, surprise #2.

Joanna uttered the words, " You must meet him." "Who?" "His Grace."

Seconds latter with his hands clasping mine, Joanna is telling him our story, one that shared Sudan, Rascal, neighbors, the church of Sudan, and her house. I think I managed something about an honor to meet him, and what a wonderful person Joanna was. Pictures were taken, and a photographer took a picture of my identity badge, muttering something about The Living Church.



Sometimes I wonder whose life I am leading.

Pictures of Convention

Oh, what a glorious morning

Yesterday morning marked the beginning of General Convention, starting with The House of Deputies and The House of Bishops initial meetings. Chris Brennan Lee was volunteering in the House of Bishops so she had an early start.

I had breakfast in my room, coffee and water, and then headed over to Hall D for the Opening Eucharist. I wanted a good seat and I wanted to volunteer as a Communion Assistant. I obtained both.

Hall D seems to go on forever and yesterday I attempted to try to show the depth by taking several pictures and standing in one place. So far, that does not capture what I want it to do. I think that I will send the pictures to Danny Schweers to see if he and merge and post.

That said, it is amazing to me that it will be filled at the Eucharist. Here is a picture of the entire altar, followed by one of the large screens.I saw Tom and Janet Kerr and LaVerne Cheatham. All others were present, I am sure.
At the beginning of the service, as people filed in from the their respective Houses, a drummer from South Africa lead us in responding chants. At the end, the Presiding Bishop entered.

The Presiding Bishop's sermon was wonderful, and you can read it in its entirety on line at Episcopal Life On line. Sorry to spoil the ending, but her repetition of the word Mission and then silence, spoke so loudly to me, even though she had spoken very softly.

PS. I was remiss in not posting this picture of the ECW attendees arriving at Convention. Take a bow ladies.