Notes from a clergy conference in the Rio Grande

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Second, ++KJS is quite insistent that a clause be added to the St. Clement’s contract making it null and void if they cease to be an independent congregation of join another part of the Anglican Communion/ She, rightly in my mind, sees this as crucial for TEC. I believe she repeated that at least once and referred to that principle several times in the question and answer session. However, the agreement is signed, sealed, delivered and the money became an investment instrument the minute it was received. I don’t believe it can be legally reopened. But she is steely eyed committed to see that this clause gets in all the next agreements. “Warning Will Robinson!”

Third, two bishops threatened +Jeffrey, over this agreement with St. Clement. CO and I believe XX were the bishops. He was really upset by this –in tears and shaking- and it included deposition, law suits, not allowing him to resign. . . We were quite angry on hearing this and wondered if they realized they were talking to a NM – TX bishop. Their cities may have a lot of urban gang problems; but, they don’t realize most of us have guns, know how to use them and nobody’s gonna mess with our bishops!

Read it all.


Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • - Anglican: Primary Source • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Conflicts • TEC Conflicts: Rio Grande

13 Comments
Posted September 29, 2007 at 2:32 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. MJD_NV wrote:

General Convention bishops “waging reconciliation” again?

Such a loving, inclusive bunch, the HoB

September 29, 3:14 pm | [comment link]
2. Frances Scott wrote:

I think our bishop Just put a key drop slot on his office door with a sign over it reading “KEEP MOVING.”

September 29, 4:14 pm | [comment link]
3. robroy wrote:

In an interview with Sarah Hey, just before meeting with the executive committee, Bp Steenson talked about how he was warned that he might be treated hostilely but that he wanted to read a short speech that would offer his blessing and thanks to the other bishops.

Now it comes out that the other bishops treated him so shamefully that this good and gracious man was brought to tears and apparently one of the main antagonists was Rob O’Neill of Colorado. Really reprehensible.

September 29, 4:58 pm | [comment link]
4. Bob Maxwell+ wrote:

Please note the hyperbole and overstatement in this section:

He was really upset by this –in tears and shaking- and it included deposition, law suits, not allowing him to resign. . . We were [my original text wasn’t “were”, it was written “waz” deliberately and I bet a spell checker got it!] quite angry on hearing this and wondered if they realized they were talking to a NM – TX bishop. Their cities may have a lot of urban gang problems; but, they don’t realize most of us have guns, know how to use them and nobody’s gonna mess with our bishops!

Our bishop had been rode hard and put up wet and many if not most were as angry as anything at those bishops. “Mess with” is a Texas term from “Don’t Mess with Texas!” and I’d almost put in “No mas!” from “Toss No Mas!” our NM slogan for not making a mess on our highways. If you took this overstatement to make the point literally, perhaps those colloquial expressions without the “waz” weren’t recognized as deliberate overstatement and hyperbole.

+Jeffrey read the “waz” in my original sending and he got the humor: I much enjoyed this post and your great wit!  One correction—XX was not one of the bishops.  And I will take Katharine at her word that this is just the normal human expression of anger.  My own heart is much more settled today.

“Trust and verify,” a parent, grandparent and “father’s” mantra, and the second is like unto it, “sometimes they really are after you!” [BG]

September 29, 5:05 pm | [comment link]
5. Jeffersonian wrote:

This is looking more and more like something out of “Goodfellas” than out of a church.  Is there no depth to which these robed enforcers will no dive?

September 29, 10:57 pm | [comment link]
6. evan miller wrote:

#6
No, and no.

October 1, 3:44 pm | [comment link]
7. evan miller wrote:

#8
No.
And the “shame” should be directed at the vile and thoroughly un-Christian behavior of the TEC bishops who attacked and threatened Bishop Steenson.

October 2, 7:58 am | [comment link]
8. evan miller wrote:

#10
You need to get a grip and lighten up.  Anyone who took that comment ending in “..nobody’s going to mess with our bishop” literally, must tend to hysteria.  If you think anyone was literally threatening to kill the TEC bishops, you are mistaken.  Talk about over reacting to a bit of harmless hyperbole.  Personally, I thought it was great.  Sorry if that offends your overly fastidious sensibilities.

October 2, 8:33 am | [comment link]
9. The_Elves wrote:

Note: “TPaine” has written the elves and asked to have his/her membership deleted.  So, we’re doing that.  That means this thread will not make sense as 3-4 comments by Tpaine will have disappeared.  For the record he/she was complaining about “threats of violence” in this post.

October 2, 9:20 pm | [comment link]
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