tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post1254680757707297186..comments2023-11-02T10:50:42.128-05:00Comments on CLOSED: A Serious Priorities ProblemTLF+http://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-54187716133104715012007-06-05T10:11:00.000-05:002007-06-05T10:11:00.000-05:00Here's the chart for the cathedral in Sioux Falls....Here's the chart for the cathedral in Sioux Falls. Looks like the high point in ASA -- 260 -- was reached in 2000.<BR/><BR/>http://12.0.101.92/reports/PR_ChartsDemo/exports/ParishRPT_652007110937AM.pdf<BR/><BR/>The lowest ASA in the last 10 years is the last year of the chart. The ASA looks to be about 170 in 2005.<BR/><BR/>That is a loss in ASA of 34% in five years.<BR/><BR/>Incredible.<BR/><BR/><BR/>SarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-45682313665948701762007-06-05T07:42:00.000-05:002007-06-05T07:42:00.000-05:00The New Testament church is meant to be a living o...The New Testament church is meant to be a living organism - the body of Christ. Without discipline, it has no immune system. A simple, single-cell entity with a very limited, selfish agenda can destroy a body that does not protect itself.<BR/><BR/>As we seek to become a new expression of Christ's body here on the Plains, we need to learn well from our past failure and TEC's death, and get back to traditional Anglicanism's use of the Bible as our authority for teaching and practice.TLF+https://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-38146574827169010102007-06-05T06:41:00.000-05:002007-06-05T06:41:00.000-05:00That's interesting. My former parish in Lexington,...That's interesting. My former parish in Lexington, KY was commandeered by gay rights activists who had been involved with a group that used our parish hall.Alice C. Linsleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13069827354696169270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-32284779774304613442007-06-04T21:21:00.000-05:002007-06-04T21:21:00.000-05:00Trying to connect the dots here...as a former memb...Trying to connect the dots here...as a former member of the Cathedral here in SD. There is a de-frocked (don’t know the term used for Lutheran pastors) former-Lutheran pastor who leads the GLBT group at the Cathedral. This group started at the Cathedral as “renters” using the building for their own services - but have spent the last couple years fully integrating themselves into every crook and cranny, committee, guild, etc. of the Cathedral. One couple recently left the church because the Sunday morning bible study turned into confrontation sessions with GLBT people from this group showing up suddenly when scriptures pertaining to “orthodox” views on the subject of alternative lifestyles were on the agenda. The two have become one and bishop +Creighton - who started out sympathetic to their “civil rights” cause - have now found himself at their mercy. What was once the largest parish and congregation in the diocese is in peril because of all of this....with a long list of deans and interim deans going in and out through the revolving door at the Cathedral over the past 8 years. This bishops’ cathedral: Membership down. Stewardship flat. Young families gone. Child daycare center closed. Sunday school practically non-existant. Canon to the Ordinary retired and not being replaced (covered by a retired priest now). Do the math.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-78749379025528559222007-06-04T11:02:00.000-05:002007-06-04T11:02:00.000-05:00Who decided this is "important research?" With all...Who decided this is "important research?" With all of the real problems, both recent and historical that exist in this area, I can't think of anything at the moment that is less important to me. I did learn though what lgbt stands for. Whoopee. Mark Barker, Sioux Falls.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-71553103907489612812007-06-03T13:23:00.000-05:002007-06-03T13:23:00.000-05:00Sarah, The amazing thing here is....our Bishop in ...Sarah, The amazing thing here is....our Bishop in this diocese (South Dakota) is himself an American Indian with the Sisseton/ Wahpeton Sioux Tribe.oblate-bcahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15515447134241599488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-73982289444356260312007-06-02T16:48:00.000-05:002007-06-02T16:48:00.000-05:00Sarah raises good questions. Chip+ posted on the ...Sarah raises good questions. Chip+ posted on the "Which Way Forward?" thread about his efforts to establish ministry on the L/Dakota reservations. There is a proud (even if imperfect) history of that here, and resources need to be invested raising up vocations (especially lay leadership) on the reservations. At some point, a clergy-centric form of ministry displaced a long tradition of lay readers and local "helpers", and the results have not been good. Much of the work devolved to funerals and drive-up baptisms rather than actual community building.<BR/><BR/>I think a ministry of prayer and intercession could be an important part of Anglican work here. We will be a numerically small presence, but there are huge issues including: drought, water resources, drug and alcohol abuse, alternative and traditional energy development and others that should be lifted up intentionally by our witness. Too much of what goes on in TEC is like the old Pace Picante Sauce ads - "This stuff's made in New York City???"TLF+https://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-41785198816289316072007-06-02T16:39:00.000-05:002007-06-02T16:39:00.000-05:00Reader "Sarah" asked us to post this...she sent it...<I> Reader "Sarah" asked us to post this...she sent it via our email" </I><BR/><BR/>You're right -- a strange setting of priorities. What we value, we <BR/>spend our time, energy, and money on.<BR/><BR/>I don't know much about the Episcopal diocese of South Dakota.<BR/><BR/>In your opinion, what should be the priorities there in that <BR/>diocese? On what should the diocesan leadership be spending their <BR/>time, energy, and money???TLF+https://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-43915033227618905062007-05-30T15:34:00.000-05:002007-05-30T15:34:00.000-05:00Surely the Lord delayeth His coming. Maranatha!Surely the Lord delayeth His coming. Maranatha!Chip Johnson+, SF, CoJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16114810191282776023noreply@blogger.com