Archives: June 2006

Rector's Reflections

The Ninth Commandment: You shall not be a false witness.

During Lent when it became obvious that I would soon be a grandfather, I began thinking about what that might mean to me, especially after Ashley began deciding on a name for my grandchild. It occurred to me that in our Biblical tradition my new role would be about telling the family story and in particular telling little Leonardo what I believe. So I began a new project I called a “Letter to Leo.”

I'm not yet finished with my letter because there are some parts of the letter that can't be completed because my life continues to change. However, the basic core of the letter is done, and as I reread my Lenten project after Leo was born, I realized how glad I am that God directed me to this project.

This past Sunday, the anniversary of my first year with you, I spoke to all those who attended our Parish Potluck Picnic and outlined a vision of the future for St. Theodore's in my State of the Parish Address. (Copies of that address are available in the office.) I spoke to the reality that in my spiritual journey I had to stop and do some deep soul searching after the 2003 General Convention not because of the actions of that convention but, rather the way people looked at one another as being either on my side – the righteous, or on your side – the enemy. There appeared to me to be no middle ground, no via media , which has been and I believe still is the heart and soul of our beloved Episcopal Church. I lost my infatuation with our church but by asking myself the question, “Why am I an Episcopalian?” I fell deeper and deeper in love with our church. As I stated in the address: “No General Convention will ever cause me to want to divorce my church.”

As the 75 th General Convention convenes this month, we are again left wondering, “What's going to happen?” During the Rector's Forum on this General Convention, I have tried to articulate the issues facing our church. What I do not believe is going to happen is what various and sundry political groups want to happen in order to further some belligerent cause. I have been receiving a lot of mail from these intentionally divisive groups and to every one of them I say, “Remember the Ninth commandment! Stop telling half-truths and lies just to further your cause.”

A wise person once wrote that the reason people lie is because telling the truth, would not obtain for them the results they desire. The materials I have been receiving and the newspaper articles I have been reading are filled with false statements. I am appalled that “religious” groups are using such tactics!

Leo, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, as he will be tomorrow. I believe in telling the truth and not bearing false witness against my neighbor. I believe in miracles and with God all things are possible. I believe that we can discern the will of God when we all pray 'thy will be done.'”

Fr. Ken †