Posted by unregistered user at 5/12/07 5:16 p.m.

aarrghh.
Joel the liberal loves this new guy; a Molly Ivins with a collar.
Too bad he gets to lead the NW unitarians, dwindling fast. And yes, i said unitatrians which decsribes the new beliefs of this new gaggle of new agers

I quit the joint for a real church, despite all the cradel credentials and my love for the liturgy. YOu can imagine that if the Bible can't be relied on for the moral code, its also irrelevant to the rest of their life.

mmm. lets see, 34000 max belong to this place, and population is soaring. I'd say they've failed in their mission to preach the gospel (which of course none dare to say that is their mission)

Joel, nice kudo on the Al Gore thing. Too bad this guy is supposed to represent Christ, not the political thing called global warming (which if true, is still not this guys job)

All that said, all the candidates are apostates. So i guess who cares...

Posted by TerryP at 5/12/07 6:05 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson was a Unitarian. Using the canard of calling a collection of people, ernstlessly in their own way, trying to follow the teachings of Christ, "Unitarians", as some sort of insult, shows an incredible lack of intellect and knowledge of history.

Look, here's the deal, as I picked it up from attending St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Seattle, and reading an article in the NY Times about the split in the Episcopal Church. Some long-time church goers are afraid that the church is coming to damnation, because it favors allowing gays and lesbians, their civil rights - complete, under the U.S. Constitution. So the church has split, with some of those who disdain said policy affiliating themselves with Episopalians outside of this country, who feel the same way about gays and lesbians, which is to say, they should not have the rights the U.S. Constitution gives them.

If I was in the position of heading an Episcopal congregation - God help that congregation - I'd preach that "we welcome those who believe in denying others their civil rights the right to leave the Episcopal church."

To my limited observation, as someone who is now loosely affiliated with St. Andrews, it seems that this scism resembles that occuring - or maybe which "has occurred" would be more accurate - in the Republican party, and which has led some people to bolt the Republican party for the Libertarians, or simply to become political independents.

The stuff on global warming - whose cause and effect I personally believe still warrants debate - is all just a smoke-screen for the other issue. So, I would remind people such as "unregistered user," who seems to also favor the word "liberal" as a pejorative term, that the late, great Barry Goldwater also championed the rights of gays and lesbians, in his later years. Hell, maybe he was even a "Unitarian."

Posted by unregistered user at 5/12/07 7:44 p.m.

Joel has this story all to himself.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 6:38 a.m.

Unitarians are not Christians, that was the 1st comment's point.

the Episc church has veered away from its roots and away from classical Christianity. It now has Bishops who question basics like resurrection, virgin birth, sexual morality, tithing, all the basics.

For non-Christians or even Episcopalians, its hard to understand how different they are from the mainstream. The gay thing matters, but they only got to marrying homosexuals by abandoning the Bible.

We are thankful for the Lion of Nigeria, Peter Akinola

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 9:44 a.m.

The "church" is a social construct created by men. Christ taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves. My God is a loving god, and I belong to the Episcopal Church because it is one of the few religions in which I can have a differing opinion and still be accepted as a member in good standing. A quick review of the 10 Commandments reveals nothing about excluding homosexuals. If Christ walked the earth today, what would he say about the way we treat our neighbor? And our home, the Earth? I am heartened by the upcoming installation of Rev. Rickel.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 11:44 a.m.

I have seen nothing in the teachings of Jesus that suggests that He was at all concerned with such things as gender or sexual preference. It is unfortunate that the Episcopal/Anglican church has so publicly fought over something that really has little impact on the lives of its congregants. Largely, the debate is a repeat of the debate on whether to ordain women a generation ago... that issue seems trite now, and hopefully this issue will be trite a generation from now.

All I know is this: Bishop Rickel will be an improvement over his predecessor. He almost has to be; the lack of leadership over the past eighteen years has been damaging indeed.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 2:13 p.m.

Joel; which PI columnist will offer the majority, traditional understanding of Christianity;
a) its not limited to Jesus; orthodox Christianity (meaning traditional christianity) holds that its false teaching to separate Jesus from the writings of John, Peter, Paul.. all the NT is sacred; not some more than others
b) Jesus said little about a lot of things, that doesn't mean its jump ball on all those.
c) ah, ignorance is bliss i guess
d) will you give me back all my tithes i made in good faith?

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 6:38 p.m.

Just what I want in church-lectures on global warming. Seattle rules the diocese and that's why there are so many unhappy people. The Dean of the Cathedral will be making almost $100,000.00 more than the new Bishop who is his boss. The best guy hails from St. Thomas but of course in Seattle there is bigotry against someone from a functional, flourishing parish where "rich" people live.

The crazy lay people only care about liberalism and politics. The southern charm will only carry this guy so far. He has a very shallow resume and way too many advanced degrees. I'd be surprised if he made any difference whatsover in the Diocese.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/07 8:25 p.m.

"I'd be surprised if he made any difference whatsover in the Diocese"

...that's the rub of all this; none of these vanilla new age bishops will ever do anything of substance here. Shouldn't the goal be to bring a few thousand more to Christ? top 40,000 in the diocese?

Posted by unregistered user at 5/14/07 12:28 p.m.

It never ceases to amaze me - supposed 'Christians,' yet again, are quick to judge. Greg hasn't been elected 48 hours and the attacking has already begun. As a member of Greg's current parish in Austin, I can say everyone in our community is heartbroken he is leaving us. At the same time though, we are thrilled that Greg and his family have this opportunity. Clearly, evidenced by the comments here, the Diocese of Olympia is in desperate need of new leadership, a new attitude and some new life. Consider your diocese incredibly fortunate to have a man such as Greg Rickel at the helm for this undertaking. We will miss him dearly here in Austin, but Greg is going where he is needed most.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/14/07 12:50 p.m.

Joel
You suggest that the Anglicans in Oak Harbor are treating the Episcpaliens badly. What you don't evidently know is the the Anglicans have gone to great lengths to make the smaller group welcome, only to be treated with public bashing and arrogant conversation. The Episcopal group has disregarded a legal agreement that promises fairness all around and which demonstrates true Christian charity. The two parishes left because Olympia and The Episcopal Church stand for a spiritual world view at odds with most of Christendom, both presently and historically. People can and do believe what they want and that is a fine thing, but within an organization which is framed by religious dogma and doctrine, leaders must adhere to the defining principles of the said organization. Since The Episcopal Church chooses not to, there are those who no longer want to be connected with such a body and such leaders who choose not to be under higher authority. Given that Episcopal leadership feels it right to make their own rules on doctrine and faith, it would seem natural for subgroups to make their own set of rulesas well. A church rejecting the higher authority of the World Wide Anglican Communion should hardly be surprised when it's members and leaders choose not to be under their authority. They reap what they sow.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/14/07 5:19 p.m.

Episcopaleans only cater to liberals. Not all are welcome-if you don't embrace gay marriage, support the President or question the cause of global warming you might as well not attend church. The new Bishop is a lemming for all these causes. The church at large is suffering because of its intolerance.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/15/07 12:28 a.m.

Resolution 5 at Diocese of Olympia's convention did it for me.

affirm and call upon the bishops and Standing Committee to affirm the full inclusion in all areas of the life of the Episcopal Church of "our otherwise qualified brother and sister Christians who are single or partnered heterosexual gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered persons,

and those who are in non-celibate heterosexual relationships

and those who are divorced, as well as the full inclusion of the Episcopal Church in the full life of the Anglican Communion;"

DoO just made marriage inconsequential...

Posted by unregistered user at 5/15/07 7:01 a.m.

joel
the simple story is that a Seattle friendly liberal won; the story that might take some work, thinking and creativity...might be on what is really going on... is the church growing its base of Christians, or just serving up lectures, music?

ps, gotta love the #2 guy who featured last week.. "Cheyenne Spirituality" at his pre church adult education period. Might as well admit pantheism.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/16/07 1:43 p.m.

Joel, the so called "Anglicans" who have stolen church property are quite victimized, aren't they? But if you believe they have gone to "great lengths to make the smaller group welcome," there's a bridge you can buy. The so called "Anglicans" trump anyone else for expressing arrogance and contempt, so its not worth the bother to attempt to match them for it. They are, however, sadly outstripped in the areas of compassion and love. If anyone has set aside the true teachings of Christ, they have done so; if anyone has left the true heritage of Anglican tradition, they have left. They have their reward on earth, so give them that. There is so much more of such greater value that their greed and blindness will never know. But I suppose that's what makes them victims.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/16/07 4:26 p.m.

What a strange attempt to rewrite a very serious and prayerfully-supported election of a very good man as leader of a wonderful Diocese.
Austin, I'm sorry you're losing him, but we're very happy you're letting him go graciously. The Rev.Dr.Rickel's May 6 sermon on "leaving and being left" is a wonderful testimonial of his love for all of you as well as his faith in the God he loves and worships with words and deeds.
As for the unhappy writers on this blog, as the joy of this Diocese continues to develop in the love of Christ for ALL of us, let us pray that we all answer the invitation of that love to come together respectfully as the risen Christ beckons us to the table. Alleluia!

Posted by unregistered user at 5/16/07 8:54 p.m.

Why do the new age episcopalians need a global warming guru?

why do they call their place "a sacred space"

Are they having "conversations" (about being "inclusive")

Bunch of poppycock. Sad they are leaving the Anglican Communion. Great story about teaching us white folks to embrace the center of Christianity...Africa..

Posted by unregistered user at 5/20/07 3:53 p.m.

My goodness. Perhaps you could refer to the "#2 candidate" by his name, Reverend Jeff Lee. He is an incredible rector of a flourishing, diverse, and exciting parish, of which I am a proud member. He seeks to deepen the understanding that Anglicans have about other forms of spirituality so that we may enrich our own interior SPIRITUAL lives, which can and do exist independently from the traditions of our church. Cheyenne spirituality can truly deepen our experience and broaden our horizons. I think everyone needs to stop throwing dogma and harsh, very UNCHRISTIAN words about, and learn how to love everyone.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/21/07 7:58 p.m.

Translation of post 33431

Use of diversity in sentence = indoctrinated in pop culture
Use of word spriritual = episkie afraid to use words Christ or God or even Bible
Without dogma we end up like plains indians, believe spirits live around us NOT.

Please pull all the new agers with you. A real church would spend that scarce time on the Bible, God, Jesus

Posted by unregistered user at 5/23/07 9:26 p.m.

I resent those comments. JESUS'S message in the BIBLE was that GOD LOVES US ALL. How dare you warp my good-intentioned words into something partisan. Being Christian is about really following love, and God and the Bible. I would suggest you read a bit more deeply into the Good Book. This isn't politics, this is God. If the church does not grow in Christ, it will stagnate.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/24/07 10:13 p.m.

to 33972
I think the post was on the inappropriate use of Sabbeth time to ponder animist religions. Go learn about other religions any other day of the week. Judging from time in the Diocese that time would be better spent learning the Bible. And if i weren't lazy at the moment i'd quote some rich passages from the OT and the NT on spirits (which is what those guys worship).

ps, Jesus spoke about more than love your neighbor. He also spoke about morality (not false like Pharisees, but indeed he did talk about morality). You might also go look up the last words he uttered on earth. New bishop would be advised to heed those words rather than preaching from the book of a politician.

Posted by Rob Rister at 5/29/07 11:12 a.m.

I was among those in Rev. Rickel's congregation in Austin, Texas, who encouraged him to seek service as a bishop, although I have to say his articulation of social views is certainly, well, episcopal.

I found myself unwelcome in St. James when I expressed incredulity toward a proposal that (1) reparations should be paid for slavery but (2) a couple hundred thousand dollars to historically Black universities of Episcopal heritage might do it. It's not that the issue is irrelevant.

There are in fact substantial numbers of people (I've personally only known only white people) in Texas who harbor the belief even in 2007 that Black slaves were happy to serve their masters. It is not unusual to hear the view that abolition after the Civil War (in Texas, two months after the Civil War) only brought destruction and grief to all. That's one extreme Rev. Rickle has had to work with.

The other extreme, with which you might agree or not, is of course a fund of some trillions of dollars allocated by divine wisdom to purge the sin of slavery from the church and nation (leading, one would assume, to a fund for the next injustice).

I am myself a person of mixed race who believes there are, as distressing as some commonly held views in places like Arkansas and East Texas might be, more pressing issues in twenty-first century ministry. Rev. Rickel made it very clear that it would be entirely illiberal of me to suggest any alternative to the views of the majority of the congregation. In other words, to be happy in his congregation, I must be willing to engage in dialog and be enlightened as to why I was ignorant and wrong.

But wouldn't most bishops have that attitude?

Another issue was support of illegal immigrants. A sister in Christ whose husband committed a crime and went to prison fell behind in her mortgage payments, and the Reverend Rickel called on the congregation to help her out because she made low wages as an illegal alien. The daughter of the family gave a sermon in which she stated no person in the history of humanity experienced such terror as she that her mother might be deported. I took her aside and asked her if she had ever heard of the Nazis. Her response was, ¿Quiénes?

Again, I was admonished that to suggest others in history might have suffered rather more than a young American teenager whose parents happened to be living here illegally was crassly un-Christian racism and reaction.

As for war and peace, Rev. Rickel avoided saying what a seminary student said from his pulpit, "I am ashamed to be an American." And one could argue that the Ivins-esque humor, while enjoyable in small doses even if you're a Republican with modicum of humility, simply drives home his views.

All in all, though he should covet his flock's prayers, if in fact the flock prays, I heartily endorse Rev. Rickel's elevation to Bishop of Olympia. After all, he won't be here any more.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/29/07 3:49 p.m.

I was thinking no one else at St. James would dare to express the sentiment it might be a good thing Father Rickel was departing us, but apparently I was wrong.

I'll let other posts stand for themselves. I'll just comment on the importance of including those under 35 in the church.

Soon-to-be-Bishop Rickel is absolutely right. We need another generation of members. But he's wrong that including just any younger members will save the church.

In Father Rickel's church, 20-something women show up in bare midriffs and navel piercings and 20-something men show up with shorts dropping off their buttocks. They talk in tones that can be heard across the pews during the consecration of the host, and they play jazz that is as spiritual as a talk on global warming. In Father Rickel's church, there's a special Sunday evening service to corral the under-35's. If you're over 35, prepare to be treated as invisible, unless you're contributing something to them. You might observe one of the membership getting to preach and tell you she's only 24 and a child, so open your hearts and your refrigerators to her and her peers. They don't buy food--or midriff and upper buttock coverings--yet.

So, Dr. Rickel is wrong. Including younger membership will not necessarily preserve the church. These guys won't keep the doors open unless it's the refrigerator. If all this is very negative, well, it's where the Father is leaving off. I'll leave it to another poster to comment on the education course in how all non-Blacks are racist from last fall.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/30/07 7:13 a.m.

Global warming, white privilege, yipes

sounds like the "religious division of the Democratic party" rather than keeps of the apostolic faith..

Amazing how Akinola of Nigeria looms as a giant above rubes like Rickel and Rivera and Spong and Schori etc.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/30/07 7:42 a.m.

I had to pray long and hard before commenting on Father Rickel in this forum. I have tried to work things out with the church in a far more personal way. My writing here is just to put out some concerns that the Diocese of
Olympia, to be frank, needs to be on watch for.

One feature of discourse at St. James has been frank anti-Semitism. A dear servant of the church with a heartfelt interest in Gaza could be summed as saying, "The Jews are evil. Do you hear me now? The Jews are evil? Do you hear me now?" I believe this good priest is simply too tired to raise the discussion to a higher level. To her credit, and I suppose it's a good thing to name her, Ora Houston did interject that if there were a mission opportunity in Israel itself, the congregation would consider it.

But our rector's niche in ministry seems to be uniting a small group of "oppressed" to become a very local group of oppressors in various setting that put him in charge. If you're white and male and over 60, your only role in his church is to wail penitence over the evils of the establishment your white male brothers perpetrate on the world, and to write checks. If you were to say, have a heart attack and believe you were about to die, he'd crack a devilish grin and ignore you.

I know. I had a heart attack. I told my executor he might need
to have the wherewithal to get me into the ground and to please speak with the priest. I recovered enough to go back to St. James. The first Sunday I was there Father Rickel went around the congregation shaking the hand of every single person who was there except me. It wasn't easy to get out my chair, but I eventually walked over to his throne and passed the peace. He was unenthusiastic to greet me.

So people don't count with Rickel. Causes and power do. Maybe you don't want a pastoral bishop, Episcopalians of Seattle. You surely aren't getting one.

It was not until last Pentecost that I quit going to St. James, and, again, what I am recording here I simply believe needs to be known. I hadn't had enough energy to attend the morning services. I went to the young people's service at 6. I was sitting behind two young women who were evidently quite fond of each other, one of them having addressed the church on her thrill of meeting Jim Wallis in the few weeks earlier.

During the offeratory, the couple began kissing each on the mouth, and giving each other tongue, and rubbing their hands over their shorts. I got up and left and have had no contact from the church since. They dropped me from their mailing list about that time, even though I would have been happy to keep some contact. Well, I did have one contact. My giving statement. But I really can't see writing them any checks--just as an aside, how many traditionally Black colleges could benefit from $100,000 that will be spent to welcome the new bishop? What would this do in Gaza? What could it do for old white men who aren't on Medicare yet?

When I heard Rickel had been appointed, I was sad. Episcopalians in Seattle will be, too.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/30/07 2:24 p.m.

One of the comments about the new bishop that may need to be explained in Washington is his Ivin-esque (Molly Ivins) sense of humor. An Ivin-esque comment would go something like this, against the background that the current governor of Texas Rick Perry has amazingly good hair.

"Evidently the Diocese of Olympia elects its bishops the same way the State of Texas elects its governors. The both go for the man with the best hair."

Best of luck with Bishop Goodhair, Seattle. Apparently there are at least four in his congregation happy to see him join you.

Posted by Rob Rister at 5/30/07 4:14 p.m.

Meaning to disrespect to Mr. Connelly, I have to disagree with the assertion that Fundamentalist eyebrows were raised in Austin when Rev. Rickel engaged the congregation in dialog with a Buddhist. Indeed, Fundamentalists would not even have been picqued had it been more generally known that Rev. Rickel engaged the congregation in dialog with a quite openly gay Buddhist. I believe Fundamentalists were likely relieved that Rev. Rickel did not engage the congregation with a deceased gay Buddhist with the aid of a Ouija board.

Obviously, I am no friend of the rector and St. James has no use for me, but I have to say a charge of anti-Semitism cannot be substantiated against a congregation who invites Rabbi Michael Lerner to speak. Frustration with Israel was a topic of discussion when I attended the church, but I had the impression is was utter frustration and sympathy with individuals, not hatred of any race. I myself have travelled in the Palestinian territories, and I will hasten to add that I was told, rightly or wrongly, the ELCA/Episcopal schools foster rabid anti-Semitism in their students. I don't speak or read or write Arabic, so I don't know for sure. Father Rickel coming from an anti-Semitic congregation, though, absolutely not. I only hope the Diocese of Olympia carefully investigates any missions it supports.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/30/07 8:31 p.m.

As best i can tell from the posts, and from digging into the "sermons" from this guy...Episcopalians in west wa got the most left wing person they could get. He's scary left wing and smarmy. No wonder lefty Connelly loves him;

Posted by Rob Rister at 5/30/07 11:46 p.m.

Even the gay Buddhist mentioned above posted some very polite comments to the effect he thought the liberalism of St. James was a tad ostentatious.

How can the elevation of Rev. Rickel be a blessing? I gave some thought as to why I myself was a sojourner in his church. What he offers is an antidote to spiritual pain that's not all that unlike the antidote the Rev. Jerry Fallwell offered members of Thomas Road Baptist Church.

Dr. Rickel would tell you all theology is human. The late Dr. Fallwell preached that all theology is Biblical. Both doctrines are, to me, a kind of atheism. I believe in God, I mean, I really, really believe in God, but that makes my theology ambiguous and distressing. A few months at St. James is a spiritual Novocaine that allows me to go along my way. A few years is probably a spiritual Oxycontin that gets you hooked to the certainties of anti-Fundamentalism the way some are hooked to Fundamentalism.

He did say he'd leave when his retirement is vested 12 to 14 years from now. (I am so tempted after reading the Texas Governor Rick Perry comment to say, then it's "Adios, mofo." This means I can be indecorous, too.) That means there will be the glory years for those who want to greet the brethren or the sisters with way more than a holy kiss during the consecration of the host (I saw that too, and it was also the last time I attended), then there will be the crash for the liberalism-addicted, but there is room for grace and ministry even within whatever the heck it is Rickel oversees.

God works in mysterious ways.

I am, not without irony, awaiting boarding to a redeye to Seattle. Perhaps Bishop Rickel will be blessed by my presence in the future.

Posted by unregistered user at 5/31/07 7:05 a.m.

What amazes me is the way Rickel, Connelly and a couple of posters throw around the word "fundamentalist" to tar anyone not on their program.

If i believe in tithing, am i fundamentalist?
If i believe murder is wrong, does that make me a fundamentalist
Of course i know they think if i believe pre marital, extra marital and man-man sex if wrong, then i'm a fundamentalist

Long ago fundamentalists were a handful of believers far to the right of normal believers. Now the left has tried to blur the line between normal believers and the far rights, so as to make their lack of belief all the more tolerable. UGH

Posted by Rob Rister at 5/31/07 8:33 p.m.

I hadn't planned to offer any more verbiage on this topic, but, lo and behold, I heard from members of St. James, deploring my illiberalism.

I was amazed they kept my email address.

You see, I hadn't heard from them in a while. There was this period a couple years ago my father was in his last illness. I was having troubling juggling paying his bills and my bills and taking him to the doctors and the ER and managing diabetes. One month, I got the water and power payments in a couple days late. Fortunately, my dad was in the hospital at the time, but I spent a couple months eating dry snacks and bathing out of a bucket. The low point was my discovering a squirrel had drowned in the rain water I had saved up for a bath.

I didn't hear a word from St. James. Not a bottle of water. Not a bean.

Then my Dad died. He was the last Democrat elected (well, next-to-last Democrat elected) in a very Republican county that includes part of Austin, so there was a story in the paper. Again, not so much as an emoticon.

But America is an amazing country.

Without inheriting anything, within 45 days of my Dad's death, not only was I bathing and using my very own electric stove, I was back to earning a healthy six-figure income, and feeling up to going to church again. Yes, it was for that Novacaine I mentioned above, but it was also from a relationship to God and people that's, from the perspective of my lifetime, a joy.

When the poor immigrant girl's story came up, I wanted to help. I consulted my lawyer as how to do it legally, and he suggested paying the illegal to produce Spanish-language bulletins. Aha! Assistance with dignity. I wrote out my first check to the rector's discretionary fund.

All I asked was the chance to tell the young woman that really, adults do understand what it's like to be a teenager, we're not all senile yet, and while it's a terrible thing that your dad's in jail and your mother could be deported any minute, you are incredibly blessed.

But it was more important to St. James and the Texas Civil Rights Project to make this young person a poster child for immigration reform. It was more important to their political objectives that she be a victim. To me, that's child abuse. It's just as evil as putting her in a porn film. But that doesn't mean a soft porn film is entirely an abstraction. My decision was my help could hurt spiritually in ways that were more important that the inconvenience of someone who, after all, had a house, selling it. Please see above (and take that in the most blessed way).

I was also castigated that I am against the GLBT community, and, folks, I am not self-loathing. I embrace the civil right of some guy in cutooffs and flip-flops and a T-shirt and a stole to say words about Jesus over bread and wine while a lesbian couple smooches in sight of the altar.

But if you're going to do this in an Episcopal church, at least change the sign to "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You, Soft Porn at 6."

I don't intend to post any more on all this. I have posted all I at present can imagine would be helpful. But if the Lord's will is Seattle should have its new bishop, I have this feeling I just might have something to say again. Blessings.

Posted by unregistered user at 6/24/07 11:52 p.m.

I know this Bishop-elect. The personal side of him I keep in great confidence. However, what I will proclaim from all the hilltops is that he is a good man.

Even before he was just priest he slept on a cot in a homeless shelter I ra; a very str8 man, he graped the nature of a diverse community of persons living in poverty and heard my concerns about diversity.

In the three weeks I "lived" with this man, I found I found with him him to be the very best of what God has called us all to be ...