Bishop Rickel's Blog

Mission to Seafarers: Something for us not to forget this Christmas

I have fallen increasingly in love with a ministry within our diocese, and on behalf our diocese, that goes virtually unnoticed most days.  It is the Mission to Seafarers in the West Seattle Seaport.   The following comes from the international Mission to Seafarers Website:

"Loneliness, danger and separation from loved ones are just some of the problems seafarers face. Around the world, night and day, The Mission to Seafarers provides help and support to those in need. As a Christian agency, we work in more than 230 ports caring for the practical and spiritual welfare of seafarers of all nationalities and faiths.

Through our global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers we reach out to seafarers by visiting them on their ships, offering them the hand of welcome and friendship, and caring for them in their hour of need.

In over 100 ports we also run centres which provide ‘a home away from home’. These are places where seafarers can contact their loved ones from whom they are separated for months on end, receive assistance with any problems they may be facing and get a break from their demanding way of life onboard ship"

One of those ports is right here, to large degree literally in my backyard!  And I am always so impressed with all they accomplish there, with so very little.  There is a small but dedicated band of board members, ably led by the Rev. Bob Moore, who have worked diligently over these past years in order to make sure this ministry continues.  It basically survives on just over $100,000 a year but meets and ministers to countless seafarers from all over the world, many of whom will be in our ports this Christmas, away from family and friends.

Over the last few months our few employees have forgone salary at times in order for the ministry to continue.  Even now there is back pay and I am so moved by the commitment of these disciples, who forego their own well being in order to keep the ministry alive.  

As I looked at their impending year end budget, I saw that they were roughly $20,000 behind for this year.  I give to this ministry, and I encourage you to consider them as you consider gifts at this year end and in this season when we celebrate the greatest gift we have ever been given.  If you would like to give to the Mission you can do so online, by going to the Diocese of Olympia website www.ecww.org, hitting the "Make a Gift" button, and then mark it for Mission to Seafarers or you can send a check marked for this mission to The Diocese of Olympia, 1551 10th Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98102.  I can vouch for the fact that it will be used wisely, and for the good of many.  

Prepare the Way of the Lord!

Blessings,

+Greg

Live Nativity at St. John's, Olympia!

Some of you have heard of all of the controversy involving a nativity scene at the state capital.  Well, just down the road St. John's, Olympia has answered the call!

“Share Check”: A holiday suggestion from Nathan Dungan

 

At the recent Diocesan Convention, Nathan Dungan, president of Share Save Spend®, gave a presentation on healthy money habits for families. The general idea was that as parents and grandparents, we in the faith community have a great opportunity to teach our families how to share, save and spend, countering the message of “spend spend spend” that we hear 5,000 times a day in ads and impressions.

 

Dungan suggested starting a family holiday and other celebration tradition of “share checks.” This is a simple concept where a check is made out with the date, amount, signature, everything except the “pay to” line.  The recipient is invited to fill in the “pay to” line with the name of a charity.  The only requirement is that the child or adult later tell you where the gift went.

 

The check might be shared with a feeding program like Northwest Harvest, Episcopal Charities Appeal (which supports 25 ministries in Western Washington) or Episcopal Relief and Development (which serves those in need around the world). One could pick from scores of local agencies and charities.  The recipient of the “share check” can do some research to determine where they want it to go.

 

One of the great things about share checks is that it turns “gimme, gimme, gimme” into “give to others.” It also gives us a great opportunity to have meaningful discussions about who we share with and why.  

 

“Share checks” are an easy way to share our abundance, pass on some of our own stewardship values, teach others the joy of giving, and have meaningful things to talk about with our kids, grandkids and families. I know we are incorporating this into our family gift-giving this holiday season and it will also be part of birthdays and other gift-giving from now on.

 

Like the adman says, “Try it. You’ll like it!”

 

Bill Brice

St. Andrews, Tacoma

Past Diocesan Council Rep from Commission for Planned Giving/Stewardship

Stewardship Revolt in Chicago

The Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development recently met in Chicago for its first meeting since General Convention.  I was assigned to this commission by the Presiding Bishop and I am honored to be on it.  This video introduces most of our members.  This is a fun video compilation of each person's view of stewardship.  We had a great meeting and we hope for work that will take us beyond business as usual!

More on New Orleans

 
Here are a few more pictures taken from members of our great crew from St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle.  The people there are so welcoming, and hospitable.  I am sorry for the haziness of the pictures, if you look at the Starbucks below, you might be able to see the Katrina line on the wall.  And the Sign is posted on St. Augustine's right across the street from McDonald's!

 

Lucky Penny

So, I have been in New Orleans this week, helping a fine crew from the Diocese of Olympia, most from St. Mark's Cathedral.  We have had an excellent week, making contact with our dear friends at St. Paul's, Lakeview, Connie and Mark Uddo and their new Rector Scott.  We were warmly and hospitably welcomed by St. Paul's staff, from school and church, Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana and a great meal prepared by Mark Uddo and some wonderful volunteers there.  There is so much still yet to do here. 

This relationship is deep, between Olympia and St. Paul's, New Orleans, and we hope that it can continue for a long time to come.  There are some very dedicated young people working to rebuild this region, and four of them helped our crews this week.  In the video below you will see Jane ( who I call Lisa, because she looks so much like a  Lisa I knew growing up!) and Spencer.  They were incredible! 

The paint on the house we worked on is named, Lucky Penny!   Blessings to all of you!

+Greg

The Bishop's Cross: Jefferson Macon

At our recent convention in Vancouver, Washington I awarded the Bishop's Cross to Jefferson "Jeff" Macon.  I have been impressed with him since he began sending me hand typed letters regarding all types of subjects.  At 91 years old it is amazing what he is thinking about and focused on.  I read his story over quite a few times before convention in hopes I could get through the presentation.  I barely did.  I share it here because it is worth sharing.   Blessings,  Greg

Jefferson Macon is a charming Southern gentleman, born on April 25, 1919, in Georgia.  Raised a Baptist, he was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in the 1950’s.  He became a member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Bellevue, in 2005, after moving from the Missoula, MT, area where he had a career in real estate.  Jeff’s life story includes some remarkable moments.

 

In 1943, Jeff enlisted in the US Army Air Force, where he was trained as a pilot.  Upon earning his wings, he married his beloved Sara, and they moved to Colorado Springs, where he received combat training on a B-24.  During WWII, he was the pilot of missions into southern Germany and Italy.  When his plane was shot down over Austria (after more than 40 successful missions), all 12 members of Jeff’s crew were captured and sent to concentration camps.  Jeff was marched from one Stalag to another, moving toward Munich during winter, where he was rescued by Patton’s Army.  Then he returned to the US with all 12 of his crew alive.  Before he left Sara in Georgia to go oversees, he asked a florist in Atlanta to give his wife a rose each month.  Even while he was prisoner, the florist continued to do that each month.

 

When Sara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1990, Jeff and his son Gary cared for her at home for two years, then made the difficult decision to admit her to a nursing home in Missoula.  Jeff and Gary eventually closed their real estate office and moved so they could spend time with Sara daily.  Jeff wrote a history of this time: “My Second Courtship of Sara During 13 Years of Alzheimer’s.”  He wrote, “… never give up on a loved one who has Alzheimer’s…. Wrap your arms around the limited abilities that still exist and treasure them with love.”

 

Since arriving at St. Margaret’s, Jeff has been actively engaged in EFM, worship, and other ministries.  He can reflect upon the “epiphanies” of his life – such as when he and his wife Sara entered a movie theater just after the lights had dimmed.  “We were raised as bigots,” he says.  When the movie ended, they discovered to their amazement that the theater was a racially-integrated one.  They looked at each other, initially horrified, but then instantly realized that it was not a problem.  And Jeff immediately changed his attitude.  More recently (at age 89), he was drinking coffee in a Starbucks, when he overheard two men at the next table who got up to leave.  They embraced each other and said, “See you tonight.”  Jeff had an epiphany – a moment of understanding about how people relate to each other, and he’s been a gay rights activist since then.  “If I can change my thinking that quickly, why is the church so slow?” he wonders.

 

Last Lent, when St. Margaret’s read Phyllis Tickle’s The Great Emergence together, Jeff read it several times, excited and eager to know what comes next.  He has attended every parish discussion of the book, written to the bishop about his thoughts and questions, and is ready to do whatever he can do to help St. Margaret’s and the Episcopal Church to be ready for the future.  He recently wrote to the Bishop and said, “I am 90 years old, I figure I only have a few more years to help, tell me what I can do!”  For his ministry, and his amazing wisdom which has allowed him to grow old without growing up, to get younger on every birthday, and to be a servant of our Lord and an inspiration to us, it is with a great deal of pleasure that I present the Bishop’s Cross to

 

Jefferson Macon

 

                                                               

 

                                                                             Gregory H. Rickel

                                                                             Bishop of Olympia

99^th Diocesan Convention

October 2009

Prosperity

A sermon based on Mark 10:17-31.

This past week I got to be in Texas again for a while.  As we landed in Houston at 6 a.m. in the morning the pilot came on to say that the temperature was 80 degrees.  Some of my fellow travelers, obviously from the Northwest, not from Texas said, “That just can’t be right?”  Oh yes, I said, just wait until they open that door, you will feel just how right he was. 

 

Sure enough, that day got up to 94 degrees on an; October afternoon.  Janis Joplin used to roam around Austin, she played in little restaurants and bars.   Her picture is up in a lot of places.  She had a song that I think of when I read the readings for today, “Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?”  We all have some feelings like that every now and again.  It is prosperity theology through and through.  And there is a lot of that going around these days.  Television preachers, and otherwise, telling you, if you just believe deeply enough in God, you might just get that Mercedes-Benz.   And, of course, the reverse is either implied, or I have even witnessed it said outright, you don’t get the Mercedes-Benz because you just aren’t believing enough, good enough, holy enough. 

 

Jesus never talked about sexuality.  He did talk about money and possessions, over 60 times in the New Testament.  He seemed to think it has more power over us.  It is interesting where we take all of this, and what we spend our energy on.  I have never heard a television preacher attack those “practicing consumers.”   

Of course not, he or she would be attacking all of us, and him or herself. 

 

If you go back in the history of this passage you will find that even the redactors, those who translated some of these passages, they were even taken aback by how forward they were, often convicted to the point of saying, hey, I bet they didn’t mean that.  I bet they meant this.  They actually would make this all seem less impossible. 

 

And then, we are redactors ourselves.  I remember when we taught my son that we were truly rich.  He was probably four years old when he asked us if we were.   I told him yes, we are quite rich, we have each other, we have a nice roof over our heads, we get to eat just about whenever we want.  We are richer than just about everyone else in the world, 95%.  Of course, he didn’t “get” any of that.

 

So, of course, a few days later while we are in a meeting at church, he blurts out to everyone, “We are rich!”  I am rich!’  with the biggest smile on his face.  And I turned red and some of the people in the room did, and I found myself explaining where that came from and why he was saying such things. 

 

Interesting that I would have to do that, since it is true. 

 

But passages like this make us want to disavow the notion, that in fact, even in much of our disparity in wealth in this country, we are still, remarkably, by the world’s notion quite rich.  

 

So, in our day and time, we have remade the word rich, so as not to have it contain us.  Who was it, Rockefeller or Morgan who was asked, how much is enough? And replied, “just a little more?”  He might as well have been asked what was asked in this passage.  How much before you trust that you will be taken care of?  How much before you feel secure?  How much before fear is gone? 

 

Jesus was trying to be as clear as he could be, that you would never reach that threshold.  It is bottomless and unfullfillable because there is no container, no bank account, you can ever fill enough to give you those things.  Most of what makes us feel secure, fearless, taken care, of does not come from anything we could earn or buy.  But, our minds and our lives, the consumeristic world we live in, fools us into thinking we can.  This is the idea of the American dream.  I dare say it got us, as it always ultimately will, to the state we are in right now.  We often fight against equality, and equity in our lives together in this world, based on the idea that well, if we do that, I will miss out on my part of the dream.  I will miss my chance.  I will not be included.  So, the bulk of persons work their whole lives searching for it, thinking their ship will come in, while watching life pass them by.  It is quite the gamble.  Just like in Vegas, the house always wins, the exception does not negate the rule. 

 

There is some research to show that it is not consumerism, but the anxiety in people around this, that makes the leap impossible.  Anxiety, fear, that we will not be cared for. 

 

So, I hope I have made my case, whether you agree with me or not, or like it or not, that this parable is about us, you and me, not some other “rich person.”  Now, let me say this.  It is also very important to look at this parable closely.  Jesus does not say, rich people are bad.  He does not say rich people will automatically go to hell.  He does not say rich people cannot enter into heaven.   Instead, what he does is said clearly, you do have to make a choice.  He is insinuating that as powerful as the Kingdom might seem, if it is not worth the faith for you to enter it, and be willing to lay the possessions and riches aside, well then, you have made your choice. 

 

CS Lewis memorialized this in the Great Divorce, where he has the bus stop for people, giving them the freedom to get on board, and ride to the next level.  Those that were suspicious never got on. Those that felt it was all a trick, those that actually rather liked the life they had, who enjoyed being on top of the heap where they were, no matter how bad the heap smelled, they didn’t board.  The door was opened again and again.  The ride was free, but they just could not do it, because, not leaving behind whatever they were holding on to, the ride was not free to them.  It came at great cost, a cost of something, possessions, riches, pride, control, power. 

 

Jesus is, basically, inviting us to trust God more than anything else, trust God with our futures, our lives, our final salvation.  That will never be easy.  I would say it is a life project for all of us.  It seems just so insane in a way.  We are stewards of all we have, but we own none of it.  I am always reminded of the farmer who took the pastor out to his farm, he had been rather tired of hearing the pastor preach about the fact that we don’t own anything.  The farmer said to the pastor, look out across that land, the horizon, all you can lay your eyes on now, and even beyond belongs to me, I own it.  How can you say I don’t.  The pastor just looked at him and said, ask me that in a hundred years.  

 

“Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?” is a good song, but it’s bad theology.

Broken before it even started

This homily was preached at the College for Congregational Development, Morning Prayer, September 12, 2009.  The Gospel referenced was Matthew 3:13-17. The "TJ" reference is to my Meyers-Briggs typology.

It has been said, “To truly listen is to risk being changed forever.”  And this is what we often fear, being changed.  So much of the conflict I see comes from this fear. 

 

We are hearing, through statistics, and in real life, that conflict is fairly pervasive in the Church.  The length of rectorships gets shorter and shorter, and reports of conflict goes up. 

 

It made me think of something that was stated yesterday.  “It was broken before it ever started.” 

 

Broken before it ever started.   There does seem to be a lot of conflict.   The Vicar or Rector or Bishop, or President, or new boss arrives with so much promise, but then we discover they have feet of clay as well, alas they are human.  We have, in this society, a great contempt for the familiar, so time is often short before the conflict comes. 

 

Broken before it ever started.   I have some unresolved conflict right now.  You know that my life was a bit disrupted Thursday night, working too late, but doing it nonetheless when I heard my car alarm go off, I ran out my office door and just missed the thief.  Second time my car has been burglarized in four months.  I have to admit as I looked at the glass on the ground, and in my seat, and all over my car, that I so wished I had caught the perpetrator.  I have to admit I was thinking thoughts unbecoming a bishop.  They were “TJ” thoughts.  I wished I had caught him, and I was glad I hadn’t.  You know it is kind of like watching the kid on the beach that just won’t stop chasing the seagulls.  I often sit and watch and wish, just once, he would catch one!   I have a feeling it would not be what he had bargained for!!  So, you know, I am a TJ, so I want resolution.  The burglar bled in my car, and left the screwdriver used to bash in the window.  When I called the police, I told them, hey I have blood, DNA!!!  The man on the other end just kept saying, we are not coming out there sir.  I wanted resolution, but how will I ever get that?

 

My unresolved conflict, at the moment, is with someone I will most likely never know.  We all know how that feels, to have conflict with someone we will never meet or know.   We don’t have the luxury of sitting face to face to fix it all. 

 

Broken before it ever started.  This all got me to thinking that perhaps, in a sense, we all bring to any relationship, a little of this, broken before it ever started.   We can’t help it in a sense, it comes from the best place in us.  We all have a vision of what the relationship should be, be it a marriage, or family, or congregation.  It will not be long at all before the dreams and hopes don’t quite match.  We do this to some degree when we set up committees or boards in the church, or even write canon law, when trust is high, only to find when conflict sets in, what we built is unhealthy and untenable.  We might do better to design it based on when it doesn’t go so well.

 

Even in our Gospel today, John had another plan.  He actually had to give up what he had hoped for, to fulfill what Jesus needed.  One has to wonder if there was a bit more conversation than what we get here. I think we are really getting a summary! 

 

Broken before it ever started.   Maybe we should start there, more.  Maybe we should just acknowledge that, when we enter into relationships, in a sense, it is broken.  Maybe we need to put the same amount of energy into listening as the relationship begins, as we do when we have decided it just might end.  In a sense it is what President Kennedy meant when he said Success has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.   We see it played out in the church when I get a call that says, “You know that mutual ministry review we are supposed to do with our Rector, well we haven’t ever done one, and it’s time.”   This usually means, there is a rub.  Something is not going right.  And that, is not the time to engage in a mutual ministry review.   More than anything, that requests comes, and were it to be honored, simply keeps the dysfunction going by making a way for us, once again, not to actually speak to one another, and, maybe even more importantly listen to one another.  Because we know, to truly listen, is to risk being changed forever.

 

OK, I know this sounds a bit down, but it is not meant to be.  I guess what I am saying is, why don’t we practice with the idea there is a little bit of brokenness in all of us, and that this is going to, eventually, enter into every relationship.  Better to get that down while times are good, while the trust is high, than to wait to learn it when the chips are down.  That is what you and I are doing.  It is what we should be up to in this whole endeavor.

 

Broken before it ever started.  I tried to think how to end this, I reviewed a few Psalms, some scripture, but I kept coming back to this, the refrain from the Leonard Cohen song, Anthem.

 

"Ring the bells that still can ring.

Forget your perfect offering.

There is a crack in everything.

That's how the light gets in."

               

---- Leonard Cohen

What I did on my summer vacation!

Well, if you follow at all you know I went to General Convention.  My reflections on that can be found on July 31st.  But after convention, and before our actual vacation, my family and I got to attend, and lead, Vacation with a Difference, at St. Andrew's House, our diocesan retreat center on Hood Canal.  We took up the Gospel According to Dr. Seuss and had a great time doing it.  It was a beautiful week and we were blessed to be there during the 103 record day and record heat week we had here in Seattle.  It was the right time to be there.  The week included discussion of the worth of all human beings (a person is a person no matter how small!-Horton hears a Who!), our environment (The Lorax), and the spirit of gift (How the Grinch Stole Christmas!).  We got to hike in the Olympic National Park, took an electric boat ride on the Hood Canal, and more than anything enjoyed one another, meeting new people from around our diocese.  Oh, by the way, St. Andrew's House has a new pool!!! YES, for real, it costs $11.99 and we were in it a lot!   We had so much fun we are planning it for next year.  July 25th-29th, 2010.  I hear that 60% who attended this year have signed up already. 

After that my family and I got to go to our yearly two week vacation.  We had fun at the beach and my son was certified as a scuba diver.  I have to tell you, when he was born 13 years ago I remember thinking that my scuba diving days were over.  So, it was just fabulous to be able to actually scuba dive with him and he is a natural! 

One of the things I love about vacation is getting to read, a lot.  Here is some of what I read.

A People's History of Christianity by Diana Butler-Bass.  A great historian, good writer, and a good friend, I was glad to finally get to read this.  She has done a wonderful job of weaving history with narrative and I felt totally sure of where I was in time while I read.  I loved the way she associated actual heroes of the faith with the time she discusses.  This would make an excellent book to follow with a book group, or Adult forum.   I highly recommend this book.

An American Apostle: The Life of Stephen Fielding Bayne, Jr.  Bayne was the third Bishop of Olympia and someone I had admired long before I ever dreamed I would be one of his successors.  It was good to read this book with time to reflect, and it brought many smiles to may face.  Bayne was known as serious, but also humorous and this was definitely evident in his writing.  I felt better reading about all he felt he had accomplished, but also all he felt he left undone. 

The Gospel According to U2: We get to Carry Each Other by Greg Garrett.  Greg is a former parishioner, and good friend.  I got to see him at General Convention when he hand delivered this book to me.  Greg is also followed very closely by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  Archbishop Rowan reads all of his books, and meets with him often.  In fact, when I greeted the Archbishop just before our joint appearance at GC, his first question was "how is our friend Greg?"  He had just finished Greg's latest novel and spoke about it with great interest.  This book is easily accessible, great for a study guide and built that way.  Greg actually met with U2, "back when" and he really mines the depths of their work and their Christian walk.

Then I got into my Ignatian quest! I read both What is Ignatian Spirituality? by David Fleming and Companions of Christ: Ignatian Spirituality by Margaret Silf. Both of these books discuss the history and story of Ignatius along with his exercises and a discussion of those.  I continue to be intrigued by this and intend to read more. I got to walk at least once a day, and sometimes two, an dmost of all just spend a lot of good time with my family.  

And now, I am back in the swing of things, glad to be home, and thankful for the time. 

Blessings,

+Greg