Paying up

There has been a huge debate raging on the HOBD list regarding what to do about the Diocese who refuse to contribute to the budget of The Episcopal Church. Actually this debate seems to go on every three years as the time for General Convention comes near and is not unlike the undercurrent of discontent that surrounds our own Diocesan Convention every year regarding the few parishes that likewise refuse to contribute to the Diocesan Convention.

All this of course revolved around the refusal of conservatives to fund that with which they disagree. And I'm not sure that application of force in the way of refusing to allow them vote is really the Christian way to deal with it.

At the same time, I find it most un-Christian to refuse to fund things like ministry overseas and to many very needy and deserving programs in a fit of pique over not getting your way. All in all it seems very childish to me.

Fasting from Complaining

I read somewhere (of course I can't remember where or who to give her or him proper credit) recently about the idea of a fast from complaining. (I sure wish I could come up with great ideas like this on my own!). What an excellent idea for the Church. As a member of a listserve for the Episcopal House of Bishops/Deputies I often wish I could impose it there as well. Imagine how different the church and the world would be if many of us undertook this fast. I think I'm going to give it a try. Not sure how successful I will be, but I'm convinced it will work a transformation in my life. Of course as I was thinking about it I realized that the majority of my complaining is silent complaining. I keep it to myself, but sure complain a lot that way. So I need to focus on my interior thoughts as I begin this fast.