Ex-Gov NJ To Become an Episcopal Priest

NEW YORK CITY: General Theological Seminary Faces Financial Crisis

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
March 31, 2010

General Theological Seminary in New York City is in deep financial trouble. A source told VOL that the problem is a negative cash flow of anywhere from two to four million dollars.

A press release from The Board of Trustees of the seminary of the Episcopal Church said they met recently and resolved to move forward in finding the financial resources necessary to meet fiscal challenges that have recently surfaced in connection with its search for a new Dean and President.

In December, the current Dean, the Very Rev. Ward B. Ewing announced his intention to retire once his replacement has been hired.

The situation is so critical that at the conclusion of the Board's meeting on March 29, Board Chair, the Rev. Canon Denis O'Pray, said trustees determined to ask the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, in response to her willingness to help, to convene a special think tank.

The think tank would be composed of board members and other Episcopal Church leaders. The group will address the Seminary's pressing financial concerns in the context of the Church's overall needs for theological education.

On hearing the news, Joel MacCollam, CEO of A Child's Hope Fund in Oceanside, CA, GTS '72, canonical Diocese of Albany tentmaker-priest serving 28+ years and CEO of several international humanitarian non-profits, wrote angrily to VOL, asking, "How can a Finance Committee of the Trustees not know about this sort of thing? Are they incompetent at GTS at the Trustee level? Are they independently audited? Do they have an audit committee? This is all part of what a non-profit organization is expected to have.

"Further questions include will the alumni/ae be advised of this situation as it stands today? Or do we need to wait for a conclusion to be reached and then a fundraising letter? The news as presented in this media release is distressing in multiple ways. One distress is that an outside consultant had to discover this, and not the Finance Committee. If a search process had not been started, when might this crisis have eventually been discovered?"

One of the seminary's more infamous students is former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, who resigned from office in 2004 after admitting he was homosexual, and subsequently found a welcome home in Chelsea, where he has been studying to become a priest in the Episcopal Church.

McGreevey enrolled in the General Theological Seminary and studied under David Lowry, director of GTS's Desmond Tutu Center for Peace and Reconciliation. The former governor expects to earn his Masters in Divinity next year.

Where Covering Up for Sex with a Minor Is a Sin: Hint - Not in WELS

PENNSYLVANIA: Episcopal Court Sets Date for Final Appeal of Bishop Charles E. Bennison

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
March 18, 2010

The inhibited Bishop of Pennsylvania Charles E. Bennison who has denied the bodily resurrection of Jesus will be looking for his own ecclesiastical resurrection on May 4 in a final appeal to stay a bishop and be restored to his job.

The Court of Review for the Trial of a Bishop has scheduled a one-day session at 9 a.m. on May 4 at the Cathedral of St. John, Wilmington, DE, to hear Bennison's appeal. The bishops who serve on the court will hear two hours of oral arguments.

According to attorney Hamilton "Chip" Doherty, Jr., Esq., of the law firm Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, who is representing The Episcopal Church, there is no provision in Title IV for an appeal of the Final Judgment and Sentence of the Court of Review.

In June 2008, the Court for the Trial of a Bishop ruled that Bennison, Bishop of Pennsylvania since 1998, should be deposed for conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy.

Bennison was found guilty of covering up his younger brother John's sexual relations with a minor at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Upland, California. Charles Bennison was rector of the parish at that time. His brother was on staff as youth minister.

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GJ - So why is Fred Adrian restored to the Michigan District, WELS? I know why - he is not Episcopalian. The Episcopalians may seem pretty pathetic at times, but they have more spine than WELS.

Good Friday Service

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 PM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn # 148 Lord Jesus Christ 3:61
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 22 p. 128
The Lections

The Sermon Hymn #143 O Dearest Jesus 2:56

The Sermon – Fulfillment after 1,000 Years

The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45

The Hymn #151 Christ the Life 2:78

When the Flagship Sinks, the Admiral Moves the Flag

Stan Olson, PhD, grew up on an Iowa "diary farm." Dear Diary, I wonder why we are out of milk.

Here's a laugh from ELCA:

I do agree with Pastor Smith. The ELCA had not been focused in planting new mission sites. Our synod is allergic to commission to "go forth and make disciples to all nations." The bishop's interested is in other financial endeavors. The statistical reports indicate that since the merger in 1988, the ELCA was at over 11,000 congregations. We are approaching 10,000 now. The church demised from 5.2 million people in in 1988 to 4.8 million in 2009. We are looking at the loss of members in congratulation who will not depart the ELCA, and congregations leaving the ELCA.

A few years back we lost an ELCA congregation in Kerrville, Texas. Humorously, the bishop was a member of the congregation, and it voted to leave the ELCA. The bishop joined another congregation a few miles down he road, and now it is voting to leave in May (It will succeed and leave).

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GJ - When the flagship is mortally wounded, the admiral moves the flag to another ship. Usually the flagship is the most powerful and best protected ship of the group.

In this case, the admiral Bishop's ship left ELCA, so he joined another, which is ready to depart as well.

ELCA makes fun of Jonah, but this bishop must feel like a real Jonah. Here is the jibe at the next bishops' meeting - "Hey Jonah - stay out of my district."

Ah Holy Jesus

"O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken"
By Johann Heermann, 1585-1647

1. O dearest Jesus, what law hast thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession, --
What dark transgression?

2. They crown Thy head with thorns, they smite, they scourge Thee;
With cruel mockings to the cross they urge Thee;
They give Thee gall to drink, they still decry Thee;
They crucify Thee.

3. Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?
It is my sins for which Thou, Lord, must languish;
Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit,
This I do merit.

4. What punishment so strange is suffered yonder!
The Shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wander;
The Master pays the debt His servants owe Him,
Who would not know Him.

5. The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted, --
God is committed.

6. There was no spot in me by sin untainted;
Sick with sin's poison, all my heart had fainted;
My heavy guilt to hell had well-nigh brought me,
Such woe it wrought me.

7. O wondrous love, whose depth no heart hath sounded,
That brought Thee here, by foes and thieves surrounded!
All worldly pleasures, heedless, I was trying
While Thou wert dying.

8. O mighty King, no time can dim Thy glory!
How shall I spread abroad Thy wondrous story?
How shall I find some worthy gifts to proffer?
What dare I offer?

9. For vainly doth our human wisdom ponder, --
Thy woes, Thy mercy, still transcend our wonder.
Oh, how should I do aught that could delight Thee!
Can I requite Thee?

10. Yet unrequited, Lord, I would not leave Thee;
I will renounce whate'er doth vex or grieve Thee
And quench with thoughts of Thee and prayers most lowly
All fires unholy.

11. But since my strength will nevermore suffice me
To crucify desires that still entice me,
To all good deeds, oh, let Thy Spirit win me
And reign within me!

12. I'll think upon Thy mercy without ceasing,
That earth's vain joys to me no more be pleasing;
To do Thy will shall be my sole endeavor
Henceforth forever.

13. Whate'er of earthly good this life may grant me,
I'll risk for Thee; no shame, no cross, shall daunt me;
I shall not fear what man can do to harm me
Nor death alarm me.

14. But worthless is my sacrifice, I own it;
Yet, Lord, for love's sake Thou wilt not disown it;
Thou wilt accept my gift in Thy great meekness
Nor shame my weakness.

15. And when, dear Lord, before Thy throne in heaven
To me the crown of joy at last is given,
Where sweetest hymns Thy saints forever raise Thee,
I, too, shall praise Thee.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #143
Text: Luke 23: 20-24
Author: Johann Heermann, 1630
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Titled: "Herzliebster Jesu"
Composer: Johann Crueger, 1640
Tune: "Herzlebster Jesu"

The Lutheran Left Knows How To Use Tolerance and Open-Mindedness

Surrounded by a cloud of witnesses: WELS VP Huebner* is a Fuller alumnus.

ELCA is goose-stepping into the next, inevitable stage of tolerance, foretold long ago by St. Augustine:

1. Error first demands a hearing.
2. Error next demands equal standing.
3. Finally, error dominates and excludes those who disagree.

The August 2009 ELCA convention voted overwhelmingly to endorse openly what they had been practicing for years. This was expressed in terms of the "local option," where districts were allowed to make their own decisions. However, just the opposite developed immediately, and a reaction set in, against ELCA.

Iowa passed resolutions against the August decision but had those resolutions repealed by the machinations of the "neutral" bishop. Whoever said repeal was impossible?

The latest effort is to force resignation upon anyone who disagrees with the latest ELCA convention. Here is a post on that.

Lutherans Concerned for Gays and Lesbians is the lobby that was originally funded by The ALC. They have stated that they do not approve of this firing resolution. They can well afford to be officially so open-minded, because the Left Foot of Fellowship is being extended with vigor and enthusiasm, thanks to decades of their lobbying.

ELCA has been ecumenical with all confessions and anti-confessions, to a fault, but no ELCA congregation is allowed to be a member of a dissenting ELCA group - CORE or LCMC. The best way to leave ELCA with the property is to join one of these groups and be kicked out.

The earthquakes were a welcome relief for ELCA, so headquarters could post stories on their prayers and efforts, instead of posting stories on all the congregations leaving.

The latest ELCA mission efforts--please don't laugh--are to create groups where the local congregation has vamoosed from Holy Mother Synod. The left-behinds are a mission, orphaned children begging for morsels. ELCA will gather them and fashion them into new ELCA missions, with subsidies. They will say, with unfeigned joy, "We have restored the Gospel to this community!"

* - WELS has the same concept of tolerance. Once the Church Shrinkers had their say, they began expelling anyone who disagreed.